Overload Clutch Design for Collision Tolerant High–Speed Industrial Robots

Industrial robots can collide due to malfunctioning, wrong user input or unforeseen changes in the environment in which they operate. Different solutions exist to minimize the damage caused by a collision, either absorbed by the environment or by the robot itself. The specific solution depends on the type, size and dynamics of the robot. For high-speed industrial robots, the challenge is in dealing with the large kinetic energy upon impact without compromising the dynamic response during normal operation. The Combined Friction Cam Clutch (CFCC) is proposed as a solution for this problem. We provide a custom mechanical design and derive equations to calculate the threshold and residual torque which are identified as key design metrics. The concept is validated experimentally on a test bench using a prototype of the set-up.