BORKOWSKI, Maciej (Eteläinen Hesperiankatu 28 B 30, Helsinki, FI-00100, FI)
LUKKA, Tuomas, J. (Paatsamatie 6 A 1, Helsinki, FI-00320, FI)
BORKOWSKI, Maciej (Eteläinen Hesperiankatu 28 B 30, Helsinki, FI-00100, FI)
| Claims 1. A robotic tactile appendage structure, comprising a mechanical body (100) further comprising a grasping surface (101) on the layer of the mechanical body (100) of the structure, wherein the structure further comprises at least one sensor member (1, 2, SG, PZ), which is configured underneath said grasping surface (101), to respond, to a tactile force applied on the grasping surface (101), 2. The robotic tactile appendage structure of claim 1 , wherein said grasping surface is on the opposite side of said layer of the mechanical body than said at least one sensor member. 3. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said grasping surface is an outer surface of a cavity forming structure that also comprises an inner surface. 4. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said grasping surface is an outer surface, but the structure further comprises in the cavity a plurality of further cavities each of them having in the cavity forming material structure an inner surface and outer surface at opposite sides of the material layer forming each of the respective cavity forming structure. 5. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said at least one sensor member is configured on the surface of a cavity comprising mechanical body (MBWC). 6. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said cavities form a laminated kind of a structure. 7. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the cavity defining layers, other than that with the grasping surface, comprises soft material such as plastic or elastic material. 8. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said cavities form a tubular structure and/or a cup-like structure. 9. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein the grasping layer comprises a shielding layer. 10. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said shielding wear resistant layer comprises metal 11. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein the grasping layer comprises metal. 12. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein the grasping layer is comprised on a replaceable metal sleeve. 13. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein at least one of said sensor members comprises a strain gauge (SG) and/or a pietzo element (PZ) configured to form a sensor for a touch sensor responsive to the tactile force applied on said grasping surface. 14. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein the laminated structure comprises a multiplicity of cavities each in an MBWC with inner surface and an outer surface, configured to form a coaxial cavity structure. 15. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, comprising at least a joining member configured at least for one of the following: - a joining member for movement in a plane, - a joining member configured for a snake-like movement, and - a joining member configured for rotational and/or pivotable movement. 16. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said appendage structure is configured to comprise at least one of the following: finger, arm, palm, and a supporting member. 17. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said appendage comprises strain gauge sensor integrated into the appendage structure. 18. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, wherein said appendage structure forms a member of an ensemble of interchangeable parts, provided with quick-connections to the other parts of the same system. 19. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim comprising a soft-block interior part on whose surface the sensor members are attached, to be inserted into a hollow tube formed by the first layer. 20. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to claim 13, wherein the soft block interior part comprises a cavity for a hydraulic fluid to be used to control the pressure between a first layer and a sensor member comprising a strain gauge and/or a pietzo element. 21. The robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim, comprising a pietzo element configured to operate as a sensor member. 22. Robotic tactile appendage system, comprising a plurality of appendage members ASCPs that are configured mechanically to be joined together via a joining member further configured to convey electromagnetic signal via said joining member from an appendage member ASCP to another when joined via said joining member. 23. Robotic tactile appendage system, wherein at least one of the ASCPs comprises robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim thereof. 24. Robotic tactile sensor member module, configured, when coupled, to be operable in at least one ASCP that comprises robotic tactile appendage structure according to any previous claim thereof. 25. Robotic tactile sensor member module according to claim 24, comprising id- means arranged to provide the sensor signal of at least one of said sensor member of the sensor member module, with an identity in respect to its location in a plurality of the ASCPs. 26. A manufacturing method of robotic tactile appendage structure, comprising - attaching a sensor member onto a surface of a first mechanical body, - inserting said first mechanical body into a second mechanical body, - providing the sensor member with contacts to other system parts. 27. The manufacturing method of claim 26, wherein the method comprises forming a cavity from said first layer material. 28. The manufacturing method of claim 27, wherein the method comprises providing at least one signal path for power, control and/or data acquisition signals from a sensor member to the signal processing electronics and/or power lines from the power source. 29. The manufacturing method of claim 27 or 28, wherein the method comprises providing signal paths for the sensor signals from a sensor member to the signal processing electronics and/or power lines from the power source for the throughput through a joining member. |
The invention relates in general level to field of robotics, but more specifically to the structures for grasping to things and articles, but even more specifically doing that in such kind of environment that robustness and durability against wear and/or chemically hostile conditions of the operating environment is an advantage.
Robots are often described to be mechanical manipulators, classification assistants etc, for doing tedious parts of work instead of human beings, for example. At the early days of robotics, the freedom of movement was restricted so that the mere Cartesian coordinate systems were used for the implementation of the movements in maximum three dimensions (3-D), linearly, plus potential rotating movements of some of the arms involved to be combined to the rotation. However, the freedom to move is called for more and more in the fields of microelectronics and surgery, for example, from which the latter application can demand very fine-mechanical instruments and in general needs medically trained person to operate. The freedoms are important as well also in the conventional technical fields where articles are to be handled, classified and/or otherwise moved from one location to another. For certain tasks to be made, a human being can be in danger in several ways. The tasks can be simply so monotonic that the physiology of a human worker deteriorates. However, in many industrial applications humans cannot enter into the process volume where the task were about to be performed, because of radiation presence, biologically and/or chemically hazardous materials present therein during the process or when the relating task is to be done. Sometimes it is vital for the successful process that the task is performed, but human cannot do it without health hazard. In such cases machine, used instead of the human being, cope with the conditions. Controlling of a machine, a robot, may be challenging as such for the locationing of the articles to be handled, but another aspect is to be solved is that the article should be taken by appropriate force, to be lifted for example, or otherwise moved, so that the machine does not break the article. This is also demanding to set the force needed by the machine for the action to correct level, i.e. set to a reasonable force range. For example, thus a vial is not allowed to be crushed during a process, a glass container should be kept intact although transported, lifted and/or rotated by a robotic manipulator or part thereof. Thus, the grasping is in a key point to control the force of the robot directed to the article to be manipulated. The key point in the sensitive lifting or other mechanical operations is the touch and the force applied. Thus, there are techniques in the field that try to imitate the tactile sense of human beings. However, sometimes the durability demand in industrial environment for the parts of the robotic arm or the parts therein are too much for such known structures that cope well in surgery room. If the sensors on the robotic parts for the tactile touch are covered by a coating for a soft grasping, the durability is significantly reduced, and the operation must be stopped frequently for maintenance, assembling the replacement coating etc. potentially even the whole part with the sensors if they were damaged in a prolonged use. This may slow down unnecessarily the operation and industrial production suffers from the stops. This problem field may be faced especially where the robotic replaceable parts have been used in an environment that contains hazardous substances from the operating environment. The required operations to overcome by cleaning and special equipments are expensive, as use of human beings are not an option, not at least without special isolation equipments and suits.
It is thus an object of the invention to solve, or at least mitigate the problems of the known techniques by providing at least a new robotic tactile appendage structure for use in robotic parts designed for use in purposes that require a sensitive tactile sense, but the industrial environment is demanding for the implementation.
This object is achieved by the embodiments of the invention, directed to a robust and durable appendage structure that is easy to maintain and clean. A robotic tactile appendage structure is characterized in that what has been said in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed thereof. A robotic tactile appendage system is characterized in that what has been said in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed thereof. A robotic tactile sensor member module is characterized in that what has been said in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed thereof. A manufacturing method of robotic tactile appendage structure according to the invention is characterized in that what has been said in the characterizing part in an independent claim directed thereof. Other preferred embodiments are shown in dependent claims and in the examples apparent from the application text and figures.
A robotic tactile appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a mechanical body that is further comprising a grasping surface on the material layer of the mechanical body of the structure, wherein the structure further comprises at least one sensor member, which is configured underneath said grasping surface, to respond, to a tactile force applied on the grasping surface.
The appendage structure according to an embodiment is used in an appendage structure comprising jjarts (ASCPs) according to an embodiment.
According to an embodiment the response can be at least partly electro-mechanical, i.e. can comprise a response as an electrical signal that is formed as a function of a tactile force applied on said grasping surface. The response can comprise also a mechanical action as a response in a chain of responses, initiated by the grasping surface touching the object to be addressed to the grasping action.
The term underneath in this context refers to the location in the mechanical body, in an embodiment variant location in the material layer as such, but according to another variant on the inside surface of the mechanical body as such, and/or to a location in a material layer of a sub-structure and/or its outer and/or inner surface. This way, the laminated or alike structures can be used for obtaining measurement values of the tactile force influence and/or distribution in the appendage structure or between the sub parts in it, so contributing to the stress analysis facilities. A cavity is addressed to describe a formation of a mechanical body with such a form that gives the impression that some of the material were removed in a way or another from said mechanical body for making/formatting of the cavity, i.e. cups and tubes have such a form for instance that define a cavity that is open, but with a seal such a cavity that is closed cavity.
According to an embodiment of the invention the robotic tactile appendage structure has the grasping surface is on the opposite side of said layer of the mechanical body than said at least one sensor member. This way the sensor members involved with the operation of the particular mechanical body comprising the structure can be protected against mechanical wear-out and/or when gas-tightly sealed also against for biological, chemical, and/or radiological contamination.
According to an embodiment of the invention the robotic tactile appendage structure has the grasping surface on an outer surface of the mechanical body which is configured to be formed for the structure forming a cavity that also comprises an inner surface.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure the said grasping surface is an outer surface of the mechanical body, but the structure further comprises in the cavity a plurality of further cavities each of them having an inner surface and outer surface at opposite sides of the material layer forming each of the respective cavity forming structure. According to an embodiment the cavities may be at leas in some extent nested, i.e. mechanical bodies can fill cavities of other mechanical bodies.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure said at least one sensor member is configured on a cavity surface, that can be an inner surface or an outer surface of the mechanical structure part or a sub-part of it. According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure said cavities are dimensioned to form a laminated kind of a structure comprising tubular and/or cup-like structures configured in a nested way, not limited only to co-axial placement of the parts and/or layered sleeves.
This way the cavity can be furnished with sub-structures for sensors, electronics, motors, hydraulic transducers etc and/or system parts for the operations and/or maintenance of the system or an appropriate part of it.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure said at least one of the cavity defining layers of the mechanical body, other than that with the grasping surface, comprises soft material such as plastic or elastic material.
According to an embodiment of the invention a cavity of the MBWC is a sealed cavity. According to an embodiment variant in a leak tight way, according to a further variant even so, that a fluid, even a gas - cannot escape/enter the cavity.
This way the sensor members can be situated into the appendage structure inside a mechanical body. According to a variant of the embodiment, the assembly can be done so that the soft material is in flat form, but within the assembly or later the soft material can be exposed to hydraulic pressure and so provide the attaching force to the metal part for enabling the gluing where necessary. According to a variant of an embodiment, at least some of the sensor members are not glued onto the inner surface of the mechanical body or its sub-part surface, but is/are instead attached to the assembly surface of the mechanical body by the hydraulic pressure of the soft material. According to an embodiment also hydraulic fluid can be pressurized for controlling the attachment and/or biasing the dynamic range of the sensor member. Using metallic structures in the laminated layers that comprise there between a hose made of soft material for the above mentioned purpose, the amount of the hydraulic fluid can be adjusted and still have the replaceability within maintenance. According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure said cavities form a tubular structure and/or a cup-like structure. Cup-like structures with different topologies provide geometries to seal systems that utilize an appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure the robotic tactile appendage structure according to an embodiment has a grasping layer that comprises a shielding layer. This way the metallic structures can be made at least marginally lighter, but the durable parts can be manufactured from durable material that may be heavier than the metallic body. This way the wear-out process can be slowed and the maintenance can be made easy.
According to an embodiment of the invention the mechanical body of a robotic tactile appendage structure is comprising a first outer material layer for forming the grasping surface and a second layer in which there are sensor members, configured so that said grasping surface comprises a shielding wear resistant layer configured to protect an ensemble of sensor members comprising at least one sensor member in said second layer, inside the closure of the mechanical body formed by said first layer, said sensor member residing at the opposite side of the first layer than the grasping surface of the first layer.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure, the said shielding wear resistant layer comprises metal. The metal can be aluminum, steel or titanium, or an alloy of them, selected according to the purpose and the tolerance to tolerate chemical operation environment. The metal can be placed in a layer so that it comprises a sleeve metal layer on a solid metal layer to be quickly replaced. According to an embodiment such a grasping layer can be roughened. According to an ensemble of variants for different applications in an application specific way, the roughening can be made randomly, intermittently and/or regularly patterned on an appendage structure comprising system part. According to an embodiment the outer sleeve can comprise a soft metal material, so enabling to measure small deformations during the wear out process in use and/or to adapt to the article form to be processed. According to an embodiment the sleeve may be made of or can comprise a layer of ceramic, boron nitride, diamond, diamond like or another kind of hard material coating to suppress the wear out in the application. According to an embodiment such a hard coating can be attributed to the area of roughening patterns.
According to an embodiment of the invention at least one of said sensor members in the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises a strain gauge and/or pietzo element configured to form a sensor for a touch sensor.
According to an embodiment of the invention the at least one of said sensor members is such kind of sensor member that is placed in the robotic tactile appendage structure, which in the embodiment comprises electronics for the control and/or analysis of the sensor signal, and/or for the neighboring mechanical body that comprises an appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention, which appendage structure is arrange to be in communication with the system or its sub system into which both appendage structures belong to. The appendage structure can also comprise a signal source, transmitter, and a corresponding receiver or measurement electronics in suitable part as well as a pair of signal source and receiver configured for signaling in general. Signaling can be attributed to many actions or details in a system comprising the appendage structure and/or a group of such and/or substructures in such group. The appendage structure can so provide signal paths to the sensor members in an appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention. The paths can be made for control signals, power control, signals thereof and/or bias voltages or alike but also in suitable part for the signals of measurement electronics, and/or data acquisition from the sensors to the controllers and converters for data processing in a microprocessor. Thus, inside said closure formed by the mechanical body formed by material of said first layer, for detection of force derivable mechanical changes of said first layer by a touch, the structure can comprise a cavity for electronics for signal processing and/or data acquisition.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure said first layer is configured to form an interior surface for the closure for said second at least one of said sensor members comprises a strain gauge or a pietzo element. According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises a multiplicity of said first layers and second layers configured to form a coaxial, nearly coaxial, or another kind of nested structures, not necessarily alone, but for an ensemble of embodiment variants in suitable extend in combinations thereof. According to a variant of this embodiment an inner mechanical sub body of a material layer forms a closure in which the leads for signal, control and/or operation power are placed. According to an embodiment of the invention the robotic tactile appendage structure is configured to comprise a joining member further configured for movement in a plane. Thus, a human finger kind of action can be obtained in a system that comprises bodies utilizing the appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention in a system. According to an embodiment of the invention the joining member comprises a locking means, so the parts attached to the joining member can be adjusted to a permanent position for the grasping task.
Although a system according to an embodiment of the invention, at least partly or remotely, if not totally, resembling the human arm with hand, with or without the elbows and/or shoulders, can embody the human-kind of movements for rotation and bending with the corresponding parts comprising the appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention, The number of parts in robotic system corresponding those of the human parts is not necessarily limited only to the same number of parts. The freedom of the part movements in the robotic system can be thus embodied with different number of elbows, palms, and or fingers. Thus, various parts joined with a joining member or joining members can comprise freedom to operate in a plane in back and forth as well as rotate in respect to the neighboring part. The number of parts corresponding the number of thumbs and/or fingers is not limited only to the human way, but can vary according to the application specific way. The number of parts corresponding the number in parts of thumbs and/or fingers is not limited only to the human way, but can vary according to the application specific way. According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises a joining member configured for a snake-like movement. According to an embodiment of the invention the structure comprises strain gauges configured to sense and/or constitute a control signal in a feed-back loop for controlling the movement of the joining member.
According to an embodiment of the invention the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises a joining member configured for rotational and/or pivotable movement.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure said appendage structure is configured to comprise at least one of the following: finger, arm, palm, joining member and a supporting member. According to an embodiment of the invention, at least some of them are customized according to the article to be handled with the robot comprising the appendage structure configured for use in duty.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises strain gauge sensor integrated into the appendage structure. The integration can be obtained by hydraulic pressure, gluing, but in a variant by thin film growing when using at least a part of the mechanical body or an attachable sub-system as substrate, or in multiple layers comprising appendage structures an outer surface of an inner mechanical body to be inserted into the cavity formed in the mechanical body.
According to an embodiment of the invention the robotic tactile appendage structure can be used to form a member of an ensemble of interchangeable parts, provided with quick- connections to the other parts of the same system. This way modular structure can be assembled for variety of different kind of applications.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises a soft block interior part on which the sensor members are attached, to be inserted into a cavity formed by the mechanical body or its sub-body in a laminated structure related embodiments. The soft block part can be elastic in an embodiment. In another embodiment the soft block part can be of plastics. In a further embodiment the soft block part can be made of several parts that are jointly mountable to form a substrate to an ensemble of sensor members, to be mounted into the mechanical body or its sub- body in a laminated structure related embodiments.
According to an embodiment, the plastic parts or other soft parts in the mechanical body can be made in suitable part and/or portion I hard materials, such as metals, especially hard metals, such as steel for example.
According to an embodiment of the invention in the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises such a soft block interior part that comprises a cavity for a hydraulic fluid to be used to control the pressure between a the first layer and a sensor member comprising a strain gauge and/or a pietzo element. This way, the sensitivity of the sensor member can be adjusted.
According to an embodiment of the invention the robotic tactile appendage structure comprises a pietzo element configured to operate as a sensor member for sensing force originating deformations and/or changes of the first layer. According to an embodiment of the invention, the deformations are permanent. According to an embodiment of the invention the permanent deformations are used as indication of wear-out of the component in which the appendage structure is used. According to an embodiment, the metallic outer surface, the grasping surface may comprise also a spring for the appendage structure to have a better grasp and/or an ejection effect when the article to be handled is released.
A robotic tactile appendage system according to the invention comprises at least one appendage structure that is used in an appendage structure comprising part according to an embodiment, however according to an embodiment a plurality of ASCPs that are configured mechanically to be joined together via a joining member. According to an embodiment at least one of the joining members is further configured to convey electronic signal via said joining member from an ASCP to another when joined via said joining member via a signaling path through the joining member. According to an embodiment there are rigid joining members for permanent position joining in the system, but according to an embodiment of the invention there are movable joining members, at least some of them arranged to lock into a fixed position when grasping in duty at the first time. However an embodied system can comprise also such joining members that facilitate nearly the 360° rotation in a plane (for a part like a finger with a joining member joining inter-parts of finger for example) and the rotation of 360° for each or just one of the finger related joining members in a perpendicular and/or essentially perpendicular direction of the connected parts.
A robotic tactile sensor member module according to the invention comprises mechanical body with an inner and/or outer surface for attachment of sensor members into the robotic appendage structure. According to an embodiment of the invention such a module can comprise an id-means arranged to provide the sensor signal of at least one of said sensor member of the sensor member module, with an identity in respect to its location in a plurality of the ASCPs. In suitable part the module can comprise also electronics for the operations of the appendage structure itself, a joining member, and/or for a neighboring appendage structure comprising item. In suitable part the module can also comprise hydraulic valves, seals, and/or pumps for the suitable embodiments. According to an embodiment the module comprises a joining member according to an embodiment.
A manufacturing method of robotic tactile appendage structure according to the invention comprises
- attaching a sensor member onto a surface of a first mechanical body,
- inserting said first mechanical body into a second mechanical body,
- providing the sensor member with contacts to other system parts.
According to an embodiment of the invention the manufacturing method comprises forming a hollow cavity from said first layer. According to an embodiment of the invention the manufacturing method comprises providing at least one signal path for power, control and/or data acquisition signals from a sensor member to the signal processing electronics and/or power lines from the power source.
According to an embodiment of the invention the manufacturing method comprises attaching a sensor member onto a surface of a first layer as an interior surface or onto a surface of another layer of a mechanical body as an outer surface so that said mechanical body is inserted into the closure formed by the interior surface of said first layer.
In an embodiment of the invention the manufacturing method comprises forming a cavity for example as in a tube or in a cup, to a mechanical body.
Embodiments and variants thereof are shown in the dependent claims and in examples. Examples are shown in an illustrative manner in a non-restrictive way, not to restrict the scope of the embodiments to only to the examples. Embodiments of the invention are combinable in suitable part.
In the following, embodiments of the invention are illustrated in a detail by referring to the following figures showing some examples on the implementation, in which the particular shapes, item number and/or mutual distances are shown only as illustrative without any intention to limit the scope to the respective measures or properties only to the shown illustration indications, nor to the mere structures at first hand associated. Figure list
Fig 1 illustrates in a schematic way sensor members on an inside surface of an MBWC according to an embodiment of the invention,
Fig 2 illustrates in a schematic way sensor members between a sub-part comprising a flexible insert block and an ASCP according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig 3 illustrates in a schematic way sensor members between a sub-part comprising a hard insert block and an ASCP according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig 4 illustrates nested ASCPs according to an embodiment of the invention,
Fig 5 illustrates various robotic systems comprising ASCPs embodied with examples on members, arms and hands for systems utilizing the appendage structure according to an embodiment for various grasping tasks, and
Fig 6 illustrates cables and/or signal paths to join to a joining member according to an embodiment of the inventioa
Similar reference numbers are used to denote to the same kind of structures in various figures. Although the appearance, exact structure and/or functionality may be different in one figure than in another, a skilled person in the art knows when read and understood the application text the potential differences in different contexts.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the appendage structure comprises at its simplest form a mechanical body with a cavity, for example embodied by a hollow tube (or a cup-like formation) and a pair of strain gauges on the interior surface side of the cavity of the mechanical body (Fig 1). This kind of simple embodiments can be used for grasping task that comprise pushing, pulling, punching, cutting and/or sawing, to mention few in an illustrative non-limiting spirit. According to an ensemble of embodiments, the mechanical body comprising the cavity MBWC can be round, roundish, rectangular, and/or prismatic, and/or can comprise combined forms according to the grasping task or a part of it. Although the forms of the mechanical body or its sub-bodies are illustrates as straight shafts or bars, according to an embodiment the of the invention the shape can be curved or conical for embodiments in which the grasping task can be better performed with a curved mechanical body. According to an embodiment the ASCP can be a part of a blade, for a saw or a knife, in suitable part to provide it with a tactile sense of the force. According to an embodiment the ASCP can be configured for pushing and/or pulling with a tactile sense of the force, to mention few non limiting examples.
According to an embodiment the mechanical body and/or the cavity in it may have a symmetric cross section but according to a variant of embodiment ellipsoidal or flat cross section, or a combination of them in suitable parts for the grasping task configuration. According to an embodiment the mechanical body with the cavity (MBWC) have uniformly the same shape and/or cross section during the appendage structure comprising part in question, but in another appendage structure comprising jjart (ASCP) the shape may be different. Thus, the MBWC comprising the ASCP may be also differently formed than in an other part of the same system, or a sub-part of a system part. The geometry of the appendage structure may be customized-way deformed, for the operational purposes to correspond the demand in use in the duty. According to an embodiment of the invention force sensors are used for sensing the force. According to an embodiments the force sensors can be grouped. Examples on groupings are indicated by dashed lines. Such groups are for instance 104, 105 and/or 106 as embodied in the figure. A group can comprise just a pair (Fig 2) in an embodiment, but in another the pair members can be dynamically switched for electronic reading to measure force distributions of the ASCP by the sensor group members. Force sensors can be strain gauges. A pair can be arranged to be operational sensor for sensing the force directed to the grasping appendage structure. According to an embodiment there are several pairs in an ASCP, to be used for the force sensing. According to an embodiment of the invention the pair members are arranged on the opposite sides of the MBWC, for sensing the force. According to an embodiment of the invention the pair members are selected to be read in orthogonal directions. According to an embodiment of the invention some of the pairs are arranged to be readable in multiple ways, i.e. so that the pair members vary in an application specific way dynamically even for a single grasping task so improving the force characterization capability for the grasping and/or related lifting task for instance via the multiple signals available to the computer for logging the data during the grasping for the control. According to an embodiment of the invention the strain gauges (SG) are of resistive type, so arranged to give the response as based on the resistance or a derivable quantity from resistance. According to an embodiment of the invention the strain gauges (SG) are of capacitive type, so arranged to give the response as based on the capacitance or a derivable quantity from the capacitance, reactance, and/or impedance. According to an embodiment of the invention in the appendage structure there is at least one type of strain gauges used, but in another embodiment both types in an MBWC. According to an embodiment of the invention, the strain gauges are assembled to the interior of the MBWC that is provided with leads to the robotic arm to which the appendage structure is to be attached. According to an embodiment, at least some appendage structures can be provided to comprise lead-through along the interior side of the MBWC. This way it is possible to make a combinable system of appendage structures utilizing AS CP to be attached with each other. That way different grasping angles in various embodiments can be pre-determined with the help of differently attachable rigidly joinable system members comprising ASCPs, so imitating finger structures with suitable joining members. According to an embodiment, the joining can be implemented in a pivotable way as in a human hand. The joining members can be in respective embodiments joining members which can be rigid joining members, pivotable joining members as in human fingers, rotating joining members as in human wrist, or omni- directional joining members, which are pivotable also to the opposite side as a human finger joining member and/or having a rotational freedom in each, but not necessarily in all of the parts in the system. According to an embodiment, a system can in general use in suitable part joining members that are known as such for the basic structure, but modified so to convey the signal paths from an ASCP to another in the system, or out of the system or its sub system part. Thus a joining member comprises attachment means to at least a first ASCP of the system, but preferably to join to another, also attachment means to join to a second ASCP, not necessarily limiting the number of attachment means of a single ASCP to only said first and second attachment means for a joining member. For such systems that comprise ASCPs which provide responses in electrical form fro example, as signals, joining member can comprise through put means and connectors for joining the ASPCs into the system so that at least one of the ASCPs can signal via the joining member along a signal path to at least one direction if in the embodiment two direction is not needed. For mechanical responses the joining members may have guidance and/or bearings for the mechanical parts in the implementation present. According to an embodiment of the invention several ASCPs are configured to be combinable to form a system in which there are differently shaped inter changeable parts configured into a multipurpose system so facilitating different kind of grasping tasks for various articles, even for grasping customized articles.
In Fig 1 the 101 demonstrates in an illustrative way an appendage structure according to a simple embodiment of the invention, by indicating the referencing arrow and number to point the outer shell of the Appendage Structure (AS). Later Figs, especially Fig 5 shows illustrative embodiments of the use of ASCPs 101 in various robotic arm related systems 100. In the appendage structure, the 101 demonstrates the outer shell of the MBWC, as embodied by a hollow tube in the Fig without intension to restrict the shape to the mere shown example only. The MBWC forms by its material layer the carrying body, and the outer shell of the ASCP. This 101 is the shielding part that is used in the tactile appendage structure parts according to the embodiments of the invention, or a sleeve holder for a material sleeve to be fit onto the outer shell of MBWC if any such embodiments in which the grasping surface comprising metallic, ceramic or composite and/or coated sleeves are not used for the grasping surface for the grasping task in question, in tight contact with the outer shell for wear-out controlling of the particular ASCP. The cross section shape of the MBWC with grasping surface 101 is embodied as conical in Fig 1 (A- A), but without any intention to limit the form only to the illustrative example only. It is a matter of illustration to give better view on the sensor members that are embodied in the example as strain gauge (gage) SG, 1, 2, or a pietzo element PZ, 1, 2, whose placements on to the inner surface of the exemplified tube is so demonstrated. However, although SGs are used in the illustration, also pietzo electric sensor members (PZ) can be used too, alone, in option to the SGs and/or in a combined way of different types for the ASCP.
Some of the force sensing sensor members SG, PZ in Fig 1 are embodied by a pietzo- element (PZ) arranged to operate as transducers to sense the touch or torsion. Also other types of sensor members can be used in combination, to obtain various redundant systems, if not with completely overlapping dynamic range areas, at least partly, or in total separation to achieve suitable coverage for the force sensitivity optimum for the grasping task. Skilled persons skilled in the art realize from the embodiments of the invention that grasping surface is not merely only for grasping as such, but can be addressed into combinations of various mechanical manipulations in an industrial application. Thus grasping in a grasping task with a grasping surface can comprise various ways of touching comprising, touching, punching, lifting, pouring, swinging, bending, cutting, moving, picking, rotating, shaking, drilling, hammering etc, and/or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, merely and/or in an arbitrary pre-determined series, addressed to the object being manipulated, if not totally all facilitated by a single robotic system, by a suitable ensemble of such systems that comprise in suitable part dedicated ASCPs arranged accordingly for the purposes.
Fig 2 demonstrates such an embodiment, in which there is a soft block 201, inside the MBWC embodied by a hollow tube, implemented as a flexible insert 201, so that the sensor members 1 , 2, SG, PZ are situated between the interior surface of the MBWC embodied by a hollow tube and the outer surface of the soft block insert 201. In Fig 2 the strain gages SG and/or pietzo elements PZ are on the flexible insert 201. According to an embodiment of the invention the soft block 201 can comprises a cavity or a space for hydraulic fluid whose pressure can be used to control the contact force between the interior surface of the MBWC and at least one of the sensor members 1 , 2, SG, PZ, forming the second layer for the sensor members. The sensor members may be already on the flexible insert when mounting starts, for mounting the force sensors so into an MBWC. According to an embodiment variant the flexible member provides the attaching force of the sensor members by a spring in the structure, but according to a variant by a swelling composition that swells and/or is exposed to swelling favoring conditions in manufacturing. In an embodiment, the flexible insert can be comprising a cavity not only for electronics, pumps and/or valves, but also for a sub part similar to ASCP, comprising further sensor members, in shield against electromagnetic radiation, for example. Although the end of the illustrative pieces in Fig. 2, the structure is not necessarily limited only tubular and/or conical structure for vial with rounded corners. According to an embodiment the flexible insert can be made of an ensemble of parts that are quick- locked together when mounting into the MBWC with grasping surface 101. According to an embodiment, the ASCP can be coated by a hard coating, but for some embodiment a soft coating. A cavity of an MBWC is at lest partly filled with a flexible insert in an embodiment illustrated in Fig 2.
Fig 3 demonstrates such an embodiment, in which there is a hard block 301 , inside the MBWC embodied by a hollow tube, implemented as the stiff insert 301, so that the sensor members 1, 2, SG, PZ are situated between the interior surface of MBWC embodied by the hollow tube and the outer surface of the stiff block insert 301. According to an embodiment of the invention, the outer shell 101 can be hard. According to an embodiment, the outer shell 101 can have a coating dedicated for the duty relating to the grasping. According to an embodiment the sleeve can be designed for deformations that are irreversible, to indicate wear-out degree for maintenance and/or better grasping to the article to be grasped. The sleeve can be other material than metal in an embodiment variant, in suitable part also for adjusting the grasping force interaction between the ASCP and the article to be grasped, or pushed. Although the Fig 3 illustrates an example of a partial sleeve, even the whole MBWC outer surface may be covered in an embodiment for suitable grasping task. A cavity of an MBWC is at lest partly filled with a stiff insert in an embodiment illustrated in Fig 3.
Although certain number of drawing symbols are locally shown, their associated objects in the embodied structure is not limited only to the shown example-embodiment, not only to the shown position to each other, also for the grouping for the tensile stress measurements.
Fig 4 demonstrates such embodiments where there are several structures like the one described with in Fig 1 put together in a nested way. This kind of structure can be used for obtaining different dynamic ranges, especially when damping material is used in the inter-layer space. In such embodiments that are directed to the tasks that require knowledge on the tensile stress distribution in the ASCP at a cross section in one direction and/or in a perpendicular or another direction, this embodiment or a variant thereof can be used. Especially if the load addressed to the ASCP in question is very heavy, near the break even point of the material, it may be important to know more about the forces and their influence to the structure. Although sensor member related drawing signs may have been used in same longitude locations, the exact number and location in respect to the other same layer sensor members or other layer members, if present, is not limited only to the shown illustration indications on examples on embodiments. The Fig 4 indicates MBWCs 401, 402 and 403, from which 402, and 403 can have the sensor members also on their outer surfaces, irrespective are they implemented by hard material (i.e. metal, ceramics, composite) or flexible material (plastics, spring material, elastic other materials). Some of the layers, for example that between MBWCs 402 and 403 can have an arrangement for pressing hydraulic fluid against the 402 so that the flexible 402 layer in this variant embodiment could attach the sensor members on the inside surface of the MBWC 401. The nesting of the various MBWCs is not necessarily limited only to the illustrative coaxial embodiment shown in the figure. Although the MBWCs are embodied as they were uniform in structure in an exemplary embodiment, in another embodiment variant ensemble of the MBWC can be made in a non-uniform way. This way the structure were lighter, but the force sensors can be still attached to the desired or estimated places for the force sensing. Fig 5 demonstrates examples on use of the robotic tactile appendage structure AS with grasping surface 101 in various robotic parts (ASCP) and as system 100 parts. The MBWC is embodied in several ways for different kind of systems illustrated in Fig 5. A skilled person in the art knows from the examples of the application text and the appearance of the items in Fig 5 that it is clear that the cross section shape of the MBWC can vary in many ways, depending on the particular use as planned, but without leaving the scope of the claimed embodiment.
The Fig 5 also demonstrates that the appendage structure can be comprised in a system that comprises the grasping surface 101 for a member of a robotic hand, comprising in an embodiment of a system implementation illustrated also the palm of the hand, and in a further variant an arm attached to the hand-part, but not necessarily for all the mentioned part. Although the palm and the wrist-like parts are indicated with the same number, it reflects only to that fact that the ASCP are not limited by their shape or position as such to only to the illustrated embodiments in a system. The shape of the palm is not necessarily the same as that of a human palm, but may vary according to the application in which the appendage structure is designed to be used for. In a robotic system, the number of finger-like ASCPs is not limited, nor the number of thumb-like ASCPs. Although joint 111 indicative on the joining member for joining an inter-parts of a finger to bend like human corresponding finger or a part thereof, the movement and/or bend is not limited only to the illustrative example, but can be also implemented even to an opposite direction from the shown indication. In an embodiment a joining member, a joint can comprise also latches, motors valves and/or pumps, but also hydraulic parts and/or actuators for the joining of an ASCP, but also for to move an ASCP in suitable part. Although not shown explicitly as such in figures, according to an embodiment of the invention a system part of an embodied system can comprise attachment means to an industrial machine, casing, etc. The attachment part can also in an embodiment comprise infrastructure related means, that are used for providing the operational facilities to the system, such facilities as electricity, pressurized air, lubrication, hydraulic fluids, and data acquisition lines, so that the various ASCPs can use them according to the individual specialization at their location in the system, to be conveyed via the joining members in suitable part.
Fig 6 demonstrates cable and signal path arrangements in an embodiment. The mechanical body with cavity MBWC embodied by a hollow tube appears to be hollow, except the illustrated sensors and the indicated signal path. Although just one wire appears to be illustrated, a skilled man in the art can see from the embodiments that the number of wires and/or mechanical cables in the tube is not limited only to the shown example, not even in the embodiments where the parts/sensors/electronic parts are supposed to be using a digitally addressable/accessible signal path for the signaling, power control and/or data acquisition. In use of analog signals from the sensor members of the ASCPs, the mechanical properties of the cavities as well as joining members involved may need provision for the space accordingly. Although shown protrusions or alike to extend from the MBWC in Fig 6, a skilled man in the art realizes from the embodiments that joining to a joining member for the through put of a signal and/or mechanical action can be made in many ways, not limited only to the example shown to join to a joining member with said protrusions. Special attachment means are not shown in Fig 6 for attaching the joining member to an appropriate ASCP.
Example 1
The MBWC are used for several kinds of ASCPs. The appendage structure (AS) is used for forming a system according to an embodiment of the invention so comprising a mechanical body for the finger structure, considered as such as an MBWC, for grasping articles from conveyor for example. In the example, the described fingers each can have mechanical body that comprises an appendage structure according to an embodiment of the invention, so to form at least one ASCP. The fingers are attached to a robotic hand in a gripping configuration (at least two fingers as in the example, but not necessarily limiting the number of fingers to the just mentioned) with pneumatic actuators, in accordance of one embodiment. In an embodiment the at least one of the fingers is arranged in the thumb-wise geometry to act like a thumb in a hand, to move for grasping at the opposite direction as at least one of the fingers. According to an embodiment, the fingers of the appendage structure are arranged to be operable individually and/or independently on each other, but according to an embodiment the fingers are configurable to operate in sub-groups, so facilitating at least some of the human hand-like operations with the robotic parts like fingers. The movement can be embodied in several ways to add freedom to move also in a non-human way for the fingers (i.e. rotate and move counter- directions that are not allowed for human fingers). According to an embodiment, at least one of the fingers comprises a snake like structure for the movement freedom accordingly. In the example, the robot hand can be attached to an industrial 6-degrees-of-freedom robot arm. However, the degree of freedom is not limited only to the just mentioned. A general-purpose computer can be used to control both robot arm movement and finger actuators. The touch sense from the fingers is connected to A-D converters (via electronic and/or amplifiers in suitable part and order), which are further connected to an industrial bus that is connected to the general purpose computer. The control software on the computer uses the touch input together with other sensor inputs to make control decision for arm and finger movement according to the prescribed manner as indicated in the program code.
According to an embodiment a finger forming MBWC is hollow, and the strain gauges are used for sensing the tactile forces between the grasping finger and the article to be grasped. According to an embodiment, a finger comprises a laminated structure that is arranged to facilitate monitoring the distribution of the tensile stress caused by force applied inside the finger involved in the grasping by touching the object of the grasping task. According to an embodiment, a finger comprises sensor members, that are arranged into the finger to the opposite sides of the hollow tube, but can also or in option to comprise sensor members, that are arranged into the finger to the 90° angle in respect to the normals of the just mentioned sensor members. According to an embodiment, other directions can be embodied for a grasping task application specific way. According to an embodiment such sensor ensemble can be read in a pair-wise manner, in separate parts of the finger and/or switch the pair members to other sensor members to get a better view on the tensile stress distribution in the finger involved in the grasping.
As the conveyor may reside in a corrosive environment, the fingers in the example are configured gas-tight, to make sure that no chemicals could corrode the robotic appendage structure inside the closure of the MBCW and thus deteriorate the operational sensing parts, or any other parts involved for mechanical movements and/or electronics in MBCW for the ASCP.
In the example, the robot in use is configured with a machine -vision system which is arranged to recognize certain sized containers and give the command to the robot to grasp to the containers to be picked from the conveyor, and pass the other containers thorough if their size differs from the given tolerances of the algorithm of the machine vision system for the classification purpose.
Example 2
According to an embodiment of the invention to manufacture the appendage structures the hollow tube and a strain gauge on the interior of the tube are attached by gluing them together. According to an embodiment, the leads are assembled to the strain gauge, for providing electrical signals and the operation power for the appendage structure. According to an embodiment of the invention the appendage structure is manufactured by growing a thin film on the interior of the hollow tube. Naturally the leads can be isolated in suitable part. According to an embodiment of the invention the hollow tube is used as an electrode, preferably in a ground potential.
According to an embodiment of the invention the strain gauges are attached on to a soft block that is inserted into the hollow tube. In such an embodiment the leads and signal passages can be made before the insertion into the hollow tube.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the structure can be made as an onion, i.e. the structure comprises at least one hollow mechanical body embodies as a tube for example, on whose interior side there are strain gauges attached, but as covered by another hollow tube having suitable diameter smaller than the first hollow tube so selected that strain gauges are between the two tube walls. This way the stress constituted by the force in the appendage structure can be better estimated by using several entities of the first layer and the second layer in an onion-like nested configuration.
According to an embodiment of the invention, instead of a strain gauge, the mechanical body embodied by a hollow tube comprises on its interior at least one piezoelectric sensor, which is configured to sense the static kind of forces directed to the appendage structure when grasping.
According to an embodiment of the invention the pietzo sensors can be glued on to the surface, but according to a variant of an embodiment grown and/or etched on to the interior side of the hollow tube, or another formation that is configured for insertion into the hollow tube. According to an embodiment the signal path is grown, also the suitable insulations are provided. According to an embodiment variant, this may be utilized for the geometry between the hollow tube and sensor also when the pietzo elements are put on a soft block and then inserted, or put on an interior tube to be inserted into the hollow tube.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an appendage structure is made according to an embodiment, in a variant according to a suitable combination of the structures of examples in 1 and/or 2.
Example 3
According to an embodiment of the invention, an ASCP comprises a sleeve structure that forms the actual grasping structure. According to an embodiment, the sleeve is provided for few finger-like ASCPs that are expected to be worn-out quickly without the sleeve and/or a special on-sleeve coating for the purpose.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the ASCP comprises a sensor that further comprises electronics (integrated in a variant embodiment, non-integrated in another) that is configured so that the signal that is a function of a tactile force applied on said grasping surface (101) comprises a linear part. According to an embodiment of the invention the sensor comprises electronics that is configured to make approximate the force acting to the grasping surface through at least one of the material layers between the grasping surface and the sensor in question. The approximation may be made by means of Fourier series for example, in case of which in some embodiments processor may be addressed to the task locally, even in a suitable ASCP or an electronic part therein.
For use of strain gauges as force sensors in embodiments, the signal can be voltage and/or current signal with a level that changes in accordance of the force applied on the grasping surface. The signal constituting electronics can be situated into the ASCP, or into another part of the robotic system with suitable wiring. According to an embodiment of the invention the MBWC of the ASCP can comprise power dissipation profile, and/or cooling fluid system arranged to cool down a component that is getting warmed because of the electricity used for the operation, such a component embodied by a microprocessor and/or a power semiconductor component or - circuit arranged for the operation of the ASCP comprising system, to mention few examples. Such an ASCP can be a member of a system comprising at least one ASCP, but is not necessarily embodied identically with another ASCP in the same system or a part thereof.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an appendage structure is made according to an embodiment, in a variant according to a suitable combination of the structures of examples in 1 and/or 2