Variable-form wheel foot mechanism and robot

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of robots, provides a variable-form wheel foot mechanism and a robot, and aims to solve the problem that a leg type structure of an existing agricultural robot is easy to wear. The robot comprises a thigh part, a shank part and a supporting part which are rotationally connected in sequence, the thigh part is provided with a space for containing the shank part, the shank part can rotate along the thigh part and is contained in the thigh part, and the thigh part is provided with a driving wheel used for wheel type movement. The thigh parts are further provided with supporting rods capable of stretching out and drawing back in the length direction of the thigh parts. According to the leg type structure, the stress of the leg type structure during extension and contraction can be reduced, abrasion to joints of the leg type structure is reduced, the leg type structure can keep high-precision movement for a long time, and then the working stability of the whole robot is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of robot technology, and particularly relates to a deformable wheel-foot mechanism and robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of intelligent robots, the use of robots in the agricultural field is also becoming more and more widespread. In order to adapt to the needs of agricultural production, most agricultural robots adopt a wheel-leg walking mechanism, which can move in a wheel rolling manner and also in a leg walking manner. At present, there are two structural types of wheel-foot walking mechanisms for agricultural robots: The first type is a combination of wheel walking and leg walking (such as the documents with publication numbers CN110104087A, CN112141236A, CN116331383A, etc.). The walking wheels can roll and can also be locked for leg walking movement, i.e., the walking wheels serve as the components that contact the ground during rolling and leg walking. This type of structure is relatively simple, but the contact area of the walking wheels with the ground is limited when the walking wheels are in leg walking, resulting in poor stability of the wheel-foot walking mechanism of this structure type when in leg walking.

[0003] The other type is a combination of wheel walking and leg walking (such as the documents with publication numbers CN110271622A, CN110667722A, CN114701581A, etc.). The walking wheels are only used for wheel rolling movement, and a separate mechanism is used for leg movement. Although this type of structure greatly improves the stability when in leg movement, it has the problem of a large space occupied by the walking structure. In combination with the application of agricultural robots in agricultural production, leg movement is generally switched to only when climbing or in poor road conditions, so the center of gravity of the entire robot is relatively high when in leg movement. When in wheel movement, the center of gravity of the entire robot is relatively low, but the existing robots often rely on the extension and contraction of the leg structure to change the working state of the entire robot during the switching process between wheel movement and leg movement. The joints of the leg structure bear a very large torque during this process, accompanied by constant wear and tear, and the movement accuracy of the leg structure gradually decreases, thereby affecting the working stability of the entire robot. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application is to solve the problem of easy wear and tear of the leg structure of the existing agricultural robot, and provides a deformable wheel-foot mechanism and robot, which can reduce the stress of the leg structure during extension and contraction, thereby reducing the wear and tear of the joints of the leg structure, allowing the leg structure to maintain high-precision movement for a long time, and thereby improving the working stability of the entire robot.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present application is: A deformable wheel-foot mechanism, comprising a thigh part, a shank part and a support part connected in sequence, characterized in that the thigh part has a space for accommodating the shank part, the shank part can rotate along the thigh part and is accommodated inside the thigh part, the thigh part is provided with a driving wheel for wheel movement at one end close to the shank part, and the thigh part is further provided with a support rod capable of stretching along the length direction of the thigh part at the end close to the shank part.

[0006] In some embodiments, the rotation of the shank part along the thigh part and the rotation of the driving wheel are completed by one driving motor, the driving motor and the driving wheel are respectively arranged at the two outer sides of the thigh part, and the support rod is arranged on the back plate of the thigh part. The present application can drive the shank part to rotate along the thigh part by using one driving motor, and the driving motor can also drive the driving wheel to rotate, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and realizing lightweight design.

[0007] In some embodiments, the thigh part comprises side plates and a back plate, the side plates comprise left and right side plates, the left and right side plates and the back plate form a cavity for accommodating the shank part, the two ends of the left and right side plates and the back plate are connected together to form upper and lower connecting end parts, the upper connecting end part is used for connecting with the body of a robot, one side of the lower connecting end part is provided with a driving motor, the other side of the lower connecting end part is provided with a driving wheel, and the middle part of the lower connecting end part is used for rotationally connecting the shank part; the output shaft of the driving motor selectively drives the shank part to rotate around the thigh part or drives the driving wheel to rotate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the driving motor is mounted on the left or right side plate closer to the inner side of the other thigh part, a sliding shaft is mounted on the output shaft of the driving motor, the sliding shaft can slide along the output shaft and rotate together with the output shaft, first and second conical gears are respectively arranged on the two sides of the sliding shaft, a shaft sleeve is mounted on the periphery of the sliding shaft through a bearing, the end part of the shank part is fixedly mounted on the periphery of the shaft sleeve, a first gear ring adapted to the first conical gear is fixedly mounted on the side of the shank part close to the driving motor, a second gear ring is mounted on the side plate of the other thigh part through a bearing, and the second gear ring is connected with the rotating shaft of the driving wheel; when the first conical gear meshes with the first gear ring, the second conical gear is separated from the second gear ring; when the second conical gear meshes with the second gear ring, the first conical gear is separated from the first gear ring.

[0009] In some embodiments, a side plate on the thigh part closer to the driving motor side is provided with a puller, and a connecting rod is further connected to the puller; a rectangular segment of the output shaft is provided with a check ring through a bearing; one end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the lower end of the puller; and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the check ring.

[0010] In some embodiments, a mounting groove is formed on the side plate of the thigh part close to the calf part; the middle part of the puller is rotatably installed in the mounting groove through a rotating shaft; a sliding groove is further formed on the side plate of the thigh part; the outer side of the calf part is provided with a limiting protrusion which is mutually adapted to the sliding groove; a blind hole is formed on the side plate of the thigh part; a sliding block is installed in the blind hole; a spring is connected between the sliding block and the inner bottom of the blind hole; and the upper end of the puller is connected to the sliding block.

[0011] In some embodiments, the supporting rod is an electric telescopic rod, which is installed on the back plate of the thigh part; an overall "L"-shaped connecting rod is installed on the electric telescopic rod through a pin shaft; one end of the connecting rod is connected to the movable end of the electric telescopic rod; the other end of the connecting rod penetrates into the cavity of the thigh part through the back plate and abuts against the limiting protrusion of the calf part and can drive the limiting protrusion to disengage from the sliding block.

[0012] In the specific implementation process, the connecting rod penetrating into the cavity of the thigh part can pass over the sliding groove and partially shield the sliding groove; when the limiting protrusion of the calf part is retracted in the sliding groove, the limiting protrusion can drive the connecting rod to move.

[0013] In some embodiments, the movable end of the electric telescopic rod is provided with an annular ring which can slide along the movable end; the annular ring and the connecting rod are connected through a traction rope, that is, one end of the "L"-shaped connecting rod is connected to the traction rope, the other end of the connecting rod is a free end penetrating into the cavity of the thigh part, and the middle part of the connecting rod is fixedly installed on the electric telescopic rod through a pin shaft.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects: The deformable wheel-foot mechanism and robot of the present application forms a leg structure by means of the thigh part, the calf part and the support part to perform climbing and other movements, and realizes wheel movement by means of the driving wheels at the end of the thigh part. When performing wheel movement, the center of gravity is lower than that when performing leg movement (thigh part, calf part and support part), thereby improving the stability during wheel movement. During the conversion from leg movement to wheel movement, the center of gravity is lowered along with the continuous contraction of the calf. When the calf is contracted to a certain angle, the support rod extends along the length direction of the thigh part and contacts the ground, thereby using the support rod as a support point, reducing the stress on the calf part and the support part (especially the joint between the calf part and the support part), thereby reducing the wear of the joint between the calf part and the support part, and improving the time of high-precision work. During the conversion from wheel movement to leg movement, the support rod is first extended, the support rod is used as a support to improve the center of gravity of the whole robot, then the calf part is rotated to expand the calf part from the inside of the thigh part, and finally the support part contacts the ground to support the whole robot, and then the support rod is retracted to complete the conversion of the form. During the whole conversion process, the support part is used for support, which on the one hand ensures the stability of the center of gravity of the robot and prevents the robot from tilting and overturning, and on the other hand reduces the stress during the rotation of the calf part and the support part, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the wear of the joint between the calf part and the support part, and improving the service life.

[0015] However, during the conversion from wheel movement to leg movement of the existing agricultural robot, even if the posture of each leg part (thigh part, calf part and support part) is completely consistent, the stability of the center of gravity of the whole robot cannot be guaranteed due to the unevenness of the ground. In addition, the thigh part, the calf part and the support part themselves have multiple kinematic pairs, and the existence of errors and multiple kinematic pairs further aggravates the instability of the center of gravity, especially when the robot load is large, the probability of tilting and overturning is larger. However, during the conversion from wheel movement to leg movement of the present application, the support rod is used as a support, and the stability of the center of gravity is controlled by one kinematic pair, thereby preventing the robot from tilting and overturning.

[0016] Meanwhile, during use, the calf part can be accommodated in the inside of the thigh part, thereby being accommodated to a certain extent, and thereby facilitating transportation and transportation.

[0017] The present application only uses the structure itself to realize the switching between wheel movement and leg movement, and does not need to additionally increase a power mechanism, which on the one hand can reduce the manufacturing cost, and on the other hand can make the whole wheel-foot structure more compact and simple. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1Structure schematic view of an embodiment of the wheel-foot structure of the present application; Figure 2 Structure schematic view of the thigh part of the present application, in which the lower connecting end of the thigh part has not yet been installed with the calf part; Figure 3 Structure schematic view of the thigh part of the present application, in which the lower connecting end of the thigh part has not yet been installed with the calf part; Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A in the middle; Figure 4 Connection schematic view of the output shaft of the driving motor and the first and second toothed rings of the present application; Figure 5 Structure schematic view of the thigh part of the present application, in which the lower connecting end of the thigh part has not yet been installed with the calf part; Figure 4 Enlarged view of part B in the middle; Figure 6 Distribution schematic view of the mounting groove and the sliding groove on the left side plate of the present application, in which, Figure 6 The dashed line in the middle represents the range of movement of the connecting rod under the action of the limiting block.

[0019] Markings in the figure: 1, thigh part, 101, cavity, 102, left side plate, 1021, mounting groove, 1022, fork, 1023, blind hole, 1024, spring, 1025, sliding block, 1026, sliding groove, 1027, limiting block, 103, right side plate, 104, back plate, calf part, 3, support part, 4, driving wheel, 5, driving motor, 51, rectangular section, 52, sliding shaft, 53, rectangular blind hole, 54, return spring, 55, first conical tooth, 56, second conical tooth, 57, first toothed ring, 58, second toothed ring, 59, retaining ring, 510, connecting rod, 6, support rod, 61, movable end, 62, annular ring, 63, connecting rod, 64, traction rope. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with embodiments, which are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative efforts are within the protection scope of the present application.

[0021] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application; the terms "first", "second", "third" are only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; in addition, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connecting" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] In conjunction with the accompanying Figure 1 to the accompanying Figure 6 , the deformable leg mechanism of the present application comprises a thigh part 1, a calf part 2 and a support part 3 connected in turn, the thigh part 1 has a space for accommodating the calf part 2, the calf part 2 can rotate along the thigh part 1 and be accommodated inside the thigh part 1, the thigh part 1 is provided with a driving wheel 4 for wheel movement at one end close to the calf part 2, and the thigh part 1 is also provided with a support rod 6 which can stretch along the length direction of the thigh part 1 at one end close to the calf part.

[0023] The variable morphology wheel-foot mechanism of the present application forms a leg type structure through the thigh part, the calf part and the support part to perform climbing and other movements, and realizes wheel type movement by using the driving wheel at the end of the thigh part. When performing wheel type movement, the center of gravity is lower than that when performing leg type movement (thigh part, calf part and support part), thus improving the stability during wheel type movement. During the conversion from leg type movement to wheel type movement, the center of gravity is lowered along with the continuous contraction of the calf. When the calf is contracted to a certain angle, the support rod extends along the length direction of the thigh part and contacts the ground, thus using the support rod as a support point to reduce the stress on the calf part and the support part (especially the joint between the calf part and the support part), thus reducing the wear of the joint between the calf part and the support part and improving the time of high-precision work. During the conversion from wheel type movement to leg type movement, the support rod is first extended, the support rod is used as a support to improve the center of gravity of the whole robot, then the calf part is rotated to deploy the calf part from the inside of the thigh part, and finally the support part is used to support the whole robot, and the support rod is retracted to complete the conversion of the morphology. During the whole conversion process, the support part is used for support, which on the one hand ensures the stability of the center of gravity of the robot and prevents the robot from tilting and overturning, and on the other hand reduces the stress during the rotation of the calf part and the support part, thus also achieving the purpose of reducing the wear of the joint between the calf part and the support part, thus improving the service life.

[0024] However, during the conversion from wheel type movement to leg type movement of the existing agricultural robot, even if the posture of each leg part (thigh part, calf part and support part) is completely consistent, the stability of the center of gravity of the whole robot cannot be guaranteed due to the unevenness of the ground. In addition, the thigh part, the calf part and the support part themselves have multiple kinematic pairs, and due to the existence of errors, the multiple kinematic pairs further aggravate the instability of the center of gravity, especially when the robot load is large, the probability of tilting and overturning is greater. However, during the conversion from wheel type movement to leg type movement of the present application, the support rod is used for support, and the stability of the center of gravity can be controlled by one kinematic pair, thus preventing the robot from tilting and overturning.

[0025] Meanwhile, during use, the calf part can be accommodated in the inside of the thigh part, thus being accommodated to a certain extent, thus facilitating transportation and transportation.

[0026] In some embodiments, the rotation of the lower leg part 2 along the upper leg part 1 and the rotation of the driving wheel 4 are completed by a driving motor 5, the driving motor 5 and the driving wheel 4 are respectively arranged on the inner and outer sides of the upper leg part 1, and the support rod 6 is arranged on the back plate 104 of the upper leg part 1. The application can drive the lower leg part 2 to rotate along the upper leg part 1 by using a driving motor 5, and the driving motor 5 can also drive the driving wheel 4 to rotate, which can reduce the manufacturing cost and realize lightweight design.

[0027] In the specific implementation process, since the core point of the application is the connection mode of the lower leg part and the upper leg part (that is, a driving motor can selectively drive the driving wheel to rotate or drive the lower leg part to rotate along the upper leg part), the structure of the lower leg part 2 and the support part 3 of the application can adopt the lower leg part 2 and the support part 3 of the existing agricultural robot, and the specific structure between the lower leg part 2 and the support part 3 will not be described here.

[0028] In some embodiments, the upper leg part 1 includes a left side plate 102, a right side plate 103 and a back plate 104, the left side plate 102, the right side plate 103 and the back plate 104 form a cavity 101 accommodating the lower leg part 2, the left side plate 102, the right side plate 103 and the back plate 104 are connected at both ends to form an upper connecting end and a lower connecting end, the upper connecting end is used to connect with the body (or called chassis) of the robot, the lower connecting end is provided with the driving motor 5 on one side, the lower connecting end is provided with the driving wheel 4 on the other side, and the middle part of the lower connecting end is used to rotatably connect the lower leg part 2; the output shaft of the driving motor 5 selectively drives the lower leg part 2 to rotate around the upper leg part 1 or drives the driving wheel 4 to rotate. The upper leg part of the application forms a cavity accommodating the lower leg part by the left side plate, the right side plate and the back plate, so that the lower leg part can be accommodated in the cavity of the upper leg part, thereby facilitating transportation and carrying. Meanwhile, the driving motor can selectively drive the lower leg part to rotate along the upper leg part or drive the driving wheel to rotate, thereby realizing independent leg movement and wheel movement.

[0029] In some embodiments, as a preferred mode of the application, the lower leg part 2 also adopts a side plate and a back plate, so that the side plate and the back plate of the lower leg part 2 form a cavity for accommodating the support part 3. Therefore, the support part 3 can be accommodated in the lower leg part 2, and then the lower leg part 2 is accommodated in the cavity 101 of the upper leg part 1, so that the entire leg structure can be accommodated.

[0030] In some embodiments, the driving motor 5 is installed on the left side plate 102 or the right side plate 103 closer to the inner side of the other thigh part 1, an output shaft of the driving motor 5 is installed with a sliding shaft 52 which can slide along the output shaft and rotate together with the output shaft, the sliding shaft 52 is provided with a first bevel gear 55 and a second bevel gear 56 on both sides respectively, the periphery of the sliding shaft 52 is installed with a shaft sleeve through a bearing, the end of the calf part 2 is fixedly installed on the periphery of the shaft sleeve, the side of the calf part 2 close to the driving motor 5 is fixedly installed with a first gear ring 57 matched with the first bevel gear 55, the side plate on the other side of the thigh part 2 is installed with a second gear ring 58 through a bearing, the second gear ring 58 is connected with the rotating shaft 41 of the driving wheel 4; when the first bevel gear 55 meshes with the first gear ring 57, the second bevel gear 56 is separated from the second gear ring 58; when the second bevel gear 56 meshes with the second gear ring 58, the first bevel gear 55 is separated from the first gear ring 57. Wherein, the shaft sleeve can slide along the bearing, so that the axial position of the shaft sleeve does not change when the sliding shaft 52 slides, thereby ensuring the relative fixation of the left and right positions of the calf part 2 in the cavity 101 of the thigh part 1.

[0031] In the specific implementation process, since the body (or called chassis) of the robot is provided with 2 or 3 wheel-foot mechanisms on both sides respectively, the wheel-foot mechanisms on both sides of the body are symmetrically arranged on the body, and the driving motor 5 for driving the calf part 2 to rotate along the thigh part 1 and driving the driving wheel 4 to rotate is installed on the left side plate 102 or the right side plate 103 close to the inner side of the body (for the wheel-foot mechanism on the left side of the body, the driving motor 5 is installed on the right side plate 103 of the thigh part 1. For the wheel-foot mechanism on the right side of the body, the driving motor 5 is installed on the left side plate 102 of the thigh part 1. Therefore, for the driving motor 5 installed on the left side plate 102 or the right side plate 103 of the thigh part 1, those skilled in the art can understand and understand, and here is not repeated), so that the driving wheel 4 is always located on the outside of the body, and the driving motor 5 is closer to the center of the bottom of the body than the driving wheel 4.

[0032] The working process that the driving motor of the present application selectively drives the lower leg part to rotate or the driving wheel to rotate is as follows: when the lower leg part needs to be driven to rotate along the upper leg part, the first conical gear on the sliding shaft is engaged with the first gear ring of the lower leg part, while the second conical gear is disengaged from the second gear ring; when the output shaft of the driving motor rotates, the sliding shaft is synchronously driven to rotate, and the rotating sliding shaft drives the first conical gear to rotate, and the first conical gear drives the first gear ring to rotate, thereby driving the lower leg part to rotate along the upper leg part. When the driving wheel needs to be driven to rotate, the first conical gear on the sliding shaft is disengaged from the first gear ring of the lower leg part, while the second conical gear is engaged with the second gear ring; when the output shaft of the driving motor rotates, the sliding shaft is synchronously driven to rotate, and the rotating sliding shaft drives the second conical gear to rotate, and the rotating second conical gear drives the second gear ring engaged therewith to rotate, and the second gear ring drives the rotating shaft of the driving wheel to rotate, thereby realizing the rotation of the driving wheel at the end of the upper leg part.

[0033] In the specific implementation process, in order to realize the synchronous rotation of the sliding shaft and the output shaft of the driving motor and the sliding of the sliding shaft along the output shaft, the sliding shaft 52 is provided with a rectangular blind hole 53 arranged along the axial direction of the sliding shaft, the output shaft is provided with a rectangular section 51 matched with the rectangular blind hole 53, and the rectangular section 51 extends into the rectangular blind hole 53 of the sliding shaft 52; and a return spring 54 is connected between the inner bottom of the rectangular blind hole 53 and the end of the rectangular section 51 of the output shaft. The design of the rectangular blind hole on the output shaft and the sliding shaft is to keep the sliding shaft capable of synchronously rotating with the output shaft and ensure that the output shaft can synchronously drive the sliding shaft to rotate when the output shaft rotates.

[0034] The return spring 54 is in a natural state in the initial state, and the function of the return spring is to keep the position of the sliding shaft 52 on the output shaft stable and unchanged without external force. That is, in the initial position, the sliding shaft 52 is closer to the driving motor 5, and the first conical gear 55 and the first gear ring 57 of the lower leg part 2 are in the engaged state (i.e., the lower leg part can rotate around the upper leg part), while the second conical gear 56 and the second gear ring 58 at the end of the upper leg part 1 are in the disengaged state (i.e., the driving wheel 4 will not rotate).

[0035] In some embodiments, a puller 1022 is installed on a side plate (i.e. the left side plate or the right side plate, both of which belong to the side plate) of the thigh part 1 closer to the driving motor 5 side, and a connecting rod 510 is further connected to the puller 1022, a retainer ring 59 is installed on the rectangular segment 51 of the output shaft via a bearing, one end of the connecting rod 510 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the puller 1022, and the other end of the connecting rod 510 is connected to the retainer ring 59. By arranging the puller and the connecting rod 510 and arranging a bearing in the inner center of the retainer ring 59, the transverse movement of the puller 1022 and the connecting rod 510 will not be affected by the rotation of the output shaft. At the same time, by the action of the connecting rod 510, the radial space between the shaft sleeve and the output shaft can be fully utilized, thereby reducing the transverse space occupied by the puller 1022, so that the distance between the inner wall of the side plate (the left side plate or the right side plate) of the thigh part 1 and the calf part 2 is smaller, and the structure is more compact.

[0036] In the specific implementation process, in order to ensure that the movement of the puller 1022 and the connecting rod 510 will not be affected by the first gear ring 57 of the calf part 2, the retainer ring 59 is installed on the rectangular segment 51 of the output shaft and located on the outer side of the first gear ring 57 of the calf part. And since the puller 1022 has a certain rotation, in order to prevent the connecting rod 510 from being damaged, one end or both ends of the connecting rod can rotate by a certain angle, i.e. the connecting rod is rotationally connected between the puller and the connecting rod, and / or the connecting rod is rotationally connected between the connecting rod and the retainer ring.

[0037] In some embodiments, a mounting groove 1021 is formed on the side plate of the thigh part 1 near one side of the calf part 2, the middle part of the puller 1022 is rotatably mounted in the mounting groove 1021 through a rotating shaft, a sliding groove 1026 is further formed on the side plate of the thigh part 1, the outer side of the calf part 2 is provided with a limiting protrusion 21 which is mutually adapted with the sliding groove 1026, a blind hole 1023 is provided on the side plate of the thigh part 1, a sliding block 1025 is mounted in the blind hole 1023, a spring 1024 is connected between the sliding block 1025 and the inner bottom of the blind hole 1023, and the upper end of the puller 1022 is connected with the sliding block 1025. The working process of the limiting protrusion 21 of the calf part 2 driving the puller 1022 to move is as follows: when the calf part 2 moves in the direction of being stored to the thigh part 1, the limiting protrusion 21 is mutually matched with the sliding groove 1026 on the side plate of the thigh part 1, when the limiting protrusion 21 moves to the position of the sliding block 1025 (at this time, the calf part has been stored in place), the sliding block 1025 is pressed, so that the puller 1022 rotates around the rotating shaft, and then the lower end of the puller 1022 moves in the direction of the rectangular section 51 of the output shaft of the driving motor 5, and then the connecting rod 510 pushes the sliding shaft 52 away from the driving motor 5, so that the first conical teeth 55 on the sliding shaft 52 are separated from the first tooth ring 57 of the calf part 2, and the second conical teeth 56 on the sliding shaft 52 are meshed with the second tooth ring 58, so as to realize the conversion from the leg type movement to the wheel type movement.

[0038] In the present application, since the calf part rotates around the end of the calf part, the sliding groove 1026 on the side plate of the thigh part 1 is arc-shaped.

[0039] In the specific implementation process, in order to facilitate the limiting protrusion 21 to gradually press the sliding block 1025, the sliding block 1025 has an inclined surface, and the limiting protrusion 21 gradually presses the sliding block 1025 through the inclined surface.

[0040] In some embodiments, the support rod 6 is an electric telescopic rod mounted on the back plate 104 of the thigh part 1, a connecting rod 63 in the shape of "L" as a whole is mounted on the electric telescopic rod through a pin shaft, one end of the connecting rod 63 is connected to the movable end of the electric telescopic rod, and the other end of the connecting rod 63 penetrates into the cavity 101 of the thigh part 1 through the back plate 104 and abuts against the limiting protrusion 21 of the calf part 2 and can drive the limiting protrusion 21 to disengage from the sliding block 1025. When it is needed to switch from wheel movement to leg movement, first, the support rod 6 extends out of the thigh part 1 and contacts with the ground to support the whole robot, and when the support rod (i.e. the electric telescopic rod) extends, the connecting rod 63 is driven to move, so that the connecting rod 63 rotates to a certain extent, and when the connecting rod 63 rotates, the limiting protrusion 21 is separated from the sliding block 1025, the sliding block 1025 is pushed outwards under the reset action of the spring 1024, so that the pull fork 1022 rotates along the rotating shaft, and the lower end of the pull fork 1022 moves towards the direction away from the sliding shaft 52, and the sliding shaft 52 returns to the initial position (i.e. the first conical teeth on the periphery of the sliding shaft and the tooth ring of the calf part are in mesh) under the action of the reset spring 54, so that the driving motor 5 can drive the calf part 2 to move around the end of the thigh part 1, and the second conical teeth 56 on the periphery of the sliding shaft 52 are separated from the second tooth ring 58, so that the rotation of the driving motor 5 no longer drives the driving wheel 4 to rotate. When the posture adjustment of the calf part 2 and the support part 3 is completed, the support rod 6 is retracted, and then the leg movement is completed by the thigh part 1, the calf part 2 and the support part 3, and the action switching from wheel movement to leg movement is completed.

[0041] In the specific implementation process, the connecting rod 63 extending into the cavity 101 of the thigh part 1 can pass through the sliding groove 26 and partially block the sliding groove 26; when the limiting protrusion 21 of the calf part 2 retracts in the sliding groove 1026, the limiting protrusion 21 can drive the connecting rod 63 to move.

[0042] In some embodiments, in order to limit the movement of the connecting rod 63 extending into the cavity 101 of the thigh part 1, two limiting blocks 1027 are arranged on the inner wall of the side plate of the thigh part 1, so that the connecting rod 63 extending into the cavity 101 of the thigh part 1 can only freely move in the area between the two limiting blocks 1027, avoiding the interference of the free movement of the connecting rod 63 with the movement of other mechanical parts, and also ensuring that the limiting protrusion 21 of the calf part 2 can push the connecting rod 63 when the limiting protrusion 21 moves along the sliding groove 1026 towards the sliding block 1025.

[0043] In the implementation process, the arrangement position of the connecting rod 63 should ensure that the movement of the connecting rod 63 does not hinder the movement of the pull fork 1022 in the mounting groove 1021, so as to avoid mechanical interference, which is understood by those skilled in the art and will not be described here.

[0044] In the implementation process, the arrangement position of the connecting rod 63 should ensure that the movement of the connecting rod 63 does not hinder the movement of the pull fork 1022 in the mounting groove 1021, so as to avoid mechanical interference, which is understood by those skilled in the art and will not be described here. The outer periphery of the movable end of the electric telescopic rod is sleeved with an annular ring 62 capable of sliding along the movable end, the annular ring 62 and the connecting rod 63 are connected through a traction rope 64, that is, one end of the L-shaped connecting rod 63 is connected with the traction rope 64, the other end of the connecting rod 63 is a free end extending into the cavity 101 of the thigh part 1, and the middle part of the connecting rod 63 is fixedly installed on the electric telescopic rod through a pin shaft. When the electric telescopic rod extends, the connecting rod 63 can be driven to rotate, so that the limiting protrusion 21 and the sliding block 1025 are separated from each other (that is, the calf part can be driven to move by the driving motor); when the electric telescopic rod retracts, the connecting rod 63 is in a free state, and has no effect on the leg movement or the wheel movement. At the same time, the setting of the annular ring 62 and the traction rope 64 can greatly reduce the length of the traction rope 64 and the connecting rod 63 located outside the thigh part 1, so as to keep the appearance of the whole wheel-foot structure neat and beautiful.

[0045] In the implementation process, the annular ring 62 and the movable end of the electric telescopic rod have a certain static friction, so that when the movable end of the electric telescopic rod extends, the annular ring 62 can be driven to move a certain distance, and the annular ring 62 no longer moves with the movable end under the action of the traction rope 64, so as to ensure that the extension movement of the electric telescopic rod can drive the L-shaped connecting rod to push the limiting protrusion away from the sliding block.

[0046] In summary, the present application can realize the switching between the wheel movement and the leg movement by using the structure itself, without the need for additional power mechanism and control circuit, which can reduce the manufacturing cost and make the whole wheel-foot structure more compact and simple.

Claims

1. A variable-form wheel-foot mechanism, comprising a thigh (1), a lower leg (2), and a support (3) rotatably connected in sequence, characterized in that, The thigh (1) has a space for accommodating the lower leg. The lower leg (2) can rotate along the thigh (1) and be stored inside the thigh (1). The thigh (1) is provided with a drive wheel (4) for wheel-like movement at one end near the lower leg (2). The thigh (1) is also provided with a support rod (6) that can extend and retract along the length of the thigh (1) at one end near the lower leg (2).

2. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation of the lower leg (2) along the thigh (1) and the rotation of the drive wheel (4) are accomplished by a drive motor (5), the drive motor (5) and the drive wheel (4) are respectively located on the two outer sides of the thigh (1), and the support rod (6) is arranged on the back plate (104) of the thigh (1).

3. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thigh (1) includes a side plate and a back plate (104). The side plate includes a left side plate (102) and a right side plate (103). The left side plate (102), the right side plate (103) and the back plate (104) form a cavity (101) to accommodate the lower leg (2). The two ends of the left side plate (102), the right side plate (103) and the back plate (104) are connected together to form an upper connection end and a lower connection end. The upper connection end is used to connect with the robot body. A drive motor (5) is installed on one side of the lower connection end, and a drive wheel (4) is installed on the other side of the lower connection end. The middle part of the lower connection end is used to rotatably connect the lower leg (2). The output shaft of the drive motor (5) selectively drives the lower leg (2) to rotate around the thigh (1) or drives the drive wheel (4) to rotate.

4. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive motor (5) is mounted on the left side plate (102) or right side plate (103) closer to the inner side of the other thigh. A sliding shaft (52) is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor (5). The sliding shaft (52) can slide along the output shaft and rotate with the output shaft. A first conical tooth (55) and a second conical tooth (56) are respectively provided on both sides of the sliding shaft (52). A bushing is mounted on the periphery of the sliding shaft (52) via a bearing. The end of the lower leg (2) is fixedly mounted on the periphery of the bushing. The lower leg (2) is close to the drive motor. A first gear ring (57) that is adapted to the first conical tooth (55) is fixedly installed on one side of the motor (5), and a second gear ring (58) is installed on the side plate of the other side of the thigh (1) via a bearing. The second gear ring (58) is connected to the shaft (41) of the drive wheel (4). When the first conical tooth (55) and the first gear ring (57) mesh with each other, the second conical tooth (56) and the second gear ring (58) separate from each other. When the second conical tooth (56) and the second gear ring (58) mesh with each other, the first conical tooth (55) and the first gear ring (57) separate from each other.

5. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, A fork (1022) is mounted on a side plate closer to the drive motor (5) on the thigh (1). A connecting rod (55) is connected to the lower end of the fork (1022). A retaining ring (59) is mounted on the rectangular section (51) of the output shaft via a bearing. One end of the connecting rod (510) is fixedly connected to the lower end of the fork (1022), and the other end of the connecting rod (510) is connected to the retaining ring (59).

6. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, A mounting groove (1021) is provided on the side plate of the thigh (1) near the lower leg (2). The middle part of the fork (1022) is rotatably mounted in the mounting groove (1021) via a rotating shaft. A sliding groove (1026) is also provided on the side plate of the thigh. A limiting protrusion (21) that is compatible with the sliding groove (1026) is provided on the outer side of the lower leg. A blind hole (1023) is provided on the side plate of the thigh. A slider (1025) is installed in the blind hole (1023). A spring (1024) is connected between the slider (1025) and the inner bottom of the blind hole (1023). The upper end of the fork (1022) is connected to the slider (1025).

7. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support rod (6) is an electric telescopic rod. The electric telescopic rod is installed on the back plate (104) of the thigh (1). The electric telescopic rod is equipped with an L-shaped connecting rod (63) by means of a pin. One end of the connecting rod (63) is connected to the movable end of the electric telescopic rod. The other end of the connecting rod (63) passes through the back plate (104) and extends into the cavity (101) of the thigh (1) and abuts against the limiting protrusion (21) of the calf (2) and can drive the limiting protrusion (21) to disengage from the slider (1025).

8. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connecting rod (63) that extends into the cavity (101) of the thigh can pass over the slide (1026) and partially block the slide. When the limiting protrusion (21) of the lower leg (2) retracts in the slide (1025), the limiting protrusion (21) can drive the connecting rod (63) to move.

9. The variable-form wheel mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The movable end of the electric telescopic rod is fitted with an annular ring (62) that can slide along the movable end. The annular ring (62) is connected to the connecting rod (63) by a traction rope (64).

10. A robot, comprising a body, characterized in that, The machine body is equipped with the wheel-foot mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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