Rotating Plate End Effector Orientation for Item Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Material handling systems face challenges in efficiently handling items of different sizes and shapes, requiring manual intervention and slowing down operations, as existing manipulators are often designed for specific shapes and sizes, necessitating frequent switching between them.
Innovation Solution
A manipulator with adjustable end effectors, featuring a rotating plate with angular slots, allows for orientation adjustments based on item characteristics, communicated by a vision system, enabling handling of various sizes and shapes without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manipulators are designed for specific shapes and sizes, then handling precision for that specific item type is improved, but adaptability to handle items of different sizes and shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector is made dynamically adjustable through a rotating plate mechanism with multiple angular slots. The rotating plate can be rotated to different angular positions, allowing the end effector to change its orientation and configuration dynamically. This enables the same manipulator to adapt to items of different sizes and shapes while maintaining precise handling for each specific item type.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the orientation parameter of the end effector by rotating the rotating plate to different angular positions. Each angular position corresponds to a specific orientation of the end effector, allowing the system to optimize handling parameters for different item characteristics. This parameter adjustment enables precise handling of specific item types while maintaining versatility across different item categories.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple manipulators are used to handle different item types, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and manual intervention requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator is designed with universal functionality through the rotating plate mechanism that can accommodate multiple end effector orientations. A single manipulator can handle various item types (different sizes and shapes) by adjusting the rotating plate to appropriate angular positions, eliminating the need for multiple specialized manipulators and reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustment capability of the rotating plate allows one manipulator to perform the functions of multiple static manipulators. By rotating the plate to different angular positions, the same end effector can be optimized for different item types, reducing the total number of manipulators needed in the system.
3Manufacturing precision
If manipulators are designed for specific item types, then handling precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to frequent switching between manipulators
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating plate mechanism enables rapid dynamic adjustment of end effector orientation without requiring physical manipulation changes. The rotating plate can be rotated to different angular positions quickly, allowing the system to switch between handling configurations rapidly and maintain high productivity while preserving handling precision for different item types.
Solution Approach 2:
A single universal manipulator with adjustable rotating plate replaces multiple specialized manipulators, eliminating the time loss associated with switching between different manipulators. The manipulator can handle various item types sequentially by adjusting the rotating plate angle, maintaining both precision and productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An end of arm tool includes a rotating plate with a first slot and an end effector inserted through the first slot with a clearance to move the end effector within the first slot. Further, the rotating plate is adjusted to alter an orientation of the end effector to position the end effector at one of a plurality of different angles based on characteristics of object to be handled by the end effector.