Integrated hydraulic drive for exoskeleton robots and exoskeleton robots

Abstract

This invention discloses an integrated hydraulic drive device and exoskeleton robot for exoskeleton robots, relating to the field of exoskeleton robot device technology, to solve the technical problems of large pressure loss, low integration, and heavy weight of existing exoskeleton hydraulic cylinders using oil pipe connections. Specifically, the hip joint hydraulic assembly includes a hip joint cylinder body, a hip joint cylinder end cap, and a hip joint cylinder piston rod. The hip joint cylinder end cap is mounted on the hip joint cylinder body, and one end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod is inserted into the hip joint cylinder body, dividing the inner cavity of the hip joint cylinder body into a closed rod chamber and a rodless chamber. The other end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod protrudes from the hip joint cylinder end cap. The hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly is rotatably mounted on a servo drive system via an oil pipe pin assembly. The oil pipe pin assembly is provided with rod chamber connecting pin holes and rodless chamber connecting pin holes, which connect the rod chamber and rodless chamber to the cylinder, respectively, forming a bidirectional oil circuit for oil inlet and outlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of exoskeleton robot technology, and more particularly to an integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot and an exoskeleton robot. Background Technology

[0002] Exoskeleton robots are used to assist the human body in performing tasks that are difficult or impossible for the human body under normal circumstances (such as long-distance rapid movement under heavy loads), so as to greatly enhance the human body's mobility. They can be used in military, scientific research, medical, construction, maintenance and other fields.

[0003] In recent years, research on load-bearing mobile exoskeletons in China has just begun. Compared with the advanced international exoskeleton technology, the level of engineering and practical application is low, and there is still a significant gap before practical use. Currently, when connecting hydraulic cylinders and other components of the hydraulic system, such as control valves, to hydraulically driven exoskeletons in China, oil pipes are required to ensure oil circuit continuity. This cannot meet the requirements of small and lightweight hydraulic systems for exoskeleton robots. Using oil circuit continuity leads to problems such as large pressure loss in the pipeline, low integration, and heavy weight. It also makes it inconvenient for the wearer to put on, reduces the flexibility of human-machine movement, and decreases the assist efficiency of the exoskeleton. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated hydraulic drive device and an exoskeleton robot for use in exoskeleton robots, in order to solve the technical problems of existing hydraulically driven exoskeletons, which use oil pipes to connect the hydraulic cylinders, resulting in large pressure loss in the pipeline, low integration, heavy weight, inconvenience for wearers, poor flexibility of human-machine movement, and low efficiency of exoskeleton assistance.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] An integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot includes a servo drive system, a hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly, and an oil pipe pin assembly.

[0007] The hip joint hydraulic assembly includes a hip joint cylinder body, a hip joint cylinder end cap, and a hip joint cylinder piston rod. The hip joint cylinder end cap is mounted on the hip joint cylinder body. One end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod is inserted into the hip joint cylinder body, dividing the inner cavity of the hip joint cylinder body into a closed rod chamber and a rodless chamber. The other end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod extends out of the hip joint cylinder end cap. An oil pipe pin hole is provided at the end of the hip joint cylinder body away from the hip joint cylinder end cap. The hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly is rotatably mounted on the servo drive system through the oil pipe pin assembly.

[0008] The oil pipe pin assembly is provided with a rod-side connecting pin hole and a rodless-side connecting pin hole that are separate from each other. The oil pipe pin assembly is inserted into the servo drive system. The rod-side cavity and the rodless-side cavity are respectively connected to the rod-side connecting pin hole and the rodless-side connecting pin hole, and are connected to the oil cylinder through the servo drive system to form a bidirectional oil circuit for oil inlet and return.

[0009] Compared with existing technologies, the integrated hydraulic drive device for exoskeleton robots provided by this invention replaces the external hydraulic pipes used in existing hydraulic systems with an oil pipe pin assembly. The oil pipe pin assembly serves as both a rotating pin and an internal oil pipe, resulting in a higher overall integration and smaller size of the hydraulic drive device. It also solves the problem of easy leakage with traditional oil pipes. The hydraulic cylinder of the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly is a bidirectional hydraulic cylinder. The rod chamber is connected to the cylinder via a rod chamber connecting pin hole and the servo drive system, while the rodless chamber is connected to the cylinder via a rodless chamber connecting pin hole. Oil inlet to the rod chamber and oil return to the rodless chamber occur simultaneously, making the power output of the servo drive system more stable. The aforementioned integrated hydraulic drive device has a simple structure, high integration, light weight, small size, and comfortable wear, making it highly practical.

[0010] The present invention also discloses an exoskeleton robot including an integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot, and further including a robot torso, an exoskeleton hip joint, and an exoskeleton thigh;

[0011] The exoskeleton hip joint is mounted on the robot torso, the integrated hydraulic drive device is mounted on the exoskeleton hip joint via the servo drive system, and the exoskeleton thigh is mounted on the hydraulic drive device via the hip joint four-bar linkage.

[0012] The technical effects of the exoskeleton robot described above are the same as those of the integrated hydraulic drive device, and will not be discussed again here. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0014] Figure 1 An assembly diagram of an integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the integrated hydraulic drive unit used in the exoskeleton robot;

[0016] Figure 3 for Figure 1Cross-sectional view of the mid-hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly;

[0017] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the oil pipe pin assembly;

[0018] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuit of an integrated hydraulic drive unit used in exoskeleton robots.

[0019] Figure label:

[0020] 1. Hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly, 2. Oil pipe pin assembly, 3. Servo drive system, 4. Hip joint four-link, 1-1. Joint bearing, 1-2. Hip joint connector, 1-3. Hip joint cylinder piston rod, 1-4. Hip joint cylinder end cap, 1-5. Rod chamber, 1-6. Rodless chamber, 1-7. Hip joint cylinder body, 1-8. Oil pipe pin hole, 2-1. Oil pipe pin plugging assembly, 2-2. Rodless chamber connecting pin hole, 2-3. Rod chamber connecting pin hole, 2-4. Oil pipe pin body. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] See details Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the integrated hydraulic drive device for exoskeleton robots provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a servo drive system 3, a hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1, and an oil pipe pin assembly 2.

[0027] The hip joint hydraulic assembly includes a hip joint cylinder body 1-7, a hip joint cylinder end cap 1-4, and a hip joint cylinder piston rod 1-3. The hip joint cylinder end cap 1-4 is mounted on the hip joint cylinder body 1-7. One end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod 1-3 is inserted into the hip joint cylinder body 1-7, dividing the inner cavity of the hip joint cylinder body 1-7 into a closed rod chamber 1-5 and a rodless chamber 1-6. The other end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod 1-3 extends out of the hip joint cylinder end cap 1-4. An oil pipe pin hole 1-8 is provided at the end of the hip joint cylinder body 1-7 away from the hip joint cylinder end cap 1-4. The hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 is rotatably mounted on the servo drive system 3 through the oil pipe pin assembly 2.

[0028] The oil pipe pin assembly 2 is provided with a rod cavity connecting pin hole 2-3 and a rodless cavity connecting pin hole 2-2 that are separate from each other. The oil pipe pin assembly 2 is inserted into the servo drive system 3. The rod cavity 1-5 and the rodless cavity 1-6 are respectively connected to the rod cavity connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless cavity connecting pin hole 2-2, and are connected to the oil cylinder through the servo drive system 3 to form a bidirectional oil circuit for oil inlet and oil return.

[0029] In practice:

[0030] The tubing pin assembly 2 mates with the tubing pin hole 1-8. The rod chamber 1-5 of the hip joint cylinder 1-7 is connected to the rod chamber connecting pin hole 2-3 on the tubing pin body 2-4. The rodless chamber 1-6 on the hip joint cylinder 1-7 is connected to the rodless chamber connecting pin hole 2-2 on the tubing pin body 2-4. The servo drive system 3 and the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 are connected and assembled through the tubing pin assembly 2, realizing the degree of freedom of rotation of the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 around the servo drive system 3. The hip joint connector 1-2 of the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 is connected to the hip joint four-link 4.

[0031] During the operation of the integrated hydraulic drive device: the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 is a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, meaning that both the rod chamber 1-5 and the rodless chamber 1-6 can receive and return oil. Oil travels through the servo drive system 3 to the rod chamber connecting pin hole 2-3, and then to the rod chamber 1-5 of the hip joint cylinder body 1-7, where it acts on the piston. The return oil process sequentially travels from the rod chamber 1-5 through the rod chamber connecting pin hole 2-3, then through the servo drive system 3, and finally back to the oil tank. The hip joint cylinder piston rod 1-3 drives the hip joint four-link rod 4, completing one extension and retraction cycle of the hip joint. Similarly, oil can also flow from the rodless chamber connecting pin hole 2-2 to the rodless chamber 1-6, completing the oil intake and return process (see details of the oil circuit for...). Figure 5 The oil pipe pin assembly 2, hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1, and servo drive system 3, when assembled, form a sealed, integrated structure, preventing oil leakage. Furthermore, the rod-side connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless-side connecting pin hole 2-2 are separate, ensuring no interference during oil inlet and outlet, and guaranteeing the connectivity between the rod-side chamber 1-5 circuit and the rodless-side chamber 1-6 circuit.

[0032] The integrated hydraulic drive device for exoskeleton robots provided by this invention replaces the external hydraulic pipes used in existing hydraulic systems with an oil pipe pin assembly 2. The oil pipe pin assembly 2 serves as both a rotating pin and an internal oil pipe, resulting in a higher overall integration and smaller size of the hydraulic drive device. It also solves the problem of easy leakage with traditional oil pipes. The hydraulic cylinder of the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 is a bidirectional hydraulic cylinder. The rod chamber 1-5 is connected to the cylinder via a rod chamber connecting pin hole 2-3 and the servo drive system 3, while the rodless chamber 1-6 is connected to the cylinder via a rodless chamber connecting pin hole 2-2. The oil inlet of the rod chamber 1-5 and the oil return of the rodless chamber 1-6 occur simultaneously, making the power output of the servo drive system 3 more stable. The aforementioned integrated hydraulic drive device has a simple structure, high integration, light weight, small size, comfortable wear, and high practicality.

[0033] As one possible implementation, the tubing pin assembly 2 includes a tubing pin plugging assembly 2-1 and a tubing pin body 2-4; the tubing pin plugging assembly 2-1 is installed at one end of the tubing pin body 2-4, and the other end of the tubing pin body 2-4 is inserted into the servo drive system 3; the tubing pin body 2-4 is installed on the servo drive system 3 through the tubing pin plugging assembly 2-1 and is sealed.

[0034] The installation of the oil pipe pin plugging assembly 2-1 ensures the sealing of the oil pipe pin assembly 2 and the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 after they are installed on the servo drive system 3, preventing oil leakage. Furthermore, the rod-side connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless-side connecting pin hole 2-2 are located on the oil pipe pin body 2-4. The oil pipe pin body 2-4 is assembled with the hip joint cylinder body 1-7, allowing the rod-side connecting pin hole 2-3 to communicate with the rod-side cavity 1-5, and the rodless-side connecting pin hole 2-2 to communicate with the rodless-side cavity 1-6. Based on the assembly method and the corresponding sealing method, the circuits connected to the rod-side connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless-side connecting pin hole 2-2 are separate and not interconnected, preventing oil leakage. Moreover, the rod-side connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless-side connecting pin hole 2-2 are connected to the servo drive system 3 and, through the servo drive system 3, to the hydraulic cylinder, ensuring unobstructed oil flow.

[0035] As one possible implementation, the tubing pin assembly 2 also includes multiple sealing rings; the multiple sealing rings are fitted onto the tubing pin body 2-4, and when the tubing pin assembly 2 is inserted into the tubing pin hole 1-8, the multiple sealing rings are in close contact with the inner wall of the tubing pin hole 1-8.

[0036] The sealing ring further ensures the sealing performance of the oil pipe pin body 2-4 and the hip joint cylinder body 1-7 after assembly, preventing the oil passage from being blocked and preventing oil leakage between different oil passages.

[0037] As one possible implementation, sealing rings are installed between the oil outlet holes of the rod cavity connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless cavity connecting pin hole 2-2 on the oil pipe pin body 2-4, as well as on both sides.

[0038] This further ensures the effectiveness of isolation and sealing between different oil lines.

[0039] As one possible implementation, the hip joint cylinder 1-7 is provided with a first oil passage and a second oil passage that communicate with the rod chamber 1-5 and the rodless chamber 1-6, and both the first oil passage and the second oil passage are connected to the oil pipe pin hole 1-8.

[0040] The design of the first and second oil circuits facilitates the connection between the rod chamber connecting pin hole 2-3 and the rodless chamber connecting pin hole 2-2 and the rod chamber 1-5 and rodless chamber 1-6, respectively. The oil circuits of the rod chamber 1-5 and rodless chamber 1-6 are both built-in, resulting in higher integration and preventing oil leakage.

[0041] As one possible implementation, a first annular groove and a second annular groove are respectively provided on the oil pipe pin hole 1-8 at the position where it connects to the first oil circuit and the second oil circuit. When the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 is rotatably mounted on the servo drive system 3 through the oil pipe pin assembly 2, the first annular groove connects to the rod cavity connecting pin hole 2-3, and the second annular groove connects to the rodless cavity connecting pin hole 2-2.

[0042] The first and second annular grooves ensure the connectivity between the rod chamber 1-5 and the rod chamber connecting pin hole 2-3, and between the rodless chamber 1-6 and the rodless chamber connecting pin hole 2-2, at different rotation angles, thus guaranteeing the stable operation of the integrated hydraulic drive device.

[0043] As one possible implementation, the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1 also includes a hip joint connector 1-2; the hip joint connector 1-2 is installed at the end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod 1-3 away from the hip joint cylinder body 1-7.

[0044] The design of the hip joint connectors 1-2 facilitates the combination and installation of the integrated hydraulic drive device with other joints.

[0045] As one possible implementation, sealing rings are provided at the contact points between the piston rod 1-3 of the hip joint cylinder and the hip joint cylinder body 1-7 and the end cover 1-4 of the hip joint cylinder.

[0046] The sealing ring ensures a tight seal for the oil in the rod chambers 1-5 and the rodless chambers 1-6, preventing oil leakage.

[0047] As one possible implementation, the hip joint connector 1-2 is provided with a joint bearing 1-1 for rotating the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly 1.

[0048] The placement of the joint bearing 1-1 facilitates the installation of other exoskeleton robot components, ensuring transmission efficiency while reducing friction during rotation.

[0049] The present invention also discloses an exoskeleton robot, including a robot torso, an exoskeleton hip joint, an exoskeleton thigh, and an integrated hydraulic drive device;

[0050] The exoskeleton hip joint is mounted on the robot's torso, and the integrated hydraulic drive device is mounted on the exoskeleton hip joint via a servo drive system. The exoskeleton thigh is mounted on the hip joint connector.

[0051] The technical effects of the exoskeleton robot described above are the same as those of the integrated hydraulic drive device, and will not be discussed again here.

[0052] As one possible implementation, the exoskeleton robot also includes a hip joint four-bar linkage;

[0053] The hip joint four-link 4 is rotatably mounted on the hip joint connector head via a joint bearing, and the exoskeleton thigh is mounted on the hydraulic drive device via the hip joint four-link 4.

[0054] The hip joint four-link 4 adopts a joint bearing 1-1 rotating installation form, which ensures the rotation effect of the hip joint four-link 4 and reduces the friction during the rotation process.

[0055] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0056] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot, characterized in that, This includes a servo drive system, a hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly, and a tubing pin assembly; The hip joint hydraulic assembly includes a hip joint cylinder body, a hip joint cylinder end cap, and a hip joint cylinder piston rod. The hip joint cylinder end cap is mounted on the hip joint cylinder body. One end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod is inserted into the hip joint cylinder body, dividing the inner cavity of the hip joint cylinder body into a closed rod chamber and a rodless chamber. The other end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod extends out of the hip joint cylinder end cap. An oil pipe pin hole is provided at the end of the hip joint cylinder body away from the hip joint cylinder end cap. The hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly is rotatably mounted on the servo drive system through the oil pipe pin assembly. The oil pipe pin assembly is provided with a rod cavity connecting pin hole and a rodless cavity connecting pin hole that are separate from each other. The oil pipe pin assembly is inserted into the servo drive system. The rod cavity and the rodless cavity are respectively connected to the rod cavity connecting pin hole and the rodless cavity connecting pin hole, and are connected to the oil cylinder through the servo drive system to form a bidirectional oil circuit for oil inlet and oil return. The tubing pin assembly includes a tubing pin plugging assembly and a tubing pin body; The oil pipe pin plugging assembly is installed at one end of the oil pipe pin body, and the other end of the oil pipe pin body is inserted into the servo drive system. The oil pipe pin body is installed in the servo drive system through the oil pipe pin plugging assembly and is sealed. The tubing pin assembly also includes multiple sealing rings; Multiple sealing rings are fitted onto the tubing pin body. When the tubing pin assembly is inserted into the tubing pin hole, the multiple sealing rings are in close contact with the inner wall of the tubing pin hole. A sealing ring is installed between and on both sides of the oil outlet holes of the rod-shaped cavity connecting pin hole and the rodless cavity connecting pin hole on the oil pipe pin body. The hip joint cylinder is provided with a first oil passage and a second oil passage that communicate with the rod chamber and the rodless chamber, and both the first oil passage and the second oil passage are connected to the oil pipe pin hole.

2. The integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil pipe pin hole is provided with a first annular groove and a second annular groove at the positions where it communicates with the first oil passage and the second oil passage, respectively. When the hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly is rotatably mounted on the servo drive system through the oil pipe pin assembly, the first annular groove communicates with the rod cavity connecting pin hole, and the second annular groove communicates with the rodless cavity connecting pin hole.

3. The integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided at the position where the piston rod of the hip joint cylinder contacts the hip joint cylinder body and the end cover of the hip joint cylinder.

4. The integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The hip joint hydraulic cylinder assembly also includes a hip joint connector; The hip joint connector is installed at the end of the hip joint cylinder piston rod away from the hip joint cylinder body, and a joint bearing is installed inside the hip joint connector.

5. An exoskeleton robot comprising the integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes the robot's torso, exoskeleton hip joint, and exoskeleton thigh; The exoskeleton hip joint is mounted on the robot torso, the integrated hydraulic drive device is mounted on the exoskeleton hip joint via the servo drive system, and the exoskeleton thigh is mounted on the hip joint connector.

6. The integrated hydraulic drive device for an exoskeleton robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The exoskeleton robot also includes a hip joint four-bar linkage; The hip joint four-link is rotatably mounted on the hip joint connector head via the joint bearing, and the exoskeleton thigh is mounted on the hydraulic drive device via the hip joint four-link.

Images