Humanoid robot joint module with overload protection structure

Abstract

The application discloses a human-shaped robot joint module with an overload protection structure, which comprises a fixed body and a rotating cover. A connecting boss is arranged on the fixed body, an assembly cavity is arranged at the connecting position of the connecting boss and the fixed body, a transmission assembly is arranged in the assembly cavity, a brake assembly and a brake drive are arranged on the connecting boss, the output end of the brake drive is connected with the brake assembly, the brake drive is further connected with the transmission assembly, the rotating cover is sleeved on the connecting boss, and the rotating cover is connected with the connecting boss through a fixing assembly. According to the principle that helical gears will be subjected to axial force when being meshed with each other, a magnetic suspension bearing is used to connect a rotating shaft with a fixed component, a detection device is used to monitor the state of the rotating shaft, when the output end of the joint module is overloaded, the transmission helical gear is clamped and no longer rotates, the driving gear drives the rotating shaft to move axially along the mounting hole, the detection device controls the brake electromagnet to act, the rotating cover is braked, and meanwhile, the power source stops outputting, so that the damage caused by overload is prevented.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics technology, and in particular relates to a humanoid robot joint module with an overload protection structure. Background Technology

[0002] Joint modules are driving devices that enable the movement of robot joints and play a vital role in modern robotics technology.

[0003] In the development of humanoid robots, joint modules, as key components, directly affect the robot's motion performance, operational reliability, and service life. Traditional humanoid robot joint modules have revealed numerous problems in practical applications. On the one hand, in terms of transmission, conventional mechanical bearing transmissions are prone to significant friction, leading to severe energy loss. Furthermore, with increasing usage time, wear intensifies, affecting the rotational accuracy of the shafts and consequently reducing the accuracy and stability of the robot's joint movements. Simultaneously, traditional gear transmission methods are prone to impact and noise when transmitting power, especially during high-speed operation or frequent start-stop cycles. This not only affects the robot's operational stability but also causes additional damage to the gears, shortening the service life of the transmission components.

[0004] On the other hand, when robots operate in complex task scenarios, joint modules may encounter overload situations. Traditional joint modules lack effective overload protection mechanisms, and once overloaded, they are prone to damage to transmission components, such as gear breakage and motor burnout. This not only increases maintenance costs and downtime but also limits the robot's application in heavy-load or sudden impact environments. In addition, traditional braking components have slow response speeds and cannot brake in time during overload, making it difficult to effectively protect the joint modules and the robot as a whole. Furthermore, the connection and fixing methods between the components of traditional joint modules are not robust and flexible enough. During robot movement, vibration, impact, and other factors may cause components to loosen, affecting the normal operation of the joint modules.

[0005] Therefore, we need to design a humanoid robot joint module with an overload protection structure to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a humanoid robot joint module with an overload protection structure.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] A humanoid robot joint module with an overload protection structure includes a fixed body and a rotating cover. The fixed body is provided with a connecting boss, and an assembly cavity is provided at the connection between the connecting boss and the fixed body. A transmission component is provided in the assembly cavity. A brake component and a brake drive are provided on the connecting boss. The output end of the brake drive is connected to the brake component, and the brake drive is also connected to the transmission component. The rotating cover is fitted on the connecting boss and connected to the connecting boss through a fixed component. The transmission component and the brake component are respectively connected to the rotating cover.

[0009] Preferably, the transmission assembly includes a mounting hole, a rotating shaft, a driving helical gear, and a plurality of transmission helical gears. One end of the mounting hole is located on the connecting boss inside the assembly cavity, and the other end passes through the fixing body. The rotating shaft is rotatably disposed in the mounting hole and is connected to the connecting boss and the fixing body through magnetic levitation bearings. A spline hole is provided at one end of the rotating shaft. The driving helical gear is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft inside the assembly cavity. The plurality of transmission helical gears are evenly distributed around the driving helical gear and all mesh with the driving helical gear.

[0010] This configuration, employing helical gear meshing transmission, offers a larger tooth surface contact area compared to spur gear transmission, resulting in smoother transmission, the ability to withstand greater loads, and reduced noise and vibration during transmission. The shaft connects to the connecting boss and the fixed body via magnetic levitation bearings. Magnetic levitation bearings have no mechanical contact, resulting in minimal friction and reduced energy loss. They also avoid the wear problems of traditional bearings, extending the shaft's service life. Furthermore, the magnetic levitation bearings allow for slight axial movement of the shaft, enabling braking components when used in conjunction with the brake drive. The splined hole design facilitates quick connection of the shaft to an external power source, and the splined connection provides high torque transmission and centering accuracy, ensuring stable power transmission. The mounting hole penetrating the fixed body provides a connection path for the shaft to external components, ensuring coaxiality and further improving transmission accuracy.

[0011] Preferably, the other end of the fixing body is detachably provided with an end cover, a coupling is rotatably provided on the end cover, a spline shaft is fixedly provided on the coupling, the spline shaft matches the spline hole, and the free end is inserted into the spline hole.

[0012] This design, with its detachable end cap, facilitates the installation, maintenance, and replacement of internal components such as the rotating shaft and magnetic bearings, reducing equipment maintenance costs. The coupling on the end cap connects to the rotating shaft via a splined shaft and splined holes. The splined connection offers excellent guidance and separability, ensuring efficient power transmission while allowing for quick separation of the coupling from the rotating shaft when needed. Furthermore, it maintains connection and power transmission even during axial movement of the rotating shaft. The coupling also facilitates connection between the rotating shaft and external components and can compensate for installation errors and axial / radial displacements during rotation, improving the adaptability of the transmission system and reducing installation difficulty.

[0013] Preferably, the brake assembly includes a mounting ring fixed to the connecting boss. The mounting ring has a plurality of sliding grooves, which are radially and evenly distributed with the center line of the mounting ring as the vertex. A push rod is slidably disposed in the sliding groove. A drive column is fixedly disposed at one end of the push rod, and a brake pad is fixedly disposed at the other end. A brake spring is also fitted on the push rod. One end of the brake spring is connected to the brake pad, and the other end is connected to the mounting ring. A limit ring is also provided on the mounting ring. A rotating disk is disposed in the limit ring. The rotating disk has the same number of brake grooves as the sliding grooves. Each brake groove intersects the projection of the opposite sliding groove on the surface of the connecting boss, and the free end of the drive column is located in the brake groove.

[0014] This design, employing radially distributed grooves and push rods, allows multiple brake pads to simultaneously apply braking force to the rotating housing, resulting in a more even distribution of braking force and avoiding the uneven force distribution and accelerated wear issues caused by single-point braking. The brake springs ensure that the brake pads remain in contact with the brake rings even when the brake drive is not outputting, maintaining the braking state. The brake grooves on the rotating disc cooperate with the drive pins of the push rods, allowing multiple push rods to move simultaneously through the rotation of the disc, achieving synchronized action of multiple brake pads and improving braking consistency and reliability. The limiting rings limit the rotation of the disc, ensuring stable rotation and preventing the disc from shifting due to force during braking.

[0015] Preferably, the brake drive includes a drive tube, a brake electromagnet, and a brake controller. The drive tube is coaxially fixed to the rotating disk. A spiral drive groove is formed on the inner wall of the drive tube. The brake electromagnet is disposed on the connecting boss on one side of the drive tube. A telescopic column is fixedly disposed at the output end of the brake electromagnet. The free end of the telescopic column passes through the mounting ring and is inserted into the drive tube. A slider is also fixedly disposed on the telescopic column inside the drive tube. The slider is located in the drive groove.

[0016] This configuration, through the interaction of the spiral drive groove on the inner wall of the drive tube and the slider on the telescopic column, converts the linear motion of the brake electromagnet into the rotational motion of the rotating disc, resulting in high transmission efficiency and a compact structure. The brake electromagnet, as the power source, has a fast response speed, enabling rapid braking, and the braking timing and force can be precisely controlled by the brake controller. The interaction between the telescopic column and the drive groove eliminates the need for complex mechanical transmission structures, reducing the number of parts and lowering the probability of failure. By converting electrical signals into mechanical braking actions, the braking process is automated and precise, improving the safety and reliability of the equipment.

[0017] Preferably, the fixing component includes a positioning groove and a fixing hole. The fixing hole is formed through the side wall of the rotating cover, and a positioning cone is provided in the fixing hole. The positioning groove is formed on the connecting boss, and two pressure bearings are provided in the positioning groove. Push rings are provided on the opposite surfaces of the two pressure bearings, and the push rings are matched with the positioning cones.

[0018] This configuration, through the cooperation of the positioning cone, push ring, and pressure bearing, provides axial positioning for the rotating cover while allowing it to rotate. The pressure bearing reduces frictional resistance between the rotating cover and the connecting boss, lowering energy loss during rotation. The two pressure bearings and the push ring within the positioning groove form a stable support structure capable of withstanding the axial load of the rotating cover and preventing axial movement during rotation. The detachable design of the fixing hole and positioning cone facilitates the connection and separation of the rotating cover from the connecting boss, improving assembly efficiency.

[0019] Preferably, the brake electromagnet includes a coil and an iron core, the iron core is slidably disposed inside the coil, and the cross-section of the iron core and the inner hole of the coil are the same and neither is circular, and the telescopic column is fixedly connected to the iron core.

[0020] This design, where both the iron core and the inner bore of the coil of the brake electromagnet have non-circular cross-sections, prevents the iron core from rotating within the coil, ensuring that the iron core moves only in a straight line. This guarantees the stability of the telescopic column's output direction and avoids the problem of the drive slot and slider failing to mesh due to iron core rotation. The precise fit between the iron core and the coil improves the electromagnet's magnetic efficiency, making the telescopic column's extension and retraction more sensitive and faster in response, further optimizing braking performance.

[0021] Preferably, the brake controller includes a signal ring and a detection device. The signal ring is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft, and the detection device is fixedly mounted on the fixing body or the connecting boss, with its input end opposite to the signal ring.

[0022] This configuration allows the brake on the rotating cover to be released by turning on the power to the brake solenoid. The axial movement of the shaft is monitored through the cooperation of the signal ring and the detection device. When axial movement occurs, the endpoint of the brake solenoid is controlled, and the brake spring pushes the brake pads to apply the brakes. The signal ring is fixed to the shaft and rotates synchronously with it, ensuring the accuracy of the detection signal. The fixed setting of the detection device ensures the stability of the detection. Together, they improve the precision and reliability of the brake control.

[0023] Preferably, a brake ring and a gear ring are also fixedly provided inside the rotating cover. The brake ring is positioned opposite to the brake pad, and the gear ring meshes with the transmission helical gear.

[0024] This design, with a brake ring positioned opposite the brake pads on the inner side of the rotating housing, provides an effective braking surface, enhancing braking performance and improving durability. The engagement of the gear ring with the transmission helical gear enables power connection between the rotating housing and the transmission assembly, allowing for efficient power transmission from the transmission assembly to the rotating housing, driving its rotation. Integrating the brake ring and gear ring inside the rotating housing fully utilizes its internal space, resulting in a more compact overall structure while ensuring direct braking and transmission actions and reducing energy loss during power transmission and braking.

[0025] Preferably, the end cap is provided with a plug, which is electrically connected to the magnetic levitation bearing and the brake drive respectively.

[0026] This configuration, with the plugs on the end caps connecting to the magnetic levitation bearing and brake drive respectively, achieves centralized connection between the external power supply and internal electrical components, simplifying the equipment's wiring structure and facilitating circuit installation and maintenance. The plug design makes electrical connections more convenient; when the end caps need to be removed for internal maintenance, the electrical connections can be quickly disconnected, improving maintenance efficiency. Simultaneously, the centralized power supply ensures the stability of the power supply to the magnetic levitation bearing and brake drive, guaranteeing the coordinated operation of all electrical components.

[0027] The advantages and positive effects of this invention are:

[0028] This invention utilizes the principle that helical gears experience axial force when meshing. It employs a magnetic levitation bearing that allows axial movement to connect the rotating shaft to the fixed component. A detection device monitors the shaft's state. When the output of the joint module is overloaded, the transmission helical gear is jammed and stops rotating. Therefore, when the drive gear rotates, it interacts with the teeth of the transmission helical gear, causing the drive gear to move the rotating shaft axially along the mounting hole. When the sensor detects this axial movement, it controls the brake electromagnet to rotate, driving the rotating disk through the drive tube. The brake groove on the rotating disk and the drive column work together to move the push rod, causing the brake pads on the push rod to contact the brake ring, braking the rotating cover. Simultaneously, the signal from the detection device is transmitted to the power source connected to the coupling, stopping the power source's output and preventing overload damage. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the adjusting holes and fixing holes in this invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation positions of the coupling and socket of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the rotating disk and the limiting ring of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting ring and sliding groove structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation positions of the driving helical gear and the transmission helical gear of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the brake pad and the rotating disc of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the rotating cover of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the telescopic column and the active disc of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the brake pads, drive column, and push rod of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the coupling and splined shaft structure of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 11 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 Enlarged view of the structure at point A in the image;

[0042] Figure 13 yes Figure 11 Enlarged view of the structure at point B in the image.

[0043] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0044] 1. Fixed body; 2. Assembly cavity; 3. End cover; 4. Coupling; 5. Plug; 6. Rotating cover; 7. Transmission helical gear; 8. Limiting ring; 9. Rotating disk; 10. Brake groove; 11. Mounting ring; 12. Slide groove; 13. Drive tube; 14. Brake pad; 15. Push rod; 16. Brake spring; 17. Drive column; 18. Rotating shaft; 19. Gear ring; 20. Brake ring; 21. Drive helical gear; 22. Spline hole; 23. Spline shaft; 24. Magnetic levitation bearing; 25. Adjustment hole; 26. Sensor; 27. Drive groove; 28. Pressure bearing; 29. ​​Telescopic column; 30. Iron core; 31. Coil; 32. Slider; 33. Signal ring; 34. Connecting boss; 35. Mounting hole; 36. Fixing hole; 37. Positioning cone; 38. Positioning groove; 39. Push ring. Detailed Implementation

[0045] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0046] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0048] Example: Figures 1-13 As shown, a humanoid robot joint module with an overload protection structure includes a fixed body 1 and a rotating cover 6. The fixed body 1 serves as the basic load-bearing component of the entire module and is provided with a connecting boss 34 for mounting and positioning the rotating cover 6. An assembly cavity 2 is provided at the connection between the connecting boss 34 and the fixed body 1, providing installation space for a transmission component. The transmission component is housed within the assembly cavity 2 and transmits power to drive the rotating cover 6 to rotate. A brake assembly and a brake drive are provided on the connecting boss 34. The brake assembly brakes the rotating cover 6 under overload conditions, and the brake drive provides power to the brake assembly. The output end of the brake drive is connected to the brake assembly to drive its operation, and the brake drive is also connected to the transmission assembly to receive operating status signals from the transmission assembly. The rotating cover 6 is fitted onto the connecting boss 34 and connected to the connecting boss 34 through a fixing component. The fixing component ensures that the rotating cover 6 rotates stably on the connecting boss 34. The transmission component and the brake component are respectively connected to the rotating cover 6. The transmission component drives the rotating cover 6 to rotate, and the brake component brakes the rotating cover 6.

[0049] The transmission assembly includes a mounting hole 35, a rotating shaft 18, a drive helical gear 21, and several transmission helical gears 7. One end of the mounting hole 35 is located on the connecting boss 34 within the assembly cavity 2, and the other end passes through the fixed body 1. The mounting hole 35 provides a mounting channel for the rotating shaft 18. The rotating shaft 18 is rotatably mounted within the mounting hole 35 and is connected to both the connecting boss 34 and the fixed body 1 via magnetic levitation bearings 24. The magnetic levitation bearings 24 reduce friction during the rotation of the rotating shaft 18, ensuring rotational accuracy. Simultaneously, the magnetic levitation bearings 24 allow the rotating shaft 18 to move axially along the mounting hole 35 and can automatically reset after being energized. A spline hole 22 is provided at one end of the rotating shaft 18 for connection to an external power input component. The drive helical gear 21 is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft 18 inside the assembly cavity 2 and rotates synchronously with the rotating shaft 18. There are at least three transmission helical gears 7, which are evenly distributed around the drive helical gear 21 and all mesh with the drive helical gear 21. When the drive helical gear 21 rotates, it drives the transmission helical gears 7 to rotate. The transmission helical gears 7 then transmit power to the rotating cover 6 through the meshing gear ring 19.

[0050] The other end of the fixed body 1 is detachably equipped with an end cap 3, which is used to close the end of the fixed body 1 and protect the internal components. A coupling 4 is rotatably mounted on the end cap 3, which is used to connect an external power source to the rotating shaft 18. A spline shaft 23 is fixedly mounted on the coupling 4. The spline shaft 23 rotates synchronously with the coupling 4. The spline shaft 23 matches the spline hole 22, and its free end is inserted into the spline hole 22. Through the cooperation between the spline shaft 23 and the spline hole 22, the power transmission between the coupling 4 and the rotating shaft 18 is realized.

[0051] The brake assembly includes a mounting ring 11 fixed to the connecting boss 34, which provides a mounting base for other components of the brake assembly. The mounting ring 11 has several grooves 12, which are radially and evenly distributed around the center line of the mounting ring 11, providing sliding guidance for the push rod 15. The push rod 15 is slidably mounted within the grooves 12, and can slide along the grooves. A drive post 17 is fixedly mounted at one end of the push rod 15, driving the push rod 15 to slide, and a brake pad 14 is fixedly mounted at the other end, generating braking friction by contacting the rotating cover 6. A brake spring 16 is also fitted onto the push rod 15, with one end connected to the brake pad 14 and the other end connected to the mounting ring 11. The brake spring 16 can push the brake pad 14 into contact with the brake ring 20 without power being connected, thus braking the rotating cover 6. A limiting ring 8 is also provided on the mounting ring 11. The limiting ring 8 limits the rotation disk 9. The rotation disk 9 is provided inside the limiting ring 8. The rotation disk 9 has the same number of brake grooves 10 as the slide groove 12. Each brake groove 10 intersects the projection of the opposite slide groove 12 on the surface of the connecting boss 34. The free end of the drive column 17 is located in the brake groove 10. When the rotation disk 9 rotates, it will drive the push rod 15 to move along the slide groove 12 through the cooperation of the brake groove 10 and the drive column 17.

[0052] The brake drive includes a drive tube 13, a brake electromagnet, and a brake controller. The drive tube 13 is coaxially fixed to the rotating disk 9, and its rotation causes the rotating disk 9 to rotate synchronously. A spiral drive groove 27 is formed on the inner wall of the drive tube 13, which cooperates with the slider 32 to convert force. The brake electromagnet is mounted on a connecting boss 34 on one side of the drive tube 13, providing power for the brake drive. A telescopic column 29 is fixedly mounted at the output end of the brake electromagnet, and it extends and retracts under the action of the brake electromagnet. The free end of the telescopic column 29 passes through the mounting ring 11 and is inserted into the drive tube 13. A slider 32 is also fixedly mounted on the telescopic column 29 inside the drive tube 13. The slider 32 moves synchronously with the telescopic column 29 and is located within the drive groove 27. When the telescopic column 29 moves the slider 32, the slider 32 slides within the drive groove 27, causing the drive tube 13 to rotate.

[0053] The fixing assembly includes a positioning groove 38 and a fixing hole 36. The fixing hole 36 is formed through the side wall of the rotating cover 6, providing an installation position for the positioning cone 37. The positioning cone 37 is installed inside the fixing hole 36. The positioning pin is connected to the fixing hole 36 by a threaded engagement. The positioning cone 37 is used for axial positioning of the rotating cover 6. The positioning groove 38 is formed on the connecting boss 34, providing installation space for the pressure bearing 28 and the push ring 39. Two pressure bearings 28 are installed inside the positioning groove 38. The pressure bearings 28 reduce friction when the rotating cover 6 rotates. The push ring 39 is provided on the opposite surface of the two pressure bearings 28. The push ring 39 cooperates with the positioning cone 37 to achieve positioning. The push ring 39 and the positioning cone 37 match each other. Through the action of the positioning cone 37 and the push ring 39, the axial displacement of the rotating cover 6 is restricted.

[0054] The brake electromagnet includes a coil 31 and an iron core 30. When the coil 31 is energized, it generates magnetic force to drive the iron core 30 to move. The iron core 30 is slidably disposed within the coil 31, and the cross-sections of the iron core 30 and the inner hole of the coil 31 are the same but not circular, to prevent the iron core 30 from rotating within the coil 31 and to ensure stable movement. The telescopic column 29 is fixedly connected to the iron core 30, and when the iron core 30 moves, it drives the telescopic column 29 to move synchronously.

[0055] The brake controller includes a signal ring 33 and a detection device. The detection device uses a Hall sensor 26. The signal ring 33 is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft 18 and rotates synchronously with the shaft 18. The signal ring 33 is used to cooperate with the Hall sensor 26 to detect the movement state of the rotating shaft 18. The detection device is fixedly mounted on the fixed body 1 or the connecting boss 34, and its input end is opposite to the signal ring 33. In the initial state, the signal ring 33 is aligned with the input end of the Hall sensor 26. When the rotating shaft 18 moves axially, it will cause the signal ring 33 to move, and the signal ring 33 will be misaligned with the input end of the Hall sensor 26. At this time, the Hall sensor 26 will lose the position of the signal ring 33, thereby sending a signal to control the brake electromagnet to act.

[0056] A brake ring 20 and a gear ring 19 are also fixedly installed inside the rotating cover 6. The brake ring 20 is positioned opposite the brake pad 14. The brake pad 14 contacts the brake ring 20 to generate friction and achieve braking. The gear ring 19 meshes with the transmission helical gear 7. When the transmission helical gear 7 rotates, it drives the gear ring 19 to rotate, which in turn drives the rotating cover 6 to rotate. An adjustment hole 25 is provided through the end face of the rotating cover 6. One end of the drive tube 13 is connected to the telescopic column 29, and the other end is inserted into the adjustment hole 25. The adjustment hole 25 can not only support the drive tube 13, but also manually release the brake by rotating the drive tube 13 inserted into the adjustment hole 25, which facilitates turning or adjusting the position of the rotating cover 6 during maintenance.

[0057] The end cap 3 is provided with a plug 5, which is used to connect an external power source and control circuit. The plug 5 is electrically connected to the magnetic levitation bearing 24 and the brake drive respectively, providing power and control signals to the magnetic levitation bearing 24 and the brake drive.

[0058] The working process of this embodiment is as follows: Before operation, the brake pad 14 contacts the brake ring 20 under the push of the brake spring 16, at which time the rotating cover 6 is in a braking state. Then, the joint module is connected to the robot's main control unit through the socket, and then the joint module is fixed to the robot through the fixing body 1 and connected to the power source through the coupling 4, while the rotating cover 6 is connected to the robot's actuator.

[0059] During operation, the power supply to the coil 31 and the magnetic levitation bearing 24 is first connected through the plug 5. After the power supply to the magnetic levitation bearing 24 is connected, the rotating shaft 18 will be positioned at the center of the mounting hole 35, ensuring that there is a gap of 0.2-0.4mm between the outer wall of the rotating shaft 18 and the inner wall of the mounting hole 35 in all directions. At the same time, the adsorption force of the magnetic levitation bearing 24 will also position the rotating shaft 18. When the external force is not greater than the magnetic force of the magnetic levitation bearing 24, the rotating shaft 18 will not move axially. Therefore, adjusting the magnetic force of the magnetic levitation bearing 24 can adjust the overload threshold of the joint module.

[0060] Next, when the power supply to coil 31 is turned on, it will generate magnetism. The magnetized coil 31 will drive the iron core 30 to move within the coil 31, and drive the telescopic column 29 to move. When the telescopic column 29 moves, it will drive the rotating disk 9 to rotate through the slider 32 and the spiral drive groove 27. After the rotating disk 9 rotates, it will drive the push rod 15 to move towards the rotating disk 9 under the cooperation of the brake groove 10 and the drive column 17. When the push rod 15 moves towards the rotating disk 9, the brake pad 14 will compress the brake spring 16, and at the same time the brake pad 14 will separate from the wheel ring. At this time, the brake of the rotating cover 6 is released.

[0061] Then the external power source will drive the coupling 4 to rotate. When the coupling 4 rotates, it will drive the rotating shaft 18 to rotate through the cooperation of the spline shaft 23 and the spline hole 22. When the rotating shaft 18 rotates, the driving helical gear 21 will drive the transmission helical gear 7 to rotate. After the transmission helical gear 7 rotates, it will drive the rotating cover 6 to rotate through the gear ring 19.

[0062] When the reaction force of the actuator connected to the rotating cover 6 is greater than the axial force applied to the rotating shaft 18 by the magnetic levitation bearing 24, the helical gear 21 will drive the rotating shaft 18 to move axially along the mounting shaft under the action of the axial force applied by the transmission helical gear 7. At this time, the signal ring 33 will move axially along the mounting hole 35 with the rotating shaft 18. After the input end of the detection device loses the position of the signal ring 33, it will send a signal. At this time, the power supply of the coil 31 will be cut off, and the coil 31 will lose its magnetic force after the power supply is cut off. As a result, the tension applied to the telescopic column 29 through the iron core 30 will also disappear. After the tension of the telescopic column 29 disappears, the rotational force applied to the rotating disk 9 will also disappear. At this time, the brake spring 16 will extend and push the brake pad 14 to contact the brake ring 20 to brake the rotating cover 6. At the same time, after the sensor 26 sends a signal, the power supply of the external power source will also be cut off.

[0063] When the rotating cover 6 needs to be disassembled, replaced, or repaired, the tip of the positioning pin will be pulled out from the positioning groove 38 between the two push rings 39 by rotating the positioning cone 37 in the fixing hole 36 under the engagement of the thread. After all the tips of the positioning cones 37 have been pulled out from the positioning groove 38 between the two push rings 39, the brake will be released by rotating the drive tube 13 in the adjusting hole 25. Then the rotating cover 6 can be removed from the connecting boss 34 for repair or replacement.

[0064] When installing the rotating cover 6, the drive tube 13 needs to be rotated through the adjustment hole 25 to keep the brake in the released state. Then, the rotating cover 6 is put onto the connecting boss 34, and the gear ring 19 is engaged with the transmission gear. After the gear ring 19 and the transmission gear are engaged, the positioning cone 37 in the fixing hole 36 is rotated. The tip of the positioning cone 37 is inserted into the positioning groove 38 between the two push rings 39 through the thread engagement. Since the mating surfaces of the two push rings 39 and the positioning cone 37 are also inclined, the push rings 39 will move to both sides as the positioning cone 37 is continuously inserted. After moving, they will squeeze the pressure bearing 28. Through the mutual cooperation with the pressure bearings 28 on both sides, the resistance when the rotating cover 6 rotates can be reduced.

[0065] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention, but this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. All equivalent variations and modifications made within the scope of the claims of this invention should still fall within the patent coverage of this invention.

Claims

1. A humanoid robot joint module with overload protection structure, comprising a fixed body (1) and a rotating cover (6), characterized in that: The fixed body (1) is provided with a connecting boss (34), an assembly cavity (2) is arranged at the connecting position of the connecting boss (34) and the fixed body (1), a transmission assembly is arranged in the assembly cavity (2), a brake assembly and a brake drive are arranged on the connecting boss (34), the output end of the brake drive is connected with the brake assembly, the brake drive is also connected with the transmission assembly, the rotating cover (6) is sleeved on the connecting boss (34) and connected with the connecting boss (34) through a fixing assembly, and the transmission assembly and the brake assembly are respectively connected with the rotating cover (6); The transmission assembly comprises a mounting hole (35), a rotating shaft (18), a driving bevel gear (21) and a plurality of transmission bevel gears (7), one end of the mounting hole (35) is arranged on the connecting boss (34) in the assembly cavity (2), and the other end penetrates through the fixed body (1), the rotating shaft (18) is rotatably arranged in the mounting hole (35) and connected with the connecting boss (34) and the fixed body (1) through magnetic suspension bearings (24), a spline hole (22) is arranged at one end of the rotating shaft (18), the driving bevel gear (21) is fixedly sleeved on the rotating shaft (18) in the assembly cavity (2), and a plurality of transmission bevel gears (7) are uniformly distributed around the driving bevel gear (21) and meshed with the driving bevel gear (21); The brake assembly comprises a mounting ring (11) fixed on the connecting boss (34), a plurality of sliding grooves (12) are arranged on the mounting ring (11) and uniformly distributed radially with the center line of the mounting ring (11) as the vertex, a push rod (15) is slidably arranged in the sliding groove (12), a driving column (17) is fixedly arranged at one end of the push rod (15), a brake pad (14) is fixedly arranged at the other end of the push rod (15), a brake spring (16) is further sleeved on the push rod (15), one end of the brake spring (16) is connected with the brake pad (14), and the other end is connected with the mounting ring (11), a limiting ring (8) is further arranged on the mounting ring (11), a rotating disc (9) is arranged in the limiting ring (8), a same number of brake grooves (10) as the sliding grooves (12) are arranged on the rotating disc (9), each brake groove (10) intersects with the projection of the opposite sliding groove (12) on the surface of the connecting boss (34), and the free end of the driving column (17) is located in the brake groove (10).

2. The anthropomorphic robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The other end of the fixed body (1) is detachably provided with an end cover (3), a shaft coupling (4) is rotatably arranged on the end cover (3), a spline shaft (23) is fixedly arranged on the shaft coupling (4), the spline shaft (23) is matched with the spline hole (22), and the free end is inserted into the spline hole (22).

3. The humanoid robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brake drive comprises a drive pipe (13), a brake electromagnet and a brake controller, the drive pipe (13) is coaxially penetrated and fixed on the rotating disc (9), a spiral drive groove (27) is arranged on the inner wall of the drive pipe (13), the brake electromagnet is arranged on the connecting boss (34) on one side of the drive pipe (13), the output end of the brake electromagnet is fixedly provided with an extension column (29), the free end of the extension column (29) is inserted into the drive pipe (13) after penetrating the mounting ring (11), the extension column (29) in the drive pipe (13) is further fixedly provided with a sliding block (32), and the sliding block (32) is located in the drive groove (27).

4. The humanoid robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing assembly comprises a positioning groove (38) and a fixing hole (36), the fixing hole (36) is penetrated and arranged on the side wall of the rotating cover (6), and a positioning cone (37) is arranged in the fixing hole (36); the positioning groove (38) is arranged on the connecting boss (34), two pressure bearings (28) are arranged in the positioning groove (38), and a push ring (39) is arranged on the opposite surfaces of the two pressure bearings (28), and the push ring (39) is matched with the positioning cone (37).

5. The anthropomorphic robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The brake electromagnet comprises a coil (31) and an iron core (30), the iron core (30) is slidably arranged in the coil (31), the cross section of the iron core (30) is the same as the inner hole of the coil (31), and both are non-circular, and the extension column (29) is fixedly connected with the iron core (30).

6. The human-shaped robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The brake controller comprises a signal ring (33) and a detection device, the signal ring (33) is fixedly sleeved on the rotating shaft (18), the detection device is fixedly arranged on the fixed body (1) or the connecting boss (34), and the input end is opposite to the signal ring (33).

7. The human-shaped robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner side of the rotating cover (6) is further fixedly provided with a brake ring (20) and a gear ring (19), the brake ring (20) is opposite to the brake pad (14), and the gear ring (19) is engaged with the transmission bevel gear (7).

8. The human-shaped robot joint module with overload protection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The end cover (3) is provided with a plug (5), and the plug (5) is electrically connected with the magnetic suspension bearing (24) and the brake drive respectively.

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