Robot Arm Ingredient Channel for Remote Feeder Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking robots face challenges in maximizing cooking area utilization and safely transporting ingredients from a distance to an ingredient container, often resulting in inefficient ingredient supply and limited cooking operation versatility.
Innovation Solution
A robot system with a robot arm featuring an ingredient channel, a feeder, and a carrier that moves the arm to connect and disconnect from the feeder, utilizing connectors and a blower for efficient ingredient transfer, allowing the arm to move horizontally and extend its reach to maximize cooking area usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the ingredient feeder is located far from the cooking area, then the cooking area can be maximized, but the ingredient supply becomes unreliable and unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The ingredient supply system is segmented into multiple functional modules: ingredient feeder, carrier with robot arm, connectors for coupling/decoupling, and blower for ingredient propulsion. This segmentation allows the feeder to be positioned remotely while maintaining reliable ingredient delivery through the modular transport mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier acts as an intermediary between the remotely positioned ingredient feeder and the cooking area. It includes a robot arm that can move to connect to the feeder, receive ingredients, and transport them to the cooking location, thereby bridging the distance gap while ensuring reliable supply.
2Reliability
If the robot arm moves close to the ingredient feeder for ingredient intake, then ingredient supply is reliable, but the cooking area accessibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is designed with dynamic movement capabilities, allowing it to extend and retract. It can extend to reach the ingredient feeder for reliable ingredient intake, then retract and reposition to access various cooking areas, thereby balancing reliability with versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the dimension of temporal sequencing to the spatial arrangement. The robot arm operates in different spatial positions at different times: extending to the feeder for ingredient intake, then repositioning to cooking areas. This time-based spatial transition resolves the contradiction between proximity for reliability and distance for accessibility.
3Productivity
If connectors are used to connect the robot arm and ingredient feeder, then ingredient transfer is efficient, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector system is extracted as a separate, standardized component that can be easily attached and detached. This modular approach enables efficient ingredient transfer through dedicated connection interfaces while allowing the complexity to be isolated to specific modules rather than distributed throughout the entire system.
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 system enables safe, reliable, and efficient ingredient supply to a container located far from the feeder, enhancing cooking operation versatility and expanding the cooking area that the robot can access.
Implementation Method 1
a blower configured to supply air to move ingredients in the ingredient channel
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes a robot arm formed with an ingredient channel including an ingredient inlet and an ingredient outlet; an ingredient feeder having an ingredient port configured to discharge ingredients; and a carrier configured to move the robot arm to a connection position where the ingredient inlet is connected to the ingredient port, and move the robot arm to an area where the ingredient inlet is separated from the ingredient port.