Sensor structure
By replacing LED beads with optical material layers in the visual-touch sensor, the problem of uneven visual image capture effect is solved, achieving a more uniform light distribution and a larger area of rigid transparent plate and flexible touch component, thus improving image quality and structural compactness.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI VITAI TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-25
AI Technical Summary
The current illumination method of visual tactile sensors results in uneven visual image capture, affecting image quality.
Optical material layers are evenly distributed on the circumferential surface of a rigid transparent plate to replace traditional LED beads. Combined with flexible touch components and vision components, this improves light uniformity and increases the area of the rigid transparent plate and flexible touch components.
It achieves improved uniformity in visual image capture, has a compact structure, and is suitable for applications with limited space.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025119905_25062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Sensor Structure Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of sensor technology, and specifically relates to a visual-tactile sensor. Background Technology
[0002] When robots perceive external objects, they rely on visual-tactile sensors. A visual-tactile sensor is a sensor that can convert visual images into tactile information. It can sense information such as the shape and texture of an object's surface, and at the same time measure the contact force during interaction.
[0003] The housing of the visual-tactile sensor includes a silicone block and a transparent plate for supporting it. Inside the housing are a light source and a camera. The light source provides illumination for the camera to ensure effective image capture. In existing technology, illumination typically uses red, green, and blue LED strips. However, inconsistent brightness or color among the LEDs in the strips leads to uneven light emission, affecting image capture. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing technology to overcome these shortcomings. Technical issues
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a sensor structure that can effectively improve the visual image capture effect. Technical solutions
[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a sensor structure, comprising: a housing, including at least a main housing and a side panel disposed on the main housing, wherein the main housing and the side panel are detachably connected and form a first receiving cavity; a tactile component disposed on the side panel, wherein the side panel has a mounting opening communicating with the first receiving cavity, the tactile component including a rigid transparent plate covering the mounting opening and a flexible touch element covering the rigid transparent plate, the flexible touch element being exposed on the outside of the housing, and the side panel and the tactile component forming a side panel assembly; vision. An assembly, disposed within the first receiving cavity, is used to acquire images of the deformation generated by the flexible touch component; wherein, the surface of the rigid transparent plate extending along the through direction of the mounting opening is its circumferential surface, and the side plate assembly is further provided with a light source assembly acting on the circumferential surface, the light source assembly including a light source disposed on the side plate and an optical material layer disposed on the circumferential surface, the optical material layer being configured to convert the received light from the light source into light with a preset color, the preset color being the color inherent to the optical material layer, and the space where the light source is located is independent of the first receiving cavity.
[0006] Preferably, the main housing has a side opening and a top opening, the side panel is located at the side opening, the housing also includes a top plate, the top plate is detachably disposed at the top opening and located above the main housing and the side panel, wherein the top surface of the top plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes.
[0007] Preferably, the light source is located on one side of one of the circumferential surfaces of the rigid transparent plate, such that the circumferential surface becomes the only light-incident surface of the rigid transparent plate;
[0008] The optical material layer is provided on at least one of the remaining circumferential surfaces of the rigid transparent plate; all circumferential surfaces except the light-incident surface abut against the wall of the mounting opening.
[0009] Preferably, the rigid transparent plate has three circumferential surfaces on which the optical material layer is provided, wherein the optical material layer on each circumferential surface has a different color, and the optical material layer on each circumferential surface has only one color, and the color of the optical material layer includes at least red, green and blue.
[0010] Preferably, the optical material layer is a fluorescent material layer fixed on the circumferential surface.
[0011] Preferably, the circumferential surface is provided with a limiting flange protruding outward in a direction perpendicular to the through direction, and the outer wall of the side panel is recessed along the through direction to form a groove that cooperates with the limiting flange; wherein, the surface of the rigid transparent plate that abuts against the flexible touch component is flush with the outer wall of the side panel.
[0012] Preferably, the rigid transparent plate is a square plate, and the limiting protrusions are distributed on the top and both sides of the rigid transparent plate.
[0013] Preferably, a groove is recessed in the side panel, the groove is connected to the mounting opening in a direction perpendicular to the through direction, the light source is disposed in the groove, wherein the groove forms an opening on the inner wall of the side panel, and a light-shielding strip is provided at the opening, the light-shielding strip is configured to prevent the light from the light source from entering the first receiving cavity.
[0014] Preferably, the vision component includes a camera module and a reflector disposed below the camera module and facing the rigid transparent plate, wherein the reflector and the rigid transparent plate are distributed at an acute angle.
[0015] The camera module is positioned facing the reflector and at an acute angle to the horizontal plane.
[0016] Preferably, the flexible touch component includes a transparent elastomer layer near the rigid transparent plate, a marking layer laid on the transparent elastomer layer, a reflective layer disposed on the marking layer, and a protective layer disposed on the reflective layer; wherein the marking layer includes a plurality of MARK dots, the plurality of MARK dots being a black dot matrix, and the reflective layer being white. Beneficial effects
[0017] The technical solution provided by this invention has the following advantages:
[0018] The optical material layer is evenly distributed across the entire circumferential surface, resulting in more uniform light distribution and eliminating the problem of uneven lighting caused by external environmental factors, thus effectively improving the visual image capture effect. Furthermore, the side panels eliminate the need for colored LED beads, making the structure more compact and allowing for a larger area for the rigid transparent panel and flexible touch components within limited space. Attached Figure Description
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0020] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the sensor structure provided by the present invention from a first perspective.
[0021] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the sensor structure provided by the present invention from a second perspective.
[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of Figure 1;
[0023] Figure 4 is an exploded structural diagram of the sensor structure provided by the present invention;
[0024] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel from a first-view perspective;
[0025] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel from a second perspective;
[0026] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel from a third-view perspective;
[0027] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible touch component;
[0028] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a rigid transparent plate from a first-view perspective;
[0029] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a rigid transparent plate from a second perspective;
[0030] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the shell;
[0031] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure between the camera module and the main housing. Embodiments of the present invention
[0032] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.
[0033] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.
[0034] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction of the component itself; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this invention.
[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the present invention provides a sensor structure, which is a visual-tactile sensor. The sensor structure includes: a housing 100, a tactile component 200 and a visual component 300. The visual component 300 is disposed inside the housing 100, and the tactile component 200 is disposed on the shell wall of the housing 100.
[0036] The housing 100 includes a main housing 110, a side panel 120, and a top plate 130. The main housing 110 has side and top openings, meaning it has a side opening and a top opening. The side panel 120 is located at the side opening of the main housing 110, and the main housing 110 and the side panel 120 are detachably connected and enclose a first receiving cavity 140. The top plate 130 is detachably located at the top opening and is situated above the main housing 110 and the side panel 120. The top plate 130 makes the first receiving cavity 140 a closed chamber, and the vision assembly 300 is disposed within the first receiving cavity 140. The top surface of the top plate 130 has multiple mounting holes 131 for connecting to an external robotic arm.
[0037] The tactile component 200 is disposed on the side panel 120, and the side panel 120 and the tactile component 200 form a side panel assembly. In this embodiment, the main housing 110, the side panel 120 and the top plate 130 are detachably connected by fasteners. Therefore, when the tactile component 200 needs to be replaced, the side panel 120 can be removed from the main housing 110 and the top plate 130, which has the advantages of convenient disassembly and replacement.
[0038] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a first mounting hole 125 is provided at the bottom corner of the inner wall of the side panel 120, and a first fastener 111 is provided at the bottom corner of the main housing 110 to mate with the first mounting hole 125. As shown in Figure 3, a second mounting hole 112 is provided at the top of the main housing 110, a third mounting hole 126 is provided at the top of the side panel 120, and second fasteners 132 are provided at the four corners of the top plate 130, which mate with the second mounting holes 112 and 126. A first protrusion is provided on the inner wall of the top of the main housing 110, and the second mounting hole 112 is provided on the first protrusion. A second protrusion is provided on the inner wall of the top of the side panel 120, and the third mounting hole 126 is provided on the second protrusion. When it is necessary to disassemble the side panel assembly, simply loosen the second fastener 132 corresponding to the second mounting hole 112 and the first fastener 111 on the main housing 110 to replace the side panel 120 and the tactile component 200.
[0039] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the side panel 120 has a mounting opening 121, which communicates with the first receiving cavity 140. Specifically, the tactile component 200 includes a rigid transparent plate 210 covering the mounting opening 121 and a flexible touch element 220 covering the rigid transparent plate 210, with the flexible touch element 220 exposed on the outside of the housing 100. Preferably, the rigid transparent plate 210 can be a transparent acrylic plate or transparent glass, etc. The flexible touch element 220 can be made of silicone, latex, gel, etc. When the flexible touch element 220 comes into contact with an object to be grasped (not shown), the flexible touch element 220 can produce elastic deformation. The vision component 300 is used to capture images of the deformation produced by the flexible touch element 220.
[0040] As shown in Figure 8, the flexible touch component 220 includes a transparent elastomer layer 221 near the rigid transparent plate 210, a marking layer 222 laid on the transparent elastomer layer 221, a reflective layer 223 disposed on the marking layer 222, and a protective layer 224 disposed on the reflective layer 223. The marking layer 222 can be a single layer or multiple layers. The marking layer 222 includes a plurality of MARK dots, some of which are black. The reflective layer 223 is white. The contrast between black and white increases image contrast, making it easier for the vision component 300 to capture clear images.
[0041] The reflective layer 223 is a thin film attached to the transparent elastomer layer 221 and located on the side of the marking layer 222 away from the transparent elastomer layer 221. The reflective layer 223 is a mirror coating made of copper or aluminum sheet paint, capable of forming a semi-mirror reflection. When light emitted from the optical material layer 212 encounters the reflective layer 223, the reflective layer 223 can brighten the light. In other words, the reflective layer 223, in conjunction with the optical material layer 212, increases the brightness of the light, further improving the illumination effect. Furthermore, the mirror coating (reflective layer 223) is more sensitive to minute surface-up changes, providing a higher contrast signal, thereby effectively improving the imaging effect of the vision component 300. The reflective layer 223 can be sprayed onto the surface of the transparent elastomer layer 221 using a spray bottle under high pressure, or a metal thin film can be deposited on the surface of the transparent elastomer layer 221 using a sputtering process.
[0042] The protective layer 224 includes a silicone layer disposed on the reflective layer 223, and a fabric and medical tape layer disposed on the silicone layer. The fabric and medical tape layers not only provide protection for the reflective layer 223, but also increase signal strength.
[0043] Further, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the surface of the rigid transparent plate 210 extending along the through direction of the mounting opening 121 is its circumferential surface 211, and the side panel assembly is also provided with a light source assembly acting on the circumferential surface 211. The light source assembly includes a light source disposed on the side panel 120 and an optical material layer 212 disposed on the circumferential surface 211. The optical material layer 212 is used to convert the light emitted by the received light source into light with a preset color, wherein the preset color is the color inherent to the optical material layer 212 itself.
[0044] The optical material layer 212 is continuously and uniformly distributed across the entire circumferential surface 211, resulting in more uniform light distribution and preventing uneven light distribution due to external environmental influences. In traditional LED chip configurations, the chips are spaced apart. Even with small spacing, the aforementioned gaps still exist between adjacent chips, causing some areas to be brighter than others, resulting in brightness differences and uneven light distribution. The uniform distribution of the optical material layer 212 effectively avoids this brightness difference problem, providing the advantage of uniform light emission. Furthermore, since there is no need to use colored LED chips, the structure is more compact, allowing for a larger area of the rigid transparent plate 210 and the flexible touch component 220 within limited space.
[0045] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a groove 123 is recessed in the side panel 120, and the groove 123 is connected to the mounting opening 121 in a direction perpendicular to the through direction. The light source is disposed in the groove 123, wherein the groove 123 has an opening formed on the inner wall of the side panel 120, and a light-shielding strip 124 is provided at the opening to prevent the light from the light source from entering the first receiving cavity 140.
[0046] It is worth noting that the space where the light source is located is independent of the first receiving cavity 140, thereby avoiding the light source from affecting the vision component 300 within the first receiving cavity 140. The light source is used to illuminate the circumferential surface 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210. The purpose of avoiding illuminating the two end surfaces of the rigid transparent plate 210 is to prevent the light from affecting the imaging of the vision component 300 and thus affecting the quality of the captured image. The aforementioned "two end surfaces" refer to surfaces parallel to the rigid transparent plate 210.
[0047] The optical material layer 212 is disposed on the circumferential surface 211 in the following ways: First, the optical material layer 212 is disposed on only one circumferential surface 211; Second, the optical material layer 212 is disposed on at least one circumferential surface 211, which can be disposed on two circumferential surfaces 211, three circumferential surfaces 211, four circumferential surfaces 211, etc.
[0048] Preferably, the light source is located on one side of one of the circumferential surfaces 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210, such that the aforementioned circumferential surface 211 is the only light-incident surface of the rigid transparent plate 210, that is, the rigid transparent plate 210 has only one light-incident surface. At least one of the remaining circumferential surfaces 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210 is provided with an optical material layer 212, wherein all circumferential surfaces 211 except the light-incident surface abut against the wall of the mounting opening 121.
[0049] Furthermore, the rigid transparent plate 210 is a square plate with four circumferential surfaces 211. One circumferential surface 211 is the light-incident surface, and the other three circumferential surfaces 211 are each provided with an optical material layer 212. The optical material layer on each circumferential surface 211 has a different color, and the optical material layer 212 on each circumferential surface 211 has only one color. The color of the optical material layer 212 includes at least red, green, and blue.
[0050] In one embodiment, one of the three circumferential surfaces 211 is provided with a red optical material layer 212, another with a green optical material layer 212, and the third with a blue optical material layer 212. Preferably, the top circumferential surface 211 of the rigid transparent plate 210 is the light-incident surface, and the three circumferential surfaces 211 on the sides and bottom are provided with optical material layers 212. That is, there is no need to set colored LED beads on the three circumferential surfaces 211 on the sides and bottom, so that the bottom circumferential surface 211 can be closer to the bottom of the side panel 120, which is beneficial for grasping small objects.
[0051] When light emitted from the light source strikes the three circumferential surfaces 211 in different directions, the optical material layers 212 on the three circumferential surfaces 211 convert the light from the light source into red, green, and blue colors before directing it onto the rigid transparent plate 210 and the flexible touch component 220. The red, green, and blue light makes the deformation image of the flexible touch component 220 captured by the vision component 300 clearer. The color of the optical material layer 212 can also be other colors besides red, green, and blue, such as yellow, purple, and cyan.
[0052] Of course, the optical material layer 212 on each circumferential surface 211 can also have different colors. For example, red, green, and blue optical material layers 212 can be present on the same circumferential surface 211, with the red, green, and blue optical material layers 212 distributed alternately on the same circumferential surface 211. The color of the optical material layer 212 and the arrangement of the colors are not limited and can be determined according to the actual application.
[0053] The optical material layer 212 is a fluorescent material layer fixed on the circumferential surface 211. The fluorescent material layer is fixed on the circumferential surface 211 by means of adhesive, spraying or other methods to form an integral whole with the rigid transparent plate 210, which can be easily installed on the side panel 120, effectively simplifying the installation steps.
[0054] To facilitate the installation and positioning of the rigid transparent panel 210 on the side panel 120, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a limiting flange 213 protrudes outward from the circumferential surface 211 of the rigid transparent panel 210 in a direction perpendicular to the penetration direction. A recessed groove 122, which mates with the limiting flange 213, is formed on the outer wall of the side panel 120 along the penetration direction. After the rigid transparent panel 210 is installed, the limiting flange 213 is located within the groove 122, thus achieving the purpose of installation positioning. The limiting flange 213 is distributed on the top and both sides of the rigid transparent panel 210.
[0055] The surface of the rigid transparent plate 210 that abuts against the flexible touch component 220 is flush with the outer wall of the side panel 120. If the rigid transparent plate 210 is lower than the outer wall of the side panel 120, when the deformation of the flexible touch component 220 is large, the object to be grasped is prone to interference with the outer wall of the side panel 120. If the rigid transparent plate 210 is higher than the outer wall of the side panel 120, that is, part of the rigid transparent plate 210 is exposed to the external environment, the external environment will affect the rigid transparent plate 210, thereby affecting the image acquisition effect of the vision component 300.
[0056] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the vision component 300 includes a camera module 310 and a reflector 320 disposed below the camera module 310 and facing the rigid transparent plate 210, with the reflector 320 and the rigid transparent plate 210 forming an acute angle. The camera module 310 is positioned facing the reflector 320 and forming an acute angle with the horizontal plane. The camera module 310, the tactile component 200, and the reflector 320 are each located on one side of an obtuse triangle. This arrangement not only facilitates image capture by the camera module 310 but also makes the housing 100 narrower and more compact.
[0057] Furthermore, the camera module 310 includes a lens circuit board 312, a camera 311 disposed on the bottom surface of the lens circuit board 312, and a power supply circuit board 313 disposed above the lens circuit board 312. The vertical distribution of the power supply circuit board 313 and the lens circuit board 312 makes the overall structure more compact.
[0058] As shown in Figure 12, a pair of symmetrical protrusions 113 are provided on the inner wall of the main housing 110. The camera module 310 is located in the first receiving cavity 140 through the pair of protrusions 113, and the reflector 320 is located below the pair of protrusions 113. A wire clamp 114 is also provided above the protrusions 113. The wire clamp 114 is used to bundle the cables in the first receiving cavity 140 into a bundle to avoid the cables from being messy. A U-shaped cable routing groove is also recessed downward at the top of the main housing 110. A rubber seal 115 is provided in the cable routing groove. The rubber seal 115 has a cable routing hole 1151. The bundled cables extend to the outside of the housing 100 through the cable routing hole 1151.
[0059] Obviously, the embodiments described above are merely some, not all, embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications without creative effort, and all such variations or modifications should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A sensor structure, characterized by include: The housing (100) includes at least a main housing (110) and a side panel (120) disposed on the main housing (110), wherein the main housing (110) and the side panel (120) are detachably connected and enclose a first receiving cavity (140). A tactile component (200) is disposed on the side panel (120). The side panel (120) has a mounting opening (121) that communicates with the first receiving cavity (140). The tactile component (200) includes a rigid transparent plate (210) covering the mounting opening (121) and a flexible touch element (220) covering the rigid transparent plate (210). The flexible touch element (220) is exposed on the outside of the housing (100). The side panel (120) and the tactile component (200) together form a side panel assembly. A vision component (300) is disposed within the first receiving cavity (140) for acquiring images of the deformation generated by the flexible touch component (220); The rigid transparent plate (210) has a circumferential surface (211) extending along the through direction of the mounting opening (121). The side panel assembly is also provided with a light source assembly acting on the circumferential surface (211). The light source assembly includes a light source disposed on the side panel (120) and an optical material layer (212) disposed on the circumferential surface (211). The optical material layer (212) is configured to convert the light received from the light source into light with a preset color. The preset color is the color of the optical material layer (212) itself. The space where the light source is located is independent of the first receiving cavity (140).
2. The sensor structure of claim 1, wherein, The main housing (110) has a side opening and a top opening. The side panel (120) is located at the side opening. The housing (100) also includes a top plate (130). The top plate (130) is detachably disposed at the top opening and is located above the main housing (110) and the side panel (120). The top surface of the top plate (130) is provided with a plurality of mounting holes (131).
3. The sensor structure of claim 1, wherein, The light source is located on one side of one of the circumferential surfaces (211) of the rigid transparent plate (210), such that the circumferential surface (211) is the only light-incident surface of the rigid transparent plate (210); The optical material layer (212) is provided on at least one of the remaining circumferential surfaces (211) of the rigid transparent plate (210); all the circumferential surfaces (211) except the light-incident surface are in contact with the wall of the mounting opening (121).
4. The sensor structure of claim 3, wherein, The rigid transparent plate (210) has three circumferential surfaces (211) on which the optical material layer (212) is provided. The optical material layer on each circumferential surface (211) has a different color, and the optical material layer on each circumferential surface (211) has only one color. The color of the optical material layer includes at least red, green and blue.
5. The sensor structure of claim 1, wherein, The optical material layer is a fluorescent material layer fixed on the circumferential surface (211).
6. The sensor structure of claim 1, wherein, The circumferential surface (211) is provided with a limiting protrusion (213) protruding outward in a direction perpendicular to the through direction, and the outer wall of the side panel (120) is recessed along the through direction to form a groove (122) that cooperates with the limiting protrusion (213). The surface of the rigid transparent plate (210) that abuts against the flexible touch element (220) is flush with the outer wall of the side panel (120).
7. The sensor structure of claim 6, wherein, The rigid transparent plate (210) is a square plate, and the limiting protrusions (213) are distributed on the top and both sides of the rigid transparent plate (210).
8. The sensor structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A groove (123) is recessed in the side panel (120). The groove (123) is connected to the mounting port (121) in a direction perpendicular to the through direction. The light source is disposed in the groove (123). The groove (123) has an opening on the inner wall of the side panel (120). A light-shielding strip (124) is provided at the opening. The light-shielding strip (124) is configured to prevent the light from the light source from entering the first receiving cavity (140).
9. The sensor structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vision component (300) includes a camera module (310) and a reflector (320) disposed below the camera module (310) and facing the rigid transparent plate (210), wherein the reflector (320) and the rigid transparent plate (210) are distributed at an acute angle. The camera module (310) is positioned facing the reflector (320) and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane.
10. The sensor structure of claim 1, wherein, The flexible touch component (220) includes a transparent elastomer layer (221) near the rigid transparent plate (210), a marking layer (222) laid on the transparent elastomer layer (221), a reflective layer (223) disposed on the marking layer (222), and a protective layer (224) disposed on the reflective layer (223). The marking layer (222) includes a plurality of MARK points, wherein the plurality of MARK points are a black dot matrix, and the reflective layer (223) is white.