A teleoperation glove with force feedback function and a teleoperation system

Abstract

The application provides a teleoperation glove with force feedback function and a teleoperation system. The teleoperation glove comprises a glove body and a force feedback unit. A force feedback assembly of the force feedback unit comprises a force feedback air bag and a flexible air pipe connected in sequence. The force feedback air bag is arranged at the distal phalangeal pulp area of the finger part. The flexible air pipe extends to the wrist part along the dorsal area of the finger part and the back part of the hand. A driving assembly of the force feedback unit is arranged at the dorsal area of the wrist part and comprises a piston, a cylinder and an electric push rod. Each of the thumb sleeve and at least one non-thumb sleeve of the glove body is provided with the force feedback unit. The electric push rod controls the movement of the piston according to the feedback pressure. The application can enhance the force perception ability of the operator, more accurately and efficiently control the robot to complete various complex tasks. The system can effectively improve the accuracy and immersion of teleoperation, and has the advantages of simple structure, low cost, high stability and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, specifically to a teleoperated glove and teleoperation system with force feedback function. Background Technology

[0002] As a core device for human-computer interaction, teleoperated gloves play a crucial role in controlling the robot's dexterous hand. Traditional teleoperated gloves are mostly one-way command input devices, meaning that the operation of the teleoperated glove is sent to the robot's dexterous hand via a central controller, causing the robot's dexterous hand to mimic the movements of the teleoperated glove. Such teleoperated gloves lack necessary tactile feedback mechanisms. This lack of sensory information forces operators to rely excessively on vision to infer the interaction state, significantly increasing their cognitive load and operational fatigue. Furthermore, the inability to accurately perceive contact forces can lead to misoperations, resulting in damage to the target object or the robot's end effector.

[0003] In recent years, teleoperated gloves with force feedback have emerged, improving the aforementioned problems to some extent. However, existing technical solutions still have significant limitations: First, most systems can only provide simple vibration cues, making it difficult to accurately simulate the stiffness characteristics of different objects and the continuous resistance changes during gripping, resulting in insufficient sense of presence and realism in operation; Second, to achieve force feedback, complex mechanical structures are introduced, driven by solenoid valves and air pumps. Some air pumps require external installation, while others are driven by motors and traction ropes. These often result in bulky and expensive equipment. Some even require the drive device to be placed in the palm, restricting the movement of the teleoperated glove, as seen in existing technologies such as CN111645093B, US4302138A, CN109582121A, CN115644539A, and US5143505A, which seriously affects wearing comfort and system practicality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the above situation, the main objective of this invention is to provide a teleoperated glove and teleoperation system with force feedback function. Through a simple pneumatic feedback device, the real-time gripping force information of the robot's dexterous hand is intuitively mapped and transmitted to the operator of the teleoperated glove, thereby enhancing the operator's force perception ability and enabling more precise and efficient control of the robot to complete various complex tasks. This system not only effectively improves the accuracy and immersion of teleoperation, but also has the advantages of simple structure, low cost and high stability.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a teleoperated glove with force feedback function, comprising a glove body and a force feedback unit, wherein the glove body includes a wrist portion, a back of the hand, and a finger portion connected in sequence, and the finger portion includes a thumb sleeve and a non-thumb sleeve that are independent of each other; the force feedback unit includes:

[0007] The force feedback component includes a force feedback airbag and a flexible air tube connected in sequence. The force feedback airbag is a flexible structure and is arranged in the distal phalanx area of ​​the finger. The flexible air tube communicates with the force feedback airbag and extends along the back of the finger and the back of the hand toward the wrist.

[0008] A drive assembly, located on the dorsal side of the wrist, includes a piston, a cylinder, and an electric push rod. The piston is slidably inserted into the cylinder. One end of the cylinder has a connecting hole, and the inner cavity of the cylinder is connected to the flexible air tube through the connecting hole. The fixed part of the electric push rod is fixed to the dorsal side of the wrist, and the movable rod is connected to the piston.

[0009] The thumb sleeve and at least one non-thumb sleeve are each provided with the force feedback unit; the electric push rod controls the piston movement according to the feedback pressure.

[0010] Optionally, the distal phalanx region is provided with a mounting hole, and the force feedback airbag is mounted in the mounting hole.

[0011] Optionally, the force feedback airbag includes an airbag body and an extension, the airbag body facing the distal phalanx area, and the extension connected to the finger.

[0012] Optionally, the force feedback assembly further includes a connecting airbag and a fixing airbag. The connecting airbag is in the shape of a flat tube and is disposed on the outer side of the fingertip of the finger. Its two ends are respectively connected to the force feedback airbag and the fixing airbag. The fixing airbag is fixed to the dorsal region of the distal phalanx and is connected to the flexible hose.

[0013] Optionally, the force feedback assembly further includes connectors, with the connectors respectively provided on both sides of the distal phalanx fingertip area. Each connector connects the force feedback airbag and the fixing airbag, so that the fixing airbag, connectors and force feedback airbag form a ring structure, and the ring structure is connected to the glove body.

[0014] Optionally, the wall thickness of the force feedback airbag is less than the wall thickness of the fixed airbag and the connecting airbag.

[0015] Optionally, the piston includes a sealing plug and a piston rod connected to each other. The end face of the sealing plug facing the communicating hole is conical, and the sealing plug movably seals the radial space of the cylinder. The diameter of the piston rod is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder, and it is connected to the movable rod.

[0016] Optionally, the sealing plug includes a tapered portion and a cylindrical tube connected to each other;

[0017] The piston rod includes a first connecting section, a limiting flange, and a second connecting section, wherein the outer diameters of the first connecting section and the second connecting section are both smaller than the outer diameter of the limiting flange.

[0018] The first connecting section is inserted into the cylindrical tube, and the end face of the cylindrical tube abuts against the limiting flange.

[0019] Optionally, it also includes a base and a strap, with connecting lugs extending from opposite sides of the base, and through holes provided on the connecting lugs. The base is located on the dorsal side of the wrist. Each of the drive components is mounted on the base and is tied to the hand by the strap passing through the through holes.

[0020] The base has multiple receiving cavities arranged side by side along the width direction of the wrist, and the multiple driving components are respectively arranged in the multiple receiving cavities.

[0021] A second aspect of the present invention provides a teleoperation system, including a central controller, a robot dexterous hand, and a teleoperated glove with force feedback function as described in any of the above claims, wherein each of the electric push rods is signal-connected to the central controller; the robot dexterous hand is wirelessly connected to the central controller, and the robot dexterous hand includes remote fingers that correspond one-to-one with the finger portions of the teleoperated glove with force feedback function, and each of the remote fingers is provided with a pressure detector at the fingertip.

[0022] When the robot's dexterous hand picks up a workpiece, each of the pressure detectors sends the collected pressure information to the central controller;

[0023] The central controller generates a drive command to drive the electric actuator based on the received pressure information and sends it to the corresponding electric actuator.

[0024] The electric actuator operates according to the received drive command, thereby driving the piston to move, so that the force feedback airbag applies a force to the operator wearing the remote control glove.

[0025] Optionally, it also includes a vision device.

[0026] The vision device is signal-connected to the central controller and is used to collect the motion trajectory of the remotely operated glove with force feedback function and send it to the central controller.

[0027] The central controller also generates control commands for the robot's dexterous hand based on the received motion trajectory and sends them to the robot's dexterous hand;

[0028] The robot's dexterous hand mimics the movements of the teleoperated glove with force feedback function to pick up the workpiece according to the control instructions.

[0029] This invention equips each finger with a separate force feedback unit. Each force feedback unit uses a small cylinder and a miniature electric actuator as driving components, and is arranged on the back of the wrist. A flexible force feedback airbag is placed only in the distal phalanx area of ​​each finger. A flexible air tube extends along the back of the finger, the back of the hand, and towards the back of the wrist, connecting to the cylinder. Upon receiving force feedback information from the remote robotic dexterity hand, the electric actuator of this invention can precisely drive a piston, causing the force feedback airbag to apply the same force to the operator. This directly maps the real-time grasping force of the robotic dexterity hand to the operator's hand, providing not only basic tactile cues but also accurately simulating continuous resistance changes during object contact, significantly enhancing the operator's sense of realism. Furthermore, the operator can not only receive force feedback but also adjust operating commands in real time based on the perceived information, forming a closed-loop control. This effectively avoids misoperations caused by a lack of resistance perception, improving the safety and accuracy of teleoperation.

[0030] The device of the present invention, on the one hand, improves the accuracy of the entire force feedback system by configuring a force feedback unit for each finger and placing the force feedback airbag in the fingertip area; on the other hand, the entire device, except for the force feedback airbag, is arranged on the back of the glove body, which does not affect any operation of the remote control glove. The entire device has a simple structure, is lightweight, and is highly comfortable to wear; and for a single finger, it only bears the force feedback airbag and air tube, with virtually no weight and no burden on finger movement; furthermore, the small cylinder, flexible force feedback airbag, and flexible air tube in the present invention are low in cost, significantly reducing the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the system.

[0031] Other beneficial effects of the present invention will be explained in detail through the introduction of specific technical features and technical solutions in specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art should be able to understand the beneficial technical effects brought about by these technical features and technical solutions through the introduction of these technical features and technical solutions. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the teleoperated glove with force feedback function provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 An exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the teleoperated glove with force feedback function provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the force feedback unit in the teleoperated glove with force feedback function provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 An exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the force feedback component in the teleoperated glove with force feedback function provided by the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 A partial exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the base and drive assembly in the teleoperated glove with force feedback function provided by the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the base and drive assembly in the teleoperated glove with force feedback function provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the teleoperation system with force feedback function provided by the present invention.

[0040] In the picture:

[0041] 100. Remotely operated glove; 10. Glove body; 11. Wrist; 111. Back area; 12. Back of hand; 13. Fingers; 131. Thumb sleeve; 132. Non-thumb sleeve; 133. Distal phalanx area; 134. Back of finger area; 20. Force feedback unit; 21. Force feedback assembly; 211. Force feedback airbag; 2111. Airbag body; 2112. Extension; 212. Flexible air tube; 2 13. Connecting airbag; 214. Fixing airbag; 215. Connecting tube; 22. Drive assembly; 221. Piston; 2211. Sealing plug; 2212. Piston rod; 2212a. Limiting flange; 2212b. Annular groove; 222. Cylinder; 2221. Communicating hole; 223. Electric push rod; 2231. Fixing part; 2232. Movable rod; 30. Base; 31. Receiving cavity; 40. Strap;

[0042] 200. Central controller;

[0043] 300. Robotic dexterity hand; 310. Telescopic finger. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The present invention is described below based on embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the following detailed description of the present invention, some specific details are described in detail, but well-known methods, processes, procedures, and elements are not described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the essence of the present invention.

[0045] Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that the accompanying drawings provided herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0046] Unless the context explicitly requires it, the terms "comprising," "including," and similar terms throughout the specification and claims should be interpreted as encompassing rather than exclusive or exhaustive; that is, meaning "including but not limited to." In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0047] This invention provides a teleoperation system, such as Figure 7 As shown, the teleoperation system includes a central controller 200, a robotic dexterous hand 300, and a teleoperation glove 100. The teleoperation glove 100 and the central controller 200 can be located locally, while the robotic dexterous hand 300 can be located remotely. In this embodiment, the teleoperation glove 100 is preferably connected to the central controller 200 via a wired signal, but they can also be connected wirelessly. The central controller 200 and the robotic dexterous hand 300 can be connected wirelessly. Alternatively, the teleoperation glove 100 and the central controller 200 can be located in different locations and connected wirelessly. In some embodiments, the teleoperation system includes a smart cockpit, where the operator wears the teleoperation glove 100 and performs operations.

[0048] The present invention also provides a teleoperated glove with force feedback function, such as Figures 1-6 As shown, the remote operating glove 100 can be used in the aforementioned remote operating system to control the remote robot dexterity hand 300 via the central controller 200; it can also be used in a local operating system to control the local robot dexterity hand.

[0049] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 6 The remote-operated glove 100 includes a glove body 10 and a force feedback unit 20. The glove body 10 includes a wrist portion 11, a back of the hand 12, and a finger portion 13 connected in sequence. The finger portion 13 includes an independent thumb sleeve 131 and a non-thumb sleeve 132. The force feedback unit 20 includes a force feedback component 21 and a drive component 22. The force feedback component 21 is mainly arranged on the finger portion 13 and the back of the hand 12, and the drive component 22 is arranged on the wrist portion 11, specifically on the back side of the wrist portion 11 (on the same side as the back of the hand 12).

[0050] The force feedback component 21 includes a force feedback airbag 211 and a flexible air tube 212 connected in sequence. The force feedback airbag 211 is a flexible structure and is arranged in the distal phalanx area 133 of the finger part 13, that is, the fingertip area of ​​the fingertip of the finger part 13, so as to directly transmit the force to the distal phalanx of the operator through the force feedback airbag 211. The flexible air tube 212 is connected to the force feedback airbag 211 and extends along the back of the finger 134 and the back of the hand 12 towards the wrist 11. A drive assembly 22 is disposed on the dorsal region 111 of the wrist 11. The drive assembly 22 includes a piston 221, a cylinder 222, and an electric push rod 223. The piston 221 is slidably inserted into the cylinder 222. One end of the cylinder 222 is provided with a connecting hole 2221, and the inner cavity of the cylinder 222 is connected to the flexible air tube 212 through the connecting hole 2221. The fixed part 2231 of the electric push rod 223 is fixed to the dorsal region 111 of the wrist 11, and the movable rod 2232 is connected to the piston 221 so that the pressure in the force feedback airbag 211 can be increased or decreased by sliding the movable rod 2232. The thumb sleeve 131 and at least one non-thumb sleeve 132 are each provided with the force feedback unit 20. The electric push rod 223 controls the movement of the piston 221 according to the feedback pressure.

[0051] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The non-thumb sleeve 132 can be provided one or more times. For example, it can be any one, two, or three of the following: index finger sleeve, middle finger sleeve, ring finger sleeve, and little finger sleeve. It can also be provided with all four. In one embodiment, at least an index finger sleeve is provided, preferably an index finger sleeve and a stop sleeve. More preferably, all four non-thumb sleeves 132 are provided, meaning the entire glove body 10 is like a common glove. In embodiments where all four non-thumb sleeves 132 are provided, the force feedback unit 20 can be provided only on one or a few of the non-thumb sleeves 132, i.e., the force feedback component 21 can be provided only on one or a few of the non-thumb sleeves 132. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Force feedback components 21 are provided on the thumb sleeve 131 and the index and middle finger sleeves. The specific locations of the force feedback components 21 on the non-thumb sleeves 132 can be determined based on the workpiece being gripped or manipulated. The glove body 10 also includes a palm, finger section 13, back of hand 12, and wrist section 11, which can be connected together like a typical everyday glove structure for easy wearing by the operator. Specifically, the thumb sleeve 131 corresponds to the operator's thumb, the index finger sleeve to the operator's index finger, the middle finger sleeve to the operator's middle finger, the ring finger sleeve to the operator's ring finger, and the little finger sleeve to the operator's little finger.

[0052] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 This invention includes multiple force feedback units 20, each corresponding to a finger portion 13. These units map the force-feedback sensation of the corresponding finger portion 13 in the robot's dexterous hand 300 to a force feedback airbag 211, allowing the operator to perceive the gripping force on the side of the robot's dexterous hand 300 at the corresponding finger. In the corresponding finger portion 13 and force feedback unit 20, a force feedback component 21 extends from the distal phalanx region 133 of the finger portion 13 along the back of the finger region 134. On the back of the hand 12, multiple flexible air tubes 212 of the multiple force feedback components 21 are arranged side-by-side and extend towards the wrist 11, communicating with the corresponding drive component 22 at the wrist 11. At the wrist 11, the cylinder 222 and electric push rod 223 of each force feedback unit 20 are arranged along the extension direction of the wrist 11. The cylinder 222 is located on the side close to the finger 13. The cylinder 222 has a tubular structure and a connecting hole 2221 at one end, which is connected to the flexible air tube 212. The piston 221 is movably inserted into the inner cavity of the cylinder 222 and is connected to the movable rod 2232 of the electric push rod 223 on the other side of the cylinder 222.

[0053] The cylinder 222 can be a structure closed at both ends or a structure closed at only one end, with the latter being preferred. In one embodiment, a protruding structure, such as a cylindrical protrusion, is provided on the end face of the cylinder 222 where the connecting hole 2221 is located. The connecting hole 2221 is located in the protruding structure and passes through the protruding structure and the inner cavity of the cylinder 222. A flexible air tube 212 is inserted into the protruding structure, thereby connecting the flexible air tube 212 with the inner cavity of the cylinder 222. Alternatively, the flexible air tube 212 can be directly inserted into the connecting hole 2221, thereby connecting the flexible air tube 212 with the inner cavity of the cylinder 222. Regardless of the structure of the cylinder 222, the piston 221 and the inner cavity of the cylinder 222 are in a movable seal.

[0054] The aforementioned remote-operated glove 100 is equipped with a separate force feedback unit 20 for each finger 13. Each force feedback unit 20 uses a small cylinder 222 and a miniature electric push rod 223 as a drive component 22 and is arranged on the back side of the wrist 11. The flexible force feedback airbag 211 is only set in the distal phalanx area 133 of each finger 13. The flexible air tube 212 extends along the back of the finger 13 area 134 and the back of the hand 12 to the back of the wrist (i.e., the back area 111 of the wrist 11) and is connected to the cylinder 222. Thus, after receiving force feedback information from the remote robot dexterity hand 300 (specifically, the central controller 200 converts the pressure information of the robot dexterity hand 300 into drive commands and then sends them to the electric actuator 223), the electric actuator 223 of the present invention can precisely push the piston 221 to move, thereby squeezing or expanding the gas in the cylinder 222, so that the force feedback airbag 211 applies the same force to the operator as much as possible. This allows the real-time gripping force of the robot dexterity hand 300 to be directly mapped to the operator's hand, providing not only basic tactile cues but also precise simulation of continuous resistance changes during contact with an object (or workpiece), significantly enhancing the operator's sense of realism. Furthermore, the operator can not only receive force feedback from the robot dexterity hand 300 but also adjust the operation commands to the robot dexterity hand 300 in real time based on the force feedback information, forming a closed-loop control. This effectively avoids misoperation caused by a lack of resistance perception and improves the safety and accuracy of remote operation.

[0055] The aforementioned remote-operated glove 100, on the one hand, improves the accuracy of the entire force feedback system by individually configuring a force feedback unit 20 for each finger and placing the force feedback airbag 211 in the fingertip area 133; on the other hand, the entire device, except for the force feedback airbag 211, is arranged on the back side of the glove body 10, thus not affecting any operation of the remote-operated glove 100, solving the problem of limiting the movement of mechanical or pneumatic structures placed on the inside of the fingers and palm in the prior art. The entire device of the present invention has a simple structure, is lightweight, and is highly comfortable to wear; and for a single finger 13, it only bears the force feedback airbag 211 and the flexible air tube 212, which is basically weightless and does not increase any burden on the operator's finger movements; furthermore, the small cylinder 222, the flexible force feedback airbag 211, and the flexible air tube 212 in the present invention are low in cost, which greatly reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the system.

[0056] The force feedback airbag 211 can be directly disposed in the distal phalanx area 133, and the pressure of the force feedback airbag 211 is transmitted to the operator through the glove body 10. To more accurately and realistically perceive the feedback pressure and improve the operator's tactile feedback, in a preferred embodiment, the distal phalanx area 133 is provided with a mounting hole, and the force feedback airbag 211 is mounted in the mounting hole. Thus, when the operator wears the teleoperation glove 100, the force feedback airbag 211 is in direct contact with the operator's hand. When the force feedback airbag 211 inflates, the operator can directly perceive the feedback pressure, further improving the accuracy of the perception when the robot's dexterous hand 300 grasps the workpiece. The force feedback airbag 211 can be entirely placed in the mounting hole, or only partially placed in the mounting hole; preferably, the entire airbag portion is located in the mounting hole.

[0057] To increase the reliability of the connection between the force feedback airbag 211 and the glove body 10, preferably, the force feedback airbag 211 includes an airbag body 2111 and an extension 2112, wherein the airbag body 2111 faces the distal phalanx fingertip region 133, and the extension 2112 is connected to the finger portion 13. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the airbag body 2111 has a sac-like structure with a flat shape to better contact the distal phalanx area 133 or the operator's fingertip. The airbag body 2111 communicates with the flexible air tube 212, and the airbag body 2111 is sealed around its periphery except for the area communicating with the flexible air tube 212. The extension 2112 is connected to both sides of the airbag body 2111 along the width direction of the finger portion 13. In another embodiment, the extension 2112 can also be connected to the periphery of the airbag body 2111 except for the area communicating with the flexible air tube 212. In an embodiment where the finger portion 13 is provided with a mounting hole, the airbag body 2111 can be disposed in the mounting hole, and the extension 2112 connects to the finger portion 13 around the mounting hole. More preferably, the extension 2112 can extend to the side area of ​​the finger portion 13, that is, to the back of the finger area 134, to increase the reliability of the connection.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the force feedback airbag 211 can be formed by hot-melt welding of resin sheets, by bending and welding a single resin sheet, or by completely hot-melt welding the peripheries of two resin sheets to seal the periphery, with the internal structure being a bladder. In embodiments with extensions 2112, the two resin sheets can be chosen to be larger, forming the airbag body 2111 and extensions 2112 in one step, i.e., directly by hot-melt welding of two resin sheets, with the central bladder structure forming the airbag body and the welded areas on both sides forming the extensions 2112.

[0059] To further enhance the reliability of the connection between the force feedback airbag 211 and the finger portion 13, and the convenience of connecting it to the flexible air tube 212, in one embodiment of the present invention, the force feedback assembly 21 further includes a connecting airbag 213 and a fixing airbag 214, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the connecting airbag 213 is a flat tube shape, disposed on the outer side of the fingertip of the finger portion 13, with its two ends connected to the force feedback airbag 211 and the fixing airbag 214, respectively. The fixing airbag 214 is fixed to the dorsal region of the distal phalanx (i.e., the part on the dorsal region 134 corresponding to the distal phalanx pad region 133) and connected to the flexible air tube 212. Preferably, the fixing airbag 214 also adopts a flat structure, and its edge area is sealed except at the edge where it connects to the flexible air tube 212 and the connecting airbag 213. The connecting airbag 213 is a flexible airbag, and its width in the width direction of the finger portion 13 is smaller than the width of the airbag body 2111 and also smaller than the width of the fixing airbag 214.

[0060] Optionally, the connecting airbag 213 and the fixing airbag 214 can also be formed by hot-melting resin sheets. Specifically, each can be formed by bending and hot-melting a single resin sheet, or by stacking two resin sheets and hot-melting them around the perimeter. Specifically, the same process as the force feedback airbag 211 can be used.

[0061] In this invention, the force feedback airbag 211, the connecting airbag 213, and the fixing airbag 214 are preferably all made of resin sheet by thermoforming, thereby further reducing material and processing costs, and thus reducing the overall cost of the device. This method also increases the overall sealing performance of the device and facilitates the manufacturing and connection of the various components. The resin sheet can be a TPU sheet.

[0062] The connection between the connecting airbag 213 and the force feedback airbag 211 and the fixing airbag 214 can also be achieved through thermofusion welding. Alternatively, all three can be integrally molded, such as by thermofusion welding a single resin sheet to form the force feedback airbag 211, connecting airbag 213, and fixing airbag 214, or by thermofusion welding two resin sheets. The connection between the fixing airbag 214 and the flexible air tube 212 can also be achieved through thermofusion welding. Furthermore, the connection between adjacent components in the force feedback assembly 21 is not limited to thermofusion welding; bonding or other processes can also be used.

[0063] In an embodiment with a fixed airbag 214, the force feedback component 21 may further include connectors. The connectors are respectively located on both sides of the distal phalanx fingertip region 133. Each connector connects the force feedback airbag 211 and the fixed airbag 214, forming a ring structure with the fixed airbag 214, the connectors, and the force feedback airbag 211. The ring structure is connected to the glove body 10. Specifically, the fingertip portion (i.e., the distal phalanx segment) of the finger 13 passes through the ring structure and connects to it. The connecting airbag 213 bypasses the end of the fingertip portion and connects to the finger 13. Thus, the force feedback component 21 forms a wrapping structure at the fingertip portion of the finger 13, increasing the reliability of the connection between the force feedback airbag 211 and the glove body 10, thereby improving the accuracy of the force applied to the operator's fingers and enhancing the operator's perception accuracy. In embodiments including the extension 2112, the connector and the extension 2112 can be of the same structure. In this case, the airbag body 2111 can be formed by hot-melt welding of two resin sheets, and the extension is formed in part of the welding area. The extension can be set to be longer and directly used as a connector to connect with the fixed airbag 214. Specifically, it can be hot-melt connected.

[0064] In the width direction of the finger portion 13, the fixing airbag 214 preferably covers the dorsal region of the distal phalanx.

[0065] To further enhance the operator's perception of air pressure and improve the realism of the experience, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wall thickness of the force feedback airbag 211 is smaller than that of the flexible air tube 212. In an embodiment that includes a fixed airbag 214 and a connecting airbag 213, the wall thickness of the force feedback airbag 211 is even smaller than that of the fixed airbag 214 and the connecting airbag 213. More preferably, the wall thickness of the portion of the force feedback airbag 211 facing the operator's fingertips can be set to be even thinner.

[0066] In some embodiments, the force feedback assembly 21 further includes a connecting tube 215, one end of which is connected to the fixed airbag 214. A flexible air tube 212 is inserted into the connecting tube 215; alternatively, the two can be heat-fused together, allowing the flexible air tube 212 to communicate with the fixed airbag 214 via the connecting tube 215. Adding the connecting tube 215 increases the ease of connection for the entire force feedback assembly 21. Furthermore, when the force feedback airbag 211 is damaged and needs replacement, it is not necessary to replace the flexible air tube 212 or disassemble it from the drive assembly 22, thus increasing maintenance convenience.

[0067] The aforementioned force feedback airbag 211 is particularly noteworthy because its airbag body 2111 and fixed airbag 214 can both be square airbags, and the connecting airbag 213 can be configured as a strip-shaped flat tube structure.

[0068] In the above embodiments, the inner diameter of the flexible air tube 22 is preferably less than or equal to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 mm to 3 mm. Further preferably, the structure of the force feedback airbag 211, the connecting airbag 213, and the fixing airbag 214 is basically the same as or close to the width of the finger portion 13, or more preferably, it is basically contoured to the finger portion 13 at the contact point. The airbag structures are all flat, with a thickness of less than or equal to 3 mm when unexpanded. This results in a smaller gas space within the entire force feedback assembly 21 and a smaller cross-sectional area at various points. Thus, only a small volume change is needed to allow the operator to accurately perceive the feedback pressure; and it also facilitates the use of a less powerful electric push rod 223 to push the piston 221.

[0069] The force feedback component 21 can be fixed to the glove body 10 by means of bonding, sewing, etc. In one embodiment, the force feedback component 21 is connected to the glove body 10 by sewing, especially in embodiments where the glove body 10 is made of ordinary fabric. Alternatively, only the connector may be connected to the glove body 10, or the connector, the fixing airbag 214, and the force feedback airbag 211 may all be connected to the glove body 10. In embodiments including a connecting airbag, it is preferable that the connecting airbag 213 is not fixed to the glove body 10 to accommodate different finger shapes and sizes of operators.

[0070] The cylinder 222 of the drive assembly 22 can be injection molded and can be a resin part, a metal part or other non-metal part. In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder 222 uses the needle of an existing medical syringe to further reduce costs and lighten the weight of the entire force feedback unit 20.

[0071] Continue to refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6The piston 221 includes a sealing plug 2211 and a piston rod 2212 connected to each other. The sealing plug 2211 movably seals the radial space of the cylinder 222. The diameter of the piston rod 2212 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 222, and it is connected to the movable rod 2232. By configuring the piston 221 as a separate sealing plug 2211 and piston rod 2212, it is easy to manufacture. Since the sealing plug 2211 is always in contact with the cylinder 222 and plays an important role in sealing the gas of the entire force feedback assembly 21, it is crucial. By adopting a separate configuration, the sealing plug 2211 can be easily replaced when it wears out, and only the sealing plug 2211 needs to be replaced. More importantly, by using different diameters for the sealing plug 2211 and the piston rod 2212, during the sliding of the piston 221, only the sealing plug 2211, which serves a sealing function, contacts the cylinder 222, while the piston rod 2212 only serves to connect with the movable rod 2232. Therefore, the resistance to the movement of the entire piston 221 can be greatly reduced, thereby reducing the power requirement for the electric push rod 223. In other words, a miniature electric push rod with less power can be used to drive the piston 221. Furthermore, after the power of the electric push rod 223 is lost, the piston 221 can be easily reset under the action of the air pressure in the cylinder 222.

[0072] The sealing plug 2211 can be a rubber plug or other elastic resin parts, preferably a silicone sealing plug. The end face of the sealing plug 2211 facing the connecting hole is conical. The conical design reduces the resistance during instantaneous start-up and disperses radial pressure, thus requiring less power from the electric actuator 223 during initial start-up.

[0073] When the cylinder 222 uses the needle of a medical syringe, the sealing plug 2211 can also be directly selected from the sealing plug of the syringe, so as to further save the cost of remote operation gloves.

[0074] To further reduce the resistance to the sliding of piston 221, the sealing plug 2211 is configured as a shell structure with the opening of the shell structure facing piston rod 2212; piston rod 2212 is configured as a hollow structure and is inserted into the opening of the shell structure, thereby further reducing the force that drives the piston to move.

[0075] In a preferred embodiment, the sealing plug 2211 includes a tapered portion and a cylindrical tube connected to each other. The piston rod 2212 includes a first connecting section, a limiting flange 2212a, and a second connecting section, which are sequentially connected along the axial direction of the piston rod 2212. The outer diameters of the first connecting section and the second connecting section are both smaller than the outer diameter of the limiting flange 2212a. The first connecting section is inserted into the cylindrical tube, and the end face of the cylindrical tube abuts against the limiting flange 2212a. This structure facilitates the connection between the sealing plug 2211 and the piston rod 2212 and makes the connection between the two more secure and reliable. When the sealing plug 2211 is a shell structure, the tapered portion and the cylindrical tube together form a shell structure, and the opening of the shell structure can extend to the tapered portion, making the entire sealing plug 2211 a structure with uniform wall thickness. When the piston rod 2212 is a hollow structure, the central hole of the hollow structure can pass through the entire piston rod 2212. In order to facilitate the connection with the movable rod 2232, the central hole can be set as a stepped hole, and the small hole of the stepped hole is located near the movable rod 2232.

[0076] Furthermore, the diameter of the first connecting segment is smaller than the diameter of the second connecting segment. More preferably, the inner wall of the cylindrical tube is provided with an annular protrusion, and the outer periphery of the first connecting segment is provided with an annular groove 2212b. The annular structure 2211a is located in the annular groove 2212b to increase the reliability of the connection between the sealing plug 2211 and the piston rod 2212.

[0077] Furthermore, the second connecting section includes a cylindrical section and a frustum section. The frustum section is connected to the movable rod 2232. The length of the cylindrical section is less than the length of the frustum section. This structure facilitates connection with the movable rod 2232.

[0078] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The remote-operated glove 100 also includes a base 30, which is disposed on the dorsal side region 111 of the wrist 11. Each of the drive components 22 is mounted on the base 30, and the drive components 22 are connected to the glove body 10 through the base 30. By adding the base 30, it is convenient to fix and operate each drive component 22. The base 30 may have multiple receiving cavities 31 arranged side by side along the width direction of the wrist 11, and the multiple drive components 22 are correspondingly disposed in the multiple receiving cavities 31.

[0079] The base 30 and the glove body 10 can be fixedly connected, such as by sewing or gluing. In a preferred embodiment, the base 30 and the glove body 10 are detachably connected. Specifically, the remote-operated glove 100 also includes a strap 40. Connecting lugs extend from opposite sides of the base 30 (specifically, from both sides along the width of the wrist 11). Through holes are provided on the connecting lugs, and the strap 40 passes through these through holes to secure the glove to the hand. That is, when the operator is not wearing the remote-operated glove 100, the drive components 22 and the base 30 can be separated from the wrist 11. When the operator wears the glove body 10, the base 30 is then secured to the wrist 11 by the strap. This detachable design makes it convenient for the operator to wear the remote-operated glove 100.

[0080] refer to Figure 7When the aforementioned teleoperated glove 100 is applied to the teleoperated system, each of the electric actuators is signal-connected to the central controller; the robot dexterous hand 300 is wirelessly connected to the central controller 200. The robot dexterous hand 300 includes remote fingers 310 corresponding one-to-one with the finger portions 13 of the teleoperated glove 100 with force feedback function, and each remote finger 310 has a pressure detector at its fingertip. When the robot dexterous hand 300 picks up a workpiece, each of the pressure detectors sends the collected pressure information to the central controller 200; the central controller 200 generates a drive command to drive the electric actuator based on the received pressure information and sends it to the corresponding electric actuator 223; the electric actuator 223 operates according to the received drive command, thereby driving the piston 221 to move, so that the force feedback airbag 211 applies a force to the operator wearing the teleoperated glove 100 (i.e., the wearer). The robotic dexterous hand 300 can have two, three, or more telescopic fingers 310. Each telescopic finger 310 corresponds to a finger portion 13 of the teleoperation glove 100. That is, if the telescopic finger 310 includes a remote thumb, it corresponds to the thumb sleeve of the teleoperation glove 100 to map the pressure information of the remote thumb through the thumb sleeve; if the telescopic finger 310 includes a remote index finger, it corresponds to the index finger sleeve of the teleoperation glove 100 to map the pressure information of the remote index finger through the index finger sleeve; if the telescopic finger 310 includes a remote middle finger, it corresponds to the middle finger sleeve of the teleoperation glove 100 to map the pressure information of the remote middle finger through the middle finger sleeve; if the telescopic finger 310 includes a remote ring finger, it corresponds to the ring finger sleeve of the teleoperation glove 100 to map the pressure information of the remote ring finger through the ring finger sleeve; if the telescopic finger 310 includes a remote little finger, it corresponds to the little finger sleeve of the teleoperation glove 100 to map the pressure information of the remote little finger through the little finger sleeve. It should be noted that the number of finger sections 13 of the remote control glove 100 and the number of remote fingers 310 do not necessarily have to be equal. For example, there can be four non-thumb sleeves 132, and only one, two, or three remote fingers 310 can be set as the remote thumb and one, two, or three of the other four remote index fingers, as long as the remote fingers 310 correspond to the finger sections 13 of the remote control glove 100.

[0081] Through the aforementioned teleoperation system, the operator can accurately perceive the force exerted by the robot's dexterous hand on the workpiece, and immerse themselves in the feeling as if they themselves are grasping the workpiece, thereby enabling them to adjust their actions toward the workpiece in a timely manner.

[0082] Of course, the central controller 200 will also send the operator's actions via the teleoperated glove 100 to the robot dexterous hand 300, so that the robot dexterous hand 300 can simulate the actions of the teleoperated glove 100. Specifically, the central controller 200 can process the actions of the teleoperated glove 100, generate control commands corresponding to the robot dexterous hand 300, and send the control commands to the robot dexterous hand 300. Upon receiving the control commands, the robot dexterous hand 300 will act to perform on-site operations on the workpiece. The technology by which the central controller 200 collects and processes the actions of the teleoperated glove 100, generates control commands, sends them to the robot dexterous hand 300, and the robot dexterous hand 300 operates according to the control commands can employ suitable existing technologies.

[0083] In one embodiment, the teleoperation system of the present invention further includes a vision device, such as a camera. In an embodiment including a smart cockpit, the vision device may be installed in the smart cockpit. The vision device is signal-connected to the central controller 200 and is used to collect the motion trajectory of the teleoperated glove 100 with force feedback function and send it to the central controller 200. The central controller 200 also generates control instructions for the robot dexterous hand 300 based on the received motion trajectory and sends them to the robot dexterous hand 300. The robot dexterous hand 300 imitates the movement of the teleoperated glove 100 with force feedback function to pick up a workpiece according to the control instructions.

[0084] Thus, the teleoperation system of the present invention constructs a two-way feedback link of "operator-teleoperation glove-robot dexterous hand". The operator can not only receive force feedback, but also adjust operation commands in real time based on the perceived information to form closed-loop control, effectively avoiding misoperation caused by lack of resistance perception and improving the safety and accuracy of teleoperation.

[0085] In this embodiment, the workpiece to be picked up or grasped can be an LCD screen. Force feedback components 21 can be provided only on the thumb sleeve, index finger sleeve, middle finger sleeve and ring finger sleeve. More preferably, force feedback components can be provided only on the thumb sleeve, index finger sleeve and middle finger sleeve. Correspondingly, the same number of drive components 22 as force feedback components 21 are provided to further reduce the cost of the entire remote operation glove.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will understand that, without conflict, the above-mentioned preferred solutions can be freely combined and superimposed.

[0087] It should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary and not restrictive. Various obvious or equivalent modifications or substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art regarding the above details without departing from the basic principles of the present invention will be included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A teleoperated glove with force feedback function, characterized in that, The glove includes a glove body and a force feedback unit. The glove body comprises a wrist section, a back of the hand, and fingers connected in sequence. The fingers include independent thumb sleeves and non-thumb sleeves. The force feedback unit includes: The force feedback component includes a force feedback airbag and a flexible air tube connected in sequence. The force feedback airbag is a flexible structure and is arranged in the distal phalanx area of ​​the finger. The flexible air tube communicates with the force feedback airbag and extends along the back of the finger and the back of the hand toward the wrist. A drive assembly, located on the dorsal side of the wrist, includes a piston, a cylinder, and an electric push rod. The piston is slidably inserted into the cylinder. One end of the cylinder has a connecting hole, and the inner cavity of the cylinder is connected to the flexible air tube through the connecting hole. The fixed part of the electric push rod is fixed to the dorsal side of the wrist, and the movable rod is connected to the piston. The thumb sleeve and at least one non-thumb sleeve are each provided with the force feedback unit; the electric push rod controls the piston movement according to the feedback pressure.

2. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distal phalanx area is provided with a mounting hole, and the force feedback airbag is mounted in the mounting hole.

3. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The force feedback airbag includes an airbag body and an extension. The airbag body faces the distal phalanx area, and the extension is connected to the finger.

4. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The force feedback component further includes a connecting airbag and a fixing airbag. The connecting airbag is in the shape of a flat tube and is disposed on the outer side of the fingertip of the finger. Its two ends are respectively connected to the force feedback airbag and the fixing airbag. The fixing airbag is fixed to the dorsal region of the distal phalanx and is connected to the flexible tube.

5. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 4, characterized in that, The force feedback component also includes connectors, which are respectively provided on both sides of the distal phalanx fingertip area. Each connector connects the force feedback airbag and the fixing airbag, so that the fixing airbag, connectors and force feedback airbag form a ring structure, and the ring structure is connected to the glove body.

6. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 4, characterized in that, The wall thickness of the force feedback airbag is less than that of the fixed airbag and the connecting airbag.

7. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston includes a sealing plug and a piston rod connected to each other. The end face of the sealing plug facing the communicating hole is conical, and the sealing plug movably seals the radial space of the cylinder. The diameter of the piston rod is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder, and it is connected to the movable rod.

8. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sealing plug includes a conical portion and a cylindrical tube that are connected to each other; The piston rod includes a first connecting section, a limiting flange, and a second connecting section, wherein the outer diameters of the first connecting section and the second connecting section are both smaller than the outer diameter of the limiting flange. The first connecting section is inserted into the cylindrical tube, and the end face of the cylindrical tube abuts against the limiting flange.

9. The teleoperated glove with force feedback function according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, It also includes a base and a strap. The base has connecting lugs extending from opposite sides, and the connecting lugs are provided with through holes. The base is located on the back side of the wrist. Each of the drive components is mounted on the base and is tied to the hand by the strap passing through the through holes. The base has multiple receiving cavities arranged side by side along the width direction of the wrist, and the multiple driving components are respectively arranged in the multiple receiving cavities.

10. A teleoperation system, characterized in that, The invention includes a central controller, a robot dexterous hand, and a teleoperated glove with force feedback function as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein each of the electric push rods is signal-connected to the central controller; the robot dexterous hand is wirelessly connected to the central controller; the robot dexterous hand includes remote fingers that correspond one-to-one with the finger portions of the teleoperated glove with force feedback function; and each of the remote fingers has a pressure detector provided at the fingertip. When the robot's dexterous hand picks up a workpiece, each of the pressure detectors sends the collected pressure information to the central controller; The central controller generates a drive command to drive the electric actuator based on the received pressure information and sends it to the corresponding electric actuator. The electric actuator operates according to the received drive command, thereby driving the piston to move, so that the force feedback airbag applies a force to the operator wearing the remote control glove.

11. The teleoperation system according to claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes vision devices, The vision device is signal-connected to the central controller and is used to collect the motion trajectory of the remotely operated glove with force feedback function and send it to the central controller. The central controller also generates control commands for the robot's dexterous hand based on the received motion trajectory and sends them to the robot's dexterous hand; The robot's dexterous hand mimics the movements of the teleoperated glove with force feedback function to pick up the workpiece according to the control instructions.

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