Rotating Cable Clamp for Robot Arm Tension Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Cables attached to robots face damage and excessive length due to the movement of arm members, leading to unintentional behavior, which existing cable clamps fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A cable clamp with a base member fixed to a robot arm and a rotatable clamp base using a bearing mechanism, where a fixation band is wound around the clamp base to secure cables, allowing the clamp base to rotate with the arm movement, thereby shortening cable length and reducing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cable is given extra length to accommodate robot arm movement, then the cable may not be broken or damaged due to movement, but the cable becomes excessively long and may exhibit unintentional behavior

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable integrityVSAvoidcable length

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cable clamp base is made rotatable relative to the arm via a rotation mechanism, allowing the clamp to dynamically adjust its orientation as the arm moves. This dynamic adaptation enables the cable to maintain appropriate tension and positioning without requiring excessive length, thus preventing both damage and unwanted cable behavior during robot operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If a fixed cable clamp is used to secure the cable to the robot arm, then unintentional cable behavior is prevented, but the cable cannot accommodate arm movement without tension or damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable positioningVSAvoidcable integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cable clamp base is made rotatable relative to the arm via a rotation mechanism, allowing the clamp to dynamically adjust its orientation as the arm moves. This dynamic adaptation enables the cable to maintain appropriate tension and positioning without requiring excessive length, thus preventing both damage and unwanted cable behavior during robot operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 effectively reduces cable length and minimizes damage by allowing the clamp base to rotate with the arm movement, maintaining cable tension and preventing unintentional behavior during robot operation.

Implementation Method 1

a rotation mechanism provided on the base member; and a clamp base rotatably supported by the base member using the rotation mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS10814500B2Cable clamp and robot

Publication Date: 2020.10.27 FANUC LTD

AI summary

A cable clamp includes a base member fixed to a predetermined position of an arm of a robot, a rotation mechanism provided on the base member, and a clamp base rotatably supported by the base member using the rotation mechanism. The clamp base includes a band winding portion which a fixation band is wound around, the fixation band is for fixing cables to the clamp base.