Mechanical arm and robot

Abstract

The invention provides a mechanical arm and a robot, and relates to the technical field of robots. The mechanical arm comprises a large arm assembly and an elbow assembly, the elbow assembly comprises an elbow shell, the elbow shell is provided with two ends in the axial direction, one end is an elbow large arm end, the other end is an elbow small arm end, the elbow large arm end is hinged to the large arm assembly, the part, located on the front side of the elbow large arm end, of the elbow shell is a contact part, and the contact part can abut against the large arm assembly. The contact part is arranged to be of an elastic structure, so that the contact part can elastically deform under the condition that the contact part can abut against the large arm assembly to form dynamic abdicating fit. A receding structure on an elbow assembly is replaced, the movement interference range of the elbow assembly and the large arm assembly is narrowed, and the elbow assembly has a larger rotation angle; and moreover, the hard contact condition is relieved, and the attractiveness is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a mechanical arm and a robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the design of a robot joint, the range of motion of an elbow joint is a key performance indicator, and a large angle (such as 150°) is usually required to meet the flexible operation requirements. In the traditional design, the elbow structure is usually designed in a rigid mechanical limiting manner. When the joint is moved to the limit position, the limit is achieved by hard contact between the large arm shell and the joint component. However, this design has the following problems:

[0003] The rigid structure is prone to mechanical interference at the limit position. If a large angle of motion (such as 150°) is required, a large range of clearance grooves or notches needs to be designed on the elbow structure, which reduces the structural strength and affects the load capacity of the joint. Moreover, hard contact limiting is prone to impact noise and component wear during frequent motion, which affects the accuracy and service life in the long run. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of the present application is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, provide a mechanical arm and a robot, replace the clearance structure, reduce the motion interference range of the elbow assembly and the large arm assembly, so that the elbow assembly has a larger rotation angle; and relieve the hard contact situation.

[0005] The present application provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a mechanical arm, which comprises:

[0007] a large arm assembly;

[0008] an elbow assembly, the elbow assembly comprising an elbow shell, the elbow shell having two ends in the axial direction, one end being an elbow large arm end and the other end being an elbow small arm end, the elbow large arm end being hinged to the large arm assembly, a portion of the elbow shell located in front of the elbow large arm end being a contact portion, the contact portion being capable of abutting against the large arm assembly, and the contact portion being provided as an elastic structure, so that in the case that the contact portion can abut against the large arm assembly, the contact portion can be elastically deformed to form a dynamic accommodation fit.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the elbow shell comprises:

[0010] a bottom shell, the bottom shell having an accommodation opening on the front side of the elbow large arm end, and the bottom shell being a hollow structure;

[0011] A front side cover connected with the bottom shell, the front side cover covers the gap, so that the front side cover can abut against the large arm assembly, and the front side cover is a resilient member.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the elbow large arm end is formed with a pair of large arm connecting portions, the pair of large arm connecting portions are spaced apart, and each of the pair of large arm connecting portions is hinged with the large arm assembly.

[0013] The elbow housing further comprises an elbow quick release cover connected with the elbow large arm end through a quick release connecting mechanism, and the elbow quick release cover is used to shield the large arm connecting portions.

[0014] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the front side cover has an extension, the large arm connecting portion has a limiting slot, the extension and the limiting slot are both arranged along the axial direction of the elbow housing, the limiting slot is located at the front side of the elbow housing, and the extension is located in the limiting slot.

[0015] A slot wall of the limiting slot is located at a side of the large arm connecting portion close to the large arm assembly, so as to limit the elastic deformation of the extension towards the large arm assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the elbow assembly further comprises:

[0017] An elbow large arm end motor arranged at the large arm assembly, a main shaft of the elbow large arm end motor is connected with one of the large arm connecting portions, and a motor housing of the elbow large arm end motor is hinged with the other large arm connecting portion.

[0018] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the elbow assembly further comprises a large arm end limiting portion connected with the large arm connecting portion, the large arm connecting portion has a mounting hole, and the large arm end limiting portion is arranged in the mounting hole.

[0019] The large arm assembly comprises a large arm housing, the large arm housing has an elbow end limiting portion, the elbow end limiting portion is located on the rotation path of the large arm end limiting portion, and the elbow end limiting portion and the large arm end limiting portion constitute a mechanical limiting fit.

[0020] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the large arm connecting portion has an elbow large arm end zero mark hole, the large arm assembly has an elbow end zero mark hole, the elbow large arm end zero mark hole and the elbow end zero mark hole are coaxially aligned at the joint zero position, and are used for calibration and assembly positioning of the joint zero position.

[0021] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the robot arm further comprises:

[0022] The small arm assembly comprises an elbow small arm end motor, a main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor is arranged through the elbow small arm end, the main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor is connected by a plurality of fasteners, and the plurality of fasteners are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the elbow small arm end;

[0023] The elbow housing further comprises a decorative ring, an outer side of the elbow small arm end has an annular groove, all the fasteners are located in the annular groove, and the decorative ring is sleeved in the annular groove to shield the fasteners.

[0024] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor has a wire channel, the wire channel is in communication with the elbow housing, and a continuous wire routing path is formed.

[0025] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application further provide a robot, the robot comprising the robot arm as in any one of the above embodiments.

[0026] The embodiments of the present application have the following advantages:

[0027] The present application provides a robot arm, which realizes optimization of joint motion range and impact relief through an innovative elastic contact part design, and the core working principle is as follows:

[0028] The contact part of the elbow assembly adopts an elastic structure (such as an elastic material or a flexible buffer layer), and when the joint rotates to the limit position, the contact part abuts against the large arm assembly. Unlike the traditional rigid limit, the elastic structure can absorb impact energy through deformation and dynamically give way to avoid hard interference. In this process, the elastic deformation of the contact part allows the joint to have a temporary "overload" motion, breaking through the geometric limit of the traditional avoidance groove, thereby expanding the effective rotation angle (such as more than 150°). The deformation characteristics of the elastic contact part reduce the actual contact area between the large arm assembly and the elbow assembly, and there is no need to rely on a large range of avoidance groove design. The motion avoidance can be realized by local elastic compression, which not only maintains the integrity of the housing structure, but also avoids the problem of strength weakening caused by the avoidance groove. At the limit position, the elastic contact part stores part of the kinetic energy through deformation and releases it when the joint returns, reducing the instantaneous impact. The elastic restoring force can also assist the joint to reset, reducing the load fluctuation of the driving components.

[0029] Therefore, the dynamic accommodation feature of the elastic contact part allows the elbow assembly to continue to deform slightly at the limit position, which is equivalent to expanding the mechanical limit angle, realizing large-range movement of more than 150°, and meeting the high flexibility operation requirement. The traditional large-size clearance groove design is cancelled, the continuity and structural strength of the elbow shell are maintained, and it is especially suitable for high-load scenes to avoid the risk of fatigue fracture caused by stress concentration. The elastic structure absorbs the impact energy at the end of movement, significantly reduces the noise and component wear caused by rigid collision, prolongs the service life of the joint, and maintains the movement accuracy. By replacing the complex clearance machining with an elastic element, the structural design complexity and manufacturing cost are reduced, and the assembly fault tolerance is improved. The elastic contact part has self-adaptive buffering capacity for impact under different rotation speeds or load conditions, improving the stability of the dynamic performance of the robot.

[0030] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the following preferred embodiments are described in detail below, and the accompanying drawings are described as follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application, and therefore should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can also be obtained without creative labor on the basis of these drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a mechanical arm from one perspective is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 A structural schematic diagram of a mechanical arm from another perspective is shown;

[0034] Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of a mechanical arm from another perspective is shown;

[0035] Figure 4 A structural schematic diagram of an elbow assembly from one perspective is shown;

[0036] Figure 5 A structural schematic diagram of an elbow assembly from another perspective is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 A structural schematic diagram of Figure 1 is shown.

[0038] Main element symbol explanation:

[0039] 100 - large arm assembly; 110 - large arm housing; 111 - elbow end limit; 112 - elbow zero hole;

[0040] 200 - elbow assembly; 210 - elbow quick release cover; 220 - bottom shell; 221 - let go; 230 - front cover; 231 - extension; 240 - large arm connection; 250 - large arm end limit; 251 - limit slot; 252 - mounting hole; 253 - elbow large arm end zero hole; 260 - annular groove; 270 - elbow large arm end motor; 280 - elbow small arm end motor; 281 - wire channel;

[0041] 300 - small arm assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein the same or like reference numerals and characters throughout the figures denote the same elements or elements with the same functions. The embodiments described below are merely examples for the purposes of elucidation and are not intended to limit the present application, which is defined by the appended claims.

[0043] It needs to be noted that, as used in this application, "and / or" is open-ended language that means there is a possibility that the reference is to more than one referenced item and that the items can be mutually exclusive of one another. "And / or" is not intended to exclude one or more features from the application. It is further noted that like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the application.

[0044] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connecting", "fixed", and the like should be interpreted broadly, for example, can be fixed connection, can also be detachable connection, or integral; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through intermediate medium; can be internal communication of two elements or interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or an implied indication of the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in the description of the templates herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present application. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0047] In the related art, in the design of a robot joint, the motion range of an elbow joint is a key performance indicator, and a large angle (e.g., 150°) is usually required to meet the flexible operation requirement. In the traditional design, the elbow structure is usually designed in a rigid mechanical limiting manner. When the joint is moved to the limit position, the limit is achieved by hard contact between the large arm shell and the joint part. However, this design has the following problems: the rigid structure is prone to mechanical interference at the limit position, and if a large angle motion (e.g., 150°) is required, a large range of clearance grooves or notches need to be designed on the elbow structure, which reduces the structural strength and affects the load capacity of the joint. Moreover, hard contact limiting is prone to impact noise and part wear during frequent motion, which affects the accuracy and service life in the long run.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a mechanical arm, which comprises a large arm assembly 100 and an elbow assembly 200. The elbow assembly 200 comprises an elbow shell, which has two ends in the axial direction, one end being an elbow large arm end and the other end being an elbow small arm end. The elbow large arm end is hinged to the large arm assembly 100. The part of the elbow shell located on the front side of the elbow large arm end is a contact part, which can abut against the large arm assembly 100. The contact part is designed as an elastic structure, so that in the case that the contact part can abut against the large arm assembly 100, the contact part can elastically deform to form a dynamic accommodation fit.

[0049] In these embodiments, the embodiments of the present application provide a mechanical arm, which comprises a large arm assembly 100 and an elbow assembly 200. The elbow assembly 200 comprises an elbow shell, which has one end as an elbow large arm end and the other end as an elbow small arm end in the axial direction. The elbow large arm end is rotatably connected to the large arm assembly 100 through a hinge structure (such as a joint bearing or a rotating shaft).

[0050] In this embodiment, the part of the elbow shell located on the front side of the elbow large arm end is designed as a contact part, which is used to contact the large arm assembly 100 when the elbow assembly 200 is rotated to the limit position, so as to realize the angle limiting function.

[0051] Unlike the traditional rigid limiting structure, the contact portion in the embodiment is provided as an elastic structure. Specifically, the contact portion is made of an elastic material (such as polyurethane, silica gel, rubber, etc.), or adopts a metal spring structure, an elastic protrusion structure, etc. The elastic structure can be elastically deformed when in contact with the upper arm assembly 100, thereby achieving dynamic accommodation and avoiding hard collision and mechanical interference.

[0052] For example, the contact portion can be provided at the outer side edge of the elbow housing, and the longitudinal cross-sectional shape thereof is preferably arc-shaped or beveled, so as to facilitate smooth contact and buffering during rotation.

[0053] In the present application, the portion of the front side of the elbow housing close to the upper arm assembly 100 is the contact portion. Of course, in other embodiments, the front side of the elbow housing can also be provided as a whole contact portion. As long as the structural strength of the elbow housing is ensured.

[0054] In an embodiment of the present application, the contact portion is an embedded elastic block structure. The elbow housing is provided with a mounting groove at the position of the contact portion, and the elastic block is embedded in the mounting groove and fixed by buckling, adhesion or screws, etc. When the elbow assembly 200 is rotated to the limit position, the elastic block first contacts the upper arm assembly 100, is compressed and deformed, absorbs impact energy, and elastically accommodates, so that the upper arm assembly 100 can be rotated by a larger angle.

[0055] Since the contact portion adopts an elastic structure, the elbow housing does not need to be provided with a large range of clearance grooves or notches as in the traditional structure, under the premise of achieving the same angle limiting function. Thus, the overall structural strength of the elbow assembly 200 can be significantly improved, and the carrying capacity and motion stability thereof are improved.

[0056] In the embodiment, the rotation angle of the elbow assembly 200 can reach about 150°, and in the contact process at the limit position, the elastic structure effectively relieves the impact and noise caused by hard contact, prolongs the service life of the joint.

[0057] When the elbow assembly 200 of the mechanical arm is rotated to the limit angle, the contact portion gradually approaches and contacts the upper arm assembly 100. Since the contact portion has elastic deformation capability, it starts to compress or bend at the initial contact, thereby forming dynamic accommodation. This process avoids the instantaneous impact caused by rigid collision in the traditional structure, and improves the stability and precision of the motion.

[0058] The mechanical arm provided in the present application realizes the optimization of the joint motion range and impact relief through the innovative elastic contact portion design, and the core working principle thereof is as follows:

[0059] The contact portion of the elbow assembly 200 adopts an elastic structure (such as an elastic material or a flexible buffer layer), and the contact portion abuts against the upper arm assembly 100 when the joint rotates to the limit position. Unlike the traditional rigid limit, the elastic structure can absorb impact energy through deformation and dynamically give way to avoid hard interference. During this process, the elastic deformation of the contact portion allows the joint to have a short "overload" movement, breaking through the geometric limit of the traditional avoidance slot, thereby expanding the effective rotation angle (such as more than 150°). The deformation characteristics of the elastic contact portion reduce the actual contact area between the upper arm assembly 100 and the elbow assembly 200, and there is no need to rely on a large range of avoidance slot design. The movement avoidance can be achieved through local elastic compression, which not only maintains the integrity of the shell structure, but also avoids the problem of strength weakening caused by the avoidance slot. At the limit position, the elastic contact portion stores part of the kinetic energy through deformation and releases it when the joint returns, reducing the instantaneous impact. The elastic restoring force can also assist in joint resetting, reducing the load fluctuation of the driving components.

[0060] Therefore, the dynamic giving way characteristics of the elastic contact portion allow the elbow assembly 200 to continue to deform slightly at the limit position, which is equivalent to expanding the mechanical limit angle, achieving a large range of motion of more than 150°, and meeting the high flexibility operation demand. The traditional large-size avoidance slot design is cancelled, the continuity and structural strength of the elbow shell are maintained, which is especially suitable for high-load scenarios to avoid the risk of fatigue fracture caused by stress concentration. The elastic structure absorbs the impact energy at the end of the movement, significantly reduces the noise and component wear caused by rigid collision, prolongs the service life of the joint, and maintains the movement precision. By replacing the complex avoidance machining with an elastic element, the structural design complexity and manufacturing cost are reduced, and the assembly fault tolerance is improved. The elastic contact portion has self-adaptive buffering capacity for impacts under different rotation speeds or load conditions, improving the stability of the dynamic performance of the robot.

[0061] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in some embodiments, the elbow shell includes a bottom shell 220 and a front side cover 230. The bottom shell 220 is located at the front side of the elbow upper arm end and has a giving way opening 221, and the bottom shell 220 is a hollow structure. The front side cover 230 is connected to the bottom shell 220 and covers the giving way opening 221, so that the front side cover 230 can abut against the upper arm assembly 100, and the front side cover 230 is an elastic member.

[0062] In these embodiments, the elbow shell includes a bottom shell 220 and a front side cover 230. The bottom shell 220 is located at the front side of the elbow upper arm end and has a giving way opening 221, which is an open structure. The shape can be rectangular, circular or polygonal, and can be designed according to the movement trajectory and limit requirement of the elbow assembly 200. The bottom shell 220 is a hollow structure for accommodating the driving assembly or transmission components inside the joint.

[0063] The front side cover 230 is fixedly connected to the bottom shell 220 and is used to cover the gap 221. The outer surface of the front side cover 230 is consistent with the outer contour of the bottom shell 220 or smoothly transitions, so as to ensure the overall appearance and smooth movement of the elbow assembly 200.

[0064] In this embodiment, the front side cover 230 is provided as an elastic member, i.e., it has elastic deformation capability. For example, the elastic member can be realized in the following ways:

[0065] The elastic member is made of an elastic material, such as silicone, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), etc.

[0066] When the elbow assembly 200 is rotated to the limit position, the front side cover 230 first contacts the upper arm assembly 100. Since it is an elastic member, it will be compressed, bent, or locally deformed during the contact process, thereby forming a dynamic gap fitting. This flexible limiting method effectively avoids the hard contact impact and noise problem in the traditional rigid limiting structure, forms a gap, and maximizes the integrity of the elbow shell while enabling the elbow assembly 200 to rotate through a larger angle.

[0067] In order to ensure that the front side cover 230 can stably cover the gap 221 of the bottom shell 220 while not affecting its elastic performance, various connection methods are provided in this embodiment:

[0068] Snap connection: A snap structure, such as a protrusion and groove fitting structure, is provided between the front side cover 230 and the bottom shell 220, so that the front side cover 230 can be quickly assembled and has a certain elastic movement space.

[0069] Adhesive fixing: The front side cover 230 is adhered to the gap 221 using a structural adhesive, which is suitable for the case of integral molding with an elastic material.

[0070] Screw connection: Screw holes are provided between the front side cover 230 and the bottom shell 220, and the front side cover 230 is fixed by screws, which is suitable for scenarios where the elastic performance needs to be replaced or adjusted.

[0071] Integrated molding structure: The front side cover 230 and the bottom shell 220 can be integrally molded, for example, by using a two-color injection molding process, so that the front side cover 230 is partially made of an elastic material and the remaining part is made of a rigid material.

[0072] The above connection methods ensure stable installation of the front side cover 230 while still allowing it to elastically deform under stress.

[0073] When the mechanical arm rotates through a large angle, the elbow assembly 200 gradually approaches the limiting area of the upper arm assembly 100. At this time, the front side cover 230, as a component of the contact part, first contacts the upper arm assembly 100.

[0074] Since the front cover 230 is an elastic member, it starts to elastically deform at the moment of contact. This deformation process can absorb part of the kinetic energy, reduce the impact force of contact, and achieve the effect of buffering and limiting.

[0075] As the elbow assembly 200 continues to rotate, the deformation amount of the front cover 230 gradually increases until it reaches a set limiting angle (such as 150°). At this time, the control system can detect the limiting state and stop the driving motor, completing the limiting action.

[0076] The limiting process is smooth and impact-free, significantly improving the operation accuracy and service life of the robotic arm.

[0077] In some application scenarios, it may be necessary to adjust the elasticity and rigidity of the limiting according to the load, movement speed or use environment. Therefore, the front cover 230 in this embodiment is a detachable structure, which is convenient for replacing front covers 230 with different elastic coefficients.

[0078] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 , in some embodiments, the elbow large arm end forms a pair of large arm connecting parts 240, the pair of large arm connecting parts 240 are spaced apart, and the pair of large arm connecting parts 240 are both hinged to the large arm assembly 100; wherein the elbow shell further comprises an elbow quick release cover 210, the elbow quick release cover 210 is connected to the elbow large arm end through a quick release connecting mechanism, and the elbow quick release cover 210 is used to shield the large arm connecting part 240.

[0079] In these embodiments, the elbow large arm end of the elbow shell is configured as a pair of spaced apart large arm connecting parts 240. The pair of large arm connecting parts 240 are respectively located on both sides of the elbow shell and leave an installation space between each other for hinged connection with the large arm assembly 100.

[0080] The large arm connecting part 240 is provided with a through hole or a hinge shaft hole for cooperating with the hinge shaft on the large arm assembly 100 to realize the rotational connection of the elbow assembly 200 relative to the large arm assembly 100. This structure can effectively improve the stability and carrying capacity of the joint connection, and is especially suitable for high-load or high-precision operation scenarios.

[0081] Further, in order to protect the large arm connecting part 240 and the hinge structure between it and the large arm assembly 100 from external environmental influences (such as dust, oil stains, etc.), and to facilitate later maintenance and replacement, the elbow quick release cover 210 is provided at the elbow large arm end in this embodiment.

[0082] The elbow quick release cover 210 is detachably installed at the elbow large arm end through a quick release connecting mechanism, and is used to shield the large arm connecting part 240 and its hinge structure.

[0083] The quick release connecting mechanism includes but is not limited to the following forms:

[0084] Magnetic connection structure: a magnet assembly is arranged between the quick-release cover and the elbow shell, so that the quick-release cover can be quickly attracted and fixed, facilitating disassembly.

[0085] Snap connection structure: an elastic buckle and a buckle groove are arranged between the quick-release cover and the elbow shell to realize quick locking and release.

[0086] Knob type quick-release structure: the quick-release cover is installed and disassembled quickly by rotating the locking knob.

[0087] Sliding lock structure: quick locking is realized by cooperation of the sliding lock and the limiting groove 251.

[0088] The elbow quick-release cover 210 has an outer shape matching the outer contour of the elbow shell and is a split structure. The material can be metal, engineering plastic or composite material, depending on the actual application requirements.

[0089] Exemplarily, the bottom shell 220 has a sink groove, and the elbow quick-release cover 210 is installed in the sink groove to realize the integrity and smoothness of the outer shape of the elbow shell.

[0090] When the robot arm is working normally, the elbow quick-release cover 210 covers the outside of the upper arm connecting part 240 to prevent dust, oil stains and other impurities from entering the inside of the hinge structure, thereby prolonging the service life of the joint and maintaining the movement accuracy.

[0091] When the joint needs to be maintained, lubricated or replaced, the operator can quickly remove the quick-release cover through the quick-release connection mechanism, without the need for complex tools to complete the inspection and maintenance of the upper arm connecting part 240 and the hinge structure, greatly improving the maintenance efficiency.

[0092] As shown in FIGS. Figure 1 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the front cover 230 has an extension 231, and the upper arm connecting part 240 has a limiting groove 251. The extension 231 and the limiting groove 251 are arranged along the axial direction of the elbow shell. The limiting groove 251 is located on the front side of the elbow shell, and the extension 231 is located in the limiting groove 251. One groove wall of the limiting groove 251 is located on the side of the upper arm connecting part 240 close to the upper arm assembly 100 to limit the elastic deformation of the extension 231 toward the upper arm assembly 100.

[0093] In these embodiments, to improve the controllability and directivity of the elastic contact structure during the limiting process, the front cover 230 is provided with the extension 231, and the upper arm connecting part 240 is provided with the limiting groove 251.

[0094] The extension 231 is extended by the front cover 230 towards the inside of the elbow housing, and can be in the shape of a strip, an arc, or a T shape, etc., and is specifically designed according to the structural strength and the limiting guide requirement. The limiting groove 251 is arranged on the large arm connecting part 240, and is arranged along the axial extension direction of the elbow housing, and is matched with the extension 231, so that the extension 231 is accommodated in the limiting groove 251.

[0095] In the embodiment, the limiting groove 251 is located in the front side region of the elbow housing, i.e., the region where the elbow assembly 200 is in contact with the large arm assembly 100 when it is rotated to the limit position, so as to realize the limiting guide and deformation control function by the cooperation of the extension 231 and the limiting groove 251 during the contact.

[0096] In one embodiment of the application, one groove wall of the limiting groove 251 is located on the side of the large arm connecting part 240 close to the large arm assembly 100, i.e., the groove wall is in the direction of the elastic deformation of the extension 231 when the elbow assembly 200 is rotated to the limit position.

[0097] When the elbow assembly 200 is rotated to the limit position and the extension 231 of the front cover 230 is in contact with the large arm assembly 100, the front cover 230 starts to be elastically deformed. At this time, the groove wall of the limiting groove 251 limits the deformation direction of the extension 231, prevents it from being excessively deformed towards the large arm assembly 100, and avoids the interference of the large arm assembly 100 or the elbow assembly 200.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 2, Figure 1 In some embodiments, the elbow assembly 200 further comprises an elbow-large arm end motor 270, which is arranged on the large arm assembly 100. The main shaft of the elbow-large arm end motor 270 is connected with one of the large arm connecting parts 240, and the machine shell of the elbow-large arm end motor 270 is hingedly connected with the other large arm connecting part 240.

[0099] In these embodiments, the elbow assembly 200 of the robot arm further comprises an elbow-large arm end motor 270 for driving the elbow assembly 200 to rotate relative to the large arm assembly 100. The elbow-large arm end motor 270 is arranged on one side of the large arm assembly 100, and its structure comprises a motor main shaft and a motor machine shell.

[0100] The main shaft of the elbow-large arm end motor 270 is fixedly connected with one of the large arm connecting parts 240 for transmitting the driving torque. The machine shell of the elbow-large arm end motor 270 is hingedly connected with the other large arm connecting part 240, so that the whole elbow-large arm end motor 270 can drive the elbow assembly 200 to synchronously rotate.

[0101] Through the structure, the main shaft of the elbow large arm end motor 270 is fixedly connected to one large arm connecting part 240 as a driving end, and the elbow large arm end motor 270 is hingedly connected to the other large arm connecting part 240 through a machine shell, so as to realize the movement between the motor and the elbow assembly 200 and improve the connection strength.

[0102] For the hinged connection between the machine shell of the elbow large arm end motor 270 and the large arm connecting part 240, the following forms can be adopted:

[0103] Bearing hinged structure: a bearing is arranged between the machine shell of the elbow large arm end motor 270 and the large arm connecting part 240 to realize rotary support.

[0104] When the elbow large arm end motor 270 is started, the main shaft outputs a torque to drive the large arm connecting part 240 fixed thereto to rotate through the connecting structure. Since the large arm connecting part 240 is fixedly connected to the elbow shell, the entire elbow assembly 200 is driven to rotate around the large arm assembly 100.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 2, Figure 1 In some embodiments, the elbow assembly 200 further includes a large arm end limiting part 250, the large arm end limiting part 250 is connected to the large arm connecting part 240, and the large arm connecting part 240 has a mounting hole 252, and the large arm end limiting part 250 is arranged in the mounting hole 252. The large arm assembly 100 includes a large arm shell 110, and the large arm shell 110 has an elbow end limiting part 111 located on the rotation path of the large arm end limiting part 250, and the elbow end limiting part 111 and the large arm end limiting part 250 constitute a mechanical limiting cooperation.

[0106] In these embodiments, in order to realize the mechanical limiting function of the elbow assembly 200 relative to the large arm assembly 100, the elbow assembly 200 further includes the large arm end limiting part 250, and the large arm assembly 100 includes the large arm shell 110, and the large arm shell 110 is provided with the elbow end limiting part 111.

[0107] The large arm end limiting part 250 is connected to the large arm connecting part 240, and specifically, the large arm connecting part 240 is provided with the mounting hole 252, the large arm end limiting part 250 is arranged in the mounting hole 252 and is fixedly arranged.

[0108] In this embodiment, the large arm end limiting part 250 can be in the form of a limiting pin, a limiting block or a limiting protrusion, one end of which is fixed in the mounting hole 252, and the other end extends into the limiting path of the large arm shell 110.

[0109] The elbow end limiting part 111 is arranged on the large arm shell 110 and located on the rotation path of the large arm end limiting part 250. When the elbow assembly 200 rotates to the limit angle, the large arm end limiting part 250 contacts the elbow end limiting part 111, thereby forming a mechanical limiting cooperation to prevent the elbow assembly 200 from continuing to rotate.

[0110] In order to realize the reliable mechanical limiting function, the following connecting modes can be adopted between the large arm end limiting part 250 and the large arm connecting part 240:

[0111] Threaded connection: the limiting part is provided with external threads, the mounting hole is an internal threaded hole, and the installation of the limiting part is realized by screwing;

[0112] Interference fit: the limiting part and the mounting hole are connected by interference fit to realize fastening connection;

[0113] Clamping structure: the limiting part is provided with a buckle or an elastic clasp, which is automatically locked after being inserted into the mounting hole;

[0114] Adjustable structure: the limiting part can be adjusted in position along the axis of the mounting hole to adapt to different limiting angle requirements.

[0115] The elbow end limiting part 111 can be a limiting block, a limiting boss or a limiting groove 251, and its installation mode includes but is not limited to:

[0116] Fixed welding or bonding;

[0117] Screw fixation;

[0118] Integrated structure, integrally injection molded or cast formed with the large arm shell 110.

[0119] The above structure forms can be flexibly selected according to the actual limiting angle, load requirement and assembly process.

[0120] In an embodiment of the present application, the mechanical limiting structure (the large arm end limiting part 250 and the elbow end limiting part 111) cooperates with the aforementioned elastic limiting structure (such as the elastic contact part, the elastic front cover 230) to form a double limiting mechanism.

[0121] When the elbow assembly 200 approaches the limit position, the elastic limiting structure first contacts and deforms, thereby absorbing part of the kinetic energy and realizing flexible buffer limiting;

[0122] When the elastic structure is compressed to the limit or the angle continues to increase, the mechanical limiting structure intervenes to realize the final angle limiting through rigid contact to prevent excessive rotation.

[0123] The double-limiting mechanism has the following advantages: improving the stability and safety of the limiting process; prolonging the service life of the elastic limiting structure; ensuring accurate control of the limit angle; and being suitable for high-precision, high-load, or high-safety application scenarios.

[0124] It should be noted that by providing the mounting hole 252, stress transmission from the large arm end limiting part 250 to the connection between the large arm end limiting part 250 and the large arm connecting part 240 can be avoided, thereby ensuring accuracy.

[0125] As shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 , in some embodiments, the large arm connecting part 240 has an elbow large arm end zero marking hole 253, and the large arm assembly 100 has an elbow end zero marking hole 112. The elbow large arm end zero marking hole 253 is coaxially aligned with the elbow end zero marking hole 112 when the joint is at zero position, and is used for calibration and assembly positioning of the joint at zero position.

[0126] In these embodiments, in order to realize the joint zero position calibration and assembly positioning function between the elbow assembly 200 and the large arm assembly 100, the large arm connecting part 240 is provided with an elbow large arm end zero marking hole 253, and the large arm assembly 100 is provided with an elbow end zero marking hole 112.

[0127] The elbow large arm end zero marking hole 252 is formed on the large arm connecting part 240, and its position corresponds to the relative position of the elbow assembly 200 in the joint zero position state. The elbow end zero marking hole 112 is formed on the corresponding position of the large arm assembly 100, for example, on the large arm shell 110.

[0128] When the elbow assembly 200 is in the joint zero position state (i.e., the initial reference position of the elbow joint), the elbow large arm end zero marking hole 253 is coaxially aligned with the elbow end zero marking hole 112, forming an axial channel.

[0129] This structure can be used for the following functions:

[0130] Joint zero position calibration: by inserting a calibration pin, a positioning rod, or a detection sensor, it is confirmed whether the joint is in the zero position state.

[0131] Assembly positioning assistance: during assembly, it is confirmed whether the installation position of each component is accurate by aligning the calibration holes.

[0132] Post-maintenance calibration: after equipment maintenance or replacement of joint components, the joint zero position is recalibrated.

[0133] During assembly, the operator can insert the calibration pin into the elbow end zero marking hole 112 and the elbow large arm end zero marking hole 253 in sequence, ensure that the elbow assembly 200 is in the standard zero position state, and then perform fastening and connection operations.

[0134] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2and Figure 3 As shown in the figures, in some embodiments, the mechanical arm further comprises a forearm assembly 300, the forearm assembly 300 comprising an elbow forearm end motor 280, the spindle of the elbow forearm end motor 280 penetrating the elbow forearm end, the elbow forearm end connecting the spindle of the elbow forearm end motor 280 through a plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners being spaced apart along the circumference of the elbow forearm end. The elbow housing further comprises a decorative ring, the outer side of the elbow forearm end having an annular groove 260, all the fasteners being located in the annular groove 260, the decorative ring being sleeved in the annular groove 260 to shield the fasteners.

[0135] In these embodiments, the mechanical arm further comprises a forearm assembly 300, the forearm assembly 300 being connected with the elbow forearm end of the elbow assembly 200 for realizing the driving rotation of the forearm assembly 300 relative to the elbow assembly 200.

[0136] The forearm assembly 300 comprises an elbow forearm end motor 280, the motor being arranged on one side of the elbow forearm end of the elbow housing, the spindle of the motor penetrating the elbow forearm end along the axial direction and being connected with the power input end of the forearm assembly 300 for driving the forearm assembly 300 to rotate around the elbow joint.

[0137] In order to realize the stable connection between the spindle of the elbow forearm end motor 280 and the elbow housing, the elbow forearm end is connected with the spindle of the motor through a plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners are spaced apart along the circumference of the elbow forearm end to realize uniform stress and improve the connection strength.

[0138] In this embodiment, the elbow forearm end is provided with a connecting flange or a connecting disc structure matched with the spindle of the motor, the end of the spindle of the motor is provided with a connecting hole or a connecting flange, and the fasteners (such as screws or bolts) are fixedly connected with the spindle of the motor after penetrating the through holes on the connecting disc.

[0139] The plurality of fasteners are uniformly distributed along the circumference of the elbow forearm end, for example, 3-6 fasteners are arranged, and the specific number can be designed according to the output torque of the motor, the load requirement and the assembly space.

[0140] In order to improve the appearance neatness and protection performance of the mechanical arm, the elbow housing is provided with an annular groove 260 on the outer side of the elbow forearm end, and the plurality of fasteners are all located in the annular groove 260 to avoid being exposed.

[0141] Further, the mechanical arm further comprises a decorative ring, the decorative ring being sleeved in the annular groove 260 for shielding the fasteners.

[0142] The decorative ring can be realized in the following forms:

[0143] Elastic buckle type structure: the decorative ring is provided with an elastic buckle at the edge, and the elastic buckle is buckled into the annular groove 260 during assembly;

[0144] Threaded connection structure: a threaded connection structure is arranged between the decorative ring and the annular groove 260;

[0145] Interference fit structure: tight fit is realized through material elasticity;

[0146] Adhesive structure: fixed by adhesive.

[0147] The decorative ring not only plays a role in shielding the fastener, but also can improve the overall appearance of the industrial design, while preventing dust, oil stains and other contaminants from entering the fastener area, improving the protection level of the equipment.

[0148] As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor 280 has a wire passage 281, which is in communication with the elbow housing to form a continuous wire routing path.

[0149] In these embodiments, to realize the safe routing of electrical wires inside the robot arm and structural integration, the main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor 280 is provided with a wire passage 281, which penetrates the axial direction of the main shaft and is in communication with the internal space of the elbow housing.

[0150] The wire passage 281 can be used to accommodate motor power cables, encoder signal lines, sensor lines and other electrical wires, so that these wires are led out from the inside of the elbow housing to the small arm assembly 300 or other actuators through the main shaft, forming a continuous wire routing path.

[0151] This structure avoids the problems of cable exposure, entanglement and wear caused by traditional external routing methods, improving the reliability and safety of the robot arm.

[0152] In this embodiment, the entrance of the wire passage 281 is located inside the elbow housing, and the exit is located at the end or side of the main shaft, aligned with the wiring port of the small arm assembly 300, to realize the continuous routing of the wires.

[0153] In addition, the wire passage 281 can also be designed in cooperation with the wiring groove, cable fixing member, sealing structure and other structures inside the elbow housing to ensure the stability, sealing and anti-winding performance of the wires.

[0154] In one embodiment of the present application, the wire passage 281 forms a continuous connection with the wiring path inside the elbow housing, for example:

[0155] From the cable entrance inside the elbow housing; pass through the motor main shaft via the wire passage 281; extend to the inside of the small arm assembly 300, and finally connect to the small arm end actuator or sensor.

[0156] Considering the rotation characteristics of the elbow joint, the wire channel 281 also needs to meet the cable movement freedom requirement during rotation. To this end, the following technical means can be used:

[0157] A rotary joint or slip ring structure is provided between the wire channel 281 and the cable to realize continuous power supply and signal transmission during rotation; a flexible flat cable (FPC) or a flexible printed circuit (Flex PCB) is used to replace the traditional cable to reduce the bending radius and space occupation; a guide structure is provided at the end of the wire channel 281 to prevent the cable from twisting or jamming during rotation. The stability and reliability of the wire during the rotation of the elbow assembly 200 are ensured, which is especially suitable for robots with high degree of freedom and high frequency of rotation.

[0158] In some embodiments, the application also provides a robot, which includes the robotic arm according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0159] Since the above-mentioned robotic arm has the above-mentioned technical effects, the robot including the robotic arm should have the same technical effects, which will not be described here.

[0160] For example, the robot of the application takes a humanoid robot as an example. Of course, other robots with an elbow assembly 200 are also within the protection scope of the application.

[0161] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as a limitation, and thus, other examples of the example embodiments can have different values.

[0162] It should be noted that similar reference numbers and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, and thus, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0163] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation manners of the application, and the description is more specific and detailed, but it should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of the application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of the application, several modifications and improvements can be made, which are within the protection scope of the application.

Claims

1. A robot arm, characterized in that, The mechanical arm comprises: a large arm assembly; an elbow assembly comprising an elbow housing, the elbow housing having two ends in the axial direction, one end being an elbow large arm end and the other end being an elbow small arm end, the elbow large arm end being hinged to the large arm assembly, a part of the elbow housing on the front side of the elbow large arm end being a contact part, the contact part being capable of abutting against the large arm assembly, and the contact part being provided as an elastic structure, so that in the case that the contact part is capable of abutting against the large arm assembly, the contact part is capable of elastic deformation to form a dynamic accommodation fit.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein, The elbow housing comprises: a bottom shell having an accommodation opening on the front side of the elbow large arm end, and the bottom shell being a hollow structure; a front side cover connected with the bottom shell, the front side cover covering the accommodation opening, so that the front side cover is capable of abutting against the large arm assembly, and the front side cover being an elastic member.

3. The robot of claim 2, wherein, The elbow large arm end is formed with a pair of large arm connecting parts, the pair of large arm connecting parts being spaced apart, and each of the pair of large arm connecting parts being hinged to the large arm assembly; wherein the elbow housing further comprises an elbow quick release cover connected to the elbow large arm end through a quick release connecting mechanism, and the elbow quick release cover is used to shield the large arm connecting parts.

4. The robot of claim 3, wherein, The front side cover has an extension part, and the large arm connecting part has a limiting groove, the extension part and the limiting groove being provided in the axial direction of the elbow housing, the limiting groove being located on the front side of the elbow housing, and the extension part being located in the limiting groove; wherein one groove wall of the limiting groove is located on the side of the large arm connecting part close to the large arm assembly, to limit the elastic deformation of the extension part towards the large arm assembly.

5. The robot of claim 3, wherein, The elbow assembly further comprises: an elbow large arm end motor provided on the large arm assembly, a main shaft of the elbow large arm end motor being connected with one of the large arm connecting parts, and a machine shell of the elbow large arm end motor being hinged to the other large arm connecting part.

6. The robot of claim 3, wherein, The elbow assembly further comprises a large arm end limiting part connected with the large arm connecting part, the large arm connecting part having a mounting hole, and the large arm end limiting part being provided in the mounting hole; The large arm assembly comprises a large arm housing having an elbow end limiting part, the elbow end limiting part being located on the rotation path of the large arm end limiting part, and the elbow end limiting part and the large arm end limiting part constituting a mechanical limiting fit.

7. The robot of claim 4, wherein, The large arm connecting part has an elbow large arm end zero mark hole, and the large arm assembly has an elbow end zero mark hole, the elbow large arm end zero mark hole and the elbow end zero mark hole being coaxially aligned at the joint zero position, for joint zero position calibration and assembly positioning.

8. The robot of claim 6, wherein, The mechanical arm further comprises: a small arm assembly comprising an elbow small arm end motor, a main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor being provided in the elbow small arm end, and the elbow small arm end connecting the main shaft of the elbow small arm end motor through a plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners being spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the elbow small arm end; The elbow housing further comprises a decorative ring, the outer side of the elbow arm end has an annular groove, all the fasteners are located in the annular groove, and the decorative ring is sleeved in the annular groove to shield the fasteners.

9. The robot of claim 8, wherein, The main shaft of the elbow arm end motor has a wire channel, the wire channel is communicated with the elbow housing to form a continuous wire routing path.

10. A robot, characterized in that The robot comprises the mechanical arm according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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