Sheet metal part angle measuring glove and system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of angle measurement, in particular to a sheet metal part angle measurement glove and system, and the sheet metal part angle measurement glove comprises a glove body, an angle sensing system, a data processing unit and a man-machine interaction unit. According to the sheet metal part angle measuring glove and system, by means of the flexibility of a human hand, the sheet metal part angle measuring glove and system can easily enter a narrow and complex space for measurement, the access problem of a traditional rigid measuring tool is solved, and extremely high flexibility is achieved; the operation is just like hand touch, so that the steps of repeatedly adjusting and observing the measuring tool are omitted, the detection efficiency is greatly improved, the measurement is rapid and visual, and the requirement on the proficiency of an operator is reduced; a high-linearity flexible angle sensor and a digital calibration technology are adopted, so that the parallax error of human eye reading is eliminated, and the measurement precision is high; and the measurement result can be digitally stored, wirelessly transmitted and traced, so that the quality management and the production analysis are facilitated, and the system is seamlessly integrated in a digital manufacturing system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of angle measurement technology, and in particular to a sheet metal part angle measuring glove and system. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of sheet metal processing, assembly, and inspection, accurate measurement of the angle between two adjacent planes (such as bending angles) is crucial. Currently, commonly used measuring tools include general-purpose protractors, digital angle gauges, and coordinate measuring machines (CMMs).

[0003] Both general-purpose protractors and digital angle gauges are rigid structures. When measuring installed sheet metal parts or workpieces in confined spaces with complex structures, the gauge body often cannot stably fit the plane being measured, leading to operational difficulties, inaccurate readings, parallax errors, and low measurement efficiency. Although coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) offer high precision, they are expensive, require harsh environments, and have complex measurement procedures, making them unsuitable for rapid inspection in production settings.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies suffer from drawbacks such as insufficient flexibility, poor operability in confined spaces, low measurement efficiency, and high requirements for operator proficiency. There is an urgent need for a tool that combines human dexterity with the ability to perform rapid, intuitive, and accurate angle measurements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a sheet metal angle measuring glove and system that is simple in structure, flexible in operation, and accurate in measurement, so that it can adapt to narrow and complex spaces, realize fast, intuitive and high-precision angle measurement, and realize digital management of measurement data.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is: a sheet metal part angle measuring glove, comprising: The glove itself is made of a flexible material and is intended to be worn on the operator's hands; An angle sensing system is integrated into at least two fingers of the glove body. The angle sensing system includes a flexible angle sensor disposed at the finger joint and a rigid reference link fixed to the finger. The data processing unit is electrically connected to the angle sensing system and is used to receive the signal from the flexible angle sensor and calculate the included angle between the planes where the two rigid reference rods are located based on a preset calculation model, as the angle value of the workpiece to be measured. The human-computer interaction unit is connected to the data processing unit and is used to output the angle value.

[0007] The angle sensing system includes two sets of sensing units respectively located on the index and middle fingers.

[0008] The flexible angle sensor is either an optical fiber bending sensor or a flexible strain sensor.

[0009] The data processing unit includes a microcontroller and a calibration module, which stores calibration parameters for converting sensor signals into angle values.

[0010] The data processing unit also includes an inertial measurement unit for sensing the spatial posture of the hand; the data processing unit is also used to perform spatial geometric correction on the calculated included angle based on the data from the inertial measurement unit.

[0011] The spatial geometric correction includes: Based on the signal from the flexible angle sensor, a first vector and a second vector representing the directions of the two rigid reference links are determined in the glove coordinate system. Obtain the rotation matrix of the back-of-hand coordinate system relative to the world coordinate system provided by the inertial measurement unit; The first and second vectors are transformed to the world coordinate system using the rotation matrix. Calculate the angle between the two transformed vectors in the world coordinate system, and use it as the corrected angle value of the workpiece under test.

[0012] The human-computer interaction unit includes a display screen and a voice broadcast module.

[0013] The human-computer interaction unit also includes a wireless communication module for sending the angle value to an external device.

[0014] A sheet metal part angle measurement system includes the sheet metal part angle measurement glove described in any one of the above, and an external data processing device that is communicatively connected to the wireless communication module.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: (1) The sheet metal angle measuring glove and system of the present invention can easily enter narrow and complex spaces for measurement by taking advantage of the flexibility of human hands, which solves the access problem of traditional rigid measuring tools and has extremely high flexibility. (2) The operation is just like touching with your hands, which eliminates the need to repeatedly adjust and observe the measuring tools, greatly improves the detection efficiency, makes the measurement fast and intuitive, and reduces the requirements for the operator's proficiency. (3) The use of a flexible angle sensor with high linearity and digital calibration technology eliminates parallax error in human eye readings, resulting in high measurement accuracy; (4) Measurement results can be digitally stored, wirelessly transmitted and traced, which facilitates quality management and production analysis and is seamlessly integrated into the digital manufacturing system; (5) It can not only measure static angles, but also capture and analyze the dynamic changes of angles through continuous sampling, providing a new means for process verification and has strong functional expandability. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the upper part of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lower part of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, illustrating only the basic structure of the invention, and therefore only show the components relevant to the invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0021] Figure 1 , Figure 2 The sheet metal angle measuring glove shown mainly includes a glove body 1, an angle sensing system, a data processing unit, a human-machine interaction unit 3, and a power supply and communication unit.

[0022] The glove body 1 is made of abrasion-resistant, oil-resistant flexible material (such as high-strength nylon or leather) and is ergonomically designed to ensure comfortable wear and flexible operation.

[0023] The angle sensing system is the core measurement component. It comprises at least two sensing units integrated into the fingers (preferably the index and middle fingers). Each sensing unit includes a flexible angle sensor 6 (such as a fiber optic bend sensor or a flexible printed resistive strain sensor) and a rigid reference link 4. The flexible angle sensor 6 is longitudinally sewn or pasted onto the back of the finger, covering the knuckle area. The rigid reference link 4, made of a lightweight, high-rigidity material (such as carbon fiber), is fixed parallel to the fingertip via a rotatable hinge or flexible joint, and its length is slightly longer than the knuckle, allowing it to extend beyond the fingertip as a reference edge for measurement.

[0024] The data processing unit mainly includes a microcontroller 2, which is installed in the protective box 7 on the back of the glove. The MCU is responsible for receiving the raw signals from the sensor, performing analog-to-digital conversion, filtering, and calculations. The system has a built-in calibration module. Users can align the reference link with a standard block at a known angle (such as 90° or 180°), and the MCU will record the sensor readings to establish a linear relationship between the sensor signal (voltage V) and the angle value (θ) (θ_finger=A*V+B), thereby completing the calibration.

[0025] To further improve accuracy, the system can also integrate an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to sense the roll, pitch, and yaw angles of the hand. The MCU uses the IMU data and a rotation matrix to transform the measured "angles in the glove coordinate system" to "true spatial angles in the world coordinate system," compensating for errors introduced by incorrect wrist posture.

[0026] The human-computer interaction unit 3 includes a miniature OLED display mounted on the back of the hand or wrist for real-time display of measured angle values. Optionally, a voice broadcast module is integrated to broadcast the results via a miniature speaker or bone conduction headphones, thus "freeing the eyes." Control buttons 5 are provided for operations such as power on / off, unit switching, and data saving.

[0027] The power supply and communication unit includes a small rechargeable lithium battery 8 integrated in the protective box 7, as well as a wireless communication module such as Bluetooth, for transmitting measurement data to an external computer or production management system (MES) in real time.

[0028] Working principle: During measurement, the operator wears gloves and firmly attaches the rigid reference linkage 4, fixed to the index and middle fingers, to two adjacent planes of the sheet metal part being measured. The natural opening and closing of the fingers causes the knuckles to bend, deforming the flexible angle sensor 6 and generating a signal change. The MCU reads the signal and calculates the relative bending angle θ_glove between the two fingers using a pre-stored calibration curve (basic calculation model, θ_sheet_metal = |θ_index - θ_middle|). If the system includes an IMU, further geometric correction is performed using an advanced calculation model, outputting the final true spatial angle θ_sheet_metal_true. The result is displayed in real-time on the screen or announced via voice, and can be transmitted wirelessly.

[0029] VI. Specific Parameters (I) Core Measurement Input Parameters 1. Finger bending angle (core parameter) Measurement targets: primarily the bending angles of the index and middle fingers. These two fingers are usually chosen because they are the longest and provide the most stable reference.

[0030] Sensor data: Electrical signals (voltage, resistance) or optical signals (light intensity loss) output by flexible angle sensors 6 (such as strain sensors or fiber optic sensors).

[0031] Key point: The system does not measure the absolute curvature of a single finger, but rather the relative curvature change between two fingers, which directly corresponds to the included angle of the sheet metal part.

[0032] 2. Hand posture (compensation parameters) Measurement object: The overall tilt and rotation of the gloved hand of body 1 during measurement.

[0033] Sensor data: Triaxial accelerometer, triaxial gyroscope, and triaxial magnetometer data provided by the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) located on the back of the hand.

[0034] Function: To compensate for measurement errors introduced by incorrect wrist posture. For example, to ensure that the measured angle is the "true" angle of the sheet metal on a horizontal plane, rather than the "relative" angle relative to a tilted wrist.

[0035] (II) Calculation Model and Target Output Parameters 1. Basic Computational Model This is the most core and intuitive calculation principle.

[0036] Assumptions: The glove body 1 is worn correctly, and the hand plane is roughly parallel to the bending line of the sheet metal part during measurement (i.e., the wrist is not severely tilted to the side).

[0037] Principle: Treat the index and middle fingers as two robotic arms.

[0038] The rigid reference link fixed to it represents the two measuring sides.

[0039] When two fingers are pressed against the two surfaces of a sheet metal part, the included angle θ_glove between the two fingers is the included angle θ_sheet_metal of the sheet metal part.

[0040] Calculation formula: θ_sheet_metal = θ_glove = |θ_index - θ_middle| θ_index: The absolute bending angle of the index finger (relative to the plane of the back of the hand).

[0041] θ_middle: The absolute bending angle of the middle finger.

[0042] From sensor signal to finger angle: This is a linear calibration process. The sensor signal (such as voltage V) has a linear relationship with the finger angle: θ_finger = A*V + B A (slope) and B (intercept) are calibration coefficients, determined through the following steps: Zero-position calibration: Place two fingers together and press them against a flat surface at a 180° angle. Define this position as 180° and record the sensor's output value V_180 at this point.

[0043] Full-scale calibration: Spread two fingers and place them against a standard gauge block at a known angle (e.g., 90°), and record the sensor output value V_90.

[0044] Calculate the coefficients: A = (90° - 180°) / (V_90 - V_180), B = 180° - A * V_180; Once A and B are determined, microcontroller 2 can instantly convert the real-time read voltage V into angle θ_finger.

[0045] 2. Advanced computational models To cope with more complex measurement scenarios, it is necessary to introduce IMU data for spatial geometric correction.

[0046] Principle: The IMU can calculate the attitude angles (roll, pitch, and yaw) of the hand coordinate system relative to the world coordinate system (ground).

[0047] By using rotation matrices or quaternions, the measured "relative angles in the glove coordinate system" can be transformed into "real spatial angles in the world coordinate system".

[0048] Calculation process: Vector establishment: Based on the bending data of the index and middle fingers, construct two vectors V_index and V_middle in the glove coordinate system, which represent the directions of the two reference links respectively.

[0049] Calculate the included angle in the glove coordinate system: θ_glove_local=arccos((V_index·V_middle) / (|V_index|*|V_middle|)).

[0050] Obtain the pose matrix: Obtain the rotation matrix R_glove_to_world of the back of the hand relative to the world coordinate system from the IMU.

[0051] Transform to world coordinates: Transform the finger vector to world coordinates: V_index_world = R_glove_to_world * V_index, V_middle_world = R_glove_to_world * V_middle Calculate the angle in real space: θ_sheet_metal_true=arccos((V_index_world·V_middle_world) / (|V_index_world|*|V_middle_world|)).

[0052] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A sheet metal angle measuring glove, characterized in that, include: The glove body (1) is made of a flexible material and is intended to be worn on the operator's hand; An angle sensing system is integrated into at least two finger parts of the glove body (1). The angle sensing system includes a flexible angle sensor (6) disposed at the finger joint and a rigid reference link (4) fixed to the finger part. The data processing unit is electrically connected to the angle sensing system and is used to receive the signal from the flexible angle sensor (6) and calculate the angle between the planes where the two rigid reference rods (4) are located based on the preset calculation model, as the angle value of the workpiece to be measured. The human-computer interaction unit (3) is connected to the data processing unit and is used to output the angle value.

2. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle sensing system includes two sets of sensing units respectively located on the index and middle fingers.

3. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible angle sensor (6) is an optical fiber bending sensor or a flexible strain sensor.

4. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data processing unit includes a microcontroller (2) and a calibration module, which stores calibration parameters for converting sensor signals into angle values.

5. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data processing unit also includes an inertial measurement unit for sensing the spatial posture of the hand; the data processing unit is also used to perform spatial geometric correction on the calculated included angle based on the data from the inertial measurement unit.

6. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 5, characterized in that, The spatial geometric correction includes: Based on the signal from the flexible angle sensor (6), a first vector and a second vector representing the directions of the two rigid reference links (4) are determined in the glove coordinate system; Obtain the rotation matrix of the back-of-hand coordinate system relative to the world coordinate system provided by the inertial measurement unit; The first and second vectors are transformed to the world coordinate system using the rotation matrix. Calculate the angle between the two transformed vectors in the world coordinate system, and use it as the corrected angle value of the workpiece under test.

7. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The human-computer interaction unit (3) includes a display screen and a voice broadcast module.

8. The sheet metal angle measuring glove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The human-computer interaction unit (3) also includes a wireless communication module for sending the angle value to an external device.

9. A sheet metal part angle measurement system, characterized in that, It includes the sheet metal angle measuring glove as described in any one of claims 1-8, and an external data processing device that is communicatively connected to the wireless communication module.

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