End effector unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to an end effector unit which is mounted on an automated transfer means such that an object is gripped to be transferable, and which may comprise: a first plate; a second plate, which is vertically stacked on the first plate, and thus can slide forward and backward in the direction of moving closer to the first plate or in the direction of moving away from the first plate; a gripping part which includes a plurality of wires formed such that one end is connected to the first plate, the other end is connected to the second plate, and a longitudinal middle portion is bent in a circular arc shape to form an arch shape, and which is formed in an overall dome shape so as to form a holding space in which the object can be held; and a driving part for sliding the second plate forward and backward.

Description

End effector unit

[0001] The present invention relates to an end effector unit, and more particularly, to an end effector unit mounted on an automated transport means for gripping an object so as to transport it.

[0002] This invention refers to the research project of Manufacturing Base Technology Development (Project Unique Number: 1415187289, Project Number: KM230282) carried out with support from the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Planning and Evaluation with funds from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

[0003] In order to move the location of an object to be transported, an end effector unit that grips the object and a transport means such as an automated robot or mobility that can transport the gripped object from its current location to its destination are required.

[0004] An end effector unit mounted on a transport means and used to grip an object is a type of gripper, and generally grips the side of the object to be gripped by using a rigid mechanical component. When moving an object by a transport means, the end effector unit must form a force (hereinafter referred to as “gripping force”) applied to the side of the object to be gripped that is greater than the load of the object so that the object does not slip off the end effector.

[0005] However, since these conventional end effector units use rigid mechanical parts to pressurize the side of an object, there was a problem that when the object to be gripped is a soft material such as a fruit or vegetable, the object was easily damaged during the gripping process due to the gripping force of the end effector unit.

[0006] In addition, an appropriate end effector unit must be mounted on the transport means according to the weight or shape of the object to be gripped. However, in the case of crops such as the fruits and vegetables described above, each object has an irregular shape and different weight, so there was a problem in that it was difficult to select an appropriate end effector unit each time and mount it on the transport means by replacing it.

[0007] In addition, the conventional end effector unit is composed only of rigid mechanical parts, and thus, when approaching an object during the gripping process, there is a problem that the object may be damaged by colliding with another adjacent object, or the rigid mechanical parts may be easily damaged or broken. For example, in the case of crops such as the fruits or vegetables described above, since a large number of objects are gathered together, when harvesting crops using the conventional end effector unit, there is a problem that the value of the crop may be lowered by colliding with another adjacent crop in the process of approaching the crop to be gripped, thereby damaging the crop.

[0008] The present invention is intended to solve various problems including the above-described problems, and provides an end effector unit that implements a gripping mechanism in which the gripping part is composed only of a flexible material, so as not to cause damage to the gripped object, and does not cause damage to the object or easily cause breakage or malfunction of its own parts even when colliding with another adjacent object in the process of approaching the object, and is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to maintain because it is implemented only with a flexible material. However, these tasks are exemplary and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an end effector unit is provided. The end effector unit may include: a first plate formed in a flat plate shape; a second plate formed in a flat plate shape and formed in a form in which the first plate and the second plate are stacked vertically, and installed so as to be able to slide forward and backward in a direction approaching the first plate or away from the first plate; a gripping portion formed in an overall dome shape to form a gripping space capable of gripping an object therein, the gripping portion including a plurality of wires having one end connected to the first plate and the other end connected to the second plate, and the middle of the length being formed to be bent in an arc shape to form an arch shape; and a driving portion that slides the second plate forward and backward.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the gripping portion can insert the object into the gripping space by the space between the plurality of wires formed of a flexible material, which are separated from each other by pressure due to contact with the object when gripping the object.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the gripping portion may be formed in a dome shape having a net structure, in which the plurality of wires formed of a flexible material are arranged in a circle based on the central axis of the first plate and the second plate, and each wire is arranged to be staggered with at least one other wire.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the grip part may be formed so that the object can enter the grip space or be discharged from the grip space between the mesh structure of the grip part formed of a flexible material, and each wire having one end connected to the first plate and the other end connected to the second plate is formed in a generally straight shape or an arc shape on a plane with the upper surface of the first plate as a plane, so that the plurality of wires are not twisted.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first plate may be formed with a plurality of guide shafts along an outer surface, and the second plate may be installed so as to be able to slide forward and backward in a direction toward the first plate or away from the first plate along the plurality of guide shafts formed to extend in a vertical direction.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit can drive the second plate backward so that the length of the plurality of wires exposed on the first plate can gradually shorten in a holding state, and can drive the second plate forward so that the length of the plurality of wires exposed on the first plate can gradually lengthen in a release state.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the gripping state, as the length of the plurality of wires gradually shortens, the volume of the gripping space inside the dome shape gradually decreases, so that the object can be fixed inside the gripping space by the pressure received from the plurality of wires.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the push plate may further include a push plate formed in a flat plate shape and formed on the upper surface of the first plate, at least a portion of which penetrates the first plate and protrudes from the lower surface of the first plate, and when in the release state, rises to a predetermined height from the upper surface of the first plate by contact with the second plate driven forward by the driving unit, thereby pushing the object between the plurality of wires.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first plate is formed in a circular plate shape having a larger diameter than the push plate, and a receiving groove is formed on the upper surface thereof in a concave shape corresponding to the shape of the push plate so as to receive the push plate, and the push plate may have a push axis formed in a pillar-like shape protruding from the lower surface so as to penetrate the first plate in a direction toward the lower surface of the first plate from the receiving groove.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device may further include a pneumatic device that injects compressed air through a plurality of injection nozzles formed on the upper surface of the first plate so as to push the object between the plurality of wires by pneumatic pressure when in the release state.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device may further include a sensor unit installed on the first plate or the second plate so as to measure a gripping force generated by pressure received by the object from the plurality of wires when in the gripping state.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit may include a reaction force sensor that is installed on the first plate or the second plate so as to be connected to an end of at least one of the plurality of wires, and measures a reaction force due to tension applied to the plurality of wires when in the gripping state.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit may include a pressure sensor installed in a receiving groove of the first plate that receives the push plate, and measuring the pressure applied to the push plate when in the grip state.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit may include a current sensor that is electrically connected to the driving unit that slides the second plate forward and backward, and measures a driving current applied to the driving unit when in the gripping state.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit may include a tensile sensor installed on a wire connecting the first plate and the second plate, and measuring a tensile force applied to the wire when in the grip state.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit may include a fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; and a driving cylinder installed on the fixed plate to linearly apply a driving force to the second plate so as to drive the second plate forward and backward along the plurality of guide shafts.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit may include: a fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along an outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on a forward-backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; a ball screw formed to extend long and long in a rod shape between the first plate and the fixed plate; a rotation motor installed on the fixed plate to rotate the ball screw; and a ball nut installed on the second plate so as to be threadably coupled with the ball screw, the ball nut penetrating the second plate and having a screw thread formed on an outer diameter surface, and moving linearly along the ball screw together with the second plate according to rotational driving of the ball screw.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit may include: a fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; a tension spring installed between the first plate and the second plate to elastically apply a tension force so that the second plate can move forward in a direction approaching the first plate; a rotational motor installed on the fixed plate to drive rotation; and a pulley installed on a rotational drive shaft of the rotational motor so that a wire connected to the second plate can be wound, and moving the second plate forward or backward according to unwinding or winding of the wire by the rotational drive of the rotational motor.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit may include: a fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; a rack gear formed to extend long in a rod shape between the first plate and the fixed plate; and a rotation motor installed on the second plate to perform rotational driving, and having a pinion gear meshed with the rack gear on a rotational driving shaft, such that the rotation motor linearly moves along the rack gear together with the second plate according to rotational driving.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an end effector unit is provided. The end effector unit comprises: a first plate formed in a flat plate shape; a fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along an outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the first plate on which an object is to be placed; a driving unit installed on the fixed plate; And a gripping part formed in a dome shape overall to form a gripping space capable of gripping an object inside, including a plurality of wires, one end of which is connected to the first plate, the other end of which is connected to the driving part located at the rear of the first plate and which is formed such that the middle of the length is formed to be bent in an arc shape to form an arch shape; and the driving part may include a plurality of pulleys to which the other ends of the plurality of wires are respectively connected and which adjust the lengths of the plurality of wires exposed on the first plate to be gradually longer or shorter as the plurality of wires are unwound or wound by rotational driving.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention as described above, a gripping portion formed only of a flexible material can be implemented by using a plurality of wires each having both ends fixed to a first plate, which is a fixed plate, and a second plate, which is a movable plate that slides back and forth relative to the first plate, and forming an overall dome shape.

[0030] In addition, as the length of the plurality of flexible material wires exposed on the first plate gradually shortens in accordance with the backward sliding movement of the second plate, the object accommodated inside is fixed by the pressure of the wires, and by gripping the object through contact between the flexible material wires and the object, damage to the object during the gripping process can be prevented.

[0031] In addition, since the gripping part is composed only of a flexible wire material, it does not cause damage to the object even when colliding with another adjacent object in the process of approaching the object for gripping, and its own parts are not easily damaged or broken. In addition, since it is composed only of a flexible wire material, it is inexpensive to manufacture and can be easily maintained.

[0032] In this way, by implementing a gripping unit that is composed only of a flexible wire material and can fix and grip an object, especially when gripping soft crops such as fruits or vegetables, damage to the crops can be prevented during the gripping process, and since the volume and shape of the gripping space can be freely controlled during the gripping process with the flexible wire material, crops with irregular shapes and different weights can all be fixed and gripped with one gripping unit without replacing the gripping unit, thereby implementing an end effector unit that can automate crop harvesting work and reduce crop harvesting time and cost. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by these effects.

[0033] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are a front view and a plan view schematically showing a release state of an end effector unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figures 3 and 4 are a front view and a plan view schematically showing a holding state in which the end effector unit of Figure 1 grips an object.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a process of ejecting a gripped object when the end effector unit of FIG. 1 operates from a gripped state to a released state.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a process for ejecting a gripped object when the end effector unit of FIG. 1 operates from a gripped state to a released state.

[0037] FIGS. 7 to 10 are front views each showing several embodiments of a driving unit included in the end effector unit of FIG. 1.

[0038] FIGS. 11 to 14 are front views each showing various embodiments of the sensor unit included in the end effector unit of FIG. 1.

[0039] Figure 15 is an image showing the actual process of the end effector unit of Figure 1 gripping an object.

[0040] Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0041] The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. The following embodiments may be modified in various ways, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to more faithfully and completely explain the present disclosure and to fully convey the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In addition, the thickness and size of each layer in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation.

[0042] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings schematically illustrating ideal embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, variations in the shapes depicted may be expected, for example, depending on manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the specific shapes of the regions depicted herein, but should include, for example, variations in shapes resulting from manufacturing processes.

[0043] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are a front view and a plan view schematically showing a release state of an end effector unit (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are a front view and a plan view schematically showing a holding state in which the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1 grips an object (1), FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a process in which a push plate (600) rises and discharges a gripped object (1) when the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1 operates from a gripping state to a release state, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of a process in which the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1 discharges a gripped object (1) when the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1 operates from a gripping state to a release state. And, FIGS. 7 to 10 are front views each showing several embodiments of the driving unit (400) included in the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1, FIGS. 11 to 14 are front views each showing several embodiments of the sensor unit (500) included in the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1, and FIG. 15 is an image showing an actual process in which the end effector unit (1000) of FIG. 1 grips an object (1).

[0044] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an end effector unit (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention may largely include a first plate (100), a second plate (200), a gripping portion (300), and a driving portion (400).

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first plate (100) may be formed in an overall flat circular plate shape. In addition, the second plate (200) may be formed in a flat circular plate shape with a size corresponding to that of the first plate (100), and may be formed in a form in which the second plate (200) is stacked vertically with the first plate (100) so that its central axis (X) is coaxial with the central axis (X) of the first plate (100), and may be installed so as to be able to slide forward and backward in a direction closer to the first plate (100) or away from the first plate (100).

[0046] For example, the first plate (100) and the second plate (200) may be structures having a circular plate shape with appropriate strength and durability that can support an object (1) to be gripped by a gripping portion (300) to be described later. The first plate (100) and the second plate (200) may be structures formed by selecting one or more materials from among steel, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, zinc, and synthetic resin. However, the first plate (100) and the second plate (200) are not necessarily limited to those in FIGS. 1 and 2, and members of a wide variety of materials that can support an object (1) to be gripped by the gripping portion (300) may be applied.

[0047] More specifically, the first plate (100) may be formed in a circular plate shape, and a plurality of guide shafts (120) may be formed along the outer surface. The plurality of guide shafts (120) may be formed to extend in a vertical direction (vertical direction based on FIG. 1) parallel to the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate (200), and a plurality of guide shafts may be formed along the outer surface of the first plate (100), and may be radially arranged equiangularly based on the central axis (X) of the first plate (100).

[0048] The second plate (200) is formed so that a plurality of guide shafts (120) extending vertically from the first plate (100) pass through it, and can be installed so as to be able to slide forward and backward in a direction toward the first plate (100) or away from the first plate (100) along the plurality of guide shafts (120) extending vertically.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gripping portion (300) may be formed in an overall dome shape to form a gripping space (A) capable of gripping an object (1) inside, including a plurality of wires (310) that are connected at one end to the first plate (100) and connected at the other end to the second plate (200) by penetrating the first plate (100), and formed to form an arch shape overall by bending the middle portion of the length into an arc shape.

[0050] For example, the grip section (300) may be formed in a dome shape with a net structure by arranging a plurality of wires (310) formed of a flexible and elastic material in a circular shape based on the central axis (X) of the first plate (100) and the second plate (200), and each wire is arranged to be staggered with at least one other wire.

[0051] Such a gripping part (300) can be formed in a release state in which an object (1) can be inserted into a gripping space (A) or ejected from a gripping space (A) through the mesh structure of the gripping part (300) formed of a flexible and elastic material, as shown in FIG. 2, on a plan view with the upper surface of the first plate (100) as a plane, each wire having one end connected to the first plate (100) and the other end connected to the second plate (200) by penetrating the first plate (100) is formed in a generally straight shape, so that a plurality of wires (310) can be formed so as to intersect each other but not be twisted.

[0052] However, the shape of the gripper (300) in the above-described release state is not necessarily limited to FIG. 2, and each wire having one end connected to the first plate (100) and the other end penetrating the first plate (100) and connected to the second plate (200) may be formed generally in an arc shape, so that a plurality of wires (310) may be formed so as to intersect each other but not be twisted.

[0053] In this release state, the gripping part (300) can insert the object (1) into the gripping space (A) by the space between the plurality of wires (310) formed of a flexible and elastic material, which are separated from each other by pressure due to contact with the object (1) when gripping the object (1).

[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the driving unit (400) can be installed on the lower side of the second plate (200) and connected to the second plate (200) so as to allow the second plate (200) to slide forward and backward relative to the first plate (100).

[0055] For example, the driving unit (400) may include a fixed plate (410) that is fixedly installed at the end of a plurality of guide shafts (120) formed along the outer surface of the first plate (100) so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate (200) based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate (200), and a driving cylinder (420) that is installed on the fixed plate (410) and linearly applies a driving force to the second plate (200) so as to drive the second plate (200) forward and backward along the plurality of guide shafts (120).

[0056] As such, the driving cylinder (420) may be any type of cylinder that can linearly apply driving force to the second plate (200), such as an electric cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a pneumatic cylinder.

[0057] In this way, the driving unit (400) is connected to the second plate (200) at the lower side of the second plate (200), and can drive the second plate (200) forward and backward relative to the first plate (100).

[0058] Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the driving unit (400) can drive the second plate (200) forward in a direction closer to the first plate (100) to a position where the length of the plurality of wires (310) exposed on the first plate (100) gradually increases and the volume of the gripping space (A) increases so that the object (1) can enter the gripping space (A) between the mesh structure of the gripping unit (300) formed of a flexible and elastic material in the release state.

[0059] Conversely, in the holding state, the driving unit (400) can drive the second plate (200) backward away from the first plate (100) to a position where the length of the plurality of wires (310) exposed on the first plate (100) gradually becomes shorter so that the volume of the holding space (A) decreases, so that the object (1) accommodated in the holding space (A) can be fixed without being detached between the mesh structure of the holding unit (300) formed of a flexible and elastic material, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0060] Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gripping unit (300) can be fixed inside the gripping space (A) by the pressure received from the plurality of wires (310) as the volume of the gripping space (A) inside the dome shape gradually decreases in the process of the length of the plurality of wires (310) exposed on the first plate (100) gradually becoming shorter in the gripping state.

[0061] At this time, the gripping part (300) can have its volume gradually reduced as the gripping space (A) is flexibly transformed into a shape corresponding to the shape of the object (1) by a plurality of wires (310) formed of a flexible and elastic material.

[0062] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when the gripped object (1) is put down again, the driving unit (400) drives the second plate (200) forward again in a direction closer to the first plate (100) to a position where the length of the plurality of wires (310) exposed on the first plate (100) gradually increases and the volume of the gripping space (A) increases, thereby forming the release state again, thereby inducing the object (1) to be discharged between the mesh structure of the gripping unit (300) formed of a flexible and elastic material.

[0063] At this time, the end effector unit (1000) further includes a push plate (600) that, when in the release state, rises to a predetermined height (H) from the upper surface of the first plate (100) by contact with the second plate (200) driven forward by the driving unit (400) and pushes the object (1) between the plurality of wires (310), thereby making it easier to discharge the object (1) gripped by the gripping unit (300).

[0064] This push plate (600) is formed in a flat circular plate shape and is formed on the upper surface of the first plate (100), and can be formed so that at least a portion of it penetrates the first plate (100) and protrudes to the lower surface of the first plate (100).

[0065] For example, the first plate (100) may be formed in a circular plate shape with a larger diameter than the push plate (600), and a concave receiving groove (110) may be formed on the upper surface in a shape corresponding to the shape of the push plate (600) so as to accommodate the push plate (600).

[0066] In addition, the push plate (600) may be formed with a push shaft (610) that protrudes from the lower surface in a columnar shape by penetrating the first plate (100) in a direction toward the lower surface of the first plate (100) in the receiving groove (110) so that it can come into contact with the second plate (200) that drives forward.

[0067] Accordingly, the push plate (600) is installed so as to be raised so as to be received in the receiving groove (110) of the first plate (100), and in the released state, the push shaft (610) formed to protrude from the lower surface comes into contact with the second plate (200) driven forward by the driving unit (400), and protrudes from the upper surface of the first plate (100) to a predetermined height (H) within the receiving groove (110), and in the grip state, the push plate (600) can be installed so as to be lowered so that the upper surface is formed at the same height as the upper surface of the first plate (100) within the receiving groove (110).

[0068] In addition, when the end effector unit (1000) operates from a grip state to a release state, various discharge methods can be used in addition to the method of discharging the object (1) by the push plate (600) described above.

[0069] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the end effector unit (1000) operates from a grip state to a release state, it may further include a pneumatic device (700) that sprays compressed air through a plurality of spray nozzles (710) formed on the upper surface of the first plate (100) so as to push the object (1) between a plurality of wires (310) by pneumatic pressure.

[0070] To this end, the pneumatic device (700) may be configured to include a pneumatic passage (720) formed in a flow shape inside the first plate (100) to connect a plurality of spray nozzles (710) and to allow the compressed air to flow, a pneumatic line (730) connecting the pneumatic passage (720) and the compressor so that the compressed air can be supplied from an external compressor (not shown), and a pneumatic valve (740) installed in the pneumatic line (730) to control the flow rate of the compressed air supplied through the pneumatic line (730).

[0071] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the driving unit (400) that drives the second plate (200) forward and backward in a direction toward or away from the first plate (100) is exemplified by driving the second plate (200) forward and backward using a driving cylinder (420) installed in the fixed plate (410), but is not necessarily limited thereto, and various driving bodies that can linearly drive the second plate (200) forward and backward may be applied.

[0072] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the driving unit (400) may include a fixed plate (410) fixedly installed at the ends of a plurality of guide shafts (120) formed along the outer surface of the first plate (100) so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate (200) based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate (200), a ball screw (430) formed to extend long and long in a rod shape between the first plate (100) and the fixed plate (410), a rotation motor (M) installed in the fixed plate (410) to rotate the ball screw (430), and a ball nut (440) installed in the second plate (200) so as to be threadedly connected to the ball screw (430) that penetrates the second plate (200) and has threads formed on the outer diameter surface.

[0073] Here, the rotation motor (M) included in the driving unit (400) is a motor that generates rotational driving force, and can be driven by selecting any one of an AC motor, a DC motor, a stepping motor, a servo motor, a hydraulic motor, and a pneumatic motor. However, the rotation motor (M) is not necessarily limited to that of FIG. 6, and various types of motors capable of rotating the ball screw (430) can be applied.

[0074] Additionally, although not shown, the rotary motor (M) may be connected to the ball screw (430) through a reducer so as to drive the ball screw (430) to rotate at a predetermined gear ratio.

[0075] In this way, the driving unit (400) is installed on the second plate (200), and the ball screw (430) and the screw-coupled ball nut (440) are rotated by the rotation motor (M), and the second plate (200) moves linearly forward and backward along the ball screw (430) according to the rotational drive of the ball screw (430), thereby moving the second plate (200) forward in a direction closer to the first plate (100) or moving backward in a direction away from the first plate (100).

[0076] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the driving unit (400) may include a fixed plate (410) fixedly installed at the ends of a plurality of guide shafts (120) formed along the outer surface of the first plate (100) so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate (200) based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate (200), a tension spring (450) installed between the first plate (100) and the second plate (200) to elastically apply tension so that the second plate (200) can move forward in a direction closer to the first plate (100), a rotation motor (M) installed on the fixed plate (410) to drive rotation, and a pulley (460) installed on the rotation drive shaft of the rotation motor (M) so that a wire (W) connected to the second plate (200) can be wound around it.

[0077] Here, the rotation motor (M) included in the driving unit (400) may be the same as the rotation motor (M) that drives the ball screw (430) described above. Therefore, a detailed description is omitted.

[0078] In this way, the driving unit (400) can move the second plate (200), which is elastically tensioned by the tension spring (450) in a direction toward the first plate (100), forward in the direction toward the first plate (100), or move backward in the direction away from the first plate (100), according to the unwinding or winding of the wire (W) by the pulley (460) that is rotationally driven by the rotation motor (M).

[0079] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the driving unit (400) may include a fixed plate (410) fixedly installed at the ends of a plurality of guide shafts (120) formed along the outer surface of the first plate (100) so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate (200) based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate (200), a rack gear (470) formed to extend long in a rod shape between the first plate (100) and the fixed plate (410), and a rotary motor (M) having a pinion gear (480) meshed with the rack gear (470) on a rotary drive shaft.

[0080] Here, the rotation motor (M) included in the driving unit (400) may be the same as the rotation motor (M) that rotates and drives the ball screw (430) described above. Therefore, a detailed description is omitted.

[0081] In this way, the driving unit (400) is installed on the rotational drive shaft of the rotational motor (M) and the pinion gear (480) meshed with the rack gear (470) moves linearly along the rack gear (470) together with the second plate (200) according to the rotational drive of the rotational motor (M), thereby moving the second plate (200) forward in a direction closer to the first plate (100) or backward in a direction away from the first plate (100).

[0082] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the driving unit (400) may be directly connected to a plurality of wires (310) without the second plate (200).

[0083] For example, the gripping part (300) may be formed in a dome shape overall to form a gripping space (A) capable of gripping an object inside, including a plurality of wires (310) that are formed such that one end is connected to the first plate (100), the other end penetrates the first plate (100) and is connected to the driving part (400) located at the rear of the first plate (100), and the middle of the length is formed to be bent in an arc shape to form an arch shape.

[0084] At this time, the driving unit (400) may include a fixed plate (410) that is fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts (120) that are formed to extend long toward the rear of the first plate (100) along the outer surface of the first plate (100) so that the driving unit (400) can be positioned at the rear of the first plate (100) on which the object (1) is placed in front, and a plurality of pulleys (490) that are installed on the fixed plate (410) so that the other ends of the plurality of wires (310) are respectively connected, and that adjust the length of the plurality of wires (310) exposed on the first plate (100) so that they can gradually become longer or shorter as the plurality of wires (310) are unwound or wound by the rotational drive.

[0085] Here, although not shown, a plurality of pulleys (490) may be connected to individual rotary motors and rotate individually, or may be connected to one rotary motor by a combination of gears, a combination of belts and pulleys, or a combination of chains and sprockets and rotate together.

[0086] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the end effector unit (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a sensor unit (500) installed on the first plate (100) or the second plate (200) so as to measure the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object (1) from the plurality of wires (310) when in the gripping state.

[0087] For example, the sensor unit (500) may be installed on the second plate (200) so as to be connected to the end of at least one of the plurality of wires (310), and may include a reaction force sensor (510) that measures the reaction force caused by the tension generated in the plurality of wires (310) when in the gripping state.

[0088] Accordingly, in the gripping state, the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object (1) from the plurality of wires (310) is measured based on the reaction force measured by the reaction force sensor (510), so that the driving unit (400) appropriately controls the forward and backward driving amount of the second plate (200) relative to the first plate (100), thereby appropriately controlling the length of the plurality of wires (310) of the gripping portion (300) exposed on the first plate (100), thereby preventing the object (1) from being separated from the gripping portion (300) due to an excessively small gripping force during the gripping process, or conversely, damage to the object (1) from being caused by the gripping portion (300) due to an excessively large gripping force.

[0089] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the reaction force sensor (510) is installed on the second plate (200) as an example, but is not necessarily limited to FIG. 11, and may be installed on the first plate (100) and connected to the end of at least one of the plurality of wires (310).

[0090] In addition to the above-described reaction force sensor (510), the sensor unit (500) includes a wide variety of sensors, and can measure the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object (1) from a plurality of wires (310) based on the sensing values ​​thereof.

[0091] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the sensor unit (500) may include a pressure sensor (520) that is installed in the receiving groove (110) of the first plate (100) that receives the push plate (600) and measures the pressure applied to the push plate (600) when in the grip state.

[0092] Accordingly, the sensor unit (500) can measure the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object (1) from the plurality of wires (310) based on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor (520) in the gripping state.

[0093] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the pressure sensor (520) is installed in the receiving groove (110) of the first plate (100), but is not necessarily limited to FIG. 12, and may be installed on the lower surface of the push plate (600) to measure the pressure applied to the push plate (600) when in the gripping state.

[0094] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the sensor unit (500) may include a current sensor (530) that is electrically connected to the driving unit (400) that slides the second plate (200) forward and backward, and measures the driving current applied to the driving unit (400) when in the gripping state.

[0095] Accordingly, the sensor unit (500) can measure the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object (1) from the plurality of wires (310) by considering the driving load applied to the driving unit (400) based on the driving current measured by the current sensor (520) in the gripping state.

[0096] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the sensor unit (500) may include a tensile sensor (540) that is installed on a wire (W) connecting the first plate (100) and the second plate (200) and measures the tensile force applied to the wire (W) when in a grip state.

[0097] Accordingly, the sensor unit (500) can measure the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object (1) from the plurality of wires (310) based on the tensile force measured by the tensile sensor (540) in the gripping state.

[0098] Accordingly, according to the end effector unit (1000) according to various embodiments of the present invention, a gripping portion (300) formed only of a flexible material can be implemented by using a plurality of wires (310) that are fixed at both ends to a first plate (100) which is a fixed plate, and a second plate (200) which is a movable plate that slides back and forth relatively based on the first plate (100) and forms an overall dome shape.

[0099] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 15, as the length of the plurality of flexible wires (310) exposed on the first plate (100) gradually shortens in accordance with the backward sliding movement of the second plate (200), the object (1) accommodated inside is fixed by the pressure of the plurality of wires (310), and by gripping the object (1) through contact between the flexible wires and the object (1), damage to the object (1) can be prevented during the gripping process.

[0100] In addition, since the gripping part (300) is composed only of a flexible wire material, it does not cause damage to the object (1) even when colliding with another adjacent object in the process of approaching the object for gripping, and its own parts are not easily damaged or broken. Since it is composed only of a flexible wire material, the manufacturing cost is low and maintenance is easy.

[0101] Therefore, by implementing a gripping part (300) that is composed only of a flexible material wire and can fix and grip an object (1), especially, as shown in FIG. 15, even when gripping soft crops such as fruits or vegetables, damage to the crops can be prevented during the gripping process, and the volume and shape of the gripping space (A) can be freely controlled during the gripping process with the flexible material wire, so that crops with irregular shapes and different weights for each object can all be fixed and gripped with one gripping part (300) without replacing the gripping part (300).

[0102] Accordingly, when mounted on an automated robot capable of moving on a farmland, an end effector unit (1000) can be implemented that can automate crop harvesting operations and reduce crop harvesting time and costs.

[0103] In the above-described embodiment, for the automation of crop harvesting work, the end effector unit (1000) is mounted on an automated robot of mobility that can move in a farmland, but it is not necessarily limited thereto and can be applied to all automated processes that require gripping of an object (1).

[0104] While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, these are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A first plate formed in a flat plate shape; A second plate formed in a flat plate shape and formed in a form that is stacked vertically with the first plate, and installed so as to be able to slide forward and backward in a direction approaching the first plate or away from the first plate; A gripping part formed in a dome shape overall to form a gripping space capable of gripping an object inside, including a plurality of wires formed such that one end is connected to the first plate and the other end is connected to the second plate, and the middle of the length is formed to be bent in an arc shape to form an arch shape; and A driving unit that slides the second plate forward and backward; An end effector unit comprising:

2. In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned part is, An end effector unit that inserts the object into the gripping space by the plurality of wires formed of a flexible material, and which, when gripping the object, are separated from each other by pressure caused by contact with the object, into the space between the plurality of wires.

3. In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned part is, An end effector unit, wherein the plurality of wires formed of a flexible material are arranged in a circular shape based on the central axes of the first plate and the second plate, and each wire is arranged to be staggered from at least one other wire, thereby forming a dome shape having a net structure.

4. In paragraph 3, The above-mentioned part is, An end effector unit, wherein, on a plane with the upper surface of the first plate as a plane, each of the wires, one end of which is connected to the first plate and the other end of which is connected to the second plate, is formed in a generally straight shape or an arc shape so that the plurality of wires are not twisted, so that the object can enter the gripping space or be discharged from the gripping space between the mesh structure of the gripping portion formed of a flexible material.

5. In paragraph 1, The above first plate, A plurality of guide shafts are formed along the outer surface, The second plate above, An end effector unit that is installed so as to be able to slide forward and backward in a direction closer to or away from the first plate along the plurality of guide shafts formed to extend in the vertical direction.

6. In paragraph 1, The above driving part, An end effector unit that, in a holding state, drives the second plate backward so that the length of the plurality of wires exposed on the first plate can gradually shorten, and in a release state, drives the second plate forward so that the length of the plurality of wires exposed on the first plate can gradually lengthen.

7. In paragraph 6, The above-mentioned part is, An end effector unit in which, in the above-described state, the volume of the grip space inside the dome shape gradually decreases as the length of the plurality of wires gradually shortens, so that the object is fixed inside the grip space by the pressure received from the plurality of wires.

8. In paragraph 6, A push plate formed in a flat plate shape and formed on an upper surface of the first plate, at least a portion of which penetrates the first plate and protrudes from a lower surface of the first plate, so that when in the release state, it rises to a predetermined height from the upper surface of the first plate by contact with the second plate driven forward by the driving unit, thereby pushing the object between the plurality of wires; An end effector unit further comprising:

9. In paragraph 8, The above first plate, It is formed in a circular plate shape having a diameter larger than the above push plate, and a concave receiving groove is formed on the upper surface in a shape corresponding to the shape of the push plate so as to be able to receive the push plate. The above push plate, An end effector unit in which a push shaft is formed so as to protrude in a pillar shape from the lower surface of the first plate so as to penetrate the first plate in a direction toward the lower surface of the first plate in the receiving groove.

10. In paragraph 6, A pneumatic device that sprays compressed air through a plurality of spray nozzles formed on the upper surface of the first plate so as to push the object between the plurality of wires by pneumatic pressure when in the above release state; An end effector unit further comprising:

11. In paragraph 6, A sensor unit installed on the first plate or the second plate so as to measure the gripping force generated by the pressure received by the object from the plurality of wires during the gripping state; An end effector unit further comprising:

12. In paragraph 11, The above sensor part, A reaction force sensor installed on the first plate or the second plate so as to be connected to an end of at least one of the plurality of wires, and configured to measure a reaction force due to tension applied to the plurality of wires when in the gripping state; An end effector unit comprising:

13. In paragraph 11, The above sensor part, A pressure sensor installed in a receiving groove of the first plate for receiving a push plate, the pressure sensor measuring the pressure applied to the push plate when in the gripping state; An end effector unit comprising:

14. In paragraph 11, The above sensor part, A current sensor electrically connected to the driving unit that slides the second plate forward and backward, and which measures the driving current applied to the driving unit when in the grip state; An end effector unit comprising:

15. In paragraph 11, The above sensor part, A tensile sensor installed on a wire connecting the first plate and the second plate, the tensile sensor measuring a tensile force applied to the wire when in the grip state; An end effector unit comprising:

16. In paragraph 1, The above driving part, A fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward and backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; and A driving cylinder installed on the fixed plate to linearly apply driving force to the second plate so as to drive the second plate forward and backward along the plurality of guide shafts; An end effector unit comprising:

17. In paragraph 1, The above driving part, A fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward-backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; A ball screw formed to extend long in a rod shape between the first plate and the fixed plate; A rotary motor installed on the above fixed plate to rotate the ball screw; and A ball nut installed on the second plate so as to be screw-coupled with the ball screw having threads formed on an outer diameter surface and penetrating the second plate, and moving linearly along the ball screw together with the second plate according to rotational driving of the ball screw; An end effector unit comprising:

18. In paragraph 1, The above driving part, A fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward-backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; A tension spring installed between the first plate and the second plate, elastically applying tension so that the second plate can move forward in a direction closer to the first plate; A rotary motor installed on the above fixed plate and driving rotation; and A pulley installed on the rotational drive shaft of the rotational motor so that the wire connected to the second plate can be wound, and moving the second plate forward or backward according to the unwinding or winding of the wire by the rotational drive of the rotational motor; An end effector unit comprising:

19. In paragraph 1, The above driving part, A fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so as to be positioned at the rear of the second plate based on the forward-backward sliding movement direction of the second plate; A rack gear formed to be elongated in a rod shape between the first plate and the fixed plate; and A rotary motor installed on the second plate and configured to rotate, and having a pinion gear meshed with the rack gear on a rotary drive shaft, the rotary motor moving linearly along the rack gear together with the second plate according to the rotational drive; An end effector unit comprising:

20. A first plate formed in a flat plate shape; A fixed plate fixedly installed on a plurality of guide shafts formed along the outer surface of the first plate so that the object can be positioned at the rear of the first plate on which it is settled; A driving unit installed on the above fixed plate; and A gripping part having a dome shape formed as a whole to form a gripping space capable of gripping an object inside, the gripping part including a plurality of wires having one end connected to the first plate and the other end connected to the driving part located at the rear of the first plate by penetrating the first plate, and formed such that the middle of the length is formed to be bent in an arc shape to form an arch shape; The above driving part, A plurality of pulleys, each of which is connected to the other end of the plurality of wires, and which adjust the length of the plurality of wires exposed on the first plate to gradually increase or decrease in accordance with the unwinding or winding of the plurality of wires by a rotational drive; An end effector unit comprising:

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