A wheel-legged robot

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wheel-legged robot, comprising a body, a driving wheel, a driving structure, two front legs, and two hind legs; the driving wheel is rotatably connected to the body; the two front legs are spaced apart at the front end of the body and are rotatably connected to the body; the two hind legs are spaced apart at the rear end of the body and are rotatably connected to the body, and the rotation axes of the front legs, hind legs, and driving wheels are parallel to each other; the driving structure comprises a front leg driving unit, a hind leg driving unit, and a driving wheel driving unit; the front leg driving unit is disposed between the front legs and the body, the hind leg driving unit is disposed between the hind legs and the body, and is used to drive the hind legs relative to the body; the driving wheel driving unit is disposed between the body and the driving wheel, and is used to drive the driving wheel to rotate about an axis located transversely to the body, so that the driving wheel can drive the body to move. The wheel-legged robot in this solution can quickly switch between wheeled and legged modes, and its movement posture adjustment is relatively flexible, thereby improving its universality and being able to take into account speed, stability, and high obstacle surmountability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robots, and in particular to a wheel-legged robot. Background Art

[0002] With the advent of the intelligent era, the robotics industry continues to grow and develop. Intelligent robots are widely used in various fields, including logistics and transportation, industrial manufacturing, and daily life, becoming important assistants in people's production and life. Mobile robots can be divided into wheeled robots, legged robots, crawling robots, and swimming robots, depending on their structure.

[0003] For example, patent CN 206243252 U discloses a detachable wheeled robot. When the robot needs to move, the robot body is placed on a wheeled base, becoming a wheeled robot. When the robot is no longer needed to move, the robot body can be removed and placed on a table or other flat surface, becoming a desktop robot. However, the robot in this patent only moves via rotating wheels, and its obstacle-crossing performance is relatively poor. There is an urgent need to develop a composite mobile robot that can flexibly adjust its movement posture according to the external environment, thereby integrating speed, stability, and high obstacle-crossing performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a wheel-legged robot to solve the problem that robots in the existing technology only move through wheels and have relatively poor obstacle crossing performance. It is urgent to develop a composite mobile robot that can flexibly adjust its own movement posture according to the external environment, thereby integrating the technical problems of speed, stability and high obstacle crossing performance.

[0005] The present invention provides a wheel-legged robot, which comprises:

[0006] body;

[0007] A driving wheel, rotatably connected to the body;

[0008] Two front legs are spaced apart at the front end of the body, and the front legs are rotatably connected to the body;

[0009] Two hind legs are spaced apart from the rear end of the body, the hind legs are rotatably connected to the body, the rotation axes of the front legs, hind legs, and driving wheels are parallel to each other, and the front legs and hind legs can rotate to support the body on the ground via the driving wheels, and can also drive the driving wheels off the ground;

[0010] The driving structure includes a front leg driving unit, a rear leg driving unit and a driving wheel driving unit. The front leg driving unit is arranged between the front legs and the trunk to drive the front legs to rotate relative to the trunk. The rear leg driving unit is arranged between the rear legs and the trunk to drive the rear legs to rotate relative to the trunk. The driving wheel driving unit is arranged between the trunk and the driving wheel to drive the driving wheel to rotate around an axis located transversely to the trunk, so that the driving wheel can drive the trunk to move.

[0011] Optionally, each of the hind legs comprises:

[0012] A rear thigh, one end of which is rotatably connected to the trunk, so that the trunk can switch between contacting the ground and leaving the ground;

[0013] A rear lower leg, one end of which is rotatably connected to the rear thigh, so that the other end thereof can be rotated to a walking position supported on the ground, and can be rotated to a avoiding position close to the torso to be off the ground; and

[0014] A driven wheel is provided at one end of the rear thigh near the rear calf, for lifting off the ground when the rear calf is in the walking position and supporting the ground when the rear calf is in the avoiding position;

[0015] Among them, the hind leg driving unit includes a hind thigh driving unit and a hind calf driving unit. The hind thigh driving unit is arranged between the hind thigh and the torso to drive the hind thigh to rotate relative to the torso. The hind calf driving unit is arranged between the hind calf and the hind thigh to drive the hind calf to rotate relative to the hind thigh.

[0016] Optionally, a connecting arm is provided at the rear end of the body extending backward, an end of the connecting arm away from the body is connected to a mounting arm, and the mounting arm extends laterally along the body;

[0017] There are two driving wheels, which are respectively arranged at both ends of the mounting arm in the extending direction. There are correspondingly two driving wheel driving parts, each of which is arranged between the corresponding driving wheel and the mounting arm.

[0018] Optionally, the rear thigh includes two rear thigh arms, which are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the torso and are correspondingly connected to the torso for rotation, wherein the rear thigh driving unit is provided between the rear thigh arms and the torso;

[0019] The rear calf drive unit includes a rear drive motor, a rear transmission belt and two rear synchronous pulleys. The two rear synchronous pulleys are arranged between the two rear thigh arms and are spaced apart along the length direction of the rear thigh arms. The rear transmission belt is arranged between the two rear synchronous pulleys, and the rear calf is rotatably connected to one of the rear synchronous pulleys, and the rear drive motor is drivingly connected to the other rear synchronous pulley.

[0020] Optionally, the body comprises:

[0021] main trunk;

[0022] Two front shoulders are provided at the front end of the main trunk and spaced apart laterally along the main trunk, each of the front shoulders being capable of rotating about an axis located in a front-to-back upward direction, and the two front shoulders correspond one-to-one to the two front legs, wherein the front leg driving unit is provided between the front legs and the corresponding front shoulders;

[0023] Two rear shoulders are provided at the rear end of the main trunk and spaced apart laterally along the main trunk, each of the rear shoulders being capable of rotating about an axis located in a front-to-back upward direction, and the two rear shoulders correspond one-to-one to the two rear legs, wherein the rear leg driving unit is provided between the rear legs and the corresponding rear shoulders;

[0024] a front shoulder driving portion, disposed between the front shoulder and the main trunk, for driving the front shoulder to rotate about an axis located in a front-to-back upward direction; and

[0025] The rear shoulder driving portion is arranged between the rear shoulder and the main trunk, and is used for driving the rear shoulder to rotate around an axis located in a front-to-back and upward direction.

[0026] Optionally, the front legs are provided with front protective frames corresponding to the front leg driving parts, and the front protective frame covers are provided on the corresponding front leg driving parts;

[0027] The hind legs are provided with rear protective frames corresponding to the hind leg driving parts, and the rear protective frame covers are provided on the corresponding hind leg driving parts.

[0028] Optionally, the front leg includes a front thigh and a front calf, one end of the front thigh is connected to the trunk and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk, and one end of the front calf is connected to the front thigh and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk;

[0029] The front leg driving unit includes a front thigh driving unit and a front calf driving unit. The front thigh driving unit is arranged between the front thigh and the trunk, and is used to drive the front thigh to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk. The front calf driving unit is arranged between the front calf and the front thigh, and is used to drive the front calf to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk.

[0030] Optionally, the front thigh includes two front thigh arms, which are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the torso and are correspondingly connected to the torso for rotation, wherein the front thigh driving unit is provided between the front thigh arms and the torso;

[0031] The front calf drive unit includes a front drive motor, a front transmission belt and two front synchronous pulleys. The two front synchronous pulleys are arranged between the two front thigh arms and are spaced apart along the length direction of the front thigh arms. The front transmission belt is arranged between the two front synchronous pulleys, and the front calf is rotatably connected to one of the front synchronous pulleys, and the front drive motor is drivingly connected to the other front synchronous pulley.

[0032] Optionally, a manipulator is further provided at one end of the front calf away from the front thigh, and the manipulator is capable of rotating around an axis located in the width direction of the front calf to have a working position away from the front calf and a stowed position close to the front calf;

[0033] The wheel-legged robot further includes a manipulator driving unit, which is disposed between the manipulator and the front calf and is used to drive the manipulator to rotate accordingly.

[0034] Optionally, an anti-slip pad is provided at one end of the front leg and / or the hind leg away from the body.

[0035] Compared to the prior art, the wheel-legged robot provided by the present invention supports the ground when the hind legs rotate to put the body into a standing position, and the driving wheels support the ground, allowing the front and hind legs to lift off the ground. This allows the driving wheel drive unit to drive the driving wheels to rotate, thereby driving the body to move. In this case, the wheel-legged robot moves quickly and smoothly via the driving wheels. When the hind legs rotate to put the body into a crawling position, the driving wheels lift off the ground, and the front and hind legs touch the ground, allowing the robot to crawl using the front and hind legs, improving its obstacle-crossing capabilities. Furthermore, the wheel-legged robot in this solution can quickly switch between wheeled and legged positions, making movement posture adjustment relatively flexible and enhancing its universality.

[0036] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it according to the contents of the description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific implementation methods of the present invention are given in detail by the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this application. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a wheel-legged robot (in a crawling posture) provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the wheel-legged robot (in a standing posture);

[0040] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Bottom view of the mid-wheel legged robot;

[0041] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the mid-wheel legged robot from another angle;

[0042] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Improved visual SLAM flowchart of the wheel-legged robot;

[0043] Figure 6 for Figure 1 The overall control flow chart of the wheel-legged robot.

[0044] Description of reference numerals:

[0045] 100. Wheel-legged robot; 1. Torso; 11. Connecting arm; 12. Mounting arm; 13. Main trunk; 14. Front shoulder; 15. Rear shoulder; 16. Front shoulder drive unit; 17. Rear shoulder drive unit; 18. Head; 2. Front leg; 21. Front thigh; 22. Front calf; 23. Front protective frame; 24. Manipulator; 25. Manipulator drive unit; 3. Rear leg; 31. Rear thigh; 311. Rear thigh arm; 32. Rear calf; 33. Driven wheel; 34. Rear protective frame; 4. Main Driving wheel; 5. Driving structure; 51. Front leg driving unit; 511. Front thigh driving unit; 512. Front calf driving unit; 52. Rear leg driving unit; 521. Rear thigh driving unit; 522. Rear calf driving unit; 5221. Rear driving motor; 5222. Rear transmission belt; 5223. Rear synchronous pulley; 53. Active wheel driving unit; 6. Anti-slip pad; 7. Upper computer; 71. Lower computer; 72. Battery pack; 73. Visual sensor; 74. Support; 75. Binocular camera. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the accompanying drawings constitute a part of this application and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0047] See Figures 1 to 6The present wheel-legged robot 100 comprises a body 1, a driving wheel 4, a driving structure 5, two front legs 2 and two hind legs 3; the driving wheel 4 is rotatably connected to the body 1; the two front legs 2 are spaced apart at the front end of the body 1 and are rotatably connected to the body 1; the two hind legs 3 are spaced apart at the rear end of the body 1 and are rotatably connected to the body 1; the rotation axes of the front legs 2, hind legs 3 and the driving wheel 4 are parallel to each other, and the front legs 2 and hind legs 3 can rotate to support the body 1 on the ground via the driving wheel 4, and can drive the driving wheel 4 is off the ground; the driving structure 5 includes a front leg driving unit 51, a rear leg driving unit 52 and a driving wheel driving unit 53. The front leg driving unit 51 is provided between the front leg 2 and the trunk 1, and is used to drive the front leg 2 to rotate relative to the trunk 1. The rear leg driving unit 52 is provided between the rear leg 3 and the trunk 1, and is used to drive the rear leg 3 to rotate relative to the trunk 1. The driving wheel driving unit 53 is provided between the trunk 1 and the driving wheel 4, and is used to drive the driving wheel 4 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1, so that the driving wheel 4 can drive the trunk 1 to move.

[0048] Specifically, the two front legs 2 are provided at the front end of the trunk 1 and are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the trunk 1, and each front leg 2 can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1; the two hind legs 3 are provided at the rear end of the trunk 1 and are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the trunk 1, and each hind leg 3 can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1, and enable the trunk 1 to have a standing posture in a vertical standing state (the driving wheel 4 is off the ground) and a crawling posture in a horizontal crawling state (the driving wheel 4 is in contact with the ground); the driving wheel 4 is provided at the rear end of the trunk 1 and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1, so that the driving wheel 4 can rotate when the trunk 1 is in a standing posture When the trunk 1 is in a crawling posture, it can be supported on the ground to drive the trunk 1 to move when rotating, and can leave the ground when the trunk 1 is in a crawling posture; the driving structure 5 includes a front leg driving part 51, a hind leg driving part 52 and a driving wheel driving part 53. The front leg driving part 51 is arranged between the front legs 2 and the trunk 1, and is used to drive the front legs 2 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1; the hind leg driving part 52 is arranged between the hind legs 3 and the trunk 1, and is used to drive the hind legs 3 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1; the driving wheel driving part 53 is arranged between the trunk 1 and the driving wheel 4, and is used to drive the driving wheel 4 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1.

[0049] In the wheel-legged robot 100 provided by the present invention, when the hind legs 3 rotate, causing the body 1 to be in a standing posture, the driving wheels 4 are supported on the ground, and the front legs 2 and hind legs 3 are lifted off the ground, so that the driving wheels 4 can be driven to rotate by the driving wheel driving unit 53, thereby driving the body 1 to move. At this time, the wheel-legged robot 100 moves via the driving wheels 4, with rapidity and stability. When the hind legs 3 rotate, causing the body 1 to be in a crawling posture, the driving wheels 4 are lifted off the ground, and the front legs 2 and hind legs 3 touch the ground. At this time, the wheel-legged robot 100 can crawl using the front legs 2 and hind legs 3, thereby improving the obstacle surmounting ability of the wheel-legged robot 100. In addition, the wheel-legged robot 100 in this embodiment can quickly switch between wheeled and legged postures, and the movement posture adjustment is relatively flexible, thereby improving universality. It should be noted that in the example drawings, the front and rear of the body 1 are shown as F1 and F2, respectively, and the lateral direction of the body 1 is shown as F3.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the body 1 is composed of aluminum profiles, carbon fiber panels, and angle brackets, all connected via threaded connectors and bolts, ensuring the stability of the body 1 frame. Furthermore, the internal space of the body 1 frame is well-distributed, accommodating the upper computer 7, lower computer 71, and battery pack 72. The body 1 outer shell is constructed of acrylic sheet and bolted to the aluminum profiles, facilitating easy removal and replacement. Furthermore, the body 1 is equipped with a visual recognition module consisting of a visual sensor 73, a support 74, and a binocular camera 75. The visual sensor 73 is bolted to the body 1 outer shell, facilitating easy removal and replacement. The support 74 has a larger base and is bolted to the body 1 outer shell, providing uniform force and providing more stable support for the visual sensor 73. The binocular camera 75 is mounted on the head 18 located at the front end of the body 1. The entire head 18 is connected to the body 1 frame via a servo, increasing the movement angle of the head 18 and the visual range of the binocular camera 75.

[0051] Furthermore, each hind leg 3 includes a hind thigh 31, a hind shank 32 and a driven wheel 33; one end of the hind thigh 31 is connected to the trunk 1 and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1, so that the trunk 1 can switch between a standing posture and a crawling posture; one end of the hind shank 32 is connected to the hind thigh 31 and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1, so that the other end can rotate to a walking position supported on the ground, and can rotate to an evasive position close to the trunk 1 to leave the ground; the driven wheel 33 is provided near the hind thigh 31 One end of the calf 32 is used to leave the ground when the rear calf 32 is in the walking position, and to support the ground when the rear calf 32 is in the avoiding position; wherein, the rear leg driving unit 52 includes a rear thigh driving unit 521 and a rear calf driving unit 522, the rear thigh driving unit 521 is arranged between the rear thigh 31 and the trunk 1, and is used to drive the rear thigh 31 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1, and the rear calf driving unit 522 is arranged between the rear calf 32 and the rear thigh 31, and is used to drive the rear calf 32 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the hind legs 3 are configured as shanks 32 and thighs 31, allowing the entire structure of the hind legs 3 to rotate about an axis located in the front-to-back direction of the torso 1. This allows the entire structure of the hind legs 3 to swing sideways relative to the torso 1, further enhancing the flexibility and obstacle-crossing capabilities of the wheel-legged robot 100. Furthermore, driven wheels 33 are provided on the rear thighs 31 to cooperate with the driving wheels 4-way, enabling the wheel-legged robot 100 to move stably while in a standing position, thereby improving its stability.

[0053] Furthermore, a connecting arm 11 extends rearward from the rear end of the body 1. The end of the connecting arm 11, away from the body 1, is connected to a mounting arm 12. The mounting arm 12 extends laterally along the body 1. Two driving wheels 4 are provided, one at each end of the mounting arm 12 in the direction in which it extends. Two corresponding driving wheel drive units 53 are provided, each of which is located between the corresponding driving wheel 4 and the mounting arm 12. In this embodiment, two driving wheels 4 are spaced laterally along the body 1 to further improve the stability of the wheel-legged robot 100 when moving in a standing position.

[0054] Furthermore, the rear thigh 31 includes two rear thigh arms 311, which are arranged at intervals along the horizontal direction of the torso 1 and are correspondingly connected to the torso 1, wherein the rear thigh drive unit 521 is arranged between the rear thigh arm 311 and the torso 1; the rear calf drive unit 522 includes a rear drive motor 5221, a rear transmission belt 5222 and two rear synchronous pulleys 5223, the two rear synchronous pulleys 5223 are arranged between the two rear thigh arms 311, and are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the rear thigh arms 311, the rear transmission belt 5222 is arranged between the two rear synchronous pulleys 5223, and the rear calf 32 is rotationally connected to one rear synchronous pulley 5223, and the rear drive motor 5221 is drivingly connected to the other rear synchronous pulley 5223. In this embodiment, the rear calf driving unit 522 consisting of a rear driving motor 5221, a rear transmission belt 5222 and two rear synchronous pulleys 5223 is arranged between the two rear thigh arms 311 to improve the integration of the overall structure.

[0055] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the rear thigh drive unit 521 is configured in the form of a drive motor. In addition, the rear synchronous pulley 5223 and the rear calf 32 are driven by a key at the connection, and the two ends of the shaft are axially positioned and locked by two limit rings. The gear ratio of the large gear and the small gear of the rear synchronous pulley 5223 is 2:1, which can increase the transmission ratio of the calf joint motor, and the drive control of the calf is completed by the engagement of the small gear and the large gear. The gears, the rear thigh arm 311, and the rear calf 32 are all made of carbon fiber material, which is high in strength and light in weight.

[0056] Furthermore, the body 1 includes a main trunk 13, a front shoulder driving unit 16, a rear shoulder driving unit 17, two front shoulders 14 and two rear shoulders 15; the two front shoulders 14 are arranged at the front end of the main trunk 13 and are arranged at intervals along the transverse direction of the main trunk 13, each front shoulder 14 can rotate around an axis located in the front and rear upward direction, and the two front shoulders 14 correspond to the two front legs 2 one by one, wherein the front leg driving unit 51 is arranged between the front legs 2 and the corresponding front shoulders 14; the two rear shoulders 15 are arranged at the rear end of the main trunk 13 and are arranged along the main trunk 13. The trunk 13 is arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and each rear shoulder 15 is capable of rotating about an axis located in the front-back upward direction. The two rear shoulders 15 correspond one-to-one with the two rear legs 3. The rear leg driving unit 52 is located between the rear legs 3 and the corresponding rear shoulders 15; the front shoulder driving unit 16 is located between the front shoulder 14 and the main trunk 13, and is used to drive the front shoulder 14 to rotate about the axis located in the front-back upward direction; the rear shoulder driving unit 17 is located between the rear shoulder 15 and the main trunk 13, and is used to drive the rear shoulder 15 to rotate about the axis located in the front-back upward direction. In this embodiment, the trunk 1 is configured as described above, so that the front shoulders 14 correspondingly drive the front legs 2 to achieve sideways swing; similarly, the rear shoulders 15 correspondingly drive the hind legs 3 to achieve sideways swing, thereby improving the obstacle-crossing ability of the wheel-legged robot 100.

[0057] Furthermore, the front leg 2 is provided with a front protective frame 23 corresponding to the front leg drive unit 51, and the front protective frame 23 is provided to cover the corresponding front leg drive unit 51; the hind leg 3 is provided with a rear protective frame 34 corresponding to the hind leg drive unit 52, and the rear protective frame 34 is provided to cover the corresponding hind leg drive unit 52. In this embodiment, the front leg drive unit 51 and the hind leg drive unit 52 are both configured in the form of drive motors, with the front leg 2 drive motor being located in the front protective frame 23, and the hind leg 3 drive motor being located in the rear protective frame 34 to protect the motors. Specifically, the front protective frame 23 and the rear protective frame 34 are made of carbon fiber. In addition, an anti-slip pad 6 is provided at the end of the front leg 2 and / or hind leg 3 away from the body 1 to increase friction between the two and the ground, thereby improving the stability of the wheel-legged robot 100 when navigating complex environments.

[0058] Furthermore, the front leg 2 includes a front thigh 21 and a front shank 22. One end of the front thigh 21 is connected to the trunk 1 and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1. One end of the front shank 22 is connected to the front thigh 21 and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1. The front leg driving unit 51 includes a front thigh driving unit 511 and a front shank driving unit 512. The front thigh driving unit 511 is arranged between the front thigh 21 and the trunk 1 to drive the front thigh 21 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1. The front shank driving unit 512 is arranged between the front shank 22 and the front thigh 21 to drive the front shank 22 to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk 1. Correspondingly, in this embodiment, the front leg 2 is arranged in the form of a front thigh 21 and a front shank 22, so that the movement of the wheel-legged robot 100 is more flexible.

[0059] Furthermore, the front thigh 21 includes two front thigh 21 arms, which are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the torso 1 and are correspondingly connected to the torso 1, wherein the front thigh drive unit 511 is arranged between the front thigh 21 arms and the torso 1; the front calf drive unit 512 includes a front drive motor, a front transmission belt and two front synchronous pulleys, the two front synchronous pulleys are arranged between the two front thigh 21 arms and spaced apart along the length direction of the front thigh 21 arms, the front transmission belt is arranged between the two front synchronous pulleys, and the front calf 22 is rotationally connected to one front synchronous pulley, and the front drive motor is drive-connected to the other front synchronous pulley. In this embodiment, the front calf drive unit 512 is arranged between the two front thigh 21 arms in the above manner to improve the integration of the overall structure. It should be noted that the specific arrangement of the front leg 2 structure can refer to the structure of the hind leg 3 as described above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0060] Furthermore, a manipulator 24 is provided at one end of the front calf 22 away from the front thigh 21. The manipulator 24 is capable of rotating about an axis located in the width direction of the front calf 22, so as to have a working position away from the front calf 22 and a retracted position close to the front calf 22. The wheel-legged robot 100 also includes a manipulator drive unit 25, which is provided between the manipulator 24 and the front calf 22 to drive the manipulator 24 to rotate accordingly. In this embodiment, the manipulator 24 is mounted on the front foot end of the front calf 22, and is connected to the servo connector and the servo and foot end by bolts, so that the manipulator 24 can be retracted and extended at the appropriate time. The manipulator 24 is a bionic five-finger hand structure, which ensures that the bionic dexterous hand has sufficient degrees of freedom while maintaining the simplicity of the structure. Only three degrees of freedom are set at the joints of each finger. The tendon sheath transmission method of the human hand is imitated, and the tendon rope transmission is adopted, and the Da Vinci-style winding method is used in conjunction with the pulley. The servo is connected to the back of the palm with threaded bolts, while the finger joints are connected with pins to ensure transmission stability between the joints.

[0061] It should be noted that when the wheel-legged robot 100 switches its configuration, the four wheel legs are required to always maintain three or more support points, and ensure that the projection point of the center of gravity of the wheel-legged robot 100 is always within the effective support surface to ensure smooth configuration switching.

[0062] It should be understood that the shoulder joint motor of the wheel-legged robot 100 is installed on the body 1 structure, which can drive the entire leg to perform side swing movement, and the thigh joint motor can drive the pitch movement of the entire leg through the connecting piece. The output shaft of the calf joint motor is fixed to the small gear, and the small gear is engaged with the large gear, so that the synchronous pulley fixed to the large gear rotates with the rotation of the output shaft of the calf joint motor. The gear ratio of the two gears is 2:1, which can increase the transmission ratio of the gear and improve the torque of the calf.

[0063] A manipulator 24 is installed at the front end of the front calf 22, which can be folded and stored on the inner side of the front calf 22 and fixed when moving, reducing the space occupied by the manipulator 24. When switching to the operating configuration, the servo can extend the manipulator 24 by rotating and increase the degree of freedom at the wrist. Using the front leg 2 as a manipulator arm in conjunction with the dexterous hand can greatly increase the working space of the dexterous hand (i.e., the manipulator 24) and the working freedom of the manipulator arm.

[0064] When the wheel-legged robot 100 needs to switch from a leg-type configuration to a wheel-type configuration, the upper computer 7 can issue an instruction to control the wheel-legged robot to stop running and be in a switching posture. At this time, the upper computer 7 obtains the joint rotation angles of each joint, the center of gravity position coordinates of the body 1 and other parameters when the wheel-legged robot is in a wheeled configuration through calculation, and then the front shank 22 joint and the front thigh 21 joint are rotated by a specific angle through pitching motion to make the center of gravity of the wheel-legged robot lean forward, and the rear shank 32 joint is rotated by a specific angle to make the driven wheel 33 touch the ground first. At this time, the two front legs 2 perform pitching motion through the thigh joint and the shank joint to raise the front end of the body 1. This process can make the driving wheel 4 contact with the ground. After this transformation, the overall leg-wheel conversion of the wheel-legged robot 100 can be completed. The deformation of the entire configuration is reversible, and the configuration can be switched at any time according to the center of gravity position coordinates and posture of the torso of the wheel-legged robot.

[0065] The wheel-legged robot's visual recognition mechanism uses deep vision, combining visual SLAM and deep learning. Visual SLAM offers advantages such as low cost, no sensor range limitations, and high positioning accuracy, while the introduction of deep learning further improves the accuracy of visual recognition.

[0066] The robot uses a binocular camera 75 to capture and pre-process its surroundings, sending the captured data in JPEG format to a host computer 7 for processing. The host computer 7 processes the sensor data and transmits information about its location based on repeatedly observed environmental features, thereby constructing an incremental map to meet positioning and environmental mapping requirements. The application of SLAM mapping technology enhances the wheeled-legged robot's perception and understanding of its surroundings, enabling autonomous navigation.

[0067] The limbs of the wheel-legged robot 100 have sufficient flexibility. Taking one of the front legs 2 as an example, there are three rotatable joints on the leg, including two pitch joints and one yaw joint, which can be used as a robotic arm, greatly increasing the reach of the wheel leg end. In conjunction with the terminal dexterous hand mechanism, the movement of the robot wheel leg is calculated and controlled by the upper computer 7, so that the terminal clamping device can complete the operation in the corresponding scenario, which greatly increases the flexibility and operability of the front leg 2 when used as a robotic arm, and solves the functional limitations of traditional wheel-legged robots.

[0068] The wheel-legged robot 100 utilizes a combination of gear and belt drives, creating a more compact transmission structure. Gear drives are highly efficient, and by setting different reduction ratios, they can improve the motor's torque and transmission accuracy. Belt drives offer a certain degree of flexibility, mitigating torque shocks generated by gear drives and ensuring a smoother transmission process.

[0069] At the same time, the wheel-leg robot 100 has diverse gaits, and the multiple degrees of freedom of the wheel-leg mechanism can complete more gaits. It can switch to different gaits according to different terrains. The wheel-leg configuration and its switching process are stable and smooth, which solves the limitations of the existing wheel-leg robot's moving mode.

[0070] By combining SLAM and deep learning, different roadblocks and obstacles are imaged and preprocessed through a binocular camera, and the acquired image data is compressed into JPEG format and transmitted to the host computer 7 at the same time. The host computer 7 makes instructions based on the data and transmits the instructions to the slave computer 71 through the serial port.

[0071] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by any technician familiar with this technical field within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wheel-legged robot, characterized in that: It includes: body; A driving wheel, rotatably connected to the body; Two front legs are spaced apart at the front end of the body, and the front legs are rotatably connected to the body; Two hind legs are spaced apart from the rear end of the body, the hind legs are rotatably connected to the body, the rotation axes of the front legs, hind legs, and driving wheels are parallel to each other, and the front legs and hind legs can rotate to support the body on the ground via the driving wheels, and can also drive the driving wheels off the ground; The driving structure includes a front leg driving unit, a rear leg driving unit, and a driving wheel driving unit. The front leg driving unit is provided between the front legs and the trunk to drive the front legs to rotate relative to the trunk. The rear leg driving unit is provided between the rear legs and the trunk to drive the rear legs to rotate relative to the trunk. The driving wheel driving unit is provided between the trunk and the driving wheel to drive the driving wheel to rotate around an axis located transversely to the trunk, so that the driving wheel can drive the trunk to move. Wherein, each of the hind legs comprises: A rear thigh, one end of which is rotatably connected to the trunk, so that the driving wheel can switch between contacting the ground and leaving the ground; A rear lower leg, one end of which is rotatably connected to the rear thigh, so that the other end thereof can be rotated to a walking position supported on the ground, and can be rotated to a avoiding position close to the torso to be off the ground; and A driven wheel is provided at one end of the rear thigh near the rear calf, for lifting off the ground when the rear calf is in the walking position and supporting the ground when the rear calf is in the avoiding position; The rear leg driving unit includes a rear thigh driving unit and a rear calf driving unit. The rear thigh driving unit is provided between the rear thigh and the trunk to drive the rear thigh to rotate relative to the trunk. The rear calf driving unit is provided between the rear calf and the rear thigh to drive the rear calf to rotate relative to the rear thigh. When the wheel-legged robot needs to be converted from a leg-type configuration to a wheel-type configuration, the front legs are rotated by a specific angle through pitching motion to make the center of gravity of the wheel-legged robot tilt forward, and the rear calves are rotated by a specific angle to make the driven wheels touch the ground first. At this time, the two front legs perform pitching motion to raise the front end of the body. This process allows the driving wheels to contact the ground. Through this transformation, the leg-wheel conversion of the entire wheel-legged robot can be completed.

2. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear end of the body is provided with a connecting arm extending backward, and one end of the connecting arm away from the body is connected to a mounting arm, and the mounting arm extends laterally along the body; There are two driving wheels, which are respectively arranged at both ends of the mounting arm in the extending direction. There are correspondingly two driving wheel driving parts, each of which is arranged between the corresponding driving wheel and the mounting arm.

3. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear thigh comprises two rear thigh arms, which are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the torso and are correspondingly connected to the torso for rotation, wherein the rear thigh driving unit is provided between the rear thigh arms and the torso; The rear calf drive unit includes a rear drive motor, a rear transmission belt and two rear synchronous pulleys. The two rear synchronous pulleys are arranged between the two rear thigh arms and are spaced apart along the length direction of the rear thigh arms. The rear transmission belt is arranged between the two rear synchronous pulleys, and the rear calf is rotatably connected to one of the rear synchronous pulleys, and the rear drive motor is drivingly connected to the other rear synchronous pulley.

4. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The body includes: main trunk; Two front shoulders are provided at the front end of the main trunk and spaced apart laterally along the main trunk, each of the front shoulders being capable of rotating about an axis located in a front-to-back upward direction, and the two front shoulders correspond one-to-one to the two front legs, wherein the front leg driving unit is provided between the front legs and the corresponding front shoulders; Two rear shoulders are provided at the rear end of the main trunk and spaced apart laterally along the main trunk, each of the rear shoulders being capable of rotating about an axis located in a front-to-back upward direction, and the two rear shoulders correspond one-to-one to the two rear legs, wherein the rear leg driving unit is provided between the rear legs and the corresponding rear shoulders; a front shoulder driving portion, disposed between the front shoulder and the main trunk, for driving the front shoulder to rotate about an axis located in a front-to-back upward direction; and The rear shoulder driving portion is arranged between the rear shoulder and the main trunk, and is used for driving the rear shoulder to rotate around an axis located in a front-to-back and upward direction.

5. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front legs are provided with front protective frames corresponding to the front leg driving parts, and the front protective frame covers are provided on the corresponding front leg driving parts; The hind legs are provided with rear protective frames corresponding to the hind leg driving parts, and the rear protective frame covers are provided on the corresponding hind leg driving parts.

6. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front leg includes a front thigh and a front shank, one end of the front thigh is connected to the trunk and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk, and one end of the front shank is connected to the front thigh and can rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk; The front leg driving unit includes a front thigh driving unit and a front calf driving unit. The front thigh driving unit is arranged between the front thigh and the trunk, and is used to drive the front thigh to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk. The front calf driving unit is arranged between the front calf and the front thigh, and is used to drive the front calf to rotate around an axis located in the transverse direction of the trunk.

7. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The front thigh includes two front thigh arms, which are spaced apart along the transverse direction of the torso and are correspondingly connected to the torso for rotation, wherein the front thigh driving unit is provided between the front thigh arms and the torso; The front calf drive unit includes a front drive motor, a front transmission belt and two front synchronous pulleys. The two front synchronous pulleys are arranged between the two front thigh arms and are spaced apart along the length direction of the front thigh arms. The front transmission belt is arranged between the two front synchronous pulleys, and the front calf is rotatably connected to one of the front synchronous pulleys, and the front drive motor is drivingly connected to the other front synchronous pulley.

8. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: A manipulator is further provided at one end of the front calf away from the front thigh, and the manipulator is capable of rotating around an axis located in the width direction of the front calf to have a working position away from the front calf and a stowed position close to the front calf; The wheel-legged robot further includes a manipulator driving unit, which is disposed between the manipulator and the front calf and is used to drive the manipulator to rotate accordingly.

9. The wheel-legged robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: An anti-slip pad is provided at one end of the front leg and / or the hind leg away from the body.

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