Touch sensing device and robot hand

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of visual touch sensing device and manipulator, visual touch sensing device includes contact module and pressure regulating assembly, contact module includes elastomer, elastomer is used to be contacted with measured object and generates deformation, and accommodating cavity is formed in elastomer, accommodating cavity is suitable to fill liquid, pressure regulating assembly communicates accommodating cavity, pressure regulating assembly is configured to adjust the pressure of liquid in accommodating cavity, to change the rigidity of elastomer.The visual touch sensing device of the embodiment of the application can adapt to the contact detection needs of different types of objects with different hardness, widen the range of visual touch sensing device, and ensure the detection stability of visual touch sensing device, meet the use requirements of high-precision, high-reliability three-dimensional force perception of visual touch sensing device under complex working conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of visual-touch sensor technology, and in particular to a visual-touch sensing device and a robotic arm. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, robotic arms are typically equipped with visual-touch sensors. When the contact module of the visual-touch sensor comes into contact with the object being measured, the material deforms. Visual imaging can capture the deformation displacement image of the contact module and calculate the three-dimensional contact force through reverse calculation. Based on this three-dimensional contact force, the robotic arm adjusts the clamping force, posture, and motion trajectory in real time to achieve flexible adaptive grasping of the object being measured.

[0003] However, the contact modules of existing visual touch sensors cannot adapt to the contact detection needs of different types of objects, resulting in poor detection stability and limited measurement range of visual touch sensors, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high precision and high reliability three-dimensional force sensing of visual touch sensors under complex working conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a visual-touch sensing device that can adapt to the contact detection needs of objects of different types, both soft and hard, thereby expanding the measurement range of the visual-touch sensing device and ensuring its detection stability. This meets the requirements for high-precision, high-reliability three-dimensional force sensing under complex working conditions, solving the problem that existing contact modules cannot adapt to the contact detection needs of objects of different types, both soft and hard.

[0005] The present invention also aims to provide a robotic hand having the above-described visual-touch sensing device.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a visual-touch sensing device includes: a contact module comprising an elastomer for contacting and deforming a test object, the elastomer having a cavity formed therein, the cavity being adapted to be filled with liquid; and a pressure regulating component communicating with the cavity, the pressure regulating component being configured to regulate the pressure of the liquid in the cavity to change the stiffness of the elastomer.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the visual-touch sensing device adjusts the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity by using a pressure regulating component to change the surface tension of the elastomer, thereby making the stiffness of the contact module adjustable. Specifically, when the pressure regulating component increases the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity, the surface tension of the elastomer also increases, resulting in increased stiffness of the contact module. This facilitates contact with and detection of harder objects, reducing the impact of the reaction force from rigid objects on the contact module and preventing excessive deformation or even material damage. Conversely, when the pressure regulating component decreases the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity, the surface tension of the elastomer also decreases, resulting in decreased stiffness of the contact module. This allows the contact module to easily deform when contacting and detecting softer objects, enabling effective displacement deformation and ensuring the detection accuracy of the visual-touch sensing device. In other words, the visual-touch sensing device of this application can be adapted to the contact detection needs of objects of different types, both soft and hard, thereby expanding the measurement range of the visual-touch sensing device and ensuring the detection stability of the visual-touch sensing device, thus meeting the requirements of high precision and high reliability three-dimensional force sensing of the visual-touch sensing device under complex working conditions.

[0008] In some embodiments, the pressure regulating assembly includes: a housing and a first seal, the first seal being slidably and sealingly disposed within the housing to divide the internal space of the housing into a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity communicating with the receiving cavity, the first cavity being filled with the liquid; and a driving unit for driving the first seal to move to regulate the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pressure regulating assembly further includes an elastic element disposed in the second cavity and connected to the first seal, the output end of the drive unit being connected to the elastic element, and the drive unit being used to change the amount of deformation of the elastic element to change the pressure applied by the elastic element to the first seal.

[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic element is a compression spring.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressure regulating assembly further includes a second seal, which is slidably and sealingly disposed in the second cavity, the elastic element is connected between the first seal and the second seal, the output end of the drive unit is connected to the second seal, and the drive unit is used to drive the second seal to move relative to the first seal.

[0012] In some embodiments, the drive unit includes a motor, a reducer, and a lead screw transmission mechanism. The reducer is connected to the output shaft of the motor and the lead screw transmission mechanism, respectively, and the moving end of the lead screw transmission mechanism is connected to the second seal.

[0013] In some embodiments, the visual-touch sensing device further includes a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring, wherein the first sealing ring is disposed between the first sealing member and the housing, and the second sealing ring is disposed between the second sealing member and the housing.

[0014] In some embodiments, the visual-touch sensing device further includes a connecting tube that connects the receiving cavity and the first cavity respectively, and the connecting tube is a rigid tube or an elastic tube.

[0015] In some embodiments, the visual-touch sensing device further includes: an illumination module disposed near the contact module, the illumination module being used to provide illumination light; an image acquisition module being used to acquire image information when the contact module undergoes deformation; and an information processing module electrically connected to the image acquisition module, the information processing module being used to receive the image information.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a robotic arm includes the aforementioned visual-touch sensing device, wherein the contact module of the visual-touch sensing device is mounted on the end effector of the robotic arm.

[0017] According to embodiments of the present invention, by employing the aforementioned visual-touch sensing device, the manipulator can improve its flexibility, enabling it to grasp both ultra-soft and heavy rigid materials, thereby enhancing its practicality.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a visual-touch sensing device of some embodiments of the present invention mounted on a robotic arm; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a visual-touch sensing device according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a pressure regulating assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of region I in the middle.

[0020] Figure label: 1000. Visual and tactile sensing devices; 100. Contact module; 110. Elastomer; 111. Receiving cavity; 200. Pressure regulating assembly; 210. Shell; 211. First cavity; 212. Second cavity; 213. First connecting port; 220. First sealing element; 230. Drive unit; 231. Motor; 232. Reducer; 233. Screw drive mechanism; 240. Elastic element; 250. Second seal; 300. First sealing ring; 400. Second sealing ring; 500. Connecting pipe; 600. Image acquisition module; 700, Mounting plate; 1100. End effector. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" 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 invention 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 invention.

[0023] In visual-touch sensors, traditional solutions typically use an elastomer with fixed stiffness (such as a gel layer or silicone layer) as the tactile contact interface. This fixed stiffness design faces significant contradictions. For example, if the stiffness of the elastomer is too low, the visual-touch sensor will be sensitive to external contact forces and have sufficient contact deformation, which is beneficial for capturing high-resolution tactile deformation images. However, in this case, the overall structure of the visual-touch sensor is too soft, and its own deformation is large when subjected to external forces, causing significant drift of visual markers or image features, affecting the accuracy of visual-touch fusion, and making it difficult to withstand large pressing pressures or repeated loads, which can easily cause misalignment or damage to internal optical components. If the stiffness of the elastomer is too high, although the structure is stable and durable, the deformation during contact is too small, and the vision system cannot capture enough deformation information, resulting in a significant decrease in tactile resolution, and even weak contact forces cannot be effectively perceived.

[0024] In summary, an elastic body with fixed stiffness cannot simultaneously meet the two core requirements of high-sensitivity tactile perception and stable and reliable structural support.

[0025] To solve the above problems, combined with Figures 1-4 As shown, this application proposes a visual-touch sensing device 1000.

[0026] The visual-touch sensing device 1000 of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a visual-touch sensing device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a contact module 100 and a pressure regulating component 200.

[0028] Among them, combined Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the contact module 100 includes an elastic body 110, which is used to contact the object being measured and deform. A receiving cavity 111 is formed within the elastic body 110, and the receiving cavity 111 is suitable for filling with liquid (not shown in the figure). The elastic body 110 reduces the difficulty of contact between the visual-touch sensing device 1000 and the object being measured, facilitating the subsequent acquisition of image information by the image acquisition module 600 when the contact module 100 deforms (details of the image acquisition module 600 are described below), thereby ensuring the working performance of the visual-touch sensing device 1000.

[0029] Meanwhile, by forming a receiving cavity 111 inside the elastomer 110, the molding difficulty of the receiving cavity 111 can be reduced, making it easier to use the receiving cavity 111 to hold liquid, thereby reducing the difficulty of filling the liquid.

[0030] like Figure 2As shown, the pressure regulating component 200 is connected to the receiving cavity 111. The pressure regulating component 200 is configured to regulate the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 to change the stiffness of the elastic body 110. That is, by forming a receiving cavity 111 in the elastic body 110, filling the receiving cavity 111 with liquid, and setting the pressure regulating component 200 connected to the receiving cavity 111, the stiffness of the elastic body 110 can be adjusted. This allows the visual-touch sensing device 1000 to adapt to the contact detection needs of objects of different hardness and softness, thereby expanding the measurement range of the visual-touch sensing device 1000 and ensuring the detection stability of the visual-touch sensing device 1000. This meets the requirements of high precision and high reliability three-dimensional force sensing of the visual-touch sensing device 1000 under complex working conditions.

[0031] Meanwhile, the pressure regulating component 200 can reduce the difficulty of adjusting the liquid pressure in the receiving cavity 111, thereby reducing the difficulty of adjusting the stiffness of the elastomer 110.

[0032] In a specific example, when the pressure regulating component 200 adjusts the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111, it can change the surface tension of the elastomer 110, thereby making the stiffness of the contact module 100 adjustable. Specifically, when the pressure regulating component 200 increases the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111, the surface tension of the elastomer 110 also increases, thus increasing the stiffness of the contact module 100. This facilitates the contact module 100's contact with and detection of objects with higher hardness, reducing the impact of the reaction force of rigid objects on the contact module 100, and thus preventing the contact module 100 from malfunctioning. In cases of excessive deformation or even material damage, the service life of the contact module 100 is extended to a certain extent. When the pressure regulating component 200 adjusts the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 to decrease, the surface tension of the elastomer 110 also decreases, which reduces the stiffness of the contact module 100. Consequently, the contact module 100 is more likely to deform when it comes into contact with a soft object being tested, and it can produce effective displacement deformation. This is beneficial for the subsequent image acquisition module 600 to acquire accurate image information of the contact module 100 when it deforms, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the visual-touch sensing device 1000.

[0033] As can be seen from the above structure, the visual touch sensing device 1000 of the present invention, by setting an elastic body 110 and setting the elastic body 110 to contact the object being measured and generate deformation, can reduce the difficulty of the visual touch sensing device 1000 and the object being measured to contact each other, which is beneficial for the subsequent image acquisition module 600 to acquire image information when the contact module 100 is deformed, so as to ensure the working performance of the visual touch sensing device 1000.

[0034] Meanwhile, by setting the pressure regulating component 200 to regulate the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111, the tension of the surface of the elastomer 110 is changed, making the stiffness of the elastomer 110 adjustable. This allows the visual-touch sensing device 1000 to adapt to the contact detection needs of objects of different hardness and softness. It not only avoids excessive deformation or even material damage of the contact module 100 when contacting a rigid object, thus extending the service life of the contact module 100, but also makes it easier for the contact module 100 to deform when contacting a soft object, generating effective displacement deformation. This helps the subsequent image acquisition module 600 to acquire accurate image information of the deformation of the contact module 100, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the visual-touch sensing device 1000.

[0035] It is understandable that, compared with the prior art, the visual touch sensing device 1000 of this application can adapt to the contact detection needs of different types of objects, both soft and hard, thereby expanding the measurement range of the visual touch sensing device 1000 and ensuring the detection stability and accuracy of the visual touch sensing device 1000, thus meeting the requirements of high precision and high reliability three-dimensional force sensing under complex working conditions.

[0036] In some embodiments, the elastomer 110 is made of materials such as PP (Polypropylene) or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). Since both PP and PET are prone to elastic deformation, the elastomer 110 itself has a certain elastic deformation capability. At the same time, PP and PET also have a certain strength, which gives the elastomer 110 a certain strength, making it less prone to damage and convenient for supporting and containing liquids.

[0037] In a specific example, the elastomer 110 is formed into a balloon.

[0038] In some embodiments, the liquid may be water, oil, or a mixture of water and a thickener.

[0039] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the visual-touch sensing device 1000 also includes a mounting plate 700, on which the elastomer 110 is fixedly connected. The mounting plate 700 effectively supports the elastomer 110, ensuring its positional stability.

[0040] In some embodiments, the elastomer 110 is fixed to the mounting plate 700 by adhesive bonding to ensure the reliability of the connection between the elastomer 110 and the mounting plate 700.

[0041] In some embodiments, the mounting plate 700 is a transparent plate. While ensuring that the mounting plate 700 can effectively support the elastomer 110, it can also prevent the mounting plate 700 from hindering the image acquisition module 600 from acquiring the deformation of the contact module 100. In other words, it enables the subsequent image acquisition module 600 to intuitively acquire the image information when the contact module 100 is deformed, reducing the difficulty for the image acquisition module 600 to acquire the deformation of the contact module 100.

[0042] In a specific example, the mounting plate 700 is an acrylic plate, which gives the mounting plate 700 good transparency, thereby facilitating the image acquisition module 600 to acquire image information when the contact module 100 deforms in real time.

[0043] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the pressure regulating assembly 200 includes a housing 210 and a first seal 220. The first seal 220 is slidably and sealingly disposed inside the housing 210 to divide the internal space of the housing 210 into a first cavity 211 and a second cavity 212. The first cavity 211 is connected to the receiving cavity 111 and is filled with liquid. By slidably sealing the first seal 220 within the housing 210, the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211 can be adjusted by sliding the first seal 220 relative to the housing 210, thereby adjusting the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111. This allows for changes in the stiffness of the elastic body 110 and reduces the difficulty of adjusting the liquid pressure in the receiving cavity 111. On the other hand, it ensures the sealing between the first cavity 211 and the second cavity 212, preventing the liquid in the first cavity 211 from leaking into the second cavity 212. This ensures that adjusting the liquid pressure in the first cavity 211 can effectively adjust the liquid pressure in the receiving cavity 111, further reducing the difficulty of adjusting the liquid pressure in the receiving cavity 111.

[0044] In the description of this invention, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features, used to distinguish and describe features, without any order or importance.

[0045] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the pressure regulating assembly 200 also includes a drive unit 230, which drives the first seal 220 to move, thereby regulating the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211. This allows the pressure regulating assembly 200 to adjust the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111. Simultaneously, the drive unit 230 reduces the difficulty of sliding the first seal 220 relative to the housing 210, thus reducing the difficulty of adjusting the liquid pressure in the receiving cavity 111.

[0046] In a specific example, when the driving unit 230 drives the first seal 220 to move towards the first cavity 211, the compressive force of the first seal 220 on the liquid in the first cavity 211 increases and the volume of the first cavity 211 decreases, causing the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211 to increase. At this time, the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211 is greater than the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111. Furthermore, the high-pressure liquid in the first cavity 211 will flow into the receiving cavity 111, thereby increasing the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 and improving the elastic body 110. Stiffness; When the drive unit 230 drives the first seal 220 to move toward the direction closer to the second cavity 212, the compressive force of the first seal 220 on the liquid in the first cavity 211 decreases and the volume of the first cavity 211 increases, so that the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211 decreases. At this time, the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 is greater than the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211. Furthermore, the high-pressure liquid in the receiving cavity 111 flows back into the first cavity 211, thereby reducing the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 and thus reducing the stiffness of the elastic body 110.

[0047] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the pressure regulating assembly 200 also includes an elastic element 240, which is disposed in the second cavity 212 and connected to the first seal 220. The output end of the drive unit 230 is connected to the elastic element 240. The drive unit 230 is used to change the deformation of the elastic element 240 to change the pressure applied by the elastic element 240 to the first seal 220. This allows control of the displacement of the first seal 220. Simultaneously, the elastic element 240 can absorb and buffer the impact pressure from the first cavity 211, preventing the impact pressure from being directly transmitted to the drive unit 230. This helps ensure the effectiveness of the drive unit 230's operation and extends its service life.

[0048] In some embodiments, the elastic element 240 is a compression spring. The compression spring can absorb and buffer the impact pressure from the first cavity 211. At the same time, the compression spring can store and release elastic potential energy. By using the drive unit 230 to change the deformation of the compression spring, the compression spring can have a certain preload, which facilitates changing the pressure applied by the elastic element 240 to the first seal 220, thereby realizing the control of the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211 by using the pressure of the elastic element 240.

[0049] Furthermore, by setting the elastic element 240 as a compression spring, the working performance of the elastic element 240 can be guaranteed while simplifying its structure.

[0050] Of course, in some other embodiments, the elastic element 240 may also be a rubber component.

[0051] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the pressure regulating assembly 200 also includes a second seal 250, which is slidably and sealingly disposed within the second cavity 212. An elastic element 240 is connected between the first seal 220 and the second seal 250. The output end of the drive unit 230 is connected to the second seal 250, and the drive unit 230 is used to drive the second seal 250 to move relative to the first seal 220. By providing the second seal 250 and connecting the elastic element 240 between the first seal 220 and the second seal 250, the arrangement difficulty of the elastic element 240 can be reduced. This allows the first seal 220 and the second seal 250 to jointly support the elastic element 240, which helps ensure the positional stability of the elastic element 240 and thus guarantees its working performance.

[0052] Meanwhile, by slidably sealing the second seal 250 within the second cavity 212 and driving the second seal 250 relative to the first seal 220 using the drive unit 230, the difficulty of moving the second seal 250 relative to the first seal 220 can be reduced. This allows the elastic element 240 to be compressed and stretched, changing the amount of deformation of the elastic element 240 and thus changing the pressure applied by the elastic element 240 to the first seal 220. This allows for adjustment of the pressure of the liquid within the first cavity 211, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the stiffness of the elastic body 110.

[0053] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the drive unit 230 includes a motor 231, a reducer 232, and a lead screw transmission mechanism 233. The reducer 232 is connected to both the output shaft of the motor 231 and the lead screw transmission mechanism 233. The moving end of the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 is connected to the second seal 250. This allows the output end of the drive unit 230 to be connected to the second seal 250, facilitating the movement of the second seal 250 relative to the first seal 220 using the drive unit 230 and reducing the difficulty of displacing the second seal 250.

[0054] Meanwhile, since the instantaneous impact load of the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 during startup and reversal is large, if the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 is directly connected to the motor 231, it is easy to cause the motor 231 to overload or even burn out. By setting a reducer 232 and connecting the reducer 232 to the output shaft of the motor 231 and the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 respectively, the reducer 232 can share the instantaneous impact load when the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 starts and reverses, buffer the reversal impact, reduce the radial and axial forces on the motor shaft of the motor 231, and thus greatly reduce the probability of damage to the motor 231.

[0055] In a specific example, motor 231 is a rotary motor. The forward rotation of motor 231 drives the reducer 232 and the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 to rotate forward, causing the moving end of the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 to push the second seal 250 towards the first seal 220, compressing the elastic element 240. Subsequently, the elastic element 240 drives the first seal 220 to move closer to the first cavity 211, increasing the pressure of the liquid inside the first cavity 211. At this point, the pressure of the liquid inside the first cavity 211 is greater than the pressure of the liquid inside the receiving cavity 111, causing the high-pressure liquid inside the first cavity 211 to flow into the receiving cavity 111. The pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 is increased, thereby improving the stiffness of the elastomer 110. The reverse rotation of the motor 231 drives the reducer 232 and the lead screw transmission mechanism 233 to rotate in the opposite direction. The compressive force of the second seal 250 on the elastic element 240 is reduced. The elastic element 240 rebounds and drives the first seal 220 to move towards the second cavity 212. At this time, the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 is greater than the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211. As a result, the high-pressure liquid in the receiving cavity 111 flows back into the first cavity 211, thereby reducing the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity 111 and thus reducing the stiffness of the elastomer 110.

[0056] In other embodiments, the drive unit 230 may adopt a combination of linear motor and crank-slider mechanism, using linear motor to drive crank-slider to move the second seal 250 and the first seal 220 relative to the housing 210, and can also adjust the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity 211.

[0057] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the visual-touch sensing device 1000 also includes a first sealing ring 300 and a second sealing ring 400. The first sealing ring 300 is disposed between the first sealing member 220 and the housing 210, and the second sealing ring 400 is disposed between the second sealing member 250 and the housing 210. By disposing the first sealing ring 300 between the first sealing member 220 and the housing 210, the first sealing member 220 can be slidably and sealingly disposed within the housing 210, reducing the sealing difficulty between the first sealing member 220 and the housing 210 and ensuring the sealing effect between them.

[0058] Meanwhile, by placing the second sealing ring 400 between the second sealing member 250 and the housing 210, the second sealing member 250 can be slidably and sealingly disposed within the housing 210, reducing the sealing difficulty between the second sealing member 250 and the housing 210 and ensuring the sealing effect between the second sealing member 250 and the housing 210.

[0059] Optionally, both the first sealing ring 300 and the second sealing ring 400 can be made of elastic materials such as nitrile rubber or fluororubber. This not only ensures the sealing effect between the housing 210 and the first sealing element 220 and the second sealing element 250 respectively, but also gives the first sealing ring 300 and the second sealing ring 400 a certain degree of elasticity. This allows the first sealing ring 300 and the second sealing ring 400 to fill the sliding fit gap between the housing 210 and the first sealing element 220 and the second sealing element 250 respectively when the first sealing element 220 and the second sealing element 250 slide relative to the housing 210. This offsets the gap changes between the first sealing element 220 and the second sealing element 250 and the housing 210 caused by slight eccentricity, shaking, etc. during the movement, thereby continuously maintaining the sealing effect between the housing 210 and the first sealing element 220 and the second sealing element 250 respectively.

[0060] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the visual-touch sensing device 1000 also includes a connecting pipe 500, which connects the receiving cavity 111 and the first cavity 211 respectively. The connecting pipe 500 is a rigid pipe or an elastic pipe. The connecting pipe 500 can reduce the difficulty of connecting the receiving cavity 111 and the first cavity 211, and also plays a guiding role, so that the liquid flow between the receiving cavity 111 and the first cavity 211 is smooth.

[0061] When the connecting pipe 500 is a rigid pipe, it can give the connecting pipe 500 a certain strength, avoid external pressure squeezing or damaging the structure of the connecting pipe 500, and ensure the working effectiveness of the connecting pipe 500.

[0062] Of course, in some other embodiments, since the visual-touch sensing device 1000 is usually set on the end effector 1100 of the robot (e.g., finger), in order to adapt to the internal space setting of the end effector 1100 and avoid the end effector 1100 being too large, the connecting tube 500 can also be set as an elastic tube, so that the connecting tube 500 can be better assembled into the internal space of the end effector 1100, which is beneficial to improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the end effector 1100.

[0063] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the housing 210 has a first connecting port 213, and the elastic body 110 has a second connecting port (not shown in the figure). The two ends of the connecting pipe 500 are respectively connected to the first connecting port 213 and the second connecting port. This allows the connecting pipe 500 to connect the receiving cavity 111 and the first cavity 211 respectively. The first connecting port 213 and the second connecting port can reduce the difficulty of connecting the connecting pipe 500 to connect the receiving cavity 111 and the first cavity 211 respectively.

[0064] In some embodiments, the visual-touch sensing device 1000 further includes an illumination module (not shown in the figure), which is disposed near the contact module 100 and is used to provide illumination light. This provides a stable and uniform enclosed light field for the image acquisition module 600, avoiding ambient light interference, thereby enabling the image acquisition module 600 to clearly acquire image information when the contact module 100 deforms, ensuring the accuracy of the image information.

[0065] In the specific example, the lighting module is an LED tri-color backlight strip.

[0066] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the visual-touch sensing device 1000 also includes an image acquisition module 600, which is used to acquire image information when the contact module 100 deforms, thereby reducing the difficulty of acquiring image information when the contact module 100 deforms.

[0067] In a specific example, the image acquisition module 600 is a miniature camera, which facilitates real-time capture of image information when the contact module 100 undergoes deformation.

[0068] In some embodiments, the visual-touch sensing device 1000 further includes an information processing module (not shown in the figure), which is electrically connected to the image acquisition module 600 and is used to receive image information. The information processing module can convert changes in image information into normal force, tangential force, torsion, and surface texture data through feature tracking, optical flow, and deep learning algorithms, and then calculate the three-dimensional contact force. The robotic arm adjusts its gripping force, posture, and motion trajectory in real time based on this three-dimensional contact force to achieve flexible adaptive grasping of the object being measured.

[0069] The robotic arm of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0070] like Figure 1 As shown, a robotic arm according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a visual-touch sensing device 1000.

[0071] Among them, the visual touch sensing device 1000 is the aforementioned visual touch sensing device 1000, and the specific structure of the visual touch sensing device 1000 will not be described in detail here.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, the contact module 100 of the visual-touch sensing device 1000 is mounted on the end effector 1100 of the robotic arm. It should be noted that the end effector 1100 of the robotic arm can be understood as a finger. By mounting the contact module 100 of the visual-touch sensing device 100 to the end effector 1100 of the robotic arm, when the robotic arm grasps an object, the contact module 100 can first contact the object being measured and cause material deformation. This facilitates the calculation of the three-dimensional contact force using the image acquisition module 600 and the information processing module. The robotic arm can then adjust its gripping force, posture, and motion trajectory in real time based on this three-dimensional contact force, thereby achieving flexible and adaptive grasping of the object being measured.

[0073] As can be seen from the above structure, the robotic hand of the present invention, by adopting the aforementioned visual-touch sensing device 1000, can improve the flexibility of the robotic hand, enabling it to grasp both ultra-soft materials and heavy rigid materials, thereby improving the practicality of the robotic hand.

[0074] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly 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 of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0075] The specific structure and working principle of the visual-touch sensing device 1000 and other components of the robot arm, such as the lighting module, image acquisition module 600 and information processing module, according to embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0076] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "embodiment," "example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0077] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A visual-touch sensing device, characterized in that, include: The contact module (100) includes an elastomer (110) for contacting the object being tested and deforming therein, and a receiving cavity (111) is formed therein, which is suitable for filling with liquid. A pressure regulating assembly (200) is connected to the receiving cavity (111) and is configured to regulate the pressure of the liquid in the receiving cavity (111) to change the stiffness of the elastomer (110).

2. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure regulating assembly (200) includes: The housing (210) and the first seal (220) are slidably and sealingly disposed within the housing (210) to divide the internal space of the housing (210) into a first cavity (211) and a second cavity (212). The first cavity (211) communicates with the receiving cavity (111) and is filled with the liquid. A drive unit (230) is used to drive the first seal (220) to move in order to adjust the pressure of the liquid in the first cavity (211).

3. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressure regulating assembly (200) further includes an elastic element (240), which is disposed in the second cavity (212) and connected to the first seal (220). The output end of the drive unit (230) is connected to the elastic element (240), and the drive unit (230) is used to change the amount of deformation of the elastic element (240) to change the pressure applied by the elastic element (240) to the first seal (220).

4. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic element (240) is a compression spring.

5. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pressure regulating assembly (200) further includes a second seal (250), which is slidably and sealingly disposed within the second cavity (212). The elastic element (240) is connected between the first seal (220) and the second seal (250). The output end of the drive unit (230) is connected to the second seal (250), and the drive unit (230) is used to drive the second seal (250) to move relative to the first seal (220).

6. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The drive unit (230) includes a motor (231), a reducer (232) and a lead screw transmission mechanism (233). The reducer (232) is connected to the output shaft of the motor (231) and the lead screw transmission mechanism (233) respectively. The moving end of the lead screw transmission mechanism (233) is connected to the second seal (250).

7. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a first sealing ring (300) and a second sealing ring (400), the first sealing ring (300) being disposed between the first sealing element (220) and the housing (210), and the second sealing ring (400) being disposed between the second sealing element (250) and the housing (210).

8. The visual-touch sensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a connecting pipe (500), which connects the receiving cavity (111) and the first cavity (211) respectively. The connecting pipe (500) is a rigid pipe or an elastic pipe.

9. The visual-touch sensing device according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Also includes: A lighting module is disposed near the contact module (100) and is used to provide lighting light; An image acquisition module (600) is used to acquire image information when the contact module (100) undergoes deformation; An information processing module is electrically connected to the image acquisition module (600) and is used to receive the image information.

10. A robotic arm, characterized in that, The device includes a visual-touch sensing device according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the contact module (100) of the visual-touch sensing device is mounted on the end effector (1100) of the manipulator.

Images