Handheld position and force feedback mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to a position and force feedback device used for a virtual reality or teleoperation system, in particular to a handheld position and force feedback mechanism which comprises a U-shaped frame, a take-up device assembly, a universal rotating shaft assembly, a rope and a manual operator, and the take-up device assembly comprises a first take-up device and a second take-up device. The first take-up device and the second take-up device are fixedly installed at the two ends of the U-shaped frame respectively, the universal rotating shaft assemblies comprise the first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly, the first universal rotating shaft assembly is fixedly installed on the outer side of the first take-up device, and the second universal rotating shaft assembly is fixedly installed on the outer side of the second take-up device. The flexible spatial position feedback and force feedback process can be provided through the opposite pulling control detection mode of the rope bodies on the two sides, complex operation requirements can be met, and the posture and position changes of the operation end can be flexibly detected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a position and force feedback device for virtual reality or teleoperation systems, and more particularly to a handheld position and force feedback mechanism. Background Art

[0002] A force feedback device is a new type of human-computer interaction device that allows a user to touch and collect information about the user's hand movements through the force feedback device. At the same time, the user can manipulate objects in a virtual environment generated by a computer or a remote robotic device and sense the motion and corresponding force feedback information of the virtual environment or the distal object, realizing the interactive control of human-machine position and force perception. Therefore, force feedback devices are widely used in fields such as simulation training, skill assessment, virtual assembly, creative design, and computer-assisted surgical control.

[0003] Common handheld devices usually rely on potentiometers or optical encoders to detect position. These sensors are prone to drift and interference in high-precision applications, resulting in large position detection errors and affecting the accuracy of operation. Especially in applications such as virtual reality and remote robot control, the accuracy of position feedback is directly related to the precision of operation and the user experience. Existing devices often use simple vibration motors or spring mechanisms to provide force feedback, and this feedback method is too single to truly simulate the force sensations of different strengths and directions, limiting the depth and breadth of the user experience. Many existing devices lack good sealing performance and are easily affected by dust and moisture, resulting in a high failure rate and increased maintenance costs. Especially in harsh environments such as industrial or medical environments, the protection performance of the device becomes a key factor affecting its reliability and lifespan. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a handheld position and force feedback mechanism that can adapt to harsh environments, has a wide detection range, and high accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a handheld position and force feedback mechanism in view of the deficiencies of the prior art. The mechanism includes a U-shaped frame, a wire reel assembly, a universal rotating shaft assembly, ropes, and a hand controller. The wire reel assembly includes a first wire reel and a second wire reel. The first wire reel and the second wire reel are respectively fixedly installed at both ends of the U-shaped frame. The universal rotating shaft assembly includes a first universal rotating shaft assembly and a second universal rotating shaft assembly. The first universal rotating shaft assembly is fixedly installed outside the first wire reel, and the second universal rotating shaft assembly is fixedly installed outside the second wire reel. A rope is led out from the first wire reel and connected to the hand controller through the first universal rotating shaft assembly. A rope is led out from the second wire reel and connected to the hand controller through the second universal rotating shaft assembly.

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solution. The first wire reel and the second wire reel have the same structure. The first wire reel includes a base, a fixed shaft, and a winding shaft. The base is fixedly connected to the U-shaped frame. The fixed shaft is fixedly installed on the base. The winding shaft is sleeved on the fixed shaft through a spiral fit, and a rope is wound around the winding shaft.

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solution. A torque motor is connected to the end of the winding shaft. The output shaft of the torque motor is coaxially drivingly connected to the winding shaft, and an angle sensor is installed at the rotor of the torque motor.

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solution. A torsion spring is connected between the base and the winding shaft. The torsion spring is used to automatically retract the rope after the external pulling force disappears and / or decreases.

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solution. The first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly have the same structure. Coronary inner spherical shell assemblies are installed on the outer sides of the first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly. The coronary inner spherical shell assembly includes a first coronary inner spherical shell and a second coronary inner spherical shell that are butt-jointed with each other. The outer surface of the lower side of the coronary inner spherical shell assembly is spherical-jointed with a coronary outer spherical shell. The coronary outer spherical shell enables the outer spherical shell space to float and deflect relative to the coronary inner spherical shell assembly space through a spherical-jointed structure. The coronary outer spherical shell is provided with a central hole for passing the rope. First wire guide sleeves are provided on the outer sides of the first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly. The rope can enter the first universal rotating shaft assembly from the first wire reel through the first wire guide sleeve.

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solution. The first universal rotating shaft assembly includes a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft, a wire guide sleeve body, a first L-shaped connecting piece, and a second L-shaped connecting piece. One end of the first rotating shaft is rotationally connected to the first wire guide sleeve through the first L-shaped connecting piece. One end of the second rotating shaft is rotationally connected to the first rotating shaft through the second L-shaped connecting piece. The other end of the second rotating shaft is fixedly installed with a wire guide sleeve body for passing the rope.

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solution. The first rotating shaft is connected with a first encoder for detecting the relative rotation between the second L-shaped connecting piece and the first rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft is connected with a second encoder for detecting the relative rotation between the second L-shaped connecting piece and the second rotating shaft. The central axes of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are perpendicularly orthogonal to a point in space and are located on the central axis where the first wire guide sleeve is located.

[0011] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention can also be further realized by the following technical solutions. The coronal inner spherical shell assembly is fixedly connected by a first coronal inner spherical shell and a first coronal inner spherical shell through a spherical shell connecting piece. Both the first wire reel and the second wire reel are provided with mounting frames, and the first coronal inner spherical shell and the second coronal inner spherical shell are fixedly installed on the mounting frames through flange plates.

[0012] The present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0013] (1) The present invention can provide a flexible spatial position feedback and force feedback process through the pulling control detection method of the rope bodies on both sides, can adapt to complex operation requirements, and can flexibly detect the attitude and position changes of the operation end;

[0014] (2) The present invention realizes high-precision position and force feedback through the sensor detection data fusion of the multi-degree-of-freedom movement of the rope bodies. The design is simple, the operation is convenient, and it is easy to maintain, improving the service life of the equipment. And the tension of the two ropes is controlled by a torque motor, and then the operation force is fed back to the operator;

[0015] (3) The present invention spatially separates the detection system from the operation end, can avoid the influence of the harsh external environment on the detection process, and also adopts a hemispherical structure with good sealing performance, can work stably in a variety of harsh environments, and has excellent protection performance. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] Figure 1 is a top view schematic diagram of the overall installation structure of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the first wire reel 2a and the first universal rotating shaft assembly 3a of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the first universal rotating shaft assembly 3a of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the first universal rotating shaft assembly 3a and the first coronal inner spherical shell 31a of the present invention;

[0020] 1-U-shaped frame, 2a-first wire reel, 2b-second wire reel, 3a-first universal rotating shaft assembly, 3b-first universal rotating shaft assembly, 31-coronary inner spherical shell assembly, 31a-first coronary inner spherical shell, 31b-second coronary inner spherical shell, 4-rope, 5-hand operator, 21-base, 22-fixed shaft, 23-torque motor, 24-wire winding shaft, 25-angle sensor, 32-coronary outer spherical shell, 6-flange, 7-second rotating shaft, 8-first rotating shaft, 9-wire sleeve body, 10-first wire sleeve, 11-second wire sleeve, 12-first L-shaped connecting piece, 13-first encoder, 14-second L-shaped connecting piece, 15-second encoder, 16-spherical shell connecting piece. Detailed implementation manners

[0021] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0023] The following will describe the detailed implementation manners of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that the detailed implementation manners described here are only used to illustrate and explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0024] As Figure 1As shown, the present invention proposes a universal pull-wire encoder mechanism for spraying, comprising a U-shaped frame 1, a wire take-up assembly, a universal shaft assembly, a rope 4 and a hand operator 5; a wire take-up assembly is fixedly connected to each end of the U-shaped frame 1; a universal shaft assembly is installed on each wire take-up assembly; the rope 4 is respectively led out from the wire take-up assembly, passes through the universal shaft assembly and is commonly connected to the hand operator 5; specifically, the wire take-up assembly comprises a first wire take-up 2a and a second wire take-up 2b, the first wire take-up 2a and the second wire take-up 2b are connected to each other; The devices 2b are respectively fixedly installed at both ends of the U-shaped frame 1, and the universal shaft assembly includes a first universal shaft assembly 3a and a second universal shaft assembly 3b. The first wire take-up 2a is fixedly installed with the first universal shaft assembly 3a on the outside, and the second wire take-up 2b is fixedly installed with the second universal shaft assembly 3b on the outside. The first wire take-up 2a leads out a rope 4 and is connected to the hand operator 5 through the first universal shaft assembly 3a. The second wire take-up 2b leads out a rope 4 and is connected to the hand operator 5 through the second universal shaft assembly 3b.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the wire take-up assembly consists of a base 21, a coil spring, a fixed shaft 22, a torque motor 23, a winding shaft 24 and an angle sensor 25. The fixed shaft 22 and the base 21 are reliably connected by fasteners, and the winding shaft 24 is sleeved on the fixed shaft 22 by a spiral fit. The coil spring is connected to the base 21 at one end and to the winding shaft 24 at the other end, so that the winding shaft 24 can automatically retract the pull rope after the external tension disappears or decreases; a torque motor 23 is fixedly installed at one end of the winding shaft 24, and the output shaft of the torque motor 23 is coaxial with the winding shaft 24 or tightly connected in a transmission manner; the angle sensor 25 is installed at the rotor of the torque motor 23 for detecting the real-time rotation angle of the winding shaft and feeding back the signal to the control system. The system can accurately calculate the extension or retraction length of the pull rope according to the angle change, so as to perform position monitoring according to the change in the length of the pull rope;

[0026] During the installation process of the above structure, it is only necessary to firmly fix the base 21 at the end of the U-shaped frame 1, and then assemble the fixed shaft 22, the winding shaft 24 and the coil spring in sequence, and align and connect the torque motor 23 with the winding shaft 24, and finally fix the angle sensor 25 on the rotor of the torque motor 23; the overall structure of the take-up assembly is compact, easy to install, and stable in operation. Through the cooperation of the torque motor 23 and the angle sensor 25, it can ensure the reliability of the take-up while taking into account accurate force control and position detection;

[0027] Specifically, Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown in the figure, the main body of the universal rotating shaft 3 is composed of a first rotating shaft 8, a second rotating shaft 7, a wire sleeve 9, an encoder 13, an encoder 15, a first L-shaped connecting piece 12 and a second L-shaped connecting piece 14; the connection between its installation and the wire reel is mainly divided into the following steps: One end of the first rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the first wire sleeve 10 at the upper part through the first L-shaped connecting piece. The first rotating shaft 8 is equipped with a first encoder 13 for real-time detection of the deflection angle of the first rotating shaft 8 relative to the second L-shaped connecting piece 14, ensuring that the detection axis of the first encoder 13 is coaxially aligned with the first rotating shaft 8; the second rotating shaft 7 is in a position relationship close to perpendicular or orthogonal to the first rotating shaft 8, and a second encoder 15 is arranged on the second rotating shaft 7 for recording the relative rotation angle of the second rotating shaft 7. The detection axes of the second encoder 15 and the first encoder 13 are vertically intersected and meet at a point in space, so that the movements of the two independent rotating axes of the first rotating shaft 8 and the second rotating shaft 7 can be separately measured; the wire sleeve body 9 is fixedly installed at the end position of the second rotating shaft 7, and a second wire sleeve 11 is connected to the lower part of the wire sleeve body 9, and its central axis coincides with the intersection point of the two encoders, which is convenient for the rope 4 to pass through the inside, and can not only keep smooth during multi-degree-of-freedom rotation, but also effectively reduce the bending or winding of the cable.

[0028] Specifically, as Figure 4 shown in the figure, a crown inner spherical shell assembly 31 is fixedly installed on the wire reel assembly. The cavity of the crown inner spherical shell assembly 31 is used to accommodate the internal structure space. First wire sleeves 10 are provided on the outer sides of the first universal rotating shaft assembly 3a and the second universal rotating shaft assembly 3b. The rope 4 can enter the first universal rotating shaft assembly 3a through the first wire sleeve 10 from the first wire reel 2a; the crown inner spherical shell assembly 31 is fixedly connected by a spherical shell connecting piece 16 by a first crown inner spherical shell 31a and a second crown inner spherical shell 31b. At the upper part, the first crown inner spherical shell 31a and the second crown inner spherical shell 31b are fixedly installed on the mounting frame through a flange 6 and are connected to the corresponding wire reel assembly through the mounting frame; the lower side of the outer surface of the crown inner spherical shell assembly 31 is installed with another crown outer spherical shell 32 by a spherical hinge method. The spherical hinge structure can make the outer spherical shell space float or adjust slightly relative to the inner spherical shell space to maintain the sealing performance and smooth movement between the two, and the crown outer spherical shell 32 is used for protection, dust prevention and sealing; a central hole is provided on the crown outer spherical shell 32. The rope 4 is led out from the winding shaft 24 of the wire reel assembly, passes through the universal rotating shaft 3 and the wire sleeve 9, and then is connected to the hand controller 5 through the central hole.

[0029] In actual use, the operator holds the hand operator 5 and moves or operates it. The posture and position of the hand operator 5 will be fed back to the control system in real time through multiple angle sensors set in the device. The control system calculates the specific motion trajectory of the hand operator in three-dimensional space based on the position information output by these sensors, and links the torque motor 23 to finely adjust the tension of the two ropes 4. When the operator needs specific force prompts or resistance feedback, the torque motor 23 can output the corresponding torque, and cooperate with the coil spring to change the tension of the rope 4, thereby presenting a virtual force sense such as "push, pull or block" on the hand operator 5, providing the operator with an immersive force feedback experience. Through this overall design, the handheld position and force feedback mechanism has higher stability, durability and operating comfort in multiple environments and scenarios, meeting the requirements of various human-computer interactive operation fields such as robot remote control, robot programming, virtual surgery, etc.

[0030] The present invention proposes a new type of handheld position and force feedback mechanism, which significantly improves the accuracy of position detection, the authenticity of force feedback, the flexibility of the device and the protection performance by optimizing the structural design and adopting advanced sensor detection technology. Specifically, the design of the U-shaped frame and the wire take-up assembly enhances the stability and position detection accuracy of the device, the combination of the torque motor and the angle sensor provides precise force feedback control, and the design of the universal shaft assembly improves the flexibility of operation. In addition, the combination of the crown-shaped inner spherical shell assembly 31 and the crown-shaped outer spherical shell 32 enhances the protection performance of the device, enabling it to work stably in harsh environments.

[0031] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handheld position and force feedback mechanism, comprising a U-shaped frame, a wire reel assembly, a universal rotating shaft assembly, a rope and a hand controller, characterized in that: The take-up reel assembly includes a first take-up reel and a second take-up reel. The first take-up reel and the second take-up reel are respectively fixedly installed at both ends of the U-shaped frame. The universal rotating shaft assembly includes a first universal rotating shaft assembly and a second universal rotating shaft assembly. The first universal rotating shaft assembly is fixedly installed outside the first take-up reel, and the second universal rotating shaft assembly is fixedly installed outside the second take-up reel. A rope is led out from the first take-up reel and connected to the hand-operated device through the first universal rotating shaft assembly. A rope is led out from the second take-up reel and connected to the hand-operated device through the second universal rotating shaft assembly.

2. The handheld position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The first take-up reel and the second take-up reel have the same structure. The first take-up reel includes a base, a fixed shaft, and a winding shaft. The base is fixedly connected to the U-shaped frame. The fixed shaft is fixedly installed on the base. The winding shaft is sleeved on the fixed shaft through a spiral fit. A rope is wound around the winding shaft.

3. The handheld position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: A torque motor is connected to the end of the winding shaft. The output shaft of the torque motor is coaxially drivingly connected to the winding shaft. An angle sensor is installed at the rotor of the torque motor.

4. A hand-held position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: A torsion spring is connected between the base and the winding shaft. The torsion spring is used to automatically retract the rope after the external pulling force disappears and / or decreases.

5. The hand-held position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly have the same structure. Coronary inner spherical shell assemblies are installed outside the first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly. The coronary inner spherical shell assembly includes a first coronary inner spherical shell and a second coronary inner spherical shell that are butt-jointed with each other. The outer surface of the lower side of the coronary inner spherical shell assembly is spherical-hinged with a coronary outer spherical shell. The coronary outer spherical shell enables the space of the outer spherical shell to float and deflect relative to the space of the coronary inner spherical shell assembly through a spherical hinge structure. The coronary outer spherical shell is provided with a central hole for passing the rope. First wire sleeves are provided outside the first universal rotating shaft assembly and the second universal rotating shaft assembly. The rope can pass through the first wire sleeve from the first take-up reel and enter the first universal rotating shaft assembly.

6. A hand-held position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first universal rotating shaft assembly includes a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft, a wire sleeve body, a first L-shaped connecting piece, and a second L-shaped connecting piece. One end of the first rotating shaft is rotationally connected to the first wire sleeve through the first L-shaped connecting piece. One end of the second rotating shaft is rotationally connected to the first rotating shaft through the second L-shaped connecting piece. The other end of the second rotating shaft is fixedly installed with a wire sleeve body for passing the rope.

7. A hand-held position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first rotating shaft is connected with a first encoder for detecting the relative rotation between the second L-shaped connecting piece and the first rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft is connected with a second encoder for detecting the relative rotation between the second L-shaped connecting piece and the second rotating shaft. The central axes of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are vertically orthogonal to a point in space and are located on the central axis where the first wire sleeve is located.

8. A hand-held position and force feedback mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The coronary inner spherical shell assembly is fixedly connected by a first coronary inner spherical shell and a first coronary inner spherical shell through a spherical shell connecting piece. Both the first take-up reel and the second take-up reel are provided with mounting brackets. The first coronary inner spherical shell and the second coronary inner spherical shell are fixedly installed on the mounting brackets through flange plates.

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