An ultrasonic sensor, an assembly structure thereof, and a robot

Abstract

The application discloses an ultrasonic sensor, an assembling structure thereof and a robot, and belongs to the technical field of sensing and detection. The ultrasonic sensor comprises a shell, a circuit board and a piezoelectric ceramic arranged in the shell. The circuit board is provided with a wiring terminal, one end of the wiring terminal is directly fixed on the circuit board, and the other end of the wiring terminal extends from a first end of the shell and is used for being connected with a mating terminal outside. The ultrasonic sensor adopts the structure form that the wiring terminal is directly fixed on the circuit board, so that the stability and the universality of the sensor can be better improved, the problems that the wires are prone to be broken and loosened and the wires cannot be connected with external circuits due to insufficient reserved length of the wires are effectively solved, the overall structure of the ultrasonic sensor is more firm and reliable, the ultrasonic sensor can be assembled into different types of machines, the design is more flexible, and the universality is stronger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of sensing and detection technology, and in particular to an ultrasonic sensor, its assembly structure, and a robot. Background Technology

[0002] Mobile robots typically rely on multiple sensors for environmental perception and navigation. Among these, ultrasonic sensors are widely used for obstacle detection and ground material recognition due to their low cost and strong anti-interference capabilities. Current ultrasonic sensors are generally cylindrical, with one end serving as the ultrasonic signal transmitter and receiver, and the other end leading to a wire for connecting the internal circuitry to an external circuit board. However, the mounting positions of the external circuit board and the ultrasonic sensor are not fixed and vary depending on the robot model. This can lead to situations where the wire length of the ultrasonic sensor for a particular robot is insufficient to connect to the external circuit board, requiring manual wire splicing, thus reducing assembly efficiency and resulting in poor assembly versatility for ultrasonic sensors.

[0003] Furthermore, existing ultrasonic sensors have the following drawbacks: when a robot moves from a hard floor (such as tile or wood flooring) to a soft floor (such as carpet), if one drive wheel has already contacted the soft floor while the other drive wheel is still on the hard floor, the ultrasonic sensor may misjudge that the robot has completely entered the soft floor due to the difference in signal reflection. This misjudgment will cause the robot control system to incorrectly adjust the drive parameters (such as reducing motor power to adapt to carpet resistance), leading to problems such as motion stuttering and path deviation. Traditional solutions often compensate for misjudgments by adding auxiliary sensors (such as pressure sensors) or complex algorithms, but such solutions are costly and increase system complexity, hindering product adoption. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application discloses an ultrasonic sensor, its assembly structure, and a robot thereof, the specific solutions of which are as follows:

[0005] An ultrasonic sensor includes a housing, a circuit board and a piezoelectric ceramic disposed within the housing, the circuit board having terminals, one end of which is directly fixed to the circuit board, and the other end extending from the first end of the housing for connection to an external docking terminal.

[0006] Furthermore, the circuit board includes a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The terminal block is fixed to one side of the first circuit board and extends from the first end of the housing. The other side of the first circuit board is opposite to and spaced apart from one side of the second circuit board. The first circuit board and the second circuit board transmit signals through a connecting line. A piezoelectric ceramic is fixed to the other side of the second circuit board. The piezoelectric ceramic emits and receives ultrasonic waves toward the second end of the housing.

[0007] Furthermore, the ultrasonic sensor also includes a matching layer and a fixing member. The matching layer is disposed on the piezoelectric ceramic, and the fixing member is wrapped around the outer wall of the matching layer and the piezoelectric ceramic and fixes the matching layer and the piezoelectric ceramic to the second end of the housing, so that the piezoelectric ceramic emits and receives ultrasonic waves toward the second end of the housing through the matching layer.

[0008] An assembly structure for an ultrasonic sensor includes a housing, wherein the housing has a mounting hole for assembling an ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic sensor being the aforementioned ultrasonic sensor, and includes: an inwardly protruding fixing part on the inner wall of the mounting hole, the height of the protrusion of the fixing part being less than or equal to the wall thickness of the fixing member in the ultrasonic sensor.

[0009] Furthermore, the fixing part is an annular body that surrounds the inner wall of the mounting hole, and the thickness of the annular body is twice its height.

[0010] Alternatively, the fixing part may be composed of a plurality of protrusions arranged at intervals around the inner wall of the mounting hole, the thickness of which is twice the height of the protrusion.

[0011] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the mounting hole is 16 mm, and the inner diameter of the hole enclosed by the fixing part is 15 mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the ultrasonic sensor includes a cylindrical housing with an outer diameter that matches the inner diameter of the mounting hole, allowing the ultrasonic sensor to be embedded in the mounting hole and stopped by a fixing part.

[0013] A robot includes an assembly structure for the aforementioned ultrasonic sensor, wherein the housing serves as the robot's chassis; and the opening of the mounting hole faces the ground.

[0014] Furthermore, the robot also includes a main control chip, which is connected to an ultrasonic sensor and used to determine the material type of the ground based on the signals emitted and received by the ultrasonic sensor.

[0015] The ultrasonic sensor described in this application employs a structure where the wiring terminals are directly fixed to the circuit board. This design significantly improves the sensor's stability and versatility, effectively addressing the problems of traditional ultrasonic sensors that rely on wires leading to the terminals, such as easy breakage and loosening of the wires, and insufficient wire length for connecting to external circuits. This results in a more robust and reliable overall structure for the ultrasonic sensor, allowing for integration into various types of machines with greater design flexibility and versatility. The assembly structure, by limiting the protrusion height of the fixing part, ensures that the sensor's signal transmission and reception area is fully exposed while it is effectively fixed. This effectively solves the problem of inaccurate detection results when the sensor detects certain media. Using this assembly structure, the robot can transmit and receive more comprehensive detection signals to and from the ground, resulting in more accurate detection results and preventing misjudgments by the robot. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the top structure of an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings, as part of the disclosure of this application, are primarily used to illustrate the embodiments and can be used in conjunction with the relevant descriptions in the specification to explain the operating principles of the embodiments. With reference to these drawings, those skilled in the art will be able to understand other possible implementations and the advantages of this application.

[0021] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3The ultrasonic sensor shown includes a housing 25, a circuit board, and a piezoelectric ceramic 26 disposed within the housing 25. The circuit board has terminals 21, one end of which is directly fixed to the circuit board, while the other end extends from the first end of the housing 25 for connection to external terminals. This structure, where the terminals 21 are directly fixed to the circuit board, improves the sensor's stability and versatility. It effectively solves the problems of traditional ultrasonic sensors where wires leading out to the terminals 21 are prone to breakage and loosening, and where insufficient wire length prevents connection to external circuits. This makes the overall structure of the ultrasonic sensor more robust and reliable, and allows it to be assembled into different types of machines, offering greater design flexibility and versatility.

[0022] In one embodiment, the circuit board includes a first circuit board 22 and a second circuit board 24. A terminal block 21 is fixed to one side of the first circuit board 22 and extends from the first end of the housing 25. The other side of the first circuit board 22 is opposite to and spaced apart from one side of the second circuit board 24. The first circuit board 22 and the second circuit board 24 transmit signals via a connecting line 23. A piezoelectric ceramic 26 is fixed to the other side of the second circuit board 24, and the piezoelectric ceramic 26 emits and receives ultrasonic waves toward the second end of the housing 25.

[0023] In addition, the ultrasonic sensor also includes a matching layer 27 and a fixing member 28. The matching layer 27 covers the piezoelectric ceramic 26 and is mainly used to improve the acoustic coupling efficiency between the piezoelectric ceramic and the measured medium. The fixing member 28 can be a rubber ring, which wraps around the outer wall of the matching layer 27 and the piezoelectric ceramic 26 and fixes the matching layer 27 and the piezoelectric ceramic 26 to the second end of the housing 25, so that the piezoelectric ceramic 26 emits and receives ultrasonic waves through the matching layer 27 toward the second end of the housing 25.

[0024] The ultrasonic sensor is internally filled with a filler material, including silicone, epoxy resin and other materials, to fill the gaps between components such as the first circuit board 22, the second circuit board 24, and the piezoelectric ceramic 26, ensuring the integrity and stability of the sensor's internal structure.

[0025] like Figure 4The ultrasonic sensor assembly structure shown includes a housing 10. The housing 10 has a mounting hole 11 for assembling an ultrasonic sensor 20, which is the ultrasonic sensor described in the above embodiment. The housing 10 includes the mounting hole 11, and the inner wall of the mounting hole 11 has an inwardly protruding fixing part 12. The height of the protrusion of the fixing part 12 is less than or equal to the wall thickness of the fixing member 28 in the ultrasonic sensor 20. The fixing member 28 is a rubber ring, and the wall thickness of the fixing member 28 refers to the thickness of the ring wall of the rubber ring, and the thickness direction is parallel to the height direction of the protrusion of the fixing part 12. This embodiment, by limiting the protrusion height of the fixing part 12, ensures that the sensor's signal transmission and reception area is fully exposed while it is effectively fixed, effectively solving the problem of inaccurate detection results when the sensor detects certain media.

[0026] In one embodiment, the fixing part 12 is an annular body that surrounds the inner wall of the mounting hole 11. The thickness of the annular body is twice its height, so that the annular body can be more tightly fixed to the inner wall of the mounting hole 11. This can ensure the structural strength of the fixing part 12 and effectively avoid the problem of the sensor falling off the mounting hole 11 due to the breakage of the annular body.

[0027] In another embodiment, the fixing part 12 is composed of a plurality of protrusions that surround the inner wall of the mounting hole 11 and are spaced apart. The thickness of the protrusions is twice their height, so that the protrusions can be more tightly fixed to the inner wall of the mounting hole 11. This can ensure the structural strength of the fixing part 12 and effectively avoid the problem of the sensor falling off the mounting hole 11 due to the damage of the protrusions.

[0028] Specifically, the inner diameter CD of the mounting hole 11 is 16 mm, and the inner diameter AB of the hole enclosed by the fixing part 12 is 15 mm. This structure can maximize the signal transmission and reception efficiency and ensure the accuracy of the sensor detection results while ensuring the effective fixation of the sensor.

[0029] Specifically, the ultrasonic sensor 20 includes a cylindrical housing 25, the outer diameter of which is consistent with the inner diameter of the mounting hole 11 so that the ultrasonic sensor 20 can be embedded in the mounting hole 11 and stopped by the fixing part 12, thereby ensuring the stability of the sensor installation.

[0030] This application relates to a robot, which can be a sweeping robot, mopping robot, disinfection robot, air purifying robot, or other robot product capable of autonomous movement and intelligent operation. The robot includes the aforementioned ultrasonic sensor assembly structure. The housing 10 serves as the robot's chassis, and the mounting hole 11 faces the ground. This assembly structure allows the ultrasonic sensor 20 to transmit and receive more comprehensive detection signals to the ground, resulting in more accurate detection results and avoiding misjudgments by the robot.

[0031] In addition, the robot also includes a main control chip, which is connected to the ultrasonic sensor 20 and is used to determine the material type of the ground based on the signals emitted and received by the ultrasonic sensor 20. For example, the difference in strength between the emitted and received signals can be analyzed to determine whether the ground is carpet or hard floor.

[0032] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this application, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this application and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent transformations or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic sensor, comprising a housing and a circuit board and piezoelectric ceramic disposed within the housing, characterized in that: The circuit board is provided with wiring terminals. One end of the wiring terminal is directly fixed to the circuit board, and the other end extends from the first end of the housing for connection with external docking terminals.

2. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit board includes a first circuit board and a second circuit board, and the wiring terminal is fixed to one side of the first circuit board and extends from the first end of the housing; The other side of the first circuit board is opposite to and spaced apart from one side of the second circuit board, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board transmit signals through a connecting line; On the other side of the second circuit board, a piezoelectric ceramic is fixed, which emits and receives ultrasonic waves toward the second end of the housing.

3. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ultrasonic sensor also includes a matching layer and a fixing member. The matching layer is disposed on the piezoelectric ceramic, and the fixing member is wrapped around the outer wall of the matching layer and the piezoelectric ceramic and fixes the matching layer and the piezoelectric ceramic to the second end of the housing, so that the piezoelectric ceramic emits and receives ultrasonic waves through the matching layer toward the second end of the housing.

4. An assembly structure for an ultrasonic sensor, comprising a housing, wherein the housing has mounting holes for assembling an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is the ultrasonic sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, include: The inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with an inwardly protruding fixing part, the height of which is less than or equal to the wall thickness of the fixing member in the ultrasonic sensor.

5. The assembly structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fixing part is an annular body that surrounds the inner wall of the mounting hole, and the thickness of the annular body is twice its height.

6. The assembly structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fixing part is composed of multiple protrusions that surround the inner wall of the mounting hole and are spaced apart. The thickness of the protrusions is twice their height.

7. The assembly structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the mounting hole is 16 mm, and the inner diameter of the hole enclosed by the fixing part is 15 mm.

8. The assembly structure according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that: The ultrasonic sensor includes a cylindrical housing with an outer diameter that matches the inner diameter of the mounting hole, allowing the ultrasonic sensor to be embedded in the mounting hole and stopped by a fixing part.

9. A robot comprising an assembly structure for an ultrasonic sensor according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that: The housing serves as the robot's chassis; the mounting holes face the ground.

10. The robot according to claim 9, characterized in that: The robot also includes a main control chip, which is connected to an ultrasonic sensor and used to determine the material type of the ground based on the signals emitted and received by the ultrasonic sensor.

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