Robot arm for a domestic appliance, in particular for a kitchen appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot arms for domestic appliances are typically limited to specific functions and require separate units for different appliances, making them inflexible for multiple uses within a household.
Innovation Solution
A modular robot arm design featuring a base module and interchangeable end modules with various drive units and tools, allowing users to adapt the robot arm to different domestic appliances and functions by exchanging end modules and reconfiguring drive units, enabling versatile use with existing appliances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robot arm is designed for a specific function, then it can perform that function reliably, but it cannot be used for other functions or appliances
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is divided into modular components: a base module containing drive units and a tool module that can be exchanged. This segmentation allows the tool module to be changed for different functions while the base module remains constant, resolving the contradiction between reliability (maintained in the base module) and adaptability (achieved through tool module exchange).
Solution Approach 2:
The base module is designed as a universal platform that can support multiple different tool modules for various functions (suction, gripping, cutting, etc.). This universality allows a single robot arm system to perform multiple functions, eliminating the need for separate specialized robot arms for each function or appliance.
2Reliability
If separate robot arms are provided for different domestic appliances, then each appliance has a dedicated robot, but the household requires multiple robots and they cannot share
Solution Approach 1:
A single robot arm with a universal base module can replace multiple appliance-specific robot arms by exchanging tool modules. The base module maintains reliable performance across different applications, while the exchangeable tool modules provide appliance-specific functionality, reducing the total number of robot units needed in a household.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of disposing of or storing multiple specialized robot arms, the system allows discarding the tool module for one appliance and recovering/reusing the same base module with a different tool module for another appliance. This reduces the overall number of devices needed and simplifies household robot management.
3Ease of manufacture
If the robot arm structure is fixed, then it is simple to manufacture, but it cannot be adapted to different applications or existing appliances
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is segmented into a standardized base module and interchangeable tool modules. The base module can be manufactured once with standardized interfaces, while tool modules are manufactured separately. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardization while enabling adaptability through modular combination of base and tool modules for different applications.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a robot arm (10) for a domestic appliance, in particular for a kitchen appliance. The robot arm (10) comprises a base module (12) for fastening said robot arm (10) at or on the domestic appliance or in the environment of said domestic appliance. The robot arm (10) comprises at least one end module (22) adapted or adaptable for specific functions. The robot arm (10) comprises at least one drive unit (14, 16, 18) interconnected between the base module (12) and the end module (22). The end module (22) is exchangeable by the user.