Robot Hand for Microtube Handling with Hinge Fulcrum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Systems with multiple physicochemical instruments designed for manual microtube attachment and detachment result in increased process time due to the need for multiple robot hands optimized for specific orientations, leading to inefficiencies in robot hand exchange and overall process duration.
Innovation Solution
A robot hand design featuring a pair of bits with a hinge mechanism for snap-cap microtubes, allowing for efficient attachment and detachment by using the hinge as a fulcrum, and a second robot hand with the same shape for changing the holding manner, along with arms providing six or more degrees of freedom for precise manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple robot hands optimized for specific orientations are used, then the robot hand can be optimized for each instrument's microtube orientation, but the process time increases due to frequent robot hand exchanges
Solution Approach 1:
The robot hand is designed with a universal gripping structure that can handle microtubes in multiple orientations (horizontal, vertical, inclined) without requiring different specialized hands. The pair of bits with recesses can adapt to different microtube positions, eliminating the need for frequent hand exchanges between instruments while maintaining optimized gripping for each orientation
2Device complexity
If a robot hand with fixed gripping structure is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot efficiently handle snap-cap microtubes requiring cap opening and closing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The robot hand incorporates a hinge mechanism that allows dynamic adaptation to snap-cap microtube operations. The pair of bits can pivot and bend to engage with the hinge of snap-cap microtubes, enabling automatic cap opening and closing during transfer operations without requiring complex additional actuators or mechanisms
3Reliability
If robot hands are exchanged frequently between instruments, then each instrument can use the optimally oriented robot hand, but the overall system productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The universal robot hand design enables continuous microtube transfer operations between multiple instruments without interruption for hand exchanges. The hand can maintain gripping on snap-cap microtubes through cap opening/closing operations and transfer them between instruments in various orientations continuously, eliminating downtime associated with hand replacements and maximizing system throughput
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 design reduces process time by enabling efficient handling and transfer of microtubes between instruments without the need for frequent robot hand replacements, minimizing vibrations and sample disturbance, and allowing for various holding configurations without altering the robot hands.
Implementation Method 1
bringing a part of the cap portion that is located opposite the hinge with the recess, and using the hinge as a fulcrum
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A robot hand according to the present invention holds a microtube (19) by causing a pair of bits (64) to perform an opening-closing operation. The robot hand includes a lug (71) that comes into contact with an outer peripheral surface of a container body (19a) of the microtube (19) or an outer peripheral surface of a cap portion (19b) of the microtube (19) as a result of the opening-closing operation, and a rectangular recess (70) in which both a part of the cap portion (19b) and a part of a flange (19d) of the microtube (19) are inserted while the lug (71) is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the microtube (19). The rectangular recess (70) has a rectangular shape and includes a pair of surfaces between which the cap portion (19b) and the flange (19d) are disposed. The pair of bits (64) is closed while a corner of the rectangular recess (70) is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the container body (19a) to retain the microtube (19) in an orientation different from an orientation of the microtube (19) in the state in which the cap portion (19b) is inserted in the rectangular recess (70).