A robot automatic hydrogen-filling flexible plug-in mechanism and synchronous unlocking system

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of robot automatic hydrogen filling compliant plug-pull mechanism and synchronous unlocking system, wherein the mechanism uses modular distributed architecture, is composed of compliant plug-pull device and automated synchronous unlocking movement mechanism, compliant plug-pull device is installed at the end of mechanical arm, realizes axial buffering by linear bearing, reset spring, provides radial floating compensation by the cooperation of elastomer and antifriction contact piece, plug fixed part uses split clamping structure to adapt to multi-specification hydrogen filling plug;Automated synchronous unlocking movement mechanism is as the fixed end of socket side, through the capture type cooperation of circumferential variable height guide track and double ball head sliding structure, it is smoothly converted into balanced axial unlocking displacement for rotary motion, socket fixed part is realized by the cooperation of fan-shaped limiting part and locking groove Quick assembly and reliable locking, the system can effectively compensate the positioning error of mechanical arm, absorb plug-pull impact, realize compliant docking and synchronous unlocking of hydrogen filling interface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotic automatic insertion and removal and hydrogen energy refueling equipment, and in particular to a robotic automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism and synchronous unlocking system. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen energy, as a clean energy source, is increasingly widely used in transportation and energy storage. The demand for automated refueling of equipment such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen storage containers continues to grow. Robotic automated hydrogen refueling systems, due to their advantages such as unmanned operation and reduced risks associated with manual operation, are gradually becoming a key technology direction for hydrogen refueling stations and hydrogen refueling scenarios. In actual operation, robotic automated hydrogen refueling systems require a robotic arm to drive the hydrogen refueling plug to achieve high-precision docking with the vehicle-mounted or equipment-side hydrogen refueling socket to establish a sealed hydrogen transmission channel. This process demands high alignment accuracy between the plug and socket, typically requiring docking deviations to be controlled within millimeters; otherwise, docking failure or seal failure is highly likely. However, the robotic arm is inevitably affected by multiple factors during motion control, including kinematic errors, end-load deformation, and environmental temperature. Furthermore, the complex and variable hydrogen refueling environment presents significant technical challenges to the automated hydrogen refueling process.

[0003] Existing hydrogen-filling plug-in structures generally employ rigid connections, with the hydrogen-filling plug directly fixed to the robotic arm's end effector via flanges or brackets. This lacks adaptability to position and orientation. When positioning errors or orientation deviations exist at the robotic arm's end effector, radial misalignment or axial angles can occur between the hydrogen-filling plug and socket. Rigid structures cannot absorb or compensate for these deviations, leading to a hard collision when the plug and socket mate. This rigid collision not only causes mechanical jamming and connection failure but can also damage the sealing surface or internal structure of the hydrogen-filling interface, potentially even causing hydrogen leakage and posing safety hazards. Although some solutions attempt to reduce docking errors by improving the robotic arm's control precision or introducing visual servo compensation, this significantly increases system complexity and makes it difficult to completely eliminate the impact of accidental deviations. Therefore, the stability and reliability in practical applications still need improvement.

[0004] Furthermore, most standard hydrogen filling sockets require simultaneous unlocking of the internal locking mechanism during insertion and removal. Existing technologies typically employ manual unlocking or independent linear cylinder drive to achieve this function. Manual unlocking is clearly insufficient for automated operation, while linear cylinder drive requires a large push-pull actuator around the socket, which not only occupies significant space and has a loose structure, but the unidirectional thrust of the cylinder piston rod can also lead to uneven force on the unlocking components, causing off-center loading and jamming. More importantly, linear cylinders cannot directly utilize a rotary drive source to achieve synchronous unlocking, making efficient integration with standardized rotary actuators in robotic systems difficult, thus limiting the structural compactness and control integration level of automated hydrogen filling systems. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a robotic automated hydrogen filling system capable of simultaneously achieving compliant error compensation and synchronous stable unlocking. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a robotic automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism, which aims to solve the safety hazards of structural damage and sealing failure caused by rigid docking, and significantly improve the fault tolerance of axial position error and docking safety in the automatic insertion process.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, a robotic automatic hydrogen filling and compliant insertion / removal mechanism is provided, comprising:

[0007] Connecting base, used to connect to the end effector of the robotic arm;

[0008] An external support structure, with a receiving cavity inside the external support structure;

[0009] An axially compliant assembly is connected between the connecting base and the external support structure, allowing the external support structure to move axially relative to the connecting base.

[0010] A plug fixing part is provided inside the external support structure to fix the hydrogen charging plug. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part and the external support structure so that the plug fixing part can float radially relative to the external support structure.

[0011] A radial compliance component is disposed between the external support structure and the plug fixing part to provide radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal.

[0012] Furthermore, the axially compliant assembly includes a sliding fit assembly and an elastic reset structure;

[0013] The sliding fit assembly is connected between the connecting base and the external support structure to guide the external support structure to move axially;

[0014] The elastic reset structure is used to provide axial reset force after the external support structure undergoes axial displacement;

[0015] The axial compliance assembly also includes an axial limiting structure to limit the axial movement of the external support structure relative to the connecting base.

[0016] Furthermore, several annular positioning platforms are evenly distributed on the connecting base towards the external support structure end;

[0017] The external support structure includes an upper support part and a lower support part that are axially connected. The upper support part extends toward the connecting base to form a guide boss. A spring limiting flange corresponding to the annular positioning platform is provided on the outer periphery of the bottom of the guide boss.

[0018] The sliding fit assembly includes a linear bearing embedded in a guide boss, and a shoulder bolt that slides with the linear bearing and is fixed to the connecting base;

[0019] The elastic reset structure includes a reset spring sleeved on the spring limiting flange and the outer periphery of the annular positioning platform;

[0020] The axial limiting structure includes a first limiting part formed by the abutment of the guide boss with the connecting base and a second limiting part formed by the abutment of the end of the shoulder bolt with the linear bearing.

[0021] Furthermore, a radial floating connection is achieved between the plug fixing part and the external support structure through a radially compliant component;

[0022] The radial compliance assembly includes an elastomer disposed in a radial clearance and a friction-reducing contact disposed in an axial clearance;

[0023] The axial height of the receiving cavity of the external support structure is greater than the total thickness of the radial flange of the plug fixing part and the anti-friction contact part, so as to form a slight axial floating.

[0024] Furthermore, the plug fixing part includes multiple fixing halves that are arranged radially separately;

[0025] After multiple fixed halves are combined, an internal fixed cavity is formed that matches the outer contour of the hydrogen charging plug;

[0026] The outer peripheries of multiple fixed halves together form a radial flange portion extending circumferentially along the plug fixing part for mating with a radial compliance assembly.

[0027] An automated hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system for robots, comprising an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism used in combination with any of the aforementioned compliant insertion and removal devices;

[0028] The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism includes:

[0029] Support structure;

[0030] The socket fixing part is used to fix the hydrogen charging socket and is set inside the support structure;

[0031] Drive components are used to provide rotational driving force for rotation;

[0032] A motion conversion assembly is used to convert rotational motion into axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion assembly is connected between the rotational drive assembly and the unlocking component of the hydrogen filling socket. The motion conversion assembly includes a guide trajectory distributed circumferentially and having axial height variation, and a motion following structure that cooperates with the guide trajectory.

[0033] Furthermore, the motion conversion component includes a trajectory guiding structure and a motion following structure;

[0034] The trajectory guiding structure is provided with a guide trajectory that extends circumferentially and has an axial height variation. The motion following structure cooperates with the trajectory guiding structure to move along the guide trajectory under the drive of the rotary drive component.

[0035] The motion conversion assembly also includes an axial limiting connection structure connected between the motion following structure and the unlocking component of the hydrogen filling socket, used to limit the axial relative disengagement between the two.

[0036] Furthermore, the motion-following structure includes a main cylindrical section, several push rod bodies extending axially from the main cylindrical section, and a double ball-head sliding structure disposed at the end of the push rod body.

[0037] The double ball head sliding structure includes at least two ball heads that are coaxially connected along the axial direction by a connecting column, and respectively slide in contact with two track surfaces that are arranged opposite each other along the axial direction in the guide track to form a track capturing type guide fit;

[0038] The guide track includes a capture limiting structure to prevent the double-ball-head sliding structure from detaching from the track;

[0039] The motion conversion component also includes a circumferential travel limit structure to limit the circumferential range of motion of the motion following structure along the guide trajectory.

[0040] Furthermore, the socket fixing part includes multiple combined fixing components;

[0041] After multiple fasteners are combined, an internal clamping cavity is formed that matches the outer contour of the hydrogen charging socket, and multiple radially protruding fan-shaped limiting parts are formed on its outer periphery for cooperating with the motion following structure.

[0042] The support structure includes an upper housing component and a lower housing component that can be closed axially. The mating surfaces of the upper housing component and the lower housing component have locking grooves corresponding to the fan-shaped limiting part, which are used to form a circumferential limiting and axial locking structure for the socket fixing part after the support structure is closed axially.

[0043] Furthermore, the rotary drive assembly includes a rotary drive source, a mating flange, and a drive source mounting base;

[0044] The flange is used to connect the output end of the rotary drive source and the trajectory guide structure.

[0045] The drive source mounting base is fixed to the support structure and is used to install and position the rotary drive source.

[0046] Implementing the embodiments of the present invention will have the following beneficial effects: a robot automatic hydrogen refilling smooth plug-in and plug-out mechanism is provided. This mechanism is mainly used to realize the smooth docking of the hydrogen refilling plug and socket in the automatic hydrogen energy replenishment operation of the robotic arm end. It can adapt to the positioning error of the robotic arm to a certain extent and improve the stability of the plug-in and plug-out process. The mechanism includes a compliant insertion and removal device, which, from general to specific, includes, in sequence, a connecting base (which can be a flange type, quick-change interface, or other rigid connection structure) for connecting to the end of a robotic arm; an external support structure with an internal receiving cavity (which can be formed by bolts or snap-fits between a detachable upper support part and a lower support part); an axial compliance component (which can be a sliding fit component combined with an elastic reset structure, or can be replaced by a linear guide, pneumatic damper, etc.) connecting the connecting base and the external support structure; a plug fixing part (which can be a separate assembly forming an adapter cavity) disposed within the external support structure for fixing the hydrogen charging plug; and a radial compliance component (which can be a combination of an elastomer and a friction-reducing contact, or can be replaced by a spring assembly or an elastic pad assembly) for providing radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part and the external support structure to allow the plug fixing part to float radially relative to the external support structure. The radial compliance component is disposed between the external support structure and the plug fixing part.

[0047] During operation, when the robotic arm moves the mechanism close to the hydrogen filling socket, if there is an axial or radial positional deviation, the axial compliance component allows the external support structure to move axially relative to the connecting base to buffer the impact, while the radial compliance component allows the plug fixing part to float within the radial gap to adjust its posture for adaptive alignment. Compared with the rigid plug-in structure in the prior art, which has high requirements for positioning accuracy and is prone to hard collisions, mechanical jamming, or seal damage due to docking deviations, this invention, through the guidance and buffering of the axial compliance component and the floating compensation of the radial compliance component, can provide a certain degree of passive adaptation to axial and radial errors during the plugging and unplugging process. This helps to reduce the risk of hard collisions and improve the smoothness of the docking process, providing a technical solution with a certain degree of fault tolerance and engineering applicability for robotic automated hydrogen filling operations.

[0048] A robotic automatic hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system, which serves as the collaborative execution terminal of the aforementioned compliant plugging and unplugging device, aims to solve the problems of the existing hydrogen charging socket unlocking mechanism being bulky, having uneven force distribution, and being difficult to integrate with a rotary actuator. The system consists of a support structure, a socket fixing part, a rotary drive component, and a motion conversion component, from macroscopic layout to microscopic transmission.

[0049] During operation, once the hydrogen charging plug and socket are connected, the rotary drive assembly starts and outputs rotational torque, causing the trajectory guide structure to rotate around the axis. Due to the axial height variation characteristic of the guide trajectory distributed along the circumference, the motion following structure is forced to produce a linear displacement along the axial direction under the constraint of the guide trajectory. This axial displacement is directly transmitted to the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket, driving its internal locking mechanism to overcome the locking force and complete synchronous unlocking. After unlocking, the rotary drive assembly resets, and the motion following structure returns to its original position under the action of the guide trajectory, waiting for the next operation cycle.

[0050] In existing technologies, unlocking hydrogen charging sockets generally relies on rigid push-pull operations using linear cylinders. Linear cylinders are bulky and difficult to integrate efficiently with standardized rotary actuators in robotic systems. Furthermore, unidirectional thrust easily leads to uneven force distribution on the unlocking components, causing off-center loading and jamming. This invention introduces a motion conversion component that includes a circumferentially variable-height guide trajectory and an adapted motion-following structure. This allows for the direct utilization of a standardized rotary drive source, smoothly and efficiently converting rotary motion into axial unlocking displacement. Compared to linear cylinder drives, this structure significantly improves the system's space utilization and integration. More importantly, the circumferentially distributed guide trajectory constrains the motion-following structure throughout its operation, ensuring uniform output of axial unlocking force and stable control of motion posture. This effectively avoids the off-center loading risk inherent in traditional linear drive methods and solves the technical problems of loose unlocking mechanism structure, uneven force distribution, and difficulty in matching drive sources in automated hydrogen charging scenarios. This significantly improves the structural compactness, unlocking reliability, and control integration level of the automated hydrogen charging system. Attached Figure Description

[0051] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0052] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0053] Figure 2 This is an assembly diagram of the axially compliant component of the connecting base and the external support structure of the compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in this embodiment of the disclosure;

[0054] Figure 3 This is an assembly diagram of the plug fixing part, radial compliance component and external support structure of the compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0055] Figure 4 This illustrates an operating state of the compliant insertion and extraction mechanism provided in this embodiment when axial compliance is not performed;

[0056] Figure 5 This illustrates one working state of the compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure when performing axial compliance;

[0057] Figure 6 This illustrates an operating state of the compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in this embodiment when radial compliance is not performed;

[0058] Figure 7 This illustrates one working state of the compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure when it is radially compliant;

[0059] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the synchronous unlocking device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0060] Figure 9 This is an assembly diagram of the socket fixing part and the support structure of the synchronous unlocking device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0061] Figure 10 This is an assembly diagram of the rotary drive assembly, motion conversion assembly, and hydrogen charging socket of the synchronous unlocking device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0062] Figure 11 This refers to the synchronous unlocking device provided in this embodiment before its rotational motion is converted into linear motion;

[0063] Figure 12 After the rotational motion of the synchronous unlocking device provided in this embodiment is converted into linear motion;

[0064] Figure 13 This illustrates a working state of the synchronous unlocking device provided in this embodiment when it is not performing an unlocking motion;

[0065] Figure 14 This illustrates a working state of the synchronous unlocking device provided in this embodiment when it performs an unlocking motion;

[0066] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a robot automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism provided in an embodiment of this disclosure, and a schematic diagram of the connector structure described in the embodiment of this invention.

[0067] Among them, 1. connecting base; 11. annular positioning platform;

[0068] 2. External support structure; 21. Upper support part; 22. Lower support part; 23. Guide boss; 24. Receiving cavity; 25. Spring limiting flange;

[0069] 3. Axial compliance assembly; 31. Shoulder bolt; 32. Linear bearing; 33. Return spring;

[0070] 4. Plug fixing part; 41. Fixing half; 42. Radial flange part; 43. Fixing cavity;

[0071] 5. Radial compliance component; 51. Elastomer; 52. Anti-friction contact component;

[0072] 6. Support structure; 61. Upper shell component; 62. Lower shell component; 63. Locking groove;

[0073] 7. Socket fixing part; 71. Combined fixing part; 72. Sector-shaped limiting part; 73. Clamping cavity;

[0074] 8. Rotary drive assembly; 81. Rotary drive source; 82. Mating flange; 83. Drive source mounting base;

[0075] 9. Motion conversion component; 91. Motion following structure; 911. Main cylindrical section; 912. Push rod body; 913. Double ball head sliding structure; 914. Guide cone surface; 92. Trajectory guiding structure; 93. Axial limiting connection structure. Detailed Implementation

[0076] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0077] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0078] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0079] Please refer to Figures 1-15 A robotic automatic hydrogen-filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism includes:

[0080] Connecting base 1, which is used to connect to the end effector of the robotic arm;

[0081] External support structure 2, with a receiving cavity inside;

[0082] Axial compliance component 3 is connected between the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2. The axial compliance component 3 allows the external support structure 2 to move axially relative to the connecting base 1.

[0083] The plug fixing part 4 is disposed in the external support structure 2 to fix the hydrogen charging plug. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 so that the plug fixing part 4 can float radially relative to the external support structure 2.

[0084] And radial compliance component 5, which is disposed between the external support structure 2 and the plug fixing part 4, to provide radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal.

[0085] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment provides a robot automatic hydrogen refilling compliant insertion and removal mechanism. This mechanism is mainly used to achieve compliant docking of the hydrogen refill plug and socket in the automatic hydrogen energy replenishment operation of the robotic arm end effector. It can adapt to the positioning error of the robotic arm to a certain extent and improve the stability of the insertion and removal process. The mechanism includes a compliant insertion and removal device, which, from the whole to the parts, includes, in sequence, a connecting base 1 (which can be a flange type, quick-change interface or other rigid connection structure) for connecting to the end effector of the robotic arm, an external support structure 2 with a receiving cavity 24 (which can be formed by bolts or buckles connecting a detachable upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22), an axial compliant component 3 (which can be a sliding fit component combined with an elastic reset structure, or can be replaced by a linear guide, pneumatic buffer, etc.) connecting the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2, and a component disposed on the external support. The external support structure 2 includes a plug fixing part 4 (which can be formed into an adapter cavity by separate components) for fixing the hydrogen charging plug, and a radial compliance component 5 (which can be a combination of an elastomer 51 and a friction-reducing contact 52, or can be replaced by a spring assembly or an elastic pad assembly) for providing radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 so that the plug fixing part 4 can float radially relative to the external support structure 2. The radial compliance component 5 is disposed between the external support structure 2 and the plug fixing part 4.

[0086] During operation, when the robotic arm moves the mechanism close to the hydrogen filling socket, if there is an axial or radial positional deviation, the axial compliance component 3 allows the external support structure 2 to move axially relative to the connecting base 1 to buffer the impact, while the radial compliance component 5 allows the plug fixing part 4 to float within the radial gap to adjust its posture and achieve adaptive alignment. Compared with the rigid plug-in structure in the prior art, which has high requirements for positioning accuracy and is prone to hard collisions, mechanical jamming, or seal damage due to docking deviations, this invention, through the guidance and buffering of the axial compliance component 3 and the floating compensation of the radial compliance component 5, can provide a certain passive adaptability to axial and radial errors during the plugging and unplugging process. This helps to reduce the risk of hard collisions and improve the smoothness of the docking process, providing a technical solution with a certain fault tolerance and engineering applicability for robotic automatic hydrogen filling operations.

[0087] In particular, such as Figure 3As shown, the axial height of the receiving cavity of the external support structure 2 is greater than the total thickness of the radial flange of the plug fixing part and the anti-friction contact member, thereby forming an axial micro-floating gap of 0.5mm to 1mm. This gap design prevents the plug fixing part 4 from jamming due to axial clamping force when adjusting its posture radially, and effectively suppresses posture tilting caused by excessive floating, significantly improving the insertion stability. The radial compliance component 5 is disposed between the radial flange 42 and the receiving cavity 24. The axial height H1 of the receiving cavity 24 of the external support structure 2 is greater than the total thickness H2 of the radial flange 42 and the anti-friction contact member 52, i.e., H1>H2, thereby forming an axial micro-floating gap G (preferably 0.5 to 1mm).

[0088] In a preferred embodiment, the axial compliance component 3 includes a sliding fit component and an elastic reset structure;

[0089] The sliding fit assembly is connected between the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2, and is used to guide the external support structure 2 to move axially.

[0090] The elastic reset structure is used to provide axial reset force after the external support structure 2 undergoes axial displacement;

[0091] The axial compliance component 3 also includes an axial limiting structure for limiting the axial movement of the external support structure 2 relative to the connecting base 1.

[0092] This embodiment provides a robot automatic hydrogen refilling smooth plug-in and plug-out mechanism. This mechanism is mainly used to achieve smooth docking of the hydrogen refill plug and socket at the end of the robotic arm in the automatic hydrogen energy replenishment operation. It can adapt to the positioning error of the robotic arm to a certain extent and improve the stability of the plug-in and plug-out process. The mechanism includes a compliant insertion and removal device, which, from general to specific, includes, in sequence, a connecting base 1 (which may be a flange type, quick-change interface, or other rigid connection structure) for connecting to the end of a robotic arm, an external support structure 2 (which may be formed by bolts or snaps connecting a detachable upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22) with an internal receiving cavity 24, an axial compliance component 3 connecting the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2, a plug fixing part 4 (which may be formed by a separate assembly to form an adapter cavity) disposed within the external support structure 2 for fixing the hydrogen charging plug, and a radial compliance component 5 (which may be a combination of an elastomer 51 and a friction-reducing contact 52, or can be replaced by a spring assembly or an elastic pad assembly) for providing radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 so that the plug fixing part 4 can float radially relative to the external support structure 2, and the radial compliance component 5 is disposed between the external support structure 2 and the plug fixing part 4. In a preferred embodiment, the axial compliance component 3 includes a sliding fit component and an elastic reset structure (the sliding fit component may be a linear bearing 32 and a shoulder bolt 31, a linear guide or a sliding guide sleeve, etc., and the elastic reset structure may be a reset spring 33, a disc spring group, an elastic pad or a gas spring, etc.); the sliding fit component is connected between the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2, and is used to guide the external support structure 2 to move axially; the elastic reset structure is used to provide axial reset force after the external support structure 2 undergoes axial displacement; the axial compliance component 3 also includes an axial limiting structure (which may be implemented in the form of a boss abutment, bolt end limiting, a retaining ring or a limiting block, etc.), used to limit the axial movement stroke of the external support structure 2 relative to the connecting base 1.

[0093] During operation, when the robotic arm moves the compliant insertion / removal device close to the hydrogen filling socket and generates axial impact or overtravel, the sliding fit component guides the external support structure 2 to move smoothly along the axial direction relative to the connecting base 1. The elastic reset structure compresses or extends accordingly to buffer energy, while the axial limiting structure prevents excessive displacement. Subsequently, after the force disappears, the elastic reset structure pushes the external support structure 2 back to its initial position. Compared with the rigid insertion structure in the prior art, which has high requirements for positional accuracy and is prone to jamming or damage due to docking deviation, this invention, through the sliding guidance, elastic buffering, and travel limitation of the axial compliant component 3, can provide a certain passive compensation for axial errors during insertion and removal, thereby helping to reduce the risk of hard collisions and improve the stability of the docking process. At the same time, this structure works in conjunction with the radial compliant component 5 to further improve the overall fault tolerance and insertion stability of the system, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for robotic automatic hydrogen filling operations.

[0094] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of annular positioning platforms 11 are evenly distributed on the end of the connecting base 1 facing the external support structure 2;

[0095] The external support structure 2 includes an upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22 that are connected along the axial direction. The upper support part 21 extends toward the connecting base 1 to form a guide boss 23. A spring limiting flange 25 corresponding to the annular positioning platform 11 is provided on the outer periphery of the bottom of the guide boss 23.

[0096] The sliding fit assembly includes a linear bearing 32 embedded in the guide boss 23, and a shoulder bolt 31 that slides with the linear bearing 32 and is fixed on the connecting base 1;

[0097] The elastic reset structure includes a reset spring 33 sleeved on the outer periphery of the spring limiting flange 25 and the annular positioning platform 11;

[0098] The axial limiting structure includes a first limiting part formed by the abutment of the guide boss 23 with the connecting base 1 and a second limiting part formed by the abutment of the end of the shoulder bolt 31 with the linear bearing 32.

[0099] This embodiment features a robot-automatic hydrogen refilling smooth plug-and-unplug mechanism. This mechanism is mainly used to achieve smooth docking of the hydrogen refill plug and socket at the end of the robotic arm during automatic hydrogen energy replenishment operations. It can adapt to the positioning error of the robotic arm to a certain extent and improve the stability of the plug-and-unplug process. The mechanism includes a compliant insertion and removal device, which, from general to specific, includes, in sequence, a connecting base 1 (which may be a flange type, quick-change interface, or other rigid connection structure) for connecting to the end of a robotic arm, an external support structure 2 (which may be formed by bolts or snaps connecting a detachable upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22) with an internal receiving cavity 24, an axial compliance component 3 connecting the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2, a plug fixing part 4 (which may be formed by a separate assembly to form an adapter cavity) disposed within the external support structure 2 for fixing the hydrogen charging plug, and a radial compliance component 5 (which may be a combination of an elastomer 51 and a friction-reducing contact 52, or can be replaced by a spring assembly or an elastic pad assembly) for providing radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 so that the plug fixing part 4 can float radially relative to the external support structure 2, and the radial compliance component 5 is disposed between the external support structure 2 and the plug fixing part 4. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of annular positioning platforms 11 (which may be annular bosses, positioning rings, or other symmetrically distributed positioning structures) are evenly distributed on the end of the connecting base 1 facing the external support structure 2; the external support structure 2 includes an upper support portion 21 and a lower support portion 22 that are axially connected (which may be connected by bolts, clips, or pins), the upper support portion 21 extends toward the connecting base 1 to form a guide boss 23 (which may be a cylindrical or polygonal boss), and a spring limiting flange 25 (which may be annular flanges, steps, or limiting ring structures) is provided on the outer periphery of the bottom of the guide boss 23 corresponding to the annular positioning platform 11; the sliding fit assembly includes a straight... The linear bearing 32 (which can be replaced by a sliding bearing, ball bearing sleeve, or other linear motion guiding element) and the shoulder bolt 31 (which can be a stepped bolt, guide rod, or pin) that slides with the linear bearing 32 and is fixed on the connecting base 1; the elastic reset structure includes a reset spring 33 (which can be a compression spring, disc spring assembly, or elastic column) sleeved on the outer periphery of the spring limiting flange 25 and the annular positioning platform 11; the axial limiting structure includes a first limiting part formed by the abutment of the guide boss 23 with the connecting base 1 and a second limiting part formed by the abutment of the end of the shoulder bolt 31 with the linear bearing 32 (which can be supplemented with a retaining ring, limiting block, or other stop structure).During operation, when the robotic arm drives the compliant insertion / removal device and encounters axial impact or positional deviation during insertion or removal, the external support structure 2 can smoothly slide relative to the connecting base 1 along the path guided by the linear bearing 32 and the shoulder bolt 31. The annular positioning platform 11 and the spring limiting flange 25 together radially position the return spring 33 to avoid interference. The return spring 33 then compresses to absorb energy, while the contact between the guide boss 23 and the connecting base 1 and the contact between the end of the shoulder bolt 31 and the linear bearing 32 respectively form the first and second limits, preventing the stroke from exceeding the preset range. Afterward, the return spring 33 releases energy to push the external support structure 2 back to its original position. Compared with the rigid insertion structure in the prior art, which has high requirements for positional accuracy and is prone to hard collisions, jamming, or structural damage due to axial docking deviations, the present invention, through the specific structure of the above-mentioned axial compliant component 3, can provide a certain degree of guidance, buffering, and stroke control for axial errors during insertion and removal, thereby helping to reduce the risk of hard collisions and improve the stability of the docking process.

[0100] In a preferred embodiment, the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 are radially floating connected by a radially compliant component 5;

[0101] The radial compliance component 5 includes an elastomer 51 disposed in the radial gap and a friction-reducing contact 52 disposed in the axial gap;

[0102] The axial height of the receiving cavity 24 of the external support structure 2 is greater than the total thickness of the radial flange portion 42 of the plug fixing portion 4 and the friction-reducing contact member 52, so as to form a slight axial floating.

[0103] This embodiment provides a robot automatic hydrogen refilling smooth plug-in and plug-out mechanism. This mechanism is mainly used to achieve smooth docking of the hydrogen refill plug and socket at the end of the robotic arm in the automatic hydrogen energy replenishment operation. It can adapt to the positioning error of the robotic arm to a certain extent and improve the stability of the plug-in and plug-out process. The mechanism includes a compliant insertion and removal device, which, from general to specific, includes, in sequence, a connecting base 1 (which may be a flange type, quick-change interface, or other rigid connection structure) for connecting to the end of a robotic arm, an external support structure 2 (which may be formed by bolts or snaps connecting a detachable upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22) with an internal receiving cavity 24, an axial compliance component 3 connecting the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2, a plug fixing part 4 (which may be formed by a separate assembly to form an adapter cavity) disposed within the external support structure 2 for fixing the hydrogen charging plug, and a radial compliance component 5 for providing radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 so that the plug fixing part 4 can float radially relative to the external support structure 2. The radial compliance component 5 is disposed between the external support structure 2 and the plug fixing part 4. In a preferred embodiment, the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 are radially floatingly connected by a radially compliant component 5; the radially compliant component 5 includes an elastomer 51 (which may be made of natural rubber, silicone rubber, polyurethane elastomer 51, thermoplastic elastomer TPE or other materials with elastic recovery capability) disposed in the radial gap and a friction-reducing contact 52 (which may be made of polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE gasket, nylon gasket, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene gasket or other low-friction materials) disposed in the axial gap; the axial height of the receiving cavity 24 of the external support structure 2 is greater than the total thickness of the radial flange part 42 of the plug fixing part 4 and the friction-reducing contact 52, so as to form a slight axial floating.

[0104] During operation, if radial offset at the end of the robotic arm causes a deviation when the hydrogen charging plug aligns with the socket, the plug fixing part 4 can float relative to the external support structure 2 within the radial gap. The elastic body 51 compresses or stretches to provide restoring force, while the anti-friction contact 52 reduces frictional resistance during sliding. Simultaneously, the slight axial floating space formed by the axial height difference between the receiving cavity 24 and the radial flange 42 helps suppress tilting and promotes adaptive alignment of the plug. After the force is removed, the elastic body 51 pushes the plug fixing part 4 back into place. Compared to existing rigid plug-in structures that require high positional accuracy and are prone to mechanical jamming, wear, or sealing failure due to radial alignment deviations, this invention, through the combination of the elastic body 51 and the anti-friction contact 52 in the radial compliance component 5 and the slight axial floating design, can provide a certain degree of floating compensation and low-resistance adjustment for radial errors during insertion and removal. This helps reduce the risk of jamming and wear and improves the smoothness of the alignment process.

[0105] In a preferred embodiment, the plug fixing part 4 includes a plurality of fixing halves 41 that are radially separated;

[0106] After multiple fixed halves 41 are combined, a fixed cavity 43 is formed inside that is adapted to the outer contour of the hydrogen charging plug;

[0107] The outer peripheries of multiple fixed halves 41 together form a radial flange portion 42 extending circumferentially along the plug fixing portion 4 for mating with the radial compliance assembly 5.

[0108] This embodiment provides a robotic automatic hydrogen recharge compliant insertion and removal mechanism. This mechanism is mainly used to achieve compliant docking of the hydrogen recharge plug and socket in automatic hydrogen recharge operations at the end of a robotic arm. It can adapt to positioning errors of the robotic arm to a certain extent and improve the smoothness of the insertion and removal process. The mechanism includes a compliant insertion and removal device, which, from the whole to the parts, sequentially includes a connecting base 1 (which can be a flange type, quick-connect interface, or other rigid connection structure) for connecting to the end of the robotic arm; an external support structure 2 with an internal receiving cavity 24 (which can be formed by bolts or snaps connecting a detachable upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22); an axial compliant component 3 connecting the connecting base 1 and the external support structure 2; a plug fixing part 4 disposed within the external support structure 2 for fixing the hydrogen recharge plug; and a radial compliant component 5 for providing radial compliant compensation during the insertion and removal process. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part 4 and the external support structure 2 to allow the plug fixing part 4 to float radially relative to the external support structure 2. The radial compliant component 5 is disposed between the external support structure 2 and the plug fixing part 4. In a preferred embodiment, the plug fixing part 4 includes a plurality of fixing halves 41 arranged radially (which may be two or more semi-circular, arc-shaped or other radially split clamping blocks, or may be replaced by a multi-lobed chuck or a molded clamp with locking bolts); the plurality of fixing halves 41 are combined to form a fixing cavity 43 that fits the outer contour of the hydrogen charging plug; the outer periphery of the plurality of fixing halves 41 together form a radial flange part 42 extending circumferentially along the plug fixing part 4 (which may be an annular flange, stepped flange or other circumferentially continuous protruding structure), for cooperating with the radial compliance component 5.

[0109] During operation, multiple fixed halves 41 first radially combine to clamp the hydrogen charging plug, forming a fitting fixing cavity 43, and are locked by bolts or other fastening methods. Subsequently, the circumferentially extending radial flange portion 42 cooperates with the elastic body 51 and the anti-friction contact 52 in the radial compliance component 5, realizing radial and slight axial floating of the plug fixing part 4 within the receiving cavity 24 of the external support structure 2, thereby allowing the plug to adjust its position according to deviation during insertion and removal. Compared with the existing hydrogen charging plug fixing structure, which is relatively rigid, difficult to adapt to the installation and removal of different plug specifications, and prone to jamming or wear when radially deviating, the present invention, through the split combination structure of the plug fixing part 4 and the design of the radial flange portion 42, can facilitate the rapid installation and removal of the hydrogen charging plug and multi-specification adaptation to a certain extent. At the same time, it helps the radial compliance component 5 to cooperate stably, thereby helping to improve the smoothness of the insertion and removal process and the system flexibility. Meanwhile, this structure works in synergy with the axial compliance component 3 to further improve the overall fault tolerance and insertion stability of the system, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for robotic automatic hydrogen charging operations.

[0110] A robotic automatic hydrogen filling and synchronous unlocking system includes a robotic automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism and an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism according to any of the above embodiments.

[0111] The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism includes:

[0112] Support structure 6;

[0113] The socket fixing part 7 is used to fix the hydrogen charging socket and is set in the support structure 6;

[0114] Rotary drive assembly 8 is used to provide rotary drive force;

[0115] The motion conversion component 9 is used to convert the rotational motion into the axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion component 9 is connected between the rotational drive component 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen filling socket. The motion conversion component 9 includes a guide trajectory distributed circumferentially and having an axial height variation, and a motion following structure 91 that cooperates with the guide trajectory.

[0116] This embodiment provides a robotic automatic hydrogen recharging synchronous unlocking system. This system is mainly used in automatic hydrogen refueling operations to achieve synchronous unlocking of the hydrogen recharging socket and coordinate with a compliant insertion / removal device to complete the insertion operation, thereby improving the overall automation level and stability of the automatic hydrogen recharging process to a certain extent. The system includes an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism and any of the aforementioned robotic automatic hydrogen recharging compliant insertion / removal mechanisms. The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism, from general to specific, includes a support structure 6 (which can be a box-like structure composed of upper and lower shells, a gantry-type support frame, or a combined mounting panel), a socket fixing part 7 for fixing the hydrogen recharging socket and disposed within the support structure 6 (which can be formed by combining multiple fixing parts 71 to form a clamping cavity 73, or can be replaced by a split expansion sleeve or clamp structure), and a rotary drive assembly 8 for providing rotary driving force (which can be a servo motor, stepper motor, pneumatic rotary cylinder, or hydraulic rotary motor). The rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket are connected between the rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component. The rotary drive assembly 8 includes a rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket. The rotary drive assembly 8 includes a rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket 9 ...

[0117] During operation, the rotary drive assembly 8 outputs rotational power to rotate the guide trajectory in the motion conversion assembly 9. The motion following structure 91 moves along the circumferentially variable-height guide trajectory, thereby converting the rotational input into axial unlocking displacement. This displacement is then synchronously driven by the socket fixing part 7 to unlock the hydrogen filling socket. Simultaneously, a compliant insertion / removal device provides error compensation to complete the overall insertion / removal operation. Compared to existing technologies where unlocking relies heavily on manual operation or linear cylinder drive, resulting in larger structural volume, insufficient synchronization, and difficulty in coordinating with the insertion / removal process, this invention, through the combination of an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism and a compliant insertion / removal mechanism, can achieve a smooth transition from rotation to axial motion and coordinated action with compliant insertion / removal to a certain extent. This helps reduce structural complexity and improve the overall synchronization of unlocking and insertion, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for robotic automated hydrogen filling operations.

[0118] In a preferred embodiment, the motion conversion component 9 includes a trajectory guiding structure 92 and a motion following structure 91;

[0119] The trajectory guide structure 92 is provided with a guide trajectory that extends circumferentially and has an axial height variation. The motion follower structure 91 cooperates with the trajectory guide structure 92 to move along the guide trajectory under the drive of the rotary drive assembly 8.

[0120] The motion conversion assembly 9 also includes an axial limiting connection structure 93 connected between the motion following structure 91 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket, for limiting the axial relative disengagement between the two.

[0121] This embodiment provides a robotic automatic hydrogen recharging synchronous unlocking system. This system is mainly used in automatic hydrogen refueling operations to achieve synchronous unlocking of the hydrogen recharging socket and coordinate with a compliant insertion / removal device to complete the insertion operation, thereby improving the overall automation level and stability of the automatic hydrogen recharging process to a certain extent. The system includes an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism and any of the aforementioned robotic automatic hydrogen recharging compliant insertion / removal mechanisms. The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism, from overall to partial, includes a support structure 6 (which can be a box-like structure composed of upper and lower shells, a gantry-type support frame, or a combined mounting panel), a socket fixing part 7 for fixing the hydrogen recharging socket and disposed within the support structure 6 (which can be formed by combining multiple fixing parts 71 to form a clamping cavity 73, or can be replaced by a split expansion sleeve or clamp structure), a rotary drive assembly 8 for providing rotary driving force (which can be a servo motor, stepper motor, pneumatic rotary cylinder, or hydraulic rotary motor, etc.), and a motion conversion assembly 9 for converting the rotary motion into the axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion assembly 9 is connected between the rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen recharging socket.

[0122] In a preferred embodiment, the motion conversion component 9 includes a trajectory guide structure 92 and a motion follower structure 91. The trajectory guide structure 92 is provided with a guide trajectory that extends circumferentially and has an axial height variation (which may be an end face cam groove, a cylindrical spiral guide rail, an inclined ring, or a three-dimensional curved groove, etc.). The motion follower structure 91 cooperates with the trajectory guide structure 92 and is used to move along the guide trajectory under the drive of the rotary drive component 8 (the motion follower structure 91 may be a follower with rollers, ball heads, or pins, or it may be replaced by a push rod assembly with rolling bearings). The motion conversion component 9 also includes an axial limiting connection structure 93 (which may be a slot fit, a ball head limiting connection, an axial stop structure, or an elastic buckle, etc.) connected between the motion follower structure 91 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket to limit the axial relative separation between the two. During operation, the rotary drive component 8 outputs rotational power to drive the trajectory guide structure 92 to rotate. The motion follower structure 91 moves smoothly along a guide trajectory that extends circumferentially and gradually changes in axial height, thereby converting the rotational input into the axial displacement of the motion follower structure 91. Simultaneously, the axial limiting connection structure 93 drives the hydrogen filling socket unlocking component to perform axial movement, preventing axial separation between the two during movement. Compared to existing technologies where hydrogen filling socket unlocking relies heavily on manual operation or linear cylinder drive, resulting in larger structural volume, lower automation, and insufficient stability in the transition from rotational to axial movement, this invention, through the cooperation of the trajectory guide structure 92 and the motion follower structure 91 in the motion conversion component 9, can achieve a smooth transition from rotational movement to axial unlocking movement to a certain extent. This helps reduce structural complexity and improve the synchronization of the unlocking action. Furthermore, this structure, in conjunction with the compliant insertion / removal device, further enhances the overall fault tolerance and insertion stability of the system, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for automated hydrogen filling operations by robots.

[0123] In a preferred embodiment, the motion following structure 91 includes a main cylindrical section 911, a plurality of push rod bodies 912 extending axially from the main cylindrical section 911, and a double ball-head sliding structure 913 disposed at the end of the push rod body 912.

[0124] The double ball head sliding structure 913 includes at least two ball heads that are coaxially connected along the axial direction by a connecting column, and respectively slide in contact with two track surfaces that are arranged opposite each other along the axial direction in the guide track to form a track capturing type guide fit;

[0125] The guide track includes a capture limiting structure to prevent the double-ball-head sliding structure 913 from detaching from the track;

[0126] The motion conversion component 9 also includes a circumferential travel limiting structure for limiting the circumferential range of motion of the motion following structure 91 along the guide trajectory.

[0127] This embodiment provides a robotic automatic hydrogen recharging synchronous unlocking system. This system is mainly used in automatic hydrogen refueling operations to achieve synchronous unlocking of the hydrogen recharging socket and coordinate with a compliant insertion / removal device to complete the insertion operation, thereby improving the overall automation level and stability of the automatic hydrogen recharging process to a certain extent. The system includes an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism and any of the aforementioned robotic automatic hydrogen recharging compliant insertion / removal mechanisms. The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism, from overall to partial, includes a support structure 6 (which can be a box-like structure composed of upper and lower shells, a gantry-type support frame, or a combined mounting panel), a socket fixing part 7 for fixing the hydrogen recharging socket and disposed within the support structure 6 (which can be formed by combining multiple fixing parts 71 to form a clamping cavity 73, or can be replaced by a split expansion sleeve or clamp structure), a rotary drive assembly 8 for providing rotary driving force (which can be a servo motor, stepper motor, pneumatic rotary cylinder, or hydraulic rotary motor, etc.), and a motion conversion assembly 9 for converting the rotary motion into the axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion assembly 9 is connected between the rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen recharging socket. In a preferred embodiment, the motion following structure 91 includes a main cylindrical section 911, a plurality of push rod bodies 912 extending axially from the main cylindrical section 911, and a double ball-head sliding structure 913 disposed at the end of the push rod body 912 (the main cylindrical section 911 may be cylindrical or polygonal, and the push rod body 912 may be a rod-shaped or columnar extension); the double ball-head sliding structure 913 includes at least two ball heads (the ball heads may be steel balls, ball bearings, or other wear-resistant spherical elements) coaxially connected by connecting columns, which respectively slide in contact with two track surfaces arranged opposite each other axially in the guide trajectory to form a track-capturing guide engagement; the guide trajectory includes a capture limiting structure (which may be a grooved opening, flanged, or partially enlarged structure, etc.) for limiting the circumferential movement range of the motion following structure 91 along the guide trajectory.

[0128] like Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown, the motion-following structure includes a main cylindrical section, several push rod bodies, and a double-ball-head sliding structure. The double-ball-head sliding structure includes at least two ball heads coaxially connected by connecting columns, which slide in contact with two axially opposite track surfaces in the guide trajectory. This "double-ball-clamping" structure forms a trajectory-capturing guiding fit, ensuring smooth motion transitions and effectively preventing derailment risks under high-speed motion or vibration conditions. The double-ball-head sliding structure 913 of the motion-following structure 91 is embedded in the guide trajectory of the trajectory guiding structure 92. The double-ball-head sliding structure 913 includes two ball heads coaxially connected, which respectively abut against the upper and lower track surfaces axially opposite each other in the guide trajectory. When the trajectory guiding structure 92 rotates, this double-ball-head capturing fit converts rotational motion into balanced axial displacement.

[0129] The main cylindrical section 911 has a guide cone surface 914 at its top (which can be a conical, chamfered cone, or arc-shaped guide surface structure, or can be replaced with a flared guide or a multi-segment gradient cone surface). Its inner wall contour is at least partially adapted to the outer contour of the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket, which is used to guide the hydrogen charging plug and the socket to achieve initial alignment during the insertion process, reducing the impact of the initial docking deviation on the subsequent motion conversion components.

[0130] During operation, when the rotary drive assembly 8 drives the trajectory guide structure 92 to rotate, the double ball head sliding structure 913 of the motion following structure 91 rolls or slides along two relative trajectory surfaces with varying axial height in the guide trajectory, achieving trajectory capture-type stable guidance and converting the rotational motion into axial displacement. The main cylindrical section 911 and the push rod body 912 transmit this displacement evenly to the hydrogen charging socket unlocking component. At the same time, the capture limiting structure prevents the double ball head from leaving the track, the circumferential stroke limiting structure controls the rotation range to avoid overtravel, and the axial limiting connection structure 93 ensures synchronous motion transmission. Compared to existing technologies where unlocking hydrogen filling sockets often relies on manual operation or linear cylinder drive, resulting in larger structural volume, lower automation, and insufficient stability during the transition from rotational to axial motion, this invention, through the specific form of the motion-following structure 91 and the capture and cooperation of the double-ball-head sliding structure 913 with the guide trajectory, can achieve a smooth and balanced transition from rotational motion to axial unlocking motion to a certain extent. This helps reduce structural complexity and improve the synchronization and reliability of the unlocking action. At the same time, this structure works in conjunction with the compliant insertion and removal device to further enhance the overall fault tolerance and insertion stability of the system, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for robotic automated hydrogen filling operations.

[0131] In a preferred embodiment, the socket fixing part 7 includes a plurality of combined fixing members 71;

[0132] After multiple combination fasteners 71 are combined, a clamping cavity 73 is formed inside that is adapted to the outer contour of the hydrogen charging socket, and multiple radially protruding fan-shaped limiting parts 72 are formed on its outer periphery for cooperating with the motion following structure 91.

[0133] The support structure 6 includes an upper housing component 61 and a lower housing component 62 that can be closed along the axial direction. The mating surfaces of the upper housing component 61 and the lower housing component 62 are formed with locking grooves 63 corresponding to the fan-shaped limiting part 72, which are used to form a circumferential limiting and axial locking structure for the socket fixing part 7 after the support structure 6 is closed along the axial direction.

[0134] This embodiment provides a robotic automatic hydrogen recharging synchronous unlocking system. This system is mainly used in automatic hydrogen refueling operations to achieve synchronous unlocking of the hydrogen recharging socket and coordinate with a compliant plug-in device to complete the plugging operation, thereby improving the overall automation level and stability of the automatic hydrogen recharging process to a certain extent. The system includes an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism and any of the aforementioned robotic automatic hydrogen recharging compliant plug-in mechanisms. The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism, from overall to partial, includes a support structure 6 (which can be a box-like structure with upper and lower shells, a gantry-type support frame, or a combined mounting panel), a socket fixing part 7 for fixing the hydrogen recharging socket and disposed within the support structure 6, a rotary drive assembly 8 for providing rotary driving force (which can be a servo motor, stepper motor, pneumatic rotary cylinder, or hydraulic rotary motor, etc.), and a motion conversion assembly 9 for converting the rotary motion into axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion assembly 9 is connected between the rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen recharging socket. In a preferred embodiment, the socket fixing part 7 includes multiple combined fixing members 71 (which may be two or more radially split clamping blocks, semi-circular assemblies, or other combinable clamping units, or may be replaced by expansion sleeves or multi-lobed clamps); after the multiple combined fixing members 71 are combined, a clamping cavity 73 is formed inside that is adapted to the outer contour of the hydrogen-filling socket, and multiple radially protruding fan-shaped limiting parts 72 are formed on its outer periphery for cooperating with the motion following structure 91 (which may be fan-shaped bosses, arc-shaped limiting blocks, or other circumferentially distributed protruding structures); the support structure 6 includes an upper shell component 61 and a lower shell component 62 that can be closed axially (which may be connected by bolts, snaps, or hinges), and locking grooves 63 corresponding to the fan-shaped limiting parts 72 are formed on the mating surfaces of the upper shell component 61 and the lower shell component 62 (which may be arc-shaped grooves, stepped grooves, or other suitable limiting recesses), which are used to form a circumferential limiting and axial locking structure for the socket fixing part 7 after the support structure 6 is axially closed.

[0135] During operation, multiple combined fasteners 71 first assemble and clamp the hydrogen charging socket to form a stable clamping cavity 73, and then place it in the support structure 6 so that the fan-shaped limiting part 72 is aligned with the locking groove 63 on the mating surface. After the upper housing part 61 and the lower housing part 62 are axially closed and fixed, the locking groove 63 and the fan-shaped limiting part 72 are interlocked, thereby simultaneously achieving circumferential positioning and axial locking of the socket fixing part 7. During the unlocking operation, the push rod body 912 of the motion following structure 91 can cooperate with the fan-shaped limiting part 72 circumferentially to transmit axial force. Compared to existing technologies where the hydrogen filling socket fixing structure is relatively simple, inconvenient to install and disassemble, and prone to uneven loading or loosening during unlocking, this invention, through the design of the combined fixing part 71 of the socket fixing part 7 and the fan-shaped limiting part 72, as well as the axial closing and locking structure of the support structure 6, can facilitate the quick installation and disassembly and reliable fixing of sockets of different specifications to a certain extent. At the same time, it helps to achieve stable coordinated movement between the motion following structure 91 and the socket, thereby improving the modular adaptability and maintenance convenience of the system. In addition, this structure, in conjunction with the motion conversion component 9 and the compliant insertion and removal device, further helps to improve the overall fault tolerance and insertion stability of the system, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for robotic automatic hydrogen filling operations.

[0136] In a preferred embodiment, the rotary drive assembly 8 includes a rotary drive source 81, a mating flange 82, and a drive source fixing base 83;

[0137] The flange 82 is connected between the output end of the rotary drive source 81 and the trajectory guide structure 92.

[0138] The drive source mounting base 83 is fixed on the support structure 6 and is used to install and position the rotary drive source 81.

[0139] This embodiment provides a robotic automatic hydrogen recharging synchronous unlocking system. This system is mainly used in automatic hydrogen refueling operations to achieve synchronous unlocking of the hydrogen recharging socket and coordinate with a compliant plug-in device to complete the plugging operation, which can improve the overall automation level and stability of the automatic hydrogen recharging process to a certain extent. The system includes an automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism and any of the aforementioned robotic automatic hydrogen recharging compliant plug-in mechanisms. The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism, from overall to partial, includes a support structure 6 (which can be a box-like structure with upper and lower shells assembled, a gantry-type support frame, or a combined mounting panel), a socket fixing part 7 for fixing the hydrogen recharging socket and disposed within the support structure 6, a rotary drive assembly 8 for providing rotary driving force, and a motion conversion assembly 9 for converting the rotary motion into axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion assembly 9 is connected between the rotary drive assembly 8 and the unlocking component of the hydrogen recharging socket. In a preferred embodiment, the rotary drive assembly 8 includes a rotary drive source 81 (which may be a servo motor, stepper motor, pneumatic rotary cylinder, hydraulic rotary motor, or DC brushless motor, etc.), a mating flange 82 (which may be a coupling type, flange type, key connection type, or other transmission connection), and a drive source fixing base 83 (which may be a bracket type, base plate type, suspension type, or other mounting base structure); the mating flange 82 is connected between the output end of the rotary drive source 81 and the trajectory guide structure 92; the drive source fixing base 83 is fixed on the support structure 6 and is used to install and position the rotary drive source 81.

[0140] During operation, the rotary drive source 81 reliably and coaxially transmits rotational power to the trajectory guide structure 92 through the flange 82. The drive source fixing base 83 stably installs and precisely positions the rotary drive source 81 on the support structure 6, ensuring that the rotational motion is accurately input to the motion conversion component 9, thereby driving the subsequent axial unlocking action. Compared with the existing technology where hydrogen filling socket unlocking relies on manual operation or linear cylinder drive, resulting in large structural volume, low degree of automation, and insufficient stability in the conversion from rotation to axial motion, this invention, through the specific configuration of the rotary drive component 8, can achieve stable transmission and reliable installation of rotational power to a certain extent, thereby helping to improve the synchronization and control accuracy of the unlocking action. At the same time, this structure, together with the motion conversion component 9 and the compliant insertion and removal device, further helps to improve the overall fault tolerance and insertion stability of the system, providing a technical solution with certain engineering applicability for robotic automatic hydrogen filling operations.

[0141] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A robotic automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism, characterized in that, include: A connecting base for connecting to the end effector of a robotic arm; An external support structure, wherein the external support structure has a receiving cavity; An axially compliant assembly is provided, which connects the connecting base and the external support structure, allowing the external support structure to move axially relative to the connecting base. A plug fixing part is disposed within the external support structure to fix the hydrogen charging plug. A radial gap is provided between the plug fixing part and the external support structure to allow the plug fixing part to float radially relative to the external support structure. A radial compliance component is disposed between the external support structure and the plug fixing portion to provide radial compliance compensation during insertion and removal.

2. The robotic automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axially compliant component includes a sliding fit component and an elastic reset structure; The sliding fit assembly is connected between the connecting base and the external support structure, and is used to guide the external support structure to move axially. The elastic reset structure is used to provide axial reset force after the external support structure undergoes axial displacement; The axial compliance component also includes an axial limiting structure for limiting the axial movement of the external support structure relative to the connecting base.

3. The robotic automatic hydrogen-filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting base is evenly distributed with several annular positioning platforms facing the external support structure end. The external support structure includes an upper support part and a lower support part that are axially connected. The upper support part extends toward the connecting base to form a guide boss. A spring limiting flange corresponding to the annular positioning platform is provided on the outer periphery of the bottom of the guide boss. The sliding fit assembly includes a linear bearing embedded in the guide boss, and a shoulder bolt that slides with the linear bearing and is fixed on the connecting base; The elastic reset structure includes a reset spring sleeved on the spring limiting flange and the outer periphery of the annular positioning platform; The axial limiting structure includes a first limiting part formed by the abutment of the guide boss with the connecting base and a second limiting part formed by the abutment of the end of the shoulder bolt with the linear bearing.

4. The robot automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug fixing part and the external support structure are radially floatingly connected by a radially compliant component; The radial compliance component includes an elastomer disposed in the radial gap and a friction-reducing contact disposed in the axial gap; The axial height of the receiving cavity of the external support structure is greater than the total thickness of the radial flange of the plug fixing part and the friction-reducing contact part, so as to form a slight axial floating.

5. The robotic automatic hydrogen filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug fixing part includes multiple fixing halves that are arranged radially separately. After multiple fixed halves are combined, an internal fixed cavity is formed that is adapted to the outer contour of the hydrogen charging plug; The outer peripheries of the plurality of fixed halves together form a radial flange portion extending circumferentially along the plug fixing portion for mating with the radially compliant assembly.

6. A robotic automatic hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system, characterized in that, Includes the robot's automatic hydrogen-filling compliant insertion and removal mechanism and automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 5; The automated synchronous unlocking motion mechanism includes: Support structure; A socket fixing part is used to fix the hydrogen charging socket and is disposed within the support structure; Drive components are used to provide rotational driving force for rotation; A motion conversion component is provided for converting rotational motion into axial motion of the unlocking component. The motion conversion component is connected between the rotational drive component and the unlocking component of the hydrogen filling socket. The motion conversion component includes a guide trajectory distributed circumferentially and having axial height variation, and a motion following structure that cooperates with the guide trajectory.

7. The robot automatic hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The motion conversion component includes a trajectory guiding structure and a motion following structure; The trajectory guiding structure is provided with a guide trajectory that extends circumferentially and has an axial height variation. The motion following structure cooperates with the trajectory guiding structure and is used to move along the guide trajectory under the drive of the rotation drive assembly. The motion conversion component also includes an axial limiting connection structure connected between the motion following structure and the unlocking component of the hydrogen charging socket, for limiting the axial relative disengagement between the two.

8. The robot automatic hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The motion-following structure includes a main cylindrical section, several push rod bodies extending axially from the main cylindrical section, and a double ball-head sliding structure disposed at the end of the push rod body. The double ball-head sliding structure includes at least two ball heads coaxially connected by a connecting column, which respectively slide in contact with two track surfaces arranged opposite each other along the axial direction in the guide trajectory to form a track-capturing guide fit; The guide trajectory includes a capture limiting structure for preventing the double-ball-head sliding structure from deviating from the track; The motion conversion component also includes a circumferential travel limiting structure for limiting the circumferential movement range of the motion following structure along the guide trajectory.

9. The robot automatic hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The socket fixing part includes multiple assembled fixing components; After the multiple combined fasteners are combined, an internal clamping cavity is formed that is adapted to the outer contour of the hydrogen filling socket, and multiple radially protruding fan-shaped limiting parts are formed on the outer periphery for cooperating with the motion following structure. The support structure includes an upper shell component and a lower shell component that can be closed axially. The mating surfaces of the upper shell component and the lower shell component are formed with locking grooves corresponding to the fan-shaped limiting portion, which are used to form a circumferential limiting and axial locking structure for the socket fixing portion after the support structure is closed axially.

10. The robot automatic hydrogen charging and synchronous unlocking system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The rotary drive assembly includes a rotary drive source, a mating flange, and a drive source mounting base; The mating flange is connected between the output end of the rotary drive source and the trajectory guide structure; The drive source mounting base is fixed to the support structure and is used to install and position the rotary drive source.

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