Robot Arm Axis Positioning for Drive Weight Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional palletizer robots require heavy counterweights or long coupling sections to ensure stability, leading to increased size and reduced operational efficiency due to the need to balance the weight of the robot arm, which complicates the design and increases the overall size of the robot.
Innovation Solution
The robot design incorporates a linkage mechanism with a first and second drive source, where the first rotation axis is positioned between the distal end of the second arm and at least one of the centroids of the drive sources, allowing the second drive source to function as a weight balancer, eliminating the need for additional counterweights and reducing the robot's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a heavy counterweight member is provided to balance the robot weight and reduce load on drive mechanism, then the load on drive mechanism is reduced, but the overall size of the robot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the counterweight function with the existing drive sources (first and second drive sources) by positioning them strategically. The first drive source includes a first weight member, and the second drive source includes a second weight member. These weight members serve dual purposes: driving the robot arm segments and balancing the robot's weight. This merging eliminates the need for a separate heavy counterweight member mounted on the base, thereby reducing the overall robot size while still reducing the load on drive mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive sources are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. The first drive source not only drives the first robot arm segment but also provides balancing weight. The second drive source not only drives the second robot arm segment but also provides additional balancing weight through its second weight member. This multi-functionality allows the robot to achieve proper balance without requiring additional dedicated counterweight components, thus avoiding size increase.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the length of coupling section for supporting counterweight member is increased to ensure stability, then the stability is improved, but the size of the robot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the counterweight function into the drive sources themselves. The first drive source includes a first weight member positioned to provide balancing effect, and the second drive source includes a second weight member. By combining these weight members with the drive mechanisms, the patent achieves stability without requiring long coupling sections or extended base structures for mounting separate counterweights.
Solution Approach 2:
The weight members within the drive sources act as intermediaries that provide the balancing effect. Instead of using long coupling sections to extend the base to support distant counterweights, the weight members are positioned within the compact drive source structures, serving as intermediaries that achieve balance without increasing the robot's overall size.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a separate counterweight member is mounted on the base to balance the robot, then the weight balance is achieved, but additional components and complexity are added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the counterweight function with the drive sources. The first drive source includes a first weight member, and the second drive source includes a second weight member. These weight members are integrated into the existing drive mechanism structures rather than being separate components mounted on the base. This integration achieves weight balance while reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive sources are designed to perform multiple functions: driving the robot arm segments and providing weight balance simultaneously. The first drive source drives the first robot arm segment and provides balancing weight through its weight member. The second drive source drives the second robot arm segment and provides additional balancing weight. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate counterweight components, thereby reducing structural complexity.
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 enables a more compact and stable robot arm operation, reducing the size and weight of the robot while maintaining balance and improving the working area accessibility, allowing for smoother and more efficient movement.
Implementation Method 1
a second drive source including a second output shaft for outputting rotational force for rotationally driving the second arm, and a linkage mechanism that is coupled to a distal end side of the first arm via a plurality of links with a proximal end side of the first arm as a starting point and that transmits rotational force generated by the second drive source to the second arm, wherein when viewed from the vertical direction, the first rotation axis is located between the distal end portion of the second arm and at least one of a centroid G1 of the first drive source or a centroid G2 of the second drive source
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes a base, a first arm coupled to the base so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis along a horizontal direction, a second arm includes the proximal end portion being coupled to the first arm so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis, which is parallel to the first rotation axis, a first drive source including a first output shaft for outputting rotational force for rotationally driving the first arm, a second drive source including a second output shaft for outputting rotational force for rotationally driving the second arm, and a linkage mechanism that is coupled to a distal end side of the first arm via a plurality of links with a proximal end side of the first arm as a starting point and that transmits rotational force generated by the second drive source to the second arm, wherein when viewed from the vertical direction, the first rotation axis is located between the distal end portion of the second arm and at least one of a centroid G1 of the first drive source or a centroid G2 of the second drive source.