Robot Cable Management Asymmetry and Twist
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cable-assembly management structures lead to cable loosening and rubbing when the arm swings, reducing cable lifespan due to inadequate arrangement along the rotation axis, causing interference and premature wear.
Innovation Solution
A cable-assembly management structure that includes a first fixing member on the turning drum and a second fixing member on the arm, with a movable portion twisted to maintain tension and prevent contact between parallel cable assemblies, allowing for directional displacement to avoid rubbing during arm movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the cable assembly is arranged along the rotation axis of the first arm with fixing positions on the turning drum and first arm substantially on a straight line with the center of rotation, then the cable assembly is extended to maximum at the swing angle position, but the movable portion of the cable assembly is loosened when the arm swings from this position, causing cable rubbing and reduced lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the first fixing member and second fixing member at asymmetric locations relative to the cable assembly's path of motion. The first fixing member is positioned at a first position on the turning drum while the second fixing member is positioned at a second position on the first arm, where these positions are deliberately asymmetric to prevent the cable from rubbing against the arm during swinging motion. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the cable maintains proper tension and follows a controlled path that avoids contact with the arm surface, thereby extending cable lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the cable loosening problem by introducing a dimensional change in the cable routing configuration. Instead of arranging the cable assembly strictly along the rotation axis in a single dimension, the patent positions the fixing members in multiple spatial dimensions, creating a three-dimensional cable management system. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows the cable to maintain appropriate tension and follow an optimized path that prevents both loosening and rubbing during arm swing operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cable assembly is led out upward from the center of turning of the turning drum and bent around behind the center of turning, then the cable can be fixed to the turning drum and first arm, but the cable assembly extends in the direction toward the rotation axis of the first arm, causing interference and rubbing during arm operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates cable rubbing by implementing an asymmetric fixing member arrangement. The first fixing member is positioned at a specific location on the turning drum and the second fixing member is positioned at a specific location on the first arm, creating an asymmetric cable routing that steers the cable away from the arm surface during swinging motion. This asymmetric configuration prevents the cable from contacting and rubbing against the arm, thereby eliminating the harmful friction and interference while maintaining ease of installation.
3Reliability
If the movable portion of the cable assembly is provided with allowance length and twisted in one direction, then the cable maintains proper tension during arm swing, but the cable must be bent in a specific direction away from the arm side surface at rear swing end
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by incorporating a twisted movable portion in the cable assembly that can dynamically adapt its configuration during arm swing operations. The cable is twisted in one direction to create a spring-like effect that maintains proper tension as the arm moves through its range of motion. This dynamic configuration allows the cable to bend in the required direction away from the arm side surface at the rear swing end while automatically adjusting its shape to maintain optimal tension throughout the swing cycle, thereby ensuring operational reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cable-assembly management structure including a first fixing member that fixes, to a turning drum, a cable assembly extending beside the turning drum in a front-rear direction, and a second fixing member that fixes, to a side surface of the arm, the cable assembly extending to a front side of the first fixing member, at a position closer to a distal end of the arm than the second axis, where a movable portion of the cable assembly located between the first fixing member and the second fixing member is provided with a necessary length of allowance and is twisted in one direction, so that the movable portion is bent in a direction away from the side surface of the arm when the arm swings to a rear swing end is displaced toward the side surface of the arm as the arm swings toward a front swing end.