A clamping system and method suitable for plate grabbing

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of clamping system and clamping method suitable for dinner plate grabbing, including drive module, transmission module and clamping module, drive module includes first drive device, first bottom plate, second drive device and second bottom plate, second drive device is fixed on the top of second bottom plate, its output end is connected with first bottom plate, two first drive devices are fixed on first bottom plate in parallel, transmission module is rotatably connected with first drive device, including positioning connector, first shaft and driving plate, the output shaft of each first drive device is connected with driving plate, and the other end between two driving plates is fixed with first shaft, first shaft is rotatably connected with positioning connector, clamping module is detachably installed at the end of positioning connector, including first and second clamping plates with same structure.The application is accurate in clamping and positioning, fast in action response, stable in transmission, reliable in clamping, and can adapt to dinner plates of various specifications through different clamping plates.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of tableware transfer equipment, and more specifically, relates to a clamping system and clamping method suitable for gripping plates. Background Technology

[0002] In applications such as restaurant automation, kitchen food preparation, tableware recycling and sorting, dishwasher loading and unloading, and restaurant service robots, robot end effectors need to pick up, place, transport, and stack tableware such as bowls, plates, dishes, and cups. Tableware is characterized by its brittle materials (ceramic / glass), smooth surface, thin and fragile walls, various sizes, and mostly curved shapes. Furthermore, in actual operation, tableware may be damp, oily, or have water films, reducing the coefficient of friction and further increasing the difficulty of gripping. Therefore, for tableware gripping, the end effector structure typically needs to simultaneously meet requirements such as: stable gripping, strong adaptability to curved surfaces, surface friendliness (no scratches, no cracks), compatibility with size changes, and ease of cleaning and maintenance.

[0003] The most widely used end effector in current technology is the parallel two-finger gripper, which applies clamping force to the target object by moving the two fingers in opposite directions. The parallel two-finger gripper is simple in structure, easy to control, and highly versatile, suitable for relatively regular-shaped objects such as boxes and blocks. However, when gripping curved rotating objects such as bowls and plates, the fingertips of traditional grippers are mostly flat or have small rounded corners. The contact with the bowl wall / rim is often point or line contact, resulting in a small effective contact area. This means that gripping stability largely depends on a high clamping force or a high coefficient of friction. For tableware with smooth surfaces that may have a water / oil film, point / line contact is more prone to slippage. Simultaneously, bowls usually have a certain degree of taper or curvature, making them prone to eccentric gripping and attitude drift during gripping. This manifests as the bowl rotating or sliding during gripper closure or transport, leading to it falling or colliding with surrounding objects.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issue of unstable gripping, existing solutions involve attaching anti-slip pads to the surface of the gripper fingers or widening the contact area at the fingertips. However, these improvements essentially fall under the traditional approach of "widening the plane / increasing friction with soft pads," failing to fundamentally solve the technical challenges. On one hand, when the curvature of the gripper's holding surface does not match that of the tableware's bowl wall, stable surface contact remains difficult to achieve, resulting in limited improvement in gripping stability. On the other hand, to prevent tableware slippage, the clamping force often needs to be further increased. However, a large clamping force can cause localized stress concentration on brittle tableware such as thin-walled ceramics and glass, easily leading to breakage, surface indentations, or glaze scratches, making it impossible to achieve flexible gripping of fragile tableware. Furthermore, tableware in catering scenarios varies significantly in size, with different bowl diameters, rim thicknesses, and radii of curvature. Grippers with a single flat fingertip or a single soft pad structure have limited adaptability, making it difficult to guarantee the consistency and reliability of gripping tableware of different sizes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned deficiencies or improvement needs of existing technologies, this invention provides a clamping system and method suitable for plate grasping. In the drive module, dual first drive devices independently drive corresponding clamping plates, while a second drive device coordinates the adjustment of clamping position and overall posture. This not only achieves precise positioning, rapid action response, and stable and reliable clamping during plate grasping, adapting to automated grasping operations of plates of different sizes, but also compensates for robot positioning errors, optimizes the grasping angle, and further improves the grasping success rate. Simultaneously, a rotary transmission mechanism composed of an active transmission plate, a first rotating shaft, and a positioning connector ensures… The motion transmission is continuous and smooth, with high mechanical transmission efficiency, effectively reducing impact, jamming, and component wear during movement. In the transmission module, an auxiliary transmission mechanism consisting of a third rotating shaft, an auxiliary transmission plate, a second rotating shaft, and a third bearing forms a double-sided synchronous transmission structure with the active transmission plate. This ensures balanced force and smooth movement during the opening and closing of the positioning connector, preventing the clamping plate from swaying or jamming, and improving clamping alignment and stability. Furthermore, the two mechanisms work together to drive the positioning connector, forming a stable quadrilateral transmission mechanism with high overall structural rigidity and strong load-bearing capacity, maintaining uniform clamping force and reliable operation when gripping plates of different weights. In the clamping module, the clamping part adopts an arc-shaped structure adapted to the side wall of the plate, significantly increasing the contact area and ensuring uniform clamping force distribution, preventing slippage, deformation, or breakage of the plate, and improving clamping safety and stability. Simultaneously, the mounting part and connecting plate are detachably fixed with bolts, ensuring high assembly precision, reliable connection, and convenient disassembly and assembly. This facilitates the individual replacement, maintenance, and cleaning of the clamping plate, extending the overall mechanism's service life and effectively reducing equipment usage and maintenance costs.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a clamping system suitable for gripping plates is provided, comprising a drive module, a transmission module, and a clamping module; wherein... The drive module includes a first drive device, a first base plate, a second drive device, and a second base plate. The second drive device is fixedly installed on the top of the second base plate, and the output end of the second drive device is fixedly connected to the first base plate. Two first drive devices are fixedly installed parallel to each other on the top of the first base plate. The second drive device is used to drive the entire clamping system to achieve 360° rotation adjustment around its vertical axis. The first drive device is used to drive the transmission module to move, thereby driving the clamping module to achieve opening and closing actions of clamping towards each other and moving away from each other. The transmission module is rotatably connected to the first drive device and includes a positioning connector, a first rotating shaft and an active transmission plate. Each of the two output shafts of the first drive device is fixedly mounted with an active transmission plate. The other ends of the two active transmission plates on the first drive device are fixedly mounted with a first rotating shaft. The first rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the positioning connector. The clamping module is detachably installed on the other end of the positioning connector and includes a first clamping plate and a second clamping plate. The first clamping plate and the second clamping plate have the same structure and are respectively fixed to the end of the corresponding positioning connector. The corresponding clamping plate is independently driven by the dual first driving devices, and the clamping position and overall posture are coordinated and adjusted in conjunction with the second driving device to realize the plate gripping operation.

[0007] Furthermore, the transmission module also includes a second rotating shaft, an auxiliary transmission plate, a third bearing, and a third rotating shaft. The outer ring of the third bearing is fixedly installed on the side opposite to the first driving device. The inner ring of the third bearing is fixedly connected to the middle outer wall of the third rotating shaft. The two ends of the third rotating shaft are respectively fixedly installed with auxiliary transmission plates. The second rotating shaft is fixedly installed between the ends of the auxiliary transmission plates away from the third rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the positioning connector. The first rotating shaft, the second rotating shaft, the third rotating shaft, and the output shaft of the first driving device are arranged parallel to each other, so that the active transmission plate, the auxiliary transmission plate, and the positioning connector together constitute a parallelogram linkage transmission mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the positioning connector includes a first bearing, a second bearing, and a connecting plate. The outer ring of the first bearing is fixedly installed on the outer side wall of the lower end of the connecting plate, and its inner ring is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the second rotating shaft. The outer ring of the second bearing is fixedly installed on the inner side wall of the lower end of the connecting plate, and its inner ring is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the first rotating shaft. The upper end of the connecting plate is provided with multiple mounting holes for detachably fixing the first clamping plate or the second clamping plate.

[0009] Furthermore, the first clamping plate includes a mounting part, a connecting part, and a clamping part. The lower end of the mounting part has multiple mounting through holes, which correspond to the mounting holes on the upper end of the connecting plate. The mounting part is detachably fixed to the connecting plate by bolts. The top of the mounting part is fixedly provided with a connecting part, and clamping parts are fixedly provided on both sides of the top of the connecting part. The clamping part adopts an arc-shaped structure adapted to the contour of the side wall of the plate. Furthermore, the height of each connecting part is set to 5-80mm, the distance between two connecting parts is set to 1-20mm, and the radius of curvature of the arc surface of the clamping part is set to 20-200mm.

[0010] Furthermore, the clamping portions on the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate have the same arc orientation. If the clamping portion of the first clamping plate is adapted to the inner wall contour of the tableware bowl, then the clamping portion of the second clamping plate is adapted to the outer wall contour of the tableware bowl. If the clamping part of the first clamping plate is adapted to the outer wall contour of the tableware bowl, then the clamping part of the second clamping plate is adapted to the inner wall contour of the tableware bowl.

[0011] Furthermore, the clamping portions of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are provided with elastic anti-slip layers on their respective inner sides, and the elastic anti-slip layers are made of silicone, TPU or rubber.

[0012] Furthermore, the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are made of aluminum alloy, stainless steel, PA, PC or PEEK material.

[0013] Furthermore, the first driving device is a servo motor or a dual-axis drive motor, whose output shaft passes through the first driving device and extends outward from both ends, and both ends of the output shaft are fixedly connected to one end of the active transmission plate. The second driving device is a servo motor or a single-axis drive motor, and its output end is fixedly connected to the bottom of the first base plate.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a clamping method suitable for gripping plates is provided, implemented using the aforementioned clamping system suitable for gripping plates, comprising the following steps: S100: Move the clamping system directly above the plate to be gripped, activate the second drive device, drive the entire clamping system to rotate and adjust around its axis, so that the clamping parts of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are parallel to the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped, then activate the first drive device, drive the transmission mechanism to make the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate open and close in opposite directions until the two clamping plates are fully open; S200: Control the movement of the clamping system so that the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped is between the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate, and at the same time adjust the height of the clamping system to ensure that the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped falls accurately into the clamping area of ​​the clamping part of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate. S300: Start the first drive device, drive the transmission mechanism to make the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate move closer to each other until the arc-shaped surface of the clamping part of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are fully adapted to the contour of the side wall of the plate, forming a wrap-around fit with one side of the inner side wall of the plate and the other side of the outer side wall, thus completing the stable gripping of the plate. S400: Activate the second drive device to drive the entire clamping system to rotate and adjust around its vertical axis, adjusting the plate to the preset transfer angle; then move the clamping system to transfer the plate to the target position. After the plate is transferred to the target position and placed stably, activate the first drive device to drive the transmission mechanism to make the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate open and close in opposite directions until the clamping part is completely detached from the plate, completing the plate release.

[0015] In summary, compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solutions conceived by this invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: 1. The present invention provides a clamping system suitable for plate grasping. It independently drives corresponding clamping plates via dual first drive devices, and coordinates with a second drive device to adjust the clamping position and overall posture. This enables precise positioning, rapid action response, and stable and reliable clamping during plate grasping. It is adaptable to automated plate grasping operations of different sizes, compensates for robot positioning errors, optimizes the grasping angle, and further improves the grasping success rate. The rotating transmission mechanism, consisting of an active transmission plate, a first rotating shaft, and a positioning connector, ensures continuous and smooth motion transmission and high mechanical transmission efficiency, effectively reducing impact, jamming, and component wear during movement. The clamping module and positioning connector adopt a detachable connection structure, allowing for quick replacement of clamping plates according to plate material, size, and working conditions. It is highly versatile, easy to disassemble and maintain, and effectively reduces equipment usage and maintenance costs.

[0016] 2. The present invention provides a clamping system for gripping plates. An auxiliary transmission mechanism, consisting of a third rotating shaft, an auxiliary transmission plate, a second rotating shaft, and a third bearing, forms a double-sided synchronous transmission structure with the active transmission plate. This ensures that the positioning connector experiences balanced force and smooth movement during opening and closing, effectively preventing the clamping plate from swaying or jamming. This significantly improves the centering and stability of the plate clamping. The auxiliary transmission plate and the active transmission plate work together to drive the positioning connector, forming a stable quadrilateral transmission mechanism. The overall structure has high rigidity and strong load-bearing capacity, maintaining uniform clamping force and reliable operation when gripping plates of different weights.

[0017] 3. The present invention provides a clamping system for gripping plates. The clamping part adopts an arc-shaped structure adapted to the side wall of the plate, which can significantly increase the contact area with the plate, make the clamping force evenly distributed, effectively prevent the plate from slipping, deforming or breaking during the clamping process, and improve the stability and safety of the clamping operation. The mounting part and the connecting plate are detachably fixedly connected by bolts, with high assembly accuracy, reliable connection, and convenient disassembly and assembly. It is convenient to replace, maintain or clean the clamping plate separately, extend the service life of the overall mechanism and reduce operation and maintenance costs.

[0018] 4. A clamping system for gripping plates according to the present invention, wherein the clamping portions of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are provided with elastic anti-slip layers on their inner sides. The elastic anti-slip layers are made of silicone, TPU or rubber materials to increase the clamping friction in wet and oily conditions and reduce the damage to the surface of the tableware caused by rigid contact. The elastic anti-slip layers can be set as detachable pads for easy disassembly, cleaning and replacement, meeting the hygiene maintenance requirements of catering operation scenarios.

[0019] 5. The present invention provides a clamping system for gripping plates. The first clamping plate and the second clamping plate of the clamping module adopt a detachable structure, which can be quickly replaced according to the material, size and working conditions of the plate. It can also be easily installed on existing two-finger grippers on the market. It has wide application, low modification cost, and convenient disassembly and maintenance, effectively reducing the cost of equipment use and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a clamping system for gripping plates according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is another schematic diagram of the installation of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate of a clamping system suitable for gripping plates according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a clamping method for gripping plates according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same technical features, specifically: 1-first clamping plate, 101-mounting part, 102-connecting part, 103-clamping part, 2-second clamping plate, 3-positioning connector, 301-first bearing, 302-second bearing, 303-connecting plate, 4-first rotating shaft, 5-second rotating shaft, 6-active transmission plate, 7-auxiliary transmission plate, 8-third bearing, 9-third rotating shaft, 10-first driving device, 11-first base plate, 12-second driving device, 13-second base plate. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0023] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0024] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0025] In this patent, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0026] Example 1 like Figure 1As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a clamping system suitable for gripping plates, including a drive module, a transmission module, and a clamping module. The drive module includes a first drive device 10, a first base plate 11, a second drive device 12, and a second base plate 13. The second drive device 12 is fixedly mounted on the top of the second base plate 13, which is used to connect to the end effector of a robot. The output end of the second drive device 12 is fixedly connected to the first base plate 11. Two first drive devices 10 are fixedly mounted parallel to each other on the top of the first base plate 11. The second drive device 12 is used to drive the entire clamping system to achieve 360° rotation adjustment around its vertical axis. The first drive devices 10 are used to drive... The transmission module moves, thereby driving the clamping module to perform opening and closing actions of clamping towards each other and moving away from each other; the transmission module is rotatably connected to the first drive device 10, including a positioning connector 3, a first rotating shaft 4 and an active transmission plate 6. The output shafts at both ends of each first drive device 10 are fixedly mounted with an active transmission plate 6, and the other ends of the two active transmission plates 6 on the first drive device 10 are fixedly mounted with a first rotating shaft 4, which is rotatably connected to the positioning connector 3; the clamping module is detachably installed on the other end of the positioning connector 3, including a first clamping plate 1 and a second clamping plate 2. The first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 have the same structure and are respectively fixedly mounted on the ends of the corresponding positioning connector 3. This invention independently drives the corresponding clamping plates through dual first drive devices, and coordinates with the second drive device to achieve coordinated adjustment of clamping position and overall posture. It can achieve precise positioning, rapid action response, and stable and reliable clamping during the plate grabbing process. It can adapt to the automated grabbing operation of plates of different sizes and has a wide range of applications. The rotary transmission mechanism, consisting of the active transmission plate 6, the first rotating shaft 4, and the positioning connector 3, provides continuous and smooth motion transmission and high mechanical transmission efficiency. It can effectively reduce impact, jamming, and component wear during the movement process, significantly improving the service life and operational stability of the clamping system. The clamping module and the positioning connector adopt a detachable connection structure, which allows for quick replacement of clamping plates according to the material, size, and working conditions of the plates. It has strong versatility, convenient disassembly and maintenance, and effectively reduces the cost of equipment use and maintenance. The first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 adopt the same structural design, with simple parts processing technology and excellent interchangeability, which facilitates mass production and assembly, simplifies the assembly process, improves assembly efficiency, and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0027] Furthermore, the transmission module also includes a second rotating shaft 5, an auxiliary transmission plate 7, a third bearing 8, and a third rotating shaft 9; the outer ring of the third bearing 8 is fixedly installed on the opposite side of the first driving device 9, the inner ring of the third bearing 8 is fixedly connected to the middle outer wall of the third rotating shaft 9, the two ends of the third rotating shaft 9 are respectively fixedly installed with auxiliary transmission plates 7, and the second rotating shaft 5 is fixedly installed between the ends of the auxiliary transmission plates 7 away from the third rotating shaft 9, and the second rotating shaft 5 is rotatably connected to the positioning connector 3. By adding an auxiliary transmission mechanism consisting of a third rotating shaft 9, an auxiliary transmission plate 7, a second rotating shaft 5, and a third bearing 8, a double-sided synchronous transmission structure is formed with the active transmission plate 6. This ensures that the positioning connector 3 experiences balanced force and smooth movement during opening and closing, effectively preventing the clamping plate from swaying or jamming. This significantly improves the centering and stability of the plate clamping. The third bearing 8 and the third rotating shaft 9 form a rotational support, reducing frictional resistance and transmission gap during the auxiliary transmission process, ensuring high transmission accuracy and sensitive motion response, and improving the consistency and reliability of the clamping system. The auxiliary transmission plate 7 and the active transmission plate 6 work together to drive the positioning connector, forming a stable quadrilateral transmission mechanism. The overall structure has high rigidity and strong load-bearing capacity, maintaining uniform clamping force and reliable operation when gripping plates of different weights, thus extending the service life of the clamping system.

[0028] Furthermore, the first rotating shaft 4, the second rotating shaft 5, and the third rotating shaft 9 are arranged parallel to each other with the output shaft of the first driving device, so that the active transmission plate 6, the auxiliary transmission plate 7, and the positioning connector 3 together form a parallelogram linkage transmission mechanism. The use of a parallelogram linkage transmission mechanism can ensure that the clamping module maintains a constant posture and good centering during the opening and closing movement, effectively avoiding the clamping plate from swaying or tilting, significantly improving the positioning accuracy and clamping stability of the plate gripping. The parallel arrangement of each rotating shaft makes the force uniform and the movement smooth during the transmission process, reducing the friction and impact between moving pairs, reducing the transmission gap, and improving the action consistency and operational reliability of the clamping system.

[0029] Furthermore, the positioning connector 3 includes a first bearing 301, a second bearing 302, and a connecting plate 303. The outer ring of the first bearing 301 is fixedly installed on the outer side wall of the lower end of the connecting plate 303, and its inner ring is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the second rotating shaft 5. The outer ring of the second bearing 302 is fixedly installed on the inner side wall of the lower end of the connecting plate 303, and its inner ring is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the first rotating shaft 4. The upper end of the connecting plate 303 has multiple mounting holes for detachably fixing the first clamping plate 1 or the second clamping plate 2. By forming a rotational fit with the first rotating shaft 4 and the second rotating shaft 5 through the first bearing 301 and the second bearing 302 respectively, the rotational accuracy and coaxiality of the connecting plate 303 during the transmission process can be effectively guaranteed, the rotational clearance and radial runout can be reduced, and the stability and accuracy of the transmission link can be improved. The first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 can be detachably fixed through multiple mounting holes, realizing the modular assembly of the clamping module and the connecting plate 303, which facilitates quick and convenient replacement of the clamping plates.

[0030] Further, the first clamping plate 1 includes a mounting part 101, a connecting part 102, and a clamping part 103. The lower end of the mounting part 101 has multiple mounting through holes, which correspond to the mounting holes on the upper end of the connecting plate 303. The mounting part 101 is detachably fixed to the connecting plate 303 by bolts. The top of the mounting part 101 is fixedly provided with the connecting part 102, and clamping parts 103 are fixedly provided on both sides of the top of the connecting part 102. The clamping parts 103 are designed to be used with... The clamping part 103 adopts an arc-shaped structure that matches the contour of the plate side wall, which can significantly increase the contact area with the plate, make the clamping force evenly distributed, effectively prevent the plate from slipping, deforming or breaking during the clamping process, and improve the stability and safety of the clamping operation. The mounting part 101 and the connecting plate 303 are detachably fixedly connected by bolts, with high assembly accuracy, reliable connection, and convenient disassembly and assembly. It is convenient to replace, maintain or clean the clamping plate separately, extend the service life of the overall mechanism and reduce operation and maintenance costs.

[0031] Furthermore, the height of each connecting part 102 is set to 5-80mm, the distance between two connecting parts 102 is set to 1-20mm, and the radius of curvature of the arc-shaped surface of the clamping part 103 is set to 20-200mm. By limiting the height of the connecting parts, the distance between adjacent connecting parts, and the radius of curvature of the clamping part to a reasonable range, the clamping system can form a good fit with the outer wall of plates of different diameters, depths, and curvatures, ensuring uniform force, sufficient fit, and preventing slippage during the clamping process. The reasonable setting of the radius of curvature and the spacing can effectively increase the contact area between the clamping part and the surface of the plate, improving the clamping stability and reliability.

[0032] Furthermore, the clamping portions 103 on the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 have the same arc orientation, so that the clamping portions adapt to the inner and outer wall contours of the tableware bowl during the clamping process, achieving a close clamping. If the clamping portion 103 of the first clamping plate 1 adapts to the inner wall contour of the tableware bowl, then the clamping portion 103 of the second clamping plate 2 adapts to the outer wall contour of the tableware bowl; if the clamping portion 103 of the first clamping plate 1 adapts to the outer wall contour of the tableware bowl, then the clamping portion 103 of the second clamping plate 2 adapts to the inner wall contour of the tableware bowl. The clamping portions on both sides adopt an arc-shaped, unidirectional, and complementary inner and outer wall adaptation structure, which can form a wrap-around close clamping with the tableware bowl, greatly improving the clamping contact area and clamping stability. The clamping force is evenly distributed and symmetrically stressed, effectively preventing the tableware from slipping, shifting, shaking, or breaking during the gripping process, significantly improving the reliability and safety of automated gripping operations.

[0033] Furthermore, both the clamping portions 103 of the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 are provided with elastic anti-slip layers on their inner sides. These layers are made of silicone, TPU, or rubber to increase clamping friction in humid or oily conditions and reduce damage to the tableware surface caused by rigid contact. The elastic anti-slip layers can be configured as removable pads for easy disassembly, cleaning, and replacement, meeting the hygiene requirements of catering operations. Adding an elastic anti-slip layer to the inner side of the clamping portion significantly improves the coefficient of friction and clamping stability in humid or oily environments, effectively preventing tableware from slipping or falling off, and improving the reliability of automated gripping operations. The use of flexible materials such as silicone, TPU, or rubber buffers the impact of rigid clamping, preventing scratches, chipping, or deformation of ceramic, glass, and other tableware surfaces, thus enhancing the safety of clamping operations. The removable pad structure of the elastic anti-slip layer facilitates easy disassembly, cleaning, and disinfection, meeting the stringent hygiene standards of the catering industry. It also allows for the individual replacement of worn parts, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.

[0034] Furthermore, the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 are made of aluminum alloy, stainless steel, PA, PC or PEEK materials. The choice of metal or engineering plastic materials can be flexibly selected according to different working conditions. This ensures that the overall structure of the clamping plate has high strength, good rigidity and is not easily deformed, while also achieving a lightweight design, reducing motion inertia and improving the response speed of the clamping system. The use of metal materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel provides excellent wear resistance and long service life, which can meet the needs of high-intensity and long-term automated gripping operations. The use of engineering plastic materials such as PA, PC, PEEK ensures structural strength while being lightweight, low-cost, and self-lubricating, and can further reduce collision damage to tableware.

[0035] Furthermore, the first drive device 10 is a servo motor or a dual-axis drive motor, with its output shaft passing through the first drive device 10 and extending outward from both ends. Both ends of the output shaft are fixedly connected to one end of the active transmission plate 6. The dual-end output shaft structure enables synchronous driving of the two active transmission plates 6, ensuring high consistency of clamping actions, smooth movement, and good centering, effectively preventing clamping plate swaying or jamming.

[0036] Furthermore, the second drive device 12 is a servo motor or a single-axis drive motor, and its output end is fixedly connected to the bottom of the first base plate 11. The single-axis output structure has concentrated power transmission and high efficiency, and can stably drive the entire clamping module to rotate 360°, realizing flexible adjustment of the plate gripping posture.

[0037] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 are respectively detachably fixed to the actuator end of an existing electric gripper through the mounting through hole of its mounting part 101 using bolts, so as to realize the quick adaptation and assembly of the clamping module with the existing electric gripper.

[0038] Example 2 Combination Figure 1 ,like Figure 3 As shown, this invention provides a clamping method suitable for gripping plates, implemented using a clamping system for gripping plates, with the following specific steps: S100: Move the clamping system directly above the plate to be gripped, start the second drive device 12, drive the entire clamping system to rotate and adjust around its axis, so that the clamping parts 103 of the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 are parallel to the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped, then start the first drive device 10, drive the transmission mechanism to drive the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 to perform opening and closing actions that move away from each other, until the two clamping plates are in a fully open state; S200: Control the movement of the clamping system so that the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped is between the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2, and at the same time adjust the height of the clamping system to ensure that the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped falls accurately into the clamping area of ​​the clamping part 103 of the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2. S300: Start the first drive device 10, drive the transmission mechanism to make the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 move closer to each other and clamp until the arc-shaped surface of the clamping part 103 of the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 is fully adapted to the contour of the side wall of the plate, forming a wrap-around fit with one side of the inner side wall of the plate and the other side of the outer side wall, thus completing the stable gripping of the plate. S400: Start the second drive device 12 to drive the entire clamping system to rotate and adjust around its vertical axis, adjusting the plate to the preset transfer angle; then move the clamping system to transfer the plate to the target position. After the plate is transferred to the target position and placed stably, start the first drive device 10 to drive the transmission mechanism to drive the first clamping plate 1 and the second clamping plate 2 to open and close in opposite directions until the clamping part 103 is completely detached from the plate, completing the plate release.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clamping system suitable for gripping plates, characterized in that, It includes a drive module, a transmission module, and a clamping module; among which, The drive module includes a first drive device (10), a first base plate (11), a second drive device (12), and a second base plate (13). The second drive device (12) is fixedly installed on the top of the second base plate (13). The output end of the second drive device (12) is fixedly connected to the first base plate (11). Two first drive devices (10) are fixedly installed parallel to each other on the top of the first base plate (11). The second drive device (12) is used to drive the entire clamping system to achieve 360° rotation adjustment around its vertical axis. The first drive device (10) is used to drive the transmission module to move, thereby driving the clamping module to achieve opening and closing actions of clamping towards each other and moving away from each other. The transmission module is rotatably connected to the first drive device (10), including a positioning connector (3), a first rotating shaft (4) and an active transmission plate (6). The output shafts at both ends of each first drive device (10) are fixedly mounted with an active transmission plate (6). The other ends of the two active transmission plates (6) on the first drive device (10) are fixedly mounted with a first rotating shaft (4). The first rotating shaft (4) is rotatably connected to the positioning connector (3). The clamping module is detachably installed on the other end of the positioning connector (3), including a first clamping plate (1) and a second clamping plate (2). The first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) have the same structure and are respectively fixed to the end of the corresponding positioning connector (3). The corresponding clamping plate is independently driven by the dual first driving devices, and the clamping position and overall posture are coordinated and adjusted in conjunction with the second driving device, so as to realize the plate grabbing operation.

2. The clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission module also includes a second rotating shaft (5), an auxiliary transmission plate (7), a third bearing (8), and a third rotating shaft (9). The outer ring of the third bearing (8) is fixedly installed on the side opposite to the first drive device (9). The inner ring of the third bearing (8) is fixedly connected to the middle outer wall of the third rotating shaft (9). The two ends of the third rotating shaft (9) are respectively fixedly installed with auxiliary transmission plates (7). The second rotating shaft (5) is fixedly installed between the end of the auxiliary transmission plate (7) away from the third rotating shaft (9). The second rotating shaft (5) is rotatably connected to the positioning connector (3). The first rotating shaft (4), the second rotating shaft (5), the third rotating shaft (9), and the output shaft of the first drive device are arranged parallel to each other, so that the active transmission plate (6), the auxiliary transmission plate (7), and the positioning connector (3) together constitute a parallelogram linkage transmission mechanism.

3. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning connector (3) includes a first bearing (301), a second bearing (302) and a connecting plate (303). The outer ring of the first bearing (301) is fixedly installed on the outer side wall of the lower end of the connecting plate (303), and its inner ring is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the second rotating shaft (5). The outer ring of the second bearing (302) is fixedly installed on the inner side wall of the lower end of the connecting plate (303), and its inner ring is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the first rotating shaft (4). The upper end of the connecting plate (303) is provided with multiple mounting holes for detachably fixing the first clamping plate (1) or the second clamping plate (2).

4. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first clamping plate (1) includes a mounting part (101), a connecting part (102) and a clamping part (103). The lower end of the mounting part (101) is provided with a plurality of mounting through holes, which correspond to the mounting holes at the upper end of the connecting plate (303). The mounting part (101) is detachably fixed to the connecting plate (303) by bolts. The top of the mounting part (101) is fixedly provided with the connecting part (102), and the top two sides of the connecting part (102) are respectively fixedly provided with clamping parts (103). The clamping part (103) adopts an arc-shaped structure that is adapted to the contour of the side wall of the plate.

5. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 4, characterized in that, The height of each of the connecting parts (102) is set to 5 to 80 mm, the distance between two connecting parts (102) is set to 1 to 20 mm, and the radius of curvature of the arc surface of the clamping part (103) is set to 20 to 200 mm.

6. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping portions (103) on the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) have the same arc orientation. If the clamping portion (103) of the first clamping plate (1) is adapted to the inner wall contour of the tableware bowl, then the clamping portion (103) of the second clamping plate (2) is adapted to the outer wall contour of the tableware bowl. If the clamping part (103) of the first clamping plate (1) is adapted to the outer wall contour of the tableware bowl, then the clamping part (103) of the second clamping plate (2) is adapted to the inner wall contour of the tableware bowl.

7. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 6, characterized in that, The clamping portions (103) of the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) are provided with elastic anti-slip layers on their inner sides. The elastic anti-slip layers are made of silicone, TPU or rubber.

8. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) are made of aluminum alloy, stainless steel, PA, PC or PEEK material.

9. A clamping system for gripping plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first drive device (10) is a servo motor or a dual-axis drive motor. Its output shaft passes through the first drive device (10) and extends outward from both ends. Both ends of the output shaft are fixedly connected to one end of the active transmission plate (6). The second drive device (12) is a servo motor or a single-axis drive motor, and its output end is fixedly connected to the bottom of the first base plate (11).

10. A clamping method suitable for gripping dinner plates, characterized in that, The application of a clamping system suitable for gripping plates as described in any one of claims 1-9 is characterized by comprising the following steps: S100: Move the clamping system directly above the plate to be gripped, start the second drive device (12), drive the entire clamping system to rotate and adjust around its axis, so that the clamping parts (103) of the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) are parallel to the bowl wall of the plate to be gripped, then start the first drive device (10), drive the transmission mechanism to drive the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) to open and close in opposite directions until the two clamping plates are fully open; S200: Control the movement of the clamping system so that the bowl wall of the plate to be grabbed is between the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2), and at the same time adjust the height of the clamping system to ensure that the bowl wall of the plate to be grabbed falls precisely into the clamping area of ​​the clamping part (103) of the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2); S300: Start the first drive device (10), drive the transmission mechanism to drive the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) to move closer to each other and clamp until the arc-shaped surface of the clamping part (103) of the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) is fully adapted to the contour of the side wall of the plate, forming a wrap-around fit with the inner side wall of the plate on one side and the outer side wall on the other side, thus completing the stable gripping of the plate; S400: Start the second drive device (12) to drive the entire clamping system to rotate and adjust around its vertical axis, and adjust the plate to the preset transfer angle; then move the clamping system to transfer the plate to the target position. When the plate is transferred to the target position and placed stably, start the first drive device (10) to drive the transmission mechanism to drive the first clamping plate (1) and the second clamping plate (2) to open and close in opposite directions until the clamping part (103) is completely separated from the plate, and the plate is released.

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