Amphibious robot

Abstract

The present invention relates to an amphibious robot, which includes a flight mechanism and a walking mechanism. The flight mechanism includes a mounting plate, two groups of rotors, a linkage part and a servo motor. The two groups of rotors are respectively rotatably mounted at the head and the tail of the mounting plate. The rotor includes a rotor arm, a propeller and a rotor motor. One end of the rotor arm is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate, the other end is mounted with the rotor motor, the propeller is mounted on the output shaft of the rotor motor, the servo motor is mounted below the mounting plate, and the output shaft of the servo motor is linked with the rotor arm through the linkage part. The rotor arms of the rotors located at the head and the tail of the mounting plate are not coplanar, and the mounting plate is carried on the walking mechanism. The above-mentioned amphibious robot can not only fly in the air but also walk on the ground. It is mainly for ground walking. When there are large obstacles on the ground that are difficult to pass, it can fly through. When the space is narrow, the rotors can be retracted to reduce the movement space and ensure that the robot can walk through, so as to adapt to a relatively complex environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robots, and particularly to an amphibious robot. Background Art

[0002] With the integrated development of multiple disciplines and specialties, the application fields of robot technology have been continuously expanding. From industrial automation production lines to domestic service robots, from the development of marine resources and coal resources to space exploration, from field reconnaissance to disaster relief, robots can be seen almost everywhere. Exploring unknown environments is full of unstable factors, and manual exploration is highly dangerous. One wrong move could even cost a life. Therefore, robots also play an important role in the exploration and development of unknown environments.

[0003] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the characteristics of flexible movement, high movement speed, and wide field of vision. However, they can only fly in broad environments and are difficult to fly in narrow and complex spaces. Although mobile robots can move in narrow spaces on the ground, they can only pass slowly and have difficulty moving forward. When encountering lakes or large obstacles, they cannot pass through. Therefore, single-habitat robots are more suitable for working environments with a single scenario and are difficult to adapt to complex environments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, in view of the problem that single-habitat robots are difficult to adapt to complex environments, it is necessary to provide an amphibious robot that can adapt to relatively complex environments.

[0005] An amphibious robot includes a flight mechanism and a walking mechanism. The flight mechanism includes a mounting plate, two groups of rotors, a linkage part, and a servo motor. The two groups of rotors are respectively rotatably mounted at the head and tail of the mounting plate. The rotor includes a rotor arm, a propeller, and a rotor motor. One end of the rotor arm is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate, and the other end mounts the rotor motor. The propeller is mounted on the output shaft of the rotor motor. The servo motor is mounted below the mounting plate, and the output shaft of the servo motor is linked to the rotor arm through the linkage part. The rotor arms of the rotors located at the head and tail of the mounting plate are not coplanar, and the mounting plate is carried on the walking mechanism.

[0006] Furthermore, the mounting plate includes a top plate and a bottom plate. The linkage part is mounted between the top plate and the bottom plate. The rotor arms of the rotors at the head and tail are respectively located on the sides of the top plate and the bottom plate away from the linkage part.

[0007] Furthermore, the linkage part includes a synchronous belt, a steering gear wheel, an auxiliary wheel, two swing arm wheels and two swing arm wheel axles, one end of the two swing arm wheel axles are respectively interference fit with the wheel holes of the two swing arm wheels, and the other ends pass through the top plate and the bottom plate respectively, and are respectively fixed to the swing arms of the rotors at the head and the tail, the auxiliary wheel is connected to a swing arm wheel through the synchronous belt transmission and is located on the inner side of the synchronous belt, and the other swing arm wheel and the steering gear wheel are respectively in close contact with the synchronous belt and are respectively located on the outer side of the synchronous belt.

[0008] Furthermore, the steering gear wheel, the auxiliary wheel and the two swing arm wheels are all gears, and the synchronous belt is a double-sided toothed belt, and the synchronous belt is clamped and meshed between the auxiliary wheel and the other swing arm wheel.

[0009] Furthermore, the walking mechanism includes a base plate, wheels and wheel motors. The wheel motors are mounted on the chassis, and the wheels are connected to the output shafts of the wheel motors.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a camera, which is installed on the mounting plate and located at the front end of the robot.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes an ultrasonic sensor, which is installed on the walking mechanism and located at the front end of the robot.

[0012] Furthermore, the robot also includes a control module, which includes a Raspberry Pi, a flight controller and a single-chip microcomputer, the Raspberry Pi is electrically connected to the flight controller and the single-chip microcomputer respectively, the Raspberry Pi is electrically connected to a camera, the flight controller is electrically connected to a rotor motor, and the single-chip microcomputer is electrically connected to a servo, a wheel motor and an ultrasonic sensor respectively.

[0013] Furthermore, the robot also includes a power module, which supplies power to the flying mechanism, walking mechanism and control module.

[0014] The above-mentioned amphibious robot can both fly in the air and walk on the ground, with walking as the main method. When there are large obstacles on the ground that are difficult to pass through, the robot can fly through. When the space is narrow, the rotor can be retracted to reduce the movement space to ensure that the robot can walk through, and can adapt to more complex environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the mechanism of an amphibious robot according to an embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the amphibious robot from another angle;

[0017] Figure 3 forFigure 1 Side view of the amphibious robot;

[0018] Figure 4 For Figure 1 Top view of the amphibious robot without the top plate;

[0019] Figure 5 For Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the rotor contraction state of the amphibious robot;

[0020] Figure 6 For Figure 1 Electrical connection diagram of the control module of the amphibious robot.

[0021] In the figure: 100, flight mechanism; 110, mounting plate; 111, top plate; 112, bottom plate; 120, rotor; 121, rotor arm; 122, propeller; 123, rotor motor; 1201, front rotor; 1202, rear rotor; 130, linkage part; 131, synchronous belt; 132, servo wheel; 133, auxiliary wheel; 134, rotor arm wheel; 1341, front rotor arm wheel; 1342, rear rotor arm wheel; 135, rotor arm wheel shaft; 140, servo; 200, walking mechanism; 210, chassis; 220, wheel; 230, wheel motor; 300, camera; 400, ultrasonic sensor; 500, control module; 510, Raspberry Pi; 520, flight controller; 530, single-chip microcomputer; 600, power module. Specific embodiments

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0023] Such as Figures 1 to 5As shown, in one embodiment, an amphibious robot includes a flight mechanism 100 and a walking mechanism 200. The flight mechanism 100 includes a mounting plate 110, two groups of rotors 120, a linkage portion 130, and a servo 140. The two groups of rotors 120 are respectively rotatably mounted at the head and the tail of the mounting plate 110. Specifically, each group of rotors 120 consists of two rotors. The rotor at the head of the mounting plate 110 is the head rotor 1201, and the rotor at the tail is the tail rotor 1202. The rotor 120 includes a rotor arm 121, a propeller 122, and a rotor motor 123. One end of the rotor arm 121 is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate 110, and the other end is mounted with the rotor motor 123. The propeller 122 is mounted on the output shaft of the rotor motor 123. The servo 140 is mounted below the mounting plate 110. The output shaft of the servo 140 is linked with the rotor arm 121 through the linkage portion 130. The rotor arms 121 of the rotors 120 located at the head and the tail of the mounting plate 110 are not coplanar, that is, the head rotor 1201 and the tail rotor 1202 are located in different planes to ensure that the rotors 120 are contracted to the greatest extent and do not collide with each other during contraction. The mounting plate 110 is carried on the walking mechanism 200.

[0024] The above-mentioned amphibious robot can not only fly in the air but also walk on the ground. It mainly walks on the ground. When there are large obstacles on the ground that are difficult to pass, it can fly through. When the space is narrow, the rotors 120 can be contracted to reduce the movement space and ensure that the robot can walk through, so it can adapt to a more complex environment.

[0025] In this embodiment, the mounting plate 110 includes a top plate 111 and a bottom plate 112. The linkage portion 130 is mounted between the top plate 111 and the bottom plate 112. The rotor arms 121 of the rotors 120 at the head and the tail are respectively located on the sides of the top plate 111 and the bottom plate 112 away from the linkage portion 130. Specifically, the two head rotors 1201 are located above the top plate 111, and the two tail rotors 1202 are located below the bottom plate 112. Therefore, they will not collide or interfere with each other during contraction or expansion.

[0026] In this embodiment, the linkage part 130 includes a synchronous belt 131, a steering gear wheel 132, an auxiliary wheel 133, two swing arm wheels 134 and two swing arm wheel shafts 135. One end of the two swing arm wheel shafts 135 is respectively interference fit with the wheel holes of the two swing arm wheels 134, and the other end passes through the top plate 111 and the bottom plate 112, and is respectively fixed on the swing arms 121 of the front and rear rotors 120. The auxiliary wheel 133 is connected to one swing arm wheel 134 through the synchronous belt 131 and is located on the inner side of the synchronous belt 131. The other swing arm wheel 134 and the steering gear wheel 132 are respectively in close contact with the synchronous belt 131 and are respectively located on the outer side of the synchronous belt 131. Specifically, the linkage part 130 includes two synchronous belts 131, one steering gear wheel 132, two auxiliary wheels 133, four swing arm wheels 134 and four swing arm wheel shafts 135. The four swivel wheels 134 include two head swivel wheels 1341 and two tail swivel wheels 1342. A head swivel wheel 1341 is connected to an auxiliary wheel 133 through a synchronous belt 131, and a tail swivel wheel 1342 is in close contact with the outer side of the synchronous belt 131. Another tail swivel wheel 1342 is connected to another auxiliary wheel 133 through another synchronous belt 131, and another head swivel wheel 1341 is in close contact with the outer side of the other synchronous belt 131. The steering gear wheel 132 is located between the two synchronous belts 131 and is in close contact (tight contact) with the outer sides of the two synchronous belts 131.

[0027] In this embodiment, the steering gear wheel 132 , the auxiliary wheel 133 and the two swing arm wheels 134 are gears, and the synchronous belt 131 is a double-sided toothed belt. The synchronous belt 131 is sandwiched and meshed between the auxiliary wheel 133 and the other swing arm wheel 134 .

[0028] In this embodiment, the walking mechanism 200 includes a chassis 210 , wheels 220 and wheel motors 230 . The wheel motors 230 are mounted on the chassis 210 , and the wheels 220 are connected to the output shafts of the wheel motors 230 .

[0029] In this embodiment, the amphibious robot further includes a camera 300, an ultrasonic sensor 400 and a power module 600. The camera 300 is mounted on the mounting plate 110 and is located at the front end of the robot. The ultrasonic sensor 400 is mounted on the chassis 210 and is located at the front end of the robot. The power module 600 is mounted below the chassis 210 and supplies power to the flying mechanism 100, the walking mechanism 200, the camera 300 and the ultrasonic sensor 400.

[0030] like Figure 6As shown, the robot further includes a control module 500. The control module 500 includes a Raspberry Pi 510, a flight controller 520, and a single-chip microcomputer 530. The Raspberry Pi 510 is electrically connected to the flight controller 520 and the single-chip microcomputer 530 respectively, and the Raspberry Pi 510 is electrically connected to the camera 300. The flight controller 520 is electrically connected to the rotor motor 123. The single-chip microcomputer 530 is electrically connected to the servo 140, the wheel motor 230, and the ultrasonic sensor 400 respectively. The power supply module 600 supplies power to the control module 500. The camera 300 is used to capture the road surface information in front of the robot and perform image processing with the Raspberry Pi 510. The Raspberry Pi 510 is connected to the single-chip microcomputer 530 and transmits the selected motion mode and position information to the single-chip microcomputer 530. The single-chip microcomputer 530 is used to control the servo 140 to further control the contraction or expansion of the rotor. And the single-chip microcomputer 530 is used to control the wheel motor to control the forward movement and steering of the robot. During the forward movement on the ground, the ultrasonic sensor 400 detects whether there are obstacles in front and transmits the information to the single-chip microcomputer 530. The single-chip microcomputer 530 controls the robot to turn. The flight controller 520 is used to control the rotor motor 123 to control the forward movement and steering of the robot.

[0031] This amphibious robot has a compact structure and small size. It can autonomously identify the road surface conditions and analyze the results to independently select the flight mode and walking mode. The rotor contraction structure can improve the overall stability during walking and can work in complex environments. The ground movement power of the amphibious robot is much smaller than the power consumption during flight. The robot increases the proportion of the ground walking duration, and its endurance can be improved to a certain extent.

[0032] This amphibious robot can also be used for, for example, patrol tasks in buildings. Place the robot in the building. According to the set patrol points, path planning is performed by the path algorithm built in the Raspberry Pi. The single-chip microcomputer drives the wheel motor to drive the robot to move on the ground. During operation, the camera identifies the road conditions, performs obstacle avoidance or switches the motion mode. When avoiding obstacles, the Raspberry Pi re-plans the path and transmits the path point information to the single-chip microcomputer, controlling the rotational speed and steering of the wheel motor to control the forward direction of the robot to complete obstacle avoidance; when switching to the flight mode, the Raspberry Pi transmits the information to the single-chip microcomputer, controls the servo to rotate, the rotor folding and unfolding mechanism unfolds, and the flight controller controls the rotor motor to rotate to achieve the flight mode.

[0033] The above embodiments only represent several implementation manners of the present invention. The description is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as a limitation to the scope of the patent of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several deformations and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An amphibious robot, characterized in that, It comprises a flying mechanism and a walking mechanism, wherein the flying mechanism comprises a mounting plate, two sets of rotors, a linkage part and a steering gear, wherein the two sets of rotors are rotatably mounted on the head and tail of the mounting plate respectively, the rotor comprises a swing arm, a propeller and a rotor motor, one end of the swing arm is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate, and the other end is mounted on the rotor motor, the propeller is mounted on the output shaft of the rotor motor, the steering gear is mounted below the mounting plate, the output shaft of the steering gear is linked with the swing arm through the linkage part, the swing arms of the rotors respectively located at the head and tail of the mounting plate are not coplanar, and the mounting plate is carried on the walking mechanism; The mounting plate comprises a top plate and a bottom plate, the linkage portion is mounted between the top plate and the bottom plate, and the rotor arms of the front and rear rotors are respectively located on a side of the top plate and the bottom plate away from the linkage portion; The linkage part includes a synchronous belt, a steering gear wheel, an auxiliary wheel, two swing arm wheels and two swing arm wheel axles. One end of the two swing arm wheel axles are respectively interference fit with the wheel holes of the two swing arm wheels, and the other ends pass through the top plate and the bottom plate respectively, and are respectively fixed to the swing arms of the rotors at the head and the tail. The auxiliary wheel is connected to a swing arm wheel through the synchronous belt transmission and is located on the inner side of the synchronous belt. The other swing arm wheel and the steering gear wheel are respectively in close contact with the synchronous belt and are respectively located on the outer side of the synchronous belt.

2. The amphibious robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steering gear wheel, the auxiliary wheel and the two swing arm wheels are all gears, and the synchronous belt is a double-sided toothed belt, which is sandwiched and meshed between the auxiliary wheel and the other swing arm wheel.

3. The amphibious robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking mechanism comprises a bottom plate, wheels and wheel motors. The wheel motors are mounted on the chassis, and the wheels are connected to the output shafts of the wheel motors.

4. The amphibious robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, A camera is also included, which is mounted on the mounting plate and located at the front end of the robot.

5. The amphibious robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an ultrasonic sensor, which is installed on the walking mechanism and located at the front end of the robot.

6. The amphibious robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The robot also includes a control module, which includes a Raspberry Pi, a flight controller and a single-chip microcomputer. The Raspberry Pi is electrically connected to the flight controller and the single-chip microcomputer respectively, the Raspberry Pi is electrically connected to a camera, the flight controller is electrically connected to a rotor motor, and the single-chip microcomputer is electrically connected to a servo, a wheel motor and an ultrasonic sensor respectively.

7. The amphibious robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot also includes a power module, which supplies power to the flying mechanism, the walking mechanism and the control module.

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