Detailed Description
In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only examples or embodiments of the invention, from which it is possible for a person skilled in the art, without inventive effort, to apply the invention to other similar contexts. Unless otherwise apparent from the context, or otherwise indicated, like reference numbers in the figures refer to the same structure or operation.
It should be understood that "system", "apparatus", "unit" and/or "module" as used herein is a method for distinguishing different components, elements, parts, portions or assemblies at different levels. However, other words may be substituted by other expressions if they accomplish the same purpose.
As used in this disclosure and in the claims, the terms "a," "an," "the," and/or "the" are not intended to be inclusive in the singular, but rather are inclusive in the plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In general, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" merely indicate that steps and elements are included which are explicitly identified, that the steps and elements do not form an exclusive list, and that a method or apparatus may include other steps or elements.
Flow charts are used in the present invention to illustrate the operations performed by a system according to embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the preceding or following operations are not necessarily performed in the exact order in which they are performed. Rather, the various steps may be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. Meanwhile, other operations may be added to the processes, or a certain step or several steps of operations may be removed from the processes.
Fig. 1 and 2 are schematic structural views of a mechanical arm device according to some embodiments of the invention.
The mechanical arm device comprises a first mechanical arm 1, a second mechanical arm 3 and a connecting piece 2, wherein the second mechanical arm 3 is detachably connected with the connecting piece 2. In some embodiments, the first robot arm 1 is circular in cross-section, the corresponding link 2 is circular in cross-section, and the second robot arm 3 is circular in cross-section.
One end of the first mechanical arm 1 is provided with a sliding groove 11, a stopping part 12 and a locking part 13, and the other end of the first mechanical arm 1 is kept fixed. The chute 11 is disposed on a side surface of the first robot arm 1 along the circumferential direction, the stopper portions 12 are disposed at both ends of the chute 11 along the circumferential direction, and the locking portions 13 are disposed inside the stopper portions 12.
The link 2 is provided with a slider 21, a stopper 22, and a locked portion 23. The slider 21 is provided on one of the end surfaces of the link 2, the stopper portions 22 are provided at both ends of the slider 21 in the circumferential direction, and the locked portions 23 are provided inside the stopper portions 22.
The slide block 21 can be in sliding fit with the slide groove 11 along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the connecting piece 2, and after the slide block 21 is completely matched with the slide groove 11, at least part of the locking part 13 can extend out of the stopping part 12 to be matched with the locked part 23, so that the slide block 21 and the slide groove 11 are relatively fixed.
The slider 21 is engaged with the slide groove 11, and the first robot arm 1 is connected to the link 2 by engagement of the locking portion 13 with the locked portion 23. In some embodiments, the locking portion 13 and the locked portion 23 may include, but are not limited to, a cam locking pin structure, a symmetrical locking structure, a stepped symmetrical locking structure, an L-shaped locking structure, a bolt-and-wrench rod structure, a rotary locking structure, a slider locking structure, and a bi-directional locking structure, which can be separated or used in cooperation with each other.
When the connecting piece 2 is connected with the first mechanical arm 1, two side surfaces of the sliding groove 11 can block the movement of the sliding block 21 along the axial direction of the first mechanical arm 1, so that the movement of the connecting piece 2 relative to the first mechanical arm 1 along the axial direction can be limited by the matching of the sliding groove 11 and the sliding block 21, and the rotation of the connecting piece 2 relative to the first mechanical arm 1 along the axial direction can be limited by the matching of the stopping part 22 and the stopping part 12.
When the stopper 22 abuts against the stopper 12, the locking portion 13 can be extended from the stopper 12 and inserted into the locked portion 23 to complete the engagement. The matching of the locked portion 23 and the locking portion 13 can further limit the relative sliding between the connecting member 2 and the first mechanical arm 1, improve the connection strength between the connecting member 2 and the first mechanical arm 1, and prevent the connecting member 2 from loosening.
During installation, the sliding groove 11 can also guide and limit the sliding block 21, and the installation precision and the installation efficiency of the connecting piece 2 can be improved. When the installation, the installation can be carried out only by aligning the sliding groove 11 with the sliding block 21, and the installation is convenient and quick.
In some embodiments, the stopping portion 12 includes two first stopping surfaces 121, the first stopping surfaces 121 are end surfaces of two ends of the sliding chute 11 in the circumferential direction, the stopping portion 22 includes two second stopping surfaces 221, the second stopping surfaces 221 are end surfaces of two ends of the sliding block 21 in the circumferential direction, and after the sliding block 21 on the link 2 is installed in the sliding chute 11, the first stopping surfaces 121 limit the second stopping surfaces 221, so that the rotation of the link 2 relative to the axis of the first robot arm 1 can be limited.
In some embodiments, the stopper 12 is provided with a hall sensor 111, and the stopper 22 is provided with a magnetic member 8 for triggering the hall sensor 111. The magnetic member 8 can cause the hall sensor 111 to generate an electric signal, and the closer the magnetic member 8 is to the hall sensor 111, the larger the electric signal generated in the hall sensor 111.
By designing the positions of the hall sensor 111 and the magnetic part 8, after the connecting part 2 is installed in place, the hall sensor 111 and the magnetic part 8 can be located on the same circumference with the axis of the first mechanical arm as the axis, so that the relative position accuracy of the hall sensor 111 and the magnetic part 8 is improved, and the detection accuracy is improved conveniently.
The magnetic element 8 may be a magnetic block or a magnetic sheet, and the magnetic element 8 can be adhered to the second stop surface 221 and can also be embedded inside the second stop surface 221.
During the process of installing the connector 2, the magnetic member 8 moves towards the direction close to the hall sensor 111, and the hall sensor 111 can detect the magnetic force of the magnetic member 8 and the change of the magnetic force. The hall sensor 111 can convert the detected magnetic force and its variation information into an electric signal. In some embodiments, the hall sensor 111 may include a triggered state and a non-triggered state, and the hall sensor 111 transitions from the non-triggered state to the triggered state when the electrical signal generated in the hall sensor 111 exceeds a preset threshold. In some embodiments, when the hall sensor 111 is transitioned to the trigger state, it can be determined that the attachment 2 is in place.
In some embodiments, the hall sensor 111 may also transmit an electrical signal to a processor (e.g., a processor in a host platform associated with the robotic arm assembly), which processes the received electrical signal to determine whether the attachment member 2 is in place or whether the attachment member 2 is loose.
For example, when the magnetic force detected by the hall sensor 111 gradually increases until the generated electric signal exceeds a preset threshold value, it can be judged that the connector 2 is mounted in place. For another example, when the magnetic force detected by the hall sensor 111 gradually increases until no more changes, it can be judged that the attachment 2 is mounted in place. If the magnetic force detected by the hall sensor 111 is continuously reduced or changed, it can be determined that the connecting member 2 is loosened.
In some embodiments, the hall sensor 111 can also be arranged on the stop 22, with the corresponding magnetic element 8 arranged on the stop 12.
In some embodiments, an indicator light 24 is provided on the connector 2. In some embodiments, the indicator light 24 can be communicatively coupled to the processor, where the coupling can be a wired or wireless coupling, and the processor controls the indicator light 24 to illuminate or extinguish the indicator light 24. In some embodiments, the indicator light 24 may also be an indicator light integrated with the hall sensor 111, and when the hall sensor 111 is in the non-activated state, the indicator light 24 is off, and when the hall sensor 111 is in the activated state, the indicator light 24 is on. The change of the on/off of the indicator light 24 is used to indicate whether the connector 2 is mounted in place.
For example, the indicator light 24 may be a green indicator light, when the connector 2 is mounted in place, the magnetic force detected by the hall sensor 111 reaches a maximum and no longer changes, and the processor controls the indicator light 24 to light up and indicate that the connector 2 is mounted in place. Other colors for indicator light 24 are also possible.
The indicator lights 24 may also be provided in two, one green and the other red. In some embodiments, the green indicator lights go off during installation of the connector 2 and the red indicator lights up during installation of the connector 2 and indicates that the connector 2 is not installed in place. When the connector 2 is installed in place, the processor controls the red indicator light to be turned off and the green indicator light to be turned on based on the signal of the hall sensor 111. In some embodiments, after the connecting member 2 is loosened from the first robot arm 1, the processor controls the green indicator light to be turned off and the red indicator light to be turned on based on the signal of the hall sensor 111.
Whether the connecting piece 2 is installed in place or not can be visually seen by utilizing the change of the indicator light 24 in the on-off state, or whether the connection is loosened in the use process can be avoided, the structural damage of the connecting part caused by excessive force exertion in the installation process can be avoided, and an operator can be timely informed when the connection is loosened.
In some embodiments, there may be multiple robotic arms in a robotic arm assembly that are connected by a connector 2 of an embodiment of the present invention. The control program of the robot arm apparatus (for example, the control program in the main control platform associated with the robot arm apparatus) can acquire the connection condition of each link 2. In some embodiments, the indicator lights 24 in each of the joints interconnected by the connector 2 may transmit signals to the master control platform according to their on/off changes. For example, a wireless transmission technology may be built in the indicator light 24, the indicator light is interconnected with the main control platform signal through a radio signal with a frequency band of 2.405GHz to 2.485GHz, and when the indicator light 24 is turned off, the indicator light transmits a signal to the main control platform to indicate that the robot arm device has a fault (i.e., is released). The control program of the main control platform can monitor the on-off change of each indicator light 24, and count the connection condition of each joint, and based on the statistical result, the control program can identify the joint position where the fault easily occurs. After knowing the position of the joint which is easy to malfunction, an operator can conveniently analyze the malfunction reason of the joint and judge whether the equipment is possible to have abnormality (such as the problems of installation and connection: the connection angle of the chute 11, the association relationship between the locking force provided by the spring 133 and the loosening times, and a better connection setting can be found), so that the design parameters of the connecting piece 2 at the joint are improved. In some embodiments, the control program may also monitor the overall frequency of failures when different operators use the arm device, to determine if the release of the joint occurs due to insufficient operator technical ability, and to notify the manager of the arm device to manage the operator accordingly (e.g., provide technical guidance to the operator).
As shown in fig. 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the blocking portion 12 further includes a mounting groove 14 opened on the first blocking surface 121, and the locking portion 13 can be disposed inside the first mechanical arm 1 by using the mounting groove 14 as a space for mounting the locking portion 13, so that the locking portion 13 is prevented from occupying extra space, and space utilization can be improved.
The locking part 13 includes a connecting rod 131 slidably disposed in the mounting groove 14, a latch 132 disposed at an end of the connecting rod 131 close to the locked part 23, and a spring 133 fitted around the connecting rod 131 and disposed in the mounting groove 14, and the connecting rod 131 is provided with a latch push block 135. The locked portion 23 includes a locking groove 231 opened on the second stop surface 221, and the latch 132 can be fitted into the locking groove 231 to perform a latching or engaging function.
In some embodiments, the shape of the catch 132 may include, but is not limited to, an L-shape, an arrow shape, a hook shape, and the like. In some embodiments, the shape of the locking slot 231 may include, but is not limited to, an L-shape, an arrow shape, a hook shape, and the like. The latch 132 and the locking groove 231 are latched or engaged with each other to limit each other, thereby achieving a locking function.
As shown in fig. 4, in some embodiments, a spring stopper 141 is disposed in the mounting groove 14, a base 142 is disposed at an end of the connecting rod 131 away from the buckle 132, the spring 133 is disposed between the spring stopper 141 and the base 142, and the buckle pushing block 135 is disposed outside the spring stopper 141. At least one side surface of the base 142 protrudes outwards compared with the connecting rod 131 to form a stepped surface between the base 142 and the connecting rod 131, so that the limiting effect on the spring 133 is realized.
When the connecting rod 131 is pushed to move toward the locking groove 231 until the latch 132 and the locking groove 231 are engaged with each other, the distance between the base 142 and the spring stopper 141 is reduced, so that the spring 133 is compressed, and the spring 133 is compressed between the spring stopper 141 and the base 142. The spring 133 applies an urging force to the connection lever 131 by acting on the seat 142, so that the connection lever 131 has a tendency to move away from the locking groove 231. Therefore, the gap between the buckle 132 and the locking groove 231 can be eliminated, and the phenomenon of looseness of the buckle 132 is avoided, so that the connecting piece 2 is stable after being installed in place. Further, the connection strength and connection reliability between the link 2 and the first robot arm 1 can be improved.
The spring stopper 141 and the base 142 can limit both ends of the spring 133, respectively, and prevent the spring 133 from being out of order due to the space between the spring stopper 141 and the base 142.
The base 142 may be integrally formed with the connection rod 131, or may be connected to an end of the connection rod 131 by a bolt.
In some embodiments, the snap pushing block 135 is convexly disposed at an outer side of the connecting rod 131, so as to facilitate the connecting rod 131 to be pushed to reciprocate by the snap pushing block 135. Can set up the rectangular hole that makes buckle ejector pad 135 can remove on the first arm 1, rectangular hole and mounting groove 14 intercommunication, the rectangular hole provides the space for buckle ejector pad 135's removal to can play direction, spacing effect to buckle ejector pad 135.
In some embodiments, the snap push block 135 can protrude from an outer surface of the first robot arm 1, thereby facilitating access to the snap push block 135 by a worker.
In some embodiments, a pressure sensor can be disposed between the spring 133 and the base 142, the pressure sensor is in communication with a processor (e.g., a processor in a main control platform associated with the robotic device), the pressure sensor can detect the magnitude change of the elastic force of the spring 133 and convert the information into an electrical signal to send to the processor, and the processor processes the received electrical signal to determine the working state of the spring 133.
For example, when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor is gradually increased in a unit time until no change occurs, it can be determined that the connector 2 is mounted in place and the latch 132 is stably latched with the locking groove 231. If the pressure detected by the pressure sensor is unstably changed, it can be judged that the engagement of the latch 132 and the locking groove 231 is failed.
In some embodiments, a gap is left between the connection rod 131 and the mounting groove 14 to facilitate installation of the spring 133, and the thickness of the spring 133 is smaller than the gap between the connection rod 131 and the mounting groove 14, so that the connection rod 131 has a space capable of reciprocating in a radial direction of the connection member 2.
The connecting rod 131 can be controlled to move radially along the connecting member 2 by radially pressing the catch push block 135 along the connecting member 2, so that the locking groove 231 and the catch 132 can be staggered in the radial direction of the connecting member 2, thereby conveniently pushing the catch 132 into the locking groove 231 or pushing the catch 132 out of the locking groove 231. In some embodiments, the connection rod 131 is a circular arc segment as a whole, and the curvature radius of the connection rod 131 is the same as that of the outer circle of the first robot arm 1, and the length direction of the mounting groove 14 is also designed to be a circular arc shape having the same curvature radius as that of the outer circle of the first robot arm 1, so that the interference phenomenon can be avoided in the process of moving the connection rod 131.
As shown in fig. 1, 5 and 6, in some embodiments, the inner side wall of the first robot arm 1 away from the gap between the two first stop surfaces 121 forms a first bearing surface 105, the side surface of the connecting element 2 opposite to the slider 21 is a second bearing surface 206, and after the connecting element 2 is mounted in place, the second bearing surface 206 abuts against the first bearing surface 105, and the first bearing surface 105 is used to support the second bearing surface 206.
In some embodiments, at least one bearing protrusion 207 is disposed on the end surface of the connecting member 2 close to the first robot arm 1, and a bearing groove that is installed in cooperation with the bearing protrusion 207 is disposed on the end surface of the first robot arm 1, so that the bearing groove and the bearing protrusion 207 cooperate to perform a torque bearing function, which can further limit the relative rotation between the connecting member 2 and the first robot arm 1, and can reduce the torque borne by the stopper 22, thereby providing a service life of the connecting member 2.
In some embodiments, the sliding groove 11 is a circular arc groove coaxial with the end surface of the first robot arm 1, and the corresponding central angle of the sliding groove 11 is less than or equal to 180 °. Because the sliding chute 11 is arranged on the side surface of the first mechanical arm 1, the corresponding central angle of the sliding chute 11 is less than or equal to 180 degrees, and the sliding block 21 can be smoothly arranged in the sliding chute 11. The central angle corresponding to the sliding groove 11 is designed to be 180 degrees, so that the contact area between the sliding groove 11 and the sliding block 21 can be maximized, and the maximum connection strength can be ensured.
In some embodiments, during installation, the axis of one end of the first mechanical arm 1 close to the connecting part 2 is not parallel to the gravity direction, the sliding groove 11 is arranged above the axis of the first mechanical arm 1, after the installation is completed, the sliding groove 11 and the sliding block 21 are installed in a matched manner, the sliding groove 11 can block the downward movement trend of the sliding block 21, and the sliding block 21 is prevented from sliding outwards towards the sliding groove 11 under the action of gravity or external force, so that even if the locking part 13 and the locked part 23 are loosened, the connecting part 2 cannot be separated from the first mechanical arm 1 immediately, and the safety performance is improved.
One side of the sliding chute 11 close to the end surface 15 is a first sliding surface 112 which is arranged from inside to outside and inclined towards the direction close to the end surface 15, the first sliding surface 112 is a wedge surface which gradually enlarges the opening of the sliding chute 11 from inside to outside, and the first stopping surfaces 121 at the two ends of the sliding chute 11 are correspondingly arranged upwards, so that the first stopping surfaces 121 can bear the gravity of the connecting piece 2 and limit the rotation of the connecting piece 2 relative to the axis of the first mechanical arm 1.
In the process of installing the connecting piece 2, the first sliding surface 112 can play a role in guiding, so that the sliding block 21 can be quickly guided into the sliding groove 11, and the installation efficiency is improved.
Since the sliding groove 11 is required to be installed in a matching manner for the sliding block 21, in some embodiments, the corresponding sliding block 21 is a circular arc segment protrusion which can be coaxial with the sliding groove 11, a groove structure 213 is formed between the sliding block 21 and the connecting piece 2, a side surface of the sliding block 21 close to the connecting piece 2 is a second sliding surface 212 which is obliquely arranged from inside to outside in a direction away from the connecting piece 2, and the second sliding surface 212 is a wedge surface which gradually increases the opening of the groove structure 213 from inside to outside. The slot structure 213 formed between the slider 21 and the connecting element 2 can be fitted with the structure between the slide groove 11 and the end face 15. The second sliding surface 212 can be attached to the first sliding surface 112, and the inclination angle of the second sliding surface 212 relative to the axis of the connecting member 2 is the same as the inclination angle of the first sliding surface 112 relative to the axis of the first mechanical arm 1, so that the risk that the connecting member 2 is loosened due to a gap formed between the first mechanical arm 1 and the connecting member 2 after the connecting member 2 is installed can be avoided.
For example, the shape of the slide groove 11 is designed such that the slide groove 11 is a right trapezoid sectioned by a plane of the axis of the first robot arm 1, and the first slide surface 112 corresponds to an oblique side of the right trapezoid. Correspondingly, the shape of the slide block 21 cut by the plane passing through the axis of the connecting piece 2 is a right trapezoid, and the right trapezoid corresponding to the slide block 21 is the same as the right trapezoid corresponding to the sliding chute 11 in size and shape.
In some embodiments, the second mechanical arm 3 and the connecting member 2 may be detachably connected by a snap and a spring, and may also be detachably connected by a bolt.
In some embodiments, the second mechanical arm 3 may also be detachably connected to the connecting member 2 through a structure similar to that of the first mechanical arm 1. In some embodiments, the second mechanical arm 3 is provided with a chute 11, a stopper 12 and a locking portion 13 at an end close to the link 2, and the link 2 is provided with a slider 21, a stopper 22 and a locked portion 23 at an end close to the second mechanical arm 3. The connection structure between the second robot arm 3 and the link 2 is the same as that between the first robot arm 1 and the link 2. Whereby a quick connection of the second robot arm 3 and the connecting piece 2 can be achieved.
The inboard of second arm 3 is provided with motor module 9, and motor module 9's output is connected with connecting piece 2, and motor module 9's output is fixed, and motor module 9 self (being the motor fuselage) can drive second arm 3 and rotate for the axis of connecting piece 2.
Having thus described the basic concept, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing detailed disclosure is to be regarded as illustrative only and not as limiting. Various modifications, improvements and adaptations of the present invention may occur to those skilled in the art, although not explicitly described herein. Such modifications, improvements and adaptations are proposed within the present invention and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
Also, the present invention has been described using specific terms to describe embodiments of the invention. Such as "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and/or "some embodiments" means a feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, it is emphasized and should be appreciated that two or more references to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "an alternative embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, some of the features, structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments of the present invention may be combined as suitable.
Additionally, the order in which the elements and sequences of the process are described, the use of letters or other designations herein is not intended to limit the order of the processes and methods of the invention unless otherwise indicated by the claims. While various presently contemplated embodiments of the invention have been discussed in the foregoing disclosure by way of example, it should be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the appended claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, are intended to cover all modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the invention. For example, although the system components described above may be implemented by hardware devices, they may also be implemented by software-only solutions, such as installing the described system on an existing server or mobile device.
Similarly, it should be noted that in the preceding description of embodiments of the invention, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure aiding in the understanding of one or more of the embodiments. This method of disclosure, however, is not intended to suggest that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in the claims. Indeed, the embodiments may be characterized as having less than all of the features of a single embodiment disclosed above.
Numerals describing the number of components, attributes, etc. are used in some embodiments, it being understood that such numerals used in the description of the embodiments are modified in some instances by the use of the modifier "about", "approximately" or "substantially". Unless otherwise indicated, "about", "approximately" or "substantially" indicates that the number allows a variation of ± 20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties of the individual embodiments. In some embodiments, the numerical parameter should take into account the specified significant digits and employ a general digit preserving approach. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, in the specific examples, such numerical values are set forth as precisely as possible within the scope of the application.
Each patent, patent application publication, and other material, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, documents, and the like, cited herein is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Except where the application history information does not conform or conflict with the summary of the invention, it is submitted that it is not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the invention (whether present or later appended to the invention). It is to be understood that the descriptions, definitions and/or use of terms in the appended materials should control if they are inconsistent or contrary to the present disclosure.
Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of embodiments of the present invention. Other variations are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, by way of example, and not limitation, alternative configurations of embodiments of the present invention can be viewed as being consistent with the teachings of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention are not limited to only those explicitly described and depicted.