Safety Coupling With Braked Emergency Lowering for End Effectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handling systems with manipulators and end effectors pose a danger in emergency situations, such as power failures, due to impaired or failed gripping, risking object detachment and potential injury to human operators.
Innovation Solution
A safety coupling with a manipulator coupling section, end effector coupling section, and a lowering device, featuring a safety device that switches between normal and emergency configurations to control the attachment and release of the end effector, allowing controlled object lowering in emergencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the manipulator is equipped with emergency stop function, then the manipulator can stop or move into safety configuration in emergency situations, but the gripping effect of the end effector may be impaired or fail completely leading to object detachment and falling
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between manipulator and end effector is segmented into a safety coupling device with separate manipulator coupling section and end effector coupling section. This segmentation allows independent control of the coupling and lowering functions, enabling the system to maintain grip while providing controlled lowering in emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
A safety coupling device is introduced as an intermediary component between the manipulator and end effector. This mediator includes a lowering device with brake mechanism that can control the end effector's descent independently of the manipulator's emergency stop function, preventing uncontrolled falling while maintaining safety.
2Reliability
If additional safety measures are added to prevent object detachment in emergencies, then safety is improved, but device complexity and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety function is merged into the existing coupling mechanism between manipulator and end effector. The safety coupling device combines the coupling function with a lowering device and brake mechanism, eliminating the need for separate safety systems while providing controlled emergency lowering capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety coupling device performs multiple functions: it couples the end effector to the manipulator, provides emergency stop capability, and enables controlled lowering of the end effector. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated safety components, simplifying the overall system structure.
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
Ensures secure attachment during normal operation and controlled object placement in emergencies, reducing the risk of uncontrolled falling and operator injury without requiring additional safety measures, and minimizing installation space.
Implementation Method 1
The lowering device extends in particular along a lowering axis which, when the safety coupling is coupled to the manipulator, is oriented in particular vertically, i.e. along a direction of action of gravity
Implementation Method 2
designed to allow the end effector coupling section and an optionally coupled end effector and in particular an object optionally held on the end effector to lower in a controlled manner, preferably with braking
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
The invention relates to a safety coupling (24) for connecting an end effector (14) to a manipulator (12), comprising a manipulator coupling section (26) for connecting the safety coupling to the manipulator, an end effector coupling section (30) for connecting the safety coupling to the end effector, a lowering device (32) which connects the manipulator coupling section and the end effector coupling section to each other in such a way that the end effector coupling section and an optionally coupled end effector can lower in a controlled manner, in particular automatically braked, relative to the manipulator coupling section as a result of gravity, and a locking device (46) which can assume a normal configuration and an emergency configuration, wherein the locking device blocks the lowering device in the normal configuration and releases it in the emergency configuration.The invention also relates to a handling system (10) comprising a manipulator, an end effector and such a safety coupling.