Sensor module, mechanical dexterous hand, and robot

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of sensors, and discloses a sensor module, a mechanical dexterous hand and a robot, the sensor module is arranged on a finger of the mechanical dexterous hand, the sensor module comprises a shell and a pressure sensor, the shell is provided with a stress part, the pressure sensor is arranged in an inner cavity of the shell, and the stress part is arranged in the inner cavity of the shell. The stress part faces the pressure sensor, the stress part has elasticity, and the stress part is used for transmitting externally applied pressure to the pressure sensor. The utility model aims to solve the technical problem that the sensor is easily damaged by the external environment in the process of sensing the pressure distribution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of sensors, in particular to a sensor module, a mechanical dexterous hand and a robot. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the robotics industry, robots are increasingly attracting the attention of domestic and foreign research institutions and capital. Among them, the dexterous hands of robots have the function of sensing pressure distribution, playing an important role in environmental detection and control in the fields of manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, medical care, home services, construction and environmental maintenance, and thus have received extensive attention and research.

[0003] In the prior art, many manufacturers use various sensors applied to the robot's dexterous hands to sense pressure distribution, so as to realize the robot's real-time force perception of the external environment, adaptive assembly, data recording and analysis and other functions. However, in the process of sensing pressure distribution, the sensor is easily damaged by the external environment, thereby affecting the service life of the sensor and resulting in poor reliability of the robot. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model aims to provide a sensor module, a mechanical dexterous hand and a robot to solve the technical problem that the sensor is easily damaged by the external environment during the process of sensing pressure distribution.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the utility model provides a sensor module applied to the fingers of a mechanical dexterous hand, the sensor module comprising:

[0006] A housing having a force-bearing portion;

[0007] A pressure sensor is arranged in the inner cavity of the shell, the force-bearing part faces the pressure sensor and has elasticity, and the force-bearing part is used to transmit the pressure applied from the outside to the pressure sensor.

[0008] In the sensor module of the present application, the housing includes a first shell and a second shell, the second shell is connected to the first shell to form the inner cavity, and the second shell has the force-bearing portion.

[0009] In the sensor module of the present application, the second shell includes a top shell and a side shell, the side shell surrounds the outside of the top shell, the side shell is snap-connected to the first shell, and the top shell has the force-bearing portion.

[0010] In the sensor module of the present application, one of the first shell and the side shell is provided with a groove portion, and the other of the first shell and the side shell is provided with a protrusion portion, and the protrusion portion is embedded in the groove portion to enable the side shell to be snap-connected with the first shell.

[0011] In the sensor module of the present application, the outer side wall of the first shell is provided with the groove portion, and the inner side wall of the side shell is provided with the protrusion portion.

[0012] In the sensor module of the present application, the second shell includes an adhesive member, and the top shell and the side shell are fixed by the adhesive member.

[0013] In the sensor module of the present application, the pressure sensor includes a base layer, a piezoresistive film and a control main board. The base layer and the control main board are respectively attached to the two sides of the piezoresistive film. The base layer is arranged on the side close to the second shell, and the control main board is arranged on the side close to the first shell.

[0014] In the sensor module of the present application, the orthographic projections of the piezoresistive film and the top shell in the first direction overlap, and the projection area of ​​the top shell is smaller than or equal to the projection area of ​​the piezoresistive film.

[0015] In a second aspect, the utility model provides a mechanical dexterous hand, comprising a finger and the sensor module, wherein the sensor module is arranged on the fingertip of the finger.

[0016] In a third aspect, the utility model provides a robot comprising the mechanical dexterous hand.

[0017] The utility model provides a sensor module, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] The utility model sets a sensor module on the finger of the mechanical dexterous hand, and the force-bearing part faces the pressure sensor in the inner cavity of the shell, and has a certain elasticity. When the finger of the mechanical dexterous hand contacts with an external object, the pressure sensor is not in direct contact with the outside world, but the force-bearing part bears the pressure applied by the outside world, senses the pressure distribution in real time, and transmits the pressure distribution to the pressure sensor in the inner cavity of the shell, so that the pressure sensor can accurately sense the pressure applied on the finger. In this way, the sensor module on the mechanical dexterous hand can not only sense the pressure distribution, but also protect the pressure sensor, avoid the external environment from damaging the pressure sensor, thereby extending the service life of the sensor and improving the reliability of the robot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0020] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of a sensor module provided by an embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 An exploded schematic diagram of a sensor module provided by an embodiment of the utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the second housing provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 An exploded schematic diagram of a second housing provided in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0024] Figure 5 Another exploded schematic diagram of the sensor module provided in an embodiment of the utility model.

[0025] The following are marked in the figure:

[0026] 1. Outer shell; 11. First shell; 12. Second shell; 121. Top shell; 122. Side shell; 2. Pressure sensor; 21. Base layer; 22. Piezoresistive film; 23. Control main board; 3. Force-bearing part; 4. Groove part; 5. Raised part; 100. Sensor module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following is a further detailed description of the specific implementation of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "inside", "outside", etc. used in the present invention to indicate the orientation or positional relationship are based on the positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices and elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. are used in the present invention to describe various information, but these information should not be limited to these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, "first" information may also be referred to as "second" information, and similarly, "second" information may also be referred to as "first" information.

[0030] A thin film pressure sensor is a thin film flexible electronic component that can sense the pressure applied to its surface. It can be used in electronic products such as medical beds, sweeping robots, and electronic drums to sense external pressure. The pressure data collected by the impact or knocking force can be used for secondary development of electronic products. It can also be used in robotic arms or industrial robots and their end effectors. It can also be used in the field of intelligent sports equipment such as wheeled mobile robots, leg-foot robots, anti-collision walls, musical instrument pedals, smart boxing gloves, and smart boxing targets.

[0031] In the related art, when the robot grasps an object, it can sense the force applied to the finger by the outside world through the thin film pressure sensor, thereby adjusting the grasping force to avoid damage to the object or loose grasping. However, in the process of sensing the pressure distribution of the mechanical dexterous hand, the thin film pressure sensor is easily damaged by the external environment, which affects the life of the sensor, and further affects the use of the mechanical dexterous hand and the robot, resulting in poor reliability of the robot.

[0032] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the utility model provides a sensor module 100, which is applied to the fingers of a mechanical dexterous hand. The sensor module 100 includes a shell 1 and a pressure sensor 2. The shell 1 is provided with a force-bearing part 3; the pressure sensor 2 is arranged in the inner cavity of the shell 1, the force-bearing part 3 faces the pressure sensor 2 and the force-bearing part 3 is elastic, and the force-bearing part 3 is used to transmit the externally applied pressure to the pressure sensor 2.

[0033] Based on the above technical solution, in this embodiment, a sensor module 100 is arranged on the finger of the mechanical dexterous hand, and the force-bearing part 3 faces the pressure sensor 2 in the inner cavity of the shell 1, and has a certain elasticity. When the finger of the mechanical dexterous hand contacts with an external object, the pressure sensor 2 is not in direct contact with the outside world, but the force-bearing part 3 bears the pressure applied by the outside world, senses the pressure distribution in real time, and transmits the pressure distribution to the pressure sensor 2 in the inner cavity of the shell 1, so that the pressure sensor 2 can accurately sense the pressure applied to the finger. In this way, the sensor module 100 on the mechanical dexterous hand can not only sense the pressure distribution, but also protect the pressure sensor 2, and prevent the external environment from damaging the pressure sensor 2, thereby extending the service life of the sensor and improving the reliability of the robot.

[0034] As an implementation method, Figure 2 As shown, the housing 1 includes a first shell 11 and a second shell 12 , the second shell 12 is connected to the first shell 11 to form an inner cavity, and the second shell 12 has a force-bearing portion 3 .

[0035] Specifically, the first shell 11 (lower shell) and the second shell 12 (upper shell) are detachable connection structures. The first shell 11, the second shell 12 and the pressure sensor 2 are all independent components. If any component is damaged, they can be independently disassembled for repair and replacement. During installation, the pressure sensor 2 is first embedded in the first shell 11 or the second shell 12, and the pressure sensor 2 is fixed to prevent the pressure sensor 2 from loosening in the inner cavity of the shell 1, and then the second shell 12 is covered on the first shell 11 to surround the pressure sensor 2. Among them, the force-bearing part 3 is arranged in the second shell 12, the first shell 11 is attached to one side of the fingertip, and the second shell 12 (or the force-bearing part 3) faces the outside world to sense the pressure applied by the outside world.

[0036] As an implementation method, Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the second shell 12 includes a top shell 121 and a side shell 122 . The side shell 122 surrounds the outside of the top shell 121 . The side shell 122 is snap-connected to the first shell 11 . The top shell 121 has a force-bearing portion 3 .

[0037] Specifically, the side shell 122 surrounds the outside of the top shell 121 to form the second shell 12. The top shell 121 has a force-bearing portion 3 that can withstand a large external pressure, and the side shell 122 surrounds the outside of the top shell 121 to protect and fix the pressure sensor 2, thereby enhancing the structural strength of the second shell 12. During installation, the pressure sensor 2 is first embedded in the second shell 12, and then the second shell 12 is covered on the first shell 11, and the side shell 122 of the second shell 12 is snapped with the first shell 11, so that the second shell 12 is snapped and fixed with the first shell 11.

[0038] In this embodiment, the top shell 121 can be made of silicone material, which has good elasticity and flexibility, and can effectively absorb and withstand external impact or extrusion force; while the side shell 122 is made of hard plastic material, which has high hardness and pressure resistance, and can effectively protect the pressure sensor 2 inside the sensor module 100. The elasticity of the top shell 121 and the hardness of the side shell 122 are combined to form a second shell 12 that combines softness and hardness. The top shell 121 made of silicone material can withstand external pressure, and the side shell 122 made of hard plastic material provides a protective layer, thereby improving the structural stability of the sensor module 100.

[0039] In this embodiment, in addition to the snap connection, the second shell 12 and the first shell 11 can also be connected by adhesion, bolt connection, welding, sheet metal integration, ultrasonic connection, hot pressing connection, etc., so that the various components are assembled into a whole.

[0040] As an embodiment, one of the first shell 11 and the side shell 122 is provided with a groove portion 4, and the other of the first shell 11 and the side shell 122 is provided with a protrusion portion 5, and the protrusion portion 5 is embedded in the groove portion 4 so that the side shell 122 and the first shell 11 are snap-connected.

[0041] Specifically, in this embodiment, a groove portion 4 (or a protrusion 5) can be provided on the upper surface or side wall of the first shell 11, and a protrusion 5 (or a groove portion 4) can be provided on the lower surface or side wall of the side shell 122 of the second shell 12. When the second shell 12 is covered on the first shell 11, the protrusion 5 is embedded in the groove portion 4 to achieve the snap-fit ​​fixation of the second shell 12 and the first shell 11. It can be understood that the design of the groove portion 4 and the protrusion 5 can make the maintenance or repair of the sensor module 100 simpler and more convenient. Since the shell 1 can be easily disassembled and reassembled, maintenance personnel can more easily open the shell 1 to maintain or replace the damaged pressure sensor 2 inside, thereby reducing maintenance time and cost.

[0042] As an implementation method, Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the outer wall of the first shell 11 is provided with a groove portion 4, and the inner wall of the side shell 122 is provided with a protrusion portion 5.

[0043] Specifically, the groove portion 4 of the outer wall of the first shell 11 cooperates with the protrusion 5 of the inner wall of the side shell 122. This design ensures the correct alignment of the second shell 12 and the first shell 11 during assembly, and prevents misalignment or mismatching between the shells. In this embodiment, the groove portion 4 can be set on the left and right outer walls of the first shell 11, or the groove portion 4 can be set on the front, back, left and right outer walls of the first shell 11. Correspondingly, the protrusion 5 is set on each inner wall of the side shell 122, and each protrusion 5 is embedded in each groove portion 4 one by one, which can increase the rigidity of the overall structure of the shell 1, make the connection between the various parts of the shell 1 tighter, and improve the overall structural stability of the sensor module 100.

[0044] As an implementation manner, the second shell 12 includes an adhesive member (not shown in the drawings), and the top shell 121 and the side shell 122 are fixed by the adhesive member.

[0045] Specifically, the adhesive member can be glue, and the top shell 121 and the side shell 122 are fixed by glue to form the second shell 12. In this embodiment, the adhesive member is used as a fixing material, which can simplify the assembly process of the sensor module 100. Compared with traditional screws or other fixing members, the use of the adhesive member does not require complicated tools or additional steps. The top shell 121 and the side shell 122 can be fixed by simply connecting the adhesive member, thereby greatly improving the assembly efficiency. Of course, in actual applications, the second shell 12 can also be made into an integrated structure using a soft and hard mold process.

[0046] As an implementation method, Figure 5 As shown, the pressure sensor 2 includes a base layer 21, a piezoresistive film 22 and a control main board 23. The base layer 21 and the control main board 23 are respectively attached to the two sides of the piezoresistive film 22. The base layer 21 is arranged on the side close to the second shell 12, and the control main board 23 is arranged on the side close to the first shell 11.

[0047] Specifically, the piezoresistive material is cut to form a piezoresistive film 22, and the piezoresistive film 22 is adhered or otherwise fixed to a substrate material (i.e., the substrate layer 21) to eliminate electrical crosstalk problems such as current between the piezoresistive films 22, while maintaining the overall structural and dimensional stability of the piezoresistive film 22. The control motherboard 23 can be a processing module integrating the sensing electrode sheet and the PCB. The acquisition electrode sheet and the processing unit are made into an integral PCB integrated processing module through technical processes to achieve the effect of integrated acquisition and processing. When in use, the outside world applies pressure to the top shell 121, and the force-bearing part 3 transmits the force to the piezoresistive film 22. The piezoresistive film 22 senses the external pressure and produces a resistance change. The control motherboard 23 collects the resistance change information and converts it into a voltage, and then converts it into a change value in a specified interval and packages the collected data for output, thereby realizing the pressure sensing function of the pressure sensor 2.

[0048] In this embodiment, the piezoresistive material may be cut by laser or die cutting techniques to avoid or reduce electrical crosstalk such as current and optimize data collection.

[0049] As an implementation manner, the orthographic projections of the piezoresistive film 22 and the top shell 121 in the first direction overlap, and the projection area of ​​the top shell 121 is smaller than or equal to the projection area of ​​the piezoresistive film 22 .

[0050] Specifically, Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the first direction is the vertical direction of the sensor module 100. Since the projection area of ​​the top shell 121 is less than or equal to the projection area of ​​the piezoresistive film 22, that is, the area of ​​the piezoresistive film 22 is larger than the area of ​​the top shell 121 (force-bearing part 3), this means that the piezoresistive film 22 can sense all pressure changes or touches in the area. Since the projection area of ​​the top shell 121 does not exceed the projection range of the piezoresistive film 22, no errors or missed measurements will occur. Any pressure or touch applied to the force-bearing part 3 will be accurately detected and recorded, ensuring the reliability of the sensor module 100. As the main sensing element of the sensor, the piezoresistive film 22 can directly receive the pressure signal in its coverage area and accurately collect the signal generated by the pressure change.

[0051] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the utility model provides a mechanical dexterous hand (not shown in the drawings), comprising a finger and a sensor module 100, wherein the sensor module 100 is disposed on the fingertip.

[0052] Specifically, in this embodiment, the sensor module 100 is arranged on the fingertips of the mechanical dexterous hand, and the fingers can sense the characteristics and state of the objects in contact, so that the sensor module 100 can simulate the tactile perception of human fingers, thereby achieving delicate touch and perception of objects. The sensor module 100 provides real-time touch feedback information, and this real-time feedback can help the manipulator quickly adjust its posture or strength to better adapt to different working scenarios and object characteristics. At the same time, this real-time feedback can also be used to control the movements of the manipulator to make it more precise and controllable.

[0053] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the utility model provides a robot (not shown in the drawings) comprising a mechanical dexterous hand.

[0054] Specifically, the robot of this embodiment integrates a mechanical dexterous hand with precise tactile perception, so that the robot can comprehensively perceive and operate various objects and workpieces in the environment when performing tasks. Through the sensor module 100 at the fingertips, the robot can perceive the characteristics, shape and state of the object in real time, so as to better plan and execute the corresponding operation.

[0055] The robot's dexterous mechanical hand can not only sense the characteristics of objects, but also perform intelligent grasping and manipulation based on real-time feedback and control algorithms. It can dynamically adjust the posture and strength of the fingers according to factors such as the shape, surface characteristics and weight of the object, achieving efficient and precise grasping and manipulation, thereby improving work efficiency and success rate.

[0056] It can be understood that the dexterous mechanical hand has optimized force control and operational flexibility. After being integrated into the robot, the robot can show good adaptability and flexibility in different scenarios and tasks. Whether it is assembling parts on an industrial production line or performing delicate surgical operations in the medical field, the robot can be adjusted and applied as needed.

[0057] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in the present utility model specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, including these combinations. It should be noted that, in this article, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or system including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or system. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "including a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or system including the element.

[0058] The serial numbers of the embodiments of the utility model are only for description and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments. The above description is only a specific embodiment of the utility model, but the protection scope of the utility model is not limited to this. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed by the utility model, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A sensor module, applied to a finger of a mechanical dexterous hand, characterized in that: The sensor module comprises: A housing having a force-bearing portion; A pressure sensor is arranged in the inner cavity of the shell, the force-bearing part faces the pressure sensor and has elasticity, and the force-bearing part is used to transmit the pressure applied from the outside to the pressure sensor.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing includes a first shell and a second shell, the second shell is connected to the first shell to form the inner cavity, and the second shell has the force-bearing portion.

3. The sensor module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second shell includes a top shell and a side shell, the side shell surrounds the outside of the top shell, the side shell is snap-connected to the first shell, and the top shell has the force-bearing portion.

4. The sensor module according to claim 3, characterized in that: One of the first shell and the side shell is provided with a groove portion, and the other of the first shell and the side shell is provided with a protrusion portion, and the protrusion portion is embedded in the groove portion, so that the side shell and the first shell are snap-connected.

5. The sensor module according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer side wall of the first shell is provided with the groove portion, and the inner side wall of the side shell is provided with the convex portion.

6. The sensor module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second shell includes an adhesive member, and the top shell and the side shell are fixed by the adhesive member.

7. The sensor module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure sensor includes a base layer, a piezoresistive film and a control mainboard. The base layer and the control mainboard are respectively attached to two sides of the piezoresistive film. The base layer is arranged on a side close to the second shell, and the control mainboard is arranged on a side close to the first shell.

8. The sensor module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The orthographic projections of the piezoresistive film and the top shell in the first direction overlap, and the projection area of ​​the top shell is smaller than or equal to the projection area of ​​the piezoresistive film.

9. A mechanical dexterous hand, characterized in that: The invention comprises a finger and a sensor module as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sensor module is arranged on the web of the finger.

10. A robot, characterized in that: Comprising the mechanical dexterous hand as described in claim 9.

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