Incomplete gear-based wheel-legged robot power switching mechanism, leg, wheel-legged robot

Abstract

This invention discloses a power switching mechanism, legs, and a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears. The power switching mechanism includes a switching module, a reversing module, and a wheel-fixed connection module. A first power source transmits power to a switching gear mounted on a switching shaft in the switching module, and a second power source transmits power to a leg gear mounted on a wheel-fixed shaft in the wheel-fixed connection module. The wheel mechanism is fixed to the wheel-fixed shaft, and the leg mechanism is fixed to the reversing shaft in the reversing module. The first and second power sources cooperate to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear in the reversing module to mesh with the switching gear, thus powering the wheel mechanism; and to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear to mesh with the leg gear, thus powering both the wheel mechanism and the leg mechanism. This invention cleverly solves the wheel-leg switching problem by utilizing the simple switching module, reversing module, and wheel-fixed connection module, reducing the use of power sources and saving energy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a power switching mechanism for a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears, legs, and a wheel-legged robot, belonging to the field of robot technology. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, legged robots suffer from poor endurance, and wheeled robots have poor obstacle-crossing capabilities. As a result, wheel-legged robots, which combine wheeled and legged features, have emerged. However, existing wheel-legged robots have too many motors in each leg, and the hip and knee joints are extremely complex in design. One motor drives one joint, resulting in high energy consumption and large leg inertia. Solving the problem of driving multiple joints with fewer motors remains a challenge. Wheel-legged robots are robots with multiple locomotion modes, excellent obstacle-crossing ability, mobility, and stability, and are widely used in various environments for tasks such as detection, surveying, and rescue. In the design of wheel-legged robots, the leg structure is a crucial component, directly affecting the robot's stability and motion performance. Therefore, it is necessary to research new leg structures to provide reference and guidance for practical applications. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a power switching mechanism for a wheeled-legged robot based on incomplete gears, a leg, and a wheeled-legged robot. By cooperating with two power sources, a switching module, a reversing module, and a wheel fixing module, the power switching between wheeled and legged modes is realized.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is:

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a power switching mechanism for a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears is provided, comprising a switching module, a reversing module, and a wheel-fixing module; a first power source 6 transmits power to a switching gear 33 mounted on a switching shaft 30 in the switching module, and a second power source 12 transmits power to a leg gear 23 mounted on a wheel-fixing shaft 22 in the wheel-fixing module; a wheel mechanism 3 is fixedly connected to the wheel-fixing shaft 22, and a leg mechanism 4 is fixedly connected to a reversing shaft 19 in the reversing module; the first power source 6 and the second power source 12 cooperate to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 in the reversing module to mesh with the switching gear 33, thereby providing power to the wheel mechanism 3; and to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 to mesh with the leg gear 23, thereby providing power to the wheel mechanism 3 and the leg mechanism 4.

[0006] The switching gear 33, the incomplete gear 27, and the foot gear 23 are each equipped with an instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 for preventing tooth malfunction. Specifically, one instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 is installed on the switching gear 33 and the foot gear 23, and a pair of instantaneous center line auxiliary plates 20 are installed on the incomplete gear 27. One instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 on the incomplete gear 27 is used when switching from wheel-type motion to foot-type motion mode, so that when the toothed side of the foot gear 23 and the incomplete gear 27 meshes, the first tooth engages as one tooth before entering the meshing position. The other instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 on the incomplete gear 27 is used when switching from foot-type motion mode to wheel-type motion mode, so that when the first tooth of the switching gear 33 and the incomplete gear 27 meshes, the first tooth engages as one tooth before entering the meshing position.

[0007] The switching module includes a synchronous pulley I15, a switching shaft 30, a switching gear 33, a driving dial 31, and a driven dial 32. The switching shaft 30 is rotatably connected to the thigh mechanism 2 via a switching shaft bearing 40. The synchronous pulley I15 and the driving dial 31 are fixedly mounted on the switching shaft 30. The switching gear 33, which is sleeved on the switching shaft 30, is fixed to the driven dial 32, which is also sleeved on the switching shaft 30. The switching gear 33 obtains power from the first power source 6 through the synchronous pulley I15. The driving dial 31 and the driven dial 32 work together to enable the switching gear 33 to obtain power from the first power source 6. The switching gear 33 meshes with the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27, causing the lower leg mechanism 4 to lose power.

[0008] The reversing module includes a reversing shaft 19 and an incomplete gear 27; wherein, the reversing shaft 19 is rotatably connected to the thigh mechanism 2 through a reversing shaft bearing, and the incomplete gear 27 is fixedly installed on the reversing shaft 19; the end of the reversing shaft 19 extends from the inner thigh plate 21 and the outer thigh plate 25 in the thigh mechanism 2 and is fixedly connected to the lower leg mechanism 4.

[0009] The wheel-fixed module includes a wheel-fixed shaft 22, a foot gear 23, and a synchronous pulley II 24. The wheel-fixed shaft 22 is rotatably connected to the thigh mechanism 2 via a wheel-fixed shaft bearing 44. The foot gear 23 and the synchronous pulley II 24 are respectively fixedly mounted on the wheel-fixed shaft 22. The power of the second power source 12 is obtained through the synchronous pulley II 24, and the lower leg mechanism 4 is powered by the meshing of the foot gear 23 with the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, a wheel-legged robot leg structure based on incomplete gears is provided, including a first power source 6, a second power source 12, a thigh mechanism 2, a lower leg mechanism 4, a wheel mechanism 3, and a power switching mechanism as described in any one of the above.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears is provided, comprising a frame and a plurality of the above-described leg structures mounted on the frame.

[0012] It also includes the suspension mechanism 5.

[0013] The suspension mechanism 5 includes shock-absorbing spring clips 55, shock-absorbing springs 56, and spring clip connectors 57. Two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips 55 are rotatably connected at one end to the spring clip connector 57. Extension plates are provided on both sides of the middle of the two shock-absorbing spring clips 55 for connecting to the spring clip connector 57 via the shock-absorbing springs 56. The two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips 55 form an upper opening and a lower opening that are arranged vertically and communicate with each other, with the entrance of the upper opening being smaller than the entrance of the lower opening. The other end of the two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips 55 is the lower opening entrance.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are: with the cooperation of the first and second power sources, this invention cleverly utilizes a simple switching module, reversing module, and wheel connection module to solve the wheel-leg switching problem, reducing the use of power sources and saving energy; combined with the suspension mechanism, the thigh motor of the wheel-legged robot stops when it moves in a wheeled manner, and the anti-lock function of the thigh motor is used to place the lower leg in the suspension limit position to prevent the lower leg from falling down due to low or bumpy road surfaces. This invention reduces energy consumption and enhances the robot's endurance. It separates the wheel mechanism from the knee joint lower leg, ensuring no interference during foot movement, improving reliability during motion control, guaranteeing motion independence, and simplifying the kinetic chain. In the wheel-foot switching power mechanism, an instantaneous center line auxiliary plate is designed based on Willis's theorem to prevent tooth impact. This instantaneous center line auxiliary plate mechanism effectively solves the problem of tooth impact and collision that occurs when incomplete gears mesh with normal gears. The design is not limited to the scenario described in this invention and can be extended to other fields using incomplete gears, providing a good new approach to solving tooth impact and collision problems. This invention also incorporates visual sensors such as depth cameras, LiDAR, and ultrasonic sensors, automatically switching between wheel-foot and foot-wheel modes based on surrounding road conditions during robot movement. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the invention applied to a four-legged wheeled robot;

[0016] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the power module of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 This is an isometric view of the thigh mechanism of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a side view of the fixing method of the synchronous belt pulley IV of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 This is an isometric drawing of the thigh strength bar of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 6 This is an isometric view of the switching axis of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 This is an isometric view of the active dial of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 8 This is an isometric view of the driven dial of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 9 This is an isometric view of the commutation shaft of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 10 This is an isometric view of the instantaneous center line attachment plate of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 11 This is an exploded view of the switching module of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 12 This is an exploded view of the commutation module;

[0027] Figure 13 Exploded view of the wheel-foot fixed connection module;

[0028] Figure 14 Isometric view of the lower leg mechanism;

[0029] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the power switching transmission principle of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 16 This is a diagram showing the switching gear, incomplete gear, and foot gear states during the foot-based motion of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 17 The diagram shows the state of the gear switching, incomplete gear, and leg gear when switching from legged motion to wheeled motion.

[0032] Figure 18 This diagram illustrates the switching states of gears, incomplete gears, and foot gears during wheel-like motion.

[0033] Figure 19 Isometric view of shock absorber suspension mechanism Figure 1 ;

[0034] Figure 20 Isometric view of shock absorber suspension mechanism Figure 2 ;

[0035] Figure 21 This is an isometric view of the fuselage;

[0036] Figure 22 Isometric drawing of the fuselage side panel;

[0037] Figure 23 Isometric view of a three-hole angle bracket;

[0038] Figure 24 Isometric view of the two-hole angle bracket;

[0039] The labels in the diagram are as follows: 1-Body, 2-Thigh mechanism, 3-Wheel mechanism, 4-Lower leg mechanism, 5-Suspension mechanism, 6-First power source, 7-Thigh motor fixing screw, 8-Inner thigh plate fixing screw, 9-Thigh motor synchronous shaft, 10-Lower leg motor synchronous shaft, 11-Lower leg motor fixing screw, 12-Second power source, 13-Synchronous belt I, 14-Thigh strength rod, 15-Synchronous belt pulley I, 16-Thigh strength rod nut, 17-Instantaneous center line auxiliary plate connector 18-Instantaneous center line auxiliary plate connector II, 19-Reversing shaft, 20-Instantaneous center line auxiliary plate, 21-Inner thigh plate, 22-Wheel fixed connection shaft, 23-Foot gear, 24-Synchronous belt pulley II, 25-Outer thigh plate, 26-Mecanum wheel coupling, 27-Incomplete gear, 28-Instantaneous center line auxiliary plate fastener I, 29-Instantaneous center line auxiliary plate fastener II, 30-Switching shaft, 31-Driving dial, 32-Driven dial, 33-Switching gear, 34-Same 35 - Synchronous Belt Pulley III, 36 - Fixed Synchronous Belt Pulley Plate, 37 - Synchronous Belt Pulley Fixing Screw, 38 - Synchronous Belt Pulley IV, 39 - Synchronous Belt Pulley Fixing Nut, 40 - Switching Shaft Bearing, 41 - Fastening Screw, 42 - Driven Dial Fixing Nut, 43 - Driven Dial Fixing Screw, 44 - Wheel Connecting Shaft Bearing, 45 - Mecanum Gear Coupling Fixing Screw, 46 - Mecanum Gear, 47 - Lower Leg Connecting Positioning Plate, 48 - Lower Leg Fixing Screw, 49 - Lower Leg 50-Small leg, 51-Foot end fixing screw, 52-Foot end, 53-Foot end limiting rod, 54-Suspension body connecting plate, 55-Shock-absorbing spring clip, 56-Shock-absorbing spring, 57-Spring clip connector, 58-Suspension body connecting plate screw, 59-Body side plate, 60-Ultrasonic sensor, 61-LiDAR, 62-Body cover plate, 63-Depth camera, 64-Body side plate strength rod, 65-Three-hole angle bracket, 66-Two-hole angle bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but the scope of the invention is not limited to the description.

[0041] Example 1: As Figure 1-24As shown, according to one aspect of the present invention, a power switching mechanism for a wheel-legged robot based on an incomplete gear is provided, including a switching module, a reversing module, and a wheel-fixing module; a first power source 6 transmits power to a switching gear 33 installed on a switching shaft 30 in the switching module, and a second power source 12 transmits power to a leg gear 23 installed on a wheel-fixing shaft 22 in the wheel-fixing module; a wheel mechanism 3 is fixedly connected to the wheel-fixing shaft 22, and a leg mechanism 4 is fixedly connected to a reversing shaft 19 in the reversing module; the first power source 6 and the second power source 12 cooperate to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 in the reversing module to mesh with the switching gear 33, thereby providing power to the wheel mechanism 3; and to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 to mesh with the leg gear 23, thereby providing power to the wheel mechanism 3 and the leg mechanism 4.

[0042] Furthermore, such as Figure 10 , 16 As shown in Figure -18, the switching gear 33, incomplete gear 27, and foot gear 23 are each equipped with an instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 for preventing tooth impact. Specifically, one instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 is installed on the switching gear 33 and foot gear 23, and a pair of instantaneous center line auxiliary plates 20 are installed on the incomplete gear 27. One instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 on the incomplete gear 27 is used when switching from wheel-type to foot-type motion mode; when the foot gear 23 and the incomplete gear 27 mesh on their toothed sides, the first tooth engages as one tooth before entering the meshing phase. The other instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 on the incomplete gear 27 is used when switching from foot-type to wheel-type motion mode; when the switching gear 33 and the incomplete gear 27 mesh as one tooth before entering the meshing phase, the other instantaneous center line auxiliary plate engages as one tooth before entering the meshing phase. Additionally, the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate has a fixing hole and an adjusting hole, allowing for fine-tuning of its position on the switching gear 33, incomplete gear 27, and foot gear 23, ensuring that the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate effectively prevents tooth impact.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 , 7 As shown in Figures 8 and 11, the switching module includes a synchronous pulley I15, a switching shaft 30, a switching gear 33, a driving dial 31, and a driven dial 32. The switching shaft 30 is rotatably connected to the inner thigh plate 21 and outer thigh plate 25 of the thigh mechanism 2 via a switching shaft bearing 40. The synchronous pulley I15 and the driving dial 31 are fixedly mounted on the switching shaft 30 by fastening screws 41. The switching gear 33, fitted on the switching shaft 30, and the driven dial 32, fitted on the switching shaft 30, are fixed by driven dial fixing screws 43 and driven dial fixing nuts 42. Power from the first power source 6 is obtained through the synchronous pulley I15. The driving dial 31 and the driven dial 32 cooperate to enable the switching gear 33 to obtain power from the first power source 6. The switching gear 33 meshes with the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27, causing the lower leg mechanism 4 to lose power.

[0044] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 , 12 As shown, the reversing module includes a reversing shaft 19 and an incomplete gear 27; wherein, the reversing shaft 19 is rotatably connected to the inner thigh plate 21 and the outer thigh plate 25 in the thigh mechanism 2 through a reversing shaft bearing, and the incomplete gear 27 is fixedly installed on the reversing shaft 19 by a fastening screw 41; the end of the reversing shaft 19 extends out from the inner thigh plate 21 and the outer thigh plate 25 in the thigh mechanism 2 and is fixedly connected to the lower leg mechanism 4.

[0045] Furthermore, such as Figure 13 As shown, the wheel fixing module includes a wheel fixing shaft 22, a foot gear 23, and a synchronous pulley II 24; wherein, the wheel fixing shaft 22 is rotatably connected to the inner thigh plate 21 and the outer thigh plate 25 in the thigh mechanism 2 through a wheel fixing shaft bearing 44, and the foot gear 23 and the synchronous pulley II 24 are respectively fixedly installed on the wheel fixing shaft 22 by fastening screws 41; the power of the second power source 12 is obtained through the synchronous pulley II 24, and the lower leg mechanism 4 is powered by the meshing of the foot gear 23 with the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27.

[0046] According to another aspect of the present invention, a wheel-legged robot leg structure based on incomplete gears is provided, including a first power source 6, a second power source 12, a thigh mechanism 2, a lower leg mechanism 4, a wheel mechanism 3, and a power switching mechanism as described in any one of the above.

[0047] According to another aspect of the present invention, a novel wheel-legged robot based on an incomplete gear instantaneous center line attachment plate is provided, comprising a frame and multiple sets of legs as described above mounted on the frame. In the figures of the present invention, the leg structure comprises four legs, including two front legs and two hind legs, with the front and hind legs having identical structures arranged in a front-knee-back-elbow configuration.

[0048] Furthermore, it also includes a suspension mechanism 5. The shock-absorbing suspension mechanism 5 is located in the middle of the body and is used to suspend the foot end 51 of the lower leg when the robot is in wheel motion. It forms a stable triangular mechanism with the thigh mechanism 2 and the body 1, which has good stability.

[0049] Furthermore, such as Figure 19 , 20As shown, the suspension mechanism 5 includes a suspension body connecting plate 54, shock-absorbing spring clips 55, shock-absorbing springs 56, and spring clip connectors 57. Two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips 55 are rotatably connected at one end to the spring clip connectors 57, which are fixed to the suspension body connecting plate 54 by screws 58. Extension plates are provided on both sides of the middle of the two shock-absorbing spring clips 55 for connecting to the spring clip connectors 57 via the shock-absorbing springs 56. The two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips 55 form an upper opening and a lower opening that are arranged vertically and communicate with each other, with the entrance of the upper opening being smaller than the entrance of the lower opening. The other end of the two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips 55 is the lower opening entrance.

[0050] As can be seen from the technical solution of this invention, in terms of suspension, some researchers have used shock-absorbing suspension of the lower leg foot end to switch between legged and wheeled motion. This method is prone to the lower leg falling off during the switching process due to bumps or uneven / rough road conditions. This invention, in the process of switching from legged to wheeled motion, uses incomplete gears and switching gears meshing, powered by a thigh motor, to achieve a more effective, precise, efficient, simple, and stable switch between legged and wheeled motion. When the lower leg foot end is suspended in the slot, the thigh motor is turned off. At this time, the incomplete gear and switching gear are in a stationary state, and the thigh motor has an anti-lock function, which can safely and stably suspend the lower leg. The lower leg can be more stably and safely suspended in the slot of the shock-absorbing suspension mechanism, reducing energy waste. The wheeled-legged robot leg structure based on the incomplete gear instantaneous center line additional plate mechanism of this invention has the advantages of simple design, stable motion, and precise control, and has broad application prospects in robot walking, climbing, and obstacle crossing.

[0051] like Figure 2-4As shown, the first power source 6 includes a thigh motor, a thigh motor synchronous shaft 9, and a synchronous pulley IV 38. The outer rotor of the thigh motor is fixedly connected to the side plate 59 of the machine body via thigh motor fixing screws. The thigh motor synchronous shaft 9, which is positioned to the inner rotor of the thigh motor via a protruding pin, is fixedly connected to the inner thigh plate 21 via inner thigh plate fixing screws 8. A synchronous pulley IV 38, which is fixedly connected to the machine body 1, is loosely fitted on the thigh motor synchronous shaft 9. The synchronous pulley IV 38 is fixedly connected to the fixed synchronous pulley plate 36 via synchronous pulley fixing screws 37 and synchronous pulley fixing nuts 39, thus fixing the synchronous pulley. The pulley plate 36 is fixedly connected to the synchronous pulley fixing plate 35 with screws. The synchronous pulley fixing plate 35 is fixedly connected to the side plate 59 of the machine body with screws. Since the switching shaft 30 rotates relative to the hip joint when the thigh mechanism 2 swings, the synchronous pulley IV 38 fixed to the machine body 1 and the synchronous pulley I 15 on the switching shaft 30 are connected by the synchronous belt I 13. Therefore, the power of the thigh motor can be transmitted to the switching shaft 30 through the relative rotation between the synchronous pulley IV 38 and the synchronous pulley I 15. The power is transmitted to the switching gear 33 by the active dial 31 in the switching module II moving the driven dial 32.

[0052] like Figure 2-3 As shown, the second power source 12 includes a calf motor, a calf motor synchronous shaft 10, and a synchronous pulley III 34. The outer rotor of the calf motor is fixedly connected to the side plate 59 of the machine body by calf motor fixing screws 11, and the inner rotor of the calf motor is fixedly connected by screwing the calf synchronous shaft 10, which is loosely fitted on the outer thigh plate, into the positioning hole on the calf motor. The synchronous pulley III 34 and the synchronous pulley II 24 are connected by the synchronous belt II, and the synchronous pulley III 34 and the synchronous pulley II 24 are fixedly connected to the calf motor synchronous shaft 10 and the wheel coupling shaft 22 respectively by fastening screws 41. The wheel mechanism 3 is connected to the wheel coupling shaft. 22 is fixedly connected, and two kinematic chains are constructed through the second power source: Kinematic chain one is that the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 in the reversing module meshes with the switching gear 33, and the foot gear 23 in the wheel fixed module contacts the toothless side of the incomplete gear 27 in the reversing module III. The second power source provides power to the wheel mechanism 3 to realize wheel movement; Kinematic chain two is that the foot gear 23 in the wheel fixed module meshes with the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 in the reversing module III, and the switching gear 33 in the switching module contacts the toothless side of the incomplete gear 27. The second power source provides power to the wheel mechanism 3 and the lower leg mechanism to realize foot movement.

[0053] like Figure 2 , 5As shown, the thigh mechanism 2 includes an inner thigh plate 21, an outer thigh plate 25, and thigh strength rods 14. Power is output from the thigh motor to the thigh motor synchronous shaft 9. The thigh motor synchronous shaft 9 is connected to the inner thigh plate 21 by threads. The inner thigh plate 21, the outer thigh plate 25, and the three thigh strength rods 14 are fixed by thigh strength rod nuts 16, so that the thigh motor can directly control the thigh mechanism 2.

[0054] like Figure 14 As shown, the lower leg mechanism 4 includes a lower leg 50, a lower leg connecting positioning plate 47, a lower leg fixing screw 48, a lower leg connecting positioning plate screw 49, a foot end fixing screw 51, a foot end 52, and a foot end limiting rod 53. One end of the lower leg 50 is fixedly connected to the lower leg connecting positioning plate 47 by the lower leg fixing screw 48. The lower leg connecting positioning plate 47 is fixedly connected to the reversing shaft 19 by the lower leg connecting positioning plate fixing countersunk screw 49. The other end of the lower leg 50 is fixed to the foot end 52 by the foot end fixing screw 51, and the foot end limiting rod 53 is installed on the foot end.

[0055] like Figure 13 As shown, the wheel mechanism 3 includes a Mecanum wheel coupling 26, a Mecanum wheel coupling fixing screw 45, and a Mecanum wheel 46, wherein the Mecanum wheel 46 is connected to one end of the wheel coupling shaft 22 through the Mecanum wheel coupling 26 and the Mecanum wheel coupling fixing screw 45.

[0056] Furthermore, such as Figure 21-24 As shown, the frame includes a body 1, body side plates 59, body cover plates 62, and body side plate strength rods 64. The body side plates 59, body cover plates 62, and body 1 are connected by three-hole brackets 65, and the body side plates 59 and body 1 are connected by two-hole brackets 66. The frame is used to install the leg structure and can also be used to install lithium batteries, depth cameras 63, ultrasonic sensors 60, and lidar 61. Applying the leg structure of this invention to a wheel-leg integrated robot allows the robot to be used in different situations: when the robot is working on the ground, it can use lidar 61, depth cameras 63, and ultrasonic sensors 60 to build a map model based on the robot's visual depth algorithm using its own ultrasonic sensors. The data is then transmitted to the microcontroller to establish the map model. After the microcontroller analyzes the road conditions, it sends signals to the thigh motor and the lower leg motor, and the two motors work together to achieve wheeled and legged movements. When the robot is working on the ground, if the microcontroller detects obstacles or uneven surfaces, it will send a signal to switch the robot from wheeled to legged locomotion. If the surrounding ground is flat and wide, the microcontroller will send a signal to switch the robot from legged to wheeled locomotion.

[0057] The working principle of this invention is:

[0058] This invention is based on the discontinuous transmission principle of the incomplete gear 27, combined with the characteristics of legged motion in wheel-legged robots. The incomplete gear 27 is divided into two ranges: the toothed portion is the working range, and the toothless portion is the non-working range. That is, when power transmission is required, the kinematic chain is maintained. The toothed portion of the incomplete gear 27 meshes with the switching gear 33 and the legged gear 23 respectively. When the toothed portion of the incomplete gear 27 meshes with the switching gear 33, the toothless side of the incomplete gear 27 faces the legged gear 23. When gear 23 meshes, the toothless side of incomplete gear 27 faces the switching gear 33; combined with thigh motor, calf motor, shock-absorbing suspension mechanism 5, and instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20, the power switching between wheel and foot is realized; the thigh motor and calf motor provide power to realize foot movement, and combined with shock-absorbing suspension mechanism 5, wheel movement is realized. Combined with instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20, it prevents tooth collision and impact during wheel-to-foot and foot-to-wheel switching, truly achieving a smooth transition of meshing and ensuring the reliability and stability of the switching process.

[0059] like Figure 15-18 As shown, specifically:

[0060] During the foot-based movement, the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 meshes with the intermediate foot gear 23, and the switching gear 33 contacts the toothless side of the incomplete gear 27. At this time, it is the foot-based movement mode.

[0061] When the wheel-legged robot transitions from legged to wheeled motion, the thigh motor drives the entire leg to rotate inward, while the calf motor drives the calf mechanism 4 to retract inward. When the wheel mechanism 3 contacts the ground, the calf motor rotates the calf mechanism 4 to the preset position of inward retraction during legged motion. At this point, the thigh motor continues to drive the calf mechanism 4 to continue lifting upward. When the foot end 52 of the calf mechanism 4 rotates to the set position (when using a shock-absorbing suspension mechanism, the foot end can be rotated by the thigh motor to the upper opening position between the two shock-absorbing spring clips 55), the last tooth of the incomplete gear 27 disengages from the leg gear 23, and the first tooth of the incomplete gear 27 engages with the switching gear 33. The thigh motor stops rotating, and the toothed side of the incomplete gear 27 stops at the engagement position with the switching gear 33 (e.g., ...). Figure 18 (Illustrative image) Switches to wheeled motion. At the same time, since the thigh motor has an anti-lock function, it can completely hold the lower leg mechanism 4. In order to prevent the lower leg mechanism 4 from vibrating due to bumps when encountering low-lying or rugged roads during the movement, a shock-absorbing suspension mechanism 55 is designed.

[0062] During wheeled motion, the thigh motor stops working, and the switching gear 33 has no power, so the switching gear 33 will not rotate. The toothed part of the incomplete gear 27 is in a stationary state. Due to the anti-lock function of the thigh motor, the robot is more reliable and has stronger stability during wheeled motion. This is wheeled motion.

[0063] When the wheel-legged robot changes from wheeled motion to legged motion, the thigh motor is activated and reversed relative to the previous direction of change from legged to wheeled motion. The thigh motor drives the thigh to rotate outward, slowly lowering the lower leg mechanism 4. When the lower leg foot end 52 comes out from the set position, the last tooth of the incomplete gear 27 disengages from the switching gear 33. At this time, the first tooth of the incomplete gear 27 engages with the leg gear 23, switching to legged motion.

[0064] Furthermore, considering the potential for tooth collisions and impacts when switching from foot-based to wheel-based motion, and vice versa, a momentary centerline attachment plate 20 was designed. This plate has two holes: a fixing hole and an adjusting hole. The adjusting hole allows for position adjustment according to actual requirements, followed by fixation via momentary centerline attachment plate connector II 18 and momentary centerline attachment plate fastener II 29. The fixing hole allows momentary centerline attachment plate connector I 17 to pass through, and then via momentary centerline attachment plate fastener I 28 to connect the momentary centerline attachment plate 20 to the switching gear 33 and the incomplete gear 27, respectively. The foot gear 23 is connected (e.g., the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate connector I17 can be a semi-threaded bolt, that is, the tail end can be set with a thread to cooperate with the nut as the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate fastener I28; the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate connector II18 can be bolted to cooperate with the nut as the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate fastener II29). A pair of instantaneous center line auxiliary plates 20 are installed on the incomplete gear 27, and only one is installed on the switching gear 33 and the foot gear 23. Before the first tooth of the incomplete gear 27 meshes with the switching gear 33 and the foot gear 23 respectively, the instantaneous center line auxiliary plate 20 will enter the meshing one tooth in advance, which effectively avoids tooth collision and tooth hitting, making the process of switching from foot motion to wheel motion smoother and more reliable, and the transmission effect better.

[0065] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A power switching mechanism for a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears, characterized in that, Includes a switching module, a reversing module, and a wheel connection module; The first power source (6) transmits power to the switching gear (33) installed on the switching shaft (30) in the switching module, and the second power source (12) transmits power to the foot gear (23) installed on the wheel fixing shaft (22) in the wheel fixing module. The wheel mechanism (3) is fixedly connected to the wheel fixing shaft (22), and the lower leg mechanism (4) is fixedly connected to the reversing shaft (19) in the reversing module. The first power source (6) works in conjunction with the second power source (12) to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear (27) in the reversing module to mesh with the switching gear (33), so that the wheel mechanism (3) can obtain power; and to switch the toothed side of the incomplete gear (27) to mesh with the foot gear (23), so that the wheel mechanism (3) and the leg mechanism (4) can obtain power. The switching gear (33), incomplete gear (27), and foot gear (23) are each equipped with an instantaneous center line auxiliary plate (20) for preventing tooth malfunction. Specifically, one instantaneous center line auxiliary plate (20) is installed on the switching gear (33) and the foot gear (23), and a pair of instantaneous center line auxiliary plates (20) are installed on the incomplete gear (27). One instantaneous center line auxiliary plate (20) on the incomplete gear (27) is used to engage the first tooth as a tooth before the first tooth enters the mesh when the foot gear (23) and the incomplete gear (27) mesh on the toothed side during the switch from wheel motion to foot motion mode. The other instantaneous center line auxiliary plate (20) on the incomplete gear (27) is used to engage the first tooth as a tooth before the first tooth enters the mesh when the switch from foot motion mode to wheel motion mode. The switching module includes a synchronous pulley I (15), a switching shaft (30), a switching gear (33), an active dial (31), and a driven dial (32); wherein, the switching shaft (30) is rotatably connected to the thigh mechanism (2) through a switching shaft bearing (40), the synchronous pulley I (15) and the active dial (31) are fixedly installed on the switching shaft (30), the switching gear (33) sleeved on the switching shaft (30) and the driven dial (32) sleeved on the switching shaft (30) are fixed; the power of the first power source (6) is obtained through the synchronous pulley I (15), and the switching gear (33) obtains the power of the first power source (6) through the cooperation of the active dial (31) and the driven dial (32); the lower leg mechanism (4) loses power by meshing the switching gear (33) with the toothed side of the incomplete gear (27); The reversing module includes a reversing shaft (19) and an incomplete gear (27); wherein the reversing shaft (19) is rotatably connected to the thigh mechanism (2) through a reversing shaft bearing, and the incomplete gear (27) is fixedly installed on the reversing shaft (19); the end of the reversing shaft (19) extends from the inner thigh plate (21) and the outer thigh plate (25) in the thigh mechanism (2) and is fixedly connected to the calf mechanism (4).

2. The power switching mechanism for a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel connection module includes a wheel connection shaft (22), a foot gear (23), and a synchronous pulley II (24); wherein, the wheel connection shaft (22) is rotatably connected to the thigh mechanism (2) through a wheel connection shaft bearing (44), and the foot gear (23) and the synchronous pulley II (24) are respectively fixedly installed on the wheel connection shaft (22); the power of the second power source (12) is obtained through the synchronous pulley II (24), and the lower leg mechanism (4) is powered by meshing with the toothed side of the incomplete gear (27) through the foot gear (23).

3. A leg structure for a wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears, comprising a first power source (6), a second power source (12), a thigh mechanism (2), a lower leg mechanism (4), and a wheel mechanism (3), characterized in that, It also includes the power switching mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-2.

4. An incomplete gear-based wheel-legged robot, characterized in that, It includes a frame and multiple sets of leg structures as described in claim 3, mounted on the frame.

5. The wheel-legged robot based on incomplete gears according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a suspension mechanism (5).

6. The wheel-legged robot based on an incomplete gear according to claim 5, characterized in that, The suspension mechanism (5) includes shock-absorbing spring clips (55), shock-absorbing springs (56), and spring clip connectors (57). Two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips (55) are rotatably connected at one end to the spring clip connectors (57). Extension plates are provided on both sides of the middle of the two shock-absorbing spring clips (55) for connecting to the spring clip connectors (57) through the shock-absorbing springs (56). The two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips (55) form an upper opening and a lower opening that are arranged vertically and communicate with each other, with the entrance of the upper opening being smaller than the entrance of the lower opening. The other end of the two symmetrically arranged shock-absorbing spring clips (55) is the entrance of the lower opening.

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