Robot Pivot Joint Safety Valve for Rapid Pressure Equalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot pivot joints lack sufficient safety features to ensure safe operation, particularly in direct human-robot cooperation scenarios, where malfunctions or hazardous situations can occur due to valve group failures.
Innovation Solution
A pivot joint with a valve arrangement that includes a safety valve connected to both working ports, allowing for rapid pressure equalization between chambers to prevent unintended movement, and a choke to ensure pressure reduction, along with redundant safety valves and separate control systems for enhanced safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve arrangement with safety valve is added to the pivot joint, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety valve is pre-configured in the valve arrangement to automatically equalize pressure between working chambers when hazardous situations occur, preventing unintended movements before they can cause harm. The check valve is pre-installed to block fluid connections between chambers during normal operation, with automatic activation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety valve acts as an intermediary component between the first and second working chambers, mediating pressure equalization when needed. The valve arrangement serves as an intermediary system that controls fluid connections between chambers, providing safety functionality without directly modifying the actuator structure.
2Speed
If rapid pressure equalization is implemented through safety valve, then safety response time is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety functionality is extracted as a separate valve arrangement with dedicated safety valves, independent from the normal control valve groups. This allows rapid pressure equalization through specialized safety valve pathways without interfering with normal operation control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety valve arrangement is designed to automatically activate and equalize pressure between chambers when hazardous situations occur, without requiring external control signals or manual intervention. The system self-activates to provide rapid safety response.
3Reliability
If check valve blocks fluid connection between working chambers, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve functionality is merged into the existing valve arrangement structure, combining safety blocking functionality with the normal valve control system. The safety valve integrates with the valve ports and fluid connection pathways already present in the actuator design.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve arrangement serves multiple functions: normal control of working chambers through valve groups, and safety protection through check valve blocking of fluid connections between chambers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated safety components.
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 solution ensures rapid transition to a safe state by eliminating pressure differences and reducing pressure levels, thereby preventing hazardous movements and enhancing safety during robot operation.
Implementation Method 1
allowing for rapid pressure equalization between chambers to prevent unintended movement
Implementation Method 2
a pressure difference between the first working chamber and the second working chamber is induced by means of the first valve group and the second valve group, thereby producing the desired pivoting motion
Data Source
AI summary
A pivot joint for a robot, including a double-acting pneumatic pivot actuator, which has a first working chamber with a first working port and a second working chamber with a second working port, and further including a valve arrangement having a first valve group for a selective connection of the first working port to one of a pressurization port and an exhaust port, and having a second valve group for a selective connection of the second working port to one of the pressurization port and the exhaust port. The valve arrangement includes a safety valve which is connected to the first working port and to the second working port and which is configured for blocking a connection between the first working port and the second working port in a blocking position and for releasing the connection between the first working port and the second working port in a release position.