Vacuum Cup Damage Detection via Plate Engagement in Robot Singulators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cups in vacuum-based end effectors of robot singulators degrade or fall off over time, compromising the ability to engage and transport parcels, leading to diminished sorting efficiency without immediate detection and repair.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum cup damage detection system comprising a plate and a control subsystem with sensors and a controller to determine vacuum cup damage or absence by obtaining readings during engagement with the plate, utilizing vacuum sensors, load cells, and strain gauges to assess vacuum pressure and force conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vacuum-based end effectors are used to engage and transport parcels, then parcel handling capability is improved, but vacuum cup degradation and failure occur over time, compromising reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of vacuum cup damage by positioning the end effector at a predetermined location where sensors can detect engagement status before actual parcel handling begins. This allows proactive identification of degraded vacuum cups, enabling maintenance before reliability issues occur during operation.
2Productivity
If vacuum cups are used without continuous monitoring, then device complexity is reduced, but detection of damage and repair delays reduce productivity
Solution Approach 1:
A plate is introduced as an intermediary component at a predetermined location. The plate facilitates vacuum cup detection by providing a standardized engagement surface that sensors can detect. This intermediary simplifies the detection mechanism compared to direct sensing of vacuum cup condition during parcel handling, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining productivity.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If sensors are added to detect vacuum cup engagement, then damage detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection function is extracted from the main parcel handling operation and consolidated at a separate predetermined location. Sensors detect vacuum cup engagement with the plate independently from actual parcel processing, allowing damage detection without adding complexity to the parcel handling path. The control subsystem processes this separated detection information to identify damaged cups.
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 timely detection and alerting of vacuum cup damage, optimizing parcel transfer operations by preventing further degradation and ensuring efficient parcel handling in sorting facilities.
Implementation Method 1
In some embodiments, the one or more sensors comprise one or more vacuum sensors, with each vacuum sensor of the one or more vacuum sensors configured to obtain vacuum pressure readings.
Implementation Method 2
In other embodiments, the one or more sensors comprise one or more components of the robot singulator configured to provide feedback regarding a force imposed along or about one or more axes of the robot singulator as it is moved away from the predetermined position.
Implementation Method 3
In some embodiments, the one or more sensors comprise at least one of one or more load cells implemented in the robot singulator and one or more strain gauges implemented in the robot singulator.
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum cup damage detection system detects vacuum cup damage or absence in a robot singulator including a vacuum-based end effector with one or more vacuum cups. The system generally comprises a plate and a control subsystem. The plate provides a potential point of engagement for the one or more vacuum cups of the vacuum-based end effector when the robot singulator is moved to a predetermined position in which, if present, at least one of the one or more vacuum cups of the vacuum-based end effector is in contact with the plate. The control subsystem includes: one or more sensors configured to obtain readings indicative of the engagement of the one or more vacuum cups with the plate or lack thereof; and a controller configured to determine whether any one of the vacuum cups is damaged or missing based on the readings obtained by the one or more sensors.