Robot Bucket Recovery for Damage-Free Material Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing supplier apparatuses face challenges in recovering usable materials efficiently after temporary stops, such as during product switches or maintenance, as they are designed to handle only a small fraction of materials in a reusable manner, leading to potential damage and loss of quality.
Innovation Solution
A recovery device equipped with a robot, bucket, and controller that switches between receiving and discharging orientations, using sensors to measure distance and load to control the bucket's height and orientation for precise material recovery into containers, preventing damage and ensuring efficient reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional supplier apparatuses are used to recover materials after temporary stops, then the recovery process is simple, but the materials are damaged and quality is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The bucket is designed to switch between receiving orientation (opening upward) and discharging orientation (opening downward) based on operational needs. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same component to perform multiple functions safely, enabling material recovery without damage while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The robot acts as an intermediary between the conveyor belt and the recovery container. It picks up materials from the conveyor, transfers them to the bucket, and controls the discharge process, thereby preventing direct impact and damage to materials during recovery
2Loss of substance
If materials are recovered after temporary stops, then material waste is reduced, but the recovery process takes time
Solution Approach 1:
The robot picks up materials from the conveyor belt and places them in the bucket before the temporary stop is fully completed. This preliminary action ensures materials are secured for recovery without waiting for the stop to finish, reducing both material waste and recovery time
Solution Approach 2:
The recovery device operates continuously during temporary stops - the robot continuously picks up materials while the conveyor is stationary, and the bucket continuously accumulates materials. This continuous operation maximizes material recovery efficiency without extending the stop duration
3Speed
If the bucket discharges materials from high position, then discharge speed is fast, but materials are dropped and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The bucket dynamically switches between receiving orientation (for accumulation) and discharging orientation (for release). By controlling the discharge orientation and using the robot to manage the release process, materials are discharged at controlled speeds without excessive dropping, maintaining integrity while achieving efficient discharge
Solution Approach 2:
The robot serves as an intermediary that controls the discharge process. Instead of materials falling directly from height, the robot picks them up from the bucket and places them in the container, mediating the transfer to prevent damage while maintaining operational speed
Data Source
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AI summary
A recovery device 1 includes: a robot 2; a bucket 3; and a controller 4, the bucket 3 being switchable in response to an operation of the robot 2 between a receiving orientation and a discharging orientation, the controller 4 being configured to perform a receiving function for controlling the robot 2 to switch the bucket 3 into the receiving orientation and move the bucket 3 to the receiving position to cause the bucket 3 to receive the recovery target, and a discharging function for controlling the robot 2 to move the bucket 3 containing the recovery target to a position over a bottom surface of the recovery container C at a predetermined height and switch the bucket 3 into the discharging orientation to cause the bucket 3 to discharge the recovery target at the predetermined height.