A robotic finger mechanism and a robot

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of robotics and discloses a robotic finger mechanism, comprising a finger assembly rotatably connected to a hand assembly, and a pull rope for driving the finger assembly. The hand assembly includes a movable guide wheel, a fixed guide wheel, and a pull rope seat. The outer end of the pull rope is connected to the outermost phalanx of the finger assembly, and the inner end of the pull rope passes sequentially around the movable guide wheel and the fixed guide wheel before connecting to the pull rope seat. The hand assembly includes a drive mechanism for driving the movable guide wheel and the pull rope seat to move synchronously and in the same direction. Elastic reset members are provided at the joints of any two phalanxes in the finger assembly. A robot is provided, and the robot's hand employs the aforementioned robotic finger mechanism. This invention has the advantages of a compact structure and fast response of the finger assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and more particularly to a robotic finger mechanism and a robot. Background Technology

[0002] There are various methods for driving robot fingers, including motor-gear drive, pneumatic or hydraulic drive, chord drive, and electromagnetic drive. Among them, chord drive mimics the working principle of human tendons, achieving finger bending and extension by pulling ropes or cables connected to the finger joints. Because this type of drive structure is simple, flexible, and can better simulate human hand movements, it is widely used in the field of robotics.

[0003] However, chord actuation typically uses electric cylinders to pull ropes to achieve finger flexion, and each finger requires individual control. The rope's stroke from extension to flexion is significant, placing considerable demands on the electric cylinders. These cylinders are usually installed inside the robot's hand, requiring ample internal space, resulting in a large and heavy hand, which can be bulky and reduce dexterity. The large rope stroke also leads to long response times when the robot grasps objects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a robot finger mechanism and robot with a compact and stable structure, small space occupation, and faster finger movement response speed.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A robotic finger mechanism includes a finger assembly rotatably connected to a palm assembly and a pull rope for driving the finger assembly. The palm assembly contains a movable guide wheel, a fixed guide wheel, and a pull rope seat. The outer end of the pull rope is connected to the outermost phalanx of the finger assembly, and the inner end of the pull rope passes sequentially around the movable guide wheel and the fixed guide wheel before connecting to the pull rope seat. The palm assembly contains a drive mechanism for driving the movable guide wheel and the pull rope seat to move synchronously and in the same direction. An elastic reset member is provided at the joint of any two phalanxes in the finger assembly.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the drive mechanism can simultaneously drive the movable guide wheel and the pull rope seat to move synchronously in the same direction. This makes the displacement of the outer end of the pull rope about three times that of the pull rope seat, greatly reducing the stroke of the pull rope seat. Consequently, the drive mechanism has a smaller stroke, a smaller size, a more compact structure, and a more flexible design for the hand assembly. At the same time, since the small stroke of the drive mechanism can drive the large stroke of the pull rope, the bending response speed of the finger assembly is also increased by three times after the stroke is amplified by three times, significantly improving the flexibility of the finger assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the driving mechanism includes a connecting rod, a translational force for moving the connecting rod, a wheel seat connected to the movable guide wheel, one end of the connecting rod connected to the wheel seat, and the other end of the connecting rod connected to the pull rope seat.

[0009] Preferably, the driving mechanism includes a lead screw and a rotational power source for rotating the lead screw. A wheel seat is connected to the movable guide wheel. One end of the lead screw is rotatably connected to the wheel seat, and the other end of the lead screw is rotatably connected to the pull rope seat. The lead screw drives the movable guide wheel and the pull rope seat to move synchronously and in the same direction, achieving high motion accuracy and allowing for locking at any position.

[0010] Preferably, the end of the lead screw is provided with a connecting post, and the wheel seat is provided with a bearing. The connecting post passes through the bearing and is limited by fasteners. This reduces the impact of the lead screw rotation on the movable guide wheel, resulting in low resistance to lead screw rotation.

[0011] Preferably, the pull cord is equipped with an elastic tensioning element; the pull cord is configured in two sections, namely a first pull cord and a second pull cord, one end of the first pull cord is connected to the finger assembly, and the other end of the first pull cord is connected to the elastic tensioning element; one end of the second pull cord is connected to the pull cord seat, and the other end of the second pull cord is connected to the elastic tensioning element. The elastic tensioning element can both tension the pull cord and provide the finger assembly with a certain degree of flexibility when gripping an object, making it less likely to damage the object.

[0012] Preferably, a slide rail is fixed to the inner wall of the hand assembly, and a slider is provided on the slide rail. One end of the first pull rope near the elastic tensioner is connected to the slider. A locking mechanism is provided between the slider and the slide rail, allowing the slider to be locked at any position on the slide rail. When the robot is walking on an uneven surface and the object is being transported a relatively long distance, the object may fall due to the bumps in the road surface when the finger assembly is elastically gripping it. The locking mechanism is initially in an unlocked state, at which point the slider can slide freely along the slide rail. The drive mechanism causes the finger assembly to bend and grip the object. Then, the locking mechanism locks the slider and the slide rail together. At this time, the finger assembly is only tightened by the first pull rope (the elastic tensioner does not function), and the finger assembly is in rigid contact with the object. This ensures that the robot can stably hold the object even on bumpy surfaces. Since the initial contact between the finger assembly and the object is elastic, the object is less likely to be damaged during the gripping process.

[0013] Preferably, the locking mechanism includes an electromagnet mounted on a sliding seat, and the slide rail is configured as a ferromagnet, with the electromagnet's adsorption surface facing the slide rail. When the electromagnet is energized, it adsorbs onto the slide rail, thus locking the slider. Locking is achieved by the electromagnet adsorbing onto the slide rail, resulting in a simple and stable locking mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, a guide wheel is provided within the palm assembly at the location between the fixed guide wheel and the pull rope seat, and the second pull rope passes around the guide wheel; the direction of the pull rope between the fixed guide wheel and the guide wheel is parallel to the movement direction of the movable guide wheel, and the movement direction of the slider is parallel to the movement direction of the movable guide wheel. The guide wheel is used to adjust the direction of the pull rope between the fixed guide wheel and the pull rope seat, so that the direction of the pull rope at this location is parallel to the movement direction of the pull rope seat, thereby optimizing the configuration of the various components inside the palm assembly and reducing the size of the palm assembly.

[0015] Preferably, the finger assembly includes a first phalanx, a second phalanx rotatably connected to the first phalanx, and a third phalanx rotatably connected to the second phalanx, the third phalanx being rotatably connected to the palm assembly; the elastic reset member is configured as a torsion spring or a tension spring.

[0016] A robot, wherein the robot's hand employs the aforementioned robot finger mechanism.

[0017] Therefore, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) The stroke of the outer end of the pull rope is three times the stroke of the drive mechanism, so that the large stroke can be controlled by the small stroke, so that the space required for the drive mechanism to move is smaller, the overall structure is more compact, and the volume of the palm assembly can be reduced; (2) The small stroke of the drive mechanism drives the large stroke of the pull rope in the finger assembly, which improves the motion response speed of the finger assembly, making the bending of the fingers faster and more flexible; (3) When the robot walks on an uneven road or there are bumps, it holds the object in two stages: in the first stage, the locking mechanism is unlocked, and the elasticity of the elastic tensioning member is used to make the finger assembly hold the object flexibly to prevent damage to the object; in the second stage, after holding the object, the locking mechanism locks the end of the first pull rope, and at this time the finger assembly holds the object rigidly (relative to the first stage), thereby preventing the object from falling due to bumps, vibrations, etc. during the robot's movement, and ensuring that the object is transported more stably. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is the first embodiment of the elastic reset element.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a second embodiment of the elastic reset element.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partial exploded view. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0024] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., used herein are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, nor should they be construed as implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Features specified as "first" or "second" may expressly or implicitly indicate that at least one of those features is included.

[0025] Example 1: As Figures 1-3 The robot finger mechanism shown includes a finger assembly 2 rotatably connected to a palm assembly 1 and a pull rope 3 that drives the finger assembly 2 to move. The palm assembly 1 is provided with a movable guide wheel 10, a fixed guide wheel 11, and a pull rope seat 4. The outer end of the pull rope 3 is connected to the outermost phalanx of the finger assembly 2, and the inner end of the pull rope 3 passes through the movable guide wheel 10 and the fixed guide wheel 11 in sequence before connecting to the pull rope seat 4. The palm assembly 1 is provided with a drive mechanism 5 for driving the movable guide wheel 10 and the pull rope seat 4 to move synchronously and in the same direction. An elastic reset member 6 is provided at the joint of any two phalanxes in the finger assembly 2.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, the drive mechanism 5 includes a connecting rod 50 and a translational force 51 for moving the connecting rod 50. A wheel seat 100 is connected to the movable guide wheel 10. One end of the connecting rod 50 is connected to the wheel seat 100, and the other end of the connecting rod 50 is connected to the rope seat 4. In some embodiments, the translational force 51 is configured as any one of an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, and a hydraulic cylinder. In this embodiment, the translational force is configured as an electric cylinder.

[0027] The finger assembly 2 includes a first phalanx 20, a second phalanx 21 rotatably connected to the first phalanx 20, and a third phalanx 22 rotatably connected to the second phalanx 21. The third phalanx 22 is rotatably connected to the palm assembly 1. The outer end of the pull cord is fixedly connected to the first phalanx, and the pull cord is disposed on the inner side of the finger assembly. The elastic reset member 6 is configured as a torsion spring 60, such as... Figure 2 As shown, torsion springs are provided at the rotational connection points of the first and second phalanges, the second and third phalanges, and the third phalange and the palm assembly. When the pull cord is released, the finger assembly is automatically unfolded by the torsion springs.

[0028] like Figure 3The diagram shows another embodiment of the drive mechanism. Specifically, the drive mechanism 5 includes a lead screw 52 and a rotational power 53 for driving the lead screw 52 to rotate. A wheel seat 100 is connected to the movable guide wheel 10. One end of the lead screw 52 is rotatably connected to the wheel seat 100, and the other end of the lead screw 52 is rotatably connected to the pull rope seat 4. Figure 5 As shown, the end of the lead screw 52 is provided with a connecting post 520, and the wheel seat 100 is provided with a bearing 101. The connecting post 520 passes through the bearing 101 and is limited by a fastener 521. In some embodiments, the fastener 521 is configured as a nut, the end of the connecting post is threaded, and the bearing is configured as a thrust bearing. After the connecting post passes through the thrust bearing, it is locked by the nut to ensure stable relative rotation between the lead screw 52 and the wheel seat 100, and to prevent the lead screw from separating from the wheel seat. In other embodiments, the fastener 521 is configured as a limiting pin. After the connecting post passes through the bearing, it is limited by the limiting pin to prevent the connecting post from coming out of the bearing. Figure 3 The elastic reset component uses a tension spring 61. The pull cord is located on the inside of the finger assembly, while the tension spring 61 is located on the outside of the connection between two adjacent phalanges. When the pull cord is tightened, the finger assembly is in a bent state. When the pull cord is released, the finger assembly is reset to the unfolded state under the action of the tension spring 61.

[0029] In some embodiments, the pull cord 3 is provided with an elastic tensioning member 32; the pull cord 3 is configured in two sections, namely a first pull cord 30 and a second pull cord 31, one end of the first pull cord 30 is connected to the finger assembly 2, and the other end of the first pull cord 30 is connected to the elastic tensioning member 32; one end of the second pull cord 31 is connected to the pull cord seat 4, and the other end of the second pull cord 31 is connected to the elastic tensioning member 32. The elastic tensioning member 32 is a spring.

[0030] In order to make the movement of the pull rope smoother and the distribution of components within the palm assembly more compact and reasonable, in some embodiments, a guide wheel 12 is provided in the palm assembly 1 at the position between the fixed guide wheel 11 and the pull rope seat 4, the second pull rope 31 passes around the guide wheel 12, and the direction of the pull rope 3 between the fixed guide wheel 11 and the guide wheel 12 is parallel to the movement direction of the movable guide wheel 10.

[0031] Example 2: The difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that: a slide rail 7 is fixedly provided on the inner wall of the palm assembly 1, and a slider 8 is provided on the slide rail 7. One end of the first pull rope 30 near the elastic tension member 32 is fixedly connected to the slider 8; a locking mechanism 9 is provided between the slider 8 and the slide rail 7, so that the slider 8 can be locked at any position on the slide rail 7; the locking mechanism 9 includes an electromagnet 90 provided on the sliding seat, the slide rail 7 is configured as a ferromagnet, and the adsorption surface of the electromagnet 90 faces the slide rail 7; when the electromagnet 90 is energized, the electromagnet 90 is attracted to the slide rail 7, thereby locking the slider 8.

[0032] A robot, wherein the robot's hand employs the aforementioned robot finger mechanism.

[0033] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the principle of the present invention is as follows:

[0034] Example 1 is more suitable for grasping and transferring objects that are close to the object and lightweight. In the initial state, the finger assembly is in an unfolded state. When it is necessary to grasp an object, the robot moves the entire hand assembly close to the object. The drive mechanism drives the movable guide wheel and the pull rope seat to move away from the finger assembly. At this time, the pull rope contracts, causing the finger bones in the finger assembly to bend and grasp the object. Since the pull rope is equipped with an elastic tensioner, the finger assembly elastically grasps the object and is not easily damaged. In this mechanism, since the stroke of the outer end of the pull rope is three times the stroke of the pull rope seat, the drive mechanism can drive the large stroke of the pull rope to achieve the bending of the finger assembly with a smaller stroke. On the one hand, this allows the hand assembly to be designed to be smaller and the overall structure to be more compact. On the other hand, it can improve the movement speed of the finger assembly and improve the bending response speed of the finger assembly, making the movement of the finger assembly more flexible.

[0035] Example 2 is more suitable for gripping and rotating objects that are relatively heavy and require a long distance. When the robot is walking on uneven or bumpy surfaces, it grips the object in two stages: In the first stage, the electromagnet is de-energized, and the elastic tensioner allows the finger assembly to grip the object flexibly, preventing damage. In the second stage, after gripping the object, the electromagnet is energized to lock the end of the first pull rope. At this time, the finger assembly rigidly grips the object (compared to the elastic grip in the first stage), making the grip more stable. This prevents the object from falling due to bumps or vibrations during robot movement, ensuring more stable object handling.

[0036] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by up, down, left, right, inner end, outer end, one end, and the other end are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the purpose of more clearly describing the technical solutions of this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0037] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, they are given for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications can be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A robotic finger mechanism, comprising a finger assembly (2) rotatably connected to a palm assembly (1), and a pull rope (3) for driving the finger assembly (2) to move, characterized in that, The palm assembly (1) is provided with a movable guide wheel (10), a fixed guide wheel (11) and a pull rope seat (4). The outer end of the pull rope (3) is connected to the outermost phalanx of the finger assembly (2). The inner end of the pull rope (3) passes around the movable guide wheel (10) and the fixed guide wheel (11) in sequence and is connected to the pull rope seat (4). The palm assembly (1) is provided with a drive mechanism (5) for driving the movable guide wheel (10) and the pull rope seat (4) to move synchronously and in the same direction. The finger assembly (2) is provided with an elastic reset member (6) at the joint of any two phalanges. The pull rope (3) is provided with an elastic tensioner (32); the pull rope (3) is configured as two sections, namely a first pull rope (30) and a second pull rope (31). One end of the first pull rope (30) is connected to the finger assembly (2), and the other end of the first pull rope (30) is connected to the elastic tensioner (32). One end of the second pull rope (31) is connected to the pull rope seat (4), and the other end of the second pull rope (3) is connected to the elastic tensioner (32). The inner wall of the palm assembly (1) is fixed with a slide rail (7), and a slider (8) is provided on the slide rail (7). One end of the first pull rope (30) near the elastic tensioner (32) is connected to the slider (8). A locking mechanism (9) is provided between the slider (8) and the slide rail (7), so that the slider (8) can be locked at any position on the slide rail (7).

2. The robotic finger mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (5) includes a connecting rod (50) and a translational force (51) for driving the connecting rod (50) to move. A wheel seat (100) is connected to the movable guide wheel (10). One end of the connecting rod (50) is connected to the wheel seat (100), and the other end of the connecting rod (50) is connected to the rope seat (3).

3. The robotic finger mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving mechanism (5) includes a lead screw (52) and a rotational power (53) for driving the lead screw (52) to rotate. A wheel seat (100) is connected to the movable guide wheel (10). One end of the lead screw (52) is rotatably connected to the wheel seat (100), and the other end of the lead screw (52) is rotatably connected to the rope seat (4).

4. The robotic finger mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The end of the lead screw (52) is provided with a connecting post (520), and the wheel seat (100) is provided with a bearing (101). The connecting post (520) passes through the bearing (101) and is limited by a fastener (521).

5. A robotic finger mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking mechanism (9) includes an electromagnet (90) mounted on a sliding seat, and the slide rail (7) is configured as a ferromagnet. The adsorption surface of the electromagnet (90) faces the slide rail (7). When the electromagnet (90) is energized, the electromagnet (90) is adsorbed on the slide rail (7), thereby locking the slider (8).

6. The robotic finger mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The palm assembly (1) is provided with a guide wheel (12) located between the fixed guide wheel (11) and the pull rope seat (4), and the second pull rope (31) passes around the guide wheel (12). The direction of the pull rope (3) between the fixed guide wheel (11) and the guide wheel (12) is parallel to the moving direction of the movable guide wheel (10), and the moving direction of the slider (8) is parallel to the moving direction of the movable guide wheel (10).

7. A robotic finger mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The finger assembly (2) includes a first phalanx (20), a second phalanx (21) rotatably connected to the first phalanx (20), and a third phalanx (22) rotatably connected to the second phalanx (21). The third phalanx (22) is rotatably connected to the palm assembly (1). The elastic reset member (6) is configured as a torsion spring or a tension spring.

8. A robot characterized by, The robot's hand employs the robot finger mechanism described in any one of claims 1-7.

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