Intelligent tapping machine end effector

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of intelligent rubber tapping machine end execution mechanism, including opening and closing clamping device, trajectory walking device, rubber tapping device, mechanical depth limiting device and cutting depth monitoring device;The utility model is used in cooperation with cutting depth monitoring device by mechanical depth limiting device, utilize mechanical depth limiting mode to avoid rubber tapping depth too big, not only guarantee the consistency of rubber tapping depth, but also can effectively prevent rubber tapping overcut phenomenon, avoid rubber tree surface damage, in addition, this kind of mechanical depth limiting mode stability is good, safe and reliable;By opening and closing steering gear and pressure sensor cooperation, the pressure between opening and closing cambered plate and rubber tree surface can be controlled, avoid transition clamping rubber tree to cause damage to rubber tree surface.The utility model improves structure to two directions of rubber tapping depth and clamping force, to avoid damage to rubber tree surface, solve the problem of rubber tapping skin breakage that easily appears in rubber tapping industry.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of rubber tapping, and in particular to an intelligent end effector for a rubber tapping machine. Background Technology

[0002] Rubber is an important strategic resource, widely used in many key fields such as aerospace, automobile manufacturing, medical devices, and defense industries. Its production and supply capacity are directly related to national industrial security and strategic reserve capacity. As the main source of natural rubber, the tapping process of rubber trees plays a crucial role in rubber production. However, rubber tapping still relies heavily on manual labor. Traditional manual tapping depends on tappers' experience to judge the tapping depth and angle, which is not only labor-intensive and technically demanding, but also unpredictable. Uneven tapping depth or improper angle can damage the rubber tree bark, thus affecting the normal growth and latex life of the rubber tree. In addition, due to factors such as the decreasing number of tappers and uneven skill levels, the efficiency of manual tapping is gradually failing to meet the demands of modern rubber industry for efficient and standardized production, resulting in high production costs and limited economic benefits.

[0003] To improve rubber tapping efficiency, reduce labor intensity, and ensure tapping quality and the safety of rubber tree growth, various rubber tapping machines and automatic tapping devices have emerged. Replacing traditional manual operation with mechanized methods not only improves the precision and consistency of tapping operations but also effectively saves labor costs, contributing to the modernization of the rubber industry. However, traditional rubber tapping machines have several problems: First, some tapping equipment requires clamping devices to fix it to the rubber tree. If the clamp is too tight, it can damage the rubber tree's bark; if the clamp is too loose, the tapping equipment may fall off, affecting tapping. Second, the tapping depth cannot be precisely controlled. In particular, excessive tapping depth can damage the phloem and even the xylem, seriously affecting the growth and lifespan of the rubber tree. Both of these problems can easily cause irreversible damage to the rubber tree's bark, therefore, solutions are needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide an intelligent end effector for a rubber tapping machine.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of this utility model is: an intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector, comprising: An opening and closing clamping device includes an upper ring frame and a lower ring frame. The upper ring frame includes an upper fixed arc plate and upper opening and closing arc plates rotatably disposed at both ends of the upper fixed arc plate. The lower ring frame includes a lower fixed arc plate and lower opening and closing arc plates rotatably disposed at both ends of the lower fixed arc plate. The upper fixed arc plate is fixedly connected to the lower fixed arc plate, and the upper opening and closing arc plate is fixedly connected to the lower opening and closing arc plate. The two ends of the lower fixed arc plate are also provided with opening and closing servo motors that drive the two lower opening and closing arc plates to swing. Pressure sensors are provided on the two lower opening and closing arc plates, and the detection end of the pressure sensor faces the surface of the rubber tree. The trajectory walking device, installed on the opening and closing clamping device, includes a circumferential walking component, a vertical walking component disposed on the circumferential walking component, and a mounting base disposed on the vertical walking component. The mounting base is provided with a rubber cutting device, a mechanical depth limiting device, and a cutting depth monitoring device. A rubber tapping device, including a rubber tapping blade, the rubber tapping blade being connected to a bracket of the mounting base; A mechanical depth limiting device is located below the rubber tapping device and includes a depth limiting roller that travels along the tangential direction of the rubber tapping trajectory. The depth limiting roller is connected to the bracket of the mounting base through an adjustment component. A cutting depth monitoring device is located below the mechanical depth limiting device and is used to provide feedback on the cutting depth.

[0006] As a preferred technical solution, the upper opening and closing arc plate and the upper fixed arc plate are connected by an upper rotating shaft. An upper assisting torsion spring is provided outside the upper rotating shaft. One end of the upper assisting torsion spring abuts against the upper fixed arc plate, and the other end abuts against the upper opening and closing arc plate, so that the upper opening and closing arc plate swings toward the upper fixed arc plate. The lower opening and closing arc plate is connected to the lower fixed arc plate by a lower rotating shaft. A lower assist torsion spring is provided outside the lower rotating shaft. One end of the lower assist torsion spring abuts against the lower fixed arc plate, and the other end abuts against the lower opening and closing arc plate, so that the lower opening and closing arc plate swings toward the lower fixed arc plate.

[0007] As a preferred technical solution, the inner surfaces of the upper fixed arc plate, the upper opening and closing arc plate, the lower fixed arc plate, and the lower opening and closing arc plate are all provided with horizontally arranged flexible anti-slip strips.

[0008] As a preferred technical solution, the circumferential traveling component includes an upper flexible toothed rail and a lower flexible toothed rail arranged correspondingly at the top and bottom. Both the upper and lower flexible toothed rails have toothed rail openings, which correspond to the openings of the upper and lower ring frames. The middle part of the upper flexible toothed rail is fixed to the upper fixed arc plate, and both ends of the upper flexible toothed rail are fixed to the upper opening and closing arc plate. The middle part of the lower flexible toothed rail is fixed to the lower fixed arc plate, and both ends of the lower flexible toothed rail are fixed to the lower opening and closing arc plate. Circumferential sliders are slidably mounted on the upper and lower flexible toothed rails, and circumferential gears that mesh with the upper and lower flexible toothed rails and circumferential motors that drive the circumferential gears to rotate are mounted on the circumferential sliders.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution, the vertical walking assembly includes a fixed column fixed between the upper and lower circumferential sliders, a vertical gear rail is provided between the two circumferential sliders, and a vertical gear meshing with the teeth of the vertical gear rail and a vertical motor driving the vertical gear to rotate are installed in the mounting base.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution, the adjustment component includes an adjustment screw that is slidably mounted on the bracket, and the adjustment screw is fixed to the bracket by a locking nut.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the depth limiting roller includes a roller bracket fixed to the end of the adjusting screw, and a traveling roller is rotatably mounted on the roller bracket. The rotation axis of the traveling roller is inclined and travels along the tangent direction of the rubber cutting trajectory.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this utility model due to the adoption of the above technical solution are as follows: This utility model uses a depth-limiting roller in conjunction with a cutting depth monitoring sensor to mechanically limit the cutting depth, preventing excessive tapping. This not only ensures the consistency of the tapping depth but also effectively prevents over-cutting, avoiding damage to the rubber tree surface. Furthermore, this mechanical depth-limiting method has good stability and is safe and reliable. By using an opening / closing servo motor in conjunction with a pressure sensor, the pressure between the opening / closing arc plate and the rubber tree surface can be controlled, preventing excessive clamping of the rubber tree and damage to its surface. This utility model avoids damage to the rubber tree surface by structurally improving both the tapping depth and clamping force, solving the problem of surface damage during tapping that is common in the rubber tapping industry. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings are intended only to illustrate and explain the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the opening and closing clamping device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the trajectory walking device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of a partial structure of an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the rubber cutting state in an embodiment of this utility model; In the diagram: 100-Opening and closing clamping device; 101-Upper fixed arc plate; 102-Upper opening and closing arc plate; 103-Lower fixed arc plate; 104-Lower opening and closing arc plate; 105-Connecting column; 106-Opening and closing servo motor; 107-Pressure sensor; 200-Trajectory walking device; 201-Upper flexible gear rail; 202-Lower flexible gear rail; 203-Circumferential slider; 204-Circumferential gear; 205-Circumferential motor; 206-Mounting base; 207-Fixed column; 208-Vertical gear rail; 209-Vertical gear; 210-Vertical motor; 300-Rubber cutting device; 400-Mechanical depth limiting device; 401-Adjusting screw; 402-Locking nut; 403-Roller bracket; 404-Traveling roller; 500-Cutting depth monitoring device. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the following detailed description, only certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are illustrative in nature and not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, an intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector includes an opening and closing clamping device 100, a trajectory walking device 200, a rubber tapping device 300, a mechanical depth limiting device 400, and a cutting depth monitoring device 500.

[0017] See Figure 2 The opening and closing clamping device 100 includes an upper ring frame and a lower ring frame, which cooperate to hug and clamp the rubber tree.

[0018] The upper ring frame includes an upper fixed arc plate 101 and an upper opening and closing arc plate 102 rotatably disposed at both ends of the upper fixed arc plate 101. The upper opening and closing arc plate 102 and the upper fixed arc plate 101 are connected by an upper rotating shaft. The lower ring frame includes a lower fixed arc plate 103 and a lower opening and closing arc plate 104 rotatably disposed at both ends of the lower fixed arc plate 103. The lower opening and closing arc plate 104 and the lower fixed arc plate 103 are connected by a lower rotating shaft. The upper fixed arc plate 101 and the lower fixed arc plate 103 are fixedly connected by a connecting frame as the support base of this device. The upper opening and closing arc plate 102 and the lower opening and closing arc plate 104 are fixedly connected by a connecting column 105. The two ends of the lower fixed arc plate 103 are also provided with opening and closing servo motors 106 that drive the two lower opening and closing arc plates 104 to swing respectively. Pressure sensors 107 are provided on the two lower opening and closing arc plates 104, and the detection end of the pressure sensor 107 faces the surface of the rubber tree. The opening / closing servo motor 106, when activated, causes the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 to open or close relative to the lower fixed arc plate 103, thereby causing the upper opening / closing arc plate 102 to open or close. The opening / closing servo motor 106 ensures that the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 and the upper opening / closing arc plate 102 are tightly clamped to the surface of the rubber tree. When the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 is clamped, the sensing end of the pressure sensor 107 is in vertical contact with the surface of the rubber tree. The pressure sensor 107 can monitor the pressure between itself and the rubber tree, and it monitors the uniformity of force on the clamping ring in real time, feeding the signal back to the control unit to achieve rigid fixation with the rubber tree while preventing the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 from being clamped too tightly. The pressure sensor 107 is located on the side of the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 near its free end, ensuring that even when the free end of the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 is fully closed, the pressure sensor 107 can detect the pressure between the lower opening / closing arc plate 104 and the surface of the rubber tree. The pressure sensor 107 is existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0019] A strap can be added to the lower opening and closing arc plate 104 and the opening of the lower opening and closing arc plate 104 for auxiliary fixation.

[0020] In this embodiment, after the lower opening and closing arc plate 104 fully clamps the rubber tree, the two lower opening and closing arc plates 104 and the lower fixed arc plate 103 fit together almost in a circle, adapting to the circular outer surface of the rubber tree. To accommodate unevenness in certain local areas, the inner surfaces of the upper fixed arc plate 101, upper opening and closing arc plate 102, lower fixed arc plate 103, and lower opening and closing arc plate 104 are all provided with horizontally arranged flexible anti-slip strips. These strips prevent slippage, adapt to unevenness on the rubber tree surface, and reduce wear on the rubber tree.

[0021] An upper assist torsion spring is provided outside the upper rotating shaft. One end of the upper assist torsion spring abuts against the upper fixed arc plate 101, and the other end abuts against the upper opening and closing arc plate 102, causing the upper opening and closing arc plate 102 to swing toward the upper fixed arc plate 101. A lower assist torsion spring is provided outside the lower rotating shaft. One end of the lower assist torsion spring abuts against the lower fixed arc plate 103, and the other end abuts against the lower opening and closing arc plate 104, causing the lower opening and closing arc plate 104 to swing toward the lower fixed arc plate 103. In their natural state, the upper and lower assist torsion springs apply pressure to the upper and lower opening and closing arc plates 102 and 104, causing them to clamp together in the closing direction. At this time, the upper and lower assist torsion springs can be used to assist the opening and closing servo 106 in controlling the closing, reducing damage to the opening and closing servo 106. The installation method of the upper and lower assist torsion springs is well-known in the industry and is not shown in the figure.

[0022] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 The trajectory walking device 200 is mounted on the opening and closing clamping device 100, and includes a circumferential walking component, a vertical walking component disposed on the circumferential walking component, and a mounting base disposed on the vertical walking component. The mounting base is provided with a rubber cutting device 300, a mechanical depth limiting device 400, and a cutting depth monitoring device 500.

[0023] The circumferential traveling assembly includes an upper flexible toothed rail 201 and a lower flexible toothed rail 202 arranged vertically. Both the upper and lower flexible toothed rails 201 and 202 have toothed rail openings that correspond to the openings of the upper and lower ring frames. The middle portion of the upper flexible toothed rail 201 is fixed to the upper fixed arc plate 101, and both ends of the upper flexible toothed rail 201 are fixed to the upper opening and closing arc plate 102. The middle portion of the lower flexible toothed rail 202 is fixed to the lower fixed arc plate 102. The arc plate 103 is fixed, and both ends of the lower flexible gear rail 202 are fixed to the lower opening and closing arc plate 104. Circumferential sliders 203 are slidably mounted on the upper flexible gear rail 201 and the lower flexible gear rail 202, respectively. The circumferential sliders 203 are limited and mounted on the flexible gear rails. A circumferential gear 204 that meshes with the upper flexible gear rail 201 and the lower flexible gear rail 202, and a circumferential motor 205 that drives the circumferential gear 204 to rotate are mounted on the circumferential slider 203. When the circumferential motor 205 moves, it drives the circumferential gear 204 to slide along the upper flexible gear rail 201 and the lower flexible gear rail 202, thereby driving the mounting base 206 and other structures on it to move together.

[0024] The vertical traveling assembly includes a fixed post 207 fixed between the upper and lower circumferential sliders 203. A vertical gear rail 208 is also provided between the two circumferential sliders 203. A vertical gear 209 that meshes with the teeth of the vertical gear rail 208 and a vertical motor 210 that drives the vertical gear 209 to rotate are installed in the mounting base 206. When the vertical motor 210 is activated, it drives the vertical gear 209 to slide up and down along the vertical gear rail 208, thereby driving the mounting base 206 and other structures on it to move together.

[0025] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 The rubber tapping device 300 includes a rubber tapping blade, which is connected to the bracket of the mounting base 206. The rubber tapping blade can be an L-shaped rubber tapping blade commonly used in the prior art, which will not be described in detail here.

[0026] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 The mechanical depth limiting device 400 is located below the rubber tapping device 300 and includes a depth limiting roller that travels along the tangential direction of the rubber tapping trajectory. The depth limiting roller is connected to the bracket of the mounting base 206 via an adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes an adjustment screw 401 slidably mounted on the bracket, and the adjustment screw 401 is clamped and fixed to the bracket by two locking nuts 402. The depth limiting roller includes a roller bracket 403 fixed to the end of the adjustment screw 401, and a traveling roller 404 is rotatably mounted on the roller bracket 403. The rotation axis of the traveling roller 404 is inclined and travels along the tangential direction of the rubber tapping trajectory. The specific position of the traveling roller 404 is determined during equipment debugging before rubber tapping, and it serves as a mechanical limiting structure for the rubber tapping depth to prevent excessive tapping depth. The traveling roller 404 is located below the rubber tapping tool, and its position relative to the tapping tool is far from the rubber tree. When the traveling roller 404 contacts the surface of the rubber tree, the cutting edge of the rubber tapping tool inserts into the tree to cut the surface. The tapping depth is limited by the traveling roller 404, making this mechanical limiting method more stable and reasonable. The adjusting screw 401 is mounted on the bracket. When the two locking nuts 402 are loosened, the depth and angle of the traveling roller 404 can be adjusted, allowing it to not only contact the rubber tree surface but also travel along the tangential line of the tapping trajectory. Once the position of the traveling roller 404 is determined, it travels along the surface of the rubber tree, providing support, and also prevents the tapping tool from tapping too deeply.

[0027] The cutting depth monitoring device 500 is located below the mechanical depth limiting device 400 and is used to provide feedback on the cutting depth. The cutting depth monitoring device 500 is an ultrasonic sensor used to measure distance. The probe of the ultrasonic sensor faces radially towards the surface of the rubber tree and is positioned below the tapping tool to measure the un-tapped area of ​​the rubber tree. By measuring the distance between the sensor and the rubber tree surface, the tapping depth is monitored. This measured distance can be uploaded to a controller, where it is calculated to obtain the tapping depth of the tapping tool. The tapping depth can be displayed visually on a monitor for workers to use as a reference for adjustments.

[0028] This invention, as a key operational module of a rubber tree tapping robot, features a compact structure, flexible installation, and high tapping precision. This end effector can be used independently as a tapper or flexibly integrated into a fully automated rubber tree tapping robot system with a mobile chassis and robotic arm. Combined with a tracked platform, it autonomously moves to multiple target rubber trees, where the robotic arm automatically aligns and performs tapping operations. The automatic opening and closing of the gripping ring and the depth-limiting mechanism employed in the end effector not only improves operational compatibility with different tree diameters and shapes but also provides excellent versatility and rapid deployment capabilities. This system breaks away from the traditional, highly manual operation mode, significantly improving tapping efficiency and standardization, and promoting the rubber industry towards automation, intelligence, and large-scale management. It has significant practical value and widespread application potential.

[0029] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector, characterized in that, include: An opening and closing clamping device includes an upper ring frame and a lower ring frame. The upper ring frame includes an upper fixed arc plate and upper opening and closing arc plates rotatably disposed at both ends of the upper fixed arc plate. The lower ring frame includes a lower fixed arc plate and lower opening and closing arc plates rotatably disposed at both ends of the lower fixed arc plate. The upper fixed arc plate is fixedly connected to the lower fixed arc plate, and the upper opening and closing arc plate is fixedly connected to the lower opening and closing arc plate. The two ends of the lower fixed arc plate are also provided with opening and closing servo motors that drive the two lower opening and closing arc plates to swing. Pressure sensors are provided on the two lower opening and closing arc plates, and the detection end of the pressure sensor faces the surface of the rubber tree. The trajectory walking device, installed on the opening and closing clamping device, includes a circumferential walking component, a vertical walking component disposed on the circumferential walking component, and a mounting base disposed on the vertical walking component. The mounting base is provided with a rubber cutting device, a mechanical depth limiting device, and a cutting depth monitoring device. A rubber tapping device, including a rubber tapping blade, the rubber tapping blade being connected to a bracket of the mounting base; A mechanical depth limiting device is located below the rubber tapping device and includes a depth limiting roller that travels along the tangential direction of the rubber tapping trajectory. The depth limiting roller is connected to the bracket of the mounting base through an adjustment component. A cutting depth monitoring device is located below the mechanical depth limiting device and is used to provide feedback on the cutting depth.

2. The intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper opening and closing arc plate and the upper fixed arc plate are connected by an upper rotating shaft. An upper assisting torsion spring is provided outside the upper rotating shaft. One end of the upper assisting torsion spring abuts against the upper fixed arc plate, and the other end abuts against the upper opening and closing arc plate, so that the upper opening and closing arc plate swings toward the upper fixed arc plate. The lower opening and closing arc plate is connected to the lower fixed arc plate by a lower rotating shaft. A lower assist torsion spring is provided outside the lower rotating shaft. One end of the lower assist torsion spring abuts against the lower fixed arc plate, and the other end abuts against the lower opening and closing arc plate, so that the lower opening and closing arc plate swings toward the lower fixed arc plate.

3. The intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The inner surfaces of the upper fixed arc plate, the upper opening and closing arc plate, the lower fixed arc plate, and the lower opening and closing arc plate are all provided with horizontally arranged flexible anti-slip strips.

4. The intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The circumferential traveling assembly includes an upper flexible toothed rail and a lower flexible toothed rail arranged correspondingly at the top and bottom. Both the upper and lower flexible toothed rails have toothed rail openings, which correspond to the openings of the upper and lower ring frames. The middle part of the upper flexible toothed rail is fixed to the upper fixed arc plate, and both ends of the upper flexible toothed rail are fixed to the upper opening and closing arc plate. The middle part of the lower flexible toothed rail is fixed to the lower fixed arc plate, and both ends of the lower flexible toothed rail are fixed to the lower opening and closing arc plate. Circumferential sliders are slidably mounted on the upper and lower flexible toothed rails, and circumferential gears that mesh with the upper and lower flexible toothed rails and circumferential motors that drive the circumferential gears to rotate are mounted on the circumferential sliders.

5. The intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The vertical traveling assembly includes a fixed column fixed between the upper and lower circumferential sliders, and a vertical gear rail is provided between the two circumferential sliders. The mounting base is equipped with a vertical gear that meshes with the teeth of the vertical gear rail and a vertical motor that drives the vertical gear to rotate.

6. The intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment assembly includes an adjustment screw that is slidably mounted on the bracket, and the adjustment screw is fixed to the bracket by a locking nut.

7. The intelligent rubber tapping machine end effector as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The depth limiting roller includes a roller bracket fixed to the end of the adjusting screw, and a traveling roller is rotatably mounted on the roller bracket. The axis of rotation of the traveling roller is inclined and travels along the tangent direction of the rubber cutting trajectory.

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