A mechanical arm for printing by a drone and a method of using the same

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of mechanical hands, in particular to a mechanical arm for unmanned aerial vehicle printing and a use method thereof, which comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body, a mounting box and a driving cylinder; the mounting box is mounted below the unmanned aerial vehicle, the mounting box is provided with a hollow structure, and a first through hole is arranged on the lower surface; the driving cylinder is mounted in the interior of the mounting box; the mechanical arm further comprises a raw material disc, a mounting frame, a driving motor, a rotating frame, a protection mechanism and a printing mechanism; the raw material disc is mounted in the interior of the mounting box, the surface of the raw material disc is provided with multiple layers of printing raw materials; the mounting frame is mounted below the mounting box, and the mounting frame and the lower end of the driving cylinder are fixedly mounted; the driving motor is mounted in the interior of the mounting frame; the rotating frame is mounted on the side surface of the driving motor; the protection mechanism is mounted on the side surface of the rotating frame; and the printing mechanism is mounted on the top end of the lower rotating frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotic arm technology, specifically to a robotic arm for printing on unmanned aerial vehicles and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] In the rapidly developing fields of additive manufacturing and intelligent manufacturing in recent years, 3D printing using drones equipped with robotic arms has become an emerging research direction. Unlike traditional fixed 3D printing equipment, drones combined with robotic arms can overcome spatial and site limitations, enabling rapid modeling and material deposition in complex or hazardous environments, exhibiting excellent flexibility and adaptability. Drone printing technology shows enormous application potential, especially in fields such as building construction, post-disaster reconstruction, and on-site manufacturing of special components. However, because the drone platform itself needs to maintain flight stability, its robotic arm often requires high degrees of freedom and a large range of motion to complete multi-angle, multi-directional printing paths in space. This high degree of freedom inevitably places higher demands on the filament delivery process required for printing. Specifically, when the robotic arm performs complex continuous rotations and dynamic spatial position adjustments, the filament is prone to tangling, excessive bending, or even breakage due to untimely following or path obstruction, directly causing the printing process to be interrupted, affecting printing accuracy and finished product quality.

[0003] On the other hand, most existing filament delivery methods are designed for stationary printing equipment, and their structures are usually relatively simple, relying mainly on direct transmission between the extruder and the feeding mechanism. They lack sufficient consideration for the continuity and stability of materials in dynamic environments. When these methods are directly applied to robotic arm systems mounted on drones, they often cannot adapt to the large-scale swinging and multi-axis linkages generated by the robotic arm during printing, leading to problems such as excessive filament stretching and unstable filament delivery. Especially when printing large-size or complex-shaped structures, the robotic arm needs to frequently rotate, tilt, and extend. This continuous change in posture easily puts the filament in a high-stress state, causing it to break or become poorly delivered. Furthermore, filament entanglement not only affects the continuity of feeding but may also obstruct the robotic arm's movement, increasing the uncertainty and risk of flight control. Therefore, how to ensure smooth and stable filament delivery while maintaining the high degree of freedom of the robotic arm has become a crucial technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in the field of drone printing.

[0004] In view of the above, in order to overcome the above technical problems, the present invention designs a robotic arm for drone printing and its usage method, thus solving the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical objective of this invention is to design a robotic arm for drone printing and its usage method, ensuring high degree of freedom of movement of the robotic arm while achieving smooth and stable wire delivery.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A robotic arm for drone printing includes a drone body, a mounting box, and a drive cylinder. The mounting box is installed below the drone and has a hollow internal structure with a first through hole at the bottom. The drive cylinder is installed inside the mounting box. The arm also includes a material tray, a mounting frame, a drive motor, a rotating frame, a protective mechanism, and a printing mechanism. The material tray is installed inside the mounting box, and its surface is coated with multiple rings of printing material. The mounting frame is installed below the mounting box, and its lower ends are fixedly mounted to the drive cylinder. The drive motor is installed inside the mounting frame, and the rotating frame is installed on the side of the drive motor. The protective mechanism is installed on the side of the rotating frame, and its connecting components use adjustable sliding grooves to accommodate changes in the position of the printing material filament during rotation. The printing mechanism is installed at the top of the rotating frame below, and its lower part has a counterweight to ensure the entire printing mechanism is vertically downward. A cleaning chamber is also provided in the main working block of the printing mechanism. A cleaning nozzle installed in the cleaning chamber can wash away dust from the PLA filament, ensuring the purity of the printing material.

[0008] Furthermore, the protection mechanism also includes a protective vertical rod, a fixing block, a protective diagonal rod, a protective strip, and a brushless motor. The protective vertical rod is installed below the mounting box, the fixing block is installed below the protective vertical rod, the protective diagonal rod is installed below the fixing block, and the protective strip is installed on the side of the lower rotating frame. The protective vertical rod, the fixing block, the protective diagonal rod, and the protective strip all have circular cross-section channels inside. The lowest end of the protective diagonal rod is provided with a mating slider, which is an arc-shaped block. The connecting assembly is installed on the side of the lower rotating frame, and the brushless motor is installed on the side of the connecting assembly.

[0009] Furthermore, the connecting assembly includes a connecting sleeve, an adjusting groove, a driving wheel, a driven wheel, and an annular groove; the connecting sleeve is mounted on the rotating frame, the adjusting groove is formed on the annular surface of the connecting sleeve, the adjusting groove is arc-shaped, the driving wheel is mounted in the middle of the connecting sleeve, the driven wheel is mounted next to the driving wheel, and the surfaces of the driving wheel and the driven wheel are provided with annular grooves; the top of the driving wheel is fixedly connected to the output end of the brushless motor.

[0010] Furthermore, the printing mechanism includes a fixing component, a working block, a mounting component, a guide post, a print head, and a counterweight; the fixing component is installed at the farthest end of the lower rotating frame, the working block is installed in the middle of the fixing component, the mounting component is installed on the side of the working block, the guide post is located inside the working block, the print head is installed below the working block, the counterweight is installed below the working block, and the counterweight is arranged around the print head.

[0011] Furthermore, the fixing component includes a fixing ring, a mounting pin, a second through hole, and a mounting block; the fixing ring is the main body of the fixing component, and the fixing ring is horseshoe-shaped, which is used to wrap around the working block, fixing the working block and protecting it at the same time; the mounting pin is installed on the outer side of the fixing ring; the second through hole is opened through the fixing ring, and the second through hole is used to pass the raw material wire in the protective strip into the working block; the mounting block is set on the inner side of both ends of the fixing ring.

[0012] Furthermore, the working block has a cleaning chamber inside, which is used to clean the raw material filament before it enters the print head, ensuring the structural stability of the printed product. The cleaning chamber is equipped with a ring of cleaning nozzles. The cleaning nozzles spray the raw material filament with high pressure to wash away dust and other impurities. The guide post is located at the central axis of the cleaning chamber and is used to dry and preheat the raw material filament.

[0013] Furthermore, the working block also includes a sliding groove, a limiting groove, and an adjusting slider; the sliding groove is located next to the cleaning chamber and is connected to the cleaning chamber; the limiting groove is located on two sides of the sliding groove and is trapezoidal; the adjusting slider is installed in the middle of the sliding groove and has a hollow hole in the middle, allowing the adjusting slider to slide freely within the sliding groove to ensure the stability of the raw material wire transportation.

[0014] The mounting assembly includes a fixing pin, a rotating ring, and wear-resistant balls. The fixing pin is installed on the central axis of the side of the working block, the rotating ring is installed outside the fixing pin, and the wear-resistant balls are located in the gap between the fixing pin and the rotating ring. The mounting assembly can install the working block in the middle of the fixing ring and, together with the counterweight, achieve the working requirement that the print head is always set vertically downward.

[0015] Furthermore, the guide post includes a guide ramp, a cleaning channel, and a heating wire. The guide ramp is located on top of the guide post, and the cleaning channel is located in the middle of the guide post. The cleaning channel is inclined downwards from the axis of the guide post. After the raw material filament passes through the guide ramp, most of the surface moisture is scraped off. This water flows out into the cleaning chamber through the cleaning channel. The heating wire is installed inside the guide post. The heating wire is used to dry the surface of the raw material filament, evaporate the moisture brought by the cleaning nozzle, and preheat it, thereby facilitating the hot melt printing by the printing nozzle.

[0016] A method for using a robotic arm for drone printing, the method comprising the following steps:

[0017] S1: The operator first imports the 3D model data through the ground control station. The software automatically generates the global flight path of the UAV body and the fine printing trajectory of the robotic arm. The flight path includes not only spatial coordinate information, but also attitude parameters, printing speed commands and material extrusion rate parameters.

[0018] S2: After the operator starts the mission, the flight control system of the UAV takes over the control of the UAV and flies autonomously according to the predetermined route, ensuring that the position error of the UAV in three-dimensional space is less than 2 cm. The drive motor and drive cylinder drive the mounting frame and rotating frame to change position to meet the printing mission route.

[0019] S3: The raw material wire enters the protection mechanism from the raw material tray through the first through hole, passes through the protection vertical rod, the fixing block, the protection diagonal rod, the matching slider, the connecting component and the protection strip, and then enters the interior of the printing mechanism through the second through hole;

[0020] S4: After the raw material wire passes through the adjusting slider, it enters the cleaning chamber. The cleaning nozzle sprays high-pressure water to clean the raw material wire. The wire enters the guide column, and the water droplets on the surface are scraped dry by the guide slope and discharged from the cleaning channel. The heating wire heats and dries the wire and preheats it.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0022] 1. This invention effectively solves the instability problem of filament transport in high-degree-of-freedom motion environments by introducing a protective mechanism, adjusting slider, and cleaning guide system into the printing structure of a drone robotic arm. Traditional drone printing, due to the continuous rotation and dynamic adjustment of the robotic arm's spatial position, is prone to filament entanglement, excessive bending, or even breakage, leading to printing interruptions. This invention, through a rational structural design, ensures that the filament is always in a stable and smooth transport state before entering the print head. For example, the combined action of the protective vertical rod, fixing block, and cooperating slider guides and constrains the filament, preventing it from shifting or excessively bending due to significant changes in the robotic arm's posture, thus effectively reducing the risk of entanglement. This innovative design significantly improves the continuity of filament transport, providing a reliable guarantee for uninterrupted printing by drones in complex motion environments.

[0023] 2. This invention adds a cleaning chamber and guide pillars inside the working block, and configures components such as a cleaning nozzle, guide ramp, cleaning channel, and heating wire, achieving optimized processing of the entire process for cleaning, drying, and preheating the filament. Before the filament enters the printhead, high-pressure jetting removes surface dust and impurities, preventing foreign objects from entering the nozzle and causing blockages or printing defects. After cleaning, the filament passes through the guide ramp to scrape off excess moisture and is discharged through the cleaning channel, ensuring the filament remains dry during transport. Simultaneously, the heating wire dries and moderately preheats the filament surface, eliminating potential transport obstacles caused by residual moisture and improving the filament's physical properties, making it easier to melt and flow upon entering the printhead, thereby improving printing accuracy and interlayer bonding strength. This integrated cleaning and pretreatment structure further reduces the adverse effects of the complex movements of the robotic arm on filament transport.

[0024] 3. This invention, through the rational coordination of the mounting components and the counterweight structure, ensures that the printhead always maintains a vertically downward working state, fundamentally solving the problem of printhead instability caused by robotic arm movement. The fixing pin, rotating ring, and wear-resistant ball bearings in the mounting components ensure the working block runs smoothly within the fixing ring, reducing interference from the additional tension generated by the multi-axis linkage of the robotic arm on filament delivery. Simultaneously, the counterweight arranged around the printhead effectively adjusts the center of gravity of the printing mechanism, eliminating printhead sway and vibration, further ensuring the stability of the filament before entering the printhead. Through the coordination of these structures, this invention not only significantly reduces the risk of filament entanglement and breakage but also ensures the accuracy and continuity of the printhead extrusion path, thereby improving the overall stability and product quality of UAV printing operations and solving a key problem hindering industry development in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] The above and other aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mounting box, drive cylinder, and raw material tray of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the protection mechanism of this invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of the connecting components of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is the present invention. Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the fixed component structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the working block of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the working block of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the method flow of the present invention.

[0036] In the diagram: 1. UAV body; 2. Mounting box; 21. First through hole; 3. Drive cylinder; 4. Raw material tray; 5. Mounting frame; 6. Drive motor; 7. Rotating frame; 8. Protection mechanism; 81. Protective vertical rod; 82. Fixing block; 83. Protective diagonal rod; 831. Matching slider; 84. Connecting assembly; 841. Connecting sleeve; 842. Adjusting slide; 843. Active rotating wheel; 844. Driven rotating wheel; 845. Annular groove; 85. Brushless motor; 86. Protective strip; 9. Printing mechanism; 9 1. Fixing component; 911. Fixing ring; 912. Mounting pin; 913. Second through hole; 914. Mounting block; 92. Working block; 921. Cleaning chamber; 922. Cleaning nozzle; 923. Sliding groove; 924. Limiting groove; 925. Adjusting slider; 93. Mounting component; 931. Fixing pin; 932. Rotating ring sleeve; 933. Wear-resistant ball; 94. Guide post; 941. Guide slope; 942. Cleaning flow channel; 943. Heating wire; 95. Printing nozzle; 96. Counterweight. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents some embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," and "back side," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is conventionally placed during use. These terms are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for 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; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention.

[0040] It should also be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" 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 can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] This disclosure aims to address the problem that most existing filament feeding methods are designed for fixed printing equipment, and their structures are generally relatively simple, relying mainly on direct transmission between the extruder and the feeding mechanism, lacking sufficient consideration for the continuity and stability of materials in dynamic motion environments. When these methods are directly applied to the robotic arm system mounted on a drone, they often cannot adapt to the large-scale swinging and multi-axis linkage generated by the robotic arm during the printing process, leading to problems such as excessive filament stretching and unstable filament direction. Especially when printing large-size or complex-shaped structures, the robotic arm needs to frequently rotate, tilt, and extend. This continuously changing posture can easily put the filament in a high-stress state, causing it to break or become difficult to feed. At the same time, filament entanglement not only affects the continuity of feeding but may also obstruct the movement of the robotic arm, increasing the uncertainty and risk of flight control. This disclosure proposes a robotic arm for drone printing and its usage method. By introducing a protective mechanism, an adjusting slider, and a cleaning and guiding system into the drone robotic arm printing structure, the instability problem of filament during transportation in high-degree-of-freedom motion environments is effectively solved. Traditional drone printing, due to the continuous rotation and dynamic spatial adjustments of the robotic arm, is highly susceptible to tangling, excessive bending, or even breakage of the raw material filament, leading to printing interruptions. This invention, through a rational structural design, ensures that the filament is always in a stable and smooth feeding state before entering the print head. For example, the combined action of the protective vertical rod, fixing block, and cooperating slider guides and constrains the filament, preventing it from shifting or excessively bending due to significant changes in the robotic arm's posture, thus effectively reducing the risk of tangling. This innovative design significantly improves the continuity of filament feeding, providing a reliable guarantee for uninterrupted printing by drones in complex motion environments.

[0042] like Figure 1-9As shown, a robotic arm for drone printing includes a drone body 1, a mounting box 2, and a drive cylinder 3. The drone body 1 can carry a printhead 95, a material delivery system, and sufficient printing material for extended periods. This requires the drone to have significant lift and power redundancy. In the air, it must withstand wind disturbances and maintain extremely precise hovering and position control, typically requiring centimeter- or even millimeter-level accuracy. Multi-rotor designs are mainstream, usually employing six- or eight-axis configurations to provide power redundancy. The mounting box 2 is installed below the drone and has a hollow internal structure with a first through-hole 21 at the bottom for facilitating the transfer of printing material. The drive cylinder 3 is installed inside the mounting box 2 and controls the up-and-down movement of the mounting frame 5, thereby enabling the printing mechanism 9 to quickly move to a suitable vertical position.

[0043] It also includes a raw material tray 4, a mounting frame 5, a drive motor 6, a rotating frame 7, a protective mechanism 8, and a printing mechanism 9. The raw material tray 4 is installed inside the mounting box 2 and can rotate under external traction. The surface of the raw material tray 4 is covered with multiple rings of printing raw material, which can be PLA filament. PLA is one of the most popular and commonly used FDM 3D printing materials. The printing temperature of PLA is usually between 180-220°C, much lower than that of materials such as ABS (220-250°C). This means that it has lower requirements for printers and does not require a fully enclosed structure or a high-temperature heated bed. PLA hardly shrinks when cooled, which means that the printed model is not prone to warping or cracking. This is one of its biggest advantages over ABS. It can easily print large-size models, and PLA can be successfully printed even without a heated bed. Therefore, PLA filament is one of the raw materials suitable for robotic arms for drone printing.

[0044] The mounting bracket 5 is installed below the mounting box 2. The mounting bracket 5 and the lower end of the drive cylinder 3 are fixedly installed, so that it can move vertically up and down under the control of the drive cylinder 3. The drive motor 6 is installed inside the mounting bracket 5. The rotating bracket 7 is installed on the side of the drive motor 6. The rotating bracket 7 and the drive motor 6 are arranged in pairs. There are two rotating brackets 7, and one end of the two rotating brackets 7 overlaps. The drive motor 6 can control the rotating bracket 7 to rotate at a certain angle, so as to complete the drone printing work more quickly and conveniently.

[0045] The protective mechanism 8 is mounted on the side of the rotating frame 7. During the 3D printing process, the robotic arm continuously rotates and dynamically adjusts its spatial position to adapt to the complex and diverse printing paths and model structure requirements. While this high degree of freedom of movement improves the flexibility and accuracy of printing, it also presents challenges to the material delivery system. Specifically, if the PLA filament is directly connected from the mounting box 2 to the printing mechanism 9 without corresponding buffering and protection mechanisms, a series of problems may arise during the printing process: First, the frequent attitude changes of the drone and the movement of the robotic arm can easily cause the filament to become tangled, excessively bent, or even broken, resulting in printing interruptions; second, if the material delivery speed and tension cannot be coordinated with the printing motion, it may lead to uneven extrusion, poor interlayer bonding, or defects on the model surface. The protective mechanism 8 ensures that the PLA filament is continuously delivered to the printing mechanism 9 at a stable and controllable speed, guaranteeing the uniformity and consistency of the extrusion process. This design not only effectively protects the integrity of the PLA filament in the dynamic printing environment but also significantly improves the printing success rate and model forming quality. To overcome the problems of entanglement, excessive bending, or even breakage caused by the rotation of the rotating frame 7 in the robotic arm, the connecting component 84 in the protection mechanism 8 is equipped with an adjusting slide 842 to adapt to the positional changes of the PLA filament during rotation. The connecting component 84 can also effectively control the travel speed of the PLA filament, thereby improving the stability of the printing process.

[0046] The printing mechanism 9 is installed at the top of the lower rotating frame 7. Since drone printing technology generally adopts a cyclic superposition printing mode, it is necessary to keep the printing nozzle 95 vertically downward. The lower part of the printing mechanism 9 is provided with a counterweight 96 to ensure that the entire printing mechanism 9 is vertically downward. The printing mechanism 9 is rotatably connected to the mounting component 93 and the fixing component 91 so that the printing nozzle 95 can move in multiple axes under the control of the driving cylinder 3 and the driving motor 6 during the printing process, and the printing nozzle 95 always works vertically downward during the printing process. The main working block 92 of the printing mechanism 9 is also provided with a cleaning chamber 921. The cleaning nozzle 922 installed in the cleaning chamber 921 can wash away the dust of PLA filament to ensure the purity of the printing raw material.

[0047] like Figure 3-4As shown, the protection mechanism 8 also includes a protective vertical rod 81, a fixing block 82, a protective diagonal rod 83, and a protective strip 86. The protective vertical rod 81 is installed below the mounting box 2, the fixing block 82 is installed below the protective vertical rod 81, and the protective diagonal rod 83 is installed below the fixing block 82. The protective vertical rod 81, the fixing block 82, and the protective diagonal rod 83 are fixedly installed together by welding. The protective strip 86 is installed on the side of the lower rotating frame 7 and its function is to protect the printing material filament between the connecting component 84 and the printing mechanism 9. The protective vertical rod 81, the fixing block 82, the protective diagonal rod 83, and the protective strip 86 all have circular cross-section channels inside for the printing material filament to pass through. The lowest end of the protective diagonal rod 83 is provided with a mating slider 831, which is an arc-shaped block.

[0048] like Figure 5 As shown, the protection mechanism 8 also includes a brushless motor 85. The connecting assembly 84 is installed on the side of the lower rotating frame 7, and the brushless motor 85 is installed on the side of the connecting assembly 84. The connecting assembly 84 includes a connecting sleeve 841, an adjusting slide 842, a driving wheel 843, a driven wheel 844, and an annular groove 845. The connecting sleeve 841 is installed on the rotating frame 7 in a fixed installation manner. The adjusting slide 842 is formed on the annular surface of the connecting sleeve 841 and is arc-shaped. The driving wheel 843 is installed in the middle of the connecting sleeve 841, and the driven wheel 844 is installed next to the driving wheel 843. The surfaces of the driving wheel 843 and the driven wheel 844 are provided with an annular groove 845. The driving wheel is rotated, and the top of the driving wheel 843 is fixedly connected to the output end of the brushless motor 85. The minimum single rotation angle of the brushless motor 85 is 0.9°, thereby meeting the accuracy of the printing material feeding rate.

[0049] like Figure 6-8As shown, the printing mechanism 9 mainly consists of a fixing component 91, a working block 92, a mounting component 93, a guide column 94, a print head 95, and a counterweight 96. The components work together in a reasonable layout and functional coordination to achieve a stable printing effect. The fixing component 91 is installed at the farthest end of the lower rotating frame 7, providing a stable support foundation for the entire printing mechanism 9. The working block 92 is installed in the middle area of ​​the fixing component 91, serving as the core load-bearing unit for connecting and fixing other functional components, ensuring the overall stability of the printing mechanism 9. The mounting component 93 is arranged on the side of the working block 92 for easy installation or replacement. The guide column 94 is located inside the working block 92, primarily guiding the raw material filament into the print head 95. The print head 95 is installed below the working block 92 and is a key component for material extrusion, directly determining the accuracy of the printing path and the forming quality. To ensure that the print head 95 always points vertically downward, a counterweight 96 is provided around the print head 95 below the working block 92. This structure can effectively improve the center of gravity distribution and reduce the risk of print head 95 shifting or shaking, thereby ensuring the stability and continuity of the printing process.

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown, the fixing component 91 mainly consists of a fixing ring 911, a mounting pin 912, a second through hole 913, and a mounting block 914. The fixing ring 911, as the main body of the fixing component 91, is designed in a horseshoe shape. This horseshoe shape can wrap around the working block 92 from the outside, providing good support during installation and buffering and protecting the working block 92 during operation, preventing it from being impacted or damaged during the movement of the robotic arm. The mounting pin 912 is located on the outer side of the fixing ring 911, mainly used to enhance the connection reliability between the fixing ring 911 and the rotating frame 7, thereby improving the overall stability of the printing mechanism 9. The second through hole 913 penetrates the fixing ring 911. Its reasonable structural design allows the raw material filament in the protective strip 86 to smoothly enter the interior of the working block 92, providing a continuous and stable material supply to the print head 95, effectively avoiding printing interruptions caused by poor filament delivery. Furthermore, mounting blocks 914 are symmetrically arranged on the inner surfaces of both ends of the fixing ring 911. The mounting blocks 914 can cooperate with the working block 92 or other auxiliary components, which not only further enhances the fixing effect of the fixing ring 911, but also provides additional support for the stable operation of the overall structure. Through the above design, the fixing component 91 achieves a stable installation while also taking into account material transfer and operational safety, ensuring the stable operation of the printing mechanism 9.

[0051] like Figure 7As shown, the working block 92 is meticulously designed with a cleaning chamber 921 inside, which plays a crucial role in the operation of the printing mechanism 9. Its main function is to thoroughly clean the raw material filament before it enters the print head 95, thereby preventing impurities from being carried into the print head and ensuring the structural stability and accuracy of the printed product during the forming process. To achieve efficient cleaning, a ring of cleaning nozzles 922 is arranged around the inside of the cleaning chamber 921. These cleaning nozzles 922 can perform high-pressure jetting on the passing raw material filament, effectively washing away the floating dust, particles, and other tiny impurities attached to the surface of the filament through the jetting airflow or liquid, ensuring that the surface of the filament is clean and smooth. In addition to the cleaning function, a guide post 94 is also provided at the central axis of the cleaning chamber 921. First, the guide post 94 can effectively constrain and guide the direction of the filament, preventing the filament from deviating or tangling before entering the print head. Secondly, the guide column 94 has drying and preheating functions. After the cleaning nozzle 922 completes high-pressure jetting, the filament surface may have a certain degree of moisture. The guide column 94 can quickly dry the filament through heating and drying, while also preheating it appropriately. This ensures that the filament maintains more stable physical properties and processing flowability when it subsequently enters the printing nozzle 95 for melt extrusion. Through the synergistic effect of the cleaning nozzle 922 and the guide column 94, the entire cleaning chamber 921 not only significantly improves the cleanliness of the filament but also enhances the continuity of filament delivery and the forming effect, thus providing a strong guarantee for the final printing quality.

[0052] like Figure 7As shown, the internal structure of the working block 92 also includes auxiliary units such as a sliding groove 923, a limiting groove 924, and an adjusting slider 925. These structures, through scientific design and reasonable coordination, further enhance the stability and continuity of the raw material wire conveying process. The sliding groove 923 is located next to and communicates with the cleaning chamber 921, allowing the cleaned wire to smoothly enter the sliding groove 923 area for continued conveying. To effectively constrain the wire's operating state, limiting grooves 924 are respectively provided on both sides of the sliding groove 923. The limiting grooves 924 are trapezoidal in shape, which not only enhances the guiding effect on the adjusting slider 925 but also prevents the slider from getting stuck or wobbling during sliding. The adjusting slider 925 is installed in the middle of the sliding groove 923, and a hollow hole is provided in its center, allowing the wire to pass through, thus ensuring smooth conveying while providing support and positioning. The adjusting slider 925 can move freely within the sliding groove 923, automatically fine-tuning according to the filament's transmission status, effectively preventing excessive pulling or deviation of the filament due to the dynamic movement of the robotic arm. Through the cooperation of the sliding groove 923, the limiting groove 924, and the adjusting slider 925, the raw material filament can be kept in a straight and stable feed before entering the print head 95, fundamentally improving the continuity and forming accuracy of the printing process, while also extending the service life of the filament and the print head.

[0053] like Figure 7 As shown, the mounting assembly 93 consists of key components such as a fixing pin 931, a rotating ring 932, and wear-resistant balls 933, achieving reliable installation and flexible support for the working block 92. The fixing pin 931 is installed on the central axis of the side of the working block 92, playing a core positioning and supporting role, and is the basic component of the mounting assembly 93. The rotating ring 932 is fitted outside the fixing pin 931, and through coaxial cooperation with the fixing pin 931, it achieves a flexible rotational connection between the working block 92 and the external structure, thus providing the necessary degrees of freedom for the printing mechanism 9 during dynamic operation. Wear-resistant balls 933 are provided in the gap between the fixing pin 931 and the rotating ring 932. The wear-resistant balls 933 not only effectively reduce the frictional resistance between the two, but also significantly improve the flexibility and stability of rotation, preventing wear from affecting structural accuracy due to long-term use. Meanwhile, with the synergistic effect of the counterweight 96, this mounting structure ensures that the print head 95 always maintains a vertically downward orientation, effectively preventing the print head from shifting or tilting during the movement of the drone or robotic arm, thus guaranteeing the accuracy of the printing path and the quality of the printed product. Overall, the mounting component 93 not only possesses stability but also durability and adaptability, providing a reliable guarantee for the continuity and high precision of drone printing.

[0054] like Figure 8As shown, the guide column 94 consists of a guide slope 941, a cleaning channel 942, and a heating wire 943. Each component, through a rational structural design, achieves integrated processing of wire cleaning, drying, and preheating. Specifically, the guide slope 941 is located at the upper end of the guide column 94. When the raw material wire enters this area after being sprayed under high pressure by the cleaning nozzle 922, the guide slope 941 can effectively scrape off residual droplets and moisture on the wire surface, thereby reducing the impact of moisture on wire transport in the first instance. The scraped-off moisture does not remain inside the structure but is discharged along the cleaning channel 942 located in the middle of the guide column 94. The cleaning channel 942 is inclined, extending outwards and downwards from the axis of the guide column 94. This design ensures that moisture flows out quickly under gravity and eventually returns to the cleaning chamber 921, preventing water accumulation that could cause blockages or interfere with the wire transport path. Building upon this, a heating wire 943 is embedded inside the guide post 94. The heating wire 943 provides stable heat after being energized, further drying the surface of the freshly cleaned raw material filament and ensuring complete evaporation of moisture. Simultaneously, the heating effect of the heating wire 943 also moderately preheats the filament, ensuring it has good melting and flowability upon entering the print head 95, significantly improving the working efficiency and printing quality of the print head 95. Through this design, the guide post 94 not only ensures the drying and smooth transport of the cleaned filament but also effectively improves printing stability and finished product accuracy.

[0055] like Figure 9 As shown, a method for using a robotic arm for drone printing includes the following steps:

[0056] S1: The operator first imports the 3D model data through the ground control station. The software automatically generates the global flight path of the UAV body 1 and the fine printing trajectory of the robotic arm. The flight path includes not only spatial coordinate information, but also attitude parameters, printing speed commands and material extrusion rate parameters.

[0057] S2: After the operator starts the task, the flight control system of the UAV body 1 takes over the control of the body and flies autonomously according to the predetermined route, ensuring that the position error of the UAV in three-dimensional space is less than 2 cm. The drive motor 6 and drive cylinder 3 drive the mounting frame 5 and rotating frame 7 to change position to meet the printing task route.

[0058] S3: The raw material wire enters the protection mechanism 8 from the raw material tray 4 through the first through hole 21, passes through the protection vertical rod 81, the fixing block 82, the protection inclined rod 83, the matching slider 831, the connecting component 84 and the protection strip 86, and then enters the interior of the printing mechanism 9 through the second through hole 913;

[0059] S4: After the raw material wire passes through the adjusting slider 925, it enters the cleaning chamber 921. The cleaning nozzle 922 sprays high-pressure water to clean the raw material wire. The wire enters the guide column 94, and the water droplets on the surface are scraped dry by the guide slope 941 and discharged from the cleaning channel 942. The heating wire 943 heats and dries the wire and preheats it.

[0060] In operation, the invention first utilizes the combined action of the drive motor 6 and the drive cylinder 3 to adjust the spatial position of the mounting frame 5 and the rotating frame 7, thereby allowing the print head 95 to flexibly change its posture to meet the predetermined printing task route. In the material supply stage, after the raw material filament is released from the raw material reel 4, it first enters the protective mechanism 8 through the first through hole 21, and then sequentially passes through the protective vertical rod 81, the fixing block 82, the protective diagonal rod 83, the cooperating slider 831, the connecting component 84, and the protective strip 86. The cooperation of these components effectively prevents excessive bending or tangling of the filament during transmission, ensuring the filament stably enters the next process.

[0061] The connecting component 84 not only has a protective function, but also provides a traction function. Relying on the setting of the brushless motor 85, the active rotating wheel 843 can pull the raw material wire above downwards in cooperation with the driven rotation, so that the entire transportation system has two traction power sources, the other being the traction device set inside the printing nozzle 95 below the guide column 94.

[0062] Subsequently, the filament enters the printing mechanism 9 through the second through-hole 913, and is first limited and guided by the adjusting slider 925. With the synergistic action of the sliding groove 923 and the limiting groove 924, the filament is kept straight and smoothly transported. After entering the cleaning chamber 921, the surrounding cleaning nozzles 922 spray high-pressure water to wash away dust and tiny impurities adhering to the filament surface. The cleaned filament continues into the guide post 94, where the guide slope 941 scrapes away most of the water droplets as it passes, directing the water into the cleaning channel 942 and out into the cleaning chamber 921 to prevent residual liquid. Finally, the heating wire 943 embedded inside the guide post 94 dries and preheats the filament, ensuring it is in an ideal physical state when entering the print head 95. This facilitates the print head's hot melt extrusion and precise deposition, resulting in high-quality 3D printing.

[0063] Various modifications to this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be given the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. Although one or more exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A robotic arm for printing on a drone, comprising a drone body (1), a mounting box (2), and a drive cylinder (3); the mounting box (2) is mounted on the underside of the drone, the mounting box (2) is configured as a hollow structure with a first through hole (21) on its underside, and the drive cylinder (3) is mounted inside the mounting box (2), characterized in that, It also includes a raw material tray (4), a mounting frame (5), a drive motor (6), a rotating frame (7), a protective mechanism (8), and a printing mechanism (9); the raw material tray (4) is installed inside the mounting box (2), and the surface of the raw material tray (4) is provided with multiple rings of printing raw materials; the mounting frame (5) is installed below the mounting box (2), and the mounting frame (5) and the lower end of the drive cylinder (3) are fixedly installed; the drive motor (6) is installed inside the mounting frame (5); the rotating frame (7) is installed on the side of the drive motor (6); and the protective mechanism (8) is installed on the rotating frame (7). On the side of the protective mechanism (8), the connecting component (84) in the protective mechanism (8) adapts to the position change of the raw material wire during the rotation by setting the adjusting slide (842). The printing mechanism (9) is installed at the top of the lower rotating frame (7). The lower part of the printing mechanism (9) is provided with a counterweight (96) to ensure that the entire printing mechanism (9) is vertically downward. The main working block (92) of the printing mechanism (9) is also provided with a cleaning chamber (921). The cleaning nozzle (922) installed in the cleaning chamber (921) can wash away the dust of the PLA wire and ensure the purity of the printing raw material. The printing mechanism (9) includes a fixing component (91), a working block (92), a mounting component (93), a guide column (94), a printing nozzle (95), and a counterweight (96). The fixing component (91) is installed at the farthest end of the lower rotating frame (7), the working block (92) is installed in the middle of the fixing component (91), the mounting component (93) is installed on the side of the working block (92), the guide post (94) is set inside the working block (92), the print head (95) is installed below the working block (92), the counterweight (96) is installed below the working block (92), and the counterweight (96) is arranged around the print head (95); The working block (92) has a cleaning chamber (921) inside, and a ring of cleaning nozzles (922) is arranged inside the cleaning chamber (921); the guide column (94) is located at the central axis of the cleaning chamber (921); The working block (92) also includes a sliding groove (923), a limiting groove (924), and an adjusting slider (925); The sliding groove (923) is located next to the cleaning chamber (921), and the sliding groove (923) and the cleaning chamber (921) are connected. The limiting groove (924) is located on two sides of the sliding groove (923), and the limiting groove (924) is trapezoidal. The adjusting slider (925) is installed in the middle of the sliding groove (923), and a hollow hole is provided in the middle of the adjusting slider (925).

2. The robotic arm for drone printing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protection mechanism (8) also includes a protection vertical rod (81), a fixing block (82), a protection diagonal rod (83), a protection strip (86), and a brushless motor (85). The protective vertical rod (81) is installed below the mounting box (2), the fixing block (82) is installed below the protective vertical rod (81), the protective diagonal rod (83) is installed below the fixing block (82), and the protective strip (86) is installed on the side of the lower rotating frame (7). The protective vertical rod (81), the fixing block (82), the protective diagonal rod (83) and the protective strip (86) all have circular cross-section channels inside. The lowermost end of the protective diagonal rod (83) is provided with a matching slider (831). The matching slider (831) is set as an arc block. The connecting assembly (84) is installed on the side of the lower rotating frame (7), and the brushless motor (85) is installed on the side of the connecting assembly (84).

3. The robotic arm for drone printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting assembly (84) includes a connecting sleeve (841), an adjusting slide (842), a driving wheel (843), a driven wheel (844), and an annular groove (845). The connecting sleeve (841) is mounted on the rotating frame (7). The adjusting groove (842) is opened on the annular surface of the connecting sleeve (841). The adjusting groove (842) is arc-shaped. The driving wheel (843) is installed in the middle of the connecting sleeve (841). The driven wheel (844) is installed next to the driving wheel (843). The surfaces of the driving wheel (843) and the driven wheel (844) are provided with annular grooves (845). The top of the driving wheel (843) is fixedly connected to the output end of the brushless motor (85).

4. The robotic arm for drone printing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fixing component (91) includes a fixing ring (911), a mounting pin (912), a second through hole (913), and a mounting block (914). The fixing ring (911) is set as the main body of the fixing component (91). The fixing ring (911) is horseshoe-shaped. The mounting pin (912) is installed on the outer side of the fixing ring (911). The second through hole (913) is opened through the fixing ring (911). The mounting block (914) is set on the inner side of both ends of the fixing ring (911).

5. A robotic arm for printing on unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 4, characterized in that: The mounting assembly (93) includes a retaining pin (931), a rotating ring (932), and a wear-resistant ball (933). The fixing pin (931) is installed on the central axis of the side of the working block (92), the rotating ring (932) is installed outside the fixing pin (931), and the wear-resistant ball (933) is set in the gap between the fixing pin (931) and the rotating ring (932).

6. A robotic arm for printing on unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that: The guide post (94) includes a guide ramp (941), a cleaning channel (942), and a heating wire (943). The guide slope (941) is set on the top of the guide post (94), the cleaning channel (942) is opened in the middle of the guide post (94), the cleaning channel (942) is inclined, and the inclined direction is downward from the axis of the guide post (94). The heating wire (943) is installed inside the guide post (94).

7. A method of using a robotic arm for drone printing, the method being used in conjunction with the robotic arm for drone printing as described in claim 6; characterized in that: The steps of the method are as follows: S1: The operator first imports the three-dimensional model data through the ground control station. The software automatically generates the global flight path of the UAV body (1) and the fine printing trajectory of the robotic arm. The flight path includes not only spatial coordinate information, but also attitude parameters, printing speed instructions and material extrusion rate parameters. S2: After the operator starts the task, the flight control system of the UAV body (1) takes over the control of the body and flies autonomously according to the predetermined route to ensure that the position error of the UAV in three-dimensional space is less than 2 cm. The drive motor (6) and drive cylinder (3) drive the mounting frame (5) and rotating frame (7) to change position to meet the printing task route. S3: The raw material wire enters the protection mechanism (8) from the raw material tray (4) through the first through hole (21), passes through the protection vertical rod (81), the fixing block (82), the protection inclined rod (83), the matching slider (831), the connecting component (84) and the protection strip (86), and then enters the interior of the printing mechanism (9) through the second through hole (913); S4: After the raw material wire passes through the adjusting slider (925), it enters the cleaning chamber (921). The cleaning nozzle (922) sprays high-pressure water to clean the raw material wire. The wire enters the guide column (94), and the water droplets on the surface are scraped dry by the guide slope (941) and discharged from the cleaning channel (942). The heating wire (943) heats and dries the wire and preheats it.

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