Oil-free compressed air robot

Abstract

The invention relates to an oil-free compressed air robot, which belongs to the technical field of industrial robots and is characterized in that a non-contact magnetic driving mechanism is adopted to replace traditional mechanical contact transmission, and the output end of a compressed air power unit is connected with the input end of an air treatment module; the output end of the air processing module is communicated with a compressed air inlet of the magnetic driving mechanism, the mechanical executing mechanism is connected with the magnetic driving mechanism, the non-contact magnetic coupling design of the first magnetic rotating part and the guiding connecting part is adopted, torque is transmitted through a magnetic field, direct contact between rotating parts is physically isolated, and due to no mechanical contact, the rotating parts are not damaged. The difference of thermal expansion coefficients of parts made of different materials does not cause friction loss or jamming any more, and the problem that a traditional oil-free compressed air robot depends on material thermal expansion matching at the extreme temperature, and mechanical jamming or lubrication failure is easily caused by temperature fluctuation is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of industrial robots, and in particular relates to an oil-free compressed air robot. Background Art

[0002] As an environmentally friendly robot, the oil-free compressed air robot uses compressed air as its power source. It does not require traditional hydraulic or lubrication systems and therefore does not produce oil pollution. It is particularly suitable for occasions with high requirements for environmental cleanliness. At present, this type of robot is used in high-temperature industrial manufacturing environments such as steel mills, foundries, and heat treatment workshops. It uses a robotic arm to carry high-temperature materials and perform welding or high-temperature operations. Because it will not cause oil and gas decomposition or combustion due to high temperature, it ensures the stable operation of the robot. At the same time, in low-temperature environments such as food freezing warehouses and medical cold storages, oil-free compressed air robots also undertake tasks such as handling, storage, and sorting because they will not cause lubricating oil to solidify or fail due to low temperatures.

[0003] At present, the movement principle of these robots is mainly to compress the air to the set pressure, store it in the air tank after drying and filtering, and then control the pneumatic cylinder and solenoid valve to realize the extension and retraction of the piston rod and the rotation of the blades of the pneumatic motor, thereby outputting torque. The coordinated work of multiple sets of solenoid valves and the programming of the controller enable the robot to achieve multi-axis linkage.

[0004] However, existing oil-free compressed air robots have certain problems when used under extreme temperatures. For example, in high temperature environments, the expansion of the metal may cause the contact between the blades and the pneumatic motor to get stuck and the lubrication to fail. In low temperature environments, material embrittlement and mechanical impact can easily cause cracks. Therefore, a new oil-free compressed air robot design is proposed, which aims to not rely on material thermal expansion matching and can adapt to the challenges of extreme temperature fluctuations. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve the above problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides an oil-free compressed air robot, which solves the problem that the oil-free compressed air robot in the prior art needs to rely on material thermal expansion matching and cannot adapt to extreme temperature fluctuations.

[0006] The object of the present invention can be achieved by the following technical solutions: an oil-free compressed air robot, comprising a compressed air power unit, a magnetic drive mechanism for outputting torque, an air processing module, a mechanical actuator and an intelligent control system, wherein the output end of the compressed air power unit is connected to the input end of the air processing module, the output end of the air processing module is connected to the compressed air inlet of the magnetic drive mechanism, the mechanical actuator is connected to the magnetic drive mechanism, and the compressed air power unit, the magnetic drive mechanism for outputting torque, the air processing module, and the mechanical actuator are respectively connected to the intelligent control system for communication;

[0007] The magnetic driving mechanism includes a supporting part, a rotating driving part arranged on the supporting part, a first magnetic rotating part, a second magnetic rotating part and a guiding connecting part fixedly arranged on the supporting part, one end of the first magnetic rotating part is connected to the driving end of the rotating driving part, the other end of the first magnetic rotating part is sleeved on one end of the guiding connecting part through a non-contact magnetic coupling, the second magnetic rotating part is rotatably arranged on the other end of the guiding connecting part through a clearance fit, the rotating driving part drives the first magnetic rotating part to rotate, and the first magnetic rotating part drives the second magnetic rotating part to rotate through the guiding connecting part.

[0008] As a further solution of the present invention, the compressed air power unit includes a piston compressor, which is driven by an oil-free linear motor. The output end of the piston compressor is connected to an air energy storage tank, and the surface of the compressor piston is coated with a self-lubricating ceramic coating.

[0009] As a further solution of the present invention, the air processing module includes a condenser dryer, a nano-scale filter device and a constant pressure control valve connected in sequence. The condenser dryer and the nano-scale filter device are used together to remove moisture and impurities in the compressed air and maintain the output air pressure stable.

[0010] As a further solution of the present invention, the mechanical actuator includes a pneumatic joint, a high-strength carbon fiber connecting rod and an end effector. The two ends of the high-strength carbon fiber connecting rod are respectively connected to adjacent pneumatic joints and the end effector through universal joints, and a magnetorheological sealing ring is embedded in the pneumatic joint.

[0011] As a further solution of the present invention, the intelligent control system includes a pressure sensor, a displacement sensor and a main control module. The pressure sensor is arranged at the outlet end of the air processing module, and the displacement sensor is arranged at the pneumatic joint of the mechanical actuator. The main control module is electrically connected to the pressure sensor and the displacement sensor respectively through a CAN bus; the magnetic drive mechanism converts the kinetic energy of compressed air into rotational torque through a non-contact magnetic coupling, drives the mechanical actuator to complete three-dimensional spatial movement, and the intelligent control system dynamically adjusts the output pressure of the compressed air power unit according to the feedback signal of the displacement sensor.

[0012] As a further solution of the present invention, the first magnetic rotating part includes a first turntable and a plurality of first magnet blocks, the first turntable is provided with a plurality of first grooves, the plurality of first magnet blocks are arranged in the first grooves, and the magnetism of two adjacent first magnet blocks is opposite.

[0013] As a further solution of the present invention, the second magnetic rotating part includes a second turntable and a plurality of second magnet blocks, the second turntable is provided with a plurality of second grooves, the plurality of second magnet blocks are arranged in the second grooves, and the magnetism of two adjacent second magnet blocks is opposite.

[0014] As a further solution of the present invention, the guide connection portion includes a connection rod, a third plastic disk sleeved on the connection rod, and a nut arranged on the third plastic disk, and the connection rod is fixedly arranged on the support portion.

[0015] As a further solution of the present invention, the first turntable and the second turntable are respectively a first plastic disk and a second plastic disk, and the first plastic disk and the second plastic disk have the same diameter.

[0016] As a further solution of the present invention, the number of the first magnet blocks and the second magnet blocks are both even numbers, the diameter of the first magnet blocks is smaller than the second magnet blocks, and the number of the first magnet blocks is four times the number of the second magnet blocks.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] A non-contact magnetic drive mechanism is used to replace the traditional mechanical contact transmission, the output end of the compressed air power unit is connected to the input end of the air treatment module, the output end of the air treatment module is connected to the compressed air inlet of the magnetic drive mechanism, the mechanical actuator is connected to the magnetic drive mechanism, and a non-contact magnetic coupling design of the first magnetic rotating part and the guide connecting part is adopted. The torque is transmitted through the magnetic field, and the direct contact between the rotating parts is physically isolated. Since there is no mechanical contact, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of parts made of different materials will no longer cause friction loss or jamming. The second magnetic rotating part adopts a clearance fit, and the adaptive adjustment ability of the magnetic field can compensate for the dimensional changes caused by temperature fluctuations in real time, which solves the problem that traditional oil-free compressed air robots rely on material thermal expansion matching at extreme temperatures, which is prone to mechanical jamming or lubrication failure due to temperature fluctuations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the first magnetic rotating part of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the second magnetic rotating part of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide connection part of the present invention.

[0024] Description of main component symbols:

[0025] In the figure: 1, supporting part; 2, rotating driving part; 3, first magnetic rotating part; 31, first turntable; 32, first magnet block; 4, second magnetic rotating part; 41, second turntable; 42, second magnet block; 5, guiding connecting part; 51, bolt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to further explain the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined invention purpose, the specific implementation methods, structures, features and effects of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0027] See also Figure 1 - Figure 4 , this embodiment provides an oil-free compressed air robot, including a compressed air power unit, a magnetic drive mechanism for outputting torque, an air processing module, a mechanical actuator and an intelligent control system, the output end of the compressed air power unit is connected to the input end of the air processing module, the output end of the air processing module is connected to the compressed air inlet of the magnetic drive mechanism, the mechanical actuator is connected to the magnetic drive mechanism, and the compressed air power unit, the magnetic drive mechanism for outputting torque, the air processing module, and the mechanical actuator are respectively connected to the intelligent control system for communication;

[0028] The compressed air power unit is responsible for compressing the air to the required pressure and delivering the compressed air to the air processing module. Due to the oil-free design, the unit avoids the impact of oil pollution and thermal expansion of the oil film on the performance of the robot. The compressed air output by the compressed air power unit is processed by the air processing module, which may include components such as coolers and filters to ensure that the compressed air reaches a suitable temperature and cleanliness before entering the magnetic drive mechanism. In this way, even under extreme temperature fluctuations, the air entering the drive mechanism is stable;

[0029] The magnetic driving mechanism includes a supporting part 1, a rotating driving part 2 arranged on the supporting part 1, a first magnetic rotating part 3, a second magnetic rotating part 4 and a guiding connecting part 5 fixedly arranged on the supporting part 1, one end of the first magnetic rotating part 3 is connected to the driving end of the rotating driving part 2, the other end of the first magnetic rotating part 3 is sleeved on one end of the guiding connecting part 5 through a non-contact magnetic coupling, the second magnetic rotating part 4 is rotatably arranged on the other end of the guiding connecting part 5 through a clearance fit, the rotating driving part 2 drives the first magnetic rotating part 3 to rotate, and the first magnetic rotating part 3 drives the second magnetic rotating part 4 to rotate through the guiding connecting part 5; the rotating driving part 2 here can be a driving motor, and the supporting part 1 is a supporting frame. In addition, the position where the supporting frame is arranged here is the same as the fixed position of the pneumatic motor in the prior art;

[0030] One point that needs to be explained is that the support part 1 is used to provide stable support to ensure the stability of the magnetic drive mechanism during movement. The rotation drive part 2 is used to drive the first magnetic rotating part 3 to rotate. One end of the first magnetic rotating part 3 is connected to the driving end of the rotation drive part 2, and the other end is connected to one end of the guide connection part 5 through a non-contact magnetic coupling. Due to the use of magnetic coupling, this part can adapt to the size change caused by temperature change, avoiding mechanical failure caused by thermal expansion mismatch. The second magnetic rotating part 4 is rotatably arranged on the other end of the guide connection part 5 through clearance fit. The first magnetic rotating part 3 drives the second magnetic rotating part 4 to rotate through the guide connection part 5 to achieve torque output. The guide connection part 5 is fixed on the support part 1. The mechanical actuator is connected to the magnetic drive mechanism to receive the torque output by the magnetic drive mechanism to achieve specific movement and work tasks. The compressed air power unit, the magnetic drive mechanism, the air processing module and the mechanical actuator are all connected to the intelligent control system for communication. The intelligent control system is responsible for monitoring the working state of the entire robot, adjusting the flow, pressure and temperature of the compressed air, and controlling the movement of the magnetic drive mechanism to ensure that the robot can work stably in an extreme temperature fluctuation environment.

[0031] At present, the movement principle of oil-free compressed air robots is mainly to compress air to a set pressure, store it in an air tank after drying and filtering, and then control the pneumatic cylinder and solenoid valve to realize the extension and retraction of the piston rod and the rotation of the blades of the pneumatic motor, thereby outputting torque. The coordinated work of multiple sets of solenoid valves and the programming of the controller enable the robot to achieve multi-axis linkage. However, existing oil-free compressed air robots have certain problems when used at extreme temperatures. For example, in a high temperature environment, the expansion of the metal may cause the contact between the blade and the pneumatic motor to get stuck and the lubrication to fail; in a low temperature environment, material embrittlement and mechanical impact can easily cause cracks.

[0032] In order to solve the above problems, in one embodiment, a non-contact magnetic drive mechanism is adopted to replace the traditional mechanical contact transmission, the output end of the compressed air power unit is connected to the input end of the air treatment module, the output end of the air treatment module is connected to the compressed air inlet of the magnetic drive mechanism, the mechanical actuator is connected to the magnetic drive mechanism, and a non-contact magnetic coupling design of the first magnetic rotating part 3 and the guide connecting part 5 is adopted. The torque is transmitted through the magnetic field, and the direct contact between the rotating parts is physically isolated. Since there is no mechanical contact, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of parts made of different materials (such as metals and composite materials) no longer causes friction loss or jamming. The second magnetic rotating part 4 adopts a clearance fit, and with the adaptive adjustment ability of the magnetic field, it can compensate for the dimensional changes caused by temperature fluctuations in real time, thereby solving the problem that the traditional oil-free compressed air robot relies on material thermal expansion matching at extreme temperatures, which is prone to mechanical jamming or lubrication failure due to temperature fluctuations.

[0033] Since traditional compressors rely on lubricating oil, they are prone to failure or polluting the environment at extreme temperatures. In this regard, in one embodiment, the compressed air power unit includes a piston compressor, which is driven by an oil-free linear motor. The output end of the piston compressor is connected to an air energy storage tank, and the surface of the compressor piston is coated with a self-lubricating ceramic coating. The use of an oil-free linear motor to drive the piston compressor, combined with the self-lubricating ceramic coating, eliminates the need for lubricating oil, avoids low-temperature solidification or high-temperature decomposition, reduces piston friction, and improves the durability of the compressor at extreme temperatures. In addition, the air energy storage tank can also stabilize the air pressure output and alleviate the impact of load fluctuations on the system.

[0034] In addition, since moisture and impurities in compressed air affect the life of pneumatic components, unstable air pressure leads to a decrease in movement accuracy. In this regard, in one embodiment, the air processing module includes a condenser dryer, a nano-level filter device and a constant pressure control valve connected in sequence. The condenser dryer and the nano-level filter device are used together to remove moisture and impurities in the compressed air and maintain the output air pressure stable. The condenser dryer, the nano-level filter device and the constant pressure valve are used to achieve air purification and pressure stabilization, remove moisture, prevent low-temperature icing or high-temperature steam corrosion, filter tiny particles, protect the magnetic drive mechanism from pollution, maintain stable air pressure, and ensure the movement consistency of the mechanical actuator.

[0035] Furthermore, traditional mechanical joints are prone to seal leakage due to material deformation or lubrication failure under extreme temperatures. In one embodiment, the mechanical actuator includes a pneumatic joint, a high-strength carbon fiber connecting rod and an end effector. The two ends of the high-strength carbon fiber connecting rod are respectively connected to the adjacent pneumatic joint and the end effector through a universal joint. The pneumatic joint is embedded with a magnetorheological sealing ring. The carbon fiber connecting rod, universal joint and magnetorheological sealing ring are lightweight and have a low thermal expansion coefficient, which can adapt to temperature fluctuations. The sealing performance is adjusted by the magnetic field to avoid leakage caused by low-temperature embrittlement or high-temperature softening. The universal joint can improve the flexibility of the robot arm and adapt to complex three-dimensional movements. In addition, the intelligent control system includes a pressure sensor, a displacement sensor and a main Control module, the pressure sensor is arranged at the outlet end of the air treatment module, the displacement sensor is arranged at the pneumatic joint of the mechanical actuator, and the main control module is electrically connected with the pressure sensor and the displacement sensor respectively through the CAN bus; the magnetic drive mechanism converts the kinetic energy of the compressed air into rotational torque through non-contact magnetic coupling, and drives the mechanical actuator to complete three-dimensional space movement. The intelligent control system dynamically adjusts the output pressure of the compressed air power unit according to the feedback signal of the displacement sensor, and dynamically adjusts the air pressure according to the displacement feedback to improve the movement accuracy and response speed. The CAN bus can realize high-speed data transmission to ensure the coordinated work of each module. The non-contact magnetic coupling torque conversion reduces energy loss and improves transmission efficiency.

[0036] One point that needs to be added is that although a non-contact magnetic drive mechanism is adopted, the magnetic transmission structure is prone to torque fluctuations due to uneven distribution of magnetic poles. In order to solve this problem, in one embodiment, the first magnetic rotating part 3 includes a first turntable 31 and a plurality of first magnet blocks 32, and the first turntable 31 is provided with a plurality of first grooves, and the plurality of first magnet blocks 32 are arranged in the first grooves, and the magnetic properties of two adjacent first magnet blocks 32 are opposite. The second magnetic rotating part 4 includes a second turntable 41 and a plurality of second magnet blocks 42, and the second turntable 41 is provided with a plurality of second grooves, and the plurality of second magnet blocks 42 are arranged in the second grooves, and the magnetic properties of two adjacent second magnet blocks 42 are opposite. The first and second magnetic rotating parts 4 use alternating polarity magnet blocks, which are evenly distributed, and the alternating magnetic pole design optimizes the magnetic field distribution, reduces torque pulsation, and improves transmission stability. The grooves fix the magnets to prevent the magnets from falling off, thereby ensuring long-term operation reliability.

[0037] In order to further prevent the guide component from being easily worn or stuck due to contact, in one embodiment, the guide connecting part 5 includes a connecting rod, a third plastic disk sleeved on the connecting rod and a nut set on the third plastic disk, the connecting rod is fixedly set on the support part 1, the first rotating disk 31 and the second rotating disk 41 are respectively the first plastic disk and the second plastic disk, the first plastic disk and the second plastic disk have the same diameter, the number of the first magnet blocks 32 and the second magnet blocks 42 are both even numbers, the diameter of the first magnet blocks 32 is smaller than that of the second magnet blocks 42, and the number of the first magnet blocks 32 is four times the number of the second magnet blocks 42, and the plastic disk here is The material has a low friction coefficient and is resistant to high-temperature deformation and low-temperature brittle cracking. In addition, the use of clearance fit allows for slight thermal expansion and avoids stress concentration caused by rigid connection. The first and second turntables 41 use plastic disks of the same diameter to ensure magnetic pole alignment through diameter consistency to maximize magnetic coupling efficiency. The plastic material can reduce weight and reduce the impact of inertia on motion control. The number of first magnet blocks 32 is four times that of the second magnet blocks 42, and the diameter is smaller. The uniformity of the magnetic field is improved by using multiple small-sized magnets, and the magnetic pole density is optimized. The large-sized second magnet enhances the output torque to adapt to high load requirements.

[0038] It is worth mentioning that the blades of the pneumatic motor used in the existing oil-free compressed air robot rotate to output torque. The present application uses a non-contact magnetic drive mechanism instead. However, it needs to be explained that a number of bolts 51 are installed on the third plastic disk. The bolts 51 are ordinary bolts 51 without any magnetism. The bolts 51 act as a magnetic transmission medium. The magnetism of the adjacent two magnet blocks of the first magnet block 32 and the second magnet block 42 respectively placed in the first groove and the second groove is opposite. If one of them is an N pole, the adjacent one is an S pole. In addition, since the number of the first magnet blocks 32 is four times the number of the second magnet blocks 42 and the diameter of the first magnet block 32 is smaller than that of the second magnet block 42, when the driving force is given to the first plastic disk, when the first plastic disk rotates, the second plastic disk moves at a speed greater than the speed of the first plastic disk, and the first plastic disk rotates one circle and the second plastic disk rotates four circles. At this time, the second plastic disk can be used as the blade of the pneumatic motor to transmit power. In addition, when the driving force is given to the second plastic disk, the first plastic disk will rotate slowly.

[0039] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any form. Although the present invention has been disclosed as a preferred embodiment as above, it is not used to limit the present invention. Any technical personnel in this field can make some changes or modify the technical contents disclosed above into equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention. However, any brief modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil-free compressed air robot, characterized in that: It includes a compressed air power unit, a magnetic drive mechanism for outputting torque, an air processing module, a mechanical actuator and an intelligent control system, wherein the output end of the compressed air power unit is connected to the input end of the air processing module, the output end of the air processing module is communicated with the compressed air inlet of the magnetic drive mechanism, the mechanical actuator is connected to the magnetic drive mechanism, and the compressed air power unit, the magnetic drive mechanism for outputting torque, the air processing module and the mechanical actuator are respectively connected to the intelligent control system in communication; The magnetic driving mechanism includes a supporting part, a rotating driving part arranged on the supporting part, a first magnetic rotating part, a second magnetic rotating part and a guiding connecting part fixedly arranged on the supporting part, one end of the first magnetic rotating part is connected to the driving end of the rotating driving part, the other end of the first magnetic rotating part is sleeved on one end of the guiding connecting part through a non-contact magnetic coupling, the second magnetic rotating part is rotatably arranged on the other end of the guiding connecting part through a clearance fit, the rotating driving part drives the first magnetic rotating part to rotate, and the first magnetic rotating part drives the second magnetic rotating part to rotate through the guiding connecting part.

2. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The compressed air power unit comprises a piston compressor, which is driven by an oil-free linear motor. The output end of the piston compressor is connected to an air energy storage tank, and the surface of the compressor piston is coated with a self-lubricating ceramic coating.

3. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air processing module comprises a condensation dryer, a nano-level filter device and a constant pressure control valve which are connected in sequence. The condensation dryer and the nano-level filter device cooperate to remove moisture and impurities in the compressed air and maintain the output air pressure stable.

4. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical actuator comprises a pneumatic joint, a high-strength carbon fiber connecting rod and an end effector. The two ends of the high-strength carbon fiber connecting rod are respectively connected to the adjacent pneumatic joint and the end effector through universal joints. The pneumatic joint is embedded with a magnetorheological sealing ring.

5. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The intelligent control system includes a pressure sensor, a displacement sensor and a main control module. The pressure sensor is arranged at the outlet end of the air processing module, and the displacement sensor is arranged at the pneumatic joint of the mechanical actuator. The main control module is electrically connected to the pressure sensor and the displacement sensor respectively through the CAN bus; the magnetic drive mechanism converts the kinetic energy of compressed air into rotational torque through a non-contact magnetic coupling, drives the mechanical actuator to complete three-dimensional spatial movement, and the intelligent control system dynamically adjusts the output pressure of the compressed air power unit according to the feedback signal of the displacement sensor.

6. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first magnetic rotating part includes a first rotating disk and a plurality of first magnet blocks. The first rotating disk is provided with a plurality of first grooves. The plurality of first magnet blocks are arranged in the first grooves, and the magnetism of two adjacent first magnet blocks is opposite.

7. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second magnetic rotating part includes a second rotating disk and a plurality of second magnet blocks. The second rotating disk is provided with a plurality of second grooves. The plurality of second magnet blocks are arranged in the second grooves, and the magnetism of two adjacent second magnet blocks is opposite.

8. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The guide connection part comprises a connection rod, a third plastic disk sleeved on the connection rod and a nut arranged on the third plastic disk, and the connection rod is fixedly arranged on the support part.

9. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first rotating disk and the second rotating disk are respectively a first plastic disk and a second plastic disk, and the first plastic disk and the second plastic disk have the same diameter.

10. The oil-free compressed air robot according to claim 9, characterized in that: The number of the first magnet blocks and the second magnet blocks are both even numbers, the diameter of the first magnet blocks is smaller than the diameter of the second magnet blocks, and the number of the first magnet blocks is four times the number of the second magnet blocks.

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