A single-wheel quad-rotor air-ground dual-purpose robot

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular to a single-wheel four-rotor air-ground dual-purpose robot, which comprises a mainframe, servo motors installed on the inner side of the mainframe, a control module and an onboard computer, brushless motors installed at the four corner positions of the outer side of the mainframe, propellers drivenly connected with the brushless motors, a supporting plate installed on the lower side of the mainframe, ox horn universal wheels arranged at the bottom end of the supporting plate, batteries installed on the inner side of the supporting plate, a transmission mechanism meshedly connected with the servo motors, and a wheel mechanism arranged on one side of the inner side of the mainframe through the transmission mechanism. The robot provided by the application has the characteristics of light weight, few power components and low energy consumption, and can roll through special terrains such as narrow-joint tunnels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a unicycle quadcopter-type ground-air dual-purpose robot. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been increasingly used in various fields such as military, exploration, and rescue. These applications present challenges to UAVs in terms of energy efficiency and navigating challenging terrains, particularly narrow gaps. To address these difficulties, advanced technologies must be developed to improve the endurance and terrain adaptability of UAVs. This will greatly expand the application scope of UAVs. Unfortunately, it is difficult to solve multiple challenges simultaneously by optimizing traditional UAVs.

[0003] Regarding energy conservation in drones, researchers have proposed an innovative solution: using quadcopter pitch to provide forward thrust as input for controlling the rolling of passive wheeled mechanisms on the ground and for flying over obstacles. However, as the aircraft approaches the ground, the airflow around the propellers may become turbulent due to the wing-in-ground effect. This can lead to changes in lift and drag, directly affecting the accuracy of motion control and potentially causing serious problems for control models and controller design. Furthermore, adding wheeled mechanisms perpendicular to the drone's frame plane significantly increases the drone's size and weight, reducing maneuverability. In summary, while the quadcopter-based and differential wheel solution can reduce energy consumption, it also has adverse effects, making large-scale application difficult.

[0004] Academics and industry have made significant efforts to improve the terrain adaptability of drones. In applications such as inspection and exploration, drones may need to navigate narrow gaps and passages, such as square ventilation ducts and urban sewer pipes, posing a challenge to their application. Researchers have proposed foldable mechanical designs for the fuselage. One such design involves a deformable quadcopter whose robotic structure can fold to reduce its span and allow it to pass through narrow openings. Another researcher has proposed a bird-inspired robot with passive joints that can also fold segments to squeeze through narrow gaps. However, folding mechanisms have complex mechanical structures, leading to the following problems: 1) highly nonlinear system; 2) complex component assembly, large vibrations, and uncertain noise; 3) high degrees of freedom result in large cumulative errors, making control difficult. In summary, while folding mechanisms are useful for navigating narrow gaps, they have many drawbacks that make them difficult to apply in practice.

[0005] In short, no existing technology can simultaneously solve the two major challenges of energy saving and navigating special terrains (especially narrow gaps). Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems in existing technologies, this invention proposes a unicycle quadcopter dual-purpose ground and air robot. This robot can achieve both aerial flight and ground-based forward, backward, and turning movements with low energy consumption. Specifically, aerial movement is achieved by four brushless motors driving propellers to provide thrust, while ground movement is achieved by a servo motor driving a wheel mechanism through a bevel gear transmission mechanism to provide forward propulsion, and four brushless motors driving propellers to provide steering power. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0007] A unicycle quadcopter dual-purpose ground and air robot includes: a main frame, a servo motor, a control module and an onboard computer mounted on the inner side of the main frame, brushless motors mounted at the four corners of the outer side of the main frame, propellers driven and connected to the brushless motors, a support plate mounted and connected to the lower side of the main frame, omnidirectional wheels set at the bottom of the support plate, a battery mounted on the inner side of the support plate, a transmission mechanism meshing with the servo motors, and a wheel mechanism connected to one side of the inner side of the main frame through the transmission mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the main frame is an asymmetrical X-shaped frame, and the brushless motor is specifically installed at the four ends of the X-shaped frame.

[0009] Furthermore, the control module integrates a flight controller and an electronic speed controller, which respectively use Holybro Kakute H7 v1 and Tekko32 Metal 4 in 1 65A ESC STACK.

[0010] Furthermore, the wheel mechanism is surrounded by sponge strips, and the outer ring is wrapped with a white rubber ring.

[0011] Furthermore, since the support plate is inverted W-shaped, the horn-shaped casters are specifically installed at the ends of both sides of the support plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the airborne computer is connected to the control module via a serial port, and to the servo motor via a CAN bus.

[0013] Furthermore, the transmission mechanism includes: a bevel gear, a fixed shaft, and a bearing; one end of the fixed shaft 4 is connected to the wheel mechanism, and the other end is connected to the main frame; the bearing is disposed at one end of the fixed shaft and is fixedly connected to the wheel mechanism; the bevel gear is sleeved on the outside of the bearing, and the bevel gear meshes with the rotating shaft of the servo motor.

[0014] Furthermore, the main frame, support plate, and wheel mechanism are all made of carbon fiber structural material.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0016] 1. The robot provided by this invention realizes the controllable forward, backward, and turning movements of a drone on the ground. It is based on a servo motor that drives a wheel mechanism through a bevel gear transmission mechanism to provide forward power, and four brushless motors drive a propeller to provide steering power. The linear velocity (forward and backward) and angular velocity (steering) of the ground movement are driven and controlled separately. The control is simple and reliable. Compared with conventional ground and air robots, it reduces the number of power components, reduces the weight of the whole machine, and greatly reduces energy consumption.

[0017] The invention achieves a running distance approximately 3.8 times that of flight under ground conditions and a running time approximately 42.2 times that of flight, significantly improving both running distance and time while being highly energy-efficient.

[0018] 2. The robot provided by this invention has an aspect ratio of approximately 3:1 when moving on the ground. The minimum external cylinder height of the robot is 12 cm and 36 cm. The aspect ratio is significantly better than other dual-purpose ground and air robots, which allows the robot to pass through narrow gaps on the ground.

[0019] This invention enables the robot to pass through narrow gaps up to 18 centimeters wide while moving on the ground, which is about half the diameter of the robot's smallest circumscribed cylindrical cross-section. This greatly enhances the robot's adaptability to special terrains, especially its ability to pass through narrow gaps.

[0020] 3. The control method provided by this invention can stably and reliably drive a unicycle quadcopter amphibious robot to perform controllable flight, controllable forward, backward, and turning movements on the ground, and can also switch between flight and ground movements.

[0021] 4. The present invention has a simple structure, small size and weight, and high portability. At the same time, the various power components can be adjusted to adapt to various working conditions, making it suitable for use in special environments, such as: field exploration, disaster relief and rescue, and national defense and military industry. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a unicycle quadcopter ground-air dual-purpose robot according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a top-view schematic diagram of the robot of the present invention in flight mode;

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Top view;

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The left view;

[0026] Figure 5This is an exploded view of the detailed structure of the robot parts of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly and connection of the wheel mechanism, servo motor, and transmission mechanism of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly and connection of the wheel mechanism, bearing, connecting shaft, and main frame of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a theoretical force diagram of the robot of the present invention moving on the ground;

[0030] In the diagram, 1-wheel mechanism, 2-bearing, 3-bevel gear, 4-fixed shaft, 5-servo motor, 6-airborne computer, 7-control module, 8-battery, 9-main frame, 10-propeller, 11-support plate, 12-horn caster wheel, 13-brushless motor. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a unicycle quadcopter dual-purpose ground and air robot, including a wheel mechanism 1, a transmission mechanism, a servo motor 5, a main frame 9, a brushless motor 13, a propeller 10, a control module 7, a battery, etc.

[0033] In aerial flight mode, the top view of the dual-purpose ground-air robot of the present invention is as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0034] The main frame 9 is an asymmetrical X-shaped frame with a shaft diameter of 22 cm. The overall robot's flight is driven by a TMOTOR F60 PRO 2550KV brushless motor 13, which rotates a connected 5-inch three-bladed propeller 10 to output thrust. The brushless motor 13 is installed around the outer side of the main frame 9, that is, at the four ends of the X-shaped frame. The control module 7 is installed on the inner side of the main frame 9 and integrates a flight controller and an electronic speed controller (ESC). The flight controller and the ESC use Holybro Kakute H7 v1 and Tekko32 Metal 4 in 1 65A ESC STACK, respectively.

[0035] To enable the robot to operate with low energy consumption and traverse narrow gaps in ground rolling mode, this invention employs a wheeled mechanism 1 as the main component for ground rolling mode. It should be understood that the ground described in this invention refers to the contact surface where the robot operates in rolling mode.

[0036] The wheel mechanism 1 has a diameter of 36 cm and is wrapped with a white rubber ring on its outer circumference to increase friction. The wheel mechanism 1 is connected to and driven by a servo motor 5 mounted on the inner side of the main frame 9 via a transmission mechanism. The servo motor 5 is specifically mounted in the upper region of the inner side of the main frame 9. The transmission mechanism includes a bevel gear 3, a fixed shaft 4, and a bearing 2.

[0037] A support plate 11 is installed on the lower side of the main frame 9. The support plate 11 is in the shape of an inverted W. Horn-shaped universal wheels 12 are installed at both ends of the support plate 11. The horn-shaped universal wheels 12 are in contact with the ground to balance the reverse torque output of the servo motor 5 during the rolling process and to provide mechanical limit to ensure the stability of the pitch angle of the robot vehicle when it is rolling on the ground.

[0038] The robot is powered by a 2000 mAh 4S battery 8, which is mounted on the inner side of the support plate 11 to help stabilize the body's center of gravity.

[0039] This invention uses NVIDIA® Jetson Xavier as the onboard computer 6, which is installed on the inner side of the main frame 9. It is connected to the control module 7 via a serial port for rotor thrust and reversing control. The onboard computer 6 is also connected to the servo motor 5 via a CAN bus for torque and speed control.

[0040] For strength considerations, carbon fiber is used as the main structural material of the robot of this invention. The components involved include the main frame 9, the support plate 11, and the wheel mechanism 1. The wheel mechanism 1 is surrounded by sponge strips to cushion the impact when switching to flight mode.

[0041] The robot disclosed in this invention is designed to achieve low power consumption and to traverse narrow spaces using its rolling pattern.

[0042] In ground motion mode, servo motor 5 generates torque to produce rolling rotation around the initial yaw axis, and then this torque is transmitted through bevel gear 3, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the transmission ratio is i=2.

[0043] The wheel mechanism 1 is connected to the main frame 9 via a fixed shaft 4. A bearing 2 is installed at one end of the fixed shaft 4, and the bearing 2 is fixedly connected to the wheel mechanism 1. A bevel gear 3 is fitted around the outside of the bearing 2, meshing with the rotating shaft of the servo motor 5. The other end of the fixed shaft 4 is fixedly connected to the main frame 9. When the servo motor 5 operates, the bevel gear 3 rotates, causing the bearing 2 to selectively drive the wheel mechanism to rotate. Figure 7 As shown.

[0044] In summary, the robot's ground rolling mode uses the servo motor 5 to generate rolling torque, which is transmitted to the wheel mechanism 1 through the bevel gear 3. The wheel mechanism 1 rotates as the drive wheel. During the rolling process, the omnidirectional wheel 12 acts as an auxiliary wheel to cooperate with the rolling, so as to realize the robot's stable movement on the contact surface.

[0045] like Figure 8 As shown, the thrust difference generated by the four propellers 10 provides yaw torque. This unique combination of ground rolling and propeller thrust difference enables the robot to achieve more functions and flexible and efficient ground movement capabilities, such as rolling through narrow gaps, while reducing energy consumption.

[0046] The invention achieves a ground-based operating distance approximately 3.8 times that of flight and a operating time approximately 42.2 times longer, significantly improving both distance and time while being highly energy-efficient. The robot provided by this invention has an aspect ratio of approximately 3:1 when operating on the ground, with a minimum external cylindrical height of 12 cm and a diameter of 36 cm. This aspect ratio is significantly advantageous compared to other amphibious robots, allowing it to pass through narrow gaps on the ground. It can pass through a 18 cm wide gap when operating on the ground, approximately half the diameter of the robot's minimum external cylindrical cross-section, greatly enhancing its adaptability to special terrains, particularly in narrow gaps.

[0047] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. Although the implementation process of the present invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing examples or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. All modifications and equivalent substitutions made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A monowheel quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot, characterized in that, The utility model relates to a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle, including: main frame (9), servo motor (5) installed on the inner side of main frame (9), control module (7) and airborne computer (6), brushless motor (13) installed in the position of four corners of the outer side of main frame (9), propeller (10) driven connection with brushless motor (13), support plate (11) installed and connected in the lower side of main frame (9), horn universal wheel (12) is arranged in the bottom of support plate (11), battery (8) is installed on the inner side of support plate (11), transmission mechanism is engaged with servo motor (5), and wheel mechanism (1) is arranged and connected in the inner side of main frame (9) side by transmission mechanism. The main frame (9) is an asymmetrically designed x-shaped frame, and the brushless motor (13) is specifically installed at the four end positions of the x-shaped frame.

2. The wheel-omni quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module (7) is integrated with a flight controller and an electronic speed controller, and the flight controller and the electronic speed controller use Holybro Kakute H7 v1 and Tekko32 Metal 4 in 1 65A ESC STACK, respectively.

3. The wheel-omni quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel mechanism (1) is surrounded by a sponge strip, and a white rubber ring is wrapped on the outer ring.

4. The wheel-omni quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support plate (11) is in inverted W shape, and the horn universal wheel (12) is specifically installed at the two side ends of the support plate (11).

5. The wheel-rudder quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airborne computer (6) is connected with the control module (7) through a serial port, and the airborne computer (6) is connected with the servo motor (5) through a CAN bus.

6. The wheel-omni quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism includes bevel gears (3), fixed shafts (4) and bearings (2); one end of the fixed shaft (4) is connected to the wheel mechanism (1), and the other end is connected to the main frame (9); the bearing (2) is arranged at one end of the fixed shaft (4) and fixedly connected with the wheel mechanism (1), the bevel gear (3) is sleeved on the outer side of the bearing (2), and the bevel gear (3) is engaged with the rotating shaft of the servo motor (5).

7. The wheel-omni quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main frame (9), the support plate (11) and the wheel mechanism (1) are all made of carbon fiber structural material.

8. The wheel-omni quadcopter air-ground dual-purpose robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, ​

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