Flexible mechanical arm based on dot matrix structure

Abstract

The application discloses a flexible mechanical arm based on a dot matrix structure, wherein the driver of the flexible mechanical arm covers three rotation degrees of freedom, two extension degrees of freedom and one grabbing degree of freedom. All the driving structures of the flexible mechanical arm are composed of the dot matrix structure drivers, and each driver is composed of the same diamond driving unit. The flexible mechanical arm can realize that all the driving joints are flexible structures, and has the ability to generate rotation, extension and grabbing actions. In addition, each driver of the flexible mechanical arm can realize bidirectional motion, and the output stiffness of the driver can be changed, so that the flexibility, adaptability and operation performance of the flexible mechanical arm are effectively improved, and the flexible mechanical arm has wide application prospects in various complex application scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics, specifically relating to a flexible robotic arm based on a dot matrix structure. Background Technology

[0002] Robotic equipment plays a crucial role in industrial production, with industrial robotic arms being the most widely used. Traditional robotic arms are typically based on rigid link structures and are primarily made of metal. These robotic arms offer numerous advantages, such as high positioning accuracy, strong load capacity, and fast response speed, leading to their widespread application in industrial welding, manufacturing, goods assembly, and sorting. However, these traditional robotic arms also have some significant drawbacks. Most traditional robotic arms are bulky, heavy, and relatively expensive to manufacture, which limits their further development and application scope to some extent. Especially in specific scenarios requiring human-machine interaction, the rigid structure of traditional robotic arms makes them prone to causing injury to operators upon collision or contact, posing a significant safety hazard.

[0003] To overcome these limitations of traditional robotic arms, robotic arms based on flexible materials have emerged. Flexible robotic arms possess excellent compliance, effectively ensuring the stability of the entire system when encountering external disturbances, and without causing significant damage to the surrounding environment or objects when subjected to disturbances. Currently, research on flexible robotic arms has yielded considerable results. For example,

[0004] Patent CN 110293581 B proposes a flexible robotic arm based on a bellows structure. This patent can adjust the posture of the bionic soft robotic arm and gripping system by changing the air pressure inside the bellows cavity.

[0005] Patent CN 111660286 B proposes a pneumatic artificial muscle fiber and a bionic robotic arm, which can achieve a larger movement space and effectively improve the safety of human-computer interaction.

[0006] However, the aforementioned patents still have some problems:

[0007] 1. Most flexible robotic arms are based on a continuous structure. The movement between different joints will cause mutual disturbances, which makes it very difficult to accurately calculate and control their position, thus limiting the end effector's motion space.

[0008] 2. The structure of flexible robotic arms is often quite complex, which brings many inconveniences to the manufacturing process and increases the manufacturing difficulty and cost. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention discloses a flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0011] A flexible robotic arm based on a dot matrix structure includes a mounting base, a base connector, a joint connector, a gripper connector, a rotary actuator 1, a rotary actuator 2, a rotary actuator 3, a linear actuator 1, a linear actuator 2, and an end effector gripper; wherein the mounting base, the base connector, the joint connector, and the gripper connector are rigid structures; while the rotary actuator 1, the rotary actuator 2, the rotary actuator 3, the linear actuator 1, the linear actuator 2, and the end effector gripper are flexible structures; each actuator is composed of the same rhomboid drive unit.

[0012] Linear actuator 1 and linear actuator 2 are respectively connected to rotary actuator 3 on the joint connector from both sides. Linear actuator 1 is connected to rotary actuator 2 on the base connector on the other side. The mounting base is set below the base connector. Rotary actuator 1 is set inside the mounting base. The other end of linear actuator 2 is connected to the end gripper through the gripper connector.

[0013] Each drive unit comprises three parts: a support structure, a flexing airbag, and a extending airbag. Specifically, the support structure is a rhomboid structure made of a single layer of TPU material, ensuring that the drive unit maintains its rhomboid shape during movement. The flexing airbag is a folded structure composed of two layers of TPU material and is connected to the support structure. The extending airbag is a rectangular structure, also composed of two layers of TPU material, positioned diagonally across the support structure. During manufacturing, the two layers of the two airbags are first processed to form a closed airbag shape. Next, the two layers of TPU material are welded together to form a rhomboid support structure. Then, the two ends of the flexing airbag are welded to the middle of the support structure. Finally, one side of the extending airbag is welded to the middle of the flexing airbag, and the other side is welded to the support structure, thus forming an antagonistic drive unit.

[0014] The robotic arm comprises three types of lattice-structured actuators: a rotary actuator with circular connections, a linear actuator with linear connections, and an end effector with ring connections. The rotary actuator consists of six drive units, with the initial and output axes set between three of these units. The rotation angle of the actuator can be adjusted by controlling the air pressure in the buckling and extending air chambers within the actuator. Furthermore, the actuator can achieve variable stiffness output by changing the internal air pressure. The linear actuator consists of ten drive units, each connected sequentially in the same direction. The linear actuator's linear length and linear stiffness can be altered by changing the air pressure in the internal buckling and extending air chambers.

[0015] The mounting base consists of a circular base, a support plate, and a panel. The support plate is mounted parallel to the base via legs, and the panel is positioned above the support plate. A rotating support shaft passes through the support plate directly below the panel. A rotating driver is positioned directly above the circular base. A fixed baffle is located below the support plate, and the rotating support shaft is positioned on one side of the fixed baffle. The rotating support shaft is also connected to a vertical plate on the base connector, thereby enabling control of the output angle between the mounting base and the base connector.

[0016] The base connector is a circular vertical plate, providing a rotation shaft and a fixed baffle for the second rotary driver. The second rotary driver is mounted on the circular vertical plate, with its initial shaft connected to the fixed baffle on the base connector, and its output shaft connected to the first linear driver.

[0017] Linear actuator one is connected to rotary actuator two on one side and to joint connector on the other. The joint connector is a circular support structure that provides a rotation axis for rotary actuator three. A fixed baffle above the joint connector is connected to linear actuator one. Rotary actuator three is mounted on the joint connector, with its initial axis connected to linear actuator one and its output axis connected to linear actuator two, used to control the motion angle between the two linear actuators.

[0018] The linear actuator is connected at one end to the gripper connector, and at the other end to the end effector via the gripper connector. The end effector consists of four drive units, each connected end-to-end to form a ring structure. By changing the width of the drive units, the end effector can perform gripping functions, making it particularly suitable for gripping delicate or irregular objects.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0020] 1. This flexible robotic arm is made of TPU material and is entirely made of flexible material. It has many advantages such as small size, light weight and low cost, which can effectively overcome the shortcomings of traditional robotic arms that are large in size, heavy in weight and high in cost.

[0021] 2. The flexible robotic arm is based on a lattice structure. The lattice structure actuator consists of multiple drive units. During the drive process, the same air bladder cavity of multiple drive units is controlled simultaneously, which has the advantage of simple processing and control. In addition, the lattice structure actuator can significantly improve the output force of the actuator and reduce the gas required by the actuator without affecting the volume and mass, thereby improving the response speed of the flexible actuator.

[0022] 3. The single actuator of the dot matrix structure actuator is an antagonistic structure, and the two driving airbags can act at the same angle at the same time, which can control the output stiffness while controlling the angle.

[0023] 4. This rotary actuator can simultaneously achieve both rotation and variable stiffness angle output simply by changing the air pressure inside the actuator's internal cavity;

[0024] 5. This linear actuator not only functions as a connecting rod but also provides linear extension and compression capabilities. Furthermore, the actuator can achieve variable stiffness output through the internal cavity of the drive unit.

[0025] 6. The end gripper can achieve flexible, fully enclosed grasping, which is especially suitable for grasping some delicate and irregular objects, effectively improving the grasping ability and applicability of the robotic arm in complex environments. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the dot matrix structure flexible robotic arm described in this invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting base described in this invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the base connector described in this invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a connection diagram of the mounting base and the base connector described in this invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the rotary driver 2 and the linear driver 1 according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the end gripper described in this invention;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the grasping state of the end gripper described in this invention;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the open state of the end gripper described in this invention;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the linear actuator described in this invention;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the compression state of the linear actuator described in this invention;

[0036] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the extended state of the linear actuator described in this invention;

[0037] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the rotary driver described in this invention;

[0038] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the bending state of the rotary driver described in this invention;

[0039] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a single driver as described in this invention.

[0040] List of identifiers in attached diagrams:

[0041] 1. Fixed desktop, 2. Rotary actuator one, 3. Mounting base, 4. Base connector, 5. Rotary actuator two, 6. Linear actuator one, 7. Joint connector, 8. Rotary actuator three, 9. Linear actuator two, 10. Gripper connector, 11. End gripper, 12. Support structure, 13. Flexing airbag, 14. Extension airbag, 15. Circular base, 16. Support plate, 17. Panel, 18. Fixed baffle, 19. Vertical plate, 20. Fixed baffle, 21. Output shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0043] As shown in the figure, the flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure described in this invention has actuators comprising three rotational degrees of freedom, two extensional degrees of freedom, and one grasping degree of freedom. All drive structures of the robotic arm are composed of lattice structure actuators, and each actuator consists of identical rhombic drive units.

[0044] This dot-matrix structure flexible robotic arm mainly consists of a mounting base 3, a base connector 4, a joint connector 7, a gripper connector 10, a rotary actuator 2, a rotary actuator 5, a rotary actuator 3, a linear actuator 6, a linear actuator 2, and an end effector 11. Among these, the mounting base 3, base connector 4, joint connector 7, and gripper connector 10 are rigid structures; while the rotary actuators 2, 5, 8, 6, 9, and 11 are flexible structures.

[0045] Each actuator consists of multiple drive units, each drive unit comprising three parts: a support structure 12, a flexion airbag 13, and a extension airbag 14. Figure 14 As shown, specifically, the support structure is a rhomboid structure made of a single layer of TPU material, ensuring that the drive unit maintains its rhomboid shape during movement. The flexing airbag 13 is a folded structure composed of two layers of TPU material and connected to the support structure. The extending airbag 14 is a rectangular structure, also composed of two layers of TPU material, and connected to both the flexing and extending airbags (diagonally). During processing, the two layers of the two airbags are first processed to form a closed airbag shape. Next, the two layers of TPU material are welded together to form a rhomboid support structure. Then, the two ends of the flexing airbag are welded to the middle of the support structure. Finally, one side of the extending airbag is welded to the middle of the flexing airbag, and the other side is welded to the support structure, thus forming an antagonistic drive unit.

[0046] The robotic arm contains three types of dot-matrix structure actuators: a rotary actuator with circular connections, a linear actuator with linear connections, and an end effector with ring connections. The rotary actuator consists of six drive units, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the initial and output axes of the rotary actuator are set between the three drive units. The rotation angle of the actuator can be adjusted by controlling the air pressure in the buckling and extending air chambers within the actuator. Furthermore, the actuator can also achieve variable stiffness output by changing the internal air pressure. The linear actuator consists of 10 drive units, as shown... Figure 9 As shown, each drive unit is connected sequentially in the same direction. The linear actuator can change its linear length and linear stiffness by altering the air pressure of its internal buckling and extending air chambers.

[0047] The mounting base 3 consists of a circular base 15, a support plate 16, and a panel 17, such as Figure 4 As shown, the tray 16 is mounted parallel to the base 15 via support legs, the panel 17 is mounted above the tray 16, and a rotating support shaft passes through the tray 16 directly below the panel 17. The rotary driver 2 is placed directly above the circular base 15. A fixed baffle 18 is provided below the tray 16, and the rotating support shaft is located on one side of the fixed baffle 18. The rotating support shaft is also connected to the vertical plate 19 on the base connector 4, thereby realizing the output angle control between the mounting base 3 and the base connector 4.

[0048] The base connector 4 is a circular vertical plate 19, which provides a rotating shaft and a fixed baffle 20 for the rotary driver 2 5. The rotary driver 2 5 is mounted on the circular vertical plate 19, and its initial shaft is connected to the fixed baffle 20 on the base connector, while its output shaft 21 is connected to the linear driver 6.

[0049] Linear actuator 6 is connected to rotary actuator 5 on one side and to joint connector 7 on the other. The joint connector is a circular support structure that provides a rotation axis for rotary actuator 8. A fixed baffle above the joint connector is connected to linear actuator 6. Rotary actuator 8 is mounted on the joint connector, with its initial axis connected to linear actuator 6 and its output axis connected to linear actuator 9, used to control the motion angle between the two linear actuators.

[0050] One end of the linear actuator 29 is connected to the gripper connector 7, and the other end is connected to the end gripper 11 via the gripper connector 10. The end gripper 11 consists of four drive units, such as... Figure 6 As shown, each drive unit is connected end to end to form a ring structure. By changing the width of the drive unit, the end gripper can perform a grasping function, which is particularly suitable for grasping some delicate and irregular objects.

[0051] It should be noted that the above content merely illustrates the technical concept of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and all such improvements and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure, characterized in that: It includes a mounting base, a base connector, a joint connector, a gripper connector, rotary actuator 1, rotary actuator 2, rotary actuator 3, linear actuator 1, linear actuator 2, and an end gripper; wherein, the mounting base, base connector, joint connector, and gripper connector are rigid structures; while rotary actuator 1, rotary actuator 2, rotary actuator 3, linear actuator 1, linear actuator 2, and end gripper are flexible structures; each actuator is composed of the same diamond-shaped drive unit; Linear actuator 1 and linear actuator 2 are respectively connected to rotary actuator 3 on the joint connector from both sides. Linear actuator 1 is connected to rotary actuator 2 on the base connector on the other side. The mounting base is set below the base connector. Rotary actuator 1 is set inside the mounting base. The other end of linear actuator 2 is connected to the end gripper through the gripper connector. Each drive unit consists of three parts: a support structure, a flexion airbag, and a extension airbag. The support structure is a diamond-shaped structure made of a single layer of TPU material, which ensures that the drive unit maintains its diamond shape during movement. The flexion airbag is a folding structure composed of two layers of TPU material and is connected to the support structure. The extension airbag is a long strip structure, also composed of two layers of TPU material, and is located at the diagonal position of the support structure. The manufacturing process of the drive unit is as follows: First, the two layers of the two airbags need to be processed to form a closed airbag shape; then, the two layers of TPU material are welded to form a diamond-shaped support structure; then, the two ends of the flexing airbag are welded to the middle of the support structure; finally, one side of the extension airbag is welded to the middle of the flexing airbag, and the other side is welded to the support structure, thus forming a drive unit with an antagonistic structure. The robotic arm comprises three types of dot-matrix structure actuators: a rotary actuator with circular connections, a linear actuator with linear connections, and an end effector with ring connections. The rotary actuator consists of six drive units, with the initial and output axes of the rotary actuator set between the three drive units. The rotation angle of the actuator can be adjusted by controlling the air pressure of the buckling and extending airbags inside the actuator. In addition, the actuator can achieve variable stiffness output by changing the internal air pressure. The linear actuator consists of ten drive units, each connected sequentially in the same direction. The linear actuator changes the linear length and linear stiffness of the linear actuator by changing the air pressure values ​​of the internal buckling and extending airbags.

2. The flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting base consists of a circular base, a support plate, and a panel. The support plate is mounted parallel to the base via legs, and the panel is positioned above the support plate. A rotating support shaft passes through the support plate directly below the panel. A rotating driver is positioned directly above the circular base. A fixed baffle is located below the support plate, and the rotating support shaft is positioned on one side of the fixed baffle. The rotating support shaft is also connected to a vertical plate on the base connector, thereby enabling control of the output angle between the mounting base and the base connector.

3. The flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base connector is a circular vertical plate, which provides a rotating shaft and a fixed baffle for the second rotary driver. The second rotary driver is mounted on the circular vertical plate, and its initial shaft is connected to the fixed baffle on the base connector, while its output shaft is connected to the first linear driver.

4. A flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: Linear actuator one is connected to rotary actuator two on one side and to joint connector on the other side; joint connector is a circular support structure that provides a rotation axis for rotary actuator three; fixed baffle above joint connector is connected to linear actuator one; rotary actuator three is mounted on joint connector, its initial axis is connected to linear actuator one and its output axis is connected to linear actuator two, used to control the motion angle between the two linear actuators.

5. A flexible robotic arm based on a lattice structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the linear actuator is connected to the output shaft of the rotary actuator, and the other end is connected to the end gripper via a gripper connector; The end gripper consists of four drive units, each connected end to end to form a ring structure.

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