Robot Arm Door-Closing Control in Narrow Passageways

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Solution Overview

Problem

In environments with limited passable areas, such as narrow passageways, robots face challenges in closing doors when the door blocks the passage, as they cannot move to the front side to push it effectively.

Innovation Solution

A robot configuration with a mobile base, an extendable arm part that can change posture, and a tool at its end to hook or hold the door, allowing the door to be closed through a two-step motion by first decreasing the opening angle and then pushing the door from the back side, enabling efficient closure even when the mobile base cannot reach the front side.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the robot uses a conventional door closing method by moving to the front face side of the door, then the door can be pushed effectively, but the robot cannot operate in environments with limited passable areas such as narrow passageways

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor closing capability in limited passable areasVSAvoiddoor pushing effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional door closing approach by having the robot remain on the back face side of the door and use the arm part to push the door from behind rather than moving to the front face side. This inversion allows the robot to close doors in narrow passageways where moving to the front would be impossible, while still achieving effective door closure through the arm part's pushing action on the door's front face from the back side position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If the robot moves the mobile base to the front face side of the door, then the door can be pushed from the front, but the mobile base cannot reach the front side in narrow passageways

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor pushing accessibilityVSAvoidoperational capability in narrow environments

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by having the robot stay on the back face side of the door and use the arm part to reach around and push the door's front face from behind, rather than moving the mobile base to the front face side. This allows effective door pushing in narrow passageways where the mobile base cannot reach the front side

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The arm part serves as an intermediary between the mobile base positioned on the back face side and the door's front face that needs to be pushed. The arm part extends from the mobile base, hooks onto the door, and transmits the pushing force to the door's front face, enabling door closure without the mobile base needing to access the front side directly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240345597A1Robot, and control method and control program for the same

Publication Date: 2024.10.17 TOKYO ROBOTICS INC

AI summary

A robot is able to close a door when a mobile base of the robot cannot move to a front face side of the door. A tool is provided on an arm part of the robot and the tool is hooked on or holds door. A drives the mobile base and/or the arm part in a situation where the mobile base is on a back face side of the opened door, to hook the tool on the door or to make the tool hold the door, drives the mobile base and/or the arm part to move the tool hooked on or holding the door in a direction in which the door is closed and thus to decrease an opening angle of the door, and drives the mobile base and/or the arm part to push the front face of the door with the decreased opening angle.