Robot Tool Interface With Segmented Air Nozzles for Abutment Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tool interfaces for robots often struggle with effectively removing contamination from the abutment faces, which can lead to unreliable connections and reduced precision in robot operations.
Innovation Solution
A tool interface with a discharge device featuring multiple nozzle openings that direct compressed air to different regions of the abutment face, ensuring thorough cleaning and protection of electrical contact faces with a circumferential seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single nozzle opening is used in the discharge device, then the device complexity is low, but the cleaning quality is insufficient and contamination remains on the abutment face
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge device is segmented into multiple nozzle openings (at least two, preferably at least four) that discharge compressed air into different regions of the abutment face. This segmentation allows comprehensive cleaning coverage without requiring overly complex individual nozzle structures, resolving the contradiction between cleaning quality and device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple compressed air channels and nozzle openings are added to improve cleaning quality, then the cleaning quality improves, but the installation complexity increases and fitting times are considerably increased
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple compressed air channels are merged into a single common compressed air connection that supplies all nozzle openings. This merging reduces the number of separate connections required during installation, thereby improving cleaning quality through multiple nozzles while minimizing the increase in installation complexity and fitting time.
3Manufacturing precision
If the abutment face is configured in a non-planar manner to correspond to the tool interface, then the connection precision may improve, but the ease of manufacture decreases and a planar configuration is considered more advantageous
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment face is configured with local quality variations: at least 80% of the contact face is located in a common abutment plane for ease of manufacture and assembly, while specific local regions (such as electrical contact faces) may have non-planar features to ensure precise correspondence with the tool interface. This resolves the contradiction by achieving connection precision where needed while maintaining overall manufacturability.
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 tool interface achieves improved discharge action, effectively removing contamination and ensuring reliable connections and precise operations by using a discharge device with multiple nozzle openings and a circumferential seal.
Implementation Method 1
a nozzle opening, through which compressed air is discharged during the coupling or uncoupling operation of the tool interface in the form of an air blast in order to eliminate occurrences of contamination in the region of the abutment face
Implementation Method 2
In a peripheral region of the abutment face, a circumferential seal which is provided for abutment against the abutment face of the tool may be provided and the introduction of dirt during operation is made harder
Implementation Method 3
this coupling device has at least one conical orientation pin, or an orientation pin which tapers in another manner, which engages in a corresponding receiving member which is provided thereon during connection to the tool
Implementation Method 4
the coupling device preferably has a locking mechanism for connecting the tool to the tool interface in a positive-locking manner. This locking mechanism can particularly have bar members which are displaced transversely relative to the insertion direction after the tool has been positioned at the tool interface and are thereby engaged in a corresponding receiving member in the tool
Data Source
AI summary
A tool interface for coupling a tool to a robot. The tool interface has an abutment face for abutting a corresponding abutment face of the tool, and a coupling device for mechanically coupling the tool to the tool interface. A discharge device is provided for producing a discharge air flow in the region of the abutment face. The discharge device has a plurality of nozzle openings for discharging the discharge air flow, and the nozzle openings are supplied with compressed air by a common compressed air connection of the tool interface.