Stackable Molded Part Positioning Structure for Robot-Safe Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for stacking and conveying molded parts in automated assembly systems face issues with positioning accuracy and interference with robots due to the formation of positioning portions that protrude upward, leading to unstable posture and potential interference during grasping operations.
Innovation Solution
The molded parts are designed with positioning portions that protrude in a column shape from the runner portion, allowing engagement with adjacent parts and insertion into a supporting fixture's hole portions, ensuring stable stacking and conveyance without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If positioning portions are formed upward at the connection portion to enable stacking, then stacking and positioning capability is improved, but the positioning portions interfere with robot grasping operations and the molded part cannot take a stable posture
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning portion is designed to protrude laterally from the side surface of the molded part rather than upward from the top surface. This dimensional change in protrusion direction enables the positioning portion to engage with adjacent molded parts for precise stacking while clearing the robot's grasping path, thus resolving the interference problem while maintaining positioning functionality
2Stability of the object's composition
If positioning portions protrude upward to enable stacking, then stacking capability is improved, but the height of positioning portion must be increased for larger parts, causing interference with robot operations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the vertical height of upward-protruding positioning portions, the invention transitions to lateral protrusion from the side surface. This allows positioning portions to extend horizontally to engage with adjacent parts for stable stacking, while keeping the vertical profile low enough to avoid interfering with robot grasping operations
Data Source
AI summary
A stackable molded part includes a runner portion that connects a plurality of parts, and a positioning portion that is formed on the runner portion, wherein the positioning portion protrudes in a shape of a column from the runner portion to at least one side in a stacking direction in which molded parts are stacked, wherein an end portion of the positioning portion of the molded part is engageable with an end portion of a positioning portion of another molded part that adjoins the molded part when these molded parts are stacked on top of each other, and wherein the positioning portion protrudes more than the plurality of parts in the stacking direction to the one side of the positioning portion.