Walking feet and robots

Abstract

This application provides a walking foot, including a foot, one or more first piezoelectric bodies, one or more second piezoelectric bodies, a drive mechanism, and an energy storage device. The foot has an internal cavity and an inner wall surrounding the cavity, including a bottom wall. The foot also has a ground-contacting surface. The first piezoelectric bodies are disposed on the bottom wall. The second piezoelectric bodies are disposed on the inner wall. The drive mechanism is disposed within the internal cavity and connected to the bottom wall. When the ground-contacting surface touches the ground, the bottom wall drives the first piezoelectric bodies and the drive mechanism, causing the drive mechanism to generate a driving force on the second piezoelectric bodies. The energy storage device is electrically connected to the first and second piezoelectric bodies. During walking, the foot vibrates. During vibration, the first piezoelectric bodies are compressed and generate charge. Simultaneously, during vibration, the drive mechanism is driven, driving the second piezoelectric bodies to generate charge, greatly improving the efficiency of vibration energy recovery. Furthermore, this application also provides a robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics, specifically to a walking leg and a robot. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, walking robots, due to their unique characteristics of high efficiency, high precision, high reliability, low energy consumption, low pollution, and low error rate, have been widely used in technical fields such as material handling, palletizing, geological exploration, archaeological research, agricultural planting, and environmental reconnaissance. Generally, walking robots are classified as wheeled, tracked, and legged. Compared to wheeled and tracked robots, legged walking robots, designed according to bionics, have greater flexibility and environmental adaptability, and can stably carry loads and move in uneven environments.

[0003] In existing legged robots, the robot's feet make periodic stomping movements during movement, which generates corresponding vibrations. This vibrational energy is lost during the robot's walking process, resulting in low energy utilization efficiency, which is not conducive to reducing operating costs and extending the robot's working time. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a walking leg and a robot to improve the aforementioned technical problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a walking foot, including a foot portion, one or more first piezoelectric elements, one or more second piezoelectric elements, a drive mechanism, and an energy storage device. The foot portion has an internal cavity, including an inner wall surrounding the internal cavity, the inner wall including a bottom wall, and the foot portion also has a ground-contacting surface opposite to the bottom wall. The first piezoelectric elements are disposed on the bottom wall and located within the cavity. The second piezoelectric elements are disposed on the inner wall, and the second and first piezoelectric elements are arranged in different directions. The drive mechanism is disposed within the internal cavity and connected to the bottom wall. When the ground-contacting surface contacts the ground, the bottom wall drives the first piezoelectric elements and the drive mechanism, so that the drive mechanism generates a driving force on the second piezoelectric elements. The energy storage device is electrically connected to the first and second piezoelectric elements.

[0006] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a robot, which is provided with at least one of the aforementioned walking legs.

[0007] The walking foot provided in this application embodiment, during walking, the foot contacts the ground, causing the foot to vibrate. During the vibration, the first piezoelectric body is compressed and generates an electric charge. At the same time, during the vibration, the driving mechanism is driven, and during the driving process, the second piezoelectric body is driven to generate an electric charge. This greatly improves the efficiency of vibration energy recovery, and the recovered energy can be stored by an energy storage device to extend the battery life.

[0008] The robot provided in this application embodiment, by applying the aforementioned walking legs, enables partial recovery of the vibration energy generated during the walking process, which is stored in an energy storage device. This energy can power various components of the robot, improving energy utilization efficiency and extending the robot's working time.

[0009] These or other aspects of this application will become more apparent in the following description of the embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0010] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a robot shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a walking leg in a robot provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0013] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a distribution diagram of a first piezoelectric body and a second piezoelectric body provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a distribution diagram of another first piezoelectric body and a second piezoelectric body provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first piezoelectric body and a second piezoelectric body provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another walking leg in a robot provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] Most current legged walking robots have an even number of walking legs, and most of them use a rechargeable power supply method. The robot carries batteries inside to supply power to the walking legs or other components. Currently, the way to improve the robot's endurance is mostly to use large-capacity batteries. However, due to the limitation that the energy flow density of battery technology cannot be increased indefinitely, using large-capacity batteries will inevitably increase the battery size and weight, which is actually not conducive to improving the robot's endurance.

[0021] Bionic legged robots possess greater flexibility and environmental adaptability, enabling them to walk steadily with loads even in rugged environments. Existing legged robots perform periodic stomping movements with their feet during movement, generating vibrations. This vibrational energy is lost during walking, resulting in low energy utilization efficiency. If this vibrational energy could be recovered and utilized, it would undoubtedly increase the robot's endurance.

[0022] Based on this, the inventors of this application have proposed walking legs and robots according to various embodiments of this application, in order to improve the above-mentioned deficiencies. The various embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Example

[0024] See Figure 1 This embodiment provides a robot 10, which includes a torso 20 and multiple walking legs 30. Various types of components can be installed within the torso 20 to perform predetermined functions. For example, the torso 20 can be equipped with cameras and / or radar to enable the robot 10 to have visual perception capabilities. The torso 20 can also be equipped with a carrying platform for carrying and transporting objects. The torso 20 can also be configured in an animal shape, such as a dog, cat, or spider.

[0025] Multiple walking legs 30 are assembled onto the torso 20 and used for walking on the robot 10. It is understood that the number of walking legs 30 is at least one; for example, the number of walking legs 30 can be even, and the even number of walking legs 30 can be symmetrically distributed. Specifically, for example... Figure 1As shown, as an example, robot 10 has four legs 30, forming a quadruped robot 10. The quadruped robot 10 has a stable structure and can maintain stability during movement, making it very suitable for various applications. Of course, it is understood that robot 10 can also be a hexapod robot 10, an octagonal robot 10, etc., and no specific limitation is made here.

[0026] Each walking foot 30 can have multiple degrees of freedom of movement, including extension and rotation degrees of freedom, so that the walking foot 30 can move in multiple directions. For example, each walking foot 30 can have 4 degrees of freedom, 6 degrees of freedom, or 9 degrees of freedom, etc., without limitation.

[0027] Please refer to the following: Figure 2 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, each walking foot 30 includes a foot 100, one or more first piezoelectric bodies 200, one or more second piezoelectric bodies 300, a drive mechanism 400, and an energy storage device 500. The foot 100 is used to contact the ground when the walking foot 30 walks. The first piezoelectric bodies 200 and second piezoelectric bodies 300 can recover part of the energy during the walking process of the walking foot 30 and store the recovered energy in the energy storage device 500.

[0028] The foot 100 can be configured with a structure or shape suitable for walking, such as a horseshoe shape or a webbed foot shape. In this embodiment, the foot 100 is configured as a curved surface. This configuration allows for linear contact when the foot 100 contacts the ground, reducing the contact area and concentrating the vibration energy during contact, thus facilitating the recovery and utilization of this vibration energy. The foot 100 has an internal cavity 101, meaning it has a hollow portion for forming the internal cavity 101. The internal cavity 101 can be configured in any shape, without limitation.

[0029] The feet 100 can be made of a material with a certain degree of deformability. On the one hand, this can act as a cushion during movement, improving the stability of the robot 10. On the other hand, the deformable material of the feet 100 facilitates the transfer of vibrational energy to the internal cavity 101, improving the efficiency of vibrational energy recovery. For example, the feet 100 can be made of elastic silicone, rubber, or other materials, without limitation.

[0030] The foot 100 includes an inner wall forming a cavity 101. This inner wall includes a bottom wall 104, which is located on the side of the cavity 101 closest to the ground during the walking motion of the foot 30. It is understood that the bottom wall 104 can be planar or curved; this embodiment does not limit either. The foot 100 also has a ground-contacting surface 102 opposite to the bottom wall 104. The ground-contacting surface 102 is used to contact the ground during the walking motion of the foot 30. It is understood that the ground-contacting surface 102 can make line contact or surface contact with the ground. When the ground-contacting surface 102 contacts the ground, the foot 100 is subjected to the force of the ground. Due to the presence of the hollow cavity 101, the ground-contacting surface 102 and the bottom wall 104 of the foot 100 deform towards the cavity 101, transmitting vibrational energy into the cavity 101. In the prior art, this part of the vibration energy will dissipate naturally. In this embodiment, a first piezoelectric body 200 and a second piezoelectric body 300 are provided to recover at least part of the vibration energy.

[0031] To facilitate the installation of the first piezoelectric element 200 and the second piezoelectric element 300, in this embodiment, the inner wall further includes a top wall 105 and a side wall 106. The top wall 105 is disposed opposite to the bottom wall 104, and the side wall 106 is connected between the top wall 105 and the bottom wall 104. The bottom wall 104, the top wall 105, and the side wall 106 form the inner cavity 101. As one arrangement, the side wall 106 is annular and includes a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The first end is connected to the top wall 105, and the second end is connected to the bottom wall 104. From the first end to the second end (i.e., the X direction in the figure), the inner diameter of the inner cavity 101 gradually increases and then gradually decreases. This arrangement is more conducive to the installation of the second piezoelectric element 300.

[0032] A first piezoelectric element 200 is disposed on the bottom wall 104 and located within the receiving cavity. The first piezoelectric element 200 is arranged along a first direction X, that is, the line connecting the positive and negative electrodes of the first piezoelectric element 200 is arranged along the first direction X, which is approximately perpendicular to the bottom wall 104. The first piezoelectric element 200 can abut against the bottom wall 104. When the bottom wall 104 vibrates toward the inner cavity 101, the bottom wall 104 drives the first piezoelectric element 200, causing the first piezoelectric element 200 to generate piezoelectric charges, thereby achieving energy recovery. Furthermore, the end of the first piezoelectric element 200 away from the bottom wall 104 can abut against the top wall 105. Thus, when the bottom wall 104 vibrates, the vibrational energy transmitted to the first piezoelectric element 200 is blocked and reacted by the top wall 105, allowing the first piezoelectric element 200 to generate more piezoelectric charges and improve energy recovery efficiency.

[0033] The number of first piezoelectric elements 200 can be one or more, where "more" refers to two or more. When there are multiple first piezoelectric elements 200, they can be arranged side by side, and in some embodiments, they can also be spaced apart from each other.

[0034] Please continue reading. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The second piezoelectric element 300 is disposed on the inner wall. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second piezoelectric element 300 is disposed on the side wall 106, and the second piezoelectric element 300 is disposed along a second direction Y. The second direction Y is a direction different from the first direction X, that is, the second piezoelectric element 300 and the first piezoelectric element 200 are disposed in different directions. The second direction Y can be a direction that forms a certain angle with the first direction X. As an example, the second direction Y can also be a set of directions perpendicular to the first direction X, that is, one or more second piezoelectric elements 300 can be disposed on a plane perpendicular to the first direction X. In other words, the second direction Y does not specifically refer to a fixed direction, but is a set of directions perpendicular to the first direction X. In particular, when there are two second piezoelectric elements 300, the two second piezoelectric elements 300 can be disposed in the same direction.

[0035] The number of second piezoelectric elements 300 can be one or more, where "more" refers to two or more. When there are multiple second piezoelectric elements 300, they can be centrally symmetrically distributed around the first piezoelectric element 200. Specifically, the multiple second piezoelectric elements 300 can also be centrally symmetrically distributed about the center of the first piezoelectric element 200. For example... Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, there is one first piezoelectric element 200 and two second piezoelectric elements 300, which are disposed on both sides of the first piezoelectric element 200 and are arranged symmetrically. In another embodiment, as... Figure 5 As shown, there is one first piezoelectric element 200 and three second piezoelectric elements 300. The three second piezoelectric elements 300 surround the first piezoelectric element 200 and are arranged symmetrically with the first piezoelectric element 200 as the center. It can be understood that the arrangement of the first piezoelectric element 200 and the second piezoelectric element 300 can also be in other forms, and this embodiment does not make specific limitations.

[0036] To facilitate the placement of the second piezoelectric element 300, in this embodiment, one or more mounting cavities 103 are provided on the inner wall. The mounting cavities 103 communicate with the inner cavity 101, and each second piezoelectric element 300 is laterally disposed within one mounting cavity 103. This arrangement helps to fix the position of the second piezoelectric element 300, allowing it to generate the maximum power output during a single vibration process while maintaining the stability of the entire walking foot 30. During installation, the second piezoelectric element 300 can be completely housed within the mounting cavity 103, or partially disposed within the mounting cavity 103 and partially located within the inner cavity 101.

[0037] Furthermore, when there are multiple second piezoelectric elements 300, one second piezoelectric element 300 can be disposed in one mounting cavity 103, that is, multiple second piezoelectric elements 300 are disposed in one mounting cavity 103 in a corresponding manner, and the second piezoelectric elements 300 can be disposed in a transverse direction, where transverse refers to a direction perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0038] Both the first piezoelectric element 200 and the second piezoelectric element 300 can adopt the same structure. As an example, in this embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, each of the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300 includes a plurality of stacked piezoelectric ceramic sheets 210. Each piezoelectric ceramic sheet 210 may have the same area, and the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic sheets 210 may completely overlap, that is, the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic sheets 210 have the same shape. For example, each piezoelectric ceramic sheet 210 is a square with the same side length. When stacked, the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic sheets 210 are equivalent to being connected in series. Both the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300 have a positive electrode and a negative electrode, which are formed at opposite ends of the first piezoelectric body 200 and opposite ends of the second piezoelectric body 300, respectively. Specifically, the two ends of the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic sheets 210 in the stacking direction serve as the positive electrode and the negative electrode, respectively.

[0039] Using piezoelectric ceramic sheet 210 as the material for fabricating the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300 eliminates the need for additional elastomers and supports, saving costs and simplifying the structure. Simultaneously, it generates more electricity and has higher efficiency in recovering vibration energy. Furthermore, since the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300 are made of piezoelectric ceramic sheet 210, no additional protective structures are required for them, further reducing structural complexity and enhancing reliability. In other embodiments, the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300 can also be made of materials such as piezoelectric thin films, achieving energy recovery during vibration. No specific limitations are imposed here.

[0040] A drive mechanism 400 is disposed within the inner cavity 101 and connected to the bottom wall 104. The drive mechanism 400 is used to drive the second piezoelectric element 300, causing the second piezoelectric element 300 to generate electricity. The drive mechanism is driven by the bottom wall 104. When the bottom wall 104 vibrates toward the inner cavity 101, the drive mechanism 400 is driven to move, thereby driving the second piezoelectric element 300.

[0041] As an example, in this embodiment, please refer again. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The drive mechanism 400 includes one or more vertically arranged hinge units 410, where vertical arrangement means that the extension direction of the hinge unit 410 is approximately vertical, that is, approximately parallel to the first direction X. The hinge unit 410 is located between the top wall 105 and the bottom wall 104 and is connected to the bottom wall 104, so that when the bottom wall 104 vibrates toward the inner cavity 101, the hinge unit 410 can move, thereby driving the second piezoelectric element 300.

[0042] Each hinge unit 410 includes a first hinge segment 411, a second hinge segment 412, and a third hinge segment 413. The first hinge segment 411 and the third hinge segment 413 are both hinged to the inner wall. One end of the second hinge segment 412 is hinged to the first hinge segment 411, and the other end of the second hinge segment 412 is hinged to the third hinge segment 413. When the ground surface 102 touches the ground, the first hinge segment 411 and the third hinge segment 413 press the second hinge segment 412, and the second hinge segment 412 moves toward the side wall 106. During the movement of the second hinge segment 412, the second hinge segment 412 contacts the second piezoelectric body 300 and drives the second piezoelectric body 300, so that the driven second piezoelectric body 300 generates piezoelectric charge.

[0043] Specifically, one end of the first hinge segment 411 is hinged to the top wall 105, and the other end is inclined toward the side wall 106 when the bottom wall 104 is not vibrating. One end of the third hinge segment 413 is hinged to the bottom wall 104, and the other end is inclined toward the side wall 106 when the bottom wall 104 is not vibrating. One end of the second hinge segment 412 is hinged to the end of the first hinge segment 411 away from the top wall 105, and the other end is hinged to the end of the third hinge segment 413 away from the bottom wall 104. The second hinge segment 412 is closer to the side wall 106 than the first hinge segment 411 and the third hinge segment 413. When the bottom wall 104 vibrates, the connection between the first hinge segment 411 and the second hinge segment 412, and the connection between the third hinge segment 413 and the second hinge segment 412, bend and rotate, causing the second hinge segment 412 to be squeezed by the first hinge segment 411 and the third hinge segment 413 and move toward the side wall 106. During the movement, the second hinge segment 412 contacts the second piezoelectric body 300 and generates a driving force on the second piezoelectric body 300, driving the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charges.

[0044] In some embodiments, the second hinge segment 412 may be connected to the second piezoelectric element 300, such that the second hinge segment 412 can drive the second piezoelectric element 300 within a very short stroke. In other embodiments, when the bottom wall 104 is not vibrating, the second hinge segment 412 may have a predetermined gap with the second piezoelectric element 300.

[0045] The first hinge segment 411, the second hinge segment 412, and the third hinge segment 413 can all be formed of flexible materials such as plastic. A first groove 414 can be provided at the connection between the first hinge segment 411 and the second hinge segment 412. The first groove 414 is located on the side of the hinge unit 410 away from the sidewall 106. The first groove 414 can provide space for deformation when the first hinge segment 411 and the second hinge segment 412 rotate relative to each other, so that the second hinge segment 412 can rotate relative to the first hinge segment 411 in a predetermined direction and has a larger rotation range. A second groove 415 can be provided at the connection between the second hinge segment 412 and the third hinge segment 413. The second groove 415 is located on the side of the hinge unit 410 away from the sidewall 106. The second groove 415 can provide space for deformation when the third hinge segment 413 and the second hinge segment 412 rotate relative to each other, so that the second hinge segment 412 can rotate relative to the third hinge segment 413 in a predetermined direction and has a larger rotation range.

[0046] In other embodiments, the first hinge segment 411, the second hinge segment 412, and the third hinge segment 413 can also be hinged in other ways. Meanwhile, in other embodiments, the second hinge segment 412 may be omitted. In this case, the end of the first hinge segment 411 away from the top wall 105 can be hinged to the end of the third hinge segment 413 away from the bottom wall 104. When the bottom wall 104 vibrates, the third hinge segment 413 rotates relative to the bottom wall 104, causing the connection between the first hinge segment 411 and the third hinge segment 413 to contact the second piezoelectric body 300 and drive the second piezoelectric body 300. This also drives the second piezoelectric body 300, causing it to generate piezoelectric charges.

[0047] By providing a second hinge segment 412, the extension direction of the second hinge segment 412 can be approximately parallel to the first direction X during movement. This increases the contact area between the second hinge segment 412 and the second piezoelectric body 300, resulting in a more even pressure distribution across this contact area. Consequently, the second piezoelectric body 300 generates a greater amount of electricity when driven to produce piezoelectric charges. Furthermore, by mounting the second piezoelectric body 300 within a mounting cavity 103, its fixation becomes more stable, and it maintains a sufficient contact area with the second hinge segment 412, further increasing power generation and thus improving energy recovery efficiency.

[0048] Each hinge unit 410 can be correspondingly configured with a second piezoelectric body 300, such that the second hinge segment 412 of each hinge unit 410 can cooperate with a second piezoelectric body 300 and drive the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charge during movement. When there are multiple second piezoelectric bodies 300, the number of hinge units 410 is the same as the number of second piezoelectric bodies 300, and the multiple hinge units 410 can be distributed in a centrally symmetrical manner and surround the outside of the first piezoelectric body 200.

[0049] Please refer to it again. Figure 2 The energy storage device 500 is used to store recovered energy. The energy storage device 500 is, for example, a battery. The energy storage device 500 is electrically connected to the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300. In this embodiment, the energy storage device 500 is located on the side of the first piezoelectric body 200 away from the bottom wall 104, and is electrically connected to the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300 via wires or metal wiring. Specifically, in this embodiment, the walking foot 30 also includes a controller 600, a first wire (not shown), and a second wire (not shown). The controller 600 is electrically connected to the energy storage device 500 and can control the charging and discharging of the energy storage device 500. The controller 600 is electrically connected to the first piezoelectric body 200 via the first wire, thereby achieving electrical conduction between the first piezoelectric body 200 and the energy storage device 500. The controller 600 is electrically connected to the second piezoelectric body 300 via the second wire, thereby achieving electrical conduction between the second piezoelectric body 300 and the energy storage device 500. Of course, the first and second wires can also be directly connected to the power lines of the energy storage device 500. It is understood that when the first wire connects to the first piezoelectric element 200, it simultaneously connects to both the positive and negative terminals of the first piezoelectric element 200, forming a circuit. Similarly, when the second wire connects to the second piezoelectric element 300, it simultaneously connects to both the positive and negative terminals of the second piezoelectric element 300, forming a circuit.

[0050] To facilitate the installation of the controller 600 and the energy storage device 500, the foot 100 has a first fixing groove 130 and a second fixing groove 140. The first fixing groove 130 and the second fixing groove 140 are located on the side of the top wall 105 away from the bottom wall 104. The first fixing groove 130 is located in the portion of the second fixing groove 140 closer to the inner cavity 101. The first fixing groove 130 and the second fixing groove 140 are connected by a connecting groove 150, the extension line of which is generally arranged along the first direction X. The controller 600 is disposed in the first fixing groove 130, and the energy storage device 500 is disposed in the second fixing groove 140. The controller 600 and the energy storage device 500 are connected by a wire, which runs through the connecting groove 150. The first fixing groove 130 is disposed adjacent to the inner cavity 101 to facilitate the connection between the first piezoelectric element 200, the second piezoelectric element 300 and the controller 600. By setting the first fixing slot 130 and the second fixing slot 140, the energy storage device 500 can be separated from the first piezoelectric body 200 and the second piezoelectric body 300, thereby improving the stability and safety of the energy storage device 500 during operation.

[0051] To facilitate the storage of the first and second wires and prevent them from becoming entangled within the internal cavity 101, in this embodiment, the foot 100 is provided with a first wire groove 110 and a second wire groove 120. The first wire is stored in the first wire groove 110, and the second wire is housed in the second wire groove 120. Specifically, the first wire groove 110 connects the internal cavity 101 and the first fixing groove 130. The first wire passes through the first wire groove 110 and can extend approximately along the first direction X, electrically connecting the first piezoelectric element 200 and the controller 600, thereby achieving an electrical connection with the energy storage device 500. The second wire groove 120 connects the first fixing groove 130 and the mounting cavity 103, and the second wire groove 120 connects to the end of the mounting cavity 103 furthest from the internal cavity 101. This implementation avoids the second wire running through the internal cavity 101 and does not affect the setup of the drive mechanism 400 and the first piezoelectric element 200. The second conductor is threaded through the second conductor groove 120 and electrically connected to the second piezoelectric body 300 and the controller 600, thereby realizing the electrical connection with the energy storage device 500.

[0052] It should be noted that the number of second wire grooves 120 can be the same as the number of second piezoelectric bodies 300, so that the second wires connected to each second piezoelectric body 300 are respectively passed through a second wire groove 120, thereby achieving the purpose of separating the second wires connected to each second piezoelectric body 300, avoiding multiple second wires from getting tangled together, and preventing the tangled area from overheating and causing a fire.

[0053] The working principle of the walking leg 30 and robot 10 provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0054] During the movement of robot 10, each walking foot 30 undergoes a walking cycle of lifting, landing, and lifting again. When a walking foot 30 lands, the ground surface 102 touches the ground. At this time, the bottom wall 104 is affected by the vibration of the foot 100 and vibrates towards the internal cavity 101. At this time, the bottom wall 104 drives the first piezoelectric body 200, causing the first piezoelectric body 200 to generate piezoelectric charge. Simultaneously, the bottom wall 104 also drives the mechanism 400, causing the connection between the third hinge segment 413 and the second hinge segment 412 to bend. At the same time, the connection between the first hinge segment 411 and the second hinge segment 412 bends, and the second hinge segment 412 is squeezed towards the side wall 106, thereby contacting the second piezoelectric body 300 and generating a driving force on the second piezoelectric body 300, causing the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charge. That is, the driving mechanism 400 generates a driving force on the second piezoelectric body 300, causing the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charge. The piezoelectric charge generated by the first piezoelectric body 200 and the piezoelectric charge generated by the second piezoelectric body 300 are transferred to the energy storage device 500 for storage, thereby realizing the recovery of vibration energy.

[0055] When the walking foot 30 touches the ground and is lifted again, the bottom wall 104 returns to its original shape, and the connection between the third hinge segment 413 and the second hinge segment 412 bends, and the connection between the first hinge segment 411 and the second hinge segment 412 bends. At the same time, the reaction force applied by the second piezoelectric body 300 to the second hinge segment 412 causes the second hinge segment 412 to move toward the first piezoelectric body 200 and return to its initial state. When the walking foot 30 touches the ground again, the drive mechanism 400 drives the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charge again.

[0056] The aforementioned walking foot 30, due to the simultaneous installation of a first piezoelectric body 200 and a second piezoelectric body 300, allows vibration energy to be simultaneously recovered by both during the walking foot 30's movement. Simultaneously, the presence of a drive mechanism 400 causes deformation as it drives the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charges. After the ground surface 102 is lifted off the ground, both the drive mechanism 400 and the first piezoelectric body 200 recover their deformation. Since the drive mechanism is connected to the bottom wall 104, and the recovery time of the drive mechanism 400 is longer than that of the first piezoelectric body 200 alone, the bottom wall 104 does not fully recover its deformation during this process. The bottom wall 104 still exerts pressure on the first piezoelectric body 200, further delaying its recovery time. This extends the piezoelectric charge generation time of the first piezoelectric body 200, thereby increasing its power generation. In other words, through the above settings, compared with the first piezoelectric element 200 set alone, the first piezoelectric element 200 in this embodiment generates more electricity. When it generates electricity in conjunction with the second piezoelectric element 300, the power generation can be significantly increased, thereby improving the efficiency of vibration energy recovery.

[0057] In some applications, the energy storage device 500 can also be electrically connected to other components of the robot 10 or the walking leg 30 that require electrical energy, thereby supplying power to the outside world and realizing the reuse of recovered energy. For example, the walking leg 30 is equipped with various sensors, such as image sensors, proximity sensors, and Hall effect sensors; the energy storage device 500 can be electrically connected to these sensors to supply power. In other applications, the energy storage device 500 can also be used directly to supply power to various motors inside the robot 10.

[0058] Figure 7 The structure of another drive mechanism 400 is shown; please refer to it as well. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The driving mechanism 400 includes a first slider 422, a second slider 423, and a bracket 421. The bracket 421 is connected to the inner wall and is used to assemble the first slider 422 and the second slider 423. The first slider 422 is connected to the bottom wall 104 and extends approximately along a first direction X. When the bottom wall 104 vibrates, the first slider 422 can move towards the top wall 105 along the first direction X. The second slider 423 is slidably disposed on the bracket 421 and slides approximately along a second direction Y. The first slider 422 and the second slider 423 cooperate with each other. When the first slider 422 moves towards the top wall 105, the first slider 422 and the second slider 423 come into contact with each other, driving the second slider 423 to move towards the side wall 106, that is, driving the second slider 423 to move towards the second piezoelectric body 300, thereby contacting the second piezoelectric body 300 and providing driving force to the second piezoelectric body 300, causing the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charges.

[0059] Specifically, the end of the first slider 422 away from the bottom wall 104 is provided with a first inclined surface 4221, which faces the side wall 106. The end of the second slider 423 away from the second piezoelectric body 300 is provided with a second inclined surface 4231 that cooperates with the first inclined surface 4221, which faces the bottom wall 104. When the first slider 422 and the second slider 423 come into contact, the first inclined surface 4221 can be completely fitted with the second inclined surface 4231. As an option, both the first inclined surface 4221 and the second inclined surface 4231 can be 45° inclined surfaces. When the ground surface 102 touches the ground, the bottom wall 104 drives the first slider 422 to move. The movement of the first slider 422 drives the second slider 423 to move toward the second piezoelectric body 300, thereby causing the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charges.

[0060] When the walking foot 30 touches the ground and is lifted again, the first slider 422 retracts with the bottom wall 104. At this time, the second slider 423 is subjected to the reaction force of the second piezoelectric body 300 and slides towards the first piezoelectric body 200, returning to the initial state. When the walking foot 30 touches the ground again, it drives the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charge again.

[0061] Each second slider 423 corresponds to a second piezoelectric body 300. When there are multiple second piezoelectric bodies 300, a number of second sliders 423 can be set in a manner equivalent to the number of second piezoelectric bodies 300. Multiple sliders can be distributed around the first piezoelectric body 200. In this case, multiple second sliders 423 can be driven by a first slider 422. The first slider 422 can be configured as a ring structure and cooperate with multiple second sliders 423 at the same time. Alternatively, each second slider 423 can be driven by a first slider 422. No limitation is made here.

[0062] The aforementioned drive mechanism 400 can also achieve the purpose of moving with the bottom wall 104 during the vibration of the walking foot 30 and driving the second piezoelectric body 300 to generate piezoelectric charges. Furthermore, the aforementioned drive mechanism 400 has the following advantages: 1) The number of second piezoelectric bodies 300 can be adaptively set to correspond to the number of second sliders 423, resulting in a simple structure and lower cost. 2) Damaged parts, such as the second slider 423, are easy to replace.

[0063] The walking foot 30 and robot 10 provided in this embodiment have the characteristics of simple structure and high efficiency in recovering vibration energy, which helps to extend the battery life of robot 10.

[0064] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A walking foot, characterized in that, Applied to robots, the walking legs include: The foot has a cavity and includes an inner wall that surrounds the cavity. The inner wall includes a bottom wall, a top wall, and a side wall. The top wall is opposite to the bottom wall, and the side wall is connected between the bottom wall and the top wall. The side wall has multiple mounting cavities that communicate with the cavity. The foot also has a ground-contacting surface opposite to the bottom wall. One or more first piezoelectric elements are disposed on the bottom wall and located within the content cavity; A plurality of second piezoelectric elements are provided, each of which is laterally disposed within a mounting cavity. The plurality of second piezoelectric elements are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner, and the second piezoelectric elements and the first piezoelectric elements are disposed in different directions. A driving mechanism, disposed within the content cavity and connected to the bottom wall, comprises multiple vertically arranged hinge units. Each hinge unit includes a first hinge segment, a second hinge segment, and a third hinge segment. One end of the first hinge segment is hinged to the top wall, and the other end is inclined towards the side wall. One end of the third hinge segment is hinged to the bottom wall, and the other end is inclined towards the side wall. One end of the second hinge segment is hinged to the end of the first hinge segment away from the top wall, and the other end is hinged to the end of the third hinge segment away from the bottom wall. When the ground contact surface touches the ground, the bottom wall drives the first piezoelectric element and the driving mechanism, causing the first hinge segment and the third hinge segment to press against the second hinge segment, thereby causing the second hinge segment to drive a second piezoelectric element. An energy storage device, which is electrically connected to the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element.

2. The walking foot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge unit is a plurality of such hinge units, which are arranged around the first piezoelectric body, and the second hinge segment of each hinge unit is used to cooperate with a second piezoelectric body.

3. The walking foot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The foot is also provided with a first wire groove and a second wire groove. The walking foot also includes a first wire and a second wire. The first wire is electrically connected to the energy storage device and the first piezoelectric element. The first wire passes through the first wire groove. The second wire is electrically connected to the energy storage device and the second piezoelectric element. The second wire passes through the second wire groove.

4. The walking foot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Both the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element include multiple stacked piezoelectric ceramic sheets.

5. A robot, characterized in that, The robot is provided with at least one walking foot as described in any one of claims 1-4.

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