A bionic tensegrity structural module

Through the tensegrity module designed with the bionic seahorse tail structure, the coordination of telescopic parts and diagonal connecting rods is used to solve the problem of complex structure of continuous robotic arms or robot reconstruction modules, and realize efficient robotic arm reconstruction and environmental integration.

CN116175599BActive Publication Date: 2025-09-05SUN YAT SEN UNIV
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310005606.3
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-01-04
Publication Date
2025-09-05
Estimated Expiration
2043-01-04

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The reconstruction module structure of existing continuous robotic arms or robots is complex, resulting in a long reconstruction process.

Method used

A bionic tensegrity structural module is adopted, including telescopic parts and oblique connecting rods. Through the gear-type telescopic parts and the coordination of the oblique connecting rods, the configuration transformation between modules and the reconstruction of the robotic arm are realized.

Benefits of technology

It realizes the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm by regulating a simple single module, improves the reconstruction efficiency and enhances the ability to integrate with the environment.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a bionic tensegrity structural module. It comprises a telescopic member and an oblique connecting rod; the two telescopic members are arranged relative to each other, and the two opposite sides of the two telescopic members are movably connected with two oblique connecting rods, and the two oblique connecting rods on the same side are arranged crosswise; the telescopic member comprises a telescopic rod, a fixed connecting rod and a connecting member; the two telescopic rods are arranged relative to each other, and the two fixed connecting rods are arranged relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the telescopic rods, and a connecting member is fixedly connected between the end face of any telescopic rod and the end face of the adjacent fixed connecting rod; the connecting member is movably connected to the oblique connecting rod; the telescopic member is used to perform gear-type telescopic expansion and contraction, so that the tensegrity structural module forms different configurations, and multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules are used to connect to each other to form successively smaller mechanical arm structures. The present invention realizes the configuration transformation between homologous and similar modules of the bionic tensegrity structural module through the cooperation of the telescopic member and the oblique connecting rod.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of robotics technology, in particular to a bionic tensegrity structural module. Background Art

[0002] As a common marine creature, the seahorse can stabilize its posture by using its flexible tail to hook seaweed, corals and other marine organisms, providing a necessary prerequisite for efficient predation. Through observation of the biological structure of the seahorse's tail, it can be found that the seahorse's tail is composed of about 40 modules in series, and the structural structure and material properties of these modules are consistent. However, since the physical size of these units decreases from the base to the tail, the seahorse's tail becomes extremely flexible. By regulating the physical size of a single module, it is possible to regulate the performance of the entire mechanism. Therefore, we can get inspiration from the seahorse's tail to regulate the physical size of a single module and thus achieve the regulation of the performance of the entire mechanism.

[0003] In existing technologies, reconfigurable continuous robots offer exceptionally high environmental integration capabilities, resolving the engineering challenges of traditional robots' difficulty interacting in specific scenarios. However, current reconfigurable continuous robots often rely on combining multiple modules, which results in a significant time-consuming reconfiguration process. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a simple, programmable module to replace traditional single-unit modules. By combining multiple modules to form a continuous robotic arm or robot, the in-situ reconfiguration capability of the continuous robotic arm or robot can be enhanced.

[0004] In summary, inspired by the structural properties of the seahorse's tail, this patent proposes a simple bionic tensegrity structural module. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a bionic tensegrity structural module to solve the problem of complex structure of the reconfigurable module of the existing continuous robotic arm or robot.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a bionic tensile structure module, including a telescopic member and an oblique connecting rod; the two telescopic members are arranged relative to each other, and the two opposite sides of the two telescopic members are movably connected with the two oblique connecting rods, and the two oblique connecting rods on the same side are arranged crosswise; the telescopic member includes a telescopic rod, a fixed connecting rod and a connecting member; the two telescopic rods are arranged relative to each other, and the two fixed connecting rods are arranged relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the telescopic rods, and the end face of any telescopic rod is connected and fixed with the connecting member between the end face of the adjacent fixed connecting rod; the connecting member is movably connected to the oblique connecting rod; the telescopic member is used to perform gear-type telescopic extension and retraction, so that the tensile structure module forms different configurations, and multiple bionic tensile structure modules are used to be connected to each other to form a successively smaller robotic arm structure.

[0007] In one embodiment, the telescopic rod includes an inner connecting rod and an outer connecting rod; one end of the inner connecting rod is sleeved in the outer connecting rod, the inner connecting rod is movably connected to the outer connecting rod, a spring is connected between the inside of the outer connecting rod and the inner connecting rod, the spring is arranged along the axial direction of the outer connecting rod, and the other end of the inner connecting rod extends out of the outer connecting rod; the other end of the inner connecting rod is connected and fixed to the connecting piece, and the end of the outer connecting rod away from the inner connecting rod is connected and fixed to the connecting piece.

[0008] In one embodiment, the end face of the inner connecting rod is provided with two semicircular convex walls; the two semicircular convex walls are arranged opposite to each other with a gap, the spring is fixedly connected to the gap and the inner space of the outer connecting rod, and an annular convex wall is circumferentially arranged on the outer walls of the two semicircular convex walls; a plurality of annular grooves are circumferentially arranged on the inner circumference of the outer connecting rod, and the annular convex wall is used to be movably clamped in any one of the annular grooves.

[0009] In one embodiment, the plurality of annular grooves are evenly arranged along the axis of the outer connecting rod.

[0010] In one embodiment, a raised sliding block is provided on the outer side walls of the two semicircular convex walls; a sliding groove is provided on the side wall of the outer connecting rod, and the raised sliding block is slidably installed in the sliding groove.

[0011] In one embodiment, the connecting member is hingedly connected to the oblique connecting rod.

[0012] In one embodiment, the connecting member is provided with a vertical through hole, and the vertical through hole is used for connecting adjacent bionic tensegrity structural modules by rope drive.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0014] Since the two telescopic parts are arranged relative to each other, the two opposite sides of the two telescopic parts are movably connected with the two oblique connecting rods, and the two oblique connecting rods on the same side are arranged crosswise. Therefore, when used, the telescopic parts are telescopically transformed along the length direction of the telescopic parts, and at the same time drive the oblique connecting rods to transform in the height direction, that is, the telescopic parts cooperate with the oblique connecting rods to form a new configuration of the bionic tensegrity integral structure module, thereby realizing the configuration transformation between homologous similar modules of the bionic tensegrity integral structure module.

[0015] And because the telescopic member is used to perform gear-type telescopic extension and contraction so that the tensegrity structural module forms different configurations, and multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules are used to be connected to each other to form a successively smaller robotic arm structure, so when applied, multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules are connected to each other to form the structure of the entire robotic arm, and the telescopic member can perform homologous transformations according to different gears, and sequentially regulate the paradigm of the bionic tensegrity structural module, thereby changing the physical properties of the local bending stiffness, and then realizing the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm, and finally enabling it to develop conformal interactive environmental integration capabilities.

[0016] To sum up, the present invention realizes the configuration transformation between homologous similar modules of the bionic tensegrity structural module through the cooperation of the telescopic part and the oblique connecting rod, and multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules are connected to each other. The reconstruction of the entire robotic arm can be achieved by regulating multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules, which completely realizes the purpose of controlling the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm by regulating a simple single module, and solves the problem of complex reconstruction module structure of existing continuous robotic arms or robots. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the implementation. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the configuration structure of a bionic tensegrity structural module provided by the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a telescopic member provided by a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an inner connecting rod provided by a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inner connecting rod provided by the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the outer connecting rod provided by the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the outer connecting rod provided by the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0024] Figure 7 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration structure of a bionic tensegrity structural module provided by a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration structure of a bionic tensegrity structural module provided by a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 9 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration structure of a bionic tensegrity structural module provided by the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 10 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration structure of a bionic tensegrity structural module provided by the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 11 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a plurality of bionic tensegrity structural modules connected to each other provided by a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a configuration transformation structure of a robotic arm with multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules connected to each other provided by the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0030] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a configuration transformation structure of a robotic arm with multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules connected to each other provided by the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0031] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a configuration transformation structure of a robotic arm with multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules connected to each other provided by the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0032] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a configuration transformation structure of a robotic arm with multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules connected to each other provided by the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 ;

[0033] Figure 16This is a schematic diagram of a configuration transformation structure of a robotic arm with multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules connected to each other provided by the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 ;

[0034] Figure 17 It is a structural schematic diagram of a driving reel, a driving motor and a mounting bracket provided in a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] The reference numerals are as follows:

[0036] 1. Telescopic member; 10. Telescopic rod; 100. Inner connecting rod; 1000. Semicircular convex wall; 1001. Gap; 1002. Annular convex wall; 1003. Raised slider; 101. Outer connecting rod; 1010. Annular groove; 1011. Slide; 102. Spring; 11. Fixed connecting rod; 12. Connecting member; 120. Vertical through hole;

[0037] 2. Oblique connecting rod;

[0038] 3. Drive rope;

[0039] 4. Drive reel;

[0040] 5. Drive motor;

[0041] 6. Install the bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0043] Reconfigurable continuous robots have a high degree of environmental integration, solving the engineering challenge of traditional robots' difficulty interacting in specific scenarios. However, current reconfigurable continuous robots often rely on a combination of multiple modules, which makes the robot's reconfiguration process time-consuming and expensive.

[0044] In order to solve the above problems, the present application has been inspired by the bionic seahorse. As a common marine organism, the seahorse can stabilize its posture by using its flexible tail to hook seaweed, corals and other marine organisms, providing a necessary prerequisite for efficient predation. Through observation of the biological structure of the seahorse's tail, it can be found that the seahorse's tail is composed of about 40 modules in series, and the structural construction and material properties of these modules are consistent. However, since the physical dimensions of these units decrease from the base to the tail, the seahorse's tail becomes extremely flexible, which shows that it is possible to regulate the performance of the mechanism by regulating the physical dimensions of a single module. Therefore, inspired by the structural properties of the seahorse's tail and the inspiration of regulating the performance of the mechanism by regulating the physical dimensions of a single module, this patent proposes a bionic tensegrity structural module to solve the problem of complex reconstruction structure of existing continuous robots.

[0045] For details, please refer to Figures 1 to 17 The present invention provides a bionic tensegrity structural module, including a telescopic member 1 and an oblique link 2; the two telescopic members 1 are arranged relative to each other, and the two opposite sides of the two telescopic members 1 are movably connected to two oblique links 2, and the two oblique links 2 on the same side are arranged crosswise. Through such an arrangement, the core lies in utilizing the cooperation of the two telescopic members 1 and the four oblique links 2 to realize the configuration transformation between homologous similar modules of the bionic tensegrity structural module, and multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules can realize the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm after being interconnected into a robotic arm, thereby achieving the purpose of reconstructing the entire robotic arm by regulating a simple single module. In order to better explain this rope-driven flexible arm with controllable stiffness, multiple embodiments will be provided below for explanation.

[0046] Example 1

[0047] As can be seen from the above, the core idea of ​​the present invention is to realize the configuration transformation between homologous and similar modules of the bionic tensegrity structural module by using the cooperation of two telescopic members 1 and four oblique connecting rods 2. Figure 1 Each telescopic member 1 includes a telescopic rod 10, a fixed link 11 and a connecting member 12; the two telescopic rods 10 are arranged opposite to each other, and the two fixed links 11 are arranged opposite to each other in a direction perpendicular to the telescopic rods 10. The end face of any telescopic rod 10 is connected and fixed to the end face of the adjacent fixed link 11 with a connecting member 12, that is, the two telescopic rods 10 and the two fixed links 11 are connected and fixed into a rectangular structure through the connecting member 12; and each connecting member 12 is movably connected to the oblique link 2.

[0048] With such an arrangement, each telescopic member 1 of the bionic tensegrity structural module can be telescoped and transformed along the length direction through the telescopic rod 10. Moreover, since each telescopic rod 10 is movably connected to two oblique connecting rods 2, the telescopic rod 10 drives the oblique connecting rods 2 to transform in the height direction when it is telescoped and extended, thereby realizing the configuration transformation of the entire bionic tensegrity structural module.

[0049] For the above telescopic rod 10, please refer to Figures 2 to 6 Each telescopic rod 10 includes an inner connecting rod 100 and an outer connecting rod 101; one end of the inner connecting rod 100 is sleeved in the outer connecting rod 101, and the inner connecting rod 100 is movably connected to the outer connecting rod 101. A spring 102 is connected between the inside of the outer connecting rod 101 and the inner connecting rod 101. The spring 102 is arranged along the axial direction of the outer connecting rod 101, and the other end of the inner connecting rod 100 extends out of the outer connecting rod 101; the other end of the inner connecting rod 100 is connected and fixed with a connecting piece 12, and the end of the outer connecting rod 101 away from the inner connecting rod 100 is connected and fixed with the connecting piece 12.

[0050] Among them, the end face of the inner connecting rod 100 is provided with two semicircular convex walls 1000, and the outer walls of the two semicircular convex walls 1000 are circumferentially arranged with an annular convex wall 1002; the outer connecting rod 101 is provided with a space for the inner connecting rod 100 to slide along the axial direction of the outer connecting rod 101, and the inner wall of the outer connecting rod 101 is circumferentially arranged with five annular grooves 1010, i.e., the five gears of the telescopic part 1, and the five annular grooves 1010 are evenly spaced along the axial direction of the outer connecting rod 101, and the annular convex wall 1002 is used for movably clamping in the annular groove 1010. The evenly spaced arrangement of the five annular grooves 1010 can maintain the regular physical property differences of the configurations between the five gears to meet different usage requirements.

[0051] It should be noted that the annular convex wall 1002 is movably mounted in different annular grooves 1010 to achieve five different switching positions, thereby achieving the gear-type telescopic control of the telescopic member 1, so that the tensegrity structural module forms five different configurations. The configuration of this embodiment is that the annular convex wall 1002 is movably mounted in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the leftmost annular groove 1010.

[0052] When in use, the annular convex wall 1002 is movable Figure 1 and Figure 2 The leftmost annular groove 1010 is located in the embodiment, so the configuration of this embodiment is the lowest height and the widest length among the tensegrity structural modules, that is, Figure 1 As shown in , those skilled in the art can make a selection according to the needs during use.

[0053] In addition, the two semicircular convex walls 1000 are arranged opposite to each other with a gap 1001, and the outer walls of the two semicircular convex walls 1000 are provided with a raised slider 1003, and the two raised sliders 1003 are arranged on both sides of the axis of the inner connecting rod 100; the side walls of the outer connecting rod 101 are provided with a slide groove 1011, and the two slide grooves 1011 pass through the side walls of the outer connecting rod 101. The two raised sliders 1003 are slidably installed in the two slide grooves 1011, so when the inner connecting rod 100 is When the annular convex wall 1002 needs to be movably switched to a different annular groove 1010, a person skilled in the art can press the two raised sliders 1003 on the inner connecting rod 100 to narrow the gap 1001 between the two semicircular convex walls 1000, and drag the inner connecting rod 100 in the slide groove 1011 until the annular convex wall 1002 is switched to a suitable annular groove 1010, thereby realizing the switching of different gears of the telescopic rod 10, thereby realizing the formation of different configurations of the tensegrity structural module.

[0054] Of course, the two semicircular convex walls 1000 are made of a material with elastic deformation ability, and the annular groove 1010 is arranged in a crescent shape on the circumference of the inner wall of the outer connecting rod 101, that is, there is no annular groove 1010 in the top arc of the inner wall of the outer connecting rod 101, so that the annular convex wall 1002 can be disengaged from the annular groove 1010 after being pressed by external force, thereby leaving space for the annular convex wall 1002 to move inside the outer connecting rod 101.

[0055] It should be pointed out that a spring 102 is fixedly connected between the gap 1001 between the two semicircular convex walls 1000 and the inner space of the outer connecting rod 101. The spring 102 is arranged along the axial direction of the outer connecting rod 101. Through the setting of the spring 102, a certain load is provided for the connection between the outer connecting rod 101 and the inner connecting rod 100 to maintain the physical structure stability of the entire telescopic member 1.

[0056] For the above-mentioned connector 12, please refer to Figure 1 A plurality of sockets are provided on the wall surface of the connecting member 12, which are respectively used to connect the fixed telescopic rod 10 and the fixed connecting rod 11, and a pair of raised side walls are provided on the connecting member 12, each of which is provided with a through hole, which is used to movably connect the oblique connecting rod 2. Through such an arrangement, the connecting member 12 can connect the fixed telescopic rod 10 and the fixed connecting rod 11, and movably connect the oblique connecting rod 2.

[0057] It should be noted that a vertical through hole 120 is also provided on the connecting member 12, and the vertical through hole 120 is used to provide a connection basis for the rope-driven connection. For example, when multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules need to be connected to each other, they can be connected by passing a rope through the vertical through hole 120.

[0058] For the above-mentioned oblique link 2, please refer to Figure 1 , the two oblique links 2 are hinged Figure 1 The connecting member 12 in the upper telescopic member 1 and the connecting member 12 in the lower telescopic member 1, and the two oblique connecting rods 2 are connected and distributed in an "X" shape. Through such a structural arrangement, the structural stability of the upper telescopic member 1 and the lower telescopic member 1 can be maintained.

[0059] It should be pointed out that the oblique connecting rod 2 and the connecting member 12 are hingedly connected, and a connecting through hole is provided at the end of the oblique connecting rod 2. The connecting through hole of the oblique connecting rod 2 is aligned with the through holes of a pair of raised side walls of the connecting member 12. A latch rod is connected between the through hole of the connecting member 12 and the connecting through hole of the oblique connecting rod 2. The latch rod is fixed to the outside of the two raised side walls of the connecting member 12 by nuts, so that the oblique connecting rod 2 is hingedly connected to the connecting member 12 through the latch rod.

[0060] To sum up, the inner link 100 and the outer link 101 in the telescopic part 1 cooperate with each other to form five different telescopic gears for the telescopic part 1. The telescopic part 1 cooperates with the oblique link 2 to achieve configuration transformation between homologous similar modules of the bionic tensegrity structural module to solve the problem of complex reconstruction module structure of existing continuous robotic arms or robots.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] The present invention provides a second embodiment of a bionic tensegrity structural module, please refer to Figure 7 , which is basically the same as the first embodiment, except that the annular convex wall 1002 is not movably mounted on the Figure 1 The leftmost annular groove 1010 is located in the movable clamp. Figure 7 In the annular groove 1010 on the far right.

[0063] Among them, through such a setting, the configuration of this embodiment is the configuration with the highest height and the shortest length in the tensile integral structure module. Compared with the configuration of the first embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is higher than the first embodiment and shorter than the first embodiment. Those skilled in the art can switch the configuration according to actual use requirements.

[0064] It should be noted that the configuration of the first embodiment is switched to the configuration of the second embodiment by pressing the raised slider 1003 on the inner connecting rod 100, so that the annular convex wall 1002 of the inner connecting rod 100 is Figure 1 and Figure 2 Move to the leftmost Figure 7 The configuration switch is completed by inserting the annular groove 1010 on the far right side of the housing.

[0065] Example 3

[0066] The present invention provides a third embodiment of a bionic tensegrity structural module, please refer to Figure 8, which is basically the same as the first embodiment, except that the annular convex wall 1002 is not movably mounted on the Figure 1 The leftmost annular groove 1010 is located in the movable clamp. Figure 8 In the middle annular groove 1010.

[0067] Among them, through such a setting, the configuration of this embodiment is a configuration of medium height and medium length in the tensegrity integral structure module. Compared with the configuration of the first embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is higher than the first embodiment and shorter than the first embodiment; compared with the configuration of the second embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is lower than the second embodiment and longer than the second embodiment; technical personnel in this field can switch the configuration according to actual usage requirements.

[0068] It should be noted that the method of switching the configuration of the first embodiment to the configuration of the third embodiment is similar to the method of switching the configuration of the first embodiment to the second embodiment, that is, by pressing the raised slider 1003 on the inner connecting rod 100, the annular convex wall 1002 of the inner connecting rod 100 is moved from Figure 1 and Figure 2 Move to the leftmost Figure 8 The configuration is switched by placing the cam in the annular groove 1010 on the middle side.

[0069] Example 4

[0070] The present invention provides a fourth embodiment of a bionic tensegrity structural module, please refer to Figure 9 , which is basically the same as the first embodiment, except that the annular convex wall 1002 is not movably mounted on the Figure 1 and Figure 2 The leftmost annular groove 1010 is located in the movable clamp. Figure 9 In the second annular groove 1010 from the left.

[0071] Among them, through such an arrangement, the configuration of this embodiment is a transitional configuration between the first embodiment and the third embodiment in the tensegrity integral structure module, that is, a configuration with a slightly higher height and a slightly shorter length. Compared with the configuration of the first embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is higher in height and shorter in length than the configuration of the first embodiment; compared with the configuration of the third embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is lower in height and longer in length than the configuration of the third embodiment; those skilled in the art can switch the configuration according to actual usage requirements.

[0072] It should be noted that the method of switching the configuration of the first embodiment to the configuration of the fourth embodiment is similar to the aforementioned configuration switching method, that is, by pressing the raised slider 1003 on the inner connecting rod 100, the annular convex wall 1002 of the inner connecting rod 100 is moved from Figure 1 and Figure 2 Move to the leftmost Figure 9 The configuration switch is completed in the second annular groove 1010 from the left.

[0073] Example 5

[0074] The present invention provides a fifth embodiment of a bionic tensegrity structural module, please refer to Figure 10 , which is basically the same as the first embodiment, except that the annular convex wall 1002 is not movably mounted on the Figure 1 and Figure 2 The leftmost annular groove 1010 is located in the movable clamp. Figure 10 In the second annular groove 1010 from the right.

[0075] Among them, through such a setting, the configuration of this embodiment is a transitional configuration between the second embodiment and the third embodiment in the tensegrity integral structure module, that is, a configuration with the second highest height and the second shortest length. Compared with the configuration of the third embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is higher in height than the configuration of the third embodiment, and shorter in length than the configuration of the third embodiment; compared with the configuration of the second embodiment, the configuration in this embodiment is lower in height than the configuration of the second embodiment, and longer in length than the configuration of the second embodiment; those skilled in the art can switch the configuration according to actual usage requirements.

[0076] It should be noted that the method of switching the configuration of the first embodiment to the configuration of the fifth embodiment is similar to the aforementioned configuration switching method, that is, by pressing the raised slider 1003 on the inner connecting rod 100, the annular convex wall 1002 of the inner connecting rod 100 is moved from Figure 1 and Figure 2 Move to the leftmost Figure 10 The configuration switch is completed in the second annular groove 1010 from the middle right.

[0077] In combination with the above-mentioned first to fifth embodiments, those skilled in the art can set the snap fit of the annular convex wall 1002 of the inner connecting rod 100 and the annular groove 1010 of the outer connecting rod 101 according to actual needs, that is, set the gear position of the telescopic part 1 to meet the needs of different configurations, and can also switch between different configurations to achieve the purpose of configuration transformation of the entire bionic tensile integral structure module.

[0078] In addition to the above-mentioned single transformation of the bionic tensegrity structural module, multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules can be connected to form the structure of the entire robotic arm. The telescopic part 1 in each bionic tensegrity structural module can be transformed homologously according to different gears. After regulating the paradigm of multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules, the physical properties of the local bending stiffness can be changed, thereby realizing the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm, and ultimately enabling it to develop conformal interactive environmental integration capabilities. Specifically, the sixth embodiment will be used below to describe in detail.

[0079] Example 6

[0080] The present invention provides a sixth embodiment of a bionic tensegrity structural module, please refer to Figures 11 to 17 This embodiment is based on the bionic tensegrity structural module of the first embodiment, which connects multiple bionic tensegrity structural modules to each other to form a robotic arm mechanism. The number of bionic tensegrity structural modules in this embodiment is preferably ten, and the ten modules are serially connected through four drive ropes 3 to form a robotic arm structure, that is, a continuous robot.

[0081] For the drive rope 3, please refer to Figure 11 The driving ropes 3 are connected to the connectors 12 on the four corners of the bionic tensegrity structural module and are driven through the vertical through holes 120 on the connectors 12 .

[0082] Also, please refer to Figure 17 The driving rope 3 is driven by two driving motors 5 through two driving reels 4, thereby driving the continuous robot movement. The driving motor 5 is installed on the mounting bracket 6 through the motor fixing bracket, thereby forming the entire robot system.

[0083] It should be noted that the driving rope 3 is driven by the driving motor 5 to drive the ten bionic tensegrity structural modules to move.

[0084] Through the above arrangement, the ten tensegrity structural modules are interconnected to form a robotic arm structure, and the configuration of the ten tensegrity structural modules can be adjusted according to usage requirements.

[0085] The following will detail the configuration switching of the ten tensegrity structural modules connected to each other to form a robotic arm structure. In one case, the configurations of the ten tensegrity structural modules are kept consistent, and the ten tensegrity structural modules are switched from the original configuration to another configuration. The original ten tensegrity structural modules are kept in the configuration of the first embodiment, such as Figure 12 As shown, when those skilled in the art need to switch the overall configuration, all ten tensegrity structural modules can be switched to the configuration of the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 13or switch all ten tensegrity structural modules to the configuration of the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 14 or switch all ten tensegrity structural modules to the configuration of the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 15 or switch all ten tensegrity structural modules to the configuration of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 16 As shown, the robotic arm structure formed by the ten tensegrity structural modules cooperates with the drive motor 5 and the drive rope 3 to maintain the physical properties of the stiffness of the entire robotic arm consistent.

[0086] In addition to keeping the configurations of the ten tensegrity modules consistent, another situation is to keep the configurations of most tensegrity modules unchanged and adjust the configurations of one or several tensegrity modules individually to form a successively smaller manipulator structure, such as Figure 11 As shown, the first tensegrity structural module from the right is reconstructed into the configuration of the second embodiment, the second tensegrity structural module from the right is reconstructed into the configuration of the fifth embodiment, the third tensegrity structural module from the right is reconstructed into the configuration of the third embodiment, and the fourth tensegrity structural module from the right is reconstructed into the configuration of the fourth embodiment. The remaining tensegrity structural modules remain in the configuration of the first embodiment, that is, the tensegrity structural modules are arranged from large to small from left to right to imitate the structure of the seahorse tail from large to small, thereby realizing a structure similar to the seahorse tail; and the mechanical arm structure formed by the above ten tensegrity structural modules cooperates with the drive The driving motor 5 and the driving rope 3 can adjust the physical properties of a certain local bending stiffness of the entire robotic arm, thereby realizing a function similar to that of a seahorse's tail, thereby completing the purpose of conformal reconstruction. For example, in smart agriculture, the configuration of the continuous robot constructed by the modules proposed in this patent can be reconstructed according to the geometric shape of crops, that is, the ten tensegrity structural modules are adjusted to a successively smaller robotic arm structure, and then cooperate with the driving motor 5 and the driving rope 3 to drive the entire robotic arm to bend according to the shape of the crop, thereby realizing the robot's conformal grasping of the crop, avoiding the problem of crop rot caused by excessive local stress during picking or transportation.

[0087] Of course, in addition to the above-mentioned adjustment of the robotic arm structure to a gradually decreasing seahorse tail-like structure, the ten tensegrity structural modules connected to form a robotic arm structure can also show 5 10 There are various configurations of the entire robotic arm, and those skilled in the art can select a configuration based on usage requirements.

[0088] The present invention can connect multiple identical bionic tensegrity structural modules to form a robotic arm structure. By regulating the simple tensegrity structural module, the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm can be controlled, which completely realizes the purpose of controlling the reconstruction of the entire robotic arm by regulating a simple single module, and solves the problem of complex structure caused by the tensegrity reconstruction module relying on the combination of multiple types of modules in the prior art.

[0089] The above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bionic tensegrity structural module, characterized in that: including a telescopic member and an oblique connecting rod; The two telescopic members are arranged opposite to each other, and two oblique connecting rods are movably connected to opposite sides of the two telescopic members, and the two oblique connecting rods on the same side are arranged crosswise; The telescopic member includes a telescopic rod, a fixed connecting rod and a connecting member; The two telescopic rods are arranged opposite to each other, and the two fixed connecting rods are arranged opposite to each other in a direction perpendicular to the telescopic rods. The end surface of any telescopic rod is connected and fixed to the end surface of the adjacent fixed connecting rod by the connecting member; the connecting member is movably connected to the oblique connecting rod; The telescopic member is used for performing gear-type telescoping so that the tensegrity structural module forms different configurations, and a plurality of the bionic tensegrity structural modules are used for interconnecting to form a successively smaller robotic arm structure.

2. A bionic tensegrity structural module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic rod includes an inner connecting rod and an outer connecting rod; One end of the inner connecting rod is sleeved in the outer connecting rod, the inner connecting rod is movably connected to the outer connecting rod, a spring is connected between the inner connecting rod and the outer connecting rod, the spring is arranged along the axis of the outer connecting rod, and the other end of the inner connecting rod extends out of the outer connecting rod; The other end of the inner connecting rod is connected and fixed with the connecting piece, and the end of the outer connecting rod away from the inner connecting rod is connected and fixed with the connecting piece.

3. The bionic tensegrity structural module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The end surface of the inner connecting rod is provided with two semicircular convex walls; The two semicircular convex walls are arranged opposite to each other with a gap therebetween, the spring is connected and fixed between the gap and the inner portion of the outer connecting rod, and an annular convex wall is circumferentially arranged on the outer walls of the two semicircular convex walls; A plurality of annular grooves are arranged circumferentially within the outer connecting rod, and the annular convex wall is used to be movably clamped in any one of the annular grooves.

4. The bionic tensegrity structural module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The plurality of annular grooves are evenly arranged along the axis direction of the outer connecting rod.

5. The bionic tensegrity structural module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer side walls of the two semicircular convex walls are both provided with a convex sliding block; A sliding groove is provided on the side wall of the outer connecting rod, and the raised sliding block is slidably installed in the sliding groove.

6. The bionic tensegrity structural module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting member is hingedly connected to the oblique connecting rod.

7. The bionic tensegrity structural module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting member is provided with a vertical through hole, and the vertical through hole is used for connecting adjacent bionic tensegrity structural modules by rope drive.

Citation Information

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