Press Transfer Arm Pipe Routing to Prevent Joint Swing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workpiece conveying apparatuses for press machines face issues with the breakage and interference of pipes or wiring due to excessive stress and swinging during reciprocating motion, particularly at joint parts like the elbow joint.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs an arm unit configuration with a first arm and a second arm, each freely rotatable within a horizontal plane, where the pipes or wiring are supported by both arms through support portions. In a folded state, the pipes or wiring intersect a vertical plane including the rotary shaft of the second joint, and when extended, they are deformed into a helical shape to resist inertia forces and prevent swinging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pipe or wiring is guided using a U-shaped guide member that swings with the arm unit, then the pipe can be routed along the arm movement, but the pipe swings together with the guide member during acceleration causing breakage and interference risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible cable duct that can bend and deform to accommodate arm movement while maintaining pipe stability. The cable duct is designed to be flexible enough to follow the arm's trajectory but rigid enough to prevent excessive swinging during acceleration, thus preventing pipe breakage while maintaining routing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable duct is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to adapt to the arm's motion. By making the cable duct flexible rather than rigid, it can dynamically adjust its shape during arm movement and reciprocating motion, reducing stress concentrations and preventing pipe breakage while maintaining ease of operation.
2Shape
If the pipe is guided in a helical or annular manner around the rotation shaft, then the pipe does not stick out from the arms, but quite long pipes or wirings are required along with separate tightening mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cable duct with the arm structure itself, integrating the pipe guidance function into the arm design. The cable duct is mounted on the arms in a way that utilizes the arm's own structure for support, eliminating the need for separate tightening mechanisms while maintaining compact pipe arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the arm unit and simultaneously serves as a mounting structure for the cable duct. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components like separate tightening mechanisms while achieving compact pipe arrangement.
3Strength
If rigid cable ducts are used for the pipe or wiring, then the pipe is protected, but further elements like cable ducts and their couplings have to be provided resulting in increased cost and space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible cable duct that provides adequate protection for the pipe while being simpler in construction than rigid cable ducts. The flexible nature of the duct allows it to conform to the arm's movement without requiring complex couplings or additional support elements, thus reducing cost and space requirements while maintaining pipe protection.
4Strength
If rigid cable ducts are used for the pipe or wiring, then the pipe is protected, but the flexibility of the movement of the provided arms with respect to each other is restricted further
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible cable duct maintains pipe protection while allowing full arm movement flexibility. Unlike rigid cable ducts that restrict motion, the flexible duct can bend and deform to accommodate the arm's reciprocating motion and positioning adjustments, thus preserving adaptability while providing adequate pipe protection.
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
This configuration effectively prevents breakage and interference of pipes or wiring at the elbow joint, ensuring a reliable and cost-effective workpiece conveying apparatus by maintaining the pipes or wiring in a stable, helical shape during arm movement.
Implementation Method 1
the one of the pipe or the wiring is deformed into a helical shape as viewed in a direction along the rotary shaft of the second joint when the first arm and the second arm are extended in a workpiece conveyance direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A workpiece conveying apparatus (1) for a pressing machine according to the present invention includes an arm unit including: a first arm (a1); a second arm (a2); a workpiece holding portion (3) configured to hold a workpiece; a first arm drive mechanism (DM1); and a second arm drive mechanism (DM2). A pipe or the like (C) arranged on an outer side of a second joint (10Y) is supported at one side thereof by the first arm (a1), and is supported at another side thereof by the second arm (a2). When the first arm (a1) and the second arm (a2) are bent and stretched between a folded state and an extended state for workpiece conveyance, the pipe or the like (C) is deformed utilizing a holding angle (α) between the first arm (a1) and the second arm (a2) so that the pipe or the like (C) is arranged so as to prevent swing of the pipe or the like (C) about the second joint (10Y) at the time of the workpiece conveyance.