Flexible clamp and handling robot

Abstract

The present invention discloses a flexible clamp and a handling robot, which relate to the technical field of clamp equipment. The flexible clamp includes: a housing, a driving component, and one or more support chains, wherein the driving component drives and connects the support chains; the support chains include: a plurality of support rods and a plurality of connectors arranged in a queue; any connector is correspondingly connected to the next adjacent connector, and the connecting position forms a hinged structure based on the support rod. When the plurality of connectors are distributed along an arc, the plurality of connectors form a flexible chain structure in a retracted state based on the hinged structure; any connector is provided with a support boss, and when the plurality of connectors are distributed along a straight line, the support chain forms a rigid chain structure based on the support boss. By arranging a retractable support chain in the clamp housing, the overall size of the flexible clamp is reduced, and by cooperating with a plurality of connectors, the support chain extending outside can form a rigid support structure, effectively improving the support working stability of the flexible clamp.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of clamp equipment, and in particular to a flexible clamp and a handling robot. Background Art

[0002] For large-sized box structures, existing handling robots generally use suction cup adsorption to clamp and transport. For ease of control, existing fixtures generally have several suction cups on the same installation surface. Several suction cups act on the same side of the box workpiece to achieve adsorption and grasping of the box workpiece. In order to improve the reliability of box handling, the current fixture is configured with a foldable and retractable support plate structure. While adsorbing the box workpiece, a support plate is extended from the bottom of the box to serve as a support platform for the box workpiece, thereby improving the reliability of handling.

[0003] To accommodate the retractable support plate, existing fixtures are typically large, allowing the support plate to be completely stored within the fixture. This results in a high proportion of the robot's fixture structure occupying a large space, making it difficult to meet the requirements of miniaturized equipment design. Existing flexible telescopic structures, such as connecting rod telescopic structures, suffer from low structural rigidity and poor stability when handling box-shaped workpieces. This makes them unable to meet the requirements of clamping and handling large or heavy box-shaped workpieces. Therefore, a fixture design that can meet the needs of miniaturized handling equipment and high-load handling tasks is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. The present invention provides a flexible clamp and a handling robot. By arranging a retractable support chain in the clamp shell, the support chain can be flexibly rolled up in the shell, or partially extended outside the shell to form a rigid support structure, thereby reducing the overall size of the flexible clamp. A rigid support structure is formed by cooperating with multiple connecting parts, thereby effectively improving the support working stability of the flexible clamp.

[0005] The present invention provides a flexible clamp, comprising: a housing, a driving component disposed inside the housing, and one or more supporting chains, wherein the driving component is drivingly connected to the supporting chains;

[0006] The support chain includes: a plurality of support rods arranged in a queue, and a plurality of connecting members arranged on both sides of the support rod queue;

[0007] Any of the connecting members is correspondingly engaged with the next adjacent connecting member, and the engaged connection position forms a hinge structure based on the support rod. When the multiple connecting members are distributed along an arc, the multiple connecting members form a flexible chain structure in a retracted state based on the hinge structure.

[0008] Any of the connecting members is provided with a supporting boss for supporting the next adjacent connecting member. When a plurality of connecting members are distributed along a straight line, the plurality of connecting members form a rigid chain structure based on the supporting boss.

[0009] Furthermore, a first receiving chamber and a second receiving chamber are provided inside the housing, the driving component includes a power device provided in the first receiving chamber and a ratchet assembly provided in the second receiving chamber, and the second receiving chamber is configured as a receiving space for the support chain;

[0010] The power device is drivingly connected to the ratchet group, and the ratchet group is correspondingly engaged with the support chain.

[0011] Furthermore, an arc track is provided on the inner wall of the second receiving cavity, and the support chain is driven by the driving component to be rolled up in the second receiving cavity along the arc track.

[0012] Furthermore, the ratchet assembly includes a first ratchet and a second ratchet arranged in parallel, and the ratchet teeth of the first ratchet are correspondingly inserted into the spacing between the plurality of support rods of the support chain;

[0013] The ratchet teeth of the second ratchet are correspondingly inserted into the intervals between the plurality of support rods of the support chain.

[0014] Furthermore, the connecting member includes a first matching protrusion arranged at the rear end and two second matching protrusions arranged at the front end;

[0015] The two second mating protrusions are arranged in parallel, and a mating groove having a size matching that of the first mating protrusion is formed between the two second mating protrusions;

[0016] The matching groove of any one of the connecting members is engaged and connected with the first matching protrusion of the next adjacent connecting member.

[0017] Furthermore, the front end of the second mating protrusion is provided with the supporting boss, and the rear end of the second mating protrusion is provided with an inner groove;

[0018] When the plurality of connectors are in a rigid chain state, the supporting boss of the second matching protrusion of any connector is correspondingly inserted into the inner groove of the second matching protrusion of the next adjacent connector.

[0019] Furthermore, a support guide plate is provided at the bottom of the housing, and the support guide plate is provided with a guide groove for the support chain to move;

[0020] The support chain extends toward the outside of the housing along the guide groove based on the driving component, and the support chain forms a rigid chain structure based on the connection structure of the connecting piece.

[0021] Furthermore, when the plurality of connectors are in a rigid chain structure, the connectors located in the guide grooves are made of iron metal, and the connectors located outside the housing are made of aluminum alloy.

[0022] Furthermore, a plurality of vacuum suction cups are provided on the outer side surface of the front end of the shell, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups are arranged in an array;

[0023] The support chain extends outside the shell to form a rigid chain structure, and a clamping space for accommodating a workpiece is formed between the rigid chain structure and the vacuum suction cup array.

[0024] The present invention also provides a handling robot, wherein the handling robot is provided with a multi-axis manipulator and the flexible clamp;

[0025] The rear end of the shell of the flexible clamp is provided with an installation portion, and the flexible clamp is correspondingly installed on the working end of the multi-axis manipulator based on the installation portion.

[0026] The present invention provides a flexible clamp and handling robot. A chain-like support chain is formed by the cooperation of multiple connecting members and support rods. A driving component can drive the support chain to be flexibly retracted and accommodated within the clamp housing, thereby improving the convenience of storing the support chain and reducing the design size of the flexible clamp housing structure, thereby reducing the overall size of the flexible clamp. By disposing a retractable support chain within the clamp housing, the driving component can drive the support chain to partially extend outside the housing to form a rigid support structure. The rigid support structure is formed by the cooperation of multiple connecting members, effectively improving the stability of the flexible clamp's support work. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible clamp in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the structure of the flexible clamp in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible clamp in an embodiment of the present invention in an extended state;

[0030] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible clamp in a rolled-up state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the connection structure of the support chain in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a connecting member in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7is a structural schematic diagram of a support guide plate in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a driving component in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 is a stress analysis simulation image of a static analysis of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 10 is a static displacement simulation image of a static analysis of a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 11 is a strain analysis simulation image of a static analysis of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 12 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a transport robot in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 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 making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] Example 1:

[0041] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a flexible clamp in an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the structure of a flexible clamp in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 FIG1 shows a cross-sectional view of the flexible clamp in an embodiment of the present invention in an extended state. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the structure of the flexible clamp in the rolled-up state in an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the flexible clamp comprises: a shell 1, a driving component 4 arranged inside the shell 1, and one or more support chains 2, wherein the driving component 4 drives and connects the support chains 2, and the driving component 4 drives the support chains 2 to be completely retracted inside the shell 1, or the driving component 4 drives the support chains 2 to partially extend outside the shell 1, so as to support and clamp the workpiece based on the support chains 2.

[0042] The support chain 2 includes: a plurality of support rods 22 arranged in a queue, and a plurality of connecting members 21 arranged on both sides of the queue of support rods 22. Any of the connecting members 21 is correspondingly engaged with the next adjacent connecting member 21, and the engaged connection position forms a hinge structure based on the support rods 22. Based on the connection of the hinge structure, relative rotation can be achieved between any two adjacent connecting members 21.

[0043] When several connecting parts 21 are distributed along an arc, several connecting parts 21 form a flexible chain structure in a reeled state based on the hinged structure. Based on the driving component 4, the support chain 2 can be driven to move and reel along the arc. Combined with the hinged structure between the several connecting parts 21, the flexible reeling movement requirements of the support chain 2 can be met.

[0044] Further, Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the connection structure of the support chain in an embodiment of the present invention is shown; any of the connecting members 21 is provided with a support boss 2121 for supporting the next adjacent connecting member 21, and when several connecting members 21 are distributed along a straight line, several connecting members 21 form a rigid chain structure based on the support boss 2121, and the support boss 2121 is used to limit the relative movement state between two adjacent connecting members 21, so that when the adjacent connecting members 21 rotate outward around the hinge position, the two connecting members 21 can form a straight line arrangement based on the support boss 2121.

[0045] Furthermore, when the support chain 2 partially extends outside the shell 1, the connecting member 21 of the support chain 2 has a tendency to move downward under the influence of its own weight. At the same time, the support boss 2121 can support the next connecting member 21, so that the next connecting member 21 can maintain a coordinated state with the current connecting member 21, so that each connecting member 21 can provide a support platform for the adjacent next connecting member 21 based on its own support boss 2121, so that several connecting members 21 can maintain a straight line arrangement, and the support chain 2 has sufficient rigidity to meet the requirements of straight line arrangement due to its own weight.

[0046] Furthermore, when the support chain 2 is driven by the driving component 4 to extend outside the shell 1, the part of the support chain 2 extending outside the shell 1 can be maintained on the same horizontal line based on its own weight and the support boss 2121 of the adjacent connecting member 21, so that the support chain 2 extending outside the shell 1 can form a rigid support structure to meet the grasping support requirements of the workpiece.

[0047] Specifically, Figure 6A structural schematic diagram of a connecting piece in an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the connecting piece 21 includes a first mating protrusion 211 arranged at the rear end and two second mating protrusions 212 arranged at the front end. A staggered distribution is formed between the first mating protrusion 211 and the two second mating protrusions 212, so that several connecting pieces 21 can be spliced ​​and matched in sequence. By splicing several connecting pieces 21 in sequence and then installing them on both sides of a support rod 22 queue formed by several support rods 22, any two adjacent connecting pieces 21 form a hinged connection structure based on the two ends of the support rod 22.

[0048] Furthermore, the two second mating protrusions 212 are arranged in parallel, and a mating groove matching the size of the first mating protrusion 211 is formed between the two second mating protrusions 212. The mating groove of any of the connecting members 21 is engaged with the first mating protrusion 211 of the adjacent next connecting member 21. The first mating protrusion 211 and the second mating protrusion 212 are both provided with connecting through holes, so that when the mating groove of the connecting member 21 is engaged with the first mating protrusion 211 of the adjacent next connecting member 21, one end of the corresponding support rod 22 can pass through the connecting through hole of the second mating protrusion 212 of the current connecting member 21 and the connecting through hole of the first mating protrusion 211 of the adjacent next connecting member 21 in turn, and be locked based on a nut, so that the current connecting member 21 and the adjacent next connecting member 21 can form a hinged structure based on the engaged connection position. By sequentially engaging and connecting a plurality of connecting members 21 and cooperating with a plurality of supporting rods 22 to form a hinged structure at corresponding engaging and connecting positions, the plurality of connecting members 21 and the plurality of supporting rods 22 can cooperate with each other to form the support chain 2 structure.

[0049] Furthermore, one of the second mating protrusions 212 of the connecting member 21 is provided with a mating notch, and one end of the support rod 22 extends outside one side of the connecting member 21 through the mating notch, and one end of the support rod 22 is connected to the mating notch based on a needle bearing 23, so that there is good contact friction between the support rod 22 and the connecting member 21, thereby improving the structural rigidity of the connection position between the support rod 22 and the connecting member 21 to meet the supporting effect of the support chain 2 on the workpiece.

[0050] Furthermore, a mating screw hole is opened inward on one end surface of the support rod 22, and the support rod 22 and the needle bearing 23 are screwed and locked by a nut washer and a nut with a screw rod, so that the structure between the support rod 22 and the connecting member 21 is tightly matched, which can meet the structural design requirements of the support structure and the connection structure of the support chain 2.

[0051] Furthermore, the structural matching relationship between the other end of the support rod 22 and the corresponding connecting member 21 can refer to the above-mentioned structural connection relationship description, which will not be repeated here.

[0052] Specifically, the front end of the second mating protrusion 212 is provided with the supporting boss 2121, and the rear end of the second mating protrusion 212 is provided with an inner groove 2122. When the plurality of connectors 21 are in a rigid chain state, the supporting boss 2121 of the second mating protrusion 212 of any connector 21 is correspondingly inserted into the inner groove 2122 of the second mating protrusion 212 of the next adjacent connector 21, that is, when any two adjacent connectors 21 are in the same straight line, the two adjacent connectors 21 can form a splicing structure, so that the next adjacent connector The position of the inner groove opening 2122 of 21 can fit on the position of the support boss 2121 of the current connector 21, so that the current connector 21 can support the next adjacent connector 21 based on the support boss 2121, based on the matching state of the two adjacent connectors 21, based on the deadweight of the connector 21, the linear arrangement distribution effect can be maintained between the two adjacent connectors 21, and the support matching structure is formed in sequence between several connectors 21, so that the support chain 2 extending outside the shell 1 can maintain a rigid support chain 2 structure.

[0053] Furthermore, an arc-shaped groove 2123 is provided on the rear side surface of the second mating protrusion 212 of the connecting member 21, and the groove curvature of the arc-shaped groove 2123 matches the curvature of the front end surface of the second mating protrusion 212, so that when two adjacent connecting members 21 are arranged in a straight line, the support boss 2121 of the current connecting member 21 is correspondingly inserted into the inner groove opening 2122 of the second mating protrusion 212 of the adjacent next connecting member 21, and the front end part of the second mating protrusion 212 of the current connecting member 21 is accommodated in the arc-shaped groove 2123 of the second mating protrusion 212 of the adjacent next connecting member 21, ensuring that when several connecting members 21 form a rigid support chain 2 structure, the several connecting members 21 can maintain a tight fit and avoid movement interference between the several connecting members 21.

[0054] Specifically, Figure 7 A structural schematic diagram of the support guide plate in an embodiment of the present invention is shown; a support guide plate 7 is provided at the bottom of the shell 1, and the support guide plate 7 is provided with a guide groove 71 for the support chain 2 to move. A plurality of support guide plates 7 are provided at the bottom of the shell 1, and the support guide plates 7 are correspondingly arranged on both sides of the support chain 2, so that the connecting parts 21 on both sides of the support chain 2 can move along the guide groove 71 of the support guide plate 7, thereby improving the movement smoothness and accuracy of the support chain 2.

[0055] The support chain 2 extends along the guide groove 71 toward the outside of the shell 1 based on the driving component 4, and the support chain 2 forms a rigid chain structure based on the connection structure of the connecting member 21, and the support rod 22 extends to the outside of the connecting member 21 at one end and slides in the guide groove 71, that is, the needle bearing 23 on the support rod 22 can slide in the guide groove 71. When part of the support chain 2 extends outside the shell 1 and the flexible clamp clamps the box workpiece, the workpiece load of the box workpiece acts on the rigid support structure of the support chain 2, and the several support rods 22 and the connecting member 21 structure located inside the guide groove 71 form the main load-bearing position based on the lever principle. The needle bearing 23 is provided to improve the stability of the structural coordination between the support chain 2 structure and the guide groove 71, ensure that the support rod 22 inside the guide groove 71 has good structural support performance, and meet the sliding coordination requirements between the support rod 22 and the guide groove 71.

[0056] Furthermore, a base plate is provided at the bottom of the shell 1. When the support chain 2 partially extends outside the shell 1, the base plate can serve as a support platform for a connector 21 in the support chain 2, so that several connectors 21 extending outside the shell 1 cooperate with each other to form a linear arrangement structure, and the deadweight load of several connectors 21 located outside the shell 1 can act on the connector 21 on the base plate to meet the load requirements of the rigid support structure of the support chain 2.

[0057] Furthermore, when several connecting parts 21 are in a rigid chain structure, the material of the connecting part 21 located in the guide groove 71 is iron metal, and the material of the connecting part 21 located outside the shell 1 is aluminum alloy. When the support chain 2 partially extends outside the shell 1 and forms a rigid support structure, since the support rod 22 and the connecting part 21 located inside the guide groove 71 serve as the main load-bearing positions, by configuring a preset number of iron metal connecting parts 21 among the several connecting parts 21, the connecting parts 21 corresponding to the load-bearing positions have good structural rigidity, which can meet the adsorption and transportation tasks of large-sized and high-load box workpieces.

[0058] The connector 21 located outside the guide slot 71 can be made of aluminum alloy, which can reduce the structural mass of the connector 21, thereby reducing the overall structural weight of the support chain 2 and optimizing the mass distribution of the support chain 2 to meet the structural design and layout requirements of the flexible clamp. Optimizing the material design of the connector 21 of the support chain 2 can also reduce the production cost of the support chain 2, thereby reducing the overall mass of the support chain 2 and reducing the load on the handling robot.

[0059] Specifically, a plurality of vacuum suction cups are provided on the outer side surface of the front end of the shell 1, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups are arranged in an array. The support chain 2 extends outside the shell 1 to form a rigid chain structure, and a clamping space for accommodating the workpiece is formed between the rigid chain structure and the vacuum suction cup array 3. A driving air circuit is provided in the shell 1, and a plurality of vacuum suction cups are synchronously controlled based on the driving air circuit, so that the vacuum suction cup array 3 can perform vacuum adsorption synchronously, satisfying the suction cup adsorption operation of the flexible clamp on one side of the box workpiece, and realizing the simultaneous vacuum breaking operation based on the gas delivery control of the driving air circuit to satisfy the release of the box workpiece.

[0060] Furthermore, based on the cooperation between the vacuum suction cup array 3 and the support chain 2, the reliability of the flexible clamp in clamping and transporting the box workpiece can be improved, and based on the vacuum suction cup array 3, the box workpiece can be adsorbed and moved, thereby adjusting the posture state of the box workpiece, so that the support chain 2 can be extended under the box workpiece to meet the adsorption, clamping and support and transportation operations of the box workpiece.

[0061] Specifically, a first storage chamber 11 and a second storage chamber 12 are provided inside the shell 1, and the driving component 4 includes a power device 41 provided in the first storage chamber 11 and a ratchet group 42 provided in the second storage chamber 12. The second storage chamber 12 is configured as a storage space for the support chain 2. The power device 41 drives and connects the ratchet group 42, and the ratchet group 42 is correspondingly engaged with the support chain 2, so that when the power device 41 drives the ratchet group 42 to rotate, the support chain 2 can be driven to move based on the ratchet group 42, thereby realizing the winding action drive of the support chain 2 or the extension action drive of the support chain 2, satisfying the support drive operation of the support chain 2 on the workpiece.

[0062] Specifically, the inner wall of the second storage chamber 12 is provided with an arc track 13, and the support chain 2 is driven by the driving component 4 to be wound along the arc track 13 in the second storage chamber 12. A plurality of baffles are provided in the shell 1, and the internal space of the shell 1 is divided into the first storage chamber 11 and the second storage chamber 12 based on the plurality of baffles. The second storage chamber 12 is provided with an arc track 13, and the two ends of the support chain 2 slide together in the arc track 13. When the driving component 4 drives the support chain 2 to move, the arc track 13 can limit the moving trajectory of the support chain 2, so that the support chain 2 can be completely stored in the second storage chamber 12.

[0063] Furthermore, several support rods 22 can realize chain movement based on the hinge structure between any adjacent connecting parts 21. The support chain 2 is limited by the curved track 13, so that the support chain 2 is rolled up in the second storage cavity 12 along the curved track 13, thereby reducing the storage size of the support chain 2, so that the flexible clamp can realize a miniaturized structural design and reduce the space occupied by the flexible clamp.

[0064] Specifically, the ratchet group 42 includes a first ratchet and a second ratchet arranged in parallel, the ratchet teeth of the first ratchet correspondingly inserted into the spacing between the plurality of support rods 22 of the support chain 2, and the ratchet teeth of the second ratchet correspondingly inserted into the spacing between the plurality of support rods 22 of the support chain 2. The first ratchet and the second ratchet are coaxially arranged, and the first ratchet and the second ratchet can be driven to rotate based on the same drive shaft to ensure the synchronous rotation of the first ratchet and the second ratchet. The first ratchet and the second ratchet have the same shape and size. By arranging the first ratchet and the second ratchet in parallel, the support chain 2 can be driven to move based on the first ratchet and the second ratchet, thereby ensuring the smooth movement of the support chain 2, avoiding the vibration of the support chain 2 during the winding or stretching action, improving the smoothness of the movement of the support chain 2, and thus improving the reliability of the support chain 2 in supporting and transporting workpieces.

[0065] Specifically, Figure 8 The present invention provides a schematic structural diagram of a driving component according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a specific embodiment, a first baffle and a second baffle are provided inside the shell 1 of the flexible clamp. The shell 1 is divided into a first receiving chamber 11 and two second receiving chambers 12 based on the first baffle and the second baffle. The two second receiving chambers 12 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first receiving chamber 11. The driving component 4 is arranged in the first receiving chamber 11, and the support chain 2 is arranged in any of the second receiving chambers 12. A synchronous rotating rod 6 is provided in the first receiving chamber 11, and one end of the synchronous rotating rod 6 extends into the second receiving chamber 12 on one side of the first receiving chamber 11. A ratchet group 42 corresponding to the support chain 2 in the second receiving chamber 12 is provided at one end of the synchronous rotating rod 6.

[0066] The other end of the synchronous rotating rod 6 extends into the second storage cavity 12 on the other side of the first storage cavity 11, and the other end of the synchronous rotating rod 6 is provided with a ratchet group 42 corresponding to the support chain 2 in the second storage cavity 12. The synchronous rotating rod 6 can simultaneously drive two groups of support chains 2 to perform synchronous winding or extension actions, thereby realizing the clamping requirements of the flexible clamp for the box workpiece.

[0067] Specifically, a power device 41 is provided in the first storage cavity 11, and the power device 41 is configured as a drive motor. The drive motor can be configured as a servo motor, which drives the support chain 2 to perform a reeling action through a set driver, so that the support chain 2 can be completely stored in the second storage cavity 12; or the servo motor drives the support chain 2 to perform an extension action through a set driver, driving the support chain 2 to extend to the outside of the shell 1 to form a rigid support structure.

[0068] Furthermore, a synchronous transmission mechanism 5 is also provided in the shell 1, and the synchronous transmission mechanism 5 includes a driving wheel 51, a driven wheel 52 and a synchronous belt 53. The driving wheel 51 is arranged on the output shaft of the driving motor, and the driven wheel 52 is arranged on the synchronous rotating rod 6. The driving wheel 51 and the driven wheel 52 are connected based on the transmission of the synchronous belt 53. The driving motor drives the driving wheel 51 to rotate, and the driven wheel 52 is driven to rotate synchronously based on the synchronous belt 53, thereby driving the synchronous rotating rod 6 to rotate, so that the two sets of support chains 2 can move synchronously.

[0069] Specifically, the driving air circuit is also provided in the first receiving chamber 11. The driving air circuit is formed based on a plurality of gas pipelines, and the plurality of gas pipelines are arranged around the driving motor, thereby avoiding the situation where the gas pipeline interferes with the movement of the driving motor, and can improve the space utilization rate of the first receiving chamber 11 in the shell 1, meet the compact arrangement of the internal structure of the flexible clamp, and thus meet the miniaturized structural design of the flexible clamp.

[0070] Specifically, Figure 9 shows a stress analysis simulation image of a static analysis of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 shows a static displacement simulation image of a static analysis of a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 The strain analysis simulation image of the static analysis of the connecting member in the embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the static analysis of the load-balanced state of the rigid support part of the support chain 2 extending outside the shell is simulated. Figure 9 ~Attached Figure 11 It can be obtained that the support boss 2121 of the connecting member 21 serves as the main load-bearing position, and the first mating protrusion 211 of the connecting member 21 is subjected to the supporting force of the support rod 22 and the adjacent upper connecting member 21, so that the connecting member 21 can maintain static balance. Through the mutual cooperation of several connecting members 21, combined with the cooperation between several support rods 22 and the support guide plate 7 as a supporting structure, the rigid support part of the support chain 2 extending outside the shell can have good supporting performance, meeting the support and transportation requirements of the box workpiece.

[0071] Further, attached Figure 9 The coordinate parameter index Von Mises is a yield criterion whose value is equivalent stress and the unit is ( ); Attachment Figure 10 The coordinate parameter index is URES, which is the displacement in millimeters (mm). Figure 11 The coordinate parameter index ESTRN is equivalent strain, which is the sum of displacements in all directions. Strain refers to the ratio of the change in length to the original length, and strain is a dimensionless quantity.

[0072] An embodiment of the present invention provides a flexible clamp, wherein a plurality of connecting members 21 and a support rod 22 cooperate to form a chain-like support chain 2. The support chain 2 can be driven by a driving component 4 to be flexibly rolled up and accommodated within the clamp housing 1, thereby improving the convenience of storing the support chain 2 and reducing the design of the structural dimensions of the flexible clamp housing 1, thereby reducing the overall size of the flexible clamp. By disposing a retractable support chain 2 within the clamp housing 1, the driving component 4 can drive the support chain 2 to partially extend outside the housing 1 to form a rigid support structure. The rigid support structure formed by the cooperation of the plurality of connecting members 21 effectively improves the stability of the support operation of the flexible clamp.

[0073] Example 2:

[0074] Figure 12 A structural schematic diagram of a handling robot in an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the handling robot is provided with a multi-axis manipulator 20 and the flexible clamp 10, and an installation portion is provided at the rear end of the shell 1 of the flexible clamp 10. The flexible clamp 10 is correspondingly installed on the working end of the multi-axis manipulator 20 based on the installation portion, and the multi-axis manipulator 20 can drive the flexible clamp 10 to clamp and carry the box workpiece.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 12 The handling robot can be configured at the end of the conveyor line. When several box workpieces are transported to the end of the conveyor line in the form of stacking, the handling robot can load the box workpieces for stacking or transfer and stacking the box workpieces, thereby improving the convenience of transportation and transshipment of the box workpieces.

[0076] Specifically, the working principle of the handling robot is: driving the support chain 2 of the flexible clamp 10 to be completely retracted inside the shell 1, and based on the multi-axis manipulator 20, driving the vacuum suction cup array 3 of the flexible clamp 10 to the side wall of one side of the box workpiece, and controlling the vacuum suction cup array 3 to perform vacuum adsorption synchronously through the external air source component, so that the vacuum suction cup array 3 of the flexible clamp 10 can adsorb and clamp the box workpiece, and based on the multi-axis manipulator 20, the box workpiece is driven to move outward a preset distance, so that most of the bottom surface of the box workpiece is exposed outside the stacking position of the box workpiece. At this time, the box workpiece is partially connected above the remaining box workpieces, so that the box workpiece can maintain a stacked support state.

[0077] The driving component 4 inside the flexible clamp 10 drives the support chain 2 to extend outside the shell 1, so that the support chain 2 forms a rigid support structure outward, and the support chain 2 moves along the bottom of the box workpiece, so that the support chain 2 extending outside the shell 1 can support the box workpiece. Based on the bottom surface limit of the box workpiece and the matching structure of several connecting parts 21 of the support chain 2, the support chain 2 extending outside can maintain a straight line arrangement structure.

[0078] The multi-axis manipulator 20 supports and clamps the box workpiece based on the vacuum suction cup array 3 of the flexible clamp 10 and the support chain 2. During the transportation process, the box workpiece is supported by the rigid support structure extending outside the support chain 2 to improve the stability of the box workpiece clamping and transportation.

[0079] Furthermore, the length of the rigid support structure extending outward from the support chain 2 can be configured to be half of the bottom length of the box workpiece, ensuring that the support chain 2 can meet the support requirements of the box workpiece and improve the stability of the box workpiece clamping and transportation.

[0080] When the multi-axis manipulator 20 transports the box workpiece to the stacking position, the part of the box workpiece corresponding to the part other than the support chain 2 is brought into contact with the stacking position, and the contact position is used as support. The support chain 2 is driven to be reeled into the inside of the shell 1 by the internal driving component 4 of the flexible clamp 10, the box workpiece is adsorbed by the vacuum suction cup array 3, and the box workpiece is pushed to the corresponding stacking position based on the multi-axis manipulator 20, ensuring that the box workpiece is accurately located at the stacking position, thereby improving the accuracy of the box handling and stacking operations.

[0081] Furthermore, by accommodating the support chain 2 in the shell 1 of the flexible clamp 10, the overall structural size of the flexible clamp 10 is reduced, so that the multi-axis manipulator 20 has sufficient space to move when driving the flexible clamp 10 to move, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the handling robot and making the handling robot adaptable to the handling work requirements of various work scenarios.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flexible clamp 10 is configured with two sets of support chains 2. Based on the two sets of support chains 2, it can adapt to the clamping and handling requirements of large-sized box workpieces, and support and handle a single box workpiece through the two sets of support chains 2; or based on the two sets of support chains 2 matching the handling of two box workpieces, the handling robot can simultaneously perform clamping, handling and stacking operations of two box workpieces, thereby improving the working efficiency of the handling robot.

[0083] An embodiment of the present invention provides a transport robot, which is configured with a flexible clamp 10 that can flexibly retract the support chain 2. When the transport robot is in an idle state, the flexible clamp 10 can completely retract the support chain 2 into the shell, thereby reducing the clamp size at the working end of the transport robot and reducing the space occupancy rate of the transport robot in the idle state, so that the transport robot can adapt to the usage requirements of various transport scenarios.

[0084] In addition, the above is a detailed introduction to a flexible clamp and a handling robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method of the present invention and its core idea. At the same time, for general technical personnel in this field, based on the idea of ​​the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible clamp, characterized in that: The flexible clamp includes: a shell, a driving component disposed inside the shell, and one or more supporting chains, wherein the driving component is drivingly connected to the supporting chains; The support chain includes: a plurality of support rods arranged in a queue, and a plurality of connecting members arranged on both sides of the support rod queue; Any of the connecting members is correspondingly engaged with the next adjacent connecting member, and the engaged connection position forms a hinge structure based on the support rod. When the multiple connecting members are distributed along an arc, the multiple connecting members form a flexible chain structure in a retracted state based on the hinge structure. Any of the connecting members is provided with a supporting boss for supporting the next adjacent connecting member. When the connecting members are distributed along a straight line, the connecting members form a rigid chain structure based on the supporting boss. The housing is provided with a first receiving chamber and a second receiving chamber, the driving component includes a power device provided in the first receiving chamber and a ratchet assembly provided in the second receiving chamber, and the second receiving chamber is configured as a receiving space for the support chain; The power device is drivingly connected to the ratchet assembly, and the ratchet assembly is correspondingly engaged with the support chain; The connecting member includes a first matching protrusion arranged at the rear end and two second matching protrusions arranged at the front end; The two second mating protrusions are arranged in parallel, and a mating groove having a size matching that of the first mating protrusion is formed between the two second mating protrusions; The matching groove of any one of the connecting members is engaged and connected with the first matching protrusion of the next adjacent connecting member.

2. The flexible clamp according to claim 1, wherein: An arc track is provided on the inner wall of the second storage cavity, and the support chain is driven by the driving component to be rolled up in the second storage cavity along the arc track.

3. The flexible clamp according to claim 1, wherein: The ratchet assembly comprises a first ratchet and a second ratchet arranged in parallel, wherein the ratchet teeth of the first ratchet are correspondingly inserted into the spacing between the plurality of support rods of the support chain; The ratchet teeth of the second ratchet are correspondingly inserted into the intervals between the plurality of support rods of the support chain.

4. The flexible clamp according to claim 1, wherein: The front end of the second mating protrusion is provided with the supporting boss, and the rear end of the second mating protrusion is provided with an inner groove; When the plurality of connectors are in a rigid chain state, the supporting boss of the second matching protrusion of any connector is correspondingly inserted into the inner groove of the second matching protrusion of the next adjacent connector.

5. The flexible clamp according to claim 1, wherein: A support guide plate is provided at the bottom of the housing, and the support guide plate is provided with a guide groove for the support chain to move; The support chain extends toward the outside of the housing along the guide groove based on the driving component, and the support chain forms a rigid chain structure based on the connection structure of the connecting piece.

6. The flexible clamp according to claim 5, wherein: When the plurality of connecting pieces are in a rigid chain structure, the connecting piece located in the guide groove is made of iron metal, and the connecting piece located outside the shell is made of aluminum alloy.

7. The flexible clamp according to claim 1, wherein: A plurality of vacuum suction cups are provided on the outer side surface of the front end of the shell, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups are arranged in an array; The support chain extends outside the shell to form a rigid chain structure, and a clamping space for accommodating a workpiece is formed between the rigid chain structure and the vacuum suction cup array.

8. A transport robot, characterized in that: The handling robot is provided with a multi-axis manipulator and a flexible clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 7; The rear end of the shell of the flexible clamp is provided with an installation portion, and the flexible clamp is correspondingly installed on the working end of the multi-axis manipulator based on the installation portion.

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