Rotating Tray Device for Individualizing Small Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vibrating bowl systems used for individualizing small objects are noisy, difficult to control, lack versatility, and can damage fragile parts due to vibrations and collisions, leading to inefficiencies and malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a rotating tray with a conical surface and a robotic gripping unit, where the tray's rotation is controlled to apply centrifugal force and alternating motion to reduce adhesion and facilitate controlled movement of objects to the peripheral edge, minimizing collisions and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a vibrating bowl system is used to individualize small objects, then objects can be conveyed and oriented, but noise is generated due to vibrations and collisions between parts and the bowl
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional vibrating bowl mechanical system with a robotic arm equipped with a suction cup. Instead of using vibrations to convey and orient objects, the robotic arm directly picks up individual objects from a container and places them on a conveyor belt, eliminating the noise-generating vibrations and collisions entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential function of object individualization and placement from the vibrating bowl system. By using a robotic arm to selectively pick up objects one by one based on their position in the container, the system achieves individualization without the harmful vibrations and noise characteristic of vibrating bowl systems.
2Productivity
If a vibrating bowl system is used, then objects can be fed to an assembly machine, but the system lacks versatility and requires redesign for different object types
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm system provides universal functionality for handling different types of objects. The same robotic arm can pick up various objects from different container configurations and place them on the conveyor belt, eliminating the need to redesign the entire feeding system for each object type, thus achieving both high productivity and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic control of the robotic arm to adapt to different object types and container configurations. The robotic arm can adjust its motion path, picking position, and placement timing based on real-time object positions detected by sensors, providing flexible adaptation without physical redesign.
3Productivity
If a vibrating bowl system is used for small millimetric objects, then objects can be conveyed, but control becomes difficult and malfunctions occur such as poor orientation and feeding rate assurance
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect the position of objects in the container and provide feedback to the control unit. The control unit uses this information to adjust the robotic arm's picking position and timing, ensuring reliable object pickup and placement. This closed-loop control eliminates the control difficulties and feeding rate inconsistencies associated with vibrating bowl systems.
Solution Approach 2:
By replacing the vibrating bowl's mechanical vibration-based conveyance with a controlled robotic arm pickup and placement system, the invention achieves precise control over object handling. The robotic arm can reliably pick up objects one by one at controlled intervals and place them on the conveyor belt at the exact desired position and timing, eliminating malfunctions and ensuring consistent feeding rate.
4Productivity
If a vibrating bowl system is used, then objects can be moved, but fragile parts are damaged due to vibrations and collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the violent vibration-based object movement with a gentle robotic arm pickup and placement mechanism. The suction cup picks up objects without contact from other objects or the container walls, and places them softly on the conveyor belt, completely eliminating the collisions and vibrations that damage fragile parts while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to prevent damage before it can occur by using a pickup method that avoids collisions entirely. The robotic arm with suction cup picks up objects individually without them contacting each other or the container walls, and places them gently on the conveyor belt, providing beforehand protection against the harmful effects of vibration and collision that would otherwise damage fragile parts.
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 device is versatile, reduces noise, and ensures controlled movement of objects, preventing damage and jamming, while being easy to clean and maintain, making it suitable for high-precision and fragile parts.
Implementation Method 1
a motor for driving the reception plate in rotation around an axis of rotation of the latter... configured to send to the driving motor a supply signal resulting from a superimposition of a part of a rotation command to drive the platter rotating in a predefined direction in order to apply a centrifugal force to the objects with the aim of bringing them towards the peripheral edge
Implementation Method 2
an alternating motion control composed of phases accelerating and decelerating the rotation of the platter to reduce the adhesion of the objects to the receiving tray and to facilitate their controlled movement towards the peripheral edge
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a device for individualising small loose objects (3), in particular parallelepiped in shape, comprising: • - a plate (15) for receiving loose objects (3), the plate (15) comprising a peripheral retaining edge (17) and a receiving surface (19) that is higher at the edge than towards the centre (21) of the plate (15), the receiving surface (19) sloping from the peripheral edge (17) towards the centre (21) of the plate (15), • - a motor (29) for rotating the receiving plate (15) about a rotational axis of same, • - a robotic gripping unit (31) for gripping the objects (3), - a control unit (30) controlling the motor (29), that is configured to send a power supply signal to the motor (29) resulting from the superpositioning of a rotation control for rotating the plate (15) in a predefined direction in order to apply a centrifugal force to the objects (3) with the aim of conveying them towards the peripheral edge, and a control of reciprocating movements consisting of phases accelerating and decelerating the rotation of the plate (15) in order to reduce the adhesion of the objects (3) to the receiving plate (15) and to facilitate the controlled movement of same towards the peripheral edge (17).