A pressure driving system and a mobile robot

Abstract

The present application provides a pressure drive system and a mobile robot, wherein the pressure drive system includes: an energy storage device, a pressure regulating device, a control device and an actuator. The energy storage device is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device, the output end of the pressure regulating device is connected to the control device, and the control device is connected to the actuator. The energy storage device is used to store pressure medium and output the pressure medium to the pressure regulating device. The pressure regulating device is used to adjust the pressure of the pressure medium so that the pressure at the output end of the pressure regulating device is reduced to a set pressure, and the adjusted pressure medium is output to the control device. The control device is used to output the pressure medium to the actuator and control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator to execute the command action. The pressure drive system does not need to set up a hydraulic pump, which can avoid the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, and heat dissipation difficulties caused by setting up a hydraulic pump.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of robot control technology, and in particular to a pressure drive system and a mobile robot. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of robot control technology, mobile robots have been widely used in various fields. For example, mobile robots can be used in indoor places such as homes, hotels, and hospitals, and can also be used in outdoor places such as grazing livestock. Mobile robots can move within a certain space range by relying on their own drive systems. In practical applications, mobile robots need to meet performance requirements such as high dynamic performance, energy source moving with the body, good heat dissipation, and low noise.

[0003] In the related art, a pressure drive system is used to drive the mobile robot to work. Since the pressure drive system has a high transient output capacity and a high energy density, the power output density of the mobile robot can be high, so that the mobile robot can have a high dynamic performance, and more space can be reserved to carry the energy source. However, the power source of the pressure drive system in the related art is a hydraulic pump. The motor drives the hydraulic pump to extract the hydraulic oil in the oil tank with the same pressure as the atmospheric pressure and pressurize it to the working pressure to drive the actuator of the mobile robot to work, and stabilize the working pressure through the overflow valve, resulting in the mobile robot having defects such as high noise due to the vibration of the hydraulic pump, large weight and volume due to the setting of the hydraulic pump and its related components, low efficiency, and difficulty in heat dissipation. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a pressure drive system and a mobile robot, which are used to solve the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, heat dissipation difficulty, etc. caused by the provision of a hydraulic pump in the mobile robot in the related art.

[0005] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a pressure-driven system, which may include: an energy storage device, a pressure regulating device, a control device, and an actuator. The energy storage device is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device, the output end of the pressure regulating device is connected to the control device, and the control device is connected to the actuator. The energy storage device is used to store pressure medium and output the pressure medium to the input end of the pressure regulating device. The pressure regulating device is used to adjust the pressure of the pressure medium so that the pressure at the output end of the pressure regulating device is reduced to a set pressure, and the adjusted pressure medium is output to the control device, and the set pressure is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. The control device is used to output the pressure medium to the actuator, and control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator to execute the command action.

[0006] In the embodiment of the present application, the pressure of the pressure medium stored in the energy storage device is greater than the set pressure, and the set pressure is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. Therefore, the pressure of the pressure medium stored in the energy storage device is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. Therefore, the high-pressure pressure medium in the energy storage device can be used as a power source for the pressure drive system, and the high-pressure pressure medium drives the actuator to do work to drive the actuator to execute the command action. In other words, when the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure required by the mobile robot, the pressure drive system can work normally.

[0007] In the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application, by setting an energy storage device, a pressure regulating device and a control device, the energy storage device can output the pressure medium to the input end of the pressure regulating device, the pressure regulating device reduces the pressure of the pressure medium to the set pressure, and provides the pressure medium to the control device, the control device outputs the pressure medium to the actuator, and drives the actuator to execute the command action by controlling the flow and direction of the pressure medium. In the embodiment of the present application, the power of the pressure drive system comes from the pressure medium in the energy storage device, and the high-pressure pressure medium drives the actuator to do work to drive the actuator to execute the command action. The pressure drive system does not need to set a hydraulic pump, so it can eliminate the problem of low conversion efficiency of the hydraulic pump when working, making the mobile robot more energy-saving, lower heat generation, and easier to dissipate heat, thereby making the mobile robot more friendly to the surrounding environment. And it can eliminate the noise problem generated by the hydraulic pump, so that the mobile robot can be more suitable for indoor environments that require quietness. In addition, since the pressure drive system does not need to set a hydraulic pump and components such as motors and batteries related to the hydraulic pump, the weight and volume of the mobile robot can be made smaller. Therefore, the pressure drive system can avoid the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, and difficulty in heat dissipation caused by setting a hydraulic pump.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application may further include: a recovery device, which is connected to the actuator and is used to recover the pressure medium discharged by the actuator. The storage device transmits the high-pressure pressure medium to the pressure regulating device, which can reduce the pressure of the pressure medium to the set pressure, and output the regulated pressure medium to the control device, which can control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator to execute the command action. The pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium decreases after the actuator does work, and the recovery device can recover the low-pressure pressure medium discharged by the actuator. In a specific implementation, when the pressure medium in the energy storage device is exhausted or the pressure medium in the recovery device is full, the pressure drive system cannot work normally due to insufficient power. The pressure drive system can be restored to work normally by replacing the energy storage device and the recovery device.

[0009] Optionally, the pressure regulating device can be a pressure reducing valve, which can reduce the pressure of the pressure medium to a set pressure, which is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. For example, the set pressure can be the maximum working pressure required by the actuator. The function of the pressure regulating device is to adjust the pressure at the output end so that the pressure at the output end is the set pressure. When the pressure at the input end of the pressure regulating device is higher than the set pressure, the pressure of the pressure medium is reduced so that the pressure at the output end remains unchanged at the set pressure. The pressure regulating device can supply the regulated pressure medium to the control device, which transmits the pressure medium to the actuator and controls the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator to work. As the actuator works, the pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium decreases, and the pressure medium is transmitted to the recovery device through a pipeline. The pressure of the pressure medium in the recovery device is much lower than the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device. For example, the recovery device can be set to be connected to the atmospheric pressure. In some scenarios, the recovery device can also have a certain back pressure.

[0010] The pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application can be set in a mobile robot, and the pressure drive system can drive the mobile robot to execute the command action. The mobile robot may include: a base, a plurality of connecting rods, a plurality of connecting parts and a main body, and the connecting part may be a rotating hinge or a linear support. The base may be connected to the connecting rod through the connecting part, the main body may be connected to the connecting rod through the connecting part, and the two connecting rods may also be connected through the connecting part. The actuator may be retracted or rotated. For example, the actuator may be a pressure-driven cylinder, a rotating oil cylinder or a hydraulic motor, and the actuator may also be other actuators, which are not limited here. The actuator may drive the connecting rod to rotate around the connecting part to drive the mobile robot to move. In practical applications, the actuator may be retracted and retracted under the control of the control device, and the retraction of the actuator may drive the connecting rod to rotate around the connecting part. The length of the actuator uniquely determines the rotation angle of the connecting rod. By controlling the retraction amount of the actuator, the relative posture of each connecting rod relative to the base may be adjusted, thereby realizing the driving of the mobile robot to move.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the control device may include: at least one sub-controller, each sub-controller is used to drive an actuator. In a specific implementation, the number of actuators in the pressure-driven system may correspond to the number of degrees of freedom of the mobile robot. For example, the pressure-driven system may have three actuators, and the mobile robot equipped with the pressure-driven system has three degrees of freedom. In a specific implementation, the number of actuators can be set according to the functional requirements of the mobile robot, and is not limited here.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, the sub-controller may include: at least one proportional control valve; and / or, at least one electromagnetic reversing valve, that is, the sub-controller may include only a proportional control valve; or, the sub-controller may include only an electromagnetic reversing valve; or, the sub-controller may include a proportional control valve and an electromagnetic reversing valve; wherein, the number of proportional control valves may be one or more, and the number of electromagnetic reversing valves may be one or more. One end of the proportional control valve is connected to the pressure regulating device, and the other end is connected to the electromagnetic reversing valve, and the electromagnetic reversing valve is connected to the actuator. The proportional control valve can adjust the flow rate of the pressure medium to control the movement speed of the actuator. The electromagnetic reversing valve can change the direction of the pressure medium to control the movement direction of the actuator. For example, the electromagnetic reversing valve can be a three-position four-way electromagnetic valve. Of course, the electromagnetic reversing valve can also be a reversing valve of other specifications, which is not limited here.

[0013] In a specific implementation, the actuator may be a pressure-driven cylinder. Specifically, the actuator may include a first cavity and a second cavity. The first cavity is connected to the high-pressure pressure medium in the control device, and the second cavity is connected to the low-pressure medium in the recovery device. Under the action of the pressure difference between the pressure medium in the first cavity and the second cavity, the actuator can be driven to move, and the low-pressure pressure medium in the second cavity can flow into the recovery device.

[0014] In the pressure-driven system provided in the embodiment of the present application, the recovery device can be connected to the actuator through an electromagnetic reversing valve. In specific implementation, the number of recovery devices can be set to be the same as the number of actuators. When the capacity of the recovery device is large, at least two actuators can also be set to be connected to the same recovery device. The corresponding relationship between the recovery device and the actuator can be set according to actual conditions, which is not limited here.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the sub-controller may further include: a pressure detection module and a control module. The pressure detection module is used to detect the pressure of the pressure medium output by the proportional control valve and send the detected pressure value to the control module. For example, the pressure detection module may be a pressure gauge. The control module is used to control the proportional control valve to adjust the flow rate of the pressure medium and control the electromagnetic reversing valve to adjust the flow direction of the pressure medium according to the flow rate and direction required by the actuator and the pressure value of the pressure medium output by the proportional control valve. The control module may be any module with a control function, such as an embedded computer, a control chip, etc., which is not limited here.

[0016] In specific implementation, the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application may also include: a one-way valve. By setting the one-way valve, the flow direction of the pressure medium can be controlled to flow from the energy storage device to the actuator, and cannot flow in the opposite direction. The one-way valve can be located between the pressure regulating device and the control device, and is used to control the flow direction of the pressure medium from the pressure regulating device to the control device. Alternatively, the one-way valve can also be located between the energy storage device and the pressure regulating device, and is used to control the flow direction of the pressure medium from the energy storage device to the pressure regulating device. Of course, the one-way valve can also be set in other positions, which is not limited here.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, the pressure-driven system may further include: a robot controller, which is electrically connected to the control device. For example, the robot controller may be electrically connected to a control module in the control device. The robot controller is used to decompose the overall motion of the mobile robot into motion targets corresponding to each actuator, and control each actuator to execute the motion target through the control device, thereby driving the mobile robot to perform corresponding operations.

[0018] The pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application may also include: a pressure detector located between the energy storage device and the pressure regulating device, and a pressure monitoring unit electrically connected to the pressure detector. The pressure monitoring unit is electrically connected to the robot controller, and is used to monitor the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device detected by the pressure detector, and send the pressure information to the robot controller. Optionally, the pressure detector can be a pressure gauge. In a specific implementation, the pressure drive system can only work normally when the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure required by the mobile robot. In the embodiment of the present application, by setting a pressure detector and a pressure monitoring unit, the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device can be monitored, and the robot controller can determine whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure required by the mobile robot based on the pressure information, so as to determine whether the pressure drive system can work normally.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the pressure drive system may further include: a reserve detector located between the recovery device and the actuator, and a reserve monitoring unit electrically connected to the reserve detector, the reserve monitoring unit being electrically connected to the robot controller, for monitoring the reserve information of the recovery device detected by the reserve detector, and sending the reserve information to the robot controller. Optionally, the reserve detector may be a flow meter, and the reserve monitoring unit may calculate the volume of the pressure medium in the recovery device, i.e., the reserve of the recovery device, based on the accumulation of the reserve detector readings. In a specific implementation, the pressure drive system may work normally only when the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume, wherein the allowable volume refers to the volume inside the recovery device that can be used to store the pressure medium. In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the reserve detector and the reserve monitoring unit, the reserve information of the recovery device may be monitored, and the robot controller may determine whether the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume based on the reserve information, so as to determine whether the pressure drive system may work normally.

[0020] In practical applications, the pressure drive system may further include a bus, and the pressure monitoring unit may be electrically connected to the robot controller via the bus, that is, the pressure monitoring unit may transmit pressure information to the robot controller via the bus. The reserve monitoring unit may be electrically connected to the robot controller via the bus, that is, the reserve monitoring unit may transmit reserve information to the robot controller via the bus.

[0021] In the pressure drive system provided by the embodiment of the present application, the power source of the pressure drive system is the high-pressure pressure medium in the energy storage device, and the high-pressure pressure medium pushes the actuator to do work to drive the actuator to execute the command action. In the pressure drive system, the pressure of the pressure medium can be adjusted by the pressure regulating device, and the pressure regulating device adjusts the pressure of the pressure medium by reducing the pressure of the pressure medium to the set pressure. Therefore, when the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device is lower than the working pressure of the mobile robot, the pressure medium cannot push the actuator to do work, that is, the energy storage unit fails, and the pressure drive system cannot work normally. When it is detected that the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is lower than the working pressure of the mobile robot, the energy storage device needs to be replaced. In addition, the pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium is reduced after pushing the actuator to do work, and the recovery device can recover the low-pressure pressure medium discharged by the actuator. After the pressure medium in the recovery device is full, the recovery device fails, and the recovery device can no longer continue to recover the pressure medium. Then the low-pressure pressure medium generated by the work of the actuator cannot be discharged, which will also cause the pressure drive system to fail to work normally. When it is detected that the storage of the recovery device is greater than the allowable volume, the recovery device needs to be replaced.

[0022] When any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device fails, the pressure drive system cannot work properly. During the operation of the mobile robot, the user can judge whether the energy storage device and the recovery device need to be replaced by observing the working performance of the actuator in the mobile robot. For example, when it is observed that the actuator cannot realize the command action, or the movement speed of the actuator is slow, it can be judged that the power of the pressure drive system is insufficient and the energy storage device and the recovery device need to be replaced.

[0023] In specific implementation, the energy storage device and the recovery device can also be monitored by the robot controller. When any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is detected to be failed, a prompt is given to replace the energy storage device or the recovery device. Specifically, the robot controller can be used for:

[0024] According to the pressure information, it is determined whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot; if so, the state information of the energy storage device is set to be valid; if not, the state information of the energy storage device is set to be invalid;

[0025] According to the reserve information, it is determined whether the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume; if so, the status information of the recovery device is set to valid; if not, the status information of the recovery device is set to invalid.

[0026] In the embodiment of the present application, by setting a pressure detector and a pressure monitoring unit, the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device can be monitored. The robot controller can judge whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot based on the pressure information, and set the state information of the energy storage device based on the judgment result, so that the state information of the energy storage device can be used to intuitively reflect whether the energy storage device is effective, which is convenient for monitoring the working state of the pressure drive system. In addition, by setting a reserve detector and a reserve monitoring unit, the reserve information of the recovery device can be monitored. The robot controller can judge whether the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume based on the reserve information, and set the state information of the recovery device based on the judgment result, so that the state information of the recovery device can be used to intuitively reflect whether the recovery device is effective, which is convenient for monitoring the working state of the pressure drive system.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present application, the robot controller can also be used to: monitor the status information of the energy storage device and the recovery device; if the status information of any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is invalid, determine whether the status information of the energy storage device is invalid; if so, issue a prompt message to replace the energy storage device; if not, set the status information of the energy storage device to valid, and determine whether the status information of the recovery device is invalid; if so, issue a prompt message to replace the recovery device; if so, set the status information of the recovery device to valid. In the embodiments of the present application, by monitoring the status information of the energy storage device and the recovery device, when it is detected that the status information of any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is invalid, further determine whether the energy storage device is invalid or the recovery device is invalid, and issue a prompt message to replace the energy storage device or the recovery device in time, so that the user can replace the energy storage device or the recovery device in time, thereby ensuring that the pressure drive system can work normally and meet the movement requirements of the mobile robot.

[0028] In a specific implementation, the pressure medium in the pressure-driven system is an incompressible gas or fluid. For example, the pressure medium can be a medium such as air or hydraulic oil, that is, the volume of the pressure medium will not change due to changes in pressure. In other embodiments of the present application, the volume of the recovery device can be set to be larger than the volume of the energy storage device, and when the energy storage device or the recovery device needs to be replaced, the energy storage device and the recovery device are replaced at the same time, and each recovery device replaced is an empty tank. In this way, it can be ensured that the pressure medium in the recovery device will not overflow, that is, the status information of the recovery device is always valid, and thus, the monitoring process in the robot controller can be simplified, and the robot controller only needs to monitor whether the energy storage device fails. Specifically, the robot controller can be used to determine whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot based on the pressure information; if so, the status information of the energy storage device is set to valid; if not, a prompt message for replacing the energy storage device and the recovery device is issued.

[0029] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, the process of replacing the energy storage device or the recovery device can be completed by the user, by external auxiliary equipment, or by a mobile robot autonomously. The process of replacing the energy storage device or the recovery device is not limited here.

[0030] In a possible implementation, the pressure drive system may also include: a backup energy storage device and / or a backup recovery device, the backup energy storage device is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device, and is used to store pressure medium, and output pressure medium to the pressure regulating device when the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is less than the working pressure of the mobile robot. The backup recovery device is connected to the actuator, and is used to recover the pressure medium discharged by the actuator when the storage capacity of the recovery device is greater than the allowable volume. That is, the position and function of the energy storage device are the same as the energy storage device, and the position and function of the backup recovery device are the same as the recovery device. In this way, when the pressure of the energy storage device is insufficient or the storage capacity of the recovery device is insufficient, the energy storage device can temporarily replace the energy storage device, and the backup recovery device can temporarily replace the recovery device to continue to drive the mobile robot to move. In this process, the mobile robot can autonomously and better control the energy storage device and the recovery device, which is convenient for the automatic control of the mobile robot.

[0031] In an embodiment of the present application, the energy storage device may include: a first tank body, and a pressure regulating unit located inside the first tank body, the pressure regulating unit divides the first tank body into a first chamber and a second chamber, the second chamber is used to store a pressure medium, and the pressure regulating unit is used to adjust the volume of the second chamber to adjust the pressure of the pressure medium. In one possible implementation, the pressure medium in the energy storage device is an incompressible gas or fluid. For example, the pressure medium may be a medium such as air or hydraulic oil, that is, the volume of the pressure medium will not change due to changes in pressure. Therefore, by changing the volume of the second chamber through the pressure regulating unit, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber can be adjusted. In a specific implementation, the first tank body may be a high-pressure tank body, so that the first tank body can withstand the pressure of the pressure medium, thereby being able to provide the required pressure for the normal operation of the pressure drive system.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present application, the pressure regulating part may include: a slider, a sealing ring and an elastic member. For example, the elastic member may be a spring. One side of the slider is the first chamber, and the other side is the second chamber, that is, the slider can divide the first tank body into the first chamber and the second chamber. The sealing ring is located between the slider and the inner wall of the first tank body. The sealing ring surrounds the slider, so that the first chamber and the second chamber have better sealing properties to ensure that when the volume of the second chamber changes, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber can be adjusted. The elastic member is located in the first chamber, one end of the elastic member is connected to the slider, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the first tank body. By adjusting the expansion and contraction amount of the elastic member, the position of the slider can be changed to change the volume of the second chamber, thereby adjusting the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber.

[0033] In some other embodiments of the present application, the pressure regulating unit may include: a pressure airbag and an air nozzle, the interior of the pressure airbag is a first chamber, and the exterior of the pressure airbag in the first tank body is a second chamber, that is, the pressure airbag can divide the first tank body into a first chamber and a second chamber. The air nozzle penetrates the side walls of the pressure airbag and the first tank body, and is used to fill or discharge compressed gas into the first chamber to change the volume of the second chamber, thereby adjusting the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber. Specifically, when the pressure airbag is filled with compressed gas through the air nozzle, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber can be increased, and when the compressed gas in the pressure airbag is discharged through the air nozzle, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber can be reduced.

[0034] In a possible implementation, the recovery device may include: a second tank body, and a ventilation valve penetrating a side wall of the second tank body, the ventilation valve being used to connect the interior of the second tank body to the atmosphere so that the pressure medium can flow into the interior of the second tank body. Since the pressure of the pressure medium in the recovery device is relatively low, the second tank body may be a low-pressure tank body as long as it can store the low-pressure pressure medium.

[0035] In a specific implementation, the pressure drive system may further include: a guide plate, which may include: a first interface connected to the pressure regulating device, and a second interface connected to the actuator, the first tank body is provided with a first self-sealing joint, the first self-sealing joint is used to connect the second chamber with the first interface, and the second tank body is provided with a second self-sealing joint, the second self-sealing joint is connected to the second interface. By providing a guide plate, and the first tank body is connected to the first interface through the first self-sealing joint, and the second tank body is connected to the second interface through the second self-sealing joint, the energy storage device is connected to the pressure regulating device, and the recovery device is connected to the actuator, so that the energy storage device and the recovery device are connected to the pressure drive system.

[0036] When the energy storage device is connected to the guide plate, the first self-closing joint is opened to connect the energy storage device with the pressure regulating device, so that the pressure medium can flow into or out of the first tank body through the first self-closing joint. When replacing the energy storage device, it is necessary to pull the first tank body out of the guide plate, and the first self-closing joint can close the first tank body to prevent the pressure medium in the second cavity from leaking out. When the recovery device is connected to the guide plate, the second self-closing joint is opened to connect the recovery device with the actuator, so that the pressure medium can flow into or out of the second tank body through the second self-closing joint. When replacing the recovery device, it is necessary to pull the second tank body out of the guide plate, and the second self-closing joint can close the second tank body to prevent the pressure medium in the second tank body from leaking out.

[0037] In specific implementation, the first tank body and the second tank body can be separately arranged, so that the energy storage device and the recovery device can be replaced separately, and the operation is more flexible. The first tank body and the second tank body can be an integrated structure, so that the volume occupied by the energy storage device and the recovery device can be reduced.

[0038] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a mobile robot, which includes: a robot body, and any of the above-mentioned pressure drive systems. The mobile robot can be applied to scenes that require low pressure fluctuations, quietness, and high efficiency. For example, the mobile robot can be a high-performance mobile robot used in a home, for example, the mobile robot can be a humanoid robot. The mobile robot can also be a small mobile robot required for rescue or field construction. Since the mobile robot does not need to be provided with a hydraulic pump, the trouble of carrying a pump, finding fuel and power supply can be saved. The mobile robot can also be applied to scenes that require small pressure fluctuations in high-precision hydraulic equipment. The mobile robot can also be applied to equipment that works closely with humans to reduce noise, reduce temperature, and improve efficiency. In addition, the mobile robot can also be used as an emergency module in a complex system. When an accident such as a power failure occurs, the rescuer only needs to carry an energy storage device and a recovery device, which can quickly restore temporary power to the equipment, drive the equipment to a safe position, or provide an opportunity to rescue injured persons and take out financial resources. Of course, the mobile robot can also be applied to other scenarios, which are not limited here.

[0039] Since the pressure drive system does not need to be equipped with a hydraulic pump, the pressure drive system can avoid the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, heat dissipation difficulties, etc. caused by the installation of a hydraulic pump. Furthermore, the mobile robot can be more suitable for indoor environments that require quietness, and the weight and volume of the mobile robot can be reduced, thereby improving the efficiency and heat dissipation effect of the mobile robot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a pressure drive system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 3 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 4 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 5 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 6 A schematic flow chart of a monitoring method performed by a robot controller in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 7 A schematic flow chart of a monitoring method performed by a robot controller in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 8 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the energy storage device and the recovery device in the embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Fig.10 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the energy storage device and the recovery device in the embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile robot provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0052] Reference numerals:

[0053] 11-energy storage device; 111-first tank; 112-pressure regulating part; 1121-slider; 1122-sealing ring; 1123-elastic member; 1124-pressure airbag; 1125-air nozzle; 113-first self-sealing joint; 11'-spare energy storage device; 12-pressure regulating device; 13-control device; 131-sub-controller; 131a-proportional regulating valve; 131b-electromagnetic reversing valve; 131c-pressure detection module; 131d-control module; 14-actuator; 15-recovery device; 151 -second tank; 152-ventilation valve; 153-second self-closing joint; 15'-spare recovery device; 16-one-way valve; 17-robot controller; 18-pressure detector; 19-pressure monitoring unit; 21-base; 22-connecting rod; 23-connecting part; 24-main body; 25-moving part; 31-reserve detector; 32-reserve monitoring unit; 33-bus; 34-guide plate; 341-first interface; 342-second interface; L-first cavity; R-second cavity; U1-first chamber; U2-second chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0055] It should be noted that the same reference numerals in the drawings of this application represent the same or similar structures, and thus their repeated description will be omitted. The words expressing positions and directions described in this application are all explained using the drawings as examples, but they can be changed as needed, and the changes are included in the protection scope of this application. The drawings of this application are only used to illustrate the relative position relationship and do not represent the true proportion.

[0056] In order to solve the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, heat dissipation difficulties, etc. caused by the installation of hydraulic pumps in mobile robots in related technologies. The embodiment of the present application provides a pressure drive system and a mobile robot, which can be applied to various fields. For example, the mobile robot can be applied to indoor places such as homes, hotels, hospitals, etc., and can also be applied to outdoor places such as grazing livestock. Of course, the mobile robot can also be applied to other scenarios, which are not limited here.

[0057] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application may include: an energy storage device 11, a pressure regulating device 12, a control device 13 and an actuator 14. The energy storage device 11 is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device 12, the output end of the pressure regulating device 12 is connected to the control device 13, and the control device 13 is connected to the actuator 14. The energy storage device 11 is used to store pressure medium and output the pressure medium to the input end of the pressure regulating device 12. The pressure regulating device 12 is used to adjust the pressure of the pressure medium so that the pressure at the output end of the pressure regulating device 12 is reduced to a set pressure, and output the adjusted pressure medium to the control device 13, and the set pressure is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. The control device 13 is used to output the pressure medium to the actuator 14, and control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator 14 to execute the command action.

[0058] In the embodiment of the present application, the pressure of the pressure medium stored in the energy storage device 11 is greater than the set pressure, and the set pressure is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. Therefore, the pressure of the pressure medium stored in the energy storage device 11 is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. Therefore, the high-pressure pressure medium in the energy storage device 11 can be used as a power source for the pressure drive system, and the high-pressure pressure medium drives the actuator 14 to do work to drive the actuator 14 to execute the command action. In other words, when the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device 11 is greater than the working pressure required by the mobile robot, the pressure drive system can work normally.

[0059] In the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application, by setting an energy storage device, a pressure regulating device and a control device, the energy storage device can output the pressure medium to the input end of the pressure regulating device, the pressure regulating device reduces the pressure of the pressure medium to the set pressure, and provides the pressure medium to the control device, the control device outputs the pressure medium to the actuator, and drives the actuator to execute the command action by controlling the flow and direction of the pressure medium. In the embodiment of the present application, the power of the pressure drive system comes from the pressure medium in the energy storage device, and the high-pressure pressure medium drives the actuator to do work to drive the actuator to execute the command action. The pressure drive system does not need to set a hydraulic pump, so it can eliminate the problem of low conversion efficiency of the hydraulic pump when working, making the mobile robot more energy-saving, lower heat generation, and easier to dissipate heat, thereby making the mobile robot more friendly to the surrounding environment. And it can eliminate the noise problem generated by the hydraulic pump, so that the mobile robot can be more suitable for indoor environments that require quietness. In addition, since the pressure drive system does not need to set a hydraulic pump and components such as motors and batteries related to the hydraulic pump, the weight and volume of the mobile robot can be made smaller. Therefore, the pressure drive system can avoid the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, and difficulty in heat dissipation caused by setting a hydraulic pump.

[0060] Continue to refer to Figure 1 In a possible implementation, the pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application may also include: a recovery device 15, which is connected to the actuator 14 and is used to recover the pressure medium discharged by the actuator 14. The storage device 11 transmits the high-pressure pressure medium to the pressure regulating device 12, and the pressure regulating device 12 can reduce the pressure of the pressure medium to the set pressure, and output the regulated pressure medium to the control device 13. The control device 13 can control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator 14 to execute the command action. The pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium decreases after pushing the actuator 14 to do work, and the recovery device 15 can recover the low-pressure pressure medium discharged by the actuator 14. In a specific implementation, when the pressure medium in the energy storage device 11 is exhausted or the pressure medium in the recovery device 15 is full, the pressure drive system cannot work normally due to insufficient power. The pressure drive system can be restored to work normally by replacing the energy storage device 11 and the recovery device 15.

[0061] Optionally, the pressure regulating device 12 may be a pressure reducing valve, and the pressure regulating device 12 may reduce the pressure of the pressure medium to a set pressure, and the set pressure is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. For example, the set pressure may be the maximum working pressure required by the actuator 14. The function of the pressure regulating device 12 is to adjust the pressure at the output end so that the pressure at the output end is the set pressure. When the pressure at the input end of the pressure regulating device 12 is higher than the set pressure, the pressure of the pressure medium is reduced so that the pressure at the output end remains unchanged at the set pressure. The pressure regulating device 12 may supply the regulated pressure medium to the control device 13, and the control device 13 transmits the pressure medium to the actuator 14, and controls the flow rate and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator 14 to work. As the actuator 14 works, the pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium is reduced, and the pressure medium is transmitted to the recovery device 15 through a pipeline. The pressure of the pressure medium in the recovery device 15 is much lower than the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device 11. For example, the recovery device 15 may be set to be connected to the atmospheric pressure. In some scenarios, the recovery device 15 may also have a certain back pressure.

[0062] The pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application can be set in a mobile robot, and the pressure drive system can drive the mobile robot to execute command actions. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the mobile robot provided in the embodiment of the present application, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 The mobile robot may include: a base 21, a plurality of connecting rods 22, a plurality of connecting parts 23 and a main body 24, wherein the connecting part 23 may be a rotating hinge or a linear support. The base 21 may be connected to the connecting rod 22 through the connecting part 23, the main body 24 may be connected to the connecting rod 22 through the connecting part 23, and the two connecting rods 22 may also be connected through the connecting part 23. The actuator 14 may be retractable or rotatable, for example, the actuator 14 may be a pressure-driven cylinder, a rotating oil cylinder or a hydraulic motor, and the actuator 14 may also be other actuators, which are not limited here. The actuator 14 may drive the connecting rod 22 to rotate around the connecting part 23 to drive the mobile robot to move. In practical applications, the actuator 14 may be retractable under the control of the control device 13, and the retraction of the actuator 14 may drive the connecting rod 22 to rotate around the connecting part 23. The length of the actuator 14 uniquely determines the rotation angle of the connecting rod 22. By controlling the retraction amount of the actuator 14, the relative posture of each connecting rod 22 relative to the base 21 may be adjusted, thereby achieving driving the mobile robot to move.

[0063] Figure 3 Another structural diagram of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Figure 3As shown, the control device 13 may include: at least one sub-controller 131, each sub-controller 131 is used to drive an actuator 14. In a specific implementation, the number of actuators 14 in the pressure-driven system may correspond to the number of degrees of freedom of the mobile robot. For example, the pressure-driven system may have three actuators 14, and the mobile robot equipped with the pressure-driven system has three degrees of freedom. In a specific implementation, the number of actuators 14 may be set according to the functional requirements of the mobile robot, and is not limited here.

[0064] Figure 4 Another structural diagram of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the sub-controller 131 may include: at least one proportional regulating valve 131a; and / or, an electromagnetic reversing valve 131b, that is, the sub-controller 131 may include only the proportional regulating valve 131a; or, the sub-controller 131 may include only the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b; or, the sub-controller 131 may include the proportional regulating valve 131a and the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b; wherein, the number of the proportional regulating valves 131a may be one or more, and the number of the electromagnetic reversing valves 131b may be one or more. One end of the proportional regulating valve 131a is connected to the pressure regulating device 12, and the other end is connected to the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b, and the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b is connected to the actuator 14. The proportional regulating valve 131a can adjust the flow of the pressure medium to control the movement speed of the actuator 14. The electromagnetic reversing valve 131b can change the direction of the pressure medium to control the movement direction of the actuator 14. For example, the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b can be a three-position four-way solenoid valve. Of course, the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b can also be a reversing valve of other specifications, which is not limited here.

[0065] In a specific implementation, the actuator 14 can be a pressure-driven cylinder. Specifically, the actuator 14 can include a first cavity L and a second cavity R. The first cavity L is connected to the high-pressure pressure medium in the control device 13, and the second cavity R is connected to the low-pressure medium in the recovery device 15. Under the action of the pressure difference between the pressure media in the first cavity L and the second cavity R, the actuator 14 can be driven to move, and the low-pressure pressure medium in the second cavity R can flow into the recovery device 15.

[0066] Continue to refer to Figure 4 In the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application, the recovery device 15 can be connected to the actuator 14 through the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b. In specific implementation, the number of the recovery devices 15 can be set to be the same as the number of the actuators 14, for example, Figure 4There are three recovery devices 15 and three execution devices 14. When the capacity of the recovery device 15 is large, at least two execution devices 14 can also be set to be connected to the same recovery device 15. The corresponding relationship between the recovery device 15 and the execution device 14 can be set according to actual conditions, which is not limited here.

[0067] Figure 5 Another structural diagram of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the sub-controller 131 may also include: a pressure detection module 131c and a control module 131d. The pressure detection module 131c is used to detect the pressure of the pressure medium output by the proportional control valve 131a, and send the detected pressure value to the control module 131d. For example, the pressure detection module 131c may be a pressure gauge. The control module 131d is used to control the proportional control valve 131a to adjust the flow rate of the pressure medium and control the electromagnetic reversing valve 131b to adjust the flow direction of the pressure medium according to the flow rate and direction required by the actuator 14 and the pressure value of the pressure medium output by the proportional control valve 131a. The control module 131d may be any module with a control function, such as an embedded computer, a control chip, etc., which is not limited here.

[0068] like Figure 3 As shown, in a specific implementation, the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: a one-way valve 16. By setting the one-way valve 16, the flow direction of the pressure medium can be controlled to flow from the energy storage device 11 to the actuator 14, and cannot flow in the reverse direction. Figure 3 As shown, the one-way valve 16 can be located between the pressure regulating device 12 and the control device 13 to control the flow direction of the pressure medium from the pressure regulating device 12 to the control device 13. Alternatively, as Figure 4 As shown, the one-way valve 16 can also be located between the energy storage device 11 and the pressure regulating device 12 to control the flow direction of the pressure medium from the energy storage device 11 to the pressure regulating device 12. Of course, the one-way valve 16 can also be set at other positions, which is not limited here.

[0069] like Figure 5 As shown, in an embodiment of the present application, the pressure drive system may further include: a robot controller 17, the robot controller 17 is electrically connected to the control device 13, for example, the robot controller 17 may be electrically connected to the control module 131d in the control device 13, the robot controller 17 is used to decompose the overall motion of the mobile robot into motion targets corresponding to each actuator 14, and control each actuator 14 to execute the motion target through the control device 13, thereby driving the mobile robot to achieve corresponding operations.

[0070] Continue to refer to Figure 5, the pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application may also include: a pressure detector 18 located between the energy storage device 11 and the pressure regulating device 12, and a pressure monitoring unit 19 electrically connected to the pressure detector 18. The pressure monitoring unit 19 is electrically connected to the robot controller 17, and is used to monitor the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 detected by the pressure detector 18, and send the pressure information to the robot controller 17. Optionally, the pressure detector 18 may be a pressure gauge. In a specific implementation, the pressure drive system can only work normally when the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device 11 is greater than the working pressure required by the mobile robot. In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the pressure detector 18 and the pressure monitoring unit 19, the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 can be monitored, and the robot controller 17 can determine whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 is greater than the working pressure required by the mobile robot based on the pressure information, so as to determine whether the pressure drive system can work normally.

[0071] In a possible implementation, the pressure drive system may further include: a reserve detector 31 located between the recovery device 15 and the actuator 14, and a reserve monitoring unit 32 electrically connected to the reserve detector 31, the reserve monitoring unit 32 being electrically connected to the robot controller 17, and being used to monitor the reserve information of the recovery device 15 detected by the reserve detector 31, and send the reserve information to the robot controller 17. Optionally, the reserve detector 31 may be a flow meter, and the reserve monitoring unit 32 may calculate the volume of the pressure medium in the recovery device 15, i.e., the reserve of the recovery device 15, based on the accumulation of the readings of the reserve detector 31. In a specific implementation, the pressure drive system can only work normally when the reserve of the recovery device 15 is less than the allowable volume, wherein the allowable volume refers to the volume inside the recovery device 15 that can be used to store the pressure medium. In an embodiment of the present application, by setting up a reserve detector 31 and a reserve monitoring unit 32, the reserve information of the recovery device 15 can be monitored, and the robot controller 17 can determine whether the reserve of the recovery device 15 is less than the allowable volume based on the reserve information to determine whether the pressure drive system can work normally.

[0072] In practical applications, the pressure drive system may further include a bus 33, and the pressure monitoring unit 19 may be electrically connected to the robot controller 17 via the bus 33, that is, the pressure monitoring unit 19 may transmit pressure information to the robot controller 17 via the bus. The reserve monitoring unit 32 may be electrically connected to the robot controller 17 via the bus 33, that is, the reserve monitoring unit 32 may transmit reserve information to the robot controller 17 via the bus.

[0073] In the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application, refer to Figure 5, the power source of the pressure drive system is the high-pressure pressure medium in the energy storage device 11, and the high-pressure pressure medium pushes the actuator 14 to do work, so as to drive the actuator 14 to execute the command action. In the pressure drive system, the pressure of the pressure medium can be adjusted by the pressure regulating device 12, and the pressure regulating device 12 adjusts the pressure of the pressure medium by reducing the pressure of the pressure medium to the set pressure. Therefore, when the pressure of the pressure medium in the energy storage device 11 is lower than the working pressure of the mobile robot, the pressure medium cannot push the actuator 14 to do work, that is, the energy storage unit 11 fails, and the pressure drive system cannot work normally. When it is detected that the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 is lower than the working pressure of the mobile robot, the energy storage device 11 needs to be replaced. In addition, the pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium decreases after pushing the actuator 14 to do work, and the recovery device 15 can recover the low-pressure pressure medium discharged by the actuator 14. When the pressure medium in the recovery device 15 is full, the recovery device 15 fails and can no longer continue to recover the pressure medium. The low-pressure pressure medium generated by the work of the actuator 14 cannot be discharged, which will also cause the pressure drive system to fail to work normally. When it is detected that the storage capacity of the recovery device 15 is greater than the allowable volume, the recovery device 15 needs to be replaced.

[0074] When any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device fails, the pressure drive system cannot work properly. During the operation of the mobile robot, the user can judge whether the energy storage device and the recovery device need to be replaced by observing the working performance of the actuator in the mobile robot. For example, when it is observed that the actuator cannot realize the command action, or the movement speed of the actuator is slow, it can be judged that the power of the pressure drive system is insufficient and the energy storage device and the recovery device need to be replaced.

[0075] In specific implementation, the energy storage device and the recovery device can also be monitored by the robot controller. When any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is detected to be failed, a prompt is given to replace the energy storage device or the recovery device. Specifically, the robot controller can be used for:

[0076] According to the pressure information, it is determined whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot; if so, the state information of the energy storage device is set to be valid; if not, the state information of the energy storage device is set to be invalid;

[0077] According to the reserve information, it is determined whether the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume; if so, the status information of the recovery device is set to valid; if not, the status information of the recovery device is set to invalid.

[0078] Reference Figure 5In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the pressure detector 18 and the pressure monitoring unit 19, the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 can be monitored. The robot controller 17 can judge whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot based on the pressure information, and set the state information of the energy storage device 11 based on the judgment result, so that the state information of the energy storage device 11 can be used to intuitively reflect whether the energy storage device 11 is effective, which is convenient for monitoring the working state of the pressure drive system. In addition, by setting the reserve detector 31 and the reserve monitoring unit 32, the reserve information of the recovery device 15 can be monitored. The robot controller 17 can judge whether the reserve of the recovery device 15 is less than the allowable volume based on the reserve information, and set the state information of the recovery device 15 based on the judgment result, so that the state information of the recovery device 15 can be used to intuitively reflect whether the recovery device 15 is effective, which is convenient for monitoring the working state of the pressure drive system.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present application, the robot controller can also be used to: monitor the status information of the energy storage device and the recovery device; if the status information of any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is invalid, determine whether the status information of the energy storage device is invalid; if so, issue a prompt message to replace the energy storage device; if not, set the status information of the energy storage device to valid, and determine whether the status information of the recovery device is invalid; if so, issue a prompt message to replace the recovery device; if so, set the status information of the recovery device to valid. In the embodiments of the present application, by monitoring the status information of the energy storage device and the recovery device, when it is detected that the status information of any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is invalid, further determine whether the energy storage device is invalid or the recovery device is invalid, and issue a prompt message to replace the energy storage device or the recovery device in time, so that the user can replace the energy storage device or the recovery device in time, thereby ensuring that the pressure drive system can work normally and meet the movement requirements of the mobile robot.

[0080] In order to more clearly illustrate the monitoring process of the robot controller on the energy storage device and the recovery device, the monitoring method performed by the robot controller is described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the monitoring method executed by the robot controller in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, the monitoring method performed by the robot controller includes:

[0081] S401, obtaining pressure information output by the energy storage device and reserve information of the recovery device;

[0082] S402, judging whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot according to the pressure information; if so, executing step S403; if not, executing step S404;

[0083] S403, setting the state information of the energy storage device to be valid;

[0084] S404, setting the state information of the energy storage device to invalid;

[0085] S405, judging whether the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume according to the reserve information; if so, executing step S406; if not, executing step S407;

[0086] S406, setting the status information of the recycled device to be valid;

[0087] S407, setting the status information of the recycled device to invalid;

[0088] S408, determining whether the status information of any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is invalid; if so, executing step S409; if not, executing step S401;

[0089] S409, determining whether the state information of the energy storage device is invalid; if so, executing step S410; if not, executing steps S411 and S412;

[0090] S410, issuing a prompt message for replacing the energy storage device;

[0091] S411, setting the state information of the energy storage device to be valid;

[0092] S412, determining whether the status information of the recycled device is invalid; if so, executing step S413; if not, executing step S414;

[0093] S413, issuing a prompt message for replacing the recycling device;

[0094] S414, setting the status information of the recycled device to be valid;

[0095] S415, determining whether the energy storage device has been replaced; if so, executing step S411; if not, executing step S410;

[0096] S416, determine whether the recycled device has been replaced; if so, execute step S414; if not, execute step S413.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present application, the robot controller can realize real-time monitoring of the energy storage device and the recovery device by executing the above steps S401 to S416.

[0098] In a specific implementation, the pressure medium in the pressure-driven system is an incompressible gas or fluid. For example, the pressure medium can be a medium such as air or hydraulic oil, that is, the volume of the pressure medium will not change due to changes in pressure. In other embodiments of the present application, the volume of the recovery device can be set to be larger than the volume of the energy storage device, and when the energy storage device or the recovery device needs to be replaced, the energy storage device and the recovery device are replaced at the same time, and each recovery device replaced is an empty tank. In this way, it can be ensured that the pressure medium in the recovery device will not overflow, that is, the status information of the recovery device is always valid, and thus, the monitoring process in the robot controller can be simplified, and the robot controller only needs to monitor whether the energy storage device fails. Specifically, the robot controller can be used to determine whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot based on the pressure information; if so, the status information of the energy storage device is set to valid; if not, a prompt message for replacing the energy storage device and the recovery device is issued.

[0099] Figure 7 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the monitoring method executed by the robot controller in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, the monitoring method performed by the robot controller includes:

[0100] S501, obtaining pressure information output by the energy storage device;

[0101] S502, determining whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot; if so, executing step S503; if not, executing step S504;

[0102] S503, setting the state information of the energy storage device to be valid;

[0103] S504, issuing a prompt message for replacing the energy storage device and recycling the device;

[0104] S505, determining whether the energy storage device and the recovery device have been replaced; if so, executing step S501; if not, executing step S504.

[0105] In the embodiment of the present application, the robot controller can realize real-time monitoring of the energy storage device and the recovery device by executing the above steps S501 to S505.

[0106] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, the process of replacing the energy storage device or the recovery device can be completed by the user, by external auxiliary equipment, or by a mobile robot autonomously. The process of replacing the energy storage device or the recovery device is not limited here.

[0107] Figure 8 Another structural diagram of the pressure drive system provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the pressure drive system may further include: a backup energy storage device 11' and / or a backup recovery device 15', the backup energy storage device 11' is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device 12, and is used to store pressure medium, and when the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 is less than the working pressure of the mobile robot, the pressure medium is output to the pressure regulating device 12. The backup recovery device 15' is connected to the actuator 14, and is used to recover the pressure medium discharged by the actuator 14 when the storage of the recovery device 15 is greater than the allowable volume. That is, the position and function of the energy storage device 11' are the same as those of the energy storage device 11, and the position and function of the spare recovery device 15' are the same as those of the recovery device 15. In this way, when the pressure of the energy storage device 11 is insufficient or the reserve of the recovery device 15 is insufficient, the energy storage device 11' can temporarily replace the energy storage device 11, and the spare recovery device 15' can temporarily replace the recovery device 15 to continue to drive the mobile robot to move. In this process, the mobile robot can autonomously and better control the energy storage device and the recovery device, which is convenient for the automatic control of the mobile robot.

[0108] Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of the structure of the energy storage device and the recovery device in the embodiment of the present application, such as Fig. 9 As shown, the energy storage device 11 may include: a first tank body 111, and a pressure regulating part 112 located inside the first tank body 111, the pressure regulating part 112 divides the first tank body 111 into a first chamber U1 and a second chamber U2, the second chamber U2 is used to store a pressure medium, and the pressure regulating part 112 is used to adjust the volume of the second chamber U2 to adjust the pressure of the pressure medium. In a possible implementation, the pressure medium in the energy storage device 11 is an incompressible gas or fluid, for example, the pressure medium may be a medium such as air or hydraulic oil, that is, the volume of the pressure medium will not change due to changes in pressure, and therefore, by changing the volume of the second chamber U2 through the pressure regulating part 112, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber U2 can be adjusted. In a specific implementation, the first tank body 111 may be a high-pressure tank body, so that the first tank body 111 can withstand the pressure of the pressure medium, thereby being able to provide the required pressure for the normal operation of the pressure drive system.

[0109] Continue to refer to Fig. 9In some embodiments of the present application, the pressure regulating part 112 may include: a slider 1121, a sealing ring 1122 and an elastic member 1123. For example, the elastic member 1123 may be a spring. One side of the slider 1121 is the first chamber U1, and the other side is the second chamber U2, that is, the slider 1121 can divide the first tank body 111 into the first chamber U1 and the second chamber U2. The sealing ring 1122 is located between the slider 1121 and the inner wall of the first tank body 111. The sealing ring 1122 surrounds the slider 1121, so that the first chamber U1 and the second chamber U2 have better sealing properties, so as to ensure that when the volume of the second chamber U2 changes, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber U2 can be adjusted. The elastic member 1123 is located in the first chamber U1, one end of the elastic member 1123 is connected to the slider 1121, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the first tank body 111. By adjusting the expansion and contraction amount of the elastic member 1123, the position of the slider 1121 can be changed to change the volume of the second chamber U2, thereby adjusting the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber U2.

[0110] Fig.10 FIG. 1 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the energy storage device and the recovery device in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.10 As shown, in some other embodiments of the present application, the pressure regulating unit 112 may include: a pressure airbag 1124 and a gas nozzle 1125, the interior of the pressure airbag 1124 is a first chamber U1, and the exterior of the pressure airbag 1124 in the first tank body 111 is a second chamber U2, that is, the pressure airbag 1124 can divide the first tank body 111 into a first chamber U1 and a second chamber U2. The gas nozzle 1125 penetrates the side walls of the pressure airbag 1124 and the first tank body 111, and is used to fill or discharge compressed gas into the first chamber U1 to change the volume of the second chamber U2, thereby adjusting the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber U2. Specifically, when the pressure airbag 1124 is filled with compressed gas through the gas nozzle 1125, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber U2 can be increased, and when the compressed gas in the pressure airbag 1124 is discharged through the gas nozzle 1125, the pressure of the pressure medium in the second chamber U2 can be reduced.

[0111] In one possible implementation, Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the recovery device 15 may include: a second tank body 151, and a ventilation valve 152 penetrating the side wall of the second tank body 151, the ventilation valve 152 is used to connect the interior of the second tank body 151 with the atmosphere, so that the pressure medium can flow into the interior of the second tank body 151. Since the pressure of the pressure medium in the recovery device 15 is relatively low, the second tank body 151 may be a low-pressure tank body, as long as it can store low-pressure pressure medium.

[0112] In specific implementation, Fig. 9As shown, the pressure drive system may further include: a guide plate 34, the guide plate 34 may include: a first interface 341 connected to the pressure regulating device, and a second interface 342 connected to the actuator, the first tank body 111 is provided with a first self-sealing joint 113, the first self-sealing joint 113 is used to connect the second chamber U2 with the first interface 341, and the second tank body 151 is provided with a second self-sealing joint 153, and the second self-sealing joint 153 is connected to the second interface 342. By providing the guide plate 34, and the first tank body 111 is connected to the first interface 341 through the first self-sealing joint 113, and the second tank body 151 is connected to the second interface 342 through the second self-sealing joint 153, the energy storage device 11 is connected to the pressure regulating device, and the recovery device 15 is connected to the actuator, so that the energy storage device 11 and the recovery device 15 are connected to the pressure drive system.

[0113] When the energy storage device 11 is connected to the guide plate 34, the first self-sealing joint 113 is opened to connect the energy storage device 11 with the pressure regulating device, so that the pressure medium can flow into or out of the first tank body 111 through the first self-sealing joint 113. When replacing the energy storage device 11, it is necessary to pull the first tank body 111 out of the guide plate 34, and the first self-sealing joint 113 can close the first tank body 111 to prevent the pressure medium in the second cavity U2 from leaking out. When the recovery device 15 is connected to the guide plate 34, the second self-sealing joint 153 is opened to connect the recovery device 15 with the actuator, so that the pressure medium can flow into or out of the second tank body 151 through the second self-sealing joint 153. When replacing the recovery device 15, it is necessary to pull the second tank body 151 out of the guide plate 34, and the second self-sealing joint 153 can close the second tank body 151 to prevent the pressure medium in the second tank body 151 from leaking out.

[0114] like Fig. 9 As shown, the first tank body 111 and the second tank body 151 can be separately arranged, so that the energy storage device 11 and the recovery device 15 can be replaced separately, and the operation is more flexible. Fig.10 As shown, the first tank body 111 and the second tank body 151 may be an integrated structure, so that the volume occupied by the energy storage device 11 and the recovery device 15 can be reduced.

[0115] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a mobile robot, which includes: a robot body, and any of the above-mentioned pressure drive systems. The mobile robot can be applied to scenes that require low pressure fluctuations, quietness, and high efficiency. For example, the mobile robot can be a high-performance mobile robot used in a home, for example, the mobile robot can be a humanoid robot. The mobile robot can also be a small mobile robot required for rescue or field construction. Since the mobile robot does not need to be provided with a hydraulic pump, the trouble of carrying a pump, finding fuel and power supply can be saved. The mobile robot can also be applied to scenes that require small pressure fluctuations in high-precision hydraulic equipment. The mobile robot can also be applied to equipment that works closely with humans to reduce noise, reduce temperature, and improve efficiency. In addition, the mobile robot can also be used as an emergency module in a complex system. When an accident such as a power failure occurs, the rescuer only needs to carry an energy storage device and a recovery device, which can quickly restore temporary power to the equipment, drive the equipment to a safe position, or provide an opportunity to rescue injured persons and take out financial resources. Of course, the mobile robot can also be applied to other scenarios, which are not limited here.

[0116] Since the pressure drive system does not need to be equipped with a hydraulic pump, the pressure drive system can avoid the problems of high noise, large weight and volume, low efficiency, heat dissipation difficulties, etc. caused by the installation of a hydraulic pump. Furthermore, the mobile robot can be more suitable for indoor environments that require quietness, and the weight and volume of the mobile robot can be reduced, thereby improving the efficiency and heat dissipation effect of the mobile robot.

[0117] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile robot provided in an embodiment of the present application, Fig.11 (1) in the figure is the left view of the mobile robot. Fig.11 (2) in the figure is the front view of the mobile robot. Fig.11 As shown, the robot body may include: a base 21, a plurality of connecting rods 22, a plurality of connecting parts 23 and a main body 24, and the connecting part 23 may be a rotating hinge or a linear support. The base 21 may be connected to the connecting rod 22 through the connecting part 23, the main body 24 may be connected to the connecting rod 22 through the connecting part 23, and the two connecting rods 22 may also be connected through the connecting part 23. The actuator 14 may be retractable or rotatable, for example, the actuator 14 may be a pressure-driven cylinder, a rotating oil cylinder or a hydraulic motor, and the actuator 14 may drive the connecting rod 22 to rotate around the connecting part 23. Fig.11In the mobile robot shown, the base 21, multiple connecting rods 22, multiple connecting parts 23 and the main body 24 can form a leg shape. The mobile robot has two legs and can move by swinging the legs in space. The two legs have ten actuators 14 to drive the legs to swing. Each actuator 14 moves under the control of a sub-controller in the control device. The sub-controller corresponding to the actuator 14 can be set in the adjacent connecting rod 22 or the main body 24. Components such as energy storage devices, pressure regulating devices, and recovery devices in the pressure drive system can be set in the main body 24.

[0118] For example, Fig.11 The mobile robot shown can be used Figure 5 The pressure drive system shown, combined with Figure 5 and Fig.11 , Figure 5 The solid line in the figure represents the flow path of the pressure medium, and the dotted line represents the transmission path of the control signal. The high-pressure pressure medium in the storage device 11 is transmitted to the pressure regulating device 12. The pressure of the pressure medium after passing through the pressure regulating device 12 is stabilized to a set pressure, which is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot. The pressure regulating device 12 outputs the regulated pressure medium to the control device 13. The control device 13 can control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator 14 to execute the command action. The pressure of the high-pressure pressure medium decreases after pushing the actuator 14 to do work. The recovery device 15 can recover the low-pressure pressure medium discharged by the actuator 14.

[0119] The pressure detector 18 can detect the output pressure of the energy storage device 11, the pressure monitoring unit 19 can monitor the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device 11 detected by the pressure detector 18, parse and encode the pressure information, and send the pressure information to the robot controller 17 through the bus 33, the reserve monitoring unit 32 can read the flow of the pressure medium flowing into the recovery device 15 through the reserve detector 31, calculate the reserve of the pressure medium stored in the recovery device 15, and send the reserve information to the robot controller 17 through the bus 33. Optionally, the reserve detector 31 can be a flow meter. Among them, the current reserve of the pressure medium stored in the recovery device 15 = initial reserve + ∑ flow * sampling period.

[0120] In practical applications, the robot controller 17 can execute Figure 6 or Figure 7 The method shown is used to monitor the status of the pressure-driven system so as to replace the energy storage device 11 and the recovery device 15 at an appropriate time.

[0121] In the specific implementation, the performance parameters of the pressure drive system can be set according to the weight limit of the mobile robot, the motion performance requirements and other parameters. For example, if a mobile robot with a deadweight of about 50kg and a moving speed of about 1m / s is required, the average power of the pressure drive system needs to be set to about 3000. Compared with the pressure drive system with a hydraulic pump in the related art, since the pressure drive system in the embodiment of the present application does not need to be provided with a hydraulic pump, the performance of the pressure drive in the embodiment of the present application is better. Table 1 is a performance comparison table of the pressure drive system in the present application and the pressure drive system in the related art. As shown in Table 1, the efficiency of the pressure drive system in the related art = battery charging and discharging efficiency * pump and overflow valve efficiency * motor efficiency = 0.9*0.8*0.95 = 0.684, and the efficiency of the pressure drive system in the present application = energy storage unit output efficiency = 0.9. The input power requirement of the pressure drive system in the related art = output power / efficiency = 3000 / 0.684 = 4386W, and the input power requirement of the pressure drive system in this application = output power / efficiency = 3000 / 0.9 = 3333W. The heat generation power of the pressure drive system in the related art = input power - output power = 4386-3000 = 1386W, and the heat generation power of the pressure drive system in this application = input power - output power = 3333-3000 = 333W. The additional weight of the power system of the pressure drive system in the related art = the combined weight of the pump and motor + the weight of the battery + the weight of the oil tank = (3.5+4.5)+5+2=15kg, and the additional weight of the power system of the pressure drive system in this application = the weight of the energy storage unit + the increased weight of the energy storage hydraulic oil + the weight of the recovery unit = 3+9+2=14kg. The overall noise of the pressure drive system in the related art = max (actuator noise, power system noise) = max(65,40) = 65dB. The overall noise of the pressure-driven system in the present application = max (actuator noise, power system noise) = max (40, 40) = 40 dB.

[0122] In summary, in Table 1, the higher the efficiency value, the better, the lower the input power requirement, the better, the lower the heat generation power, the better, the lighter the weight, the better, and the overall noise is the high value of all noise items, the lower the better. The pressure-driven system in the embodiment of the present application, because there is no need to set up a hydraulic pump, reduces the power conversion link, and the overall efficiency is increased from 0.684 in the related art to 0.9, and correspondingly, the heat generation power is reduced from 1386W to 333W, with significant effects. Under the same motion performance, the power demand of the mobile robot using the pressure-driven system in the embodiment of the present application also decreases by 1053W accordingly. Under the condition of carrying the same energy, the mobile robot in the embodiment of the present application can work longer. In terms of weight, the weight of the power system is basically the same, and the pressure-driven system in the embodiment of the present application can be slightly reduced. The pressure-driven system in the embodiment of the present application, due to the reduction of the hydraulic pump and motor combination, the overall noise is reduced from 65dB to 40dB. Therefore, the performance of the pressure drive in the embodiment of the present application is better.

[0123] Table 1 Performance comparison of the pressure drive system in this application and the pressure drive system in the related art

[0124]

[0125]

[0126] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile robot provided in an embodiment of the present application, Fig.12 (1) in the figure is the left view of the mobile robot. Fig.12 (2) in the figure is the front view of the mobile robot. Fig.12 As shown, the mobile robot is a trolley-type mechanical arm mobile robot. The mechanical arm is composed of a plurality of connecting rods 22, a plurality of connecting parts 23, and a plurality of actuators 14. The actuators 14 in the mechanical arm include a linear oil cylinder and a rotary oil cylinder to drive the mechanical arm to move, so that the mechanical arm has seven degrees of freedom. The mechanical arm is installed on a moving part 25, which is similar to a "trolley" and can drive the mechanical arm to move. The moving part 25 is driven by the actuator 14, which can be a driving motor.

[0127] Fig.12 The mobile robot shown can be used as Figure 8 The pressure drive system shown, combined with Figure 8 and Fig.12The pressure drive system is provided with a spare energy storage device 11' and a spare recovery device 15', and the energy storage device 11 and the spare energy storage device 11' can be installed on the mobile part. When the pressure of the energy storage device 11 is insufficient or the storage of the recovery device 15 is insufficient, the energy storage device 11' can temporarily replace the energy storage device 11, and the spare recovery device 15' can temporarily replace the recovery device 15 to continue to drive the mobile robot to move. In this process, the mobile robot can autonomously and better use the energy storage device and the recovery device, which is convenient for the automatic control of the mobile robot.

[0128] Although the preferred embodiments of the present application have been described, those skilled in the art may make other changes and modifications to these embodiments once they have learned the basic creative concept. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the present application.

[0129] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the embodiments of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A pressure driven system, characterized in that: include: Energy storage devices, pressure regulating devices, control devices and actuators; The energy storage device is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device, the output end of the pressure regulating device is connected to the control device, and the control device is connected to the actuator; The energy storage device is used to store pressure medium and output the pressure medium to the input end of the pressure regulating device; The pressure regulating device is used to regulate the pressure of the pressure medium so that the pressure at the output end of the pressure regulating device is reduced to a set pressure, and the regulated pressure medium is output to the control device; The set pressure is greater than or equal to the working pressure of the mobile robot; The control device is used to output the pressure medium to the actuator and control the flow and direction of the pressure medium to drive the actuator to perform the command action.

2. The pressure drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: Recycling devices; The recovery device is connected to the actuator and is used to recover the pressure medium discharged by the actuator.

3. The pressure drive system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control device comprises: at least one sub-controller, each of the sub-controllers is used to drive one of the execution devices; The sub-controller includes: at least one proportional regulating valve; and / or, at least one electromagnetic reversing valve; One end of the proportional control valve is connected to the pressure regulating device, and the other end is connected to the electromagnetic reversing valve; The electromagnetic reversing valve is connected to the actuator.

4. The pressure drive system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The recovery device is connected to the actuator through the electromagnetic reversing valve.

5. The pressure drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: One-way valve; The one-way valve is located between the energy storage device and the pressure regulating device, and is used to control the flow direction of the pressure medium from the energy storage device to the pressure regulating device; Alternatively, the one-way valve is located between the pressure regulating device and the control device, and is used to control the flow direction of the pressure medium from the pressure regulating device to the control device.

6. The pressure drive system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes: Robot controller; The robot controller is electrically connected to the control device, and is used to decompose the overall motion of the mobile robot into motion targets corresponding to each of the actuators, and control each of the actuators to execute the motion targets through the control device.

7. The pressure drive system according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: a pressure detector located between the energy storage device and the pressure regulating device, and a pressure monitoring unit electrically connected to the pressure detector; The pressure monitoring unit is electrically connected to the robot controller, and is used to monitor the pressure information of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device detected by the pressure detector, and send the pressure information to the robot controller.

8. The pressure drive system according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes: a reserve detector located between the recovery device and the execution device, and a reserve monitoring unit electrically connected to the reserve detector; The reserve monitoring unit is electrically connected to the robot controller, and is used to monitor the reserve information of the recovery device detected by the reserve detector, and send the reserve information to the robot controller.

9. The pressure drive system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The robot controller is used to: According to the pressure information, determine whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot; if so, set the state information of the energy storage device to be valid; if not, set the state information of the energy storage device to be invalid; According to the reserve information, it is determined whether the reserve of the recovery device is less than the allowable volume; if so, the state information of the recovery device is set to be valid; if not, the state information of the recovery device is set to be invalid.

10. The pressure drive system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The robot controller is also used to: monitor the status information of the energy storage device and the recovery device; if the status information of any one of the energy storage device and the recovery device is invalid, determine whether the status information of the energy storage device is invalid; if so, issue a prompt message to replace the energy storage device; if not, set the status information of the energy storage device to valid, and determine whether the status information of the recovery device is invalid; if so, issue a prompt message to replace the recovery device; if so, set the status information of the recovery device to valid.

11. The pressure drive system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The volume of the recovery device is greater than the volume of the energy storage device; The robot controller is used to determine whether the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is greater than the working pressure of the mobile robot based on the pressure information; if so, the status information of the energy storage device is set to valid; if not, a prompt message to replace the energy storage device and the recovery device is issued.

12. The pressure drive system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The energy storage device comprises: a first tank body, and a pressure regulating part located inside the first tank body; The pressure regulating part divides the first tank into a first chamber and a second chamber, the second chamber is used to store the pressure medium, and the pressure regulating part is used to adjust the volume of the second chamber to adjust the pressure of the pressure medium.

13. The pressure drive system according to claim 12, characterized in that: The pressure regulating part comprises: a slider, a sealing ring and an elastic member; One side of the slider is the first chamber, and the other side is the second chamber, and the sealing ring is located between the slider and the inner wall of the first tank body; The elastic member is located in the first chamber, one end of the elastic member is connected to the slider, and the other end of the elastic member is connected to the inner wall of the first tank body.

14. The pressure drive system according to claim 12, characterized in that: The pressure regulating part includes: a pressure air bag and an air nozzle; The interior of the pressure airbag is the first chamber, and the exterior of the pressure airbag in the first tank is the second chamber; The gas nozzle penetrates through the pressure airbag and the side wall of the first tank body, and is used to fill or discharge compressed gas into the first chamber.

15. The pressure drive system according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that: The recovery device comprises: a second tank body, and a ventilation valve penetrating the side wall of the second tank body; The ventilation valve is used to connect the interior of the second tank to the atmosphere.

16. The pressure drive system according to claim 15, characterized in that: Also includes: deflector; The guide plate comprises: a first interface connected to the pressure regulating device, and a second interface connected to the actuator; The first tank body is provided with a first self-sealing joint, and the first self-sealing joint is used to connect the second chamber and the first interface; The second tank body is provided with a second self-closing joint, and the second self-closing joint is connected to the second interface.

17. The pressure drive system according to claim 15, characterized in that: The first tank body and the second tank body are separately arranged; or, the first tank body and the second tank body are an integrated structure.

18. The pressure drive system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes: Spare energy storage devices and / or spare recovery devices; The backup energy storage device is connected to the input end of the pressure regulating device, and is used to store pressure medium, and when the pressure of the pressure medium output by the energy storage device is lower than the working pressure of the mobile robot, the backup energy storage device outputs the pressure medium to the pressure regulating device; The standby recovery device is connected to the execution device and is used to recover the pressure medium discharged by the execution device when the storage capacity of the recovery device is greater than the allowable volume.

19. A mobile robot, characterized in that: include: A robot body, and a pressure drive system as described in any one of claims 1 to 18.

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