Rotating plate gripper

Abstract

The utility model provides a rotating plate gripper which comprises a clamping mechanism and a z-axis mechanism, the clamping mechanism comprises a gripper head driving assembly and a gripper head assembly, and the gripper head driving assembly is connected with the gripper head assembly and used for driving the gripper head assembly to rotate; the z-axis mechanism comprises a base assembly, a z-axis driving assembly, a first lifting assembly, a transmission assembly and a second lifting assembly, the z-axis driving assembly is fixed to one side of the base assembly and connected with the first lifting assembly, and the transmission assembly is arranged on the side, away from the base assembly, of the first lifting assembly and connected with the first lifting assembly and the z-axis driving assembly; one end of the second lifting assembly is in transmission connection with the transmission assembly, the other end of the second lifting assembly is fixedly connected with the claw head driving assembly, and the transmission assembly is used for driving the first lifting assembly and the second lifting assembly to move; the z-axis driving assembly is used for driving the first lifting assembly and the transmission assembly to ascend and descend to a first preset position and driving the transmission assembly to rotate so as to drive the second lifting assembly and the clamping mechanism to move to a second preset position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of medical testing technology, and more specifically, to a rotating plate gripper. Background Technology

[0002] Pipette workstations, frequently used in biological laboratories, are equipped with a robotic arm that can rotate along the X and Y axes, and a rotating plate gripper connected to it that moves up and down along the Z axis. This allows for the transfer of multiwell plate consumables to different plate positions and functional areas during sample processing. Common rotating plate grippers include a Z-axis mechanism that can move up and down and a claw assembly that rotates around the Z-axis.

[0003] To increase the travel distance of the z-axis mechanism, existing rotary grippers typically make the transmission components of the z-axis mechanism quite long. For example, by using a lead screw drive, the height of the lead screw is set quite high, which not only increases the cost but also increases the size of the rotary gripper.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a smaller rotating plate gripper has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a rotating plate gripper that can reduce the size of the rotating plate gripper and reduce the cost.

[0006] The above-mentioned technical objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] A rotating gripper includes a clamping mechanism and a Z-axis mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes a claw drive assembly and a claw assembly for gripping consumables. The claw drive assembly is connected to the claw assembly and drives the claw assembly to rotate. The Z-axis mechanism includes a base assembly, a Z-axis drive assembly, a first lifting assembly, a transmission assembly, and a second lifting assembly. The Z-axis drive assembly is fixed to one side of the base assembly and connected to the first lifting assembly. The transmission assembly is located on the side of the first lifting assembly away from the base assembly and connects the first lifting assembly and the Z-axis drive assembly. One end of the second lifting assembly is drivenly connected to the transmission assembly, and the other end of the second lifting assembly is fixedly connected to the claw drive assembly. The transmission assembly drives the first lifting assembly and the transmission assembly to move. The Z-axis drive assembly drives the first lifting assembly and the transmission assembly to move up and down to a first preset position and drives the transmission assembly to rotate to move the second lifting assembly and the clamping mechanism to a second preset position.

[0008] Furthermore, the z-axis drive assembly includes a motor base, and the first lifting assembly includes: a z-axis lead screw and a first optical axis, both passing through the motor base along the z-axis direction, with the first optical axis arranged parallel to both sides of the z-axis lead screw; a lead screw fixing block, which fixes one end of the z-axis lead screw and the first optical axis; and a linear bearing seat, which fixes the side of the z-axis lead screw and the first optical axis away from the lead screw fixing block. The z-axis lead screw is used to drive the first optical axis to rise and fall when it rotates within the motor base, and also to drive the linear bearing seat to rise and fall.

[0009] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes: an upper pulley assembly, fixedly connected to the side of the lead screw fixing block away from the base assembly; a lower pulley assembly, fixedly connected to the linear bearing seat; a synchronous belt, drivingly connected to the upper pulley assembly and the lower pulley assembly; and a first synchronous belt pressure plate, sleeved on one side of the synchronous belt and fixedly connected to the motor seat, for fixing the transmission assembly in a first preset position.

[0010] Furthermore, the second lifting assembly includes: a second synchronous belt pressure plate, sleeved on the other side of the synchronous belt; an optical axis fixing plate, fixedly connected to the second synchronous belt pressure plate; a second optical axis, one end of which is fixed to the optical axis fixing plate, and the other end of which passes through the linear bearing seat and is connected to a claw head connecting plate, the claw head connecting plate being fixedly connected to the claw head drive assembly; the second synchronous belt pressure plate is used to fix the second lifting assembly in a second preset position when the second optical axis is raised and lowered within the linear bearing seat.

[0011] Furthermore, the claw drive assembly includes: a gimbal motor, comprising a rotor and a stator that move relative to each other, the stator being connected to the second lifting assembly, and the rotor being fixedly connected to the claw assembly via an adapter flange; and a slip ring, disposed within the gimbal motor, comprising an inlet end and an outlet end that move relative to each other, the outlet end being connected to the stator, and the inlet end being fixedly connected to the rotor.

[0012] Furthermore, the claw assembly includes: a claw base, which includes a claw housing and a gripper drive assembly disposed within the claw housing, with the inlet end passing through the adapter flange and the claw housing in sequence, and connected to the gripper drive assembly via a connecting wire; and a gripper, which is slidably disposed on the outside of the claw base and connected to the gripper drive assembly, the gripper drive assembly being used to drive the gripper to perform opening and closing movements.

[0013] Furthermore, the gripper assembly also includes a movable block and a connector, the connector passing through the movable block to connect the gripper to one end away from the gripper drive assembly, so as to movably connect the movable block to the gripper.

[0014] Furthermore, a conical component is provided on the opposite side between the moving blocks for embedding the consumables gripped by the grippers.

[0015] Furthermore, the rotary gripper also includes a scanning component, which is located on the side of the gripper head near the gripper.

[0016] Furthermore, the scanning assembly includes: a scanning housing, fixedly mounted on the claw head base, with a scanning hole provided on the side of the scanning housing away from the claw head base; a window, covering the scanning hole and connected to the scanning housing; and a scanner, disposed inside the scanning housing corresponding to the window.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model embodiment are:

[0018] In this embodiment, the z-axis mechanism is configured as a composite structure including a first lifting component, a transmission component, and a second lifting component. The extension and retraction of the rotating plate gripper are achieved by lifting the first lifting component and the transmission component to a first preset position, and the second lifting component to a second preset position. This reduces the overall size of the rotating plate gripper in the z-axis direction, facilitates installation, reduces costs, and provides flexibility. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly described below.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the z-axis mechanism of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating plate gripper in an extended state according to an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the z-axis mechanism of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the upper pulley assembly of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the lower pulley assembly of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the claw assembly of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the claw assembly of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the scanning component of a rotating plate gripper according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Reference numerals: Clamping mechanism 1; Claw drive assembly 2; Gimbal motor 21; Rotor 211; Stator 212; Slip ring 22; Inlet end 221; Outlet end 222; Claw assembly 3; Claw seat 31; Left nut fixing block 311; Right nut fixing block 312; Left connecting block 313; Right connecting block 314; Left-handed nut 315; Right-handed nut 316; Claw optical shaft 317; Left and right-handed lead screws 318; Sliding bearing 319; Clamp 32. Claw; 33. Movable block; 331. Conical part; 34. Connector; 35. Threaded pin; 36. Deep groove ball bearing assembly; 37. Claw head motor; 371. Control board adapter plate; 372. Claw head light shield; 373. Integrated optocoupler; 374. Claw head encoder; 38. Drive pulley; 39. Driven pulley; 391. Claw head synchronous belt; 4. Z-axis mechanism; 41. Cable chain; 42. Cable chain fixing plate; 43. Movable cable chain plate; 44. Housing; 5. Base assembly; 6. Electrical box 51; Electrical control board; 52; Wire baffle plate; 53; Z-axis light shield; 54; Z-axis optocoupler; 55; Base plate; 56; Z-axis drive assembly; 6; Motor mount; 61; Stepper motor; 62; Z-axis encoder; 63; First lifting assembly; 7; Z-axis lead screw; 71; First optical axis; 72; Lead screw fixing block; 73; Linear bearing seat; 74; Transmission assembly; 8; Upper pulley assembly; 81; Upper pulley base; 811; Mounting cavity; 812; First support pulley; 813; First idler pulley; Wheel 814; Lower pulley assembly 82; Fixing part 821; Support part 822; Second support pulley 823; Second idler pulley 824; Lower pulley base 825; Synchronous belt 83; First synchronous belt pressure plate 84; Second lifting assembly 9; Second synchronous belt pressure plate 91; Optical axis fixing plate 92; Second optical axis 93; Claw head connecting plate 94; Optical axis fixing block 95; Scanning assembly 10; Scanning housing 101; Window 102; Scanner 103. Detailed Implementation

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "inner" and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and for simplifying the description, and do not 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 this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0031] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a rotating plate gripper to solve the problems of excessive size and high cost of existing rotating plate grippers.

[0032] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] See Figure 1-4. This application embodiment provides a rotating plate gripper, including a clamping mechanism 1 and a z-axis mechanism 4.

[0034] The clamping mechanism 1 includes a claw drive assembly 2 and a claw assembly 3 for gripping consumables. The claw drive assembly 2 is connected to the claw assembly 3 and is used to drive the claw assembly 3 to rotate.

[0035] The z-axis mechanism 4 includes a base assembly 5, a z-axis drive assembly 6, a first lifting assembly 7, a transmission assembly 8, and a second lifting assembly 9. The z-axis drive assembly 6 is fixed to one side of the base assembly 5 and is connected to the first lifting assembly 7. The transmission assembly 8 is located on the side of the first lifting assembly 7 away from the base assembly 5 and connects the first lifting assembly 7 and the z-axis drive assembly 6.

[0036] One end of the second lifting component 9 is connected to the transmission component 8, and the other end of the second lifting component 9 is fixedly connected to the claw drive component 2. When the transmission component 8 rotates around an axis perpendicular to the z-axis, it drives the first lifting component 7 and the second lifting component 9 to move.

[0037] The z-axis drive assembly 6 is used to drive the first lifting assembly 7 and the transmission assembly 8 to lift to the first preset position, and to drive the transmission assembly 8 to rotate so as to move the second lifting assembly 9 and the clamping mechanism 1 to the second preset position.

[0038] This application embodiment simultaneously sets up a first lifting component 7, a transmission component 8, and a second lifting component 9, so that the first lifting component 7 and the transmission component 8 move to a first preset position, and the second lifting component 9 moves to a second preset position, thereby realizing the lifting of the z-axis mechanism 4 in the z-axis direction. Compared with the prior art, which uses only a lead screw to achieve lifting, this application can reduce the size of the z-axis mechanism 4, not only reducing costs, but also improving the working flexibility of the z-axis mechanism 4.

[0039] In one embodiment, the first preset position is the distance between the side of the transmission component 8 and the first lifting component 7 closest to the ground and the ground, and the second preset position is the distance between the side of the second lifting component 9 closest to the ground and the ground. The first preset position is greater than or equal to the second preset position.

[0040] In one embodiment, the z-axis drive assembly 6 includes a motor mount 61, a stepper motor 62, and a z-axis encoder 63, which are sequentially fixedly connected along the z-axis direction.

[0041] The z-axis encoder 63 is used to detect whether the stepper motor 62 loses steps when the first lifting assembly 7, the second lifting assembly 9, and the transmission assembly 8 are lifting. Specifically, the z-axis encoder 63 sends pulse signals to the control system of the rotating plate gripper in real time to reflect the actual position. At the same time, it records the pulse commands issued by the control system and processes the difference in the ratio between the two through the control system. It compares the count values ​​of the two and determines whether the difference exceeds a preset threshold to further determine whether steps are lost.

[0042] In one embodiment, the first lifting assembly 7 includes a z-axis lead screw 71, a first optical axis 72, a lead screw fixing block 73, and a linear bearing seat 74.

[0043] Both the z-axis lead screw 71 and the first optical axis 72 pass through the motor base 61 along the z-axis direction, and the first optical axis 72 is arranged parallel to both sides of the z-axis lead screw 71.

[0044] Specifically, the motor base 61 has a first opening that extends through along the z-axis, and the z-axis lead screw 71 passes through the first opening and is connected to the stepper motor 62.

[0045] The motor base 61 is also provided with a second opening that runs through the z-axis. The linear bearing base 74 is provided with a third opening corresponding to the second opening on the side near the z-axis lead screw 71, and a linear bearing is provided in the third opening. The first optical axis 72 passes through the second opening and is connected to the linear bearing.

[0046] The Z-axis lead screw 71 passes through the motor base 61 and is connected to the stepper motor 62 and the Z-axis encoder 63. The stepper motor 62 is used to drive the Z-axis lead screw 71 to rotate, so as to drive the first optical axis 72 to rise and fall. Specifically, the stepper motor 62 is provided with a rotor with threads. The Z-axis lead screw 71 passes through the rotor of the stepper motor 62 and rotates along the threads. The helix angle of the Z-axis lead screw 71 is less than the static friction angle.

[0047] In the above embodiments, since the helix angle of the z-axis lead screw 71 is smaller than the static friction angle, the friction between the z-axis lead screw 71 and the thread can prevent the relative reverse movement of the z-axis lead screw 71, thus achieving self-locking of the z-axis lead screw 71. Therefore, in the event of an emergency, such as a power outage, the z-axis mechanism 4 provided in this application will not fall downwards under the action of gravity due to the self-locking of the z-axis lead screw 71, thereby improving the stability of the rotating plate gripper.

[0048] The lead screw fixing block 73 is fixedly connected to one end of the z-axis lead screw 71 and the first optical axis 72.

[0049] The linear bearing housing 74 is fixedly connected to the side of the z-axis lead screw 71 and the first optical axis 72 away from the lead screw fixing seat, and the lead screw fixing block 73 is arranged parallel to the linear bearing housing 74 to ensure the balance of the lead screw movement.

[0050] The z-axis lead screw 71 is also used to drive the first optical shaft 72 to rise and fall when it rotates inside the motor base 61, and to drive the linear bearing base 74 to rise and fall.

[0051] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 8 includes an upper pulley assembly 81, a lower pulley assembly 82, a timing belt 83, and a first timing belt pressure plate 84.

[0052] The upper pulley assembly 81 is fixedly connected to the lead screw fixing block 73 on the side away from the base assembly 5.

[0053] The lower pulley assembly 82 is fixedly connected to the linear bearing housing 74. Specifically, the bottom of the linear bearing housing 74 is provided with a fixing cavity, and the lower pulley assembly 82 is engaged in the fixing cavity.

[0054] The synchronous belt 83 is connected to the upper pulley assembly 81 and the lower pulley assembly 82.

[0055] The first synchronous belt pressure plate 84 is sleeved on one side of the synchronous belt 83 along the z-axis direction. That is, the first synchronous belt pressure plate 84 is located on one side of the z-axis lead screw 71 and is fixedly connected to the side of the motor seat 61 of the z-axis drive assembly 6, and is used to fix the transmission assembly 8 in the first preset position.

[0056] Specifically, when the synchronous belt 83 rotates around the axis perpendicular to the z-axis, the first synchronous belt pressure plate 84 rotates along with the synchronous belt 83. When the lead screw fixing block 73 or the linear bearing seat 74 abuts against the motor seat 61, the first synchronous belt pressure plate 84 is fixed in the current position because it is fixed to one side of the motor seat 61, thus fixing the transmission component 8 in the first preset position.

[0057] In one embodiment, the second lifting assembly 9 includes a second synchronous belt pressure plate 91, an optical axis fixing block 95, and a second optical axis 93.

[0058] The second synchronous belt pressure plate 91 is sleeved on the other side of the synchronous belt 83, and the second synchronous belt pressure plate 91 is fixedly connected to one side of the optical axis fixing plate 92.

[0059] One end of the second optical axis 93 is fixed on the optical axis fixing plate 92, and the other end of the second optical axis 93 passes through the linear bearing seat 74 and is connected to the claw head connecting plate 94. The claw head connecting plate 94 is fixedly connected to the claw head drive assembly 2.

[0060] Specifically, a fourth opening is provided on the side of the linear bearing housing 74 away from the third opening. A linear bearing is installed in the fourth opening, and the other end of the second optical axis 93 is connected to the linear bearing in the fourth opening to fix the second optical axis 93 on the linear bearing housing 74.

[0061] The second synchronous belt pressure plate 91 is used to fix the second lifting assembly 9 in the second preset position when the second optical axis 93 moves up and down in the linear bearing seat 74.

[0062] Specifically, when the synchronous belt 83 rotates around the axis perpendicular to the z-axis, the second synchronous belt pressure plate 91 can drive the optical axis fixing plate 92 to rise and fall, and drive the second optical axis 93 to rise and fall. When the first synchronous belt pressure plate 84 fixes the transmission component 8 in the first preset position, the second synchronous belt pressure plate 91 also fixes the second lifting component 9 in the second preset position.

[0063] In one embodiment, the base assembly 5 includes an electrical box 51, a base plate 56, and a wire baffle plate 53. The electrical box 51 is fixedly connected to the base plate 56. An electrical control board 52 is provided inside the electrical box 51. The electrical control board 52 is connected to a stepper motor 62. When the stepper motor 62 receives an electrical signal from the electrical control board 52, it drives the first lifting assembly 7 to lift and lower, and drives the synchronous belt 83 of the transmission assembly 8 to rotate.

[0064] The wire baffle 53 is fixed to one side of the electrical box 51 to prevent the connection wires of the electrical control board 52 from interfering with the other components of the z-axis mechanism 4.

[0065] The z-axis mechanism 4 also includes a z-axis light-shielding plate 54 and a z-axis optical coupler 55. The z-axis optical coupler 55 is fixed on the wire baffle plate 53 and connected to the electrical control board 52. The z-axis light-shielding plate 54 is disposed on the side of the lead screw fixing block 73 near the z-axis optical coupler 55 and is used to cooperate with the z-axis optical coupler 55 to determine the initial position of the first lifting assembly 7.

[0066] When the z-axis light-blocking plate 54 is close to the z-axis optical axis, it is the initial position of the first lifting component 7.

[0067] Specifically, the z-axis optocoupler 55 is typically composed of a light-emitting diode (LED) and a photosensitive element. When an input electrical signal causes the LED to emit light, the photosensitive element receives the light signal and converts it into an electrical signal for output, thus achieving circuit isolation. When the rotating plate gripper starts working, the z-axis light-shielding plate 54 may be positioned close to the z-axis optocoupler 55, potentially blocking the light emitted by the LED from reaching the photosensitive element. At this time, the photosensitive element is not conducting, and the control system identifies this as the initial position. When the light-shielding plate moves away from the z-axis optocoupler 55 along with the first lifting assembly 7, light passes through, the photosensitive element conducts, and the control system detects the position change.

[0068] By determining the initial position in the above manner, the movement of the z-axis component can be detected in a timely manner, facilitating real-time control.

[0069] In one embodiment, the z-axis mechanism 4 further includes a cable chain 41, a cable chain fixing plate 42, and a movable cable chain plate 43. The cable chain fixing plate 42 is fixedly installed on one side of the base plate 56, and the movable cable chain plate 43 is installed on one side of the claw head connecting plate 94 corresponding to the cable chain fixing plate 42. The two ends of the cable chain 41 are respectively connected to the cable chain fixing plate 42 and the movable cable chain plate 43. By setting the cable chain 41, when the first lifting assembly 7, the transmission assembly 8, and the second lifting assembly 9 are lifting, the cable chain 41 moves accordingly to protect the connected components and avoid damage caused by friction, entanglement, or external impact.

[0070] In one embodiment, the z-axis mechanism 4 further includes a housing 44, which covers the first lifting assembly 7, the transmission assembly 8 and the second lifting assembly 9 and is connected to the base assembly 5 to protect the various components inside the z-axis mechanism 4.

[0071] See Figure 5 -6. In one embodiment, the upper pulley assembly 81 includes an upper pulley base 811, a first support pulley 813, a first idler pulley 814, a first pulley shaft, a first bearing, and a first thin-head screw (not shown in the figure).

[0072] The upper pulley base 811 has inwardly recessed mounting cavities 812 at both ends on the side near the lead screw fixing block 73, and a first connecting hole is provided in the cavity. One end of the first pulley shaft is fixedly connected to the first connecting hole. The first bearings are located on both sides of the first support pulley 813 and the first idler pulley 814 respectively. The first bearing, the first support pulley 813 and the first bearing are sequentially mounted on one of the first pulley shafts, and the first bearing, the first idler pulley 814 and the first bearing are sequentially mounted on the other first pulley shaft.

[0073] The first support pulley 813 and the first idler pulley 814 are fixed to the upper pulley base 811 by the first thin-head screw.

[0074] The first idler pulley 814 and the first support pulley 813 can rotate freely around the first pulley shaft and support the synchronous belt 83.

[0075] In one embodiment, the lower pulley assembly 82 includes a lower pulley base 825, a second support pulley 823, a second idler pulley 824, a second pulley shaft, a second bearing, and a second thin-head screw (not shown in the figure).

[0076] The lower pulley base 825 includes a fixed part 821 and a support part 822 connected to each other. The support part 822 and the fixed part 821 are vertically arranged. The second support pulley 823, the second idler pulley 824, the second pulley shaft, the second bearing, and the second thin-head screw are all installed on the surface of the fixed part 821. The fixed part 821 is engaged with the linear bearing seat 74. The side of the fixed part 821 away from the second support pulley 823 and the second idler pulley 824 and the surface of the support part 822 are in close contact with the surface of the linear bearing seat 74.

[0077] The support part 822 has second connecting holes at both ends. One end of the second pulley shaft is fixedly connected to the second connecting hole. The second bearing is located on both sides of the second support pulley 823 and the second idler pulley 824 respectively. The second bearing, the second support pulley 823 and the second bearing are sequentially mounted on one of the second pulley shafts. The second bearing, the second idler pulley 824 and the second bearing are sequentially mounted on the other second pulley shaft.

[0078] The second support pulley 823 and the second idler pulley 824 are fixed to the lower pulley base 825 by the second thin-head screws.

[0079] The second idler pulley 824 and the second support pulley 823 can rotate freely around the second pulley shaft and support the synchronous belt 83.

[0080] See Figure 7 -8. In one embodiment, the claw drive assembly 2 includes a gimbal motor 21 and a slip ring 22.

[0081] The gimbal motor 21 includes a rotor 211 and a stator 212 that move relative to each other. The stator 212 is connected to the second lifting assembly 9. Specifically, the second lifting assembly 9 is fixedly connected to the claw head connecting plate 94 through the stator 212. The rotor 211 is fixedly connected to the claw head assembly 3 through the adapter flange. The stator 212 can rotate an infinite angle relative to the rotor 211.

[0082] The slip ring 22 is installed inside the gimbal motor 21. The slip ring 22 includes an inlet end 221 and an outlet end 222 that move relative to each other. The outlet end 222 is connected to the stator 212, and the inlet end 221 is fixedly connected to the rotor 211. Similarly, the inlet end 221 can rotate an infinite angle relative to the outlet end 222.

[0083] When the claw assembly 3 rotates, the stator 212 of the gimbal motor 21 and the output end 222 of the slip ring 22 are fixed together and there is no relative movement. The rotor 211 of the gimbal motor 21, the input end 221 of the slip ring 22, and the adapter flange are fixed together and there is no relative movement.

[0084] In one embodiment, the gimbal motor 21 has an integrated encoder for detecting whether the gimbal motor 21 loses steps during rotation.

[0085] This application embodiment achieves infinite angle rotation of the claw assembly 3 by setting a gimbal motor 21. Compared with the structure that drives the claw assembly 3 to rotate in the prior art, the gimbal motor 21 of this application is smaller in size, further reducing the space occupied by the overall structure of the rotating plate gripper and reducing costs.

[0086] Meanwhile, the gimbal motor 21 typically uses a brushless motor. The rotor 211 of the brushless motor has no brushes, which reduces friction and wear, lowers noise and maintenance costs, and improves the efficiency and lifespan of the motor. In addition, the gimbal motor 21 has extremely high stability, which can effectively reduce vibration when rotating in an unbalanced environment and improve the stability of the rotating plate gripper.

[0087] In one embodiment, the claw assembly 3 includes a claw base 31, a gripper 32, a movable block 33, and a connector 34.

[0088] The claw head base 31 includes a claw head housing and a gripper drive assembly disposed inside the claw head housing. The adapter flange is fixedly installed on the side of the claw head housing near the gimbal motor 21. The inlet end 221 passes through the adapter flange and the claw head housing in sequence, and is connected to the claw head drive assembly 2 via a connecting wire.

[0089] The gripper 32 is slidably disposed on the outside of the gripper head seat 31 and connected to the gripper drive assembly, which is used to drive the gripper 32 to perform opening and closing movements.

[0090] In one embodiment, the opening and closing distance of the gripper 32 is L, where 76mm ≤ L ≤ 130mm. This embodiment sets the opening and closing distance of the gripper 32 within the aforementioned range, enabling the gripper assembly 3 to grasp both the long and short sides of the consumable during operation, thus improving the flexibility of the gripper assembly 3.

[0091] The claw assembly 3 also includes a movable block 33 and a connector 34, which passes through the movable block 33 and connects to one end of the gripper 32 away from the gripper drive assembly, so as to movably connect the movable block 33 to the gripper 32.

[0092] In one embodiment, the connector 34 can be a threaded pin, and the movable block 33 can move around the threaded pin on the gripper 32 to a preset angle. When the placement position of the consumables is slightly tilted, the angle of the movable block 33 can be adjusted to adapt to consumables in different positions, thereby improving the flexibility of the rotating plate gripper.

[0093] In one embodiment, a tapered member 331 is provided on one side opposite to the movable blocks 33, and the tapered member 331 is provided at least one for embedding the consumables gripped by the cup gripper 32.

[0094] Specifically, when the movable block 33 performs the clamping operation, a conical part 331 is provided on the side near the consumable. The conical part 331 has a sharp point that can be embedded into the surface of the consumable when clamping it to increase the stability of the clamping.

[0095] In one embodiment, the claw assembly 3 further includes threaded pins 35, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the grippers 32 for abutting against consumables. When the consumables gripped by the claw assembly 3 are heavy, the threaded pins 35 are used to limit the movement, prevent the consumables from tilting and overturning, and further improve the stability of gripping.

[0096] In one embodiment, the claw head seat 31 includes the above-mentioned claw drive assembly, which includes a left nut fixing block 311, a right nut fixing block 312, a left connecting block 313 and a right connecting block 314, a sliding bearing 319, a left-hand nut 315, a right-hand nut 316, a claw head optical shaft 317, and left and right-hand lead screws 318.

[0097] The left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312 are spaced apart inside the claw head housing. The left connecting block 313 is connected to the left nut fixing block 311, and the right connecting block 314 is connected to the right nut fixing block 312.

[0098] The gripper 32 includes a left gripper and a right gripper. A sliding opening is provided on the side of the gripper head housing near the gripper 32. The left connecting block 313 extends through the sliding opening and connects to the left gripper, and the right connecting block 314 extends through the sliding opening and connects to the left gripper.

[0099] The left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312 each have a square hole, and a left-handed nut 315 and a right-handed nut 316 are respectively installed in the square hole. The left and right screws 318 include a left-handed screw and a right-handed screw. The left-handed screw passes through the claw head housing and is connected to the left-handed nut 315. The right-handed screw passes through the claw head housing and is connected to the right-handed nut 316. When the left-handed screw is rotated, it drives the left-handed nut 315 to move, so that the left nut fixing block 311 drives the left connecting block 313 to move. When the right-handed screw is rotated, it drives the right-handed nut 316 to move, so that the right nut fixing block 312 drives the right connecting block 314 to move.

[0100] In one embodiment, the left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312 are respectively provided with multiple mounting holes penetrating the left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312. Multiple claw head optical shafts 317 are provided, and sliding bearings 319 are disposed in the above-mentioned mounting holes. The multiple claw head optical shafts 317 are respectively inserted from the claw head housing and pass through the sliding bearings 319 in the mounting holes of the left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312 in sequence.

[0101] In this embodiment, the claw head optical axis 317 is provided to guide and stabilize the movement of the left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312.

[0102] In one embodiment, the claw head seat 31 further includes a deep groove ball bearing assembly 36, which is disposed in the claw head housing and is connected to the end of the left-hand lead screw away from the left-hand nut 315 and the end of the right-hand lead screw away from the right-hand nut 316. It is used to support the radial force of the left-hand lead screw and the right-hand lead screw to ensure their stable rotation.

[0103] The deep groove ball bearing assembly 36 includes a deep groove ball bearing and a bearing cap. The deep groove ball bearing is connected to the left-hand lead screw and the right-hand lead screw respectively. The bearing cap is placed on the deep groove ball bearing to ensure the stability of the connection.

[0104] In the above embodiment, when the left-hand lead screw and the right-hand lead screw rotate in both directions, they will drive the left-hand nut 315 and the right-hand nut 31 to move left and right. Since the left-hand nut 315 is installed on the left nut fixing block 311 and the right-hand nut 316 is fixedly installed on the right nut fixing block 312, the rotation of the left-hand lead screw and the right-hand lead screw will drive the left and right nut fixing blocks 312 to move towards the center at the same time or to move apart to the sides at the same time, so as to drive the left and right grippers to move towards the center at the same time or to move apart to the sides at the same time.

[0105] In this embodiment, the helix angles of the left-hand and right-hand lead screws are both smaller than their static friction angles. The gripper 32 opens and closes by rotating the left and right lead screws 318 to drive the left nut fixing block 311 and the right nut fixing block 312 to move. Since the frictional force between the left and right lead screws 318 and the left nut 315 and the right nut 316 respectively can prevent the relative reverse movement of the lead screws and achieve self-locking, the gripper cannot move in the event of a power outage, i.e., when the left and right grippers are not driven by the gripper drive assembly. Therefore, it can further ensure that the consumable liquid gripped by the rotating plate gripper will not fall and cause an accident or sample waste in case of an emergency, and further improve the stability of the rotating plate gripper's operation.

[0106] In one embodiment, the claw head base 31 further includes a claw head motor 37, a driving pulley 38, a driven pulley 39, and a claw head timing belt 391.

[0107] The claw motor 37 is located inside the claw housing, and the motor shaft of the claw motor 37 is arranged parallel to the left and right screws 318. The driving pulley 38 is fixedly connected to the motor shaft, and the driven pulley 39 is fixedly connected to the left or right screw.

[0108] The claw head timing belt 391 is sleeved on the outside of the driving pulley 38 and the driven pulley 39. The claw head motor 37 is used to drive the driving pulley 38 to rotate so as to drive the driven pulley 39 to rotate through the claw head timing belt 391, and drive the left-hand lead screw or the right-hand lead screw to rotate.

[0109] In one embodiment, the claw head base 31 further includes a control board adapter plate 371, a claw head light shield 372, and an integrated optocoupler 373.

[0110] The control board adapter plate 371 is disposed inside the claw head housing and connected to the claw head motor 37. The claw head light shield 372 is disposed near the control board adapter plate 371 on the outside of the left nut fixing block 311 or the right nut fixing block 312. The corresponding integrated optocoupler 373 is connected to the control board adapter plate 371 and is used to cooperate with the claw head light shield 372 to determine the initial position of the left nut fixing block 311 or the right nut fixing block 312. The position of the claw head light shield 372 when it is close to the integrated optocoupler 373 is the initial position of the left nut fixing block 311 or the right nut fixing block 312.

[0111] In one embodiment, a claw encoder 374 is fixedly connected to the end of the claw motor 37 away from the motor shaft to realize the torque output mode of the claw motor 37. By changing the current of the claw motor 37, the output torque of the motor can be changed, thereby improving the flexibility of the claw motor 37 in operation.

[0112] In one embodiment, the rotating gripper further includes a scanning component 10, which is fixedly mounted on the gripper head seat 31 and located on the side of the gripper head seat 31 near the gripper 32. The scanning component 10 is used to rotate with the gripper head assembly 3 and to rise and fall with the gripper head assembly 3. It is used to scan the QR code or one-dimensional code set on the consumable to identify the information of the consumable or the reagent on the consumable.

[0113] See Figure 9 In one embodiment, the scanning component 10 includes a scanning housing 101, a window 102, and a scanner 103.

[0114] The scanning housing 101 is fixedly installed on the claw housing of the claw head base 31 and is located above the sliding port. A scanning hole is opened on the side of the scanning housing 101 away from the claw housing. A window 102 is covered by the scanning hole and connected to the scanning housing 101. The scanner 103 is disposed inside the scanning housing 101 corresponding to the window 102. The scanning housing 101 is provided to protect the scanner 103. At the same time, the scanning component 10 provided in this application embodiment is smaller in size than the external scanner 103 in the prior art. While reducing costs, it can also improve the routing of the barcode scanner and allow the claw assembly 3 to rotate at an infinite angle, further ensuring the stability of the claw assembly 3.

[0115] The working process of the rotating plate gripper will be described in detail below with reference to the above embodiments:

[0116] When the rotary gripper is started, the z-axis mechanism 4, the claw assembly 3, and the claw drive assembly 2 are all in their initial positions. That is, the first lifting assembly 7, the transmission assembly 8, and the second lifting assembly 9 in the z-axis mechanism 4 are all in a retracted state, and the left gripper 32 and the right gripper 32 of the claw assembly 3 are in an open state.

[0117] Within the pipetting workstation, the rotary gripper is moved to a preset position along the x and y axes by the robotic arm. The control system controls the gimbal motor 21 to drive the gripper assembly 3 to rotate to a preset angle. Then, the stepper motor 62 in the z-axis mechanism 4 drives the first lifting assembly 7 and the transmission assembly 8 to descend to the first preset position. Simultaneously, it drives the synchronous belt 83 of the transmission assembly 8 to rotate, thereby driving the second lifting assembly 9 to descend to the second preset position and the gripper assembly 3 to descend to the second preset position. The control system controls the scanner 103 to work and identify the information of the consumables. When the identified information is the same as the target setting information, the gripper motor 37 drives the gripper 32 to move and pick up the consumables. The control system controls the z-axis mechanism 4 to work and retract the first lifting assembly 7, the transmission assembly 8, and the second lifting assembly 9 to the initial position. Finally, the robotic arm moves the rotary gripper to the target position, completing the transfer of the consumables.

[0118] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "setup" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0119] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0120] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A rotating plate gripper, characterized in that, include: The clamping mechanism includes a claw drive assembly and a claw assembly for gripping consumables, wherein the claw drive assembly is connected to the claw assembly and is used to drive the claw assembly to rotate; The z-axis mechanism includes a base assembly, a z-axis drive assembly, a first lifting assembly, a transmission assembly, and a second lifting assembly. The z-axis drive assembly is fixed to one side of the base assembly and is connected to the first lifting assembly. The transmission assembly is located on the side of the first lifting assembly away from the base assembly and connects the first lifting assembly and the z-axis drive assembly. One end of the second lifting component is connected to the transmission component, and the other end of the second lifting component is fixedly connected to the claw drive component. The transmission component is used to drive the first lifting component and the second lifting component to move. The z-axis drive assembly is used to drive the first lifting assembly and the transmission assembly to rise and fall to a first preset position, and to drive the transmission assembly to rotate so as to move the second lifting assembly and the clamping mechanism to a second preset position.

2. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The z-axis drive assembly includes a motor mount, and the first lifting assembly includes: Both the z-axis lead screw and the first optical axis pass through the motor base along the z-axis direction, and the first optical axis is arranged parallel to both sides of the z-axis lead screw; A lead screw fixing block is used to fix one end of the z-axis lead screw and the first optical axis. A linear bearing housing is fixedly connected to the z-axis lead screw and the side of the first optical axis away from the lead screw fixing block; The Z-axis lead screw is used to drive the first optical axis to rise and fall when it rotates inside the motor base, and also to drive the linear bearing seat to rise and fall.

3. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes: The upper pulley assembly is fixedly connected to the side of the lead screw fixing block away from the base assembly; The lower pulley assembly is fixedly connected to the linear bearing housing; A timing belt is used to drive the upper pulley assembly and the lower pulley assembly; A first synchronous belt pressure plate is sleeved on one side of the synchronous belt along the z-axis and fixedly connected to the motor base, used to fix the transmission assembly in the first preset position.

4. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second lifting component includes: The second synchronous belt pressure plate is sleeved on the other side of the synchronous belt; The optical axis fixing plate is fixedly connected to the second synchronous belt pressure plate; The second optical axis has one end fixed to the optical axis fixing plate, and the other end of the second optical axis passes through the linear bearing seat and is connected to the claw head connecting plate. The claw head connecting plate is fixedly connected to the claw head drive assembly. The second synchronous belt pressure plate is used to fix the second lifting assembly in the second preset position when the second optical axis moves up and down in the linear bearing seat.

5. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The claw drive component includes: The gimbal motor includes a rotor and a stator that move relative to each other. The stator is connected to the second lifting assembly, and the rotor is fixedly connected to the claw assembly via an adapter flange. A slip ring is disposed inside the gimbal motor. The slip ring includes an inlet end and an outlet end that move relative to each other. The outlet end is connected to the stator, and the inlet end is fixedly connected to the rotor.

6. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 5, characterized in that, The claw assembly includes: A claw head base, comprising a claw head housing and a gripper drive assembly disposed within the claw head housing, wherein the incoming line passes sequentially through the adapter flange and the claw head housing, and is connected to the claw head drive assembly via a connecting line; The gripper is slidably disposed on the outside of the gripper head seat and connected to the gripper drive assembly, which is used to drive the gripper to perform opening and closing movements.

7. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 6, characterized in that, The gripper assembly further includes a movable block and a connector, the connector passing through the movable block and connecting to one end of the gripper away from the gripper drive assembly, so as to movably connect the movable block to the gripper.

8. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 7, characterized in that, A tapered component is provided on one side opposite to the movable blocks for embedding consumables gripped by the grippers.

9. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rotating gripper also includes a scanning component, which is disposed on the side of the gripper head near the gripper.

10. The rotating plate gripper according to claim 9, characterized in that, The scanning component includes: A scanning housing is fixedly installed on the claw head base, and a scanning hole is provided on the side of the scanning housing away from the claw head base; A window is provided, covering the scanning hole and connected to the scanning housing; The scanner is disposed within the scanning housing, corresponding to the window.

Images