Piezoelectric Robot Arm Gripper for Confined Space Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems with complex palette configurations face challenges in simplifying the design while maintaining effective gripping and manipulation of objects, leading to potential interference issues.
Innovation Solution
A robot arm design featuring a distal end unit with a gripping part and supporting parts, utilizing piezoelectric motors for precise pivoting, allowing for orthogonal movement and reduced size, enabling efficient object handling in a smaller workspace.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a complex palette configuration is used to prevent interference between the palette and gripping device, then interference is suppressed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the palette from the system by eliminating it entirely. Instead of using a palette to hold and present works, the robot arm directly grasps works from a container. This removes the source of interference between palette and gripping device while simplifying the overall system configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm's gripping device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can grasp works directly from a container without requiring a separate palette. The gripping device itself becomes the interface for both storage access and manipulation, eliminating the need for additional components.
2Speed
If traditional motor systems are used for the robot arm, then high speed operation is achieved, but the size and precision for low-speed operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the piezoelectric motor to optimize for both speed and precision. By controlling the voltage and frequency applied to the piezoelectric elements, the system can achieve high-speed operation when needed while maintaining precise positioning at low speeds, as the piezoelectric effect allows for fine control of motor movement.
3Area of stationary object
If the robot arm operates in confined spaces, then workspace efficiency is improved, but the range of motion and manipulation capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm employs a nested structure where the distal end unit can be positioned within or near the elbow unit's workspace. This nesting allows the gripper to access confined spaces while the supporting parts provide the necessary range of motion. The overlapping workspaces of different arm segments enable manipulation in tight areas without sacrificing versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design simplifies the robot arm configuration, reduces size, and enhances precision and stability in object manipulation by using piezoelectric motors for low-speed, high-torque operations, facilitating easier object handling in confined spaces.
Implementation Method 1
the first drive unit includes a piezoelectric motor
Data Source
AI summary
A robot arm includes a distal end unit having a gripping part and a first supporting part that supports the gripping part, a first drive unit that, with an axis along a direction in which the gripping part and the first supporting part are arranged as a first axis, pivots the gripping part about a first pivot axis along the first axis relative to the first supporting part, a second supporting part that supports the first supporting part, and a second drive unit that, with an axis orthogonal to the first axis as a second axis, pivots the distal end unit about a second pivot axis along the second axis relative to the second supporting part, wherein the first drive unit includes a piezoelectric motor, and the second pivot axis crosses the distal end unit.