Soft mechanical arm

Abstract

The utility model discloses a soft mechanical arm. The soft mechanical arm comprises a mechanical claw; the soft mechanical arm module comprises a plurality of stacked first elastic assemblies and a plurality of stacked second elastic assemblies, the second elastic assemblies are arranged between the first elastic assemblies and the mechanical claw, and the first elastic assemblies and the second elastic assemblies are each provided with a first line hole and a plurality of second line holes surrounding the first line hole; the motion freedom degree of the first elastic assembly is larger than that of the second elastic assembly. The first lead penetrates through the first wire holes in the first elastic assemblies and the second elastic assemblies to be connected with the mechanical claw and used for controlling opening and closing of the mechanical claw. And the plurality of second leads penetrate through the overlapped second wire holes and are at least connected with the second wire holes in the second elastic assembly connected with the mechanical claw. By means of the mode, the flexible mechanical arm can remarkably improve the flexibility and control precision of grabbing operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of soft robotics technology, and in particular to a soft robotic arm. Background Technology

[0002] Soft robotic arms have significant advantages in precision grasping, human-machine collaboration, and complex scenario operations (such as medical surgery and sorting of fragile items) due to their high flexibility and environmental adaptability.

[0003] Traditional rigid robotic arms are limited by structural rigidity, making it difficult to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom coordinated movements similar to biological tentacles. While existing soft robotic arms improve flexibility through elastic materials and pneumatic / hydraulic drives, their continuous structure usually uses homogeneous elastic materials, which cannot simultaneously ensure end-effector flexibility and proximal support stability during grasping. Their drive control is highly complex, with a single drive cable simultaneously handling multiple degrees of freedom adjustment functions such as bending and torsion, resulting in uneven cable tension distribution and insufficient control precision. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a soft robotic arm to address the issues of insufficient flexibility and control precision in existing soft robotic arms.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is to provide a soft robotic arm. This soft robotic arm includes: a robotic gripper; a soft robotic arm module including multiple stacked first elastic components and multiple stacked second elastic components, wherein the multiple second elastic components are disposed between the multiple first elastic components and the robotic gripper; each of the first and second elastic components has a first wire hole and multiple second wire holes surrounding the first wire hole; the degree of freedom of movement of the first elastic component is greater than the degree of freedom of movement of the second elastic component; a first lead wire passing through the first wire holes of each of the first and second elastic components and connecting to the robotic gripper, for controlling the opening and closing of the robotic gripper; and multiple second lead wires passing through the stacked second wire holes, at least connecting to the second wire holes of the second elastic components connected to the robotic gripper.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first elastic component includes two first substrates and a plurality of sets of first elastic elements connected between the two first substrates. Each set of first elastic elements includes two first elastic elements arranged symmetrically, and the distribution direction of each set of first elastic elements is different.

[0007] In some embodiments, the second elastic component includes two second substrates and a set of second elastic members connected between the two second substrates, the set of second elastic members including two second elastic members arranged symmetrically.

[0008] In some embodiments, both the first elastic member and the second elastic member include a plurality of elastic arms that are folded together.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first elastic component includes two sets of the first elastic elements, and the distribution directions of the two sets of the first elastic elements are perpendicular to each other.

[0010] In some embodiments, a portion of the second lead passes through each of the second wire holes and is connected to a second wire hole on the second elastic component, while the remaining portion of the second lead is connected to a second wire hole on the first elastic component adjacent to the second elastic component.

[0011] In some embodiments, the mechanical gripper includes a fixed cylinder, a plurality of grippers hinged to the fixed cylinder, and a drive rod slidably disposed on the fixed cylinder. The drive rod and each of the grippers are hinged together by a connecting rod. A first lead wire is connected to the drive rod, and the power provided by the first lead wire drives the grippers to open and close via the drive rod and the connecting rod.

[0012] In some embodiments, the mechanical gripper further includes an elastic element disposed within the fixed cylinder and elastically supporting the drive rod;

[0013] The power provided by the first lead wire drives the drive rod to move, and the drive rod acts on the elastic element. At the same time, the connecting rod controls the closing of each claw. After the power provided by the first lead wire is removed, the elastic element restores its shape, pushes the drive rod to reset, and causes the claw to open naturally.

[0014] In some embodiments, the claw includes a first phalanx and a second phalanx that are hinged together, one end of the first phalanx being hinged to the fixed cylinder, and the connecting rod being hinged between the second phalanx and the drive rod.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: Unlike the prior art, this application discloses a soft robotic arm. The soft robotic arm of this application significantly improves the flexibility and control precision of grasping operations by employing a layered structure of elastic components and a lead-driven method. Specifically, by superimposing first elastic components (high degree of freedom) and second elastic components (low degree of freedom) with different degrees of freedom, a regional stiffness gradient distribution is achieved from the proximal end to the distal end (near the robotic gripper), ensuring both proximal support stability and providing high flexibility for the distal grasping action, avoiding the overall rigidity imbalance problem caused by a single material. Independent first lead wires and multiple second lead wires are used, with the independent first lead wires passing through all the superimposed first wire holes to directly control the opening and closing of the robotic gripper. Multiple second lead wires selectively pull on the second elastic components through the second wire holes, enabling independent adjustment of the soft robotic arm's posture, thereby greatly improving its flexibility and control precision. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the soft robotic arm provided in this application;

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the mechanical gripper in the soft robotic arm shown;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the first elastic component in the soft robotic arm shown.

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the second elastic component in the soft robotic arm. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] The terms "first," "second," and "third" used in the embodiments of this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0023] 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 mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0024] This application provides a soft robotic arm 100, see reference. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a structural embodiment of the soft machine provided in this application.

[0025] The soft robotic arm 100 includes a robotic gripper 10, a soft robotic arm module 20, a first lead wire (not shown), and multiple second lead wires (not shown). The soft robotic arm module 20 includes multiple stacked first elastic components 22 and multiple stacked second elastic components 24. The multiple second elastic components 24 are disposed between the multiple first elastic components 22 and the robotic gripper 10. Both the first elastic components 22 and the second elastic components 24 are provided with a first wire hole 201 and multiple second wire holes 202 arranged around the first wire hole 201. The motion freedom of the first elastic component 22 is greater than that of the second elastic component 24. The first lead wire passes through the first wire hole 201 on each of the first elastic components 22 and each of the second elastic components 24 and connects to the robotic gripper 10 to control the opening and closing of the robotic gripper 10. The multiple second lead wires pass through the stacked second wire holes 202 and are at least connected to the second wire holes 202 on the second elastic components 24 connected to the robotic gripper 10.

[0026] In this embodiment, the mechanical gripper 10 adopts a three-finger symmetrical structure, but it can also adopt a four-finger or five-finger symmetrical structure. The first lead wire can be made of 0.5mm diameter nylon braided wire, and its end is connected to the sliding rod assembly of the mechanical gripper 10. When the first lead wire is subjected to axial tension, the linear motion is converted into the radial opening and closing motion of the mechanical gripper 10 through the sliding rod assembly.

[0027] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,in Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the mechanical gripper in the soft robotic arm.

[0028] Specifically, the mechanical gripper 10 includes a fixed cylinder 11, a plurality of grippers 12 hinged to the fixed cylinder 11, and a drive rod 13 slidably disposed on the fixed cylinder 11. The drive rod 13 and each gripper 12 are hinged together by a connecting rod 14. A first lead wire is connected to the drive rod 13, and the power provided by the first lead wire drives the grippers 12 to open and close via the drive rod 13 and the connecting rod 14.

[0029] The fixed cylinder 11 is fixed to the end of the second elastic component 24. The drive rod 13 is slidably disposed inside the fixed cylinder 11 and is limited to the fixed cylinder 11. The two ends of the connecting rod 14 are respectively hinged to the end of the drive rod 13 and the claw 12. The first lead wire can adjust the sliding of the drive rod 13 relative to the fixed cylinder 11. The sliding action of the drive rod 13 will drive the connecting rod 14 to swing, thereby driving the claw 11 to realize the opening and closing action.

[0030] In this embodiment, there are three claws 12. Each claw 12 includes a first phalanx 121 and a second phalanx 122 that are hinged together. One end of the first phalanx 121 is hinged to the fixed cylinder 11, and the connecting rod 14 is hinged between the second phalanx 122 and the drive rod 13.

[0031] By configuring the claw 12 to include a hinged first phalanx 121 and a second phalanx 122, more flexible grasping actions can be achieved, the grasping range is larger, and it is also easier to be driven and adjusted by the connecting rod 14 and the drive rod 13. Through this structural design, the mechanical claw 10 can not only precisely control the grasping force, but also adapt to objects of different shapes and sizes, improving operational stability; the synergistic effect of the connecting rod 14 and the drive rod 13 makes the claw 12 move smoothly during opening and closing.

[0032] The first lead wire controls the drive rod 13 to slide into the fixed cylinder 11. The drive rod 13 drives each claw 12 to close synchronously through each connecting rod 14 to achieve the grasping action. After the first lead wire is released, the fixed cylinder 11 resets and then drives each claw 12 to open synchronously through each connecting rod 14 to achieve the release action.

[0033] Furthermore, the mechanical claw 10 also includes an elastic element (not shown in the figure), which is disposed inside the fixed cylinder 11 and elastically supports the drive rod 13. The elastic element can be a compression spring or a tension spring. For example, the compression spring is disposed between the bottom of the fixed cylinder 11 and the drive rod 13, and the tension spring is disposed between the top of the fixed cylinder 11 and the drive rod 13. The drive rod 13 is provided with a boss or shoulder to stop the elastic element, so that the drive rod 13 can be provided with stable elastic support, ensuring that after the first lead wire is released, the elastic element drives each claw 12 to open synchronously.

[0034] The power provided by the first lead wire drives the drive rod 13 to move, and the drive rod 13 acts on the elastic element. At the same time, the connecting rod 14 controls the claws 12 to close synchronously. After the power provided by the first lead wire is removed, the elastic element restores its shape, pushes the drive rod 13 to reset, and causes the claws 12 to open naturally.

[0035] Optionally, the fixed cylinder 11 and the drive rod 13 may also be provided with magnets that attract or repel each other. After the power provided by the first lead is removed, the magnetic attraction or repulsion between the magnets will assist in adjusting the synchronous opening of the claw 12.

[0036] With the coordinated action of the first guide wire and the elastic element, and the sliding rod group consisting of the drive rod 13 and each connecting rod 14, the claws 12 can be precisely opened and closed under the control of the first guide wire, so as to accurately and reliably pick up and release items.

[0037] See also Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the first elastic component in the soft robotic arm. Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the second elastic component in the soft robotic arm.

[0038] Multiple first elastic components 22 are stacked sequentially, and adjacent first elastic components 22 can be connected by welding or screwing. Multiple second elastic components 24 are stacked sequentially, and adjacent second elastic components 24 can be connected by welding or screwing. The first elastic components 22 and the second elastic components 24 are also stacked, and adjacent first elastic components 22 and second elastic components 24 are also connected by welding or screwing to ensure the overall structural stability of the soft robotic arm module 20.

[0039] The soft robotic arm consists of two parts: one part is a plurality of superimposed first elastic components 22, and the other part is a plurality of superimposed second elastic components 23. The two work together to adjust the gripping range of the robotic claw 10 over a wide range.

[0040] The first elastic component 22 has a greater degree of freedom of movement than the second elastic component 24. As a result, the soft robotic arm composed of multiple first elastic components 22 can bend more flexibly in multiple directions to adjust the extension posture of the robotic claw 10, which can meet the picking and placing needs in various scenarios. The other soft robotic arm composed of multiple second elastic components 24 adjusts the extension posture of the robotic claw 10 within a smaller degree of freedom. That is, the second elastic component 24 enhances the positioning accuracy of the robotic claw 10 with fewer degrees of freedom, so that the robotic claw 10 can accurately move to the corresponding position and pick up and place items in the required posture.

[0041] By setting two types of elastic components 22 and 24 with different degrees of freedom, and by having them work together, the robotic gripper 10 can still operate accurately in complex environments, meeting diverse operational needs.

[0042] Multiple first elastic components 22 and multiple second elastic components 24 are controlled by multiple second leads to achieve precise positioning and flexible grasping of the mechanical claw 10 in different scenarios.

[0043] The number of second leads can be two or four, etc. These multiple second leads can pass through overlapping second wire holes 202 and connect to the second wire holes 202 on the distal second elastic component 24. The mechanical claw 10 is connected to the distal second elastic component 24. The compression and bending states of multiple first elastic components 22 and multiple second elastic components 24 are controlled by these multiple second leads, thereby enabling the mechanical claw 10 to move within a certain range.

[0044] Optionally, a portion of the second lead passes through each of the second wire holes 202 and is connected to the second wire hole 202 on the distal second elastic component 24, while the remaining portion of the second lead is connected to the second wire hole 202 on the first elastic component 22 adjacent to the second elastic component 24.

[0045] In other words, the first elastic component 22 and the second elastic component 24 are driven and adjusted by different second leads, so that the first elastic component 22 and the second elastic component 24 can be precisely controlled respectively, enabling the soft robotic arm 20 to form more complex and varied postures to meet different task requirements and improve the operational flexibility and adaptability of the soft robotic arm 100.

[0046] The second lead can be made of 0.3mm or 0.4mm ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber. The inner wall of each second lead hole 202 is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene wear-resistant coating, which effectively reduces the coefficient of friction to below 0.08.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first elastic component 22 includes two first substrates 221 and multiple sets of first elastic members 223 connected between the two first substrates 221. Each set of first elastic members 223 includes two first elastic members 223 arranged symmetrically, and the distribution direction of each set of first elastic members 223 is different.

[0048] Multiple sets of first elastic elements 223 are elastically supported between two first substrates 221. For example, the first elastic component 22 includes two sets of first elastic elements 223, and the distribution directions of the two sets of first elastic elements 223 are perpendicular. Thus, the first elastic component 22 can deform and bend in the perpendicular horizontal and vertical directions, enhancing the multidimensional adaptability of the soft robotic arm 100.

[0049] Optionally, three or four sets of equal numbers of first elastic members 223 may be provided between the two first substrates 221, with each set having a different distribution direction, forming a multi-dimensional elastic support network, further enhancing the flexible operation capability of the soft robotic arm 100 in complex spaces.

[0050] In this embodiment, the second elastic component 24 includes two second substrates 241 and a set of second elastic members 243 connected between the two second substrates 241. The set of second elastic members 243 includes two second elastic members 243 arranged symmetrically.

[0051] The distribution direction of a group of second elastic elements 243 can be parallel or perpendicular to the distribution direction of one group of first elastic elements 223, ensuring the stability and adjustable flexibility of the second elastic component 24 in a specific direction, and further optimizing the overall coordination and dynamic response capability of the soft robotic arm 100.

[0052] Both the first elastic element 223 and the second elastic element 243 include multiple elastic arms 244 that are folded and connected together. Each elastic arm 244 is made of a highly elastic material to ensure excellent resilience during repeated bending and extend its service life. The folding angle and number of each elastic arm 244 can be customized according to specific application requirements to achieve more precise torque control and posture adjustment, further improving the adaptability and operational accuracy of the soft robotic arm 100 in different environments.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first elastic component 22 and the second elastic component 24 can work together and, through the precise control of the second lead, enable the mechanical gripper 10 to exhibit excellent performance in minute displacements and fine operations, significantly improving the overall control accuracy and reliability of the soft robotic arm 100, and providing a solid guarantee for diversified operations in complex environments.

[0054] Furthermore, the first lead is connected to the main drive servo (not shown) and the tension value is fed back in real time through a closed-loop encoder; multiple second leads are respectively connected to multiple driven micro-stepping motors (not shown), and each driven micro-stepping motor independently controls several second leads distributed in a preset phase angle.

[0055] When performing a gripping operation, the main drive servo motor generates a preset tension to make the mechanical claw 10 reach a predetermined opening degree. At the same time, the driven micro stepper motor applies differentiated fine-tuning tension to each second lead wire. Through the deformation coupling of each first elastic component 22 and each second elastic component 24, adaptive gripping of the target object is achieved.

[0056] Unlike existing technologies, this application discloses a soft robotic arm. The soft robotic arm of this application significantly improves the flexibility and control precision of grasping operations by employing a layered structure of elastic components and a lead-driven approach. Specifically, by superimposing first elastic components (high degree of freedom) and second elastic components (low degree of freedom) with different degrees of freedom, a regional stiffness gradient distribution is achieved from the proximal end to the distal end (near the gripper), ensuring both proximal support stability and providing high flexibility for the distal grasping action, avoiding the overall rigidity imbalance problem caused by a single material. Independent first lead wires and multiple second lead wires are used, with the independent first lead wires passing through all superimposed first wire holes to directly control the opening and closing of the gripper. Multiple second lead wires selectively pull on the second elastic components through the second wire holes, enabling independent adjustment of the soft robotic arm's posture, thereby greatly improving its flexibility and control precision.

[0057] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A soft robotic arm, characterized by, The utility model relates to a mechanical claw, a soft body mechanical arm module, a first lead, a plurality of second leads, and a claw. The soft body mechanical arm module comprises a plurality of first elastic components and a plurality of second elastic components stacked on each other, the plurality of second elastic components are arranged between the plurality of first elastic components and the mechanical claw, the first elastic components and the second elastic components are each provided with a first wire hole and a plurality of second wire holes arranged around the first wire hole, and the movement degree of freedom of the first elastic components is greater than that of the second elastic components. The first lead is arranged in the first wire hole of each first elastic component and each second elastic component to connect the mechanical claw and control the opening and closing of the mechanical claw. The plurality of second leads are arranged in the second wire holes stacked on each other and at least connect the second wire holes of the second elastic components connected to the mechanical claw. The first elastic component comprises two first substrates and a plurality of first elastic members connected between the two first substrates, each group of first elastic members comprises two first elastic members arranged symmetrically, and the distribution directions of each group of first elastic members are different.

2. The soft robotic arm of claim 1, wherein, The second elastic component comprises two second substrates and a group of second elastic members connected between the two second substrates, and the group of second elastic members comprises two second elastic members arranged symmetrically.

3. The soft robotic arm of claim 2, wherein, The first elastic members and the second elastic members each comprise a plurality of elastic arms connected in a folded manner.

4. The soft robotic arm of claim 3, wherein, The first elastic component comprises two groups of first elastic members, and the distribution directions of the two groups of first elastic members are perpendicular to each other.

5. The soft robotic arm of claim 3, wherein, Part of the second leads pass through the second wire holes to connect the second wire holes of the second elastic components, and the remaining part of the second leads connect the second wire holes of the first elastic components adjacent to the second elastic components.

6. The soft robotic arm of claim 3, wherein, The mechanical claw comprises a fixed cylinder, a plurality of claws hinged to the fixed cylinder, and a driving rod slidingly arranged in the fixed cylinder, the driving rod and each claw are hinged through a connecting rod, the first lead connects the driving rod, and the power provided by the first lead drives the claws to open and close through the driving rod and the connecting rod.

7. The soft robotic arm of claim 1, wherein, The mechanical claw further comprises an elastic member arranged in the fixed cylinder and elastically supporting the driving rod.

8. The soft robotic arm of claim 7, wherein, When the power provided by the first lead drives the driving rod to move and act on the elastic member, each claw is controlled to close through the connecting rod, and the elastic member restores its shape after the power provided by the first lead is removed, pushes the driving rod to reset, and makes the claws naturally open. The claw comprises a first knuckle and a second knuckle hinged to each other, one end of the first knuckle is hinged to the fixed cylinder, and the connecting rod is hinged between the second knuckle and the driving rod.

9. The soft robotic arm of claim 7, wherein, ​

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