Pneumatic soft dexterous hand

Abstract

The application provides a pneumatic soft dexterous hand, and relates to the technical field of mechanical hands.The pneumatic soft dexterous hand comprises a bionic palm, the rigidity of the bionic palm gradually increases from the front end of the bionic palm to the heel of the bionic palm, a plurality of bionic fingers are arranged on the bionic palm, each bionic finger is provided with a finger pneumatic actuator, a palm pneumatic actuator is arranged on the bionic palm, and the palm pneumatic actuator at least comprises a first palm pneumatic actuator arranged in a first direction of the bionic palm and a second palm pneumatic actuator arranged in a second direction of the bionic palm.The bionic palm and the bionic fingers are matched to realize palm bending, thumb opposition and other hand movements, the adjusting dimension and the adjusting flexibility of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand are significantly improved, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand has good support and better gripping effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotic arm technology, and in particular to a pneumatic soft dexterous hand. Background Technology

[0002] Humanoid robots have developed rapidly in recent years, with various types of humanoid robots and related technologies emerging in an endless stream, becoming a highly promising research direction in the field of robotics. Soft mechanisms typically possess more degrees of freedom of motion than rigid mechanisms; therefore, humanoid robots increasingly utilize soft components, bringing flexibility, adaptability, and human-robot interaction safety that traditional rigid mechanisms lack. As an important branch of soft robotics, the soft dexterous hand's inherent advantages make it widely applicable in various fields such as industry, service, and medicine.

[0003] In existing technologies, the finger parts of dexterous hands are usually equipped with drive mechanisms to enable the bionic fingers to have adjustment capabilities. However, in order to obtain good support, the palm part of dexterous hands is usually made of rigid materials, which makes the palm part lack flexible adjustment capabilities. As a result, the palm part is difficult to cooperate with the finger part to achieve complex motion control, reducing the applicability of dexterous hands. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic soft dexterous hand to obtain better adjustment flexibility and support to improve applicability.

[0005] The above-mentioned objective of this invention can be achieved by the following technical solution: This invention provides a pneumatic soft dexterous hand, comprising:

[0006] The bionic hand has its stiffness gradually increasing from the front end to the base of the hand.

[0007] Multiple bionic fingers are set on the bionic palm, and each of the bionic fingers is equipped with a finger pneumatic actuator;

[0008] A pneumatic actuator for the palm is disposed on the bionic palm. The pneumatic actuator for the palm includes at least a first pneumatic actuator disposed along a first direction of the bionic palm and a second pneumatic actuator disposed along a second direction of the bionic palm.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bionic hand includes a hand body, one side end face of the hand body forms a palm end face, and the other side end face of the hand body is provided with the hand pneumatic actuator. The rigidity of the hand body gradually increases along the direction from the front end of the hand body to the palm root of the hand body.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first direction is the width direction of the bionic palm, and the second direction is the extension direction of the thenar eminence muscle of the bionic palm.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the palm pneumatic actuator includes a palm mounting base, a palm adjustment seat disposed on the palm mounting base, and a first palm pneumatic actuator and a second palm pneumatic actuator embedded in the palm adjustment seat. The palm adjustment seat is disposed on the palm body through the palm mounting base.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the palm mounting base is formed of a first stiffness material, and the palm adjustment seat is formed of a second stiffness material, wherein the stiffness value of the first stiffness material is greater than the stiffness value of the second stiffness material.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bionic finger includes a finger body, and the finger body is provided with a finger pneumatic actuator on the side opposite to the palm end face. The finger pneumatic actuator includes at least one finger mounting base and a finger pneumatic actuator disposed on each of the finger mounting bases. The finger pneumatic actuator is embedded in the finger body through the finger mounting base.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the finger mounting base is formed of a third stiffness material, and the body of the finger pneumatic actuator is formed of a fourth stiffness material, wherein the stiffness value of the third stiffness material is greater than the stiffness value of the fourth stiffness material.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of bionic fingers include at least a bionic thumb, a bionic index finger, a bionic middle finger, a bionic ring finger, and a bionic little finger. Each of the bionic thumb, the bionic index finger, the bionic middle finger, and the bionic ring finger is provided with two spaced-apart pneumatic actuators, and the bionic little finger is provided with one pneumatic actuator.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand further includes a dynamic expansion mechanism, the dynamic expansion mechanism including at least one groove disposed on the palm end face and / or the bionic finger, a heating element disposed in each of the grooves, and a friction element filled in each of the grooves, wherein when the friction element is heated, at least a portion of the friction element can protrude from the outer side of the palm end face.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a tactile sensor is provided on the palm end face and / or at least part of the bionic finger, the tactile sensor is electrically connected to the heating element, and the heating element performs heating operation based on the friction force signal obtained by the tactile sensor.

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention has the following significant beneficial effects:

[0019] When in use, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand described in this invention utilizes a first and a second pneumatic actuator mounted on the bionic hand to perform bending adjustments at multiple angles, thereby increasing the adjustment flexibility of the bionic hand. Furthermore, the finger pneumatic actuators can also adjust the bending angle of each bionic finger, mimicking finger bending and extension movements. This invention, through the coordination of the bionic hand and its fingers, enables hand movements such as hand bending and thumb opposition, significantly improving the adjustment dimensions and flexibility of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand.

[0020] Furthermore, by gradually increasing the stiffness of the bionic hand along the direction from the front end to the base of the hand, the support strength at the base of the hand is improved, enabling the pneumatic soft dexterous hand to provide better support when grasping objects. On the other hand, the adjustment flexibility of the front end of the hand is also improved, so that the pneumatic soft dexterous hand has both flexible adjustment capabilities and good support, resulting in a better grasping effect. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Furthermore, the shapes and proportions of the components in the drawings are merely illustrative to aid in understanding the invention and do not specifically limit the shapes and proportions of the components. Those skilled in the art, guided by the teachings of this invention, can select various possible shapes and proportions to implement the invention according to specific circumstances.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand described in this invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the finger pneumatic actuator described in this invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the palm adjustment seat of the present invention, which includes a first palm pneumatic actuator and a first palm pneumatic actuator;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an exploded structure of the bionic finger described in this invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an exploded structure of the bionic hand described in this invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the front view structure of the palm body described in this invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a front view of the dynamic expansion mechanism described in this invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the bionic hand and some of the bionic fingers of the present invention in a separated state;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an installation structure for the tactile sensor described in this invention.

[0032] The reference numerals in the above figures are as follows:

[0033] 1. Bionic hand; 11. Main body of the hand; 111. Upper part of the hand; 112. Middle part of the hand; 113. Lower part of the hand; 12. Palm end face; 13. Hand mounting base; 14. Hand adjustment seat;

[0034] 2. Bionic finger; 20. Finger body; 21. Finger pneumatic actuator; 211. Finger pneumatic actuator; 22. Finger mounting base; 201. Bionic thumb; 202. Bionic index finger; 203. Bionic middle finger; 204. Bionic ring finger; 205. Bionic little finger;

[0035] 3. Palm pneumatic actuator; 31. First palm pneumatic actuator; 32. Second palm pneumatic actuator;

[0036] 4. Dynamic expansion mechanism; 41. Groove; 42. Friction component;

[0037] 5. Tactile sensor;

[0038] 6. Plugging pin. Detailed Implementation

[0039] 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. 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.

[0040] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a pneumatic soft dexterous hand, which includes: a bionic palm 1, with the stiffness of the bionic palm 1 gradually increasing from the front end to the palm root; multiple bionic fingers 2 disposed on the bionic palm 1, each of the bionic fingers 2 being provided with a finger pneumatic actuator 21; and a palm pneumatic actuator 3 disposed on the bionic palm 1, the palm pneumatic actuator 3 including at least a first palm pneumatic actuator 31 disposed along a first direction of the bionic palm 1 and a second palm pneumatic actuator 32 disposed along a second direction of the bionic palm 1.

[0041] Overall, when in use, this pneumatic soft dexterous hand utilizes the first pneumatic actuator 31 and the second pneumatic actuator 32 mounted on the bionic hand 1 to perform bending adjustments at multiple angles, thereby increasing the adjustment flexibility of the bionic hand 1. Furthermore, the finger pneumatic actuator 21 can also adjust the bending angle of each bionic finger 2 to mimic finger bending and extension movements. This invention, through the coordination of the bionic hand 1 and each bionic finger 2, enables hand movements such as hand bending and thumb opposition, significantly improving the adjustment dimensions and flexibility of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand.

[0042] Furthermore, by gradually increasing the stiffness of the bionic hand 1 along the direction from the front end to the base of the hand, the support strength at the base of the hand is improved, enabling the pneumatic soft dexterous hand to provide better support when grasping objects. On the other hand, the adjustment flexibility of the front end of the bionic hand 1 is also improved, so that the pneumatic soft dexterous hand has both flexible adjustment capability and good support, resulting in a better grasping effect.

[0043] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the bionic hand 1 includes a hand body 11, one side end face of the hand body 11 forms a palm end face 12, and the other side end face of the hand body 11 is provided with the hand pneumatic actuator 3. The rigidity of the hand body 11 gradually increases along the direction from the front end of the hand body 11 to the palm root of the hand body 11.

[0044] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the first direction is the width direction of the bionic palm 1, and the second direction is the extension direction of the thenar eminence muscle of the bionic palm 1. For example, the acute angle between the first and second directions can be set to approximately 60°.

[0045] By arranging the first pneumatic actuator 31 along a first direction, the first pneumatic actuator 31 can be used to drive the front end of the bionic hand 1 to bend and adjust. By arranging the second pneumatic actuator 32 along a second direction, the second pneumatic actuator 32 can be used to drive the side of the bionic hand 1 to bend and adjust.

[0046] The combination of the first pneumatic actuator 31 and the second pneumatic actuator 32 improves the bending dimension of the bionic hand 1, enabling it to better simulate the bending motion of the hand and providing better adjustment flexibility. This allows the bionic hand 1 to simulate the actual movement of the metacarpal bones and thenar muscles in the human hand, thus achieving movements such as hand bending and thumb opposition.

[0047] In other embodiments, the designer may adjust the orientation of the first and second directions as needed, without specific limitations.

[0048] In an embodiment of the present invention, the palm body 11 can be cast using liquid silicone rubber material, and nanoparticles of different mass fractions can be mixed into the liquid silicone rubber material to gradually adjust the stiffness of the palm body 11.

[0049] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the palm body 11 is divided into an upper palm body 111, a middle palm body 112, and a lower palm body 113. When casting the palm body 11, the upper palm body 111, the middle palm body 112, and the lower palm body 113 are cast sequentially, and after complete curing, palm bodies 11 with different rigidities are obtained.

[0050] Among them, the upper palm 111 has the least stiffness, thus improving the bending flexibility of the bionic hand 1, while the lower palm 113 has the greatest stiffness, so that when the bionic hand 1 grasps an object, the lower palm 113 can provide better support for the object.

[0051] In other embodiments, designers may adjust the molding method and materials of the bionic hand 1 according to the needs of use, without making specific limitations here.

[0052] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 4In the embodiment shown, the palm pneumatic actuator 3 includes a palm mounting base 13, a palm adjustment seat 14 disposed on the palm mounting base 13, and a first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and a second palm pneumatic actuator 32 embedded in the palm adjustment seat 14. The palm adjustment seat 14 is disposed on the palm body 11 through the palm mounting base 13.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and the second palm pneumatic actuator 32 each include four air chambers, forming a grid. The adjacent air chambers are spaced about 0.5 mm apart. Each air chamber on the first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and the second palm pneumatic actuator 32 is connected by a gas channel, and there is a gap between the first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and the second palm pneumatic actuator 32, so that the first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and the second palm pneumatic actuator do not affect each other when driving.

[0054] By combining the first hand pneumatic actuator 31 and the second hand pneumatic actuator 32, the adjustment flexibility of the bionic hand 1 can be increased.

[0055] In other embodiments, the designer may adjust the specific structure and arrangement of the first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and the second palm pneumatic actuator 32 according to the needs of use, without making specific restrictions here.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present invention, the palm mounting base 13 is formed of a first stiffness material, and the palm adjustment seat 14 is formed of a second stiffness material, wherein the stiffness value of the first stiffness material is greater than the stiffness value of the second stiffness material.

[0057] In one specific embodiment, the first stiffness material and the second stiffness material are silicone rubbers with different stiffnesses. By increasing the stiffness of the palm mounting base 13, the palm mounting base 13 is less prone to tensile deformation, so that when a small amount of gas is introduced into the first palm pneumatic actuator 31 and / or the second palm pneumatic actuator 32, the bionic palm 1 can be driven to produce a larger bending angle.

[0058] In other embodiments, the designers may adjust the specific materials of the first stiffness material and the second stiffness material according to the needs of use, and no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0059] In an embodiment of the present invention, the bionic finger 2 includes a finger body 20. The finger body 20 is provided with a finger pneumatic actuator 21 on the side opposite to the palm end face 12. The finger pneumatic actuator 21 includes at least one finger mounting base 22 and a finger pneumatic actuator 211 disposed on each of the finger mounting bases 22. The finger pneumatic actuator 211 is embedded in the finger body 20 through the finger mounting base 22.

[0060] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the finger pneumatic actuator 211 includes multiple air chambers, forming a grid. Each air chamber on each finger body 20 is connected by a gas channel, allowing each finger body 20 to bend independently. The adjacent air chambers are spaced approximately 0.5 mm apart, and the cross-section of each air chamber is semi-circular.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present invention, the finger mounting base 22 is formed of a third stiffness material, and the main body of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 is formed of a fourth stiffness material, wherein the stiffness value of the third stiffness material is greater than the stiffness value of the fourth stiffness material.

[0062] In one specific embodiment, the third stiffness material and the fourth stiffness material are silicone rubbers with different stiffnesses. By increasing the stiffness of the finger mounting base 22, the finger mounting base 22 is less prone to tensile deformation, so that when a small amount of gas is introduced into the finger pneumatic actuator 211, it can drive the bionic finger 2 to produce a larger bending angle.

[0063] In other embodiments, the designers may adjust the specific materials of the third stiffness material and the fourth stiffness material as needed, without making specific limitations here.

[0064] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of bionic fingers 2 include at least a bionic thumb 201, a bionic index finger 202, a bionic middle finger 203, a bionic ring finger 204, and a bionic little finger 205. Each of the bionic thumb 201, the bionic index finger 202, the bionic middle finger 203, and the bionic ring finger 204 is provided with two spaced-apart pneumatic actuators 211, and the bionic little finger 205 is provided with one pneumatic actuator 211.

[0065] By setting two finger pneumatic actuators 211 on each of the bionic thumb 201, the bionic index finger 202, the bionic middle finger 203 and the bionic ring finger 204, and setting one finger pneumatic actuator 211 on the bionic little finger 205, the bionic fingers 2 can better mimic the bending and stretching movements of human hand joints.

[0066] Specifically, the bionic thumb 201 and the bionic hand 1 are integrally molded. Multiple slots are pre-set at the front end of the bionic hand 1, and the bionic index finger 202, bionic middle finger 203, bionic ring finger 204 and bionic little finger 205 are bonded to the slots of the bionic hand 1 using liquid silicone.

[0067] In embodiments of the present invention, the air source is independently connected to each pneumatic actuator via a flexible hose, thereby facilitating control of the stroke of each pneumatic actuator. Designers can adjust the air source and its control system according to usage requirements, and no specific limitations are imposed here.

[0068] When the pneumatic soft dexterous hand grasps an object, if the palm end surface 12 of the bionic hand 1 is relatively smooth, there is a problem of insufficient friction between the palm end surface 12 and the object, which causes the object to easily slip off the palm end surface 12 during the grasping process.

[0069] To avoid the above problems, in the embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 7 In the embodiment shown, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand further includes a dynamic expansion mechanism 4, which includes at least one groove 41 disposed on the palm end face 12 and / or the bionic finger 2, a heating element (not shown) disposed in each of the grooves 41, and a friction element 42 filled in each of the grooves 41. When the friction element 42 is heated, at least a portion of the friction element 42 can protrude from the outer side of the palm end face 12.

[0070] In one specific embodiment, a plurality of grooves 41 are provided on the palm end face 12, and the grooves 41 are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the palm end face 12.

[0071] In other embodiments, designers may adjust the setting direction, number and size of the grooves 41 according to the needs of use, without making specific numerical limitations here.

[0072] Furthermore, the heating element is a resistance wire disposed within the groove 41, and the friction element 42 is an alcohol-silicone rubber mixture filled within the groove 41. During heating, the resistance wire can be connected to a current control system, thereby facilitating precise control of the heating temperature of the resistance wire for better heating effect. Designers can adjust the material of the friction element 42 according to usage requirements; no specific limitations are imposed here.

[0073] The heating element set in the groove 41 can heat the friction element 42 filled in the groove 41, causing the friction element 42 to expand and protrude from the palm end face 12. The protruding friction element 42 can further squeeze the object being grasped, increasing the gripping force. In addition, the protruding friction element 42 can also increase the friction between the palm end face 12 and the object being grasped, preventing the object from slipping off the palm end face 12.

[0074] When not gripping an object, the heating element stops heating, allowing the friction element 42 to retract into the groove 41, thereby restoring the palm end face 12 to a smooth surface.

[0075] In another specific embodiment, multiple grooves 41 are provided on both the palm end face 12 and the bionic finger 2, thereby significantly increasing the gripping effect of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand.

[0076] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 9 In the embodiment shown, a tactile sensor 5 is provided on the palm end face 12 and / or at least part of the bionic finger 2. The tactile sensor 5 is electrically connected to the heating element, and the heating element performs heating operation based on the friction force signal obtained by the tactile sensor 5.

[0077] By utilizing the tactile sensor 5 to detect the frictional force signal when touching an object, it can determine whether the gripping friction of the pneumatic soft dexterity hand needs to be increased based on the frictional force signal. When it is necessary to increase the gripping friction of the pneumatic soft dexterity hand, the friction element 42 is heated by the heating element, causing the friction element 42 to protrude from the groove 41 to squeeze the object being grasped, thereby increasing the gripping force. At the same time, the protruding friction element 42 can also increase the friction between the palm end face 12 and the object being grasped.

[0078] In one specific embodiment, each bionic finger 2 is provided with a tactile sensor 5, which is located at the fingertip of each of the five fingers. The tactile sensor 5 is a flexible thin-film sensor at the fingertip, thereby determining whether it is necessary to increase the friction of the palm based on the signal generated by the touch of the flexible thin-film sensor at the fingertip.

[0079] Among them, the fingertip flexible thin film sensor modifies and solidifies PDMS substrate material by adding different types of ionic liquids to it into the required shape and surface structure. It uses the electrical energy generated by touch to realize signal output. After collecting, processing and analyzing the output signal, it can realize the perception of information such as pressure, shape and position of the touch interface.

[0080] Furthermore, designers can install a processing module, such as a computer, between each tactile sensor 5 and each heating element. The processing module enables the intermediate control process between the tactile sensor 5 and the corresponding heating element.

[0081] In another specific embodiment, the tactile sensor 5 can be simultaneously placed on the palm end face 12, thereby increasing the detection range of the tactile sensor 5 and having a better performance.

[0082] In other embodiments, the designer may adjust the setting position and model of the tactile sensor 5 as needed, without making specific limitations here.

[0083] In an embodiment of the present invention, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand is also provided with a pin 6. The pin 6 is located at the base of the bionic middle finger 203 and is integrated with the main body of the bionic middle finger 203. It can be connected to the robotic arm through the pin 6.

[0084] In existing technologies, the main body of a dexterous hand is generally made of flexible materials, while the supporting or connecting parts of the dexterous hand are still made of rigid materials. This means that when the dexterous hand is subjected to external impact, the main flexible material is not easily damaged, but the rigid supporting or connecting parts are very easy to break, which leads to the failure of the dexterous hand.

[0085] In one feasible embodiment, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand of the present invention has a completely soft structure, mainly molded using two types of silicone rubber with different stiffnesses. Specifically, the first stiffness material and the third stiffness material are set to the same type of silicone rubber material, and the second stiffness material and the fourth stiffness material are set to the same type of silicone rubber material. Further, the finger body and the finger mounting base can be manufactured using the same stiffness material, and the palm body and the palm mounting base can be manufactured using the same stiffness material.

[0086] Furthermore, the pin 6 of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand of the present invention is also made of rubber. The bionic finger 2 and the bionic palm 1 can also be bonded together with liquid silicone rubber. The present invention significantly improves the robustness of the pneumatic soft dexterous hand through its all-soft structure design.

[0087] Of course, in other embodiments, designers may adjust the specific material types and stiffness of the first stiffness material, the second stiffness material, the third stiffness material and the fourth stiffness material according to the needs of use, without making specific restrictions here.

[0088] Existing mold casting methods do not easily bond different types of silicone rubber components together effectively. To overcome this technical problem, this invention employs a step-by-step casting process to manufacture the pneumatic actuators of a pneumatic soft dexterous hand. First, the upper and lower molds of the pneumatic actuator are closed, and the liquid silicone rubber is demolded after complete curing. Then, the demolded silicone rubber is gently placed in a base mold containing different types of liquid silicone rubber, and after complete curing, the pneumatic actuator required by this invention is obtained. The pneumatic actuator obtained by this invention using the aforementioned process can have a more complex internal cavity structure and can simultaneously bond different types of silicone rubber.

[0089] Specifically, the pneumatic soft dexterous hand in this invention is manufactured using a mold casting method, which is more suitable for forming internal cavities. All molds are printed using ABS material via a 3D printer (e.g., Ultimaker S5) with a printing accuracy of approximately 0.1 mm. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand in this invention uses two types of silicone rubber with different stiffnesses: Dragon Skin 30, with higher hardness, is used to manufacture the base of the pneumatic actuator and the main body of the bionic finger 2 and bionic palm 1, while Dragon Skin 10SLOW is used for the main body of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 and the main body of the palm pneumatic actuator.

[0090] In the manufacturing process, first place a beaker containing the mixed Dragon Skin 10SLOW silicone rubber into a vacuum chamber and use a rotary vane vacuum pump to remove air bubbles. Pour the degassed Dragon Skin 10SLOW into the base mold of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 and fill it completely. Then, gently press the main body mold of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 into the base mold containing the silicone rubber, extruding excess silicone rubber and aligning it. Place the aligned mold in a drying oven and heat (e.g., 65°C) for about 40 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, remove the fully cured main body of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 from the mold, trim off the excess, and set aside. Multiple small protrusions are pre-set on the bottom surface of the main body of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 to better bond with silicone rubber of different stiffnesses in the base mold in the next step.

[0091] Place a beaker containing the mixed Dragon Skin 30 silicone rubber into a vacuum chamber and use a rotary vane vacuum pump to remove air bubbles. Pour the degassed Dragon Skin 30 into the base mold of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 and fill it completely. Gently place the previously prepared body of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 onto the base mold filled with liquid silicone and align it. Then place it in a drying oven and heat (e.g., 65°C) for about 40 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, remove it from the base mold and trim off any excess silicone rubber to obtain the finger pneumatic actuator 211. Similarly, a palm pneumatic actuator can be obtained using the same method and materials.

[0092] Pour the degassed Dragon Skin 30 into the finger body 20 mold and fill it completely. Place the mold in a drying oven and heat (e.g., 65°C) for about 40 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, remove the fully cured Dragon Skin 30 silicone rubber from the mold to obtain the finger body 20.

[0093] Three different mass fractions of nanoparticles were mixed into the same mass of Dragon Skin 30, stirred, and degassed. The mixture of the three different mass fractions of liquid silicone rubber was then quickly poured into the upper, middle, and lower parts of the hand body 11 mold. After the silicone rubber had completely filled the mold, the mold was placed in a drying oven and heated (e.g., 65°C) for about 40 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, the fully cured silicone rubber was removed from the mold to obtain the hand body 11 with gradient stiffness.

[0094] De-degassed Dragon Skin 30 was applied to the bottom and sides of the finger pneumatic actuator 211 and attached to the joints of the main body of the bionic finger 2. After curing at room temperature, bionic index finger 202, bionic middle finger 203, bionic ring finger 204, and bionic little finger 205 were obtained. De-degassed Dragon Skin 30 was applied to the base of the palm pneumatic actuator and cured at room temperature to obtain the palm part.

[0095] After degassing, Dragon Skin 30 is applied to the base of the four bionic fingers 2 and inserted into the pre-drilled slots on the hand body 11 before being glued together. After curing at room temperature, a pneumatic soft dexterous hand is obtained. Air tubes are then inserted from the upper part of each finger's pneumatic actuator 211 and the corresponding positions on the side of the hand's pneumatic actuator. A small amount of Dragon Skin 30 is applied to the edges for sealing. Finally, several air tubes are connected to an air source.

[0096] Pour the degassed Dragon Skin 30 into the palm friction component 42 mold and fill it completely. Place the mold in a drying oven and heat (e.g., 65°C) for about 40 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, remove the fully cured silicone rubber from the mold to obtain the main body of the friction component 42. Place the resistance wire in the groove 41 beforehand, then pour in the mixture of Dragon Skin 30 and alcohol. After complete curing at room temperature, obtain the friction component 42. Finally, attach the friction component 42 to the palm end face 12 using silicone rubber.

[0097] When in operation, this invention, based on the independence of each joint and the active driving ability of the palm, enables the pneumatic soft dexterous hand to perform complex gestures and operations, such as: finger-to-finger movements (the thumb touching the index, middle, ring, and little fingers in sequence), and grasping and pushing a syringe to use scissors to cut paper.

[0098] Grasping action, as an important indicator of a robotic arm's capabilities, can be divided into two types: "powerful gripping" and "precise gripping." When performing "powerful gripping," all five fingers and the palm are typically bent simultaneously to achieve greater gripping force and a wider grasping range. When performing "precise gripping," the gripping action changes to a two-finger gripping motion using the thumb and index finger, or a triangular gripping motion using the thumb, index finger, and middle finger. This requires precise control of the air intake in each joint chamber to grasp small objects and objects with unusual shapes.

[0099] This invention achieves an ordered combination of flexible materials with different stiffnesses, enabling the bending of fingers and palms through gas-driven motion, and allowing the combined movement of five fingers and palms to complete various postures. Furthermore, thin-film flexible tactile sensors are added to the fingertips. Different types of ionic liquids are added to the PDMS substrate material to modify it for different application scenarios, solidifying it into the required shape and surface structure. The electrical energy generated by touch enables signal output. After collecting, processing, and analyzing the output signals, information such as pressure, shape, and position of the touch interface can be perceived.

[0100] All articles and references disclosed herein, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by reference for various purposes. The term “substantially constitutes…” used to describe a combination should include the identified element, component, part, or step, as well as other elements, components, parts, or steps that do not substantially affect the essential novelty of the combination. The use of the terms “comprising” or “including” to describe combinations of elements, components, parts, or steps herein also contemplates embodiments substantially constituted by such elements, components, parts, or steps. The use of the term “may” herein is intended to indicate that any described attribute “may” include is optional. Multiple elements, components, parts, or steps can be provided by a single integrated element, component, part, or step. Alternatively, a single integrated element, component, part, or step can be divided into multiple separate elements, components, parts, or steps. The disclosure of “a” or “an” used to describe an element, component, part, or step does not imply exclusion of other elements, components, parts, or steps.

[0101] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pneumatic soft dexterous hand, characterized in that, include: The bionic hand has its stiffness gradually increasing from the front end to the base of the hand. Multiple bionic fingers are set on the bionic palm, and each of the bionic fingers is equipped with a finger pneumatic actuator; A pneumatic actuator for the palm is disposed on the bionic palm. The pneumatic actuator for the palm includes at least a first pneumatic actuator disposed along a first direction of the bionic palm and a second pneumatic actuator disposed along a second direction of the bionic palm.

2. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bionic hand includes a hand body, one side of which forms a palm end face, and the other side of which is provided with the pneumatic actuator. The rigidity of the hand body gradually increases along the direction from the front end of the hand body to the palm root.

3. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first direction is the width direction of the bionic palm, and the second direction is the extension direction of the thenar eminence muscle of the bionic palm.

4. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The pneumatic actuator for the palm includes a palm mounting base, a palm adjustment seat disposed on the palm mounting base, and a first pneumatic actuator and a second pneumatic actuator embedded in the palm adjustment seat. The palm adjustment seat is disposed on the palm body through the palm mounting base.

5. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The palm mounting base is formed of a first stiffness material, and the palm adjustment seat is formed of a second stiffness material. The stiffness value of the first stiffness material is greater than that of the second stiffness material.

6. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The bionic finger includes a finger body, and the finger body has a finger pneumatic actuator on the side opposite to the palm end face. The finger pneumatic actuator includes at least one finger mounting base and a finger pneumatic actuator disposed on each of the finger mounting bases. The finger pneumatic actuator is embedded in the finger body through the finger mounting base.

7. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The finger mounting base is formed of a third stiffness material, and the main body of the finger pneumatic actuator is formed of a fourth stiffness material. The stiffness value of the third stiffness material is greater than that of the fourth stiffness material.

8. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The plurality of bionic fingers include at least a bionic thumb, a bionic index finger, a bionic middle finger, a bionic ring finger, and a bionic little finger. Each of the bionic thumb, the bionic index finger, the bionic middle finger, and the bionic ring finger is provided with two pneumatic actuators spaced apart from each other, and the bionic little finger is provided with one pneumatic actuator.

9. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The pneumatic soft dexterous hand also includes a dynamic expansion mechanism, which includes at least one groove disposed on the palm end face and / or the bionic finger, a heating element disposed in each of the grooves, and a friction element filled in each of the grooves. When the friction element is heated, at least a portion of the friction element can protrude from the outer side of the palm end face.

10. The pneumatic soft dexterous hand as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The palm end face and / or at least part of the bionic finger are provided with tactile sensors, the tactile sensors are electrically connected to the heating element, and the heating element performs heating operation based on the friction force signal obtained by the tactile sensors.

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