Mechanical Design and Tension Optimization of Rigid-flexible Hybrid Robots for Container Yard Operations

Currently, the installation of locks on empty containers and the binding of wind straps in container yards still require manual operations. This not only reduces work efficiency, but also presents certain safety risks. To address this challenge, this paper proposes the design of a rigid-flexible hybrid robot (RFHR). Firstly, the mechanical structure of the RFHR is designed, and the operational method is briefly analyzed. Subsequently, theoretical analyses are conducted to establish kinematic and dynamic models of the RFHR. Furthermore, to address the complex and diverse tension distribution, a classification proportion minimum variance method (CPMV) is proposed to optimize tension. Finally, Closed-Form, Nonlinear Programming, and the CPMV are employed to optimize tension and calculate the RFHR's workspace. The results show that the use of the CPMV can expand the controllable workspace of the robot, the research of this paper has a suitable guiding significance for the design and application of the RFHR.