Tactile sensor, end mechanism, and robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a touch sensor, a tail end mechanism and a robot. The touch sensor comprises a circuit board, an optical sensing assembly, an elastic triggering piece and a shielding assembly. The optical sensing assembly comprises a receiving module and a transmitting module used for transmitting light. The receiving module and the transmitting module are arranged on the circuit board at an interval to form a gap, and the receiving module is configured to be capable of receiving light emitted by the transmitting module. The elastic trigger piece is arranged on the circuit board. The shielding assembly is arranged on at least one of the elastic triggering piece and the circuit board. The shielding assembly comprises a first light shielding piece. The first light shielding piece has a light shielding state for shielding at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module and an initial state for not shielding the transmitting module and the receiving module, and the first light shielding piece can be reset to the initial state. And the elastic triggering piece is configured to be capable of elastically deforming so as to at least drive at least part of the first shading piece to be inserted into the gap. The tactile sensor is easy to manufacture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a tactile sensor, an end mechanism and a robot. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of science and technology, current robots are able to perform various tasks such as walking or dancing. They can perform many tasks even without external sensory feedback in a well-modeled environment. However, in an unstructured environment, they must sense the surrounding environment and contact various objects. The ultimate goal is to enable robots to have strong manipulation capabilities. In order to complete complex manipulation tasks, tactile information is essential. The end mechanism equipped with a tactile sensor should be able to detect when contact occurs and recognize shape, object texture, force, and sliding.

[0003] In the related art, the end mechanisms of the robot, such as the foot mechanism, usually use tactile sensors (also called multi-dimensional sensors) to sense the feedback of the end structures, such as the sole, so as to facilitate torque control. However, the internal structure of the traditional tactile sensor is complex and difficult to manufacture, which is not conducive to reducing the cost of the robot. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present disclosure provides a tactile sensor, an end mechanism and a robot. The tactile sensor is easy to manufacture, which is beneficial to the cost of the end mechanism and the robot using the tactile sensor.

[0005] The technical solution is as follows:

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a tactile sensor is provided, comprising a circuit board, an optical sensing component, an elastic triggering member, and a shielding member. The optical sensing component comprises a receiving module and a transmitting module for emitting light. The receiving module and the transmitting module are arranged on the circuit board to form a gap, and the receiving module is configured to receive the light emitted by the transmitting module. The elastic triggering member is arranged on the circuit board. The shielding member is arranged on at least one of the elastic triggering member and the circuit board, and the shielding member comprises a first shading member. At least a portion of the first shading member can move relative to the circuit board, and has a shading state of shielding at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module and an initial state of not shielding the transmitting module and the receiving module, and the first shading member can be reset to the initial state. Among them, the elastic triggering member is configured to be elastically deformable to at least drive the first shading member to move from the initial state to the shading state. When the first shading member is in the shading state, at least a portion of the first shading member is inserted into the gap.

[0007] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may have the following beneficial effects:

[0008] When the tactile sensor is used, it is connected to the control device for communication. When the elastic triggering member touches the touched object, the elastic triggering member is elastically deformed and drives the first shading member to move from the initial state to the shading state. Then, at least part of the first shading member is inserted into the gap to fold and block at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module, so that the area of ​​light received by the receiving module is reduced, resulting in a weakening of the light intensity received by the receiving module. At this time, the tactile sensor will send detection information to the control device. The control device can determine the touch direction based on the detection information. At the same time, the control device also obtains the change value of the light intensity based on the detection information to further determine the magnitude of the touch force. When the elastic triggering member is separated from the touched object, it will be elastically reset. The first shading member is reset to the initial state. In this way, when the tactile sensor is applied to the end mechanism and the robot, it can sense the feedback of the end position such as the sole of the foot, so as to facilitate torque control. The tactile sensor has a few structural parts through optimized structure, making it easy to manufacture.

[0009] The technical solution of the present disclosure is further described below:

[0010] In one embodiment, the first shading member can be elastically restored to an initial state.

[0011] And / or, at least a portion of the first shading member is embedded in the elastic triggering member.

[0012] In one embodiment, the shielding assembly includes a mounting member fixedly connected to the circuit board. One end of the first shading member is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and along the thickness direction of the circuit board, the first shading member is spaced apart from the circuit board, and the first shading member can be elastically reset to an initial state.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, at least a portion of the first shading member moves along the thickness direction of the circuit board to switch between the shading state and the initial state.

[0014] And / or, when at least part of the first shading member is in the initial state, the first shading member is arranged away from the circuit board. When at least part of the first shading member is in the shading state, at least part of the first shading member is arranged close to or against the circuit board.

[0015] And / or, the first shading member includes a first body and a second body fixedly connected to one end of the first body. One end of the first body is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and the other end of the first body is fixedly connected to the second body, so that the first body and the second body are spaced from the circuit board along the thickness direction of the circuit board. The second body has a shading state and an initial state. The first body is elastic to drive the second body to reset to the initial state.

[0016] In one embodiment, along the thickness direction of the circuit board, the thickness of at least a portion of the first body is smaller than the thickness of the second body, so that an avoidance recess is formed between the second body and the mounting member.

[0017] In one embodiment, the second body is provided with a first groove for accommodating the receiving module. When the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, at least a portion of the receiving module is embedded in the first groove.

[0018] And / or, the second body is provided with a second groove for accommodating the transmitting module; when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, at least a part of the transmitting module is embedded in the groove.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second body includes a partition body that partitions the first groove and the second groove; when the first shading member is in the shading state, the partition body is inserted into the gap.

[0020] In one embodiment, the elastic trigger member is provided with a housing cavity for housing the first light shielding member, and when the first light shielding member is in the initial state, the second body contacts the top wall of the housing cavity. When the elastic trigger member is elastically deformed, the second body is pressed down through the top wall of the housing cavity to drive the second body to move from the initial state to the light shielding state.

[0021] In one embodiment, the second body includes a first end portion disposed away from the first body. The accommodating cavity includes a first side wall avoiding the first end portion, the first side wall is adjacent to the top wall of the accommodating cavity and is spaced apart from the first end portion.

[0022] In one of the embodiments, a portion of the accommodating cavity is nested with the mounting member.

[0023] In one embodiment, when at least a portion of the first shading member is in the shading state, the closer at least a portion of the first shading member is disposed to the circuit board, the smaller the intensity of the light emitted by the transmitting module received by the receiving module.

[0024] In one embodiment, the elastic triggering member wraps the first light shielding member, the receiving module and the transmitting module.

[0025] In one embodiment, the first shading members and the optical sensor components correspond one to one to form a first group, the first group includes a plurality of first shading members, which are arranged at intervals on the circuit board, and the angle between two adjacent first shading members is greater than zero.

[0026] In one embodiment, a plurality of optical sensing components are disposed on the circuit board at intervals along the same circumference.

[0027] And / or, the elastic triggering member includes a protective body that wraps the first set of settings and a triggered body that is fixed outside the protective body, and the triggered body is partially spherical or partially ellipsoidal.

[0028] In one embodiment, the shielding assembly further includes a plurality of second shading members protrudingly disposed at intervals on the circuit board, two adjacent second shading members are fixedly connected to the circuit board to form a light leakage-proof space, and a first group is disposed in the light leakage-proof space.

[0029] In one embodiment, the shielding assembly further comprises a mounting member, one end of each of the plurality of first shading members is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and one end of each of the plurality of second shading members is fixedly connected to the mounting member. When the first shading member is in the shading state, the first shading member and the second shading member are clearance-matched.

[0030] In one embodiment, the plurality of first shading members, the plurality of second shading members and the mounting member are integrally formed.

[0031] And / or, at least one of the mounting member and the second shading member is provided with a positioning protrusion, and the circuit board is provided with a positioning concave portion that is positioned and matched with the positioning protrusion.

[0032] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, there is also provided an end mechanism, comprising an actuator and a tactile sensor in any of the above embodiments, wherein the circuit board is fixed to the actuator so that the elastic trigger member is disposed at the end of the end mechanism.

[0033] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may have the following beneficial effects:

[0034] During the use of the terminal mechanism, the tactile sensor and the power source of the terminal mechanism are respectively connected to the control device for communication. When the elastic trigger member is arranged at the end of the terminal mechanism and touches the touched object, the elastic trigger member is elastically deformed and drives the first light shielding member to move from the initial state to the light shielding state. Then at least part of the first light shielding member is inserted into the gap to fold and block at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module, so that the area of ​​light received by the receiving module is reduced, resulting in a decrease in the light intensity received by the receiving module. At this time, the tactile sensor will send detection information to the control device. The control device can determine the touch direction according to the detection information. At the same time, the control device also obtains the change value of the light intensity according to the detection information to further determine the magnitude of the touch force. Then it is also convenient for the control device to control the change of the power source of the terminal mechanism so that the actuator can better perform the relevant operation. When the elastic trigger member is separated from the touched object, it will be elastically reset. And the first light shielding member is reset to the initial state. In this way, the terminal mechanism can sense the feedback of the end position such as the sole of the foot through the tactile sensor in any of the above embodiments, so as to facilitate torque control. Moreover, the tactile sensor has an optimized structure and fewer structural parts, making it easy to manufacture, thereby helping to reduce the cost of the terminal mechanism.

[0035] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, there is also provided a robot, comprising a trunk device, a control device and the above-mentioned end mechanism, wherein the end mechanism is movably arranged on the trunk device, and the control device is communicatively connected with the tactile sensor.

[0036] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may have the following beneficial effects:

[0037] The robot senses the feedback of the end position such as the sole of the foot through the tactile sensor on the end robot, so as to facilitate torque control. In addition, the tactile sensor is easy to manufacture, which is conducive to reducing the cost of the robot.

[0038] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings constituting a part of the present disclosure are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and the description thereof are used to explain the present disclosure and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present disclosure.

[0040] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0041] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a robot shown in one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the tactile sensor shown.

[0043] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structural explosion of the tactile sensor shown.

[0044] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The tactile sensor is shown in a schematic diagram in the direction of a first cutting line.

[0045] Figure 5 for Figure 2 An exploded schematic diagram of the local structure of the tactile sensor is shown.

[0046] Description of reference numerals:

[0047] 10. robot; 11. trunk device; 12. control device; 13. end mechanism; 100. actuator; 200. tactile sensor; 210. circuit board; 211. positioning recess; 220. elastic trigger member; 221. accommodating chamber; 222. first side wall; 223. protective body; 224. triggered body; 230. light sensor component; 231. receiving module; 232. transmitting module; 233. gap; 240. shielding component; 241. first shading member; 2411. first body; 2412. second body; 2001. first groove; 2002. second groove; 2003. partition; 2004. first end; 2413. avoidance recess; 242. mounting member; 243. second shading member; 2431. positioning protrusion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present disclosure more clear, the present disclosure is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. It should be understood that the specific implementation methods described here are only used to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present disclosure. The terms used in the specification of the present disclosure herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0050] Tactile sensors, also called multi-dimensional sensors, are sensors that obtain information through contact. They can sense information such as the pressure applied by touching an object during the touch process, and can be used as a supplement to visual sensors to further assist machine vision in realizing the perception of objects and the surrounding environment.

[0051] Traditional tactile sensors are mainly rigid sensors, and most of them use strain gauges (for example, pressure-sensitive gauges) to sense multi-dimensional forces. They have complex structures and high production costs. Some tactile sensors use optical detection devices for detection. The principle is to change the light intensity received by the receiving module by using the change in the transmission distance of light, and then sense it. For example, the elastic trigger member is deformed to change the refraction direction of light or change the light transmission distance to change the light intensity received by the receiving module, and then sense it. However, the structure of this type of tactile sensor is relatively complex, difficult to manufacture, and difficult to mass produce, resulting in high cost, which is not conducive to reducing the cost of robots.

[0052] Based on this, the present application provides a tactile sensor, which optimizes the structure and uses a shading member to change the light area received by the receiving module to change the light intensity received by the receiving module. The sensor has few structural parts, making it easy to manufacture.

[0053] In order to better understand the tactile sensor of the present disclosure, an explanation is given by using a robot to which the tactile sensor is applied.

[0054] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot is provided, including a legged robot, such as a bipedal robot or a quadrupedal robot; or a wheeled robot, etc. The robot includes a trunk device, a control device, and the above-mentioned end mechanism, the end mechanism can be movably arranged on the trunk device, and the actuator and the tactile sensor are communicatively connected to the control device. Among them, the end mechanism includes a foot mechanism or a hand mechanism.

[0055] The robot in one embodiment of the present disclosure is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the robot is a foot-type robot, and its end mechanism is a foot mechanism. The end mechanism includes an actuator and a tactile sensor. The actuator includes a foot support.

[0057] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the tactile sensor includes a circuit board, an optical sensing component, an elastic trigger and a shielding component. The optical sensing component includes a receiving module and a transmitting module for emitting light. The receiving module and the transmitting module are arranged on the circuit board to form a gap, and the receiving module is configured to receive the light emitted by the transmitting module. The elastic trigger is arranged on the circuit board. The shielding component is arranged on at least one of the elastic trigger and the circuit board, and the shielding component includes a first shading member. At least part of the first shading member can move relative to the circuit board, and has a shading state of shielding at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module and an initial state of not shielding the transmitting module and the receiving module, and the first shading member can be reset to the initial state. Among them, the elastic trigger is configured to be elastically deformable to at least drive the first shading member to move from the initial state to the shading state. When the first shading member is in the shading state, at least part of the first shading member is inserted into the gap. The circuit board is fixed to the actuator, so that the tactile sensor is conveniently installed on the actuator, so that the elastic trigger is arranged at the end of the end mechanism.

[0058] When the robot is in use, and its terminal mechanism is used to support, walk, jump, etc., when the elastic trigger member touches the touched object (such as the ground), the elastic trigger member is elastically deformed and drives the first light shielding member to move from the initial state to the light shielding state. Then, at least part of the first light shielding member is inserted into the gap to fold and block at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module, so that the area received by the receiving module is reduced, resulting in a decrease in the light intensity received by the receiving module. At this time, the tactile sensor will send detection information to the control device. The control device can determine the touch direction based on the detection information. At the same time, the control device also obtains the change value of the light intensity based on the detection information to further determine the size of the touch force. It is also convenient for the control device to control the change of the power source of the terminal mechanism so that the actuator can better perform related operations.

[0059] When the elastic triggering member is separated from the touched object, it will be elastically reset, and the first light shielding member will be reset to the initial state. In this way, when the tactile sensor is applied to the end mechanism and the robot, it can sense the feedback of the end position such as the sole of the foot, so as to facilitate the torque control of the end mechanism.

[0060] The tactile sensor optimizes the structure and uses a light shielding member to change the light area received by the receiving module to change the light intensity received. It has fewer structural parts and is easy to manufacture, which helps to reduce the cost of the terminal mechanism and the robot.

[0061] It should be noted that the control device usually controls the overall operation of the robot, such as walking, grasping, jumping, etc. The control device can be a control device such as a programmable controller, a motion control card, a microcomputer, etc.

[0062] In other embodiments, the actuator also includes a hand operating element, a robot arm, etc.

[0063] In some embodiments, the control device may include one or more processors to execute instructions. The processor may be a microcontroller unit (MCU), a central processing unit (CPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP), etc.

[0064] In addition, the control device may also include one or more modules to facilitate the interaction between the control device and other components. For example, the control device may include a multimedia module to facilitate the interaction between the user and the control device, such as a control panel.

[0065] In addition, the communication control means between the control device and each actuator (eg, the power source of the end mechanism) and the feedback element (eg, the tactile sensor) belongs to the traditional technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0066] The "communication connection" can be realized by wired communication technology or wireless communication technology, which is a traditional technology and will not be described here. In addition, the communication connection between the above devices can be a direct communication connection or an indirect communication connection.

[0067] It should be noted that there are many specific implementation methods for the elastic trigger member, such as a combination of a movable trigger member and an elastic reset member. Alternatively, it can be directly manufactured using a member made of elastic material. When it touches the touched object, the elastic trigger member is elastically deformed to drive the first shading member to move from the initial state to the shading state.

[0068] In one example, the elastic triggering member is made of an elastic material, such as silicone, rubber, etc.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the first shading member is embedded in the elastic trigger member. In this way, the elastic trigger member can protect the first shading member and also enable the elastic trigger member to better press the first shading member to drive the first shading member to shield the receiving module or the transmitting module.

[0070] It should be noted that “at least part of the first shading member is movable relative to the circuit board” includes telescopic movement relative to the thickness direction of the circuit board to insert into or leave the gap. Alternatively, telescopic movement relative to the width direction or length direction of the circuit board to insert into or leave the gap. Alternatively, rotation or swing relative to the circuit board to insert into or leave the gap, etc. It is sufficient that the shading state and the initial state can be switched.

[0071] In addition, the elastic trigger member can directly or indirectly drive the first light shielding member to move. For example, the elastic trigger member is in direct contact with the first light shielding member, and transmits the deformation amount to the first light shielding member, so as to drive the first light shielding member to move telescopically along a set trajectory to enter the light shielding state. For another example, the elastic trigger member indirectly transmits the deformation amount to the first light shielding member through a transmission mechanism, so as to drive the first light shielding member to move telescopically, rotate or swing along a set trajectory to enter the light shielding state.

[0072] The rotating mechanism can be flexibly arranged according to the deformation direction of the elastic trigger member and the movement mode of the first light shielding member, including but not limited to a telescopic conversion mechanism (e.g., a connecting rod slider mechanism, a cam mechanism, etc.), a rotation conversion mechanism (e.g., a rocker mechanism, a gear rack mechanism, etc.), and the like.

[0073] It should be noted that there are many specific implementation methods for the first shading member to be reset to the initial state, including but not limited to elastic reset, magnetic reset, magnetic repulsion reset, etc.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first shading member can be elastically reset to an initial state. This is easy to implement and helps to further simplify the structure of the tactile sensor. For example, in some embodiments, an elastic reset member is provided between the first shading member and the circuit board. The elastic reset member enables the first shading member to be elastically reset to an initial state.

[0075] In other embodiments, the first shading member is fixedly connected to the elastic trigger member so as to be able to elastically reset to an initial state. In this way, the elastic reset of the elastic trigger member is used to drive the first shading member to elastically reset to an initial state, making the structure of the tactile sensor more compact, further simplifying the structure of the tactile sensor, and making it easier to manufacture.

[0076] In other embodiments, at least a portion of the first shading member is elastic so as to be able to elastically return to an initial state. In this way, the first shading member is elastic and can be elastically returned to an initial state, which can reduce parts, make the structure of the tactile sensor more compact, and further simplify the structure of the tactile sensor, making it easier to manufacture.

[0077] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the shielding assembly includes a mounting member fixedly connected to the circuit board. One end of the first shading member is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and along the thickness direction of the circuit board, the first shading member is spaced apart from the circuit board, and the first shading member can be elastically reset to an initial state. In this way, the first shading member is suspended and fixed on the circuit board through the mounting member, and it is easy to switch between the shading state and the initial state by approaching or moving away from the circuit board.

[0078] Optionally, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the first shading member moves along the thickness direction of the circuit board to switch between the shading state and the initial state. In this way, at least a portion of the first shading member moves along the thickness direction of the circuit board, which can better feedback the force applied to the elastic trigger member along the thickness direction of the circuit board, that is, better feedback the elastic deformation amount generated by the contact between the elastic trigger member and the ground.

[0079] In some embodiments, when at least a portion of the first shading member is in the initial state, the first shading member is disposed away from the circuit board. At this time, the elastic trigger member is separated from the ground or does not generate a squeezing force with the ground. When at least a portion of the first shading member is in the shading state, at least a portion of the first shading member is disposed close to or against the circuit board. At this time, the elastic trigger member generates a squeezing force with the ground.

[0080] In one example, during the walking process of the robot, the elastic trigger members of at least two end mechanisms contact the ground and produce elastic deformation, so as to drive the first shading member in direct contact with the first end mechanism to move toward the circuit board to a shading state. The tactile sensor feeds back the detection signal to the control device, and the control device can know the bearing pressure of different end mechanisms. Then, the control device adjusts the power source of the end mechanism according to the bearing pressure of different end mechanisms to adjust the support state of the end mechanism, so that the robot can walk smoothly on the ground.

[0081] In combination with any of the above embodiments of the mounting member, Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the first shading member includes a first body and a second body fixedly connected to one end of the first body. One end of the first body is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and the other end of the first body is fixedly connected to the second body, so that the first body and the second body are spaced apart from the circuit board along the thickness direction of the circuit board. The second body has a shading state and an initial state. The first body is elastic to drive the second body to reset to the initial state. In this way, through the cooperation between the first body and the second body, the second body can swing to be close to or away from the circuit board to switch between the shading state and the initial state. The first body is elastic, which is convenient for driving the second body to elastically reset to the initial state, which can reduce parts, make the structure of the tactile sensor more compact, and further simplify the structure of the tactile sensor, which is easy to manufacture.

[0082] Optionally, in some embodiments, along the thickness direction of the circuit board, the thickness of at least part of the first body is less than the thickness of the second body, so that an avoidance recess is formed between the second body and the mounting member. In this way, the thickness of at least part of the first body is less than the thickness of the second body, so that the first body is easy to elastically deform. And through the avoidance recess, the second body will not interfere with the first body during the swinging process toward the circuit board, and can stably switch between the light-shielding state and the initial state.

[0083] It can be understood that the above-mentioned structural arrangement enables the mounting member to be integrally formed with the first body and the second body, which can reduce assembly steps, improve production efficiency, and help further reduce the manufacturing cost of the tactile sensor.

[0084] Alternatively, if Figure 3 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the second body is provided with a first groove for accommodating the receiving module. When the first shading member is in the shading state, at least a portion of the receiving module is embedded in the first groove. In this way, by accommodating the receiving module through the first groove, the shading effect can be improved, stray light can be prevented from affecting the received light intensity of the receiving module, and the feedback accuracy of the tactile sensor can be improved.

[0085] Alternatively, if Figure 3 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the second body is provided with a second groove for accommodating the transmitting module; when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, at least part of the transmitting module is embedded in the groove. In this way, by accommodating the transmitting module through the second groove, the light shielding effect can be improved, stray light can be prevented from affecting the light intensity received by the receiving module, and the feedback accuracy of the tactile sensor can be improved.

[0086] Furthermore, if Figure 3 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the second body includes a partition body that separates the first groove and the second groove; when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, the partition body is inserted into the gap. In this way, when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, the partition body is inserted into the gap, and the first groove is used to accommodate the receiving module, and the second groove is used to accommodate the transmitting module, which can further improve the light shielding effect, prevent stray light from affecting the light intensity received by the receiving module, and improve the feedback accuracy of the tactile sensor.

[0087] In combination with any of the above embodiments of the second body, Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the elastic trigger member is provided with a housing cavity for accommodating the first light shielding member, and when the first light shielding member is in the initial state, the second body contacts the top wall of the housing cavity. When the elastic trigger member is elastically deformed, the second body is pressed down through the top wall of the housing cavity to drive the second body to move from the initial state to the light shielding state. In this way, the elastic trigger member accommodates the first light shielding member through the housing cavity, which can protect the first light shielding member and also enable the elastic trigger member to better directly contact the second body, transfer the deformation to the second body, and drive the second body to telescopically move along the set trajectory to enter the light shielding state.

[0088] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the second body includes a first end portion disposed away from the first body. The accommodating cavity includes a first side wall that avoids the first end portion, the first side wall is adjacent to the top wall of the accommodating cavity, and is spaced apart from the first end portion. In this way, during the swinging process of the second body, the first end portion and the first side wall will not interfere with each other, and the second body can stably switch between the light shielding state and the initial state.

[0089] In some embodiments, part of the accommodating cavity is nested with the mounting member, so that the elastic trigger member is more closely matched with the light shielding component and the circuit board, making the structure of the tactile sensor more compact.

[0090] On the basis of any of the above embodiments, in some embodiments, when at least part of the first shading member is in the shading state, the closer at least part of the first shading member is to the circuit board, the smaller the intensity of the light emitted by the transmitting module received by the receiving module. In this way, the greater the force on the elastic trigger member, the closer at least part of the first shading member is to the circuit board, and the smaller the intensity of the light emitted by the transmitting module received by the receiving module, so that the tactile sensor can feedback different electrical signal intensities. Then, the control device can further determine the size of the touch force based on the light intensity obtained from the detection information, so as to adjust the posture of different end mechanisms and achieve smooth movement of the robot.

[0091] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the elastic trigger member wraps the first light shielding member, the receiving module and the transmitting module. In this way, the elastic trigger member can protect the first light shielding member, the receiving module and the transmitting module, and the elastic trigger member can be used to buffer the impact force on the first light shielding member, the receiving module and the transmitting module, thereby improving the reliability of the tactile sensor.

[0092] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the first shading member and the optical sensing component correspond to each other to form a first group, the first group includes a plurality of first shading members, and the first shading members are arranged at intervals on the circuit board, and the angle between two adjacent first shading members is greater than zero. In this way, the plurality of first groups are arranged at intervals on the circuit board, so that the tactile sensor can sense the magnitude of the force exerted on the elastic trigger member in different directions, thereby improving the perception ability of the tactile sensor.

[0093] Furthermore, in some embodiments, a plurality of optical sensing components are arranged on the circuit board at intervals along the same circumference. In this way, the tactile sensor can sense the magnitude of the force exerted on the elastic trigger member in different directions on the same plane, thereby improving the sensing ability of the tactile sensor.

[0094] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the elastic triggering member includes a protective body that wraps the first set of settings and a triggered body that is fixed to the outside of the protective body, and the triggered body is partially spherical or partially ellipsoidal. In this way, the triggered body that is partially spherical or partially ellipsoidal contacts an object such as the ground to better convert the elastic deformation in different directions into a driving force to drive the first shading member to move, so as to facilitate the first shading member to move from the initial state to the shading state.

[0095] Optionally, the wear resistance of the triggered body is greater than or equal to the wear resistance of the protective body.

[0096] In combination with any embodiment of the first group, in some embodiments, the shielding assembly further includes a plurality of second light shielding members protrudingly disposed on the circuit board at intervals, two adjacent second light shielding members are fixedly connected to the circuit board to form a light leakage-proof space, and a first group is disposed in the light leakage-proof space. In this way, by providing the light leakage-proof space, interference by light generated by adjacent optical sensors is avoided, thereby improving the feedback accuracy of the tactile sensor in different directions.

[0097] It should be noted that the fixed connection between the second shading member and the circuit board includes a direct fixed connection and an indirect fixed connection.

[0098] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the shielding assembly further includes a mounting member, and one end of a plurality of first shading members is respectively fixedly connected to the mounting member, and one end of a plurality of second shading members is respectively fixedly connected to the mounting member. Wherein, when the first shading member is in the shading state, the first shading member and the second shading member are clearance-matched. In this way, the first shading member and the second shading member are fixed to the circuit board by the mounting member. When the first shading member is in the shading state, the first shading member and the second shading member are clearance-matched, so that the setting of the second shading member will not interfere with the first shading member.

[0099] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, a plurality of first shading members, a plurality of second shading members and a mounting member are integrally formed. In this way, the assembly process can be reduced, the production efficiency can be improved, and the manufacturing cost of the tactile sensor can be further reduced.

[0100] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one of the mounting member and the second light shielding member is provided with a positioning protrusion, and the circuit board is provided with a positioning recess that is positioned and matched with the positioning protrusion. In this way, the positioning protrusion and the positioning recess are positioned and matched, so that the mounting member and the circuit board are assembled with higher precision. After the mounting member and the circuit board are fixed, the positioning protrusion and the positioning recess can also be limited and matched, so that the connection between the mounting member and the circuit board is more secure.

[0101] It should be noted that the "first body" can be "a part of the first light shading member", that is, the "first body" and the "other parts of the first light shading member, such as the second body and the mounting member" are manufactured as one piece; it can also be an independent component that can be separated from the "other parts of the first light shading member, such as the second connecting body", that is, the "first body" can be manufactured independently and then combined with the "other parts of the first light shading member, such as the second body and the mounting member" into a whole.

[0102] Equivalently, "some body" or "some part" can be a part of the corresponding "component", that is, "some body" or "some part" can be integrally formed with the "other parts of the component"; or it can be an independent component that can be separated from the "other parts of the component", that is, "some body" or "some part" can be independently manufactured and then combined with the "other parts of the component" into a whole. The expression of the above-mentioned "some body" or "some part" in this disclosure is only one of the embodiments, for the convenience of reading, and not to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. As long as it contains the above-mentioned features and has the same function, it should be understood as an equivalent technical solution of this disclosure.

[0103] It should be noted that the "installation part" can be one of the parts of the "shielding component" module, that is, it can be assembled into a module with the "other components of the shielding component" and then assembled modularly; it can also be relatively independent of the "other components of the shielding component" and can be installed separately, that is, it can form a whole with the "other components of the shielding component" in this device.

[0104] Equivalently, the components included in the "unit", "assembly", "mechanism" and "device" of the present disclosure can also be flexibly combined, that is, modular production can be carried out according to actual conditions, modular assembly can be carried out as an independent module; or they can be assembled separately to form a module in the present device. The division of the above components in the present disclosure is only one embodiment, for the convenience of reading, and not to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. As long as the above components are included and have the same functions, it should be understood that it is an equivalent technical solution of the present disclosure.

[0105] In the description of the present disclosure, it needs to be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0106] In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0107] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0108] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0109] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to", "disposed on", "fixedly arranged on" or "installed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. Furthermore, when an element is considered to be "fixedly connected to" another element, the two may be fixed in a detachable connection manner or in a non-detachable connection manner, such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, welding, bonding, etc., which can be achieved in traditional technologies and will not be repeated here.

[0110] The technical features of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0111] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present disclosure, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the utility model concept of the present disclosure, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A tactile sensor, characterized in that: include: Circuit boards; An optical sensing component, comprising a receiving module and a transmitting module for emitting light, wherein the receiving module and the transmitting module are arranged on the circuit board to form a gap, and the receiving module is configured to receive the light emitted by the transmitting module; An elastic triggering member, arranged on the circuit board; a shielding component, disposed on at least one of the elastic triggering member and the circuit board, the shielding component comprising a first shielding member, at least a portion of which is movable relative to the circuit board, and having a shielding state for shielding at least one of the transmitting module and the receiving module and an initial state for not shielding the transmitting module and the receiving module, and the first shielding member can be reset to the initial state; Wherein, the elastic trigger member is configured to be able to deform elastically so as to at least drive the first shading member to move from the initial state to the shading state; when the first shading member is in the shading state, at least a portion of the first shading member is inserted into the gap.

2. The tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first shading member can be elastically reset to the initial state; And / or, at least a portion of the first shading member is embedded in the elastic triggering member.

3. The tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shielding assembly includes a mounting member fixedly connected to the circuit board, one end of the first shading member is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and along the thickness direction of the circuit board, the first shading member is spaced apart from the circuit board, and the first shading member can be elastically reset to the initial state.

4. The tactile sensor according to claim 3, characterized in that: At least a portion of the first light shielding member is movable along the thickness direction of the circuit board to switch between the light shielding state and the initial state; And / or, when at least a portion of the first shading member is in the initial state, the first shading member is arranged away from the circuit board; when at least a portion of the first shading member is in the shading state, at least a portion of the first shading member is arranged close to or against the circuit board; And / or, the first shading member includes a first body and a second body fixedly connected to one end of the first body, one end of the first body is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and the other end of the first body is fixedly connected to the second body, so that the first body and the second body are spaced apart from the circuit board along the thickness direction of the circuit board; The second body has the light-shielding state and the initial state; the first body has elasticity to drive the second body to return to the initial state.

5. The tactile sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that: Along the thickness direction of the circuit board, the thickness of at least a portion of the first body is smaller than the thickness of the second body, so that an avoidance recess is formed between the second body and the mounting member.

6. The tactile sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second body is provided with a first groove for accommodating the receiving module; when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, at least a portion of the receiving module is embedded in the first groove; And / or, the second body is provided with a second groove for accommodating the transmitting module; when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, at least a part of the transmitting module is embedded in the groove.

7. The tactile sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second body includes a partition body that partitions the first groove and the second groove; when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, the partition body is inserted into the gap.

8. The tactile sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that: The elastic triggering member is provided with a receiving cavity for receiving the first light shielding member, and when the first light shielding member is in the initial state, the second body is in contact with the top wall of the receiving cavity; When the elastic triggering member is elastically deformed, the second body is pressed down through the top wall of the accommodating cavity to drive the second body to move from the initial state to the light shielding state.

9. The tactile sensor according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second body includes a first end portion disposed away from the first body, the accommodating cavity includes a first side wall avoiding the first end portion, the first side wall is adjacent to the top wall of the accommodating cavity and is spaced apart from the first end portion.

10. The tactile sensor according to claim 8, characterized in that Part of the accommodating cavity is nested with the mounting member.

11. The tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: When at least a portion of the first shading member is in the shading state, the closer at least a portion of the first shading member is disposed to the circuit board, the smaller the intensity of the light emitted by the transmitting module and received by the receiving module is.

12. The tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic triggering member is arranged to wrap the first light shielding member, the receiving module and the transmitting module.

13. The tactile sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The first shading members and the optical sensing components correspond one to one to form a first group. The first group includes a plurality of first shading members that are spaced apart on the circuit board, and an angle between two adjacent first shading members is greater than zero.

14. The tactile sensor according to claim 13, characterized in that: A plurality of the optical sensing components are arranged on the circuit board at intervals along the same circumference; And / or, the elastic triggering member includes a protective body wrapping the first set of settings and a triggered body fixedly arranged outside the protective body, and the triggered body is partially spherical or partially ellipsoidal.

15. The tactile sensor according to claim 13, characterized in that: The shielding assembly also includes a plurality of second light shielding members protrudingly arranged on the circuit board at intervals, two adjacent second light shielding members are fixedly connected to the circuit board to form a light leakage-proof space, and a group of the first group is arranged in the light leakage-proof space.

16. The tactile sensor according to claim 15, characterized in that: The shielding assembly further includes a mounting member, one end of each of the first shading members is fixedly connected to the mounting member, and one end of each of the second shading members is fixedly connected to the mounting member; Wherein, when the first light shielding member is in the light shielding state, the first light shielding member and the second light shielding member are loosely matched.

17. The tactile sensor according to claim 16, characterized in that: A plurality of the first light shielding members, a plurality of the second light shielding members and the mounting member are integrally formed; And / or, at least one of the mounting member and the second shading member is provided with a positioning protrusion, and the circuit board is provided with a positioning concave portion that is positioned and matched with the positioning protrusion.

18. A terminal mechanism, characterized in that: It comprises an actuator and the tactile sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the circuit board is fixed to the actuator so that the elastic triggering member is arranged at the end of the end mechanism.

19. A robot, characterized in that: It comprises a trunk device, a control device and the end mechanism as claimed in claim 18, wherein the end mechanism is movably arranged on the trunk device, and the control device is communicatively connected with the tactile sensor.

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