A mobile robot

Abstract

This invention relates to robotic devices and discloses a mobile robot. The mobile robot provided by this invention includes a body and a wide-angle lidar. The body is a vertically placed, semi-elliptical sphere, tapering at the top and widening at the bottom. The wide-angle lidar is positioned above the body, with its projection located near the geometric center of the body. This invention, by designing its body as a vertically placed, semi-elliptical sphere and placing the wide-angle lidar directly above it, allows for comprehensive environmental perception over a large area with only one wide-angle lidar. This design also reduces manufacturing costs and eliminates the need for data processing from multiple sensors, thus simplifying data processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotic equipment technology, and in particular to a mobile robot. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in order to perceive their surroundings, mobile robots are equipped with multiple sensors in various directions on their bodies to sense their surroundings.

[0003] Chinese Patent Application No. 2020218038837 discloses a quadruped robot with an ultra-wide field of view, including a body with a cavity, a head and a tail located at the end of the body, and legs assembled with the body; the legs and the lower part of the body form a blind zone between the robot's abdomen and the ground; one, two, or all of the body, head, tail, and legs are equipped with a wide-angle lens or fisheye lens capable of scanning ground information and / or information about obstacles around the robot; the wide-angle lens or fisheye lens is mounted downwards or tilted downwards, and its line of sight can radiate to the blind zone between the abdomen and the ground.

[0004] In the above technical solution, the camera body has a square structure, which means that the field of view of the wide-angle lens or fisheye lens is greatly obstructed no matter where it is installed on the camera body, making it impossible to obtain a large range of environmental information around the camera body.

[0005] Furthermore, in order to acquire environmental information from all directions of the quadruped robot as much as possible, multiple wide-angle lenses or fisheye lenses are set up in the above technical solution. Although this greatly improves the quadruped robot's perception capabilities, it also increases the cost of production and manufacturing, as well as the difficulty of data processing. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the first objective of this invention is to provide a mobile robot that can acquire environmental information of a large area around its body by setting a wide-angle lidar on its body.

[0007] The second objective of this invention is to provide a mobile robot with a body designed as a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and a wide-angle laser radar positioned above the body. The thinner body and thicker bottom design effectively reduces obstruction of the wide-angle laser radar, allowing it to have a larger field of view. This enables the wide-angle laser radar to effectively acquire environmental information around the body. The solution is simple, practical, easy to manufacture, and has low manufacturing costs.

[0008] The third objective of this invention is to provide a mobile robot with a body designed as a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and a lens mounted on the thin end of the geometric shape. This effectively reduces obstruction of the lens's line of sight, allowing the lens to have a larger field of view and thus effectively acquire environmental information about a larger area around the robot.

[0009] To achieve one of the above objectives, the first technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0010] A mobile robot, including a body and a wide-angle lidar,

[0011] The fuselage is a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and the wide-angle laser radar is located near the top of the fuselage.

[0012] Through continuous exploration and experimentation, this invention designs the fuselage as a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and places the wide-angle lidar above the fuselage. The thinner top and thicker bottom design effectively reduces obstruction of the wide-angle lidar, giving it a larger field of view. This allows the lidar to effectively acquire environmental information around the fuselage over a wider area. The solution is simple, practical, easy to manufacture, and has low manufacturing costs.

[0013] As a preferred technical measure:

[0014] The fuselage is a vertically placed semi-elliptical sphere, cone, or frustum;

[0015] The axis of the wide-angle lidar is tilted toward the direction of the aircraft's movement to obtain a larger scanning area in the direction of movement, and to place the scanning center of the wide-angle lidar directly in front of the direction of the aircraft's movement.

[0016] This invention can achieve a wide range of perception of the surrounding environment of the aircraft using only a wide-angle lidar, with low manufacturing cost and no data processing issues involving multiple sensing devices, thus reducing the difficulty of data processing.

[0017] Meanwhile, tilting the wide-angle LiDAR installation direction towards the robot's forward movement allows for the acquisition of environmental information over a wider area in front of the robot. This enables the wide-angle LiDAR to scan the area directly in front of the robot with detailed, high-resolution images, aiding in the robot's movement and obstacle avoidance.

[0018] As a preferred technical measure:

[0019] The robot body is equipped with a support structure, through which the wide-angle lidar is fixed to the upper part of the robot body. The support structure is relatively small and hardly obstructs the scanning view of the lidar, thus enabling real-time detection of the ground and surrounding conditions around the robot.

[0020] The support member is an n-shaped structure, a rod-shaped structure, or an inverted L-shaped structure, which further reduces the obstruction of the wide-angle lidar's line of sight.

[0021] As a preferred technical measure:

[0022] A panoramic camera is installed above the robot body or above the wide-angle lidar, with the main field of view facing the direction of the robot's movement. Positioning a panoramic camera above the robot body allows for the acquisition of more environmental information surrounding the robot. It offers a wide field of view, a simple structure, low cost, and high reliability, enabling omnidirectional image acquisition for the robot.

[0023] As a preferred technical measure:

[0024] The panoramic camera is fixed at the highest point of the mobile robot;

[0025] Alternatively, the panoramic camera may be directly fixed to the support or the top of the camera body;

[0026] And / or, the bottom of the fuselage is provided with a moving device to drive the fuselage to move, and a shock-absorbing suspension device is provided between the moving device and the fuselage.

[0027] As a preferred technical measure:

[0028] The mobile device includes a first drive wheel, a second drive wheel, and a driven wheel that assists in steering. The first drive wheel and the second drive wheel rotate at a differential speed to steer the fuselage.

[0029] As a preferred technical measure:

[0030] The driven wheel is either a driven omnidirectional wheel or a driven universal wheel. The driven omnidirectional wheel is arranged in a "U" shape with the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel at the bottom of the fuselage. Alternatively, the driven universal wheel is arranged in a "+" shape with the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel at the bottom of the fuselage. Or, only one driven omnidirectional wheel and one driven universal wheel are provided. The driven omnidirectional wheel is arranged in a "T" shape with the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel at the bottom of the fuselage.

[0031] To achieve one of the above objectives, the second technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0032] A mobile robot includes a body with a receiving cavity and a camera for acquiring information from the outside world;

[0033] The body is a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and the lens is mounted on its top or upper end.

[0034] Through continuous exploration and experimentation, this invention designs the camera body as a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and mounts the lens at the thinner end of the geometric shape. This effectively reduces obstruction of the lens's line of sight, giving the lens a wider field of view. As a result, it can effectively acquire environmental information about a larger area around the camera body. The solution is simple, practical, easy to manufacture, and has low manufacturing costs.

[0035] As a preferred technical measure:

[0036] The lens is a wide-angle lidar, panoramic camera, or fisheye lens.

[0037] The upper and lower surfaces of the machine body have a smooth and continuous transition, which is visually appealing, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to promote and use.

[0038] As a preferred technical measure:

[0039] The lens is fixed to the center position on the upper part of the body of the camera body by the support member;

[0040] The height of the body is H; the area of ​​the lower surface of the body is 2-8 times that of the upper surface of the body. On the one hand, this can meet the need to reduce the obstruction of the lens view, and on the other hand, it makes the body structure beautiful and visually appealing.

[0041] The support protrudes from the body at a height of h. Its shape, which is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, ensures that the field of view of the lens is blocked by less than 90 degrees, further reducing the obstruction of the wide-angle lidar's line of view. The solution is simple and practical.

[0042] The H = A * h;

[0043] 1.5≤A≤5.

[0044] This combination setup requires only one wide-angle lidar to achieve a wide range of perception of the surrounding environment of the aircraft. It has low manufacturing costs and does not involve the data processing of multiple sensing devices, thus reducing the difficulty of data processing.

[0045] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0046] Through continuous exploration and experimentation, this invention designs the fuselage as a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and places the wide-angle lidar above the fuselage. The thinner top and thicker bottom design effectively reduces obstruction of the wide-angle lidar, giving it a larger field of view. This allows the lidar to effectively acquire environmental information around the fuselage over a wider area. The solution is simple, practical, easy to manufacture, and has low manufacturing costs.

[0047] Through continuous exploration and experimentation, this invention designs the camera body as a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and mounts the lens at the thinner end of the geometric shape. This effectively reduces obstruction of the lens's line of sight, giving the lens a wider field of view. As a result, it can effectively acquire environmental information about a larger area around the camera body. The solution is simple, practical, easy to manufacture, and has low manufacturing costs.

[0048] Furthermore, the present invention provides a mobile robot whose body shape is a vertically placed, semi-elliptical sphere that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and a wide-angle laser radar is positioned directly above the body. This combination arrangement allows for the perception of a large area of ​​the surrounding environment with just one wide-angle laser radar, resulting in low manufacturing costs and avoiding the data processing issues associated with multiple sensing devices, thus reducing the difficulty of data processing.

[0049] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 3 This is one schematic diagram of the point cloud distribution map acquired by the wide-angle lidar of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the field of view of the wide-angle lidar of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the field of view of the panoramic camera of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly position of the panoramic camera of the present invention.

[0056] In the diagram: 1. Fuselage; 2. Wide-angle LiDAR; 3. Panoramic camera; 4. Support component; 5. Driven omnidirectional wheel; 6. First drive wheel; 7. Second drive wheel; 8. Driven universal wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0058] It should be noted that when two components are "fixedly connected," the two components can be directly connected or there may be an intermediate component. Conversely, when an component is said to be "directly on" another component, there is no intermediate component. The terms "on," "below," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0059] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0060] The first specific embodiment of the mobile robot of the present invention:

[0061] A mobile robot includes a body with a receiving cavity and a camera for acquiring information from the outside world;

[0062] The body is a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, and the lens is mounted on its top or upper end.

[0063] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, a second specific embodiment of the mobile robot of the present invention is as follows:

[0064] A mobile robot includes a body 1 and a wide-angle lidar 2. The body 1 is a geometric shape with a continuous transition, tapering from top to bottom. The wide-angle lidar 2 is positioned above the body 1. The projection of the wide-angle lidar 2 does not need to be exactly at the geometric center of the body 1. By combining it with multiple sets of ultrasonic sensors, multiple sets of depth cameras, collision sensors, and 2D or 3D traditional lidar, the robot can monitor the terrain and obstacles around it at near and far distances in real time.

[0065] Specific embodiments of the fuselage structure 1 of the present invention:

[0066] The fuselage 1 is one of a vertically placed semi-elliptical sphere, cone, or frustum.

[0067] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, a specific embodiment of the wide-angle lidar 2 of the present invention is as follows:

[0068] The axis of the wide-angle LiDAR 2 is tilted towards the forward direction of the robot body 1 to obtain a larger scanning area in that direction, and to position the scanning center of the wide-angle LiDAR 2 directly in front of the robot body 1 in that direction. Tilting the installation direction of the wide-angle LiDAR 2 towards the forward direction of the robot body 1 allows for the acquisition of a wider range of environmental information in front of the robot body 1. This also enables the wide-angle LiDAR 2 to scan the area directly in front of the robot with detailed, high-resolution imaging, aiding in robot movement and obstacle avoidance.

[0069] A specific embodiment of the present invention with the addition of support member 4:

[0070] The robot body 1 is equipped with a support member 4, and the wide-angle lidar 2 is fixed above the robot body 1 via the support member 4. The support member 4 is relatively small and hardly obstructs the scanning view of the lidar, thus enabling real-time detection of the ground and surrounding conditions around the robot.

[0071] like Figure 5 As shown, a specific embodiment of the present invention includes an additional panoramic camera 3:

[0072] A panoramic camera 3 is installed above the robot body 1 or above the wide-angle LiDAR 2, with the main viewing angle of the panoramic camera 3 facing the forward direction of the robot body 1. Installing the panoramic camera 3 above the robot body 1 allows for the acquisition of more environmental information surrounding the robot body 1. It features a wide viewing angle, simple structure, low cost, and high reliability, enabling omnidirectional image acquisition for the robot.

[0073] like Figure 6 As shown, the first specific embodiment of the mounting position of the panoramic camera 3 of the present invention is as follows:

[0074] The panoramic camera 3 is fixed at the highest point of the mobile robot.

[0075] A second specific embodiment of the mounting position of the panoramic camera 3 of the present invention:

[0076] The panoramic camera 3 is directly fixed to the support 4 or the top of the body 1.

[0077] A specific embodiment of the present invention that adds a mobile device:

[0078] The bottom of the fuselage 1 is provided with a moving device that drives the fuselage 1 to move, and a shock-absorbing suspension device is provided between the moving device and the fuselage 1.

[0079] The mobile device includes a first drive wheel 6, a second drive wheel 7 that provide power, and a driven wheel that assists in steering. The first drive wheel 6 and the second drive wheel 7 rotate at a differential speed to turn the fuselage 1.

[0080] The driven wheel is either a driven omnidirectional wheel 5 or a driven universal wheel 8. The driven omnidirectional wheel 5, the first drive wheel 6, and the second drive wheel 7 are arranged in a "U" shape at the bottom of the body 1; the driven universal wheel 8, the first drive wheel 6, and the second drive wheel 7 are arranged in a "+" shape at the bottom of the body 1.

[0081] In this application, the fixed connection method can be screwing, welding, riveting, plugging, or connection through a third component. Those skilled in the art can choose according to the actual situation.

[0082] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the specific implementation of the present invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mobile robot, characterized in that, It includes the fuselage (1) and the wide-angle lidar (2). The fuselage (1) is a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom. The geometric shape is a vertically placed semi-elliptical sphere or frustum. The wide-angle laser radar (2) is located near the top of the fuselage (1). The fuselage (1) is provided with a support member (4); The wide-angle laser radar (2) is fixed to the center left and right position above the fuselage (1) by a support (4); The height of the fuselage (1) is H; the area of ​​the lower surface of the fuselage (1) is 2-8 times the area of ​​the upper surface of the fuselage (1); The support member (4) protrudes from the body (1) at a height of h. Its combination with the geometric shape that is thin at the top and thick at the bottom makes the range of the lens's line of sight less than 90 degrees. The H = A * h; 1.5≤A≤5。 2. A mobile robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The axis of the wide-angle lidar (2) is tilted toward the forward direction of the fuselage (1) to obtain a larger scanning area in the forward direction, and to make the scanning center of the wide-angle lidar (2) directly in front of the forward direction of the fuselage (1).

3. A mobile robot as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The support member (4) is an n-shaped structure, a rod-shaped structure, or an inverted L-shaped structure.

4. A mobile robot as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, A panoramic camera (3) is provided above the fuselage (1) or above the wide-angle laser radar (2), with the main view of the panoramic camera (3) facing the forward direction of the fuselage (1).

5. A mobile robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The panoramic camera (3) is fixed at the highest point of the mobile robot; Alternatively, the panoramic camera (3) may be directly fixed to the support (4) or the top of the body (1); And / or, the bottom of the fuselage (1) is provided with a moving device for driving the fuselage (1) to move, and a shock-absorbing suspension device is provided between the moving device and the fuselage (1).

6. A mobile robot as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The mobile device includes a first drive wheel (6), a second drive wheel (7) that provide power, and a driven wheel that assists in steering. The first drive wheel (6) and the second drive wheel (7) rotate at a differential speed to turn the fuselage (1).

7. A mobile robot as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The driven wheel is a driven omnidirectional wheel (5) or a driven universal wheel (8). The driven omnidirectional wheel (5) is arranged in a "U" shape with the first drive wheel (6) and the second drive wheel (7) at the bottom of the fuselage (1). The driven universal wheel (8) is arranged in a "+" shape with the first drive wheel (6) and the second drive wheel (7) at the bottom of the fuselage (1). Alternatively, only one driven omnidirectional wheel (5) and one driven universal wheel (8) are provided. The driven omnidirectional wheel (5) is arranged in a "T" shape with the first drive wheel (6) and the second drive wheel (7) at the bottom of the body (1); the driven universal wheel (8) is arranged in a "T" shape with the first drive wheel (6) and the second drive wheel (7) at the bottom of the body (1).

8. A mobile robot, characterized in that, It includes a body (1) with a receiving cavity and a lens for acquiring external information; The body (1) is a geometric shape that is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom. The geometric shape is a vertically placed semi-elliptical sphere or frustum, and the lens is installed on its top or upper end. The fuselage (1) is provided with a support member (4); The lens is fixed to the upper center left and right position of the body (1) by the support (4); The height of the fuselage (1) is H; the area of ​​the lower surface of the fuselage (1) is 2-8 times the area of ​​the upper surface of the fuselage (1); The support member (4) protrudes from the body (1) at a height of h. Its combination with the geometric shape that is thin at the top and thick at the bottom makes the range of the lens's line of sight less than 90 degrees. The H = A * h; 1.5≤A≤5。 9. A mobile robot as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The lens is a wide-angle lidar (2), a panoramic camera (3), or a fisheye lens; The upper and lower surfaces of the fuselage (1) are smooth and have a continuous transition.

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