Flexible claw and flexible grabbing manipulator

Abstract

The invention discloses a flexible finger claw and a flexible grabbing manipulator, and belongs to the technical field of fruit picking manipulators, the flexible finger claw comprises an elastic rod and an inflation column, support discs are fixed on the elastic rod, suckers are fixed on the support discs, an inflation bag is connected between two adjacent support discs, the inflation bag is fixed with the inflation column, the inflation bag is communicated with the inflation column, and the inflation column is connected with the flexible finger claw. And an inflation inlet is formed in the inflation column. The flexible grabbing manipulator comprises a mounting base and a flexible claw, a driving mechanism for driving the elastic rod to rotate is arranged on the mounting base, an inflation cavity is formed in the mounting base and connected with an air supply port, and the inflation port of the inflation column is communicated with the inflation cavity. An object to be grabbed can be wound, adsorbed and wrapped like an octopus tentacle, the grabbing flexibility is guaranteed, the wrapping strength generated by inflation and extrusion of the inflation bag is not enough to damage the object to be grabbed, the surface of the object to be grabbed is not prone to being damaged in the adsorption mode, and the octopus grabbing device can be widely used for grabbing various objects, especially is good at grabbing of spherical objects and is high in practicability. Such as picking of spherical fruits.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fruit-picking robotic arms, and in particular to a flexible gripper and a flexible grasping robotic arm. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, robotics technology has achieved remarkable success in the industrial and service sectors. Globally, the number of industrial robots installed has reached 3.6 million units, while the number of agricultural robots is still less than 500,000. Agricultural robots, as a type of specialized robot, differ significantly from industrial robots in technology. Currently, the development of agricultural robots still faces many challenges, such as the lack of dexterity in end effectors. Designing flexible robotic arms has become a core issue in the development of agricultural robots, especially in fruit harvesting, where they need to adapt to complex and unstructured environments to achieve precise harvesting.

[0003] Currently, mechanical grippers are mostly used for harvesting spherical fruits (such as apples, pears, and oranges). However, the claws of these grippers are often designed with metal joints, resulting in insufficient flexibility and difficulty in handling the differences in the shape and size of various spherical fruits. Furthermore, the rigid joints can easily damage the fruit surface. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a mechanical gripper that can adapt well to the differences in the shape and size of spherical fruits without damaging the fruit surface, thus enabling precise harvesting. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems and provide a flexible claw and a flexible grasping manipulator that can wrap around the object to be grasped like an octopus tentacle, adapting to the contour of the object and ensuring the flexibility of grasping. The bending and wrapping force of the elastic rod generated by the inflation of the air bladder is not strong enough to cause crushing damage to the object to be grasped. At the same time, the suction cups on the support plate will adhere to the object to be grasped like the suction cups of an octopus tentacle, ensuring the stability of grasping and avoiding the problem of damage to the surface of the object to be grasped by hard contact grasping. It can be widely used for grasping various objects, and is especially good at grasping spherical objects, such as grasping and picking spherical fruits.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention discloses a flexible claw, comprising flexible rods and inflatable columns arranged side by side, both of which are bendable. Each flexible rod includes a free end and a fixed end. The free end is free to move relative to the fixed end. A support plate is coaxially fixedly connected to the flexible rod. The support plates are arranged at axial intervals between the free end and the fixed end along the elastic rod. Each support plate includes a connecting side and a gripping side arranged opposite to each other. A suction cup is fixedly connected to the gripping side. An inflatable bladder is fixedly connected between the connecting sides of two adjacent support plates. The inflatable bladder is fixedly connected to the side wall of the inflatable column. The inflatable bladder has a communication port communicating with the inflatable column. The inflatable column has an inflation port for inflation and deflation. The inflatable bladder can expand and return to its original position as it is inflated and deflated.

[0006] Preferably, the inflation port is located at one end of the inflation column near the fixed end of the elastic rod.

[0007] Preferably, the inflatable column is provided with a partition corresponding to the communication port, and there is a preset distance between the partition and the communication port for airflow.

[0008] Preferably, the partition is positioned at the midpoint of the communication port along the axial direction of the inflatable column.

[0009] Preferably, the inflatable column is a rectangular column, the inflatable bladder is a rectangular bladder, the support plate is a circular plate, and the elastic rod is a circular rod.

[0010] This invention also discloses a flexible grasping manipulator, including a mounting base and the aforementioned flexible grippers. The mounting base has a virtual annular mounting line, and the flexible grippers are arranged circumferentially along the annular mounting line. The fixed end of the elastic rod of the flexible gripper is rotatably connected to the mounting base, and the rotation axis of the fixed end of the elastic rod is tangent to the annular mounting line. The mounting base has a driving mechanism for driving the elastic rod to rotate. The mounting base has an inflation chamber, and the inflation chamber is connected to an air supply port for connecting to an air supply device. The inflation ports of the inflation columns of the flexible grippers are all connected to the inflation chamber.

[0011] Preferably, the mounting base is provided with a positioning groove, which is coaxially arranged within the annular mounting line.

[0012] Preferably, the driving mechanism includes a driving motor, and the mounting base is provided with motor slots arranged along the spacing of the annular mounting line. The driving motor is installed in the motor slots, and the rotation shaft of the fixed end of the elastic rod is coaxially and fixedly connected to the motor shaft of the driving motor.

[0013] Preferably, the slot of the motor groove is a strip-shaped opening, the extension line of the strip-shaped opening passes through the central axis of the annular mounting line, and the fixed end of the elastic rod slides within the strip-shaped opening.

[0014] Preferably, the inflation port is connected to the inflation chamber via a flexible tube.

[0015] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: The present invention relates to a flexible grasping manipulator and a flexible claw. The flexible claw is composed of an elastic rod, an inflatable column, a support plate, and an inflatable bladder. By inflating the inflatable column, the connected inflatable bladder expands, pushing outwards against two adjacent support plates. This increases the distance between the connecting sides of the two adjacent support plates and decreases the distance between the adsorption sides, thereby causing the elastic rod and the inflatable column to bend, forming a flexible finger joint. This allows the flexible claw to wrap around the object to be grasped like an octopus tentacle, adapting to the contour of the object and ensuring the flexibility of the flexible claw to adapt to different objects to be grasped. The shape differences between objects, and the bending and wrapping strength of the elastic rod generated by the inflation of the airbag and the support plate is not strong enough to squeeze and damage the object to be grasped. At the same time, the suction cups on the support plate will adhere to the object to be grasped like the suction cups of an octopus's tentacles, ensuring the stability of the grasp and avoiding the problem of "dropping". The suction cup adsorption grasping method can also avoid damaging the surface of the object to be grasped. The flexible grasping manipulator and flexible claw of the present invention can be widely used to grasp various objects, especially good at grasping spherical objects, such as grasping and picking spherical fruits. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained by analyzing these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of the flexible gripping robot in the closed state in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view schematic diagram of the flexible gripping robot in the closed state in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top-view three-dimensional structural diagram of the flexible gripping manipulator in the closed state in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a bottom-view three-dimensional structural diagram of the flexible gripping manipulator in the closed state in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a top view of the flexible gripping robot in the closed state in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a front view schematic diagram of the flexible claw structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the outer three-dimensional structure of the flexible claw in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the inner three-dimensional structure of the flexible claw in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the flexible claw in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 for Figure 9 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the root end of the flexible claw; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible claw when it bends inward in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a front view of the mounting base in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a top-view three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting base in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 This is a bottom-view perspective view of the mounting base in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 This is a top view of the mounting base in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view of the mounting base in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 This is a front view schematic diagram of the flexible gripping robot in the open state in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 18 This is a frontal view of the structure of the flexible gripping robot before it grasps the spherical fruit in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 19 This is a front view schematic diagram of the flexible gripping robot arm closing and gripping a spherical fruit in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the process by which a single flexible claw of the flexible gripping robot wraps around and encloses a spherical fruit in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Flexible claws; 11. Elastic rods; 12. Inflatable column; 13. Support plate; 14. Inflatable bladder; 15. Suction cup; 16. Partition; 17. Connecting port; 18. Inflation port; 2. Mounting base; 21. Tray; 22. Air chamber; 23. Air supply port; 24. Positioning groove; 25. Inflation chamber; 26. Motor slot; 27. Drive motor; 28. Strip-shaped opening; 3. Flexible pipe; 4. Spherical fruit. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments analyzed and obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flexible claw and a flexible grasping robot to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can wrap around the object to be grasped like an octopus tentacle, adapting to the contour of the object and improving the flexibility of grasping. At the same time, the bending and wrapping force of the elastic rod generated by the inflation of the air bladder is not strong enough to cause crushing damage to the object to be grasped. The suction cups on the support plate will adhere to the wrapped object to be grasped like the suction cups of an octopus tentacle, ensuring the stability of grasping. It also avoids the problem of hard contact that can easily damage the surface of the object to be grasped. It can be widely used for various objects to be grasped, and is especially good at grasping spherical objects, such as grasping and picking spherical fruits.

[0021] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 20As shown, this embodiment provides a flexible claw, including an elastic rod 11 and an inflatable column 12, which are arranged side by side. Both the elastic rod 11 and the inflatable column 12 are bendable. The elastic rod 11 includes a free end and a fixed end. The free end can move freely relative to the fixed end, that is, the free end can serve as the fingertip, and the fixed end can serve as the finger root. A support plate 13 is coaxially fixedly connected to the elastic rod 11, and the support plates 13 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the elastic rod 11 between the free end and the fixed end. The support plate 13 includes a connecting side and a grasping side arranged opposite to each other, wherein the grasping side can serve as the fingertip. A suction cup 15 is fixedly connected to the grasping side for adsorbing the outer wall of the object to be grasped, such as the outer wall of a spherical fruit 4 (apple, orange, pear, etc.). An inflatable bladder 14 is fixedly connected between the connecting sides of two adjacent support plates 13, and the inflatable bladder 14 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the inflatable column 12. The air bladder 14 has a connecting port 17, which communicates with the inflation column 12. The side wall of the inflation column 12 away from the elastic rod 11 can serve as the back of the finger. The inflation column 12 has an inflation port 18 for inflation and deflation. The air bladder 14 can expand and return to its original position as it is inflated and deflated. The number of support plates 13 is set as needed; generally, the more support plates, the higher the flexibility of the flexible claw 1. Preferably, an air bladder 14 is fixedly connected between two adjacent support plates 13.

[0023] The bending principle of the flexible claw 1 is as follows: Gas is injected into the inflation column 12 through the inflation port 18. The gas enters each inflation bladder 14 through the connecting port 17. After the inflation bladder 14 is filled with gas, it expands. The expansion of the inflation bladder 14 will open the connecting side of the two adjacent inflation bladders 14, increasing the distance between the connecting sides of the two adjacent inflation bladders 14. This reduces the distance between the grasping sides of the two adjacent inflation bladders 14, forcing the elastic rod 11 to bend inward (i.e., towards the fingertip), so that the suction cup 15 adheres to the surface of the object to be grasped (spherical fruit 4). Figure 11 and Figure 20 As shown.

[0024] When the inflatable bladder 14 deflates and contracts to its original position, under the elastic action of the elastic rod 11, the distance between the connecting sides of two adjacent inflatable bladders 14 decreases to reset, while the distance between the grasping sides of the two inflatable bladders 14 increases to reset, causing the elastic rod 11 to bend outwards to reset (i.e., bend back towards the back of the finger to reset), such as... Figure 6 As shown; the flexible claw 1 is a flexible bending method that can bend like an octopus tentacle, greatly improving flexibility and adapting to the surface contour of the object to be grasped. The presence of the suction cup 15 constitutes the suction cup of the octopus tentacle. Compared with the metal joint contacting the object to be grasped, the suction cup 15 adsorption method can avoid damaging the surface of the object to be grasped, while improving the adhesion of the grasp and avoiding the problem of slippage.

[0025] This flexible gripper 1 serves as the claw of a mechanical gripper and needs to be used in conjunction with multiple flexible grippers 1. Typically, these multiple flexible grippers 1 need to be arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction, and the spacing can be uniform (e.g., ...). Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown), it can also be arranged non-uniformly (such as arranged according to the five fingers of a human hand).

[0026] In one embodiment, the inflation port 18 is located at one end of the inflation column 12 near the fixed end of the elastic rod 11 (defined as the root end), i.e., the base of the finger. During inflation, gas flows from the fixed end (root end) of the inflation port 18 near the elastic rod 11 to the other end (defined as the tip end), i.e., from the base of the finger to the fingertip. This causes the air bladders 14 at the root end to expand sequentially towards the tip end, i.e., from the air bladders 14 near the base of the finger to the air bladders 14 near the fingertip. This inflation sequence facilitates the bending of the elastic rod 11 and the inflation column 12 inward (towards the fingertip). Furthermore, it allows the suction cups 15 near the fixed end (root of the finger) of the elastic rod 11 to adhere to and adsorb the object to be grasped first, and finally the suction cups 15 near the free end (fingertip) to adhere to and adsorb the object to be grasped. This makes it easier to adapt to the outer contour shape of the object to be grasped.

[0027] In one embodiment, the inflation column 12 is provided with a baffle 16, which corresponds to the communication port 17 of the inflation bladder 14. A preset distance exists between the baffle 16 and the communication port 17 to allow airflow, thereby guiding the airflow direction within the inflation column 12 and forming a curved flow channel within the inflation column 12. This ensures that the incoming gas inflates sequentially from the inflation bladder 14 at the root end to the inflation bladder 14 at the tip end of the inflation column 12. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown.

[0028] In one embodiment, the partition 16 is positioned at the midpoint of the communication port 17 along the axial direction of the inflation column 12.

[0029] In one embodiment, the inflatable column 12 is a rectangular column, but it can also be a circular column or a polygonal prism with four or more sides. The inflatable bladder 14 is a rectangular bladder, usually a rectangular sheet, but other sheet-like air bladders, such as circular sheets, can also be used. The support plate 13 is a circular plate, but it can also be a rectangular plate or other disc-like structures. The elastic rod 11 is a circular rod, but it can also be a rectangular rod or a polygonal rod with four or more sides.

[0030] In one embodiment, the airbag 14 is made of plastic film.

[0031] In one embodiment, the elastic rod 11 is made of elastic plastic.

[0032] Example 2 like Figures 1 to 20 As shown, this embodiment provides a flexible gripping robot, including a mounting base 2 and the flexible grippers 1 as in Embodiment 1. The mounting base 2 has a virtual annular mounting line (i.e., not a physical line, but used to arrange the flexible grippers 1; for example, the annular mounting line is drawn first, and then erased after the flexible grippers 1 are installed). The flexible grippers 1 are arranged circumferentially along the annular mounting line (they can be evenly arranged circumferentially, i.e., the spacing between each flexible gripper 1 is the same, or they can be non-uniformly arranged circumferentially, i.e., the spacing between the flexible grippers 1 is adjusted according to the actual situation). The fixed end of the elastic rod 11 of the flexible gripper 1 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 2, and the rotation axis of the fixed end of the elastic rod 11 is tangent to the annular mounting line, allowing the elastic rod 11 to rotate towards (inward rotation) or away from (outward rotation) the center of the annular mounting line, realizing the overall closing and opening of the flexible grippers 1. The mounting base 2 is provided with a driving mechanism for driving the elastic rod 11 to rotate. The mounting base 2 has an inflation chamber 25, which is connected to an air supply port 23 for connecting to an air supply device. The inflation ports 18 of the inflation columns 12 of the flexible claw 1 are all connected to the inflation chamber 25.

[0033] Working principle: First, mount this flexible gripping robot onto an additional mobile device (such as a multi-axis robotic arm).

[0034] Then, the moving device drives the flexible gripper to approach the object to be grasped (such as the spherical fruit 4), and the drive mechanism drives each flexible claw 1 to rotate outward, causing all the flexible claws 1 to rotate away from (outward rotate) the center of the annular mounting line, thus opening the flexible gripper. (Refer to...) Figure 17 As shown; Then, the moving device moves the flexible gripping manipulator so that the object to be gripped (such as the spherical fruit 4) is located in the space enclosed by the flexible gripper 1. When the object to be gripped (such as the spherical fruit 4) comes into contact with the mounting base 2 (the mounting base 2 is equivalent to the palm), the drive mechanism drives each flexible gripping manipulator to rotate inward to initially clamp the object to be gripped (such as the spherical fruit 4). Then, the air supply device inflates the inflation chamber 25 through the air supply port 23. The gas in the inflation chamber 25 enters the inflation column 12 through the inflation port 18, inflating the inflation bladder 14. The inflation bladder 14 expands, causing the elastic rod 11 and the inflation column 12 to bend inward. The suction cup 15 adheres to the surface of the object to be grasped (such as the spherical fruit 4), and the flexible claw 1 automatically adapts to the outer contour of the object to be grasped (such as the spherical fruit 4), completing the closing action. Figure 19 and Figure 20 As shown.

[0035] Finally, the mobile device moves the flexible gripping robot arm to grasp the object to be grasped (such as spherical fruit 4). If the object to be grasped is fruit, the harvesting can be completed.

[0036] The above work order is for reference only and does not mean that it must be exactly the same. It can be adjusted accordingly.

[0037] This flexible gripper can be used for precise grasping of various objects, especially spherical objects such as spherical fruits 4 and basketballs. It can also be used for grasping other shapes, such as bananas. Because the flexible grippers 1 can bend like octopus tentacles, they are highly flexible and can effectively adapt to differences in the outer contours of different objects. The suction cups 15 can adhere to objects like octopus suction cups, effectively improving gripping force, preventing slippage, and avoiding damage to the surface of the object being grasped. It is particularly suitable for grasping and picking spherical fruits 4.

[0038] In one embodiment, the mounting base 2 is provided with a positioning groove 24, which is coaxially arranged within the annular mounting line. The positioning groove 24 is mainly designed for grasping spherical objects (such as spherical fruit 4). During the grasping process, the spherical object can be partially embedded in the positioning groove 24, thereby reducing the shaking of the spherical object and ensuring that the flexible claw 1 gathers the spherical object in the center position during the closing process. The shape of the positioning groove 24 is set as needed, such as a rectangular groove, or a spherical groove that matches the shape of the spherical object's crown.

[0039] In one embodiment, the suction cup 15 can be a passive suction cup or an active suction cup. The passive suction cup is mainly made of flexible material and forms a negative pressure by squeezing out the air between the suction cup 15 and the adsorbed object to perform adsorption. The active suction cup can be a vacuum suction cup, which forms a negative pressure by actively drawing out the air between the suction cup 15 and the adsorbed object to perform adsorption.

[0040] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a drive motor 27. A motor slot 26 is provided on the mounting base 2, and the motor slots 26 are arranged at intervals along a circular mounting line. The drive motor 27 is installed within the motor slot 26, and the rotation shaft of the fixed end of the elastic rod 11 is fixedly connected to the motor shaft of the drive motor 27. The elastic rod 11 is driven to rotate by the drive motor 27. The type of motor 27 can be selected as needed, such as a stepper motor, a geared motor, a servo motor, etc.

[0041] In one embodiment, the slot of the motor slot 26 is a strip-shaped opening 28, the extension line of the strip-shaped opening 28 passes through the central axis of the annular mounting line, and the fixed end of the elastic rod 11 slides in the strip-shaped opening 28. The strip-shaped opening 28 can be used to guide the elastic rod 11 during rotation.

[0042] In one embodiment, the inflation port 18 is connected to the inflation chamber 25 via a flexible tube 3.

[0043] In one embodiment, the mounting base 2 includes a tray 21, an air chamber 22, and an air supply port 23. The tray 21, air chamber 22, and air supply port 23 are arranged sequentially and coaxially along the axial direction. A positioning groove 24 and a motor groove 26 are located on the tray 21 facing away from the air chamber 22 (serving as the palm side). An inflation chamber 25 is disposed within the air chamber 22. The air supply port 23 is a circular interface or quick connector, etc., for connecting to an air supply device.

[0044] In one embodiment, a total of eight motor slots 26 are provided, and eight flexible claws 1 are correspondingly provided. Each motor slot 26 is equipped with a drive motor 27, and this parameter can be adjusted as needed.

[0045] In one embodiment, the gas supply equipment uses an air pump.

[0046] In one embodiment, when this flexible gripping robot is used for fruit picking, its working process is as follows: Step 1: Figure 1 The flexible gripper extends to the fruit to be picked (spherical fruit 4), and the drive motor 27 is activated, driving the flexible gripper 1 from the flexible gripper... Figure 1 State rotation turned on Figure 17 state; Step 2: Continue moving Figure 17 The flexible gripper in the state allows the bottom of the spherical fruit 4 to fall onto the positioning groove 24 of the tray 21 or be located between the roots of the flexible claws 1, and be stuck by the middle and roots of the flexible claws 1, while being attracted by the suction cup 15. Step 3: Start the air pump and inflate the air chamber 25 in the air chamber 22 through the air inlet 18. The gas enters the air column 12 of the flexible fingertip 1 through the flexible tube 3. Due to the guiding effect of the partition 16, the gas will flow sequentially from the air bladder 14 at the root (finger root) to the air bladder 14 at the tip (finger tip), as... Figure 9 and Figure 10 As indicated by the arrows in the diagram. After inflation, the airbag 14 expands and deforms, compressing the bottom and top surfaces of the connecting sides of the two adjacent support plates 13. This increases the distance between the connecting sides of the two adjacent support plates 13 and decreases the distance between the gripping sides of the two adjacent support plates 13. Consequently, the elastic rod 11 bends and deforms, causing the flexible claw 1 to tend to bend towards the center, as shown by the arrows in the diagram. Figure 11 , Figure 19 and Figure 20As shown. Furthermore, when wrapping around the spherical fruit 4, the bending and wrapping force of the elastic rod 11 generated by the inflation of the airbag 14 and the compression of the support plate 13 is insufficient to cause damage to the fruit. Therefore, at the bottom of the elastic rod 11, it is subjected to the squeezing force of the fruit, causing it to bend outwards and wrap around the fruit along its outer contour. Simultaneously, the suction cups 15 of each support plate 13 will adhere to the wrapped spherical fruit 4, ensuring that as many suction cups as possible adhere to the fruit. Figure 20 As shown, the effect of octopus tentacles bending, wrapping, and entwining around the spherical fruit 4 is simulated, while the suction cups on the tentacles enhance the adhesion to the spherical fruit 4. By moving the flexible gripping robotic arm away from the branch, the spherical fruit 4 can be picked off.

[0047] Step 4: During release, air can be drawn out by the air pump. Under the elastic restoring force of the elastic rod 11 and the reverse drive of the drive motor 27, the suction cup 15 can detach from the spherical fruit 4, and the flexible claws 1 can open to complete the release of the spherical fruit 4.

[0048] Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A flexible claw, characterized in that, The device includes flexible rods and inflatable columns arranged side-by-side, both capable of bending. Each flexible rod has a free end and a fixed end, with the free end able to move freely relative to the fixed end. A support plate is coaxially fixedly connected to each flexible rod, and the support plates are arranged at axial intervals between the free end and the fixed end. Each support plate has a connecting side and a gripping side arranged opposite to each other, with a suction cup fixedly connected to the gripping side. An inflatable bladder is fixedly connected between the connecting sides of two adjacent support plates, and the inflatable bladder is fixedly connected to the side wall of the inflatable column. The inflatable bladder has a communication port communicating with the inflatable column, and the inflatable column has an inflation port for inflation and deflation. The inflatable bladder can expand and return to its original position as it is inflated and deflated.

2. The flexible claw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inflation port is located on one end of the inflation column near the fixed end of the elastic rod.

3. The flexible claw according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inflatable column is provided with a partition corresponding to the communication port, and there is a preset distance between the partition and the communication port for airflow.

4. The flexible claw according to claim 3, characterized in that, The partition is positioned at the midpoint of the axial direction of the inflatable column, directly opposite the communication port.

5. The flexible claw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inflatable column is a rectangular column, the inflatable bladder is a rectangular bladder, the support plate is a circular plate, and the elastic rod is a circular rod.

6. A flexible grasping robot, characterized in that, The device includes a mounting base and a flexible claw as described in any one of claims 1-5. The mounting base has a virtual annular mounting line, and the flexible claw is arranged circumferentially along the annular mounting line. The fixed end of the elastic rod of the flexible claw is rotatably connected to the mounting base, and the rotation axis of the fixed end of the elastic rod is tangent to the annular mounting line. The mounting base has a driving mechanism for driving the elastic rod to rotate. The mounting base has an inflation chamber, and the inflation chamber is connected to an air supply port for connecting to an air supply device. The inflation ports of the inflation columns of the flexible claw are all connected to the inflation chamber.

7. The flexible gripping robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mounting base is provided with a positioning groove, which is coaxially arranged within the annular mounting line.

8. The flexible gripping robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The driving mechanism includes a drive motor. The mounting base is provided with motor slots arranged along the spacing of the annular mounting line. The drive motor is installed in the motor slots. The rotation shaft of the fixed end of the elastic rod is coaxially and fixedly connected to the motor shaft of the drive motor.

9. The flexible gripping robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The slot of the motor is a strip-shaped opening, and the extension line of the strip-shaped opening passes through the central axis of the annular mounting line. The fixed end of the elastic rod slides inside the strip-shaped opening.

10. The flexible gripping robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inflation port is connected to the inflation chamber via a flexible tube.

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