Suspended Wheel Support for Accurate Marking on Uneven Floors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Marking robots face difficulties in maintaining accurate direction and location on uneven or foreign matter-covered floor surfaces due to wheels lifting off, which prevents desired movement and marking work.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a suspension mechanism in the wheel support parts of the marking robot, specifically with an energizing member and damper, to ensure all wheels remain grounded, allowing for precise movement and accurate marking even on uneven surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the marking robot uses mecanum wheels for multi-directional movement, then the robot can move in any direction, but the robot cannot maintain all wheels grounded on uneven floor surfaces, causing loss of control and positioning accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-directional movement capabilityVSAvoidwheel ground contact reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wheel support parts are designed to be movable relative to the main body, allowing the support structure to dynamically adjust its position and orientation in response to floor surface variations. This dynamic adaptation ensures that all mecanum wheels remain grounded while maintaining the robot's multi-directional movement capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The robot's support structure is divided into multiple independent wheel support parts, each capable of independent movement and adjustment. This segmentation allows each wheel to independently adapt to local floor conditions while maintaining overall system stability and control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the robot body is kept rigid for stable marking, then marking precision is maintained on flat surfaces, but wheel lift-off occurs on uneven surfaces with foreign matter, preventing desired movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemarking precisionVSAvoidmovement capability on uneven surfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support parts are designed with movable joints and suspension mechanisms that allow them to dynamically adjust to uneven surfaces and foreign matter. This dynamic adaptation prevents wheel lift-off while maintaining the rigidity of the main body and marking unit, ensuring both movement capability and marking precision on challenging surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 suspension mechanism ensures all wheels maintain contact with the floor, enabling the marking robot to move accurately in desired directions and perform high-precision marking work on surfaces with foreign matter or irregularities.

Implementation Method 1

the suspension mechanism has first and second bracket members that are pivotally connected to each other via a shock-absorbing member, and have a spring member that elastically connects between the first and second bracket members

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4427952A1Marking robot
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 YANMAR HLDG CO LTD
  • EP4427952A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4427952A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4427952A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem] To provide a marking robot that can perform marking work with high accuracy even when traveling on a floor surface where foreign matter exists. [Solution] The marking robot comprises a main body to which a marking unit is attached, a plurality of wheels, and a plurality of wheel support parts attached to the main body to support the plurality of wheels respectively. At least one of the plurality of wheel support parts has a suspension mechanism.