Robot Balancer Adapter for Torque Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robots with rotational arms face challenges in efficiently managing load torque and maintaining structural integrity due to limitations in balancer placement and adapter design, which affects their operational stability and size.
Innovation Solution
A robot design featuring a pair of flange portions with an adapter that positions the balancer's attachment axis radially inside the flange surfaces and decentered with respect to the axis, utilizing a compression coil spring balancer and an attachable/detachable adapter to manage load torque and reduce the stroke of the balancer's rod, thereby enhancing rigidity and reducing the size of the balancer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the balancer is positioned with its attachment axis at the outer circumferential surface of the flange portions, then the stroke of the balancer's rod can be longer, but the overall size of the balancer increases and the rigidity of the structure decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment axis of the balancer is positioned radially inside the flange portions rather than at the outer circumferential surface, utilizing the internal radial space of the flange structure. This dimensional repositioning allows the balancer rod to achieve sufficient stroke length while keeping the balancer compact and maintaining structural rigidity.
2Volume of moving object
If the balancer attachment axis is positioned radially inside the flange portions, then the rigidity and compactness improve, but the stroke of the balancer rod becomes shorter
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter introduces asymmetric positioning of the balancer attachment axis relative to the flange portions, placing it at a decentered position radially inside the flange. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the stroke length within the constrained radial space, achieving both compactness and sufficient stroke.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the balancer is permanently fixed to the robot structure, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ease of maintenance and replacement decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The balancer system is segmented into separable components: the balancer itself and the adapter that connects it to the robot structure. This segmentation allows the balancer to be easily detached and replaced by simply removing the adapter, while the adapter remains permanently fixed to maintain structural integrity during operation.
4Force
If the adapter is designed to position the balancer attachment axis decentered with respect to the rotation axis, then the load torque management is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter serves as an intermediary component between the robot structure and the balancer. It mediates the positioning of the balancer attachment axis at a decentered location radially inside the flange portions, optimizing load torque management while keeping the adapter design relatively simple through standardized mounting features.
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 effectively reduces the overall length of the compression coil spring, allowing for increased auxiliary torque without increasing the size of the balancer, while maintaining firm support and allowing easy attachment/detachment of the balancer without removing other components, thus improving the robot's stability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a balancer that reduces a load torque acting on the motor by utilizing the elastic force of a compression coil spring
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes a first member and a second member that is rotationally driven about a prescribed axis with respect to the first member. The second member includes a pair of axially spaced-apart flange portions. The second member is supported by the respective flange portions so as to be rotatable about the axis. The robot also includes a balancer that is attached to the first member and the second member so as to be respectively rotatable about attachment axes that are parallel to the axis. In addition, the robot includes an adapter that is inserted between the pair of flange portions. The adapter is attached to the second member in an attachable/detachable manner and disposes the attachment axis of the balancer for the second member at a position that is radially farther inside than outer circumferential surfaces of the flange portions and that is decentered with respect to the axis.