A spherical robot with multi-mode motion

Abstract

The present invention discloses a spherical robot with multi-mode motion, comprising: a rolling drive module, a jumping drive module, and a spherical shell, wherein the rolling drive module and the jumping drive module are both arranged inside the spherical shell; the spherical shell comprises a main body shell and a jumping shell, wherein the main body shell is provided with a first open end, and a movable cover of the jumping shell is arranged at the first open end; the jumping drive module comprises an elastic energy storage component, wherein the elastic energy storage component is connected to the jumping shell, and when the elastic energy storage component stores energy, the jumping shell is contracted toward the center of the ball, and when the elastic energy storage component releases elastic potential energy, the jumping shell pops out in a direction away from the center of the ball. The spherical robot can not only travel on a horizontal ground, but also can be converted into a jumping travel mode to jump out of a low-lying area when it falls into a low-lying area and cannot travel out by rolling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of spherical robots, in particular to a spherical robot with multi-mode motion. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of science and technology, more and more robots with excellent performance are put into life and production, replacing people to complete some dangerous, high-precision and high-repetitive tasks. With the development of robot technology, the requirements for robots are also constantly increasing. For detection-type motion platforms, high flexibility is the inevitable development trend in the future. At present, land motion platforms are mainly wheeled, tracked and footed. Wheeled and tracked types have fast movement speed and strong carrying capacity, but poor stability and adaptability to the environment; although footed types have strong geometric passability, they are complex to control. Therefore, motion platforms with the advantages of fast movement speed, strong stability and simple control will have extremely high research value and application prospects. Thus, spherical robots came into being.

[0003] Spherical robots are robots whose drive system is located inside the spherical shell (or sphere) and whose spherical motion is achieved through internal drive. The spherical shell gives the robot natural anti-overturning ability, strong stability and good geometric passability; the spherical motion is point contact motion with low motion resistance, high robot motion efficiency and low energy consumption; the sealed structure has good protection for the metal parts and electronic devices inside, and can travel in harsh environments such as dust, humidity and corrosion, and can be used in military reconnaissance and environmental monitoring.

[0004] The driving modes of spherical robots are mainly divided into eccentric torque driving and angular momentum driving. At the same time, some special driving forms of spherical robots have also been derived, such as bouncing type, variant type on the external contour, and wind-driven type. The rolling spherical robots, such as the single-wheel driving type developed by A. Halme et al. of Helsinki University of Technology in Finland, the mobile mass driving type developed by Professor Li Tuanjie et al. of Xidian University, the universal wheel driving type developed by Professor Zhan Qiang et al. of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the eccentric mass driving type developed by Sun Hanxu et al. of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, are highly flexible and can move freely in most terrains, but have difficulty moving in low-lying and obstacle-filled environments; a jumping spherical robot designed by Harbin Institute of Technology has extremely strong geometric passability, but has a low speed in ordinary terrain environments, poor movement continuity, high movement energy consumption, and weak endurance. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve one of the above technical problems, the present invention provides a spherical robot with multi-mode movement, which can not only travel on horizontal ground, but also switch to a jumping mode to jump out of a depression when it falls into a depression and cannot roll out.

[0006] The present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: a spherical robot with multi-mode movement, comprising: a rolling drive module, used to drive the spherical robot to move forward, backward and turn; a jumping drive module, used to drive the spherical robot to jump; a spherical shell, wherein the rolling drive module and the jumping drive module are both arranged inside the spherical shell; the spherical shell comprises a main spherical shell and a jumping spherical shell, the main spherical shell is provided with a first open end, and a movable cover of the jumping spherical shell is arranged at the first open end; the jumping drive module comprises an elastic energy storage component, the elastic energy storage component is connected to the jumping spherical shell, when the elastic energy storage component stores energy, the jumping spherical shell is contracted toward the center of the ball, and when the elastic energy storage component releases elastic potential energy, the jumping spherical shell pops out in a direction away from the center of the ball.

[0007] The present invention provides a spherical robot with multi-mode motion. The robot can realize forward, backward and turning motions through a rolling drive module installed inside the sphere. When encountering obstacles or in low-lying areas, the robot can be ejected through a jumping drive module. Specifically, through the elastic energy storage component in the jumping spherical shell, when traveling on a horizontal road or when jumping is not required, the jumping spherical shell remains close to the main spherical shell. At this time, the elastic energy storage component maintains an energy storage state. When jumping is required, the elastic energy storage component releases elastic potential energy. Since the jumping spherical shell is movably installed outside the main spherical shell, the jumping spherical shell can instantly hit the ground under the elastic action of the elastic energy storage component, thereby bouncing the entire sphere over the obstacle.

[0008] On the basis of the above technical solution, the present invention may further have the following improved solution.

[0009] Furthermore, the rolling drive module includes an intermediate shaft, a counterweight, a first outer wheel, a second outer wheel, a linear drive mechanism and a steering drive mechanism; the two ends of the intermediate shaft are respectively fixedly connected to the centers of the first outer wheel and the second outer wheel, and the first outer wheel and the second outer wheel are fixedly connected to the inner side of the spherical shell; a bearing is installed on the intermediate shaft, and the bracket is rotatably connected to the intermediate shaft through the bearing; the linear drive mechanism includes a power gear, a passive gear and a linear drive motor, the linear drive motor is fixedly installed on the bracket, and the power gear is fixed to the power gear of the linear drive motor At the output end, the passive gear is fixedly mounted on the intermediate shaft, and the power gear and the passive gear are meshed; the steering drive mechanism includes a synchronous belt transmission mechanism, a steering drive motor, a slide rail and a slider matched with the slide rail, the slide rail is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the bracket, the slider is movably mounted on the slide rail and fixedly connected to the synchronous belt in the synchronous belt transmission mechanism, the counterweight is a power supply module, which is connected to the circuits of various electrical components through wires, and the counterweight is fixedly connected to the slider; the steering drive motor is mounted on the bracket and is transmission-connected to the synchronous belt transmission mechanism.

[0010] Furthermore, there are two bearings installed on the intermediate shaft at intervals, and the bracket is rotatably connected to the intermediate shaft through the two bearings.

[0011] Furthermore, the bracket includes a vertical section and a horizontal section, the synchronous belt transmission mechanism includes a plurality of synchronous belt pulleys, the plurality of synchronous belt pulleys are all fixed on the vertical section, and the slide rail is installed at the bottom of the horizontal section.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic energy storage assembly includes multiple guide rods and multiple springs. A spring seat compatible with the multiple springs is provided on the inner side of the jumping ball shell and / or the outer side of the first outer wheel. The multiple springs are respectively installed on the spring seats and placed between the jumping ball shell and the first outer wheel. Each spring is respectively installed on one of the guide rods. One end of the guide rod is fixed to the inner side of the jumping ball shell, and the other end passes through the first outer wheel and extends into the main ball shell.

[0013] Furthermore, the jumping drive module also includes a wire-receiving mechanism, which includes a pull rope, a worm gear motor, a winding shaft, a first incomplete gear, a second incomplete gear, a bare rod shaft and a bracket;

[0014] The bracket is fixed on the second outer wheel, the bare rod shaft is connected to the bracket through a bare rod bearing, the first incomplete gear and the winding shaft are both fixedly connected to the bare rod shaft, the worm gear motor is fixed on the second outer wheel, the second incomplete gear is fixedly installed on the power output shaft of the worm gear motor, the first incomplete gear is meshed with the gear tooth portion of the second incomplete gear, one end of the pull rope is fixedly connected to the jumping ball shell, and the other end is wound around the winding shaft.

[0015] Furthermore, the number of the pull ropes is 3 to 6, one end of which is evenly distributed on the inner side of the jumping ball shell and fixedly connected, and is wound around the winding shaft after passing through the hanging holes provided on the inner wall of the main ball shell.

[0016] Furthermore, the spherical shell has a second open end opposite to the first open end, the second outer wheel is installed at the second open end, and a blocking spherical shell is provided on the outer side of the second open end. The blocking spherical shell is fixedly installed on the main spherical shell, and the wire-retracting mechanism is covered inside.

[0017] Further, it is characterized in that the spherical robot also includes a jumping direction adjustment mechanism;

[0018] The jumping direction adjustment mechanism includes a through-type stepping motor and a lead screw, wherein the through-type stepping motor is installed inside the jumping ball shell and fixed to the inner wall of the jumping ball shell or the outer side of the first outer wheel;

[0019] A through hole is provided in the middle of the jumping ball shell, one end of the intermediate shaft close to the first outer wheel is a hollow track, the screw rod passes through the through-type stepping motor, and one end thereof is inserted into the hollow track, and the other end passes through the through hole;

[0020] The hollow track is a non-cylindrical structure, and the portion of the screw rod inserted into the hollow track is adapted to the hollow track.

[0021] Furthermore, the end of one end of the screw rod passing through the through hole is spherical.

[0022] The present invention discloses a spherical robot with multi-mode motion, which has the following beneficial technical effects:

[0023] 1) It has two modes: rolling drive and jumping drive, which greatly enhances the geometric passability and can cope with most complex terrains.

[0024] 2) The battery is used as a counterweight, the overall structure is simple and compact, the robot is highly maintainable and has a long endurance.

[0025] 3) The umbrella-like structure can not only be used to adjust the jumping direction, but also to reduce the turning radius of the robot when rolling.

[0026] 4) The incomplete gear structure allows the spring to be released instantly, which improves the overall operating efficiency, reduces the energy loss of energy storage, and improves the jumping ability.

[0027] 5) The worm gear motor is self-locking, allowing the spherical robot to jump once after one charge, which greatly saves energy loss and improves endurance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 A longitudinal cross-sectional structure forward schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of a spherical robot with multi-mode motion provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic top view of a transverse cross-sectional structure of a specific embodiment of a spherical robot shown;

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A left view of the longitudinal section structure of the spherical robot embodiment shown;

[0031] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The spherical robot embodiment shown is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure with the spherical shell hidden;

[0032] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The spherical robot embodiment shown is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure from another angle after the spherical shell is hidden;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a specific example structure of the outer side of the first outer wheel of a spherical robot provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a specific example structure of the outer side of the second outer wheel of a spherical robot provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view of a specific embodiment of a spherical robot provided by the present invention when preparing to bounce;

[0036] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a specific embodiment of the intermediate shaft.

[0037] Wherein, the serial numbers in the accompanying drawings are represented as follows:

[0038] Main body ball shell 1, jumping ball shell 2, guide rod 3, spring 4, gear set 5, screw 6, spherical end 7, spring seat 8, first outer wheel 9, slide rail 10, thin rod 11, counterweight 12, synchronous mounting plate 13, slider 14, synchronous belt transmission mechanism 15, bracket 16, second outer wheel 17, intermediate shaft 18, coupling 19, bearing 20, winding shaft 21, linear drive motor 22, worm gear motor 23, blocking ball shell 24, steering drive motor 25, bracket 26, light rod bearing 27, light rod shaft 28, incomplete gear set 29, through-type stepping motor 30, mechanical limit block 31. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with embodiments. The principles and features of the present invention are described below in combination with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other without conflict. The examples cited are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, Figure 1 A longitudinal cross-sectional structure forward schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of a spherical robot with multi-mode motion provided by the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic top view of a transverse cross-sectional structure of a specific embodiment of a spherical robot shown; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A left view of the longitudinal section structure of the spherical robot embodiment shown; Figure 4 for Figure 1 The spherical robot embodiment shown is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure with the spherical shell hidden; Figure 5 for Figure 1 The spherical robot embodiment shown is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure from another angle after the spherical shell is hidden; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a specific example structure of the outer side of the first outer wheel of a spherical robot provided by the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a specific example structure of the outer side of the second outer wheel of a spherical robot provided by the present invention; Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view of a specific embodiment of a spherical robot provided by the present invention when preparing to bounce; Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a specific embodiment of the intermediate shaft.

[0041] In a specific embodiment of a multi-mode spherical robot provided by the present invention, it mainly includes a rolling drive module, which is used to drive the spherical robot to move forward, backward and turn; a jumping drive module, which is used to drive the spherical robot to jump; a spherical shell, and the rolling drive module and the jumping drive module are both arranged inside the spherical shell; the spherical shell includes a main spherical shell 1 and a jumping spherical shell 2, the main spherical shell is provided with a first open end, and the movable cover of the jumping spherical shell 2 is arranged at the first open end; the jumping drive module includes an elastic energy storage component, which is connected to the jumping spherical shell 2, and when the elastic energy storage component stores energy, the jumping spherical shell 2 is contracted toward the center of the ball, and when the elastic energy storage component releases elastic potential energy, the jumping spherical shell 2 pops out in a direction away from the center of the ball.

[0042] The rolling drive module includes an intermediate shaft 18, a counterweight 12, a first outer wheel 9, a second outer wheel 17, a linear drive mechanism and a steering drive mechanism; the two ends of the intermediate shaft 18 are respectively fixedly connected to the centers of the first outer wheel 9 and the second outer wheel 17, and the first outer wheel 9 and the second outer wheel 17 are fixedly connected to the inner side of the spherical shell; a bearing 20 is installed on the intermediate shaft 18, and the bracket 16 is rotatably connected to the intermediate shaft 18 through the bearing 20; the linear drive mechanism includes a gear set 5 and a linear drive motor 22, the gear set 5 consists of a power gear and a passive gear, the linear drive motor 22 is fixedly installed on the bracket 16, the power gear is fixed to the power output end of the linear drive motor 22, and the passive gear is fixedly installed on the intermediate shaft 18 and can be connected with a key. The power gear and the passive gear are meshed; the steering drive mechanism includes a synchronous belt transmission mechanism 15, a steering drive motor 25, a slide rail 10 and a slider 14 adapted to the slide rail 10, the slide rail 10 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the bracket 16, the slider 14 is movably installed on the slide rail 10 and is fixedly connected to the synchronous belt in the synchronous belt transmission mechanism 15, the counterweight 12 is a power supply module, which is connected to the circuit of each electrical component through a wire, and the counterweight 12 is fixedly connected to the slider 14; the steering drive motor 25 is installed on the bracket 16 and is transmission-connected to the synchronous belt transmission mechanism 15. There are two bearings 20, which are installed on the intermediate shaft 18 at intervals, and the bracket 16 is rotationally connected to the intermediate shaft 18 through the two bearings 20. The bracket 16 includes a vertical section and a horizontal section, the synchronous belt transmission mechanism 15 includes a plurality of synchronous pulleys, and the plurality of synchronous pulleys are fixed on the vertical section, and the slide rail 10 is installed at the bottom of the horizontal section.

[0043] Specifically, a rolling drive module is installed inside the main spherical shell 1, and the intermediate shaft 18 can be fixedly connected to the first outer wheel 9 and the second outer wheel 17 through a flange coupling 19. The first outer wheel 9 and the second outer wheel 17 are fixedly connected to the main spherical shell 1. The rotation of the intermediate shaft 18 can drive the main spherical shell 1 to rotate, thereby realizing the linear motion of the sphere; the bracket 16 is connected to the intermediate shaft 18 through a bearing 20, and the bracket 16 can rotate relative to the intermediate shaft 18; the synchronous belt transmission module 15 in the steering drive mechanism is installed on the bracket 16, the slide rail 10 is fixed under the bracket 16, the slider 14 is installed on the slide rail 10, the counterweight 12 is fixedly connected to the slider 14 through a thin rod 11, and the synchronous belt and the slider 10 is fixedly connected through the synchronous mounting plate 13. When the steering drive motor 25 is running, the synchronous belt is driven to move through the synchronous pulley, and then the slider 14 and the counterweight thereon are driven to slide left and right through the synchronous mounting plate 13, thereby changing the center of gravity of the sphere and completing the steering of the sphere; the linear drive motor 22 is fixed on the bracket 16, and the power gear and the passive gear of the gear set 5 are respectively installed on the motor shaft of the linear drive motor 22 and the intermediate shaft 18. The linear drive motor 22 rotates to transmit torque to the intermediate shaft 18 through the power gear and the passive gear, and the bracket 16 and the counterweight 12 and the parts thereon swing back and forth relative to the intermediate shaft with the bracket 16, and the center of gravity of the sphere is offset, thereby realizing the linear motion of the spherical robot.

[0044] The jumping drive module includes an elastic energy storage component, which includes multiple guide rods 3 and multiple springs 4. A spring seat 8 compatible with the multiple springs 4 is provided on the inner side of the jumping ball shell 2 and / or the outer side of the first outer wheel 9. The multiple springs 4 are respectively installed on the spring seats 8 and placed between the jumping ball shell 2 and the first outer wheel 9. Each spring 4 is respectively installed on one of the guide rods 3. One end of the guide rod 3 is fixed to the inner side of the jumping ball shell 2, and the other end passes through the first outer wheel 9 and extends into the main ball shell 1.

[0045] The jumping drive module also includes a wire-winding mechanism, which includes a pull rope, a worm gear motor 23, a winding shaft 21, an incomplete gear set 29, a bare rod shaft 28 and a bracket 26; the incomplete gear set 29 is composed of a first incomplete gear and a second incomplete gear that mesh with each other, the bracket 26 is fixed on the second outer wheel 17, the bare rod shaft 28 is connected to the bracket 26 through a bare rod bearing 27, the first incomplete gear and the winding shaft 21 are both fixedly connected to the bare rod shaft 28, the worm gear motor 23 is fixed on the second outer wheel 17, the second incomplete gear is fixedly installed on the power output shaft of the worm gear motor 23, the first incomplete gear is meshed with the gear tooth portion of the second incomplete gear, one end of the pull rope is fixedly connected to the jumping ball shell 2, and the other end is wound on the winding shaft 21.

[0046] The number of the pull ropes is 3 to 6, one end of which is evenly distributed on the inner side of the jumping ball shell 2 and fixedly connected, and is wound around the winding shaft 21 after passing through the hanging holes provided on the inner wall of the main ball shell 1.

[0047] The spherical shell has a second open end opposite to the first open end, the second outer wheel 17 is installed at the second open end, and a blocking ball shell 24 is provided on the outer side of the second open end. The blocking ball shell 24 is fixedly installed on the main ball shell 1 and covers the wire-retracting mechanism inside.

[0048] The spherical robot also includes a jumping direction adjustment mechanism; the jumping direction adjustment mechanism includes a through-type stepper motor 30 and a screw 6, the through-type stepper motor 30 is installed inside the jumping ball shell 2, and is fixed to the inner wall of the jumping ball shell 2 or the outer side of the first outer wheel 9; a through hole is provided in the middle of the jumping ball shell 2, and the end of the intermediate shaft 18 close to the first outer wheel 9 is a hollow track, the screw 6 runs through the through-type stepper motor 30, and one end thereof is inserted into the hollow track, and the other end passes through the through hole; the hollow track is a non-cylindrical structure, and the part of the screw 6 inserted into the hollow track is compatible with the hollow track.

[0049] The end of the screw rod 6 passing through the through hole can be spherical, so as to reduce the friction during rotation and better seal the through hole on the jumping ball shell 2.

[0050] In a specific implementation of the jump drive module, Figure 1 As shown, the left end of the main spherical shell 1 is a spring force storage mechanism, and the right end is a wire-retracting mechanism. The spring seat 8 of the elastic energy storage assembly is fixedly connected to the first outer wheel 9. One end of the guide rod 3 is installed on the jumping spherical shell 2, and the other end passes through the spring seat 8 and the first outer wheel 9 to the inside of the main spherical shell 1. The mechanical limit block 31 is installed on the end of the guide rod 3 located inside the main spherical shell 1 to play a limiting role. The spring 4 is installed on the guide rod 3, located between the jumping spherical shell 2 and the spring seat 8. The through-type stepping motor 30 is installed on the first outer wheel 9. The screw 6 is installed on the through-type stepping motor 30, one end enters the hollow track of the intermediate shaft 18, and the other end is installed with a spherical end 7. When the through-type drive motor 30 rotates forward and backward, the screw 6 can move left and right; to prevent the screw 6 from rotating with the rotating nut in the through-type drive motor 30, the hollow track is a non-cylindrical structure. A preferred embodiment can be as follows Fig. 9In the structure shown, the portion of the screw rod inserted into the hollow track is adapted to the hollow track, and the hollow track plays a role in limiting the rotation of the screw rod. When the through-type drive motor 30 is running, the screw rod 6 can be driven to move left and right along the hollow track. By controlling the rotation of the through-type drive motor 30, the extension length of the screw rod 6 can be controlled, and then the overall bounce angle of the spherical robot can be controlled.

[0051] The wire-taking mechanism is mainly composed of a pull rope (not shown in the figure), a worm gear motor 23, a winding shaft 21, an incomplete gear set 29, a bare rod shaft 28 and a bracket 26. In order to improve the strength and service life, the pull rope can be a wire rope. The bracket 26 is fixed on the second outer wheel 17. The bare rod shaft 28 is connected to the bracket 26 through a bare rod bearing 27 and can rotate relative to the bracket 26 and the second outer wheel 17. The winding shaft 21 and one of the incomplete gear sets 29 are fixed on the bare rod shaft 28, the worm gear motor 23 is fixed on the second outer wheel 17, the incomplete gear set 29 consists of a first incomplete gear and a second incomplete gear, the first incomplete gear is fixedly mounted on the motor shaft, the second incomplete gear is fixed on the bare rod shaft, the gear teeth of the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear are meshed with each other, and the wire rope is fixedly connected. Connected to the left end jumping ball shell 2, and close to the inner wall of the main body ball shell 1 to the inside of the right end blocking ball shell 24, and wound on the winding shaft 21; when the spring 4 needs to store energy, the worm gear motor 23 rotates, drives the winding shaft 21 to wind the wire rope, thereby tightening the compression spring 7, and completes the energy storage. At this time, the worm gear motor 23 is powered off, and the self-locking is achieved by its matching worm gear reducer. When it is necessary to release the elastic potential energy, the worm gear motor 23 is controlled to continue to rotate in the same direction until the incomplete gear set 29 reaches the smooth part, and the winding shaft 21 is released instantly without motor resistance under the tension from the wire rope (at this time, the worm gear motor 23 does not rotate, and the release is completely controlled by the smooth part of the incomplete gear set), and the spring 4 releases the elastic potential energy, drives the jumping ball shell 2 to bounce quickly, and completes the jumping action of the spherical robot. The blocking ball shell 24 at the right end mainly plays the role of sealing and balancing weight, and can be fixed to the outside of the main body ball shell 1 by connecting parts such as screws.

[0052] Since the internal weight balance is very important when the spherical robot is in motion, the elastic force storage mechanism and the pull rope mechanism are respectively arranged at the left and right ends, which makes it easy to achieve weight balance on the left and right ends, is beneficial to the movement of the sphere, and is also very convenient for disassembly and installation.

[0053] When rolling, the spring 4 is kept in a state of being stretched by the rope, so it is always in a state of energy storage (compression). At this time, the jumping ball shell 2 is close to the main ball shell, and the spherical end 7 is close to the small ball shell. When it is necessary to switch to the jumping state, the through-type drive motor 30 rotates, and the screw rod 6 moves to the left by a certain distance. At this time, the steering drive device is controlled to move the counterweight 12 to the left, so that the center of gravity of the ball is extremely left-leaning, such as Figure 8 As shown, the sphere is tilted relative to the horizontal as a whole, and the spherical end 7 contacts the ground. The worm gear motor 23 is controlled to operate, so that the incomplete gear turns to the non-engaged part and then releases the spring 4 in the energy storage state. The jumping ball shell hits the ground 2, and the sphere jumps up, stays in the air for a short time, and then lands. When it is necessary to adjust the direction of the bounce, the counterweight is controlled to move left, so that the sphere tilts left, and then the bracket 16 and the counterweight 12 are swung forward or backward around the middle axis through the linear drive mechanism, so that the sphere rotates around the spherical end 7 of the screw rod. When the required direction is reached, the counterweight is controlled to return to the vertical downward state to stop, thereby completing the adjustment of the jumping direction.

[0054] In summary, the spherical robot with multi-mode motion provided by the present invention may have the following advantages or characteristics:

[0055] 1) It can not only travel on horizontal ground, but also has a jumping function, and can operate on many complex terrains. In general terrain, the small turning radius enables it to flexibly avoid obstacles; when it falls into a low-lying area and cannot roll out, it can be converted into a jumping mode, and the strong elastic force enables it to have a short-term air suspension ability. At the same time, since the power supply module is used as a counterweight, the space utilization rate inside the sphere is greatly improved, and there is no need to equip a separate counterweight, which can greatly reduce the overall weight, thereby greatly improving the robot's endurance.

[0056] 2) Its rolling drive module uses the rotation of the motor to transmit torque to the intermediate shaft through the gear transmission, so that the bracket and the counterweight generate opposite torque and swing back and forth inside the sphere, thereby changing the center of gravity of the sphere to realize the linear motion of the spherical robot. It has a simple structure, simple control, low energy loss, and uses a power supply module (ordinary batteries can be used) as a counterweight, which greatly improves the robot's endurance. The steering adopts a synchronous belt drive structure and is installed in the central part of the sphere, making the overall structure very compact, and allowing the motor used to drive the synchronous belt drive mechanism to be installed in the middle position, so that the center of gravity of the entire device plus the drive motor is located in the middle, which is more conducive to balancing the weight of the sphere, and the synchronous belt drive has a fast response speed, making the spherical robot more flexible.

[0057] 3) The multi-mode motion spherical robot provided by the present invention also includes a jumping direction adjustment mechanism, which is actually an umbrella-like structure. When the sphere tilts to the left and prepares to jump, the robot can adjust the jumping direction by changing the center of gravity of the counterweight to rotate the sphere around the spherical end, thereby greatly improving the flexibility and accuracy of the robot when jumping.

[0058] 5) The elastic energy storage component adopts multiple springs and guide rods evenly distributed along the circumference, which not only ensures the energy required for bouncing, but also makes the ball shell evenly stressed, not easy to tear, and increases its life. At the same time, the stability during bouncing is greatly enhanced.

[0059] 6) The worm gear drive adopted by the take-up mechanism has a power-off self-locking function. The power can be cut off after the line is taken up, that is, the spring is fully charged, which saves electricity and improves endurance. When the incomplete gear transmission is adopted, when the spring needs to be released, it only needs to control the worm gear motor to rotate a little more, so that the gear moves from the toothed part to the smooth part, and the spring can be released instantly without motor resistance. When the incomplete gear continues to rotate, the pull rope can be rewound on the winding shaft and wait for the next elastic release.

[0060] It is understandable that the multi-mode motion spherical robot disclosed in the present invention is an improvement made in terms of structure, and how to achieve motion control is not included in the technical solution of the present invention. As for the control solution, one implementation is to install a control module inside the main spherical shell, on which a wireless communication element is provided. The control module is circuit-connected to each motor to control the operation of each motor. Externally, a communication device that matches the wireless communication element inside the spherical robot can be provided, such as a remote control. By manually controlling the remote control, the spherical robot can be controlled. Of course, the control module encapsulated inside the spherical robot can also self-identify and judge various conditions through a preset program, and then control the operation of each drive motor to achieve unmanned control of the spherical robot.

[0061] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0062] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0063] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0064] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0065] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations of the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion, characterized in that: include: A rolling drive module, used to drive the spherical robot to move forward, backward and turn; A jumping driving module, used for driving the spherical robot to jump; A spherical shell, wherein the rolling drive module and the jumping drive module are both arranged inside the spherical shell; The spherical shell includes a main body shell and a jumping shell, the main body shell is provided with a first open end, and the movable cover of the jumping shell is provided at the first open end; The jumping driving module comprises an elastic energy storage component, which is connected to the jumping spherical shell. When the elastic energy storage component stores energy, the jumping spherical shell contracts toward the center of the spherical shell. When the elastic energy storage component releases elastic potential energy, the jumping spherical shell pops out in a direction away from the center of the spherical shell. The rolling drive module includes an intermediate shaft, a counterweight, a first outer wheel, a second outer wheel, a linear drive mechanism and a steering drive mechanism; The two ends of the intermediate shaft are respectively fixedly connected to the centers of the first outer wheel and the second outer wheel, and the first outer wheel and the second outer wheel are fixedly connected to the inner side of the spherical shell; A bearing is installed on the intermediate shaft, and the bracket is rotatably connected to the intermediate shaft through the bearing; The linear drive mechanism comprises a power gear, a passive gear and a linear drive motor, wherein the linear drive motor is fixedly mounted on the bracket, the power gear is fixed to the power output end of the linear drive motor, the passive gear is fixedly mounted on the intermediate shaft, and the power gear and the passive gear are meshed; The steering drive mechanism includes a synchronous belt transmission mechanism, a steering drive motor, a slide rail and a slider adapted to the slide rail, the slide rail is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the bracket, the slider is movably mounted on the slide rail and fixedly connected to the synchronous belt in the synchronous belt transmission mechanism, the counterweight is a power supply module, connected to the circuits of various electrical components through wires, and the counterweight is fixedly connected to the slider; the steering drive motor is mounted on the bracket and is transmission-connected to the synchronous belt transmission mechanism; There are two bearings installed on the intermediate shaft at intervals, and the bracket is rotatably connected to the intermediate shaft through the two bearings; The elastic energy storage component includes multiple guide rods and multiple springs. The inner side of the jumping ball shell and / or the outer side of the first outer wheel are provided with spring seats compatible with the multiple springs. The multiple springs are respectively installed on the spring seats and placed between the jumping ball shell and the first outer wheel. Each spring is respectively installed on one of the guide rods. One end of the guide rod is fixed to the inner side of the jumping ball shell, and the other end passes through the first outer wheel and extends into the main ball shell.

2. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bracket includes a vertical section and a horizontal section, the synchronous belt transmission mechanism includes a plurality of synchronous belt wheels, the plurality of synchronous belt wheels are all fixed on the vertical section, and the slide rail is installed at the bottom of the horizontal section.

3. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The jumping drive module also includes a wire-receiving mechanism, which includes a pull rope, a worm gear motor, a winding shaft, a first incomplete gear, a second incomplete gear, a polished rod shaft and a bracket; The bracket is fixed on the second outer wheel, the bare rod shaft is connected to the bracket through a bare rod bearing, the first incomplete gear and the winding shaft are both fixedly connected to the bare rod shaft, the worm gear motor is fixed on the second outer wheel, the second incomplete gear is fixedly installed on the power output shaft of the worm gear motor, the first incomplete gear is meshed with the gear tooth portion of the second incomplete gear, one end of the pull rope is fixedly connected to the jumping ball shell, and the other end is wound around the winding shaft.

4. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion according to claim 3, characterized in that: The number of the pull ropes is 3 to 6, one end of which is evenly distributed on the inner side of the jumping ball shell and fixedly connected, and is wound around the winding shaft after passing through the hanging holes arranged on the inner wall of the main ball shell.

5. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion according to claim 3, characterized in that: The spherical shell has a second open end opposite to the first open end, the second outer wheel is installed at the second open end, and a blocking spherical shell is provided on the outer side of the second open end. The blocking spherical shell is fixedly installed on the main spherical shell and covers the wire-receiving mechanism inside.

6. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The spherical robot also includes a jumping direction adjustment mechanism; The jumping direction adjustment mechanism includes a through-type stepping motor and a lead screw, wherein the through-type stepping motor is installed inside the jumping ball shell and fixed to the inner wall of the jumping ball shell or the outer side of the first outer wheel; A through hole is provided in the middle of the jumping ball shell, one end of the intermediate shaft close to the first outer wheel is a hollow track, the lead screw runs through the through-type stepping motor, and one end thereof is inserted into the hollow track, and the other end passes through the through hole; The hollow track is a non-cylindrical structure, and the portion of the screw rod inserted into the hollow track is adapted to the hollow track.

7. A spherical robot with multi-mode motion according to claim 6, characterized in that: The end of one end of the screw rod passing through the through hole is spherical.

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