Robot hand accessory and robot hand

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of robots, and relates to a robot hand accessory and a robot hand, the robot hand accessory comprises a flexible elastic band, one end of the flexible elastic band is provided with a first mounting part, the other end of the flexible elastic band is provided with a second mounting part, the first mounting part is used for connecting a thumb of the robot hand, and the second mounting part is used for connecting a thumb of the robot hand. The second mounting part is used for being connected with an index finger mounting part of the robot hand, and the index finger mounting part is an index finger of the robot hand and / or a palm part located at the root of the index finger. According to the technical scheme, due to the fact that the flexible elastic band is directly connected to the thumb and index finger installation part and does not integrally wrap the palm, the flexible elastic band cannot be in an elastic and tight state all the time when the robot hand does not grasp an object, and therefore the first web part of the robot hand is not prone to damage compared with an existing robot hand.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics technology, and more particularly to a robot hand accessory and a robot hand. Background Technology

[0002] Robotic hands are essential tools for robots to perform precise operations. They not only require flexible fingers to perform various pinching actions, but also a strong and stable hand structure to grasp objects of different sizes. Since objects used by humans are designed based on ergonomic data of the human hand, robotic hands must be designed according to the anatomical structure of the human hand in order to achieve the same grasping ability.

[0003] Anatomically, the area between the base of the thumb and the base of the index finger in the human hand is called the "first web space" or "thumb web," commonly known as the "tiger's mouth." This area includes soft, relatively thick muscles and skin. The human hand's ability to grasp cylindrical objects of different sizes and shapes is due to the covering and deformability of this web space. When grasping an object, the muscles of the web space, by squeezing or stretching, effectively fill the gap between the metacarpal bones of the thumb and index finger. The stability, strength support, and finger-opposition ability provided by the web space when grasping objects make human grasping ability more efficient and safer.

[0004] Since robotic hands are mostly designed with rigid materials and lack the elasticity of human hand muscles, it is crucial to design a structure similar to the web of the thumb in the palm area between the thumb and forefinger to improve the support and stability of the robotic hand when grasping objects of different sizes and shapes. Some existing robotic hands use soft materials to cover the entire palm area between the thumb and forefinger, providing some soft support to this area. However, because of the full coverage of soft materials, these robotic hands are more susceptible to resistance against the elasticity of the soft material itself. After prolonged use, this can easily lead to material fatigue and damage, which in turn limits the lateral and adduction range of the thumb. Furthermore, the soft material is also prone to damage when the robotic hand grasps sharp and hard objects. Since the soft material covers the entire palm area between the thumb and forefinger, replacing damaged soft material requires replacing the entire piece, resulting in high maintenance costs and time. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a robot hand accessory and a robot hand to solve the technical problem that the web area of ​​existing robot hands is easily damaged.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a robot hand accessory, comprising: a flexible elastic band, one end of which is provided with a first mounting portion, and the other end of which is provided with a second mounting portion. The first mounting portion is used to connect to the thumb of the robot hand, and the second mounting portion is used to connect to the index finger mounting portion of the robot hand. The index finger mounting portion is the index finger of the robot hand and / or the palm portion located at the base of the index finger.

[0007] Optionally, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are respectively disposed at both ends of the flexible elastic band along its own length direction;

[0008] And / or, the first mounting portion is detachably connected to the thumb, and the second mounting portion is detachably connected to the index finger mounting portion;

[0009] And / or, the first mounting part is a rigid component, and the second mounting part is a rigid component.

[0010] Optionally, the flexible elastic band is made of silicone, TPU, TPE, polyester fiber, or flyknit fabric.

[0011] Optionally, the flexible elastic band includes a plurality of flexible elastic parts connected end to end in sequence, and each flexible elastic part includes an integrally formed first connecting section, a bending section and a second connecting section.

[0012] Optionally, the flexible elastic part is a sheet-like structure; and / or, the length of the first connecting segment is greater than the length of the second connecting segment.

[0013] Optionally, the flexible elastic band further includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part. A plurality of flexible elastic parts connected end to end in sequence form a main body. One end of the main body is connected to the first connecting part, and the other end of the main body is connected to the second connecting part. The first connecting part is fixed with the first mounting part, and the second connecting part is fixed with the second mounting part.

[0014] Optionally, the flexible elastic band further includes a transition connection portion, wherein one end of the main body portion opposite to the second connection portion is connected to the first end of the transition connection portion, and the end of the transition connection portion is connected to the first connection portion;

[0015] And / or, the first connecting part, the second connecting part, the first mounting part and the second mounting part are all sheet-like structures, and the first connecting part and the first mounting part are stacked together, and the second connecting part and the second mounting part are stacked together.

[0016] Optionally, the transition connection portion is provided with an inclined surface that allows the thickness of itself on the side opposite to the thumb to gradually decrease from the beginning to the end; and / or, the thickness direction of the first connection portion is parallel to the width direction of the second connection portion, and the width direction of the second connection portion is parallel to the width direction of the flexible elastic portion.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a robotic hand, including a robotic hand body and the aforementioned robotic hand accessories.

[0018] Optionally, the robot hand body includes a palm and a thumb and index finger mounted on the palm, the first mounting part is connected to the outer side of the thumb, and the second mounting part is connected to the part of the palm located at the base of the index finger.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of this application have the following main advantages:

[0020] The robot hand accessory of this application embodiment features a flexible elastic band with a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion at each end. The first mounting portion is used to connect to the robot hand's thumb, and the second mounting portion is used to connect to the robot hand's index finger mounting portion. The index finger mounting portion is the robot hand's index finger and / or the palm part located at the base of the index finger. This allows the flexible elastic band to have a soft support capability similar to the web of the hand after being installed on the robot hand. When the robot hand grasps an object, the flexible elastic band can softly cover the object through elastic deformation such as squeezing, stretching, or twisting, filling the gap formed between the thumb metacarpal bone, index finger metacarpal bone, and the grasped object. Since the flexible elastic band is directly connected to the thumb and index finger mounting portions and does not completely cover the palm, it will not always be in a taut elastic state when the robot hand is not grasping an object, thus making it less prone to damage compared to the web of the hand in existing robot hands. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the solutions in this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a front view structural diagram of a robot hand accessory provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the left side of a robot hand accessory provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 A top view of a robot hand accessory provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a robot hand accessory provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a robot hand provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure label:

[0028] 1. Robotic hand;

[0029] 10. Robot hand accessories; 20. Robot hand body;

[0030] 11. Flexible elastic band; 12. First mounting part; 13. Second mounting part; 21. Thumb; 22. Index finger; 23. Palm;

[0031] 111. Flexible elastic part; 112. First connecting part; 113. Second connecting part; 114. Transition connecting part; 115. Arc transition part; 121. First mounting hole; 131. Second mounting hole;

[0032] 1111, First connecting section; 1112, Bending section; 1113, Second connecting section; 1141, Inclined surface. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific 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 in the specification of the application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing drawings of this application, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, or foregoing drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a particular order.

[0034] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0035] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Please see Figure 1-4 The first part of this application provides a robot hand accessory 10, including a flexible elastic band 11. One end of the flexible elastic band 11 is provided with a first mounting part 12, and the other end of the flexible elastic band 11 is provided with a second mounting part 13. The first mounting part 12 is used to connect the robot hand's thumb, and the second mounting part 13 is used to connect the robot hand's index finger mounting part. Here, the index finger mounting part is the robot hand's index finger and / or the palm part located at the base of the index finger.

[0037] It should be noted that the flexible elastic band 11 refers to a soft, easily deformable object with elastic deformation capabilities such as stretching, compression, and torsion. The shape of the flexible elastic band 11 can be a strip, a bar, a rope, or other shapes; this application does not limit its specific form. For example, the material of the flexible elastic band 11 can be silicone, TPU, TPE, polyester fiber, or knitted fabric, to give the flexible elastic band 11 good elasticity and soft deformation capabilities, and to help reduce the manufacturing cost of the flexible elastic band 11.

[0038] The robot hand accessory 10 of this application embodiment has a flexible elastic band 11 with a first mounting part 12 and a second mounting part 13 at its two ends. The first mounting part 12 is used to connect to the thumb of the robot hand, and the second mounting part 13 is used to connect to the index finger mounting part of the robot hand. The index finger mounting part is the index finger of the robot hand and / or the palm part located at the base of the index finger. This allows the flexible elastic band 11 to have a soft support ability similar to the web of the hand after being installed on the robot hand. When the robot hand grasps an object, the flexible elastic band 11 can softly cover the object through elastic deformation such as squeezing, stretching or twisting, filling the gap formed between the thumb metacarpal bone, the index finger metacarpal bone and the grasped object. Since the flexible elastic band 11 is directly connected to the thumb and index finger mounting parts and does not cover the entire palm, it will not always be in a taut elastic state when the robot hand is not grasping an object. Therefore, it is less prone to damage than the web of the hand in existing robot hands.

[0039] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 are respectively disposed at both ends of the flexible elastic band 11 along its own length direction. Compared with disposing the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 at both ends of the flexible elastic band 11 along its own width direction or other directions, this arrangement allows the flexible elastic band 11 to more flexibly adapt to the movements of the robot hand and deform elastically after being connected to the thumb and index finger mounting parts of the robot hand, so as to be closer to the web of the human hand.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first mounting portion 12 is detachably connected to the thumb, and the second mounting portion 13 is detachably connected to the index finger mounting portion. Understandably, by detachably connecting the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13 of the robot hand accessory 10 to the robot hand, when the robot hand accessory 10 needs to be replaced, the original robot hand accessory 10 can be quickly removed from the robot hand and the new robot hand accessory 10 can be quickly installed on the robot hand, facilitating the repair and replacement of the robot hand accessory 10 and reducing repair and replacement costs.

[0041] In one embodiment, the first mounting part 12 is a rigid component, which reduces the damage to the first mounting part 12 that may be caused by repeated detachable connections between the first mounting part 12 and the thumb of the robot hand compared to using a flexible material; the second mounting part 13 is a rigid component, which reduces the damage to the second mounting part 13 that may be caused by repeated detachable connections between the second mounting part 13 and the index finger mounting part of the robot hand compared to using a flexible material.

[0042] Specifically, in this embodiment, both the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 are made of rigid plastic.

[0043] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the robot hand accessory 10 further includes a first connector (not shown in the figure) and a second connector (not shown in the figure). The first mounting part 12 is provided with a first mounting hole 121, and the second mounting part 13 is provided with a second mounting hole 131. The first connector passes through the first mounting hole 121 and is detachably connected to the thumb, and the second connector passes through the second mounting hole 131 and is detachably connected to the index finger mounting part.

[0044] Specifically, the first and second connectors are threaded connectors, such as screws, bolts, or studs. Since both the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13 are rigid components rather than flexible materials, damage to the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13 due to the force exerted by the threaded connectors can be avoided.

[0045] In some other embodiments, the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 can also be connected to the thumb and index finger mounting parts of the robot hand respectively by other detachable connection methods such as snap-fit ​​connection and key pin connection.

[0046] Please see Figure 1-4In one embodiment, the flexible elastic band 11 includes a plurality of flexible elastic portions 111 connected end to end in sequence. Each flexible elastic portion 111 includes an integrally formed first connecting segment 1111, a bending segment 1112, and a second connecting segment 1113, so that the flexible elastic portion 111 itself has a bending shape. This allows the flexible elastic portion 111 to achieve elastic deformation by stretching or compressing the bending segment 1112, further increasing the elastic deformation of the flexible elastic band 11. This is beneficial for the flexible elastic band 11 to better cover the object when the robot hand grasps it. On the other hand, this arrangement also further avoids the flexible elastic band 11 being in a taut elastic state when the robot hand is not grasping an object, thereby preventing it from being damaged.

[0047] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the flexible elastic part 111 is a sheet-like structure, and the length of the first connecting segment 1111 is greater than the length of the second connecting segment 1113, so that the flexible elastic band 11 composed of multiple flexible elastic parts 111 presents an overall folded spring shape, which is beneficial to make the flexible elastic band 11 undergo elastic deformation such as stretching, squeezing and twisting.

[0048] In other embodiments, by reasonably setting the length and shape of the first connecting segment 1111, the bending segment 1112 and the second connecting segment 1113 of each flexible elastic part 111, the flexible elastic band 11 composed of multiple flexible elastic parts 111 can also present other shapes such as wavy lines or serrated shapes.

[0049] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the flexible elastic band 11 further includes a first connecting portion 112 and a second connecting portion 113. A plurality of flexible elastic portions 111 connected end to end in sequence form a main body. One end of the main body is connected to the first connecting portion 112, and the other end of the main body is connected to the second connecting portion 113. A first mounting portion 12 is fixed on the first connecting portion 112, and a second mounting portion 13 is fixed on the second connecting portion 113.

[0050] Understandably, by providing the first connecting part 112 and the second connecting part 113, the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 can be connected to the flexible elastic band 11, so that the flexible elastic band 11 can be installed through the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13.

[0051] Specifically, the first connecting part 112 is bonded and fixed to the first mounting part 12, so that there is no gap between the first connecting part 112 and the first mounting part 12, which facilitates the flexible elastic band 11 to be stably connected to the thumb of the robot hand through the first mounting part 12; the second connecting part 113 is bonded and fixed to the second mounting part 13, so that there is no gap between the second connecting part 113 and the second mounting part 13, which facilitates the flexible elastic band 11 to be stably connected to the index finger mounting part of the robot hand through the second mounting part 13.

[0052] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the flexible elastic band 11 further includes a transition connection portion 114 and an arc transition portion 115. One end of the main body is connected to the second connection portion 13 by connecting the arc transition portion 115. The end of the main body opposite to the second connection portion 113 is connected to the beginning end of the transition connection portion 114. The end of the transition connection portion 114 is connected to the first connection portion 112.

[0053] Understandably, by providing the transition connection 114 and the arc transition 115, the main body of the flexible elastic band 11 can be smoothly connected to the first connection 112 and the second connection 113, respectively, so as to reduce stress concentration, optimize the load transfer path, avoid the failure risk caused by structural abrupt changes, and especially avoid local high stress caused by sharp corners, thereby extending the fatigue life of the flexible elastic band 11 and further preventing the flexible elastic band 11 from breaking.

[0054] It should be noted that, since the first connecting part 112 and the transition connecting part 114 are both part of the flexible elastic band 11, the first connecting part 112, the transition connecting part 114 and the flexible elastic part 111 can be made of the same material; since the second connecting part 113 and the arc transition part 115 are both part of the flexible elastic band 111, the second connecting part 113, the arc transition part 115 and the flexible elastic part 111 can also be made of the same material.

[0055] Specifically, the transition connection 114 is integrally formed with the flexible elastic part 111, and the first connection 112 is integrally formed with the transition connection 114; the arc transition part 115 is integrally formed with the flexible elastic part 111, and the second connection part 113 is integrally formed with the arc transition part 115, so as to improve the tensile strength of the flexible elastic band 11 and reduce the risk of its breakage.

[0056] Please see Figure 1-4In one embodiment, the transition connection 114 is provided with an inclined surface 1141 that allows the thickness of the side opposite to the robot thumb to gradually decrease from the beginning to the end. By providing this inclined surface 1141, a clearance space is reserved between the transition connection 114 and the robot thumb. This clearance space prevents the transition connection 114 from interfering with other components (such as tactile sensors) that may be installed on the thumb, thus facilitating the installation of the flexible elastic band 111.

[0057] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the first connecting part 112, the second connecting part 113, the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 are all sheet-like structures, and the first connecting part 112 and the first mounting part 12 are stacked together, and the second connecting part 113 and the second mounting part 13 are stacked together.

[0058] Understandably, by making both the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13 into sheet shapes, it is convenient for the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13 to be connected to the thumb and index finger mounting portions of the robot hand, respectively. By making both the first connecting portion 112 and the second connecting portion 113 into sheet shapes, and stacking the first connecting portion 112 with the first mounting portion 12 and the second connecting portion 113 with the second mounting portion 13, it is convenient for the first connecting portion 112 to be fixedly connected to the first mounting portion 12 and for the second connecting portion 113 to be fixedly connected to the second mounting portion 13.

[0059] Please see Figure 1-4 In one embodiment, the thickness direction of the first connecting portion 112 is parallel to the width direction of the second connecting portion 113, and the width direction of the second connecting portion 113 is parallel to the width direction of the flexible elastic portion 111. This arrangement ensures that the sheet-like second connecting portion 113 (and the second mounting portion 13) and the sheet-like flexible elastic portion 111 are approximately parallel to each other. The longitudinal section of the sheet-like first connecting portion 112 (and the first mounting portion 12) is perpendicular to the cross-section of the sheet-like flexible elastic portion 111. This minimizes the torsional deformation of the flexible elastic band 11 when it connects to the thumb and index finger mounting portions via the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13, thus better ensuring a higher fatigue life for the flexible elastic band 11, preventing breakage, and facilitating the connection of the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting portion 13 to various positions on the thumb and index finger mounting portions, respectively.

[0060] Please see Figure 5 The second part of this application provides a robot hand 1, which includes a robot hand body 20 and a robot hand accessory 10 as described in the above embodiments.

[0061] In one embodiment, the robot hand body 20 includes a palm 23 and a thumb 21 and an index finger 22 mounted on the palm 23. A first mounting part 12 is connected to the outer side of the thumb 21, and a second mounting part 13 is connected to the part of the palm 23 located at the base of the index finger 22.

[0062] It should be noted that the outer side of the thumb 21 here refers to the side of the thumb 21 away from the index finger 22. Understandably, by connecting the first mounting part 12 and the second mounting part 13 at the two locations mentioned above to install the flexible elastic band 11 onto the robot hand 1, the deformation of the flexible elastic band 11 can more closely resemble the web of the human hand. This prevents the flexible elastic band 11 from interfering with the index finger 22 and affecting its movement, and also minimizes the adverse effects of the flexible elastic band 11 on the installation of other components (such as tactile sensors) on the thumb 21 of the robot hand 1.

[0063] Obviously, the embodiments described above are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. The accompanying drawings show preferred embodiments of this application, but do not limit the patent scope of this application. This application can be implemented in many different forms; rather, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the disclosure of this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing specific embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any equivalent structures made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are similarly within the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. A robot hand accessory, characterized in that, The device includes a flexible elastic band, one end of which is provided with a first mounting portion and the other end of which is provided with a second mounting portion. The first mounting portion is used to connect to the thumb of the robot hand, and the second mounting portion is used to connect to the index finger mounting portion of the robot hand. The index finger mounting portion is the index finger of the robot hand and / or the palm part located at the base of the index finger.

2. The robot hand accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are respectively disposed at both ends of the flexible elastic band along its own length direction; And / or, the first mounting portion is detachably connected to the thumb, and the second mounting portion is detachably connected to the index finger mounting portion; And / or, the first mounting part is a rigid component, and the second mounting part is a rigid component.

3. The robot hand accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible elastic band is made of silicone, TPU, TPE, polyester fiber, or flyknit fabric.

4. The robot hand accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible elastic band includes multiple flexible elastic parts connected end to end in sequence, and each flexible elastic part includes an integrally formed first connecting section, a bending section and a second connecting section.

5. The robot hand accessory according to claim 4, characterized in that, The flexible elastic part is a sheet-like structure; and / or, the length of the first connecting segment is greater than the length of the second connecting segment.

6. The robot hand accessory according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The flexible elastic band further includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part. A plurality of the flexible elastic parts connected end to end in sequence form a main body. One end of the main body is connected to the first connecting part, and the other end of the main body is connected to the second connecting part. The first connecting part is fixed with the first mounting part, and the second connecting part is fixed with the second mounting part.

7. The robot hand accessory according to claim 6, characterized in that, The flexible elastic band further includes a transition connection portion, wherein one end of the main body portion opposite to the second connection portion is connected to the first end of the transition connection portion, and the end of the transition connection portion is connected to the first connection portion; And / or, the first connecting part, the second connecting part, the first mounting part and the second mounting part are all sheet-like structures, and the first connecting part and the first mounting part are stacked together, and the second connecting part and the second mounting part are stacked together.

8. The robot hand accessory according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transition connection portion is provided with an inclined surface that allows the thickness of itself on the side opposite to the thumb to gradually decrease from the beginning to the end; and / or, the thickness direction of the first connection portion is parallel to the width direction of the second connection portion, and the width direction of the second connection portion is parallel to the width direction of the flexible elastic portion.

9. A robotic hand, characterized in that, It includes the robot hand body and the robot hand accessories as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. The robotic hand according to claim 9, characterized in that, The robot hand body includes a palm and a thumb and index finger mounted on the palm. The first mounting part is connected to the outer side of the thumb, and the second mounting part is connected to the part of the palm located at the base of the index finger.

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