An electric vehicle automatic charging mechanical arm and robot

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of electric vehicle charging technology, and more particularly to an automatic charging robot arm and robot for electric vehicles. The automatic charging robot arm comprises a posture adjustment mechanism and an automatic charging gun head. The automatic charging gun head is integrated into the free end of the posture adjustment mechanism and is used to connect to the charging port of the electric vehicle. The posture adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the posture according to the position of the electric vehicle so that the automatic charging gun head and the charging port of the electric vehicle are located in the same plugging direction. The purpose is to optimize the robot arm from six active degrees of freedom to five active degrees of freedom by integrating the charging gun into the robot arm and optimizing the robot arm, based on the relatively fixed characteristics of the automatic charging vehicle and the parking area. This reduces the size and cost of the robot arm and makes it more adaptable to different environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electric vehicle charging, and in particular to an electric vehicle automatic charging mechanical arm and a robot. Background Art

[0002] With the increase in the number of electric vehicles, the safety and convenience of electric vehicle charging have become issues that must be paid attention to during the use of electric vehicles, especially electric vehicles. At present, electric vehicles are generally charged at large or small charging stations. When charging at charging stations, most of them use 6-axis or above industrial robots as actuators. When 6-axis industrial robots charge electric vehicles, the movement principle is as follows: Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the common charging robot arm is implemented by a 6-axis serial robot arm, which is equipped with 6 rotation axes and a total of 6 degrees of freedom. Its Ry / Rz / Rx are realized by the active rotation axis of the robot arm, and the X / Y / Z position freedom is realized by the coupled interpolation operation of the 6Ry axis and 6R2 / 6R3 / 6R4 axes. The 6Ry axis needs to bear the rotational inertia load and gravity load of the robot arm.

[0003] During the gun insertion operation, the 6Ry-axis must be coupled with other axes to match the linear motion of the end arm in the workspace. The 6Ry-axis must provide the insertion torque. Therefore, the torque load on the rotation axis of the 6-DOF manipulator is large. The gun insertion process requires coupled control, which is difficult to control and requires high rotation axis precision. Furthermore, the high cost and large footprint make this system difficult to implement in various scenarios.

[0004] Another example is Chinese patent: CN201811194859.5, which discloses a flexible automatic charging device and automatic charging system with adaptive posture changes, and specifically discloses that the flexible automatic charging device includes a charging gun head, a rod mechanism for fixing the charging gun head, and a flexible module installed between the charging gun head and the rod mechanism. The rod mechanism includes a controlled state and a free state. The controlled state is used to drive the charging gun head to perform plug-in movement, and the free state is used to perform posture adaptive changes. The flexible module is used to adaptively adjust the posture of the charging gun head according to the posture of the external charging socket, so that the charging port of the charging gun head and the charging interface of the charging socket are in the same plug-in direction. The flexible automatic charging device and automatic charging system in the present invention ensure the reliability, continuity and stability of charging. The automatic charging device with multiple rods disclosed therein is large in size and high in cost, which is not conducive to promotion for different scenarios.

[0005] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems of charging electric vehicles in different environments, it is necessary to propose an electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm and a robot. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, one of the purposes of the present invention is to provide an automatic charging robotic arm for electric vehicles. Based on the relatively fixed characteristics of the automatic charging vehicle and the parking lot, the charging gun is integrated into the robotic arm and the robotic arm is optimized, and the robotic arm with six active degrees of freedom is optimized into a robotic arm with five active degrees of freedom, so that the robotic arm can reduce the size and cost, so as to better cope with different environments; the second purpose is to provide an automatic charging robot for electric vehicles.

[0007] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical means:

[0008] An automatic charging robotic arm for an electric vehicle comprises a posture adjustment mechanism and an automatic charging gun head. The automatic charging gun head is integrated at the free end of the posture adjustment mechanism and is used to connect to the charging port of the electric vehicle. The posture adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the posture according to the position of the electric vehicle so that the automatic charging gun head and the charging port of the electric vehicle are located in the same plugging direction.

[0009] According to the above technical means, by integrating the automatic charging gun head into a posture adjustment mechanism with five active degrees of freedom, when an electric vehicle is parked in a relatively fixed place for charging, it can be automatically aligned according to the parking position of the electric vehicle, thereby automatically charging. The entire automatic charging robotic arm is optimized from a robotic arm with six active degrees of freedom to a robotic arm with five active degrees of freedom, so that the robotic arm can reduce its size and cost, so that it can better face different environments.

[0010] Furthermore, the posture adjustment mechanism includes a lifting structure, a linkage component and a passive motion component. The linkage component is assembled on the lifting structure, and the passive motion component is assembled on the linkage component to drive the passive motion component to actively adjust its posture. The automatic charging gun head is integrated on the passive motion component.

[0011] According to the above technical means, a motion structure with five active degrees of freedom can be formed through the lifting structure and linkage components, which can realize the multi-posture movement of the robotic arm and can be suitable for the charging of electric vehicles; and then through the passive motion components, the passive and smooth plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head can be realized, so that the automatic charging gun head can better adapt to the insertion and charging in different situations and the unplugging after charging.

[0012] Furthermore, the linkage assembly includes a first motion assembly, a second motion assembly, a third motion assembly and a fourth motion assembly, one end of the first motion assembly is assembled on the lifting structure, and the first motion assembly, the second motion assembly and the third motion assembly are connected to each other; the fourth motion assembly is connected to the third motion assembly through a passive motion assembly.

[0013] According to the above technical means, a motion structure with five active degrees of freedom is formed by the lifting structure, the first motion component, the second motion component, the third motion component and the fourth motion component, which can realize the adjustment of multiple postures, has a simple structure and strong practicality.

[0014] Furthermore, the passive motion component includes a pitch structure and a floating structure. The pitch structure is connected between the third motion component and the fourth motion component, and is used to adjust the pitch angle of the fourth motion component, the floating structure and the automatic charging gun head to adapt to the pitch angle of the charging port of different models. The fourth motion component is assembled on the pitch structure, the floating structure is connected to the fourth motion component, and the automatic charging gun head is integrated on the floating structure to enable the automatic charging gun head to adapt to changes in the pitch angle.

[0015] According to the above technical means, through the mutual cooperation of the pitching structure and the floating structure, the passive and smooth plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head can be achieved, so that the automatic charging gun head can better adapt to the insertion and charging and unplugging after charging in different situations.

[0016] Furthermore, the lifting structure includes a first housing, a screw rod and a first power module. The screw rod is rotatably assembled in the first housing, and the first power module is transmission-connected to one end of the screw rod.

[0017] According to the above technical means, by adopting the first power module and the screw rod to form a lifting structure, when the first power module is working, it can drive the screw rod to rotate, and then drive the first motion component, the second motion component, the third motion component and the fourth motion component and the passive motion component to rise and fall, adapting to the height changes of different vehicles, which is conducive to the use of automatic charging gun heads.

[0018] Furthermore, the first motion component includes a column and a second power module, the column is fixedly connected to the lifting structure, the second power module is assembled in the column, and the second motion component is transmission-connected to the output end of the second power module.

[0019] According to the above technical means, the second motion component can be moved through the mutual cooperation between the column and the second power module, and the structure is simple and practical.

[0020] Furthermore, the second motion component includes a second housing and a third power module. The second housing is fixedly connected to the first motion component. The third power module is assembled in the second housing. The output end of the third motion component and the third power module are transmission-connected.

[0021] According to the above technical means, the third motion component can be driven to move through the third power module, which has a simple structure and strong practicality.

[0022] Furthermore, the third motion component includes a third housing and a fourth power module. The third housing is fixedly connected to the second motion component. The fourth power module is assembled in the third housing. The output end of the fourth power module is transmission-connected to the passive motion component.

[0023] According to the above technical means, the fourth power module can drive the passive motion component to perform active movement, so as to increase the motion range of the passive motion component and better adjust the position of the automatic charging gun head. The structure is simple and practical.

[0024] Furthermore, the pitch structure includes a pitch bracket and a crank assembly, the pitch bracket is assembled on the third motion assembly, and the fourth motion assembly is connected to the crank assembly for adjusting the pitch angle of the fourth motion assembly through the crank assembly.

[0025] According to the above technical means, the pitch bracket is used as a connecting structure, and the crank assembly is assembled on the pitch bracket, which can be manually adjusted to facilitate the adjustment and locking of the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head, so that the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head is consistent with the pitch angle of the electric vehicle charging port, which facilitates the insertion and removal of the automatic charging gun head.

[0026] Furthermore, the crank assembly includes a slider bracket, a slider, an adjusting screw, a connecting rod, a connecting shaft, a reusable rotating shaft and a connecting bracket, the slider bracket is assembled on the pitch bracket, the adjusting screw is rotatably assembled on the slider bracket, the slider is threaded on the adjusting screw and moves in the slider bracket, the connecting shaft is slidably arranged in the pitch bracket, the connecting rod is connected between the connecting shaft and the slider, the connecting bracket is assembled in the pitch bracket and connected to the connecting shaft, the reusable rotating shaft is assembled on both sides of the pitch bracket and penetrates into the pitch bracket, and the free end of the reusable rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the connecting bracket.

[0027] According to the above technical means, a crank slider mechanism is formed by a slider bracket, a slider, an adjusting screw, a connecting rod, a connecting shaft, a reused rotating shaft and a connecting bracket. During the movement, it can not only adjust the pitch structure, but also perform self-locking, with high reliability.

[0028] Furthermore, the pitch bracket is provided with a mounting groove, the crank assembly is partially assembled in the mounting groove, and decorative covers are provided on both sides of the pitch bracket.

[0029] According to the above technical means, by setting the installation groove, an installation base is provided, and by setting the decorative cover, on the one hand, impurities are prevented from entering the crank assembly, and on the other hand, the aesthetics are improved.

[0030] The present application also discloses an electric vehicle automatic charging robot, comprising a mounting base and the electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm described above.

[0031] By adopting the cooperation between the mounting base and the electric vehicle automatic charging robotic arm, the installation, use and storage of the electric vehicle automatic charging robotic arm are facilitated.

[0032] The present application adopting the above solution has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1. In this application, by integrating the automatic charging gun head into a posture adjustment mechanism with five active degrees of freedom, when an electric vehicle is parked in a relatively fixed place for charging, it can be automatically aligned according to the parking position of the electric vehicle, thereby automatically charging. The entire automatic charging robotic arm is optimized from a robotic arm with six active degrees of freedom to a robotic arm with five active degrees of freedom, so that the robotic arm can reduce the size and cost, so that it can better adapt to different environments.

[0034] 2. In this application, the lifting structure is used as the first active degree of freedom, the first motion component is used as the second active degree of freedom, the second motion component is used as the third active degree of freedom, the third motion component is used as the fourth active degree of freedom, and the fourth motion component is used as the fifth active degree of freedom. The multi-posture movement of the robotic arm can be realized, which can be suitable for charging electric vehicles; and the pitch structure and floating structure in the passive motion component are used as passive motion degrees of freedom to realize passive and smooth plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head, so that the automatic charging gun head can better adapt to insertion and charging in different situations and unplugging after charging, with a simple structure and strong practicality.

[0035] 3. In this application, by designing the pitch structure in the passive motion component into a pitch bracket and a crank assembly, manual adjustment can be achieved to facilitate the adjustment and locking of the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head, so that the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head is consistent with the pitch angle of the vehicle charging port, and then through the three-degree-of-freedom passive rotation function of the floating structure, the posture changes of the charging port caused by the posture changes of the vehicle can be covered, so that the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head is consistent with the pitch angle of the electric vehicle charging port, which facilitates the plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head.

[0036] 4. In this application, by assembling the robotic arm on the mounting base, the installation, use and storage of the electric vehicle automatic charging robotic arm are facilitated, thereby adapting to different environments and being widely applicable to charging home electric vehicles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The present invention can be further illustrated by the non-limiting examples given in the accompanying drawings;

[0038] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a 6-axis serial robot arm in the background art;

[0039] Figure 2This is one of the structural diagrams of the automatic charging mechanical arm for electric vehicles in the embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 3 This is the second structural diagram of the automatic charging mechanical arm for electric vehicles in the embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of an automatic charging robotic arm for an electric vehicle in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the pitch angle θ of the electric vehicle charging port in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the pitch angle variation β of the electric vehicle charging port in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the roll angle change α of the charging port of an electric vehicle in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the angle change of the electric vehicle charging port in the embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic charging mechanical arm for electric vehicles in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 10 This is one of the structural diagrams of the pitch structure in the embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 11 This is the second structural diagram of the pitch structure in the embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 12 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction;

[0050] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a partial connection structure between the pitch bracket and the crank assembly in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic charging gun head in the embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 15 This is one of the structural diagrams of the automatic charging robot for electric vehicles in the embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 16 This is the second structural diagram of the automatic charging robot for electric vehicles in the embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 17This is the third structural diagram of the automatic charging robot for electric vehicles in the embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Description of main symbols and components:

[0056] 100. Robotic arm; 1. Lifting structure; 11. First power module; 12. First housing; 13. Screw; 14. Moving block; 15. Connecting seat;

[0057] 2. First motion assembly; 21. Column; 22. Second power module; 3. Second motion assembly; 31. Second housing; 32. Third power module; 4. Third motion assembly; 41. Third housing; 42. Fourth power module;

[0058] 5. Pitch structure; 501. Mounting slot; 502. Slide slot; 51. Pitch bracket; 52. Slider bracket; 53. Adjustment screw; 54. Slider; 55. Connecting rod; 56. Connecting shaft; 57. Connecting bracket; 58. Reusable rotating shaft; 59. Decorative cover;

[0059] 6. Fourth motion component; 7. Floating structure; 8. Automatic charging gun head; 81. Charging cable; 200. Mounting base; 300. Indicator light. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can understand the advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are only schematic diagrams, not actual drawings. They should not be understood as limiting the present invention. In order to better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some parts in the figures may be omitted, enlarged or reduced, and do not represent the dimensions of the actual product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the figures.

[0061] The same or similar numbers in the figures of the embodiments of the present invention correspond to the same or similar parts. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "back", etc. indicating directions or positional relationships, they are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the figures. This is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, the terms describing the positional relationship in the figures are only used for illustrative purposes and cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances. In the description of this application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish the description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0062] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are merely schematic illustrations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape, and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout may also be more complex.

[0063] like Figure 2-14 As shown, an embodiment of the present application discloses an automatic charging robot arm for electric vehicles, including a posture adjustment mechanism and an automatic charging gun head 8. The automatic charging gun head 8 is integrated into the free end of the posture adjustment mechanism and is used to connect to the charging port of the electric vehicle to avoid repeated positioning errors caused by the separation of the robot arm 100 and the charging gun head, which is conducive to improving the accuracy of the charging gun head. The posture adjustment mechanism is a linkage structure with five active degrees of freedom, which is used to adjust the posture according to the position of the electric vehicle so that the automatic charging gun head 8 and the charging port of the electric vehicle are located in the same plug-in direction.

[0064] In this embodiment, by integrating the automatic charging gun head 8 into a posture adjustment mechanism with five active degrees of freedom, when the electric vehicle is parked in a relatively fixed place for charging, it can be automatically aligned according to the parking position of the electric vehicle, so that the automatic charging gun head 8 and the charging port of the electric vehicle are located in the same plug-in direction, thereby automatically charging. The entire automatic charging robotic arm 100 is optimized from a robotic arm 100 with six active degrees of freedom to a robotic arm 100 with five active degrees of freedom, so that the robotic arm 100 can reduce the size and cost, so that it can better face different environments, facilitate installation and use in different environments, and can be widely used for charging household electric vehicles.

[0065] In some embodiments, as Figure 2-4 As shown, the posture adjustment mechanism includes a lifting structure 1, a linkage assembly and a passive motion assembly. The linkage assembly is assembled on the lifting structure 1. The lifting structure 1 and the linkage assembly can form a motion structure with five active degrees of freedom, which can realize the multi-posture movement of the robotic arm 100, thereby being suitable for the complex situation of electric vehicle charging. The robotic arm 100 with six active degrees of freedom is optimized to five active degrees of freedom, which can reduce the volume and cost of the robotic arm 100. The passive motion assembly is assembled on the linkage assembly, and is used to drive the posture of the passive motion assembly to actively adjust to adapt to different parking situations of electric vehicles, so as to better enable the automatic charging gun head 8 to be inserted into the charging port of the electric vehicle for charging and unplugged after charging, thereby realizing the passive and smooth plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head 8. The automatic charging gun head 8 is integrated on the passive motion assembly to facilitate the plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head 8.

[0066] In this embodiment, if Figure 2-4As shown, the linkage assembly includes a first motion assembly 2, a second motion assembly 3, a third motion assembly 4, and a fourth motion assembly 6. By using the lifting structure 1 as the first active degree of freedom, the first motion assembly 2 as the second active degree of freedom, the second motion assembly 3 as the third active degree of freedom, the third motion assembly 4 as the fourth active degree of freedom, and the fourth motion assembly 6 as the fifth active degree of freedom, it is possible to adjust multiple positions of the automatic charging gun head 8 and realize a five-active-freedom charging robot arm instead of a six-active-freedom charging robot arm, with a simple structure and strong practicality.

[0067] One end of the first motion component 2 is assembled on the lifting structure 1. The lifting structure 1 drives the first motion component 2, the second motion component 3, the third motion component 4, the fourth motion component 6 and the passive motion component to rise and fall to adapt to the height changes of different vehicles, thereby adjusting the height position of the automatic charging gun head 8. By loading the gravity of the robotic arm 100 through the lifting structure 1, the torque requirement of the linkage component can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume and cost of the linkage component.

[0068] The output of the first motion assembly 2 is connected to the second motion assembly 3 for adjusting the position of the second motion assembly 3. The output of the second motion assembly 3 is connected to the third motion assembly 4 for adjusting the position of the third motion assembly 4. The fourth motion assembly 6 is connected to the third motion assembly 4 via a passive motion assembly to enable the automatic charging gun head 8 to have a larger range of motion, thereby better adapting to different charging environments.

[0069] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, the lifting structure 1 includes a first shell 12, a screw 13 and a first power module 11. The screw 13 is rotatably assembled in the first shell 12 through a bearing, so that the screw 13 can be rotatably assembled in the first shell 12. A moving block 14 is threadedly connected to the threaded section of the screw 13, and the moving block 14 has symmetrical lugs, which are in sliding contact with the inner wall of the first shell 12, so that the moving block 14 can move up and down along the screw 13. A connecting seat 15 is connected to the moving block 14 by bolts, and the connecting seat 15 is fixedly connected to the first motion component 2 by bolts, so that when the screw 13 rotates, it can drive the first motion component 2 to be lifted and lowered through the moving block 14 and the connecting seat 15.

[0070] In this embodiment, the first power module 11 is fixedly installed on the lower part of the first shell 12 by bolts, and the output end of the first power module 11 is connected to the light rod part at the lower end of the screw rod 13 by a coupling, so that when the first power module 11 is working, it can drive the screw rod 13 to rotate, and then drive the first motion component 2 to rise and fall, thereby driving the second motion component 3, the third motion component 4 and the fourth motion component 6 and the passive motion component to rise and fall, which is conducive to the use of the automatic charging gun head 8.

[0071] In some other embodiments, the lifting structure 1 can also be set as an electric telescopic rod, a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc., and other equipment that can achieve lifting can be selected according to actual conditions, such as a gear and rack combination, a lifting platform, etc.

[0072] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, the first motion assembly 2 includes a column 21 and a second power module 22. The column 21 is hollow, with the bottom of the column 21 fixedly connected to the connecting seat 15 via bolts. The second power module 22 is fixedly assembled within the column 21 via bolts. The second motion assembly 3 is transmission-connected to the output end of the second power module 22, so that when the second power module 22 is in operation, it can drive the second motion assembly 3 to rotate relative to the column 21 to adjust the position of the second motion assembly 3. This simple structure and strong practicality.

[0073] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, the second motion assembly 3 includes a second housing 31 and a third power module 32. The bottom of one end of the second housing 31 is fixedly connected to the output end of the second power module 22 in the first motion assembly 2, so that when the second power module 22 is in operation, it can drive the second housing 31 to rotate. The third power module 32 is fixedly assembled within the second housing 31 by bolts. The third motion assembly 4 is transmission-connected to the output end of the third power module 32, so that when the third power module 32 is in operation, it can drive the third motion assembly 4 to rotate relative to the second housing 31 to adjust the position of the third motion assembly 4. This simple structure and strong practicality.

[0074] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, the third motion component 4 includes a third shell 41 and a fourth power module 42. The third shell 41 is fixedly connected to the output end of the third power module 32 in the second motion component 3, so that when the third power module 32 is working, it can drive the third shell 41 to rotate. The fourth power module 42 is fixedly assembled in the third shell 41 by bolts. The output end of the fourth power module 42 is transmission-connected to the passive motion component, so that when the fourth power module 42 is working, it can drive the passive motion component to perform active motion, so as to adjust the posture of the passive motion component, to increase the motion range of the passive motion component, and to better adjust the position of the automatic charging gun head 8. It has a simple structure and strong practicality.

[0075] In this embodiment, the middle portion of the third shell 41 is concave, which is beneficial to reducing the volume of the third shell 41 , and the third shell 41 extends forward relative to the second shell 31 , so that the movement range of the robot arm 100 is larger.

[0076] In some embodiments, as Figure 2-4As shown, the passive motion component includes a pitch structure 5 and a floating structure 7. The pitch structure 5 is connected between the third motion component 4 and the fourth motion component 6, and is used to adjust the pitch angles of the fourth motion component 6, the floating structure 7 and the automatic charging gun head 8 to adapt to the pitch angles of the charging ports of different models. The fourth motion component 6 is assembled on the pitch structure 5, the floating structure 7 is connected to the fourth motion component 6, and the automatic charging gun head 8 is integrated on the floating structure 7 to enable the automatic charging gun head to adapt to changes in the pitch angle. By changing the posture of the fourth motion component 6, the position of the floating structure 7 is changed, and then the motion amplitude of the floating structure 7 is increased through the fourth motion component 6, the passive and smooth plugging and unplugging of the automatic charging gun head 8 can be achieved, so that the automatic charging gun head 8 can better adapt to plugging in and charging in different situations and unplugging after charging.

[0077] In this embodiment, the fourth motion component 6 is configured as a structure that can perform linear motion, such as a screw rod 13 structure, an electric telescopic rod, a cylinder, etc. Other devices that can perform linear motion can also be selected according to actual conditions to enable the automatic insertion and removal of the charging gun head in the electric vehicle charging port, thereby replacing the movement of the dual-motor coupled plug-in and unplugging charging gun of the six-active degree-of-freedom robotic arm with a single-powered linear motion, thereby reducing cost and volume, and further reducing the torque requirement of the robotic arm 100.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first power module 11, the second power module 22, the third power module 32 and the fourth power module 42 can be configured as servo motor modules or reduction motors. Appropriate motors can also be selected based on actual conditions.

[0079] Affected by vehicle design factors, the charging port has a pitch angle θ, which is the design angle between the vehicle charging seat and the horizontal plane (parking space ground). The θ angle value of different models is determined by ergonomic factors, such as Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the pitch structure 5 is set to passive adjustment, and the passive adjustment can be manual adjustment. The manually adjusted pitch structure 5 can adapt to the pitch angle θ of the charging port of different models. The pitch structure can lock the pitch angle of the fourth motion component 6, the floating structure 7 and the automatic charging gun head 8 during operation, so that the automatic charging gun head 8 can be plugged in and out of the charging port of different models.

[0080] The pitch structure 5 is described in detail below:

[0081] In some embodiments, as Figure 10-13As shown, the pitch structure 5 includes a pitch bracket 51 and a crank assembly. The pitch bracket 51 is mounted on the third motion assembly 4. The fourth power module 42 in the third motion assembly 4 drives the pitch bracket 51 to rotate, thereby adjusting the rotation angle of the entire pitch structure 5. The fourth motion assembly 6 is connected to the crank assembly. The crank assembly adjusts the position of the fourth motion assembly 6 and the floating structure 7 to improve the motion accuracy of the automatic charging gun head 8.

[0082] In this embodiment, the pitch bracket 51 is fixedly mounted on the output end of the fourth power module 42 by bolts, so that when the fourth power output module is working, it can drive the pitch bracket 51 to rotate, thereby improving the adaptability of the automatic charging gun head 8.

[0083] In this embodiment, if Figure 10 and Figure 11-12 As shown, the crank assembly includes a slider bracket 52, a slider 54, an adjusting screw 53, a connecting rod 55, a connecting shaft 56, a reusable rotating shaft 58 and a connecting bracket 57. The slider bracket 52 is fixedly assembled to the lower part of the pitch bracket 51 by bolts to provide a mounting base. The adjusting screw 53 is rotatably assembled on the slider bracket 52 through a bearing and partially passes through the slider bracket 52 for easy installation. The slider 54 is screwed to the adjusting screw 53 and moves within the slider bracket 52. In this embodiment, the slider 54 has an extension block, which is slidably assembled on the inner wall of the sliding bracket so that when the adjusting screw 53 rotates, the slider 54 can move along the adjusting screw 53.

[0084] In this embodiment, if Figure 10 and Figure 13 As shown, the pitch bracket 51 has a mounting slot 501, with slide slots 502 provided on both sides of the mounting slot 501. A connecting shaft 56 slides through the two slide slots 502, with one end of the connecting shaft 56 extending through one of the slide slots 502 and the other end having a stopper to prevent the connecting shaft 56 from falling out of the slide slot 502. A connecting rod 55 is obliquely connected between the connecting shaft 56 and the slider 54, so that when the slider 54 moves along the adjusting screw 53, it can drive the connecting rod 55 to move, thereby driving the connecting shaft 56 to move within the slide slot 502. The connecting bracket 57 is assembled in the mounting groove 501 of the pitch bracket 51 and is connected to the connecting shaft 56. The reused rotating shaft 58 is fixed on both sides of the pitch bracket 51 by bolts and penetrates into the pitch bracket 51. The free end of the reused rotating shaft 58 is rotatably connected to the connecting bracket 57. When the connecting shaft 56 moves along the slide groove 502, it can drive the connecting bracket 57 to rotate along the reused rotating shaft 58, thereby realizing the adjustment of the pitch mechanism.

[0085] In this embodiment, the connecting rod 55 has a weight-reducing groove for reducing the weight of the connecting rod 55. When the connecting rod 55 is connected to the connecting shaft 56 and the slider 54, the relative position can be limited by a shaft retaining ring or fixed by bolts. The appropriate connection method can also be selected according to the actual situation.

[0086] In this embodiment, a slider-crank mechanism is constructed by slider bracket 52, slider 54, adjustment screw 53, connecting rod 55, connecting shaft 56, reusable rotating shaft 58, and connecting bracket 57. This mechanism passively adjusts the position of connecting bracket 57, thereby passively adjusting the positions of fourth motion assembly 6, floating structure 7, and automatic charging gun head 8 to accommodate the pitch angle of the charging port on different vehicle models. Furthermore, the interaction between adjustment screw 53 and slider 54 enables self-locking of pitch mechanism 5, thereby enhancing the reliability of the entire pitch mechanism 5.

[0087] In this embodiment, the connecting bracket 57 is fixedly connected to the fourth motion component 6 by bolts, and the floating structure 7 is fixedly connected to the fourth motion component 6 by bolts, threads, etc., so that the pitch structure 5 can adjust the position of the fourth motion component 6, the floating structure 7 and the automatic charging gun head 8 when manually adjusted to adapt to the pitch angle of the charging port of different electric vehicles.

[0088] In this embodiment, if Figure 13 As shown, decorative covers 59 are fixed on both sides of the pitch bracket 51 by bolts. The decorative covers 59 shield the slider 54, the adjusting screw 53 and other parts to prevent impurities from entering the crank drive assembly and affecting the use of the crank assembly. At the same time, the aesthetics of the pitch structure 5 is improved.

[0089] In some embodiments, the floating structure 7 can be configured as a device with three-degree-of-freedom passive rotation capability, such as a three-degree-of-freedom manipulator, a DC permanent magnet spherical motor, etc., and a device that is not driven by a motor can also be selected according to actual conditions.

[0090] In actual usage scenarios, there is an error in the charging port angle θ, which is defined as β here. β is the change in the charging port pitch angle caused by the vehicle roll change, such as Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the error sources include manufacturing error, installation process error, error caused by vehicle roll, etc. Statistical analysis shows that the error β has a small variation range. In actual situations, the charging port is affected by factors such as manufacturing, installation, vehicle parking ground levelness, vehicle load distribution, and actual suspension conditions. The vehicle has a pitch angle error, defined as α, where α is the roll angle change of the charging port caused by the vehicle pitch, as shown in the figure. Figure 7 As shown, statistical analysis shows that the range of α variation is small.

[0091] like Figure 8As shown, the three-degree-of-freedom passive rotation of floating structure 7 can passively compensate for the charging port pitch angle variation β caused by vehicle roll and the charging port roll angle variation α caused by vehicle pitch. This allows floating structure 7 to adapt to fine pitch angle adjustments left over from the larger pitch angle adjustments of pitch structure 5 while passively accommodating rotational errors caused by vehicle assembly and parking.

[0092] Specifically, driven by the fourth motion component 6, the floating structure 7 causes the automatic charging gun head 8 to passively rotate, thereby aligning the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head 8 with the pitch angle of the vehicle charging dock during actual charging, ultimately achieving smooth insertion and removal of the gun. By configuring the floating structure 7 as a device with three degrees of freedom for passive rotation, the charging port's posture changes caused by changes in the vehicle's posture can be accommodated, thus adapting to different parking situations for electric vehicles, especially for charging home electric vehicles.

[0093] The working principle of the five active degrees of freedom charging manipulator in this application is as follows Figure 10 As shown, the pitch axis motor in the six-active-degree-of-freedom serial manipulator is replaced by the pitch structure 5 and the floating structure 7 in the present application as a passive motion degree of freedom, and the lifting structure 1 is used as the first active degree of freedom, the first motion component 2 is used as the second active degree of freedom, the second motion component 3 is used as the third active degree of freedom, the third motion component 4 is used as the fourth active degree of freedom, and the fourth motion component 6 is used as the fifth active degree of freedom, so that the vehicle is displaced forward and backward, that is, the movement in the X direction will cause the vehicle roll angle to change, which is expressed as Rx; the vehicle is displaced left and right, that is, the movement in the Z direction will cause the vehicle pitch angle to change, which is expressed as Rz; the vehicle is displaced up and down, that is, the movement in the Y direction will cause The vehicle heading angle changes, expressed as Ry. The above angle changes will all cause the angle of the charging port to change. In this application, the pitch angle θ of the automatic charging gun head 8 is adjusted by the pitch structure 5 to adapt to the design angle of the charging port of different vehicles; the pitch angle β of the automatic charging gun head 8 is adjusted by the floating structure 7 to adapt to the change of the vehicle charging port in the Rx direction; the roll angle α of the automatic charging gun head 8 is adjusted by the floating structure 7 to adapt to the change of the vehicle charging port in the Rz direction; the change of the automatic charging gun head 8 in the Ry direction is adjusted by the third motion component 4, thereby realizing the multi-posture adjustment of the automatic charging gun to adapt to the different situations of the vehicle charging port, such as Figure 8 As shown in the figure, a charging robot with five active degrees of freedom can replace a charging robot with six active degrees of freedom, and reduce costs and size.

[0094] In this embodiment, if Figure 14 As shown, the automatic charging gun head 8 has a charging line 81, and the charging line 81 is connected to an external power source so that the automatic charging gun head 8 can charge the electric vehicle when it is inserted into the charging port of the electric vehicle.

[0095] In this embodiment, based on the analysis of the insertion process of the automatic charging gun head 8 and combined with the motion decoupling algorithm, the insertion process is executed by the fourth motion component 6, and a five-active-degree-of-freedom and multiple-passive-degree-of-freedom scheme is adopted, which can reduce the torque and precision requirements of the rotating shaft, and can also reduce the volume and cost of the entire robotic arm 100 and improve reliability.

[0096] In the embodiment of the present application, when the electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm 100 is charging the electric vehicle, the posture of the charging port changes according to the parking position of the electric vehicle, and the first power module 11 starts to work, driving the screw 13 to rotate, the rotation of the screw 13 drives the moving block 14 to move, the movement of the moving block 14 drives the connecting seat 15 to move, and the movement of the connecting seat 15 drives the first motion component 2, the second motion component 3, the third motion component 4, the pitch structure 5, the fourth motion component 6, the floating structure 7 and the automatic charging gun head 8 to rise;

[0097] The second power module 22 then operates to control the rotation angle of the second motion assembly 3 relative to the first motion assembly 2. The third power module 32 then operates to control the rotation angle of the third motion assembly 4 relative to the second motion assembly 3. The fourth power module 42 then operates to control the rotation angle of the pitch structure 5, the fourth motion assembly 6, the floating structure 7, and the automatic charging gun head 8 relative to the third motion assembly 4, thereby aligning the robotic arm 100 with the charging port of the electric vehicle in general.

[0098] By manually controlling the pitch angle change of the pitch structure 5, it can adapt to the pitch angle of the vehicle charging port; and by controlling the movement of the floating structure 7 and the automatic charging gun head 8 through the fourth motion component 6, the automatic charging gun head 8 can be inserted into the charging port of the electric vehicle for charging.

[0099] After charging is completed, the fourth motion component 6 moves in the opposite direction, so that the automatic charging gun head 8 can be pulled out. Then, the fourth power module 42, the third power module 32, and the second power module 22 work simultaneously or in a distributed manner to reset the second motion component 3, the third motion component 4 and the pitch structure 5. Then, the first power module 11 works to reset the entire robotic arm 100, thereby completing the reset after charging.

[0100] like Figure 15-17 As shown, the present application also discloses an electric vehicle automatic charging robot, which includes a mounting base 200 and the electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm 100 in the above embodiment.

[0101] By using the mounting base 200 in conjunction with the electric vehicle automatic charging robotic arm 100 , the installation, use and storage of the electric vehicle automatic charging robotic arm 100 are facilitated.

[0102] In this embodiment, the mounting base 200 has an installation space, which enables the automatic charging robot arm 100 to be extended during the charging process and can be retracted into the installation space when not in use. By using the mounting base 200, the constructed robot can be easily installed according to different environments, such as floor installation or wall installation. According to different installation forms, the structural design of the mounting base 200 can be adapted and adjusted.

[0103] In this embodiment, the mounting base 200 is further provided with an indicator light 300, which can be used to display the use status of the robot arm 100. An emergency stop switch can also be provided on the mounting base 200 to avoid unexpected situations.

[0104] The above describes in detail the automatic charging arm and robot for electric vehicles provided by this application. The description of the specific embodiments is only intended to help understand the method and core concept of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this application without departing from the principles of this application, and such improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.

[0105] It should be noted that phrases such as "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "some optional embodiments," "exemplary embodiments," and "some embodiments" mentioned in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not necessarily every embodiment includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0106] It should be readily understood that “on,” “above,” and “over” in this disclosure should be interpreted in the broadest manner, such that “on” means not only “directly on something,” but also includes “on something” with intervening features or layers therebetween, and “above” or “over” includes not only the meaning of “above” or “over,” but also includes “above” or “over” with no intervening features or layers therebetween (i.e., directly on something).

[0107] Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as "below," "beneath," "beneath," "above," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to other elements or features as shown in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be in other orientations (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0108] The above embodiments are intended only to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical solutions of the present invention may be modified or replaced with equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and such modifications or equivalents shall be encompassed by the claims of the present invention. Any techniques, shapes, and structures not described in detail herein are well known.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm, characterized by: It comprises a posture adjustment mechanism and an automatic charging gun head (8), wherein the automatic charging gun head (8) is integrated into the free end of the posture adjustment mechanism and is used to connect to the charging port of an electric vehicle; the posture adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the posture according to the position of the electric vehicle so that the automatic charging gun head (8) and the charging port of the electric vehicle are located in the same plugging direction; The posture adjustment mechanism includes a passive motion component, and the automatic charging gun head (8) is integrated on the passive motion component; The passive motion component includes a pitch structure (5), and the pitch structure (5) is used to adjust the pitch angle of the automatic charging gun head (8) to adapt to the pitch angle of the charging port of different models; The pitch structure (5) comprises a pitch bracket (51) and a crank assembly; The crank assembly includes a slider bracket (52), a slider (54), an adjusting screw (53), a connecting rod (55), a connecting shaft (56), a multiplexing shaft (58) and a connecting bracket (57), wherein the slider bracket (52) is assembled on the pitch bracket (51), the adjusting screw (53) is rotatably assembled on the slider bracket (52), the slider (54) is screwed on the adjusting screw (53) and moves in the slider bracket (52), the connecting shaft (56) is slidably arranged in the pitch bracket (51), the connecting rod (55) is connected between the connecting shaft (56) and the slider (54), the connecting bracket (57) is assembled in the pitch bracket (51) and connected to the connecting shaft (56), the multiplexing shaft (58) is assembled on both sides of the pitch bracket (51) and penetrates into the pitch bracket (51), and the free end of the multiplexing shaft (58) is rotatably connected to the connecting bracket (57).

2. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 1, characterized in that: The posture adjustment mechanism comprises a lifting structure (1) and a linkage assembly, wherein the linkage assembly is assembled on the lifting structure (1), and the passive motion assembly is assembled on the linkage assembly, and is used to drive the posture of the passive motion assembly to be actively adjusted.

3. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 2, characterized in that: The linkage assembly comprises a first motion assembly (2), a second motion assembly (3), a third motion assembly (4) and a fourth motion assembly (6); one end of the first motion assembly (2) is assembled on the lifting structure (1); the first motion assembly (2), the second motion assembly (3) and the third motion assembly (4) are connected to each other; and the fourth motion assembly (6) is connected to the third motion assembly (4) via a passive motion assembly.

4. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 3, characterized in that: The passive motion component includes a floating structure (7), the pitch structure (5) is connected between the third motion component (4) and the fourth motion component (6), and is used to adjust the pitch angle of the fourth motion component (6) and the floating structure (7), the fourth motion component (6) is assembled on the pitch structure (5), the floating structure (7) is connected to the fourth motion component (6), and the automatic charging gun head (8) is integrated on the floating structure (7) to enable the automatic charging gun head (8) to adapt to changes in the pitch angle.

5. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting structure (1) comprises a first housing (12), a screw rod (13) and a first power module (11); the screw rod (13) is rotatably assembled in the first housing (12); and the first power module (11) is transmission-connected to one end of the screw rod (13).

6. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first motion component (2) comprises a column (21) and a second power module (22); the column (21) is fixedly connected to the lifting structure (1); the second power module (22) is assembled in the column (21); and the second motion component (3) is transmission-connected to the output end of the second power module (22).

7. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second motion assembly (3) comprises a second housing (31) and a third power module (32); the second housing (31) is fixedly connected to the first motion assembly (2); the third power module (32) is assembled in the second housing (31); and the output end of the third motion assembly (4) and the third power module (32) are transmission-connected.

8. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 3, characterized in that: The third motion assembly (4) comprises a third housing (41) and a fourth power module (42); the third housing (41) is fixedly connected to the second motion assembly (3); the fourth power module (42) is assembled in the third housing (41); and the output end of the fourth power module (42) is transmission-connected to the passive motion assembly.

9. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pitch bracket (51) is assembled on the third motion component (4), and the fourth motion component (6) is connected to the crank component for adjusting the pitch angle of the fourth motion component (6) through the crank component.

10. The electric vehicle automatic charging robot arm according to claim 9, characterized in that: The pitch bracket (51) is provided with a mounting groove (501), the crank assembly portion is assembled in the mounting groove (501), and decorative covers (59) are provided on both sides of the pitch bracket (51).

11. An automatic charging robot for electric vehicles, characterized by: It comprises a mounting seat (200) and an electric vehicle automatic charging mechanical arm (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

Images