Method, system and apparatus for flexible component routing design

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12072687-B2
Application number	US-202217685150-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2022
Priority date	Mar 4, 2021
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for flexible component routing design, wherein a flexible component includes a first end and a second end, includes moving the second end relative to the first end to simulate an operational motion state of the flexible component, scanning the flexible component to obtain a first set of routing data for the flexible component, changing position of the second end from a first position to a second position, moving the second end relative to the first end to simulate an operational motion state of the flexible component, scanning the flexible component to obtain a second set of routing data for the flexible component, and comparing the first set of routing data with the second set of routing data to determine a routing design for the flexible component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for flexible component routing design, wherein a flexible component includes a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
moving the second end relative to the first end to simulate an operational motion state of the flexible component;
scanning the flexible component to obtain a first set of routing data for the flexible component;
changing position of the second end from a first position to a second position;
moving the second end relative to the first end to simulate an operational motion state of the flexible component;
scanning the flexible component to obtain a second set of routing data for the flexible component; and
comparing the first set of routing data with the second set of routing data to determine a routing design for the flexible component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second set of routing data include one or more of the following: clearances between the flexible component and surrounding components, length of the flexible component, relative angle between the first and second ends of the flexible component, and bending radius of the flexible component.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: connecting the second end to a first robot and obtaining routing data for the flexible component under different operational motion states through a scanning device connected to a second robot, wherein the first robot is further configured to position the second end of the flexible component to the first position, to the second position, and simulating motion of a vehicle when the second end is in the first position and the second position, respectively, so as to simulate the operational motion states of the flexible component, and the second robot is configured to cooperate with the first robot to obtain dynamic routing data for the flexible component during simulating the motion of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein simulating the operational motion state of the flexible component comprises simulating an operational motion state when the flexible component is mounted on a vehicle, including: left and/or right turn, jumping up and/or down of wheels.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
filling the flexible component with fluid from the first or second end and keeping the fluid filled in the flexible component under a pressure for routing data tests under different operational motion states.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
clamping the second end by a clamping member; and
adjusting fixed position of the second end relative to the clamping member and/or rotation angle of the second end about itself.

7. An apparatus for flexible component routing design, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement the steps of the method of claim 1 .

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the first and second set of routing data comprises:
determining clearances between the flexible component and surrounding components based on the scan result;
determining whether the clearances meet requirements; and
displaying the clearances that meet the requirements and/or the clearances that do not meet the requirements.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein displaying the clearances that meet the requirements and the clearances that do not meet the requirements comprises:
displaying the clearances that meet the requirements and the clearances that do not meet the requirements in a visually distinct manner.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
providing the surrounding components;
disposing the surrounding components in a test environment; and
disposing the flexible component in the test environment.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
acquiring position data about the surrounding components based on vehicle virtual data.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting the second end to a first robot and connecting the first end to a bench; and
obtaining routing data for the flexible component under different operational motion states through a scanning device connected to a second robot.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second end is connected to the first robot through a fixed socket joint, and the first end is connected to a bracket on the bench through a movable socket joint.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the movable socket joint adjusts length of the flexible component by adjusting fixed position of the first end relative to the movable socket joint, and the movable socket joint adjusts relative angle between the movable and fixed socket joints by rotating about its axis.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: determining the first position, the second position, a third position up to an nth position, and respectively changing the position of the second end to the third position up to the nth position to obtain n sets of routing data.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
within a range of a sphere with connection position of the second end and the first robot as a center and a predetermined value as a radius:
exhaustively enumerating sites on the radius at predetermined intervals and respectively determining each of the sites as the first position, the second position, the third position up to the nth position.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
within a range of a sphere with connection position of the second end and the first robot as a center and a predetermined value as a radius;
simulating an operational motion state of the flexible component at a position corresponding to an intermediate site of the radius and obtaining routing data for the intermediate site of the flexible component;
obtaining routing data for at least one site on a first side of the intermediate site and comparing it with the routing data for the intermediate site;
if the routing data for the site on the first side is better, taking the site on the first side of the intermediate site as a new site range, and performing a routing data test; and
if the routing data for the site on the first side is worse, obtaining routing data for at least one site on a second side opposite the first side and comparing it with the routing data for the intermediate site;
wherein the site corresponds to the first position, the second position, the third position up to the nth position.

18. A system for flexible component routing design, the system comprising:
a bench;
a first robot arranged on the bench and connected to a second end of the flexible component;
a second robot arranged on the bench and provided with a scanning device;
a bracket arranged on the bench and connected to a first end of the flexible component; and
a computer connected to one or more of the first robot, second robot, and bracket, respectively, and including a processor and a memory, the memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
moving the second end relative to the first end to simulate an operational motion state of the flexible component;
scanning the flexible component to obtain a first set of routing data for the flexible component;
changing position of the second end from a first position to a second position;
moving the second end relative to the first end to simulate an operational motion state of the flexible component;
scanning the flexible component to obtain a second set of routing data for the flexible component; a

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Xie Cherry
• Zhang Jason
• Wang Ethan
• Nie Chris

Classifications

• B21D7/14

  combined with measuring of bends or lengths · CPC title

• B29C53/083

  bending longitudinally, i.e. modifying the curvature of the tube axis · CPC title

• G01B5/20

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• B21D9/05

  co-operating with forming members · CPC title

• G06F30/15 Primary

  Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design · CPC title