Robot Arm Cooling via Common Fluid Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robots that convey objects in vacuum environments face complexity and increased costs due to internal cooling pipe structures, particularly when multiple arms are involved, leading to complicated configurations and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A robot design featuring a first and second rotatable arm with a fluid passage system where fluid is supplied to the first rotary body, allowing thermal conduction to cool both arms, reducing the need for extensive piping and maintaining cooling performance even in vacuum environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling pipes are disposed inside each arm, then cooling performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cooling pipes that would normally be disposed separately in each arm are merged into a single common cooling pipe. This common pipe is disposed outside the arms, and cooling fluid is supplied to multiple locations through this single pipe, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining cooling performance for all arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The common cooling pipe serves multiple functions by cooling multiple different arms simultaneously. Instead of having dedicated cooling pipes for each arm, this universal cooling pipe system provides cooling functionality to the entire robotic system through a single component, reducing overall device complexity.
2Temperature
If cooling pipes are disposed inside each arm, then cooling performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual cooling pipes are merged into a single common cooling pipe, reducing the total number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled. This consolidation directly reduces manufacturing costs while still providing cooling functionality to all arms through the shared pipe system.
3Temperature
If multiple pipes are led into the arm, then cooling capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling pipes are extracted from the interior of the arms and relocated to a common position outside the arms. By taking out the piping from within each arm and consolidating it externally, the internal structure of each arm is simplified while the external common pipe maintains the cooling capability for all arms.
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 robot effectively cools multiple arms with a simple configuration, preventing fluid accumulation and maintaining cooling performance, even at high temperatures above 100°C, without the need for extensive piping, thus addressing the complexity and cost issues of existing designs.
Implementation Method 1
the first rotary body is cooled by the fluid, and thus, the first arm can be cooled by thermal conduction from the first arm to the first rotary body
Implementation Method 2
since the fluid in the first fluid passage is flown into the third fluid passage via the second fluid passage, the second rotary body is cooled by this fluid
Implementation Method 3
the second arm can be cooled by thermal conduction from the second arm to the second rotary body
Implementation Method 4
the fluid supplied to the third fluid passage can be discharged to the internal space of the base-end-side arm. As a result, a flow channel for the fluid can be formed and an accumulation of the fluid can be reduced, and thus, a cooling performance of the fluid can be prevented from being degraded
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes first and second arms to rotate and convey an object; a first rotary body to support the first arm and having a first fluid passage and at least one second fluid passage communicating with the first fluid passage; a base-end-side arm formed with an internal space and a hole part into which a part of the first rotary body is inserted; a second rotary body to support the second arm and having a third fluid passage communicating at one end thereof with the second fluid passage and communicating at the other end thereof with the internal space; a supplying device disposed in the internal space and connected to an upstream-end side of the first fluid passage, and to supply fluid to the first fluid passage; a first motor to rotate the first rotary body; and a second motor to rotate the second rotary body.