Mechanical arm and robot

Abstract

A mechanical arm and a robot, the mechanical arm comprising a shoulder joint, a first connecting arm, an elbow joint, a second connecting arm, and a wrist joint. The shoulder joint comprises a first structural assembly, a second structural assembly, and a third structural assembly. One end of the second structural assembly is connected to the first structural assembly, and the other end of the second structural assembly is connected to the third structural assembly. The degrees of freedom of the first structural assembly are in parallel connection with the degrees of freedom of the second structural assembly. The elbow joint comprises a fourth structural assembly and a fifth structural assembly that are connected to one another. The fourth structural assembly is connected to the end of the first connecting arm away from the shoulder joint. The degrees of freedom of the fourth structural assembly is in parallel connection with the degrees of freedom of the fifth structural assembly. The wrist joint comprises a sixth structural assembly and a seventh structural assembly that are connected to one another. The sixth structural assembly is connected to the end of the second connecting arm away from the elbow joint. The degrees of freedom of the sixth structural assembly is in parallel connection with the degrees of freedom of the seventh structural assembly. Hence, the mechanical arm has high response capacity and bearing capacity.

Description

robotic arms and robots

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410511797.5, filed on April 25, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] At least one embodiment of this disclosure relates to a robotic arm and a robot. Background Technology

[0003] With the rapid development of technology, robots have been widely used in various fields, such as homes, healthcare, industry, and agriculture. Robots can not only improve production efficiency and reduce labor costs, but also provide more convenient services.

[0004] For example, robots can replace many human tasks, such as cleaning, taking care of daily life, and even providing cooking services, thereby greatly reducing people's household chores. Robots can also assist doctors in surgical procedures, reducing surgical risks and increasing success rates. Furthermore, robots can perform repetitive, high-intensity work, thereby improving productivity and reducing the risk of workplace injuries.

[0005] As a result, continuously upgrading and optimizing the structure and performance of robots to better adapt them to different working environments and task requirements has become an important hot topic in the field of robotics research. Summary of the Invention

[0006] At least one embodiment of this disclosure provides a robotic arm including a shoulder joint, a first connecting arm, an elbow joint, a second connecting arm, and a wrist joint. The shoulder joint includes a first structural component, a second structural component, and a third structural component. One end of the second structural component is connected to the first structural component, and the other end of the second structural component is connected to the third structural component. One end of the first connecting arm is connected to the third structural component. The elbow joint includes a fourth structural component and a fifth structural component connected to each other. The fourth structural component is connected to the other end of the first connecting arm remote from the shoulder joint. One end of the second connecting arm is connected to the fifth structural component. The wrist joint includes a sixth structural component and a seventh structural component connected to each other. The sixth structural component is connected to the other end of the second connecting arm remote from the elbow joint. The first structural component is configured to drive the second structural component to rotate along its first central axis. A component is configured to drive the third structural component to rotate along its second central axis, the third structural component being configured to drive the first connecting arm to rotate along its third central axis, the first central axis being perpendicular to and intersecting the second central axis, and the degrees of freedom of the first structural component being in parallel with the degrees of freedom of the second structural component. A fourth structural component is configured to drive the fifth structural component to rotate along its fourth central axis, the fifth structural component being configured to drive the second connecting arm to rotate along its fifth central axis, the fourth central axis being perpendicular to and intersecting the fifth central axis, and the degrees of freedom of the fourth structural component being in parallel with the degrees of freedom of the fifth structural component. A sixth structural component is configured to drive the seventh structural component to rotate along its sixth central axis, the seventh structural component being configured to rotate along its seventh central axis, the sixth central axis being perpendicular to and intersecting the seventh central axis, and the degrees of freedom of the sixth structural component being in parallel with the degrees of freedom of the seventh structural component.

[0007] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first structural component includes a first sub-structural member and a second sub-structural member. The first sub-structural member extends along the extension direction of the first central axis, and the second sub-structural member extends along the extension direction of the second central axis. The first sub-structural member and the second sub-structural member are fixedly connected. The second sub-structural member is located inside the second structural component and is rotatably connected to the second structural component, such that the first sub-structural member drives the second structural component to rotate along the first central axis through the second sub-structural member, and causes the second structural component to rotate relative to the second sub-structural member along the second central axis.

[0008] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the third structural component is located on the side of the second structural component away from the first structural component, and the third central axis of the third structural component has a first distance from the second central axis of the second structural component.

[0009] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the third central axis is further away from the second central axis than the fourth central axis, and there is a second distance between the third central axis and the fourth central axis.

[0010] For example, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the robotic arm includes a rotating structure assembly, wherein any one of the first structural assembly, the second structural assembly, the third structural assembly, the fourth structural assembly, the fifth structural assembly, the sixth structural assembly, and the seventh structural assembly is the rotating structure assembly. The robotic arm further includes a plurality of driving units, each driving unit including a drive motor and a drive rope. The drive rope passes around the output shaft of the drive motor and the rotating structure assembly, so that the rotating structure assembly rotates under the drive of the drive motor and the drive rope.

[0011] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive motor has a motor reduction ratio, the drive rope lock has a rope reduction ratio, and the ratio between the motor reduction ratio and the rope reduction ratio is 1 to 20.

[0012] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motor reduction ratio is 5 to 20; and / or the rope reduction ratio is 1 to 5.

[0013] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of drive units include a first shoulder joint drive unit, a second shoulder joint drive unit, and a third shoulder joint drive unit. The first and second shoulder joint drive units are configured to simultaneously drive the first structural assembly and the second structural assembly. The third shoulder joint drive unit is configured to drive the third structural assembly. The first shoulder joint drive unit includes a first shoulder joint drive motor and a first shoulder joint lanyard, the first shoulder joint lanyard bypassing the output shaft of the first shoulder joint drive motor and a portion of the first structural assembly. The second shoulder joint drive unit includes a second shoulder joint drive motor and a second shoulder joint lanyard, the second shoulder joint lanyard bypassing the output shaft of the second shoulder joint drive motor and another portion of the first structural assembly. The first portion and the other portion of the first structural assembly are configured to rotate independently. The third shoulder joint drive unit includes a third shoulder joint drive motor and a third shoulder joint lanyard, the third shoulder joint lanyard bypassing the output shaft of the third shoulder joint drive motor and the third structural assembly.

[0014] For example, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the robotic arm includes a plurality of drive units, including a first elbow joint drive unit and a second elbow joint drive unit, which are configured to simultaneously drive the fourth structural assembly and the fifth structural assembly. The fourth structural assembly includes a first rotating wheel and a second rotating wheel, the rotation axes of which are both the fourth central axis. The first elbow joint drive unit includes a first elbow joint drive motor and a first elbow joint rope, the first elbow joint rope passing over the output shaft of the first elbow joint motor and the first rotating wheel. The second elbow joint drive unit includes a second elbow joint drive motor and a second elbow joint rope, the second elbow joint rope passing over the output shaft of the second elbow joint motor and the second rotating wheel. A portion of the fifth structural assembly is located between the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are respectively connected to the portion of the fifth structural assembly to drive the fourth structural assembly to rotate along the fourth central axis. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel respectively cooperate with another portion of the fifth structural assembly to drive the fifth structural assembly to rotate along the fifth central axis.

[0015] For example, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the robotic arm includes a plurality of drive units including a first wrist joint drive unit and a second wrist joint drive unit, the first wrist joint drive unit and the second wrist joint drive unit being configured to simultaneously drive the sixth structural assembly and the seventh structural assembly. The sixth structural assembly includes a third rotating wheel and a fourth rotating wheel, the rotation axes of the third rotating wheel and the fourth rotating wheel being the sixth central axis. The first wrist joint drive unit includes a first wrist joint drive motor and a first wrist joint rope, the first wrist joint rope passing around the output shaft of the first wrist joint motor and the third rotating wheel. The second wrist joint drive unit includes a second wrist joint drive motor and a second wrist joint rope, the second wrist joint rope passing around the output shaft of the second wrist joint motor and the fourth rotating wheel. The seventh structural assembly is located between the third rotating wheel and the fourth rotating wheel and rotates under the drive of the third rotating wheel and the fourth rotating wheel.

[0016] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first connecting arm extends along the extension direction of the third central axis, and the first elbow joint drive portion and the second elbow joint drive portion are sequentially arranged within the first connecting arm along the third central axis.

[0017] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second connecting arm extends along the extension direction of the fifth central axis, and the first wrist joint drive portion and the second wrist joint drive portion are sequentially arranged within the second connecting arm along the fifth central axis.

[0018] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first distance is 20mm to 80mm.

[0019] For example, in a robotic arm provided according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second distance is 10mm to 50mm.

[0020] At least one embodiment of this disclosure also provides a robot including the robotic arm described in any of the above embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 is a front view of the robotic arm in Figure 1.

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the shoulder joint of the robotic arm in Figure 1.

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the first connecting arm and elbow joint of the robotic arm in Figure 1.

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the second connecting arm and wrist joint of the robotic arm in Figure 1. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. Based on the described embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” mean that an element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0029] Typically, the human arm has seven degrees of freedom, the shoulder joint has three degrees of freedom, which correspond to rotational movements around three different axes to perform a variety of activities, including flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and rotation; the elbow joint has one degree of freedom and is used to connect the upper arm and forearm to perform flexion and extension movements; and the wrist joint has three degrees of freedom to perform rotational and flexion movements.

[0030] In their research, the inventors of this application discovered that some existing robotic arms include structures with multiple degrees of freedom connected in series, as well as structures with multiple degrees of freedom connected in a combination of parallel and series connections. On the one hand, due to the different motion requirements of each joint, robotic arms using only a series connection of multiple degrees of freedom have limited interaction capabilities with the outside world, and their flexibility needs to be improved. On the other hand, in the actual operation of robotic arms, while meeting the motion requirements in various directions, the load-bearing capacity and stiffness requirements of each joint are different. Therefore, for some robotic arms using a combination of parallel and series connections of multiple degrees of freedom, determining which structures in the robotic arm should be coupled to enable parallel connection of corresponding degrees of freedom, and which structures should be set independently to simplify the structure, is currently key to improving the stiffness, load-bearing capacity, and responsiveness of the robotic arm. Therefore, the problem of how to rationally distribute multiple degrees of freedom to ensure that the robotic arm has reasonable load-bearing capacity and stiffness at different positions urgently needs to be solved.

[0031] This disclosure provides a robotic arm and a robot.

[0032] The robotic arm provided in this embodiment includes a shoulder joint, a first connecting arm, an elbow joint, a second connecting arm, and a wrist joint. The shoulder joint includes a first structural component, a second structural component, and a third structural component. One end of the second structural component is connected to the first structural component, and the other end of the second structural component is connected to the third structural component. One end of the first connecting arm is connected to the third structural component. The elbow joint includes a fourth structural component and a fifth structural component connected to each other. The fourth structural component is connected to the end of the first connecting arm away from the shoulder joint. One end of the second connecting arm is connected to the fifth structural component. The wrist joint includes a sixth structural component and a seventh structural component connected to each other. The sixth structural component is connected to the end of the second connecting arm away from the elbow joint. The first structural component is configured to drive the second structural component to rotate along its first central axis. The second structural component is configured to... To drive the third structural component to rotate along its second central axis, the third structural component is configured to drive the first connecting arm to rotate along its third central axis. The first central axis is perpendicular to and intersects the second central axis. The degrees of freedom of the first structural component are in parallel with those of the second structural component. The fourth structural component is configured to drive the fifth structural component to rotate along its fourth central axis. The fifth structural component is configured to drive the second connecting arm to rotate along its fifth central axis. The fourth central axis is perpendicular to and intersects the fifth central axis. The degrees of freedom of the fourth structural component are in parallel with those of the fifth structural component. The sixth structural component is configured to drive the seventh structural component to rotate along its sixth central axis. The seventh structural component is configured to rotate along its seventh central axis. The sixth central axis is perpendicular to and intersects the seventh central axis. The degrees of freedom of the sixth structural component are in parallel with those of the seventh structural component.

[0033] The robotic arm provided in this disclosure, by connecting the degrees of freedom of the first and second structural components in the shoulder joint in parallel, the degrees of freedom of the fourth and fifth structural components in the elbow joint in parallel, and the degrees of freedom of the sixth and seventh structural components in the wrist joint in parallel, can achieve a more compact structure while meeting the requirements for high flexibility, and possess strong rigidity and load-bearing capacity. For example, the parallel connection of the degrees of freedom of the two structural components can be achieved by one or more identical driving components simultaneously driving the two structural components, controlling the motion state of the two structural components in the corresponding degrees of freedom through the different outputs of one or more driving components.

[0034] The robotic arm and robot provided in the embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is a front view of the robotic arm in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the shoulder joint of the robotic arm in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the first connecting arm and elbow joint of the robotic arm in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the second connecting arm and wrist joint of the robotic arm in Figure 1.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the robotic arm includes a shoulder joint 100, a first connecting arm 120, an elbow joint 200, a second connecting arm 220, and a wrist joint 300. Similar to a human arm, this robotic arm has seven degrees of freedom, enabling it to perform operations similar to those of a human arm.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the shoulder joint 100 includes a first structural component 10, a second structural component 20, and a third structural component 30. One end 201 of the second structural component 20 is connected to the first structural component 10, and the other end 202 of the second structural component 20 is connected to the third structural component 30. As shown in Figure 3, the first structural component 10 has a first central axis 101, and the first structural component 10 can drive the second structural component 20 to rotate along the first central axis 101. The second structural component 20 has a second central axis 102, and the second central axis 102 is perpendicular to and intersects the first central axis 101. The second structural component 20 can rotate along the second central axis 102, and drive the third structural component 30 to rotate along the second central axis 102. The degrees of freedom of the first structural component 10 are connected in parallel with the degrees of freedom of the second structural component 20, so that the first structural component 10 and the second structural component 20 can be simultaneously driven to rotate by a driving structure (such as the first shoulder joint driving part and the second shoulder joint driving part in the following embodiments). According to control requirements, the driving force applied by the drive structure can be reasonably distributed between the first structural component 10 and the second structural component 20, thereby enabling the first structural component 10 and the second structural component 20 to have more flexible motion states. For example, compared with the third structural component 30, the first structural component 10 and the second structural component 20 require greater load-bearing capacity. Therefore, by adopting a structure in which the degrees of freedom of the first structural component 10 and the degrees of freedom of the second structural component 20 are connected in parallel, the greater load-bearing capacity requirement can be met, and the stiffness of the shoulder joint 100 can be improved.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the third structural component 30 has a third central axis 103. Along the extending direction of the third central axis 103, the other end 202 of the second structural component 20 and the first connecting arm 120 are located on opposite sides of the third structural component 30. The other end 202 of the second structural component 20 is rotatably connected to the third structural component 30, and the first connecting arm 120 is fixedly connected to the third structural component 30. For example, the third structural component 30 can drive the first connecting arm 120 to rotate relative to the second structural component 20 along the third central axis 103.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the elbow joint 200 includes a fourth structural component 40 and a fifth structural component 50 connected to each other, and a first connecting arm 120 extending along the extension direction of the third central axis 103. The elbow joint 200 is connected to the shoulder joint 100 via the first connecting arm 120. One end 1201 of the first connecting arm 120 is connected to the third structural component 30, and the other end 1202 of the first connecting arm 120, away from the shoulder joint 100, is connected to the fourth structural component 40 of the elbow joint 200. Thus, the third structural component 30 can drive the elbow joint 200 to rotate along the third central axis 103 via the first connecting arm 120.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, the fourth structural component 40 has a fourth central axis 104, which can drive the fifth structural component 50 to rotate along the fourth central axis 104. The fifth structural component 50 has a fifth central axis 105, which is perpendicular to and intersects the fourth central axis 104, and can drive the second connecting arm 220 to rotate along the fifth central axis 105. The degrees of freedom of the fourth structural component 40 and the fifth structural component 50 of the elbow joint 200 are connected in parallel, so that the fourth structural component 40 and the fifth structural component 50 can be simultaneously driven to rotate by a driving structure (such as the first elbow joint driving part and the second elbow joint driving part in the subsequent embodiment). For example, according to control needs, the driving force applied by the driving structure can be reasonably distributed between the fourth structural component 40 and the fifth structural component 50, thereby enabling the fourth structural component 40 and the fifth structural component 50 to have a more flexible motion state. For example, the fourth structural component 40 and the fifth structural component 50 require a large load-bearing capacity. Therefore, by adopting a structure in which the degrees of freedom of the fourth structural component 40 and the degrees of freedom of the fifth structural component 50 are connected in parallel, the large load-bearing capacity requirement can be met, and the stiffness of the elbow joint 200 (as shown in Figure 1) can be improved.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, the wrist joint 300 includes a sixth structural component 60 and a seventh structural component 70 connected to each other. One end 2201 of the second connecting arm 220, away from the wrist joint 300, is connected to the fifth structural component 50, and the other end 2202 of the second connecting arm 220, away from the elbow joint 200, is connected to the sixth structural component 60. The sixth structural component 60 has a sixth central axis 106, which can drive the seventh structural component 70 to rotate along the sixth central axis 106. The seventh structural component 70 has a seventh central axis 107, which is perpendicular to and intersects the sixth central axis 106. The seventh structural component 70 is configured to rotate along the seventh central axis 107. The degrees of freedom of the sixth structural component 60 and the seventh structural component 70 are in parallel, thus, the sixth structural component 60 and the seventh structural component 70 can be simultaneously driven to rotate by a driving structure (such as the first wrist joint driving part and the second wrist joint driving part in subsequent embodiments). For example, depending on control requirements, the driving force applied by the drive structure can be rationally distributed between the sixth structural component 60 and the seventh structural component 70, thereby enabling the sixth structural component 60 and the seventh structural component 70 to have more flexible motion states. For example, in the wrist joint 300, the sixth structural component 60 and the seventh structural component 70 require a large load-bearing capacity. Therefore, by adopting a structure in which the degrees of freedom of the sixth structural component 60 and the degrees of freedom of the seventh structural component 70 are connected in parallel, the large load-bearing capacity requirement can be met, and the stiffness of the wrist joint 300 can be improved.

[0042] The robotic arm provided in this disclosure, by connecting the degrees of freedom of the first structural component in the shoulder joint with the degrees of freedom of the second structural component in parallel, connecting the degrees of freedom of the fourth structural component in the elbow joint with the degrees of freedom of the fifth structural component in parallel, and connecting the degrees of freedom of the sixth structural component in the wrist joint with the degrees of freedom of the seventh structural component in parallel, can meet the requirements of high flexibility while making the structure more compact and having strong rigidity and load-bearing capacity.

[0043] For example, as shown in FIG3, the first structural component 10 includes a first sub-structural member 110 and a second sub-structural member 120. The first sub-structural member 110 extends along the extension direction of the first central axis 101, and the second sub-structural member 120 extends along the extension direction of the second central axis 102, and the first sub-structural member 110 and the second sub-structural member 120 are fixedly connected. For example, the first sub-structural member 110 and the second sub-structural member 120 are an integral structure or a separate structure, and the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited in this regard. For example, the first sub-structural member 110 and the second sub-structural member 120 can both be hollow structures to reduce weight. For example, the second sub-structural member 120 is located inside the second structural component 20, and the second sub-structural member 120 is rotatably connected to the second structural component 20, thereby allowing the second structural component 20 to rotate relative to the second sub-structural member 120 along the second central axis 102. Since the first central axis 101 and the second central axis 102 are perpendicular to each other, that is, the extension direction of the first sub-structure 110 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the second sub-structure 120, when the first sub-structure 110 rotates along the first central axis 101, the second sub-structure 120 can also rotate along the first central axis 101 under the drive of the first sub-structure 110. Thus, the first sub-structure 110 can drive the second structural assembly 20 to rotate along the first central axis 101 through the second sub-structure 120.

[0044] This configuration facilitates a good structural match between the second structural component and the second sub-structural member to achieve a rotational connection, and also allows the degrees of freedom of the first structural component and the second structural component to be connected in parallel, resulting in a compact structure with a large load-bearing capacity.

[0045] For example, as shown in FIG2, the third structural component 30 is located on the side of the second structural component 20 away from the first structural component 10, and there is a first distance L1 between the third central axis 103 of the third structural component 30 and the second central axis 102 of the second structural component 20 (e.g., the axis 102 perpendicular to the paper in FIG2). For example, the first central axis 101 and the second central axis 102 intersect at a point, and the distance between this intersection point and the third central axis 103 in the extending direction of the first central axis 101 is L1, so that the third central axis 103 is further away from the first structural component 10 than the second central axis 102.

[0046] With this configuration, when the second structural component drives the first connecting arm to rotate along the second central axis via the third structural component, the space for the third structural component and the first connecting arm to rotate toward the direction closer to the first structural component can be increased, thereby increasing the range of motion of the third structural component and the first connecting arm, and thus enabling more and richer operational activities.

[0047] For example, as shown in Figure 2, in the extension direction of the first central axis 101, the size of the first connecting arm 120 is larger than the first distance L1. For example, the first distance L1 can be set according to the dimensions of the first structural component 10 and the third structural component 30. For example, the first distance L1 can be 20mm to 80mm, such as at least one of 30mm to 40mm, 45mm to 50mm, 55mm to 65mm, and 70mm to 80mm. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this, which helps to ensure that the third structural component 30 and the first connecting arm 120 have a sufficiently large rotation angle, thereby increasing their range of motion.

[0048] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the third central axis 103 of the third structural component 30 is farther from the second central axis 102 than the fourth central axis 104 (e.g., the axis 104 perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2), and there is a second distance L2 between the third central axis 103 and the fourth central axis 104 of the fourth structural component 40. For example, the fourth central axis 104 intersects the fifth central axis 105 at a point, and the distance between this intersection point and the third central axis 103 in the extension direction of the first central axis 101 is L2. For example, the third central axis 103 coincides with the central axis of the first connecting arm 120, and the central axis of the second connecting arm 220 passes through the aforementioned intersection point of the fourth central axis 104 and the fifth central axis 105.

[0049] With this configuration, when the fourth structural component drives the second connecting arm to rotate along the fourth central axis, the space for the second connecting arm to rotate in the direction closer to the second central axis can be increased, thereby increasing the range of motion of the second connecting arm and enabling the robotic arm to perform more and richer operations.

[0050] For example, as shown in Figure 2, in the extension direction of the first central axis 101, the size of the second connecting arm 220 is larger than the second distance L2. For example, the second distance L2 can be set according to the size of the first connecting arm 120 and the second connecting arm 220. For example, the second distance L2 can be 10mm to 50mm, such as at least one of 15mm to 25mm, 20mm to 30mm, and 35mm to 40mm. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this, thereby helping to ensure that the second connecting arm 220 has a sufficiently large rotation angle, thereby increasing its range of motion.

[0051] For example, in the design, the various structural components of the robotic arm can be driven by a drive motor or by a drive rope. However, a single drive method may have some shortcomings. For example, it cannot simultaneously take advantage of the high precision and fast response of the drive motor, as well as the advantages of the drive rope, such as its simple structure and ability to achieve a large range of rotational motion. Therefore, the robotic arm provided in the embodiments of this disclosure adopts a method of driving by a combination of drive motors and drive ropes.

[0052] For example, as shown in Figure 1, any one of the first structural component 10, the second structural component 20, the third structural component 30, the fourth structural component 40, the fifth structural component 50, the sixth structural component 60, and the seventh structural component 70 in the robotic arm can serve as a rotating structural component. The robotic arm also includes a plurality of drive units 3000, which are configured to provide driving force to the rotating structural components to drive them to rotate. For example, the number of drive units 3000 is equal to the number of rotating structural components. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the robotic arm may include seven drive units 3000 to drive the first structural component 10, the second structural component 20, the third structural component 30, the fourth structural component 40, the fifth structural component 50, the sixth structural component 60, and the seventh structural component 70, respectively, but the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0053] For example, as shown in Figure 3, the drive unit 3000 includes a drive motor 302 and a drive rope 304. The drive rope 304 passes around the output shaft 3002 of the drive motor 302 and the rotating structural assembly, so that the rotating structural assembly rotates under the drive of the drive motor 302 and the drive rope 304. That is, the drive motor 302 and the drive rope 304 cooperate with each other. The driving force of the drive motor 302 is transmitted to the rotating structural assembly after passing through the drive rope 304, thereby driving the rotating structural assembly to rotate. For example, the drive motor is equipped with a mechanical transmission mechanism, such as a gearbox. The gearbox may include a transmission structure such as gears to transmit power and change the rotation speed. For example, the drive rope 304 can use its bending and tension to realize the movement of the rotating structural assembly. By reasonably designing the path and tension of the drive rope 304, the smooth rotation of the rotating structural assembly can be achieved.

[0054] As described above, by using a drive motor and a drive rope in combination, the advantages of the drive motor, such as high precision and fast response, can be combined with the advantages of the drive rope, such as simple structure and ability to achieve a wide range of rotational motion. This can make up for the shortcomings of a single drive method and improve the performance and reliability of the rotating structure components.

[0055] For example, as shown in Figure 3, the drive motor 302 has a motor reduction ratio, and the drive rope lock 304 has a rope reduction ratio. Therefore, the reduction ratio of the drive unit 3000 is the product of the motor reduction ratio and the rope reduction ratio. However, on the one hand, when the motor reduction ratio is too small, the driving force of the drive motor may be insufficient, and the rotating structure assembly may not be able to move as expected (especially when a fast response or heavy load is required). At the same time, the inertia of the drive motor is small, while the inertia of the rotating structure assembly is large, which may cause oscillations and thus create an inertia matching problem. On the other hand, when the reduction ratio of the drive motor is too large, the mechanical transmission mechanism (such as the gearbox) inside the drive motor has high damping and noise. When an external force is applied to the robotic arm, the signal corresponding to the external force (such as a current signal) may be significantly attenuated when passing through the mechanical transmission mechanism, resulting in low sensitivity and accuracy of the force control system of the rotating structure assembly, thus reducing the rotating structure assembly's ability to sense and respond to external forces.

[0056] Therefore, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, in the robotic arm provided by the embodiments of this disclosure, the ratio between the motor reduction ratio of the drive motor 302 and the rope lock reduction ratio of the drive rope lock 304 is 1 to 20. For example, the motor reduction ratio of the drive motor 302 can be 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, or 20 times the rope lock reduction ratio of the drive rope lock 304. For example, the ratio between the motor reduction ratio and the rope lock reduction ratio corresponding to the first structural component 10, the second structural component 20, the third structural component 30, the fourth structural component 40, the fifth structural component 50, the sixth structural component 60, and the seventh structural component 70 may not be equal, and the embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this.

[0057] This configuration serves two purposes. First, it allows for a larger reduction ratio in the drive motor, enabling the rotating structural component to receive a sufficiently large driving force. It also reduces the inertia of the rotating structural component relative to the drive motor, thus adjusting the inertia between them and achieving a better match, thereby reducing the risk of oscillation during operation. Second, by controlling the drive motor's reduction ratio to 1-20 times that of the rope lock, the reduction ratio is prevented from becoming excessive, allowing the drive motor to have a sensitive sensing capability and a rapid response to external forces.

[0058] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the motor reduction ratio of the drive motor 302 can be 5 to 20, such as 6, 8, 10, 15, or 20. For example, the rope reduction ratio of the drive rope 304 can be 1 to 5, such as 2, 3, 4, or 5. This disclosure does not limit the specific values ​​of the motor reduction ratio and the rope reduction ratio; they can be set as needed. For example, the motor reduction ratios corresponding to the first structural component 10, the second structural component 20, the third structural component 30, the fourth structural component 40, the fifth structural component 50, the sixth structural component 60, and the seventh structural component 70 can be unequal. For example, the rope lock reduction ratios corresponding to the first structural component 10, the second structural component 20, the third structural component 30, the fourth structural component 40, the fifth structural component 50, the sixth structural component 60, and the seventh structural component 70 can also be unequal; the embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this.

[0059] Therefore, by setting both the motor reduction ratio and the rope reduction ratio within a suitable range, the drive motor can apply a sufficiently large driving force while also having a more sensitive ability to sense external forces and a faster response capability.

[0060] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the multiple drive units 3000 in the robotic arm include a first shoulder joint drive unit 310, a second shoulder joint drive unit 320, and a third shoulder joint drive unit 330 corresponding to the shoulder joint 100. The first shoulder joint drive unit 310 and the second shoulder joint drive unit 320 are configured to simultaneously drive the first structural assembly 10 and the second structural assembly 20. For example, the first shoulder joint drive unit 310 includes a first shoulder joint drive motor 312 and a first shoulder joint lanyard 314, which bypasses the output shaft 3112 of the first shoulder joint drive motor 312 and a portion of the first structural assembly 10, thereby allowing that portion of the first structural assembly 10 to rotate along a first central axis 101. For example, the second shoulder joint drive unit 320 includes a second shoulder joint drive motor 322 and a second shoulder joint cable lock 324. The second shoulder joint cable lock 324 bypasses the output shaft 3222 of the second shoulder joint drive motor 322 and another part of the first structural assembly 10, thereby allowing this other part of the first structural assembly 10 to also rotate along the first central axis 101. For example, the aforementioned part and the other part of the first structural assembly 10 can rotate independently, and can drive the second structural assembly 20 to rotate along the second central axis 102.

[0061] For example, as shown in Figure 3, the third shoulder joint drive unit 330 is located on the side of the third structural assembly 30 closer to the second structural assembly 20 and is configured to drive the third structural assembly 30. The third shoulder joint drive unit 330 includes a third shoulder joint drive motor 332 and a third shoulder joint cable lock. The third shoulder joint cable lock bypasses the output shaft (not shown) of the third shoulder joint drive motor 332 and the third structural assembly 30, so that the rotational speed of the third shoulder joint drive motor 332 is transmitted to the third shoulder joint cable lock through its output shaft, and then a driving force is applied to the third structural assembly 30 so that the third structural assembly 30 can rotate along the third central axis 103. For example, the third shoulder joint drive unit 330 can drive the third structural assembly 30 independently, which helps to simplify the design structure.

[0062] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the multiple drive units 3000 in the robotic arm also include a first elbow joint drive unit 340 and a second elbow joint drive unit 350 corresponding to the elbow joint 200. The first elbow joint drive unit 340 and the second elbow joint drive unit 350 are configured to simultaneously drive the fourth structural assembly 40 and the fifth structural assembly 50. For example, the fourth structural assembly 40 includes a first rotating wheel 345 and a second rotating wheel 347, and the rotation axes of the first rotating wheel 345 and the second rotating wheel 347 are both the fourth central axis 104.

[0063] For example, as shown in Figure 4, the first elbow joint drive unit 340 includes a first elbow joint drive motor 342 and a first elbow joint rope 344. The first elbow joint rope 344 passes around the output shaft of the first elbow joint motor 342 and a first rotating wheel 345. The rotational speed of the first elbow joint drive motor 342 is transmitted to the first elbow joint rope 344 through its output shaft, and then a driving force is applied to the first rotating wheel 345 through the first elbow joint rope 344, so that the first rotating wheel 345 can rotate along the fourth central axis 104. Similarly, the second elbow joint drive unit 350 includes a second elbow joint drive motor 352 and a second elbow joint rope 354. The second elbow joint rope 354 passes around the output shaft 3552 of the second elbow joint motor 352 and a second rotating wheel 347. The rotational speed of the second elbow joint drive motor 352 is transmitted to the second elbow joint rope 354 through its output shaft, and then a driving force is applied to the second rotating wheel 347 through the second elbow joint rope 354, so that the second rotating wheel 347 can rotate along the fourth central axis 104.

[0064] For example, as shown in Figure 4, a portion 501 of the fifth structural component 50 is located between the first rotating wheel 345 and the second rotating wheel 347, and this portion 501 of the fifth structural component 50 is connected to the first rotating wheel 345 and the second rotating wheel 347 respectively, so that the first rotating wheel 345 and the second rotating wheel 347 can drive the fourth structural component 40 to rotate along the fourth central axis 104. For example, the first rotating wheel 345 and the second rotating wheel 347 respectively cooperate with another portion 502 of the fifth structural component 50 to drive the fifth structural component 50 to rotate along the fifth central axis 105. For example, when the rotational speed of the first rotating wheel 345 is the same as the rotational speed of the second rotating wheel 347, the fourth structural component 40 can drive the fifth structural component 50 to rotate along the fourth central axis 104, at which time the fifth structural component 50 does not rotate along the fifth central axis. For example, when the rotational speed of the first rotating wheel 345 and the rotational speed of the second rotating wheel 347 have a certain difference, the fifth structural component 50 can rotate along the fifth central axis 105.

[0065] As described above, by connecting the first and second rotating wheels of the fourth structural component to a part of the fifth structural component and rotating them in conjunction with another part of the fifth structural component, the first and second elbow joint drive units can simultaneously drive and control the fourth and fifth structural components. This facilitates a flexible and reasonable distribution of the driving force output by the first and second elbow joint drive units in the fourth and fifth structural components, thereby achieving parallel connection of the degrees of freedom of the fourth and fifth structural components.

[0066] For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, the first connecting arm 120 extends along the extension direction of the third central axis 103, and the first elbow joint drive part 340 and the second elbow joint drive part 350 are sequentially arranged within the first connecting arm 120 along the third central axis 103. This arrangement helps to reduce the outer diameter of the first connecting arm 120, thereby reducing its volume, and also helps to increase the range of rotation angles of the first connecting arm 120 along the second central axis 102, making the movement of the first connecting arm 120 more flexible.

[0067] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the multiple drive units in the robotic arm also include a first wrist joint drive unit 360 and a second wrist joint drive unit 370 corresponding to the wrist joint. The first wrist joint drive unit 360 and the second wrist joint drive unit 370 are configured to simultaneously drive the sixth structural assembly 60 and the seventh structural assembly 70. For example, the sixth structural assembly 60 includes a third rotating wheel 365 and a fourth rotating wheel 367, and the rotation axes of the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367 are both the sixth central axis 106.

[0068] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the first wrist joint drive unit 360 includes a first wrist joint drive motor 362 and a first wrist joint cable 364. The first wrist joint cable 364 passes around the output shaft 3662 of the first wrist joint motor 362 and a third rotating wheel 365. The rotational speed of the first wrist joint drive motor 362 is transmitted to the first wrist joint cable 364 through its output shaft, and then a driving force is applied to the third rotating wheel 365 through the first wrist joint cable 364, so that the third rotating wheel 365 can rotate along the sixth central axis 106. Similarly, the second wrist joint drive unit 370 includes a second wrist joint drive motor 372 and a second wrist joint cable (not shown in the figure). The second wrist joint cable passes around the output shaft of the second wrist joint motor 372 and a fourth rotating wheel 367. The rotational speed of the second wrist joint drive motor 372 is transmitted to the second wrist joint cable through its output shaft, and then a driving force is applied to the fourth rotating wheel 367 through the second wrist joint cable, so that the fourth rotating wheel 367 can rotate along the sixth central axis 106.

[0069] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the seventh structural component 70 is located between the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367, and rotates under the drive of the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367. For example, the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367 cooperate with the seventh structural component 70 respectively. When the rotational speeds of the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367 are the same, the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367 drive the seventh structural component 70 to rotate together along the sixth central axis 106. For example, when the rotational speeds of the third rotating wheel 365 and the fourth rotating wheel 367 have a certain difference, the seventh structural component 70 can rotate along the seventh central axis 107.

[0070] For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the second connecting arm 220 extends along the extension direction of the fifth central axis 105, and the first wrist joint drive part 360 and the second wrist joint drive part 370 are arranged sequentially within the second connecting arm 220 along the fifth central axis 105. This arrangement helps to reduce the outer diameter of the second connecting arm 220, thereby reducing its volume, and also helps to increase the range of rotation angles of the second connecting arm 220 along the fourth central axis 104, making the movement of the second connecting arm 220 more flexible.

[0071] At least one embodiment of this disclosure also provides a robot, which includes the robotic arm described in any of the foregoing embodiments. For example, the robot may include a body and two robotic arms symmetrically arranged on both sides of the body, the two robotic arms working together to complete various operations. Since the robot includes the robotic arm in any of the foregoing embodiments, it also has the technical effects brought by the aforementioned robotic arm, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0072] The following points need to be explained:

[0073] (1) The accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this disclosure only involve the structures involved in the embodiments of this disclosure, and other structures can be referred to the general design.

[0074] (2) Where there is no conflict, features of the same embodiment and different embodiments of this disclosure may be combined with each other.

[0075] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure, which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A robotic arm, comprising: A shoulder joint includes a first structural component, a second structural component, and a third structural component, wherein one end of the second structural component is connected to the first structural component, and the other end of the second structural component is connected to the third structural component; A first connecting arm, one end of which is connected to the third structural component; The elbow joint includes a fourth structural component and a fifth structural component connected to each other, the fourth structural component being connected to the other end of the first connecting arm away from the shoulder joint; The second connecting arm, one end of which is connected to the fifth structural component; as well as The wrist joint includes a sixth structural component and a seventh structural component connected to each other, the sixth structural component being connected to the other end of the second connecting arm remote from the elbow joint. In this configuration, the first structural component is configured to drive the second structural component to rotate along its first central axis, the second structural component is configured to drive the third structural component to rotate along its second central axis, and the third structural component is configured to drive the first connecting arm to rotate along its third central axis. The first and second central axes are perpendicular to each other and intersect. The degrees of freedom of the first structural component are in parallel with those of the second structural component. The fourth structural component is configured to drive the fifth structural component to rotate along its fourth central axis, and the fifth structural component is configured to drive the second connecting arm to rotate along its fifth central axis. The fourth and fifth central axes are perpendicular to each other and intersect. The degrees of freedom of the fourth structural component are in parallel with those of the fifth structural component. The sixth structural component is configured to drive the seventh structural component to rotate along its sixth central axis, and the seventh structural component is configured to rotate along its seventh central axis. The sixth central axis and the seventh central axis are perpendicular to each other and intersect each other. The degrees of freedom of the sixth structural component are in parallel with the degrees of freedom of the seventh structural component.

2. The robotic arm according to claim 1, wherein, The first structural component includes a first sub-structural component and a second sub-structural component. The first sub-structural component extends along the extension direction of the first central axis, and the second sub-structural component extends along the extension direction of the second central axis. The first sub-structural component and the second sub-structural component are fixedly connected. The second sub-structure is located inside the second structural assembly, and the second sub-structure is rotatably connected to the second structural assembly, such that the first sub-structure drives the second structural assembly to rotate along the first central axis through the second sub-structure, and causes the second structural assembly to rotate relative to the second sub-structure along the second central axis.

3. The robotic arm according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The third structural component is located on the side of the second structural component away from the first structural component, and there is a first distance between the third central axis of the third structural component and the second central axis of the second structural component.

4. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The third central axis is farther away from the second central axis than the fourth central axis, and there is a second distance between the third central axis and the fourth central axis.

5. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The robotic arm includes a rotating structural assembly, wherein any one of the first structural assembly, the second structural assembly, the third structural assembly, the fourth structural assembly, the fifth structural assembly, the sixth structural assembly, and the seventh structural assembly is the rotating structural assembly. The robotic arm further includes multiple drive units, each including a drive motor and a drive rope. The drive rope passes around the output shaft of the drive motor and the rotating structure assembly, so that the rotating structure assembly rotates under the drive of the drive motor and the drive rope.

6. The robotic arm according to claim 5, wherein, The drive motor has a motor reduction ratio, the drive rope lock has a rope reduction ratio, and the ratio between the motor reduction ratio and the rope reduction ratio is 1 to 20.

7. The robotic arm according to claim 6, wherein, The motor reduction ratio is 5 to 20; and / or the rope reduction ratio is 1 to 5.

8. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein, The plurality of driving units include a first shoulder joint driving unit, a second shoulder joint driving unit, and a third shoulder joint driving unit. The first and second shoulder joint driving units are configured to simultaneously drive the first structural component and the second structural component, and the third shoulder joint driving unit is configured to drive the third structural component. The first shoulder joint drive unit includes a first shoulder joint drive motor and a first shoulder joint cable lock, the first shoulder joint cable lock passing around the output shaft of the first shoulder joint drive motor and a part of the first structural assembly. The second shoulder joint drive unit includes a second shoulder joint drive motor and a second shoulder joint cable lock. The second shoulder joint cable lock bypasses the output shaft of the second shoulder joint drive motor and another part of the first structural assembly. The first part and the other part of the first structural assembly are configured to rotate independently. The third shoulder joint drive unit includes a third shoulder joint drive motor and a third shoulder joint rope lock, the third shoulder joint rope lock bypassing the output shaft of the third shoulder joint drive motor and the third structural component.

9. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein, The plurality of driving units include a first elbow joint driving unit and a second elbow joint driving unit, wherein the first elbow joint driving unit and the second elbow joint driving unit are configured to simultaneously drive the fourth structural component and the fifth structural component. The fourth structural component includes a first rotating wheel and a second rotating wheel, wherein the rotation axis of both the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel is the fourth central axis. The first elbow joint drive unit includes a first elbow joint drive motor and a first elbow joint cable, the first elbow joint cable passing around the output shaft of the first elbow joint motor and the first rotating wheel. The second elbow joint drive unit includes a second elbow joint drive motor and a second elbow joint cable, the second elbow joint cable passing around the output shaft of the second elbow joint motor and the second rotating wheel. A portion of the fifth structural component is located between the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are respectively connected to the portion of the fifth structural component to drive the fourth structural component to rotate along the fourth central axis. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are respectively engaged with another portion of the fifth structural component to drive the fifth structural component to rotate along the fifth central axis.

10. The robotic arm according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein, The plurality of driving units include a first wrist joint driving unit and a second wrist joint driving unit, which are configured to simultaneously drive the sixth structural component and the seventh structural component. The sixth structural component includes a third rotating wheel and a fourth rotating wheel, the rotation axes of which are both the sixth central axis. The first wrist joint drive unit includes a first wrist joint drive motor and a first wrist joint cable, the first wrist joint cable passing around the output shaft of the first wrist joint motor and the third rotating wheel. The second wrist joint drive unit includes a second wrist joint drive motor and a second wrist joint cable, the second wrist joint cable passing around the output shaft of the second wrist joint motor and the fourth rotating wheel. The seventh structural component is located between the third and fourth rotating wheels and rotates under the drive of the third and fourth rotating wheels.

11. The robotic arm according to claim 9, wherein, The first connecting arm extends along the extension direction of the third central axis, and the first elbow joint drive part and the second elbow joint drive part are arranged sequentially within the first connecting arm along the third central axis.

12. The robotic arm according to claim 10, wherein, The second connecting arm extends along the extension direction of the fifth central axis, and the first wrist joint drive part and the second wrist joint drive part are arranged sequentially within the second connecting arm along the fifth central axis.

13. The robotic arm according to claim 3, wherein, The first distance is 20mm to 80mm.

14. The robotic arm according to claim 4, wherein, The second distance is 10mm to 50mm.

15. A robot comprising the robotic arm as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

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