Motor Control Cabinet Bucket Interface for Autonomous Robot Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robots are often inflexible and expensive to use for interacting with industrial machines due to the need for specialized designs, as they require multiple axes of movement, high payload capacity, and specific end effectors to perform operations on machines like motor control cabinets, which are typically designed for human interaction.
Innovation Solution
A motor control cabinet system that allows an industrial robot to interact with a bucket containing industrial devices, using a movable bucket design with a translation motion and compatible interfacing devices, reducing the number of degrees of freedom and end effectors needed, and utilizing slider bearings for support and alignment tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If industrial robots are designed with multiple axes of movement, high payload capacity, and specific end effectors to interact with industrial machines, then the robot can perform operations on machines like motor control cabinets, but the robot becomes inflexible and expensive to use
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of designing the robot to match the machine's interface requirements, the patent inverts the approach by designing the motor control cabinet with robot-compatible features. The cabinet includes standardized interfacing devices, bucket configurations, and mounting points that directly accommodate common robot end effectors, eliminating the need for complex robot designs
Solution Approach 2:
The motor control cabinet is designed with universal interfacing capabilities that can work with multiple types of industrial robots. Standardized interfaces, compatible bucket designs, and adaptable mounting systems allow different robot models to interact with the cabinet without requiring custom robot configurations
2Reliability
If industrial robots are customized with specialized designs to interact with specific industrial machines, then the robot can perform required operations, but the cost increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor control cabinet incorporates universal interfaces and standardized components that can accommodate various robot types and end effectors. This allows a single cabinet design to work reliably with multiple robot models while maintaining the ability to perform required operations
Solution Approach 2:
The cabinet design includes adaptable features such as adjustable mounting positions, interchangeable interfacing devices, and flexible bucket configurations that can be modified based on different operational requirements, enabling the same cabinet to work with different robots for different tasks
3Ease of operation
If industrial machines are designed for human interaction, then they are easy to operate manually, but they require multiple degrees of freedom and high payload capacity when interacted with by industrial robots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the inversion principle by equipping industrial machines with robot-compatible features rather than requiring robots to adapt to human-designed interfaces. The motor control cabinet includes standardized interfacing devices, robot-friendly mounting points, and compatible bucket designs that directly accommodate common robot end effectors
Solution Approach 2:
The cabinet is divided into modular components including removable buckets, interchangeable interfacing devices, and segmented mounting systems. This segmentation allows robots to interact with individual components rather than requiring complex whole-cabinet manipulation, reducing the degrees of freedom needed
Data Source
AI summary
A motor control cabinet (MCC), implemented in a motor control center, on which an operation is performable by an industrial robot (IR), comprising: a bucket placeable in a section of the MCC, the bucket is configured to contain industrial device(s) and is movable along an axis relative to the section; a first interfacing device (ID) associated with the bucket, the first ID is associated with a first operation and a second operation distinct from the first operation, the first ID is operable by the IR to perform the first operation or the second operation on the bucket; and a second ID associated with the bucket, the second ID is associated with a third operation and operable by the IR to perform the third operation on the bucket, an interface of the second ID and an interface of the first ID are compatible with a same end effector of the IR.