Workpiece Transfer Balancer with Force Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional workpiece transfer systems fail to achieve a balanced state when the holding position of a workpiece is inappropriate, requiring extensive registration of information for various workpieces, and struggle to handle workpieces with unknown weights and shapes efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A workpiece transfer system comprising a robot with a hand and force sensor, a balancer, and a shape measuring device, where the controller adjusts the holding position and lifting force to maintain an external force within predetermined thresholds, allowing for balanced and efficient transfer of workpieces without prior registration of information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a balancer lifts a workpiece by using force depending on weight of the workpiece, then the workpiece can be lifted, but the robot cannot handle workpieces with unknown weights and shapes efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle workpieces with unknown weights and shapesVSAvoidrequirement for extensive registration of information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the shape measuring device to automatically measure the workpiece shape and the sensor to detect external force, with the controller automatically calculating the holding position and adjusting lifting force. This self-service approach eliminates the need for manual registration of workpiece information, allowing the robot to handle workpieces with unknown weights and shapes efficiently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor detects external force acting on the hand during lifting, and the controller uses this feedback to adjust the lifting force generated by the balancer. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to different workpiece weights and shapes dynamically, achieving balanced lifting without prior registration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Stability of the object's composition

If the holding position of workpiece is inappropriate, then the balancer cannot achieve a balanced state, but extensive registration of information is required to determine appropriate holding positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebalanced state during liftingVSAvoidtime for registration of holding position information

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The shape measuring device measures the workpiece shape in advance, and the controller calculates the appropriate holding position based on this measurement before lifting begins. This preliminary action ensures the hand holds the workpiece at the correct position, enabling the balancer to achieve a balanced state without requiring extensive registration of holding position information for various workpieces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Weight of moving object

If the robot handles workpieces exceeding its capacity, then more powerful robot is needed, but the load on the robot increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkpiece weight capacityVSAvoidload on the robot

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The balancer generates lifting force that counteracts the weight of the workpiece, effectively creating a counterweight to the gravitational force. This allows the robot to handle workpieces exceeding its normal capacity without increasing the net load on the robot, as the balancer compensates for the workpiece weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

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

Enables the balanced and efficient transfer of workpieces with unknown weights and shapes, reducing the load on the robot and allowing it to handle loads exceeding its capacity, without the need for prior registration of holding positions or weights.

Implementation Method 1

a balancer which is connected to the hand and which is capable of generating lifting force for lifting the hand in a vertically upward direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLifting force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

a sensor capable of detecting external force acting on the hand

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce detection: Force

Data Source

PatentUS12122616B2Workpiece transfer system

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 FANUC LTD

AI summary

A work transfer system includes a robot having a hand which holds a workpiece and a sensor which can detect external force acting on the hand, a balancer connected to the hand and can generate lifting force for lifting the hand in a vertically upward direction, a shape measuring device which conducts measuring of a shape of the workpiece, and a controller controlling the robot and the balancer based on the shape of the workpiece, and the controller adjusts a holding position of the workpiece by the hand based on the shape, and controls the lifting force so that an absolute value of the external force in the vertical direction detected by the sensor becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined first threshold when the workpiece is held at the adjusted holding position and lifted.