Rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm

Abstract

The utility model discloses a rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm, and belongs to the technical field of multi-joint mechanical arms. The mechanical arm comprises a base bottom plate, a waist unit, a large arm unit, a small arm unit, a tail end execution unit, a large arm driving unit, a small arm driving unit, a tail end driving unit, a transmission mechanism composed of ropes and a tensioning mechanism, the driving units are connected with corresponding joint rotating shafts through the ropes, and multi-degree-of-freedom movement of the mechanical arm is achieved. Through the structural design of the tensioning mechanism, on one hand, the tensioning force of a rope can be flexibly adjusted through active control of a tensioning driving motor, the application range of the mechanical arm is greatly expanded, and the mechanical arm can better adapt to different working conditions; on the other hand, opposite force can be provided when the large arm unit and the small arm unit move, so that the working stability is improved; in addition, according to the design, only one tensioning driving rope is needed, the large arm, the small arm and the tail end driving rope can be synchronously tensioned through the mechanical coupling characteristic, and the structure is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of multi-joint robotic arm technology, and more particularly to a rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of multi-joint robotic arm technology, rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arms have attracted much attention due to their unique advantages. Early multi-degree-of-freedom serially driven robotic arms often placed the drive motors near the joints, making the motors an additional load on the robotic arm, requiring a significant amount of unnecessary energy to lift them. In underwater operations, the motors at the joints also faced the challenge of waterproof sealing. Extensive use of sealing and pressure-resistant materials not only increased the size, weight, and rotational inertia of the robotic arm but also weakened its operational performance and caused considerable interference to the underwater environment. To solve these problems, rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom serially driven robotic arms emerged. These arms centrally place the drive motors in the base, relying on ropes to transmit power, effectively reducing the weight of the robotic arm, improving the energy efficiency ratio, and avoiding the waterproof sealing problem of the motors during underwater operations. However, existing rope-driven robotic arms still have many shortcomings.

[0003] For example, patent CN118906039A proposes a multi-degree-of-freedom self-tensioning rope-driven robotic arm. This solution cleverly configures the rope path and winding direction, utilizing a single spring combined with gravity coupling to achieve the coordinated tensioning of multiple ropes. Specifically, the tensioning spring acts on the end effector unit, and the tension is sequentially transmitted to the forearm and upper arm units through the end effector driving rope. This design requires only a single spring to maintain the rope tension of the entire robotic arm, offering advantages such as simple structure and no need for separate tensioning devices for each rope. It also provides linear compensation for rope elongation during operation. However, this passive tensioning method still has significant limitations in practical applications. Its tension adjustment capability is limited by the elastic characteristics of the spring. When the end effector bears a large load or is in certain specific postures, the tension provided by a single spring may not be sufficient to completely balance the external forces. For example, in underwater operations or heavy object handling scenarios, the combined torque generated by the gravity of the gripper and the load can easily exceed the spring's design capacity, leading to rope slack and causing problems in the coordination between the robotic hand and the robotic arm. Therefore, a more advanced rope-driven robotic arm is needed, with a tensioning mechanism that can adapt to load changes to improve the stability and reliability of the system, thereby enhancing the working performance and applicability of the robotic arm. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to solve the problems existing in the background art.

[0005] The embodiments of this application can be implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm includes a base plate; a waist unit, a large arm unit, a small arm unit, and an end effector unit connected in series from the base plate downwards, with each unit hinged to the others via a pivot; a large arm drive unit, a small arm drive unit, and an end effector unit disposed on the upper surface of the base plate; and a transmission mechanism composed of a large arm drive rope, a small arm drive rope, and an end effector rope; the two ends of the large arm drive rope are respectively connected to the output end of the large arm drive unit and the large arm joint pivot of the large arm unit; the two ends of the small arm drive rope are respectively connected to the output end of the small arm drive unit. The arm drive rope is connected to the forearm joint pivot of the forearm unit; both ends of the end drive rope are connected to the output end of the end drive unit and the end pivot, respectively; a tensioning mechanism is also included, which includes a tensioning drive motor mounted on the base plate, a tensioning drive rope connected to the output end of the tensioning drive motor, and a tensioning wheel mounted on the end pivot, with the other end of the tensioning drive rope wound and fixed to the tensioning wheel; the winding directions between the upper arm drive rope, the forearm drive rope, and the end drive rope and their respective drive wheels are all the same, while the winding direction between the tensioning drive rope and the tensioning wheel is opposite to the above winding direction.

[0007] Furthermore, the upper arm unit is hinged to the waist unit via an upper arm joint pivot. One end of the upper arm drive rope is wound and fixed to the upper arm joint drive wheel located on the upper arm joint pivot to achieve connection and transmission to the upper arm unit. The forearm unit is hinged to the upper arm unit via a forearm joint pivot. One end of the forearm drive rope passes through the upper arm joint pivot and is wound and fixed to the forearm joint drive wheel located on the forearm joint pivot to achieve connection and transmission to the forearm unit. The end effector unit is hinged to the forearm unit via an end effector pivot. One end of the end effector drive rope passes through the upper arm joint pivot and the forearm joint pivot in sequence and is wound and fixed to the end effector drive wheel located on the end effector pivot to achieve connection and transmission to the end effector unit.

[0008] Furthermore, the force-bearing points of the upper arm drive rope and the lower arm drive rope and the upper arm joint pivot are respectively located on both sides of the upper arm joint pivot; the force-bearing points of the lower arm drive rope and the end drive rope and the lower arm joint pivot are respectively located on both sides of the lower arm joint pivot.

[0009] Furthermore, the boom unit also includes a left boom joint guide wheel, a middle boom joint guide wheel, and a right boom joint guide wheel coaxially disposed on the boom joint pivot shaft with the boom joint drive wheel; a boom support shaft disposed downstream of the boom joint pivot shaft parallel to it; and a left boom support guide wheel, a middle boom support guide wheel, and a right boom support guide wheel disposed on the boom support shaft.

[0010] Furthermore, the forearm unit also includes a left forearm joint guide wheel and a right forearm joint guide wheel coaxially disposed on the forearm joint pivot, a forearm support shaft disposed downstream of the forearm joint pivot, and a left forearm support guide wheel and a right forearm support guide wheel disposed on the forearm support shaft.

[0011] Furthermore, the number of the upper arm support shaft and the lower arm support shaft can be set to one or more.

[0012] Furthermore, the forearm drive rope passes sequentially through the right upper arm joint guide wheel and the right upper arm support guide wheel before finally being wound and fixed to the forearm joint drive wheel; and the central symmetry lines of the right upper arm joint guide wheel, the right upper arm support guide wheel, the forearm joint drive wheel, and the forearm drive wheel at the output end of the forearm drive unit are all located on the same plane.

[0013] Furthermore, the end-drive rope passes sequentially through the left upper arm joint guide wheel, the left upper arm support guide wheel, the left forearm joint guide wheel, and the left forearm support guide wheel before finally winding and fixing itself to the end-drive joint wheel; and the central symmetry lines of the left upper arm joint guide wheel, the left upper arm support guide wheel, the left forearm joint guide wheel, the left forearm support guide wheel, the end-drive joint wheel, and the end-drive wheel at the output end of the end-drive unit are all located on the same plane.

[0014] Furthermore, the tensioning drive rope passes sequentially through the upper arm joint guide wheel, the upper arm support guide wheel, the right forearm joint guide wheel, and the right forearm support guide wheel before finally being wound and fixed with the tensioning wheel; and the central symmetry lines of the upper arm joint guide wheel, the upper arm support guide wheel, the right forearm joint guide wheel, the right forearm support guide wheel, the tensioning wheel, and the tensioning drive wheel at the output end of the tensioning drive motor are all located on the same plane.

[0015] Furthermore, the boom drive unit includes a boom drive motor fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate and a boom drive wheel coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the boom drive motor, with one end of the boom drive rope wound and fixedly fixed to the boom drive wheel; the forearm drive unit includes a forearm drive motor fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate and a forearm drive wheel coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the forearm drive motor, with one end of the forearm drive rope wound and fixedly fixed to the forearm drive wheel; the end drive unit includes an end drive motor fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate and an end drive wheel coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the end drive motor, with one end of the end drive rope wound and fixedly fixed to the end drive wheel.

[0016] The cable-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm provided by the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0017] This application's robotic arm, through its tensioning mechanism design, allows for flexible adjustment of the rope tension via active control from a drive motor, adapting to different work scenarios and load variations. Whether in light-load, delicate operations or heavy-load material handling, the rope maintains a suitable tension, significantly expanding the robotic arm's applicability and enabling it to work efficiently and stably under various conditions.

[0018] Furthermore, the tensioning mechanism provided in this application can also assist in providing opposite pulling forces when each robotic arm moves, so as to protect each robotic arm and ensure its stable operation;

[0019] Furthermore, by rationally configuring the rope winding direction and utilizing the mechanical coupling characteristics of the tensioning mechanism, it is possible to achieve synchronous tensioning of the boom drive rope, forearm drive rope, and end effector drive rope using only one tensioning drive rope. Compared to the existing technology that requires multiple tensioning ropes to be tensioned separately, this greatly simplifies the structure of the robotic arm. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the robotic arm from another angle after removing the base plate;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a front view of the boom unit;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a top view of the forearm unit;

[0024] Figure 5 This is the front view of the end-effector unit;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the boom drive mechanism;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the forearm drive mechanism;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the end-drive method;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the tensioning method.

[0029] Numbers in the diagram

[0030] 1-Base plate,

[0031] 2-Waist unit, 21-Left side panel, 22-Right side panel

[0032] 3-Upright boom unit; 31-Left upper boom plate; 32-Right upper boom plate; 33-Upright boom joint pivot; 34-Upright boom support shaft; 35-Upright boom joint drive wheel; 36-Upright boom joint guide wheel; 361-Left upper boom joint guide wheel; 362-Middle upper boom joint guide wheel; 363-Right upper boom joint guide wheel; 37-Upright boom support guide wheel; 371-Left upper boom support guide wheel; 372-Middle upper boom support guide wheel; 373-Right upper boom support guide wheel

[0033] 4-Forearm unit; 41-Left forearm plate; 42-Right forearm plate; 43-Forearm joint pivot; 44-Forearm support shaft; 45-Forearm joint drive wheel; 46-Forearm joint guide wheel; 461-Left forearm joint guide wheel; 462-Right forearm joint guide wheel; 47-Forearm support guide wheel; 471-Left forearm support guide wheel; 472-Right forearm support guide wheel

[0034] 5-End effector unit, 51-Support, 52-End effector shaft, 53-End effector drive wheel, 54-Mechanical gripper,

[0035] 6- Boom drive unit, 61- Boom drive motor, 62- Boom drive wheel

[0036] 7-Forearm drive unit, 71-Forearm drive motor, 72-Forearm drive wheel,

[0037] 8-End drive unit, 81-End drive motor, 82-End drive wheel

[0038] 9-Tensioning mechanism, 91-Tensioning drive motor, 92-Tensioning drive wheel, 93-Tensioning drive rope, 94-Tensioning wheel;

[0039] 11-Arm drive rope, 12-Forearm drive rope, 13-End drive rope Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present application will now be further described based on preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Furthermore, for ease of understanding, various components on the drawings have been enlarged or reduced, but this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] Singular forms of words also include plural meanings, and vice versa.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to 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 of this application is in use, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In addition, in the description of this application, in order to distinguish different units, the terms "first," "second," etc. are used in this specification, but these are not limited by the manufacturing order, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Their names may differ in the detailed description and claims of this application.

[0044] The vocabulary used in this specification is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. It should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set," "connected," and "linked" 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 mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium; or they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application.

[0045] Combination Figures 1 to 5 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm includes a base plate 1, a waist unit 2, a large arm unit 3, a small arm unit 4, an end effector unit 5, a large arm drive unit 6, a small arm drive unit 7, an end effector unit 8, a transmission mechanism, and a tensioning mechanism 9.

[0046] The base plate 1 serves as the fundamental support structure for the entire robotic arm, providing an installation platform for other components and ensuring the stability of the robotic arm during operation. The waist unit 2 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the base plate 1, providing a rotatable connection base for the upper arm unit 3. The upper arm unit 3 is hinged downstream of the waist unit 2 via an upper arm joint pivot, the forearm unit 4 is hinged downstream of the upper arm unit 3 via a forearm joint pivot 43, and the end effector unit 5 is hinged downstream of the forearm unit 4 via an end effector pivot 52, forming a multi-degree-of-freedom serial robotic arm. The upper arm drive unit 6, forearm drive unit 7, and end effector unit 8 are all located on the upper surface of the base plate 1, providing driving force. The transmission mechanism includes an upper arm drive rope 11, a forearm drive rope 12, and... The end effector drive rope 13 is used to transmit the driving force of the upper arm drive unit 6, the lower arm drive unit 7 and the end effector unit 8 to the corresponding upper arm unit 3, lower arm unit 4 and end effector unit 5 to drive them to rotate; the tensioning mechanism 9 includes a tensioning drive motor 91 set on the upper surface of the base plate 1, a tensioning drive wheel 92 located at the output end of the tensioning drive motor 91, a tensioning drive rope 93, and a tensioning wheel 94 set on the end effector shaft 52; by reasonably configuring the winding direction of each drive rope on the upper arm joint shaft 33, the lower arm joint shaft 43 and the end effector shaft 52, the mechanical coupling characteristics of the rope driving the robotic arm can be utilized to enable the tensioning mechanism 9 to transmit the tension force to the lower arm unit 4 and the upper arm unit 3 while tightening the end effector unit 5. The tension transmitted to the forearm unit 4 by the tensioning mechanism 9 and the driving force of the forearm drive unit 7 can achieve the tensioning of the forearm drive rope 12. The tension transmitted to the upper arm unit 3 by the tensioning mechanism 9 and the driving force of the upper arm drive unit 6 can achieve the tensioning of the upper arm drive rope 11. That is, all the ropes of the robotic arm can be tensioned by a single tensioning rope. Compared with the existing technology that requires multiple tensioning ropes to be tensioned separately, this significantly simplifies the structure and reduces costs. In addition, the tension force can be dynamically adjusted by actively controlling the tension force by the motor, which can better adapt to different loads and working conditions and improve the stability and reliability of the robotic arm operation.

[0047] Furthermore, the specific configuration of the winding direction satisfies the following: the winding direction of the upper arm drive rope 11 on the upper arm joint pivot 33, the winding direction of the forearm drive rope 12 on the forearm joint pivot 43, and the winding direction of the end drive rope 13 on the end pivot 52 are all the same, while the winding direction of the tension drive rope 93 on the end pivot 52 is opposite to the above winding directions; that is, from Figure 2 From the perspective of the end effector, the end effector 13 is used to rotate the end effector 5 counterclockwise, the forearm effector 12 is used to rotate the forearm effector 4 counterclockwise, the upper arm effector 11 is used to rotate the upper arm effector 3 counterclockwise, and the tensioning effector 93 provides tension that makes the end effector 5 tend to rotate clockwise.

[0048] More preferably, on the same rotating shaft, the points of tangency of the forces of different ropes are distributed on both sides of the rotating shaft. That is, on the upper arm joint rotating shaft (33), the point of tangency of the forces of the upper arm drive rope 11 and the upper arm joint rotating shaft 33, and the point of tangency of the forces of the forearm drive rope 12 and the upper arm joint rotating shaft 33 are located on both sides of the upper arm joint rotating shaft 33; on the forearm joint rotating shaft 43, the point of tangency of the forces of the forearm drive rope 12 and the forearm joint rotating shaft 43, and the point of tangency of the forces of the end drive rope 13 and the forearm joint rotating shaft 43 are located on both sides of the forearm joint rotating shaft 43. This distribution can make the rope tension form a couple on the rotating shaft, avoid the rotating shaft from being deflected or damaged due to unidirectional force, and at the same time help to effectively transmit and balance the tension force, ensuring that each unit moves stably under tension.

[0049] Specifically, the waist unit 2 consists of a left side plate 21 and a right side plate 22 arranged opposite to each other, with a certain space between the two side plates for installing related rotating parts and connecting with other units.

[0050] Specifically, in combination Figure 3As shown, the boom unit 3 includes a left boom plate 31, a right boom plate 32, a boom joint pivot 33, a boom support shaft 34, a boom joint drive wheel 35, a boom joint guide wheel 36, and a boom support guide wheel 37. The left and right upper arm plates 31 and 32 are symmetrically arranged to form the overall frame of the upper arm unit 3, with a reserved space between them to accommodate other components of the upper arm unit 3. The two ends of the upper arm joint pivot 33 are fixedly connected to the left and right upper arm plates 31 and 32, respectively. In some specific embodiments, the fixed connection between the upper arm joint pivot 33 and the upper arm plates can be achieved through bushings or key engagement, which will not be elaborated here. The upper arm joint drive wheel 35 is mounted on the upper arm joint pivot 33. One end of the upper arm drive rope 11 is fixedly connected to the output end of the upper arm drive unit 6, and the other end is fixedly wound around the upper arm joint pivot 33 to achieve the connection and transmission of the upper arm unit 3. The rotation of the output end of the upper arm drive unit 6 drives the upper arm drive rope 11, the upper arm joint drive wheel 35, and the upper arm joint pivot 33 to rotate, ultimately realizing the rotation of the entire upper arm unit 3. The upper arm joint pivot 33 is also equipped with an upper arm joint guide wheel 36 coaxial with the upper arm joint drive wheel 35 to guide the direction of the rope. In some specific embodiments, it includes a left upper arm joint guide wheel 361, a middle upper arm joint guide wheel 362, and a right upper arm joint guide wheel 363. The upper arm support shaft 34 is arranged parallel to the upper arm joint pivot 33 downstream of the upper arm joint pivot 33, and its two ends are respectively connected to the left upper arm plate 31 and the right upper arm plate 32. The upper arm support guide wheel 37 is also installed on the upper arm support shaft 34 to further support and guide the rope. In some specific embodiments, the upper arm support guide wheel 37 includes a left upper arm support guide wheel 371, a middle upper arm support guide wheel 372, and a right upper arm support guide wheel 373. In some optional embodiments, the number of upper arm support shafts 34 can be set to one, two, or more.

[0051] Specifically, in combination Figure 4As shown, the forearm unit 4 includes a left forearm plate 41, a right forearm plate 42, a forearm joint pivot 43, a forearm support pivot 44, a forearm joint drive wheel 45, a forearm joint guide wheel 46, and a forearm support guide wheel 47. The left forearm plate 41 and the right forearm plate 42 are symmetrically arranged to form the overall frame of the forearm unit 4, with a reserved space between them to accommodate other components of the forearm unit 4. The two ends of the forearm joint pivot 43 are fixedly connected to the left forearm plate 41 and the right forearm plate 42 respectively, with the specific connection method referring to the upper arm unit 3. The forearm joint drive wheel 45 is mounted on the forearm joint pivot 43. One end of the forearm drive rope 11 is fixedly connected to the output end of the forearm drive unit 7, and the other end passes sequentially through the right upper arm joint guide wheel 363 and the right upper arm support guide wheel 373 before finally winding and fixing to the forearm joint drive wheel 45 to achieve transmission. The rotation of the output end of the forearm drive unit 7 drives the forearm drive rope 12, the forearm joint drive wheel 45, and the forearm joint pivot 43 to rotate. The entire forearm unit 4 is rotated. The forearm joint guide wheel 46 and the forearm joint drive wheel 45 are coaxially mounted on the forearm joint pivot 43 to guide the rope. In some specific embodiments, it includes a left forearm joint guide wheel 461 and a right forearm joint guide wheel 462. The forearm support shaft 44 is parallel to the forearm joint pivot 43 and is located downstream of the forearm joint pivot 43. Its two ends are connected to the left forearm plate 41 and the right forearm plate 42, respectively. The forearm support guide wheel 47 is mounted on the forearm support shaft 44. In some specific embodiments, the forearm support guide wheel 47 includes a left forearm support guide wheel 471 and a right forearm support guide wheel 472. In some optional embodiments, the number of forearm support shafts 44 can be set to one or more.

[0052] Specifically, in combination Figure 5As shown, the end effector unit 5 includes a bracket 51, an end effector shaft 52, an end effector joint drive wheel 53, and a mechanical gripper 54. The bracket 51 provides structural support for the end effector unit 5, ensuring stable installation of all components. The bracket 51 is hinged to the downstream of the forearm unit 4 via the end effector shaft 52. Specifically, the bracket 51 includes two oppositely arranged sides and a base plate. The two ends of the end effector shaft 52 are fixedly connected to the two side plates, with the fixing method similar to that of the upper arm joint shaft. The mechanical gripper 54 is connected to the lower surface of the base plate. The mechanical gripper 54 is a key execution component of the end effector unit 5 and can be designed in various structural forms, such as parallel grippers or V-shaped grippers, depending on different operational requirements. To adapt to grasping objects of different shapes and sizes; the end joint drive wheel 53 is set on the end shaft 52, one end of the end drive rope 13 is fixedly connected to the output end of the end drive unit 8, and the other end passes through the left upper arm joint guide wheel 361, the left upper arm support guide wheel 371, the left forearm joint guide wheel 461, and the left forearm support guide wheel 471 in sequence before finally being wound and fixed to the end joint drive wheel 53 for transmission. The output end of the end drive unit 8 rotates, thereby driving the end joint drive wheel 53 and the end shaft 52 to rotate, ultimately realizing the overall rotation of the end execution unit 5.

[0053] Specifically, the boom drive unit 6 includes a boom drive motor 61 fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate 1. A boom drive wheel 62 arranged coaxially is connected to the drive shaft of the boom drive motor 61. One end of the boom drive rope 11 is wound and fixed to the boom drive wheel 62. When the boom drive motor 61 is started, its drive shaft rotates, causing the boom drive wheel 62 to rotate, which in turn causes the boom drive rope to wind around the boom drive wheel 62. The forearm drive unit 7 includes a forearm drive motor 71 fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate 1. A forearm drive wheel 72 arranged coaxially is connected to the drive shaft of the forearm drive motor 71. One end of the forearm drive rope 12 is wound and fixed to the forearm drive wheel 72. When the forearm drive motor 71 is started, its drive shaft rotates, causing the forearm drive wheel 72 to rotate, which in turn causes the forearm drive rope 12 to wind around the forearm drive wheel 72. The end drive unit 8 includes an end drive motor 81 fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate 1. An end drive wheel 82 arranged coaxially is connected to the drive shaft of the end drive motor 81. One end of the end drive rope 13 is wound and fixed on the end drive wheel 82. When the end drive motor 81 is started, its drive shaft rotates, causing the end drive wheel 82 to rotate, thereby causing the end drive rope 13 to wind on the end drive wheel 82.

[0054] The following combination Figures 6-9 As shown, the arrangement of the ropes and the driving and tensioning methods of the robotic arm are further explained.

[0055] Combination Figure 6 As shown, one end of the boom drive rope 11 is wound and fixed to the boom drive wheel 62 in a counterclockwise direction, and the other end is wound and fixed to the boom joint drive wheel 35 in a clockwise direction. When the boom drive motor 61 starts, it drives the boom drive wheel 62 to rotate. The boom drive wheel 62 rotates and winds the boom drive rope 11, which in turn drives the boom joint drive wheel 35 to rotate. The boom joint drive wheel 35 drives the boom joint shaft 33 connected to it to rotate, which in turn drives the entire boom unit 3 to move. Furthermore, the central symmetry lines of the boom drive wheel 62 and the boom joint drive wheel 35 are located on the same plane.

[0056] Combination Figure 7 As shown, one end of the forearm drive rope 12 is wound and fixed to the forearm drive wheel 72 in a clockwise direction, and the other end passes through the right upper arm joint guide wheel 363 and the right upper arm support guide wheel 373 in sequence before being wound and fixed to the forearm joint drive wheel 45 in a clockwise direction; in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown in the view, its other end passes sequentially through the right side of the right upper arm support guide wheel 373, the left side of the first set of right upper arm support guide wheels 373, and the right side of the second set of right upper arm support guide wheels 373, finally winding clockwise around the forearm joint drive wheel 45. When the forearm drive motor 71 starts, it drives the forearm drive wheel 72 to rotate. The forearm drive wheel 72 rotates and winds the forearm drive rope 12. After being guided by the right upper arm joint guide wheel 363 and the right upper arm support guide wheel 373, it drives the forearm joint drive wheel 45 to rotate, which in turn drives the forearm joint shaft 43 connected to the forearm joint drive wheel 45 to rotate, and finally drives the entire forearm unit 4 to move. Furthermore, the central symmetry lines of the forearm drive wheel 72, the right upper arm joint guide wheel 363, the right upper arm support guide wheel 373, and the forearm joint drive wheel 45 are all located on the same plane.

[0057] Combination Figure 8 As shown, one end of the end drive rope 13 is wound and fixed to the end drive wheel 82 in a counterclockwise direction, and the other end passes sequentially through the left upper arm joint guide wheel 361, the left upper arm support guide wheel 371, the left forearm joint guide wheel 461, and the left forearm support guide wheel 471 before being wound and fixed to the end drive wheel in a clockwise direction; in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 8As shown in the view, its other end passes sequentially through the right side of the left upper arm joint guide wheel 361, the left side of the two sets of left upper arm support guide wheels 371, the right side of the left forearm joint guide wheel 461, the upper side of the first set of left forearm support guide wheels 471, and the lower side of the second set of left forearm support guide wheels 471 before being wound and fixed to the end joint drive wheel 53 in a clockwise direction. When the end effector motor 81 starts, it drives the end effector wheel 82 to rotate. The end effector wheel 82 rotates and winds the end effector rope 13. After being guided by the left upper arm joint guide wheel 361, the left upper arm support guide wheel 371, the left forearm joint guide wheel 461, and the left forearm support guide wheel 471, it drives the end effector joint drive wheel 53 to rotate, which in turn drives the end effector shaft 52 connected to the end effector joint drive wheel 53 to rotate, and finally drives the entire end effector unit 5 to move. Furthermore, the central symmetry lines of the end effector wheel 82, the left upper arm joint guide wheel 361, the left upper arm support guide wheel 371, the left forearm joint guide wheel 461, the left forearm support guide wheel 471, and the end effector joint drive wheel 53 are all located on the same plane.

[0058] Combination Figure 9 As shown, one end of the tensioning drive rope 93 is wound and fixed to the tensioning drive wheel 92 in a counterclockwise direction, and the other end passes sequentially through the upper arm joint guide wheel 362, the upper arm support guide wheel 372, the right forearm joint guide wheel 462, and the right forearm support guide wheel 472 before being wound and fixed to the tensioning wheel 94 in a counterclockwise direction; in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown in the view, its other end passes sequentially through the left side of the upper arm joint guide wheel 362, the right side of the first group of upper arm support guide wheels 372, the left side of the second group of upper arm support guide wheels 372, the right side of the right forearm joint guide wheel 462, the upper side of the first group of right forearm support guide wheels 472, and the upper side of the second group of right forearm support guide wheels 472 before being wound and fixed to the tension wheel 94 in a counterclockwise direction. Furthermore, the central symmetry lines of the tension drive wheel 92, the upper arm joint guide wheel 362, the upper arm support guide wheel 372, the right forearm joint guide wheel 462, the right forearm support guide wheel 472, and the tension wheel 94 are all located on the same plane.

[0059] The working principle of the tensioning mechanism of the robotic arm in this application is as follows:

[0060] During the operation of the robotic arm, the core function of the tensioning mechanism is to actively control the tension force to ensure that each drive rope is always in a suitable tension state, thereby improving the stability and operational accuracy of the robotic arm. Under normal conditions, the upper arm and lower arm units can provide initial tension to the drive ropes (upper arm drive rope 11 and lower arm drive rope 12) through their own gravity. This passive tensioning method can maintain basic tension under light load or static conditions, but when the dynamic load changes or the end effector is subjected to external forces, gravity alone may not be sufficient. The tensioning mechanism 9 mainly drives the tensioning drive rope 93 through the tensioning drive motor 91, which directly acts on the tensioning wheel 94 on the end shaft 52. Since the end actuator 5 usually bears a large load or requires fine operation, the tensioning mechanism 9 prioritizes to provide it with a dynamically adjustable active tension force. Specifically, when the end drive rope 13 becomes loose due to increased load or elastic deformation, the tensioning drive motor 91 starts and drives the tensioning drive wheel 92 to rotate. The rotation of the tensioning drive wheel 92 causes the tensioning drive rope 93 to wrap around or release on its surface. The tensioning drive rope 93 passes through the middle and upper arm joint guide wheel 362, the middle and upper arm support guide wheel 372, the right forearm joint guide wheel 462, and the right forearm support guide wheel 472 in sequence, and finally pulls the tensioning wheel 94. The tensioning drive motor 91 tightens the tensioning drive rope 93, and the tensioning wheel 94 applies a reverse tension to the end drive rope 13 to ensure that it is always taut.

[0061] While tensioning the end effector unit 5, the tensioning mechanism 9 will generate a reverse force on other robotic arm units (forearm unit 4 and upper arm unit 3). This reverse force can balance some of the external forces on each robotic arm unit during movement, effectively preventing the robotic arm from swaying or deviating, thereby improving the stability of the entire robotic arm during operation.

[0062] Furthermore, by configuring the winding direction of the ropes, such as the same winding direction between the upper arm drive rope 11, the lower arm drive rope 12, and the end drive rope 13 and their respective drive wheels, while the winding direction between the tension drive rope 93 and the tension wheel 94 is opposite to the above winding direction, the tensioning mechanism 9 can also achieve synchronous tensioning of the three ropes with only one tension drive rope by using mechanical coupling. During the process of driving the end effector unit 5, the end drive rope 13 has a certain mechanical relationship with the lower arm drive rope 12. When the end drive rope 13 is tightened, it will generate a tension on the lower arm drive rope 12, so that the lower arm drive rope 12 is also in a tensioned state. Similarly, the tension of the lower arm drive rope 12 will be transmitted to the upper arm drive rope 11 associated with it, thereby achieving the tensioning of the upper arm drive rope 11.

[0063] The specific embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. For those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made to this application without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, comprising a base plate (1); a waist unit (2), a large arm unit (3), a small arm unit (4) and an end effector unit (5) connected in series from the base plate (1) downwards, and the units are hinged to each other by a pivot; a large arm drive unit (6), a small arm drive unit (7) and an end effector unit (8) disposed on the upper surface of the base plate (1); and a transmission mechanism composed of a large arm drive rope (11), a small arm drive rope (12) and an end effector rope (13); The two ends of the upper arm drive rope (11) are respectively connected to the output end of the upper arm drive unit (6) and the upper arm joint pivot (33) of the upper arm unit (3); the two ends of the lower arm drive rope (12) are respectively connected to the output end of the lower arm drive unit (7) and the lower arm joint pivot (43) of the lower arm unit (4); the two ends of the end drive rope (13) are respectively connected to the output end of the end drive unit (8) and the end pivot (52); Its features are, It also includes a tensioning mechanism (9), which includes a tensioning drive motor (91) mounted on the base plate (1), a tensioning drive rope (93) connected to the output end of the tensioning drive motor (91), and a tensioning wheel (94) mounted on the end shaft (52). The other end of the tensioning drive rope (93) is wound and fixed to the tensioning wheel (94). The winding directions between the upper arm drive rope (11), the lower arm drive rope (12), and the end drive rope (13) and their respective drive wheels are all the same, while the winding direction between the tensioning drive rope (93) and the tensioning wheel (94) is opposite to the above winding direction.

2. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper arm unit (3) is hinged to the waist unit (2) through the upper arm joint pivot (33). One end of the upper arm drive rope (11) is fixed by winding with the upper arm joint drive wheel (35) set on the upper arm joint pivot (33) to realize the connection and transmission of the upper arm unit (3). The forearm unit (4) is hinged to the upper arm unit (3) via the forearm joint pivot (43). One end of the forearm drive rope (12) passes through the upper arm joint pivot (33) and is wound and fixed to the forearm joint drive wheel (45) set on the forearm joint pivot (43) to realize the connection and transmission of the forearm unit (4). The end effector (5) is hinged to the forearm unit (4) via the end pivot (52). One end of the end drive rope (13) passes through the upper arm joint pivot (33) and the forearm joint pivot (43) in sequence, and then is wound and fixed to the end joint drive wheel (53) set on the end pivot (52) to realize the connection and transmission of the end effector (5).

3. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 2, characterized in that, The force points of the upper arm drive rope (11) and the lower arm drive rope (12) and the upper arm joint pivot (33) are respectively located on both sides of the upper arm joint pivot (33); the force points of the lower arm drive rope (12) and the end drive rope (13) and the lower arm joint pivot (43) are respectively located on both sides of the lower arm joint pivot (43).

4. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 2, characterized in that, The boom unit (3) also includes a left boom joint guide wheel (361), a middle boom joint guide wheel (362) and a right boom joint guide wheel (363) coaxially arranged on the boom joint pivot (33) with the boom joint drive wheel (35), a boom support shaft (34) arranged parallel to the boom joint pivot (33) downstream of it, and a left boom support guide wheel (371), a middle boom support guide wheel (372) and a right boom support guide wheel (373) arranged on the boom support shaft (34).

5. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 4, characterized in that, The forearm unit (4) also includes a left forearm joint guide wheel (461) and a right forearm joint guide wheel (462) coaxially arranged on the forearm joint pivot (43) with the forearm joint drive wheel (45), a forearm support shaft (44) arranged parallel to the forearm joint pivot (43) downstream of it, and a left forearm support guide wheel (471) and a right forearm support guide wheel (472) arranged on the forearm support shaft (44).

6. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The number of the upper arm support shaft (34) and the lower arm support shaft (44) can be set to one or more.

7. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 6, characterized in that, The forearm drive rope (12) passes through the right upper arm joint guide wheel (363) and the right upper arm support guide wheel (373) in sequence and is finally wrapped and fixed with the forearm joint drive wheel (45); and the central symmetry lines of the right upper arm joint guide wheel (363), the right upper arm support guide wheel (373), the forearm joint drive wheel (45) and the forearm drive wheel (72) at the output end of the forearm drive unit (7) are all located on the same plane.

8. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 7, characterized in that, The end drive rope (13) passes sequentially through the left upper arm joint guide wheel (361), the left upper arm support guide wheel (371), the left forearm joint guide wheel (461), and the left forearm support guide wheel (471) before finally being wrapped and fixed with the end joint drive wheel (53); and the central symmetry lines of the left upper arm joint guide wheel (361), the left upper arm support guide wheel (371), the left forearm joint guide wheel (461), the left forearm support guide wheel (471), the end joint drive wheel (53), and the end drive wheel (82) at the output end of the end drive unit (8) are all located on the same plane.

9. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 8, characterized in that, The tension drive rope (93) passes sequentially through the upper arm joint guide wheel (362), the upper arm support guide wheel (372), the right forearm joint guide wheel (462), and the right forearm support guide wheel (472) before finally being wound and fixed with the tension wheel (94); and the central symmetry lines of the upper arm joint guide wheel (362), the upper arm support guide wheel (372), the right forearm joint guide wheel (462), the right forearm support guide wheel (472), the tension wheel (94), and the tension drive wheel (92) at the output end of the tension drive motor (91) are all located on the same plane.

10. The rope-driven multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boom drive unit (6) includes a boom drive motor (61) fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate (1) and a boom drive wheel (62) coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the boom drive motor (61). One end of the boom drive rope (11) is wrapped and fixed on the boom drive wheel (62). The forearm drive unit (7) includes a forearm drive motor (71) fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate (1) and a forearm drive wheel (72) coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the forearm drive motor (71). One end of the forearm drive rope (12) is wrapped and fixed on the forearm drive wheel (72). The end drive unit (8) includes an end drive motor (81) fixedly connected to the upper surface of the base plate (1) and an end drive wheel (82) coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the end drive motor (81). One end of the end drive rope (13) is wrapped and fixed on the end drive wheel (82).

Images