Industrial Robot Origin Adjustment via Contact Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for adjusting the origin of an industrial robot's joint are inaccurate and labor-intensive, risking damage to the positioning member and the robot arm due to operator error in attaching and detaching the positioning member.

Innovation Solution

An industrial robot system that includes a first member, a positioning member, and a second member that rotates relative to the first member, with a contact point for the positioning member, where an indication is displayed to enable contact, and the contact is detected to store the position as the origin, reducing operator workload and preventing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the positioning member is manually attached and detached by the operator, then the origin can be adjusted, but the workload increases and the risk of damage to the positioning member and robot arm increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorigin adjustment accuracyVSAvoidoperator workload

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The robot system performs the origin adjustment operation autonomously without requiring manual attachment and detachment of the positioning member by the operator. The control unit automatically controls the robot arm to move to the origin position and detect contact with the positioning member, eliminating the need for operator intervention in the attachment/detachment process while maintaining adjustment accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning member is pre-mounted on the robot arm in a fixed position, and the origin adjustment is achieved by controlling the robot arm to move to the correct position where the positioning member contacts the reference surface. This preliminary mounting eliminates the need for repeated attachment and detachment operations during origin adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the positioning member is manually attached and detached by the operator, then the origin can be adjusted, but the operation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorigin adjustment accuracyVSAvoidadjustment working time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The robot system autonomously performs the origin adjustment by automatically controlling the robot arm to move to the origin position and detect contact with the positioning member, eliminating the time-consuming manual attachment and detachment operations performed by the operator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning member is pre-mounted in a fixed position on the robot arm, allowing the origin adjustment to be achieved simply by moving the robot arm to the correct position. This eliminates the repeated attachment and detachment operations that consume significant time in the conventional method.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the positioning member is manually handled by the operator, then the origin can be adjusted, but the risk of erroneous handling and damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorigin adjustment accuracyVSAvoidrisk of damage to positioning member and robot arm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The robot system autonomously performs the origin adjustment operation, eliminating manual handling of the positioning member by the operator. The control unit automatically controls the robot arm to move to the origin position and detect contact, removing the human element that causes erroneous handling and potential damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning member is pre-mounted in a secure fixed position on the robot arm, designed to remain attached during operation. This eliminates the repeated attachment and detachment operations that create opportunities for erroneous handling and potential damage to both the positioning member and robot arm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7680551B2Method of adjusting origin of industrial robot

Publication Date: 2010.03.16 PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP

AI summary

An industrial robot includes a first member, a positioning member arranged to be attached to the first member, a second member arranged to rotate relative to the first member, and a first joint for coupling the first member with the second member. The second member has a contact point arranged to contact the positioning member. An indication for requesting to enable the positioning member to contact the contact point is displayed. The second member rotates at the first joint relatively to the first member while the positioning member can contact the contact point. It is detected whether or not the contact point of the second member contacts the positioning member. A position of the second member is stored as an origin when it is detected that the contact point of the second member contacts the positioning member. This method prevents a possible failure of the attaching of the positioning member, and decreases a work load on an operator.