Backlash Prevention in Robot Tilting Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication robots face challenges in smoothly tilting their bodies without causing shaking or tremble, which affects their ability to provide stable visual and auditory information while moving.

Innovation Solution

The robot incorporates a tilting mechanism with a damping gear system, where the damping gear is engaged with the tilting gear, and the central axis of the damping gear is parallel to the tilting axis, with a smaller distance between the damping gear and tilting axis, to minimize shaking during tilting motions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a tilting mechanism is added to enable the robot to tilt its body, then the robot's ability to provide visual and auditory information is improved, but shaking and tremble occur during tilting motion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetilting capabilityVSAvoidbody stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A damping gear is introduced as an intermediary component between the tilting gear and the tilting body. The damping gear includes a damper that absorbs vibrations and reduces shaking during tilting motion, allowing the robot to tilt smoothly while maintaining body stability. The damping gear acts as a mediator that transmits the tilting motion while filtering out harmful vibrations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper in the damping gear provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing and damping vibrations before they can propagate to the robot's body and affect the interfaces. This prior cushioning prevents shaking and tremble from occurring, ensuring stable operation during tilting motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the damping gear is positioned closer to the tilting axis, then the shaking is reduced more effectively, but the space required for gear accommodation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration reductionVSAvoidgear accommodation space
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the parameters of the damping gear, including its position relative to the tilting axis, its size, and its damping characteristics. By carefully selecting these parameters, the damping gear achieves effective vibration reduction while fitting within the available space constraints of the robot's structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution allows for smooth tilting of the robot's body, reducing unwanted vibrations and enhancing its ability to provide stable visual and auditory information during movement, thereby improving user interaction.

Implementation Method 1

a damper mounted on the spin body, wherein the damper may include a damping gear engaged with the tilting gear and guiding tilting of the tilting gear

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3597373B1Backlash prevention mechanism for tilting motion of a domestic robot.
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3597373B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3597373B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3597373B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A robot includes a base, a spin body rotatably disposed in the base, a spin mechanism rotating the spin body around the base, a tilting body tiltably supported to the spin body around a tilting axis, a tilting mechanism tilting the tilting body around the tilting axis, an interface installed in at least one of the spin body and the tilting body, a tilting gear mounted on the tilting body and tilted together with the tilting body, and a damper mounted on the spin body. The damper includes a damping gear engaged with the tilting gear and guiding tilting of the tilting gear, and the tilting gear is tilted along an outer circumference of the damping gear.