An omni-directionally mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot

Abstract

The present invention discloses an omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot. Through the design of inner and outer spherical shells, the easily worn wheel spines for excavation are installed on the outer spherical shell, retaining the characteristics of the fully enclosed spherical shell structure of the spherical robot, enabling the robot of the present invention to move freely in water. At the same time, the pod pole design is applied to the spherical robot, so that when the robot of the present invention realizes external operations, the integrity of the spherical structure is maintained to the greatest extent, endowing the robot with good passability and extremely strong environmental adaptability, and having great potential advantages and research value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot, specifically a spherical robot with adjustable wheel spines and deployable pod poles, belonging to the field of robots. Background Art

[0002] Detecting and sampling in deep and narrow caves is a challenging project. Especially for deep caves, the distance is far, the moving space is narrow, and the paths are variable and complex. Conventional means have very large operational limitations. Spherical robots rely on internal drive units to drive the spherical shell to achieve omnidirectional movement. Their mechanical structures and electronic devices are placed inside the spherical shell, which has good passability. At the same time, the fully enclosed spherical shell can well protect the internal structure, becoming an option for completing the detection and sampling of deep and narrow caves.

[0003] The spherical robot with the application number 202110309571.3 discloses a spherical robot that adopts a double-spherical shell structure and achieves shock absorption through buffer airbags and springs, effectively suppressing deformation, having good environmental adaptability and long battery life. At the same time, its internal drive mechanism adopts a symmetrical design, making it more stable during movement. However, it does not have the ability to operate externally.

[0004] The spherical handling robot with the application number 201621174315.9 discloses a spherical robot that places two robotic arms on both sides of the spherical robot in a non-opening form, which can clamp or place items. However, it is limited by the sphere itself, the operable space is not large, and the operability is not high, sacrificing the protection of the closed spherical shell for its own robotic arms during movement.

[0005] The publication number CN103171638A proposes a spherical robot with binocular stereo vision, but it does not have the ability to operate externally and stable support; the publication number CN103171638A proposes a bionic robot for terrain survey, using barbs to increase the friction of the torso, but it does not mention the application of amphibious features; the publication number CN201825146U proposes a bouncy spherical robot with a stable platform, which uses a traditional telescopic rod mechanism for stable support; the publication number CN112429554A proposes a pod pole deployment and retraction mechanism based on metal belt drive, but there is no embodiment of its application on a spherical robot.

[0006] Based on the existing research ideas of spherical robots and the exploration and sampling practices in deep and narrow caves, the present invention proposes an omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot. By further developing the closed structure and excellent omnidirectional mobility of the spherical robot, the spherical robot described in the invention can not only move flexibly in a narrow space but also perform exploration and excavation at the target position, having great potential advantages and far-reaching research value. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a design scheme for an omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot. The robot realizes movement by making the drum-shaped wheel roll forward through the principle of the centroid offset driven by a pendulum, and realizes the excavation and sampling function through the flexible cooperation of the pod rod and the wheel spikes.

[0008] To achieve the above purpose, the solution provided by the present invention is:

[0009] The spherical robot includes a left spherical crown (4), a right spherical crown (15) and a drum-shaped wheel (19), wherein:

[0010] Both the left spherical crown (4) and the right spherical crown (15) are provided with a deployable pod rod reel (5), a pod rod driving motor (6), and a pod rod telescopic outlet (7); the pod rod driving motor (6) is fixed to the inner wall of the spherical crown, the deployable pod rod reel (5) is wound around the mover (22) of the pod rod driving motor, the pod rod telescopic outlet (7) is located on the horizontal center line of the spherical crown and is aligned with the pod rod reel limiting wheel (20), and the end (21) of the pod rod forms a rigid support after extending out through the pod rod telescopic outlet (7);

[0011] The drum-shaped wheel (19) includes an outer spherical shell (13) and an inner spherical shell (12). A sealed cavity is formed between the outer spherical shell (13) and the inner spherical shell (12), and a hydraulic pump (8) and multiple hydraulic hoses (18) are installed in the cavity;

[0012] A plurality of wheel spikes (1) are evenly distributed annularly on the outer surface of the outer spherical shell (13). Each wheel spike (1) is connected to the hydraulic hose (18) through a wheel spike connecting foot (3). The wheel spike connecting foot (3) is sleeved with a cylindrical spring (2). One end of the hydraulic hose (18) is connected to the hydraulic pump (8), and the other end forms a piston linkage structure with the wheel spike connecting foot (3). The telescopic height of the wheel spike (1) is adjusted by the pressure of the hydraulic pump;

[0013] A central shaft (9), a swing rod (10), a flywheel (11) and a central shaft driving motor are arranged inside the inner spherical shell (12). The central shaft (9) passes through the horizontal axis of the drum-shaped wheel (19) through a central shaft support bearing (14), and is fixed to the left spherical crown (4) and the right spherical crown (15) at both ends respectively; the mover (16) of the central shaft driving motor is fixed inside the central shaft (9), and the stator (17) of the central shaft driving motor is fixed to the inner wall of the inner spherical shell (12);

[0014] One end of the swing rod (10) is rigidly connected to the central axis (9), and the other end is equipped with a flywheel (11). The omnidirectional movement of the drum wheel (19) is achieved by the angular momentum generated by the rotation of the flywheel (11) and the offset of the center of mass of the swing rod (10).

[0015] The robot is configured such that when the end (21) of the pod rod extends and supports on the ground, the drum wheel (19) is driven by the central axis drive motor to rotate forward or backward relative to the left and right spherical crowns, and at the same time, the wheel spikes (1) fully extend to perform the excavation sampling operation.

[0016] The motion principle of the present invention is as follows:

[0017] The spherical robot of the invention makes the drum wheel roll forward through the principle of swing-driven center of mass offset. Specifically, the central axis drive motor on the central axis (9) rotates, changing the positions of the swing rod (10) and the flywheel (11) to achieve the offset of the center of gravity and center of mass of the spherical robot, completing the forward and backward movement of the spherical robot. The in-situ turning of the drum wheel (19) is achieved through the rotation of the flywheel (11), thereby realizing omnidirectional movement.

[0018] The wheel spikes (1) on the drum wheel (19) can realize the flexible lifting of the wheel spikes (1) through the action of the hydraulic pump (8) on the cylindrical spring (2); the telescopic height of the wheel spikes (1) is dynamically adjusted according to the softness of the ground. Specifically, the hydraulic pump (8) adjusts the pressure in the hydraulic hose (18) according to the pressure signal fed back by the sensor, and controls the extension length of the wheel spikes through the compression amount of the cylindrical spring (2).

[0019] The foldable pod rod reel (5) is driven by the pod rod drive motor (6). After extending from the pod rod telescopic outlet (7) through the pod rod reel limit wheel (20), it can be used as a support to keep the position of the spherical robot stationary; the stator of the pod rod drive motor (6) is fixedly sealed with the inner wall of the spherical crown by hot melt adhesive, and a waterproof rubber ring is provided at the pod rod telescopic outlet (7) to ensure the sealing performance of the robot in the amphibious environment.

[0020] When the foldable pod rod is used as a support to keep the position of the sphere stationary, the drum wheel (19) can rotate forward or backward relative to the left and right spherical crowns through the central axis drive motor, and the excavation sampling function of the spherical robot is realized by adjusting the lifting of the wheel spikes (1) through the hydraulic pump (8); the forward and reverse rotations of the drum wheel (19) are controlled by the bidirectional rotation of the central axis drive motor, and when rotating forward, the wheel spikes (1) cut into the ground for excavation, and when rotating backward, the wheel spikes (1) retract to achieve smooth movement.

[0021] Advantages and Benefits of the Invention: For an omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot described in the present invention, through the design of the inner and outer spherical shells, the easily worn wheel spurs for excavation are installed on the outer spherical shell, which maximally retains the characteristics of the fully enclosed spherical shell structure of the spherical robot, enabling the robot described in the present invention to move freely in water; at the same time, the pod rods are applied to the spherical robot, so that the spherical robot of the present invention neither needs an external manipulator to affect the overall spherical structure nor needs to adopt an opening and closing type of internal attachment of external operation components to the spherical shell, maximizing the structural integrity of the spherical robot. And the designed retractable wheel spurs enable the robot to have good passability and extremely strong environmental adaptability, with great potential advantages and research value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below.

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the spherical robot;

[0024] Figure 2 is a side view of the internal structure of the drum-shaped wheel of the spherical robot;

[0025] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the spherical crown of the spherical robot;

[0026] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the pod rod extending out of the spherical robot;

[0027] Figure 5 is a front view of the rolling mode of the spherical robot;

[0028] Figure 6 is a side view of the excavation mode of the spherical robot;

[0029] The reference numerals in the drawings are: 1 - wheel spur; 2 - cylindrical spring; 3 - wheel spur connecting foot; 4 - left spherical crown; 5 - foldable pod rod reel; 6 - pod rod driving motor; 7 - pod rod telescopic outlet; 8 - hydraulic pump; 9 - central shaft; 10 - swing rod; 11 - flywheel; 12 - inner spherical shell; 13 - outer spherical shell; 14 - central shaft support bearing; 15 - right spherical crown; 16 - central shaft driving motor mover; 17 - central shaft driving motor stator; 18 - hydraulic hose; 19 - drum-shaped wheel; 20 - pod rod reel limiting wheel; 21 - pod rod end; 22 - pod rod driving motor mover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] To better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. In addition, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0031] As Figure 1 shown is a schematic internal structure diagram of the spherical robot. The overall structure is composed of a left spherical crown (4), a drum-shaped wheel (19), and a right spherical crown (15). Among them, the left and right spherical crowns are symmetric structures and are located on both sides of the sphere respectively. The drum-shaped wheel (19) is the main structure of the spherical robot.

[0032] As Figure 2 shown is a side view of the internal structure of the drum-shaped wheel of the spherical robot according to the present invention. Among them, the drum-shaped wheel (19) is divided into an outer spherical shell (13) and an inner spherical shell (12). A silicone damping layer is filled between the outer spherical shell (13) and the inner spherical shell (12) to absorb vibration shocks during the excavation process. The central axis (9) in the inner spherical shell (12) passes through the horizontal central axis of the drum-shaped wheel (19) through a central axis support bearing (14). The left end is fixedly connected to the left spherical crown (4), and the right end is fixedly connected to the right spherical crown (15). The central axis drive motor mover (16) is installed in the central axis (9), and the central axis drive motor stator (17) is fixedly connected to the inner spherical shell (12). One end of the swing rod (10) is fixedly connected to the central position of the central axis (9), and the other end of the swing rod (10) is connected to the flywheel (11) through a flywheel drive motor; a hydraulic pump (8) and a hydraulic hose (18) are installed between the outer spherical shell (13) and the inner spherical shell (12). The end of the hydraulic hose (18) is connected to the wheel thorn connecting foot (3) to realize the lifting of the wheel thorn (1) through an adjusting cylindrical spring (2), providing good grip for the movement of the spherical robot.

[0033] As Figure 3 shown is a schematic internal structure diagram of the spherical crown of the spherical robot. In this figure, the foldable pod rod coil (5) is in a contracted state. Among them, the foldable pod rod coil (5) is contracted into a coil shape and wound around the pod rod drive motor mover (22). Its end is fixed through the pod rod coil limit wheel (20). In this state, the end of the pod rod (21) is between the pod rod coil limit wheel (20) and the pod rod telescopic outlet (7).

[0034] As Figure 4 shown is a schematic diagram of the pod rod extending of the spherical robot. The foldable pod rod coil (5) is driven by the pod rod drive motor (6) to unfold and, through the action of the pod rod coil limit wheel (20), unfolds into a rod-shaped structure and extends out from the pod rod telescopic outlet (7) until it is stably supported on the ground.

[0035] As Figure 5The front view of the rolling mode of the spherical robot is shown. At this time, the left spherical crown (4), the drum wheel (19), and the right spherical crown (15) form a unified whole, which is rotated by the central axis drive motor on the central axis (9), changing the positions of the swing rod (10) and the flywheel (11) to achieve the centroid offset of the spherical robot and complete the forward and backward movement of the spherical robot. At the same time, the wheel spikes (1) on the drum wheel (19) are lifted and lowered by the action of the hydraulic pump (8) on the cylindrical spring (2) to provide good grip for the forward and backward movement of the spherical robot. The drum wheel rotates in place by accelerating or decelerating the rotation of the flywheel (11), thereby achieving omnidirectional movement.

[0036] As Figure 6 The side view of the excavation mode of the spherical robot is shown. When the spherical robot moves from the rolling mode to the target position, it enters the excavation mode. At this time, the left spherical crown (4), the drum wheel (19), and the right spherical crown (15) are separated. The drum wheel can rotate forward or reverse relative to the left and right spherical crowns. The deployable pod rod roll (5) extends out and stably supports on the ground, fixing the position of the spherical robot. The large-torque central axis drive motor on the central axis (9) rotates to drive the whole drum wheel (19) to rotate in place. At this time, the wheel spikes (1) fully extend, and the ground or wall at the target position can be excavated.

[0037] For those of ordinary skill in the art, according to the teachings of the invention, without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations made to the embodiments still fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot, characterized in that, It includes a left spherical crown (4), a right spherical crown (15) and a drum-shaped wheel (19), where: both the left spherical crown (4) and the right spherical crown (15) are provided with foldable pod rods reels (5), pod rod drive motors (6), and pod rod telescopic outlets (7); the pod rod drive motors (6) are fixed to the inner wall of the spherical crown, the foldable pod rods reels (5) are wound around the rotors (22) of the pod rod drive motors, the pod rod telescopic outlets (7) are located on the horizontal center line of the spherical crown and are aligned with the pod rod reel limit wheels (20), and the ends (21) of the pod rods form a rigid support after extending out through the pod rod telescopic outlets (7); the drum-shaped wheel (19) includes an outer spherical shell (13) and an inner spherical shell (12), a sealed cavity is formed between the outer spherical shell (13) and the inner spherical shell (12), a hydraulic pump (8) and multiple hydraulic hoses (18) are installed in the cavity; a plurality of wheel spikes (1) are evenly distributed in a ring on the outer surface of the outer spherical shell (13), each wheel spike (1) is connected to the hydraulic hose (18) through a wheel spike connecting foot (3), a cylindrical spring (2) is sleeved on the wheel spike connecting foot (3), one end of the hydraulic hose (18) is connected to the hydraulic pump (8), and the other end forms a piston linkage structure with the wheel spike connecting foot (3), and the telescopic height of the wheel spike (1) is adjusted by the pressure of the hydraulic pump; a central shaft (9), a swing rod (10), a flywheel (11) and a central shaft drive motor are arranged inside the inner spherical shell (12), the central shaft (9) passes through the horizontal axis of the drum-shaped wheel (19) through a central shaft support bearing (14), and the two ends are respectively fixed to the left spherical crown (4) and the right spherical crown (15); the rotor (16) of the central shaft drive motor is fixed inside the central shaft (9), and the stator (17) of the central shaft drive motor is fixed to the inner wall of the inner spherical shell (12); one end of the swing rod (10) is rigidly connected to the central shaft (9), and the other end is provided with a flywheel (11), and the omnidirectional movement of the drum-shaped wheel (19) is realized through the angular momentum generated by the rotation of the flywheel (11) and the offset of the center of mass of the swing rod (10); the robot is configured such that when the ends (21) of the pod rods extend out and support on the ground, the drum-shaped wheel (19) is driven by the central shaft drive motor to rotate forward or backward relative to the left and right spherical crowns, and at the same time, the wheel spikes (1) fully extend to perform excavation sampling operations.

2. The omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The telescopic height of the wheel spike (1) is dynamically adjusted according to the softness of the ground. Specifically, the hydraulic pump (8) adjusts the pressure inside the hydraulic hose (18) according to the pressure signal feedback by the sensor, and controls the extending length of the wheel spike (1) through the compression amount of the cylindrical spring (2).

3. The omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pod rod drive motor (6) is hermetically fixed to the inner wall of the spherical crown by hot melt adhesive, and the pod rod telescopic outlet (7) is provided with a waterproof rubber ring to ensure the sealing performance of the robot in the amphibious environment.

4. The omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The forward and reverse rotations of the drum-shaped wheel (19) are controlled by the bidirectional rotation of the central shaft drive motor. When rotating forward, the wheel spikes (1) cut into the ground for excavation, and when rotating backward, the wheel spikes retract to achieve smooth movement.

5. The omnidirectional mobile amphibious spherical excavation and sampling robot according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, A silica gel damping layer is filled between the outer spherical shell (13) and the inner spherical shell (12) to absorb the vibration impact during the excavation process.

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