Clamping jaw assembly of buffer manipulator
By designing a buffer gripper assembly, the problems of unstable gripping and lack of buffering in the existing technology were solved, achieving stable gripping of pipes and absorption of impact force, thereby improving work efficiency and equipment life.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520246814.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-02-17
AI Technical Summary
The gripper devices of existing buffer robots are not stable when gripping pipes, and the pipes are prone to shifting and falling off. In addition, they lack effective buffer design, which causes impact forces to damage the pipes and gripper components, shortening their service life and increasing maintenance costs.
A gripper assembly for a buffered robotic arm is designed, including a bracket, a flip driver, a buffer roller assembly, a clamping driver, a first gripper, and a second gripper. Through the cooperation of the flip driver and the clamping driver, stable clamping of the pipe is achieved, and the buffer roller assembly absorbs the impact force to prevent the pipe from shifting and wearing.
It improves the stability of pipe clamping, reduces the risk of detachment, ensures the continuity of the operation process, reduces wear on pipes and clamps, extends service life, and reduces maintenance costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN223834544U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of oil and gas drilling technology, and in particular to a gripper assembly for a buffered robotic arm. Background Technology
[0002] In oil drilling operations such as tool transport, root establishment, and special drilling, tools need to be transferred between catwalks, rodent holes, and the wellhead. To ensure the stability of the tool transfer, avoid the tool from generating a large impact force on the wellhead, reduce the intensity of manual labor, and reduce the occurrence of dangerous accidents, a special buffer manipulator is used for support and buffering operations. The gripper device is the core component of the buffer manipulator.
[0003] Currently, the gripper devices of buffered robotic arms still have many problems in practical use. On the one hand, the gripping stability of pipes is poor. During the pushing and supporting process, the pipes are prone to lateral movement, causing them to fall off, affecting work efficiency and posing safety hazards. On the other hand, there is a lack of effective cushioning design. During the transfer of pipes, the robotic arm's starting, stopping, accelerating, and decelerating operations, as well as vibrations from the external environment, generate significant impact forces. Existing grippers cannot effectively absorb these impacts; the impact force acts directly on the pipes and grippers, easily causing damage to the pipe surface, accelerating the wear of gripper components, shortening the gripper's service life, and increasing equipment maintenance costs. Utility Model Content
[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved
[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings and deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a gripper assembly for a buffered robotic arm, which solves the technical problems of poor clamping stability of pipes and lack of effective buffer design in the prior art.
[0006] (II) Technical Solution
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the main technical solutions adopted by this utility model include:
[0008] This utility model provides a gripper assembly for a buffer robot, including a bracket, a flip driver, a buffer roller assembly, a gripping driver, a first gripper, and a second gripper. The flip driver is disposed on the bracket and can be connected to the robotic arm of the buffer robot. The buffer roller assembly is installed in the middle of the bracket, and the first and second grippers are rotatably installed inside the bracket, with the first and second grippers located on both sides of the buffer roller assembly. The gripping driver is slidably installed inside the bracket, with its two ends connected to the first and second grippers respectively, to drive the first and second grippers to rotate in the horizontal plane to grip and release the tube. When the gripping parts of the first and second grippers and the buffer roller assembly cooperate to grip the tube, the tube can move along its axial direction.
[0009] Optionally, the first gripper includes a first swing arm, a first connecting rod, and a first gripper arm; one end of the first gripper arm is rotatably mounted on a bracket; the first swing arm is rotatably mounted inside the bracket, one end of the first swing arm is rotatably connected to one end of a clamping driver, and the other end of the first swing arm is rotatably connected to one end of the first gripper arm via a first connecting rod; the clamping driver can drive the first swing arm to rotate in a horizontal plane, and the first swing arm drives the first gripper arm to rotate in a horizontal plane via the first connecting rod to achieve clamping and releasing of the tube.
[0010] Optionally, the second gripper includes a second rocker arm, a second connecting rod, and a second gripper arm; one end of the second gripper arm is rotatably mounted on a bracket; the second rocker arm is rotatably mounted inside the bracket, one end of the second rocker arm is rotatably connected to the other end of the gripping driver, and the other end of the second rocker arm is rotatably connected to one end of the second gripper arm via the second connecting rod; the gripping driver can drive the second rocker arm to rotate in the horizontal plane, and the second rocker arm drives the second gripper arm to rotate in the horizontal plane via the second connecting rod to achieve gripping and releasing of the tube.
[0011] Optionally, the gripping part of the first claw arm is higher than the gripping part of the second claw arm.
[0012] Optionally, the clamping parts of the first and second claw arms are limit rollers.
[0013] Optionally, the buffer roller assembly includes a center roller, a roller frame, a roller shaft, and a buffer spring; the roller frame is mounted in the middle of the bracket, and the roller frame has a groove extending in the front-rear direction; the center roller is slidably mounted in the groove via the roller shaft, and the buffer spring is disposed between the roller shaft and the groove.
[0014] Optionally, a roller baffle is provided on the outside of the chute.
[0015] Optionally, the outer surface of the center roller is coated with polyurethane.
[0016] Optionally, the tilting actuator is a swing hydraulic cylinder; the clamping actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.
[0017] (III) Beneficial Effects
[0018] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0019] This utility model provides a buffer gripper assembly. Through the coordinated action of the first and second grippers, it effectively restricts the horizontal displacement of the pipe, improving gripping stability, preventing lateral movement, significantly reducing the risk of pipe detachment, and ensuring stability throughout the handling process. This guarantees the continuity of the work process, improves work efficiency, and reduces the probability of accidents. Furthermore, the buffer roller assembly effectively absorbs the impact force generated during pipe transport, reducing the impact on the pipe and grippers. This avoids damage to the pipe surface caused by impact, reduces wear on the first and second grippers, extends service life, and lowers maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper assembly of the buffer robot in Embodiment 1 of this utility model when it is opened;
[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper assembly of the buffer robot in Embodiment 1 of this utility model when it is closed;
[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support structure in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0023] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the first and second claws in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first claw arm in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the buffer roller assembly in Embodiment 1 of this utility model.
[0026] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]
[0027] 1: Bracket; 11: First limiting block; 12: Second limiting block;
[0028] 2: Flip drive;
[0029] 3: Clamping driver;
[0030] 41: First pendulum rod; 42: First connecting rod; 43: First claw arm;
[0031] 51: Second lever; 52: Second connecting rod; 53: Second claw arm;
[0032] 61: Center roller; 62: Roller frame; 63: Roller shaft; 64: Buffer spring; 65: Roller baffle. Detailed Implementation
[0033] To better understand the above technical solutions, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a clearer and more thorough understanding of the present invention and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Wherein, the directional terms such as "front," "rear," "left," and "right" mentioned herein are used in conjunction with... Figure 1 The orientation is used as a reference.
[0034] Example 1:
[0035] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this embodiment provides a gripper assembly for a buffer robot, including a bracket 1, a flip driver 2, a buffer roller assembly, a clamping driver 3, a first gripper, and a second gripper. The flip driver 2 is disposed on the bracket 1 and can be connected to the robotic arm of the buffer robot. The buffer roller assembly is installed in the middle of the bracket 1. The first and second grippers are rotatably installed in the bracket 1, and the first and second grippers are located on both sides of the buffer roller assembly. The clamping driver 3 is slidably installed in the bracket 1, and its two ends are respectively connected to the first and second grippers to drive the first and second grippers to rotate in the horizontal plane to clamp and release the pipe. When the clamping parts of the first and second grippers and the buffer roller assembly cooperate to clamp the pipe, the pipe can move along its axial direction. In this embodiment, the flip driver 2 is a swing hydraulic cylinder; the clamping driver 3 is a hydraulic cylinder.
[0036] Specifically, the coordinated gripping of the pipe by the first and second grippers effectively limits the horizontal displacement of the pipe, improving the stability of the grip and preventing lateral movement. This significantly reduces the risk of pipe detachment and ensures the pipe remains stable throughout the handling process, thereby guaranteeing the continuity of the work flow, improving work efficiency, and reducing the probability of accidents. Furthermore, the buffer roller assembly effectively absorbs the impact force generated during pipe transport, reducing the impact effect on the pipe and grippers. This avoids damage to the pipe surface caused by impact, reduces wear on the first and second grippers, extends their service life, and lowers maintenance costs.
[0037] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the first gripper includes a first swing arm 41, a first connecting rod 42, and a first gripper arm 43. One end of the first gripper arm 43 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 1. The first swing arm 41 is rotatably mounted inside the bracket 1, and one end of the first swing arm 41 is rotatably connected to one end of the clamping driver 3. The other end of the first swing arm 41 is rotatably connected to one end of the first gripper arm 43 via the first connecting rod 42. The clamping driver 3 can drive the first swing arm 41 to rotate in the horizontal plane. The first swing arm 41 drives the first gripper arm 43 to rotate in the horizontal plane via the first connecting rod 42 to achieve clamping and releasing of the pipe. Through the linkage structure design of the first swing arm 41, the first connecting rod 42, and the first gripper arm 43, the linear motion of the clamping driver 3 is converted into the rotation of the first gripper arm 43, realizing the clamping and releasing of the pipe. It can accurately control the movement trajectory and force of the first gripper arm 43, ensuring stable clamping of the pipe under various working conditions and avoiding pipe movement or detachment due to unstable clamping.
[0038] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the second gripper includes a second swing arm 51, a second connecting rod 52, and a second gripper arm 53. One end of the second gripper arm 53 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 1. The second swing arm 51 is rotatably mounted inside the bracket 1, with one end rotatably connected to the other end of the clamping driver 3. The other end of the second swing arm 51 is rotatably connected to one end of the second gripper arm 53 via the second connecting rod 52. The clamping driver 3 can drive the second swing arm 51 to rotate in the horizontal plane, and the second swing arm 51 drives the second gripper arm 53 to rotate in the horizontal plane via the second connecting rod 52 to achieve clamping and releasing of the pipe. The second gripper adopts a similar structure to the first gripper, converting the linear motion of the clamping driver 3 into the rotation of the second gripper arm 53 through the second swing arm 51 and the second connecting rod 52, thereby achieving clamping and releasing of the pipe. Thus, the second gripper, in cooperation with the first gripper, can provide a uniform clamping force, improve the stable clamping ability of the pipe, and ensure the stability of the pipe during transportation.
[0039] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the clamping part of the first claw arm 43 is higher than the clamping part of the second claw arm 53, which ensures that the first claw arm 43 and the second claw arm 53 can fully contact the pipe during clamping, providing a stable clamping effect. In this embodiment, the clamping parts of the first claw arm 43 and the second claw arm 53 are limiting rollers, which reduces damage to the surface of the pipe and can only limit the horizontal movement of the pipe without affecting its axial movement.
[0040] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the bracket 1 is provided with two sets of symmetrically arranged limiting components. These two sets of limiting components can limit the rotation angle of the first and second grippers, making the gripping action of the gripper assembly more precise and effectively preventing excessive rotation of the grippers, ensuring that the first and second grippers grip the pipe with appropriate angle and force. Specifically, the limiting components include a first limiting block 11 and a second limiting block 12. The two first limiting blocks 11 are used to limit the rotation angle of the first swing arm 41 and the second swing arm 51, respectively, and the two second limiting blocks 12 are used to limit the rotation angle of the first claw arm 43 and the second claw arm 53, respectively.
[0041] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, the buffer roller assembly includes a central roller 61, a roller frame 62, a roller shaft 63, and a buffer spring 64. The roller frame 62 is installed in the middle of the bracket 1 and has a groove extending in the front-to-back direction. The central roller 61 is slidably installed in the groove via the roller shaft 63, and the buffer spring 64 is disposed between the roller shaft 63 and the groove. When the pipe is impacted, the central roller 61 can slide in the groove, compressing the buffer spring 64 and converting the impact force into the elastic potential energy of the buffer spring 64. This effectively absorbs the impact generated during pipe handling, protecting the pipe and grippers from damage and extending the service life of the equipment. In this embodiment, a roller baffle 65 is provided on the outside of the groove, which can effectively prevent the central roller 61 from falling out of the groove during sliding, ensuring the normal operation of the buffer roller assembly. During pipe handling, even if subjected to large impact forces or vibrations, the roller baffle 65 can ensure the stable position of the central roller 61, improving the reliability and safety of the buffer roller assembly.
[0042] The gripper assembly of the buffer robot provided in this embodiment is used as follows: When it is necessary to grip a pipe, the angle of the gripper assembly is first adjusted by the flip driver 2 so that the gripper is aligned with the pipe. Then, the clamping driver 3 is activated, and its piston rod extends or retracts, driving the first swing arm 41 and the second swing arm 51 to rotate in the horizontal plane. The first swing arm 41 drives the first claw arm 43 to rotate through the first connecting rod 42, and the second swing arm 51 drives the second claw arm 53 to rotate through the second connecting rod 52, confining the pipe within the clamping space formed by the first claw arm 43, the second claw arm 53, and the central roller 61. At this time, the pipe can only move along its axial direction, which facilitates the lifting and lowering of the pipe by the floating system.
[0043] Example 2:
[0044] This embodiment provides a gripper assembly for a buffered robotic arm, comprising all the structures of the gripper assembly described in Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the central roller 61 and the limiting roller have the same shape, with their cross-sectional diameter decreasing and then increasing axially. When the central roller 61 and the limiting roller contact the pipe, their decreasing-then-increasing diameter shape causes the pipe to automatically move towards the position with the smallest roller diameter. This is equivalent to providing an automatic centering mechanism for the pipe during clamping, ensuring that the pipe is accurately positioned at the center of the roller, thereby ensuring more stable and precise clamping of the pipe by the gripper assembly, effectively preventing the pipe from shifting laterally and reducing the risk of pipe detachment. Moreover, during the axial movement of the pipe, the special shapes of the central roller 61 and the limiting roller contribute to smoother rolling. The gradual change in roller diameter allows the pipe to transition naturally during rolling, reducing rolling resistance and jamming. This not only improves the efficiency of axial movement of the pipe but also allows the gripper assembly to adapt more flexibly to the movement of the pipe when clamping it, ensuring smooth operation.
[0045] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0046] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0047] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "beneath" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0048] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.
[0049] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make modifications, alterations, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A gripper assembly for a buffered robotic arm, characterized in that, Includes a support (1), a flipping driver (2), a buffer roller assembly, a clamping driver (3), a first gripper, and a second gripper; The flip driver (2) is mounted on the bracket (1) and can be connected to the robotic arm of the buffer robot. The buffer roller assembly is mounted in the middle of the bracket (1). The first gripper and the second gripper are rotatably mounted in the bracket (1) and are located on both sides of the buffer roller assembly. The clamping driver (3) is slidably mounted in the bracket (1). The two ends of the clamping driver (3) are connected to the first gripper and the second gripper respectively to drive the first gripper and the second gripper to rotate in the horizontal plane to clamp and release the tube. When the gripping parts of the first and second grippers and the buffer roller assembly are used to grip the pipe, the pipe can move along its axial direction.
2. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first gripper includes a first swing arm (41), a first connecting rod (42), and a first gripper arm (43); One end of the first claw arm (43) is rotatably mounted on the bracket (1); the first swing rod (41) is rotatably mounted inside the bracket (1), one end of the first swing rod (41) is rotatably connected to one end of the clamping driver (3), and the other end of the first swing rod (41) is rotatably connected to one end of the first claw arm (43) through the first connecting rod (42); The clamping driver (3) can drive the first swing arm (41) to rotate in the horizontal plane. The first swing arm (41) drives the first claw arm (43) to rotate in the horizontal plane via the first connecting rod (42) to achieve clamping and releasing of the tube.
3. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The second claw includes a second swing arm (51), a second connecting rod (52), and a second claw arm (53); One end of the second claw arm (53) is rotatably mounted on the bracket (1); the second swing rod (51) is rotatably mounted inside the bracket (1), one end of the second swing rod (51) is rotatably connected to the other end of the clamping driver (3), and the other end of the second swing rod (51) is rotatably connected to one end of the second claw arm (53) through the second connecting rod (52); The clamping driver (3) can drive the second swing arm (51) to rotate in the horizontal plane. The second swing arm (51) drives the second claw arm (53) to rotate in the horizontal plane via the second connecting rod (52) to achieve clamping and releasing of the tube.
4. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The gripping part of the first claw arm (43) is higher than the gripping part of the second claw arm (53).
5. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The clamping parts of the first claw arm (43) and the second claw arm (53) are limiting rollers.
6. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer roller assembly includes a center roller (61), a roller frame (62), a roller shaft (63), and a buffer spring (64); The roller frame (62) is installed in the middle of the bracket (1). The roller frame (62) has a groove extending in the front-back direction. The center roller (61) is slidably installed in the groove through the roller shaft (63). The buffer spring (64) is located between the roller shaft (63) and the groove.
7. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 6, characterized in that, A roller baffle (65) is provided on the outside of the chute.
8. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The outer surface of the center roller (61) is coated with polyurethane.
9. The gripper assembly of the buffered robotic arm as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flipping driver (2) is a swing hydraulic cylinder; the clamping driver (3) is a hydraulic cylinder.