Quick-change device and robot

Abstract

This application relates to the field of quick-change structure technology, and in particular to a quick-change device and robot. According to the quick-change device provided in this application, during the process of the first and second connector components being inserted and locked together to establish a mechanical connection, the first and second connectors simultaneously achieve electrical connection, thereby achieving simultaneous completion of the mechanical connection and electrical contact pressing. Based on this, the first connector is disposed within a first channel, and the second connector is disposed within a second channel. As a portion of the second connector component is inserted into the first channel, the first and second channels connect, thus forming a complete central channel that protects the electrically connected first and second connectors within it. This allows the first and second connectors to be protected by the radially outer first and second connector components of the quick-change device, thereby preventing exposure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of quick-change structure technology, and in particular to a quick-change device and robot. Background Technology

[0002] Collaborative robots (Cobots) are increasingly used in flexible manufacturing, intelligent assembly, medical assistance, and automated processing. When performing various tasks such as grasping, tightening, grinding, and visual inspection, frequent changes of end-effector tools are required. Therefore, the end-effector tool changer is a key functional component of collaborative robot systems. Existing end-effector tool changers are mainly divided into the following three categories.

[0003] The first type is the pneumatically driven quick-change device (represented by ATI and Schunk brands): This type uses an external air source to drive a piston or fork to push the locking mechanism, achieving a large locking force. The electrical interface is typically located on the outer circumference of the device in the form of an aviation plug, with the cable exposed on the robot's wrist. This type of device requires an external air circuit, valves, piping, and solenoid valve control system, resulting in high integration complexity. In medical and cleanroom environments, there are hygiene risks associated with air leakage. Furthermore, the external electrical interface is easily damaged by impact or contamination.

[0004] The second type is the electrically driven quick-change device: the device body integrates a servo or stepper motor driven locking mechanism, eliminating the need for an air source. However, the additional motor and driver at the end increases the end-effector mass and control complexity; the electrical interface also mostly adopts an external solution, resulting in reliability issues similar to those of pneumatic solutions.

[0005] The third type is the mechanical passive quick-change device: it relies on passive mechanisms such as springs or permanent magnets for locking, requiring no external driving energy and having a relatively simple structure. However, these products usually lack integrated electrical interfaces, or the electrical interface is designed separately from the mechanical locking mechanism, resulting in cumbersome switching operations, a messy appearance, and low reliability of exposed interfaces. In addition, the passive safety of such devices in the event of power failure or loss of control (whether the end tool will accidentally fall off) is often not guaranteed.

[0006] In summary, the three existing quick-change structures mentioned above share the following common defects.

[0007] Mechanical locking is separated from or externalized from electrical connections. Electrical interfaces are located on the outside of the device, with exposed wiring. In human-robot collaboration scenarios, this poses risks of cable entanglement and collision damage, and the appearance is unsightly, which is inconsistent with the compact design concept of collaborative robots. Furthermore, there is a lack of effective protection for electrical interfaces. Both the male and female sides of the quick-change structure lack mechanical protection, resulting in low reliability of the switching. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, this application provides a quick-change device and robot, with the aim of solving the above-mentioned technical problems to a certain extent.

[0009] According to a first aspect of this application, a quick-change device is provided, the quick-change device comprising: A first connector mechanism, comprising a first connector component and a first connector, wherein the first connector component has a first channel, the first connector is disposed within the first channel, and the first connector is connected to the first connector component; The second connector mechanism includes a second connector component and a second connector. The second connector component has a second channel, and the second connector is disposed in the second channel and connected to the second connector component. The second connector is partially inserted into the first channel to electrically connect the first connector and the second connector to each other. The first connector can lock the second connector and can also release the lock on the second connector.

[0010] Based on the above technical solutions, optionally, the first connector assembly includes: An annular element, the annular element being used to define the first channel; Multiple limiting members are provided on the annular member along the circumference of the annular member; A force-applying member is movably disposed on the annular member and is movable relative to the annular member to drive the plurality of limiting members to lock the portion of the second connector assembly and to release the locking of the portion of the second connector assembly.

[0011] Based on any of the above technical solutions, optionally, the force-applying component has a plurality of driving structures that are configured one-to-one with the plurality of limiting members, the limiting member being a rolling element that is movable relative to the annular member, and the driving structure is configured to form a self-locking with the corresponding rolling element.

[0012] Optionally, based on any of the above technical solutions, the first connector assembly further includes a reset member and a rotary drive ring. The rotary drive ring is sleeved on the outside of the annular member and connected to the force-applying member. The reset member is disposed between the rotary drive ring and the annular member. The reset member is used to continuously apply a force to the rotary drive ring to force the plurality of limiting members to lock the portion of the second connector assembly.

[0013] Optionally, based on any of the above technical solutions, the limiting member is an elastic locking claw integrally formed with the annular member.

[0014] Optionally, based on any of the above technical solutions, the first connector assembly further includes a positioning member disposed on the force-applying member, the positioning member being used to lock the force-applying member and the annular member when the plurality of limiting members release the locking of the portion of the second connector assembly.

[0015] Optionally, based on any of the above technical solutions, the second connector assembly has a trigger structure, the trigger structure corresponding to the position of the positioning member when the plurality of limiting members release the locking of the portion of the second connector assembly, the trigger structure being used to release the locking of the positioning member on the force-applying member and the annular member.

[0016] Based on any of the above technical solutions, optionally, the portion of the second connector assembly includes a pin member, the pin member having a hollow structure for defining the second channel; The outer side of the pin component has a locking bevel, and the angle between the locking bevel and the axis of the pin component is 135° to 155°.

[0017] Optionally, based on any of the above technical solutions, the first connector assembly includes a base connected to the first connector, the base having a through hole for defining the first channel, and the base for connecting to the end joint of the robot.

[0018] Based on any of the above technical solutions, optionally, one of the side of the first connector component facing the second connector component and the side of the second connector component facing the first connector component are provided with a plurality of protrusions, and the other of the two is provided with a plurality of recesses corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of protrusions. The quick-change device has an axial direction and a circumferential direction defined by the axial direction, and the plurality of protrusions are arranged in a non-uniform manner along the circumferential direction.

[0019] According to a second aspect of this application, a robot is provided, the robot including the quick-change device as described above.

[0020] Thus, according to the quick-connect device provided in this application, during the process of the first and second connectors being plugged into and locked together to establish a mechanical connection, the first and second connectors simultaneously achieve electrical connection, thereby achieving the synchronous completion of mechanical connection and electrical contact pressing. Based on this, the first connector is disposed within the first channel, and the second connector is disposed within the second channel. As a portion of the second connector is inserted into the first channel, the first and second channels connect, forming a complete central channel that protects the electrically connected first and second connectors within it. This allows the first and second connectors to be protected by the radially outer first and second connectors of the quick-connect device, thus preventing exposure.

[0021] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 An exploded view of a quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the female connector assembly and male connector assembly of the quick-installation device provided according to an embodiment of this application in their separate states is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-section based on the foundation.

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing another split state of the female connector assembly and male connector assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a two-dimensional view showing the female connector assembly and male connector assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application in a separate state.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing an exploded view of the female connector assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing another exploded view of the female head assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another exploded view of the female head assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a two-dimensional view of the rotating drive ring of the female head assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another exploded view of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 11 A schematic cross-sectional view of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application in its split state is shown.

[0034] Figure 12 A schematic cross-sectional view of the locking of the female connector assembly and the male connector assembly of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0035] Figure 13 A schematic cross-sectional view of the female and male connector assemblies of the quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0036] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a quick-change device provided according to an embodiment of this application applied to a robot is shown.

[0037] Figure label: 100 - Female connector assembly; 110 - Female connector body; 111 - Anti-accidental touch protrusion; 120 - Rotary drive ring; 130 - Angled cam ring; 140 - Base; 141 - Mounting hole; 150 - Locking ball; 160 - Return spring; 170 - Spring positioning pin; 200 - Electrical connector male connector; A - First channel; 300 - Male connector assembly; 310 - Male connector body; 311 - Trigger protrusion; 320 - Tapered pin; 400 - Female electrical connector; 410 - Connecting pin; B - Second channel; 500-robot. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of this application 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 this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0040] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0041] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0042] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a quick-change device is provided, which will be described below in conjunction with... Figures 1 to 14 Describe in detail the structure and working principle of the quick-change device.

[0043] According to the embodiments of this application, the quick-change device includes a first connector mechanism and a second connector mechanism.

[0044] In an embodiment, the first mating mechanism includes a first mating component and a first connector. The first mating component has a first channel A, and the first connector is disposed in the first channel A. The first connector is connected to the first mating component.

[0045] In one embodiment, the second connector mechanism includes a second connector component and a second connector. The second connector component has a second channel B, and the second connector is disposed within the second channel B. The second connector is connected to the second connector component.

[0046] In one embodiment, a portion of the second connector is inserted into the first channel A to electrically connect the first connector and the second connector to each other. The first connector is capable of locking the second connector and is also capable of releasing the lock on the second connector.

[0047] Thus, according to the quick-connect device provided in this application embodiment, during the process of the first and second connector components being plugged into and locked together to establish a mechanical connection, the first and second connectors simultaneously achieve electrical connection, thereby achieving the synchronous completion of mechanical connection and electrical contact pressing. Based on this, the first connector is disposed within the first channel A, and the second connector is disposed within the second channel B. As a portion of the second connector component is inserted into the first channel A, the first channel A and the second channel B connect, thereby forming a complete central channel that protects the first and second connectors, which have already established an electrical connection, within it. This allows the first and second connectors to be protected by the first and second connector components radially outward from the quick-connect device, thus preventing exposure.

[0048] Thus, the quick-change device provided according to the embodiments of this application provides the above protection for the first connector and the second connector, reduces the risk of cable entanglement and collision damage, improves the neatness and compactness of the appearance, and improves the reliability of the replacement.

[0049] According to the quick-change device of the present application embodiment, the first connector assembly may include an annular member and a plurality of limiting members. The annular member may be used to define a first channel A, and the aforementioned plurality of limiting members are disposed on the annular member along the circumference of the annular member.

[0050] In an embodiment, the first connector assembly may further include a force-applying member, which may be movably disposed on the annular member and is movable relative to the annular member to drive the aforementioned plurality of limiting members to lock portions of the second connector assembly and release portions of the second connector assembly from locking.

[0051] Here, as an example, the annular component can be, for example, a female head body 110, and the force-applying component can be, for example, an inclined cam ring 130, i.e., a force-applying ring, on the outside of which a rotary drive ring 120 connected to it can be further provided.

[0052] For example, the force-applying member can be a force-applying ring, which can be sleeved on the outside of the annular member. The force-applying ring can apply a radially upward and inward squeezing force to each limiting member by means of the protruding structure provided by its corresponding limiting member. As the force-applying ring rotates relative to the annular member, it can cause the limiting member to press the part of the second connector assembly inserted into the first channel A.

[0053] According to the embodiments of this application, a quick-change device, such as Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the force-applying component can have multiple driving structures that correspond one-to-one with the aforementioned multiple limiting components, such as a driving ramp, i.e., the protruding structure mentioned above. The driving ramp is an inclined surface that is radially inclined relative to the force-applying component. The limiting component is a rolling element that is movable relative to the annular component, such as a locking steel ball 150. The helix angle of the driving ramp is set to form a self-locking with the corresponding rolling element. Here, the self-locking condition is also related to the friction coefficient of the driving ramp, which will be explained in detail in the following description.

[0054] According to the quick-change device of the present application embodiment, the first connector assembly may further include a reset member, which may be disposed between the rotary drive ring and the annular member. The reset member may be used to continuously apply a force to the rotary drive ring to force multiple limiting members to lock a portion of the second connector assembly.

[0055] See Figure 10 Here, as an example, the reset member can be, for example, a reset spring 160. In an embodiment, the inner side of the rotation drive ring can be recessed inward to form a groove for accommodating the strip-shaped reset spring 160.

[0056] In the embodiments, combined with Figure 8 As an example, the annular component, namely the female head 110, is essentially a stepped flange-shaped structure. The smaller diameter portion of the female head 110 is located on the upper side of the figure, while the larger diameter disc-shaped structure is located on the lower side. The smaller diameter portion of the female head 110 is used to provide... Figure 6 The tapered through hole used to install the locking steel ball 150 has a decreasing cross-sectional area in the radially inward direction, thereby ensuring that the locking steel ball 150 does not fall inward into the first channel A.

[0057] In addition, further attention Figure 7 , Figure 7 In the female head 110, the small-diameter portion also provides an inwardly recessed groove structure to guide the return spring 160. Adjacent groove structures are separated by block-shaped protrusions. These block-shaped protrusions allow one end of the return spring 160 to abut, while the other end abuts against a block-shaped protrusion on the rotary drive ring 120. When the female head 110 is stationary, the return spring 160 naturally extends or undergoes a certain pre-compression, ensuring that the inclined cam ring 130 is always positioned on the drive inclined surface, forcing the corresponding locking ball 150 to protrude and abut against a portion of the structure of the second connector assembly. In other words, when the inclined cam ring 130 is rotated against the elastic force of the return spring 160, it is possible to unlock both the first and second connector assemblies even when they are already locked.

[0058] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, although not shown in the figures, in some other examples, the limiting member can be an elastic locking claw integrally formed with the annular member. For example, the limiting member can be a leaf spring-type spring structure separately machined from the wall of the annular member, which is elastically connected to the annular member without the need for an additional reset structure. Unlike the principle of the locking steel ball 150, the driving structure on the corresponding inclined cam ring 130 can be, for example, a protrusion. When the protrusion rotates with the inclined cam ring 130 to the position where the elastic locking claw interferes, it forces the elastic locking claw to deform radially inward, thereby abutting against a portion of the structure of the second connector assembly to achieve locking between the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly.

[0059] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, the first connector assembly further includes a positioning member disposed on the force-applying ring. The positioning member is used to lock the inclined cam ring 130 and the annular member when the multiple limiting members release the locking of the second connector assembly.

[0060] In this embodiment, as described above, due to the setting of the return spring 160, the inclined cam ring 130 always tends to lock the first and second connector components, which has two effects. On the one hand, when the first and second connector mechanisms are still separate, the locking ball 150 in the first connector mechanism is already protruding into the first channel A. The inclined cam ring 130 needs to be rotated first to allow the locking ball 150 to move radially outward before the second connector mechanism can be inserted into the first connector mechanism. On the other hand, after the first and second connector mechanisms are locked, if unlocking is required, the inclined cam ring 130 needs to be constantly stressed to ensure that the first connector mechanism does not reset during the unlocking process.

[0061] However, the effects of these two aspects can be effectively overcome by the positioning element. This is because, when the multiple limiting elements contact the locking portion of the second insertion assembly, the force ring and the annular element can be locked by the positioning element, thereby ensuring that there is no need to continuously apply force to the inclined cam ring 130 to maintain the unlocked state. At the same time, even before connecting the first insertion mechanism and the second insertion mechanism, it can be ensured that the locking steel ball 150 has space to move radially outward when the first insertion mechanism is already in the unlocked state determined by the positioning element, thus enabling smooth insertion and engagement with the second insertion mechanism.

[0062] In this embodiment, as an example, the positioning element can be, for example, a conventional spring positioning pin 170. Here, the spring positioning pin 170 can be provided on the inclined cam ring 130. The inclined cam ring 130 can have a recess for accommodating the spring positioning pin 170, the lower end of which is open. On the annular part, i.e., the disc-shaped structure of the female head 110, a through hole can be provided corresponding to the spring positioning pin 170. When the inclined cam ring 130 rotates to the unlocked position relative to the female head 110, the elastic pin portion below the spring positioning pin 170 will be inserted into the through hole of the disc-shaped structure, thereby locking the positions of the female head 110 and the inclined cam ring 130.

[0063] Based on this, such as Figure 7 As shown, on the upper side of the disc-shaped male head 310 of the second connector assembly, a trigger protrusion 311 can be provided corresponding to the through hole on the disc-shaped structure of the female head 110. During the insertion of the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly, the trigger protrusion 311 will push the elastic pin part of the spring positioning pin 170 out of the through hole, thereby releasing the lock between the inclined cam ring 130 and the female head 110. Under the condition that the return spring 160 always causes the inclined cam ring 130 to provide a locking force on the locking steel ball 150, the inclined cam ring 130 will rotate relative to the female head 110 to a position where the second connector assembly can be locked, thus completing the mechanical locking between the first connector mechanism and the second connector mechanism.

[0064] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, in addition to the disc-shaped male connector 310 as described above, a portion of the second connector assembly may include a pin member, which has a hollow structure for defining the second channel B. Specifically, the outer side of the pin member has a locking bevel, and the angle between the locking bevel and the axis of the pin member is 135° to 155°.

[0065] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, the first connector assembly may include a base 140, which is connected to a first connector, for example, via a connecting pin 410. The base 140 has a through hole for defining a first channel A, and the base 140 is used to connect to the end joint of a robot 500.

[0066] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, one of the two sides of the first connector assembly facing the second connector assembly (e.g., the lower side of the female connector 110) is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and the other side of the male connector 310 (e.g., the upper side of the male connector 310) is provided with a plurality of recesses corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of protrusions (i.e., the anti-misoperation protrusions 111). Here, the aforementioned plurality of protrusions are arranged in a non-uniform manner along the circumferential direction, thereby avoiding misalignment of the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly.

[0067] Based on the technical solutions described above, the following will reiterate and supplement the explanation of each component from the perspective of describing each component individually.

[0068] In this embodiment, the female head body 110 has a plurality of tapered through holes (e.g., three, four, five or more) evenly distributed along the circumference. Locking steel balls 150 are installed within these tapered through holes and can move radially. The tapered angle of the inner wall of the tapered through holes prevents the steel balls from falling out from the inside. The flange of the female head body 110 has a plurality of locating pin holes (for the spring ball at the end of the spring locating pin 170 to engage, serving as a positioning feature for the release of the rotating assembly) and a plurality of non-uniformly distributed protrusions (for accidental contact protection, cooperating with the accidental contact groove of the male head body 310). The angles between adjacent protrusions are not equal, and the difference between any two angles is not less than 5°. The center of the female head body 110 has a through hollow channel, coaxially connected to the central channel of the base 140, forming the middle section of the overall central channel.

[0069] In this embodiment, the rotary drive ring 120 and the inclined cam ring 130 are fixedly connected by screws and locating pins to form a rotary assembly, which is rotatable relative to the female head body 110 around its axis. A manual unlocking handle is integrally formed on the rotary drive ring 120; the operator can manually push the handle to overcome the preload of the return spring 160 and drive the rotary assembly to the relaxed position. The rotary drive ring 120 is provided with several spring grooves (e.g., three, four, or even more), the two end faces of which serve as circumferential limits for the return spring 160, and a through hole in the center communicating with the overall central channel.

[0070] In this embodiment, the inner wall of the inclined cam ring 130 has the same number of inclined sections as the locking steel balls 150, and each inclined section is evenly distributed along the circumference; the inclined angle α satisfies the mechanical self-locking condition (tanα≤μ, where μ is the static friction coefficient of the contact surface), and the inclined angle is in the range of 8° to 13.5°. When the rotating assembly rotates, the inclined structure converts the rotational motion into the radial motion of the locking steel balls 150. When rotating along the locking direction, the steel balls are pushed radially out by the inclined surface (locking position), and when rotating in the opposite direction, the inclined surface retracts the steel balls radially back (relaxed position). The inclined cam ring 130 has several spring positioning pin 170 mounting holes 141, and a through hole in the center that communicates with the overall central channel.

[0071] In this embodiment, the return springs 160 are evenly distributed along the circumference and installed between the spring groove of the rotary drive ring 120 and the fixing boss of the female head body 110, providing a continuous elastic preload force for the rotating assembly to rotate in the locking direction. The naturally extended state of the spring corresponds to the locking position of the rotating assembly; when the handle is manually pushed, the spring is in a compressed and stored energy state, corresponding to the relaxed position; when the handle is released, the spring releases energy to drive the rotating assembly to automatically rotate back to the locking position.

[0072] In this embodiment, multiple (e.g., three, four, or more) spring-loaded locating pins 170 are installed in corresponding holes on the inclined cam ring 130, rotating together with the rotating assembly. Each locating pin head contains a small spring and an elastic locating bead. When the rotating assembly is manually pushed to the relaxed position, the elastic locating bead pops out under the drive of the spring and engages with the corresponding locating pin hole on the flange of the female head body 110, holding the rotating assembly in the relaxed position. When the rotating assembly is in the locked position, the elastic locating bead is in a retracted state (pressed by the flange end face of the female head body 110). The number of spring-loaded locating pins 170 is the same as the number of trigger protrusions 311, and their positions correspond one-to-one.

[0073] In this embodiment, the base 140 is fixed to the end joint output flange of the robot 500 by screws and locating pins. The base 140 has a central through-hole that coaxially communicates with the hollow channel of the female connector body 110, forming the bottom outlet of the integral central channel. The male connector 200 is installed and fixed within the central through-hole of the base 140, with its probe tip completely embedded within the hollow cavity of the base 140, not exposed, and mechanically protected by the base 140.

[0074] In this embodiment, the male connector 310 has a through hole at its center, which mates with the hollow channel of the tapered pin 320 to form a central channel on the male connector side. The upper surface of the male connector 310 has several trigger protrusions 311 (their height and angle correspond to the spring positioning pin 170 hole of the female connector 110) and several anti-accidental contact grooves (their distribution angle corresponds to the unevenly distributed protrusions of the female connector 110; they must be aligned at the angle for complete insertion). The male connector 310 is fixed to the end tool by screws and positioning pins.

[0075] In this embodiment, the tapered pin 320 is tapered in shape to facilitate alignment of the guide axis during insertion. A through-hole channel is provided in the center, which is fixed to the male head body 310 by screws and locating pins. An annular locking groove is provided on the outer circumferential surface. The locking groove cross-section includes a main locking ramp and an auxiliary transition arc. The angle β between the main locking ramp and the axis is in the range of 135° to 155°. When the steel ball contacts the main locking ramp, the contact force generates an axial tensile force (pulling the male head towards the female head to eliminate axial clearance) and a radial locking force (keeping the steel ball locked), making the axial force greater than the radial force. The auxiliary transition arc smoothly connects the main locking ramp and the outer conical surface, reducing the impact and wear of the steel ball sliding into the locking groove during replacement.

[0076] In this embodiment, after locking, the end face of the electrical connector female head 400 retracts a certain distance into the upper end face of the tapered pin 320, and the tapered pin 320 provides mechanical protection to prevent external collision damage during the replacement process.

[0077] In this embodiment, the connector consists of two parts: a male electrical connector 200 (mounted in the base 140) and a female electrical connector 400 (mounted in the hollow channel of the tapered pin 320). The contacts employ a flexible pin structure, arranged in at least two rings along the circumference. The function of each ring of contacts can be allocated as a power supply channel and multiple control signal channels as needed. Both the probe end of the male connector 200 and the contact end of the female connector are embedded and not exposed, with their sides mechanically protected by the base 140 and the tapered pin 320, respectively.

[0078] In this embodiment, the operator manually pushes the manual unlocking handle on the rotary drive ring 120 to overcome the elastic preload of several return springs 160, causing the rotating assembly to rotate in the unlocking direction. The inclined structure of the inclined cam ring 130 releases its pressure on the locking ball 150, and the locking ball 150 moves radially outward to the relaxed position under the guidance of the tapered through hole. When the rotating assembly reaches the relaxed position, the elastic positioning ball of the spring positioning pin 170 pops out and engages with the corresponding positioning pin hole on the flange of the female head 110, positioning the rotating assembly in the relaxed position. The return springs 160 are in a compressed and stored state, and the female head assembly 100 enters the ready-to-receive state. After the handle is released, the rotating assembly is locked by the positioning ball, and no continuous force is required.

[0079] In this embodiment, the male connector 300 is inserted into the female connector 100 along the axial direction, and the tapered surface of the tapered pin 320 guides the male connector to complete the axial self-alignment. The anti-misoperation groove on the upper surface of the male connector 310 must be aligned with the non-uniformly distributed protrusions on the female connector 110 (correct rotation angle) for it to be fully inserted. When the angle is incorrect, the protrusions block the groove, preventing full insertion and thus preventing accidental triggering of the locking action.

[0080] As the male connector 310 continues to be inserted downwards, several trigger protrusions 311 simultaneously contact and press down the elastic positioning beads of the spring positioning pin 170, releasing the positioning of the rotating assembly; driven by the stored elastic potential energy, the return spring 160 quickly pushes the rotating assembly to the locking direction, and the inclined structure synchronously presses several locking steel balls 150 radially into the annular locking groove of the tapered pin 320. The main locking inclined surface generates an axial tension force to axially clamp the male connector assembly 300 and the female connector assembly 100, eliminating the axial gap; at the same time, the probe of the electrical connector male connector 200 and the contact of the electrical connector female connector 400 are axially elastically pressed together, and multiple electrical connections are synchronously and automatically established, completing the entire replacement process.

[0081] In this embodiment, the manual unlocking handle is manually pushed to the relaxed position, the elastic positioning bead is engaged in the positioning pin hole to position the rotating assembly, the locking steel ball 150 is radially withdrawn from the annular locking groove, and the electrical contacts are separated accordingly; the male assembly 300 is removed axially to complete the tool replacement.

[0082] Furthermore, regarding the inclined plane self-locking principle, the helix angle α of the inclined plane cam ring 130 inner wall satisfies the mechanical self-locking condition tanα≤μ (μ is the static friction coefficient between the locking steel ball 150 and the inclined plane contact surface). Under this condition, even if an external load applies a reverse torque to the rotating component along the unlocking direction, the inclined plane will not slide in the opposite direction to unlock. The rotating component remains in the locked position due to self-locking, and the end tool will not fall off in the event of power failure, loss of control, or accidental impact, thus meeting the passive safety requirements of human-machine collaboration for the collaborative robot 500.

[0083] Furthermore, for the locking ramp of the tapered pin 320, the angle β between the main locking ramp of the locking groove and the axis is in the range of 135° to 155°. Let the normal contact force between the steel ball and the main locking ramp be F, then the axial tensile component Fa = F·|cos(180°) β)|, radial locking component Fr = F·sin(180° β). Under the condition that β>135°, the axial tension component is greater than the radial component (Fa>Fr), which ensures that the male and female heads are effectively tightened and fitted after the replacement, eliminates axial gaps, and ensures high repeatability positioning accuracy.

[0084] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, mechanical and electrical functions are integrated synchronously: the male connector 300 completes mechanical locking and the establishment of multiple electrical connections simultaneously in a single insertion action, eliminating the need for step-by-step operations and resulting in high switching efficiency.

[0085] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, the embedded electrical interface provides reliable protection: the electrical connector is embedded in the central hollow channel, and both the male and female sides are protected by mechanical structures, making its anti-pollution and anti-collision reliability significantly better than that of external interfaces; there are no exposed wires, the appearance is neat and beautiful, and the risk of cable interference during human-machine collaboration is eliminated.

[0086] The quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application has no external driving energy and the system is simple: the locking energy comes from the elastic potential energy of the built-in return spring 160, which does not require a gas source, hydraulic or additional electric drive, and is particularly suitable for medical clean environments and other environments with strict restrictions on the gas path.

[0087] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, the inclined plane self-locking passive safety is provided: in extreme states such as power failure and loss of control, the mechanical self-locking characteristics ensure that the end tool does not fall off, and the dual safety protection (inclined plane self-locking + non-uniformly distributed anti-misoperation groove) meets the collaborative robot 500 safety specifications.

[0088] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, the main locking bevel eliminates axial clearance: the angle design of the main bevel makes the contact force of the steel ball generate a large axial tension component, eliminating the axial clearance after the change and ensuring high repeatability positioning accuracy.

[0089] According to the quick-change device provided in the embodiments of this application, it is lightweight and compact: the load-bearing structural components other than the rotary drive ring 120 are made of heat-treated hardened alloy steel, and the male head body 310 and the base 140 are made of high-strength aluminum alloy and are treated with conductive anodizing, thereby reducing the overall weight of the device while meeting the strength requirements.

[0090] However, this is not an limitation. The locking steel ball can be replaced with tapered rollers (such as conical rollers), which have a larger contact area and can withstand higher radial locking forces. Correspondingly, the tapered cavity can be a strip-shaped tapered hole adapted to accommodate the conical roller. In addition, as mentioned above, the locking steel ball can also be replaced with a curved locking claw (leaf spring type), which is driven to expand radially by a rotating cam ring to achieve the same locking effect.

[0091] In addition, the above solutions use manual push of the handle to rotate and unlock the first and second connection mechanisms. However, they are not limited to this. A small motor (brushed or brushless) can be added to the rotary drive ring to achieve electric drive rotation, which is suitable for automated tool changing stations; or the cylinder can be used to drive the shift fork to rotate, which is suitable for industrial automation scenarios with existing air sources.

[0092] In addition, the spring positioning pin (with built-in elastic steel ball) and the positioning pin hole lock the rotating cam ring and the female head body to position the relaxed position. At the same time, the method of releasing the positioning by triggering the protrusion can be replaced by a friction locking plate (which keeps the relaxed position by friction); or a sliding buckle structure can be set on the rotating drive ring, which is unlocked by pushing when the male head assembly is inserted; or a magnetic positioning (permanent magnet) can be set to keep the relaxed position, and the magnetic force is overcome and released when the male head assembly is inserted.

[0093] In addition, the first and second connectors mentioned above together form a multi-pin elastic contact assembly (probe type), which can also be replaced with a magnetic electrical interface (no mechanical plugging or unplugging), which establishes an electrical connection after magnetic alignment; or it can be replaced with a combination of non-contact power transmission (inductive coupling) and fiber optic signal transmission, which is suitable for scenarios with strict requirements on electromagnetic interference.

[0094] In addition, the angle coding error prevention scheme using unevenly distributed protrusions (female head) and anti-misoperation grooves (male head) can be replaced with unevenly distributed protrusions and through-hole arrays, or magnetic polarity coding error prevention (the male and female heads can only be fully connected when the magnetic force attracts each other at a specific angle); or photoelectric sensors can be used to detect angle alignment, and mechanical interlocking can be used to prevent insertion when the angle is incorrect.

[0095] In addition, the materials of the female head body and the inclined cam ring can be replaced with bearing steel (GCr15), high-speed steel (M2) or powder metallurgy high-strength alloy, which can be hardened to meet the surface hardness requirements; the locking steel ball can be replaced with silicon nitride ceramic ball to reduce the coefficient of friction and improve corrosion resistance; the male head body and base can be replaced with carbon fiber reinforced composite material (CFRP) to further reduce the weight.

[0096] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, a robot 500 is provided. The robot 500 includes the quick-change device as described above. A first connector of the quick-change device can be connected to the end joint of the robot 500, and a second connector can be connected to an external actuator.

[0097] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the scope of protection of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the innovative concept of this application and the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A quick-change device, characterized in that, The quick-change device includes: A first connector mechanism, comprising a first connector component and a first connector, wherein the first connector component has a first channel, the first connector is disposed within the first channel, and the first connector is connected to the first connector component; The second connector mechanism includes a second connector component and a second connector. The second connector component has a second channel, and the second connector is disposed in the second channel and connected to the second connector component. The second connector is partially inserted into the first channel to electrically connect the first connector and the second connector to each other. The first connector can lock the second connector and can also release the lock on the second connector.

2. The quick-change device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connector assembly includes: An annular element, the annular element being used to define the first channel; Multiple limiting members are provided on the annular member along the circumference of the annular member; A force-applying member is movably disposed on the annular member and is movable relative to the annular member to drive the plurality of limiting members to lock the portion of the second connector assembly and to release the locking of the portion of the second connector assembly.

3. The quick-change device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The force-applying component has multiple driving structures that correspond one-to-one with the multiple limiting members. The limiting member is a rolling element that is movable relative to the annular member. The driving structure is configured to form a self-locking relationship with the corresponding rolling element.

4. The quick-change device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first connector assembly further includes a reset member and a rotary drive ring. The rotary drive ring is sleeved on the outside of the annular member and connected to the force-applying member. The reset member is disposed between the rotary drive ring and the annular member. The reset member is used to continuously apply a force to the rotary drive ring to force the plurality of limiting members to lock the portion of the second connector assembly.

5. The quick-change device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The limiting component is an elastic locking claw integrally formed with the annular component.

6. The quick-change device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first connector assembly further includes a positioning member disposed on the force-applying member. The positioning member is used to lock the force-applying member and the annular member when the plurality of limiting members release the locking of the portion of the second connector assembly.

7. The quick-change device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second connector assembly has a trigger structure that corresponds to the position of the positioning member when the plurality of limiting members release the locking of the portion of the second connector assembly. The trigger structure is used to release the locking of the positioning member on the force-applying member and the annular member.

8. The quick-change device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The portion of the second connector assembly includes a pin member having a hollow structure for defining the second channel; The outer side of the pin component has a locking bevel, and the angle between the locking bevel and the axis of the pin component is 135° to 155°.

9. The quick-change device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The first connector assembly includes a base connected to the first connector, the base having a through hole for defining the first channel, and the base for connection to the end joint of a robot.

10. The quick-change device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The first connector assembly has a plurality of protrusions on one side facing the second connector assembly and the second connector assembly has a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of protrusions. The quick-change device has an axial direction and a circumferential direction defined by the axial direction, and the plurality of protrusions are arranged in a non-uniform manner along the circumferential direction.

11. A robot, characterized in that, The robot includes the quick-change device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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