A growing flexible robot

Abstract

The application provides a growth type flexible robot, which comprises a support frame device, a gas driving device, a rope driving device, a mechanical arm device and a net-shaped gripper device. The gas driving device controls the rigidity of the mechanical arm device by outputting positive gas pressure, and the rope driving device controls the posture of the mechanical arm device through a lead screw mechanism. The mechanical arm device has the elongation and shortening characteristics similar to earthworms, the movement space of the mechanical arm device is increased, and the excellent characteristics of large movement range and high movement flexibility are exhibited.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of soft robots and flexible robotic arms, and more particularly to a growing flexible robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the imminent arrival of the "robotics+" era, robots are facing increasingly unstructured working environments and more diversified tasks. Furthermore, the need for harmonious "human-machine-environment" collaboration in the context of intelligent manufacturing demands greater flexibility and safety in robot technology. Traditional industrial robotic arms typically consist of several rigid structures and joints, with the number of joints determining the arm's degrees of freedom. However, when adaptively manipulating non-cooperative targets in unstructured environments with multiple obstacles, traditional rigid joint robotic arms and their rigid grippers struggle to leverage their structural features and performance advantages, making them unsuitable for such scenarios. Flexible robotic arms employing abundant soft materials and flexible structures offer a better solution, effectively meeting the grasping needs of non-cooperative targets in unstructured environments.

[0003] Flexible robotic arms offer diverse operational capabilities. They can be equipped with end effectors to grasp and manipulate objects, similar to traditional robots, or they can utilize their structural variability and high elasticity to curl up objects. Flexible robotic arms represent a significant emerging branch of robotics technology in recent years, with rapid advancements in their design, motion modeling, mechanical analysis, and sensor control theories and technologies. Growing flexible robots, in particular, have garnered widespread attention due to their excellent contraction ratio, compliance, dexterity, and superior adaptability to unstructured environments with limited space and numerous obstacles.

[0004] Based on this, this invention focuses on the development needs of adaptive interaction of non-cooperative targets in unstructured environments. It draws on and analyzes the predation behavior mechanism of plants and animals in nature and proposes a continuous flexible robot with a large workspace, highly flexible movement and strong adaptability (defined as a growing flexible robot in this invention). Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, a growth-type flexible robot is provided. This invention features a novel structure, ease of operation, and advantages such as flexible movement, large motion space, and strong environmental adaptability.

[0006] The technical means employed in this invention are as follows:

[0007] A growth-type flexible robot includes: a support frame, a gas drive, a rope drive, a robotic arm, and a mesh gripper. The gas drive and rope drive are mounted on the support frame and provide power to the robot as a whole. The gas drive is connected to the robotic arm and outputs high-pressure gas to control the stiffness of the robotic arm. The robotic arm is slidably connected to the support frame, and the mesh gripper is connected to the robotic arm. The rope drive includes a lead screw mechanism and a rope connected to the lead screw mechanism. The rope is connected to the robotic arm, and the lead screw mechanism controls the posture of the robotic arm and the opening and closing of the mesh gripper. The multi-posture transformation of the robotic arm is achieved by controlling the output gas pressure of the gas drive and the rope displacement of the rope drive.

[0008] Furthermore, the support frame device includes a main frame and a movable slide frame slidably connected to the main frame. The gas drive device and the rope drive device are installed inside the main frame. The robotic arm device is installed on the movable slide frame. Both the main frame and the movable slide frame are made of aluminum alloy profiles connected by bolts. The sliding of the movable slide frame and the main frame is accomplished by a sliding groove that fits between them.

[0009] Furthermore, the gas drive device includes a first mounting frame, an air compressor, and a proportional valve. The air compressor and the proportional valve are both installed inside the first mounting frame, which is installed within the main frame of the support frame device. The air compressor is connected to the proportional valve, and the proportional valve is connected to the airbag of the robotic arm device through an air pipe. The positive air pressure output by the air compressor can be automatically set after being converted by the proportional valve, thereby controlling the overall rigidity of the robotic arm device.

[0010] Furthermore, the rope drive device also includes a second mounting frame and a Bowden line. The second mounting frame is installed within the main frame of the support frame device. There are ten lead screw mechanisms, nine of which are installed in three rows and three columns within the second mounting frame, and the other lead screw mechanism is installed on the upper side inside the first mounting frame of the gas drive device. The lead screw mechanism is connected to the Bowden line, and the rope inside the Bowden line is connected to the ropes of the robotic arm device and the mesh gripper device, and is driven by the lead screw mechanism.

[0011] Furthermore, the robotic arm device includes a central elastic body, a mounting plate, and three identical motion joints, namely motion joint I, motion joint II, and motion joint III. The left side of motion joint I is mounted on the mounting plate, and the right side is connected in series with motion joints II and III. The central elastic body runs through the three motion joints from right to left and extends out of the mounting plate. The mounting plate is slidably mounted on the movable slide frame of the support frame device. The mesh gripper device is connected to the right end of motion joint III.

[0012] Furthermore, each motion joint includes an inflatable airbag, a rope, a guide reel, a fixed plate, and a motion plate. Each end of each motion joint is provided with a set of fixed plates and motion plates coaxially mounted on the central elastic body. Two adjacent motion joints share a set of fixed plates and motion plates. The fixed plates and motion plates in each set are fixedly connected, and the fixed plate is located on the left side of the motion plate. The left fixed plate of motion joint I is connected to the mounting plate.

[0013] Multiple guide discs are equidistantly arranged between the left moving disc and the right fixed disc of each motion joint. Inflatable airbags are installed between the left moving disc and the left guide disc, between two adjacent guide discs, and between the right guide disc and the right fixed disc. The expansion of the airbags drives the guide discs and moving discs to move forward along the central elastic body. Three ropes are arranged around the periphery of the motion joint. Each guide disc, fixed disc, and moving disc has three rope holes in its circumference for the ropes to pass through. The bending movement of a single motion joint module is achieved through the coordinated drive of the three ropes. Two guide discs serve as guides for the ropes, preventing motion interference between the ropes and the inflatable airbags when the turning angle of the motion joint is too large. The inflatable airbags are connected to the proportional valve of the gas drive device.

[0014] Furthermore, the fixed disk, the guide disk, and the moving disk are all mounted on the central elastic body via linear bearings and slide on the central elastic body.

[0015] Furthermore, the fixed plate and the moving plate at the connection of two adjacent moving joints are connected by bolts; a stop airbag is arranged between the moving plate and the fixed plate at the connection of two adjacent moving joints. When the joint connection moves to the target position, the expansion of the stop airbag prevents the joint connection from sliding along the central elastic body; the stop airbag is connected to the proportional valve of the gas drive device.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a guide tube. The center of each of the motion disc, fixed disc, and guide tube is provided with a coaxial through hole for the guide tube of the motion joint to pass through the air tube of the inflatable airbag. The rope of a single motion joint is remotely driven between the rope drive device and the motion joint through the guide tube. One end of the guide tube is installed on the driver and the other end is installed on the motion disc above the motion joint. Specifically, the other end of the guide tube of motion joint II is installed on the right motion disc of motion joint I, and the other end of the guide tube of motion joint III is installed on the right motion disc of motion joint II. After the rope passes through the guide tube, it is guided along the grooved bearing installed on the right motion disc and the grooved bearing installed on the right fixed disc, and then passes through the rope hole of the right fixed disc, and sequentially passes through the corresponding rope holes in multiple guide tubes until it is fixedly connected to the left motion disc in the motion joint.

[0017] Furthermore, the three motion joints have the same structural composition, rope layout, and driving principle. Specifically, the left fixed plate of motion joint I is adapted to the mounting plate, and the right motion plate of motion joint III is adapted to the mesh gripper device.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0019] 1. Compared with conventional continuous robotic arms, the flexible robot of the present invention has the characteristic of forward extension, which greatly increases the movement space of the robotic arm and exhibits excellent characteristics of large movement range and high movement flexibility.

[0020] 2. To meet the motion dexterity requirements of the growth-type capture robot, this invention features a lightweight design for the flexible robot and adopts a pneumatically driven rope-controlled layout. The extension of the robotic arm is controlled by airbags, and the bending direction of the robotic arm is controlled by ropes. Multiple actuators perform their respective functions, making motion control relatively simple. Furthermore, the deformation of the ropes is small, resulting in high control precision.

[0021] 3. The growth-type flexible robot disclosed in this invention has a large shrinkage ratio. In the initial state, the growth-type flexible robot is in a contracted state, making its structure and volume more compact, which is beneficial for placement and transportation in non-working state. The design of the wire tube and air tube realizes the rear-mounted drive of the growth-type capture robot, making the operation execution end of the capture robot lighter and more flexible. In addition, the rear-mounted drive improves the leakage protection safety of the robot, which is beneficial for the robot's operating device to operate under harsh working conditions.

[0022] 4. The growth-type flexible robot disclosed in this invention has good adaptability to working conditions. The robotic arm is mainly composed of multiple motion joint modules connected in series. Each motion joint module is independently driven and controlled. Different numbers of motion joint modules can be configured according to different work task requirements. The two ends of the trachea are connected to the air bag and the air source respectively, which can be arranged according to work requirements and can meet the independent drive and remote control of the robot's work execution end.

[0023] Based on the above reasons, this invention can be widely applied in fields such as robotics. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the growth-type flexible robot of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the growth-type flexible robot support frame device of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the gas-driven device for the growth-type flexible robot of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the rope-driven device for the growth-type flexible robot of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the growth-type flexible robot arm device of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the skeleton of the growth-type flexible robot's robotic arm device in the airbag-free state according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This invention relates to a growth-type flexible robot with a robotic arm in an airbag-free state.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the deformable growth-type flexible robot of the present invention under dual drive of rope drive and air drive.

[0033] Figure 9 The diagram shows a comparison of the contracted and extended states of the growth-type flexible robot of the present invention, where (a) is the contracted state and (b) is the extended state.

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Support frame device; 2. Gas drive device; 3. Rope drive device; 4. Robotic arm device; 5. Mesh gripper device; 11. Main frame; 12. Moving slide frame; 21. First mounting frame; 22. Air compressor; 23. Proportional valve; 31. Second mounting frame; 32. Lead screw mechanism; 33. Bowden line; 41. Central elastic body; 42. Mounting plate; 43. Inflatable airbag; 44. Rope; 45. Conduit; 46. Conduit reel; 47. Fixed plate; 48. Bolt; 49. Moving plate; 410. Stopping airbag; 411. Grooved bearing; 412. Linear bearing. Detailed Implementation

[0035] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0038] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0040] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation besides the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, a device described as "above" or "above" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0041] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0042] exist Figures 1 to 9 The overall structure of the growth-type flexible robot of the present invention, as shown, comprises five parts: a support frame device 1, a gas drive device 2, a rope drive device 3, a robotic arm device 4, and a mesh gripper device 5. The gas drive device 2 and the rope drive device 3 are mounted on the support frame device 1, providing power to the robot as a whole. The gas drive device 2 is connected to the robotic arm device 4, controlling its stiffness by outputting high-pressure positive air. The robotic arm device 4 is slidably connected to the support frame device 1. The mesh gripper device 5 is connected to the robotic arm device 4. The rope drive device 3 is connected to the robotic arm device 4, controlling its posture and the opening and closing of the mesh gripper device 5 through a screw mechanism 32. Multiple posture changes of the robotic arm device 4, including extension, contraction, and bending, can be achieved by controlling the output air pressure of the gas drive device 2 and the rope displacement of the rope drive device 3. This robotic arm possesses elongation and shortening characteristics similar to an earthworm, increasing its motion space and exhibiting excellent characteristics of large range of motion and high flexibility.

[0043] Specifically, the support frame device 1 consists of a main frame 11 and a movable slide frame 12. The gas drive device 2 and the rope drive device 3 are installed inside the main frame 11 of the support frame device 1. The robotic arm device 4 is installed on the movable slide frame 12 of the support frame device 1. Both the main frame 11 and the movable slide frame 12 are made of aluminum alloy profiles connected by bolts 48. The sliding of the movable slide frame 12 and the main frame 11 is accomplished by the sliding grooves that cooperate between them. The gas drive device 2 mainly consists of a first mounting frame 21, an air compressor 22, and a proportional valve 23. The air compressor 22 and the proportional valve 23 are installed inside the first mounting frame 21. The rope drive device 3 mainly consists of a second mounting frame 31, a lead screw mechanism 32, and a Bowden line 33. There are 10 lead screw mechanisms 32 in total. Nine of them are arranged in three layers and three columns inside the second mounting frame 31, and the other lead screw mechanism 32 is installed on the upper layer of the first mounting frame 21. The end of each lead screw mechanism 32 is connected to a Bowden line 33. The first mounting frame 21 is installed inside one side of the main frame 11 of the support frame device 1, and the second mounting frame 31 is installed inside the other side of the main frame 11 of the support frame device 1.

[0044] Specifically, the gas drive device 2 consists of a first mounting frame 21, an air compressor 22, and a proportional valve 23. The air compressor 22 and the proportional valve 23 are both installed inside the first mounting frame 21. The first mounting frame 21 is installed inside the main frame 11 of the support frame device 1. The air compressor 22 is connected to the proportional valve 23. The proportional valve 23 is connected to the air bladder of the robotic arm device 4 through an air pipe. The positive air pressure output by the air compressor 22 can be automatically set after being transferred by the proportional valve 23 to control the overall rigidity of the robotic arm.

[0045] Specifically, the rope drive device 3 consists of a second mounting frame 31, a lead screw mechanism 32, and a Bowden line 33. The rope drive device 3 includes a total of ten lead screw mechanisms 32, of which nine lead screw mechanisms 32 are installed in three layers and three rows in the second mounting frame 31, and another lead screw mechanism 32 is installed on the upper side inside the first mounting frame 21 of the gas drive device 2. The rope inside the Bowden line 33 is connected to the rope 44 of the robotic arm device 4 and the mesh gripper device 5, and is driven by the lead screw mechanism 32.

[0046] Specifically, the robotic arm device 4 consists of three identical motion joints connected in series, named motion joint I, motion joint II, and motion joint III. Each motion joint is composed of a central elastic body 41, a mounting plate 42, an inflatable airbag 43, a rope 44, a guide tube 45, a guide reel 46, a fixed plate 47, a bolt 48, a motion plate 49, a stop airbag 410, a grooved bearing 411, and a linear bearing 412. The two ends of a single motion joint are a fixed plate 47 and a motion plate 49, respectively. Two adjacent motion joints share a set of fixed plates 47 and motion plates 49. The fixed plate 47 is located to the left of the motion plate 49. The motion plate 49 of each motion joint is connected to the fixed plate 47 of the next adjacent motion joint. Two guide reels 46 are equidistantly placed between the fixed plate 47 and the motion plate 49 of the motion joint, serving as a guide for the rope 44 and preventing motion interference between the rope 44 and the inflatable airbag 43 when the turning angle of the motion joint is too large. The fixed plate 47, guide plate 46, and moving plate 49 of the robotic arm device 4 are mounted on the central elastic body 41 via linear bearings 412 and can slide on the central elastic body 41. An inflatable airbag 43 is installed between the fixed plate 47, guide plate 46, and moving plate 49. The expansion of the inflatable airbag 43 can drive the guide plate 46 and moving plate 49 to move forward along the central elastic body 41. Three ropes 44 are arranged around the periphery of the moving joints (there are three ropes 44 on each moving joint). Through the coordinated drive of the three ropes 44, the bending movement of a single moving joint module is realized.

[0047] Specifically, adjacent joints of the robotic arm device 4 are connected by bolts 48. For example, the right fixed plate 47 of joint I and the left moving plate 49 of joint II are fixedly connected by bolts 48. The two plates are mounted on the central elastic body 41 by linear bearings 412, and a stop airbag 410 is arranged between the two plates. When the joint connection moves to the target position, the expansion of the stop airbag 410 prevents the joint connection from sliding along the central elastic body 41. The moving plate 49, the fixed plate 47, and the guide plate 46 are all designed with through holes for the guide tube 45 of the subsequent moving joint module to pass through the air tube of the inflatable airbag 43. The rope 44 of a single moving joint module realizes remote drive between the rope drive device and the moving joint through the guide tube 45. One end of the guide tube 45 is mounted on the driver, and the other end is mounted on the upper-level moving plate 49 of the moving joint. For example, the guide tube 45 of joint II is mounted on the right moving plate 49 of joint I. After the rope 44 passes through the guide tube 45, it is guided along the grooved bearing 411 installed on the moving plate 49 and the grooved bearing 411 installed on the fixed plate 47, and then passes through the rope hole of the fixed plate 47, and passes through the corresponding rope holes in multiple guide plates 46 in sequence, until it is fixedly connected to the moving plate 49 in the moving joint II.

[0048] Specifically, when assembling a single motion joint module, three inflatable airbags 43 are first connected end-to-end, with guide rails 46 installed between adjacent airbags 43. The airbags 43 at both ends are then fixed to a fixed plate 47 and a motion plate 49, respectively. Next, a central elastic body 41 is sequentially passed through the fixed plate 47, guide rails 46, and motion plate 49 to form the support frame of the motion joint module. Finally, one end of a rope 44 is fixed to the left motion plate 49 of the motion joint module, and the other end passes through two guide rails 46 and a guide hole on the right fixed plate 47. It is then connected to the slider of the lead screw mechanism 32 in the rope drive device 3 via a guide tube 45. The movement of the slider controls the displacement of the rope 44. By connecting the three motion joint modules end-to-end in series, a growing robotic arm is formed. The drive layout of each motion joint is identical, enabling independent drive and control of each motion joint module.

[0049] Specifically, the three motion joints of the robotic arm device 4 have the same structural composition, rope 44 layout, and driving principle. Only the fixed plate 47 connected to the base and the motion plate 49 connected to the end capture device are slightly different from the fixed plate 47 and connecting plate of motion joint II due to the need for adaptation.

[0050] Specifically, the gas drive device 2 has a total of 6 proportional valves 23. Three of them control the expansion airbags 43 of the three moving joints respectively, and the remaining three control the stop airbags 410 at the center position of the connection of the three moving joints respectively. During the extension of the robotic arm device 4, the three proportional valves 23 controlling the expansion airbags 43 operate, causing the expansion airbags 43 to extend axially. When the connection of the moving joints reaches the predetermined position, the three proportional valves 23 controlling the expansion airbags 43 keep their output unchanged, and the three proportional valves 23 controlling the stop airbags 410 start to operate, and through expansion locking the linear bearings 412 connected to them, the robotic arm device 4 stops extending.

[0051] Specifically, when the robotic arm device 4 retracts, the gas pressure of the inflatable airbag 43 is restored to normal pressure by the gas drive device 2. Then, the lead screw mechanism 32 of the rope drive device 3 drives the nine ropes 44 of the three motion joints to retract simultaneously, causing the robotic arm device 4 to retract to its shortest state.

[0052] Specifically, the central elastic body 41 is made of nickel-titanium alloy wire, and the main body of the support frame device 1 is made of 334 aluminum alloy.

[0053] Specifically, the structure of the inflatable airbag 43 mainly consists of four fiber layers: an inner ring fiber layer, an outer ring fiber layer, a top fiber layer, and a bottom fiber layer. Both the inner and outer ring fiber layers exhibit a zigzag structure. Each fiber layer is made of fiber-composite TPU material and is joined together by heat fusion to form a sealed air cavity.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, the robotic arm device 4 is mounted on the movable slide frame 12 of the support frame device 1, and can slide within a large range in the vertical direction.

[0055] like Figure 5 As shown, the support rod of the robotic arm device 4 is installed on the central axis of the airbag. The support rod has a certain elasticity and maintains the basic shape of the robotic arm device 4 when the gas drive device 2 and the rope drive device 3 are not working. The mounting plate 42 is installed inside the movable slide frame 12 and slides up and down through the slide rail. The ropes 44 arranged around the robotic arm device 4 are evenly distributed at 120° intervals to maintain the isotropic rotation of the robotic arm device 4 in all directions.

[0056] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A growth-type flexible robot, characterized in that, include: The robot comprises a support frame device (1), a gas drive device (2), a rope drive device (3), a robotic arm device (4), and a mesh gripper device (5). The gas drive device (2) and the rope drive device (3) are mounted on the support frame device (1) to provide power to the robot as a whole. The gas drive device (2) is connected to the robotic arm device (4) and is used to output high air pressure to control the stiffness of the robotic arm device (4). The robotic arm device (4) is slidably connected to the support frame device (1). The mesh gripper device (5) is connected to the robotic arm device (4). The rope drive device (3) includes a screw mechanism (32) and a rope connected to the screw mechanism (32). The rope is connected to the robotic arm device (4). The screw mechanism (32) controls the posture of the robotic arm device (4) and the opening and closing of the mesh gripper device (5). The multi-posture transformation of the robotic arm device (4) is achieved by controlling the output air pressure of the gas drive device (2) and the rope displacement of the rope drive device (3). The robotic arm device (4) includes a central elastic body (41), a mounting plate (42), and three identical motion joints, namely motion joint I, motion joint II, and motion joint III. The left side of motion joint I is mounted on the mounting plate (42), and the right side is connected in series with motion joint II and motion joint III. The central elastic body (41) runs through the three motion joints from right to left and extends out of the mounting plate (42). The mounting plate (42) is slidably mounted on the movable slide frame (12) of the support frame device (1). The mesh gripper device (5) is connected to the right end of motion joint III. Each joint includes an inflatable airbag (43), a rope (44), a guide reel (46), a fixed plate (47), and a moving plate (49). Each joint has a set of fixed plates (47) and moving plates (49) coaxially mounted on a central elastic body (41) at both ends. Two adjacent joints share a set of fixed plates (47) and moving plates (49). The fixed plates (47) and moving plates (49) in each set are fixedly connected, and the fixed plate (47) is located on the left side of the moving plate (49). The left fixed plate (47) of the joint I is connected to the mounting plate (42). Multiple guide discs (46) are equidistantly arranged between the left moving disc (49) and the right fixed disc (47) of each joint. Inflatable airbags (43) are installed between the left moving disc (49) and the left guide disc (46), between two adjacent guide discs (46), and between the right guide disc (46) and the right fixed disc (47). The expansion of the airbags (43) drives the guide discs (46) and the moving disc (49) to move forward along the central elastic body (41). Three ropes (44) are arranged at the joint. On the periphery, each of the guide discs (46), fixed discs (47) and moving discs (49) has three rope holes in the circumferential direction for the ropes (44) to pass through. Through the coordinated drive of the three ropes (44), the bending motion of a single motion joint module is realized. The two guide discs (46) serve as guides for the ropes (44) to avoid motion interference between the ropes (44) and the inflatable airbags (43) when the turning angle of the motion joint is too large. The inflatable airbags (43) are connected to the proportional valve (23) of the gas drive device (2).

2. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame device (1) includes a main frame (11) and a movable slide frame (12) slidably connected to the main frame (11). The gas drive device (2) and the rope drive device (3) are installed inside the main frame (11). The robotic arm device (4) is installed on the movable slide frame (12). The main frame (11) and the movable slide frame (12) are both made of aluminum alloy profiles connected by bolts (48). The sliding of the movable slide frame (12) and the main frame (11) is achieved by the sliding groove that cooperates between them.

3. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas drive device (2) includes a first mounting frame (21), an air compressor (22) and a proportional valve (23). The air compressor (22) and the proportional valve (23) are both installed inside the first mounting frame (21). The first mounting frame (21) is installed in the main frame (11) of the support frame device (1). The air compressor (22) is connected to the proportional valve (23). The proportional valve (23) is connected to the airbag of the robotic arm device (4) through an air pipe. The positive air pressure output by the air compressor (22) can be set by the proportional valve (23) to control the overall rigidity of the robotic arm device (4).

4. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rope drive device (3) also includes a second mounting frame (31) and a Bowden line (33). The second mounting frame (31) is installed in the main frame (11) of the support frame device (1). There are ten screw mechanisms (32), nine of which are installed in three rows and three columns in the second mounting frame (31), and another screw mechanism (32) is installed on the upper side inside the first mounting frame (21) of the gas drive device (2). The screw mechanism (32) is connected to the Bowden line (33). The rope inside the Bowden line (33) is connected to the rope (44) of the robotic arm device (4) and the mesh gripper device (5) and is driven by the screw mechanism (32).

5. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed disk (47), the guide disk (46) and the moving disk (49) are all mounted on the central elastic body (41) via linear bearings (412) and slide on the central elastic body (41).

6. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed plate (47) and the moving plate (49) at the connection of two adjacent moving joints are connected by bolts (48); a stop airbag (410) is arranged in the middle of the moving plate (49) and the fixed plate (47) at the connection of two adjacent moving joints. When the joint connection moves to the target position, the joint connection will no longer slide along the central elastic body (41) by the expansion of the stop airbag (410); the stop airbag (410) is connected to the proportional valve (23) of the gas drive device (2).

7. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a guide tube (45). The center of the motion disc (49), the fixed disc (47), and the guide tube (46) are all provided with coaxial through holes. The guide tube (45) for the motion joint passes through the air tube of the inflatable airbag (43). The rope (44) of a single motion joint realizes remote driving between the rope drive device (3) and the motion joint through the guide tube (45). One end of the guide tube (45) is installed on the driver, and the other end is installed on the upper-level motion disc (49) of the motion joint. The other end of the guide tube (45) of the motion joint II is installed on the motion disc. On the right side of the motion disc (49) of the motion joint I, the other end of the guide tube (45) of the motion joint III is installed on the right side of the motion disc (49) of the motion joint II; after the rope (44) passes through the guide tube (45), it is guided along the grooved bearing (411) installed on the right side of the motion disc (49) and the grooved bearing (411) installed on the right side of the fixed disc (47), and then passes through the rope hole of the right side of the fixed disc (47), and passes through the corresponding rope hole in multiple guide discs (46) in sequence until it is fixedly connected to the left side of the motion disc (49) in the motion joint.

8. The growth-type flexible robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The three motion joints have the same structure, rope (44) layout and driving principle. The left fixed plate (47) of motion joint I is adapted to the mounting plate (42), and the right motion plate (49) of motion joint III is adapted to the mesh gripper device (5).

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