Handling Robot Partitioned Dispersal Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handling robot systems face challenges in efficiently dispersing a large number of articles without damaging them and accurately picking and placing various types of articles, especially when they are stacked, due to excessive vibration and complexity in operation.
Innovation Solution
A handling robot system with a table and an article dispersing mechanism that uses a partition member and drive control section to create a relative motion, allowing articles to pass through a gap and be transferred to a holding region, where a vision sensor aids the robot in accurately picking and placing articles based on detection data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If intermittent vibration is applied to disperse a large number of articles, then article dispersal is improved, but article damage increases due to excessive vibration amplitude
Solution Approach 1:
The article dispersing mechanism is divided into multiple partition members that create separate dispersal zones. Each partition member independently disperses articles in its designated region, allowing gentle and controlled dispersal without requiring strong overall vibration that would damage articles.
Solution Approach 2:
Partition members act as intermediary elements between the vibration source and the articles. These partitions mediate the vibration energy, distributing it in a controlled manner to achieve article dispersal while preventing excessive vibration amplitude that would cause damage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of articles with different sizes and shapes are simultaneously brought to the holding location, then system versatility is improved, but operation complexity increases due to the need to adjust holding operations for each article type
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system dynamically adapts its holding operations based on real-time detection of article types, sizes, and shapes. The control section automatically adjusts gripper force, positioning, and handling parameters according to the detected article characteristics, eliminating the need for manual operation adjustments for each article type.
Solution Approach 2:
The vision sensor provides feedback information about article types, positions, and orientations to the control section. This feedback enables the system to automatically adjust holding operations for different article types, maintaining simplicity while handling diverse articles.
3Productivity
If articles are stacked in large numbers at the holding location, then productivity is improved, but dispersal difficulty increases making robot holding operations more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The holding location is divided into multiple regions by partition members, each handling a subset of articles. This segmentation prevents articles from being densely stacked in a single location, making it easier for the robot to access and hold individual articles without complex dispersal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Partition members preliminarily disperse articles into designated regions before the robot performs holding operations. This preliminary action maintains articles in an accessible state, eliminating the need for complex real-time dispersal during robot operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A handling robot system, including a table having a placement surface for placing articles; an article dispersing mechanism for dispersing the articles placed on the placement surface of the table across the placement surface; a vision sensor for detecting each of the articles dispersed on the placement surface of the table; and a robot operating, based on article detection data from the vision sensor, to hold the articles one by one. The article dispersing mechanism includes a partition member for producing a relative motion in relation to the table, the partition member being disposed in proximity to the placement surface with a gap defined therebetween, to divide a space adjoining the placement surface into a first region to which the articles are brought and a second region at which the robot operates to hold the articles transferred from the first region; and a drive control section for causing the relative motion between the table and the partition member in accordance with a program describing a mode of the relative motion. A certain number of articles are dispersed, as a result of the relative motion produced under the control of the drive control section, to permit the articles to pass through the gap on the placement surface, and are transferred from the first region to the second region.