CN112248018A

CN112248018A - Flexible paw and manipulator

Info

Publication number: CN112248018A
Application number: CN202011093709.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李彬; 刘积祯; 刘羽祚; 杨军胜; 程铭; 王可胜
Original assignee: Wuhan Polytechnic University
Current assignee: Wuhan Polytechnic University
Priority date: 2020-10-13
Filing date: 2020-10-13
Publication date: 2021-01-22

Abstract

The application provides a flexible paw and manipulator, relates to industrial robot technical field. The flexible gripper includes a plurality of gripper units and a controller. Each gripper unit includes a coil, and a controller is electrically connected to the coil, the controller being configured to control an energization direction of the coil. The plurality of gripper units are connected by flexible tubes. When the coil is positively energized, two adjacent gripper units attract or repel each other. The manipulator comprises a rack and a plurality of flexible claws, wherein the plurality of flexible claws are connected with the rack. This flexible hand claw adopts electromagnetic drive, compares in traditional atmospheric pressure and hydraulic pressure hand claw, and available environment is more various, and work is also more stable. Compared with the traditional flexible paw driven by traditional machinery and electric power, the designed grabbing function is more diverse, and the size and shape of the object to be grabbed are adaptable to be more complicated. The electric signal can be digitalized, so that the grabbing force of the flexible paw can be accurately controlled by calculation. The manipulator has good adaptability to the grabbed objects.

Description

Flexible paw and manipulator

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of industrial robots, in particular to a flexible paw and a manipulator.

Background

Most of the existing flexible mechanical gripper products adopt hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical and electric transmission.

The hydraulic transmission manipulator is a manipulator which drives an actuating mechanism to move by the pressure of oil liquid. The main characteristics are as follows: the gripping weight can reach more than hundreds of kilograms, the transmission is stable, the structure is compact, and the action is sensitive. However, the sealing device is strictly required, otherwise, the leakage of the oil has a great influence on the working performance of the manipulator. And the hydraulic transmission manipulator is not suitable for working at high temperature and low temperature. If the manipulator adopts an electro-hydraulic servo driving system, continuous track control can be realized, so that the universality of the manipulator is expanded, but the electro-hydraulic servo valve has high manufacturing precision, strict oil filtering requirement and high cost.

The pneumatic transmission manipulator is a manipulator that drives an actuator to move by the pressure of compressed air. It features convenient medium source, quick pneumatic action, simple structure and low cost. However, because the air has the compressible characteristic, the stability of the working speed is poor, the air source pressure is low, the grabbing weight is generally below 30 kilograms, and the air compressor is suitable for working in the environments with high speed, light load, high temperature and large dust.

The mechanical transmission manipulator is a manipulator driven by a mechanical transmission mechanism (such as a cam, a connecting rod, a gear and a rack, an intermittent mechanism and the like). The mechanical arm is a special mechanical arm attached to a working host, and the power of the mechanical arm is transmitted by a working machine. Its main features are accurate and reliable movement, high action frequency, large structure and unchangeable action program. It is often used for loading and unloading work hosts.

The application provides a novel manipulator of electromagnetic drive.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a flexible gripper, which aims to improve the problem of a flexible manipulator without electromagnetic drive in the related art.

Embodiments of the present application provide a flexible gripper that includes a plurality of gripper units and a controller. Each gripper unit includes a coil, and a controller is electrically connected to the coil, the controller being configured to control an energization direction of the coil. The plurality of gripper units are connected by flexible tubes. When the coil is positively energized, two adjacent gripper units attract or repel each other. A coil is provided on the gripper unit which, when energized, produces N, S poles according to the principles of electromagnetic induction. The polarity can be controlled by controlling the direction of the current in each gripper unit through the controller. When the direction of current flowing in the coils of the adjacent paw units is opposite, the polarities of two opposite surfaces between the two adjacent paw units are the same, namely, repulsion is generated. When the current flowing directions of the coils of the adjacent paw units are the same, the polarities of the two opposite surfaces between the two adjacent paw units are opposite, and then the suction force is generated. The plurality of paw units are connected through the flexible pipe, and under the pushing action of repulsion force or suction force, the flexible pipe bends towards one side, so that the bending action of the flexible paw is realized.

As an alternative solution to the embodiment of the present application, when the coil is not energized, the plurality of gripper units are distributed at equal intervals. The plurality of gripper units are arranged at equal intervals, so that the controller can calculate conveniently, and accurate grabbing is realized.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, two gaskets are arranged between every two adjacent paw units, and the gaskets are sleeved on the flexible pipe. The two gaskets are arranged at intervals, and the distances from the two gaskets to the paw units adjacent to the two gaskets are equal. A gasket is arranged between every two adjacent paw units, so that the distance between every two adjacent paw units can be conveniently determined, and the distance between every two paw units is guaranteed to be equal. In addition, when two adjacent gripper units attract each other, the gasket can play the effect of buffering decompression, avoids two gripper units direct collision, produces the impact.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, the number of the flexible pipes is two, and the two flexible pipes are arranged at intervals. Two flexible pipes are arranged side by side, so that the stability of the flexible paw is improved, and possible dislocation and distortion caused by mutual exclusion of polarities among paw units are avoided.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, the paw unit comprises a magnetic conductive material, and the coil is wound on the magnetic conductive material. The magnetic conductive material can gather magnetism, so that when current with the same intensity is introduced, attraction and repulsion between two adjacent paw units are more obvious.

The embodiment of the application also provides a manipulator, which comprises a rack and a plurality of flexible claws in any one of the above items, wherein the plurality of flexible claws are connected with the rack. The manipulator has good adaptability to the grabbed objects.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, a plurality of flexible claws are arranged in a surrounding mode. The plurality of flexible claws are arranged in a surrounding mode, so that the plurality of claws can grab a grabbed object when being bent inwards at the same time. In the case of a gripped object having a cavity, for example, an object having a cylindrical structure, a plurality of grippers can grip the object while extending into the cavity and simultaneously bending outward.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, the rack is of a telescopic structure, and when the rack stretches, the distance between the plurality of flexible claws changes. When the flexibility of the flexible claw can not meet the size of the object to be grabbed, the machine frame can be extended to adapt to the size of the object to be grabbed.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, the manipulator comprises a direction adjusting mechanism, and the direction adjusting mechanism is connected with the flexible paw and used for adjusting the direction of the flexible paw. By arranging the direction adjusting mechanism, the steering of the flexible paw is realized, and the adaptability to the grabbed object is improved.

As an optional technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, the direction adjusting mechanism comprises a motor, a gear set and a rotating shaft. The output end of the motor is in transmission connection with the gear set, the rotating shaft is in transmission connection with the gear set, and the rotating shaft is in transmission connection with the flexible paw. When the motor rotates, the gear set is driven to rotate, the gear set drives the rotating shaft to rotate, and then the direction of the flexible paw is adjusted.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings that are required to be used in the embodiments will be briefly described below, it should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate some embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope, and for those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from the drawings without inventive effort.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible gripper provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is an enlarged view of position iii in fig. 2.

Icon: 10-a flexible paw; 20-a manipulator; 100-gripper unit; 110-connecting block; 120-winding block; 200-a flexible tube; 300-a gasket; 400-a rack; 410-a first sleeve; 420-a second sleeve; 430-a connector; 440-a direction adjustment mechanism; 441-motor; 442-gear set; 4421-a first gear; 4422-a second gear; 443-rotating shaft.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present application, but not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present application, generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, can be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations.

Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application, presented in the accompanying drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

It should be noted that: like reference numbers and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and thus, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", and the like, refer to the orientation or positional relationship as shown in the drawings, or as conventionally placed in use of the product of the application, or as conventionally understood by those skilled in the art, and are used merely for convenience of description and for simplicity of description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed in a particular orientation, and be operated, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the present application.

Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly stated or limited, the terms "disposed," "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly and may, for example, be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood in a specific case by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Examples

Referring to fig. 1, the present embodiment provides a flexible gripper 10, and the flexible gripper 10 includes a plurality of gripper units 100 and a controller. Each gripper unit 100 includes a coil, and a controller is electrically connected to the coil, the controller being configured to control the energization direction of the coil. A plurality of gripper units 100 are connected by flexible tubes 200. When the coil is energized in the forward direction, adjacent two gripper units 100 attract or repel each other. A coil is provided on the gripper unit 100, which when energized will produce N, S poles according to the principles of electromagnetic induction. The polarity can be controlled by the controller controlling the direction of current flow in each gripper unit 100. When the directions of currents flowing through the coils of the adjacent paw units 100 are opposite, the polarities of the two opposite surfaces between the two adjacent paw units 100 are the same, that is, a repulsive force is generated. When the current flowing through the coil of the adjacent gripper units 100 is in the same direction, the polarities of the two opposite surfaces between the adjacent gripper units 100 are opposite, i.e., a suction force is generated. The plurality of gripper units 100 are connected by the flexible tube 200, and the flexible tube 200 is bent to one side by the repulsive force or the attractive force, thereby performing the bending operation of the flexible gripper 10.

Referring to fig. 1, in the present embodiment, the gripper unit 100 includes a connection block 110 and a winding block 120. The connection block 110 is connected to the winding block 120. In this embodiment, the connection block 110 and the winding block 120 are integrally formed. The coil is wound on the winding block 120, and the flexible tube 200 is connected to the plurality of connection blocks 110. In this embodiment, the winding blocks 120 of all the gripper units 100 are oriented in the same direction so that the adjacent gripper units 100 attract or repel each other when the coil is energized. In the present embodiment, the winding block 120 is made of a magnetic conductive material. The magnetic conductive material can gather magnetism, so that when current with the same intensity is introduced, attraction and repulsion between two adjacent paw units 100 are more obvious.

Referring to fig. 1, in the present embodiment, when the coil is not energized, the plurality of gripper units 100 are distributed at equal intervals. The plurality of gripper units 100 are arranged at equal intervals, so that the calculation of a controller is facilitated, and accurate gripping is realized. In an alternative embodiment, the intervals between the gripper units 100 are arranged at a predetermined rule. The controller calculates the action of each means unit through the preset rule to realize grabbing. For example, the intervals between the gripper units 100 are sequentially decreased or sequentially increased. Referring to fig. 1, in the present embodiment, two spacers 300 are disposed between two adjacent gripper units 100, and the spacers 300 are sleeved on the flexible tube 200. The two spacers 300 are spaced apart, and the distance between the two spacers 300 and the gripper unit 100 adjacent thereto is equal. A spacer 300 is provided between two adjacent gripper units 100 to facilitate determining the distance between two adjacent gripper units 100, and to ensure that the distance between each gripper unit 100 is equal. In addition, when two adjacent gripper units 100 attract each other, the spacer 300 may play a role of buffering and reducing pressure, so as to prevent the two gripper units 100 from directly colliding to generate impact. In an alternative embodiment, a spacer 300 is disposed between two adjacent gripper units 100. In some alternative embodiments, three or more spacers 300 are disposed between two adjacent gripper units 100.

It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the flexible pipe 200 is a pipe body made of a flexible material, and can be bent and elastically deformed to some extent. By providing the flexible tube 200, on the one hand, connecting a plurality of gripper units 100, suitable strength is provided, giving flexibility to the flexible gripper 10; on the other hand, the electric wires may be disposed in the tube to connect the coils of the respective gripper units 100, thereby energizing the coils. Referring to fig. 1, in the present embodiment, two flexible tubes 200 are disposed, and the two flexible tubes 200 are disposed at intervals. The two flexible tubes 200 are arranged side by side, so that the stability of the flexible paw 10 is improved, and possible dislocation and distortion caused by mutual exclusion of polarities among the paw units 100 are avoided. In order to facilitate the determination of the distance between two adjacent gripper units 100, it is ensured that the distance between each gripper unit 100 is equal. And plays a role of buffering and reducing pressure, and two gaskets 300 are respectively arranged on the two flexible pipes 200.

The present embodiment provides a flexible gripper 10, and the flexible gripper 10 includes a plurality of gripper units 100 and a controller. Each gripper unit 100 includes a coil, and a controller is electrically connected to the coil, the controller being configured to control the energization direction of the coil. A plurality of gripper units 100 are connected by flexible tubes 200. When the coil is energized in the forward direction, adjacent two gripper units 100 attract or repel each other. In the present embodiment, two flexible tubes 200 are provided, and the two flexible tubes 200 are spaced apart from each other. Four gaskets 300 are disposed between two adjacent gripper units 100, and the four gaskets 300 are respectively sleeved on the two flexible pipes 200. The two spacers 300 are spaced apart from each other on each flexible pipe 200, and the distance between each spacer 300 and its adjacent gripper unit 100 is equal. The flexible paw 10 is driven by electromagnetism, and can control the clamping force by adjusting the current, so that the flexible clamping of an easily damaged target object is realized. The combination of attraction and repulsion between each gripper unit 100 accommodates different gripping objectives.

Referring to fig. 2 and fig. 3, the present embodiment further provides a robot 20, where the robot 20 includes a frame 400 and a plurality of the flexible grippers 10, and the plurality of flexible grippers 10 are connected to the frame 400. The robot 20 has good adaptability to the gripped object.

Referring to fig. 2, in the present embodiment, a plurality of flexible grippers 10 are disposed in a surrounding manner. The plurality of flexible grippers 10 are arranged to surround so that the plurality of grippers can grip an object to be gripped when they are simultaneously bent inward. In the case of a gripped object having a cavity, for example, an object having a cylindrical structure, a plurality of grippers can grip the object while extending into the cavity and simultaneously bending outward. In an alternative arrangement, two flexible fingers 10 are provided, with the two flexible fingers 10 being disposed opposite one another.

Referring to fig. 2 and fig. 3, in the present embodiment, the frame 400 is a telescopic structure, and when the frame 400 is extended or contracted, the distance between the plurality of flexible fingers 10 is changed. When the flexibility of the flexible gripper 10 is not sufficient to grip the size of the object to be gripped, the frame 400 may be extended to accommodate the size of the object to be gripped. Referring to fig. 2 and fig. 3, in the present embodiment, the frame 400 includes four sleeve sets and four connectors 430, each of the sleeve sets includes a first sleeve 410 and a second sleeve 420, and the first sleeve 410 is sleeved on the second sleeve 420. The end of the first sleeve 410 remote from the second sleeve 420 is connected to one connector 430 and the end of the second sleeve 420 remote from the first sleeve 410 is connected to another connector 430. The four sleeve sets and the four connectors 430 are connected end to form a rectangle. In an alternative embodiment, the frame 400 includes a plurality of sleeve sets and a plurality of connectors 430, the plurality of sleeve sets and the plurality of connectors 430 being coupled end-to-end to form a closed figure. In another alternative embodiment, the frame 400 includes a plurality of linear drive mechanisms and a plurality of links 430, which are connected end-to-end to form a closed figure. The linear driving mechanism may be a linear motor 441, a linear cylinder, or the like.

Referring to fig. 2, in the present embodiment, the connecting member 430 is shaped like a disk, and the upper end of the flexible gripper 10 is connected to the connecting member 430. The gripper unit 100 of the flexible gripper 10 is gradually reduced in size from near the connecting member 430 to far from the connecting member 430. That is, the gripper unit 100 closer to the link 430 has a larger volume, and the gripper unit 100 farther from the link 430 has a smaller volume.

Referring to fig. 2 in conjunction with fig. 3, in the present embodiment, the robot 20 includes a direction adjustment mechanism 440, and the direction adjustment mechanism 440 is connected to the flexible gripper 10 for adjusting the direction of the flexible gripper 10. By arranging the direction adjusting mechanism 440, the flexible gripper 10 is turned, and the adaptability to the gripped object is improved. Referring to fig. 3, in the present embodiment, the direction adjustment mechanism 440 includes a motor 441, a gear set 442, and a rotation shaft 443. The output of motor 441 is drivingly connected to gear set 442, and rotational shaft 443 is drivingly connected to gear set 442. The gear set 442 includes a first gear 4421 and a second gear 4422, the first gear 4421 and the second gear 4422 being in mesh. The output terminal of the motor 441 is keyed to the first gear 4421, and the rotational shaft 443 is keyed to the second gear 4422. The rotation shaft 443 is drivingly connected to the flexible finger 10. When motor 441 rotates, gear set 442 is driven to rotate, and gear set 442 drives rotation shaft 443 to rotate, thereby adjusting the orientation of flexible gripper 10. In an alternative embodiment, the direction adjustment mechanism 440 includes a linear drive mechanism that drives the slider of a slider-crank mechanism whose crank is connected to the flexible gripper 10, and a slider-crank mechanism.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application, and various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement and the like made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A flexible gripper, comprising a plurality of gripper units each comprising a coil, and a controller electrically connected to the coil, the controller being configured to control the direction of energization of the coil, the plurality of gripper units being connected by a flexible tube, adjacent two of the gripper units attracting or repelling each other when the coil is energized in the forward direction.

2. The flexible gripper of claim 1, wherein said plurality of gripper units are equally spaced apart when said coil is not energized.

3. The flexible gripper of claim 2, wherein two spacers are disposed between two adjacent gripper units, the spacers are disposed around the flexible tube, the two spacers are spaced apart from each other, and the distance between each two spacers and the adjacent gripper unit is equal.

4. The flexible gripper of claim 1, wherein there are two of said flexible tubes, and wherein said two flexible tubes are spaced apart.

5. The flexible gripper of claim 1, wherein said gripper unit comprises a magnetically conductive material, said coil being wound on said magnetically conductive material.

6. A manipulator, characterized in that it comprises a frame and a plurality of flexible grippers according to any of claims 1-5, which are connected to the frame.

7. The manipulator of claim 6, wherein the plurality of flexible fingers are circumferentially disposed.

8. The manipulator of claim 6, wherein the frame is a telescoping structure, and the distance between the plurality of flexible fingers changes as the frame telescopes.

9. The manipulator of claim 6, comprising a direction adjustment mechanism coupled to the flexible fingers for adjusting the orientation of the flexible fingers.

10. The manipulator according to claim 9, wherein the direction adjustment mechanism comprises a motor, a gear set and a rotating shaft, the output end of the motor is in transmission connection with the gear set, the rotating shaft is in transmission connection with the gear set, and the rotating shaft is in transmission connection with the flexible paw.