Recycling mechanism, control method thereof and self-growing robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a recovery mechanism, a control method thereof and a self-growing robot, the self-growing robot comprises an air compression structure and an everted airbag, and the air compression structure is used for inflating or exhausting air towards the everted airbag so as to drive the telescopic end of the everted airbag to extend or contract; the recovery mechanism comprises a base, a guide part and a traction part, and the base is arranged in the everted air bag and located at the telescopic end of the everted air bag; the base is annular, and an axial recovery channel is formed in the middle of the base; the recovery channel is used for passing through an inner side film of the everted airbag; the guide part is arranged on one side, facing the telescopic end of the everted air bag, of the base, is located at a port of the recovery channel and is used for guiding a film of the everted air bag to be retracted inwards or turned outwards; the traction component is arranged on the base and used for recycling the inner side film of the everted air bag in the direction away from the telescopic end of the everted air bag. The pulling force is kept through the traction component, the situation of accumulation or buckling of tail end materials is reduced, and the recovery efficiency and reliability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of robot technology, and in particular to a recycling mechanism and a control method thereof, and a self-growing robot. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development and progress of robot technology, new robot concepts emerge in an endless stream. One type of flexible robot uses film as the main body, and the soft film material is made into a double-layer folding tube. By pumping compressed air, the tube body maintains a certain shape. When the air pressure is increased, the inner layer of the material at the front end of the tube body turns outward, extending the length of the outer layer of the material to achieve forward growth; and when the gas is extracted, the inner layer of the material is rolled up and the outer layer of the material is retracted at the same time, achieving retraction.

[0003] However, when the current self-growing soft robots recycle materials, the air pressure in the tube decreases and the supporting force of the tube weakens. Therefore, the side walls of the tube are prone to buckling, resulting in loss of control of the robot's direction and accumulation of materials at the front end, affecting the efficiency and reliability of the robot's recycling.

[0004] Therefore, the prior art still needs to be improved and developed. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a recycling mechanism and its control method, and a self-growing robot, aiming to solve the problems of low efficiency, easy buckling and material accumulation in the recycling process of existing self-growing soft robots, which affect the reliability of recycling.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A recovery mechanism for a self-growing robot, the self-growing robot comprising an air compression structure and an eversion airbag, the air compression structure being used to inflate or evacuate the eversion airbag to drive the telescopic end of the eversion airbag to extend or contract; wherein the recovery mechanism comprises a base, a guide component and a traction component, the base being arranged in the eversion airbag and located at the telescopic end of the eversion airbag; the base being annular in shape and having an axial recovery channel formed in the middle; the recovery channel being used to pass through the inner film of the eversion airbag; the guide component being arranged on the side of the base facing the telescopic end of the eversion airbag, being located at the port of the recovery channel, and being used to guide the film of the eversion airbag to be retracted or everted; the traction component being arranged on the base, and being used to recover the inner film of the eversion airbag in a direction away from the telescopic end of the eversion airbag.

[0008] The recovery mechanism, wherein the guide component includes an annular base, a plurality of support frames and a plurality of rollers, the annular base is detachably arranged on the base; the plurality of support frames are arranged in a ring shape on the annular base along the circumferential direction; the roller is arranged on the support frame; the rolling direction of the roller is toward or away from the center point of the annular base.

[0009] The recovery mechanism, wherein an assembly groove is provided on the outer side wall of the annular base, and the assembly groove is located between two adjacent support frames; the recovery mechanism includes a magnetic part and a sensing structure, and the magnetic part is arranged in the assembly groove; the sensing structure is magnetically connected to the magnetic part and is fitted on the outer side of the eversion airbag.

[0010] The recovery mechanism, wherein the sensing structure includes a main body, a rolling member and an environmental sensor, the main body magnetically cooperates with the magnetic member and is located on the outside of the everted airbag; the rolling member is arranged on the side of the main body facing the everted airbag, for carrying the main body and rolling on the everted airbag; the environmental sensor is arranged on the main body, for sensing environmental information toward the front of the everted airbag.

[0011] The recovery mechanism described, wherein the two traction components are provided, and the two traction components are arranged side by side along the radial direction of the base; the traction component includes a driving component, a rotating component and a guide wheel, and the driving component is arranged on the base; a first transmission gear is provided at the output end of the driving component; the rotating rod is connected to the base and extends along the radial direction of the base; a second transmission gear is provided on the rotating rod; the second transmission gear is meshed with the first transmission gear; the guide wheel is connected to the rotating rod and is coaxially arranged; the two guide wheels in the two traction components are respectively located on both sides of the recovery channel, and are used to clamp and pull the inner film of the everted airbag.

[0012] The recovery mechanism, wherein the driving member is arranged along the axial direction of the base; and the first transmission gear and the second transmission gear are both bevel gears.

[0013] The recovery mechanism, wherein the guide wheel comprises a cylindrical body and a flexible friction layer attached to the surface of the cylindrical body, the inner side of the flexible friction layer is bonded to the cylindrical body, and a wedge-shaped protrusion is formed on the outer side.

[0014] The recovery mechanism, wherein the traction component includes a clamping base arranged on the base; two clamping positions are formed on the clamping base, and the clamping positions are used to clamp the driving member; a posture sensor is provided on the clamping base, and the posture sensor is arranged along the axial direction of the base.

[0015] The present application also discloses a control method for a recovery mechanism, which is used for any of the above recovery mechanisms; wherein a posture sensor is provided on the base of the recovery mechanism along the axial direction, and the control method comprises:

[0016] Collect the recovery signal from the growth robot;

[0017] Determine target position data and target posture data based on the recovered signal;

[0018] In response to the recovery signal, the traction component is started, and the posture sensor is started to record the real-time position data and the real-time posture data;

[0019] If the real-time position data is equal to the target position data, and the real-time posture data is equal to the target posture data, the traction component is turned off.

[0020] The present application also discloses a self-growing robot, which includes any of the recycling mechanisms described above.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages:

[0022] The recovery mechanism disclosed in the present invention is arranged inside the eversion airbag of the self-growing robot. The eversion airbag is kept in a certain shape by pumping air into it through the air compression structure, and the inside is hollow. When the self-growing robot starts the recovery action, the air compression structure evacuates air to reduce the pressure inside the eversion airbag; at the same time, the traction component is activated to pull the inner film of the eversion airbag back, that is, to pull it in the direction away from the telescopic end. Under the pull of the inner film, the outer film of the eversion airbag bypasses the guide component and gradually retracts inward, thereby achieving the effect of robot contraction.

[0023] It can be seen that, through the cooperation of the traction component and the guide component, the inner and outer films of the everted airbag are kept taut during the recycling process, thereby solving the problem of buckling and facilitating efficient recycling of the material at the telescopic end of the everted airbag. In addition, due to the support of the guide component and the traction component on the base, the telescopic end of the everted airbag has a stable shape and is not easily deformed, further reducing the problem of material accumulation caused by twisting and deformation, and improving the reliability of the recycling operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0025] Figure 1It is an assembly diagram of the recovery mechanism and the eversion airbag in the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the recovery mechanism in the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 It is a structural explosion diagram of the recovery mechanism in the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the guide wheel in the axial direction of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 The figure is a flow chart of the control method of the recovery mechanism in the present invention.

[0030] Among them, 100, recovery mechanism; 110, base; 111, recovery channel; 120, guide component; 121, annular base; 1211, assembly groove; 122, support frame; 123, roller; 130, traction component; 131, driving component; 132, first transmission gear; 133, rotating rod; 134, second transmission gear; 135, guide wheel; 1351, cylindrical body; 1352, flexible friction layer; 1352a, wedge-shaped protrusion; 136, snap-on base; 1361, snap-in position; 137, posture sensor; 140, magnetic component; 150, sensing structure; 151, main body; 152, rolling component; 153, environmental sensor; 200, eversion airbag. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention application, a recovery mechanism 100 is disclosed for a self-growing robot, wherein the self-growing robot includes an air compression structure and an eversion airbag 200, wherein the air compression structure is used to inflate or evacuate the eversion airbag 200 to drive the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200 to extend or contract.

[0033] The self-growing robot disclosed in this embodiment is a kind of soft robot, and mainly adopts the method of inflating a plastic film to form the main structure. The shape of the eversion airbag 200 is generally cylindrical, with the tail end fixed, and the material at the head end is bent inward and gathered, thereby forming two layers of film layers inside and outside, and forming a closed cavity between the inner film layer and the outer film layer, and inflating it through an air compression structure such as a compressor and an air pump, thereby propping up the eversion airbag 200, so that the eversion airbag 200 has a certain shape and structural strength. In addition, a winding component can be set on the fixed body of the robot, and the winding roller is driven by a motor to roll up the inner film, so that the inner film can be fixed and the tension of the inner film can be maintained, thereby maintaining the shape of the eversion airbag 200.

[0034] Since the inner and outer films of the everted airbag 200 in this embodiment are connected, the expansion and contraction amount can be controlled by adjusting the air pressure and retracting the inner film. Specifically, when the air pressure decreases, the inner film pulls the outer film inward, and the length of the everted airbag 200 decreases, thereby achieving contraction; when the air pressure increases, the inner film turns outward, thereby achieving extension.

[0035] The recovery mechanism 100 disclosed in this embodiment is arranged inside the eversion airbag 200 of the self-growing robot to control the tension of the eversion airbag 200 when it is extended or shortened, thereby reducing the buckling problem, avoiding deformation of the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200, and making the recovery operation more reliable.

[0036] Specifically, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the recovery mechanism 100 includes a base 110, a guide component 120 and a traction component 130, the base 110 is arranged in the eversion airbag 200, and is located at the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200; the base 110 is annular in shape, and an axial recovery channel 111 is formed in the middle; the recovery channel 111 is used to pass through the inner film of the eversion airbag 200; the guide component 120 is arranged on the side of the base 110 facing the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200, located at the port of the recovery channel 111, and is used to guide the film of the eversion airbag 200 to be retracted or everted; the traction component 130 is arranged on the base 110, and is used to recover the inner film of the eversion airbag 200 in a direction away from the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200.

[0037] The base 110 disclosed in this embodiment can be made of hard plastic by 3D printing or injection molding, etc., and can play a role in stabilizing the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200 by taking advantage of the stable structure and light weight of plastic, so as to reduce the shaking of the recovery mechanism 100 during operation. Since the internal space of the everted airbag 200 is annular, the base 110 is preferably set to be annular, which is adapted to the internal space of the everted airbag 200, and the outer wall of the base 110 fits the inner wall of the everted airbag 200, so that the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200 will not collapse or twist and deform, thereby avoiding the problem of material accumulation.

[0038] Specifically, in this embodiment, the guide component 120 is provided to increase the smoothness of the film of the everted airbag 200 moving outward or inward, and to avoid damage to the everted airbag 200 due to excessive local tension at the end of the base 110. When the self-growing robot starts the recovery action, the air compression structure is evacuated to reduce the pressure inside the everted airbag 200; at the same time, the traction component 130 is activated to pull the inner film of the everted airbag 200 back, that is, to pull it away from the telescopic end. Under the pull of the inner film, the outer film of the everted airbag 200 bypasses the guide component 120 and gradually retracts, thereby achieving the effect of robot contraction.

[0039] During the actual operation, the pulling operation of the traction component 130 and the vacuum operation of the air compression structure are carried out simultaneously. The volume of the everted airbag 200 decreases as the traction component 130 is pulled, and the vacuum operation extracts part of the gas only to maintain the air pressure in the everted airbag 200 at a suitable state, avoiding the problem of excessive pressure due to volume reduction; that is, during the recovery process, the air pressure in the everted airbag 200 is large enough to maintain its own shape, and there will be no buckling problem.

[0040] It can be seen that in this embodiment, the traction component 130 and the guide component 120 cooperate to keep the inner and outer films of the everted airbag 200 in a taut state during the recycling process of the robot, thereby solving the problem of buckling and facilitating efficient recycling of the material at the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200. In addition, due to the support of the guide component 120 and the traction component 130 on the base 110, the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200 has a stable shape and is not easily deformed, further reducing the problem of material accumulation caused by twisting and deformation, and improving the reliability of the recycling operation.

[0041] It should be noted that the types of base 110 are only exemplified in this embodiment, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to this. Other types of bases 110, such as metal bases 110, as long as they can achieve the technical effects disclosed in this application, should also be within the scope of protection of this application as equivalent replacements for the concept of the present invention.

[0042] It should also be noted that the present embodiment only exemplifies the types of air compression structures and eversion airbags 200, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Other types of air compression structures or eversion airbags 200, as long as they can achieve the technical effects disclosed in this application, should also be within the scope of protection of this application as equivalent replacements for the concepts of the present invention.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, as an implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that the guide component 120 includes an annular base 121, a plurality of support frames 122 and a plurality of rollers 123, and the annular base 121 is detachably arranged on the base 110; a plurality of support frames 122 are arranged in a ring along the circumferential direction on the annular base 121; the roller 123 is arranged on the support frame 122; the rolling direction of the roller 123 is toward or away from the center point of the annular base 121.

[0044] In this embodiment, the annular base 121 and the base 110 are detachably matched, and the disassembly and assembly are convenient, so as to facilitate the replacement of the guide component 120. According to the different models and sizes of the self-growing robot, the diameter and inner diameter of the eversion airbag 200 are different. In order to flexibly adapt to various usage scenarios, different models of guide components 120 can be reserved in advance, so as to select the guide component 120 of the appropriate size to match the self-growing robot.

[0045] Specifically, the main difference between different models of guide components 120 lies in the diameter size of the annular base 121 and the diameter size of the roller 123. Selecting a guide component 120 of an appropriate size according to the size of the self-growing robot can increase the fit between the eversion airbag 200 and the guide component 120, and provide more stable support and guidance for the eversion airbag 200.

[0046] Specifically, the annular base 121 and the base 110 may be provided with assembly holes, and the connection may be achieved by inserting bolts into the assembly holes and fixing them with nuts. The guide component 120 may be assembled flexibly by utilizing the stability and detachability of the screw connection. Figure 3 As shown, three assembly holes can be opened in sequence on the side wall of the annular base 121 at intervals of 120°, and three assembly holes can also be opened in sequence on the side wall of the base 110 at intervals of 120°. During assembly, the annular base 121 and the base 110 are nested and the assembly holes are aligned to form an assembly passage for the bolts to pass through.

[0047] Of course, this embodiment only exemplifies the assembly method of the annular base 121 and the base 110, and is not limited to this in actual production and manufacturing. It can also be connected by snap-on, magnetic attraction, etc. As an equivalent replacement for the concept of the present invention, these implementation methods should also be within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] In this embodiment, a plurality of support frames 122 are formed on the annular base 121. The support frames 122 can be integrally formed with the annular base 121, or can be fixed on the annular base 121 by welding, bonding, clamping, etc. Two vertically protruding rods are arranged side by side on the support frame 122, and holes are punched on the rods to facilitate the horizontal passage of the central shaft and fixation by screws and bolts. The roller 123 is sleeved on the central shaft, and the central part of the roller 123 can be embedded in the bearing to reduce the rotational friction; the outer side of the roller 123 can be made of hard plastic, rubber, silicone, etc., and the surface has a certain flexibility, which can fit the inner wall of the everted airbag 200 to play a role in stable guidance.

[0049] Specifically, the roller 123 contacts the inner wall of the eversion airbag 200, so that the film rubs against the roller 123 when moving inward or outward, thereby reducing friction resistance and making the film contract and stretch more smoothly. Several rollers 123 are evenly arranged in an annular shape on the annular base 121, so that each position of the film can be supported, further improving the stability during the expansion and contraction process.

[0050] For example, five rollers 123 are arranged along the circumference of the annular base 121, and the interval between two adjacent rollers 123 is 72°, and the rolling direction of each roller 123 is toward or away from the center point of the annular base 121. During the expansion and contraction process of the outward-turned airbag 200, there are five point supports to support the expansion and contraction end of the entire outward-turned airbag 200, forming an arc-shaped transition, thereby avoiding deformation, material accumulation and other problems caused by excessive bending angle of the film.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, as another implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that an assembly groove 1211 is provided on the outer wall of the annular base 121, and the assembly groove 1211 is located between two adjacent support frames 122; the recovery mechanism 100 includes a magnetic part 140 and a sensing structure 150, and the magnetic part 140 is arranged in the assembly groove 1211; the sensing structure 150 is magnetically connected to the magnetic part 140, and is fitted on the outer side of the eversion airbag 200.

[0052] In this embodiment, an assembly groove 1211 is provided to stably assemble the magnetic member 140, so that the magnetic member 140 is stably connected to the annular base 121 and is not easy to fall off. For example, the magnetic member 140 is fixed by bonding or welding so that the magnetic member 140 and the annular base 121 are connected as a whole. Specifically, the magnetic member 140 includes but is not limited to a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, etc., which can generate a magnetic field, thereby magnetically cooperating with the sensing structure 150.

[0053] The sensing structure 150 disclosed in this embodiment is disposed on the outside of the everted airbag 200 to obtain information about the surrounding environment in real time. The sensing structure 150 includes but is not limited to any one of an infrared sensing unit, a camera unit, and a scanning unit. In order to cooperate with the magnetic member 140, a magnet, an iron sheet, or other parts may be attached to the sensing structure 150.

[0054] Specifically, since the film at the front end is constantly moving during the expansion and contraction of the outward-turned airbag 200, it is not convenient to fix the sensing structure 150 directly on the outward-turned airbag 200. In this embodiment, a magnetic component 140 is arranged in the assembly groove 1211. When the outward-turned airbag 200 is extended, the recovery mechanism 100 moves forward as a whole; when the outward-turned airbag 200 is contracted, the recovery mechanism 100 moves backward as a whole; therefore, the magnetic component 140 always remains at the expansion end of the outward-turned airbag 200, so that the sensing structure 150 magnetically matched with the magnetic component 140 can move on the outer surface of the outward-turned airbag 200, and always remains at the expansion end of the outward-turned airbag 200, so as to observe the environment in front of the robot in real time and accurately collect actual data.

[0055] It can be seen that in this embodiment, the position of the sensing structure 150 is controlled by magnetic attraction without direct contact. The sensing structure 150 can be permanently set at the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200. The matching method is simple, does not require additional parts to assemble, and is long-lasting and effective.

[0056] Preferably, the magnetic member 140 in this embodiment is an electromagnet to control the magnitude of the magnetic force, thereby adjusting the pressure between the sensing structure 150 and the everted airbag 200 and adjusting the friction coefficient to prevent the sensing structure 150 from affecting the film movement of the everted airbag 200 .

[0057] For example Figure 1 As shown, as another implementation of this embodiment, the sensing structure 150 is disclosed to include a main body 151, a rolling member 152 and an environmental sensor 153. The main body 151 is magnetically coupled with the magnetic member 140 and is located on the outside of the everted airbag 200; the rolling member 152 is arranged on the side of the main body 151 facing the everted airbag 200, and is used to carry the main body 151 and roll on the everted airbag 200; the environmental sensor 153 is arranged on the main body 151, and is used to sense environmental information toward the front of the everted airbag 200.

[0058] The sensing structure 150 disclosed in this embodiment is in rolling contact with the everted airbag 200 through the rolling element 152, and the contact area is small, which is conducive to reducing friction and preventing the sensing structure 150 from affecting the expansion and contraction process of the everted airbag 200. Specifically, the main body 151 is used as a bracket, and a shaft is arranged on it to facilitate the installation of the rolling element 152. The environmental sensor 153 is arranged on the main body 151, separated from the rolling element 152, and maintained stable. It is also at a sufficient distance from the everted airbag 200 to prevent being blocked by the everted airbag 200, so as to completely and clearly collect environmental information on the front side of the everted airbag 200.

[0059] Specifically, the rolling element 152 disclosed in this embodiment includes but is not limited to rolling structures such as tires, balls, and tracks. It should be particularly noted that when tires or balls are used, at least two rolling elements 152 are provided to increase the contact points between the sensing structure 150 and the eversion airbag 200, improve the stability of the main body 151, avoid tilting, and prevent affecting the information collection of the environmental sensor 153.

[0060] Specifically, the environmental sensor 153 disclosed in this embodiment includes but is not limited to any one of an infrared sensor, a micro camera, a distance sensor, a temperature sensor, a scanning probe, and an ultrasonic probe. The environmental sensor 153 is used to collect information in front of the eversion airbag 200, so as to obtain real-time information in front of the robot and assist the robot in determining the next action.

[0061] Specifically, the environmental sensor 153 disclosed in this embodiment can send a signal to the control center of the robot through a wireless signal transmission unit such as Bluetooth or WiFi, so as to transmit the collected information in real time.

[0062] For example Figure 3 As shown, as another implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that the traction components 130 are provided with two, and the two traction components 130 are arranged side by side along the radial direction of the base 110; the traction component 130 includes a driving member 131, a rotating member and a guide wheel 135, and the driving member 131 is arranged on the base 110; the output end of the driving member 131 is provided with a first transmission gear 132; the rotating rod 133 is connected to the base 110 and extends along the radial direction of the base 110; a second transmission gear 134 is provided on the rotating rod 133; the second transmission gear 134 is meshed with the first transmission gear 132; the guide wheel 135 is connected to the rotating rod 133 and is coaxially arranged; the two guide wheels 135 in the two traction components 130 are respectively located on both sides of the recovery channel 111, and are used to clamp and pull the inner film of the everted airbag 200.

[0063] The traction component 130 disclosed in this embodiment is used to pull the film, so a driving member 131 is provided to provide power. Specifically, the driving member 131 can be any one of a high-torque motor, a high-speed motor, and a stepping motor, and the output shaft drives the first transmission gear 132 to rotate, and the first transmission gear 132 cooperates with the second transmission gear 134 to transmit power to the guide wheel 135, and the friction between the surface of the guide wheel 135 and the everted airbag 200 is used to pull the film to move.

[0064] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the two guide wheels 135 are respectively arranged on both sides of the recycling channel 111, so the directions of the power output by the two driving members 131 are opposite, one is forward rotation and the other is reverse rotation, so that the rotation directions of the two guide wheels 135 are both toward the recycling channel 111, and the film in the recycling channel 111 is pulled away from the guide member 120. By clamping the film on both sides for traction, the inner film of the everted airbag 200 is pulled at a uniform speed as a whole, avoiding the situation that the recycling is not smooth due to uneven tension on both sides of the film, or the material is piled up on one side during the recycling process.

[0065] Specifically, the guide wheel 135 disclosed in this embodiment can be a solid cylindrical structure. One end of the guide wheel 135 can extend from the center to connect the protrusion to cooperate with the base 110. A hole is opened on the base 110. After the connecting protrusion is inserted, the guide wheel 135 can rotate around its own central axis in the hole. In order to facilitate rotation, a bearing can be set in the hole of the base 110 to reduce friction. The other end of the guide wheel 135 can be provided with a threaded groove or a threaded protrusion from the center to dock with a threaded rod, and the second transmission gear 134 is sleeved on the threaded rod. When the threaded rod is screwed and fixed to the guide wheel 135, power is transmitted through the second transmission gear 134 to drive the guide wheel 135 to rotate.

[0066] For example Figure 3 As shown, as another implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that the driving member 131 is arranged along the axial direction of the base 110; the first transmission gear 132 and the second transmission gear 134 are both bevel gears.

[0067] In this embodiment, the characteristic that the bevel gear can mesh from the side is utilized, and when the two bevel gears cooperate with each other, the direction of power transmission can be changed, and the power output by the driving member 131 along the axial direction of the base 110 can be adjusted to the power along the radial direction of the base 110. Therefore, in this embodiment, the two driving members 131 are arranged along the axial direction of the base 110, perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the guide wheel 135 and the second transmission gear 134, which can reduce the radial space occupied by the recovery mechanism 100, so as to adapt to more outward-turned airbags 200 of different sizes and increase the flexibility of use.

[0068] like Figure 4 As shown, as another implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that the guide wheel 135 includes a cylindrical body 1351 and a flexible friction layer 1352 attached to the surface of the cylindrical body 1351, the inner side of the flexible friction layer 1352 is bonded to the cylindrical body 1351, and a wedge-shaped protrusion 1352a is formed on the outer side.

[0069] The columnar body 1351 disclosed in this embodiment may adopt a high-strength rigid column, such as a polylactic acid resin column, to increase the strength and load-bearing capacity of the structure.

[0070] The flexible friction layer 1352 disclosed in this embodiment can be made of materials such as rubber, latex, and silicone. The wedge-shaped protrusions 1352a are formed in one step by a mold, and the flexible friction layer 1352 is attached to the cylindrical body 1351 to increase the friction force when the guide wheel 135 contacts the eversion airbag 200, thereby avoiding the problems of slipping and misalignment. Specifically, the wedge-shaped protrusions 1352a can be arranged in an array and laid on the entire surface of the flexible friction layer 1352. In this embodiment, the flexible friction layer 1352 can be directly bonded to the cylindrical body 1351 by double-sided tape or glue, and the connection is stable and firm.

[0071] Specifically, as another implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that one end of the guide wheel 135 connected to the rotating rod 133 is concave to form an avoidance groove for avoiding the second transmission gear 134. By providing the avoidance groove to avoid the second transmission gear 134, the arrangement of the traction component 130 in space is further optimized, making the structure of the traction component 130 more compact, reducing the occupied volume, and facilitating the miniaturization of the recovery mechanism 100 to adapt to more usage environments.

[0072] For example Figure 3 As shown, as another implementation of this embodiment, it is disclosed that the traction component 130 includes a clamping base 136 arranged on the base 110; two clamping positions 1361 are formed on the clamping base 136, and the clamping positions 1361 are used to clamp the driving member 131; the clamping base 136 is provided with a posture sensor 137, and the posture sensor 137 is arranged along the axial direction of the base 110.

[0073] In this embodiment, the inner wall of the base 110 contacts the clamping base 136, and can be connected by bonding or welding, or interference fit. Two driving members 131 can be set on the clamping base 136 at the same time, so as to facilitate fixation and assembly and improve the stability of the driving member 131. Specifically, the output end of the driving member 131 is provided with a first transmission gear 132, so along the axial direction of the base 110, a baffle can be set in front of the driving member 131, and the shape of the baffle can be fan-shaped, so as to shield the driving member 131 and the first transmission gear 132, reduce the probability of contact between the inner film and the inner film, and avoid winding.

[0074] In this embodiment, the position sensor 137 is arranged on the clamping base 136 to sense the position and direction of the base 110. Since the base 110 is arranged at the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200 and is arranged along the axial direction of the eversion airbag 200, the position and direction of the base 110 are the same as those of the eversion airbag 200. Therefore, the position information and the position information of the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200 can be measured by the position sensor 137, so as to judge the telescopic state of the self-growing robot and ensure that the robot telescopes according to the preset path and direction.

[0075] like Figure 5 As shown, as another embodiment of the present application, a control method of a recovery mechanism 100 is disclosed, which is used for any of the recovery mechanisms 100 described above; wherein a posture sensor 137 is provided on the base 110 of the recovery mechanism 100 along the axial direction, and the control method includes:

[0076] S100, collecting recovery signals from the growth robot.

[0077] During the use of the robot, the task data of the robot is collected to determine whether the recycling process needs to be started. For example, when the tasks include tasks such as recovering from a growth state to an initial state, grabbing objects, and adjusting directions, it is determined that the self-growing robot needs to be recycled; when the collected data includes unexpected events such as obstacles ahead, the passage ahead is too small, and the path is wrong and needs to return to the initial position, it is determined that the self-growing robot needs to be recycled. Of course, this embodiment only cites the recycling scenario of the robot. In other recycling scenarios, as long as it involves the robot's telescopic action and the scene of completing the recycling operation, it is an equivalent replacement of the application scenario of this application, and the technical solution disclosed in this application can also be used.

[0078] The recycling mechanism 100 disclosed in this embodiment is communicatively connected to the control center of the self-growing robot. When the robot enters the recycling process, the recycling mechanism 100 can collect the recycling signal.

[0079] S200, determining target position data and target posture data based on the recovered signal.

[0080] If it is determined that recycling is necessary, the target position and final posture of recycling are calculated first, and the completion conditions of the final recycling state are determined.

[0081] S300 , starting the traction component 130 in response to the recovery signal, and starting the posture sensor 137 to record real-time position data and real-time posture data.

[0082] Then, when the recovery signal is received, the recovery mechanism 100 is powered, the traction component 130 and the air compression structure are started, and the eversion airbag 200 is pulled inward while the air is pumped out. At the same time, the heading angle and pitch angle information of the current self-growing robot are obtained according to the posture sensor 137 on the base 110, so as to judge the position and posture of the end.

[0083] S400 , if the real-time position data is equal to the target position data, and the real-time posture data is equal to the target posture data, then close the traction component 130 .

[0084] After the data is collected, it is synchronously sent to the host computer, which processes it to determine whether the self-growth robot has been recovered to the specified location. If so, it stops recovering, if not, it continues to recover and complete subsequent tasks.

[0085] In this embodiment, the recovery mechanism 100 is controlled to participate in the recovery process of the self-growing robot, thereby helping the self-growing robot to recover efficiently and smoothly, thereby improving the reusability of the eversion airbag 200 of the self-growing robot.

[0086] As another embodiment of the present application, a self-growing robot is disclosed, which includes a recycling mechanism 100 as described above.

[0087] In summary, the present application discloses a recovery mechanism 100 for a self-growing robot, wherein the self-growing robot comprises an air compression structure and an eversion airbag 200, wherein the air compression structure is used to inflate or evacuate the eversion airbag 200 to drive the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200 to extend or contract; wherein the recovery mechanism 100 comprises a base 110, a guide component 120 and a traction component 130, wherein the base 110 is disposed in the eversion airbag 200 and is located at the telescopic end of the eversion airbag 200; the base 110 The shape is annular, and an axial recovery channel 111 is formed in the middle; the recovery channel 111 is used to pass the inner film of the everted airbag 200; the guide component 120 is arranged on the side of the base 110 facing the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200, located at the port of the recovery channel 111, and is used to guide the film of the everted airbag 200 to be retracted or everted; the traction component 130 is arranged on the base 110, and is used to recover the inner film of the everted airbag 200 in the direction away from the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200.

[0088] The recovery mechanism 100 disclosed in this embodiment cooperates with the traction component 130 and the guide component 120, so that the inner and outer films of the everted airbag 200 are kept taut during the recovery process of the robot, thereby solving the problem of buckling, which is conducive to the efficient recovery of the material at the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200. In addition, due to the support of the guide component 120 and the traction component 130 on the base 110, the telescopic end of the everted airbag 200 has a stable shape and is not easily deformed, further reducing the problem of material accumulation caused by twisting and deformation, and improving the reliability of the recovery operation.

[0089] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present application may be combined with each other.

[0090] It should be noted that the present invention takes the recycling mechanism as an example to introduce the specific structure and working principle of the present invention, but the application of the present invention is not limited to the recycling mechanism, and can also be applied to the production and use of other similar workpieces.

[0091] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exact construction that has been described above and shown in the drawings and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

[0092] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A recovery mechanism for a self-growing robot, the self-growing robot comprising an air compression structure and an eversion airbag, the air compression structure being used to inflate or evacuate the eversion airbag to drive the telescopic end of the eversion airbag to extend or contract; characterized in that: The recycling mechanism comprises: A base is arranged in the everted airbag and is located at the telescopic end of the everted airbag; the base is annular in shape, and an axial recovery channel is formed in the middle; the recovery channel is used to pass through the inner film of the everted airbag; A guide component is provided on the base at one side of the telescopic end of the eversion airbag and is located at the end of the recovery channel, and is used to guide the film of the eversion airbag to be retracted or everted; A traction component is disposed on the base and is used to retract the inner film of the eversion airbag in a direction away from the telescopic end of the eversion airbag.

2. The recovery mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide component comprises: An annular base, detachably arranged on the base; A plurality of support frames are arranged in an annular manner on the annular base along a circumferential direction; A plurality of rollers, wherein the rollers are arranged on the support frame; Wherein, the rolling direction of the roller is toward or away from the center point of the annular base.

3. The recovery mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: An assembly groove is provided on the outer side wall of the annular base, and the assembly groove is located between two adjacent support frames; The recovery mechanism includes a magnetic part and a sensing structure, wherein the magnetic part is arranged in the assembly groove; the sensing structure is magnetically connected to the magnetic part and is arranged on the outer side of the everted airbag.

4. The recovery mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The perception structure includes: A main body, magnetically matched with the magnetic member, and located outside the everted airbag; A rolling member, provided on a side of the main body facing the eversion airbag, and used for carrying the main body and rolling on the eversion airbag; The environmental sensor is arranged on the main body and is used to sense environmental information in the direction forward of the everted airbag.

5. The recovery mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traction components are provided with two, and the two traction components are arranged side by side along the radial direction of the base; the traction components include: A driving member is arranged on the base; a first transmission gear is arranged at the output end of the driving member; A rotating rod is connected to the base and extends along the radial direction of the base; a second transmission gear is provided on the rotating rod; and the second transmission gear is meshed with the first transmission gear; A guide wheel connected to the rotating rod and coaxially arranged; Wherein, the two guide wheels in the two traction components are respectively located on both sides of the recovery channel, and are used for clamping and traction of the inner film of the everted airbag.

6. The recovery mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving member is arranged along the axial direction of the base; the first transmission gear and the second transmission gear are both bevel gears.

7. The recovery mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The guide wheel comprises a cylindrical body and a flexible friction layer attached to the surface of the cylindrical body. The inner side of the flexible friction layer is bonded to the cylindrical body, and a wedge-shaped protrusion is formed on the outer side.

8. The recovery mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The traction component includes a clamping base arranged on the base; the clamping base is formed with two clamping positions, and the clamping positions are used to clamp the driving member; Wherein, a posture sensor is provided on the clamping base, and the posture sensor is arranged along the axial direction of the base.

9. A control method for a recycling mechanism, used for the recycling mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8; characterized in that: A posture sensor is provided on the base of the recovery mechanism along the axial direction, and the control method comprises: Collect the recovery signal from the growth robot; Determine target position data and target posture data based on the recovered signal; In response to the recovery signal, the traction component is started, and the posture sensor is started to record the real-time position data and the real-time posture data; If the real-time position data is equal to the target position data, and the real-time posture data is equal to the target posture data, the traction component is turned off.

10. A self-growing robot, characterized in that: Comprising a recovery mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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