Chassis and robot having the same

Abstract

This invention discloses a chassis and a robot having the same. The chassis includes: a lower support portion; an upper support portion; at least two hinge portions; an elastic element; and a wheel assembly, comprising a first wheel, a second wheel, and a third wheel sequentially distributed along a first direction. The lower support portion includes two branches distributed along the first direction, rotatably connected to each other, each branch having a hinge portion connected to it. The first wheel and the third wheel are respectively located on the two branches, and the second wheel is connected to at least one of the two branches. The chassis has a first position, in which every two hinge portions, the upper support portion, and the lower support portion form a parallelogram. This chassis can balance shock absorption and support rigidity. The arrangement of the two branches, in conjunction with the first, second, and third wheels, improves driving ability and obstacle-crossing ability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robot shock absorption technology, and in particular to a chassis and a robot having the same. Background Technology

[0002] Service robots have many applications, such as hotel delivery, building express delivery, and restaurant food delivery. Common service robots typically use a wheeled chassis. To ensure stable operation, shock absorbers are installed between the wheels and the chassis body to filter vibrations during movement, reduce noise, and improve operational stability.

[0003] Generally speaking, the lower the stiffness of the wheel suspension system, the better the vibration filtering effect. However, if the stiffness is too low, the inertial force will cause the vehicle body to sway excessively during the robot's acceleration and deceleration, resulting in instability. Therefore, the contradiction lies in the fact that vibration filtering performance requires low chassis stiffness, while vehicle body stability requires high chassis stiffness, making it impossible to balance shock absorption and support. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a robot chassis that, while moving, can simultaneously provide shock absorption and support, and also possesses a certain obstacle-crossing capability.

[0005] The present invention also proposes a robot having the aforementioned chassis.

[0006] The chassis of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a lower support portion; an upper support portion located above the lower support portion; at least two hinge portions, the upper ends of the hinge portions being rotatably connected to the upper support portion, and the lower ends of the hinge portions being rotatably connected to the lower support portion; an elastic element connected between the lower support portion and the upper support portion; and a walking wheel assembly connected to the lower support portion, the walking wheel assembly including a first wheel, a second wheel, and a third wheel sequentially distributed along a first direction; wherein, the lower support portion includes two branches distributed along the first direction, the two branches being rotatably connected to each other, each of the two branches being connected to the hinge portion, and the first wheel and the third wheel being respectively disposed on the two branches, and the second wheel being connected to at least one of the two branches; the chassis has a first posture, in which every two hinge portions, the upper support portion, and the lower support portion form a parallelogram.

[0007] The robot chassis according to embodiments of the present invention, by providing a lower support portion, an upper support portion, and at least two hinge portions that can form a parallelogram, gives the chassis a certain rigidity, making the upper support portion less prone to swaying during speed changes, steering, or when subjected to bumps, thus increasing stability. By incorporating elastic elements, the chassis achieves good shock absorption, balancing shock absorption and support rigidity. The two branch portions, in conjunction with the first, second, and third wheels, improve mobility and obstacle-crossing capabilities.

[0008] In some embodiments, in the first posture, the hinge portion is inclined.

[0009] Furthermore, in the first posture, the elastic element is tilted.

[0010] Specifically, the hinge and the elastic element are tilted in opposite directions.

[0011] In some embodiments, the second wheel is connected to only one of the branches, and the second wheel is located at the rotational connection point of the two branches.

[0012] In some embodiments, the second wheel is a driving wheel, and at least one of the first wheel and the third wheel is a driven wheel.

[0013] Furthermore, the walking wheel assembly satisfies at least one of the following conditions: Condition 1: The driving wheel is equipped with a hub motor; Condition 2: The driven wheel is a swivel wheel or a planetary wheel.

[0014] In some specific embodiments, the lower support portion is a support rod extending along the first direction of the chassis; the chassis includes at least two support rods, which are spaced apart along a second direction, which is horizontal and perpendicular to the first direction.

[0015] Furthermore, the hinge portion is a hinge rod, and the hinge rod is connected to each branch of the support rod.

[0016] Specifically, the robot chassis further includes a linkage component, which is connected to the hinge rods on different support rods, and the linkage component is located below the upper support portion.

[0017] In some embodiments, the elastic element is one or at least two; when the elastic element is one, only one of the support rods is connected to the elastic element.

[0018] In some specific embodiments, the elastic element is a shock absorber.

[0019] A robot according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a chassis, wherein the chassis is the chassis of the robot described in the above embodiment.

[0020] The robot according to embodiments of the present invention not only moves smoothly and is not easily shaken, but also has strong shock absorption and obstacle-crossing ability.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the chassis of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The chassis shown in the embodiment is a front side view;

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A front side view of the chassis with the upper support portion concealed in the embodiment.

[0025] Figure label:

[0026] Chassis 100

[0027] Lower support 10, branch 11, upper support 20, hinge 30, elastic element 40, running wheel assembly 50, first wheel 51, second wheel 52, third wheel 53, linkage element 60.

[0028] First direction a, second direction b. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. Additionally, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention; however, those skilled in the art will recognize the applicability of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0031] The chassis 100 and the robot having thereon according to an embodiment of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the chassis 100 of the robot according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a lower support portion 10, an upper support portion 20, at least two hinge portions 30, an elastic element 40, and a set of walking wheels 50.

[0033] The upper support portion 20 is located above the lower support portion 10. The upper support portion 20 is used to install other structures of the robot, such as the robot's manipulator, control panel, cargo box, electrical box, and other functional devices. It should be understood that in the description of this invention, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0034] The upper end of the hinge 30 is rotatably connected to the upper support 20, and the lower end of the hinge 30 is rotatably connected to the lower support 10. Thus, when vibrations or acceleration / deceleration cause the chassis 100 to shake, the two ends of the hinge 30 rotate, changing the distance between the lower support 10 and the upper support 20, while the angle of the upper support 20 relative to the ground remains relatively constant, maintaining its load-bearing capacity. The rotation of the two ends of the hinge 30 also buffers some vibration energy, reducing the degree of shaking of the upper support 20.

[0035] The elastic element 40 connects the lower support portion 10 and the upper support portion 20 to provide support force to the upper support portion 20. Since the support force provided by the elastic element 40 to the upper support portion 20 is related to the amount of compression of the elastic element 40, it can prevent the distance between the upper support portion 20 and the lower support portion 10 from being too small.

[0036] The running wheel assembly 50 is connected to the lower support portion 10. The running wheel assembly 50 includes a first wheel 51, a second wheel 52, and a third wheel 53 sequentially distributed along a first direction a. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0037] Reference Figure 1The lower support portion 10 includes two branches 11 distributed along a first direction a, which are rotatably connected. Each branch 11 is connected to a hinge portion 30, and a first wheel 51 and a third wheel 53 are respectively disposed on the two branches 11. A second wheel 52 is connected to at least one of the two branches 11. The chassis 100 has a first position, in which every two hinge portions 30, the upper support portion 20, and the lower support portion 10 form a parallelogram.

[0038] It is understood that the hinge portion 30 can be set to two or more. When there are multiple hinge portions 30, in the first position of the chassis 100, the multiple hinge portions 30 are parallel to each other, and any two hinge portions 30 can form a parallelogram with the upper support portion 20 and the lower support portion 10. Therefore, when the number of hinge portions 30 is more than two, as long as the above conditions are met, the purpose of this application can be achieved.

[0039] For ease of explanation, it is assumed that when the chassis 100 is traveling on a flat surface, the chassis 100 is in the first position and the lower support 10 is parallel to the ground.

[0040] By incorporating the elastic element 40, the upper support portion 20 receives an upward supporting force and possesses a certain load-bearing capacity. Due to the presence of at least two hinge portions 30, these hinge portions 30, in conjunction with the elastic element 40, distribute the supporting force on the upper support portion 20, resulting in balanced force distribution. Since every two hinge portions 30, together with the upper support portion 20 and the lower support portion 10, form a parallelogram, when the lower support portion 10 remains parallel to the ground, the upper support portion 20 also remains parallel to the ground, thereby maintaining a stable load-bearing capacity.

[0041] When the chassis 100 changes speed or turns, a speed difference is generated between the upper support part 20 and the lower support part 10. At this time, under the action of the parallelogram, the upper support part 20 still remains parallel to the ground, and the upper support part 20 is not easy to tilt or wobble. Therefore, by using the two hinged parts 30 to form a parallelogram with the upper support part 20 and the lower support part 10, the chassis 100 has strong rigidity and avoids instability caused by excessive swing of the upper support part 20.

[0042] Since the first wheel 51 and the third wheel 53 are respectively located on two branches 11, and the second wheel 52 is connected to at least one of the two branches 11, the angle between the two branches 11 can change when the ground is uneven, so that the first wheel 51, the second wheel 52 and the third wheel 53 can generally contact the ground, thereby improving the driving ability and obstacle crossing ability.

[0043] by Figure 1For example, two branches 11 are rotatably connected at point B and extend towards points A and C respectively. The lower support 10 is composed of the two branches 11. A first wheel 51 and a second wheel 52 are mounted on the branch 11 between points A and B, and a third wheel 53 is mounted on the branch 11 between points B and C. Thus, the first wheel 51 and the second wheel 52 can support the branch 11 between points A and B to move smoothly, and the second wheel 52 and the third wheel 53 can support the branch 11 between points B and C to move smoothly. When an uphill slope appears ahead, point A of the branch 11 gradually rises, causing the front branch 11 to rotate clockwise relative to the rear branch 11, ensuring stable contact between the walking wheel assembly 50 and the ground. When a downhill slope appears ahead, point A of the branch 11 gradually descends, causing the front branch 11 to rotate counterclockwise relative to the rear branch 11, ensuring stable contact between the walking wheel assembly 50 and the ground.

[0044] Assume points D and F are upper hinge points on the upper support 20, and points E and G are lower hinge points on the two branches 11. Line segments DF and EG have the same length. Hinges 30 connect points D and E, and hinges 30 connect points F and G. The two hinges 30 are arranged in parallel.

[0045] It can be seen that when the chassis 100 is located on uneven ground, the angles of the two branches 11 change, causing the two hinges 30 to fail to form a parallelogram with the upper support 20 and the lower support 10. In this case, the pose of the chassis 100 can change to a second pose. Of course, if the angles between the two branches 11 are different, the shape formed by the two hinges 30 with the upper support 20 and the lower support 10 will change, thus the second pose also changes.

[0046] The chassis 100 of the robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing a lower support portion 10, an upper support portion 20, and at least two hinge portions 30 that can form a parallelogram, gives the chassis 100 a certain rigidity. This prevents the upper support portion 20 from swaying during speed changes, steering, or when subjected to bumps, thus increasing stability. By incorporating elastic elements, the chassis 100 achieves good shock absorption, balancing shock absorption and support rigidity. The two branch portions 11, in conjunction with the first wheel 51, the second wheel 52, and the third wheel 53, improve driving ability and obstacle-crossing capability.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the first position, the hinge portion 30 is inclined. This inclined arrangement of the hinge portion 30 reduces the risk of it getting stuck at a dead point when the upper support portion 20 descends. Therefore, when the elastic member 40 expands or contracts due to vibration, the hinge portion 30 can promptly adapt to changes in the height of the elastic member 40 and adjust its angle.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the first position, the elastic element 40 is inclined, so that the supporting force of the elastic element 40 on the upper support part 20 can generate a certain horizontal component force, increasing the impact resistance of the upper support part 20 against horizontal impact.

[0049] Of course, the present invention is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the elastic element 40 can also be set vertically. In this case, the elastic element 40 has sufficient rigidity and can also provide a certain horizontal component force when deformed to resist horizontal impact.

[0050] In some specific embodiments, the hinge portion 30 and the elastic member 40 are tilted in opposite directions. In this way, the horizontal component of the supporting force of the elastic member 40 can be balanced to a certain extent with the horizontal component of the supporting force of the hinge portion 30, thereby reducing the load on the hinge portion 30 and the elastic member 40.

[0051] When there are multiple elastic elements 40, the orientation of each elastic element 40 can be flexibly set as needed.

[0052] In this application, the position of the second wheel 52 of the walking wheel assembly 50 can be flexibly selected. For example, the second wheel 52 can be installed at the rotation connection point of the two branches 11, such as... Figure 1 The second wheel, 52, is near point B.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second wheel 52 is connected to only one of the branches 11, and the second wheel 52 is located near the rotation connection point of the two branches 11. This reduces the assembly difficulty of the second wheel 52 and reduces wear at the connection point. However, because the second wheel 52 is located near the rotation connection point of the two branches 11, the second wheel 52 provides strong and stable support to both branches 11.

[0054] exist Figure 1 In the example, the position of the second wheel 52 on the two branches 11 can be chosen arbitrarily, or even the second wheel 52 can be installed on each of the two branches 11.

[0055] In some specific embodiments, the second wheel 52 is the driving wheel, and at least one of the first wheel 51 and the third wheel 53 is a driven wheel. In this way, the second wheel 52, which acts as a connecting wheel, can exert more driving capability. The use of a driven wheel can reduce costs.

[0056] In some alternative embodiments, a hub motor is provided inside the drive wheel, that is, the motor is built into the hub of the drive wheel, which reduces the volume occupied and improves the obstacle crossing ability.

[0057] In some alternative embodiments, the driven wheel is a swivel wheel, which facilitates adjustment of the direction of travel, especially turning. In other alternative embodiments, the driven wheel is a planetary wheel, thereby improving obstacle-crossing ability. In some designs, the first wheel 51 and the third wheel 53 may be swivel wheels or planetary wheels.

[0058] In some alternative embodiments, the second wheel 52 is equipped with a hub motor, and the first wheel 51 and the third wheel 53 are driven wheels of the same type or different types.

[0059] In some embodiments, the ground pressure ratio of the first wheel 51, the third wheel 53, and the second wheel 52 can be adjusted by adjusting the relative positions of the lower hinge points E and G on AB and BC. A reasonable length ratio design can ensure that the ground pressure ratio of the second wheel 52 is above 50%, thereby ensuring that the robot has sufficient power, reducing the probability of slippage, and improving obstacle-crossing performance.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first direction a is the front-back direction, and multiple hinged parts 30 are distributed at intervals along the front-back direction. This can solve the problem of the upper support part 20 tilting forward and backward, so that the front-back offset load has less impact on the robot's posture.

[0061] In some embodiments, the first direction b is the left-right direction, and multiple hinged parts 30 are distributed at intervals along the left-right direction. This can solve the problem of the upper support part 20 tilting to the left or right, so that the left-right load has less impact on the robot's posture.

[0062] In other embodiments, the first direction a is the front-back direction, but the multiple hinge parts 30 are distributed partly along the front-back direction and partly along the left-right direction, which can solve the problem of the upper support part 20 tilting forward, backward, left, and right.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the lower support 10 is a support rod extending along a first direction a of the chassis 100. The chassis 100 includes at least two support rods, which are spaced apart along a second direction b, which is horizontal and perpendicular to the first direction a.

[0064] This design, with the lower support 10 connected to the walking wheel assembly 50 by a rod, not only helps reduce weight but also lowers the risk of snagging on obstacles and improves obstacle-crossing ability when traveling in the first direction a.

[0065] Specifically, the hinge part 30 is a hinge rod, and each branch 11 of the support rod is connected to a hinge rod. In this way, the entire chassis 100 is more stable, and after the upper support part 20 is connected by rods, a large clearance area is effectively opened up below, making it easier to cross protruding obstacles.

[0066] Furthermore, the chassis 100 also includes a linkage 60, which is connected to hinges on different support rods and is located below the upper support 20. The linkage 60 facilitates consistent operation of components on different support rods, such as enabling the linkage of the left and right walking wheel sets 50. When the cargo is unevenly loaded to the left or right, it will not affect the robot's posture.

[0067] Corresponding to Figure 1 In the middle, the linkage 60 can fix the hinge rod corresponding to DE, or fix the hinge rod corresponding to FG.

[0068] Compared to existing technologies, the present application can reduce the number of elastic elements 40. Optionally, the elastic element 40 can be a shock absorber or other type of elastic structure.

[0069] by Figure 1 Taking the illustrated scheme as an example, when the hinge rods corresponding to DE on the left and right sides are fixed together, a shock absorber can be fixed on each of the two support rods. Alternatively, when the hinge rods corresponding to DE on the left and right sides are fixed together, a shock absorber can be fixed on only one support rod.

[0070] Alternatively, when the hinge rods corresponding to the left and right FG are fixed together, a shock absorber can be fixed to each of the two support rods. Or, when the hinge rods corresponding to the left and right FG are fixed together, a shock absorber can be fixed to only one support rod.

[0071] In other words, the elastic element 40 in this application can be one or at least two. When there is only one elastic element 40, it can be connected to only one support rod, thereby significantly reducing costs. Compared to the prior art, which requires four shock absorbers, the solution in this application requires fewer shock absorbers, and even only two or one shock absorber are needed to achieve six-wheel shock absorption.

[0072] In some specific embodiments, the second direction b is the left-right direction, and the chassis 100 is mirror-image positioned along the left-right direction. This not only improves aesthetics but also ensures balanced force distribution.

[0073] The robot according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a chassis 100, wherein the chassis 100 is the chassis of the robot according to the above embodiment.

[0074] The robot according to embodiments of the present invention not only moves smoothly and is not easily shaken, but also has strong shock absorption and obstacle-crossing ability.

[0075] Other components and operations of the robot according to embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0076] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0077] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0078] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0079] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A chassis of a robot, characterized in that, include: Lower support section; The upper support portion is located above the lower support portion; At least two hinged parts, the upper end of the hinged parts being rotatably connected to the upper support part, and the lower end of the hinged parts being rotatably connected to the lower support part; An elastic element, which is connected independently of the hinge portion between the lower support portion and the upper support portion; A traveling wheel assembly, the traveling wheel assembly being connected to the lower support portion, the traveling wheel assembly comprising a first wheel, a second wheel, and a third wheel sequentially distributed along a first direction; The lower support includes two branches distributed along the first direction, the two branches are rotatably connected, and the hinge is connected to each of the two branches. The first wheel and the third wheel are respectively provided on the two branches, and the second wheel is connected to at least one of the two branches. The chassis has a first position, in which every two of the hinge parts are parallel to each other, and every two of the hinge parts, together with the upper support part and the lower support part, form a parallelogram. In the first position, the hinge portion is inclined, the elastic element is inclined, and the inclination directions of the hinge portion and the elastic element are opposite.

2. The chassis of the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge part is a hinge rod.

3. The chassis of the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second wheel accounts for more than 50% of the ground pressure.

4. The chassis of the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chassis is mirror-image positioned along the second direction.

5. The chassis of the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second wheel is connected to only one of the branches, and the second wheel is located at the rotational connection point of the two branches.

6. The chassis of the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second wheel is the driving wheel, and at least one of the first wheel and the third wheel is the driven wheel.

7. The chassis of the robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The walking wheel set satisfies at least one of the following conditions: Condition 1: The drive wheel is equipped with a hub motor; Condition 2: The driven wheel is a swivel wheel or a planetary wheel.

8. The chassis of the robot according to any one of claims 1 - 7, characterized in that, The lower support portion is a support rod extending along the first direction of the chassis; The chassis includes at least two support rods, which are spaced apart along a second direction, which is horizontal and perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The chassis of the robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The hinge is a hinge rod, and the hinge rod is connected to each branch of the support rod.

10. The chassis of the robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: A linkage component is connected to the hinge rods on different support rods, and the linkage component is located below the upper support portion.

11. The chassis of the robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic element is one or at least two; when there is one elastic element, only one of the support rods is connected to the elastic element.

12. The chassis of the robot according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The elastic element is a shock absorber.

13. A robot, characterized in that include: The chassis is the chassis of the robot according to any one of claims 1-12.

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