Robot Supply Line Guide System With Elastic Restoring Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide systems for supply lines in handling devices, such as robots, require significant space, are complex, and heavy due to the use of pneumatic pressure cylinders and elastic cables, making them unsuitable for smaller robots.
Innovation Solution
A guide system utilizing an elastic cable or band with a deflection device arranged on the end face of the guide rail, reducing the need for extensive guide rail dimensioning and allowing for a compact, lightweight, and simpler design, with the elastic cable or band providing a constant restoring force over the travel path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pneumatic pressure cylinder is used as a resetting device for the deflection element, then the restoring force can be generated reliably, but the space requirement and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic pressure cylinder (pneumatic system) with a purely mechanical resetting device consisting of a deflection device with an elastic element and a cam mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for pneumatic components, reducing space requirements and cost while maintaining reliable restoring force generation through the mechanical cam-elastic element combination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the pneumatic system entirely from the guide system and replaces it with a compact mechanical resetting device. The resetting function is achieved through the cam mechanism and elastic element integrated into the deflection device, removing the bulky pneumatic pressure cylinder and its associated components.
2Force
If the guide rail is dimensioned to accommodate a resetting device with elastic cables, then the restoring force can be provided, but the guide system occupies large space and has high weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the resetting function from the guide rail structure by providing the resetting device as a separate, self-contained unit with its own housing. The elastic elements and cam mechanism are integrated within the deflection device housing, allowing the guide rail to be dimensioned only for its guiding function, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining restoring force capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent relocates the resetting device from within the guide rail to an adjacent position on the end face of the guide rail. This spatial reconfiguration allows the guide rail to remain compact and lightweight while the resetting device operates in a separate dimensional space, reducing the overall weight of the guide system.
3Force
If the deflection device is arranged within the guide rail, then the restoring force can be generated, but the guide rail design and installation become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the resetting device from the guide rail interior and positions it adjacent to the guide rail on its end face. This separation simplifies the guide rail design to focus solely on guiding functions and reduces installation complexity, as the resetting device can be independently mounted and adjusted without complicating the guide rail structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the deflection device with an integrated housing that serves multiple functions: it contains the elastic elements, houses the cam mechanism for resetting, provides mounting points for the deflection element, and offers a compact structure that can be independently positioned. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating components.
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
The solution results in a guide system that occupies less space, is lighter, and is easier to implement, making it suitable for smaller handling devices, particularly robots, while maintaining effective movement and tension control.
Implementation Method 1
the restoring device has at least one elastic cable or elastic band, which is guided around a deflection device arranged adjacent to the retracted position of the deflection element on the guide base and then has a first section, which is connected to the deflection element and has a second section which is connected to the guide base
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a guiding system for supply lines for a handling appliance, in particular for a robot, having a guiding base, a deflecting element guided along a linear displacement path through the guiding base, and a chain-like, tube-like or strip-like strand, wherein the deflecting element is displaceable from a retracted position into an extended position by a tensile force acting on the strand along the displacement path counter to a restoring force, and the restoring force is producible by a restoring device arranged on or in the guiding base. The restoring device has at least one elastic cord or elastic strip which is guided around a deflecting device arranged on or in the guiding base adjacently to the retracted position of the deflecting element, and, adjoining this, a first portion connected to the deflecting element and a second portion connected to the guiding base. The invention also relates to a handling appliance, in particular a robot, having such a guiding system.