A highly flexible cable for humanoid robots

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of flexible cable technology, specifically a highly flexible cable for humanoid robots. The cable includes, from the inside out, an elastic support body, a conductor core, a metal constraint layer, and an outermost covering layer. The conductor core is stranded around the outside of the elastic support body and extends axially. The elastic support body has a polygonal structure, with multiple intersecting horizontal planes formed on the outer side of its cross-section, creating a movable gap between the horizontal planes and the conductor core. Multiple elastic deformation cavities are formed inside the elastic support body. The metal constraint layer includes a covering strip spirally wound around the outside of the conductor core, with axially extending elastic ribs fixed to the outside of the covering strip. By installing an elastic support body inside the cable, external extrusion pressure creates a space for the conductor core to bend and deform, thereby releasing stress and using elastic force to reduce the bending amplitude, preventing excessive stress concentration during bending and thus avoiding accelerated fatigue fracture of the material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of flexible cable technology, and in particular relates to a highly flexible cable for humanoid robots. Background Technology

[0002] A humanoid robot is a robot that mimics the structure and movement of the human body. Its design goal is to enable it to walk, run, climb, operate tools, and perform tasks in complex human environments, just like a human.

[0003] The joints of humanoid robots (especially arms, wrists, fingers, and legs) need to be bent, twisted, and stretched frequently and at high speeds. Under such repeated bending, the internal metal wires of the cables will quickly break due to metal fatigue.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this application proposes a highly flexible cable for humanoid robots. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a highly flexible cable for humanoid robots, which solves the problem of cables being prone to bending and breaking in the prior art.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] This utility model is a highly flexible cable for humanoid robots. The cable includes an elastic support body, a conductor, a metal constraint layer, and an outermost covering layer, from the inside out.

[0008] The guide core is stranded to the outer side of the elastic support and extends axially.

[0009] The elastic support is a polygonal structure, with multiple intersecting horizontal planes formed on the outer side of the body cross section, and a movable gap formed between the horizontal planes and the guide core.

[0010] The elastic support body has multiple elastic deformation cavities inside its main body;

[0011] The metal constraint layer includes a covering strip spirally wound around the outside of the guide core, and an axially extending elastic rib is fixed to the outside of the covering strip.

[0012] Preferably, the elastic deformation cavity includes a horizontal surface and a side hole, with the horizontal surface located at the axis of the elastic support and forming a through hole structure.

[0013] Preferably, the side holes are opened on a horizontal plane, and the through holes distributed at equal intervals in the circumference are located in one group, while adjacent groups in the axial direction are staggered.

[0014] Preferably, the elastic ribs form an elastic support ring after being spirally installed.

[0015] Preferably, after the covering tape is spirally wound and installed, the sides of two adjacent covering tapes overlap to form an overlap area.

[0016] Preferably, the outer side of the metal constraint layer is provided with an inner sheath, including a longitudinal wrapping strip and a support sleeve. The longitudinal wrapping strip is installed in a longitudinal wrapping manner, and the support sleeve is formed by an extrusion method.

[0017] Preferably, the outer side of the inner sheath is woven with an inner tensile layer and an outer shielding layer, and the covering layer is extruded onto the outside of the shielding layer.

[0018] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. By twisting multiple conductor cores together on the outside of the elastic support, when the robot drives the cable to bend, the elastic support provides space for the conductor cores to move through elastic deformation, releasing bending stress, thereby enhancing the multidimensional bending resistance of the conductor cores and protecting the integrity of the cable structure.

[0020] 2. Through the conductor core built into the center of the multi-strand elastic support, its elastic force can provide a reverse force when the cable is bent, so that the bent part is expanded, thereby avoiding fatigue fracture due to excessive bending of the local body.

[0021] Of course, any product implementing this utility model does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, 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 utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cable according to this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cable planar structure of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic support structure of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the metal constraint layer structure of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the inner sheath structure of this utility model;

[0028] The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows:

[0029] In the picture:

[0030] 1. Cable; 11. Elastic support; 1101. Horizontal plane; 1102. Through hole; 1103. Side hole; 12. Conductor core; 13. Metal constraint layer; 1301. Covering tape; 1302. Elastic ribs; 1303. Overlap area; 14. Inner sheath; 1401. Longitudinal wrapping tape; 1402. Support sleeve; 15. Tensile layer; 16. Shielding layer; 17. Covering layer. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0032] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "opening", "top and bottom", "thickness", "top", "middle", "length", "inner" and "around" indicate the orientation or positional relationship only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the components or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0033] A highly flexible cable for humanoid robots is designed to resist high-frequency bending deformation. By inserting an elastic support 11 with elastic deformation inside the stranded conductor core 12, the elastic support 11 provides the conductor core 12 with room for bending deformation when the cable 1 is bent, thereby releasing stress and maintaining the maximum bending angle as much as possible to protect the structural integrity of the cable 1.

[0034] In some embodiments, the specific structure of the highly flexible cable used in the humanoid robot is as follows: Figure 1 As shown in Figure 5, the cable 1 includes an elastic support 11, a conductor 12, and a metal constraint layer 13;

[0035] The elastic support 11 is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer TPU or high-performance thermoplastic elastomer TPE, with a through hole 1102 in the center and multiple connected horizontal surfaces 1101 on the outside. The elastic support 11 has an open side hole 1103 on the outside of the body.

[0036] The conductor core 12 is made of high-purity oxygen-free copper or tin-plated copper wire in multiple strands, which are twisted together on the outside of the elastic support 11.

[0037] The metal constraint layer 13 is a tin-plated copper strip, or a low-cost aluminum foil or aluminum-plastic composite strip can be used instead. It is spirally wound around the outside of the guide core 12 to form a covering.

[0038] It is understandable that the elastic support 11 forms multiple elastic deformation cavities within the body through openings. Combined with its elastic deformation characteristics, it can provide space for the conductor 12 to bend when the cable 1 is bent. At the same time, its elastic force can resist bending deformation to a certain extent, reduce the bending amplitude of the cable 1, and avoid the situation of direct breakage due to excessive bending.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, the multiple intersecting horizontal surfaces 1101 cause the body of the elastic support 11 to form a polygonal structure. Compared with the cylindrical structure, the twisting of the guide core 12 will contact the contact edge of the adjacent horizontal surface 1101, and form a gap with the center of the horizontal surface 1101, which further provides the movement space of the guide core 12 and the deformation space of the elastic support 11.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, the metal constraint layer 13 has a covering strip 1301 and an elastic rib 1302 on its outer side. After spiral winding installation, the two ends of the covering strip 1301 intersect on the same plane to form an overlap area 1303.

[0041] Among them, the elastic rib 1302 forms a support ring structure after being spirally wound and installed in the metal constraint layer 13, which maintains the structural stability of the covering tape 1301 and can prevent excessive external extrusion pressure from affecting the internal guide core 12 and elastic support body 11 during the extrusion operation.

[0042] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the outer side of the metal constraint layer 13 is the inner sheath 14, which includes an inner longitudinal wrapping strip 1401 and an outer extruded support sleeve 1402.

[0043] Among them, the longitudinal wrapping strip 1401 is a thin non-woven fabric or PTFE film strip, and the support sleeve 1402 is made of flexible TPE or PVC. The combination of the two further enhances the support stability.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the outer layer of the inner sheath 14 is a tensile layer 15, which is an aramid fiber braided layer, bearing the main axial tensile force and stress of the cable 1;

[0045] Furthermore, the outer layer of the tensile layer 15 is a shielding layer 16, which is made of tin-plated copper wire woven mesh to provide electromagnetic shielding;

[0046] Furthermore, the outer layer of the shielding layer 16 is an extruded covering layer 17 made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, forming the physical protection of the outer layer of the cable 1, providing wear resistance, oil resistance, scratch resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, and UV protection.

[0047] Some publicly available examples of the specific applications of highly flexible cables in humanoid robots are as follows:

[0048] S1. During production, the prefabricated elastic support 11 is first inserted into the hollow tube at the center of the stranding device of the core 12. The outer wall of the elastic support 11 is attached to the inner wall of the hollow tube and is pulled along with the stranding operation of the core 12. During this period, the core 12 is first stranded inside the hollow tube. As the stranding operation proceeds, the already stranded core 12 is pulled out of the hollow tube to the outside of the elastic support 11 to prevent the stranding force from directly squeezing the elastic support 11 and causing it to be compressed and deformed.

[0049] S2. After the conductor core 12 is twisted to the outside of the elastic support body 11, the metal constraint layer 13 is spirally wound to the outside of the conductor core 12 through the spiral wrapping equipment, so that the two sides overlap to form an overlap area 1303. Then, the inner sheath 14, tensile layer 15, shielding layer 16 and covering layer 17 are formed on the outside of the metal constraint layer 13 through the longitudinal wrapping equipment, extrusion equipment and braiding equipment, and finally the cable 1 is formed.

[0050] S3. When the cable 1 is bent and deformed by the robot, the elastic support 11 is compressed and deformed inward under pressure, providing the guide core 12 with room for bending deformation. At the same time, it forms a reverse elastic force to expand the bending angle and range of the cable 1 bending part, thereby avoiding excessive bending and aggravating material fatigue fracture.

[0051] S4. When the cable 1 finishes bending, the elastic force of the elastic support 11 causes the conductor 12 to return to its initial state.

[0052] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," and "specific example" indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0053] The preferred embodiments of this utility model disclosed above are merely illustrative of the present utility model. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the utility model to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of this utility model, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize it. This utility model is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A highly flexible cable for humanoid robots, characterized in that: The cable (1) includes an elastic support (11), a conductor (12), a metal constraint layer (13), and an outermost sheath (17) from the inside out. The guide core (12) is twisted to the outer side of the elastic support (11) and extends axially. The elastic support (11) has a polygonal structure, with multiple intersecting horizontal surfaces (1101) formed on the outer side of the body cross section, and an movable gap is formed between the horizontal surfaces (1101) and the guide core (12). The elastic support (11) has multiple elastic deformation cavities inside its body; The metal constraint layer (13) includes a covering strip (1301) spirally wound around the outside of the guide core (12), and an axially extending elastic rib (1302) is fixed on the outside of the covering strip (1301).

2. The highly flexible cable for humanoid robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic deformation cavity includes a horizontal surface (1101) and a side hole (1103). The horizontal surface (1101) is located at the axis of the elastic support (11) and is a through hole structure.

3. The highly flexible cable for humanoid robots according to claim 2, characterized in that: The side holes (1103) are opened on the horizontal plane (1101), and the through holes (1102) distributed circumferentially at equal intervals are located in one group, while the adjacent groups are staggered in the axial direction.

4. The highly flexible cable for humanoid robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic rib (1302) forms an elastic support ring after being spirally installed.

5. The highly flexible cable for humanoid robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the spiral winding installation, the two sides of the covering tape (1301) overlap to form an overlap area (1303).

6. The highly flexible cable for humanoid robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer side of the metal constraint layer (13) is provided with an inner sheath (14), which includes a longitudinal wrapping strip (1401) and a support sleeve (1402). The longitudinal wrapping strip (1401) is installed in a longitudinal wrapping manner, and the support sleeve (1402) is formed in an extrusion manner.

7. The highly flexible cable for humanoid robots according to claim 6, characterized in that: The outer side of the inner sheath (14) is woven with an inner tensile layer (15) and an outer shielding layer (16), and the covering layer (17) is extruded onto the outer side of the shielding layer (16).

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