Rack Server Plug-In/Out Robot for High-Slot Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual server maintenance in data centers is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and poses safety risks due to the weight and density of servers, especially when dealing with high-layer slots, leading to inefficiencies and potential security hazards.
Innovation Solution
A device assembly system comprising a control apparatus, mobile apparatus, lifting apparatus, and plug in/out apparatus that automates the shelving and unshelving of servers within racks, utilizing navigation, pose adjustment mechanisms, and holding mechanisms to ensure precise and secure operation, reducing manual labor and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual shelving or unshelving of servers is performed, then labor flexibility is maintained, but operation time and labor cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service operation where the robot independently navigates to racks, identifies target slots through visual recognition, and performs shelving/unshelving operations without continuous human intervention, thereby improving productivity while reducing manual labor requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated robotic system that integrates navigation, visual recognition, and mechanical manipulation components to perform server shelving and unshelving tasks automatically
2Quantity of substance
If server density and rack height increase, then data center capacity improves, but operation safety deteriorates due to weight and height
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system acts as an intermediary between operators and heavy servers in high racks, performing the physical manipulation tasks that would be dangerous for humans to execute directly, thereby enabling high server density while maintaining operation safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the dangerous manual handling task from the human operator and transfers it to the robotic system, allowing humans to focus on supervisory and decision-making roles while the robot handles the physically hazardous shelving and unshelving operations
3Productivity
If automated assembly system is implemented, then maintenance efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is designed as a multi-functional platform that integrates navigation, visual recognition, pose adjustment, and mechanical manipulation capabilities into a single universal device, improving assembly efficiency while managing complexity through functional integration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple subsystems including mobile navigation, lifting mechanisms, pose adjustment, and visual recognition into an integrated robotic platform, achieving high assembly efficiency while consolidating complexity into a unified system architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A device assembly system includes a control apparatus, a mobile apparatus, a lifting apparatus, and a plug in/out apparatus. The control apparatus is configured to control, based on an operation and maintenance instruction, the mobile apparatus, the lifting apparatus, and the plug in/out apparatus to complete an operation of the operation and maintenance instruction. The mobile apparatus is configured to move the device assembly system to a first location, and the first location identifies a rack in which a device is assembled. The lifting apparatus is configured to move the plug in/out apparatus to a target location in a first direction. The plug in/out apparatus is configured to place the device to be assembled at the target location, or obtain the device from the target location.