Tray assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tray assemblies for serving robots are prone to instability during movement, leading to potential food and beverage spills due to inadequate mounting and vibration transmission, and require difficult maintenance procedures.
Innovation Solution
A tray assembly comprising a first tray mounted to a robot and a second rotatable tray with elastic members and rolling members, allowing for stable coupling and easy separation, which absorbs impact and vibration through rotational compensation and damping mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tray is stably mounted to the robot, then the tray remains attached during movement, but the impact and vibration are directly transmitted to the foods and beverages causing spills
Solution Approach 1:
The tray assembly is divided into multiple independent trays (first tray, second tray, third tray) that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows each tray to independently absorb and dissipate vibration through relative motion, preventing direct transmission of impact to the foods and beverages while maintaining overall mounting stability to the robot.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tray is loosely mounted to allow vibration absorption, then the tray can absorb impact, but the tray may separate from the robot during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The tray assembly employs dynamic coupling mechanisms including rolling members (balls or rollers) that enable controlled relative motion between trays. This dynamic structure allows the trays to move and absorb vibration relative to each other while maintaining connection to the robot, achieving both vibration absorption and mounting stability simultaneously.
3Reliability
If a dedicated tray structure is designed for stable mounting and vibration absorption, then the serving stability improves, but the maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray assembly is segmented into multiple detachable trays connected by simple coupling mechanisms (rolling members and elastic members). This segmentation allows individual trays to be easily removed and maintained independently, reducing overall maintenance difficulty while maintaining serving stability through the multi-tray configuration.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple trays are coupled together with elastic members, then the vibration absorption capability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic members change their physical parameters (compression, extension, rotation) in response to vibration and impact forces. This parameter change allows the elastic members to absorb vibration dynamically without requiring complex active control systems, achieving effective vibration absorption with relatively simple passive elastic components.
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 tray assembly ensures stable serving of foods and beverages by mitigating vibration and impact, while facilitating easy maintenance through secure and detachable coupling.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member having at least one end which is fixedly connected to the lower surface... When the second tray is rotated relative to the first tray, the second tray is configured to be returned to its original position by virtue of a restoring force of the elastic member
Implementation Method 2
at least one first rolling member provided on a lower surface of the second tray, which faces the first tray
Data Source
AI summary
A tray assembly is provided. The tray assembly includes a first tray configured to be mounted to a robot; and a second tray provided above the first tray and configured to be rotatably coupled to the first tray. The second tray includes at least one first rolling member provided on a lower surface of the second tray, which faces the first tray, and an elastic member having at least one end which is fixedly connected to the lower surface. When the second tray is rotated relative to the first tray, the second tray is configured to be returned to its original position by virtue of a restoring force of the elastic member of the second tray.