Serving apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing serving robots face challenges with limited food carrying capacity, instability of food containers of various sizes and shapes, and hygiene issues when collecting used containers, which affect efficiency and customer comfort.
Innovation Solution
A serving apparatus with a driving unit and a body unit having an open lateral side, accommodating a body container for food or food containers, and a dedicated tray system for drinks, allowing for increased capacity and stability, and minimizing exposure of used containers through a single round trip while maintaining hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a robot arm is used to hold the tray, then the tray can be carried, but the configuration becomes complicated and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the robot arm component entirely and replaces it with a simple tray placement structure on the robot body. The tray is held by friction and gravity alone, eliminating the need for complex mechanical arms while maintaining tray carrying capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot body is divided into functional sections: a upper body unit with tray placement area, a lower body unit with storage compartment, and a driving unit. This segmentation allows the tray to be placed on the upper body while food containers are stored in the lower body, simplifying the overall structure.
2Productivity
If a robot arm with tray is used, then food can be served, but the likelihood of service failure increases due to control errors
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the robot arm and its associated control systems, the patent eliminates control errors related to arm movement, tray positioning, and food container handling. The simplified friction-based holding mechanism is inherently more reliable than active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower body unit includes a storage compartment that accommodates food containers before serving. This pre-positioning reduces the risk of dropping or spilling during transport, as containers are securely stored rather than precariously balanced on a tray.
3Device complexity
If the tray is placed on the accommodation structure without fastening, then the structure is simplified, but the tray may fall out during vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The tray placement area on the upper body unit is designed with friction surfaces and geometric constraints that pre-prevent the tray from sliding or falling during robot movement. The tray is positioned and secured by the structure itself before any vibration or movement occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper body unit features a specifically designed tray placement area with increased friction coefficient and appropriate depth, creating local stability without requiring fastening mechanisms throughout the entire structure. This localized design maintains simplicity while ensuring tray security.
4Device complexity
If food containers of various sizes and shapes are placed on a flat tray, then the tray is simple, but it is impossible to accommodate them stably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the tray function from the storage function. The upper body unit tray handles only lightweight items, while the lower body unit storage compartment accommodates food containers of various sizes and shapes. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific purpose.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical space by placing the tray on the upper body and the storage compartment in the lower body. This three-dimensional arrangement allows stable accommodation of various container sizes without requiring a complex flat tray design.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a serving apparatus. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a serving apparatus, comprising: a driving unit; a body unit connecting to the driving unit and having a top side and an interior, wherein at least a part of a lateral side of the body unit is open; and a body container disposed in the interior of the body unit, wherein food or food containers are placed at the body container and the top side.