Painting Robot Redundant Upper Arm Axis
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Solution Overview
Problem
When painting an inner panel of a vehicle, interference between the painting robot and the workpiece is a significant issue, and to prevent this, the paint booth often needs to be enlarged, compromising efficiency and space utilization.
Innovation Solution
A painting robot with a unique multi-axis configuration, including a swivel base, lower arm, upper arm, and wrist unit, allows for improved accessibility by extending the effective range of motion without interfering with the workpiece, featuring a second upper arm with a redundant axis that can be bent and extended to approach the workpiece closely while avoiding interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot is positioned closer to the workpiece to improve accessibility, then painting efficiency is improved, but interference between the robot and workpiece occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a redundant fourth axis (A4) parallel to the third axis (A3) in the upper arm mechanism. This additional degree of freedom allows the robot to access workpiece areas that would otherwise be unreachable without interference, enabling the robot to operate in previously inaccessible dimensions while maintaining safe distances from the workpiece.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies that the second upper arm has an arm length longer than the first upper arm but shorter than twice the arm length of the first upper arm. This parameter optimization allows the robot to extend its reach closer to the workpiece for improved accessibility while maintaining sufficient clearance to avoid interference, effectively tuning the geometric parameters to resolve the contradiction.
2Reliability
If distance is ensured between the robot and workpiece to prevent interference, then safety is improved, but accessibility to the workpiece deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The redundant fourth axis provides an additional dimensional capability that allows the robot to reach around and access confined areas of the workpiece without needing to position the entire robot arm assembly close to the workpiece. This enables safe distancing while maintaining operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot's multi-axis configuration with the redundant fourth axis provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the arm to pivot and reposition itself to access different workpiece areas. This dynamic capability enables the robot to maintain safe baseline distances while still achieving close proximity access when necessary through coordinated axis movements.
3Area of stationary object
If a standard-sized paint booth is used to maintain compactness, then space utilization is improved, but the robot cannot access all workpiece areas without interference
Solution Approach 1:
The redundant fourth axis enables the robot to access confined spaces and complex geometries within a standard-sized paint booth by utilizing an additional degree of freedom. This allows complete workpiece coverage without requiring the expanded space of a larger booth.
4Ease of operation
If the second upper arm length is increased to extend reach, then accessibility is improved, but device complexity and interference risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the second upper arm length is longer than the first upper arm but shorter than twice the arm length of the first upper arm. This constrained parameter range optimizes the balance between extended reach for improved accessibility and controlled complexity to minimize interference risks and maintain manageable device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
[Problem] To provide a painting robot (10) for improving accessibility to a workpiece (500). [Solving method] A painting robot (10) includes a base (10b), a swivel base (11), a lower arm (12), an upper arm (UA), and a wrist unit (WU). The base (10b) is fixed to an installation surface (IS). The swivel base (11) is supported, on a base end side, on an upper surface side of the base (10b) and swivels about a first axis (A1) along a vertical direction. The lower arm (12) is supported, on a base end side, by the swivel base (11) and pivots about a second axis (A2) perpendicular to the first axis (A1). The upper arm (UA) is supported, on a base end side, by a tip end side of the lower arm (12) and pivots about a third axis (A3) parallel to the second axis (A4). The wrist unit (WU) has a three-axis configuration in which a base end side is supported by a tip end side of the upper arm (UA) and a tip end side is configured to receive attachment of an end effector (EE). The upper arm (UA) includes a first upper arm (13) on a base end side and a second upper arm (14) on a tip end side. The second upper arm (14) pivots about a fourth axis (A4) parallel to the third axis (A3), and an arm length is longer than an arm length of the first upper arm (13), and is shorter than twice the arm length of the first upper arm (13).