A continuum robot drive that facilitates ease of disassembly and simultaneous adjustment

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of continuous robot technology, and more particularly to a continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronously adjust. The actuator includes a continuous joint segment, a fixed frame, a quick-change device, a pitch adjustment device, a pre-tensioning device, and a pre-tension force adjustment device. The continuous joint segment is connected to the pitch adjustment device via the quick-change device. A pre-tensioning device is located at the bottom of the pitch adjustment device, and the pre-tensioning device is connected to the pre-tension force adjustment device. Using this continuous robot actuator, which is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronously adjust, multiple drive guide wires can be quickly fixed and separated from electric cylinders simultaneously, improving work efficiency. The distribution circle diameter of the electric cylinders can be steplessly adjusted within a certain range, allowing a single actuator to flexibly adapt to various continuous bodies with different drive guide wire distribution specifications, improving versatility. It ensures that the final pre-tension force of all drive guide wires can accurately and consistently reach the preset value, improving the overall performance and reliability of the system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of continuous robot technology, and in particular to a continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize. Background Technology

[0002] In continuum robots, flexible actuators, and precision drive systems, multiple drive guide wires are often used in conjunction with drive cylinders to achieve attitude control of flexible joints. This type of drive method has advantages such as flexible transmission and precise control, and is therefore widely used in fields such as minimally invasive medical robots, space-manipulating robotic arms, industrial flexible gripping devices, and borehole exploration equipment. However, existing drive devices still have many shortcomings in terms of structural design and operational performance, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high efficiency, high precision, and high reliability in practical applications.

[0003] Firstly, regarding the connection method between the guide wire and the drive cylinder, most current methods employ a plug-and-play or screw-locking structure, requiring each guide wire to be connected and secured independently. When the continuous body or drive module needs to be replaced, operators must disassemble multiple guide wires sequentially. This process is not only cumbersome and time-consuming, but repeated assembly can also lead to inconsistent guide wire tension and misalignment, thus affecting the synchronization and motion accuracy of the drive. Some improved solutions have attempted to use snap-fit ​​or magnetic interfaces, but these still suffer from insufficient connection strength or low repeatability, making them difficult to widely apply in multi-channel, high-density drive structures.

[0004] Secondly, regarding the adaptability of the drive unit, existing structures generally adopt a fixed distribution circle diameter design, meaning the positions of the drive cylinder and the guide wire connection component are fixed, making it impossible to adjust according to the different guide wire distribution circle diameters of the continuous body. When the application or drive structure parameters change, it is often necessary to redesign or manufacture new drive end components, which not only increases manufacturing and maintenance costs but also reduces the modularity and versatility of the system. Although some solutions introduce pulley devices to solve the problem of the difference between the guide wire distribution circle diameter of the continuous body and the distribution circle diameter of the drive guide wire connection component, the need for the guide wire to precisely pass through multiple pulleys greatly increases the assembly difficulty.

[0005] Secondly, regarding guidewire preload control, existing drive devices mostly rely on manual adjustment of the preload force for each guidewire to ensure balanced tension. However, in multi-guidewire systems, the large number and dense distribution of guidewires make manual adjustment inefficient and difficult to achieve consistent preload force control. This easily leads to uneven tension, guidewire slack or over-tightening, resulting in drive errors, uneven friction, and mechanical wear. Some automated preload solutions attempt to use spring loading or constant force devices, but these structures often cannot independently respond to changes in preload state for each guidewire, making it difficult to balance the synchronization and adaptability of multi-channel systems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and adjust synchronously, which solves the technical problems of low efficiency, poor versatility, and insufficient stability of existing continuous drive devices in the process of connection, adaptation, and pre-tightening.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a continuous robot actuator that is easy to disassemble, assemble, and adjust synchronously, including a continuous joint segment and a fixed frame. The continuous joint segment is mounted on the fixed frame. The actuator also includes a quick-change device, a pitch adjustment device, a pre-tensioning device, and a pre-tension force adjustment device. The continuous joint segment is connected to the pitch adjustment device through the quick-change device. A pre-tensioning device is provided at the bottom of the pitch adjustment device, and the pre-tensioning device is connected to the pre-tension force adjustment device.

[0008] Preferably, the fixed frame includes an integral mounting base, on which a first fixed base and a second fixed base are arranged side by side. The first fixed base has a plurality of knob retaining rods distributed circumferentially, and the knob retaining rods are provided with a first limiting protrusion, a second limiting protrusion and a third limiting protrusion in sequence. The first fixed base is connected to a joint segment fixed base through a plurality of guide optical shafts. The joint segment fixed base has circumferentially distributed strip-shaped through holes for the passage of the first joint drive guide wire and the second joint drive guide wire. The joint segment fixed base has a plurality of rows of circumferentially distributed mounting holes.

[0009] Preferably, the continuum joint segment includes a flexible skeleton, on which a plurality of articulated discs and passive bending joints are arranged in parallel.

[0010] The first joint drive guide wire, which is circumferentially distributed, passes through the passive bending joint and the joint discs arranged in sequence, and is fixedly connected to the joint disc located at the end of the first joint; the second joint drive guide wire, which is circumferentially distributed, passes through the passive bending joint and the joint discs arranged in sequence, and is fixedly connected to the joint disc located at the end of the second joint; the passive bending joint is installed on the joint segment fixing base through the mounting hole.

[0011] Preferably, the quick-change device includes a quick-change knob and a plurality of circumferentially distributed quick-change gear assemblies;

[0012] The quick-change knob is positioned between the joint segment fixed base and the first fixed base;

[0013] The quick-change gear assembly includes a first quick-change gear slidably mounted on a guide shaft, which meshes with the inner side of a quick-change knob. The first quick-change gear is mounted on one end of a first quick-change connecting rod. A second quick-change gear meshes with the first quick-change gear in the middle of the first quick-change connecting rod. The other end of the first quick-change connecting rod is hinged to one end of the second quick-change connecting rod, and a third quick-change gear is mounted at the hinge. A fourth quick-change gear is mounted in the middle of the second quick-change connecting rod. Both the fourth and second quick-change gears mesh with the third quick-change gear. A guide wire locking sleeve is mounted on the other end of the second quick-change connecting rod. A gear on the guide wire locking sleeve meshes with the fourth quick-change gear. A guide wire locking rod is threadedly connected to the guide wire locking sleeve. One end of the guide wire locking rod has several elastic compression strips distributed circumferentially and positioned within the tapered hole of the guide wire locking sleeve. When the guide wire locking sleeve rotates, these strips move axially along the guide wire locking rod, thus achieving the compression, fixing, and release of the elastic compression strips.

[0014] Preferably, the pitch adjustment device includes a pitch adjustment knob, a pitch adjustment screw is fixedly connected to the pitch adjustment knob, a pitch adjustment center frame is threadedly connected to the pitch adjustment screw, and several pitch adjustment mechanisms are distributed circumferentially on the circumference of the pitch adjustment center frame.

[0015] The pitch-changing mechanism includes several circumferentially distributed pitch-changing links. One end of each pitch-changing link is hinged to the circumferential side of the pitch-changing center frame, and the other end of each pitch-changing link is hinged to the corresponding electric cylinder pitch-changing base. The bottom of the electric cylinder pitch-changing base is set on the pitch-changing guide rail through a pitch-changing slider, and the pitch-changing guide rail is fixedly installed on the second fixed base.

[0016] The electric cylinder has a fixed drive rail inside the variable pitch base. The electric cylinder is slidably mounted on the drive rail. The electric cylinder is connected to the electric cylinder pre-tightening base. The drive end of the electric cylinder is connected to a guide wire locking rod seat. The guide wire locking rod seat is mounted on the drive rail through a drive slider. The guide wire locking rod seat is fixedly connected to the guide wire locking rod.

[0017] Preferably, the pre-tightening device includes a pre-tightening knob and several circumferentially distributed pre-tightening mechanisms;

[0018] The preload knob is positioned between the second and third limiting protrusions of the knob retaining rod and is used for axial positioning of the preload knob;

[0019] The pre-tightening mechanism includes a pre-tightening intermediate gear. One end of the first pre-tightening connecting rod and one end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod are both hinged to the pre-tightening intermediate gear. The other end of the first pre-tightening connecting rod is provided with a pre-tightening force adjustment mechanism. The first clutch gear in the pre-tightening force adjustment mechanism meshes with the inner side of the pre-tightening knob. The other end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod meshes with the pre-tightening side gear on the pre-tightening adjusting screw, and the other end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod is rotatably connected to the pre-tightening adjusting screw. The pre-tightening adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the electric cylinder pre-tightening base. The side of the electric cylinder pre-tightening base is slidably mounted on the drive guide rail via a pre-tightening slider. A pre-tightening rotating shaft support is provided on the electric cylinder pitch base, and the pre-tightening rotating shaft support is rotatably connected to the pre-tightening adjusting screw.

[0020] Preferably, the preload adjustment device includes a preload adjustment knob and several preload adjustment mechanisms;

[0021] The preload adjustment knob is located between the first and second limiting protrusions of the knob retaining rod and is used for axial limiting of the preload adjustment knob;

[0022] The preload adjustment mechanism includes a preload adjustment gear that meshes with the inner side of the preload adjustment knob. The preload adjustment gear is threadedly connected to the top of the preload adjustment base. The preload adjustment base is fixedly installed on the second fixed base. The preload adjustment base is sequentially provided with a preload adjustment spring, a first clutch gear, a clutch ball, and a second clutch gear. The two ends of the preload adjustment spring are in contact with the preload adjustment gear and the first clutch gear, respectively. The clutch ball is located between the first clutch gear and the second clutch gear.

[0023] Therefore, the present invention employs the aforementioned continuous robot actuator, which is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize, and has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] (1) By setting up a quick-change device, multiple drive guide wires and electric cylinders can be quickly fixed and separated at the same time. Compared with the existing technology of fixing and separating one by one, the replacement process of this application is more stable and efficient, reducing the time for disassembly and assembly between the continuous body and the driver, significantly improving work efficiency, and enhancing the stability and consistency of the connection.

[0025] (2) By setting a variable pitch adjustment device, the distribution circle diameter of the electric cylinder can be steplessly adjusted within a certain range, enabling a single driver to flexibly adapt to various continuous bodies with different drive guide wire distribution specifications, improving versatility, reducing dependence on dedicated drivers, and reducing equipment costs and redundancy. It achieves fast and accurate matching adjustment, and the stepless adjustment method allows the setting of the distribution circle diameter to be completed quickly, continuously and accurately, improving the system's adaptability and debugging accuracy.

[0026] (3) By setting a pre-tightening device, multiple drive guide wires can be pre-tightened synchronously. At the same time, by cooperating with the pre-tightening force adjustment device, the pressure between multiple sets of clutch gears can be adjusted synchronously, thereby adjusting the pre-tightening force threshold. When the pre-tightening force of a certain drive guide wire reaches the threshold, it will force the clutch gear of that set to disengage and interrupt the power transmission of the pre-tightening knob, thereby realizing the synchronous adaptive pre-tightening of six sets of drive guide wires. Compared with the current design of manually adjusting the pre-tightening force one by one, the technical solution of this application ensures that the final pre-tightening force of all drive guide wires can accurately and consistently reach the preset value, avoiding problems such as the decline in continuous performance or unstable motion caused by uneven manual adjustment, thereby improving the overall performance and reliability of the system. The adjustment process of the technical solution of this application is more efficient and stable.

[0027] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize.

[0029] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the fixed frame structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the joint segment structure of the continuum of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the quick-change gear assembly structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the guide wire locking sleeve structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the guide wire locking rod structure of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the pitch adjustment device of the present invention; only one pitch mechanism is shown to clearly illustrate the specific structure.

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the pre-tightening device and the pre-tightening force adjusting device of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 10 This is an exploded view of the preload adjustment device of the present invention.

[0038] Figure Labels

[0039] 1. Continuous joint segment; 101. Flexible skeleton; 102. Joint disc; 103. Passive bending joint; 104. First joint drive guidewire; 105. Second joint drive guidewire;

[0040] 2. Quick-change device; 201. Quick-change knob; 202. First quick-change gear; 203. First quick-change connecting rod; 204. Third quick-change gear; 205. Second quick-change connecting rod; 206. Guide wire locking rod; 2061. Elastic compression bar; 207. Guide wire locking sleeve; 2071. Tapered hole; 208. Fourth quick-change gear; 209. Second quick-change gear;

[0041] 3. Pitch adjustment device; 301. Pitch adjustment knob; 302. Preload shaft support; 303. Pitch slider; 304. Pitch guide rail; 305. Electric cylinder; 306. Guide wire locking rod seat; 307. Drive slider; 308. Drive guide rail; 309. Pitch connecting rod; 310. Electric cylinder pitch base; 311. Pitch center frame; 312. Pitch adjustment screw;

[0042] 4. Preload adjustment device; 401. Preload adjustment knob; 402. Preload adjustment gear; 403. Preload adjustment spring; 404. First clutch gear; 405. Clutch ball; 406. Second clutch gear; 407. Preload adjustment base;

[0043] 5. Pre-tightening device; 501. Pre-tightening knob; 502. Pre-tightening slider; 503. Electric cylinder pre-tightening base; 504. First pre-tightening connecting rod; 505. Second pre-tightening connecting rod; 506. Pre-tightening adjusting screw; 5061. Pre-tightening side gear; 507. Pre-tightening intermediate gear;

[0044] 6. Fixed frame; 601. Joint segment fixed base; 6011. Strip-shaped through hole; 6012. Mounting hole; 602. First fixed base; 603. Knob retaining rod; 6031. First limiting protrusion; 6032. Second limiting protrusion; 6033. Third limiting protrusion; 604. Second fixed base; 605. Overall mounting base; 606. Guide optical axis. Detailed Implementation

[0045] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer," 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 commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," and "connect" 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 communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] like Figures 1-2 As shown, a continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and adjust synchronously includes a continuous joint segment 1, a fixed frame 6, a quick-change device 2, a pitch adjustment device 3, a pretensioning device 5, and a pretension force adjustment device 4.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the fixed frame 6 includes an integral mounting base 605 for overall fixation. The integral mounting base 605 has a first fixed base 602 and a second fixed base 604 arranged side by side. The first fixed base 602 has six knob retaining rods 603 distributed circumferentially. The knob retaining rods 603 are provided with a first limiting protrusion 6031, a second limiting protrusion 6032 and a third limiting protrusion 6033 in sequence to limit the axial position of the knob. The first fixed base 602 is connected to the joint segment fixed base 601 through six guide optical shafts 606. The joint segment fixed base 601 has circumferentially distributed strip-shaped through holes 6011 for the first joint drive guide wire 104 and the second joint drive guide wire 105 to pass through. The joint segment fixed base 601 has several rows of circumferentially distributed mounting holes 6012 to facilitate the installation of continuous joint segments 1 of different sizes.

[0049] The continuous joint segment 1 is mounted on the joint segment fixing base 601 of the fixed frame 6, such as... Figure 4As shown, the continuous joint segment 1 includes a flexible skeleton 101. A plurality of parallel joint discs 102 and passive bending joints 103 are sequentially arranged on the flexible skeleton 101. The parallel joint discs 102 define the position of the guide wires. Three circumferentially distributed first joint drive guide wires 104 pass through the passive bending joint 103 and the sequentially arranged joint discs 102, and are fixedly connected to the joint disc 102 located at the end of the first joint. Three circumferentially distributed second joint drive guide wires 105 pass through the passive bending joint 103 and the sequentially arranged joint discs 102, and are fixedly connected to the joint disc 102 located at the end of the second joint. The passive bending joint 103 is mounted on the joint segment fixing base 601 through mounting holes 6012. By adjusting the movement of the first joint drive guide wires 104 and the second joint drive guide wires 105, the flexibility of the skeleton 101 can be adjusted for different segments, different degrees of bending, and different bending directions.

[0050] To enable the synchronous and rapid installation and release of multiple drive guidewires, a quick-change device 2 is provided on the overall mounting base 605. The quick-change device 2 includes a quick-change knob 201 and six circumferentially distributed quick-change gear assemblies (adapted to the number of drive guidewires). The quick-change knob 201 is rotatably positioned between the joint segment fixing base 601 and the first fixing base 602, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the quick-change gear assembly includes a first quick-change gear 202 slidably disposed on the guide shaft 606. The first quick-change gear 202 meshes with the inner side of the quick-change knob 201 and can slide along the inner side of the quick-change knob 201 without affecting the movement of the drive guide wire. Two first quick-change connecting rods 203 are arranged side by side. The first quick-change gear 202 is installed at one end between the two first quick-change connecting rods 203. A part in the middle of the first quick-change connecting rod 203 is provided to mesh with the first quick-change gear 202. The second quick-change gear 209 is connected to one end of the first quick-change connecting rod 203, which is hinged to one end of the second quick-change connecting rod 205. A third quick-change gear 204 is located at the hinge point. A fourth quick-change gear 208 is located in the middle of the second quick-change connecting rod 205. Both the fourth quick-change gear 208 and the second quick-change gear 209 mesh with the third quick-change gear 204. A guide wire locking sleeve 207 is installed at the other end of the second quick-change connecting rod 205. The gear on the guide wire locking sleeve 207 meshes with the fourth quick-change gear 208. Figures 6-7As shown, the guide wire locking sleeve 207 is threadedly connected to the guide wire locking rod 206. One end of the guide wire locking rod 206 is provided with several elastic compression strips 2061. The elastic compression strips 2061 are circumferentially distributed and are disposed in the tapered hole 2071 of the guide wire locking sleeve 207. When the quick-change knob 201 is rotated, the guide wire locking sleeve 207 is driven to rotate through multiple gear transmissions, so that the guide wire locking sleeve 207 moves axially along the guide wire locking rod 206. The tapered hole 2071 is a variable diameter hole. During the axial movement, the elastic compression strips 2061 deform and compress or return to the initial position to achieve simultaneous fixing and release of multiple driving guide wires.

[0051] The guide wire locking rod 206 is connected to the pitch adjustment device 3. The pitch adjustment device 3 is designed to achieve synchronous pitch adjustment of multiple drive guide wires, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the pitch adjustment device 3 includes a pitch adjustment knob 301, a pitch adjustment screw 312 fixedly connected to the center of the pitch adjustment knob 301, a pitch adjustment center frame 311 threadedly connected to the pitch adjustment screw 312, and several pitch adjustment mechanisms distributed circumferentially on the circumferential side of the pitch adjustment center frame 311. Each pitch adjustment mechanism includes several circumferentially distributed pitch adjustment links 309, one end of which is hinged to the circumferential side of the pitch adjustment center frame 311, and the other end of which is hinged to a corresponding electric cylinder pitch adjustment base 310. The bottom of the electric cylinder pitch adjustment base 310 is mounted on a pitch adjustment guide rail 304 via a pitch adjustment slider 303, and the pitch adjustment guide rail 304 is fixedly mounted on a second fixed base 604. By rotating the pitch adjustment knob 301, the pitch adjustment screw 312 rotates. Under the constraint of the pitch guide rail 304, the pitch center frame 311 does not rotate, causing the pitch center frame 311 to move along the axial direction of the pitch adjustment screw 312. Under the driving action of the pitch connecting rod 309 and the guiding action of the pitch guide rail 304, the electric cylinder pitch base 310 moves along the pitch guide rail 304, realizing synchronous pitch adjustment of the electric cylinder pitch base 310.

[0052] A drive guide rail 308 is fixed inside the electric cylinder pitch base 310. The electric cylinder 305 is slidably mounted on the drive guide rail 308. The electric cylinder 305 is connected to the electric cylinder pre-tensioning base 503. The electric cylinder 305 is used to drive the guide wire to move. The drive end of the electric cylinder 305 is connected to the guide wire locking rod seat 306. The guide wire locking rod seat 306 is mounted on the drive guide rail 308 through the drive slider 307. The guide wire locking rod seat 306 is fixedly connected to the guide wire locking rod 206, thus realizing the connection between the drive guide wire and the electric cylinder 305.

[0053] The bottom of the pitch adjustment device 3 is equipped with a pre-tightening device 5 and a pre-tightening force adjustment device 4.

[0054] like Figure 9As shown, the pre-tightening device 5 includes a pre-tightening knob 501 and several circumferentially distributed pre-tightening mechanisms (adapted to the number of drive guide wires). The pre-tightening knob 501 is disposed between the second limiting protrusion 6032 and the third limiting protrusion 6033 of the knob retaining rod 603, and is used for axial positioning of the pre-tightening knob 501. The pre-tightening mechanism includes a pre-tightening intermediate gear 507. One end of the first pre-tightening connecting rod 504 and one end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod 505 are both hinged to the pre-tightening intermediate gear 507. The other end of the first pre-tightening connecting rod 504 is provided with a pre-tightening force adjusting mechanism of the pre-tightening force adjusting device 4. The first clutch gear 404 in the pre-tightening force adjusting mechanism meshes with the inner side of the pre-tightening knob 501. The other end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod 505 meshes with the pre-tightening side gear 5061 on the pre-tightening adjusting screw 506, and the other end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod 505 is rotatably connected to the pre-tightening adjusting screw 506. The pre-tightening adjusting screw 506 is threadedly connected to the electric cylinder pre-tightening base 503. The side of the electric cylinder pre-tightening base 503 is slidably mounted on the drive guide rail 308 via a pre-tightening slider 502. A pre-tightening rotating shaft support 302 is provided on the electric cylinder pitch base 310, and the pre-tightening rotating shaft support 302 is rotatably connected to the pre-tightening adjusting screw 506. Figure 10 As shown, the preload adjustment device 4 includes a preload adjustment knob 401 and several preload adjustment mechanisms. The preload adjustment knob is located between the first limiting protrusion 6031 and the second limiting protrusion 6032 of the knob retaining rod 603, and is used for axial limiting of the preload adjustment knob 401. The preload adjustment mechanism includes a preload adjustment gear 402 that meshes with the inner side of the preload adjustment knob 401. The preload adjustment gear 402 is threadedly connected to the top of the preload adjustment base 407. The preload adjustment base 407 is fixedly installed on the second fixed base 604. The preload adjustment base 407 is sequentially provided with a preload adjustment spring 403, a first clutch gear 404, a clutch ball 405, and a second clutch gear 406. The two ends of the preload adjustment spring 403 are in contact with the preload adjustment gear 402 and the first clutch gear 404, respectively. The clutch ball 405 is located between the first clutch gear 404 and the second clutch gear 406.

[0055] The overall movement process is as follows:

[0056] During pitch adjustment, rotating the pitch adjustment knob 301 rotates the pitch adjustment screw 312, causing the pitch center frame 311 to move axially. This, via the pitch connecting rod 309, moves the pitch slider 303 on the electric cylinder pitch base 310 along the pitch guide rail 304, thereby causing the electric cylinder 305, guide wire locking rod base 306, guide wire locking rod 206, and guide wire locking sleeve 207 on the electric cylinder pitch base 310 to move synchronously, completing the pitch adjustment. Simultaneously, due to the movement of the electric cylinder pitch base 310, the first pre-tensioning connecting rod 504 and the second pre-tensioning connecting rod 505 rotate around the pre-tensioning intermediate gear 507; at the same time, the first quick-change connecting rod 203 and the second quick-change connecting rod 205 rotate around the third quick-change gear 204.

[0057] During quick-change, the first joint drive guide wire 104 and the second joint drive guide wire 105 are passed through the corresponding strip-shaped through hole 6011. The ends of the first joint drive guide wire 104 and the second joint drive guide wire 105 are positioned between several elastic compression strips 2061 of the guide wire locking rod 206. Rotating the quick-change knob 201 drives the guide wire locking sleeve 207 to rotate via the first quick-change gear 202, the second quick-change gear 209, the third quick-change gear 204, and the fourth quick-change gear 208. Since the guide wire locking sleeve 206... 7. The guide wire locking rod 206 is threaded together and fixed to the guide wire locking rod seat 306. During the rotation of the guide wire locking sleeve 207, it moves axially along the guide wire locking rod 206, causing the guide wire locking sleeve 207 to press the elastic compression strip 2061 at the end of the guide wire locking rod 206. This causes the elastic compression strip 2061 to deform inward, achieving synchronous locking of the first joint driving guide wire 104 and the second joint driving guide wire 105. At the same time, the six quick-change gear assemblies slide synchronously along the guide optical axis 606. The passive bending joint 103 is installed and fixed to the corresponding mounting hole 6012 on the joint segment fixing base 601, realizing the installation of the passive bending joint 103 segment and the joint segment fixing base 601. Reverse rotation of the quick-change knob 201 realizes the synchronous release of the first joint driving guide wire 104 and the second joint driving guide wire 105. After release, disconnect the passive bending joint segment 103 from the joint segment fixing base 601 to complete the separation of the continuous joint segment 1.

[0058] When adjusting the preload, rotating the preload adjustment knob 401 drives the preload adjustment gear 402 to rotate. The preload adjustment gear 402 is threadedly engaged with the preload adjustment base 407. During the rotation process, it moves axially along the preload adjustment base 407 and compresses the preload adjustment spring 403, thereby adjusting the pressure of the clutch ball 405 between the first clutch gear 404 and the second clutch gear 406.

[0059] Then, rotate the pre-tightening knob 501 to drive the first clutch gear 404 to rotate. The first clutch gear 404 drives the second clutch gear 406 to rotate through the clutch ball 405. Through the gear meshing of the second clutch gear 406, the pre-tightening intermediate gear 507, and the pre-tightening adjusting screw 506, the rotation is transmitted to the pre-tightening adjusting screw 506. The pre-tightening adjusting screw 506 is threadedly engaged with the electric cylinder pre-tightening base 503. The rotation of the pre-tightening adjusting screw 506 drives the electric cylinder pre-tightening base 503 to move along the drive guide rail 308, thereby driving the electric cylinder 305, the guide wire locking rod base 306, the quick-change gear assembly, the first joint drive guide wire 104, and the second joint drive guide wire 105 to move synchronously to complete the synchronous pre-tightening. When some of the drive guide wires reach the preload threshold, the moving resistance of the electric cylinder preload base 407 increases, which in turn increases the rotational resistance of the second clutch gear 406. The clutch ball 405 disengages from the corresponding groove of the second clutch gear 406, blocking the rotational transmission between the first clutch gear 404 and the second clutch gear 406, thus completing the adaptive preload of multiple drive guide wires.

[0060] Return the electric cylinder preload base 503 to its initial position, rotate the preload adjustment knob 401 to compress the preload adjustment spring 403, and the first clutch gear 404 and the second clutch gear 406 will be connected. Then rotate the preload knob 501 in the opposite direction, and the preload adjustment screw 506 will be driven to rotate in the opposite direction through the first clutch gear 404, clutch ball 405, second clutch gear 406 and preload intermediate gear 507. This will drive the electric cylinder preload base 503 to move in the opposite direction along the drive guide rail 308 and return to its initial position. When part of the electric cylinder preload base 503 reaches the initial position, it will be unable to move further, causing the second clutch gear 406 to be unable to rotate. The clutch ball 405 will disengage from the corresponding groove of the second clutch gear 406, blocking the rotational transmission between the first clutch gear 404 and the second clutch gear 406, thus completing the adaptive return of the multi-electric cylinder preload base 503.

[0061] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous robot actuator that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize, comprising a continuous joint segment and a fixed frame, wherein the continuous joint segment is mounted on the fixed frame, characterized in that: It also includes a quick-change device, a pitch adjustment device, a pre-tightening device, and a pre-tightening force adjustment device. The continuous joint segment is connected to the pitch adjustment device through the quick-change device. A pre-tightening device is provided at the bottom of the pitch adjustment device, and the pre-tightening device is connected to the pre-tightening force adjustment device. The fixed frame includes an integral mounting base, on which a first fixed base and a second fixed base are arranged side by side. The first fixed base has several knob retaining rods distributed circumferentially, and the knob retaining rods are sequentially provided with a first limiting protrusion, a second limiting protrusion, and a third limiting protrusion. The first fixed base is connected to a joint segment fixed base through several guide optical shafts. The joint segment fixed base has circumferentially distributed strip-shaped through holes for the passage of the first joint drive guide wire and the second joint drive guide wire. The joint segment fixed base has several rows of circumferentially distributed mounting holes. The continuous joint segment includes a flexible skeleton, on which several articulated discs and passive bending joints are arranged in parallel. The first joint drive guide wire, which is circumferentially distributed, passes through the passive bending joint and the joint discs arranged in sequence, and is fixedly connected to the joint disc located at the end of the first joint; the second joint drive guide wire, which is circumferentially distributed, passes through the passive bending joint and the joint discs arranged in sequence, and is fixedly connected to the joint disc located at the end of the second joint; the passive bending joint is installed on the joint segment fixing base through the mounting hole. The quick-change device includes a quick-change knob and several circumferentially distributed quick-change gear assemblies; The quick-change knob is positioned between the joint segment fixed base and the first fixed base; The quick-change gear assembly includes a first quick-change gear slidably mounted on a guide shaft, which meshes with the inner side of a quick-change knob. The first quick-change gear is mounted on one end of a first quick-change connecting rod. A second quick-change gear meshes with the first quick-change gear in the middle of the first quick-change connecting rod. The other end of the first quick-change connecting rod is hinged to one end of the second quick-change connecting rod, and a third quick-change gear is mounted at the hinge. A fourth quick-change gear is mounted in the middle of the second quick-change connecting rod. Both the fourth and second quick-change gears mesh with the third quick-change gear. A guide wire locking sleeve is mounted on the other end of the second quick-change connecting rod. A gear on the guide wire locking sleeve meshes with the fourth quick-change gear. A guide wire locking rod is threadedly connected to the guide wire locking sleeve. One end of the guide wire locking rod has several elastic compression strips distributed circumferentially and positioned within the tapered hole of the guide wire locking sleeve. When the guide wire locking sleeve rotates, these strips move axially along the guide wire locking rod, thus achieving the compression, fixing, and release of the elastic compression strips.

2. The continuous robot actuator according to claim 1, which is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize, is characterized in that: The pitch adjustment device includes a pitch adjustment knob, a pitch adjustment screw is fixedly connected to the pitch adjustment knob, a pitch adjustment center frame is threaded onto the pitch adjustment screw, and several pitch adjustment mechanisms are distributed around the circumference of the pitch adjustment center frame. The pitch-changing mechanism includes several circumferentially distributed pitch-changing links. One end of each pitch-changing link is hinged to the circumferential side of the pitch-changing center frame, and the other end of each pitch-changing link is hinged to the corresponding electric cylinder pitch-changing base. The bottom of the electric cylinder pitch-changing base is set on the pitch-changing guide rail through a pitch-changing slider, and the pitch-changing guide rail is fixedly installed on the second fixed base. The electric cylinder has a fixed drive rail inside the variable pitch base. The electric cylinder is slidably mounted on the drive rail. The electric cylinder is connected to the electric cylinder pre-tightening base. The drive end of the electric cylinder is connected to a guide wire locking rod seat. The guide wire locking rod seat is mounted on the drive rail through a drive slider. The guide wire locking rod seat is fixedly connected to the guide wire locking rod.

3. The continuous robot actuator according to claim 2, which is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize, is characterized in that: The pre-tightening device includes a pre-tightening knob and several circumferentially distributed pre-tightening mechanisms; The preload knob is positioned between the second and third limiting protrusions of the knob retaining rod and is used for axial positioning of the preload knob; The pre-tightening mechanism includes a pre-tightening intermediate gear. One end of the first pre-tightening connecting rod and one end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod are both hinged to the pre-tightening intermediate gear. The other end of the first pre-tightening connecting rod is provided with a pre-tightening force adjustment mechanism. The first clutch gear in the pre-tightening force adjustment mechanism meshes with the inner side of the pre-tightening knob. The other end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod meshes with the pre-tightening side gear on the pre-tightening adjusting screw, and the other end of the second pre-tightening connecting rod is rotatably connected to the pre-tightening adjusting screw. The pre-tightening adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the electric cylinder pre-tightening base. The side of the electric cylinder pre-tightening base is slidably mounted on the drive guide rail via a pre-tightening slider. A pre-tightening rotating shaft support is provided on the electric cylinder pitch base, and the pre-tightening rotating shaft support is rotatably connected to the pre-tightening adjusting screw.

4. The continuous robot actuator according to claim 3, which is easy to assemble, disassemble, and synchronize, is characterized in that: The preload adjustment device includes a preload adjustment knob and several preload adjustment mechanisms; The preload adjustment knob is located between the first and second limiting protrusions of the knob retaining rod and is used for axial limiting of the preload adjustment knob; The preload adjustment mechanism includes a preload adjustment gear that meshes with the inner side of the preload adjustment knob. The preload adjustment gear is threadedly connected to the top of the preload adjustment base. The preload adjustment base is fixedly installed on the second fixed base. The preload adjustment base is sequentially provided with a preload adjustment spring, a first clutch gear, a clutch ball, and a second clutch gear. The two ends of the preload adjustment spring are in contact with the preload adjustment gear and the first clutch gear, respectively. The clutch ball is located between the first clutch gear and the second clutch gear.

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