Mechanical equipment housings and robots

Abstract

A housing (100) of a mechanical device and a robot (200), wherein the housing (100) of the mechanical device comprises an electrode (110) and a first shielding layer (120), the electrode (110) can form a capacitor with a nearby conductor and is used to connect to a detection circuit (160) that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change amount, and when the relative positional relationship between the nearby conductor and the electrode (110) changes, the capacitance value of the capacitor changes, and by connecting the electrode (110) to the detection circuit (160) that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change amount, further information can be obtained. The distance between the electrode (110) and the conductor or its change is obtained, so that the housing (100) of the mechanical device can sense the approach of the external conductor, thereby realizing non-contact distance sensing, and the first shielding layer (120) and the electrode (110) are arranged in layers and intervals, and the area is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode, which can shield the interference signal inside the mechanical device, thereby better realizing the distance sensing function of the housing (100); in addition, the robot body includes a hollow frame of the robot (200), and the housing (100) covers at least a part of the surface of the hollow frame of the robot (200).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of mechanical equipment, and in particular to a housing and a robot of a mechanical equipment. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the primary method for mechanical devices to detect approaching objects is through physical contact between the housing and the object. For example, a contact-type resistive housing relies on the deformation of the housing caused by contact between the approaching object and the robot, and then transmits a contact signal representing the deformation.

[0003] However, if the approaching object does not directly contact the electronic skin, the mechanical device cannot achieve non-contact distance detection of the approaching object, and when the mechanical device is in motion, the contact between the mechanical device and the object is likely to cause damage to the object. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application mainly provides a housing and a robot for a mechanical device to solve the technical problem that the mechanical device cannot achieve non-contact distance detection of approaching objects.

[0005] To address the above technical issues, this application employs a technical solution: providing a housing for a mechanical device. The housing includes electrodes and a first shielding layer. The electrodes are capable of forming a capacitor with a proximate conductor and are used to connect to a detection circuit that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change. The first shielding layer is spaced apart from the electrodes and has an area no less than that of the corresponding electrodes.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, another technical solution adopted by the present application is to provide a robot comprising a robot body and the above-mentioned shell, wherein the shell covers at least a portion of the surface of the robot body, and a first shielding layer is located between the electrode and the robot body.

[0007] The beneficial effects of the present application are: different from the prior art, the shell provided by the present application includes an electrode and a first shielding layer. When a close conductor approaches the electrode, the electrode can form a capacitor with the close conductor. When the relative position relationship between the close conductor and the electrode changes, the capacitance value of the capacitor will also change. By connecting the electrodes to generate a detection circuit that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, the distance between the electrode and the conductor or its change can be further obtained, so that the shell of the mechanical equipment can sense the approach of the external conductor and realize non-contact distance sensing. When the shell is installed on the mechanical equipment, since the first shielding layer and the electrode are layered and spaced apart, and the area is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode, the first shielding layer can shield the interference signal inside the mechanical equipment, thereby better realizing the distance sensing function of the shell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a first structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a housing of a mechanical device of the present application;

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the partial cross-sectional structure of the shell along the AA direction is shown;

[0011] Figure 3 This is a second cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of a housing of a mechanical device of the present application;

[0012] Figure 4 This is a third cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of a housing of a mechanical device of the present application;

[0013] Figure 5 is a first cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application;

[0014] Figure 6 is a second cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application;

[0015] Figure 7 is a third cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application;

[0016] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a robot of the present application;

[0017] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 The schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of the robot shown along the BB direction;

[0018] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the sensor circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 11 1 is a schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of an oscillation circuit in a single oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 12 1 is another equivalent circuit diagram of the oscillation circuit of the single oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 132 is a schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of a first oscillation circuit and a second oscillation circuit in a dual oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 14 Another equivalent circuit diagram of the first oscillation circuit and the second oscillation circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] The terms "first", "second" and "third" in the embodiments of the present application are only used for descriptive purposes and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second" and "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally also include steps or units that are not listed, or may optionally also include other steps or units that are inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0025] The same or similar numbers in the drawings of this embodiment correspond to the same or similar parts; in the description of this application, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc. indicating directions or positional relationships, they are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, the terms describing the positional relationship in the drawings are only used for illustrative purposes and cannot be understood as limiting this patent. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0026] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0027] In the present application, the device may be a mechanical device, and the following description will be made using a mechanical device as an example.

[0028] In the present application, the housing 100 covers at least a portion of the surface of the mechanical device and is used to detect whether an external conductor is close to the mechanical device.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a first structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a housing of a mechanical device of the present application; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The shown schematic diagram is a partial cross-sectional structure diagram of the shell along the AA direction.

[0030] In this embodiment, the housing 100 of the mechanical device includes an electrode 110 , a first shielding layer 120 and an insulating layer 130 .

[0031] The electrode 110 can form a capacitor with a nearby conductor and is used to connect to a detection circuit that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or a change in the capacitance.

[0032] The first shielding layer 120 and the electrodes 110 are arranged in layers and spaced apart, and the area of the first shielding layer 120 is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode 110 .

[0033] In this embodiment, the first shielding layer 120 and the electrode 110 may be arranged in layers and spaced apart in such a manner that an insulating layer 130 is provided between the first shielding layer 120 and the electrode 110 .

[0034] The area of the first shielding layer 120 is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode 110, which means that the area of the first shielding layer 120 projected onto the plane where the electrode 110 is located is not less than the area of the electrode 110. This allows the first shielding layer 120 to effectively resist interference. When the housing 100 is assembled on a mechanical device, the first shielding layer 120 can reduce the interference of interference signals within the mechanical device on the electrode 110, thereby improving the housing 100's sensing accuracy for approaching conductors.

[0035] The electrode 110 can form a capacitor with a nearby conductor. The nearby conductor can be, for example, a human body. Since the human body can be approximately regarded as a charged body, the body and the electrode 110 can be approximately regarded as a capacitor, and the detection circuit connected to the electrode 110 will generate an electrical signal representing the capacitance. When the human body approaches or moves away from the electrode 110, the capacitance value of the capacitor formed between the human body and the electrode 110 will change, and the detection circuit connected to the electrode 110 will generate an electrical signal representing the capacitance and its change.

[0036] The electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, for example, can be an electrical signal representing the capacitance value or its change, or an electrical signal representing the oscillation frequency value of the capacitance or its change, or a voltage representing the capacitance or its change, etc.

[0037] Furthermore, the detection circuit can also be connected to an external control circuit, which obtains an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, and after processing, can obtain data reflecting the distance between the electrode 110 and the conductor or its change. The distance between the electrode 110 and the conductor or its change refers to: the size of the distance between the electrode 110 and the conductor, or the change in the relative position between the electrode 110 and the conductor, such as getting closer or farther away. It can be understood that the distance between the close conductor and the electrode 110 or its change can be used to represent the distance or relative position change (i.e., change in distance) between the close conductor and the mechanical device (i.e., the electrode 110).

[0038] That is to say, the shell 100 in this embodiment, since the electrode 110 can form a capacitor with the nearby conductor, on the one hand, can sense the distance between the nearby conductor and the shell 100, so that the mechanical equipment can respond according to the size of the distance; on the other hand, it can also sense the change in the relative position between the nearby conductor and the shell 100. For example, no matter how big the distance is between the nearby conductor and the shell 100, if the distance between the nearby conductor and the shell 100 changes quickly, the mechanical equipment can respond accordingly.

[0039] The shell 100 provided in this embodiment includes an electrode 110 and a first shielding layer 120. When a close conductor approaches the electrode 110, the electrode 110 can form a capacitor with the close conductor. When the relative position relationship between the close conductor and the electrode 110 changes, the capacitance value of the capacitor will also change. By connecting the electrode 110 to a detection circuit that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, the distance between the electrode 110 and the conductor or its change can be further obtained, so that the shell 100 of the mechanical device can sense the approach of the external conductor and realize non-contact distance sensing. When the shell 100 is installed on the mechanical device, since the first shielding layer 120 and the electrode 110 are layered and spaced apart, and the area is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode 110, the first shielding layer 120 can shield the interference signal inside the mechanical device, thereby better realizing the distance sensing function of the shell 100.

[0040] Optionally, the thickness of the electrode 110 is 3 nm-1 mm, for example, 3 nm, 100 nm, 0.1 mm, 0.01 mm, or 1 mm.

[0041] The electrode 110 is made of a material with high conductivity, such as copper, aluminum or silver.

[0042] Optionally, the insulating layer 130 supports the electrode 110 and the first shielding layer 120 , and the electrode 110 and the first shielding layer 120 are fixed to two sides of the insulating layer 130 , respectively.

[0043] The insulating layer 130 supports the electrode 110 and the first shielding layer 120 , that is, the insulating layer 130 may serve as a substrate for arranging the electrode 110 and the first shielding layer 120 .

[0044] The electrode 110 may be disposed on the outer surface of the insulating layer 130 , and the first shielding layer 120 may be disposed on the inner surface of the insulating layer 130 .

[0045] The outer surface of the insulating layer 130 may refer to the side surface of the insulating layer 130 facing away from the mechanical equipment when the shell 100 is installed on the mechanical equipment; the inner surface of the insulating layer 130 may refer to the side surface of the insulating layer 130 close to the mechanical equipment when the shell 100 is installed on the mechanical equipment.

[0046] The material of the insulating layer 130 is, for example, rubber, plastic, glass, ceramic, etc.

[0047] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Only one middle electrode 110 and one first shielding layer 120 are shown for example. However, it is understandable that there may be multiple electrodes 110 and multiple first shielding layers 120. In this application, multiple refers to two or more. Figure 1The shapes of the middle electrode 110 and the insulating layer 130 are both square. In fact, the electrode 110 and the insulating layer 130 can also be other shapes, and the shape of the insulating layer 130 can be adjusted according to the shape of the mechanical equipment to be installed.

[0048] The number and size of the electrodes 110 can be adjusted according to the accuracy requirement for sensing the distance of approaching conductors and its changes. The sizes of the insulating layer 130 and the first shielding layer 120 can also be adjusted according to the size and number of the electrodes 110 .

[0049] When there are multiple electrodes 110, any two adjacent electrodes 110 are insulated from each other, each electrode 110 can form a capacitor with a nearby conductor, and each electrode 110 can independently sense the capacitance or its change, and the detection circuit transmits the electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change to the external circuit. Each electrode 110 has one and only one electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, that is, no matter how close the nearby conductor is to any area of a certain electrode 110, or how large or small the area of a certain electrode 110 covered by the nearby conductor, the corresponding electrode 110 only generates a unique electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change.

[0050] Optionally, the plurality of electrodes 110 may be spaced apart and arranged on the outer surface of the insulating layer 130 , and the plurality of electrodes 110 are insulated from each other.

[0051] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the insulating layer 130 may be further provided with a plurality of grooves, the electrodes 110 may be prefabricated into a film or sheet type, and the plurality of electrodes 110 are embedded in the plurality of grooves, and the insulating layer 130 may insulate the plurality of electrodes 110 from each other.

[0052] In another embodiment, the insulating layer 130 may be a hollow structure, specifically a mesh structure, and the electrode 110 may be prefabricated into a film or sheet type and embedded in the mesh of the insulating layer 130 .

[0053] Optionally, the electrode 110 may be coated on the outer surface of the insulating layer 130 , such as by dipping, spraying, or spin coating to cover the outer surface of the insulating layer 130 with the electrode 110 material.

[0054] Optionally, the first shielding layer 120 may be coated on the inner surface of the insulating layer 130 , such as by dipping, spraying, or spin coating to cover the electrode 110 material on the inner surface of the insulating layer 130 .

[0055] Optionally, the material of the electrode 110 includes copper, silver, aluminum, alloys thereof, or ITO.

[0056] ITO is an N-type oxide semiconductor, indium tin oxide. ITO can be made into an ITO thin film, i.e., an indium tin oxide semiconductor transparent conductive film, to serve as the electrode 110 .

[0057] The material of the electrode 110 can be one or more of copper, silver, aluminum and their alloys or ITO. That is, when the number of electrodes 110 is two or more, different electrodes 110 can be made of the same material or different materials.

[0058] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a second cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application.

[0059] A fixing portion 131 is provided on the insulating layer 130 , and the electrode 110 is fixed on the insulating layer 130 by the fixing portion 131 .

[0060] By providing the fixing portion 131 on the insulating layer 130 , the electrode 110 can be conveniently fixed on the insulating layer 130 by the fixing portion 131 , thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the housing 100 .

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, the fixing portion 131 includes a groove 131 formed outside the insulating layer 130 . The size of the groove 131 matches the size of the electrode 110 , and the electrode 110 is disposed in the groove 131 .

[0062] The outer side of the insulating layer 130 refers to the side of the insulating layer 130 facing away from the mechanical device when the housing 100 is mounted on the mechanical device. The fixing portion 131 is formed on the outer side of the insulating layer 130 to facilitate the electrode 110 fixed thereto to form a capacitor with a nearby conductor.

[0063] Optionally, a groove 131 is provided on the insulating layer 130, and the electrode 110 can be prefabricated into a film or sheet type. The size of the groove 131 matches the size of the film, and the depth of the groove 131 can be equal to the thickness of the electrode 110, so that after the electrode 110 is placed in the groove 131, the side surface of the electrode 110 facing away from the main body is flush with the outer surface of the insulating layer 130, reducing the risk of wear of the electrode 110 after the shell 100 is installed on the mechanical equipment.

[0064] Optionally, see Figure 3 A first adhesive layer a is provided between the electrode 110 and the bottom of the groove 131 .

[0065] The electrode 110 can be more firmly attached to the bottom of the groove 131 , thereby improving the stability of the assembled housing 100 .

[0066] In some embodiments, the electrode 110 may also be coated on the insulating layer 130. For example, the electrode 110 may be coated in the groove 131, such as by dipping, spraying, or spin coating to cover the groove 131 with the electrode 110 material. Furthermore, the thickness of the electrode 110 coating may be equal to the depth of the groove 131, so that the surface of the insulating layer 130 where the electrode 110 is disposed is substantially flat, thereby reducing the risk of wear on the electrode 110 after the housing 100 is mounted on a mechanical device.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first adhesive layer a can also be disposed on the surface of the insulating layer 130 to form the fixing portion 131 of the insulating layer 130 . The electrode 110 can be prefabricated in a film or sheet form. Specifically, tissue paper can be adhered to the side of the first adhesive layer a facing away from the insulating layer 130 . To secure the electrode 110 to the insulating layer 130 , the tissue paper adhered to the first adhesive layer a can be removed to secure the electrode 110 to the surface of the insulating layer 130 via the first adhesive layer a.

[0068] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a third cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application.

[0069] The housing 100 includes a first protective layer 150 . The first protective layer 150 is disposed on a side of the electrode 110 facing away from the first shielding layer 120 .

[0070] Specifically, a layer of inert polymer material may be coated on the surface of the electrode 110 facing away from the first shielding layer 120 . The inert polymer material may be PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), PET (polyester), PI (polyamide), and the like.

[0071] By providing a protective layer, the electrode 110 is protected from wear and deformation, and the electrode 110 can be fixed for a second time, making the structure of the housing 100 more stable.

[0072] like Figure 4 As shown, the first protection layer 150 may be coated on the surface of the electrode 110 facing away from the insulating layer 130 .

[0073] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a first cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application.

[0074] In this embodiment, the first shielding layer 120 and the electrodes 110 are arranged in layers and at intervals, and the area of the first shielding layer 120 is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode 110 .

[0075] The housing 100 includes a body 140 . The body 140 is located on a side of the first shielding layer 120 facing away from the electrode 110 and fixes the electrode 110 and the first shielding layer 120 .

[0076] Optionally, see Figure 3 The first shielding layer 120 is coated on the surface of the body 140 to achieve a better shielding effect.

[0077] It can be understood that, in this embodiment, the first protective layer 150 may be coated on the surface of the electrode 110 facing away from the first shielding layer 120 .

[0078] See also Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a second cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application.

[0079] Alternatively, as Figure 6 As shown, the first shielding layer 120 can be wrapped around the entire surface of the main body 140. Specifically, the first shielding layer 120 is coated on the entire surface of the main body 140. When the shell 100 is assembled on the mechanical equipment, the first shielding layer 120 is actually a double layer, that is, the interference signal can be double-shielded, which can further reduce the interference of the interference signal inside the mechanical equipment on the electrode 110, and further improve the sensing accuracy of the shell 100 to the approaching conductor.

[0080] Optionally, the first shielding layer 120 is electrically suspended, or is used to connect to a detection circuit to receive a preset voltage.

[0081] The first shielding layer 120 is electrically suspended, that is, the first shielding layer 120 is not grounded and does not receive any voltage. The first shielding layer 120 is connected to the detection circuit to receive a preset voltage, thereby achieving active shielding.

[0082] See also Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a third cross-sectional structural diagram of another embodiment of the housing of the mechanical device of the present application.

[0083] Optionally, the housing 100 includes a detection circuit 160 .

[0084] The detection circuit 160 can be fixed inside the housing 100 or embedded in the housing 100 , and the electrode 110 is electrically connected to the detection circuit 160 .

[0085] like Figure 5 As shown, the detection circuit 160 can be integrated into a detection circuit board 160 , and a conductive hole t is provided on the insulating layer 130 or the body 140 between the electrode 110 and the detection circuit 160 , and the detection circuit 160 can be connected to the electrode 110 through the conductive hole t.

[0086] In other embodiments, a portion of the insulating layer 130 between the electrode 110 and the detection circuit 160 may also be provided with a via hole, and the detection circuit 160 may be connected to the electrode 110 through the via hole.

[0087] The conductive hole t allows a conductor such as a wire, a lead or a pin to pass through to connect the detection circuit 160 and the electrode 110 , so that the detection circuit 160 can be connected to the electrode 110 through the conductive hole t.

[0088] A circuit protection layer (not shown) may be provided on the outer surface of the detection circuit board 180. The circuit protection layer may cover the entire outer surface of the detection circuit board 180. The circuit protection layer may be made of an insulating material, such as rubber, plastic, glass, ceramic, etc. The circuit protection layer may also be a circuit shielding layer, and the material of the circuit shielding layer may be copper, aluminum, etc.

[0089] Optionally, the detection circuit 160 may be integrated into a detection circuit board 160 , and the detection circuit board 160 may be fixed to the inner side of the housing 100 by gluing, screwing or welding.

[0090] The mechanical device may be a robot, for example. Based on this, the present application also provides a robot. Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a robot of the present application. Figure 9 yes Figure 8 The schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the robot along the BB direction is shown.

[0091] In this embodiment, the robot 200 includes a robot body and a housing 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. For the specific structure of the housing 100, please refer to the description of any of the above embodiments of the housing 100, which will not be repeated here.

[0092] The housing 100 covers at least a portion of the surface of the robot body, and the first shielding layer 120 is located between the electrode 110 and the robot body.

[0093] The first shielding layer 120 is located between the electrode 110 and the robot body. That is, when the shell 100 is placed on the robot body, one end of the shell 100 including the electrode 110 is placed facing away from the robot body.

[0094] The robot body includes a hollow frame of the robot 200 , and the housing 100 covers at least a portion of a surface of the hollow frame of the robot.

[0095] like Figure 8As shown, the robot 200 described in this embodiment is, for example, a manipulator robot 200, and the robot body may include a base 210, a moving part 220, a driving part 230, and a control system 250. The control system 250 can control the driving part 230 so that the driving part 230 drives the moving part 220 to move in a preset manner.

[0096] In this embodiment, the moving part 220 of the robot 200 is connected to the base 210. The base 210 can be a fixed base, for example, which can be fixedly mounted on a certain workbench; or the base 210 can be movable, for example, with drive wheels installed at the bottom of the base 210 to drive the robot 200 to move, thereby increasing the flexibility of the robot 200.

[0097] In this embodiment, the moving part 220 of the robot 200 can swing, rotate, or move linearly relative to the base 210 under the drive of the driving part 230. In some embodiments, the moving part 220 can include multiple articulated arms, each of which can be rotatably connected to each other. The driving part 230 can drive the multiple articulated arms to move in their respective directions of movement so that the end of the shutdown arm of the robot 200 moves in various directions. The driving part 230 can also be used to brake the moving part 220 to stop it from moving. In some embodiments, the driving part 230 can also drive the robot 200 to return to a preset state when braking the moving part 220.

[0098] In this embodiment, the housing 100 covers at least a portion of the surface of the moving component 220 and is used to detect whether an external conductor is close to the robot 200 .

[0099] In this embodiment, upon detecting an external conductor approaching the robot 200, an electrical signal representing the distance between the external conductor and the housing 100 of the robot 200, or a change therein, may be generated. The control system 250 may also calculate the distance between the external conductor and the housing 100 of the robot 200, and the pattern of change therein, based on the electrical signal, to promptly detect the external conductor and control the drive component 230 to promptly drive the motion component 220 to avoid the external conductor or mitigate the impact of the external conductor.

[0100] Optionally, see Figure 9 The robot 200 further includes a second shielding layer 260 disposed between the robot body and the housing 100 . The second shielding layer 260 wraps the robot body and is spaced apart from the first shielding layer 120 .

[0101] Specifically, the second shielding layer 260 is coated on the entire surface of the robot body.

[0102] The second shielding layer 260 may be coated on the entire outer surface of the hollow frame of the robot 200 to better shield interference signals inside the mechanical device.

[0103] Optionally, the second shielding layer 260 is electrically suspended, or is used to connect to an external circuit to receive a preset voltage.

[0104] The second shielding layer 260 may be connected to the control system 250 to receive a preset voltage.

[0105] The second shielding layer 260 is electrically suspended, that is, the second shielding layer 260 is not grounded and does not receive any voltage. The second shielding layer 260 is connected to the control system 250 to receive a preset voltage, thereby achieving active shielding.

[0106] Please continue reading Figure 9 Optionally, a second protective layer 270 may be provided on the side of the second shielding layer 260 facing away from the robot body. Specifically, a layer of an inert polymer material such as PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), PET (polyester), or PI (polyamide) may be coated on the surface of the electrode 110. The provision of second protective layer 270 protects the robot body from wear and tear, and enhances its appearance.

[0107] Due to the provision of the second protective layer 270 , the first shielding layer 120 and the second shielding layer 260 are not in direct contact with each other, and are spaced apart from each other.

[0108] Of course, in other embodiments, the outer surface of the shell 100 may also be wrapped with a second protective layer 270 (not shown) to protect the electrode 110 from wear, and when the shell 100 is set on the robot 200, the first shielding layer 120 and the second shielding layer 260 are ensured to be spaced apart.

[0109] Optionally, there are multiple shells 100, and the multiple shells 100 are combined to surround the outer surface of the robot body as a whole.

[0110] The outer surface of the robot body is surrounded by a plurality of shells 100 so as to enable the mechanical device to sense approaching conductors in all directions around it.

[0111] Optionally, the shape of the housing 100 matches the shape of the outer surface of the robot body.

[0112] The shape of the shell 100 matches the shape of the outer side of the robot body, that is, the shape of the side of the shell 100 attached to the robot body is consistent or substantially consistent with the shape of the outer side of the robot body.

[0113] The shape of the shell 100 matches the shape of the outer side of the robot body, so that the shell 100 as a whole can be adhered to the outside of the mechanical equipment like human skin adheres to the human torso, reducing the impact of the shell 100 on the movement of the mechanical equipment, improving the performance of use, and making it more beautiful.

[0114] Optionally, see Figure 9 There is a gap between the shell 100 and the outer surface of the robot 200. The detection output end of the detection circuit 160 is used to connect to the control system 250 of the robot 200 through a data line, and the space between the shell 100 and the outer surface of the robot body is used to accommodate the data line.

[0115] The distance between the housing 100 and the outer surface of the robot may be 1-3 mm, for example, 1 mm, 2 mm or 3 mm.

[0116] I understand. Figure 8 The robot 200 is merely shown as an example. Actually, the robot 200 may be of various types.

[0117] The installation position of the housing 100 on the robot 200 can be adjusted depending on the type of robot 200. For example, when the robot 200 is a companion robot 200, the housing 100 is generally installed in front of the robot body to facilitate user operation. When the robot 200 is an industrial robot 200 or a collaborative robot 200, the housing 100 is generally installed at the end of the robot arm 200 to facilitate the robot arm to sense external objects, grasp objects, avoid collisions with objects, etc.

[0118] For example, the control system 250 can be used to control the robot 200 to perform a collision prevention operation based on the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 or its change. Alternatively, the control system 250 can be used to control the robot 200 to perform a drag teaching operation based on the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 or its change.

[0119] It is understood that combining the distance detection technology of the robot 200 with the collision protection technology can reduce the use of infrared sensors, thereby reducing costs. In addition, when the robot 200 performs work tasks independently, it can effectively avoid collisions with obstacles, thereby improving the safety of the robot 200.

[0120] The dragging teaching of the robot 200 is performed by "notifying" the robot 200 in advance of the information about the movements and operations to be performed. This information can be roughly divided into three categories: information about the position and posture of the robot 200, including its trajectory and path points; information about the sequence of the robot 200's task movements; information about the additional conditions during the robot 200's movements and operations, information about the speed and acceleration of the robot 200's movements, and information about the contents of the operations. During the dragging teaching of the robot 200, the movement information and operation information to be performed by the robot 200 may be affected by factors such as the program and the site. In order to reduce this influence and improve the effect of the dragging teaching, a solution is proposed that combines the distance detection technology of the robot 200 with the dragging teaching of the robot 200. Based on the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 or its changes during the dragging teaching of the robot 200, better teaching can be performed.

[0121] In summary, the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 or its change detected in real time by the robot 200 can be applied to other robot 200 technologies to achieve expected effects, such as collision protection, drag teaching, etc.

[0122] In some embodiments, the control system 250 is further configured to prompt the user based on the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 or a change therein.

[0123] Specifically, the hardware and software environments of the robot 200 are simulated using 3D simulation software. The display interface of the 3D simulation software includes a plurality of small squares corresponding to the electrodes 110 and an alarm. If no conductor is detected, the small square corresponding to the conductor is displayed in green. If a conductor is detected, the small square corresponding to the conductor is displayed in red. As the conductor gradually approaches, the distance of the conductor is indicated by the gradual change of red and green colors, and the change in the distance from the electrode 110 is indicated by the frequency of the alarm sound. For example, as the speed of the conductor moving toward the electrode 110 increases, the alarm sound becomes sharper.

[0124] In some embodiments, the control system 250 is further configured to implement virtual key pressing based on the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 .

[0125] Specifically, when the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110 is less than or equal to a preset threshold, it is determined that the user is performing a virtual key operation; based on the electrode 110 that sends the electrical signal, the coordinate position corresponding to the virtual key operation is determined; based on the coordinate position, the virtual key operation subroutine is implemented.

[0126] Please refer to Figure 10-14 , Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the sensor circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 11 1 is a schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of an oscillation circuit in a single oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 12 1 is another equivalent circuit diagram of the oscillation circuit of the single oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 13 2 is a schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of a first oscillation circuit and a second oscillation circuit in a dual oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 14 Schematic diagram of another equivalent circuit of the first oscillation circuit and the second oscillation circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0127] See also Figure 10 , Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the sensor circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0128] The sensing circuit 51 includes an oscillating circuit 512, a detection circuit, and a connecting terminal 514. The oscillating circuit 512 and the detection circuit are coupled to the connecting terminal 514, which is coupled to the electrode 110 located on the electronic skin 30. The oscillating circuit 512 is coupled to the electrode 110 via the connecting terminal 514, causing its oscillation frequency to change when an external conductor approaches the electrode 110, forming a capacitor. The detection circuit is coupled to the oscillating circuit 512 to detect the oscillation frequency of the oscillating circuit 512 and output an electrical signal representative of the oscillation frequency.

[0129] In some embodiments, the oscillation circuit 512 oscillates in a single oscillation mode, and the detection circuit can measure the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 512. Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the equivalent circuit of the oscillation circuit in a single oscillation mode provided in this application.

[0130] Specifically, the oscillation circuit 512 may include an inductor L and a first capacitor C1, and the inductor L and the first capacitor C1 form an oscillation circuit. The oscillation circuit 512 may be an LC parallel resonant type oscillation circuit 512 or an LC series resonant type oscillation circuit 512. The oscillation circuit 512 is coupled to a detection circuit, and the detection circuit is used to output an excitation signal to the oscillation circuit within an oscillation period, specifically, to output the excitation signal to the first end of the first capacitor C1 within the oscillation period. The first end of the first capacitor C1 is coupled to the connection terminal 514, and is coupled to the electrode 110 located on the electronic skin 30 through the connection terminal 514. In this way, the excitation signal output by the detection circuit can be continuously output to the first end of the first capacitor C1, so that the oscillation circuit 512 oscillates in a single oscillation mode, and the detection circuit detects the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 512 or its frequency change. Optionally, the capacitance value of the first capacitor C1 is 15-40pF.

[0131] When the distance between the electrode 110 and the external conductor is less than a certain range, the electrode 110 and the external conductor form a second capacitor C2. The second capacitor C2 is connected to the oscillation circuit 512, thereby changing the equivalent capacitance value of the oscillation circuit 512, and thus changing the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit. In this way, the change in oscillation frequency is associated with the second capacitor C2. Since the first capacitor C1 and the inductor L are known, the second capacitor C2 or data related to the distance between the external conductor and the electrode 110 can be calculated.

[0132] See Figure 11 , Figure 11 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of a single oscillation oscillator circuit according to an embodiment of the present application. In one embodiment of the single oscillation mode, the second end of the first capacitor C1 is coupled to the earth.

[0133] Its entire oscillation period: .

[0134] The oscillation frequency detected by the detection circuit is: .

[0135] See Figure 12 , Figure 12 This is another equivalent circuit diagram of the oscillation circuit of the single oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application. For another case of the single oscillation implementation, the oscillation circuit 512 may include a third capacitor C3 and a fourth capacitor C4. The capacitance of the ground terminal of the sensing circuit 51 to the earth constitutes the third capacitor C3. The capacitance of the ground terminal coupled to the mechanical device constitutes the fourth capacitor C4. The fourth capacitor C4 is, for example, the capacitance generated by the ground terminal coupled to the main metal conductor on the mechanical device (such as a metal bracket, a joint bracket, or other additionally provided metal plates, etc.), and the fourth capacitor C4 is much larger than the third capacitor C3. Since in this way, the second end of the first capacitor C1 is grounded (signal ground), the ground terminal of the sensing circuit 51 can be coupled to the second end of the first capacitor C1, or the second end of the second capacitor C2 can be used as the ground terminal of the sensing circuit 51. In this embodiment, except for the explicit description of coupling to the earth, the remaining grounding is coupling to the signal ground or the power ground.

[0136] For example, the calculation process of the oscillation frequency of a single oscillation in this case can be as follows:

[0137]

[0138] Since the ground terminal is connected to the metal frame, it is equivalent to connecting a large capacitor in parallel with the third capacitor C3, that is, the third capacitor C3 is connected in parallel with the fourth capacitor C4, which actually increases the equivalent capacitance of the third capacitor C3. That is, the above formula becomes, , , so the above β≈1.

[0139] In the first half of the oscillation period: .

[0140] In the second half of the oscillation period: .

[0141] The oscillation frequency detected by the detection circuit is: .

[0142] Among them, T1 is the first half of the oscillation cycle, and T2 is the second half of the oscillation cycle. C comb is the equivalent capacitance, β is the capacitance coefficient.

[0143] Since L and C1 are fixed, β ≈1, f s is detected by the detection circuit, so f s is also determined, so C2 can be calculated according to the above formula.

[0144] In other embodiments, the oscillation circuit 512 oscillates in a double oscillation manner, and the detection circuit can measure the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 512 .

[0145] The sensing circuit 51 may include a switching circuit coupled to an oscillating circuit 512. The oscillating circuit 512 includes an inductor L and a first capacitor C1 forming an oscillating loop. The oscillating circuit 512 may be an LC parallel resonant oscillating circuit 512 or an LC series resonant oscillating circuit 512.

[0146] The oscillation circuit 512 may include a first oscillation circuit 512a and a second oscillation circuit 512b. In some cases, the first oscillation circuit 512a and the second oscillation circuit 512b may be considered as two states of the oscillation circuit 512. The electrode 110 may belong to one of the first oscillation circuit 512a and the second oscillation circuit 512b, and the switching circuit may alternately switch between the first oscillation circuit 512a and the second oscillation circuit 512b. There are various situations in which the switching circuit switches between the first oscillation circuit 512a and the second oscillation circuit 512b, as shown below:

[0147] In the first case, the switching circuit can switch between the first oscillating circuit 512a and the second oscillating circuit 512b by switching the connection position between the electrode 110 and the oscillating circuit 512. Figure 13 , Figure 13 Schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of a first oscillation circuit and a second oscillation circuit in a dual oscillation mode provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0148] The switching circuit couples the electrode 110 to the first end of the first capacitor C1 during the first half of the oscillation cycle, so that the first capacitor C1 and the electrode 110 are connected in series with the second capacitor C2 formed by the external conductor. The inductor, the first capacitor C1, and the electrode 110 constitute a first oscillation circuit 512a. That is, during the first half of the oscillation cycle, the electrode 110 is coupled to the first end of the first capacitor C1, and the two can be coupled via the connection terminal 514. The inductor, the first capacitor C1, and the electrode 110 constitute the first oscillation circuit 512a. For example, the detection circuit can output an excitation signal to the first end of the first capacitor C1, so that the capacitance signal generated by the second capacitor C2 formed by the electrode 110 and the external conductor can affect the equivalent capacitance value of the oscillation circuit 512, thereby causing the inductor L, the first capacitor C1, and the electrode 110 to constitute the first oscillation circuit 512a.

[0149] The switching circuit couples the electrode 110 to the second end of the first capacitor C1 in the second half of the oscillation cycle, so that the oscillation circuit 512 does not include the electrode 110, and the inductor L and the first capacitor C1 constitute the second oscillation circuit 512b. That is, in the second half of the oscillation cycle, the electrode 110 is coupled to the second end of the first capacitor, and the two can be specifically coupled through the connection terminal 514. The oscillation circuit 512 does not include the electrode 110. For example, the detection circuit can output the excitation signal to the first end of the first capacitor C1, and the second end of the first capacitor C1 is grounded. Therefore, the electrode 110 is equivalent to being grounded, and cannot affect the equivalent capacitance of the oscillation circuit 512. That is, the oscillation circuit 512 does not include the electrode 110, and the second oscillation circuit 512 is composed of the inductor and the first capacitor C1.

[0150] In this case, the second end of the first capacitor C1 is grounded and can be coupled to the ground of the sensing circuit 51 , or the second end of the first capacitor C1 can serve as the ground of the sensing circuit 51 .

[0151] In the second case, the switching circuit switches the excitation signal output by the switching detection circuit at the output position of the oscillation circuit 512, thereby switching between the first oscillation circuit 512a and the second oscillation circuit 512b. Figure 14 , Figure 14 Schematic diagram of another equivalent circuit of the first oscillation circuit and the second oscillation circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0152] The electrode 110 is coupled to the first end of the first capacitor C1 and is used to form a second capacitor C2 with an external conductor. In this case, the connection relationship between the electrode 110 and the first end of the first capacitor C1 can be stable. The switching circuit outputs the excitation signal output by the detection circuit to the first end of the first capacitor C1 in the first half of the oscillation cycle. The second end of the first capacitor C1 is grounded. The inductor L, the first capacitor C1 and the electrode 110 constitute a first oscillation circuit 512a. In this way, the capacitance signal generated by the capacitance formed by the external conductor and the electrode 110 will affect the equivalent capacitance of the oscillation circuit 512. The inductor L, the first capacitor C1 and the electrode 110 constitute the first oscillation circuit 512a.

[0153] During the second half of the oscillation cycle, the switching circuit outputs the excitation signal from the detection circuit to the second end of the first capacitor C1. The first end of the first capacitor C1 is grounded, so that the oscillation circuit 512 does not include the electrode 110. The inductor and the first capacitor C1 constitute the second oscillation circuit 512. Thus, the electrode 110 is grounded via the first end of the first capacitor C1 and cannot affect the equivalent capacitance of the oscillation circuit 512. Consequently, the oscillation circuit 512 does not include the electrode 110. The inductor L and the first capacitor C1 constitute the second oscillation circuit 512b.

[0154] In this case, the first terminal of the first capacitor C1 is grounded and can be coupled to the ground terminal of the sensing circuit 51 , or the first terminal of the first capacitor C1 can serve as the ground terminal of the sensing circuit 51 .

[0155] For the first and second scenarios described above, the oscillator circuit 512 includes a third capacitor C3 and a fourth capacitor C4. The capacitance between the ground terminal of the sensing circuit 51 and the earth constitutes the third capacitor C3. The capacitance between the ground terminal and the capacitance on the mechanical device constitutes the fourth capacitor C4. For example, the fourth capacitor C4 is the capacitance generated by the ground terminal coupling to the main metal conductor of the mechanical device (such as a metal bracket, joint bracket, or other additional metal plate). The fourth capacitor C4 is much larger than the third capacitor C3.

[0156] For example, the calculation process of the oscillation frequency in the above two cases can be as follows:

[0157] , .

[0158] Since the ground terminal is connected to the metal frame, it is equivalent to connecting a large capacitor in parallel with the third capacitor C3, that is, the third capacitor C3 and the fourth capacitor C4 are connected in parallel, which actually increases the equivalent capacitance of the third capacitor C3. Therefore, the above β≈1.

[0159] The first half of the oscillation period: .

[0160] The second half of the oscillation period: .

[0161] The oscillation frequency detected by the detection circuit f s : .

[0162] Since L and C1 are fixed, β≈1, f s is detected by the detection circuit, so f s is also determined, so C2 can be calculated according to the above formula.

[0163] The oscillation frequencies detected by the above single oscillation and double oscillation modes are f s The calculated C2 is further used to calculate the distance between the conductor and the electrode 110, for example, by the following method:

[0164] The distance d between the electrode 110 and the external conductor is calculated based on C2: .

[0165] Among them, T1 is the first half of the oscillation cycle, T2 is the second half of the oscillation cycle, C comb is the equivalent capacitance, β is the capacitance coefficient, ε is the dielectric constant, S is the area between the electrode 110 and the external conductor, and k is the electrostatic force constant.

[0166] One electrode of the first capacitor C1 is the electrode 110 in the housing 100 or the housing assembly 200 .

[0167] To sum up, the shell provided by the present application includes an electrode and a first shielding layer. When a close conductor approaches the electrode, the electrode can form a capacitor with the close conductor. When the relative position relationship between the close conductor and the electrode changes, the capacitance value of the capacitor will also change. By connecting the electrodes to generate a detection circuit that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, the distance between the electrode and the conductor or its change can be further obtained, so that the shell of the mechanical equipment can sense the approach of the external conductor and realize non-contact distance sensing. When the shell is installed on the mechanical equipment, since the first shielding layer and the electrode are layered and spaced apart, and the area is not less than the area of the corresponding electrode, the first shielding layer can shield the interference signal inside the mechanical equipment, thereby better realizing the distance sensing function of the shell.

[0168] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present application and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A robot, characterized in that: include: A robot body and a shell, the shell including an electrode and a first shielding layer, the electrode being capable of forming a capacitor with a nearby conductor and being used to connect to a detection circuit that generates an electrical signal representing the capacitance or its change, the electrode being connected to a connection terminal of a sensing circuit, the sensing circuit further including: an oscillation circuit coupled to the connection terminal for coupling to the electrode via the connection terminal to change the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit when an external conductor approaches the electrode to form a capacitor, the detection circuit being coupled to the oscillation circuit to detect the oscillation frequency and output an electrical signal representing the oscillation frequency; the sensing circuit further including a switching circuit, the detection circuit and the switching circuit being coupled to the oscillation circuit, the oscillation circuit including an inductor and a first capacitor, the switching circuit enabling the oscillation circuit to switch between two different states in either of the following two ways; In the first mode, the detection circuit outputs an excitation signal to a first terminal of the first capacitor, a second terminal of the first capacitor is grounded, the switching circuit couples the electrode to the first terminal of the first capacitor in the first half of an oscillation cycle, and couples the electrode to the second terminal of the first capacitor in the second half of an oscillation cycle. Second mode: the electrode is coupled to the first end of the first capacitor, and the connection relationship between the electrode and the first end of the first capacitor remains unchanged; the switching circuit outputs the excitation signal output by the detection circuit to the first end of the first capacitor in the first half of the oscillation period, and the second end of the first capacitor is grounded; the switching circuit outputs the excitation signal output by the detection circuit to the second end of the first capacitor in the second half of the oscillation period, and the first end of the first capacitor is grounded; The first shielding layer is arranged in layers and spaced apart from the electrodes, and its area is not less than the area of the corresponding electrodes; The shell covers at least a portion of the surface of the robot body, and the first shielding layer is located between the electrode and the robot body.

2. The robot according to claim 1, characterized in that An insulating layer is provided between the first shielding layer and the electrode.

3. The robot according to claim 2, characterized in that The insulating layer supports the electrode and the first shielding layer, and the electrode and the first shielding layer are respectively fixed on two sides of the insulating layer.

4. The robot according to claim 2, characterized in that The shell includes a body, which is located on a side of the first shielding layer facing away from the electrode and fixes the electrode and the first shielding layer.

5. The robot according to claim 4, characterized in that The first shielding layer is coated on the surface of the body.

6. The robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The first shielding layer is electrically suspended, or is used to connect to the detection circuit to receive a preset voltage.

7. The robot according to claim 1, characterized in that It includes a second shielding layer arranged between the robot body and the shell, wherein the second shielding layer wraps the robot body and is spaced apart from the first shielding layer.

8. The robot according to claim 7, characterized in that The second shielding layer is electrically suspended, or is used to connect to an external circuit to receive a preset voltage.

9. The robot according to claim 7, characterized in that The second shielding layer is coated on the entire surface of the robot body.

10. The robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The shape of the shell matches the shape of the outer side of the robot body.

11. The robot according to claim 7, characterized in that A second protective layer is included, and the second protective layer is arranged on a side of the second shielding layer facing away from the robot body.

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