Robotic Tube End Effector for Damage-Free Fruit Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Packing fruit in tubes is inefficient and can cause damage due to physical impacts during insertion, requiring a time-consuming process that increases costs.
Innovation Solution
An end effector for a robot positioning apparatus that holds an open-topped elongate container in an inverted orientation, featuring an actuatable movable element to obstruct and retain fruit, and a holding arrangement to secure the container, allowing efficient and damage-free packing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fruit is packed one at a time into the tube, then the fruit can be securely retained without damage, but the packing process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tube is inverted and positioned over the fruit before packing begins. The movable element is pre-configured to obstruct the tube opening during the packing process, allowing multiple fruits to be retained simultaneously without requiring sequential placement. This preliminary positioning enables efficient multi-item packing while maintaining fruit integrity.
2Productivity
If the tube is held in an inverted orientation, then multiple items of produce can be retained simultaneously, but the end effector requires a complex actuatable movable element to obstruct the open end
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector incorporates a movable element that can transition between extended and retracted positions. When extended, it obstructs the tube opening to retain multiple fruits; when retracted, it allows fruit insertion. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt its structure during operation, balancing the need for simultaneous retention with the simplicity of the blocking mechanism.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the movable element is made from soft resilient material, then the fruit is protected from damage during retention, but the element requires greater actuation force to maintain obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The movable element is designed with a circular cross-section that conforms to the tubular shape of the container. This curved geometry distributes the actuation force evenly around the tube perimeter, reducing the peak force required compared to a linear blocking mechanism. The circular shape also naturally conforms to spherical fruits, providing uniform contact and protection while requiring less force to maintain the obstructing position.
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective packing of fruit in tubes by minimizing physical impacts and ensuring secure retention during the packing process.
Implementation Method 1
the actuatable movable element is made from a soft resilient material and is elastically deformable between a first shape when in the extended position and a second shape when in the retracted position
Data Source
AI summary
An end effector adapted to be carried by a robot positioning apparatus for packing items of produce, the end effector adapted in use for holding an open topped elongate container (tube) in an inverted orientation, wherein the tube has a closed bottom end and an open top end; the end effector comprising: at least one actuatable movable element located on the end effector so as to be adjacent the open end of a tube held by the end effector; wherein the actuatable movable element is configured to be operable between: an extended position which at least partially extends over the open end of a tube held by the end effector to at least partially obstruct the open end of the tube; and a retracted position so that the open end of the container is substantially unobstructed to allow items of produce to be received in the tube.