Rotating Workpiece Supply Device with Dynamic Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing supply devices struggle to efficiently supply workpieces to robots due to issues like overlapping pieces, damage during transportation, and poor utilization of the table surface, leading to low efficiency and increased defective products.
Innovation Solution
A supply device with a rotating table and a mechanism to move workpieces between concentric rotation regions, including a replenishment region and a discharge region, using a movement member to relocate workpieces and a discharge member to collect and re-supply them, along with an imaging device and control system to optimize gripping and orientation for the robot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If workpieces are circulated once and then discharged, then the table surface is utilized, but workpiece supply efficiency decreases and defects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic circulation by allowing workpieces to rotate multiple times on the table before discharge. The system dynamically determines whether to discharge a workpiece based on its orientation and position, rather than discharging all workpieces after a fixed number of rotations. This dynamic approach maintains high supply efficiency while ensuring only properly oriented workpieces are discharged, preventing defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses imaging devices to detect workpiece orientation and position, providing feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the system intelligently determines whether to discharge a workpiece or allow it to continue circulating. This feedback mechanism ensures that workpieces are discharged only when in the correct orientation, maintaining both efficiency and quality.
2Area of stationary object
If workpieces are discharged after one rotation, then the table surface utilization is reduced, but workpiece supply efficiency improves
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the circulation duration of each workpiece based on its orientation and position. Workpieces that are properly oriented continue to circulate and are discharged at appropriate times, while improperly oriented workpieces are allowed to rotate further. This dynamic utilization maximizes the table surface area effectively used while maintaining high supply efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by keeping workpieces in circulation as long as they can contribute to efficient supply. Rather than discharging workpieces after a fixed rotation, the system continues to utilize them on the table surface until their orientation and position are optimal for discharge, thereby maximizing table surface utilization without compromising supply efficiency.
3Productivity
If workpieces are allowed to circulate multiple times, then supply efficiency improves, but the number of workpieces that cannot be taken out increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging devices continuously monitor workpiece orientation and position, providing feedback to the control system. This feedback enables the system to identify workpieces that are properly oriented for robot gripping and discharge them at the right moment. Consequently, workpieces can circulate multiple times to improve supply efficiency while the feedback mechanism ensures that only usable workpieces are discharged, preventing the accumulation of unusable pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows workpieces to essentially serve themselves by continuing to circulate until they reach an optimal orientation. The imaging and control systems automatically identify and discharge properly oriented workpieces without manual intervention. This self-service mechanism enables multiple circulations for efficiency while automatically filtering out unusable workpieces, maintaining both high supply efficiency and low defect rates.
4Reliability
If workpieces are discharged frequently, then defects are reduced, but table surface utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging devices provide continuous feedback on workpiece orientation and position, enabling the control system to discharge workpieces only when they are properly oriented. This feedback-driven discharge strategy ensures high workpiece quality by preventing defective pieces from being supplied to the robot, while simultaneously maximizing table surface utilization by keeping workpieces in circulation as long as they can contribute to efficient supply.
Solution Approach 2:
Workpieces effectively self-regulate their circulation duration based on their orientation. Properly oriented workpieces are automatically discharged by the control system when detected by imaging devices, while improperly oriented workpieces continue to circulate. This self-service mechanism ensures high quality output while maximizing the utilization of table surface area, as workpieces remain in use until they are ready for discharge.
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
This configuration enhances the efficiency of workpiece supply by ensuring more pieces can be easily taken out by the robot, reducing defects, and effectively utilizing the table surface, thereby improving the overall supply process.
Implementation Method 1
a drive motor configured to rotate the placement member. The workpiece circulates in accordance with the rotation of the table
Implementation Method 2
a movement member configured to move the workpiece placed on the placement member to an adjacent rotation region
Implementation Method 3
a discharge member configured to discharge the workpiece to the outside of the placement member. Workpieces discharged from the table can be collected by a collection device
Data Source
AI summary
The supply device includes a rotating table. The supply device includes a plate-shaped member configured to move bolts placed on the table and a plate-shaped member configured to discharge bolts to the outside of the table. A replenishment region to which bolts are replenished is set in a first rotation region of the table. A discharge region from which the bolts are discharged is defined in a second rotation region. The plate-shaped member is configured to move bolts from the first rotation region to the second rotation region.