Reconfigurable connection structure of a robot arm and an end effector and a connection method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a reconfigurable connecting structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector and a connecting method thereof, and the structure comprises a mechanical arm connecting assembly arranged on the mechanical arm and an end tool arranged on the end effector. The mechanical arm connecting assembly comprises a mechanical arm host pipeline, a pipeline connecting plate displacement device, a pipeline connecting plate and a connecting device A. The end tool comprises a tail pipeline and a connecting device B. When the mechanical arm connecting assembly and the end tool are docked, the tail pipeline is inserted into a circular truncated cone shaped through hole on the pipeline connecting plate and is connected with the mechanical arm host pipeline. The connecting device A and the connecting device B are locked and fixed one by one. The mechanical arm host pipeline and the tail pipeline are all power lines, signal lines or pipelines for transporting substances, and are used for transmitting control signals, transmitting currents or transmitting working substances from the mechanical arm to the end effector. The application can solve the problems of replacement, installation and disassembly of the mechanical arm and the end effector in an environment unsuitable for human work.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of mechanical arm, and particularly relates to a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector and a connection method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] The replacement and installation of the existing mechanical arm and end effector need to be completed manually, and the replacement and installation of the mechanical arm and end effector are difficult to be implemented in an environment unsuitable for human work. SUMMARY

[0003] Therefore, the present application provides a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector and a connection method thereof, which can solve the problems of replacement, installation and disassembly of the mechanical arm and end effector in an environment unsuitable for human work.

[0004] The present application is implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0005] The reconfigurable connection structure of the mechanical arm and the end effector comprises a mechanical arm connection assembly arranged on the mechanical arm and an end tool arranged on the end effector.

[0006] The mechanical arm connection assembly comprises a mechanical arm host pipeline, a pipeline connection plate displacement device, a pipeline connection plate and a connection device A.

[0007] The end tool comprises a tail pipeline and a connection device B.

[0008] The pipeline connection plate is installed on the mechanical arm through the pipeline connection plate displacement device; the pipeline connection plate is machined with two or more same circular truncated cone through holes; the small diameter ends of the circular truncated cone through holes of the pipeline connection plate are respectively connected with the mechanical arm host pipeline; and two or more connection devices A are installed on the mechanical arm.

[0009] Two or more tail pipelines are fixed on the top of the end effector, and the part of each tail pipeline extending out of the end effector is in a circular truncated cone structure; and two or more connection devices B are installed on the end effector.

[0010] When the mechanical arm connection assembly and the end tool are docked, the tail pipelines are correspondingly inserted into the circular truncated cone through holes on the pipeline connection plate and are correspondingly connected with the mechanical arm host pipeline; the connection device A and the connection device B are correspondingly locked and fixed; wherein the mechanical arm host pipeline and the tail pipeline are power lines, signal lines or material conveying pipelines, which are used for transmitting control signals, transmitting currents or transmitting working materials from the mechanical arm to the end effector.

[0011] Further, the mechanical arm connecting assembly further comprises two or more device information identification devices; the end tool further comprises two or more device information transmitting devices; when the mechanical arm connecting assembly and the end tool are docked, the device information transmitting devices and the device information identification devices correspond to each other for signal transmission.

[0012] Further, the two or more device information transmitting devices are respectively one or more device position information transmitting devices and one or more device state information transmitting devices, and the two or more device information identification devices are respectively one or more device position information identification devices and one or more device state information identification devices; the device position information transmitting devices are used to transmit the position information of the end effector in real time; when the device position information transmitting devices and the device position information identification devices correspond to each other, the device position information identification devices can receive the position information, the device position information identification devices are triggered, indicating that the end effector is moved to the position, and the positioning between the mechanical arm and the end effector is realized; at the same time, the device state information transmitting devices are used to transmit the state information of the end effector in real time; the device state information identification devices are used to receive the state information and judge whether it is the required end effector according to the state information.

[0013] Further, the connecting device A is a telescopic rod, and the connecting device B is a connecting hole; when the connecting device A and the connecting device B are not connected, the telescopic rod can be retracted into the mechanical arm, and after reaching the predetermined position of the end effector, the telescopic rod is extended and connected with the connecting hole, realizing the mechanical connection between the mechanical arm and the end effector.

[0014] Further, the outer circumferential surface of the tail pipeline is provided with one or more sealing rings matched with the grooves.

[0015] A connection method of a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector, and the specific steps are as follows:

[0016] Step one, determine the required end effector according to the instruction;

[0017] Step two, identify whether it is the end effector through the device state information identification device;

[0018] Step three, the mechanical arm connecting assembly of the mechanical arm and the end tool of the end effector are mechanically connected;

[0019] Step four, control the displacement of the pipeline connecting plate through the pipeline connecting plate displacement device, so that the tail pipeline is connected with the main pipeline of the mechanical arm.

[0020] Beneficial effects:

[0021] In an easy-to-implement method,

[0022] (1) The application provides a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector, which can realize the reconfigurable connection of the mechanical arm and the end effector, realize the transmission of working information flow, material flow and energy flow between the mechanical arm and the end effector, and solve the problems of replacement, installation and disassembly of the mechanical arm and the end effector through the cooperation of a mechanical arm connection assembly arranged on the mechanical arm and an end tool arranged on the end effector.

[0023] (2) The application provides a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector, wherein the mechanical arm connection assembly further comprises two or more device information identification devices; the end tool further comprises two or more device information transmitting devices; when the mechanical arm connection assembly and the end tool are docked, the device information transmitting devices and the device information identification devices one-to-one correspond to perform signal transmission; and the structure can realize the automatic and unmanned replacement, installation and disassembly of the mechanical arm and the end effector.

[0024] (3) The application provides a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector, wherein the connection device A is a telescopic rod, and the connection device B is a connecting hole; the telescopic rod can realize the locking and fixing between the mechanical arm and the end effector through the telescopic action, and the operation is simple and convenient and easy to realize.

[0025] (4) The application provides a connection method of a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector, and the method can realize the automatic and unmanned replacement, installation and disassembly of the mechanical arm and the end effector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a structural composition diagram of the mechanical arm of the application;

[0027] Figure 2 It is a structural composition diagram of the end effector of the application;

[0028] Among them, 10-mechanical arm, 20-end effector, 101-mechanical arm main pipeline, 102-pipeline connecting plate displacement device, 103-pipeline connecting plate, 104-connection device A, 105-device information identification device, 201-tail pipeline, 202-connection device B, 203-device information transmitting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The application will be described in detail below in combination with the drawings and examples.

[0030] Example 1:

[0031] The embodiment provides a reconfigurable connection structure of a mechanical arm and an end effector, which comprises a mechanical arm connection assembly arranged on a mechanical arm 10 and an end tool arranged on an end effector 20.

[0032] Referring to the drawings Figure 1 The docking end of the mechanical arm 10 connected to the end effector is a U-shaped structure, and the mechanical arm connecting assembly is installed between the two side plates of the U-shaped structure. The mechanical arm connecting assembly comprises a mechanical arm main machine pipeline 101, a pipeline connecting plate displacement device 102, a pipeline connecting plate 103, a connecting device A 104, and a device information identification device 105.

[0033] The pipeline connecting plate displacement device 102 is installed between the two side plates of the mechanical arm 10, and the pipeline connecting plate 103 is installed on the pipeline connecting plate displacement device 102 and located between the two side plates of the mechanical arm 10. The pipeline connecting plate displacement device 102 is used to drive the pipeline connecting plate 103 to move along the length direction of the two side plates of the mechanical arm 10.

[0034] The pipeline connecting plate 104 is machined with two or more identical circular truncated cone through holes, and the large diameter ends of all the circular truncated cone through holes are located on the same side of the pipeline connecting plate 104, and the small diameter ends of all the circular truncated cone through holes are located on the other side of the pipeline connecting plate 104. The side where the large diameter ends of the circular truncated cone through holes are located is the input port working surface, and the side where the small diameter ends of the circular truncated cone through holes are located is the output port working surface. The input port working surface is closer to the opening of the U-shaped structure of the mechanical arm 10, i.e. the ends of the two side plates of the mechanical arm 10, than the output port working surface. The small diameter ends of the circular truncated cone through holes of the pipeline connecting plate 104 are respectively connected with the mechanical arm main machine pipeline 101. The inner circumferential surface of the circular truncated cone through hole is machined with one or more grooves for accommodating sealing rings.

[0035] The two side plates of the mechanical arm 10 are respectively provided with two or more connecting devices A 104 and two or more device information identification devices 105 on the opposite surfaces. In this embodiment, there are four connecting devices A 104 and four device information identification devices 105, i.e. two connecting devices A 104 and two device information identification devices 105 are respectively provided on each side plate. The connecting devices A 104 on the two side plates are opposite to each other, the device information identification devices 105 on the two side plates are opposite to each other, and the connecting devices A 104 are closer to the pipeline connecting plate 104 than the information identification devices 105.

[0036] Referring to the drawings Figure 2 The docking end of the end effector 20 connected to the mechanical arm 10 is a rectangular block structure, and the end tool is installed on the surface of the rectangular block structure. The end tool comprises a tail pipeline 201, a connecting device B 202, and a device information transmission device 203.

[0037] Two or more tail pipelines 201 are fixed on the top of the rectangular block structure, and the part of each tail pipeline 201 extending out of the rectangular block structure is a circular truncated cone structure, and the outer circumferential surface of the circular truncated cone structure is provided with two or more sealing rings; the circular truncated cone structure of the tail pipeline 201 can be matched with the hole shaft of the circular truncated cone-shaped through hole of the pipeline connecting plate 104;

[0038] Two or more connecting devices B202 are arranged on two opposite sides of the rectangular block structure, and in the embodiment, four connecting devices B202 are arranged, two on each side; and the positions of the two connecting devices B202 on each side are one-to-one opposite to the positions of the two connecting devices A104 on each side plate of the mechanical arm 10; the connecting device B202 can be connected one-to-one with the connecting device A104;

[0039] Two or more device information transmitting devices 203 are also arranged on two opposite sides of the rectangular block structure, and are located on the same side as the connecting device B202; in the embodiment, four device information transmitting devices 203 are arranged, two on each side; and the positions of the two device information transmitting devices 203 on each side are one-to-one opposite to the positions of the two device information identifying devices 105 on each side plate of the mechanical arm 10; the device information transmitting device 203 can transmit signals one-to-one with the device information identifying device 105.

[0040] When the mechanical arm 10 is connected with the end effector 20, the mechanical arm 10 is moved so that the rectangular block structure of the end effector 20 enters between the two side plates of the U-shaped structure of the mechanical arm 10, and the device information identifying device 105 on the mechanical arm 10 corresponds one-to-one with the device information transmitting device 203 on the end effector 20; in the embodiment, the four device information transmitting devices 203 are three groups of device position information transmitting devices and one group of device state information transmitting devices, and the four device information identifying devices 105 are three groups of device position information identifying devices and one group of device state information identifying devices; the device position information transmitting device is used to transmit the position information of the end effector 20 in real time; when the three groups of device position information transmitting devices and the three groups of device position information identifying devices are one-to-one opposite, the device position information identifying device can receive the position information, and the device position information identifying device is triggered, indicating that the end effector 20 is moved to the position, realizing the positioning between the mechanical arm 10 and the end effector 20; at the same time, the device state information transmitting device is used to transmit the state information of the end effector 20 in real time; the device state information identifying device is used to receive the state information, and judge whether it is the required end effector 20 according to the state information;

[0041] When the end effector 20 is moved into position, the connection device A104 on the mechanical arm 10 is connected to the connection device B202 on the end effector 20 one by one; in this embodiment, the four connection devices A104 are four telescopic rods, and the four connection devices B202 are four connection holes; when the connection device A104 and the connection device B202 are not connected, the telescopic rod can be retracted into the mechanical arm 10; after reaching the predetermined position of the end effector 20, the telescopic rod is extended and connected with the connection hole, locked and fixed, realizing the mechanical connection between the mechanical arm 10 and the end effector 20.

[0042] When the mechanical arm 10 and the end effector 20 are mechanically connected, the pipeline connection plate displacement device 102 drives the pipeline connection plate 101 to move towards the direction of the end effector 20, so that the circular truncated cone structure of the tail pipeline 201 cooperates with the circular truncated cone hole axis of the pipeline connection plate 104, and then the small diameter end of the tail pipeline 201 is connected with the mechanical arm main pipeline 101 to form a pipeline, and a certain pressure is applied, so that the sealing ring on the tail pipeline 201 is clamped in the groove on the circular truncated cone hole of the pipeline connection plate 104, sealing the pipeline; in this embodiment, the mechanical arm main pipeline 104 and the tail pipeline 201 can be power lines, signal lines, or material transport pipelines, and can be used for the mechanical arm to transmit control signals, transmit current and transmit working materials to the end effector; the mechanical arm main pipeline 104 is a material transport pipeline; the pipeline connection plate displacement device 102 can be a hydraulic rod, one end of which is fixed to the upper part of the mechanical arm and the other end is fixed to the middle part of the pipeline connection plate 104.

[0043] Embodiment 2

[0044] This embodiment provides a reconfigurable connection method of a mechanical arm and an end effector based on embodiment 1, and the specific steps are as follows:

[0045] Step one, determine the required end effector 20 according to the instruction;

[0046] Step two, identify whether it is the end effector 20 through the device state information identification device;

[0047] Step three, the mechanical arm connection assembly of the mechanical arm 10 is mechanically connected with the end tool of the end effector 20;

[0048] Step four, control the displacement of the pipeline connection plate by the pipeline connection plate displacement device, so that the tail pipeline 201 is connected with the mechanical arm main pipeline 101.

[0049] To sum up, the above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and is not used to limit the protection scope of the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable connection structure of a robot arm and an end effector, characterized by, The application relates to a mechanical arm connecting assembly and a terminal tool. The mechanical arm connecting assembly comprises a mechanical arm main machine pipeline, a pipeline connecting plate displacement device, a pipeline connecting plate and connecting device A. The terminal tool comprises tail pipelines and connecting device B. The pipeline connecting plate is installed on the mechanical arm through the pipeline connecting plate displacement device; two or more same circular truncated hole through holes are machined on the pipeline connecting plate; the small-diameter ends of the circular truncated hole through holes of the pipeline connecting plate are connected with the mechanical arm main machine pipelines respectively; and two or more connecting device A are installed on the mechanical arm. Two or more tail pipelines are fixed on the top of the terminal tool, and the parts of the tail pipelines extending out of the terminal tool are circular truncated structures; and two or more connecting device B are installed on the terminal tool. When the mechanical arm connecting assembly and the terminal tool are docked, the tail pipelines are correspondingly inserted into the circular truncated hole through holes on the pipeline connecting plate and are connected with the mechanical arm main machine pipelines correspondingly; the connecting device A and the connecting device B are correspondingly locked and fixed; wherein the mechanical arm main machine pipelines and the tail pipelines are power lines, signal lines or pipelines for transporting substances, and are used for transmitting control signals, transmitting currents or transmitting working substances from the mechanical arm to the terminal tool. The mechanical arm connecting assembly further comprises two or more device information identification devices; the terminal tool further comprises two or more device information transmitting devices; when the mechanical arm connecting assembly and the terminal tool are docked, the device information transmitting devices and the device information identification devices correspondingly transmit signals; The two or more device information transmitting devices are a group of device position information transmitting devices and a group of device state information transmitting devices respectively, and the two or more device information identification devices are a group of device position information identification devices and a group of device state information identification devices respectively; the device position information transmitting devices are used for transmitting position information of the terminal tool in real time; when the device position information transmitting devices and the device position information identification devices are opposite to each other, the device position information identification devices can receive the position information, the device position information identification devices are triggered, the terminal tool is indicated to be moved to a position, and positioning between the mechanical arm and the terminal tool is realized; meanwhile, the device state information transmitting devices are used for transmitting state information of the terminal tool in real time; and the device state information identification devices are used for receiving the state information and judging whether the terminal tool is required according to the state information. The connecting device A is a telescopic rod, the connecting device B is a connecting hole, the telescopic rod can be retracted into the mechanical arm when the connecting device A and the connecting device B are not connected, the telescopic rod is extended and connected with the connecting hole after reaching a predetermined position of the terminal tool, and mechanical connection between the mechanical arm and the terminal tool is realized. The inner circumferential surface of the circular truncated hole through hole of the pipeline connecting plate is machined with one or more grooves; and the outer circumferential surface of the tail pipeline is provided with one or more sealing rings matched with the grooves. The pipeline connecting plate displacement device controls displacement of the pipeline connecting plate, so that the tail pipelines are connected with the mechanical arm main machine pipelines. The specific steps are as follows:

2. A connection method of a reconfigurable connection structure of a robot arm and an end effector, based on the reconfigurable connection structure of claim 1, characterized in that, Step one, determining the required terminal tool according to instructions. ​ Step two, whether the end effector is identified by the device state information identification device; Step three, the mechanical arm connecting assembly of the mechanical arm is mechanically connected with the end tool of the end effector; Step four, the pipeline connecting plate displacement device is controlled to displace the pipeline connecting plate, so that the tail pipeline is connected with the mechanical arm main machine pipeline.

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