A battery-specific gripper for replacing drone batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of quick-change devices for unmanned aerial vehicle batteries, and in particular to a battery-specific gripper for replacing unmanned aerial vehicle batteries, the device comprising a quick-change connector, a working module and a grabbing module connected in sequence from top to bottom, the working module being used to control the opening and closing of the grabbing module; the grabbing module comprising a first claw plate and a second claw plate, the first claw plate and the second claw plate being arranged alternately and the planes where the first claw plate and the second claw plate are located are parallel; the working module comprises a pneumatic drive block, a first connecting member and a second connecting member connected in sequence from top to bottom, the first connecting member being connected to a first connecting rod, both ends of the first connecting rod being connected to a second connecting member, the second connecting member being connected to a second connecting rod, and the first claw plate and the second claw plate being connected to the second connecting rod. The present invention solves the problem that the structure of the prior art cannot quickly replace the grabber and cannot stably grab the lifting rod on the battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of quick-change devices for unmanned aerial vehicle batteries, and in particular to a battery-specific gripper for replacing unmanned aerial vehicle batteries. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Unmanned aerial vehicles, or "drones" for short, are unmanned aircraft that are controlled by radio remote control equipment and self-contained program control devices, or are operated completely or intermittently autonomously by an onboard computer. Drones can be divided into military and civilian applications according to their fields of application. In the military, drones are divided into reconnaissance aircraft and target aircraft. In the civilian field, drones + industry applications are the real rigid demand for drones; their applications in aerial photography, agriculture, plant protection, micro selfies, express delivery, disaster relief, wildlife observation, infectious disease monitoring, surveying and mapping, news reporting, power inspections, disaster relief, film and television shooting, creating romance, etc., have greatly expanded the uses of drones themselves.

[0004] The name of the patent that has been disclosed is a Chinese patent with the publication number CN202210053885.6, which is an automatic battery replacement device and method for eVTOL manned drones. Although the patent structure can realize the replacement of batteries for drones, it is impossible to achieve stable grasping of batteries with lifting rods. On the other hand, the robotic arm in the patent cannot achieve rapid replacement of the mechanical claw. In the event of damage, the entire mechanical claw may need to be replaced, and the cost of repair and replacement is too high. Summary of the invention

[0005] The inventors have discovered through research that drone battery replacement has limitations in actual work. It can be done when faced with simple battery replacement, but when faced with batteries with protrusions, grips or lifting rods, efficient and convenient replacement cannot be achieved, and a large amount of manpower is required for auxiliary operations.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery-specific gripper for replacing drone batteries, which solves the technical problems of the prior art that the gripper cannot be quickly replaced and the lifting rod on the battery cannot be stably grasped by setting a quick-change connector, a working module and a grasping module.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery-specific gripper for replacing batteries of an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising a quick-change connector, a working module and a grasping module connected in sequence from top to bottom, wherein the working module is used to control the opening and closing of the grasping module; the grasping module comprises a first claw plate and a second claw plate, the first claw plate and the second claw plate are arranged alternately and the planes where the first claw plate and the second claw plate are located are parallel; the working module comprises a pneumatic drive block, a first connecting member and a second connecting member connected in sequence from top to bottom, the first connecting member is connected to a first connecting rod, both ends of the first connecting rod are connected to the second connecting member, the second connecting member is connected to a second connecting rod, and the first claw plate and the second claw plate are connected to the second connecting rod.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a clamping groove is provided on the first claw plate, and a matching groove matching with the clamping groove is provided on the second claw plate; and both the clamping groove and the matching groove are provided with friction force sensors.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an elastic member and an angle control sensor are provided between the first claw plate, the second claw plate and the second connecting rod, and the angle control sensor is used to detect and control the rotation angle of the first claw plate or the second claw plate.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, support plates are connected to both sides of the first connecting rod, and the ends of the two second connecting rods away from the pneumatic drive block are connected to the support plates; the center position of the first claw plate and the center position of the second claw plate are rotatably connected through a third connecting rod, and both ends of the third connecting rod are connected to the support plates.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, lifting and clamping assemblies are provided on both sides of the first connecting rod, the extension direction of the lifting and clamping assemblies is the same as the extension direction of the support plate, and the plane where the lifting and clamping assemblies are located is perpendicular to the plane where the support plate is located.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lifting and grasping assembly includes a lifting rail and two lifting rods slidably connected to the lifting rail, the lifting rod has a magnetic positioning block at one end away from the pneumatic drive block, the lifting rod is controlled by a pneumatic motor to slide back and forth in the lifting rail, and the two lifting rails are parallel and spaced apart.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a connecting block is provided at the center of the third connecting rod, and both ends of the connecting block are connected to the lifting rail.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a protective cover is further included, which includes a protective top plate and a protective side plate. The four protective side plates are connected to the four sides of the protective top plate to form a protective cavity. The working module and the grabbing module are both located in the protective cavity. The two lifting rails and the two support plates are respectively connected to the inner walls of the four protective side plates.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the quick-change connector is connected to the upper surface of the protective top plate through a fixed block, the pneumatic drive block passes through the protective top plate and is connected to the fixed block, and a distance sensor is provided on the top of the quick-change connector.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a remote control terminal is also included, and a speed sensor and a vibration sensor are connected to the protective top plate. The speed sensor, the vibration sensor, the pneumatic drive block, the friction sensor, the elastic member, the angle control sensor, the pneumatic motor, and the distance sensor are all connected to the remote control terminal signal.

[0017] Compared with the currently disclosed technology, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects: the grasping structure can be quickly replaced by a quick-change connector, and a handle rod is provided on the battery. The embodiment of the present invention realizes the clamping of the handle rod by providing a first claw plate and a second claw plate, and the cooperation between the first claw plate and the second claw plate, and then the handle rod is lifted or lowered under the action of the manipulator. The working module includes a pneumatic drive block, a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod that are detachably connected to each other. The second connecting rod rotates the first claw plate and the second claw plate, and then the two second connecting rods are connected through the first connecting rod. The whole device has two grasping modules, thereby realizing the grasping of the two ends of the handle rod, ensuring that the grasping and lifting or lowering process can be kept as stable as possible, and then the first connecting rod is connected to the pneumatic drive block through the first connecting member, and the lifting and lowering of the first connecting member, the rotation of the first connecting rod, the rotation of the second connecting member, the rotation of the second connecting rod, and the rotation of the first claw plate and the second claw plate are controlled through the pneumatic drive block, thereby solving the problem that the prior art cannot quickly replace the grasper and cannot stably grasp the lifting rod on the battery. At the same time, it also solves the problem that the battery may fall and cause a safety accident during the battery replacement process in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0019] Legend:

[0020] 1-quick-change connector; 2-pneumatic drive block; 3-first connecting piece;

[0021] 4-second connecting member; 5-first connecting rod; 6-second connecting rod;

[0022] 7-first claw plate; 8-clamping groove; 9-second claw plate;

[0023] 10-support plate; 11-third connecting rod; 12-lifting rail;

[0024] 13-lifting rod; 14-magnetic positioning block; 15-connecting block;

[0025] 16-protection top plate; 17-protection side plate; 18-protection cavity;

[0026] 19-fixing block; 20-battery; 21-handle bar. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Please refer to the attached instructions Figure 1 , this embodiment provides a battery-specific gripper for replacing batteries in drones, and the battery-specific gripper for replacing batteries in drones is already in the actual use stage.

[0028] In the following paragraphs, different aspects of the embodiments are defined in more detail. Each aspect defined in this way can be combined with any other aspect or aspects, unless it is explicitly stated that it cannot be combined. In particular, any feature that is considered to be preferred or advantageous can be combined with one or more other features that are considered to be preferred or advantageous. The terms "first", "second", etc. that appear in the present invention are only for the convenience of description to distinguish different components with the same name, and do not indicate a sequential or primary-secondary relationship.

[0029] Example

[0030] Please refer to Figure 1 The present invention provides a battery-specific gripper for replacing unmanned aerial vehicle batteries, comprising a quick-change connector 1, a working module and a grabbing module connected in sequence from top to bottom, the working module is used to control the opening and closing of the grabbing module; the grabbing module comprises a first claw plate 7 and a second claw plate 9, the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are arranged alternately and the planes where the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are located are parallel; the working module comprises a pneumatic drive block 2, a first connecting member 3 and a second connecting member 4 connected in sequence from top to bottom, the first connecting member 3 is connected to a first connecting rod 5, both ends of the first connecting rod 5 are connected to the second connecting member 4, the second connecting member 4 is connected to the second connecting rod 6, and the second connecting rod 6 is connected to the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9.

[0031] It should be noted that an embodiment of the present invention provides a battery-specific gripper for replacing batteries of unmanned aerial vehicles, which is provided with a quick-change connector 1, a first claw plate 7, a second claw plate 9, a pneumatic drive block 2, a first connecting piece 3 and a second connecting piece 4. Specifically, in actual use, the battery 20-specific gripper provided by the present invention is assembled with a manipulator, and the manipulator is not only used to replace the battery 20 of the unmanned aerial vehicle, but also used to replenish fuel for the unmanned vehicle. The manipulator needs to quickly replace the gripping structure according to actual needs of replenishing the battery 20 or the fuel, and the quick replacement of the gripping structure is achieved by the set quick-change connector 1. In detail, the number of quick-change connectors 1 is at least two, and the manipulator has at least one quick-change connector 1, and the other is connected to the working module. The manipulator can quickly connect to the quick-change connector on the working module in real time according to whether the battery 20 is replaced.

[0032] A handle bar 21 is provided on the battery 20. In the embodiment of the present invention, the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are provided, and the handle bar 21 is clamped by the cooperation between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9, and then lifted or lowered by the action of the manipulator. It should be noted that the working module includes a pneumatic drive block 2, a first connecting member 3, a second connecting member 4, a first connecting rod 5 and a second connecting rod 6 that are detachably connected to each other. The second connecting rod 6 rotates the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9, and then the two second connecting rods 6 are connected through the first connecting rod 5. Then, the entire device has two grasping modules, thereby realizing the grasping of the two ends of the handle rod 21, ensuring that the grasping and lifting or lowering process can be kept as stable as possible, and then the first connecting rod 5 is connected to the pneumatic drive block 2 through the first connecting member 3, and the pneumatic drive block 2 is used to control the lifting and lowering of the first connecting member 3, the rotation of the first connecting rod 5, the rotation of the second connecting member 4, the rotation of the second connecting rod 6, and the rotation of the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9, thereby solving the problem that the prior art cannot quickly replace the grasper and cannot stably grasp the lifting rod on the battery 20, and also solves the problem that the battery 20 may fall and cause a safety accident during the replacement of the battery 20 in the prior art.

[0033] It is worth noting that, in this embodiment, the first connecting member 3 includes a connecting bottom and two connecting side parts, and the connecting bottom and the connecting side parts are connected by a fixing block 19 or integrally formed or welded to form a U-shaped structure, which is convenient for reducing the mass of the entire device, reducing the load for the manipulator during work, and improving the efficiency of sales and the safety factor of the work process, wherein the connecting bottom is connected to the pneumatic drive block 2, and the two connecting side parts are used to penetrate the first connecting rod 5. In this embodiment, there are two second connecting members 4, two second connecting rods 6, two first claw plates 7 and two second claw plates 9, thus forming two groups of grabbing modules, wherein the first claw plate 7, the second connecting member 4, and the second claw plate 9 are penetrated in sequence from left to right or from right to left on each second connecting rod 6.

[0034] The first claw plate 7 is provided with a clamping groove 8, and the second claw plate 9 is provided with a matching groove that matches the clamping groove 8; the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove are both provided with friction sensors. It should be noted that the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove are provided, and by setting the handle bar 21 between the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove, the angle between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 is controlled to be smaller so that the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove can grasp the handle bar 21. Specifically, after the angle between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 is reduced, the handle bar 21 will be clamped in the middle. At the same time, since the angle between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 is reduced, there is an overlap between the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove, which ensures that the handle bar 21 will not fall off during the process of grasping the handle bar 21.

[0035] On the other hand, by providing friction sensors in the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove, the magnitude of the friction between the clamping groove 8 and the matching groove and the handle rod 21 can be monitored in real time to ensure that there is friction that can clamp the handle rod 21 and prevent it from falling. At the same time, according to the change in force caused by gravity or tension when the manipulator lifts the battery 20 upward, the strength of the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 gripping the handle rod 21 can be adjusted in real time to increase the friction.

[0036] An elastic member and an angle control sensor are provided between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 and the second connecting rod 6, and the angle control sensor is used to detect and control the rotation angle of the first claw plate 7 or the second claw plate 9. It should be noted that the angle between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 is adjusted by the elastic member, and the angle between the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 is double controlled and adjusted in combination with the angle control sensor to ensure that the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are always at an angle and friction force that can stably clamp the handle bar 21.

[0037] The first connecting rod 5 is connected to a support plate 10 on both sides, and the ends of the two second connecting rods away from the pneumatic drive block 2 are connected to the support plate 10; the center position of the first claw plate 7 and the center position of the second claw plate 9 are rotatably connected through the third connecting rod 11, and both ends of the third connecting rod 11 are connected to the support plate 10. It should be noted that the positions of the first connecting rod 5 and the second connecting rod are fixed 19 by the parallel supporting plates 10. In some embodiments, a sliding groove can be provided on the supporting plate 10 to achieve the change of the upper and lower positions of the first connecting rod 5 and the second connecting rod relative to the supporting rod. In this embodiment, the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are rotatably connected by the third connecting rod 11. In detail, the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are arranged in an X shape, and the two ends of the third connecting rod 11 pass through the intersection position, so that the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 change their angles with the position of the third connecting rod 11 as the center. In order to ensure the fixed block 19 of the position of the third connecting rod 11, the two ends of the third fixing rod are connected to the support plate 10.

[0038] Lifting and grasping assemblies are arranged on both sides of the first connecting rod 5. The extension direction of the lifting and grasping assemblies is the same as the extension direction of the support plate 10, and the plane where the lifting and grasping assemblies are located is perpendicular to the plane where the support plate 10 is located. It should be noted that the lifting and grasping assemblies are arranged to grasp the two ends of the battery 20 to prevent the battery 20 from falling. According to the shape of the battery 20 and the structure and connection position of the support block, the first claw plate 7, and the second claw plate 9, the two lifting and grasping assemblies are arranged on the two parallel sides of the working module, and the support blocks are arranged on the other two parallel side positions of the working module. In actual work, the two grasping modules and the two lifting and grasping assemblies form a force on the four sides of the top of the battery 20 to ensure that the battery 20 can always maintain a stable state during the process of being lifted or put down.

[0039] The lifting and grasping assembly includes a lifting rail 12 and two lifting rods 13 slidably connected to the lifting rail 12. The lifting rod 13 has a magnetic positioning block 14 at one end away from the pneumatic drive block 2. The lifting rod 13 is controlled by a pneumatic motor to slide back and forth in the lifting rail 12. The two lifting rails 12 are parallel and spaced apart. It should be noted that by setting the lifting rail 12 and the lifting rod 13, the number of the lifting rail 12 is two, and each lifting rail 12 is slidably connected to two lifting rods 13, and the two lifting rods 13 are arranged in parallel and at intervals. A magnetic positioning block 14 is connected to the bottom of the lifting rod 13, and the top of the battery 20 is sucked tightly by the magnetic positioning block 14. Then, on the basis of the first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 grasping the handle bar 21, a magnetic attraction structure is provided again. The first claw plate 7 and the second claw plate 9 are used to grasp the battery 20 to bear the weight of the battery 20, and the magnetic positioning block 14 is used to fix the battery 20 and improve the stability of the battery 20 during transportation, so as to ensure that the battery 20 does not shake and achieves accurate positioning. The dual effects of clamping and magnetic attraction realize the operation of lifting or lowering the battery 20, and ensure the stability and safety of the battery 20 during transportation. A connecting block 15 is penetrated at the center of the third connecting rod 11, and both ends of the connecting block 15 are connected to the lifting rail 12. It should be noted that the third connecting rod 11 is supported by the connecting block 15 , ensuring that the third connecting rod 11 receives support at three points and the fixing block 19 .

[0040] The structure of the device also includes a protective cover, which includes a protective top plate 16 and a protective side plate 17. The four protective side plates 17 are connected to the four sides of the protective top plate 16 to form a protective cavity 18. The working module and the grabbing module are both located in the protective cavity 18. The two lifting rails 12 and the two support plates 10 are respectively connected to the inner walls of the four protective side plates 17.

[0041] It should be noted that a protective cavity 18 is formed by setting a protective top plate 16 and a protective side plate 17, and the protective cavity 18 protects the working module and the grabbing module from being damaged by human or external forces. In detail, the four protective side plates 17 form the four side walls of the protective cavity 18, which are the first side wall, the second side wall, the third side wall, and the fourth side wall, respectively, wherein the first side wall is parallel to the third side wall, and the second side wall is parallel to the fourth side wall. The two support plates 10 are respectively connected to the inner walls of the first side wall and the third side wall, and the two lifting rails 12 are respectively connected to the inner walls of the second side wall and the fourth side wall. In detail, the support plate 10 is a T-shaped structure, and the T-shaped structure is used to increase the friction between the inner wall of the protective cavity 18 to ensure the tightness of the connection.

[0042] The quick-change connector 1 is connected to the upper surface of the protective top plate 16 through the fixed block 19, the pneumatic drive block 2 passes through the protective top plate 16 and is connected to the fixed block 19, and a distance sensor is provided on the top of the quick-change connector 1. It should be noted that when the quick-change connector 1 is damaged and needs to be replaced, the protective top plate 16 may be damaged and unusable during the replacement process. The quick-change connector 1 is connected to the protective top plate 16 through the fixed block 19. Compared with the quick-change connector 1 being directly connected to the protective top plate 16, the above structure can avoid the protective top plate 16 from being damaged, thereby increasing the service life of the entire device and reducing costs. In detail, by providing a distance sensor on the top of the quick-change connector 1, the distance between the manipulator and the device can be sensed in real time, thereby controlling the speed of the manipulator's movement and avoiding collision and interference between structures due to the manipulator's excessively fast movement speed.

[0043] This embodiment also includes a remote control terminal, and a speed sensor and a vibration sensor are connected to the protective top plate 16. The speed sensor, the vibration sensor, the pneumatic drive block 2, the friction sensor, the elastic member, the angle control sensor, the pneumatic motor, and the distance sensor are all connected to the remote control terminal signal. Through the remote control terminal, each structure in the entire device can be remotely controlled, unnecessary human resources can be reduced, and the intelligent degree of battery 20 replacement and replenishment can be improved.

[0044] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery-specific gripper for replacing drone batteries, characterized in that: include: A quick-change connector (1), a working module and a grabbing module are connected in sequence from top to bottom, wherein the working module is used to control the opening and closing of the grabbing module; The gripping module comprises a first claw plate (7) and a second claw plate (9), wherein the first claw plate (7) and the second claw plate (9) are arranged alternately and the planes on which the first claw plate (7) and the second claw plate (9) are located are parallel; The working module comprises a pneumatic drive block (2), a first connecting member (3) and a second connecting member (4) which are connected in sequence from top to bottom, the first connecting member (3) being connected to a first connecting rod (5), both ends of the first connecting rod (5) being connected to the second connecting member (4), the second connecting member (4) being connected to a second connecting rod (6), and the first claw plate (7) and the second claw plate (9) being connected to the second connecting rod (6); The first claw plate (7) is provided with a clamping groove (8), and the second claw plate (9) is provided with a matching groove matching with the clamping groove (8); the clamping groove (8) and the matching groove are both provided with friction force sensors; An elastic member and an angle control sensor are provided between the first claw plate (7) and the second claw plate (9) and the second connecting rod (6), and the angle control sensor is used to detect and control the rotation angle of the first claw plate (7) or the second claw plate (9); Support plates (10) are connected to both sides of the first connecting rod (5), and the ends of the two second connecting rods (6) away from the pneumatic drive block (2) are connected to the support plates (10); the center position of the first claw plate (7) and the center position of the second claw plate (9) are rotatably connected via a third connecting rod (11), and both ends of the third connecting rod (11) are connected to the support plates (10); Lifting and gripping assemblies are provided on both sides of the first connecting rod (5); the extension direction of the lifting and gripping assemblies is the same as the extension direction of the support plate (10); and the plane where the lifting and gripping assemblies are located is perpendicular to the plane where the support plate (10) is located.

2. The battery-specific gripper for replacing the battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The lifting and grasping assembly comprises a lifting rail (12) and two lifting rods (13) slidably connected to the lifting rail (12); one end of the lifting rod (13) away from the pneumatic drive block (2) is provided with a magnetic positioning block (14); the lifting rod (13) is controlled by a pneumatic motor to slide back and forth in the lifting rail (12); and the two lifting rails (12) are arranged in parallel and at intervals.

3. The battery-specific gripper for replacing the battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2 is characterized in that: A connecting block (15) is provided at the center of the third connecting rod (11), and both ends of the connecting block (15) are connected to the lifting rail (12).

4. The battery-specific gripper for replacing the battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The invention also comprises a protective cover, wherein the protective cover comprises a protective top plate (16) and a protective side plate (17), wherein the four protective side plates (17) are connected to the four sides of the protective top plate (16) to enclose a protective cavity (18), wherein the working module and the grabbing module are both located in the protective cavity (18), and the two lifting rails (12) and the two supporting plates (10) are respectively connected to the inner walls of the four protective side plates (17).

5. The battery-specific gripper for replacing the battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The quick-change connector (1) is connected to the upper surface of the protective top plate (16) via a fixing block (19), the pneumatic drive block (2) passes through the protective top plate (16) and is connected to the fixing block (19), and a distance sensor is provided on the top of the quick-change connector (1).

6. The battery-specific gripper for replacing the battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a remote control terminal, and the protective top plate (16) is connected to a speed sensor and a vibration sensor. The speed sensor, the vibration sensor, the pneumatic drive block (2), the friction sensor, the elastic member, the angle control sensor, the pneumatic motor, and the distance sensor are all connected to the remote control terminal signal.

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