Variable diameter robot joint torsion spring
By designing a variable-diameter robot joint torsion spring, using high-strength alloy materials and a nonlinear torque-rotation curve, the problem of traditional torsion springs being unable to adapt to various output requirements is solved, improving the working efficiency and lifespan of the robot joint while saving space.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGDONG HERSHEY SPRING IND CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-28
AI Technical Summary
Traditional robot joint torsion springs have a constant diameter, making it difficult to adapt to the diverse output requirements of robot joints and affecting work efficiency.
A variable-diameter robot joint torsion spring is designed, made of high-strength alloy material. The torque-rotation angle curve is S-shaped due to the nonlinear variation of the variable diameter segment. Combined with the mounting components, it can be quickly disassembled to meet various output requirements.
It improves the working efficiency and fatigue resistance of robot joints, extends their service life, and saves internal space.
Smart Images

Figure CN224566584U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of torsion spring technology, specifically a variable diameter robot joint torsion spring. Background Technology
[0002] Torsion springs are a type of helical spring. The ends of a torsion spring are fixed to other components. When these components rotate around the spring's center, the spring pulls them back to their initial position, generating torque or rotational force. Torsion springs are mechanical parts that utilize elasticity. With the rapid development of robotics technology, the performance requirements for robot joints are increasing. Traditional robot joint torsion springs have many limitations, severely restricting further improvements in robot performance. Traditional torsion springs have a constant diameter, and the torque and torsion angle have a linear relationship, making it difficult to adapt to the non-linear torque output requirements of robot joints (such as flexible grasping and dynamic obstacle avoidance). Furthermore, the constant diameter of such robot joint torsion springs makes it difficult to adapt to the diverse output needs of robot joints, affecting work efficiency. Utility Model Content
[0003] In view of the above situation and to overcome the defects of the prior art, this utility model provides a variable diameter robot joint torsion spring, which effectively solves the problem that the current robot joint torsion springs have a constant diameter, making it difficult to adapt to the various output requirements of the robot joint and affecting work efficiency.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a variable diameter robot joint torsion spring, comprising a torsion spring body, the torsion spring body being composed of fixed diameter segments at both ends and a variable diameter segment in the middle, the diameter of the variable diameter segment varying along the axis according to a nonlinear function, the outer diameter of the torsion spring body gradually increasing from the minimum diameter D1 near the fixed diameter segment to the maximum diameter D2 in the middle position, the diameter difference ΔD=D2-D1≥%D1, the torsion spring body having snap-fit grooves on both sides, the torsion spring body having support plates snap-fitted on both sides, the support plate having a fixing groove on one side, the fixing groove having a threaded groove on one side inside, and an installation component connected to one side inside the support plate.
[0005] Optionally, the mounting assembly includes a movable plate that is slidably mounted on one side inside the support plate. One end of the movable plate is located outside the support plate, and movable rods are connected through both sides of one end of the movable plate. Both ends of the movable rods are connected to the inside sides of the support plate.
[0006] Optionally, a spring is sleeved on the outside of the moving rod, one end of the spring is connected to one side of the moving plate, the other end of the spring is connected to one side of the support plate, one end of the moving plate is connected to a fixing plate, and one end of the fixing plate extends into the fixing groove.
[0007] Optionally, one end of the fixed plate is threaded with a lead screw, and one end of the lead screw extends through to the outside of the movable plate and is connected to a limit block.
[0008] Optionally, the lead screw is threaded with a gear ring, one end of which is rotatably connected to one end of the moving plate, and a gear meshes on one side of the gear ring, which is rotatably connected to the moving plate.
[0009] Optionally, the nonlinear function of the variable diameter segment is a parabolic function or an exponential curve function.
[0010] Optionally, the torsion spring body is made of a high-strength, high-toughness alloy material, including but not limited to chromium-vanadium alloy steel.
[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0012] (1) By setting a variable diameter section, the torque-rotation angle curve of the torsion spring is S-shaped. During the start-up phase of the robot joint, a small torque can achieve gentle movement. As the torsion angle increases, the torque increases rapidly to meet the requirement of rigidity maintenance, enabling the robot joint to adapt to various output requirements and improve work efficiency.
[0013] (2) By setting the variable diameter section, the stress that was originally concentrated in the local area of the fixed diameter torsion spring is dispersed to different positions, reducing the maximum stress value, improving the fatigue resistance of the torsion spring, and extending its service life. At the same time, under the same torque, the volume of the torsion spring body 1 is reduced by 40% compared with the traditional torsion spring, and can effectively save the internal space of the robot joint.
[0014] (3) By setting the mounting components, rotating the gear, under the meshing transmission of the gear and the gear ring, causes the gear ring to drive the lead screw to rotate, thereby causing the lead screw to move from inside the threaded groove to the outside, pulling the moving plate to one side. The moving plate drives the fixed plate to move out of the snap-fit groove. At this time, the torsion spring body is no longer fixedly connected to the support plate and can be quickly removed according to the usage requirements. Attached Figure Description
[0015] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.
[0016] In the attached diagram:
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a variable diameter robot joint torsion spring structure according to the present invention;
[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the slot in this utility model;
[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the threaded groove structure of this utility model;
[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation component of this utility model.
[0021] In the diagram: 1. Torsion spring body; 101. Fixed diameter section; 102. Variable diameter section; 2. Snap-fit groove; 3. Support plate; 4. Fixing groove; 5. Threaded groove; 6. Mounting assembly; 61. Moving plate; 62. Moving rod; 63. Spring; 64. Fixing plate; 65. Lead screw; 66. Limiting block; 67. Gear ring; 68. Gear. Detailed Implementation
[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments.
[0023] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this utility model should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this utility model pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this utility model do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.
[0024] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-4 This application will be described in further detail.
[0025] Reference Figure 1-3Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a variable-diameter robot joint torsion spring, comprising a torsion spring body 1. Under the same torque output conditions, the volume of the torsion spring body 1 is reduced by 40% compared to a traditional fixed-diameter torsion spring. The torsion spring body 1 consists of fixed-diameter segments 101 at both ends and a variable-diameter segment 102 in the middle. The diameter of the variable-diameter segment 102 varies along the axis according to a nonlinear function. The outer diameter of the torsion spring body 1 gradually increases from the minimum diameter D1 near the fixed-diameter segment 101 to the maximum diameter D2 at the middle position. The diameter difference ΔD = D2 - D1 ≥ 30% D1. The nonlinear function of the variable-diameter segment is a parabolic function or an exponential curve function. The torsion spring body 1 is made of a high-strength, high-toughness alloy material, including but not limited to chromium-vanadium alloy steel, to extend its service life.
[0026] During the movement of the robot joint, when the joint is subjected to torque, the variable diameter section 102 and the fixed diameter section 101 of the torsion spring body 1 will jointly generate torsional deformation. Due to the change in diameter of the variable diameter section 102, the torque output at different positions during the torsion process exhibits nonlinear characteristics. In the initial stage, the torque increases slowly, which enables the robot to start flexibly and avoids impact on the mechanical structure and drive system. As the torsion angle increases, the larger diameter part of the intermediate variable diameter section 102 gradually participates in the work, and the torque rises rapidly, providing sufficient driving force for the robot joint to meet the requirement of rigidity maintenance, thereby realizing adaptive adjustment of torque output.
[0027] Among them, such as Figure 2 As shown, the torsion spring body 1 has snap-fit grooves 2 on both sides. The fixing plate 64 passes through the snap-fit grooves 2 to fix the torsion spring body 1 to the support plate 3. The support plate 3 is snapped onto both sides of the torsion spring body 1. One end of the support plate 3 is connected to the robot joint. The support plate 3 has a fixing groove 4 on one side. The fixing groove 4 has a threaded groove 5 on one side inside. The lead screw 65 rotates to the inside of the threaded groove 5 to ensure a more secure connection between the torsion spring body 1 and the support plate 3. The support plate 3 has an installation component 6 connected to one side inside.
[0028] Reference Figure 4 The mounting component 6 includes a movable plate 61 that is slidably mounted inside one side of the support plate 3. One end of the movable plate 61 is located outside the support plate 3. Movable rods 62 are connected through both sides of one end of the movable plate 61. The movable plate 61 slides along the outside of the movable rods 62. The movable rods 62 limit the sliding of the movable plate 61 so that the movable plate 61 can only slide in a straight line. Both ends of the movable rods 62 are connected to the inside sides of the support plate 3.
[0029] The movable rod 62 is fitted with a spring 63. The spring 63 has elastic potential energy. In the initial state, the spring 63 applies pressure to the movable plate 61, causing the fixed plate 64 to be inserted into the fixed groove 4. One end of the spring 63 is connected to one side of the movable plate 61, and the other end of the spring 63 is connected to one side of the support plate 3. One end of the movable plate 61 is connected to the fixed plate 64. When the fixed plate 64 moves into the snap-fit groove 2, the torsion spring body 1 is fixedly connected to the support plate 3. One end of the fixed plate 64 extends into the fixed groove 4. One end of the fixed plate 64 is threadedly connected to a lead screw 65. The fixed plate 64 and the lead screw 65 are threadedly connected. The rotation of the lead screw 65 will not cause the fixed rod to move.
[0030] In addition, one end of the lead screw 65 extends through to the outside of the movable plate 61 and is connected to a limit block 66. The limit block 66 limits the movement distance of the lead screw 65 to prevent the lead screw 65 from disengaging from the gear ring 67. The lead screw 65 is threaded with a gear ring 67. One end of the gear ring 67 is rotatably connected to one end of the movable plate 61. A gear 68 meshes with one side of the gear ring 67. When the gear 68 is turned, the gear 68 drives the gear ring 67 to rotate. The gear ring 67 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 65. The rotation of the gear ring 67 drives the lead screw 65 to rotate into the threaded groove 5. The gear 68 is rotatably connected to the movable plate 61.
[0031] The implementation principle of a variable diameter robot joint torsion spring according to an embodiment of this application is as follows: In use, the design of the variable diameter section 102 makes the torque-rotation angle curve of the torsion spring S-shaped. During the robot joint start-up phase, a small torque can achieve gentle movement. As the torsion angle increases, the torque increases rapidly to meet the requirement of maintaining rigidity. In addition, the design of the variable diameter section 102 disperses the stress that was originally concentrated in the local area of the fixed diameter torsion spring to different locations, reducing the maximum stress value, improving the fatigue resistance of the torsion spring, and extending its service life. At the same time, while providing the same torque, the volume of the torsion spring body 1 is reduced by 40% compared with the traditional torsion spring, which can effectively save the internal space of the robot joint.
[0032] When the torsion spring body 1 needs to be quickly disassembled, rotate the gear 68. Under the meshing transmission of the gear 68 and the gear ring 67, the gear ring 67 drives the lead screw 65 to rotate, thereby moving the lead screw 65 from inside the threaded groove 5 to the outside. Pull the moving plate 61 to one side, and the moving plate 61 drives the fixed plate 64 to move out of the snap-fit groove 2. At this time, the torsion spring body 1 is no longer fixedly connected to the support plate 3 and can be quickly removed according to the usage requirements.
[0033] In practical applications, appropriate nonlinear functions, such as exponential curves, can be selected to design the diameter variation law of variable diameter segments based on different robot joint requirements and motion characteristics.
[0034] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
[0035] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A variable diameter robot joint torsion spring comprising a torsion spring body (1), characterized in that: The torsion spring body (1) consists of a fixed diameter section (101) at both ends and a variable diameter section (102) in the middle. The diameter of the variable diameter section (102) varies along the axis according to a nonlinear function. The outer diameter of the torsion spring body (1) gradually increases from the minimum diameter D1 near the fixed diameter section (101) to the maximum diameter D2 in the middle position. The diameter difference ΔD = D2 - D1 ≥ 30% D1. The torsion spring body (1) has snap-fit grooves (2) on both sides. The torsion spring body (1) has support plates (3) snap-fitted on both sides. The support plate (3) has a fixing groove (4) on one side. The fixing groove (4) has a threaded groove (5) on one side inside. The support plate (3) has an installation component (6) connected to one side inside. The mounting assembly (6) includes a movable plate (61) that is slidably mounted on one side inside the support plate (3). One end of the movable plate (61) is located outside the support plate (3). Movable rods (62) are connected through both sides of one end of the movable plate (61). Both ends of the movable rods (62) are connected to the inside sides of the support plate (3). A spring (63) is sleeved on the outside of the movable rods (62). One end of the spring (63) is connected to one side of the movable plate (61), and the other end of the spring (63) is connected to one side inside the support plate (3). A fixed plate (64) is connected to one end of the movable plate (61), and one end of the fixed plate (64) extends into the fixed groove (4).
2. The variable diameter robot joint torsion spring of claim 1, wherein: One end of the fixed plate (64) is threadedly connected to a lead screw (65), and one end of the lead screw (65) extends through to the outside of the movable plate (61) and is connected to a limit block (66).
3. The variable diameter robot joint torsion spring of claim 2, wherein: The lead screw (65) is threaded with a toothed ring (67), one end of which is rotatably connected to one end of the moving plate (61). A gear (68) meshes with one side of the toothed ring (67), and the gear (68) is rotatably connected to the moving plate (61).
4. The variable diameter robot joint torsion spring of claim 1, wherein: The nonlinear function of the variable diameter segment (102) is a parabolic function or an exponential curve function.
5. The variable diameter robot joint torsion spring of claim 1, wherein: The torsion spring body (1) is made of a high-strength, high-toughness alloy material, including but not limited to chromium vanadium alloy steel.