Robot Arm Mount with Mechanical Reference Locators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional robot drives require reconfiguration of controllers for different arm or drive units, which is inefficient and time-consuming, especially when multiple drive units need to be interchangeable without altering the controller settings.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves a stator and rotor configuration with mechanical and electronic features that allow for preconfigured encoder positions and motor commutation angles, enabling interchangeable robot drives and arms without reconfiguring the controller, using adjustable components and reference locators to ensure consistent encoder and motor phasing across different units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional robot drives are used with different arm or drive units, then the system can handle various configurations, but the controller requires reconfiguration for each unit which is inefficient and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterchangeability of robot drives and armsVSAvoidtime for reconfiguring controller

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the encoder positions and motor commutation angles during the manufacturing or assembly phase. Mechanical reference locators are pre-installed on both the stator and rotor to establish predetermined encoder positions. This preliminary configuration ensures that when robot drives and arms are interchanged, the controller can be used without reconfiguration, as the mechanical reference locators automatically establish the correct encoder positions and motor phasing for each unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If mechanical reference locators are added to establish predetermined encoder positions, then controller reconfiguration is eliminated, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontroller setup and interchangeabilityVSAvoidmechanical reference locators and adjustable components

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses mechanical reference locators as intermediary elements that mediate between the motor drive unit and the controller. These locators are mounted on both the stator and rotor and serve as physical intermediaries that automatically establish the correct encoder positions and motor commutation angles when the drive unit is assembled. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for complex software reconfiguration procedures, as the mechanical reference locators physically encode the necessary positioning information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional software-based controller reconfiguration process with a mechanical system. Instead of using software to calculate and set encoder positions and motor commutation angles when interchangeability is required, the patent employs mechanical reference locators with predetermined positions that automatically establish these parameters through physical alignment. This mechanical substitution eliminates the time-consuming software reconfiguration process while maintaining interchangeability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If adjustable components are used to locate the robot arm mount, then precise positioning is achieved, but the assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracy of robot arm mountVSAvoidassembly process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the mechanical reference locators on the stator and rotor during manufacturing. These locators are placed at predetermined positions that correspond to the desired encoder positions and motor commutation angles. During assembly, the adjustable components allow the robot arm mount to be positioned relative to these pre-placed reference locators, ensuring precise positioning without requiring complex real-time calculations or adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical reference locators serve as intermediary reference points that simplify the assembly process. The adjustable components for positioning the robot arm mount can be aligned to these intermediary reference locators, which themselves are positioned with high precision during manufacturing. This two-stage approach (precise manufacturing of reference locators + adjustable alignment to references) achieves high positioning accuracy while keeping the assembly process relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11562921B2Robot having predetermined orientation

Publication Date: 2023.01.24 PERSIMMON TECHNOLOGIES CORP

AI summary

A method including: locating a shaft of a rotor relative to a stator of a motor, locating a robot arm mount on the shaft, temporarily stationarily fixing the robot arm mount relative to the stator at a predetermined rotational location relative to the stator, and while the robot arm mount is temporarily stationarily fixed relative to the stator at the predetermined rotational location, stationarily fixing the robot arm mount to the shaft by a connection, where the connection allows the robot arm mount to be stationarily fixed to the shaft at one of a plurality of angular orientations.