Adjustable Split Pulley Locking for Robotic Arm Belt Tension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic arm pulley arrangements face issues with cable loosening and breakage due to high driving forces, leading to performance degradation, and require a compact design that can withstand significant forces while maintaining tension.
Innovation Solution
A pulley arrangement with an adjustable pulley portion that can be locked in a selected rotational position relative to a base pulley, using a movable element and fasteners to secure the driving member, and incorporating tensioning mechanisms to maintain optimal tension levels, including split pulleys and angled surface configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a pulley arrangement uses a fixed pulley design, then the structure is simple, but the cable loosens and breaks due to high driving forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the pulley adjustable rather than fixed. The pulley can be repositioned along the cable to maintain optimal tension under varying driving forces. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to different operational conditions, preventing cable loosening and breakage while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the pulley position parameter to vary. The adjustable pulley can be moved to different locations along the cable, changing the geometric parameters of the system to optimize cable tension. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling the simple fixed structure to become a flexible system that maintains reliability under high forces.
2Volume of moving object
If the pulley arrangement is made compact, then the space requirement is reduced, but the ability to withstand high driving forces is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by integrating the adjustment mechanism within the compact pulley assembly. The movable element and fastening components are nested within or alongside the pulley structure itself, allowing the system to maintain a compact form factor while incorporating the functionality needed to withstand high driving forces through adjustable tensioning.
3Reliability
If the pulley arrangement uses an adjustable design, then the tension can be optimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the pulley assembly into distinct functional components: the pulley body, the movable element for adjustment, and the fastening mechanism for locking. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, maintaining overall system simplicity while enabling optimized tension adjustment for consistent performance.
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 solution enhances the durability and compactness of pulley arrangements by preventing cable loosening and breakage, ensuring consistent performance under high forces and allowing for adjustable tensioning, thereby improving the reliability and range of motion of robotic arms.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the driving member is wrapped at least partially around the adjustable pulley portion
Data Source
AI summary
In one variation, a pulley arrangement includes a base pulley portion rotatable within a driving plane, an adjustable pulley portion coupled to the base pulley portion wherein the adjustable pulley portion is rotatable relative to the base pulley portion within the driving plane, and a driving member including an end coupled to the adjustable pulley portion wherein at least a portion of the driving member is wrapped at least partially around the adjustable pulley portion. In another variation, a pulley arrangement includes a base pulley portion rotatable around an axis, an adjustable pulley portion coupled to the base pulley portion and movable in a first direction parallel to the axis, and a sliding block engaged with the adjustable pulley portion, wherein the sliding block moves in a second direction different from the first direction, in response to compression of the adjustable pulley portion against the base pulley portion.