Robot Cable Routing Along Axis of Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robots with rotating units face issues of cable abrasion and breakage due to twisting and bending when the movable unit turns relative to the stationary base unit, leading to unnecessary force exertion and damage.
Innovation Solution
A robot design featuring a body structure with stationary and movable units, where elongate members are guided through internal spaces that communicate along the axis of rotation, minimizing displacement and bending, and using a cylindrical auxiliary guide member and contact member to prevent rubbing and abrasion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cables are extended through an opening apart from the axis of rotation in the stationary base unit, then the cables can be extended outside the base unit, but the cables are bent and twisted when the swivel unit turns, causing abrasion and damage
Solution Approach 1:
A cable guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the stationary base unit and the swivel unit. This guide member extends along the axis of rotation and provides a protected pathway for the cables, preventing them from being bent or twisted during rotation. The guide member acts as a mediator that allows cable extension while protecting against mechanical damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable routing is changed from a radial path (apart from the axis of rotation) to an axial path (along the axis of rotation). By moving the cable extension into the dimensional space along the rotation axis, the cables remain aligned with the rotation center and avoid bending and twisting forces that occur with off-axis routing.
2Reliability
If cables are extended through the stationary base unit and swivel unit coaxially with the axis of rotation, then the cables experience less bending and twisting, but the cables still need to be routed through rotating components which creates friction and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide member serves as a mediator that separates the cables from direct contact with the rotating mechanical components. By providing a dedicated guide pathway, the cables are protected from friction and wear that would occur if they rubbed against the stationary base unit or swivel unit structures during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful friction and wear effects are extracted from the cable system by introducing the cable guide member. The guide member absorbs the mechanical interaction with the rotating components, allowing the cables to pass through without direct contact and thus eliminating friction and wear on the cables themselves.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the swivel unit turns relative to the stationary base unit, then the robot arm can rotate to perform work, but unnecessary force acts on the cables causing them to be abraded, damaged and broken
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide member acts as an intermediary structure that allows the swivel unit to rotate freely while protecting the cables from the forces generated during rotation. The guide member is positioned to rotate with the swivel unit, maintaining cable alignment and preventing the unnecessary forces that would otherwise act on the cables during robot arm rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable routing is repositioned from a configuration subject to rotational forces to one that aligns with the axis of rotation. This dimensional change allows the robot to achieve full rotational adaptability while the cables remain in a dimension (along the rotation axis) where they are not subjected to bending, twisting, or unnecessary forces during rotation.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes a body structure on which a robot arm having an end effector is rotatably supported. The body structure has a stationary base unit fixedly installed and a movable unit rotatably supported on the stationary base unit to turn about an axis of rotation. The stationary base unit includes a stationary-side guide part having a stationary-side internal space in which a flexible, elongate member connected to the robot arm or the end effector is extended loosely along the axis of rotation. The stationary-side guide part opens upstream in an elongate member inserting direction. The movable unit includes a movable-side guide part having a movable-side internal space in which the elongate member is extended loosely along the axis of rotation. The movable-side guide part opens downstream in an elongate member inserting direction. The stationary-side and the movable-side internal spaces communicate with each other.