A quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism and a quadruped robot

Abstract

The application provides a four-legged robot auxiliary crossing mechanism, which comprises a base, a trunk and a rotor; two arc-shaped sliding rails are symmetrically arranged on the base, and each sliding rail is provided with a positioning slot; the trunk comprises a rotating motor, a rotating shaft, positioning pins arranged at the bottom of both sides of the trunk, electromagnets arranged above the positioning pins and the sliding rails below the positioning pins; the rotating motor is used for driving the rotating shaft to rotate the trunk above the base with the center as the axis; when the positioning pins rotate to the position of the positioning slots, the positioning pins fall into the positioning slots and are locked in the positioning slots; the electromagnets are used for taking out the positioning pins from the positioning slots; and the rotor is used for generating upward lift force; the application provides simple trunk mechanical structure, limited rotation on the base, mode switching and relatively small technical difficulty; and in the crossing or flying mode, the positioning and locking device is used to improve the reliability of the mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and more particularly to a quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism and a quadruped robot. Background Technology

[0002] Quadruped robots are an important type of robot in the field of robotics, possessing excellent adaptability and stability, and are therefore widely used in various fields such as rescue, exploration, and military applications. However, in practical applications, quadruped robots often need to traverse obstacles of varying heights, such as stairs, railings, or ditches, requiring them to have good traversing capabilities. Solving this problem, however, requires overcoming numerous challenges.

[0003] First, the robot needs sufficient strength and stability to support its own weight and maintain balance during crossing. This requires the robot's design to consider factors such as structural strength and center of gravity control. Second, the quadruped robot needs sufficient flexibility and motion planning capabilities to adapt to changes in the shape and height of various obstacles. This requires the robot to make appropriate leg posture and gait adjustments based on real-time environmental information to achieve precise control of the crossing motion. Furthermore, the decision-making and perception systems also play a crucial role. The quadruped robot needs to accurately perceive and understand obstacle information in the environment, including shape, height, and position, in order to make appropriate crossing decisions and plan the optimal path.

[0004] In summary, the traversing ability of quadruped robots is crucial for expanding their applications in practical fields. Therefore, researching and developing quadruped robots with strong traversing capabilities will offer enormous potential for realizing a wider range of application scenarios.

[0005] A common traversing mechanism is the telescopic arm traversing mechanism. This mechanism changes the position of the quadruped robot's support point by extending and retracting the telescopic arm, thus enabling it to traverse obstacles of considerable height. The design of this mechanism is relatively complex, requiring consideration of the telescopic arm's structure and control to achieve a stable extension and retraction process.

[0006] However, the deformation process of the telescopic arm can easily generate unstable factors, which may affect the crossing effect and the stability of the robot. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem this invention aims to solve is how to improve the stability of the auxiliary structure. In view of this, this invention provides an auxiliary traversing mechanism for a quadruped robot and a quadruped robot itself.

[0008] The technical solution adopted in this invention is a quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism, comprising:

[0009] The base has two symmetrically arranged arc-shaped slide rails, each with a positioning groove. The base has fixed threaded holes on both sides for connecting with a quadruped robot.

[0010] The main structure includes a rotary motor. A rotating shaft is located at the center of the main structure, and the bottom end of the rotating shaft is located within the base. Positioning pins are respectively located at the bottom of both sides of the main structure. An electromagnet is positioned above each positioning pin, and the lower part of each positioning pin is located within a corresponding slide rail. The rotary motor drives the rotating shaft, causing the main structure to rotate about its center axis above the base. This causes the positioning pins to fall and lock into the positioning slots when they reach those slots. The electromagnets are used to remove the positioning pins from the positioning slots.

[0011] The rotor includes a servo motor connected to the main body, a duct connected to the other end of the servo motor, a rotor motor mounted at the center of the duct via a support frame, and multiple fan blades connected to the rotor motor; the rotor motor is used to drive the fan blades to rotate so that the rotor generates lift for the quadruped robot to perform corresponding actions.

[0012] In one embodiment, a cavity is provided at the center of the base, and the top of the cavity is a rotating hole that matches the position of the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is rotatable within the rotating hole;

[0013] The bottom of the main body is provided with a recessed hole, which matches the position of the rotating shaft.

[0014] In one embodiment, the rotary motor is connected to the rotary shaft via a coupling.

[0015] In one embodiment, load-bearing bearings and bushings are provided radially at both ends of the rotating shaft.

[0016] In one embodiment, the rotary motor is fixed in a motor base, and the electromagnet is fixed on a mounting bracket disposed on the inner side wall of the main body.

[0017] In one embodiment, the portion of the locating pin near the top is disposed inside the sleeve, and the main shaft has a locating hole at the bottom of the locating pin.

[0018] In one embodiment, the structure further includes: a control module;

[0019] The control module responds to the control command characterizing the traversing mode of the quadruped robot, drives the rotary motor to rotate so that the main body rotates 90° counterclockwise on the base, and the positioning pin falls into the positioning groove and locks in place.

[0020] After the positioning pin is locked, the control module further drives the rotor motor to rotate, so that the rotor drives the quadruped robot's auxiliary crossing mechanism to generate lift, thereby assisting the quadruped robot to complete the corresponding action;

[0021] After completing the corresponding action, the control module is further used to restore the rotor and energize the electromagnet, so that the electromagnet pulls the positioning pin out of the positioning groove and drives the rotary motor to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the main body rotates 90° clockwise on the base to complete the restoration.

[0022] Another aspect of the present invention provides a quadruped robot, comprising: a quadruped robot body, wherein the back of the quadruped robot body is connected to a quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0024] The quadruped robot traversing mechanism described in this invention has a main body that can rotate to a limited extent on the base to achieve mode switching; furthermore, the mechanical structure used for mode switching in this invention is not complex, and the subsequent control technology is not difficult; and, when the quadruped robot is in traversing or flying mode, the locking effect of the positioning pin makes the overall mechanism highly reliable. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism (non-crossing or flight mode) according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall (crossing or flight mode) quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the base of the quadruped robot's auxiliary crossing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the middle plane of the base of the quadruped robot's assisted crossing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal components of the main body of the quadruped robot's auxiliary crossing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in non-crossing or flight mode view 1 (with some external components, including the sleeve, hidden);

[0031] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in non-crossing or flight mode view 1 (with some external components hidden, excluding the sleeve);

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in crossover or flight mode view 1 (with some external components hidden, excluding the sleeve);

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in non-crossing or flight mode view 2 (with some external components hidden, excluding the sleeve);

[0034] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in crossover or flight mode view 2 (with some external components hidden, excluding the sleeve);

[0035] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in non-crossing or flight mode view 3 (with some external components hidden, excluding the sleeve);

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention in crossover or flight mode view 3 (with some external components hidden, excluding the sleeve);

[0037] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the rotor portion of the quadruped robot's auxiliary crossing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a quadruped robot in non-crossing or flight mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a quadruped robot in stride or flight mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure Labels

[0041] 1-Base, 11-Slide rail, 111-Positioning groove, 12-Rotating hole, 13-Fixing threaded hole, 14-Cavity, 2-Main shaft, 21-Rotating shaft, 211-Bearing bearing and bushing, 22-Concave hole, 23-Coupling, 24-Motor base, 241-Rotating motor, 25-Electromagnet, 26-Fixing bracket, 27-Positioning pin, 28-Sleeve, 29-Positioning hole, 3-Rotor, 31-Servo motor, 32-Ductwork, 33-Rotor motor, 331-Support frame, 34-Fan blade. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0043] It should be understood that the terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," and / or "comprises," when used in this specification, indicate the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. Furthermore, when expressions such as "at least one of..." appear after a list of listed features, they modify the entire listed feature, not individual elements in the list. Additionally, when describing embodiments of this application, the word "may" is used to mean "one or more embodiments of this application." And the term "exemplary" is intended to refer to an example or illustration.

[0044] As used herein, the terms “basically,” “approximately,” and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than terms of degree, and are intended to describe inherent biases in measured or calculated values ​​that will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0045] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should also be understood that terms (e.g., those defined in common dictionaries) shall be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so specified herein.

[0046] In the first embodiment of the present invention, a quadruped robot-assisted traversing mechanism is provided, such as... Figures 1 to 2 As shown, it includes:

[0047] The base 1 has two symmetrically arranged arc-shaped slide rails 11, each slide rail 11 has a positioning groove 111, and the base 1 has fixed threaded holes 13 on both sides for connecting with the quadruped robot.

[0048] The main frame 2 includes a rotary motor 241. A rotating shaft 21 is located at the center of the main frame 2, and the bottom end of the rotating shaft 21 is located inside the base 1. Positioning pins 27 are respectively located at the bottom of both sides of the main frame 2. An electromagnet 25 is located above the positioning pins 27, and the bottom of the positioning pins 27 is located in the corresponding slide rail 11. The rotary motor 241 is used to drive the rotating shaft 21, so that the main frame 2 rotates about the center axis above the base 1. When the positioning pins 27 rotate to the position of the positioning groove 111, they fall down and lock into the positioning groove 111. The electromagnet 25 is used to remove the positioning pins 27 from the positioning groove 111.

[0049] The rotor 3 includes a servo motor 31 connected to the main body 2, a duct 32 connected to the other end of the servo motor 31, a rotor motor 33 located at the center of the duct 32 via a support frame 331, and multiple fan blades 34 connected to the rotor motor 33. The rotor motor 33 is used to drive the fan blades 34 to rotate so that the rotor 3 generates lift for the quadruped robot to complete corresponding actions.

[0050] In this embodiment, a cavity 14 is provided at the center of the base 1, and a rotating hole 12 is provided at the top of the cavity 14, which matches the position of the rotating shaft 21. The rotating shaft 21 is rotatable within the rotating hole 12.

[0051] The bottom of the main body is provided with a recessed hole 22, which matches the position of the rotating shaft 21.

[0052] In this embodiment, the rotary motor 241 is connected to the rotary shaft 21 via a coupling 23.

[0053] In this embodiment, load-bearing bearings and bushings 211 are provided radially at both ends of the rotating shaft 21.

[0054] In this embodiment, the rotary motor 241 is fixed in the motor base 24, and the electromagnet 25 is fixed on the fixing bracket 26 set on the inner side wall of the main body.

[0055] In this embodiment, the portion of the positioning pin 27 near the top is disposed inside the sleeve 28, and the main body 2 has a positioning hole 29 at the bottom of the positioning pin 27.

[0056] In this embodiment, the structure also includes: a control module;

[0057] The control module responds to the control command that characterizes the traversing mode of the quadruped robot, drives the rotary motor 241 to rotate so that the trunk 2 rotates 90° counterclockwise on the base 1, and the positioning pin 27 falls into the positioning groove 111 and locks.

[0058] After the positioning pin 27 is locked, the control module further drives the rotor motor 33 to rotate, so that the rotor 3 drives the quadruped robot's auxiliary crossing mechanism to generate lift, thereby assisting the quadruped robot to complete the corresponding action.

[0059] After completing the corresponding action, the control module is further used to restore the rotor 3 and energize the electromagnet 25, so that the electromagnet 25 pulls the positioning pin 27 out of the positioning groove 111 and drives the rotary motor 241 to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the main body 2 rotates 90° clockwise on the base 1 to complete the restoration.

[0060] Specifically, such as Figure 3-4As shown, two slide rails 11 are symmetrically arranged above the base, each with a positioning groove 111; the base contains a cavity 12 in the middle, and a rotating hole 13 is above the cavity; the base has fixing threaded holes 14 on the side, two on each side, and the mechanism is fixed to the back of a conventional quadruped robot by bolt connection.

[0061] like Figure 5-8 As shown, a rotating shaft 21 is provided on the main trunk, and there are two load-bearing bearings 23 on the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is connected to a rotary motor 241 through a coupling 23. The rotary motor rotates to drive the main trunk to rotate around the axis, i.e., the center of the base, to realize mode switching. There is an electromagnet 25 and a positioning pin 27 on each side below the main trunk. The positions of the two pairs of devices are staggered along the center line of the main trunk.

[0062] like Figure 13 As shown, the rotor section is connected to both sides of the main shaft, and is connected to the duct 32 by servo motors 31. Each support frame 331 on the duct is equipped with a rotor motor 33, which drives the upper fan blades 34 to rotate, generating the lift required for crossing or flight. The rotor section is installed on both sides of the main shaft, and the servo motors are directly connected to the main shaft. The servo motors 31 are connected to the duct 32, and then each support frame 331 on the duct is equipped with a rotor motor 33, which ultimately drives the fan blades 34 installed on the motors to rotate, generating the lift required for the quadruped robot to cross or fly.

[0063] In one implementation, the movement of the positioning pin is restricted by multiple factors, including the guide rail and sleeve, to ensure that it does not undergo uncontrollable changes in shape and position in the horizontal direction. When the electromagnet is not in operation and the mechanism is in straddle or flight mode, the positioning hole 29 directly below the positioning pin, together with the positioning groove on the base, will fix the naturally falling positioning pin, thus achieving a certain locking effect, thereby stabilizing subsequent operations and improving the reliability of the structure.

[0064] Load-bearing capacity is a crucial aspect to consider in this mechanism. Therefore, a rough weight estimate should be made during the initial design phase to determine the axial bearings that can withstand the combined weight of the mechanism and the quadruped robot. One load-bearing bearing is installed in the cavity and secured with a bushing; its primary function is to lift the quadruped robot in conjunction with the base. The other bearing, also with a matching bushing, is installed in the recess 22 of the main body. It primarily transfers the lift generated by the upper rotor section during straddle or flight modes to the lower section, propelling the entire machine upwards.

[0065] Specifically, the rotary motor is fixed by the motor base 24. The installation of the motor should be considered in conjunction with the center of the rotating shaft, the size of the rotating shaft, and the size of the selected motor. The connection surface between the motor base and the main shaft can be appropriately hollowed out with ribs to reduce the overall weight of the mechanism and save costs. The electromagnet is fixed by the fixing bracket 26. The installation height of the fixing bracket should be considered in conjunction with the starting position of the slide rail, the size of the electromagnet, and the size of the positioning pin. The sleeve should be non-standard manufactured after the positioning pin, electromagnet, etc. are installed. Non-metallic materials should be used here to avoid unnecessary interference with the subsequent operation of the electromagnet.

[0066] The rotor section adopts a symmetrical design relative to the main shaft. The rotor motors on both sides normally rotate at equal speeds but in opposite directions to balance torque. When directional adjustment is needed, the speeds of both motors and the servo motor attitude are considered in combination to achieve various directional changes. The fan blades use a three-bladed design, which offers significant advantages compared to conventional two-bladed and four-bladed propellers. Under the same conditions, it achieves lower operating noise and better balance. Furthermore, a ducted design is employed, which effectively enhances lift based on aerodynamic principles, while also further improving safety.

[0067] More preferably, the flight system components required for the rotor section are integrated into the wiring and placed together with the wiring of the rotary motor and electromagnet in the remaining space of the main structure.

[0068] Specifically, in conjunction with the given institutions Figure 5-13 and the final effect Figure 14-15 In this embodiment, the auxiliary traversing mechanism is first assembled from the fixed threaded holes on the base and the back of the quadruped robot using bolts, forming a novel quadruped robot. When the robot is in non-traversing or flight mode, i.e., performing a regular task, the mechanism on its back is installed parallel to the robot's body, and will not have any adverse effects on it, such as obstructed vision, reduced mobility, or misjudgment of body shape. Once it encounters special terrain such as ditches or railings, the quadruped robot can react quickly and switch to traversing or flight mode. In this process, the rotary motor located inside the main body starts to operate first, driving the rotating shaft connected by the coupling below to rotate 90° counterclockwise. Since the base is fixed, this action will cause the main body to rotate 1 / 4 revolution.

[0069] Furthermore, the locating pins on both sides of the main stem reach the locating slots on the base slide rail. At this point, they will fall into the locating slots due to their own gravity, and the larger end of the locating pin will also be embedded in the locating hole for fixation. Due to the constraints of the sleeve and slide rail, the locating pins will not deviate in the horizontal direction when the rotating motor moves, which increases the reliability of the mechanism to a certain extent. When the mechanism itself is in this relative position, the rotor sections on both sides of the main stem begin to work under the action of the flight control module. The rotor motors mounted on the support frame rotate to drive the fan blades to generate lift. The speed of the motors is determined by the task required by the quadruped robot (crossing obstacles or flying at low altitude at a certain distance), and the direction is adjusted by the servo motors connected to the main stem, allowing for flexible handling.

[0070] In this mode, the load-bearing task is undertaken by two load-bearing bearings. The upper bearing is connected to the main body and then to the rotor, the main power source of the mode, which provides lift. The lower bearing is connected to the base and then to the quadruped robot body that performs the task.

[0071] Once the quadruped robot reaches the designated position, it first resets the rotor to its initial state. Then, the electromagnet inside the main body is energized, attracting the positioning pin from the positioning hole. Simultaneously, the rotary motor rotates in the opposite direction, and after a 90° angle change, the entire mechanism returns to its non-jumping or flight mode. During this process, the electromagnet does not need to be continuously energized; it can be de-energized after a certain period of time following the rotation of the rotary motor. The subsequent positioning of the positioning pin is then controlled by the slide rail and sleeve.

[0072] Compared with the prior art, this embodiment has at least the following advantages:

[0073] 1) The main body of this embodiment can rotate to a limited extent on the base, ranging from 0° to 90°, to achieve mode switching;

[0074] 2) In this embodiment, the positioning and locking device ensures high reliability during crossing or flight modes;

[0075] Specifically, by adding a positioning pin and a positioning hole: In the improved design, a positioning hole is provided directly below the mechanism. When the electromagnet is not in action and the mechanism is in straddle mode, the positioning pin will naturally fall into the positioning hole, achieving a certain locking effect.

[0076] Using slide rails and support positioning pins: The slide rails can support the positioning pins when the mechanism is in non-crossing or flying mode, so that the electromagnet does not need to be energized for a long time, and at the same time, it also plays a certain role in limiting the movement.

[0077] 3) This embodiment employs a three-bladed propeller and ducted design: This invention uses a three-bladed propeller with a duct. Compared to a typical two-bladed propeller and a rotor without a duct, noise is reduced and safety and reliability are significantly increased under the same operating conditions.

[0078] The second embodiment of the present invention corresponds to the first embodiment. This embodiment introduces a quadruped robot, such as... Figure 14 as well as Figure 15 As shown, it includes the following components:

[0079] The quadruped robot body and the quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism mentioned in the first embodiment are fixed to the back of the quadruped robot through the fixed threaded hole 13.

[0080] Through the description of specific embodiments, a more in-depth and specific understanding should be gained of the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the intended purpose. However, the accompanying drawings are only provided for reference and illustration and are not intended to limit the present invention.

Claims

1. A quadruped robot-assisted traversing mechanism, characterized in that, include: The base has two symmetrically arranged arc-shaped slide rails, each with a positioning groove. The base has fixed threaded holes on both sides for connecting with a quadruped robot. The main structure includes a rotary motor. A rotating shaft is located at the center of the main structure, and the bottom end of the rotating shaft is located within the base. Positioning pins are respectively located at the bottom of both sides of the main structure. An electromagnet is positioned above each positioning pin, and the lower part of each positioning pin is located within a corresponding slide rail. The rotary motor drives the rotating shaft, causing the main structure to rotate about its center axis above the base. This causes the positioning pins to fall and lock into the positioning slots when they reach those slots. The electromagnets are used to remove the positioning pins from the positioning slots. The rotor includes a servo motor connected to the main body, a duct connected to the other end of the servo motor, a rotor motor mounted at the center of the duct via a support frame, and multiple fan blades connected to the rotor motor; the rotor motor is used to drive the fan blades to rotate so that the rotor generates lift for the quadruped robot to perform corresponding actions.

2. The quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base has a cavity at its center, and the top of the cavity has a rotating hole that matches the position of the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft can rotate within the rotating hole. The bottom of the main trunk is provided with a recessed hole, which matches the position of the rotating shaft.

3. The quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotary motor is connected to the rotary shaft via a coupling.

4. The quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The two ends of the rotating shaft are provided with load-bearing bearings and bushings in the radial direction.

5. The quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotary motor is fixed in the motor base, and the electromagnet is fixed on the fixing frame set on the inner side wall of the main trunk.

6. The quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The portion of the locating pin near the top is disposed inside the sleeve, and the main shaft has a locating hole at the bottom of the locating pin.

7. The quadruped robot assisted crossing mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mechanism also includes: a control module; The control module responds to the control command characterizing the traversing mode of the quadruped robot, drives the rotary motor to rotate so that the main body rotates 90° counterclockwise on the base, and the positioning pin falls into the positioning groove and locks in place. After the positioning pin is locked, the control module further drives the rotor motor to rotate, so that the rotor drives the quadruped robot's auxiliary crossing mechanism to generate lift, thereby assisting the quadruped robot to complete the corresponding action; After completing the corresponding action, the control module is further used to restore the rotor and energize the electromagnet, so that the electromagnet pulls the positioning pin out of the positioning groove and drives the rotary motor to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the main body rotates 90° clockwise on the base to complete the restoration.

8. A quadruped robot, characterized in that, include: The quadruped robot body has a quadruped robot auxiliary crossing mechanism connected to its back as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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