A parallel mechanism based on expansion and locking of singular metamorphic cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells, comprising: a base, a plurality of moving components and a moving platform that are axially superimposed and rotatably connected to each other; wherein each moving component comprises a first horizontal rod rotatably connected to the base; a second horizontal rod rotatably connected to the moving platform; a telescopic component rotatably connected to the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod respectively; wherein each telescopic rod is configured to rotate up and down in the axial direction so that the base and the moving platform are closer to or farther away from each other; the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod are configured to rotate horizontally in the radial direction so that the base, the moving platform and the moving component are at a singular point, and the moving component is constrained or released. The mechanism provided by the present invention has the advantages of strong bearing capacity, the ability to resist displacement fluctuations under impact loads, and the avoidance of unidirectional bearing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of deployment structures, and in particular to a parallel mechanism for deployment and locking based on singular metamorphic cells. Background Art

[0002] Deployable structures are widely used in the fields of industry, medicine, exploration, etc. Their advantages are that they are easy to place in a collapsed state, an expanded state that can adapt to different requirements, and an expansion process with a controllable path. After the expansion structure is deformed, it needs to resist the load through a locking design to maintain its shape. Traditional locking designs usually design additional locking mechanisms on the existing expansion structure. For example, the movable joints of the structure are locked by pins, mast tracks, barb grooves, spring devices, etc., which reduces the degree of freedom and achieves locking of the overall structure. Since the traditional locking mechanism is a limited locking of the movable joints, it will increase the overall floating mass, thereby increasing the requirements for the driving power. At the same time, the track in the locking mechanism will limit the degree of freedom of the mechanism and reduce the flexibility of the expansion. In addition, the locking mechanism that changes the joint from movable to locked will also become the most important load-bearing structure, and the strength requirements of the locking mechanism are high.

[0003] To overcome the limitations of traditional locking mechanisms, a multistable structural design combining deployment and locking has been proposed. Existing designs are primarily based on energy-based and contact-metamorphic multistable structures. Energy-based multistable structures, such as bending beams, springs, electromagnets, and origami structures, achieve locking by minimizing potential energy at a specific posture. However, energy-based multistable structures experience displacement fluctuations in their output platforms when faced with sudden or cyclical loads, making them unsuitable for applications requiring deformation maintenance. Contact-metamorphic multistable structures achieve locking by changing the contact surface or interaction force between components, thereby altering the overall topological structure. However, contact-metamorphic multistable structures can only withstand unidirectional loads. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular cells, so as to solve many problems in the prior art, such as weak bearing capacity of the expansion structure in the locked state, easy displacement fluctuation under impact load, and unidirectional bearing.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on a singular metamorphosis comprises: a base, a plurality of motion components, and a motion platform arranged axially stacked, wherein the base and the motion platform are connected via the plurality of motion components; wherein each motion component comprises:

[0007] a first horizontal rod, rotatably connected to the base;

[0008] a second horizontal rod, rotatably connected to the motion platform;

[0009] At least one telescopic rod, wherein the telescopic rod at the axial bottom end of the plurality of telescopic rods is rotatably connected to the first horizontal rod, the telescopic rod at the axial top end is rotatably connected to the second horizontal rod, and the plurality of telescopic rods between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are rotatably connected end to end in pairs;

[0010] In which, each of the telescopic rods is configured to rotate up and down in the axial direction, so that the base and the motion platform move closer to or away from each other; the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod are configured to rotate horizontally in the radial direction, so that the base, the motion platform and the motion component are at a singularity point, and the motion component establishes or releases constraints.

[0011] As one of the preferred solutions, the mechanism includes a drive assembly, which is electrically connected to each of the moving components to achieve target state driving of the telescopic rod and horizontal rod in each of the moving components to rotate up and down and horizontally.

[0012] As one of the preferred solutions, the drive assembly includes at least a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism, and the target state includes:

[0013] The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are used to drive the telescopic rod and the horizontal rod in each of the moving components to move simultaneously until they reach an expanded state, wherein the expanded state is characterized by the base and the moving platform being separated from each other, and the base, the moving platform, and the moving component being at a singular point;

[0014] The second driving mechanism is used to drive the horizontal rods in part of the moving components to move to a locked state, wherein the locked state is characterized by causing the corresponding moving components in the expanded state to establish constraints.

[0015] As one of the preferred solutions, a plurality of the moving components are arranged around the circumference of the base.

[0016] As one of the preferred solutions, every two of the plurality of moving components are radially symmetrical relative to the base.

[0017] As one of the preferred solutions, the telescopic rod at the axial bottom end is hinged to the first horizontal rod through a first horizontal rotation axis, and rotates up and down relative to the first horizontal rod about the first horizontal rotation axis;

[0018] The telescopic rod at the axial top end is hinged to the second horizontal rod via a second horizontal rotation axis, and rotates up and down relative to the second horizontal rod about the second horizontal rotation axis;

[0019] The plurality of telescopic rods located between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are hinged via a plurality of third horizontal rotation shafts, and the upper telescopic rod rotates up and down relative to the lower telescopic rod about the third horizontal rotation shaft.

[0020] As one of the preferred solutions, the first horizontal rod is hinged to the base via a first vertical rotation axis, and rotates horizontally relative to the base around the first vertical rotation axis;

[0021] The second horizontal rod is hinged to the motion platform via a second vertical rotation axis, and rotates horizontally relative to the motion platform around the second vertical rotation axis.

[0022] As one of the preferred solutions, the first horizontal rotation axis and the first vertical rotation axis are respectively located at any position within the first horizontal rod area; the second horizontal rotation axis and the second vertical rotation axis are respectively located at any position within the second horizontal rod area.

[0023] As one of the preferred schemes, the telescopic rod is set as one, the first horizontal rod, the telescopic rod and the second horizontal rod form a Z-shaped structure, and the rotation point between the first horizontal rod and the telescopic rod, and the rotation point between the second horizontal rod and the telescopic rod are respectively located at the inflection points of the Z-shaped structure.

[0024] As one of the preferred options, the telescopic rod includes a block structure with an axial cross-section being a parallelogram, wherein, when the base is close to the motion platform, the length of the straight side of the telescopic rod in contact with the first horizontal rod is greater than the length of the oblique side adjacent to the surface.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention provides a parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular cells, comprising: a base, a plurality of motion components and a motion platform arranged axially stacked, the base and the motion platform being connected via the plurality of motion components; wherein each of the motion components comprises: a first horizontal rod rotatably connected to the base; a second horizontal rod rotatably connected to the motion platform; at least one telescopic rod, wherein the telescopic rod located at the axial bottom end of the plurality of telescopic rods is rotatably connected to the first horizontal rod, the telescopic rod located at the axial top end is rotatably connected to the second horizontal rod, and the plurality of telescopic rods located between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are rotatably connected in pairs end to end; wherein each of the telescopic rods is configured to rotate up and down in the axial direction so that the base and the motion platform are moved closer to or away from each other; the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod are configured to rotate horizontally in the radial direction so that the base, the motion platform and the motion component are at a singular point, and so that the motion component establishes or releases constraints.

[0027] Through the technical solution provided by the present invention, the base is connected to the first horizontal rod through a rotating pair, the first horizontal rod is connected to the telescopic rod through different rotating pairs, and the telescopic rod is connected to the second horizontal rod through different rotating pairs. A plurality of moving components are formed through the above connection form, and the moving components can rotate relative to each other through the multiple connected rotating pairs. When the telescopic rod rotates up and down, the distance between the base and the moving platform is shortened or extended, thereby realizing that the mechanism is in the expanded state and the contracted state; the telescopic rod is driven to rotate synchronously horizontally by the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod, so that the position or posture of the moving component changes, thereby realizing that the mechanism in the expanded state appears singular. Since the mechanism has special constraints and specific geometric configurations in the singular state, the moving component will have local degrees of freedom. By further adjusting the position or posture of the moving component, some moving components are driven to move through local degrees of freedom under the premise that the base does not move, thereby changing the constraints of the moving components on the platform. At this time, the mechanism realizes cell transformation, thereby making the mechanism in a locked state.

[0028] In this way, by utilizing the singularity of the mechanism, compared with the traditional locking mechanism, the embodiment of the present invention integrates the deployment and locking into one mechanism, and adopts the form of a singular metamorphic cell to switch the deployment state and the locked state. In the locked state, the mechanism can be loaded by its own components, which solves the high load-bearing problem of the locking mechanism and avoids the displacement fluctuation of the energy-type multistable structure under impact load and the unidirectional load-bearing problem of the contact metamorphic cell multistable structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for the description of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the parallel mechanism based on the expansion and locking of the singular metamorphic cell in a contracted state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the parallel mechanism based on the expansion and locking of the singular metamorphic cell according to an embodiment of the present application during the expansion process;

[0032] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the parallel mechanism based on the expansion and locking of the singular metamorphic cell in an embodiment of the present application in the expanded state;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the parallel mechanism based on the expansion and locking of the singular metamorphic cell in a locked state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a non-moving moving component in a locked state according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a moving component that moves through local degrees of freedom in a locked state according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 7 This is an assembly diagram of the base and the first horizontal rod according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 8 This is an assembly diagram of the first horizontal member and the telescopic rod according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Description of the drawings: 100, base; 200, motion platform; 300, telescopic rod; 301, second horizontal rod; 302, first horizontal rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are merely schematic illustrations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape, and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout may also be more complex.

[0040] In the related art, deployment and locking structures are generally categorized into three main types: traditional locking mechanisms, energy-based multistable structures, and contact-metamorphic multistable structures. However, each type of structure presents its own challenges, as discussed in the background. Multistable designs for deployment structures present challenges and limitations, and currently, it is not possible to achieve a balance between structural stability, load requirements, deformability, and design and manufacturing feasibility.

[0041] In related technologies, mechanism singularity refers to the reliance on the deformation properties of singular metamorphic cells to achieve steady-state switching, resulting in a mechanism exhibiting a special state at certain positions or postures that can limit its range of motion or alter its operating state. Singular metamorphic cells can achieve specific kinematic and deformation properties. By varying their shape and parameters, specific mechanical motion and morphological changes can be achieved. Singular metamorphic cells can be used for planar constraints and trajectory control. By designing appropriate singular metamorphic cells, conditional constraints and trajectory control on specific planes can be achieved.

[0042] Mechanism singularities offer numerous advantages, but are currently limited to applications in Bricard-like single-ring and universal hinges, making them inappropriate for locking deployed structures. In this area, no research has yet applied singular metamorphic cells to locking designs. In light of this, this invention, based on the design concept of mechanism singularities, incorporates the concept of singular metamorphic cells into the design of deployed structures, providing new solutions and innovative approaches for the multi-stable design of deployed structures.

[0043] The present invention proposes a parallel mechanism based on the expansion and locking of singular metamorphic cells, the main purpose of which is to solve the above-mentioned problems at the same time.

[0044] Please refer to Figures 1-4 As shown, Figure 1 shows an exemplary mechanism in a collapsed state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 shows an exemplary mechanism in the process of deployment according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 3 shows an exemplary mechanism in a deployed state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 4 An exemplary mechanism in a locked state is shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0045] See also Figure 1An embodiment of the present invention provides a parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on a singular metamorphosis, comprising: a base 100, a plurality of motion components, and a motion platform 200, which are axially stacked, wherein the base 100 and the motion platform 200 are connected via the plurality of motion components; wherein each of the motion components comprises: a first horizontal rod 302, rotatably connected to the base 100; a second horizontal rod 301, rotatably connected to the motion platform 200; and at least one telescopic rod 300, wherein the telescopic rod 300 located at the axial bottom end of the plurality of telescopic rods 300 is rotatably connected to the first horizontal rod 302. The telescopic rod 300 located at the axial top end is rotatably connected to the second horizontal rod 301, and multiple telescopic rods 300 located between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are rotatably connected in pairs end to end; wherein, each of the telescopic rods 300 is configured to rotate up and down in the axial direction, so that the base 100 and the motion platform 200 move closer to or away from each other; the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301 are configured to rotate horizontally in the radial direction, so that the base 100, the motion platform 200 and the motion component are at a singularity point, and the motion component establishes or releases constraints.

[0046] Specifically, the axial stacking can be arranged in sequence in the axial direction, wherein the axial direction can be regarded as the height direction, or the direction from the base 100 to the motion platform 200. Figures 1-8 As shown by the arrows in the figure, base 100 and motion platform 200 are arranged in a vertical direction, with base 100 positioned below motion platform 200. Base 100 is configured to be supported on the ground or other supporting structure, serving as a support platform in various usage scenarios; motion platform 200 can be used to act on a target object to receive the load applied by the target object. For example, the mechanism can be used in fields such as jacks and aerospace. It is understood that the deployment structure has a wide range of applications, with different usage scenarios and target objects.

[0047] In some embodiments, the base 100 and the motion platform 200 may be of the same shape and size or of different shapes and sizes. Figure 1 The circular base 100 and the annular motion platform 200 are shown.

[0048] The multiple motion components can be components that move relative to the base 100 and the motion platform 200. The base 100 can be fixed in position, and the motion components enable relative motion between the base 100 and the motion platform 200. Each of the multiple motion components should have a consistent configuration, and each motion component can be composed of a first horizontal rod 302, multiple telescopic rods 300, and a second horizontal rod 301. In the axial direction, from bottom to top, they are the base 100, the first horizontal rod 302, the telescopic rods 300, the second horizontal rod 301, and the motion platform 200.

[0049] Specifically, the multiple telescopic rods 300 can rotate up and down, that is, the telescopic rod 300 at the axial bottom end can rotate up and down relative to the first horizontal rod 302, the telescopic rod 300 at the axial top end can rotate up and down relative to the second horizontal rod 301, and the upper telescopic rod 300 in the middle can rotate up and down relative to the lower telescopic rod 300. During the up and down rotation process, due to the change in the height of the telescopic rod 300, the height between the motion platform 200 connected to the second horizontal rod 301 and the base 100 connected to the first horizontal rod 302 changes, causing the two to move away from or approach each other. When the two move closer to each other, the distance between the base 100 and the motion platform 200 correspondingly shortens until it reaches the shortest distance, at which point the mechanism is in a retracted state. When the two move away from each other, the distance between the base 100 and the motion platform 200 correspondingly lengthens until it reaches the longest distance, at which point the mechanism is in an expanded state.

[0050] It is understandable that the sizes of the first horizontal rod 302 , the second horizontal rod 301 and the telescopic rod 300 , as well as the number of the telescopic rods 300 , can be determined based on the actual load that the mechanism needs to bear.

[0051] It will be appreciated that the greater the number of telescopic rods 300, the greater the distance they can be deployed. In some embodiments, the at least one telescopic rod 300 can be one or more telescopic rods 300. When there is only one telescopic rod 300, the telescopic rod 300 is rotatably connected to the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301, respectively. When there are multiple telescopic rods 300, the telescopic rod 300 at the axial bottom end is the telescopic rod 300 at the bottom in the height direction, and the telescopic rod 300 at the axial top end is the telescopic rod 300 at the top in the height direction.

[0052] It is understandable that the lengths of the first horizontal rod 302, the second horizontal rod 301 and the telescopic rod 300 can also be adjusted according to the actual deformation required by the mechanism, and the number of bases 100 or motion platforms 200 can be increased according to the deformation.

[0053] In some embodiments, multiple parallel mechanisms can also be stacked and used as a unit.

[0054] Specifically, the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301 can be horizontally rotated, that is, the first horizontal rod 302 can be horizontally rotated relative to the base 100, and the second horizontal rod 301 can be horizontally rotated relative to the motion platform 200. Since multiple telescopic rods 300 are connected to each other and the telescopic rods 300 at the two ends are respectively connected to the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301, the telescopic rod 300 can be driven to move synchronously with the two horizontal rods, thereby realizing the change of the position and posture of each moving component in the mechanism.

[0055] It can be understood that horizontal rotation can be rotation from front to back or from back to front in the same height direction, or clockwise rotation and counterclockwise rotation; the telescopic rod 300 can be rotated up and down, and up and down rotation can be understood as the telescopic rod 300 being at different heights during the rotation in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

[0056] In some embodiments, horizontal rotation and up and down rotation can be achieved through different rotating pairs. The direction of rotation is changed by setting the rotation center of the rotating pair. The rotation center of the rotating pair for up and down rotation is usually perpendicular to the rotation center of horizontal rotation, and the structure of the rotating pair for the same rotation direction can be set in the same way. The rotating pair can be defined as a connecting device or mechanism that can achieve rotational motion. In this embodiment, the rotating pair specifically refers to a rotating pair, which allows the component to rotate around a fixed axis. For example, in some embodiments, it can be a pin and pin hole structure, or a rotary bearing structure, or a key connection. Preferably, the various components in the embodiment of the present invention cooperate with each other through a pin and pin hole structure, and more descriptions about the pin and pin hole structure can be found below.

[0057] In this embodiment, the base 100 is connected to the first horizontal rod 302 through a rotating pair, the first horizontal rod 302 is connected to the telescopic rod 300 through a different rotating pair, the telescopic rod 300 is connected to the second horizontal rod 301 through a different rotating pair, and the second horizontal rod 301 is connected to the motion platform 200 through a different rotating pair. A plurality of moving components are formed through the above-mentioned connection form, and the moving components can rotate relative to each other through the multiple connected rotating pairs.

[0058] As a specific explanation of this embodiment, with the cooperation of different revolving pairs, the mechanism can perform multiple stable state switching among the contracted state, the expanded state, the singular state and the locked state.

[0059] When the telescopic rod 300 does not move and the distance between the base 100 and the moving platform 200 is the shortest, the mechanism is in a retracted state;

[0060] When the first horizontal rod 302 connected to the base 100 rotates around the rotational pair with the base 100, the second horizontal rod 301 connected to the motion platform 200 rotates around the rotational pair with the motion platform 200, the telescopic rod 300 connected to the first horizontal rod 302 rotates around the rotational pair with the first horizontal rod 302, and the telescopic rod 300 connected to the second horizontal rod 301 rotates around the rotational pair with the second horizontal rod 301, the mechanism stops when the telescopic rod 300 contacts the two horizontal rods, and the distance between the base 100 and the motion platform 200 is the longest, then the mechanism is in the deployed state;

[0061] In the deployed state, as the telescopic rod 300 spirally ascends relative to the base 100 and the motion platform 200, the revolute pair between the base 100 and the first horizontal rod 302, and the revolute pair between the motion platform 200 and the second horizontal rod 301 on each motion component are aligned. At this point, it can be considered that the base 100, the motion platform 200, and the motion component are at a singular point. A singular point can indicate that the mechanism exhibits a special state or characteristic at this position or posture, indicating that the mechanism is in a singular state.

[0062] It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the location of the singular point is determined based on the position between the two corresponding revolute pairs, the coordinates of the base 100 and the motion platform 200, the required rotation angle, and other parameters. Furthermore, the location of the singular point can be determined by modeling and optimizing parameters using computer-aided design (CAD) tools and simulation software.

[0063] The mechanism in the singular state has motion constraints, that is, in this configuration, the moving component will have local degrees of freedom. Under the premise that the base 100 and the motion platform 200 are stationary, the first horizontal rod 302 connected to the base 100 can be controlled to rotate around the revolute pair between the base 100 and the motion platform 200, and the second horizontal rod 301 connected to the motion platform 200 can be controlled to rotate around the revolute pair between the motion component and the motion platform 200. The position and posture of the moving component change, thereby changing the constraint conditions of the moving component on the entire mechanism, so that the changed constraints plus the original constraints reach the full constraint conditions, the mechanism completes the cell transformation operation, and the mechanism is now in a locked state;

[0064] Among the multiple moving components, the position and posture of some or all of the moving components can be adjusted to change the constraint relationship with the mechanism, thereby limiting the mechanism's range of motion and achieving locking of the mechanism. The combination of moving components that require position and posture adjustment can be determined based on the required locking capability.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of moving components are arranged around the circumference of the base 100. More preferably, every two of the plurality of moving components are radially symmetrical with respect to the base 100. With this arrangement, while the base 100 and the motion platform 200 remain stationary, the two symmetrically positioned moving components can be controlled to rotate via a revolute pair, resulting in a more uniform load-bearing capacity for the mechanism in the locked state.

[0066] Similarly, the motion principle is the same during the steady-state switching of the mechanism from the locked state to the singular state, the expanded state, and the contracted state, but the rotation direction is opposite.

[0067] In this way, the deployment and locking are integrated into one mechanism, and the deployment state and the locking state are switched in the form of a singular metamorphic cell. By adjusting the motion parameters of the moving component, the mechanism can achieve multi-stable switching between different working states, thereby meeting different application requirements. Compared with the traditional limit locking mechanism, the present invention does not require additional components or mechanisms, reduces the floating mass of the mechanism and the need for additional components, achieves lightweight structure and saves space, and resists the load as a whole after completing deformation in the locked state, improves the load strength, and maintains the strength and stability of the structure; at the same time, compared with the energy-type multi-stable structure and the contact metamorphic cell multi-stable structure, the singular metamorphic cell has the characteristics of local freedom and deformability. Switching between the deployment state and the locking state in the form of a singular metamorphic cell can adapt to different loads and working conditions, can resist displacement fluctuations under impact loads, and avoid unidirectional load problems, providing a wider range of applications and advantages for the deployment structure in various application fields.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, Figure 7 shows an assembly diagram of the base 100 and the first horizontal rod 302 of the present invention; Figure 8 FIG. 1 shows an assembly diagram of the first horizontal member and the telescopic rod 300 according to the present invention.

[0069] This embodiment is used to illustrate the pin-hole structure. The telescopic rod 300 at the axial bottom end is hinged to the first horizontal rod 302 via a first horizontal rotation axis, and rotates up and down relative to the first horizontal rod 302 about the first horizontal rotation axis. The telescopic rod 300 at the axial top end is hinged to the second horizontal rod 301 via a second horizontal rotation axis, and rotates up and down relative to the second horizontal rod 301 about the second horizontal rotation axis. Multiple telescopic rods 300 located between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are hinged via multiple third horizontal rotation axes, and the previous telescopic rod 300 rotates up and down relative to the next telescopic rod 300 about the third horizontal rotation axis. The first horizontal rod 302 is hinged to the base 100 via a first vertical rotation axis, and rotates horizontally relative to the base 100 about the first vertical rotation axis. The second horizontal rod 301 is hinged to the motion platform 200 via a second vertical rotation axis, and rotates horizontally relative to the motion platform 200 about the second vertical rotation axis.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first horizontal rotation axis and the first vertical rotation axis can be located at any position within the area of ​​the first horizontal rod 302, provided that the rotation axis directions remain unchanged; the second horizontal rotation axis and the second vertical rotation axis can be located at any position within the area of ​​the second horizontal rod 301, provided that the rotation axis directions remain unchanged.

[0071] Preferably, the first horizontal rotating shaft and the first vertical rotating shaft share a portion of the first horizontal rod 302; the second horizontal rotating shaft and the second vertical rotating shaft share a portion of the second horizontal rod 301. In this embodiment, a pin hole can be opened on the first horizontal rod 302, and the first horizontal rotating shaft and the first vertical rotating shaft are both located in the pin hole, and the first vertical rotating shaft is simultaneously matched with the pin hole on the base 100, and the first horizontal rotating shaft is simultaneously matched with the telescopic rod 300; similarly, a pin hole is opened on the second horizontal rod 301, and the second horizontal rotating shaft and the second vertical rotating shaft are both located in the pin hole, and the second vertical rotating shaft is simultaneously matched with the pin hole on the motion platform 200, and the second horizontal rotating shaft is simultaneously matched with the telescopic rod 300. The pin hole structure in this manner can concentrate the axes of the two rotating pairs in the same pin hole, thereby reducing the number of shaft holes required, simplifying the design complexity of the mechanism, providing better assembly alignment and positioning, and helping to improve the accuracy and stability of the mechanism.

[0072] See Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 5 An exemplary motion component in a locked state without motion according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6 An exemplary motion component moving through local degrees of freedom in a locked state is shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] In some embodiments, the motion components can be driven to move correspondingly under different rotation pairs by a drive assembly. The parallel mechanism includes a drive assembly, which is electrically connected to each of the motion components to achieve the target state drive of the telescopic rod 300 and the horizontal rod in each of the motion components to rotate up and down and horizontally. The drive assembly includes at least a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism, and the target state includes: the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism are used to drive the telescopic rod 300 and the horizontal rod in each of the motion components to move simultaneously to reach the deployed state, and the deployed state is characterized by the base 100 and the motion platform 200 moving away from each other, and the base 100, the motion platform 200 and the motion component are at a singular point; the second drive mechanism is used to drive the horizontal rods in some of the motion components to move to reach the locked state, and the locked state is characterized by causing the motion component in the deployed state to establish a constraint.

[0074] Specifically, the drive assembly is configured to transmit commands and provide driving force to each moving component, causing the telescopic rod 300 in each moving component to rotate vertically and the horizontal rod to rotate horizontally. By controlling the output signal of the drive assembly, the telescopic rod 300 and the horizontal rod can be controlled, thereby achieving the expansion and locking of the mechanism. It will be understood that both the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism can be motors. The first drive mechanism is primarily responsible for driving the telescopic rod 300 and the horizontal rod in each moving component to move telescopically simultaneously, while the second drive mechanism is primarily responsible for driving the horizontal rods in some moving components to move horizontally simultaneously. When the first and second drive mechanisms are acting simultaneously, each moving component can move in a spiral upward or downward motion, achieving the contracted, expanded, and singular states mentioned above. When the second drive mechanism is acting alone, some moving components can move in a horizontal rotational motion, achieving the locked state and unlocking the locked state mentioned above.

[0075] It should be explained that part of the moving components may include all the moving components. When the driving part of the moving components is in a locked state, it is preferred to control the two moving components in symmetrical positions to rotate.

[0076] It should also be explained that when the second drive mechanism controls the movement of all or part of the moving components, the rotational motion of the motor can be combined with an appropriate transmission device to transmit the motor's power to the corresponding portion of the moving components on the transmission device to achieve the desired movement. It is understood that the principles and structure of this transmission device are prior art and will not be elaborated upon herein.

[0077] Alternatively, the drive assembly can be a plurality of independent motors, the number of motors being adapted to the number of moving components, so that each motor independently controls the movement of each moving component. For example, when six moving components are evenly spaced around the base 100, six motors can be provided.

[0078] See again Figures 1-8 In a preferred embodiment, the telescopic rod 300 is provided as a single member. The first horizontal rod 302, the telescopic rod 300, and the second horizontal rod 301 form a Z-shaped structure. The pivot points between the first horizontal rod 302 and the telescopic rod 300, and the pivot points between the second horizontal rod 301 and the telescopic rod 300, are located at the inflection points of the Z-shaped structure. The telescopic rod 300 comprises a block-shaped structure having a parallelogram-shaped axial cross-section. When the base 100 and the motion platform 200 are close together, the length of the straight side of the telescopic rod 300 in contact with the first horizontal rod 302 is greater than the length of the oblique side adjacent to the straight side.

[0079] In this embodiment, the moving component has a Z-shaped structure, and the middle telescopic rod 300 is a parallelogram block structure. When the mechanism is in the telescopic state, the two parallel straight sides of the telescopic rod 300 are in face-to-face contact with the first horizontal rod 302 and the first horizontal rod 302 respectively, and the two parallel oblique sides are located between the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301. At this time, the distance between the base 100 and the moving platform 200 is the shortest at the vertical height relative to the two straight sides. When the telescopic rod 300 moves up and down, the two opposing oblique sides move toward the first horizontal rod 302 or the second horizontal rod 301, respectively, and gradually become located between the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301. At this time, the distance between the base 100 and the motion platform 200 gradually increases until the two opposing oblique sides are in face-to-face contact with the first horizontal rod 302 and the first horizontal rod 302, respectively. At this point, the two opposing oblique sides become straight edges, and the distance between the base 100 and the motion platform 200 is at its longest at the vertical height of the two opposing oblique sides, achieving the telescopic motion of the single telescopic rod 300. Thus, by utilizing this Z-shaped structure and the design of the telescopic rod 300 and controlling the telescopic motion of the telescopic rod 300, the parallel mechanism can be switched between the retracted and extended states.

[0080] The straight side and the hypotenuse can be understood as whether they are parallel to the ground.

[0081] It should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same and similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0082] The complete workflow of the embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0083] A parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphosis. When the mechanism is in a contracted state, a first driving mechanism drives the first horizontal member to rotate horizontally counterclockwise around the base 100 with the first vertical rotation axis as the axis, and the second horizontal member rotates horizontally counterclockwise around the motion platform 200 with the second vertical rotation axis as the axis. The second driving mechanism drives the telescopic rod 300 to rotate upward around the first horizontal rod 302 with the first horizontal rotation axis as the axis, and the telescopic rod 300 rotates upward around the second horizontal rod 301 with the second horizontal rotation axis as the axis. The rotation stops when the mechanism expands and contacts between the telescopic rod 300 and the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301. At this time, the mechanism is in an expanded state.

[0084] When the mechanism is in the expanded state, the mechanism becomes strange, that is, the first vertical rotation axis between the base 100 and the first horizontal rod 302 on each moving component, and the second vertical rotation axis between the moving platform 200 and the second horizontal rod 301 are on the same straight line. The first horizontal rod 302 on the two moving components in the symmetrical position in the mechanism is driven by the second driving mechanism to rotate counterclockwise (looking from top to bottom) relative to the base 100 with the first vertical rotation axis as the axis, and the entire moving component will rotate counterclockwise accordingly, and stop rotating after rotating 90°. At this time, the mechanism realizes cell transformation and enters the locked state.

[0085] When the mechanism is in the locked state, the second driving mechanism drives the rotating moving component to rotate clockwise (viewed from top to bottom) relative to the base 100 with the first vertical rotation axis as the axis, and the entire moving component will rotate clockwise accordingly, and stop rotating after rotating 90°. At this time, the mechanism realizes the transformation from the locked state to the expanded state, thereby achieving unlocking.

[0086] When the mechanism is in the deployed state, the first driving mechanism drives the first horizontal member to rotate horizontally clockwise around the base 100 with the first vertical rotation axis as the axis, and the second horizontal member rotates horizontally clockwise around the motion platform 200 with the second vertical rotation axis as the axis. The second driving mechanism drives the telescopic rod 300 to rotate downward around the first horizontal rod 302 with the first horizontal rotation axis as the axis, and the telescopic rod 300 rotates downward around the second horizontal rod 301 with the second horizontal rotation axis as the axis, and rotates until the mechanism deploys and contacts between the telescopic rod 300 and the first horizontal rod 302 and the second horizontal rod 301, and then stops, and the mechanism returns to the retracted state.

[0087] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative uses of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0088] It should also be noted that, in this article, the directions or positional relationships indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are merely used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply that there is any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations, nor can they be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. Moreover, the term "comprises" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or terminal device that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements that are not explicitly listed, or also includes elements that are inherent to such process, method, article or terminal device.

[0089] The above is a detailed introduction to the parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells provided by the present application. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the present application, and the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the present application, there will be different forms of changes in the specific implementation methods and application scopes. It is not necessary and impossible to list all implementation methods here, and the obvious changes or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A parallel mechanism based on the deployment and locking of singular metamorphic cells, characterized in that: include: A base, a plurality of moving components and a moving platform are axially stacked, wherein the base and the moving platform are connected via the plurality of moving components; wherein each of the moving components comprises: a first horizontal rod, rotatably connected to the base; a second horizontal rod, rotatably connected to the motion platform; At least one telescopic rod, wherein the telescopic rod at the axial bottom end of the plurality of telescopic rods is rotatably connected to the first horizontal rod, the telescopic rod at the axial top end is rotatably connected to the second horizontal rod, and the plurality of telescopic rods between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are rotatably connected end to end in pairs; In which, each of the telescopic rods is configured to rotate up and down in the axial direction, so that the base and the motion platform move closer to or away from each other; the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod are configured to rotate horizontally in the radial direction, so that the base, the motion platform and the motion component are at a singularity point, and the motion component establishes or releases constraints.

2. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanism includes a driving assembly, which is electrically connected to each of the moving components to achieve target state driving of the telescopic rod and the horizontal rod in each of the moving components to rotate up and down and horizontally.

3. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drive assembly includes at least a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism, and the target state includes: The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are used to drive the telescopic rod and the horizontal rod in each of the moving components to move simultaneously until they reach an expanded state, wherein the expanded state is characterized by the base and the moving platform being separated from each other, and the base, the moving platform, and the moving component being at a singular point; The second driving mechanism is used to drive the horizontal rods in part of the moving components to move to a locked state, wherein the locked state is characterized by causing the corresponding moving components in the expanded state to establish constraints.

4. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of moving components are arranged around the base along the circumference.

5. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 4, characterized in that: Every two of the plurality of moving components are radially symmetrical with respect to the base.

6. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic rod at the axial bottom end is hinged to the first horizontal rod via a first horizontal rotation axis, and rotates up and down relative to the first horizontal rod about the first horizontal rotation axis; The telescopic rod at the axial top end is hinged to the second horizontal rod via a second horizontal rotation axis, and rotates up and down relative to the second horizontal rod about the second horizontal rotation axis; The plurality of telescopic rods located between the axial bottom end and the axial top end are hinged via a plurality of third horizontal rotation shafts, and the upper telescopic rod rotates up and down relative to the lower telescopic rod about the third horizontal rotation shaft.

7. A parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on a singular metamorphosis according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: The first horizontal rod is hinged to the base via a first vertical rotation axis, and rotates horizontally relative to the base around the first vertical rotation axis; The second horizontal rod is hinged to the motion platform via a second vertical rotation axis, and rotates horizontally relative to the motion platform around the second vertical rotation axis.

8. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first horizontal rotation axis and the first vertical rotation axis are respectively located at any position within the first horizontal rod area; the second horizontal rotation axis and the second vertical rotation axis are respectively located at any position within the second horizontal rod area.

9. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic rod is provided as one, the first horizontal rod, the telescopic rod and the second horizontal rod form a Z-shaped structure, the rotation point between the first horizontal rod and the telescopic rod, and the rotation point between the second horizontal rod and the telescopic rod are respectively located at the inflection points of the Z-shaped structure.

10. The parallel mechanism for expansion and locking based on singular metamorphic cells according to claim 9, characterized in that: The telescopic rod comprises a block structure having a parallelogram-shaped axial section, wherein when the base is close to the motion platform, the length of the straight side of the telescopic rod in contact with the first horizontal rod is greater than the length of the oblique side adjacent to the surface.

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