Gripping device and robotic device comprising a gripping device

Abstract

A gripping device is disclosed. The gripping device according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a first finger, a second finger facing the first finger, a first link portion having a first guide slot and supporting the first finger, a second link portion having a second guide slot, arranged intersecting the first link portion, and supporting the second finger, a hinge movable within the first and second guide slots and connecting the first and second link portions at an intersection of the first and second link portions, a first actuator for adjusting a distance between the first and second fingers by moving the first and / or second link portions, and a second actuator for moving the hinge within the first and second guide slots.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a gripping device and a robot device including the same, and more particularly, to a gripping device having an improved structure in which a hinge serving as a support point is moved to obtain a force transmission ratio suitable for gripping an object and a robot device including the same. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of electronic technology, various types of electronic devices have been developed. In particular, recently, various types of robot devices for performing tasks instead of humans in industrial sites or in the fields of medical treatment, space, housework, etc. have been developed. Such robot devices can include a gripping device for performing various tasks such as gripping an object, assembling, transferring, welding, etc.

[0003] In order for the gripping device to grip a flat object such as a plate, it is important to obtain a large gripping force while reducing the gap between the fingers of the gripping device. On the contrary, in order for the gripping device to grip a high object such as a cup, it is important to obtain a small gripping force while increasing the interval between the fingers of the gripping device.

[0004] However, the related art gripping device uniformly performs a gripping operation regardless of the shape of an object to be gripped, and thus the gripping device is driven in an inefficient manner. In addition, the driving speed of the gripping device using a gear method or a helical rotation method is low. SUMMARY

[0005] TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0006] To solve the above problem, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gripping device having an improved structure in which a hinge serving as a support point is moved to obtain a force transmission ratio suitable for gripping an object and a robot device including the same.

[0007] TECHNICAL SOLUTION

[0008] According to embodiments of the disclosure, a gripping device is provided. The gripping device can include a first finger, a second finger facing the first finger, a first link portion including a first guide slot and configured to support the first finger, a second link portion including a second guide slot, wherein the second link portion intersects the first link portion and is configured to support the second finger, a hinge configured to move within the first guide slot and the second guide slot and connect the first link portion and the second link portion at an intersection of the first link portion and the second link portion, a first actuator configured to move at least one of the first link portion and the second link portion to adjust a gap between the first finger and the second finger, and a second actuator configured to move the hinge within the first guide slot and the second guide slot.

[0009] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the first link portion can further include a first link rod connected to a first point on the first finger, a second link rod connected to a second point on the first finger, and a third link rod connected to the second link rod and disposed in parallel with the first finger, and the second link portion can further include a fourth link rod connected to a first point on the second finger, a fifth link rod connected to a second point on the second finger and disposed in parallel with the fourth link rod, and a sixth link rod connected to the fifth link rod and disposed in parallel with the second finger, and the first guide slot is formed in the second link rod, and the second guide slot is formed in the fifth link rod.

[0010] According to embodiments of the disclosure, a length of the third link rod can be equal to a distance between the first point and the second point on the first finger, and a length of the sixth link rod can be equal to a distance between the first point and the second point on the second finger.

[0011] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the first actuator can be configured to adjust a gap between the third link rod and the sixth link rod.

[0012] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the first actuator can include a first driving motor configured to move the third link rod in a first direction, and a second driving motor configured to move the sixth link rod in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0013] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the second actuator can include a third driving motor configured to move the hinge within the first guide slot and the second guide slot.

[0014] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the second actuator can include a third driving motor disposed on the second link rod and configured to move the hinge along the first guide slot, and a fourth driving motor disposed on the fifth link rod and configured to move the hinge along the second guide slot.

[0015] According to embodiments of the disclosure, each of the third driving motor and the fourth driving motor can include a freewheel yoke type driving motor, a rack and pinion type driving motor, or a hydraulic type driving motor.

[0016] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the second link and the fifth link can each have a convex shape with respect to a space between the first finger and the second finger.

[0017] According to embodiments of the disclosure, a robot device is provided. The robot device can include an image sensor configured to detect at least one of a shape and a position of an object, a gripping device having a link portion, wherein the gripping device is configured to adjust a support point of the link portion by moving a hinge on the link portion, wherein the link portion is arranged in intersection with respect to a first finger of the gripping device, a second finger of the gripping device, and the hinge, and the link portion is configured to support the first finger and the second finger, and a processor configured to control the gripping device to position the hinge to correspond to the object detected by the image sensor.

[0018] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the link portion can include a first link portion including a first guide slot and configured to support the first finger, and a second link portion including a second guide slot, wherein the second link portion is arranged in intersection with the first link portion and configured to support the second finger, the hinge can move within the first guide slot and the second guide slot, and can connect the first link portion and the second link portion at the intersection of the first link portion and the second link portion, and the gripping device can further include an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to move the hinge within the first guide slot and the second guide slot.

[0019] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the actuator can include a connection member connected to the hinge and having a variable length, and the processor can be configured to determine the length of the connection member according to at least one of the shape and the position of the object detected by the image sensor, and control the actuator to make the length of the connection member equal to the determined length.

[0020] According to embodiments of the disclosure, the robot device can further include a pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure applied to at least one of the first finger and the second finger, and wherein the processor can be configured to control a gripping operation of the gripping device based on a value measured by the pressure sensor.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot apparatus can further include: a first distance sensor on the first finger; and a second distance sensor on the second finger, and wherein the processor can be further configured to: activate the second distance sensor based on the first distance sensor detecting the object during movement of the robot apparatus; receive information about distances to the object detected by the first distance sensor and the second distance sensor at a plurality of points according to movement of the robot apparatus; and control a gripping operation of the gripping apparatus based on the received information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a side view of a gripping apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 is a side view of a gripping apparatus in which a hinge is moved backward Figure 1 is a side view of a gripping apparatus.

[0024] Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a side view of a gripping apparatus in which lengths of a third driving motor and a fourth driving motor are different from each other.

[0025] Figure 5 is a side view of a gripping apparatus in which each of a first link part and a second link part is configured as a single link.

[0026] Figure 6 is a block diagram of a robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figures 7a to 7f is a diagram for describing a process of controlling a gripping operation of a gripping apparatus according to a value measured by a distance sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following embodiments are provided as non-limiting examples to help understand the present disclosure, and it should be understood that embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms different from these embodiments. In the following description of the present disclosure, when it is determined that relevant well-known functions or components will obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure due to unnecessary detail, the relevant well-known functions or components will not be described in detail, and are not shown in the drawings. In the drawings, components are not shown in actual scale, and the sizes of some components can be exaggerated to help understand the present disclosure.

[0029] In the present specification and claims, general terms are selected considering the functions in the disclosure. However, the non-general terms can be selected according to the intention of the person skilled in the art, the law or technical interpretation, the emergence of new technology, etc. The applicant can arbitrarily select some terms. The terms can be interpreted as defined in the present specification, and when not specifically defined in the present document, the terms can be interpreted based on the overall content of the present specification and technical knowledge in the related art.

[0030] As used herein, expressions such as "have," "may have," "include," or "may include" are intended to indicate the presence of features (for example, numerical values, functions, operations, components of machine parts, etc.) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0031] Although the present specification describes components for describing example embodiments of the disclosure, the disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto. Accordingly, some components can be changed or omitted, and other components can be added. Furthermore, the components can be distributed and disposed in different independent devices.

[0032] Although example embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings and the contents shown in the drawings, the disclosure is not limited to the example embodiments or is not restricted by the example embodiments.

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 is a side view of a gripping device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0035] Referring to Figure 1 , a gripping device 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure can include a first finger 10, a second finger 20, a first link portion 100, a second link portion 200, a hinge 300, a first actuator 400, a second actuator 500, and a support 600.

[0036] The first finger 10 and the second finger 20 are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart by a certain distance to form a space for arranging an object to be gripped therein.

[0037] The first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can be driven by the first actuator 400 and the second actuator 500 to be described below, and a gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can be adjusted by a driving force transmitted by the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200.

[0038] The first link portion 100 can be provided with a first guide groove 121 and can support the first finger 10. The second link portion 200 can be provided with a second guide groove 221 and can support the second finger 20.

[0039] Each of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 can have a four-bar linkage structure. Specifically, each of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 can include three links connected to each other in sequence, and a total of four contact points between the three links and the first finger 10 or the second finger 20 are connected to form a closed loop shape.

[0040] However, the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 are not limited to the above-described structure, and can each be implemented as a single link. For example, a single link of the first link portion 100 and a single link of the second link portion 200 can support the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 while being connected to each other at an intersection.

[0041] The hinge 300 is capable of moving within the first guide groove 121 and the second guide groove 221, and can connect the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 at an intersection of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200.

[0042] The hinge 300 can serve as a support point of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200. That is, the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 can rotate around the hinge 300 as the support point, thereby performing a gripping operation.

[0043] Because the hinge 300 is capable of moving within the first guide groove 121 and the second guide groove 221, a position of the hinge 300 can be changed to be close to or far from an object to be gripped.

[0044] Therefore, in order to grip an object to be gripped with a large gripping force, the hinge 300 can be disposed close to the object to increase a force transmission ratio, and thus the object can be effectively gripped with a small driving force. In contrast, in order to grip an object to be gripped with a small gripping force, the hinge 300 can be disposed far from the object to decrease the force transmission ratio, and thus the object can be easily gripped with the same driving force without changing the strength of the driving force.

[0045] The first actuator 400 can move at least one of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 to adjust a gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20. The first actuator 400 can adjust a gap L1 between the third link 130 and the sixth link 230, which will be described below.

[0046] Specifically, as the first actuator 400 increases or decreases the gap L1 between one end of the first link portion 100 and one end of the second link portion 200, and the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 rotate about the hinge 300, the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 supported by the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200, respectively, can also increase or decrease.

[0047] When the gripping device 1 performs a gripping operation, the first actuator 400 can move one end of the first link portion 100 upward and one end of the second link portion 200 downward. Accordingly, the first link portion 100 can rotate counterclockwise about the hinge 300, and the second link portion 200 can rotate clockwise about the hinge 300. As the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 rotate, the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can move close to each other to pressurize and grip an object between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0048] Conversely, when the gripping device 1 performs a dismounting operation, the first actuator 400 can move one end of the first link portion 100 downward and one end of the second link portion 200 upward. Accordingly, the first link portion 100 can rotate clockwise about the hinge 300, and the second link portion 200 can rotate counterclockwise about the hinge 300. As the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 rotate, the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can move away from each other to dismount an object between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0049] The first actuator 400 can include a first driving motor 410 configured to move the third link 130 of the first link portion 100 in a first direction, and a second driving motor 420 configured to move the sixth link 230 of the second link portion 200 in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The first driving motor 410 and the second driving motor 420 can be linear motors, but are not limited thereto, and the types of the first driving motor 410 and the second driving motor 420 are not limited as long as they can move the third link 130 and the sixth link 230.

[0050] That is, as the first driving motor 410 and the second driving motor 420 move the third link 130 and the sixth link 230 in opposite directions, the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can perform a gripping operation or a dismounting operation.

[0051] Although the first actuator 400 is illustrated as including the first driving motor 410 for moving the first link portion 100 and the second driving motor 420 for moving the second link portion 200, the first actuator 400 is not limited thereto. For example, the first actuator 400 can include only the first linear motor 410, and one end of the second link portion 200 can be fixed to the support 600 so that the gripping operation and the unloading operation can be smoothly performed by moving only the first link portion 100.

[0052] The second actuator 500 can move the hinge 300 within the first guide slot 121 and the second guide slot 221. Specifically, the second actuator 500 can include only the third driving motor 510 to move the hinge 300, or can include both the third driving motor 510 and the fourth driving motor 520 to move the hinge 300.

[0053] The third driving motor 510 can include a main body 511 and a connection member 512. One end of the connection member 512 of the third driving motor 510 can be connected to the hinge 300, and the length of the connection member 512 can be variable.

[0054] Specifically, the length of the connection member 512 can be changed to be away from or close to the main body 511, and thus the hinge 300 connected to the connection member 512 can be moved along the first guide slot 121 and the second guide slot 221.

[0055] Although the third driving motor 510 is illustrated as being disposed on the second link 120 of the first link portion 100, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the main body 511 can be fixed to the support 600 at the same height as the hinge 300 to move the hinge 300 forward or backward.

[0056] The fourth driving motor 520 can have the same structure as the third driving motor 510 described above. That is, the fourth driving motor 520 can include a main body 521 and a connection member 522, one end of the connection member 522 can be connected to the hinge 300, and the length of the connection member 522 can be variable to be away from or close to the main body 521.

[0057] The third driving motor 510 can be disposed on the second link 120 of the first link portion 100 to move the hinge 300 along the first guide slot 121. The fourth driving motor 520 can be disposed on the fifth link 220 of the second link portion 200 to move the hinge 300 along the second guide slot 221.

[0058] The connection member 512 of the third driving motor 510 and the connection member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520 are movable to have the same length or different lengths. Accordingly, not only the hinge 300 can be moved forward or backward, but also the hinge 300 can be moved upward or downward, and the area to be gripped by the gripping device 1 can be enlarged. This will be described in more detail below with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 detailed description.

[0059] The third driving motor 510 and the fourth driving motor 520 can be linear motors each having a variable length, and can be implemented as a scotch yoke type, a rack and pinion type, or a hydraulic type, but are not limited thereto.

[0060] Hereinafter, the structure of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 will be described in more detail.

[0061] The first link portion 100 can include a first link 110 connected to a first point 11 on the first finger 10, a second link 120 connected to a second point 12 on the first finger 10 and arranged in parallel with the first link 110, and a third link 130 connected to the second link 120 and arranged in parallel with the first finger 10.

[0062] The second link portion 200 can include a fourth link 210 connected to a first point 21 on the second finger 20, a fifth link 220 connected to a second point 22 on the second finger 20 and arranged in parallel with the fourth link 210, and a sixth link 230 connected to the fifth link 220 and arranged in parallel with the second finger 20.

[0063] The third link 130 and the sixth link 230 can maintain a horizontal shape even when the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 are rotated. A first guide slot 121 can be formed in the second link 120, and a second guide slot 221 can be formed in the fifth link 220.

[0064] The third link 130 can have a length S1 equal to a distance D1 between the first point 11 and the second point 12 on the first finger 10. The sixth link 230 can have a length S2 equal to a distance D2 between the first point 21 and the second point 22 on the second finger 20.

[0065] Since the first link 110, the second link 120, and the third link 130 have the above-described structure, the area of each of the first link 110, the second link 120, and the third link 130 and the first finger 10 has substantially the same shape as a parallelogram, and thus the first finger 10 can maintain a horizontal shape.

[0066] Likewise, since the fourth link 210, the fifth link 220, and the sixth link 230 have the above-described structure, each of the fourth link 210, the fifth link 220, and the sixth link 230 and the area of the second finger 20 have a shape substantially the same as a parallelogram, and thus the second finger 20 can maintain a horizontal shape.

[0067] That is, the gripping device 1 according to the embodiment of the disclosure has a structure in which the parallelogram-shaped four-bar linkage symmetrically supports the first finger 10 and the second finger 20, and thus the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can stably grip an object while maintaining a horizontal state.

[0068] The second link 120 and the fifth link 220 can have a convex shape with respect to a space between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20. That is, when viewed backward from a space between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 in which an object to be gripped is placed, an area of each of the second link 120 and the fifth link 220 can have a convex shape.

[0069] Thereby, the space between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 becomes large, and thus even an object having a large volume can be easily gripped. When a gripping operation is performed, the object can be easily gripped while minimizing interference between the object to be gripped and the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200.

[0070] The support 600 can be an arm or a body part of a robot, and can support the first actuator 400 and provide a path in which the first actuator 400 moves. Although the support 600 is illustrated as having a vertical shape, the support 600 is not limited thereto.

[0071] Figure 1 The following example is illustrated: in the gripping device 1, the connection member 512 of the third driving motor 510 and the connection member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520 are moved to increase the lengths of the connection member 512 and the connection member 522, so that the hinge 300 can be disposed close to an object to be gripped.

[0072] In order to grip a flat object (for example, a plate) by the gripping device 1, a narrow gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 and a large gripping force can be used to grip the flat object. Thus, as Figure 1 illustrated, by moving the hinge 300 close to the flat object by the third driving motor 510 and the fourth driving motor 520, the flat object can be easily gripped with a high force transmission ratio while reducing the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0073] Figure 2 is Figure 1A side view of the hinge 300 in a state where it has been moved backward.

[0074] Reference Figure 2 ,and Figure 1 In contrast, as the connecting member 512 of the third drive motor 510 and the connecting member 522 of the fourth drive motor 520 move to reduce the length of the connecting member 512 and the connecting member 522, the hinge 300 can also move away from the object to be grasped.

[0075] In order to grasp a tall object (e.g., a cup) using the gripping device 1, a large gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 and a low gripping force can be used to grasp the object. Therefore, as Figure 2 As shown, by moving the hinge 300 away from the tall object by the third drive motor 510 and the fourth drive motor 520, the object can be gripped more easily with a lower force transmission while increasing the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0076] In other words, even when using the same drive source, the gripping device 1 according to the embodiments of this disclosure can use the most efficient structure to grip various types of objects by changing the force transmission ratio by changing the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 and by moving the hinge 300, which serves as a support point, closer to or further away from the object.

[0077] Figure 3 and Figure 4 This is a side view showing that the lengths of the third drive motor 510 and the fourth drive motor 520 are different from each other.

[0078] Figure 3 An example is shown where the connecting member 512 of the third drive motor 510 is longer than the connecting member 522 of the fourth drive motor 520, and therefore the hinge 300 moves upward. Conversely, Figure 4 An example is shown where the connecting member 512 of the third drive motor 510 is shorter than the connecting member 522 of the fourth drive motor 520, and therefore the hinge 300 moves downward.

[0079] Specifically, since the third drive motor 510 and the fourth drive motor 520 have different lengths, the gripping line G, which indicates the height of the gripping action performed by the first finger 10 and the second finger 20, can be located above or below the center line C of the gripping device 1.

[0080] The gripping line G is a horizontal line corresponding to the height of the hinge 300 and can represent the point where the gripping device 1 will grip the object. In the case where the gripping device 1 has a vertically symmetrical shape, the center line C can also be a horizontal line serving as a reference for symmetry.

[0081] For example, when an object to be gripped is placed at a high place such as a shelf, the connecting member 512 of the third driving motor 510 can be operated to be longer than the connecting member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520. Accordingly, the gripping line G of the gripping device 1 is higher than the center line C, and thus the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can easily grip the object at the high place without obstructing the shelf.

[0082] In contrast, when an object to be gripped is placed at a low place such as a floor or a table, the connecting member 512 of the third driving motor 510 can be operated to be shorter than the connecting member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520. Accordingly, the gripping line G of the gripping device 1 is lower than the center line C, and thus the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can easily grip the object at the low place without, for example, obstructing the floor or the table.

[0083] That is, the gripping device 1 according to the embodiment of the disclosure can be moved such that the lengths of the connecting member 512 of the third driving motor 510 and the connecting member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520 are equal to each other, and thus the hinge 300 can be moved to a position corresponding to the shape of the object to be gripped and can easily grip the object even with a small force.

[0084] Further, the gripping device 1 according to the embodiment of the disclosure can be moved such that the lengths of the connecting member 512 of the third driving motor 510 and the connecting member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520 are different from each other, and thus the hinge 300 can form a gripping line G different from the center line C of the gripping device 1 and can easily grip the object without obstructing a support such as a shelf, a floor, or a table.

[0085] Figure 5 is a side view of a gripping device in which each of the first link portion and the second link portion is configured as a single link.

[0086] Referring to Figure 5 In the gripping device 1a, the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 configured to support the first finger 10 and the second finger 20, respectively, can each be configured as a single link. The first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 can be arranged to intersect each other and be connected to each other by the hinge 300. For example, the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 can have a substantially scissor shape.

[0087] The first guide slot 101 and the second guide slot 201 can be formed in the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200, respectively, in a longitudinal direction. The hinge 300 can be moved within the first guide slot 101 and the second guide slot 201.

[0088] The first actuator 400 can be configured with two driving motors, but the number of driving motors is not limited to two, and the first actuator 400 can be configured with one driving motor and connected to the rear end of the first link portion 100 or the second link portion 200.

[0089] The second actuator 500 can be configured with one driving motor and move the hinge 300. The second actuator 500 can be disposed on the support 600 to move the hinge 300 forward or backward. However, the disposition of the second actuator 500 is not limited thereto, and can be supported by the first link portion 100 or the second link portion 200 in a similar manner to Figure 1

[0090] Even when the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200a are each configured as a single link, the hinge 300 can be moved to a preset position to correspond to the shape of an object. Specifically, when a large gripping force and a narrow gap between the fingers are required to grip an object such as a plate, the hinge 300 can be moved forward by the second actuator 500 to approach the object. When a small gripping force and a wide gap between the fingers are required to grip an object such as a cup, the hinge 300 can be moved backward by the second actuator 500 to move away from the object.

[0091] Accordingly, even when the first actuator 400 is operated with the same driving force, the gripping device 1 can effectively grip an object with a force transmission ratio suitable for the shape of the object.

[0092] Figure 6 is a block diagram of a robot device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0093] Referring to Figure 6 , the robot device 1000 according to an embodiment of the disclosure can include the gripping device 1, the processor 700, the image sensor 810, the pressure sensor 820, the distance sensor 830, and the memory 900.

[0094] The gripping device 1 can include the first finger 10, the second finger 20, and the link portion 100 and the link portion 200. The link portion 100 and the link portion 200 can be disposed to intersect each other with respect to the hinge 300, and can support the first finger 10 and the second finger 20. The gripping device 1 can adjust the support points of the link portion 100 and the link portion 200 by changing the position of the hinge 300 on the link portion 100 and the link portion 200.

[0095] ​Specifically, the link portion 100 and the link portion 200 may include a first link portion 100 and a second link portion 200 arranged intersecting each other relative to the hinge 300. The first link portion 100 may be provided with a first guide groove 101 and a first guide groove 121, and may support the first finger 10. The second link portion 200 may be provided with a second guide groove 201 and a second guide groove 221 arranged intersecting with the first link portion 100, and may support the second finger 20.

[0096] The hinge 300 is movable within the first guide groove 101 and the first guide groove 121, as well as the second guide groove 201 and the second guide groove 221, and is able to connect the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200 at the intersection of the first link portion 100 and the second link portion 200.

[0097] The gripping device 1 may also include an actuator 500, wherein the actuator 500 is configured to move the hinge 300 within a first guide groove 121 and a second guide groove 221. The actuator 500 may include a connecting member 501, a connecting member 512, and a connecting member 522, which are connected to the hinge 300 and each have a variable length.

[0098] The link portion 100 and link portion 200 of the gripping device 1 can each be implemented as follows: Figure 1 The four-bar linkage shown is not limited to this, and each can be implemented as follows: Figure 5 The single link is shown. The same parts of the gripping device 1 as those in the example above can be simply described here, or their detailed description can be omitted.

[0099] The processor 700 controls the overall operation of the robot device 1000. For this purpose, the processor 700 may include a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP). The processor 700 may be implemented as at least one general-purpose processor, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), system-on-a-chip (SoC), microcomputer (MICOM), driver IC, etc.

[0100] Image sensor 810 can detect at least one of the shape or position of an object. Specifically, image sensor 810 can be configured to photograph objects around robot device 1000 and can be a camera. For example, image sensor 810 can be implemented as a three-dimensional (3D) camera or a depth camera.

[0101] The image sensor 810 may be arranged on the body or head of the robot device 1000, but is not limited thereto, and may be arranged in various positions on the gripping device 1, such as on the first link portion 100, the second link portion 200, the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0102] The pressure sensor 820 can measure the pressure applied to at least one of the first finger 10 and the second finger 20. For example, the pressure sensor 820 can include a piezoelectric element or a load cell, convert the pressure applied to at least one of the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 into an electrical signal, and transmit the electrical signal to the processor 700.

[0103] The pressure sensor 820 can be disposed on the surface of the first finger 10 and the surface of the second finger 20 facing each other. Two pressure sensors 820 can be provided and disposed on both the first finger 10 and the second finger 20, or one pressure sensor 820 can be provided and disposed on the first finger 10 or the second finger 20.

[0104] When the gripping device 1 grips an object, the pressure sensor 820 can detect the pressure applied to the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 by the object, convert the pressure into an electrical signal, and transmit the electrical signal to the processor 700.

[0105] The distance sensor 830 can detect a distance from an object. Specifically, the distance sensor 830 can be implemented as a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor including a light emitting part and a light receiving part, and detect the distance between the distance sensor 830 and the object based on the time required for light emitted from the light emitting part, reflected from the object, and received by the light receiving part.

[0106] For example, the distance sensor 830 can be implemented as an infrared sensor that detects a distance from an object based on the time required for infrared light emitted after the infrared light is reflected from the object and received. However, the type of the distance sensor 830 is not necessarily limited thereto, and can be implemented as various types of sensors capable of detecting a distance from an object, such as an ultrasonic sensor or a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. In addition, the ToF sensor is only an example, and the type of the sensor of the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited as long as it is capable of detecting a distance from an object.

[0107] Hereinafter, a control process of the robot device 1000 using the distance sensor 830 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. Figures 7a to 7f The detailed description uses a control process of the robot device 1000 using the distance sensor 830.

[0108] The memory 900 can store an operating system (OS) for controlling the overall operation of the components of the robot device 1000, and instructions or data related to the components in the memory 900.

[0109] Accordingly, the processor 700 can control a plurality of hardware or software components of the robot device 1000 by using various instructions or data stored in the memory 900, process a command or data received from at least one other component by loading the command or data received from at least one other component into a volatile memory, and store various types of data in a non-volatile memory.

[0110] Specifically, the memory 900 can store information about shapes of various objects, critical pressure values applied to the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 due to an object to be gripped, and a sum of distances detected by the distance sensor 830 at each point where the gripping device 1 is located.

[0111] The processor 700 can receive and analyze information about shapes and positions of objects detected by the image sensor 810 to identify positions, sizes, shapes, and types of the objects. Specifically, the processor 700 can identify the objects by an object recognition algorithm to identify sizes, shapes, types, etc. of the objects and identify positions of the objects based on depth information of the objects.

[0112] Hereinafter, a control process of the robot device 1000 using the image sensor 810 according to an embodiment of the disclosure will be described in detail.

[0113] The image sensor 810 can detect positions and shapes of objects to be gripped and transmit information about the detected positions and shapes to the processor 700. The processor 700 compares the information received from the image sensor 810 with information about shapes of various objects stored in the memory 900 to identify types and positions of the objects.

[0114] Thereafter, the processor 700 can control the gripping device 1 to position the hinge 300 corresponding to the object detected by the image sensor 810. Specifically, the processor 700 can determine lengths of the connection member 501, the connection member 512, and the connection member 522 according to at least one of a shape or a position of the object detected by the image sensor 810 and control the actuator 500 so that the connection member 501, the connection member 512, and the connection member 522 have the determined lengths.

[0115] For example, when the processor 700 identifies that an object to be gripped has a flat shape similar to a shape of a plate, the processor 700 can control the actuator 500 to increase lengths of the connection member 501, the connection member 512, and the connection member 522. Accordingly, with reference to Figure 1 , the hinge 300 moves close to the object, and thus the gripping device 1 can easily grip even a flat object with a high force transmission ratio while reducing the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0116] When the processor 700 recognizes the object to be gripped as a high object such as a cup, the processor 700 can control the actuator 500 to reduce the lengths of the connection members 501, 512, and 522. Accordingly, with reference to Figure 2 , the hinge 300 is moved away from the object, and thus the gripping device 1 can easily grip even a high object with a low force transmission ratio while increasing the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20.

[0117] That is, even when the same driving source is used, the robot device 1000 according to the embodiment of the disclosure is able to move the hinge 300 serving as a support point close to or away from the object by the control processing of the image sensor 810 and the processor 700. Thus, the robot device 1000 is able to effectively grip objects of various shapes by changing the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 and the force transmission ratio according to the shape of the object.

[0118] When the processor 700 recognizes that the object to be gripped is located above or below the center line C of the gripping device 1, the processor 700 can control the actuator 500 so that the lengths of the connection member 512 of the third driving motor 510 and the connection member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520 are different from each other.

[0119] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3 , when the object is located above the center line C of the gripping device 1, the processor 700 can control the actuator 500 so that the connection member 512 of the third driving motor 510 is longer than the connection member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520.

[0120] On the contrary, as shown in Figure 4 , when the object is located below the center line C of the gripping device 1, the processor 700 can control the actuator 500 so that the connection member 512 of the third driving motor 510 is shorter than the connection member 522 of the fourth driving motor 520.

[0121] Thus, the gripping device 1 is able to easily perform a gripping operation in a wide range without interfering with a support such as a shelf, a floor, or a table with respect to a gripping line G that is different in height from the center line C.

[0122] Hereinafter, the control processing of the robot device 1000 using the pressure sensor 820 according to the embodiment of the disclosure will be described in detail.

[0123] The gripping device 1 can also perform a gripping action by the first actuator 400 when the object to be gripped is located between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20. In this process, a pressure can be applied to the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 by the object, and the pressure sensor 820 can measure a pressure value.

[0124] The processor 700 can also control the gripping operation of the gripping device 1 based on the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 820. Specifically, the processor 700 can compare the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 820 with a critical pressure value stored in the memory 900, and control the operation of the first actuator 400 to stop when the measured pressure value reaches the critical pressure value.

[0125] Accordingly, the robot device 1000 according to the embodiment of the disclosure can prevent the object from being damaged due to excessive pressure or slipping from the gripping device 1 due to insufficient pressure, and can stably grip the object with an appropriate gripping force.

[0126] Hereinafter, a process of controlling the operation of the gripping device 1 according to the detection result of the distance sensor 830 will be described with reference to Figures 7a to 7f The detailed description of the process of controlling the operation of the gripping device 1 according to the measurement value of the distance sensor 830. Figures 7a to 7f is a diagram for describing a process of controlling the gripping operation of the gripping device 1 according to the measurement value of the distance sensor 830.

[0127] Referring to Figures 7a to 7f , the distance sensor 830 can further include a first distance sensor 831 on the first finger 10 and a second distance sensor 832 on the second finger 20.

[0128] When the first distance sensor 831 detects the object S during the movement of the robot device 1000, the processor 700 can activate the second distance sensor 832, receive information about the distances to the object S detected at a plurality of points by the first distance sensor 831 and the second distance sensor 832 according to the movement of the robot device 1000, and control the gripping operation of the gripping device 1 based on the received information.

[0129] Specifically, as Figure 7a indicated, during the movement of the robot device 1000 toward the object S to be gripped, the first distance sensor 831 in the activated state can detect the object S, and the second distance sensor 832 can be in the deactivated state until the first distance sensor 831 detects the object S.

[0130] Accordingly, the robot device 1000 according to the embodiment of the disclosure can eliminate an optical interference effect that can occur when there is no object between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20, and can minimize power consumption and prevent a load on the processor 700 by activating only the first distance sensor 831.

[0131] Thereafter, as shown in Figure 7b the processor 160 can activate the second distance sensor 832 when the first distance sensor 831 detects the object. Accordingly, the processor 700 can receive information about the distance from the object S to be gripped from the first distance sensor 831 and the second distance sensor 832.

[0132] In addition, the processor 700 can determine whether a difference between the distance between the first distance sensor 831 and the object S and the distance between the second distance sensor 832 and the object S is greater than a threshold value. Specifically, when it is determined that the difference is greater than the threshold value, the processor 700 can control at least one of the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 so that the difference is equal to or less than the threshold value.

[0133] For example, when the threshold value is set to 0, the processor 700 can control at least one of the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 so that the distance between the first distance sensor 831 and the object S is equal to the distance between the second distance sensor 832 and the object S.

[0134] Accordingly, when the gripping device 1 grips the object S, the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 can approach the object S at the same speed at the same time to stably grip the object S.

[0135] Thereafter, as shown in Figure 7c , Figure 7d and Figure 7e the robot device 1000 can continuously move in a direction toward the object S, and the processor 700 can sequentially receive information about the distance from the object S from the first distance sensor 831 and the second distance sensor 832 during the movement of the robot device 1000.

[0136] In this case, the processor 700 can determine a point at which the distance from the object S is the smallest based on the information about the distance received from the first distance sensor 831 and the second distance sensor 832. When the distance values at a plurality of points received from the first distance sensor 831 and the second distance sensor 832 sequentially decrease, the processor 700 can continuously move the robot device 1000 in the direction toward the object S.

[0137] When the distance values received from the first distance sensor 831 and the second distance sensor 832 sequentially decrease but increase at a certain point, the processor 700 can determine a point immediately before the point as the point at which the distance from the object S is the smallest, and control the robot device 1000 to return to the point at which the distance from the object S is the smallest.

[0138] As shown in Figure 7fAs illustrated, when the gripping device 1 is located at a point at which the distance between the first distance sensor 831 and the object S and the distance between the second distance sensor 832 and the object S are the smallest, the processor 700 can control the first actuator 400 to grip the object S with the gripping device 1. When the gap L1 between the two driving motors of the first actuator 400 and the gap L2 between the first finger 10 and the second finger 20 are controlled to be small, the gripping device 1 can grip the object S.

[0139] In this way, the robotic device 1000 of the present disclosure can grip the central portion or the thickest portion of the object S by gripping the object S at a point at which the distance between the first distance sensor 831 and the object S is the smallest or at a point at which the distance between the second distance sensor 832 and the object S is the smallest. Accordingly, the robotic device 1000 of the present disclosure is capable of stably gripping the object S, and can prevent the object S from falling or being damaged when the edge of the object S is gripped.

[0140] Although example embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto and that various modifications can be made by those ordinarily skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims, and such modifications fall within the scope of the present disclosure defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A gripping device, comprising: First finger-shaped component; The second finger faces the first finger; The first link portion includes a first guide groove and is configured to support the first finger; The second link portion includes a second guide groove, wherein the second link portion intersects with the first link portion and is configured to support the second finger; The hinge is configured to move within a first guide groove and a second guide groove, and to connect the first link portion and the second link portion at the intersection of the first link portion and the second link portion; The first actuator is configured to move at least one of the first and second connecting portions to adjust the gap between the first and second fingers; and A second actuator is configured to move the hinge within a first guide slot and a second guide slot. The first link portion further includes a first link connected to a first point on the first finger, a second link connected to a second point on the first finger, and a third link connected to the second link and arranged parallel to the first finger. The second link portion further includes a fourth link connected to a first point on the second finger, a fifth link connected to a second point on the second finger and parallel to the fourth link, and a sixth link connected to the fifth link and parallel to the second finger. The first guide groove is formed in the second link, and the second guide groove is formed in the fifth link.

2. The gripping device according to claim 1, wherein, The length of the third link is equal to the distance between the first and second points on the first finger, and The length of the sixth link is equal to the distance between the first and second points on the second finger.

3. The gripping device according to claim 2, wherein, The first actuator is configured to adjust the gap between the third and sixth links.

4. The gripping device according to claim 3, wherein, The first actuator includes: A first drive motor is configured to move a third link along a first direction; and The second drive motor is configured to move the sixth link in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

5. The gripping device according to claim 1, wherein, The second actuator includes a third drive motor configured to move the hinge within a first guide slot and a second guide slot.

6. The gripping device according to claim 1, wherein, The second actuator includes: A third drive motor is mounted on the second link and configured to move the hinge along the first guide slot; and A fourth drive motor is mounted on the fifth link and configured to move the hinge along the second guide slot.

7. The gripping device according to claim 6, wherein, Each of the third and fourth drive motors includes an anti-rotation yoke drive motor, a rack and pinion drive motor, or a hydraulic drive motor.

8. The gripping device according to claim 1, wherein, The second link and the fifth link each have a convex shape relative to the space between the first finger and the second finger.

9. A robotic device, comprising: An image sensor is configured to detect at least one of the shape and position of an object; The gripping device according to any one of claims 1 to 8; as well as The processor is configured to control the gripping device to position the hinge in accordance with the object detected by the image sensor.

10. The robot device according to claim 9, wherein, The second actuator includes a connecting member, wherein the connecting member is connected to the hinge and has a variable length, and The processor is configured to: determine the length of the connecting member based on at least one of the shape and position of the object detected by the image sensor, and control a second actuator to make the length of the connecting member equal to the determined length.

11. The robotic device according to claim 9, further comprising: A pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure the pressure applied to at least one of a first finger and a second finger, and The processor is configured to control the gripping operation of the gripping device based on the value measured by the pressure sensor.

12. The robotic device according to claim 9, further comprising: The first distance sensor on the first finger; as well as The second distance sensor on the second finger, and The processor is further configured as follows: The second distance sensor is activated based on the detection of the object by the first distance sensor during the movement of the robot device. Receives information about the distance to the object detected at multiple points by a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor based on the movement of the robot device; as well as The gripping operation of the gripping device is controlled based on the received information.

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