Visual tactile sensor
By using a combination of optical material layers and reflective layers in the visual-touch sensor, the problem of uneven light distribution was solved, resulting in better visual image capture and a compact design.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-10
AI Technical Summary
The current illumination method of visual tactile sensors results in uneven light, which affects the visual image capture effect.
An optical material layer is evenly distributed on the circumferential surface of a rigid transparent plate, which, combined with a reflective layer, forms a semi-mirror reflection to improve light brightness. The light is then projected onto the circumferential surface through a light source assembly to avoid uneven light distribution.
It improves the visual image capture effect, increases the area of the rigid transparent plate and flexible touch component, has a compact structure, improves light uniformity, and enhances image acquisition clarity.
Smart Images
Figure CN121631958A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of sensors, and particularly relates to a visual-tactile sensor. BACKGROUND
[0002] When a robot perceives an external object, it needs to rely on a visual-tactile sensor. The visual-tactile sensor is a sensor capable of converting visual images into tactile information, and can perceive information such as the shape and texture of the surface of an object, while measuring the contact force in the interaction.
[0003] A silica gel block and a transparent plate for supporting the silica gel block are arranged on the shell of the visual-tactile sensor, and a light source and a camera are further arranged in the shell. The light source is used to provide light conditions for the camera to ensure the shooting effect of the visual image. In the prior art, the commonly used lighting mode is to illuminate through red, green and blue light strips. However, due to the inconsistent brightness or non-uniform light color of each lamp bead on the light strip, the light emission is uneven, thereby affecting the shooting effect of the visual image. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the prior art to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art. SUMMARY
[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a visual-tactile sensor capable of effectively improving the shooting effect of visual images.
[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a visual-tactile sensor, which comprises a shell, a tactile component arranged on the shell wall of the shell, the tactile component comprising a hard transparent plate arranged on the shell wall of the shell and a flexible touch piece covering the hard transparent plate, the flexible touch piece being exposed to the outside of the shell, and a visual component arranged in the shell and used for collecting images of deformation of the flexible touch piece; wherein the hard transparent plate has a circumferential surface, the visual-tactile sensor further comprises a light source component acting on the circumferential surface, the light source component comprising a light source and an optical material layer arranged on the circumferential surface, the light source being configured to light the circumferential surface, and the optical material layer being configured to convert the received light of the light source into light with a preset color. The flexible touch piece at least comprises a transparent elastomer layer close to the hard transparent plate and a reflection layer arranged on the transparent elastomer layer, the reflection layer being capable of forming a semi-mirror surface to reflect the light emitted by the optical material layer.
[0006] In some embodiments, the flexible touch piece further comprises a mark layer laid on the transparent elastomer layer, and the reflection layer is arranged on the mark layer, wherein the mark layer comprises a plurality of MARK points, the plurality of MARK points are black dot arrays, and the reflection layer is white.
[0007] In some embodiments, the marking layer is a single layer or multiple layers.
[0008] In some embodiments, the reflective layer is a thin film attached to the transparent elastomer layer and located on the side of the marking layer away from the transparent elastomer layer.
[0009] In some embodiments, the reflective layer is a mirror coating made of copper or aluminum sheet paint.
[0010] In some embodiments, the flexible touch element further includes the protective layer disposed on the reflective layer, wherein the protective layer includes a silicone layer disposed on the reflective layer, a fabric layer disposed on the silicone layer, and a medical tape layer.
[0011] In some embodiments, the optical material layer is a fluorescent material layer fixed to the circumferential surface.
[0012] In some embodiments, the color of the optical material layer includes at least red, green, and blue.
[0013] In some embodiments, the housing includes at least a main housing and a side panel detachably disposed on the main housing, the light source is disposed on the side panel, and the side panel is further provided with the tactile component, the side panel and the tactile component forming a side panel assembly; The side panel has an installation opening, and the rigid transparent plate covers the installation opening. The surface of the rigid transparent plate extending along the through direction of the installation opening is its circumferential surface.
[0014] In some embodiments, the light source is located on one side of one of the circumferential surfaces of the rigid transparent plate, such that the circumferential surface is the only light-incident surface of the rigid transparent plate; The optical material layer is provided on at least one of the remaining circumferential surfaces of the rigid transparent plate.
[0015] The technical solution provided by this invention has the following advantages: The optical material layer is evenly distributed across the entire circumferential surface, resulting in more uniform light distribution and eliminating the problem of uneven lighting caused by external environmental factors, thus effectively improving the visual image capture effect. Furthermore, the side panels eliminate the need for colored LED beads, making the structure more compact and allowing for a larger area for the rigid transparent panel and flexible touch components within limited space.
[0016] The reflective layer can form a semi-mirror reflection. When the light emitted from the optical material layer encounters the reflective layer, the reflective layer can brighten the light. The reflective layer and the optical material layer work together to improve the brightness of the light and further improve the lighting effect. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0018] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the visual-touch sensor provided by the present invention from a first-view perspective; Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the visual-touch sensor provided by the present invention from a second perspective; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the decomposed structure; Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the visual-tactile sensor provided by the present invention; Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel from a first-view perspective. Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel from a second perspective; Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel from a third-person perspective. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a flexible touch component; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a rigid transparent plate from a first-person perspective. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a rigid transparent plate from a second perspective. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the shell; Figure 12 This is an exploded structural diagram of the camera module and the main housing. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.
[0020] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.
[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction of the component itself; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this invention.
[0022] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the present invention provides a visual-tactile sensor, which includes: a housing 100, a tactile component 200 and a vision component 300. The vision component 300 is disposed inside the housing 100, and the tactile component 200 is disposed on the shell wall of the housing 100.
[0023] The housing 100 includes a main housing 110, a side panel 120, and a top plate 130. The main housing 110 has side and top openings, meaning it has a side opening and a top opening. The side panel 120 is located at the side opening of the main housing 110, and the main housing 110 and the side panel 120 are detachably connected and enclose a first receiving cavity 140. The top plate 130 is detachably located at the top opening and is situated above the main housing 110 and the side panel 120. The top plate 130 makes the first receiving cavity 140 a closed chamber, and the vision assembly 300 is disposed within the first receiving cavity 140. The top surface of the top plate 130 has multiple mounting holes 131 for connecting to an external robotic arm.
[0024] The tactile component 200 is disposed on the side panel 120, and the side panel 120 and the tactile component 200 form a side panel assembly. In this embodiment, the main housing 110, the side panel 120 and the top plate 130 are detachably connected by fasteners. Therefore, when the tactile component 200 needs to be replaced, the side panel 120 can be removed from the main housing 110 and the top plate 130, which has the advantages of convenient disassembly and replacement.
[0025] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, a first mounting hole 125 is provided at the bottom corner of the inner wall of the side panel 120, and a first fastener 111 that mates with the first mounting hole 125 is provided at the bottom corner of the main housing 110. Figure 3As shown, the top of the main housing 110 is provided with a second mounting hole 112, the top of the side panel 120 is provided with a third mounting hole 126, and the four corners of the top plate 130 are provided with second fasteners 132, which cooperate with the second mounting holes 112 and the third mounting holes 126. Specifically, the inner wall of the top of the main housing 110 is provided with a first protrusion, on which the aforementioned second mounting hole 112 is located; the inner wall of the top of the side panel 120 is provided with a second protrusion, on which the aforementioned third mounting hole 126 is located. When it is necessary to disassemble the side panel assembly, simply loosen the second fastener 132 corresponding to the second mounting hole 112 and the first fastener 111 on the main housing 110 to replace the side panel 120 and the tactile component 200.
[0026] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the side panel 120 has a mounting opening 121, which communicates with the first receiving cavity 140. Specifically, the tactile component 200 includes a rigid transparent plate 210 covering the mounting opening 121 and a flexible touch element 220 covering the rigid transparent plate 210, with the flexible touch element 220 exposed on the outside of the housing 100. Preferably, the rigid transparent plate 210 can be a transparent acrylic plate or transparent glass, etc. The flexible touch element 220 can be made of silicone, latex, gel, etc. When the flexible touch element 220 comes into contact with an object to be grasped (not shown), the flexible touch element 220 can produce elastic deformation. The vision component 300 is used to capture images of the deformation produced by the flexible touch element 220.
[0027] like Figure 8 As shown, the flexible touch component 220 includes a transparent elastomer layer 221 near the rigid transparent plate 210, a marking layer 222 laid on the transparent elastomer layer 221, a reflective layer 223 disposed on the marking layer 222, and a protective layer 224 disposed on the reflective layer 223. The marking layer 222 can be a single layer or multiple layers. The marking layer 222 includes a plurality of MARK dot arrays, with some MARK dots being black. The reflective layer 223 is white; the contrast between black and white increases image contrast, making it easier for the vision component 300 to capture clear images.
[0028] The reflective layer 223 is a thin film attached to the transparent elastomer layer 221 and located on the side of the marking layer 222 away from the transparent elastomer layer 221. The reflective layer 223 is a mirror coating made of copper or aluminum sheet paint, capable of forming a semi-mirror reflection. When light emitted from the optical material layer 212 encounters the reflective layer 223, the reflective layer 223 can brighten the light. In other words, the reflective layer 223, in conjunction with the optical material layer 212, increases the brightness of the light, further improving the illumination effect. Furthermore, the mirror coating (reflective layer 223) is more sensitive to minute surface-up changes, providing a higher contrast signal, thereby effectively improving the imaging effect of the vision component 300. The reflective layer 223 can be sprayed onto the surface of the transparent elastomer layer 221 using a spray bottle under high pressure, or a metal thin film can be deposited on the surface of the transparent elastomer layer 221 using a sputtering process.
[0029] The protective layer 224 includes a silicone layer disposed on the reflective layer 223, and a fabric and medical tape layer disposed on the silicone layer. The fabric and medical tape layers not only provide protection for the reflective layer 223, but also increase signal strength.
[0030] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the surface of the rigid transparent plate 210 extending along the through direction of the mounting opening 121 is its circumferential surface 211. The side panel assembly also includes a light source assembly acting on the circumferential surface 211. The light source assembly includes a light source disposed on the side panel 120 and an optical material layer 212 disposed on the circumferential surface 211. The optical material layer 212 is used to convert the light emitted by the received light source into light with a preset color, wherein the preset color is the color inherent to the optical material layer 212 itself.
[0031] The optical material layer 212 is continuously and uniformly distributed across the entire circumferential surface 211, resulting in more uniform light distribution and preventing uneven light distribution due to external environmental influences. In traditional LED chip configurations, the chips are spaced apart. Even with small spacing, the aforementioned gaps still exist between adjacent chips, causing some areas to be brighter than others, resulting in brightness differences and uneven light distribution. The uniform distribution of the optical material layer 212 effectively avoids this brightness difference problem, providing the advantage of uniform light emission. Furthermore, since there is no need to use colored LED chips, the structure is more compact, allowing for a larger area of the rigid transparent plate 210 and the flexible touch component 220 within limited space.
[0032] like Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, a groove 123 is recessed in the side panel 120, and the groove 123 is connected to the mounting opening 121 in a direction perpendicular to the through direction. The light source is disposed in the groove 123, wherein the groove 123 has an opening formed on the inner wall of the side panel 120, and a light-shielding strip 124 is provided at the opening to prevent the light from the light source from entering the first receiving cavity 140.
[0033] It is worth noting that the space where the light source is located is independent of the first receiving cavity 140, thereby avoiding the light source from affecting the vision component 300 within the first receiving cavity 140. The light source is used to illuminate the circumferential surface 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210. The purpose of avoiding illuminating the two end surfaces of the rigid transparent plate 210 is to prevent the light from affecting the imaging of the vision component 300 and thus affecting the quality of the captured image. The aforementioned "two end surfaces" refer to surfaces parallel to the rigid transparent plate 210.
[0034] The optical material layer 212 is disposed on the circumferential surface 211 in the following ways: First, the optical material layer 212 is disposed on only one circumferential surface 211; Second, the optical material layer 212 is disposed on at least one circumferential surface 211, which can be disposed on two circumferential surfaces 211, three circumferential surfaces 211, four circumferential surfaces 211, etc.
[0035] Preferably, the light source is located on one side of one of the circumferential surfaces 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210, such that the aforementioned circumferential surface 211 is the only light-incident surface of the rigid transparent plate 210, that is, the rigid transparent plate 210 has only one light-incident surface. At least one of the remaining circumferential surfaces 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210 is provided with an optical material layer 212, wherein all circumferential surfaces 211 except the light-incident surface abut against the wall of the mounting opening 121.
[0036] Furthermore, the rigid transparent plate 210 is a square plate with four circumferential surfaces 211. One circumferential surface 211 is the light-incident surface, and the other three circumferential surfaces 211 are each provided with an optical material layer 212. The optical material layer on each circumferential surface 211 has a different color, and the optical material layer 212 on each circumferential surface 211 has only one color. The color of the optical material layer 212 includes at least red, green, and blue.
[0037] In one embodiment, one of the three circumferential surfaces 211 is provided with a red optical material layer 212, another with a green optical material layer 212, and the third with a blue optical material layer 212. Preferably, the top circumferential surface 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210 is the light-incident surface, and the three circumferential surfaces 211 on the sides and bottom are provided with optical material layers 212. That is, there is no need to set colored LED beads on the three circumferential surfaces 211 on the sides and bottom, so that the bottom circumferential surface 211 can be closer to the bottom of the side panel 120, which is beneficial for grasping small objects.
[0038] When light emitted from the light source strikes the three circumferential surfaces 211 in different directions, the optical material layers 212 on the three circumferential surfaces 211 convert the light from the light source into red, green, and blue colors before directing it onto the rigid transparent plate 210 and the flexible touch component 220. The red, green, and blue light makes the deformation image of the flexible touch component 220 captured by the vision component 300 clearer. The color of the optical material layer 212 can also be other colors besides red, green, and blue, such as yellow, purple, and cyan.
[0039] Of course, the optical material layer 212 on each circumferential surface 211 can also have different colors. For example, red, green, and blue optical material layers 212 can be present on the same circumferential surface 211, with the red, green, and blue optical material layers 212 distributed alternately on the same circumferential surface 211. The color of the optical material layer 212 and the arrangement of the colors are not limited and can be determined according to the actual application.
[0040] The optical material layer 212 is a fluorescent material layer fixed on the circumferential surface 211. The fluorescent material layer is fixed on the circumferential surface 211 by means of adhesive, spraying or other methods to form an integral whole with the rigid transparent plate 210, which can be easily installed on the side panel 120, effectively simplifying the installation steps.
[0041] To facilitate the installation and positioning of the rigid transparent panel 210 on the side panel 120, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the circumferential surface 211 of the rigid transparent panel 210 has a limiting flange 213 protruding outward in a direction perpendicular to the penetration direction. The outer wall of the side panel 120 has a recessed groove 122 along the penetration direction that mates with the limiting flange 213. After the rigid transparent panel 210 is installed, the limiting flange 213 is located within the groove 122, thus achieving the purpose of installation limiting. The limiting flange 213 is distributed on the top and both sides of the rigid transparent panel 210.
[0042] The surface of the rigid transparent plate 210 that abuts against the flexible touch component 220 is flush with the outer wall of the side panel 120. If the rigid transparent plate 210 is lower than the outer wall of the side panel 120, when the deformation of the flexible touch component 220 is large, the object to be grasped is prone to interference with the outer wall of the side panel 120. If the rigid transparent plate 210 is higher than the outer wall of the side panel 120, that is, part of the rigid transparent plate 210 is exposed to the external environment, the external environment will affect the rigid transparent plate 210, thereby affecting the image acquisition effect of the vision component 300.
[0043] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the vision component 300 includes a camera module 310 and a reflector 320 disposed below the camera module 310 and facing the rigid transparent plate 210, with the reflector 320 and the rigid transparent plate 210 forming an acute angle. The camera module 310 is positioned facing the reflector 320 and forming an acute angle with the horizontal plane. The camera module 310, the tactile component 200, and the reflector 320 are each located on one side of an obtuse triangle. This arrangement not only facilitates image capture by the camera module 310 but also makes the housing 100 narrower and more compact.
[0044] Furthermore, the camera module 310 includes a lens circuit board 312, a camera 311 disposed on the bottom surface of the lens circuit board 312, and a power supply circuit board 313 disposed above the lens circuit board 312. The vertical distribution of the power supply circuit board 313 and the lens circuit board 312 makes the overall structure more compact.
[0045] like Figure 12 As shown, a pair of symmetrical protrusions 113 are provided on the inner wall of the main housing 110. The camera module 310 is disposed in the first receiving cavity 140 through the pair of protrusions 113, and the reflector 320 is located below the pair of protrusions 113. A wire clamp 114 is also provided above the protrusions 113. The wire clamp 114 is used to bundle the cables in the first receiving cavity 140 into a bundle to avoid the cables from being messy. A U-shaped cable routing groove is also recessed downward at the top of the main housing 110. A rubber seal 115 is provided in the cable routing groove. The rubber seal 115 has a cable routing hole 1151. The bundled cable extends to the outside of the housing 100 through the cable routing hole 1151.
[0046] Obviously, the embodiments described above are merely some, not all, embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications without creative effort, and all such variations or modifications should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A visual-tactile sensor characterized by, The shell (100) comprises: A tactile component (200) arranged on the shell wall of the shell (100), the tactile component (200) comprises a hard transparent plate (210) arranged on the shell wall of the shell (100), and a flexible touch piece (220) covering the hard transparent plate (210), the flexible touch piece (220) is exposed to the outside of the shell (100); A visual component (300) arranged in the shell (100) for collecting the image of the deformation of the flexible touch piece (220); The hard transparent plate (210) has a circumferential surface (211), the visual tactile sensor further comprises a light source component acting on the circumferential surface (211), the light source component comprises a light source and an optical material layer (212) arranged on the circumferential surface (211), the light source is configured to light the circumferential surface (211), and the optical material layer (212) is configured to convert the received light of the light source into light with a preset color; The flexible touch piece (220) at least comprises a transparent elastomer layer (221) close to the hard transparent plate (210), and a reflection layer (223) arranged on the transparent elastomer layer (221), the reflection layer (223) can form a semi-mirror surface to reflect the light emitted by the optical material layer (212). The flexible touch piece (220) further comprises a mark layer (222) laid on the transparent elastomer layer (221), and the reflection layer (223) is arranged on the mark layer (222), wherein the mark layer (222) comprises a plurality of MARK points, the plurality of MARK points are black dot matrix, and the reflection layer (223) is white.
2. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein The mark layer (222) is single-layer or multi-layer.
3. The tactile sensor of claim 2, wherein The reflection layer (223) is a film attached to the transparent elastomer layer (221) and located on the side of the mark layer (222) away from the transparent elastomer layer (221).
4. The touch sensor of claim 2, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed of a conductive material. The reflection layer (223) is a mirror surface coating made of copper sheet or aluminum sheet paint.
5. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein, The flexible touch piece (220) further comprises a protective layer (224) arranged on the reflection layer (223), wherein the protective layer (224) comprises a silica gel layer arranged on the reflection layer (223), a fabric layer arranged on the silica gel layer, and a medical adhesive tape layer.
6. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein, The optical material layer is a fluorescent material layer fixed on the circumferential surface (211).
7. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein, The color of the optical material layer at least comprises red, green and blue.
8. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein, The shell (100) at least comprises a main shell (110) and a side panel (120) detachably arranged on the main shell (110), the light source is arranged on the side panel (120), the side panel (120) is further provided with the tactile component (200), and the side panel (120) and the tactile component (200) constitute a side panel assembly.
9. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein, The side panel (120) is provided with a mounting opening (121), the hard transparent plate (210) covers the mounting opening (121), and the surface of the hard transparent plate (210) extending along the through direction of the mounting opening (121) is the peripheral surface (211).
10. The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein, The light source is located at one side of one peripheral surface (211) of the hard transparent plate (210), so that the one peripheral surface (211) is the only light entrance surface of the hard transparent plate (210). At least one of the remaining peripheral surfaces (211) of the hard transparent plate (210) is provided with the optical material layer (212).