Quadruped robot

Abstract

According to the quadruped robot, four sets of leg mechanisms are symmetrically distributed on the two sides of a robot body, and each leg mechanism has a first deformation state and a second deformation state; when the four leg mechanisms are in the first deformation state, the quadruped robot is in a robot dog mode; when the four leg mechanisms are in the second deformation state, the positioning shafts of the hub assemblies are combined with the robot body, so that the quadruped robot is in a balance car mode; the driving mechanism is used for driving the leg mechanism to switch between a first deformation state and a second deformation state; the steering mechanism is mounted at the front end of the fuselage body; the handle mechanism is rotatably connected to the steering mechanism and can drive the steering mechanism to rotate so that the quadruped robot can steer in the balance car mode. According to the quadruped robot, the dual requirements of a user for a robot dog and a balance car can be met, in the balance car mode, the hub assemblies and the robot body are combined to form rigid support, and the motors at the joints of the leg mechanisms do not need to continuously provide loads.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of only robot technology, in particular to a quadruped robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] The existing robot dog is mainly used as an entertainment product, and its joint motor system directly bears the load to realize movement, but the continuous load will cause the motor to overheat, resulting in performance decline or even shutdown, and the safety risk is large. In addition, the structure and use of the robot dog are single, and it cannot meet the demand of carrying people. SUMMARY

[0003] The present disclosure provides a quadruped robot to at least solve the above technical problems in the prior art.

[0004] The quadruped robot according to the present disclosure comprises a body, a driving mechanism, a handle mechanism, a steering mechanism, and four sets of leg mechanisms; wherein,

[0005] The four sets of leg mechanisms are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the body, and the leg mechanisms have a first deformation state and a second deformation state;

[0006] The leg mechanism comprises a hub assembly, when the four sets of leg mechanisms are in the first deformation state, the quadruped robot is in a robot dog mode; when the four sets of leg mechanisms are in the second deformation state, the positioning shaft of the hub assembly is combined with the body to make the quadruped robot in a balance car mode;

[0007] The driving mechanism is used to drive the leg mechanism to switch between the first deformation state and the second deformation state;

[0008] The steering mechanism is installed at the front end of the body, the handle mechanism is rotatably connected to the steering mechanism and can drive the steering mechanism to rotate, so that the quadruped robot turns in the balance car mode.

[0009] In an implementable manner, the body is provided with a positioning portion;

[0010] The handle mechanism has an unfolded state and a folded state relative to the steering mechanism;

[0011] When the handle mechanism is in the unfolded state, the handle mechanism is perpendicular to the body and can drive the steering mechanism to rotate around the axis of the handle mechanism; when the handle mechanism is in the folded state, the handle mechanism is limited by the positioning portion to lock the steering mechanism.

[0012] In an implementable manner, the steering mechanism comprises:

[0013] a gear rotatably mounted on the body, the rotation axis of the gear being perpendicular to the body, the handle structure being fixedly connected to the gear for driving the gear to rotate about its rotation axis;

[0014] a rack engaged with the gear, the rack being slidably mounted on the body and capable of reciprocating linearly along its length direction;

[0015] a linkage assembly, a first end of the linkage assembly being hingedly connected to the rack, a second end of the linkage assembly being configured to drive the two leg mechanisms at the front end of the body to turn.

[0016] In an embodiment, a locking member is further included, the locking member being provided with a locking interface;

[0017] the leg mechanisms are arranged on the body via the locking member;

[0018] when the leg mechanisms are in the second deformation state, the positioning shaft is fixed with the locking interface.

[0019] In an embodiment, a control mechanism is further included, the control mechanism comprising a control assembly and a locking member, the control assembly being connected to the locking member for controlling the locking member to extend into the locking interface so as to fix the locking member relative to the positioning shaft.

[0020] In an embodiment, the control mechanism is configured to be triggered to work when the handle structure is out of the folding state.

[0021] In an embodiment, the control assembly comprises a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic hose, the hydraulic pump being configured to drive the locking member to extend into the locking interface via the hydraulic hose.

[0022] In an embodiment, the leg mechanisms further comprise a thigh assembly and a shank assembly, the thigh assembly and the shank assembly being hingedly connected;

[0023] the driving mechanism comprises a knee joint driving assembly arranged at the hinged connection between the thigh assembly and the shank assembly for driving the shank assembly to rotate relative to the thigh assembly.

[0024] In an embodiment, the hub assembly is arranged at the hinged connection between the thigh assembly and the shank assembly.

[0025] In an embodiment, a transmission mechanism is further included, the leg mechanisms being arranged on the body via the transmission mechanism.

[0026] In the present disclosure, since the quadruped robot shares the support structure of the body in the robot dog mode and the balance car mode, the hardware cost and the equipment weight are reduced, the compact design of the structure is realized, the dual needs of the robot dog and the balance car of the user are met, the user is provided with convenience and the consumption cost is saved; through the precise control of the driving mechanism, the leg mechanism can quickly and smoothly convert between the first deformation state and the second deformation state, which is convenient for the user to operate; in the balance car mode, the cooperation of the steering mechanism and the handle mechanism enables the robot to have good controllability and stability, providing the user with a safer and more comfortable riding experience, the hub assembly and the body form a rigid support, and the motor at the joint of the leg mechanism does not need to continuously provide load, thereby releasing the continuous load pressure of the joint motor, reducing the risk of motor heating, and improving the stability and safety of the equipment operation.

[0027] It should be understood that the content described in this part is not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become apparent through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] In the drawings, identical or corresponding reference numerals indicate identical or corresponding parts.

[0030] Figure 1 An overall structure schematic diagram of a quadruped robot in a robot dog mode is shown;

[0031] Figure 2 An overall structure schematic diagram of a quadruped robot in a balance car mode is shown;

[0032] Figure 3 A structure schematic diagram of a steering mechanism of a quadruped robot is shown;

[0033] Figure 4 A structure schematic diagram of a steering mechanism of a quadruped robot after steering is shown;

[0034] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a steering mechanism of a quadruped robot after steering is shown;

[0035] Figure 6 A structure schematic diagram of a locking piece of a quadruped robot is shown.

[0036] Figure label explanation: 1, body; 2, handle structure; 3, steering mechanism; 4, leg mechanism; 5, locking piece; 6, control mechanism; 7, trigger sensor; 8, transmission mechanism; 11, positioning part; 31, gear; 32, rack; 33, connecting rod assembly; 41, hub assembly; 42, thigh assembly; 43, calf assembly; 51, locking end; 52, rotating shaft part; 53, first connecting end; 54, second connecting end; 61, control assembly; 62, locking piece; 411, positioning shaft; 511, locking interface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] To make the objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0038] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figures, the four-legged robot of one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body 1, a driving mechanism, a handle structure 2, a steering mechanism 3, and four sets of leg mechanisms 4. The four sets of leg mechanisms 4 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the body 1, and the leg mechanism 4 has a first deformation state and a second deformation state. The leg mechanism 4 includes a hub assembly 41, when the four sets of leg mechanisms 4 are in the first deformation state, the four-legged robot is in the robot dog mode; when the four sets of leg mechanisms 4 are in the second deformation state, the positioning shaft 411 of the hub assembly 41 is combined with the body 1, so that the four-legged robot is in the balance car mode. The driving mechanism is used to drive the leg mechanism 4 to convert between the first deformation state and the second deformation state; the steering mechanism 3 is installed at the front end of the body 1, the handle structure 2 is rotatably connected to the steering mechanism 3 and can drive the steering mechanism 3 to rotate, so that the four-legged robot turns in the balance car mode.

[0040] In the embodiment, the body 1 is the core of the whole quadruped robot, and an electronic system is integrated inside, including a control circuit, a power management unit and other necessary core components. The leg mechanism 4 adopts a symmetrical layout and is located on both sides of the body 1. Each group of leg mechanisms 4 is composed of a hub assembly 41 and multiple joints, which can realize the complex multi-degree-of-freedom motion of the quadruped robot, the switching of multiple motion postures and the conversion of different operation modes. The connection between the hub assembly 41 and the body 1 can be achieved by means including but not limited to electromagnetic lock, hydraulic bolt or mechanical bolt, etc. to realize automatic locking or manual locking. The driving mechanism (not shown in the figure) connects the body 1 and the leg mechanism 4, which can be achieved by means including but not limited to servo motor, hydraulic drive or pneumatic drive, etc. as the driving source of the leg mechanism 4, responsible for driving the leg mechanism 4 to switch between the first deformation state and the second deformation state. It can be understood that the driving mechanism includes motors and reducers arranged at the joints of the leg mechanism 4, which work together to ensure the flexible movement and precise control of the leg mechanism 4. The handle 2 is arranged at the front end of the body 1, providing an ergonomic holding point for the user in the balance car mode. The user controls the forward direction of the quadruped robot by controlling the handle 2. The steering mechanism 3 is connected with the two groups of leg mechanisms 4 arranged at the front end of the body 1 and linked with the handle 2, used to realize the steering function of the quadruped robot in the balance car mode.

[0041] Specifically, when the four sets of leg mechanisms 4 are in the first deformation state, the four-legged robot presents a dog mode, and the joints of each set of leg mechanisms 4 are free to move, and the positioning shaft 411 of the wheel hub assembly 41 is in a separated state from the body 1. Through the control of the driving mechanism, flexible movement of the leg joints can be realized, so that the robot can imitate the walking, running, jumping and other actions of a real dog. In this mode, the four-legged robot can be used in various occasions such as accompanying, inspection and performance, and has high flexibility and adaptability. When it is necessary to convert the dog mode to the balance car mode, the user can issue a mode conversion instruction through the operation of a control device (such as a remote controller or a button on the body 1), and the driving mechanism starts to drive the leg mechanisms 4 to deform and convert after receiving the instruction. During the conversion process, the joints of the leg mechanisms 4 gradually adjust the positions, and the positioning shaft 411 of the wheel hub assembly 41 gradually approaches the body 1. When the leg mechanisms 4 are completely converted to the second deformation state, the positioning shaft 411 of the wheel hub assembly 41 is tightly combined with the docking component on the body 1 to form a stable support structure. Since the handlebar mechanism 2 is rotatably connected to the steering mechanism 3, the handlebar mechanism 2 can be rotated to a position suitable for linkage with the steering mechanism 3 by artificial rotation, i.e., a position in which the handlebar mechanism 2 is usually perpendicular to the body 1. The user holds the handlebar mechanism 2 and can control the driving direction of the four-legged robot by rotating the handlebar to drive the steering mechanism 3. In the balance car mode, the user can stand on the footboard of the body 1 of the four-legged robot and hold the handlebar mechanism 2 with both hands to control the movement of the robot in a manner similar to driving a balance car.

[0042] In summary, the four-legged robot of the present disclosure shares the body 1 as a support structure in the dog mode and the balance car mode, reduces the hardware cost and the weight of the device, realizes the compact design of the structure, can meet the dual needs of the user for the dog and the balance car, provides convenience for the user and saves the cost of consumption; through the precise control of the driving mechanism, the leg mechanisms 4 can be quickly and smoothly converted between the first deformation state and the second deformation state, which is convenient for the user to operate; in the balance car mode, the cooperation of the steering mechanism 3 and the handlebar mechanism 2 enables the robot to have good controllability and stability, providing the user with a safer and more comfortable riding experience, and the wheel hub assembly 41 is combined with the body 1 to form a rigid support, so that the motor at the joint of the leg mechanism 4 does not need to continuously provide a load, thereby releasing the continuous load pressure of the joint motor, reducing the risk of motor heating, and improving the stability and safety of the operation of the device.

[0043] Reference Figures 3-5As shown, in an embodiment, the body 1 is provided with a positioning portion 11, and the handle structure 2 has an unfolded state and a folded state relative to the steering mechanism 3. When the handle structure 2 is in the unfolded state, the handle structure 2 is perpendicular to the body 1, and the steering mechanism 3 can be rotated about the axis of the handle structure 2; when the handle structure 2 is in the folded state, the handle structure 2 is limited by the positioning portion 11 to lock the steering mechanism 3.

[0044] In the embodiment, the positioning portion 11 is usually made of metal or high-strength plastic and can be closely fitted with a specific part of the handle structure 2. Specifically, the positioning portion 11 can be a positioning pin or a positioning groove, and the handle structure 2 is provided with a positioning hole or a positioning protrusion corresponding to the positioning pin or the positioning groove, so that the handle structure 2 is inserted into the positioning portion 11 when it is in the folded state. In addition, the positioning portion 11 can also fix the handle structure 2 by mechanical locking or magnetic attraction to ensure its stability in the robot dog mode. Specifically, when the handle structure 2 is in the unfolded state, the handle structure 2 is perpendicular to the body 1, and the user can hold the handle structure 2 and drive the steering mechanism 3 to rotate about the axis of the handle structure 2, thereby controlling the driving direction of the quadruped robot. When the handle structure 2 is in the folded state, the handle structure 2 is limited by the positioning portion 11 on the body 1 to lock the steering mechanism 3, and further lock the two groups of leg mechanisms 4 located at the front end of the body 1, preventing the misoperation of the steering mechanism 3 in the robot dog mode and ensuring the stable operation of the quadruped robot. Therefore, in the robot dog mode, the handle structure 2 of the quadruped robot of the present disclosure is in the folded state and closely fitted with the positioning portion 11 on the body 1, which not only reduces the overall size of the robot and makes it more convenient to move in a small space, but also prevents the misoperation of the steering mechanism 3 in the robot dog mode and ensures the stable operation of the robot.

[0045] Referring to Figure 3 As shown, in an embodiment, the steering mechanism 3 includes a gear 31, a rack 32, and a linkage assembly 33. The gear 31 is rotatably installed on the body 1, the rotation axis of the gear 31 is perpendicular to the body 1, the handle structure 2 is fixedly connected to the gear 31 for driving the gear 31 to rotate about its rotation axis. The rack 32 is engaged with the gear 31, and the rack 32 is slidably installed on the body 1 and can reciprocate linearly along the length direction thereof. The first end of the linkage assembly 33 is hinged to the rack 32, and the second end is used to drive the two leg mechanisms 4 located at the front end of the body 1 to steer.

[0046] In this embodiment, gear 31 is rotatably mounted to the main body 1, with its rotational axis perpendicular to the main body 1. The handle mechanism 2 is fixedly connected to gear 31, and user operation of the handle mechanism 2 drives gear 31 to rotate about its rotational axis. This mounting arrangement ensures that when the user operates the handle mechanism 2, gear 31 can stably and efficiently transmit rotational motion. The fixed connection between the handle mechanism 2 and gear 31 allows the user to directly rotate gear 31 by simply turning the handle mechanism 2 in balancing scooter mode. For example, when the user turns the handle mechanism 2 to the left, gear 31 rotates to the left, which in turn, meshing with the rack 32, drives the rack 32 in linear motion along its length, ultimately achieving a left turn. The tight meshing of the rack 32 and gear 31 ensures that rotational motion is accurately converted into linear motion. The rack 32 is designed to slide along the width of the main body 1. This sliding mounting arrangement allows the rack 32 to smoothly reciprocate along its length when driven by the gear 31. The movement of the rack 32 not only transmits power from the gear 31 but also, through its hinged connection with the connecting rod assembly 33, transmits steering commands to the leg mechanisms 4. The first end of the connecting rod assembly 33 is firmly hinged to the rack 32. This hinged connection ensures that the connecting rod assembly 33 can flexibly change its direction and posture under the drive of the rack 32. The second end of the connecting rod assembly 33 is connected to the two sets of leg mechanisms 4 located at the front end of the main body 1, converting the linear motion of the rack 32 into steering movements for the leg mechanisms 4. For example, when the rack 32 slides in a certain direction under the drive of the gear 31, the connecting rod assembly 33 moves accordingly, driving the leg mechanisms 4 to deflect in the corresponding direction, thereby achieving steering of the entire robot. Thus, thanks to the tight meshing of the gear 31 and the rack 32 and the efficient transmission of the connecting rod assembly 33, the quadruped robot of the present disclosure can achieve precise steering control. When the user operates the handle mechanism 2, the steering command is quickly and accurately transmitted to the two sets of leg mechanisms 4 at the front end of the main body 1, ensuring that the robot steers according to the user's intention.

[0047] Reference Figure 6 As shown, in one embodiment, the quadruped robot further includes a locking member 5 having a locking interface 511, and the leg mechanism 4 is fixed to the body 1 via the locking member 5. When the leg mechanism 4 is in the second deformation state, the positioning axis 411 is fixed to the locking interface 511.

[0048] In the embodiment, the locking member 5 is installed on the body 1, and a locking interface 511 is arranged on the locking member 5. The locking interface 511 is shaped and sized to match the positioning shaft 411 of the wheel hub assembly 41 of the leg mechanism 4, so as to ensure that the two can be precisely docked and stably locked. When the leg mechanism 4 is in the second deformation state, the positioning shaft 411 is inserted into the locking interface 511, so as to realize the relative fixation of the positioning shaft 411 and the locking member 5, or further fixation through mechanical structures such as buckles, threads or electromagnetic locking members. When the quadruped robot needs to be converted from the dog mode to the balance car mode, the driving mechanism drives the leg mechanism 4 to deform and convert, and in the process of gradually approaching the second deformation state, the positioning shaft 411 of the wheel hub assembly 41 gradually aligns with the locking interface 511. When the leg mechanism 4 is completely converted to the second deformation state, the positioning shaft 411 is inserted into the locking interface 511, and can be further fixed through the locking member. When it is needed to convert from the balance car mode back to the dog mode, if the locking member is provided, the fixation of the positioning shaft 411 needs to be released first. For example, if the locking is realized through buckles, the buckles are driven to be loosened; if the locking is realized through electromagnet, the power supply of the electromagnet is turned off to release the locking. Subsequently, the driving mechanism drives the leg mechanism 4 to convert from the second deformation state back to the first deformation state, so as to separate the positioning shaft 411 of the wheel hub assembly 41 from the locking interface 511.

[0049] Further, the locking piece 5 comprises a locking end 51, a rotating shaft part 52, a first connecting end 53 and a second connecting end 54, which can be integrally formed. The locking end 51 is provided with a locking interface 511 on the lower surface, and the second connecting end 54 is perpendicular to the locking end 51. The rotating shaft part 52 is used to connect with the body 1, and the first connecting end 53 is used to fixedly connect with one end of the leg mechanism 4. Specifically, the two locking pieces 5 located at the front end of the body 1 are rotatably connected with the body 1 through the rotating shaft part 52, and can rotate relative to the body 1, thereby driving the leg mechanism 4 connected with the first connecting end 53 and the positioning shaft 411 of the hub assembly 41 of the leg mechanism 4 fixedly connected with the locking end 51 to rotate synchronously around the axis of the rotating shaft part 52. The second connecting end 54 is fixedly connected with the connecting rod assembly 33 of the steering mechanism 3, so that when the rack 32 slides in a certain direction under the drive of the gear 31, the connecting rod assembly 33 moves, thereby driving the locking piece 5 to rotate, and further driving the leg mechanism 4 to deflect in the corresponding direction. Thus, the continuous load pressure is released, the risk of motor heating at the joint of the leg mechanism 4 is reduced, and the stability and safety of the equipment operation are improved. Since the rear end of the body 1 is not provided with the steering mechanism 3, the rotating shaft part 52 of the two locking pieces 5 located at the rear end of the body 1 can be fixed relative to the body 1, or can be rotatably arranged on the body 1 according to actual needs. The first connecting end 53 of the two locking pieces 5 is respectively connected with the two groups of leg mechanisms 4 at the rear end of the body 1, and in the process that the leg mechanism 4 gradually approaches the second deformation state, the positioning shaft 411 of the hub assembly 41 gradually aligns with the locking interface 511 on the locking end 51.

[0050] Referring to Figure 1 In an embodiment, the quadruped robot further comprises a control mechanism 6, which comprises a control assembly 61 and a locking piece 62. The control assembly 61 is connected with the locking piece 62, and is used to control the locking piece 62 to extend into the locking interface 511, so as to relatively fix the locking piece 5 with the positioning shaft 411.

[0051] In the embodiment, the control mechanism 6 comprises a control assembly 61 and a locking piece 5. The locking piece 62 is driven by the control assembly 61 to extend into the locking interface 511, so as to realize the relative fixation of the locking piece 5 and the positioning shaft 411. The control assembly 61 can adopt a motor-driven screw transmission device, which can convert the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion, so as to push the extension and retraction of the locking piece 62. The locking piece 62 is designed as a wedge-shaped or cylindrical pin structure, one end of which is connected to the control assembly 61, and the other end of which can extend into the locking interface 511. When the quadruped robot needs to be converted into the balance car mode, the leg mechanism 4 gradually approaches the second deformation state under the action of the driving mechanism. The control assembly 61 can receive a locking instruction after the leg mechanism 4 reaches the second deformation state, the motor drives the screw to rotate, and the locking piece 62 moves along the screw axis direction. The locking piece 62 gradually extends into the locking interface 511 until it transversely penetrates the positioning shaft 411 of the hub assembly 41, so as to realize the locking. When it is needed to convert from the balance car mode back to the robot dog mode, the control assembly 61 receives an unlocking instruction, the motor reverses, drives the screw to rotate, and drives the locking piece 62 to exit the locking interface 511. The locking piece 62 is separated from the positioning shaft 411, and the leg mechanism 4 returns to the first deformation state under the action of the driving mechanism. It can be understood that the control assembly 61 and the locking piece 62 are not limited to the above structure, and can realize the locking of the locking interface 511 and the positioning shaft 411. This design not only improves the automation degree of the locking and unlocking process, but also enhances the accuracy and stability of the locking, and avoids the errors and safety hazards that may be caused by manual operation.

[0052] In an embodiment, the control mechanism 6 is configured to trigger the control assembly 61 to work when the phone mechanism 2 is separated from the folded state.

[0053] In the embodiment, the control mechanism 6 further comprises a trigger sensor 7 installed on the body 1 for detecting the state change of the handle 2. When the handle 2 is switched from the folded state to the unfolded state, or from the unfolded state to the folded state, the trigger sensor 7 can perceive the change in real time and transmit a signal to the control assembly 61. After receiving the signal, the control assembly 61 starts the corresponding locking or unlocking process. For example, when the user switches the handle 2 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the trigger sensor 7 detects the action and sends a signal to the control assembly 61, which controls the locking member 62 to extend into the locking interface 511 until it is locked with the positioning shaft 411 that penetrates the hub assembly 41 horizontally. When the user switches the handle 2 from the unfolded state back to the folded state, the trigger sensor 7 also detects the change and sends a signal to the control assembly 61, which controls the locking member 62 to exit the locking interface 511 to complete the unlocking operation. In this way, the trigger sensor 7 automatically detects the state change of the handle 2, eliminating the need for manual triggering of the locking or unlocking operation, and improving the intelligence level of the quadruped robot. The cooperation of the trigger sensor 7 and the control assembly 61 ensures the timeliness and accuracy of the locking and unlocking operations, avoiding problems caused by manual operation delays or errors. It should be understood that the trigger sensor 7 can also be replaced by distance sensors, light sensors, etc., as long as it can detect the state change of the handle 2.

[0054] In an embodiment, the control assembly 61 comprises a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic hose, and the hydraulic pump drives the locking member 62 to extend into the locking member 5 through the hydraulic hose.

[0055] In this embodiment, a hydraulic pump serves as the power source, providing high-pressure fluid to drive the extension and retraction of locking member 62. The hydraulic pump is typically installed within the main body 1, near the power supply and control unit for easy power supply and control. A hydraulic hose connects the hydraulic pump and locking member 62, transmitting the high-pressure fluid. The hose is made of high-pressure, wear-resistant material to ensure it will not leak or damage during long-term use. Locking member 62 can be designed as a hydraulic cylinder structure with a piston inside. When high-pressure fluid enters the cylinder through the hydraulic hose, the piston extends outward under the action of hydraulic pressure. When the hydraulic pressure is released, the piston retracts under the action of a spring or other reset device. It is understood that the control assembly 61 composed of the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic hose can work together with the trigger sensor 7 in the above-mentioned embodiment, so that when the user switches the handle mechanism 2 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the trigger sensor 7 detects this action and sends a signal to the control assembly 61, which controls the locking member 62 through the hydraulic pump to extend into the locking interface 511 until it is aligned with the positioning shaft 411 that passes horizontally through the hub assembly 41, thereby achieving locking; when the user switches the handle mechanism 2 from the unfolded state back to the folded state, the trigger sensor 7 also detects this change and sends a signal to the control assembly 61, and the hydraulic pump of the control assembly 61 controls the locking member 62 to exit the locking interface 511, completing the unlocking operation. In the quadruped robot disclosed in the present invention, the control mechanism 6 adopts hydraulic transmission with good buffering and shock absorption performance, which can make the locking and unlocking process smoother, reduce mechanical shock, and extend the service life of the quadruped robot; the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic hose can be flexibly arranged according to the spatial layout of the quadruped robot, without taking up too much space, which is conducive to the overall structural optimization of the quadruped robot.

[0056] In one embodiment, the leg mechanism 4 also includes a thigh component 42 and a calf component 43, and the thigh component 42 and the calf component 43 are hinged. The driving mechanism includes a knee joint driving component, which is arranged at the knee joint hinge of the thigh component 42 and the calf component 43, and is used to drive the calf component 43 to rotate relative to the thigh component 42.

[0057] Specifically, in one embodiment, the hub assembly 41 is disposed at the knee joint of the thigh assembly 42 and the calf assembly 43 .

[0058] In the present embodiment, the thigh assembly 42 serves as the upper support structure of the leg, one end of which is connected to the body 1, and the other end is hinged to the shank assembly 43. The shank assembly 43 serves as the lower support structure of the leg, responsible for bearing the weight of the robot and the impact force during movement, one end of which is hinged to the thigh assembly 42, and the other end is in contact with the ground. The knee joint drive assembly is installed at the knee joint hinge of the thigh assembly 42 and the shank assembly 43, and is the key component to realize the movement of the leg. The knee joint drive assembly includes a drive motor, a reducer and a joint bearing. The drive motor provides the power source for the rotation of the shank assembly 43 relative to the thigh assembly 42, which can be a brushless DC motor with high torque, low noise and long service life. The reducer is connected to the drive motor, which is used to reduce the output speed of the drive motor and increase the torque to meet the requirements of leg movement on power and speed. The joint bearing ensures smooth rotation at the knee joint hinge and can bear large radial and axial loads. A position sensor can also be provided at the knee joint hinge to monitor the angle change of the knee joint in real time, providing data support for feedback adjustment of the control system. It can be understood that the hub assembly 41 can be arranged on the shank assembly 43 away from the thigh assembly 42, acting as a foot when the quadruped robot is in the robot dog mode; when it needs to be converted into a balance car mode, the thigh assembly 42 is folded forward relative to the body 1, and the shank assembly 43 is folded backward relative to the thigh assembly 42, so that the hub assembly 41 gradually approaches the locking interface 511 until it is connected with the locking interface 511. Preferably, the hub assembly 41 is located at the knee joint hinge, which includes a hub shell, a bearing, a gear transmission device and an output shaft. The hub shell protects the internal structure and provides a mounting interface, the bearing ensures that the hub assembly 41 can rotate smoothly, the gear transmission device transmits power to the output shaft to drive the movement of the quadruped robot. When the quadruped robot is converted from the robot dog mode to the balance car mode, the thigh assembly 42 of the two sets of leg mechanisms 4 at the front end of the body 1 is folded backward relative to the body 1, and the shank assembly 43 is folded forward relative to the thigh assembly 42, the thigh assembly 42 of the two sets of leg mechanisms 4 at the rear end of the body 1 is folded forward relative to the body 1, and the shank assembly 43 is further folded upward to be close to the thigh assembly 42, so as to retract the shank assembly 43 and make the hub assembly 41 gradually approach the locking interface 511 until it is connected with the locking interface 511. Therefore, since the hub assembly 41 is located at the knee joint, the shank assembly 43 can swing and rotate more flexibly in the robot dog mode, enhancing the adaptability and movement ability of the robot in complex terrain; and in the balance car mode, the positioning shaft 411 of the hub assembly 41 is combined with the body 1 to provide driving force closer to the center of gravity of the quadruped robot, enhancing the stability and maneuverability of driving. In addition, the position of the hub assembly 41 makes the weight distribution of the robot more uniform in the robot dog mode, reducing the pressure on the leg joints and drive mechanism, prolonging the service life of the robot.

[0059] In an implementation, the quadruped robot further comprises a transmission mechanism 8, the leg mechanism 4 is arranged on the body 1 through the transmission mechanism 8.

[0060] In the embodiment, the leg mechanism 4 is connected with the body 1 through the transmission mechanism 8, so as to realize power transmission and motion control. Specifically, the transmission mechanism 8 can comprise a main transmission shaft, a secondary transmission shaft, a universal joint, a gear set and a bearing seat. One end of the main transmission shaft is connected with the first connecting end 53 of the locking piece 5, and the other end is connected with the secondary transmission shaft through the universal joint, and the secondary transmission shaft is connected to the thigh assembly 42 of the leg mechanism 4. The secondary transmission shaft transmits power to the thigh assembly 42 through the gear set. The bearing seat is used to support the transmission shaft, so as to ensure the stability and accuracy of the transmission process. It can be understood that the main driving assembly of the driving mechanism drives the transmission mechanism 8, and then controls the motion of the thigh assembly 42.

[0061] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the orientation or position relationship indicated by the orientation words is generally based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and these orientation words do not indicate and imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the protection scope of the present disclosure; the orientation words "inner", "outer" refer to the inner and outer relative to the contour of each component itself.

[0062] For the convenience of description, spatial relative terms such as "over", "above", "upper surface", "upper" and the like can be used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of one or more components or features shown in the drawings with other components or features. It should be understood that the spatial relative terms not only include the orientation of the components described in the drawings, but also include different orientations in use or operation. For example, if the components in the drawings are inverted as a whole, the components "above" or "over" other components or features will include the case of "below" or "under" other components or structures. Therefore, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below". In addition, these components or features can also be positioned at other different angles (for example, rotated by 90 degrees or other angles), and all these cases are intended to be included herein.

[0063] It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, components, elements, and / or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, components, elements, and / or groups thereof.

[0064] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", and the like, herein do not necessarily have an ordinal or chronological significance but are used for the purpose of distinguishing between similar objects and / or to identify a particular object. It is to be understood that the data used herein can be interchanged, where appropriate, to enable the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein to be carried out in other than the order illustrated or described herein.

[0065] The present disclosure has been described above with the aid of a number of embodiments of implementations. It is to be understood that the above description is merely descriptive in nature and that no limitations to the scope of the disclosure as claimed are intended to appear thereby. Furthermore, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, but a variety of modifications and changes can be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A quadruped robot, characterized in that: It comprises a body (1), a driving mechanism, a handle mechanism (2), a steering mechanism (3) and four sets of leg mechanisms (4); wherein, Four groups of leg mechanisms (4) are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fuselage body (1), and the leg mechanisms (4) have a first deformation state and a second deformation state; The leg mechanism (4) includes a hub assembly (41), and when the four groups of leg mechanisms (4) are in a first deformation state, the quadruped robot is in a robot dog mode; when the four groups of leg mechanisms (4) are in a second deformation state, the positioning shaft (411) of the hub assembly (41) is combined with the body (1) to put the quadruped robot in a balancing car mode; The driving mechanism is used to drive the leg mechanism (4) to switch between a first deformation state and a second deformation state; The steering mechanism (3) is installed at the front end of the body (1), and the handle mechanism (2) is rotatably connected to the steering mechanism (3) and can drive the steering mechanism (3) to rotate, so that the quadruped robot turns in the balancing vehicle mode.

2. The quadruped robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A positioning portion (11) is provided on the fuselage body (1); The handle mechanism (2) has an unfolded state and a folded state relative to the steering mechanism (3); When the handle mechanism (2) is in an unfolded state, the handle mechanism (2) is perpendicular to the fuselage body (1) and can drive the steering mechanism (3) to rotate around the axis of the handle mechanism (2); when the handle mechanism (2) is in a folded state, the handle mechanism (2) cooperates with the positioning portion (11) to limit the position, so as to lock the steering mechanism (3).

3. The quadruped robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The steering mechanism (3) comprises: A gear (31) is rotatably mounted on the body (1), wherein the rotation axis of the gear (31) is perpendicular to the body (1), and the handle mechanism (2) is fixedly connected to the gear (31) for driving the gear (31) to rotate around its rotation axis; a rack (32) meshing with the gear (31), the rack (32) being slidably mounted on the body (1) and capable of reciprocating linear motion along its length; A connecting rod assembly (33) has a first end hinged to the rack (32) and a second end used for driving the two leg mechanisms (4) located at the front end of the fuselage body (1) to turn.

4. The quadruped robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a locking member (5), wherein the locking member (5) is provided with a locking interface (511); The leg mechanism (4) is arranged on the fuselage body (1) via the locking member (5); When the leg mechanism (4) is in the second deformation state, the positioning shaft (411) and the locking interface (511) are fixed.

5. The quadruped robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The invention also includes a control mechanism (6), wherein the control mechanism (6) includes a control component (61) and a locking member (62), and the control component (61) is connected to the locking member (62) and is used to control the locking member (62) to extend into the locking interface (511) so that the locking member (5) and the positioning shaft (411) are relatively fixed.

6. The quadruped robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control mechanism (6) is configured such that when the handle mechanism (2) is out of the folded state, the control component (61) is triggered to operate.

7. The quadruped robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control assembly (61) includes a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic hose, and the hydraulic pump drives the locking member (62) through the hydraulic hose to extend into the locking member (5).

8. The quadruped robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The leg mechanism (4) further comprises a thigh component (42) and a calf component (43), wherein the thigh component (42) and the calf component (43) are hinged; The driving mechanism includes a knee joint driving component, which is arranged at the knee joint hinge of the thigh component (42) and the calf component (43) and is used to drive the calf component (43) to rotate relative to the thigh component (42).

9. The quadruped robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The hub assembly (41) is arranged at the knee joint of the thigh assembly (42) and the calf assembly (43).

10. The quadruped robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a transmission mechanism (8), and the leg mechanism (4) is arranged on the fuselage body (1) through the transmission mechanism (8).

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