Robotic Dispensing Tool Resilient Bearing Collision Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robotic systems for dispensing viscous media face limitations in automation scope and safety, particularly in ensuring reliable and high-quality operation while minimizing risk potential, especially in collaborative environments without protective fences.

Innovation Solution

A robotic tool with a resilient and flexible bearing system, including a spherical bearing and stabilizing device, that allows the tool to perform evasive movements during collisions and stabilizes the supply line during operation, enabling safe and precise dispensing of viscous media without a protective fence, and incorporating a sensor system for position detection and adjustment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the robot operates without protective fences to enable collaborative work with humans, then the scope of automation and ease of operation is improved, but the safety and risk reduction deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaborative operation capabilityVSAvoidrisk potential from collisions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing the tool with a resilient bearing that can absorb collision forces before they cause damage. The bearing is pre-configured with elastic elements that automatically activate upon collision, cushioning the impact and enabling safe evasive movements without requiring protective fences.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the bearing resilient and flexible during movement phases, allowing the tool to perform evasive movements when colliding with humans or objects. The bearing dynamically changes its characteristics based on operational phase, being flexible during positioning and rigid during dispensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the bearing is made resilient and flexible to enable evasive movements during collisions, then the safety and risk reduction is improved, but the manufacturing precision and stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision damageVSAvoidline end position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing dynamically switches between resilient/flexible state during movement and rigid/stable state during dispensing operations. This dynamic characteristic change allows the system to achieve both collision safety and manufacturing precision at different operational phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a sensor system that provides feedback on the tool's position and collision status. This feedback enables the control system to compensate for bearing deformation and maintain precise line end positioning even when the bearing is in its resilient state, or to trigger corrective actions after collisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If the supply line is made rigid to prevent deformation during dispensing, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation and adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupply line stabilityVSAvoidtool movement flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The supply line's rigidity is dynamically adjusted based on operational requirements. During movement and collision phases, the supply line remains flexible to allow tool adaptability and evasive movements. During dispensing operations, the supply line is stabilized or rigidized to ensure manufacturing precision and prevent deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Manufacturing precision

If the tool is equipped with a stabilizing device to block the bearing during dispensing, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool position stabilityVSAvoidstabilizing device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing device is designed to activate automatically based on operational conditions without requiring complex external control mechanisms. The device self-regulates the bearing's stability based on whether the system is in movement mode or dispensing mode, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution enhances the scope of automation, reduces risk potential, and allows for collaborative operation with humans by ensuring the tool can safely interact with humans and maintain process integrity, even in the event of collisions, while ensuring precise and controlled dispensing of viscous media.

Implementation Method 1

The bearing can be resilient and/or flexible. This will prevent damage. Due to the resilience to a position given before a collision, which can be brought about, for example, by spring force and/or elasticity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The tool can have a heating device. The medium can be heated by the heating device, so that the flowability can thereby be influenced.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3102368B1Tool for a robot for applying a viscous medium, robot for applying a viscous medium, and method for applying a viscous medium by means of such a robot
Publication Date: 2021.01.27 FAUDE AUTOMATISIERUNGSTECHN
  • EP3102368B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3102368B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3102368B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a tool for a robot for applying a viscous medium (5) which can be used for example as a greasing system for greasing different components (9) in different areas, to a robot for applying a viscous medium (5), to a method for applying a viscous medium (5) by means of a tool for a robot and to a method for reducing a potential hazard caused by a robot tool, in which in the event of a collision of the tool with an object or a human, at least the moveable part of the tool performs a deflection movement such that a higher degree of automation is possible by reducing the potential hazard.