Wire traction device and method

The thread pulling device and method automate the sewing process by tensioning the thread using a drive assembly and pressing assembly, addressing labor-intensive manual sewing challenges and ensuring thread protection and controlled movement.

CN119256128APending Publication Date: 2025-01-03ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202280096405.2
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-05-24
Publication Date
2025-01-03

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The manual attachment and sewing of leather covers on steering wheels is labor-intensive and time-consuming, necessitating an automated sewing process for improved efficiency.

Method used

A thread pulling device and method utilizing a drive assembly, pressing assembly, and motor to tension the slack portion of a thread without complex force control mechanisms, ensuring controlled movement and protection against excessive forces.

Benefits of technology

Facilitates automated sewing operations by easily tensioning the thread, avoiding damage and complexity, and allowing for variable thread length adjustments.

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Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to a wire pulling device and a wire pulling method. The wire traction device comprises: a drive assembly (70) comprising a drive wheel (72) comprising a work platform (722) for supporting a wire (85), the wire (85) comprising a fixed end (852) fixed to an object (90) and a movable end (854) carried by a tool; a pressing assembly (60) including a pressing member (62) configured to move between a first position, in which the pressing member (62) engages the work platform (722) to clamp the wire to be drawn between the pressing member and the work platform, and a second position, in which the pressing member (62) is disengaged from the work platform (722) to release the wire to be drawn; and a motor (74) configured to rotate the driving wheel (72) when the pressing member (62) is in the first position so as to move a slack portion (855) of the wire at the fixed end from the fixed end to the movable end.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of industrial robots, and more particularly to industrial robots for sewing objects. Background Art

[0002] In the automotive industry, more and more cars are being manufactured to be equipped with leather-covered steering wheels. Leather not only improves the appearance of the steering wheel, but also improves the comfort of the feel. This is because the leather covering resists the slippery feeling caused by sweat, which means safer driving.

[0003] Typically, leather coverings are manually attached to the raw steering wheel by hand using manual work. The worker first attaches the leather covering to the raw steering wheel by gluing and then sews the leather covering to the raw steering wheel by sewing stitch by stitch. This is labor-intensive and time-consuming. For a single steering wheel, to complete this assembly process, it takes one hour even for an experienced operator. There is an increasing need to automate the assembly process by means of industrial robots. Summary of the invention

[0004] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a thread pulling device and a thread pulling method capable of improving the degree of automation of a sewing process.

[0005] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a wire pulling device is provided. The pulling device comprises: a drive assembly, the drive assembly comprising a drive wheel, the drive wheel comprising a working platform for supporting a wire, the wire comprising a fixed end fixed to an object and a movable end carried by a tool; a pressing assembly, the pressing assembly comprising a pressing member, the pressing member being configured to move between a first position and a second position, in which the pressing member engages the working platform to clamp the wire to be pulled between the pressing member and the working platform, and in which the pressing member disengages from the working platform to release the wire to be pulled; and a motor, the motor being configured to rotate the drive wheel when the pressing member is in the first position so as to move the slack portion of the wire at the fixed end from the fixed end to the movable end.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, for a thread including a fixed end fixed to an object and a free end, the slack portion of the thread at the fixed end can be easily tensioned. This is particularly advantageous in an automatic sewing operation. This arrangement avoids the need for a complex force control mechanism for protecting the thread and avoids the need for a complex motion control mechanism due to the variable length of the thread.

[0007] In some embodiments, the wire can be moved from the fixed end to the movable end by the static friction force generated by the pressing force applied by the pressing member. With this arrangement, the movement of the wire can be well controlled by moving the drive wheel. In addition, by generating an appropriate contact force between the pressing member and the drive wheel, the force used to move the wire can be well controlled.

[0008] In some embodiments, the thread is caused to slide when the traction force acting on the thread exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value indicating that the slack portion of the thread at the fixed end has been tensioned. The fact that the thread starts to slide indicates that the slack portion of the thread at the fixed end has been tensioned. Due to this fact, the thread can be well protected from damage due to excessive tensile forces. This is particularly advantageous in automatic sewing operations.

[0009] In some embodiments, the device may further include an actuator for moving the pressing assembly, the actuator having a piston, wherein the piston is coupled to the pressing assembly, and the actuator is configured to linearly move the piston, thereby moving the pressing assembly. With this arrangement, the pressing assembly can be easily moved.

[0010] In some embodiments, the device may further comprise a frame for supporting the actuator, wherein the frame defines a guide rail for guiding the movement of the pressing assembly. By this arrangement, the movement of the pressing assembly can be well controlled and guided.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressing assembly may include: a base for supporting the pressing member; and a spring, the spring being arranged between the base and the piston and being used to elastically support the pressing member. With the spring, even if the moving distance of the actuator is inaccurate, the contact force between the pressing member and the driving wheel can be well determined.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressing assembly may further include: an adjustment plate coupled to the piston; and a screw fixed to the base; wherein the spring is arranged between the base and the adjustment plate, and the elastic force of the spring can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the adjustment plate relative to the base along the screw, so that the pressure applied to the wire can be adjusted. With this arrangement, the contact force between the pressing member and the driving wheel can be easily adjusted.

[0013] In some embodiments, the pressing member may be in the form of a roller that is rotatable relative to the base. This facilitates movement of the wire.

[0014] In some embodiments, the working platform may include a circumferential groove for receiving the wire.

[0015] In some embodiments, the circumferential groove comprises a V-shape having a first guide angle.

[0016] In some embodiments, the press member includes a protruding shape that can be received by the circumferential groove, the protruding shape has a second guide angle, and the first guide angle is equal to or greater than the second guide angle.

[0017] In some embodiments, the tip of the convex shape is rounded to define a gap relative to the working platform for accommodating the wire.

[0018] In some embodiments, the material of the surface of the pressing member is different from the material of the surface of the working platform.

[0019] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a robot system for sewing is provided, comprising the thread pulling device according to any one of the first aspect.

[0020] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, a wire pulling method is provided. The wire pulling method comprises: after placing a wire on a working platform of a wire pulling device, moving a pressing member to a first position, at which the pressing member engages the working platform to clamp the wire to be pulled between the pressing member and the working platform, the wire comprising a fixed end fixed to an object and a movable end carried by a tool; rotating the working platform to move the slack portion of the wire at the fixed end from the fixed end to the movable end; sliding the wire when the pulling force acting on the wire exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value indicating that the slack portion of the wire at the fixed end has been tensioned; and moving the pressing member to a second position, at which the pressing member is disengaged from the working platform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other purposes, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will become more easily understood through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, several exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are shown by way of example and not limitation, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a robot system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a wire pulling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a wire pulling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the pressing member is disengaged from the driving wheel;

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a wire pulling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the pressing member is disengaged from the driving wheel;

[0026] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing how a wire is clamped between a pressing portion of a pressing member and a drive wheel, wherein the pressing member engages the drive wheel, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 sectional view of;

[0028] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 An enlarged view of the circular portion of ;

[0029] Figure 8-Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operating principle of a wire pulling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0030] Fig.12 is a flow chart of a wire pulling method according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numbers are used to refer to the same or similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The principles of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to several example embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that these embodiments are described only to facilitate those skilled in the art to better understand and thereby implement the present disclosure, rather than to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0033] The terms "including" or "comprising" and their variations should be interpreted as open-ended terms, which mean "including but not limited to". The term "or" should be interpreted as "and / or", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "based on" should be understood as "based at least in part on". The term "operably" refers to a function, action, movement or state that can be achieved through operation caused by a user or an external mechanism. The terms "one embodiment" and "embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "another embodiment" should be understood as "at least one other embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the definitions of terms are consistent throughout the specification.

[0034] There is an increasing need to automate the assembly process of sewing a cover onto a steering wheel. The present disclosure proposes a novel robotic system for sewing, which can sew a cover onto a steering wheel. It should be understood that although the present disclosure uses a steering wheel with a cover as an example to illustrate the principles of the present disclosure, this is merely illustrative, and the concepts of the present disclosure can be applied to any other object that needs to be sewn. The cover can be in various forms, for example, the cover is made of leather, artificial leather, fabric, etc.

[0035] Figure 1 A robotic system 100 for sewing an object is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the robot system 100 includes a support 40 for supporting an object to be sewn (in the example shown, a steering wheel 90), a first robot arm 20, and a second robot arm 30. The object may be a semi-finished product delivered by a previous process, and may include a covering and a blank steering wheel. The covering may be mainly bonded to the blank steering wheel, and the covering should be further sewn according to a predetermined sewing pattern so as to tightly fix the covering to the blank steering wheel. The robot system 100 is configured to perform the above-mentioned sewing operation.

[0036] The robot system 100 may further include a controller 10 , and the controller 10 may communicate with the first robot arm 20 and the second robot arm 30 to control their movements, thereby performing a sewing operation.

[0037] The robot system 100 may also include one or more cameras 52, 54. Cameras 52 and 54 may be attached to different locations of the robot system to obtain images of the object from different perspectives. The image of the object may be sent to the controller 10. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to visually inspect the object based on the image from the camera, and provide an inspection result indicating whether the object can be sewn by the device before the sewing operation. In some embodiments, the sewing quality after the sewing operation can be provided. In some embodiments, the controller 10 is configured to identify multiple positions to be sewn based on the image from the camera and generate a sewing path. The sewing path determines the sewing pattern based on the input rules of the pattern preparation based on the identified multiple positions to be sewn, and the sewing pattern defines the position to be sewn. According to the sewing path, the controller controls the first robot arm 20 and the second robot arm 30 to perform the sewing operation. Through multiple sewing operations, multiple stitches are automatically formed.

[0038] The first robot arm 20 and the second robot arm 30 are arranged adjacent to the support 40 and thus can approach the steering wheel 90 to perform the sewing operation. The first robot arm 20 and the second robot arm 30 each include a clamp configured to hold the needle 80. The support 40 may include a rotatable shaft so that the position of the steering wheel 90 can be adjusted according to the position of the steering wheel 90 to be sewn.

[0039] The sewing operation of the robot system 100 is as follows. The first robot arm 20 first holds the needle 80, and the needle 80 is tied with a length of thread 85 (see Figure 3 ). The second robot arm 30 is in a standby position. The controller 10 identifies the position to be sewn and instructs the first robot arm 20 to move to the identified position to be sewn so that the needle 80 penetrates a portion of the steering wheel 90. Then, the controller 10 instructs the second robot arm 30 to maintain the inserted portion of the needle 80 and pull the entire needle 80 out of the steering wheel 90 after the needle 80 is released by the first robot arm 20.

[0040] Through the above process, the needle 80 is inserted into the object, and the needle 80 is further pulled out of the object by the robot system 100. At this time, one end (i.e., the fixed end) of the wire 85 is fixed to the object, and the other end (i.e., the movable end) is carried by one of the robot arms (in the illustrated case, the second robot arm 30). The length of the wire is long, the wire is slack at the fixed end and needs to penetrate the object.

[0041] The technical problem is how to pull the slack thread through the object. There are many challenges in pulling the slack part of the thread through the object. One of the problems is that the thread is usually very thin and cannot withstand large forces. Therefore, the force used to pull the slack part of the thread should not be too large to ensure that the thread does not break after each thread pulling operation and functions well. Another problem is that the length of the slack part of the thread is variable because its length decreases after each sewing operation. Therefore, the distance used to pull the slack part of the thread should be variable. If the second robot arm 30 carrying the needle now directly pulls the needle away to pull the slack part of the thread to penetrate the object, the second robot arm should meet at least the above two requirements, which is very difficult.

[0042] In order to solve the above technical problems, Figure 1 As shown, the robot system 100 may also include a wire pulling device 200, which is configured to pull the slack portion of the wire to penetrate the object. The wire pulling device 200 can be arranged in any suitable position that can be approached by multiple robot arms (e.g., the robot arm 30). Using the wire pulling device 200, the slack portion of the wire can be pulled through the object. In some embodiments, the wire is made of chemical fiber, cotton, or any other suitable material for sewing. It should be understood that this is merely illustrative and the wire can be made of any other suitable material.

[0043] Figure 2-Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a wire pulling device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0044] like Figure 2-Figure 4 As shown, the wire pulling device 200 includes a drive assembly 70 and a pressing assembly 60. The drive assembly 70 includes a drive wheel 72 and a motor 74. The motor 74 can be controlled by the controller 10. For example, the motor can receive instructions from the controller 10 to rotate the drive assembly 70 or stop rotating the drive assembly 70. In some embodiments, a gear box 78 (or a speed reducer) can be arranged between the drive wheel 72 and the motor 74 so that the rotation of the drive wheel 72 can be appropriately designed. Figure 4 As shown, the output shaft 76 of the electric motor 74 is coupled to a gearbox 78 which is further connected to the drive wheels 72 .

[0045] The driving wheel 72 may include a working platform 722 for supporting the wire 85. The pressing assembly 60 may include a pressing member 62 configured to move between a first position and a second position. At the first position, the pressing member 62 engages the working platform 722 to clamp the wire to be pulled between the pressing member 62 and the working platform 722. When the wire 85 is clamped between the pressing member 62 and the working platform 722, the motor 74 drives the driving wheel 72 to rotate, so that the wire 85 is pulled from the fixed end 852 toward the movable end 854. With this arrangement, the slack portion 855 of the wire 85 can be conveniently pulled from the fixed end 852 toward the movable end 854.

[0046] In some embodiments, the wire 85 is moved from the fixed end 852 to the movable end 854 by the static friction force generated by the pressing force applied by the pressing member 62. Since the traction force for moving the wire 85 is caused by the static friction force, the force acting on the wire 85 can be well controlled. In this way, the wire 85 can be well protected to avoid being broken by excessive force. In addition, the static friction force can be adjusted by adjusting the pressing force. In this way, the force acting on the wire 85 can be easily adjusted as needed.

[0047] In some embodiments, the wire 85 is configured to slide when the traction force acting on the wire exceeds a threshold value, which indicates that the slack portion of the wire at the fixed end has been tensioned. The threshold value can be determined in association with the material of the wire. Due to this arrangement, there is no need to provide an additional force control sensor to control the force acting on the wire.

[0048] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, an actuator 64 is provided for moving the pressing assembly 60. The actuator 64 may take any suitable form, as long as it can move the pressing assembly 60 between the first and second positions. For example, the actuator may be a pneumatic actuator, an electromagnetic actuator, or any other suitable actuator. In the example shown, a pneumatic actuator 64 is shown, which includes a cylinder 69 and a piston 67 arranged therein. The piston 67 is coupled to the pressing assembly 60. The piston 67 may perform linear motion in response to the action of the actuator 64.

[0049] In some embodiments, Figure 4 As shown, a frame 66 is provided for supporting the actuator 64, and the frame 66 defines a guide rail 662 for guiding the movement of the pressing assembly 60. Due to the guide rail 662, the movement of the pressing assembly 60 can be well guided.

[0050] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the pressing assembly 60 includes a base 61 for supporting a pressing member 62 and a spring 68 arranged between the base 61 and the piston 67 for elastically supporting the pressing member 62. During the action of the actuator 64, the piston 67 first presses the spring 68, and then the pressing member 62 is moved by the spring 68. Therefore, even if the moving distance of the piston 68 is not accurate, the pressing force of the pressing assembly 60 pressing the wire 85 can be well controlled. Since the traction force of the wire depends on the elastic force of the spring. The elastic force of the spring can be adjusted by replacing different types of springs, such as changing the compression length of the spring, or adjusting the pressure of the compressed air of the cylinder.

[0051] In some embodiments, Figure 2-Figure 4 As shown, the pressing assembly 60 also includes an adjustment plate 65 connected to the piston 67 and a screw 614 fixed to the base 61. The spring 68 is arranged between the base 61 and the adjustment plate 65. By adjusting the position of the adjustment plate 65 relative to the base 61 along the screw 614, the elastic force of the spring can be adjusted. When the piston 67 moves, the adjustment plate 65 is first moved by the piston 67. The movement of the adjustment plate 65 compresses the spring 38, and the spring 38 in turn moves the pressing member 62. The adjustment plate 65 can be arranged on the screw 614, and the screw 614 further engages the nut 616. By moving the nut 616 along the screw 614, the elastic force of the spring 68 can be easily adjusted without changing the compression length of the spring, or adjusting the pressure of the compressed air of the cylinder.

[0052] In some embodiments, the pressing member 62 may be fixedly attached to the base 61. In some embodiments, the pressing member 62 may be rotatable relative to the base 61. This may improve smooth movement of the wire.

[0053] In some embodiments, Figure 4As shown, the pressing member 62 can be supported on the shaft 611. The pressing member 62 includes a central hole through which the shaft 611 extends. In some embodiments, a bearing can be arranged between the pressing member 62 and the shaft 611.

[0054] Figure 5-Figure 7 2 shows the structural details of the pressing member 62 and the driving wheel 72 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 As shown, the pressing member 62 is in the form of a roller rotatable relative to the base 61. The working platform 722 includes a circumferential groove for receiving the wire 85. The wire 85 can be placed on the circumferential groove and retained in the circumferential groove.

[0055] In some embodiments, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the circumferential groove comprises a V-shape having a first guide angle. It should be understood that the shape of the circumferential groove is merely illustrative. The circumferential groove can be any suitable shape as long as it can accommodate the wire 85.

[0056] In some embodiments, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the pressed member 62 includes a convex shape. The convex shape can be adapted in the circumferential groove. In this way, the pressed member 62 can be reliably adapted in the circumferential groove. In some embodiments, the convex shape has a second guide angle. The first guide angle is equal to or greater than the second guide angle, so that the pressed member 62 can adapt to the circumferential groove.

[0057] In some embodiments, Figure 7 As shown, the tip of the convex shape of the pressing member 62 is rounded to define a gap 725 for accommodating the wire. By this arrangement, there is always a space for holding the wire 85 so that the wire 85 will not be over-pressed and broken or the wire 85 will be damaged.

[0058] In some embodiments, some measures can be taken to further increase the static friction without affecting the smooth movement of the wire. In some embodiments, the material of the surface of the pressing member 62 is different from the material of the surface of the working platform 722. Experimental tests have shown that different materials of the contact surface can help increase the static friction.

[0059] Next, refer to Figure 8-Figure 11 The operating principle of the wire pulling device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is described.

[0060] Figure 8The initial state of the wire pulling device 200 is shown. As shown by the arrow, the pressing member 62 moves upward and disengages from the driving wheel 72, leaving a space for the needle to pass through. In the initial state, a wire 85 with a needle 80 tied to one end is placed on the working platform 722 of the driving wheel 72, for example, by the robot arm 30. The working platform 722 is formed to hold the wire 85. One end of the wire, i.e., the fixed end 852, is fixed to the object 90 supported on the support 40 (see Figure 1 ). The other end of the wire 85, the movable end 854, is movable or free and can be moved by the robotic arm 30. The slack portion 855 of the wire is adjacent to the fixed end 852, and the slack portion 855 of the wire corresponds to the portion of the wire that needs to pass through the object to form a stitch. It should be understood that in the example shown, the motor 74 is configured to drive the drive wheel 72 via a belt arrangement, which is merely illustrative and any other suitable drive device may be used.

[0061] Fig. 9 A subsequent state of the wire pulling device 200 after the initial state is shown. As shown by the arrow, the pressing member 62 moves downward and engages the drive wheel 72. In this state, the wire 85 is clamped between the pressing member 62 and the drive wheel 72 and is subjected to pressure from the pressing member 62. In some embodiments, the pressure forms a static friction force for moving the wire. In some embodiments, the pressure can be appropriately selected or designed by designing the structure of the pressing assembly. In some embodiments, the pressure can be adjusted according to the force required to move the wire.

[0062] Fig.10 Shown in Fig. 9 The subsequent state of the wire pulling device 200 after the state of . As shown by the arrow, the pressing member 62 keeps pressing and engaging the driving wheel 72. Therefore, pressure is continuously applied to the wire. In this state, the motor 74 receives an instruction from the controller 10 and starts to pull the wire 85. When the motor 74 rotates, the driving wheel 72 also rotates. When the driving wheel 72 rotates, the wire 85 remains fixed on the driving wheel 72 due to static friction and thus also rotates. The slack portion 854 of the wire 85 is gradually pulled toward the movable end 854. When the motor 74 rotates, the entire slack portion 854 of the wire 85 is tensioned, which means that the entire slack portion 85 is completely removed.

[0063] In this state, when the motor 74 continues to rotate, there is a relative movement between the wire 85 and the drive wheel 72. In particular, the wire 85 begins to slide between the pressing member 62 and the drive wheel 72. This generally means that the entire slack portion 85 of the wire 85 has been tensioned. In response to the sliding movement of the wire 85, the motor 74 stops rotating. With this arrangement, the wire 85 can be tensioned in an easy manner.

[0064] Fig.11Shown immediately following Fig.10 The subsequent state of the thread pulling device 200 after the state. When the motor 74 stops rotating, as shown by the arrow, the pressing member 62 moves upward and disengages from the driving wheel 72, leaving a space for the needle to pass. The robot arm 30 can move the needle to the appropriate position to perform the next sewing cycle.

[0065] Fig.12 is a flow chart of a wire pulling method 300 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] like Fig.12 As shown, method 300 includes the following actions. At frame 302, after placing the wire on the working platform 722 of the wire pulling device, the pressing member 62 is moved to a first position. At the first position, the pressing member 62 engages the working platform 722 to clamp the wire to be pulled between the pressing member and the working platform. The wire includes a fixed end fixed to an object (e.g., a steering wheel) and a movable end carried by a tool (e.g., a robot arm). At frame 304, the working platform 722 is rotated to move the slack portion of the wire at the fixed end from the fixed end to the movable end.

[0067] At frame 306, when the traction force acting on the line exceeds a threshold value, the line is slid, and the threshold value indicates that the slack portion of the line at the fixed end has been tensioned. The fact that the line slides on the working platform 722 indicates that the slack portion of the line is tensioned. The relative motion between the line and the working platform ensures that the line will not be damaged due to excessive traction. In some embodiments, the rotation of the working platform 722 can be stopped at an appropriate time after the line slides relative to the working platform. At frame 308, the pressing member 62 moves to a second position. At the second position, the pressing member 62 is disengaged from the working platform 722 to release the line to be pulled. In addition, a space can be formed between the pressing member and the working platform 722, and the line can be placed on the working platform 722 to start another sewing operation.

[0068] By using the wire pulling device and wire pulling method disclosed in the present invention, the slack part of the wire can be easily tensioned without relying on a complicated force control mechanism. Moreover, the wire can be well protected from damage caused by excessive pulling force.

[0069] By the teaching provided in the above description and the related drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs will understand many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure given herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the specific embodiments of the present disclosure, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, although exemplary embodiments are described in the context of some illustrative combinations of components and / or functions in the above description and the related drawings, it should be appreciated that different combinations of components and / or functions can be provided in alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, for example, it is expected that other combinations of components and / or functions different from those explicitly described above will also fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Although specific terms are used here, they are only used in general and descriptive senses, rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A wire pulling device, comprising: a drive assembly (70) comprising a drive wheel (72) comprising a work platform (722) for supporting a line (85), the line (85) comprising a fixed end (852) fixed to an object (90) and a movable end (854) carried by a tool; a pressing assembly (60), the pressing assembly comprising a pressing member (62), the pressing member being configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the pressing member (62) engages the working platform (722) to clamp the wire to be pulled between the pressing member and the working platform, and wherein the pressing member (62) disengages from the working platform (722) to release the wire to be pulled; and A motor (74) is configured to rotate the drive wheel (72) when the pressing member (62) is in the first position so as to move the slack portion (855) of the wire at the fixed end from the fixed end to the movable end.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the wire is moved from the fixed end to the movable end by a static friction force generated by a pressing force applied by the pressing member (62).

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The wire is slipped when the pulling force acting on the wire exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value indicating that the slack of the wire at the fixed end has been tensioned.

4. The device according to claim 1 further includes an actuator (64) for moving the pressing assembly (60), the actuator (64) having a piston (67), wherein the piston is connected to the pressing assembly (60), and the actuator (64) is configured to linearly move the piston, thereby moving the pressing assembly (60).

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a frame (66) for supporting the actuator (64), wherein the frame (66) defines a guide rail (662) for guiding movement of the press assembly (60).

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pressing assembly (60) comprises: a base (61) for supporting the pressing member (62); as well as A spring (68) is arranged between the base (61) and the piston for elastically supporting the pressing member (62).

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the pressing assembly (60) further comprises: an adjustment plate (65) coupled to the piston; as well as a screw (614) fixed to the base (61); The spring (68) is arranged between the base and the adjustment plate, and the elastic force of the spring can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the adjustment plate relative to the base along the screw rod, so as to adjust the pressure applied to the wire.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing member (62) is in the form of a roller rotatable relative to the base.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 7 and 8, wherein: The working platform (722) includes a circumferential groove for receiving the wire.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the circumferential groove comprises a V-shape having a first guide angle.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the pressing member (62) includes a convex shape that can be received by the circumferential groove, the convex shape has a second guide angle, and the first guide angle is equal to or greater than the second guide angle.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the tip of the convex shape is rounded to define a gap (725) relative to the working platform (722) for accommodating the wire.

13. The device according to any one of claims 1-5, 7, 8 and 10-12, wherein the material of the surface of the pressing member (62) is different from the material of the surface of the working platform (722).

14. A robotic system for sewing, comprising a thread pulling device according to any one of claims 1-13.

15. A line pulling method, comprising: After placing the wire on a working platform (722) of the wire pulling device, moving the pressing member (62) to a first position, in which the pressing member (62) engages the working platform (722) to clamp the wire to be pulled between the pressing member (62) and the working platform (722), the wire comprising a fixed end fixed to the object and a movable end carried by the tool; rotating the working platform (722) to move the slack portion of the wire at the fixed end from the fixed end to the movable end; sliding the wire when a pulling force acting on the wire exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value indicating that the slack of the wire at the fixed end has been tensioned; as well as The pressing member (62) is moved to a second position, in which the pressing member (62) is disengaged from the work platform (722).

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