A finger assembly with tactile sensor and dexterous hand

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of finger assembly and dexterous hand with tactile sensor, finger assembly includes far knuckle, sensor installation port is opened at the palm of hand of far knuckle;Tactile sensor is detachably installed on sensor installation port;Adapter plate, adapter plate and tactile sensor are abutted;Adapter plate is connected with cable, the side of the adapter plate opposite the tactile sensor is equipped with contact spring, cable is contacted with circuit board through contact spring and constitutes telecommunication passage, the above structural design solves the disassembly difficulty between existing tactile sensor and cable, the problem of troublesome replacement process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a finger assembly with a tactile sensor and a dexterous hand. Background Technology

[0002] A humanoid robot's dexterous hand typically consists of a palm and multiple finger components. The finger components include distal and proximal phalanges. In order to precisely control the dexterous hand and enable it to perform fine tasks, tactile sensors are usually configured on the distal phalanges of the finger components to detect the reaction force exerted by an object on the distal phalanges. This allows the dexterous hand's control module to make corresponding controls based on the force value.

[0003] Existing tactile sensors require electrical connection to the internal main control circuit board via cables. In order to prevent water and dust, in addition to soldering, the connection between the tactile sensor and the cable is usually sealed with potting compound, making it difficult to disassemble the tactile sensor and the cable.

[0004] When a tactile sensor is damaged and needs to be replaced, not only must the entire finger and dexterity hand be disassembled, but the cable must also be disconnected from the main control circuit board inside the dexterity hand before the tactile sensor and cable can be replaced. The replacement process is troublesome. In addition, the distal phalanx of the finger assembly is usually fitted onto the base with a knuckle sleeve and glued to the base. When the tactile sensor malfunctions, it is difficult to remove the knuckle sleeve to inspect and replace the tactile sensor.

[0005] It is evident that the existing finger components of the dexterous hand still have inconveniences and defects in use. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design and develop a finger component with a tactile sensor and a dexterous hand to overcome the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a finger assembly with a tactile sensor and a dexterous hand, thereby solving the problems of difficult disassembly and replacement of the tactile sensor and cable.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a finger assembly with a tactile sensor. The finger assembly includes a distal phalanx, and a sensor mounting port is provided at the fingertip of the distal phalanx.

[0008] A tactile sensor, which is detachably mounted on the sensor mounting port;

[0009] An adapter plate that abuts against the tactile sensor;

[0010] The adapter board is connected to a cable, and a contact spring is provided on the side of the adapter board opposite to the tactile sensor. The cable contacts the circuit board through the contact spring to form a telecommunication path.

[0011] As an improvement of this utility model, the tactile sensor includes:

[0012] A sensing component, a circuit board, and a mounting plate are stacked sequentially, wherein the sensing component abuts against the circuit board, and the circuit board is connected and fixed to the mounting plate;

[0013] The mounting plate has through holes, and the contact spring extends into the through holes to contact the circuit board.

[0014] As an improvement of this utility model, an annular groove is recessed around the through hole, and a sealing element is provided on the annular groove, the sealing element being in contact with the end face of the adapter plate.

[0015] As an improvement of this utility model, the tactile sensor further includes:

[0016] The fingertip skeleton, flexible adhesive, and connector are provided. The fingertip skeleton, mounting plate, and circuit board are connected and fixed by the connector. The flexible adhesive is attached to the fingertip skeleton and covers the fingertip of the distal phalanx.

[0017] As an improvement of this utility model, the sensing component includes:

[0018] An electrode plate and a flexible electrode layer are provided, wherein the electrode plate is disposed at the bottom of the circuit board and the flexible electrode layer is embedded in the fingertip skeleton;

[0019] The electrode layer protrudes outward from the fingertip skeleton and is attached to the flexible coating. The electrode layer is provided with at least one flexible electrode contact on the inner side of the fingertip skeleton, and the flexible electrode contact is in contact with the electrode layer.

[0020] As an improvement of this utility model, the distal phalanx includes:

[0021] The distal phalanx skeleton, the distal phalanx shell, and the first fixing member are provided. The mounting plate is disposed at the bottom of the front end of the distal phalanx skeleton, the distal phalanx shell is sleeved on the distal phalanx skeleton, and the first fixing member extends downward from the shell to the mounting plate and is detachably connected to the mounting plate.

[0022] A mounting groove is formed at the fingertip of the distal phalanx housing along the outer edge of the sensor mounting opening, and the tactile sensor is fitted into the distal phalanx housing through the mounting groove.

[0023] As an improvement of this utility model, the mounting plate is provided with a second fixing member on the end face away from the circuit board. The second fixing member is fitted into the distal phalanx skeleton and is connected and cooperated with the first fixing member.

[0024] As an improvement of this utility model, a lead wire hole is provided on the distal phalanx skeleton, a receiving groove is provided on the outer edge of the lead wire hole that abuts against the adapter plate, and a wiring groove connected to the lead wire hole is provided on the side of the phalanx skeleton away from the receiving groove.

[0025] As an improvement of this utility model, the finger assembly further includes a proximal phalanx, which is rotatably connected to the distal phalanx.

[0026] Based on the same concept, this utility model also discloses a dexterous hand, including at least one finger assembly with a tactile sensor as described in any of the above.

[0027] With this design, the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0028] The finger assembly with a tactile sensor of this application can detach the tactile sensor from the sensor mounting port when the tactile sensor malfunctions. At the same time, the contact spring will also disconnect from the circuit board, so the tactile sensor can be directly removed for repair or replacement without having to remove the cable from the main control circuit board inside the dexterous hand, thus reducing the complicated process of replacing the tactile sensor and cable.

[0029] This application utilizes a modular tactile sensor design, allowing for quick installation or removal of the tactile sensor at the fingertip of the distal phalanx. The tactile sensor can be directly removed for inspection or replacement without disassembling the entire finger and dexterous hand, achieving a rapid disassembly and assembly effect.

[0030] This application ensures the waterproof and dustproof performance of the connection point between the contact spring and the circuit board by setting the sealing element, and can also achieve high waterproof and dustproof requirements by applying sealant at the welding point between the cable and the adapter board.

[0031] The flexible overlay design provides some protection for the tactile sensor, preventing damage from external forces. Furthermore, the flexible overlay only covers the tactile sensor, solving the problem of traditional methods that use glue to bond the knuckle sleeve to the base, making it difficult to remove the knuckle sleeve for inspection and replacement when the tactile sensor malfunctions. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The above is merely an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model, the following describes this utility model in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the finger component in this utility model;

[0035] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of a portion of the image (A);

[0036] Figure 4 This is a partial exploded view of the finger component in this utility model;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the tactile sensor structure in this utility model.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0039] 1. Proximal phalanx; 2. Distal phalanx; 201. Distal phalanx skeleton; 2011. Lead hole; 2012. Receiving groove; 2013. Wiring groove; 202. Distal phalanx housing; 2021. Mounting groove; 203. Sensor mounting port; 3. Tactile sensor; 301. Sensing component; 3011. Electrode plate; 3012. Flexible electrode layer; 3013. Flexible electrode contact; 302. Circuit board; 303. Mounting plate; 3031. Through hole; 3032. Annular groove; 304. Second fixing component; 305. Connector; 306. Flexible coating; 307. Finger pad skeleton; 4. Adapter plate; 5. Contact spring; 6. Cable; 7. Seal; 8. First fixing component. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0041] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. This disclosure can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0042] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number of aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0043] Furthermore, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the described aspects can be practiced without these specific details.

[0044] This utility model discloses a finger assembly with a tactile sensor and a dexterous hand. Traditional finger assemblies using tactile sensors require electrical connection between the sensor and an internal main control circuit board via a cable. To prevent waterproofing and dustproofing, the connection between the tactile sensor and the cable is typically sealed with potting compound in addition to soldering, making disassembly difficult. This application aims to solve the problem that when a tactile sensor is damaged and needs replacement, the entire finger and the dexterous hand must be disassembled, and the cable must be removed from the main control circuit board inside the dexterous hand, resulting in a cumbersome replacement process.

[0045] Next, combine Figures 1 to 5 This invention describes a finger assembly with a tactile sensor and a dexterous hand.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a finger assembly with a tactile sensor 3 includes a distal phalanx 2 and a proximal phalanx 1. The proximal phalanx 1 and the distal phalanx 2 are rotatably connected, and the proximal phalanx 1 is rotatably connected to the palm. The distal phalanx 2 is located at the distal end of the finger assembly and is used to perform fine tasks. A sensor mounting port 203 is provided at the fingertip of the distal phalanx 2, and a detachable tactile sensor 3 is mounted on the sensor mounting port 203. An adapter plate 4 is also provided inside the finger assembly, which abuts against the tactile sensor 3. In this embodiment, the adapter plate 4 is a printed circuit board used to convert and transmit the circuit signals between the finger assembly and the tactile sensor 3, ensuring that the tactile sensor 3 can operate normally on the finger assembly.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, the tactile sensor 3 includes a sensing component 301, a circuit board 302, and a mounting plate 303 that are stacked in sequence. The sensing component 301 abuts against the circuit board 302, and the circuit board 302 is connected and fixed to the mounting plate 303. A cable 6 is connected to the adapter plate 4, and a contact spring 5 is provided on the bottom side of the adapter plate 4 facing the tactile sensor 3. The cable 6 contacts the circuit board 302 through the adapter plate 4 and the contact spring 5 to form a telecommunication path.

[0048] It is understandable that, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the tactile sensor 3 can be quickly detached from the distal phalanx 2 through a modular design. The tactile sensor 3 is connected to the cable 6 through an adapter plate 4. The contact spring 5 at the bottom of the adapter plate 4 is a metal spring. The adapter plate 4 and the contact spring 5 are fixed by welding. After contacting the circuit board 302 on the tactile sensor 3, a telecommunication path is formed. When the tactile sensor 3 malfunctions, the tactile sensor 3 is detached from the sensor mounting port 203. At the same time, the contact spring 5 will also disconnect from the circuit board 302. The tactile sensor 3 can be directly removed for repair or replacement without removing the cable 6 from the main control circuit board 302 inside the dexterous hand, achieving the effect of quick replacement.

[0049] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, a through hole 3031 is provided on the mounting plate 303. The contact spring 5 extends into the through hole 3031 and contacts the circuit board 302. An annular groove 3032 is recessed around the through hole 3031. A sealing element 7 is provided on the annular groove 3032. The sealing element 7 contacts the end face of the adapter plate 4, ensuring the waterproof and dustproof performance of the connection point between the contact spring 5 and the circuit board 302. Preferably, at the welding point between the cable 6 and the adapter plate 4, a high level of waterproof and dustproof performance can be achieved by applying sealant.

[0050] For example, in this embodiment, the sealing element 7 is set as a sealing ring. By embedding the sealing ring in the annular groove 3032 recessed around the through hole 3031, better waterproof and dustproof performance is achieved. It should be noted that the sealing method in this embodiment uses an O-ring for sealing. It can also be achieved by sealing with glue, rubber gasket, direct application of glue to the outer shell, or injection molding.

[0051] like Figures 3 to 5As shown, the tactile sensor 3 also includes a fingertip skeleton 307, a flexible adhesive 306, and a connector 305. The fingertip skeleton 307, the mounting plate 303, and the circuit board 302 are connected and fixed together by the connector 305. The flexible adhesive 306 fits into the fingertip skeleton 307 and covers the fingertip of the distal phalanx 2. The flexible adhesive 306 can provide a certain degree of protection for the tactile sensor 3 and prevent damage to the tactile sensor 3 from external forces. Furthermore, the flexible adhesive 306 only covers the tactile sensor 3. When the tactile sensor 3 malfunctions, it is not necessary to remove the entire phalanx sleeve to repair or replace the tactile sensor 3.

[0052] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, the sensing component 301 includes an electrode plate 3011 and a flexible electrode layer 3012. The electrode plate 3011 is disposed at the bottom of the circuit board 302. The flexible electrode layer 3012 is embedded in the fingertip skeleton 307. The outer side of the electrode layer protrudes from the fingertip skeleton 307 and is attached to the flexible adhesive 306. The electrode layer is provided with at least one flexible electrode contact 3013 on the inner side of the fingertip skeleton 307. The flexible electrode contact 3013 is in contact with the electrode layer. The flexible electrode layer 3012 simulates the appearance of a human finger and can accurately sense the force applied, detect the reaction force applied by the object to the distal phalanx 2, so that the dexterous hand control module can perform corresponding control according to the force value.

[0053] Specifically, the distal phalanx 2 includes a distal phalanx skeleton 201, a distal phalanx housing 202, and a first fixing member 8. The mounting plate 303 is disposed at the bottom of the front end of the distal phalanx skeleton 201, the distal phalanx housing 202 is sleeved on the distal phalanx skeleton 201, and the first fixing member 8 extends downward from the distal phalanx housing 202 to the mounting plate 303 and is detachably connected to the mounting plate 303.

[0054] It is understandable that, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a mounting groove 2021 is formed at the fingertip of the distal phalanx housing 202 along the outer edge of the sensor mounting port 203. The tactile sensor 3 is fitted into the distal phalanx housing 202 through the mounting groove 2021. A second fixing member 304 is provided on the end face of the mounting plate 303 away from the circuit board 302. The second fixing member 304 is fitted into the distal phalanx skeleton 201 and connected and cooperates with the first fixing member 8. The first fixing member 8 is specifically a bolt structure, and the second fixing member 304 is a nut structure. The mounting plate 303, the distal phalanx skeleton 201 and the distal phalanx housing 202 are assembled by the threaded cooperation of the bolt and the nut.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, a lead hole 2011 is provided on the distal phalanx skeleton 201. A receiving groove 2012 is provided on the outer edge of the lead hole 2011 that abuts against the adapter plate 4. A wiring groove 2013 connected to the lead hole 2011 is provided on the side of the phalanx skeleton away from the receiving groove 2012. The cable 6 welded to the adapter plate 4 enters the proximal phalanx 1 through the wiring groove 2013.

[0056] Based on the foregoing, this embodiment also discloses a dexterous hand including at least one finger assembly with a tactile sensor 3 as described above. The palm of the dexterous hand can be rotatably connected to multiple finger assemblies to achieve precise control, enabling the dexterous hand to perform fine tasks.

[0057] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0058] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" 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 or an electrical 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 utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0059] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model in any way. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes or alterations made by those skilled in the art using the above-disclosed technical content shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A finger assembly with a tactile sensor, characterized in that, The finger assembly includes: The distal phalanx has a sensor mounting port at the fingertip. A tactile sensor, which is detachably mounted on the sensor mounting port; An adapter plate that abuts against the tactile sensor; The adapter board is connected to a cable, and a contact spring is provided on the side of the adapter board opposite to the tactile sensor. The cable makes contact with the tactile sensor through the adapter board and the contact spring to form a telecommunication path.

2. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tactile sensor includes: A sensing component, a circuit board, and a mounting plate are stacked sequentially, wherein the sensing component is connected to the circuit board, and the circuit board is connected and fixed to the mounting plate; The mounting plate has through holes, and the contact spring extends into the through holes to contact the circuit board.

3. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that, An annular groove is recessed around the through hole, and a sealing element is provided on the annular groove. The sealing element contacts the end face of the adapter plate.

4. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tactile sensor also includes: The fingertip skeleton, flexible adhesive, and connector are provided. The fingertip skeleton, mounting plate, and circuit board are connected and fixed by the connector. The flexible adhesive is attached to the fingertip skeleton and covers the fingertip of the distal phalanx.

5. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sensing component includes: An electrode plate and a flexible electrode layer are provided, wherein the electrode plate is disposed at the bottom of the circuit board and the flexible electrode layer is embedded in the fingertip skeleton; The electrode layer protrudes outward from the fingertip skeleton and is attached to the flexible coating. The electrode layer is provided with at least one flexible electrode contact on the inner side of the fingertip skeleton, and the flexible electrode contact is in contact with the electrode layer.

6. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distal phalanx includes: The distal phalanx skeleton, distal phalanx shell, and first fixing member are provided. The mounting plate is disposed at the bottom of the front end of the distal phalanx skeleton, the distal phalanx shell is sleeved on the distal phalanx skeleton, and the first fixing member extends downward from the distal phalanx shell to the mounting plate and is detachably connected to the mounting plate. A mounting groove is formed at the fingertip of the distal phalanx housing along the outer edge of the sensor mounting opening, and the tactile sensor is fitted into the distal phalanx housing through the mounting groove.

7. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mounting plate has a second fixing member on its end face away from the circuit board. The second fixing member is fitted into the distal phalanx skeleton and is connected and cooperated with the first fixing member.

8. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The distal phalanx skeleton is provided with a lead wire hole, and a receiving groove is provided on the outer edge of the lead wire hole that abuts against the adapter plate. A wiring groove connected to the lead wire hole is provided on the side of the phalanx skeleton away from the receiving groove.

9. The finger assembly with a tactile sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The finger assembly also includes a proximal phalanx, which is rotatably connected to the distal phalanx; And / or the connection between the cable and the adapter plate is sealed by applying sealant.

10. A dexterous hand, characterized in that, It includes at least one finger assembly with a tactile sensor as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 above.

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