Robot actuator driving plate, mechanical arm and robot

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a robot actuator driving board, which comprises at least one power supply and communication interface connected with a power supply and / or a controller; and the at least one actuator interface is connected with at least one actuator. The robot actuator driving board is in direct insertion connection with the actuator through the interface, a cable between the robot actuator driving board and the actuator is omitted, the problem of complex structure caused by wiring is solved, the integration degree of the actuator is improved, the actuator driving structure is simplified, the cost is lower, and the control stability is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to robot actuator drive boards, robotic arms, and robots. Background Technology

[0002] Humanoid robots are intelligent robots whose appearance and movement are similar to humans. They typically have a head, torso, and limbs similar to those of a human, allowing them to use human-designed tools and equipment more easily and with greater flexibility. The upper limbs of a humanoid robot usually include hand, wrist, and arm structures.

[0003] In existing technologies, robot hands (wrist or palm components) typically rely on joint actuators to perform related movements. Joint actuators are usually installed in the hand to control the robot hand's movement, such as driving the swinging of the wrist component or the opening and closing of the robot palm component. However, this approach of installing joint actuators in the robot's wrist or palm component usually results in the wrist or palm component being too large and heavy, thereby reducing the dexterity of the robot hand. Specifically, the multiple actuators controlling a robot's hand are typically located in the wrist or palm component, which leads to the following problems: First, each actuator occupies a large amount of space in the hand (wrist or palm component), resulting in a large, bulky, and unattractive robot hand. For example, installing actuators on each finger can make the robot's fingers less flexible, limiting its ability to grasp objects. Second, the heavy weight of the hand may result in significant inertia during robot hand movements, leading to insufficient control precision and potentially causing instability in the control system, making it difficult to achieve the expected motion trajectory or position control. Third, placing actuators separately in the hand requires the actuator control module to connect to each actuator in the hand via signal and power cables, increasing the wiring in the robot hand and making the hand structure complex. If the cables are not arranged reasonably, it will result in wasted space, affecting the overall appearance of the robot. In fact, during robot hand movements, frequent pulling on the actuator cables can cause the cables to break, preventing the robot from working properly. In addition, arranging cables in the wrist or palm component can easily lead to the risk of leakage and short circuits when the robot performs actions that come into contact with water. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a robot upper limb structure and a robot.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a robot actuator drive board is provided, comprising:

[0006] At least one power and communication interface for connecting to a power supply and / or controller;

[0007] At least one actuator interface, connected to at least one actuator.

[0008] Optionally, it also includes at least one encoder interface for connecting to the position encoder corresponding to the actuator.

[0009] Optionally, both the actuator interface and the encoder interface are Type-C interfaces.

[0010] Optionally, the robot actuator drive board includes a first drive board and a second drive board that are connected to each other;

[0011] The power supply and communication interface and the actuator interface are both located on the first driver board;

[0012] The second driver board is equipped with a second power interface and a second communication interface.

[0013] Optionally, the robot actuator drive board includes a first drive board and a second drive board that are connected to each other;

[0014] The power supply and communication interface, the actuator interface, and the encoder interface are all located on the first driver board.

[0015] The second driver board is equipped with a second power interface and a second communication interface.

[0016] Optionally, the first driver board is provided with a first driver board interface and a second driver board interface, both of which are Type-C interfaces;

[0017] The second driver board is provided with a first driver board plug and a second driver board plug. The first driver board plug is connected to the first driver board interface, and the second driver board plug is connected to the second driver board interface.

[0018] Optionally, the edge of the first drive board is provided with at least one recess, and each actuator interface is disposed in the corresponding recess.

[0019] Optionally, each of the actuator interfaces and the encoder interfaces is disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the first drive board;

[0020] The encoder interface is positioned perpendicular to the first drive board and is on the same vertical line as the encoder plug of the position encoder.

[0021] Optional features also include chip heat sinks and power device heat sinks.

[0022] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a robotic arm is provided, including a hand and an arm, and further comprising:

[0023] At least one hand actuator and the robot actuator drive plate described in any of the above technical solutions are disposed on the arm, and the output end of the hand actuator is connected to the hand through a transmission mechanism;

[0024] Each of the hand actuators includes at least one actuator plug that is compatible with the actuator interface.

[0025] Optionally, the position encoder corresponding to each of the hand actuators includes at least one encoder plug that is compatible with the encoder interface.

[0026] Optionally, the hand includes a wrist component; at least one of the hand actuators includes a first wrist actuator and a second wrist actuator.

[0027] The transmission mechanism includes a first transmission mechanism, which includes:

[0028] A first link, a second link, and a first bevel gear set; wherein the first bevel gear set is connected to the wrist component, and is connected to the first wrist actuator and the second wrist actuator respectively through the first link and the second link.

[0029] Optionally, the first bevel gear set includes:

[0030] A first bevel gear, a second bevel gear, and a third bevel gear; wherein, the first connecting rod connects to the first bevel gear, the second connecting rod connects to the second bevel gear, and the third bevel gear is connected to the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear respectively in the vertical direction.

[0031] Optionally, the first bevel gear set includes:

[0032] A first bevel gear, a second bevel gear, a third bevel gear, and a fourth bevel gear; wherein, the first connecting rod is connected to the first bevel gear, and the second connecting rod is connected to the second bevel gear;

[0033] The third bevel gear and the fourth bevel gear are arranged opposite to each other and are connected to the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear respectively in the vertical direction.

[0034] Optionally, the first transmission mechanism further includes:

[0035] A first connecting member is provided, through which the first connecting rod is connected to the first bevel gear;

[0036] The second connecting member connects the second link to the second bevel gear.

[0037] Optionally, the hand further includes a palm component; at least one of the hand actuators includes a palm actuator;

[0038] The transmission mechanism includes a second transmission mechanism, which includes:

[0039] The flexible transmission component and the second bevel gear set are provided. The output end of the palm actuator is connected to the second bevel gear set through the flexible transmission component, wherein the second bevel gear set is connected to the palm component.

[0040] Optionally, the second bevel gear set includes:

[0041] A fifth bevel gear, a sixth bevel gear, and a seventh bevel gear; wherein the fifth bevel gear is connected to the sixth bevel gear and the seventh bevel gear in the vertical direction, and the sixth bevel gear and the seventh bevel gear are connected to the palm component.

[0042] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a robot is provided, including at least one robot actuator drive board as described in any of the above-described technical solutions.

[0043] In existing technologies, the actuators controlling the movement of a robot hand are separately located on the robot's wrist or palm components. These actuators occupy a significant amount of space, resulting in a large, bulky, and aesthetically unappealing robot hand. This leads to reduced dexterity, high inertia due to weight, insufficient control precision, and complex wiring issues. The robot actuator drive board, robotic arm, and robot disclosed in this disclosure address these problems by integrating the hand actuators into the arm portion. This reduces the size and weight of the robot hand, avoids distributing multiple actuators across the entire hand, and improves overall robot hand performance. The design offers advantages in flexibility and aesthetics. It also reduces the weight of the robot hand, lowers inertia during movement, and improves control precision, thereby enhancing dexterity. Furthermore, since the hand does not have actuators, it eliminates the need for corresponding signal and power cables, reducing wiring. Additionally, the robot actuator drive board in this disclosure uses a direct-plug interface to connect each actuator and its corresponding position encoder, eliminating the need for hand and arm cables. This results in a simpler, more compact structure, lower cost, higher control stability, and easier installation. It also avoids the risk of leakage and short circuits when the robot hand comes into contact with water.

[0044] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0045] The accompanying drawings are provided to better understand this solution and do not constitute a limitation of this disclosure. Wherein:

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robot actuator drive board in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first type of robotic arm including a robot actuator drive board in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0048] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of a first type of robotic arm including a robot actuator drive board in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second type of robotic arm including a robot actuator drive board in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another angle of the structure of a second type of robotic arm including a robot actuator drive plate in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0051] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first bevel gear set in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0052] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second bevel gear set in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0053] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0054] Robot actuator drive board 1; power and communication interface 101; actuator interface 102; encoder interface 103; first drive board 104; second drive board 105; second power interface 106; second communication interface 107; first drive board interface 108; second drive board interface 109; first drive board connector 110; second drive board connector 111; chip heat sink 112; power device heat sink 113; reserved interface 114;

[0055] Hand 2; Wrist component 201; Palm component 202; U-shaped structure 203; First wrist structure 204; Second wrist structure 205; Arm 3; First forearm structure 301; Second forearm structure 302; Third forearm structure 303; Fourth forearm structure 304;

[0056] Hand actuator 4; First wrist actuator 4a; First actuator plug 401a; Second wrist actuator 4b; Second actuator plug 401b; Palm actuator 4c; Third actuator plug 401c; Position encoder 5; First position encoder 5a; Second position encoder 5b; Third position encoder 5c; First encoder plug 501a; Second encoder plug 501b;

[0057] First transmission mechanism 6; first connecting rod 601; second connecting rod 602; first bevel gear set 603; first bevel gear 603a; second bevel gear 603b; third bevel gear 603c; fourth bevel gear 603d; first connecting member 604; second connecting member 605; second transmission mechanism 7; flexible transmission component 701; second bevel gear set 702; fifth bevel gear 702a; sixth bevel gear 702b; seventh bevel gear 702c. Detailed Implementation

[0058] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, including various details of the embodiments to aid understanding, and should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0059] All technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0060] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "at least one" refers to one or more, and "multiple" refers to two or more (including two).

[0061] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0062] To address the technical problem of complex wiring in existing robot actuators, this disclosure provides a robot actuator driver board 1, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes:

[0063] At least one power and communication interface 101 is provided for connecting a power supply and / or a controller. The power supply can be a DC or AC power source, such as a battery pack or an external power outlet. The controller establishes a communication connection with the robot actuator drive board 1 via the communication interface, thereby sending control signals to control each actuator. The power and communication interface 101 can be a single interface, such as using the same Type-C interface for power and communication signal transmission, or it can be two independent interfaces: one power interface and one communication interface, such as using an XT30 interface for power transmission and a Type-C interface for communication signal transmission.

[0064] At least one actuator interface 102 is provided for connecting at least one actuator.

[0065] Specifically, with Figure 2 Taking the hand actuator 4 as an example, the hand actuator 4 is equipped with an actuator plug 401 that matches the actuator interface 102. That is, the robot actuator drive board 1 is directly connected to the hand actuator 4 through the actuator interface 102 and the actuator plug 401, which can eliminate the need for corresponding power supply cables and signal cables. The robot actuator drive board 1 transmits current signals to the hand actuator 4 through the actuator interface 102 to power the hand actuator 4, and / or transmits data with the hand actuator 4 to transmit control signals to the hand actuator 4.

[0066] In this embodiment, the robot actuator drive board is directly connected to the actuator via an interface, eliminating the need for cables between the drive board and the actuator. This solves the structural complexity problem caused by wiring, improves the integration of the actuator, simplifies the actuator drive structure, reduces costs, increases control stability, and simplifies assembly.

[0067] As an optional implementation, the robot actuator drive board 1 further includes at least one encoder interface 103 connected to a position encoder corresponding to the actuator. For example, each hand actuator 4 is provided with a corresponding position encoder 5, and a permanent magnet is installed at the output end of the hand actuator 4. The position encoder 5 is set corresponding to the output end of the hand actuator 4. The rotational position of the actuator output shaft is calculated by detecting the magnetic field change information of the permanent magnet, thereby controlling the actuator according to the detection signal.

[0068] Specifically, the position encoder 5 corresponding to the hand actuator 4 is also equipped with an encoder plug 501 that matches the encoder interface 103. That is, the robot actuator drive board 1 is directly connected to the position encoder 5 through the encoder interface 103 and the encoder plug 501. The robot actuator drive board 1 transmits current signals to the position encoder 5 through the encoder interface 103 to power the position encoder 5, and / or transmits data with the position encoder 5 to transmit control signals to the position encoder.

[0069] In this embodiment, the robot actuator drive board is directly connected to the position encoder via an interface, eliminating the need for cables between the drive board and the position encoder. This solves the structural complexity problem caused by wiring, improves the integration of the actuator, simplifies the installation structure of the position encoder, reduces costs, increases control stability, and simplifies assembly.

[0070] As an optional implementation, both the actuator interface 102 and the encoder interface 103 are Type-C interfaces.

[0071] The Type-C interface can transmit power to actuators and position encoders, as well as transmit data and support various peripheral expansions. It enables the simultaneous transmission of data, images, and audio, among other information. This multi-functional integration reduces the number of interfaces and cable clutter, making device connections simpler and more efficient. The Type-C interface is compact and smaller in size; its standardized design ensures good compatibility. Furthermore, the Type-C interface features a reversible plug design, allowing for quick connection regardless of orientation, greatly improving assembly convenience and eliminating concerns about interface orientation, thus reducing the error rate during actuator assembly.

[0072] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, the robot actuator drive board 1 includes a first drive board 104 and a second drive board 105 connected to each other; wherein, the power supply and communication interface 101 and the actuator interface 102 are both disposed on the first drive board 104. The second drive board 105 is provided with a second power interface 106 and a second communication interface 107.

[0073] Specifically, the robot actuator drive board 1 includes multiple sub-drive boards, namely a first drive board 104 and a second drive board 105. The first drive board 104 is used to directly connect to the driven actuator and its corresponding position encoder to transmit current and communication signals. Normally, the power supply output voltage is constant, but the operating voltage required by the actuators in different parts of the robot differs from the power supply output voltage. For example, the operating voltage required by the finger actuator is lower than that of the wrist actuator. Therefore, the second drive board 105 is used to convert the voltage to the operating voltage of the driven actuator. The second drive board 105 is a voltage conversion board used to convert the external input voltage level and communication method according to the voltage level and communication method of the driven actuator and position encoder, such as converting 48VDC (direct current) to 24V DC (direct current) and Ethernet communication to RS485 communication, etc.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the second power interface 106 and the second communication interface 107 are disposed on the second drive board 105. Since the operating voltage of the actuators in different parts is different, when the voltage provided by the first drive board 104 cannot meet the needs of some actuators, the second power interface 106 can provide the driven device with the voltage after voltage conversion so as to realize the normal operation of the driven device (such as actuator, position encoder, etc.).

[0075] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first driver board 104 is provided with a first driver board interface 108 and a second driver board interface 109, both of which are Type-C interfaces.

[0076] The second drive board 105 is provided with a first drive board plug 110 and a second drive board plug 111. The first drive board plug 110 is connected to the first drive board interface 108, and the second drive board plug 111 is connected to the second drive board interface 109.

[0077] Specifically, the second drive board 105 is a voltage conversion board, whose input terminal is connected to the power supply and other communication devices, such as controllers and host computers. It is used to convert the externally input voltage level and communication signal according to the voltage level and communication method of the driven actuator and position encoder, transforming them into a power supply and communication method compatible with the driven actuator and position encoder. To simplify wiring, the first drive board 104 and the second drive board 105 can also be connected via one or more Type-C interfaces to achieve current and communication signal transmission between them. This direct-plug connection method also simplifies the connection between the first drive board 104 and the second drive board 105, resulting in a more compact structure.

[0078] As an optional implementation, the edge of the first drive plate 104 is provided with at least one recess 104a, and each actuator interface 102 is disposed in the corresponding recess 104a.

[0079] like Figure 1 As shown, the first drive board 104 and the second drive board 105 are perpendicularly connected to each other; each actuator interface 102 and the corresponding encoder interface 103 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the second drive board 105; wherein, the actuator interface 102 is disposed in the recess 104a of the first drive board 104.

[0080] like Figure 2 As shown, the edge of the first drive plate 104 has at least one recess 104a, the depth of which matches the thickness of the actuator, so that when the actuator is connected to the actuator interface 102 on the first drive plate 104, the outer surface of the actuator is flush with the edge of the first drive plate 104. Meanwhile, the encoder interface 103 is located on the opposite side of the actuator interface 102, making full use of both sides of the first drive plate 104, resulting in a neater and more compact structure with less space required.

[0081] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, each actuator interface 102 and encoder interface 103 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the first drive board 104; the encoder interface 103 is disposed perpendicular to the first drive board 104 and is located on the same vertical line as the encoder plug of the position encoder.

[0082] like Figure 1As shown, the encoder interface 103 is set perpendicular to the first drive board 104 and is located on the side of the first drive board 104 facing the position encoder 5. There is a certain distance between the position encoder 5 and the first drive board 104. Therefore, in this embodiment, by setting the encoder interface 103 and the encoder plug 501 perpendicular to the first drive board 104, the encoder plug 501 corresponds to the encoder interface 103 in the vertical direction, thereby connecting the encoder plug 501 with the position encoder 5 and realizing the transmission of electrical energy and / or data to the position encoder 5.

[0083] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, the robot actuator drive board 1 also includes a chip heat sink 112 and a power device heat sink 113.

[0084] The chip heat sink 112 and the power device heat sink 113 can be mounted on the first driving board 104 or the second driving board 105 to dissipate heat from the chip and the power device. Specifically, heat can be dissipated using metal materials, or by means of air cooling, water cooling, or other heat dissipation methods.

[0085] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 1 As shown, the robot actuator drive board 1 also includes multiple reserved interfaces 114, which can be set on the first drive board 104. The reserved interfaces 114 can also be Type-C interfaces. The reserved interfaces 114 are used to connect other position encoders or to realize functional expansion connections of the drive board. In this disclosure, all interfaces on the robot actuator drive board 1 can realize the transmission of electrical power and signals simultaneously, or they can be used only as interfaces for the transmission of electrical power or signals.

[0086] To address the technical problems of large size and weight of existing robot hands, resulting in insufficient dexterity and complex hand routing, this disclosure also provides a robotic arm, such as... Figure 2 As shown, it includes a hand 2 and an arm 3, and also includes:

[0087] At least one hand actuator 4 and the robot actuator drive plate 1 in any of the above embodiments are disposed on the arm 3, and the output end of the hand actuator 4 is connected to the hand 2 through a transmission mechanism.

[0088] Specifically, in this disclosure, the robotic arm's hand 2 no longer has actuators. All actuators used to drive and control the hand 2 are located on the arm 3. This reduces the size and weight of the robot hand, avoids distributing multiple actuators on the hand, and improves the hand's flexibility and aesthetics. It also reduces the hand's weight, lowers inertia during movement, and improves control precision, thus enhancing dexterity. Furthermore, since the hand does not have actuators, the robot actuator drive board 1, which controls the operation of each hand actuator, is designed with a direct-plug interface. This interface connects to the driven hand actuator and the corresponding position encoder, eliminating the need for signal and power cables, reducing wiring complexity, optimizing hand space, simplifying the structure, lowering costs, and increasing control stability. It also avoids the risk of leakage and short circuits when the robot hand comes into contact with water.

[0089] As an optional implementation, each hand actuator 4 includes at least one actuator plug 401 that matches the actuator interface 102 on the robot actuator drive board 1, and the position encoder 5 corresponding to each hand actuator 4 includes at least one encoder plug 501 that matches the encoder interface 103.

[0090] In this embodiment, the robot actuator drive board 1, which controls the operation of each hand actuator, is designed with a plug-in interface. It connects to the position encoder corresponding to the hand actuator through the interface, which also eliminates the need for signal cables and power cables of the position encoder, reduces the wiring of the robot hand, reduces the difficulty of cable arrangement, optimizes the space of the hand, makes the structure simpler, lowers the cost, and has higher control stability. It also avoids the risk of leakage and short circuit when the robot hand comes into contact with water.

[0091] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 2 As shown, the hand 2 includes a wrist component 201; at least one hand actuator 4 includes a first wrist actuator 4a and a second wrist actuator 4b.

[0092] The transmission mechanism includes a first transmission mechanism 6, which includes:

[0093] The first link 601, the second link 602, and the first bevel gear set 603; wherein the first bevel gear set 603 is connected to the wrist component 201, and is connected to the first wrist actuator 4a and the second wrist actuator 4b respectively through the first link 601 and the second link 602.

[0094] Specifically, since the first wrist actuator 4a and the second wrist actuator 4b are located on the robot's arm 3, and there is a certain distance between the arm 3 and the wrist component 201, the first wrist actuator 4a and the second wrist actuator 4b cannot be directly connected to the wrist component 201. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the first wrist actuator 4a and the second wrist actuator 4b rotate, they drive the wrist component 201 to move through the first transmission mechanism 6. Even without actuators installed inside the wrist component 201, the wrist component 201 can still be driven. On the one hand, this eliminates the need for actuators on the robot's wrist component 201, reducing the size and weight of the wrist component, improving its flexibility, reducing its inertia during movement, improving control accuracy, and achieving a more precise motion trajectory. On the other hand, it also eliminates the need to arrange signal cables, power cables, etc., for controlling the actuators on the wrist component, avoiding complex wiring and preventing the risk of leakage or short circuits caused by water contact with the cables when the wrist component comes into contact with water.

[0095] In this embodiment, the hand actuator 4 includes a first wrist actuator 4a and a second wrist actuator 4b, each equipped with a corresponding actuator plug and encoder plug. Specifically, the first wrist actuator 4a includes two first actuator plugs 401a, and its corresponding first position encoder 5a includes a first encoder plug 501a; the second wrist actuator 4b includes two second actuator plugs 401b, and its corresponding second position encoder 5b includes a second encoder plug 501b. In this configuration, the robot actuator drive board 1 can be equipped with at least two actuator interfaces 102, including a first actuator interface 102a and a second actuator interface 102b, respectively connected to the corresponding first actuator plugs 401a and 401b for transmitting electrical energy and signals with the first wrist actuator 4a.

[0096] The first position encoder 5a is used to collect the rotation angle signal from the output end of the first wrist actuator 4a and feed it back to the robot actuator drive board 1. The second position encoder 5b is used to collect the rotation angle signal from the output end of the second wrist actuator 4b and feed it back to the drive board. It also needs to transmit power and signals with the robot actuator drive board 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the robot actuator drive board 1 can be equipped with at least two encoder interfaces 103, including a first encoder interface 103a and a second encoder interface 103b, which are respectively connected to the corresponding first encoder plug 501a and second encoder plug 501b. By connecting the actuators and their corresponding position encoders directly to the same robot actuator drive board through these interfaces, the wiring of the wrist components and arm is reduced, resulting in a more compact overall structure of the robotic arm.

[0097] As an optional implementation, Figure 1The robot actuator drive board 1 shown is applied to Figure 2 The robotic arm structure shown includes a robot actuator drive plate 1 comprising a first drive plate 104 and a second drive plate 105 that are perpendicularly connected to each other; each actuator interface 102 (102a, 102b) and a corresponding encoder interface 103 (103a, 103b) are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the first drive plate 104; wherein, the actuator interface 102 (102a, 102b) is disposed in the recess 104a of the first drive plate 104.

[0098] like Figure 2 As shown, the edge of the first drive plate 104 has at least one recess 104a. The depth of the recess 104a matches the thickness of the actuator, so that when the actuators (4a, 4b) are connected to the corresponding actuator interfaces 102 (102a, 102b) on the first drive plate 104, the outer surface of the actuators (4a, 4b) is flush with the edge of the first drive plate 104. Meanwhile, the encoder interfaces 103 (103a, 103b) are located on the opposite side of the actuator interfaces 102 (102a, 102b), making full use of both sides of the first drive plate 104, such as... Figure 2 As shown, when each actuator and its corresponding position encoder are connected to the robot actuator drive board 1, they form a cuboid structure, which can serve as the robot's forearm. The structure is more neat and compact, occupies less space, avoids too many wires on the arm causing the robotic arm to become bulky, and also improves the aesthetic appearance of the robotic arm.

[0099] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the first transmission mechanism 6 includes:

[0100] A first link 601, a second link 602, and a first bevel gear set 603; wherein the first bevel gear set 603 is connected to the wrist component 201 and is used to drive the wrist component 201. The first end of the first link 601 is connected to the first output disk 402a corresponding to the first wrist actuator 4a, and the second end of the first link 601 is connected to the first bevel gear set 603; the first end of the second link 602 is connected to the second output disk 402b corresponding to the second wrist actuator 4b, and the second end of the second link 602 is connected to the first bevel gear set 603.

[0101] Specifically, in this embodiment, the output ends of the first wrist actuator 4a and the second wrist actuator 4b rotate, driving the first link 601 and the second link 602 to move. The movement of the first link 601 and the second link 602 further drives the first bevel gear set 603 to rotate. The first bevel gear set 603 drives the wrist component 201 to swing. The power output by the first wrist actuator 4a and the second wrist actuator 4b is transmitted through multiple components, thereby driving the wrist component.

[0102] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 6 As shown, the first bevel gear set 603 includes:

[0103] A first bevel gear 603a, a second bevel gear 603b, and a third bevel gear 603c; wherein, a first connecting rod 601 connects to the first bevel gear 603a, a second connecting rod 602 connects to the second bevel gear 603b, and the third bevel gear 603c is connected to the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b in the vertical direction respectively.

[0104] Specifically, the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b are located on both sides of the wrist component 201 and are perpendicularly connected to the third bevel gear 603c. The third bevel gear 603c is connected to the U-shaped structure 203 of the wrist component 201. The wrist component 201 has a spherical structure and can rotate within the U-shaped structure 203. Driven by the first connecting rod 601 and the second connecting rod 602, the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b rotate, transmitting power to the third bevel gear 603c, which in turn drives the wrist component 201 to move. These three bevel gears—first bevel gear 603a, second bevel gear 603b, and third bevel gear 603c—are used to achieve two degrees of freedom of movement for the wrist component. The first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b act as driving gears, and the third bevel gear 603c acts as a driven gear. When the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b rotate in the same direction, the wrist component 201 can move up and down; when the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b rotate in different directions, the wrist component 201 can move left and right.

[0105] As an optional implementation, the first bevel gear set 603 includes:

[0106] A first bevel gear 603a, a second bevel gear 603b, a third bevel gear 603c, and a fourth bevel gear 603d; wherein, a first connecting rod 601 connects to the first bevel gear 603a, and a second connecting rod 602 connects to the second bevel gear 603b.

[0107] The third bevel gear 603c and the fourth bevel gear 603d are arranged opposite to each other and are connected to the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b respectively in the vertical direction.

[0108] In this embodiment, the first bevel gear set 603 includes four bevel gears. The first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b are located on both sides of the wrist component 201 and are perpendicularly connected to the third bevel gear 603c and the fourth bevel gear 603d. The third bevel gear 603c and the fourth bevel gear 603d are connected to the U-shaped structure 203 of the wrist component 201. The wrist component 201 has a spherical structure and can rotate within the U-shaped structure 203. The first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b rotate under the drive of the first connecting rod 601 and the second connecting rod 602, transmitting power to the third bevel gear 603c and the fourth bevel gear 603d, which in turn drive the wrist component 201 to move. The four bevel gears 603a, 603b, 603c, and 603d are used to realize two degrees of freedom of movement for the wrist component. Specifically, the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b are the driving gears, and the third bevel gear 603c and the fourth bevel gear 603d are the driven gears. When the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b rotate in the same direction, the wrist component 201 can move up and down; when the first bevel gear 603a and the second bevel gear 603b rotate in different directions, the wrist component 201 can move left and right.

[0109] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first transmission mechanism 6 also includes:

[0110] The first connector 604 connects the first connecting rod 601 to the first bevel gear 603a.

[0111] The second connector 605 connects the second connecting rod 602 to the second bevel gear 603b.

[0112] In this embodiment, the first connecting rod 601 and the first bevel gear 603a are connected together by the first connecting member 604, and the second connecting rod 602 and the second bevel gear 603b are connected together by the second connecting member 605. Figure 2As shown, the first connector 604 and the second connector 605 are disc structures respectively connected to the second ends of the first connecting rod 601 and the second connecting rod 602. The wrist component 201 also includes a first wrist structure 204 and a second wrist structure 205 disposed on both sides of the wrist component 201. The first connector 604 is fixed to the wrist component 201 through the first wrist structure 204, and the second connector 605 is fixed to the wrist component 201 through the second wrist structure 205. A first forearm structure 301 is provided at the end of the wrist component 201 away from the palm component 202. The first wrist structure 204 and the second wrist structure 205 are respectively connected to the first forearm structure 301. The first drive plate 104 can be embedded in the groove of the first forearm structure 301 facing the wrist component 201.

[0113] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 4 As shown, the hand 2 also includes a palm part 202; at least one hand actuator 4 includes a palm actuator 4c.

[0114] Specifically, since the hand actuator 4c is located on the arm 3, and there is a certain distance between the arm 3 and the hand component 202, the hand actuator 4c cannot be directly connected to the hand component 202. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the hand actuator 4c rotates, it drives the hand component 202 to move through the second transmission mechanism 7. Even without an actuator inside the hand component 202, the opening and closing of the hand component 202 can still be controlled and driven. On the one hand, this eliminates the need for an actuator on the robot hand component 202, reducing its size and weight and improving its flexibility. On the other hand, it also eliminates the need for signal cables, power cables, etc., used to control the actuator on the hand component 202, avoiding complex wiring on the hand component 202. Furthermore, it avoids the risk of leakage or short circuits caused by water contact with the cables when the robot hand comes into contact with water.

[0115] In this embodiment, the hand actuator 4 also includes a palm actuator 4c. The palm actuator 4c is provided with two corresponding third actuator plugs 401c, and its corresponding third position encoder includes a third encoder plug 501c. In this case, the robot actuator drive board 1 can be provided with three actuator interfaces 102, including a first actuator interface 102a, a second actuator interface 102b, and a third actuator interface 102c, which are respectively connected to the corresponding first actuator plug 401a, second actuator plug 401b, and third actuator plug 401c for transmitting electrical energy and signals with the palm actuator 4c.

[0116] The third position encoder 5c is used to collect the rotation angle signal from the output end of the hand actuator 4c and feed it back to the drive board. It also needs to transmit power and signals with the robot actuator drive board 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the robot actuator drive board 1 can be equipped with three encoder interfaces 103, including a first encoder interface 103a, a second encoder interface 103b, and a third encoder interface 103c, which are respectively connected to the corresponding first encoder plug 501a, second encoder plug 501b, and third encoder plug 501c. Through this interface connection method, the actuator and the corresponding position encoder are directly connected to the same robot actuator drive board, reducing wiring in the hand and arm components, resulting in a more compact overall structure of the robotic arm.

[0117] In this embodiment, the transmission mechanism includes a second transmission mechanism 7, which includes:

[0118] like Figure 5 As shown, the flexible transmission component 701 and the second bevel gear set 702 are connected to the output end of the palm actuator 4c via the flexible transmission component 701. The second bevel gear set 702 is connected to the palm component 202.

[0119] Specifically, in this embodiment, the output end of the palm actuator 4c rotates, driving the flexible transmission component 701 to move. The movement of the flexible transmission component 701 further drives the second bevel gear set 702 to rotate, and the second bevel gear set 702 drives the palm component 202 to open and close. The power output by the palm actuator 4c is transmitted through multiple components, thereby controlling the palm component 202. The flexible transmission component 701 can be a flexible transmission component such as a steel wire shaft or a cross coupling. Since the flexible transmission component needs to pass through the wrist component 201 to connect to the palm component 202, using a rigid material would affect the swinging of the wrist component 201. Therefore, in order to ensure that the wrist component 201 can swing freely, the flexible transmission component needs to deform when the wrist component 201 swings.

[0120] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 7 As shown, the second bevel gear set 702 includes:

[0121] The fifth bevel gear 702a, the sixth bevel gear 702b, and the seventh bevel gear 702c; wherein the fifth bevel gear 702a is connected to the sixth bevel gear 702b and the seventh bevel gear 702c in the vertical direction, and the sixth bevel gear 702b and the seventh bevel gear 702c are connected to the palm component 202.

[0122] Specifically, the sixth bevel gear 702b and the seventh bevel gear 702c are respectively disposed on both sides of the palm component 202 and are perpendicularly connected to the fifth bevel gear 702a. The fifth bevel gear 702a rotates under the drive of the flexible transmission component 701, transmitting power to the sixth bevel gear 702b and the seventh bevel gear 702c, which in turn drive the palm component 202 to move.

[0123] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the robotic arm, in addition to the first forearm structure 301, also includes a second forearm structure 302, a third forearm structure 303, and a fourth forearm structure 304. The second forearm structure 302 and the third forearm structure 303 are located on opposite sides of the second drive plate 105. The first forearm structure 301 is located at the end of the second drive plate 105 closer to the hand 2, and the fourth forearm structure 304 is located at the end of the second drive plate 105 away from the hand 2. These four forearm structures—the first forearm structure 301, the second forearm structure 302, the third forearm structure 303, and the fourth forearm structure 304—can assemble the first drive plate 104, the second drive plate 105, each hand actuator 4, and the corresponding position encoder 5 together to form a complete robotic arm structure. The robotic arm structure has a cuboid shape, making it more neat and compact, occupying less space, avoiding excessive wiring that would make the robotic arm bulky, and improving the overall aesthetics of the robotic arm.

[0124] This disclosure also provides a robot, including at least one robot actuator drive board 1 as described in any of the above embodiments. Since the robot hand does not have actuators, all actuators used to drive and control the robot hand are located on the arm of the robotic arm. This reduces the size and weight of the robot hand (including the wrist or palm), thereby improving its flexibility and aesthetics. Simultaneously, it reduces the weight of the robot hand, lowers the inertia during movement, and improves the control precision, thus enhancing its dexterity. Furthermore, since the hand does not have actuators, corresponding signal and power cables are eliminated. Additionally, the multiple interfaces of the robot actuator drive board 1 connect to the actuators and position encoders, reducing wiring in the robot arm, simplifying cable arrangement, optimizing the spatial layout of the hand and arm, resulting in a simpler structure, lower cost, and higher control stability. It also avoids the risk of leakage and short circuits when the robot hand comes into contact with water.

[0125] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to rearrange, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this disclosure can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this disclosure can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0126] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A robot actuator drive board, characterized in that, include: At least one power and communication interface (101) for connecting to a power supply and / or a controller; At least one actuator interface (102) is connected to at least one actuator.

2. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least one encoder interface (103) for connecting to the position encoder corresponding to the actuator.

3. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the actuator interface (102) and the encoder interface (103) are Type-C interfaces.

4. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first drive board (104) and the second drive board (105) are interconnected; The power supply and communication interface (101) and the actuator interface (102) are both located on the first drive board (104); The second driver board (105) is provided with a second power interface (106) and a second communication interface (107).

5. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first drive board (104) and the second drive board (105) are interconnected; The power supply and communication interface (101), the actuator interface (102), and the encoder interface (103) are all located on the first drive board (104); The second driver board (105) is provided with a second power interface (106) and a second communication interface (107).

6. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first driver board (104) is provided with a first driver board interface (108) and a second driver board interface (109), both of which are Type-C interfaces; The second drive board (105) is provided with a first drive board plug (110) and a second drive board plug (111). The first drive board plug (110) is connected to the first drive board interface (108), and the second drive board plug (111) is connected to the second drive board interface (109).

7. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first drive plate (104) has at least one recess (104a) on its edge, and each actuator interface (102) is located at the corresponding recess (104a).

8. The robot actuator drive board according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the actuator interfaces (102) and the encoder interfaces (103) is disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the first drive board (104); The encoder interface (103) is set perpendicular to the first drive board (104) and is located on the same vertical line as the encoder plug of the position encoder.

9. The robot actuator drive board according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, It also includes a chip heat sink (112) and a power device heat sink (113).

10. A robotic arm comprising a hand (2) and an arm (3), characterized in that, Also includes: At least one hand actuator (4) and the robot actuator drive plate (1) according to any one of claims 1-9 are both disposed on the arm (3), and the output end of the hand actuator (4) is connected to the hand (2) through a transmission mechanism; Each of the hand actuators (4) includes at least one actuator plug (401) that is compatible with the actuator interface (102).

11. The robotic arm according to claim 10, characterized in that, Each of the hand actuators (4) includes a position encoder (5) that is matched with at least one encoder plug (501) that is compatible with the encoder interface (103).

12. The robotic arm according to claim 10, characterized in that, The hand (2) includes a wrist component (201); at least one of the hand actuators (4) includes a first wrist actuator (4a) and a second wrist actuator (4b); The transmission mechanism includes a first transmission mechanism (6), which includes: A first link (601), a second link (602), and a first bevel gear set (603); wherein the first bevel gear set (603) is connected to the wrist component (201), and is connected to the first wrist actuator (4a) and the second wrist actuator (4b) respectively through the first link (601) and the second link (602).

13. The robotic arm according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first bevel gear set (603) includes: A first bevel gear (603a), a second bevel gear (603b), and a third bevel gear (603c); wherein, the first connecting rod (601) is connected to the first bevel gear (603a), and the second connecting rod (602) is connected to the second bevel gear (603b); The third bevel gear (603c) is connected to the first bevel gear (603a) and the second bevel gear (603b) in the vertical direction, respectively.

14. The robotic arm according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first bevel gear set (603) includes: A first bevel gear (603a), a second bevel gear (603b), a third bevel gear (603c), and a fourth bevel gear (603d); wherein, the first connecting rod (601) is connected to the first bevel gear (603a), and the second connecting rod (602) is connected to the second bevel gear (603b); The third bevel gear (603c) and the fourth bevel gear (603d) are arranged opposite to each other and are connected to the first bevel gear (603a) and the second bevel gear (603b) respectively in the vertical direction.

15. The robotic arm according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first transmission mechanism (6) further includes: A first connector (604) is provided, through which the first connecting rod (601) is connected to the first bevel gear (603a); The second connector (605) is used to connect the second link (602) to the second bevel gear (603b).

16. The robotic arm according to claim 10, characterized in that, The hand (2) further includes a palm component (202); at least one of the hand actuators (4) includes a palm actuator (4c); The transmission mechanism includes a second transmission mechanism (7), which includes: The flexible transmission component (701) and the second bevel gear set (702) are connected to the output end of the palm actuator (4c) via the flexible transmission component (701), wherein the second bevel gear set (702) is connected to the palm component (202).

17. The robotic arm according to claim 16, characterized in that, The second bevel gear set (702) includes: A fifth bevel gear (702a), a sixth bevel gear (702b), and a seventh bevel gear (702c); wherein the fifth bevel gear (702a) is connected to the sixth bevel gear (702b) and the seventh bevel gear (702c) in the vertical direction, and the sixth bevel gear (702b) and the seventh bevel gear (702c) are connected to the palm component (202).

18. A robot, characterized in that, It includes at least one robot actuator drive board (1) as described in any one of claims 1-9 above.

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