Finger joint module, dexterous hand and robot

Abstract

This application discloses a finger joint module, a dexterous hand, and a robot. The finger joint module includes a housing, motors, a transmission assembly, and a gearbox. The housing has a cavity, and multiple motors are located within the cavity and arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cavity. The transmission assembly is correspondingly connected to the motor shafts of the multiple motors. The gearbox is located within the cavity, and the gearbox and motors are located on the same side of the transmission assembly. The input end of the gearbox is connected to the transmission assembly, and the power from the motors is output to the gearbox through the transmission assembly. The output end of the gearbox extends out of the housing. Through the above method, this application can reduce the size of the finger joint module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a finger joint module, a dexterous hand, and a robot. Background Technology

[0002] In the development of modern bionic robots and human-computer interaction technologies, the design and actuation of dexterous fingers has become a key research focus. The flexibility and complexity of finger joints enable them to perform a variety of delicate operations, which often faces size and weight limitations in traditional motor-driven solutions. Therefore, the technical requirements for driving finger joints must ensure functional diversity while also considering overall compactness. Using traditional motor systems often results in bulky joint modules, making them unsuitable for applications in confined spaces. Therefore, reducing the size of finger joint actuation structures has become an urgent problem to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main technical problem addressed by this application is to provide a finger joint module, a dexterous hand, and a robot that can reduce the size of the finger joint module.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a finger joint module for a robot, the finger joint module comprising: a housing having a cavity; multiple motors located within the cavity and arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cavity; a transmission assembly correspondingly connected to the motor shafts of the multiple motors; and a reduction gearbox located within the cavity, with the reduction gearbox and the motors located on the same side of the transmission assembly, the input end of the reduction gearbox being connected to the transmission assembly, the power of the motors being output to the reduction gearbox through the transmission assembly, and the output end of the reduction gearbox extending out of the housing.

[0005] Preferably, the transmission assembly includes: a plurality of planetary gears; a frame having a plurality of through holes arranged circumferentially, wherein the motor shafts of the plurality of motors pass through the through holes and are correspondingly connected to the planetary gears; and a sun gear located at the center of the plurality of planetary gears and meshing with the plurality of planetary gears, wherein the sun gear is connected to the input end of the gearbox.

[0006] Preferably, the motor shaft includes a first end and a second end arranged opposite to each other. The frame is provided with a plurality of first openings on the side facing the motor, and the housing is provided with a plurality of second openings on the side facing the motor. The first openings communicate with the through holes. A first bearing is located in the first opening, and a second bearing is located in the second opening. The first end of the motor is connected to the planetary gear through the first bearing, and the second end is fitted with the second bearing.

[0007] Preferably, the first bearing is a deep groove ball bearing or an angular contact ball bearing.

[0008] Preferably, the frame has a third opening on the side facing the motor, the housing has a fourth opening on the side facing the motor, a third bearing is located in the third opening, a fourth bearing is located in the fourth opening, the input end of the gearbox passes through the third bearing and is connected to the sun gear, and the output end of the gearbox is fitted with the fourth bearing.

[0009] Preferably, the finger joint module further includes a cover plate connected to the end of the housing away from the output end.

[0010] Preferably, the type of the gearbox includes a planetary gear reducer, a cycloidal pinwheel reducer, or a harmonic reducer.

[0011] Preferably, the motor includes a coreless motor.

[0012] Preferably, the number of motors is four, and the four motors are arranged at circumferential intervals along the cavity and connected to the transmission assembly to provide power to the gearbox.

[0013] Preferably, the output terminal includes an output gear.

[0014] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a dexterous hand for a robot, including a palm and fingers, wherein the fingers are rotatably connected to the palm; the fingers include multiple phalanges and the finger joint module described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the finger joint module is provided between at least two adjacent phalanges, and the finger joint module is used to drive one of the two adjacent phalanges to rotate relative to the other phalange.

[0015] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is to provide a robot, including the dexterous hand described above.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: Unlike the prior art, in this application, the motor and transmission assembly are connected, and the gearbox is also connected to the transmission assembly. The power of the motor is transmitted to the gearbox through the transmission assembly. The gearbox and the motor are located on the same side of the transmission assembly. Compared with the prior art where the motor and gearbox are located on the same axis and the power is transmitted unidirectionally along the axial direction, resulting in an excessively large overall size, the connection method of the motor, gearbox, and transmission assembly in this application avoids the axial dimension redundancy of the traditional parallel arrangement. This makes the structure of the finger joint module compact and effectively reduces the size of the finger joint module. This not only improves the overall efficiency of the system but also helps to reduce the volume of the finger joint module, making it suitable for smaller working spaces. At the same time, the power transmission path of the finger joint module can also improve the system's response speed and flexibility, making it suitable for applications requiring precision control and high loads. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the finger joint module of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the housing, motor, and transmission components;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle transmission assembly;

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle finger joint module along the AA' direction;

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the intermediate gearbox. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] See Figures 1 to 4 The finger joint module 1 in this embodiment includes a housing 10, a motor 20, a transmission assembly 30, and a reduction gearbox 40.

[0025] The housing 10 has a cavity 13, in which multiple motors 20 are located and arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cavity 13. The transmission assembly 30 is connected to the motor shafts 210 of the multiple motors 20. The gearbox 40 is located in the cavity 13, and the gearbox 40 and the motors 20 are located on the same side of the transmission assembly 30. The input end 410 of the gearbox 40 is connected to the transmission assembly 30. The power of the motors 20 is output to the gearbox 40 through the transmission assembly 30. The output end 420 of the gearbox 40 extends out of the housing 10.

[0026] Specifically, multiple motors 20 are arranged circumferentially along the cavity 13, and the motor shaft 210 of each motor 20 is connected to the transmission assembly 30. The power of each motor 20 is transmitted to the transmission assembly 30. The gearbox 40 is connected to the transmission assembly 30, and the transmission assembly 30 transmits the power to the gearbox 40. The gearbox 40 further increases the torque. The output end 420 of the gearbox 40 extends out of the housing 10 and can be connected to external components. The power output by the gearbox 40 is used as the power output by the finger joint module 1 to control the movement of external components. The motor 20 is located on the same side as the transmission assembly 30. The transmission assembly 30 transmits the power of the motor 20 in the opposite direction along the axis of the transmission assembly 30 to the gearbox 40 on the same side as the motor 20, thereby reducing the overall size of the motor 20 and the gearbox 40, and thus effectively reducing the size of the finger joint module 1.

[0027] In this application, the motor 20 is connected to the transmission assembly 30, and the gearbox 40 is also connected to the transmission assembly 30. The power of the motor 20 is transmitted to the gearbox 40 through the transmission assembly 30. The gearbox 40 and the motor 20 are located on the same side of the transmission assembly 30. Compared with the prior art where the motor 20 and the gearbox 40 are located on the same axis and the power is transmitted unidirectionally along the axial direction, resulting in an excessively large overall size, the connection method of the motor 20, the gearbox 40, and the transmission assembly 30 in this application avoids the axial dimension redundancy of the traditional parallel arrangement. This makes the structure of the finger joint module 1 compact and effectively reduces the size of the finger joint module 1. This not only improves the overall efficiency of the system but also helps to reduce the volume of the finger joint module 1, making it suitable for smaller working spaces. At the same time, the power transmission path of the finger joint module 1 can also improve the system's response speed and flexibility, making it suitable for applications requiring precision control and high loads.

[0028] Continue reading Figure 3 and Figure 4 In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 30 includes a plurality of planetary gears 310, a sun gear 320, and a frame 330. The frame 330 is provided with a plurality of through holes 331 arranged circumferentially. The motor shafts 210 of the plurality of motors 20 pass through the through holes 331 and are correspondingly connected to the planetary gears 310. The sun gear 320 is located at the center of the plurality of planetary gears 310 and meshes with the plurality of planetary gears 310. The sun gear 320 is connected to the input end 410 of the reduction gearbox 40.

[0029] Specifically, multiple motors 20 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the frame 330, and multiple through holes 331 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the frame 330. The motor shaft 210 of the motor 20 can pass through the through hole 331 and connect to the planetary gear 310. The motor 20 drives the planetary gear 310 to rotate. Since the sun gear 320 is located at the center of the multiple planetary gears 310 and the planetary gear 310 meshes with the sun gear 320, the rotation of the planetary gear 310 drives the sun gear 320 to rotate. The sun gear 320 is connected to the input end 410 of the gearbox 40. The input end 410 of the gearbox 40 is the input shaft of the gearbox 40. The rotation of the sun gear 320 drives the input shaft of the gearbox 40 to rotate. The power of the motor 20 is transmitted to the gearbox 40 through the planetary gear 310 and the sun gear 320, realizing efficient power conversion and transmission.

[0030] Continue reading Figure 4 The motor shaft 210 includes a first end 211 and a second end 212 arranged opposite to each other. The frame 330 has a plurality of first openings 332 on the side facing the motor 20, and the housing 10 has a plurality of second openings 11 on the side facing the motor 20. The first openings 332 are connected to the through holes 331. The first bearing 510 is located in the first opening 332, and the second bearing 520 is located in the second opening 11. The first end 211 of the motor 20 is connected to the planetary gear 310 through the first bearing 510, and the second end 212 is fitted with the second bearing 520.

[0031] Specifically, the first opening 332 is used to install and fix the first bearing 510, and the second opening 11 is used to install and fix the second bearing 520. The first end 211 on the motor shaft 210 corresponds to the output end of the motor 20. After the first end 211 of the motor shaft 210 passes through the first bearing 510, it is connected to the planetary gear 310 to transmit the power of the motor 20 to the planetary gear 310. The second end 212 of the motor shaft 210 is fitted with the second bearing 520. The first bearing 510 and the second bearing 520 support the motor shaft 210, ensuring the stable rotation of the motor shaft 210, enhancing the stability and wear resistance of the motor shaft 210, improving the load-bearing capacity of the motor shaft 210, optimizing the efficiency of power transmission, and making the finger joint module 1 more stable and reliable.

[0032] In one embodiment, the first opening 332 is arranged circumferentially along the frame 330, the second opening 11 is evenly arranged circumferentially along the housing 10, and the motors 20 are evenly arranged circumferentially along the frame 330. The output torque of each motor 20 is concentrated on the frame 330, thereby improving the overall load-bearing capacity and stability of the finger joint module 1.

[0033] Continue reading Figure 4The frame 330 has a third opening 333 on the side facing the motor 20, and the housing 10 has a fourth opening 12 on the side facing the motor 20. The third bearing 530 is located in the third opening 333, and the fourth bearing 540 is located in the fourth opening 12. The input end 410 of the gearbox 40 passes through the third bearing 530 and is connected to the sun gear 320. The output end 420 of the gearbox 40 is fitted with the fourth bearing 540.

[0034] Specifically, the third opening 333 is used to install and fix the third bearing 530, and the fourth opening 12 is used to install and fix the fourth bearing 540. The input end 410 of the gearbox 40 is connected to the third bearing 530, and the output end 420 of the gearbox 40 is connected to the fourth bearing 540. The third bearing 530 and the fourth bearing 540 support the gearbox 40 to fix it between the housing 10 and the frame 330, preventing the gearbox 40 from shifting. In addition, the input end 410 of the gearbox 40 passes through the third bearing 530 and connects to the sun gear 320. The third bearing 530 reduces the friction between the input end 410 of the gearbox 40 and the sun gear, and the fourth bearing 540 reduces the friction between the housing 10 and the output end 420 of the gearbox 40, thereby improving the service life of the gearbox 40.

[0035] In one embodiment, the first bearing 510 can be either a deep groove ball bearing or an angular contact ball bearing; that is, the first bearing 510 can be either a deep groove ball bearing or an angular contact ball bearing. Deep groove ball bearings have a simple structure, with no grooves on either the inner or outer rings, high radial load capacity, and a low coefficient of friction, making them suitable for applications requiring radial loads. Due to their ease of maintenance and low cost, deep groove ball bearings are widely used in various motor shafts 210. Angular contact ball bearings, on the other hand, feature an angled raceway design on both the inner and outer rings, enabling them to withstand larger axial loads as well as radial loads. Angular contact ball bearings offer higher rigidity and precision, making them suitable for high-speed operation and precision control applications. The inclusion of either a deep groove ball bearing or an angular contact ball bearing in the first bearing 510 allows it to be adapted to different operating conditions.

[0036] In one embodiment, the second bearing 520 may be a deep groove ball bearing or an angular contact ball bearing. In one application scenario, both the first bearing 510 and the second bearing 520 are deep groove ball bearings. In another application scenario, the first bearing 510 is a deep groove ball bearing and the second bearing 520 is an angular contact ball bearing. In yet another application scenario, the first bearing 510 is an angular contact ball bearing and the second bearing 520 is a deep groove ball bearing. In yet another application scenario, both the first bearing 510 and the second bearing 520 are angular contact ball bearings. The first bearing 510 and the second bearing 520 are selected according to the actual working conditions to improve the performance, reliability, and lifespan of the finger joint module 1.

[0037] In one embodiment, the third bearing 530 is of the type of deep groove ball bearing or angular contact ball bearing, and the fourth bearing 540 is of the type of deep groove ball bearing or angular contact ball bearing. In one application scenario, both the third bearing 530 and the fourth bearing 540 are deep groove ball bearings; in another application scenario, both the third bearing 530 and the fourth bearing 540 are angular contact ball bearings; in yet another application scenario, the third bearing 530 is an angular contact ball bearing and the fourth bearing 540 is a deep groove ball bearing; and in yet another application scenario, the third bearing 530 is a deep groove ball bearing and the fourth bearing 540 is an angular contact ball bearing. The third bearing 530 and the fourth bearing 540 are selected according to the actual working conditions to improve the performance, reliability, and lifespan of the finger joint module 1.

[0038] See Figure 1 The finger joint module 1 also includes a cover plate 60, which is connected to one end of the housing 10 away from the output end 420 of the gearbox 40.

[0039] Specifically, since the cavity 13 contains structures such as the motor 20, the gearbox 40, and the transmission component 30, the cover plate 60 seals the cavity 13 of the housing 10, which protects the cavity 13 and prevents harmful substances such as dust, impurities, and moisture from the external environment from entering the cavity 13. It also protects the internal bearings, gears, and other moving parts from wear, jamming, and corrosion caused by impurities, thereby improving the stability and service life of the finger joint module 1.

[0040] In one embodiment, the type of gearbox 40 includes a planetary gear 310 gearbox 40, a cycloidal pinwheel gearbox, or a harmonic gearbox.

[0041] Specifically, in an application scenario, such as Figure 5 As shown, the reduction gearbox 40 is a planetary gear reducer. The input end of the planetary gear reducer is connected to the sun gear 320 in the transmission assembly 30. The power of the motor 20 is transmitted to the sun gear 320 through the planetary gear 310. The sun gear 320 further transmits the power to the planetary gear reducer. The output end of the planetary gear reducer can increase the output torque and reduce the speed.

[0042] In another application scenario, the gearbox 40 is a cycloidal pinwheel gearbox, which employs a unique cycloidal pinwheel transmission mechanism. The input end of the cycloidal pinwheel gearbox is connected to the sun gear 320. Power is first transmitted to the eccentric shaft, which drives the cycloidal wheel on the rotating arm to rotate. The cycloidal wheel meshes with the pinwheel fixed inside the housing. When the cycloidal wheel rotates around the eccentric shaft, its contour pushes the pinwheel to roll, simultaneously driving the rotating arm to rotate. The rotating arm serves as the output end to increase the output torque and reduce the speed.

[0043] In another application scenario, the gearbox 40 is a harmonic gearbox. The harmonic gearbox mainly consists of three core components: a wave generator, a flexible wheel, and a rigid wheel. The input end of the harmonic gearbox is connected to the sun gear 320. When the wave generator rotates, it forces the flexible wheel to undergo radial deformation, forming one or more elliptical deformation grooves. The deformation grooves enter and mesh with the external rigid wheel. Due to the continuous deformation of the flexible wheel, its meshing point with the rigid wheel changes continuously, causing the flexible wheel to rotate extremely slowly relative to the rigid wheel, thereby achieving the purpose of high input speed and low output speed.

[0044] In one embodiment, motor 20 includes a coreless motor. A coreless motor is a special type of DC servo motor. Its main advantages are low moment of inertia, fast response speed, smooth, jitter-free rotation, and no cogging effect, enabling precise speed and position control. Coreless motors are commonly used in applications requiring rapid start / stop, high-precision control, and low-inertia load drive. In this application, motor 20 uses a coreless motor, which reduces the weight and size of the finger joint module 1 and improves its control accuracy.

[0045] In other embodiments, motor 20 may also be a servo motor, a brushed DC motor, a brushless DC motor, or a stepper motor.

[0046] In one embodiment, the multiple motors 20 are of the same type, for example, the multiple motors 20 are all coreless motors, or the multiple motors 20 are all servo motors.

[0047] See Figure 2 There are four motors 20, which are spaced apart around the circumference of the cavity 13 and connected to the transmission assembly 30 to provide power to the gearbox 40.

[0048] Specifically, four motors 20 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the cavity 13, and the gearbox 40 is located at the center of the four motors 20. In the prior art, when a motor 20 needs to switch from forward to reverse or from reverse to forward rotation, due to the inertia of the motor 20 and the response time of the control system, the motor 20 will experience a brief "gap" or stall phase. During this phase, the output torque of the motor 20 will drop significantly or even be completely interrupted. In this embodiment, by utilizing the cooperative working characteristics of the four motors 20 and a precise control strategy, their output torque directions can complement or cancel each other. When it is necessary to change the overall output direction, by smoothly adjusting the start-stop sequence and operating state of each motor 20, it is ensured that the input torque of the gearbox 40 is always maintained or smoothly transitioned during the switching process of the motors 20. This application, through the cooperative working of four motors 20, can effectively eliminate the gap phenomenon existing in the traditional single-motor scheme, ensuring the continuity and stability of power transmission.

[0049] In another embodiment, the number of motors 20 can also be two, three, six or eight, and the number of planetary gears 310 can also be two, three, six or eight. It should be noted that the number of motors 20 and the number of planetary gears 310 can be selected according to the actual working conditions. The number of teeth of the planetary gears 310 and the sun gear 320 can be matched. This application does not limit the number of motors 20 and the number of planetary gears 310.

[0050] In one embodiment, the output end 420 of the gearbox 40 includes an output gear.

[0051] Specifically, the output end 420 of the gearbox 40 is connected to an external component to drive the external component. In one application scenario, the output gear of the output end 420 meshes with the external component, and the output gear drives the external component to move, transmitting power to the external component and driving the external component to perform corresponding actions.

[0052] In one embodiment, the output terminal 420 includes an output shaft connected to an external component to transmit power to the external component to drive the external component to perform corresponding actions.

[0053] This application also provides a dexterous hand for use in a robot. The dexterous hand includes a palm and fingers, which are rotatably connected to the palm. Each finger includes multiple phalanges and a finger joint module 1. At least two adjacent phalanges are provided with a finger joint module 1, which is used to drive one of the two adjacent phalanges to rotate relative to the other phalange. The specific structure of the finger joint module 1 is as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0054] This application also provides a robot including a dexterous hand. The types of robots include industrial robots, collaborative robots, service robots, medical robots, or special-purpose robots; it should be noted that this application does not limit the type of robot.

[0055] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A finger joint module for a robot, characterized by, The finger joint module includes: The shell has a cavity; Multiple motors are located inside the cavity and are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cavity; A transmission assembly is connected to the motor shafts of the plurality of motors. A gearbox is located inside the cavity, and the gearbox and the motor are located on the same side of the transmission assembly. The input end of the gearbox is connected to the transmission assembly, and the power of the motor is output to the gearbox through the transmission assembly. The output end of the gearbox extends out of the housing.

2. The finger joint module according to claim 1, characterized in that The transmission assembly includes: Multiple planetary gears; The frame is provided with multiple through holes arranged circumferentially, and the motor shafts of the multiple motors pass through the through holes and are correspondingly connected to the planetary gears; The sun gear, located at the center of the plurality of planetary gears, meshes with the plurality of planetary gears and is connected to the input end of the gearbox.

3. The finger joint module according to claim 2, characterized in that The motor shaft includes a first end and a second end arranged opposite to each other. The frame has a plurality of first openings on the side facing the motor, and the housing has a plurality of second openings on the side facing the motor. The first openings communicate with the through holes. A first bearing is located in the first opening, and a second bearing is located in the second opening. The first end of the motor is connected to the planetary gear through the first bearing, and the second end is fitted with the second bearing.

4. The finger joint module of claim 3, wherein The first bearing may be a deep groove ball bearing or an angular contact ball bearing.

5. The finger joint module of claim 2, wherein The frame has a third opening on the side facing the motor, and the housing has a fourth opening on the side facing the motor. The third bearing is located in the third opening, and the fourth bearing is located in the fourth opening. The input end of the gearbox passes through the third bearing and is connected to the sun gear. The output end of the gearbox is fitted with the fourth bearing.

6. The finger joint module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The finger joint module also includes: A cover plate is connected to the end of the housing furthest from the output end.

7. The finger joint module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The types of gearboxes include planetary gearboxes, cycloidal pinwheel gearboxes, or harmonic gearboxes.

8. The finger joint module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The motor includes a coreless motor.

9. The finger joint module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The number of motors is four, and the four motors are arranged at circumferential intervals along the cavity and connected to the transmission assembly to provide power to the gearbox.

10. The finger joint module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The output terminal includes an output gear.

11. A dexterous hand for use in a robot, characterized in that, Includes a palm and fingers, the fingers being rotatably connected to the palm; The finger includes a plurality of phalanges and a finger joint module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the finger joint module is provided between at least two adjacent phalanges, and the finger joint module is used to drive one of the two adjacent phalanges to rotate relative to the other phalange.

12. A robot, characterized in that, Including the dexterous hand as described in claim 11.

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