Auxiliary fitting structure, tip assembly, and cleaning system

Abstract

This utility model discloses an auxiliary mating structure, an end effector assembly, and a cleaning system. The auxiliary mating structure includes: a first housing with an internal cavity for accommodating the end effector unit; a first opening communicating with the cavity on the outer wall of the first housing; the end effector unit moving into or out of the cavity through the first opening; a guide member disposed on the first housing; the guide member extending at the first opening to form a flared area communicating with the cavity; wherein the guide member has an attitude adjustment part configured to provide a position reference during the docking of the robotic arm and the end effector unit, so as to guide the robotic arm to dock with the end effector unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of cleaning equipment technology, specifically relating to an auxiliary connection structure, end component and cleaning system. Background Technology

[0002] Cleaning equipment is a type of mechanical equipment that can replace manual cleaning. It is widely used in cleaning public places and homes. For example, floor scrubbers can help people clean floors, and window cleaning robots can clean windows.

[0003] With the continuous development of cleaning equipment, cleaning devices with robotic arms have appeared on the market. Taking robotic vacuum cleaners as an example, the main purpose of the robotic arm is to help the robotic vacuum cleaner to sweep, pick up larger debris, and overcome obstacles. The robotic arm can improve the cleaning efficiency of the robotic vacuum cleaner, enabling it to clean a wider area, such as some low and hard-to-reach places.

[0004] To enable robotic arms to perform a wide range of functions, they typically need to be compatible with different end effectors (AES) and thus require docking with them. In some scenarios, due to the small size of the AES connector, successful docking can be difficult, requiring multiple attempts. Therefore, it is necessary to improve existing technologies to overcome these shortcomings. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide an auxiliary mating structure, an end component, and a cleaning system.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides an auxiliary docking structure for assisting a robotic arm in docking with or disengaging from an end effector. The auxiliary docking structure includes: a first housing with an internal cavity for accommodating the end effector; a first opening communicating with the cavity on the outer wall of the first housing; and a guide member disposed on the first housing, extending at the first opening to form a flared area communicating with the cavity.

[0007] The guide is equipped with an attitude adjustment unit, which is configured to provide a position reference during the docking process between the robotic arm and the end effector to guide the robotic arm to dock with the end effector.

[0008] In some embodiments, the attitude adjustment part is formed on the inner wall of the flared region, and the diameter of the flared region increases in the direction of the end effector's movement.

[0009] In some embodiments, the guide has a fixed end connected to the first housing and a free end opposite to the fixed end, and the attitude adjustment part includes at least an arc segment formed by the inner wall of the guide at the free end, wherein the arc segment is configured to provide a position reference for guiding the robotic arm to translate in the XY plane.

[0010] In some embodiments, the attitude adjustment unit further includes a first edge and a second edge, the first edge and the second edge being configured to provide a position reference for guiding the angle adjustment of the robotic arm;

[0011] The inner wall of the guide member is provided with at least one radially protruding protrusion, and the protrusion has at least a first edge and a second edge with different slopes at its free end.

[0012] The first edge is configured to adjust the docking angle of the robotic arm as it moves the end effector into the receiving cavity;

[0013] The second edge is configured to adjust the docking angle of the robotic arm as it moves the end effector out of the containment cavity.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first edge and the second edge intersect to form an included angle α, and the locking structure of the robotic arm can lock or release the locking relationship with the end effector by rotating the locking angle; wherein the included angle and the locking angle are complementary angles.

[0015] In some embodiments, the attitude adjustment part is the outer contour and / or inner contour of the guide.

[0016] In some embodiments, the attitude adjustment part is located at the free end of the guide.

[0017] In some embodiments, a depth limiting portion is further provided on the inner wall of the guide and / or the first housing, the depth limiting portion being configured to limit the extreme position of the robotic arm extending into the receiving cavity;

[0018] The depth limiting part includes at least one limiting surface perpendicular to the insertion or removal direction of the end effector unit.

[0019] In some embodiments, a limiting unit is further provided on the first housing and / or the end effector, the limiting unit being configured to define the position of the end effector within the housing;

[0020] The limiting unit includes a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion that cooperate with each other. One of the first housing and the end effector unit has the first engaging portion, and the other has the second engaging portion. One of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is a engaging groove, and the other is a protruding engaging portion; or...

[0021] The limiting unit is the inner wall of the first housing, and the outer contour of the end effector unit abuts against the inner wall of the first housing; or,

[0022] The limiting unit includes a first magnetic attraction part and a second magnetic attraction part. The first magnetic attraction part is provided on one of the first housing and the end effector unit, and the second magnetic attraction part is provided on the other.

[0023] In some embodiments, the limiting unit further includes a third latching portion and a fourth latching portion that cooperates with the third latching portion, and the third latching portion and the fourth latching portion form a snap-fit ​​engagement.

[0024] In some embodiments, the shell wall of the first housing is further provided with a second opening extending along the insertion or removal direction of the end effector unit, and the second opening communicates with the receiving cavity and the first opening;

[0025] The second opening forms a clearance passage through which part of the end effector unit passes. The cross-section of the second opening is smaller than the cross-section of the receiving cavity, so as to form a stepped limiting part on the first housing.

[0026] In some embodiments, the inner wall cross-section of the guide member is at least one of a straight line, a broken line, and an arc.

[0027] This utility model also provides an end-effector assembly, which includes: an end-effector execution unit and an auxiliary mating structure housing the end-effector execution unit; wherein the auxiliary mating structure is the same as described above.

[0028] In some embodiments, the end effector includes a housing, a drive motor housed within the housing, and a cleaning section located outside the housing and drivenly connected to the drive motor.

[0029] The housing is located inside the receiving cavity, the cleaning part is located outside the first housing, and the outer wall of the housing is provided with a mating structure that cooperates with the robotic arm.

[0030] In some embodiments, a transmission unit is provided between the output end of the drive motor and the cleaning part, and the transmission unit is located inside the housing;

[0031] The transmission unit has a connecting seat at its transmission end. The bottom of the connecting seat is recessed to form a insertion groove for engaging with the cleaning unit. The cleaning unit is detachably connected to the connecting seat through the insertion groove.

[0032] This utility model also provides a cleaning system, which includes: a cleaning robot, a robotic arm mounted on the cleaning robot, an end effector unit that can be coupled with the robotic arm, and an auxiliary coupling structure for storing the end effector unit; wherein, the auxiliary coupling structure is the auxiliary coupling structure as described above.

[0033] The technical solution provided by this utility model has the following advantages:

[0034] During docking with the end effector, the robotic arm can use the guide as a position reference. Because the guide extends into a flared area at the first opening, its dimensions (especially the free end) are larger than the mating structure of the end effector. Compared to traditional robotic arms that directly identify the end effector's position, in this embodiment, the identification module on the robotic arm indirectly identifies the end effector's position by recognizing the larger guide, reducing the difficulty of identification, decreasing the accuracy requirements of the identification module, and facilitating docking or disengagement between the robotic arm and the end effector. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the end component provided by this utility model;

[0037] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the auxiliary mating structure provided by this utility model;

[0038] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the end effector unit docked with the robotic arm.

[0040] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the decomposed structure;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the end effector unit;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the attitude adjustment unit in one embodiment;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the attitude adjustment unit in another embodiment;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the end effector unit. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. The present utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other.

[0046] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this utility model are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0047] In this utility model, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction of the component itself; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not used to limit this utility model.

[0048] This utility model provides a cleaning system that can be used for cleaning operations in environments such as homes, offices, businesses, and factories. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning system includes: a cleaning robot (not shown), a robotic arm 300 mounted on the cleaning robot, an end effector 200 that can be coupled to the robotic arm 300, and an auxiliary coupling structure 100 for housing the end effector 200.

[0049] The robotic arm 300 is hinged to the cleaning robot and can perform pitching and yaw movements. The end effector 200 can be a grasping end (e.g., a gripper), a cleaning end (cloth tray, vacuum cleaner, mite remover, iron, etc.), a pet interaction device (e.g., a cat toy, laser pointer, speaker, colored lights, camera, etc.), or a storage device.

[0050] Cleaning robots can be sweeping robots, floor washing robots, window cleaning robots, or even cleaning base stations. Of course, cleaning robots include, but are not limited to, the types listed above; they can also be other robots with cleaning functions, which will not be elaborated on here.

[0051] Taking a floor scrubber as an example, equipped with a robotic arm 300, the robotic arm 300 helps the floor scrubber handle complex cleaning scenarios. For instance, the robotic arm 300 can flexibly bend or extend to reach areas that traditional fixed brush heads cannot reach, such as under tables and chairs, corners, and edges of steps, reducing manual intervention. It can also adjust its angle through its joints to conform to uneven floors (such as the junction of carpet and tiles), improving cleaning efficiency. The floor scrubber can also automatically change brush heads (hard bristles, soft cloth discs) using the robotic arm 300 to adapt to different materials (flooring, tiles, marble). The robotic arm can also achieve precise localized cleaning (such as treating oily areas separately to avoid large areas becoming slippery).

[0052] In order for the robotic arm 300 to be compatible with different types of end effector units 200, such as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the mounting end of the robotic arm 300 (the end furthest from the cleaning robot) is provided with a snap-fit ​​structure 310 for docking with the end effector unit 200. The end effector unit 200 is provided with a mating structure 260 that mates with the snap-fit ​​structure 310. One of the snap-fit ​​structure 310 and the mating structure 260 is a male connector, and the other is a female connector. The male connector and the female connector are detachably connected.

[0053] In one embodiment, the snap-fit ​​structure 310 is the male connector, and the mating structure 260 is the female connector. The male and female connectors are connected by a screw-on mechanism. The mounting end of the robotic arm 300 is equipped with an arm motor (not shown), and the output end of the arm motor is connected to the male connector to drive the male connector to rotate. The female connector is fixed to the end effector unit 200, and the snap-fit ​​between the male connector and the female connector is achieved by rotating the male connector.

[0054] Specifically, the male connector has a locking block 311 on its outer circumferential surface, and the female connector has a locking groove 261 distributed circumferentially and cooperating with the locking block 311. The female connector has a notch 262 communicating with the locking groove 261, wherein the notch 262 extends axially, and the locking block 311 can rotate into the locking groove 261 through the notch 262, thereby achieving docking with the female connector. It is worth noting that the above-mentioned circumferential and axial directions are with reference to the locking structure 310. The direction of the rotation axis of the locking structure 310 is the axial direction, and the direction of rotation of the locking structure 310 is the circumferential direction.

[0055] The male connector has a locked position and an unlocked position, which can be switched between under the rotational drive of the arm motor. When in the locked position, the locking block 311 is engaged in the slot 261, and the male and female connectors are connected. When in the unlocked position, the locking block 311 rotates to the notch 262, disengaging from the slot 261, at which point the male connector can disengage from the female connector. It is worth noting that a spring column structure 320 is also provided between the male and female connectors. The spring column structure 320 keeps the male and female connectors in the locked position. Only when the torque applied by the arm motor is greater than the force of the spring column structure 320 will the male connector rotate, causing the locking block 311 to rotate to the notch 262, at which point the male connector will disengage from the female connector.

[0056] There is an angular difference between the locked and unlocked positions. This angular difference is the rotation angle of the male connector when it rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position, or the rotation angle of the male connector when it returns from the locked position to the unlocked position. The rotation angle and the rotation angle are equal. For ease of description, these rotation and rotation angles are defined as the engagement angle b (not shown in the figure). That is, when the male connector rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position, it needs to rotate the engagement angle b along a first direction. Similarly, when the male connector returns from the locked position to the unlocked position, it needs to rotate the engagement angle b along a second direction. The first and second directions are opposite; if the first direction is clockwise, then the second direction is counterclockwise.

[0057] The robotic arm 300 is also equipped with an identification module 700, which identifies the position of the robotic arm 300 relative to the end effector 200 and guides the robotic arm 300 to dock with or disconnect from the end effector 200. The identification module 700 can be an image recognition module, an image and sensor combined recognition module, or other electrical components capable of docking the robotic arm 300 with the end effector 200.

[0058] Considering that the robotic arm 300 experiences positional deviations due to the influence of image recognition accuracy and the positional accuracy of its control when docking or disengaging with the end effector 200, the robotic arm 300 requires multiple positional adjustments to achieve docking or disengagement. To reduce the impact of the recognition accuracy of the recognition module 700 and improve the docking accuracy between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200, the end effector 200 is also equipped with the aforementioned auxiliary mating structure 100 to assist the robotic arm 300 in docking or disengaging with the end effector 200. The auxiliary mating structure 100 structurally ensures the docking accuracy between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200, and assists the recognition module 700 in completing the docking or disengagement between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200.

[0059] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the end effector 200 is at least partially housed within the auxiliary mating structure 100, forming an end effector assembly together with the auxiliary mating structure 100. The auxiliary mating structure 100 includes a first housing 110 and a guide 120. The first housing 110 has a receiving cavity 111 for receiving the end effector 200, and the outer wall of the first housing 110 has a first opening 112 communicating with the receiving cavity 111. The end effector 200 moves into or out of the receiving cavity 111 through the first opening 112.

[0060] The guide member 120 has a fixed end connected to the first housing 110 and a free end opposite to the fixed end. The size of the free end is larger than the size of the fixed end, and the guide member 120 extends at the first opening 112 to form a flared area 113 communicating with the receiving cavity 111.

[0061] In the direction of the exit of the end effector 200, the diameter of the flared area 113 increases. Specifically, the inner wall cross-section of the guide 120 is at least one of a straight line, a broken line, and an arc. When the inner wall cross-section of the guide 120 is a straight line, the inner wall of the guide 120 is a conical surface with a gradually increasing diameter along the direction from the fixed end to the free end. During the docking process between the guide 120 and the mating structure 260, the conical surface of the guide 120 can play a self-centering and progressive correction role, greatly reducing the docking difficulty of the snap-fit ​​structure 310. When the inner wall cross-section of the guide 120 is a broken line, the inner wall of the guide 120 is formed by connecting multiple different conical surfaces. Multiple different conical surfaces can correct the deviation of the snap-fit ​​structure 310 step by step.

[0062] The flared area 113, the first opening 112, and the receiving cavity 111 form the pick-and-place channel of the end effector 200. Preferably, the flared area 113, the first opening 112, and the receiving cavity 111 are located on the extension of the same straight line. The distribution of the same straight line only requires control of a single degree of freedom (such as the Z-axis). A single degree of freedom is easier to control and is beneficial to the pick-and-place operation of the end effector 200.

[0063] When the robotic arm 300 docks with the end effector 200, the flared area 113 formed by the guide 120 is located upstream of the first opening 112, allowing the robotic arm 300 to use the guide 120 as a positional reference. The size of the guide 120 (especially the size of its free end) is larger than the size of the first opening 112, which in turn is larger than the size of the mating structure 260. Compared to the identification method where the identification module 700 directly identifies the position of the end effector 200, in this application, the identification module 700 indirectly identifies the position of the end effector 200 by identifying the larger guide 120, reducing the difficulty of identification and the accuracy requirements of the identification module 700, thus facilitating docking between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200. Specifically, taking image recognition as an example, larger images contain more pixels and can retain fine-grained features (such as texture, edges, and small structures), which is beneficial for the recognition module 700 to recognize the guide 120, so that the robotic arm 300 can move to the auxiliary mating structure 100 at a faster speed.

[0064] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the guide member 120 is provided with an attitude adjustment section 400, which is the outer contour and / or inner contour of the guide member 120. The attitude adjustment section 400 is used to provide a position reference during the docking process between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200, so as to guide the robotic arm 300 to dock with the end effector 200. The attitude adjustment section 400 can provide a more detailed structure, enabling the recognition module 700 to perform fine recognition.

[0065] More precisely, the attitude adjustment unit 400 provides a position reference for the locking structure 310 on the robotic arm 300, and guides the movement of the locking structure 310 so that the locking structure 310 can smoothly dock with or disengage from the mating structure 260.

[0066] The position references provided by the attitude adjustment unit 400 include translational and rotational position references for the locking structure 310. The translational position reference includes a coarse positioning stage and a fine alignment stage. The coarse positioning stage refers to rapidly moving the robotic arm 300 to the vicinity of the guide member 120. The fine alignment stage refers to aligning the locking structure 310 and the mating structure 260 in the Z-axis direction.

[0067] The rotational position reference enables the locking structure 310 to be positioned in a locked position and an unlocked position when the locking structure 310 and the mating structure 260 are aligned in the Z-axis direction, thereby allowing the mating structure 310 to switch between the locked and unlocked positions. It is worth noting that the translational position reference refers to a translational position reference on a plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the insertion (exit) direction of the end effector unit 200.

[0068] The attitude adjustment part 400 is formed on the inner wall of the flared area 113. During the docking process between the snap-fit ​​structure 310 and the mating structure 260, the end effector 200 is housed within the auxiliary mating structure 100. The snap-fit ​​structure 310 must pass through the flared area 113 before docking with the end effector 200 in the receiving cavity 111. In this process, the attitude adjustment part 400 located on the inner wall of the flared area 113 can provide position reference information to the identification module 700, which can then adjust the real-time position of the snap-fit ​​structure 310. Of course, the location of the attitude adjustment part 400 may include, but is not limited to, the inner wall of the flared area 113, or it may be located on the outer wall of the guide member 120, or it may be partially located on the inner wall of the flared area 113 and partially located on the outer wall of the guide member 120.

[0069] Preferably, the attitude adjustment unit 400 is located at the free end of the guide member 120. Regarding the structure of the attitude adjustment unit 400, as follows... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the attitude adjustment unit 400 includes at least an arc segment 410 formed at its free end by the inner wall of the guide member 120. The arc segment 410 is used to provide a position reference for guiding the robotic arm 300 to translate in the XY plane. During positioning, using the arc segment 410 as a position reference, rather than a simple straight line or point reference, is to better adapt to complex motion trajectories, compensate for mechanical system errors, and improve the accuracy of dynamic positioning. Since the free end of the guide member 120 is relatively large, the location of the arc segment 410 at the free end makes it easier for the recognition module 700 to recognize the arc segment 410.

[0070] Furthermore, the inner wall of the guide member 120 is provided with at least one radially protruding protrusion 130, and the protrusion 130 has a first edge 420 and a second edge 430 with different slopes at least at its free end. The attitude adjustment unit 400 also includes the aforementioned first edge 420 and second edge 430, which are used to provide position references for guiding the angle adjustment of the robotic arm 300.

[0071] The first edge 420 is used to adjust the docking angle of the robotic arm 300 during the process of moving the end effector 200 into the receiving cavity 111. The second edge 430 is used to adjust the docking angle of the robotic arm 300 during the process of moving the end effector 200 out of the receiving cavity 111. After the end effector 200 completes its task, the recognition module 700 uses the recognized image information to cause the robotic arm 300 to move quickly to the guide member 120, and adjusts the posture of the robotic arm 300 by the position of the arc segment 410 and the first edge 420, so that the end effector 200 can be smoothly inserted into the receiving cavity 111.

[0072] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the protrusion 130 has a first edge 420 and a second edge 430 with different slopes at its free end. One end of the first edge 420 is connected to the second edge 430, and the other end is connected to the arc segment 410. One end of the second edge 430 is connected to the first edge 420, and the other end is connected to other arc segments on the free end that are concentric with the arc segment 410. The first edge 420 and the second edge 430 intersect to form an included angle α, and the included angle α and the locking angle β are supplementary angles.

[0073] The complementary angle relationship can make the movement trajectory of the robotic arm 300 smoother to a certain extent. The smooth trajectory avoids sudden changes in speed or acceleration, thereby reducing the vibration of the robotic arm 300 caused by inertia or rigid impact, and ensuring more accurate positioning of the end effector 200.

[0074] In another embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, the protrusion 130 has a first edge 420, a second edge 430, and a third edge 440 with different slopes at its free end. The third edge 440 connects the first edge 420 and the second edge 430. The functions of the first edge 420 and the second edge 430 are the same as those in the previous embodiment. The third edge 440 provides a position reference for a third position between the locked position and the unlocked position. The first edge 420, the second edge 430, and the third edge 440 form multiple position references. These multiple position references can significantly improve the motion accuracy of the robotic arm 300, which is beneficial for the engagement structure 310 and the mating structure 260 to dock or disengage.

[0075] The guide member 120 and / or the inner wall of the first housing 110 are further provided with a depth limiting portion 600. The depth limiting portion 600 is used to limit the extreme position of the robotic arm 300 entering the receiving cavity 111, that is, the extreme position of the robotic arm 300 moving on the Z-axis, so as to prevent the robotic arm 300 from colliding with the end effector unit 200 in the receiving cavity 111. The depth limiting portion 600 includes at least a limiting surface perpendicular to the movement direction of the end effector unit 200.

[0076] The mating structure 260 and the end effector 200 can be either fixedly connected or detachably connected, so that the mating structure 260 and the end effector 200 form a whole. Considering that the position of the mating structure 260 needs to be fixed during the process of docking or disengaging with the snap-fit ​​structure 310, in order to prevent the mating structure 260 from moving relative to the receiving cavity 111 and affecting the docking accuracy.

[0077] In view of this, the first housing 110 and / or the end effector 200 are also provided with a limiting unit 500, which is used to limit the position of the end effector 200 in the receiving cavity 111 to prevent the mating structure 260 from moving relative to the receiving cavity 111 under the action of the snap-fit ​​structure 310.

[0078] Regarding the specific structure of the limit unit 500, as follows: Figures 2 to 4 As shown, in the first case, the limiting unit 500 includes a cooperating first engaging portion 510 and a second engaging portion 520. The first engaging portion 510 is provided on one of the first housing 110 and the end effector 200, and the second engaging portion 520 is provided on the other. One of the first engaging portion 510 and the second engaging portion 520 is a engaging groove, and the other is a protruding engaging portion. In one embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the first latching portion 510 is a protruding latching portion provided on the wall of the receiving cavity 111 and extending along the Z-axis direction; the protruding latching portion is a rib. Figure 4 As shown, the second engaging portion 520 is an engaging groove, roughly funnel-shaped. The engaging groove includes an elongated groove 521 that engages with the rib, and a guide groove 522 located at one end of the elongated groove 521 and communicating with it. The guide groove 522 is V-shaped, and its width gradually decreases in the vertical direction along the direction in which the rib is inserted into the engaging groove, ultimately guiding the rib into the narrower elongated groove 521.

[0079] In the second scenario, the limiting unit 500 is the inner wall of the first housing 110, and the outer contour of the end effector 200 abuts against the inner wall of the first housing 110. For example, the receiving cavity 111 formed by the inner wall of the first housing 110 is square, and the outer contour of the end effector 200 is prismatic. During the docking or undocking process between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200, due to the limiting relationship between the outer contour of the end effector 200 and the inner wall of the first housing 110, the robotic arm 300 will not cause the mating structure 260 on the end effector 200 to rotate during docking. Thus, the docking or undocking relationship between the robotic arm 300 and the end effector 200 can be achieved. Of course, the shapes of the receiving cavity 111 and the end effector 200 are not limited, as long as the following condition is met: during the action of the robotic arm 300 on the end effector 200, the end effector 200 will not rotate with the rotation of the locking structure 310.

[0080] In the third case, the limiting unit 500 includes a first magnetic attraction part (not shown) and a second magnetic attraction part (not shown), which cooperate with each other. The first magnetic attraction part is provided on one of the first housing 110 and the end effector 200, and the second magnetic attraction part is provided on the other. In one embodiment, the first magnetic attraction part is provided on the end of the receiving cavity 111 away from the first opening 112, and the second magnetic attraction part is provided on the end of the end effector 200 away from the mating structure 260. When the end effector 200 is inserted into the receiving cavity 111, the end effector 200 is attracted to the first magnetic attraction part by the second magnetic attraction part, thereby limiting the end effector 200 within the receiving cavity 111.

[0081] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the limiting unit 500 also includes a third engaging portion 530 and a fourth engaging portion 540 that cooperates with the third engaging portion 530, forming a snap-fit ​​engagement between the third engaging portion 530 and the fourth engaging portion 540. In one embodiment, the third engaging portion 530 is a snap fastener provided on the inner wall of the first housing 110, and the fourth engaging portion 540 is a snap-fit ​​groove provided on the outer wall of the end effector unit 200. After the end effector unit 200 is inserted into the receiving cavity 111, the first engaging portion 510 and the second engaging portion 520 can guide the movement of the end effector unit 200, guiding the snap-fit ​​groove on the end effector unit 200 to the snap-fit ​​position, thereby achieving engagement and completing the limiting on the Z-axis.

[0082] Considering that in some application scenarios, when the end effector 200 is a cloth tray assembly, it is desirable to expose the cloth tray outside the auxiliary mating structure 100 to prevent the damp cloth tray from breeding bacteria in the receiving cavity 111. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the first housing 110 also has a second opening 114 extending along the insertion or removal direction of the end effector 200 on its shell wall. The second opening 114 communicates with the receiving cavity 111 and the first opening 112. The second opening 114 forms a clearance channel, through which a portion of the end effector 200 extends to the outside of the first housing 110. Preferably, the cross-section of the second opening 114 is smaller than the cross-section of the receiving cavity 111, forming a stepped limiting portion on the first housing 110. This stepped limiting portion can also limit the end effector 200 to a certain extent.

[0083] The following explanation will use a clean end effector as an example. Figure 9As shown, the end effector 200 includes a housing 210, a drive motor 220 housed within the housing 210, and a cleaning section 230 located outside the housing 210 and connected to the drive motor 220. The housing 210 is located within the receiving cavity 111, and its outer wall is provided with the aforementioned end effector connection section 260 that cooperates with the robotic arm 300. The cleaning section 230 is located outside the first housing 110 and can be a cloth tray, a cleaning roller, or the like.

[0084] Furthermore, a transmission unit 240 is provided between the output end of the drive motor 220 and the cleaning unit 230, and the transmission unit 240 is located inside the housing 210. The transmission end of the transmission unit 240 is connected to a connecting seat 250, the bottom of which has a recessed insertion groove 251 for engaging with the cleaning unit 230. The cleaning unit 230 is detachably connected to the connecting seat 250 via the insertion groove 251. When the cleaning unit 230 is a mop tray, the output shaft of the drive motor 220 is connected to the mop tray via the connecting seat 250, and the rotating mop tray can clean the surface to be cleaned, thereby achieving the cleaning purpose.

[0085] Obviously, the embodiments described above are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications without creative effort, and all such variations or modifications should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. An auxiliary mating structure for assisting a robot arm (300) to mate with or disengage from an end effector (200), characterized in that, include: The first housing (110) has an internal cavity (111) for accommodating the end effector (200). The outer wall of the first housing (110) has a first opening (112) communicating with the cavity (111). The end effector (200) moves into or out of the cavity (111) through the first opening (112). A guide (120) is provided on the first housing (110), and the guide (120) extends at the first opening (112) to form a flared area (113) communicating with the receiving cavity (111); The guide (120) is provided with an attitude adjustment part (400), which is configured to provide a position reference during the docking of the robotic arm (300) and the end effector (200) to guide the robotic arm (300) to dock with the end effector (200).

2. The secondary mating structure of claim 1, wherein, The attitude adjustment part (400) is formed on the inner wall of the flared area (113), and the diameter of the flared area (113) increases in the direction of the movement of the end effector (200).

3. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 1, wherein, The guide (120) has a fixed end connected to the first housing (110) and a free end opposite to the fixed end. The attitude adjustment part (400) includes at least an arc segment (410) formed by the inner wall of the guide (120) at the free end, wherein the arc segment (410) is configured to provide a position reference for guiding the robotic arm (300) to translate in the XY plane.

4. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 3, wherein, The attitude adjustment unit (400) further includes a first edge (420) and a second edge (430), the first edge (420) and the second edge (430) being configured to provide a position reference for guiding the angle adjustment of the robotic arm (300); The inner wall of the guide member (120) is provided with at least one radially protruding protrusion (130), and the protrusion (130) has at least a first edge (420) and a second edge (430) with different slopes at the free end. The first edge (420) is configured to adjust the docking angle of the robotic arm (300) as the robotic arm (300) moves the end effector (200) into the receiving cavity (111); The second edge (430) is configured to adjust the docking angle of the robotic arm (300) as the robotic arm (300) moves the end effector (200) out of the receiving cavity (111).

5. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 4, wherein, The first edge (420) and the second edge (430) intersect to form an included angle a. The locking structure (310) of the robotic arm (300) can lock or release the locking relationship with the end effector (200) by rotating the locking angle b. Wherein, the included angle a and the snap angle b are complementary angles.

6. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 1, wherein, The attitude adjustment part (400) is the outer contour and / or inner contour of the guide (120).

7. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 6, wherein, The attitude adjustment unit (400) is located at the free end of the guide member (120).

8. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 1, wherein, The guide (120) and / or the inner wall of the first housing (110) are further provided with a depth limiting part (600), which is configured to limit the extreme position of the robotic arm (300) extending into the receiving cavity (111); The depth limiting part (600) includes at least a limiting surface perpendicular to the insertion or removal direction of the end effector (200).

9. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 1, wherein, The first housing (110) and / or the end effector (200) are further provided with a limiting unit (500), the limiting unit (500) being configured to limit the position of the end effector (200) within the receiving cavity (111); The limiting unit (500) includes a first engaging portion (510) and a second engaging portion (520) that cooperate with each other. The first engaging portion (510) is provided on one of the first housing (110) and the end effector (200), and the second engaging portion (520) is provided on the other. One of the first engaging portion (510) and the second engaging portion (520) is a engaging groove, and the other is a protruding engaging portion; or... The limiting unit (500) is the inner wall of the first housing (110), and the outer contour of the end effector (200) abuts against the inner wall of the first housing (110); or, The limiting unit (500) includes a first magnetic attraction part and a second magnetic attraction part. The first magnetic attraction part is provided on one of the first housing (110) and the end effector (200), and the second magnetic attraction part is provided on the other.

10. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 9, wherein, The limiting unit (500) further includes a third latching part (530) and a fourth latching part (540) that cooperates with the third latching part (530), and the third latching part (530) and the fourth latching part (540) form a snap-fit ​​engagement.

11. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 1, wherein, The shell wall of the first housing (110) is also provided with a second opening (114) extending along the insertion or removal direction of the end effector (200), and the second opening (114) communicates with the receiving cavity (111) and the first opening (112). The second opening (114) forms a clearance passage through which a portion of the end effector (200) passes. The cross-section of the second opening (114) is smaller than the cross-section of the receiving cavity (111) to form a stepped limiting portion on the first housing (110).

12. The supplemental adapter structure of claim 1, wherein, The inner wall cross section of the guide member (120) is at least one of a straight line, a broken line, and an arc.

13. A tip assembly comprising: include: End-effector (200) and auxiliary mating structure (100) housing the end-effector (200); The auxiliary mating structure (100) is the auxiliary mating structure according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The tip assembly of claim 13, wherein, The end effector (200) includes a housing (210), a drive motor (220) housed within the housing (210), and a cleaning section (230) located outside the housing (210) and connected to the drive motor (220) in a transmission manner; The housing (210) is located inside the receiving cavity (111), the cleaning part (230) is located outside the first housing (110), and the outer wall of the housing (210) is provided with a mating structure (260) that cooperates with the robotic arm (300).

15. The tip assembly of claim 14, wherein, A transmission unit (240) is provided between the output end of the drive motor (220) and the cleaning part (230), and the transmission unit (240) is located inside the housing (210); The transmission unit (240) is connected to a connecting seat (250) at its transmission end. The bottom of the connecting seat (250) is recessed to form a insertion groove (251) for insertion and engagement with the cleaning part (230). The cleaning part (230) is detachably connected to the connecting seat (250) through the insertion groove (251).

16. A cleaning system characterized by, include: A cleaning robot, a robotic arm (300) mounted on the cleaning robot, an end effector (200) capable of engaging with the robotic arm (300), and an auxiliary engagement structure (100) for housing the end effector (200); The auxiliary mating structure (100) is the auxiliary mating structure according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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