Vehicle-mounted mechanical arm

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of material loading and unloading, and specifically relates to a vehicle-mounted mechanical arm applied to unmanned self-loading and unloading scenes of a transport vehicle (or other carriers). The vehicle-mounted mechanical arm comprises a translation mechanism, a turnover telescopic mechanism, a movable support arm and a mechanical hand assembly. The translation mechanism comprises a bottom plate and slide rails arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate. The movable support arm comprises two upper arms arranged in parallel and two front arms arranged in parallel. The two upper arms are respectively in sliding fit with the slide rails on the two sides of the upper surface of the bottom plate and can translate along the slide rails. The upper arms are connected with the front arms through the turnover telescopic mechanism and a telescopic rod. The two ends of the telescopic rod are respectively connected with the upper arms and the front arms, and the telescopic rod can rotate around the connection position with the upper arms. A lifting and translating mechanism capable of moving up and down along the front arms and self-rotating around the rotation shaft of the front arms is arranged between the two front arms. The front arms can be turned over to the upper side or the front side of the upper arms under the joint action of the turnover telescopic mechanism and the telescopic rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of material loading and unloading, specifically a vehicle-mounted robotic arm, which is applied to unmanned loading and unloading scenarios in the transport vehicle (or other vehicles) it is mounted on. Background Technology

[0002] For transport vehicles with self-loading and unloading capabilities, the main equipment for loading and unloading materials is usually the onboard crane and the tandem robotic arm (hand).

[0003] Lifting equipment, due to the use of hooks, ropes, and other mechanisms with high uncertainty or requiring human intervention, cannot meet the requirements for unmanned loading and unloading. While using the tandem robotic arms (hands) commonly used in modern industrial production can achieve unmanned operation, there are many problems due to the contradictory relationship between size, range of motion, self-weight, and gripping weight: (1) If a small tandem robotic arm (hand) is used, although it is lighter, its loading and unloading capacity is correspondingly weak, which cannot meet the needs of loading and unloading diverse materials. Moreover, in order to meet the loading and unloading requirements in the height direction, the robotic arm itself must be equipped with an extension (extension) mechanism, resulting in low operating efficiency and system complexity. (2) If a large robotic arm (hand) is used, although it can meet the needs of loading and unloading large-weight materials, it cannot meet the requirements of vehicle-mounted lightweighting. (3) Regardless of whether the robotic arm (hand) is small or large, it has loading and unloading dead angles, so a moving mechanism needs to be set up for it, which further complicates the system and requires a large load-bearing space, or the load-bearing space needs to be divided.

[0004] Whether it's lifting equipment or tandem robotic arms (hands), the weight and center of gravity will change significantly when moving or unloading goods into or outside a transport vehicle. This is especially true when lifting or grabbing heavy items from the outside, which can cause the vehicle to tilt or even overturn. Therefore, rigid support devices are usually installed on the transport vehicle or its carrier, thus complicating the system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted robotic arm, comprising: a translation mechanism, a flipping and telescopic mechanism, a movable support arm, and a robotic arm assembly; wherein, the translation mechanism includes a base plate and slide rails provided on both sides of its upper surface;

[0006] The movable support arm includes two parallel upper arms and two parallel forearms, wherein the two upper arms are respectively slidably engaged with slide rails on both sides of the upper surface of the base plate, and can move along the slide rails;

[0007] The upper arm is connected to the forearm via a flipping telescopic mechanism and a telescopic rod;

[0008] The telescopic rod is connected to the upper arm and the forearm at both ends, and the telescopic rod can rotate around its connection with the upper arm.

[0009] A lifting and translation mechanism is provided between the two forearms, which can move up and down along the forearms and rotate around its own axis;

[0010] The forearm can be flipped to above or in front of the upper arm under the combined action of the flipping telescopic mechanism and the telescopic rod;

[0011] The lifting and translating mechanism is equipped with a robotic arm component for grasping and placing objects.

[0012] Preferably, the two forearms are connected by a crossbar B;

[0013] The crossbar B is equipped with a power device A, which is used to provide lifting power for the lifting and translating mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, the lifting and translating mechanism is equipped with a power unit B for providing power to the robotic arm assembly.

[0015] Preferably, a support device is connected to the bottom of the forearm;

[0016] The support device includes a pulley system.

[0017] Preferably, the tilting and telescopic mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder, an air cylinder, or an electronic cylinder.

[0018] Preferably, the upper arm is provided with a support for connecting one end of the flipping telescopic mechanism.

[0019] Preferably, one end of the telescopic rod is connected to the upper arm via a hinged bracket;

[0020] The telescopic rod is vertically connected to the forearm.

[0021] Preferably, a power unit C is provided on the base plate to provide power for the upper arm to move on the slide.

[0022] Preferably, the robotic arm assembly includes a wrist and a hand;

[0023] The wrist is connected to the hand;

[0024] The wrist is rotatably connected to the lifting and translating mechanism;

[0025] The wrist can move laterally along the lifting and translating mechanism.

[0026] Preferably, the hand includes a pair of gripping mechanical claws and a control device;

[0027] The pair of gripping mechanical claws in the hand can move on the wrist to grasp the target.

[0028] Beneficial effects

[0029] (i) The rod-like component connection structure formed by the upper arm and forearm of the movable support arm, as well as the flipping telescopic mechanism and telescopic rod connecting the two, has the characteristics of being resistant to compression but not to bending, avoiding the long cantilever stress state of rod-like parts like traditional robotic arms or cranes, and has the characteristics of being lightweight; on the other hand, when the robotic arm changes from a standing to a lying position and performs an upward flipping motion, the loading and unloading strategy is used, and almost no work is done on the object being loaded or unloaded during the conversion process (from the moment the robotic arm component grabs the goods to the moment the goods are transferred to the upper arm, the power unit in this device provides power to the lifting and translation mechanism, and the transfer of goods is completed under the combined action of the flipping telescopic mechanism, telescopic rod and slide rail), so that the flipping process is labor-saving and fast, and can significantly reduce the stiffness, volume and mass of each part of the robotic arm, making it relatively lighter than traditional robotic arms with the same lifting force, thus achieving the purpose of lightweighting.

[0030] (ii) The upper arms are distributed on both sides of the base plate and do not occupy the middle part of the carrying compartment or the internal space. Therefore, the effective carrying space of the carrying compartment is larger and is not divided, so it can carry more and larger materials.

[0031] (III) The support devices connected to the bottom end of the forearm via the rotating connection assembly transmit all the force of the object being loaded / unloaded to the ground. This ensures that the movement of the object being loaded / unloaded and the entire robotic arm has minimal impact on the attitude of the vehicle (chassis) during loading / unloading, resulting in a smooth loading / unloading process. Furthermore, no additional support devices are required on the chassis, simplifying the entire vehicle system and improving the vehicle's versatility. On the other hand, the combined action of the supports, articulated brackets, and telescopic mechanism in this device makes the robotic arm essentially independent of the pick-up / placement distance, maintaining good stability even at the maximum gripping distance.

[0032] (iv) The lifting and translation mechanism moves on the guide rail of the forearm. In the standing position, it uses the principle of "the column supports a thousand pounds", especially during the process of lifting the height of the object being loaded and unloaded, the forearm and the support device bear the weight of the material and the mechanism. In this way, while achieving lightweight, the arm strength (grabbing force) of the robotic arm can be maximized, thereby achieving a high gripping force-to-weight ratio, which can meet the loading and unloading requirements of large-mass materials.

[0033] (v) The flipping and telescopic mechanism adopts the design of hydraulic cylinder, air cylinder or electronic cylinder to improve the control capability of the robotic arm and make it easy to achieve the requirements of rapid loading and unloading and one-click autonomous loading and unloading.

[0034] (vi) The base plate of the translation mechanism can be installed on human and unmanned vehicles (or platforms), military and civilian vehicles, mobile or fixed vehicles, thus expanding the application range of the robotic arm. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1This is a diagram showing the components of a vehicle-mounted robotic arm.

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a vehicle-mounted robotic arm in a horizontal position;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a vehicle-mounted robotic arm in an upright position;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the state of the vehicle-mounted robotic arm in a standing position, with the movable arm on the ground and the robotic arm components not yet in place, along with a diagram of the degrees of freedom of the movable mechanism.

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a vehicle-mounted robotic arm mounted on a vehicle in a horizontal position;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing a vehicle-mounted robotic arm mounted on a vehicle in a standing position;

[0041] Among them, 1-movable support arm, 1-1 upper arm, 1-1-1 support, 1-2-translation mechanism, 1-2-1 base plate, 1-2-2 slide rail,

[0042] 1-2-3 Power unit C, 1-3-Forearm, 1-3-1 Rotary connection assembly, 1-3-2 Power unit A, 1-4 Tilting and telescopic mechanism, 1-5 Lifting and translation mechanism, 1-5-1 Power unit B, 1-6 Support device, 1-7 Telescopic rod, 1-7-1 Hinge bracket, 2 Robotic arm assembly, 2-1 Wrist, 2-2 Hand. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted robotic arm, which includes a translation mechanism 1-2, a flipping and telescopic mechanism 1-4, a movable support arm 1, and a robotic arm assembly 2.

[0045] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the translation mechanism 1-2 includes a base plate 1-2-1 and slide rails 1-2-2 provided on both sides of its upper surface; the movable support arm 1 includes two parallel upper arms 1-1 and two parallel forearms 1-3 connected by a crossbar B, wherein the two upper arms 1-1 are respectively slidably engaged with the slide rails 1-2-2 on both sides of the upper surface of the base plate 1-2-1 through a sliding assembly, and the upper arms 1-1 can translate along the slide rails 1-2-2; the robotic arm assembly 2 includes a wrist 2-1 and a hand 2-2.

[0046] The upper arm 1-1 is provided with a support 1-1-1 for connecting (hinged) one end of the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4. The other end of the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 is connected to the middle of the telescopic rod 1-7 via a connector. The telescopic rod 1-7 is connected to the forearm 1-3. The two ends of the telescopic rod 1-7 are connected to the upper arm 1-1 and the forearm 1-3 respectively: one end of the telescopic rod 1-7 is connected to the upper arm 1-1 via a hinge bracket 1-7-1; the other end is vertically connected to the forearm 1-3. The flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 itself can extend and retract, and can push the telescopic rod 1-7 to flip around the hinge bracket 1-7-1 during extension and retraction, thereby driving the forearm 1-3 to flip, allowing the forearm 1-3 to switch between a lying and standing position.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, when the forearm 1-3 is in a lying position, the forearm 1-3 is located above the upper arm 1-1 and parallel to the upper arm 1-1. At this time, the upper arm 1-1 slides to the end of one side of the slide 1-2-2, and the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 connected to the upper arm 1-1 is in the retracted state. At this time, the main structure of the forearm 1-3 and the upper arm 1-1 is parallel.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, when the present invention is in a standing position, the forearm 1-3 is flipped into a vertical state. At this time, the upper arm 1-1 slides to the other end of the slide 1-2-2, and the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 connected to the upper arm 1-1 is in an extended state. At this time, the main structure of the forearm 1-3 and the upper arm 1-1 is in a perpendicular state.

[0049] A lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 is provided between the two forearms 1-3, which can move up and down along the forearms 1-3 and rotate around its own axis (that is, the two ends of the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 are slidably engaged with the forearms 1-3 at both ends through slide rails, and the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 is rotatably connected to the slide rails at both ends through a rotating shaft A to achieve rotation); the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 is provided with a robotic arm assembly 2, which includes a wrist 2-1 and a hand 2-2 for grasping and placing objects; wherein the wrist 2-1 is rotatably connected to the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 (the wrist 2-1 is rotatably connected to the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 through a rotating shaft B, which is perpendicular to the rotating shaft A), and the wrist 2-1 can move laterally along the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5 to change its position on the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5; the hand 2-2 is connected to the wrist 2-1.

[0050] The hand 2-2 consists of a pair of gripping mechanical claws and their control device. The two gripping mechanical claws in the hand 2-2 can move on the wrist 2-1 to grasp the target. The gripping mechanical claws adopt a high-strength structure and anti-slip treatment, which can stably grasp various targets.

[0051] The bottom end of the forearm 1-3 is rotatably connected to a support device 1-6. The support device 1-6 rotates around the connection point between itself and the forearm 1-3, so that the support device 1-6 has a folding and stowing function. The support device 1-6 includes a pulley system, which allows the forearm 1-3 to be supported on the ground and move horizontally.

[0052] When the device is in a horizontal position, the robotic arm assembly 2 can perform translation, rotation, and grasping operations in the horizontal space of the upper arm 1-1. When transitioning from a horizontal to a standing position, the upper arm 1-1 moves along the slide 1-2-2 to the other end, and the flipping and telescopic mechanism 1-4 connected to the upper arm 1-1 extends, pushing the forearm 1-3 forward and downward until the support device 1-6 rests on the ground. At this time, both the flipping and telescopic mechanism 1-4 and the upper arm 1-1 are in the extended state, and the forearm 1-3 is perpendicular to the base plate 1-2-1, completing the transition to a standing position. During the flipping process, due to the rotational characteristic of the lifting and translation mechanism 1-5, the wrist 2-1 of the robotic arm assembly 2 connected to it can keep the robotic gripper of the hand always pointing downwards. After the pulley system of the support device 1-6 lands, the flipping and telescopic mechanism 1-4, in conjunction with the pulley system of the support device 1-6, can extend and retract within a horizontal range to adjust the position of the forearm 1-3. The robotic arm component 2 moves up and down along the forearm 1-3 via the lifting and translation mechanism 1-5. The robotic wrist 2-1 uses a rotation and sliding structure to change the orientation and position of the robotic arm component 2 in the horizontal direction. Within the vertical space below the forearm 1-3, the robotic hand 2-2 performs grasping and placement operations through rotation and opening / closing movements. After successfully grasping the target object, the entire robotic arm first lifts the robotic arm component 2, then returns the movable support arm 1 to a horizontal position. At this point, the target object can be placed in the horizontal space of the upper arm 1-1 by controlling the combined translation, lifting, and grasping of the upper arm translation mechanism 1-2, the robotic wrist 2-1, and the hand 2-2. This process is reversible; that is, the target object can be grasped first in a standing position and then moved to a horizontal position to place the target object on the ground or other platform.

[0053] like Figure 4 As shown, this invention achieves multi-degree-of-freedom combined motion through the parallel operation of the robotic arms, namely, the forearm 1-3 can be flipped above or in front of the upper arm 1-1 under the combined action of the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 and the telescopic rod 1-7. The upper arm 1-1 translates along the slide 1-2-2 of the translation mechanism 1-2, and the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 connected to the upper arm 1-1 has the freedom of rotation and extension; the support device 1-6 can support the lowered forearm 1-3 in a standing position and translate along the direction of the upper arm 1-1 with the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4; the wrist 2-1 can translate along the guide rail where the forearm 1-3 is located through the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5, and can also rotate in the horizontal and vertical directions; the hand 2-2 can realize the action of grasping and placing.

[0054] This invention is applicable to various mobile mounting platforms and fixed loading and unloading platforms. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the base plate 1-2-1 where the upper arm 1-1 is located can be connected to the mounting surface of the mobile mounting platform. In the horizontal position, the forearm 1-3 is located above the upper arm 1-1, at which time the robotic arm is suspended in the air, and the mounting platform can move freely without being affected. At the same time, the robotic arm assembly 2 can also perform operations in the space above the mounting platform through the combined movement of the wrist 2-1 and the hand 2-2 (the hand 2-2 moves along the structure of the wrist 2-1).

[0055] like Figure 6 As shown, when loading and unloading operations are required, the robotic arm will switch from a horizontal to a vertical position according to the process described above, allowing personnel to perform loading and unloading operations in the space outside the platform. By switching between the retracted and extended states, the robotic arm component 2 can operate continuously in different work spaces, thereby achieving various loading and unloading tasks.

[0056] As an example, the crossbar B is equipped with a power unit A1-3-2, which provides lifting power to the lifting and translating mechanism 1-5.

[0057] As an example, the lifting and translation mechanism 1-5 is equipped with a power unit B1-5-1 for providing power to the robotic arm assembly 2.

[0058] As an example, a power unit C1-2-3 is provided on the base plate 1-2 to provide power for the upper arm 1-1 to move on the slide rail 1-2-2.

[0059] As an example, the flipping telescopic mechanism 1-4 may be a hydraulic cylinder, an air cylinder, or an electronic cylinder.

[0060] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted robotic arm, characterized in that, It includes a translation mechanism (1-2), a flipping and telescopic mechanism (1-4), a movable support arm (1), and a robotic arm assembly (2); wherein, the translation mechanism (1-2) includes a base plate (1-2-1) and slides (1-2-2) provided on both sides of its upper surface. The movable support arm (1) includes two parallel upper arms (1-1) and two parallel forearms (1-3), wherein the two upper arms (1-1) are respectively slidably engaged with the slide rails (1-2-2) on both sides of the upper surface of the base plate (1-2-1) and can be translated along the slide rails (1-2-2); The upper arm (1-1) is connected to the forearm (1-3) via a flip telescopic mechanism (1-4) and a telescopic rod (1-7); The two ends of the telescopic rod (1-7) are connected to the upper arm (1-1) and the forearm (1-3) respectively, and the telescopic rod (1-7) can rotate around its connection with the upper arm (1-1); A lifting and translation mechanism (1-5) is provided between the two forearms (1-3) that can move up and down along the forearms (1-3) and rotate around its own axis. The forearm (1-3) can be flipped to above or in front of the upper arm (1-1) under the combined action of the flipping telescopic mechanism (1-4) and the telescopic rod (1-7); The lifting and translating mechanism (1-5) is equipped with a robotic arm assembly (2) for grasping and placing objects.

2. The vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The two forearms (1-3) are connected by a crossbar B; The crossbar B is equipped with a power device A (1-3-2) for providing lifting power to the lifting and translating mechanism (1-5).

3. The vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting and translating mechanism (1-5) is equipped with a power unit B (1-5-1) for providing power to the robotic arm assembly (2).

4. The vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The forearm (1-3) is connected to a support device (1-6) at its bottom. The support device (1-6) includes a pulley system.

5. A vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tilting and telescopic mechanism (1-4) is a hydraulic cylinder, an air cylinder, or an electronic cylinder.

6. The vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper arm (1-1) is provided with a support (1-1-1) for connecting one end of the flipping telescopic mechanism (1-4).

7. A vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the telescopic rod (1-7) is connected to the upper arm (1-1) via a hinge bracket (1-7-1). The telescopic rod (1-7) is vertically connected to the forearm (1-3).

8. The vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A power unit C (1-2-3) is provided on the base plate (1-2-1) to provide power for the upper arm (1-1) to move on the slide (1-2-2).

9. A vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The robotic arm assembly (2) includes a wrist (2-1) and a hand (2-2). The wrist (2-1) is connected to the hand (2-2); The wrist (2-1) is rotatably connected to the lifting and translating mechanism (1-5); The wrist (2-1) can move laterally along the lifting and translating mechanism (1-5).

10. A vehicle-mounted robotic arm as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The hand (2-2) includes a pair of gripping mechanical claws and a control device; The pair of gripping mechanical claws in the hand (2-2) can move on the wrist (2-1) to grasp the target.

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