A foot structure of a quadruped robot

Abstract

This invention discloses a foot structure for a quadruped robot, including a foot skeleton and foot pads. The foot pads are fixed to the end of the foot skeleton that contacts the ground. A cushioning layer is provided on the ground contact surface of the foot pad, and the edge of the cushioning layer protrudes beyond the edge of the ground contact surface of the foot pad. The connection between the edge of the cushioning layer and the outer surface of the foot pad is a smoothly transitioning inclined surface. This invention can increase the cushioning capacity of the foot pads and is suitable for various terrain environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of quadruped robot application technology, specifically to a foot structure for a quadruped robot. Background Technology

[0002] Quadruped robots, also known as quadruped robot dogs, are commonly used in production services or in extreme environments. They can carry different equipment to meet various operational needs. To a certain extent, they can replace manual labor, improving work efficiency while also enhancing personnel safety.

[0003] Currently, in addition to their applications in homes and daily life, quadruped robots play an irreplaceable role in medical care, material transportation, industrial consumption, environmental exploration, and resource collection. In certain specific tasks, such as rescue and environmental exploration, quadruped robots operate in highly complex terrain environments, requiring their legs to adapt to different application scenarios.

[0004] To facilitate agile movement and reduce weight, quadruped robots often have slender legs, resulting in relatively small foot size. However, in complex working environments, especially unknown ones, the ground is often uneven, with narrow gaps and small debris. When facing complex environments, existing quadruped robots suffer from the following drawbacks: 1. Uneven ground affects the quadruped robot's balance, especially during rapid movement.

[0005] 2. Narrow gaps can cause the quadruped robot's feet to accidentally get stuck during operation, affecting its work.

[0006] 3. In addition, the soles of quadruped robots are often made of rubber pads, and the surface of the rubber pads that comes into contact with the ground has grooves to increase friction. Small debris can easily get stuck in these grooves, affecting the normal movement and operation of the quadruped robot. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a foot structure for a quadruped robot that increases the cushioning capacity of the foot pads, making it suitable for various terrain environments.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a foot structure for a quadruped robot, comprising a foot skeleton and a foot pad, wherein the foot pad is fixed to the end of the foot skeleton that contacts the ground, and a buffer layer is provided on the ground contact surface of the foot pad, wherein the edge of the buffer layer protrudes from the edge of the ground contact surface of the foot pad, and the connection between the edge of the buffer layer and the outer surface of the foot pad is a smoothly transitioning inclined surface.

[0009] Compared with existing technologies, the foot structure of the quadruped robot adopting the above-mentioned technical solution has the following beneficial effects:

[0010] 1. The foot structure of the quadruped robot of the present invention has a buffer layer on the outer side of the foot pad, which can effectively reduce the force transmitted from the ground to the foot during the movement of the quadruped robot, so that the whole robot remains stable during operation.

[0011] Second, the cushioning layer on the outer side of the footpad covers and protrudes from the edge of the footpad that touches the ground, which can increase the contact area between the entire foot and the ground. Firstly, it can reduce the pressure of a single foot of the quadruped robot on the ground and reduce damage to the terrain, enabling the quadruped robot to walk on ground that is prone to deformation. Secondly, it increases the width of the foot, which can reduce the risk of the footpad getting stuck in narrow gaps.

[0012] Third, when the quadruped robot's feet accidentally get stuck in a gap and it needs to pull them out of the gap on its own, the smooth transition between the edge of the buffer layer and the outer surface of the foot pad ensures that the feet can be pulled out smoothly without causing too much damage to the foot skeleton and foot pad.

[0013] Preferably, the outer surface of the buffer layer is provided with a plurality of damping grooves. The damping grooves are elongated and interlaced to divide the buffer layer into a plurality of damping blocks. The damping blocks include flat damping blocks that are entirely located on the plane of the contact surface and arc damping blocks located at the edge of the contact surface.

[0014] The damping grooves increase the friction between the buffer layer and the ground, preventing the quadruped robot's feet from slipping during movement. The buffer grooves are arranged in a crisscross pattern to form several damping blocks, each surrounded by a damping groove. When the foot contacts the ground and is subjected to pressure, the damping block can transmit the pressure and vibration it receives to the damping groove on the side, thereby reducing the vibration experienced by the foot during movement. Multiple damping blocks can better achieve the damping effect.

[0015] Preferably, the depth of the damping groove is greater than the width of the groove opening.

[0016] The sides of the shock absorber blocks, specifically the walls of the shock-absorbing grooves, are one of the pathways through which the footpad transmits and dissipates vibrations during movement. As the depth of the shock-absorbing groove increases, the area over which the shock absorber blocks can transmit vibrations also increases, resulting in better shock absorption and cushioning. Simultaneously, to ensure the overall strength of the cushioning pad does not deform when the shock-absorbing groove is deep, the width of the groove opening must be controlled to be no greater than its depth, which means controlling the distance between the shock absorber blocks.

[0017] Preferably, the foot pad is further provided with a shock-absorbing strip, which is disposed at the connection between the arc-shaped shock-absorbing block and the edge of the contact surface, and the shock-absorbing strip has stronger resistance to deformation than the foot pad.

[0018] When the robot encounters a plane with a large inclination during its movement, the arc-shaped buffer block of the foot pad is easily subjected to an upward pulling force. In order to prevent the arc-shaped buffer block from being subjected to a large force on one side and causing severe deformation, which would lead to tearing of the other side of the corresponding buffer pad, corresponding shock-absorbing strips are set at the edge of the buffer pad. This prevents the foot pad from undergoing excessive deformation under the above conditions, avoids tearing of the foot pad buffer layer or damage to the internal structure, and improves the overall pressure resistance of the foot pad.

[0019] Preferably, the foot pad is further provided with a fixing surface for fixing to the foot skeleton, the foot pad is provided with a strip groove, the fixing surface is provided with an insertion hole, the insertion hole connects the strip groove and the outside of the foot pad, and the shock-absorbing strip can be inserted and removed into the strip groove.

[0020] The shock-absorbing strips can be installed separately from the foot pads, making it easier to inspect, repair, and replace the foot pads and related parts later.

[0021] Preferably, both ends of the strip groove are connected to corresponding insertion holes. When the shock-absorbing strip is located in the strip groove, the two ends of the shock-absorbing strip are exposed from different insertion holes and protrude from the fixing surface. The foot frame is provided with a fixing plate. When the foot pad is fixed to the foot frame, the fixing surface is attached to the fixing plate. The shock-absorbing strip deforms and is fastened in the strip groove under the pressure of the fixing plate.

[0022] The shock-absorbing strip is designed to protrude slightly from the fixed plane, so that when the foot pad is fixed to the fixed plate, it can be compressed, causing the shock-absorbing strip to deform and press against the inner wall of the groove. This ensures that there is no gap between the shock-absorbing strip and the inner wall, and that it does not wobble relative to the inner wall of the groove of the foot pad, thus affecting the shock absorption effect.

[0023] Both ends of the shock-absorbing strip are in contact with the fixing plate on the foot frame. When the footpad experiences a large impact, the middle of the shock-absorbing strip in the footpad can also absorb a certain amount of the impact force, improving the overall shock absorption effect and impact resistance of the footpad.

[0024] Preferably, multiple shock-absorbing strips are provided in the same strip groove, and the two ends of the multiple shock-absorbing strips are fixedly connected to each other. The multiple shock-absorbing strips are closely attached to each other and twisted evenly to form a spiral shape. Both ends of the shock-absorbing strips are provided with pads, and the pads are located at the insertion hole. The pads are partially protruding from the fixing surface.

[0025] Multiple damping strips are tightly attached to each other and twisted to shape before being placed into a strip groove. When the fixing plate acts on the pads at the ends of the multiple damping strips, the multiple damping strips will spread out towards the four walls of the strip groove, providing more stable support and damping effect for the strip groove.

[0026] Preferably, it also includes clamping components, wherein two clamping components are provided, and the two clamping components are respectively provided on both sides of the connection between the foot frame and the foot pad; the clamping components are provided with a locking block and a first through hole, the side of the foot pad is provided with a locking groove, the foot frame is provided with a second through hole, the locking block is locked in the locking groove, and the first through hole and the second through hole are fixed to each other by a connecting pin.

[0027] The clamping fasteners ensure a secure connection between the foot skeleton and the foot pads, preventing the foot pads from detaching from the foot skeleton during quadruped robot movement. The interlocking of slots and blocks reduces the number of components used to fix the clamping fasteners and foot pads, making installation easier. By installing clamping fasteners on both sides of the foot skeleton and foot pads, excessive force on one side during movement can be prevented from damaging the foot.

[0028] Preferably, the clamping device is provided with a pressure plate. When the clamping device is fixed to both sides of the foot frame and the foot pad, the fixing plate is located between the pressure plate and the fixing surface. The thickness of the pressure plate decreases uniformly from the root to the top. The surface of the pressure plate that contacts the fixing plate is an inclined surface, and the surface of the fixing plate that contacts the pressure plate is an inclined surface that fits against the pressure plate.

[0029] The pressure plate design allows the fixing plate to apply pressure to the end of the shock-absorbing strip when the two pressure plates are brought close together by the connecting bolts, so that the shock-absorbing strip can be completely pressed into the strip groove. Furthermore, the pressure plate design enhances the connection strength between the foot frame and the footpad, preventing the shock-absorbing strip from applying too much pressure to the fixing plate, which could lead to instability in the connection between the foot frame and the footpad.

[0030] Preferably, the foot pad has a fixing groove on its fixing surface, and the fixing plate has a fixing block, which is inserted into the fixing groove. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the foot structure of an embodiment of the quadruped robot of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the foot pad structure in the embodiment.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the foot pad from another angle in the embodiment.

[0034] Figure 4for Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a simplified diagram showing the force exerted on the arc-shaped cushioning pad of the footpad on an uneven surface in the embodiment.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the foot pad and shock-absorbing strip in the embodiment.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the foot pad and shock-absorbing strip in another state in the embodiment.

[0038] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the foot pad and foot skeleton in the embodiment.

[0039] Figure 9 The figures show a partial cross-sectional view of the foot pad and a structural schematic diagram of the shock-absorbing strip in the embodiment.

[0040] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the foot structure of the quadruped robot in the embodiment from another angle.

[0041] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping device in the embodiment.

[0042] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure plate and fixing plate in the embodiment.

[0043] Figure 13 This is a structural schematic diagram of another state of the pressure plate and fixing plate in the embodiment.

[0044] Reference numerals: 1. Foot frame; 11. Fixing plate; 12. Second through hole; 13. Fixing block; 2. Foot pad; 21. Ground contact; 22. Fixing surface; 23. Fixing groove; 231. Buffer groove; 221. Insertion hole; 3. Buffer layer; 31. Shock-absorbing groove; 32. Shock-absorbing block; 321. Flat shock-absorbing block; 322. Arc shock-absorbing block; 4. Shock-absorbing strip; 41. Gasket; 5. Clamping device; 51. Locking block; 52. First through hole; 53. Pressure plate. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 8The shown quadruped robot's foot structure includes a foot skeleton 1 and foot pads 2. The foot skeleton 1 has a fixing plate 11, and the fixing plate 11 has a fixing block 13. In this embodiment, the foot pads 2 have a semi-cylindrical structure, with the rectangular surface of the semi-cylindrical structure serving as a fixing surface 22. The fixing surface 22 has a fixing groove 23 that mates with the fixing block 13. When the foot skeleton 1 and foot pads 2 are fixed together, the fixing block 13 is located in the fixing groove 23, and the fixing surface 22 is attached to the fixing plate 11.

[0047] To ensure that the footpad 2 will not be damaged by mutual squeezing when it is subjected to impact, the fixing groove 23 and the fixing block 13 in this embodiment are set with a semi-circular cross section, which can further alleviate the impact force.

[0048] like Figure 5 As shown, the semi-cylindrical foot pad 2 has an arc surface that is the contact surface 21 where the foot pad 2 contacts the ground. A buffer layer 3 is provided on the contact surface 21. The edge of the buffer layer 3 protrudes from the edge of the contact surface 21 of the foot pad 2. The connection between the edge of the buffer layer 3 and the outer surface of the foot pad 2 is a smoothly transitioning inclined surface.

[0049] The outer surface of the buffer layer 3 is provided with several damping grooves 31. The damping grooves 31 are elongated and interlaced, dividing the buffer layer 3 into several damping blocks 32. The damping blocks 32 include flat damping blocks 321 that are entirely located on the plane of the contact surface 21 and arc damping blocks 322 located at the edge of the contact surface 21. In this embodiment, the buffer layer 3 is cut into multiple buffer blocks by several longitudinally arranged damping grooves 31 and several transversely arranged damping grooves 31, and the cross-section of the flat buffer block is rectangular.

[0050] When the quadruped robot is running, its footpads 2 contact the ground 21. The impact force is transmitted from the buffer layer 3 to the inner wall of the fixing groove 23 of the footpads 2 and the fixing surface 22, and then through the surface in contact with the fixing plate 11 to the foot skeleton 1 and the entire quadruped robot. To further mitigate the impact force, a secondary buffer groove 231 is also provided inside the fixing groove 23, such as... Figure 8 As shown, this is used to reduce the impact force of the foot pad 2 on the fixing block 13.

[0051] like Figure 4 and 5 As shown, the depth of the shock-absorbing groove 31 is greater than the width of its opening. If the robot encounters a plane with a large inclination during its movement, the arc-shaped buffer block of the foot pad is easily subjected to upward oblique pressure. Figure 5The tensile force is in the direction of the middle arrow. To prevent the arc-shaped buffer block from being subjected to excessive force on one side and causing severe deformation, which could lead to tearing of the corresponding buffer pad on the other side, a shock-absorbing strip is also provided inside the foot pad 2. The shock-absorbing strip is located at the connection between the arc-shaped shock-absorbing block 322 and the edge of the contact surface 21. The shock-absorbing strip has stronger resistance to deformation than the foot pad 2. The shock-absorbing strip 4 can be integrally installed with the foot pad 2 or can be installed separately and detachably.

[0052] On the semi-cylindrical foot pad 2, arc-shaped buffer blocks are positioned along the two arc-shaped edges. Therefore, two corresponding buffer pads are also provided to ensure the tensile strength of both sides of the foot pad 2. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The shock-absorbing strip 4 and the foot pad 2 are shown separately. The shock-absorbing strip 4 can be pulled out or inserted into the foot pad 2. The foot pad 2 has a strip-shaped groove, and the fixing surface 22 has an insertion hole 221. The insertion hole 221 connects the strip-shaped groove and the outside of the foot pad 2. The shock-absorbing strip 4 can be inserted and removed into the strip-shaped groove. Both ends of the strip-shaped groove are connected to corresponding insertion holes 221. When the shock-absorbing strip 4 is located in the strip-shaped groove, the two ends of the shock-absorbing strip 4 protrude from different insertion holes 221 and protrude from the fixing surface 22. When the foot pad 2 is fixed to the foot frame 1, the fixing surface 22 is attached to the fixing plate 11. The shock-absorbing strip 4 deforms and is tightened in the strip-shaped groove under the pressure of the fixing plate 11.

[0053] like Figure 9 As shown, in this embodiment, multiple shock-absorbing strips 4 are provided in the same strip groove. The two ends of the multiple shock-absorbing strips 4 are fixedly connected to each other. The multiple shock-absorbing strips 4 are tightly pressed together and uniformly twisted into a spiral shape. Each end of the shock-absorbing strip 4 is provided with a gasket 41, located at the insertion hole 221, with the gasket 41 partially protruding from the fixing surface 22. After the multiple shock-absorbing strips 4 are tightly pressed together and twisted into shape, they are placed in the strip groove. When the fixing plate 11 acts on the gaskets 41 at the ends of the multiple shock-absorbing strips 4, the multiple shock-absorbing strips 4 will spread out towards the four walls of the strip groove, such as... Figure 9 The two arrows in the middle provide more stable support and shock absorption for the strip groove.

[0054] To ensure the stability of the foot skeleton 1 and the footpad 2, such as Figure 10 As shown, the foot structure also includes a clamping member 5, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 11As shown, there are two clamping members 5, which are respectively set on both sides of the connection between the foot frame 1 and the foot pad. The clamping member 5 is provided with a locking block 51 and a first through hole 52. The side of the foot pad 2 is provided with a locking groove, and the foot frame 1 is provided with a second through hole 12. The locking block 51 is locked in the locking groove. The first through hole 52 and the second through hole 12 are fixed to each other by a connecting pin (not shown in the figure). Among them, the clamping member 5 is provided with a pressure plate 53. When the clamping member 5 is fixed on both sides of the foot frame 1 and the foot pad 2, the fixing plate 11 is located between the pressure plate 53 and the fixing surface 22. The thickness of the pressure plate 53 decreases uniformly from the root to the top. The surface of the pressure plate 53 that contacts the fixing plate 11 is an inclined surface, and the surface of the fixing plate 11 that contacts the pressure plate 53 is an inclined surface that fits against the pressure plate 53.

[0055] In this embodiment, the damping strip can not only offset the shock received by the arc buffer pad Figure 5 As shown in the diagram, since both ends of the shock-absorbing strip 4 are in contact with the fixing plate 11 on the foot frame 1, when the foot pad 2 is subjected to a large impact force, the middle part of the shock-absorbing strip 4 in the foot pad 2 can also absorb a certain impact force, thereby improving the overall shock absorption effect and impact resistance of the foot pad 2.

[0056] like Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, in this embodiment, by turning the connecting bolt, the clamping member 5 is brought closer to the foot pad 2 and the foot frame 1. Since one end of the clamping member 5 is fixed by the locking block 51, under the action of the two cooperating inclined surfaces of the pressure plate 53 and the fixing plate 11, the distance between the inclined surface of the pressure plate 53 and the fixing surface 22 of the foot pad 2 becomes smaller. Figure 13 As shown, this applies a force to the fixing plate 11 to press the end of the damping strip into the insertion hole 221, thus facilitating the fixing of the damping strip.

[0057] The pressure plate 53 is designed to assist the fixing plate 11 in applying pressure to the end of the shock-absorbing strip 4 when the two pressure plates 53 are brought close together by the connecting bolts, so that the shock-absorbing strip 4 can be completely pressed into the strip groove; and the pressure plate 53 can enhance the connection strength between the foot frame 1 and the foot pad 2, and prevent the shock-absorbing strip 4 from applying too much pressure to the fixing plate 11, which would cause the connection between the foot frame 1 and the foot pad 2 to be unstable.

[0058] The above are preferred embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A leg structure of a quadruped robot, characterized by: The invention discloses a foot pad and foot skeleton, which comprises a foot skeleton (1) and a foot pad (2), the foot pad (2) is fixed on the end of the foot skeleton (1) which contacts with the ground, a buffer layer (3) is arranged on the ground-contact surface (21) of the foot pad (2), the edge of the buffer layer (3) protrudes from the edge of the ground-contact surface (21) of the foot pad (2), and the connection between the edge of the buffer layer (3) and the outer surface of the foot pad (2) is a smooth inclined surface. The invention also discloses a clamping fixture (5), two clamping fixtures (5) are arranged on the two sides of the connection between the foot skeleton (1) and the foot pad (2). The foot pad (2) is further provided with a fixing surface (22) for fixing with the foot skeleton (1), the foot skeleton (1) is provided with a fixing plate (11), and the fixing surface (22) is fixed on the fixing plate (11) when the foot pad (2) is fixed on the foot skeleton (1). The clamping fixture (5) is provided with a pressing plate (53), the fixing plate (11) is located between the pressing plate (53) and the fixing surface (22) when the clamping fixture (5) is fixed on the two sides of the foot skeleton (1) and the foot pad (2). The thickness of the pressing plate (53) decreases from the root to the top, the surface of the pressing plate (53) which contacts with the fixing plate (11) is an inclined surface, and the surface of the fixing plate (11) which contacts with the pressing plate (53) is an inclined surface which is matched with the pressing plate (53).

2. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the buffer layer (3) is provided with a plurality of shock-absorbing grooves (31), the shock-absorbing grooves (31) are arranged in a long strip shape and are staggered to divide the buffer layer (3) into a plurality of shock-absorbing blocks (32), and the shock-absorbing blocks (32) comprise flat shock-absorbing blocks (321) which are located on the plane of the ground-contact surface (21) and arc-shaped shock-absorbing blocks (322) which are located at the edges of the ground-contact surface (21).

3. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The groove depth of the shock-absorbing groove (31) is greater than the groove width of the shock-absorbing groove (31).

4. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The foot pad (2) is further provided with a shock-absorbing strip (4), the shock-absorbing strip (4) is arranged at the connection between the arc-shaped shock-absorbing block (322) and the edge of the ground-contact surface (21), and the anti-deformation performance of the shock-absorbing strip (4) is stronger than the anti-deformation performance of the foot pad (2).

5. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The foot pad (2) is provided with a strip-shaped groove, the fixing surface (22) is provided with a plug hole (221), the plug hole (221) is connected with the strip-shaped groove and the outside of the foot pad (2), and the shock-absorbing strip (4) can be arranged in the strip-shaped groove in a plug-in manner.

6. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The two ends of the strip-shaped groove are connected with corresponding plug holes (221), when the shock-absorbing strip (4) is located in the strip-shaped groove, the two ends of the shock-absorbing strip (4) are exposed from different plug holes (221) and protrude from the fixing surface (22), and the shock-absorbing strip (4) is deformed and fastened in the strip-shaped groove under the extrusion of the fixing plate (11).

7. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: A plurality of shock-absorbing strips (4) are arranged in the same said strip-shaped slot, two ends of the plurality of shock-absorbing strips (4) are fixedly connected with each other, the plurality of shock-absorbing strips (4) are tightly adhered to each other and uniformly twisted to be in a spiral shape, both ends of the shock-absorbing strip (4) are provided with a gasket (41), the gasket (41) is located at the jack (221), and the gasket (41) partially protrudes from the fixing surface (22).

8. The quadruped robot's leg structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The clamping piece (5) is provided with a clamping block (51) and a first through hole (52), a side surface of the foot pad (2) is provided with a clamping groove, the foot skeleton (1) is provided with a second through hole (12), the clamping block (51) is clamped in the clamping groove, and the first through hole (52) and the second through hole (12) are fixedly connected through a connecting pin.

9. The quadruped robot foot structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing surface (22) of the foot pad (2) is provided with a fixing groove (23), the fixing plate (11) is provided with a fixing block (13), and the fixing block (13) is inserted into the fixing groove (23).

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