Bionic mechanical spine and robot

Abstract

The present application discloses a biomimetic mechanical spine and a robot. The biomimetic mechanical spine includes a plurality of spinal units arranged in sequence. The spinal units include, from front to back, a first joint component, a universal joint, and a second joint component. The first joint component includes a first connection portion, a first fixed support, and a first hinge support. The second joint component includes a second connection portion, a second fixed support, and a second hinge support. The first hinge support and the second hinge support are respectively connected to the universal joint. The first connection portion is used to rotatably connect to the second connection portion of the adjacent preceding spinal unit. The second connection portion is used to rotatably connect to the first connection portion of the adjacent following spinal unit. The first fixed support is used to fixedly connect to the second fixed support of the adjacent following spinal unit. The second fixed support is used to fixedly connect to the first fixed support of the adjacent preceding spinal unit. Thus, the flexibility of the biomimetic mechanical spine can be improved while ensuring structural stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of bionic spine, and in particular to a bionic mechanical spine and a robot. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing application and adoption of robots, people are placing higher demands on their flexibility. Currently, bionic spines for robots are broadly categorized into two types based on material: flexible and rigid. Flexible spines are often made of flexible materials, effectively mimicking the flexibility and adaptability of animal spines. However, they suffer from low material strength and durability, making them susceptible to deformation and difficult to guarantee control accuracy. Rigid spines, on the other hand, are often made of sturdy materials, offering greater stability and rigidity, but suffer from low degrees of freedom and poor flexibility. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve at least one of the above technical problems, the present application provides a bionic mechanical spine and a robot, which can improve the flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine while ensuring structural stability.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, the present application discloses a bionic mechanical spine, comprising:

[0005] A plurality of spinal units are arranged in sequence, and the spinal units include a first joint component, a universal joint and a second joint component from front to back, the first joint component includes a first connecting part, a first fixed support and a first articulated support, the second joint component includes a second connecting part, a second fixed support and a second articulated support, the first articulated support and the second articulated support are respectively connected to the universal joint, the first connecting part is used to be rotatably connected to the second connecting part of the adjacent previous spinal unit, the second connecting part is used to be rotatably connected to the first connecting part of the adjacent next next spinal unit, the first fixed support is used to be fixedly connected to the second fixed support of the adjacent next next spinal unit, and the second fixed support is used to be fixedly connected to the first fixed support of the adjacent previous spinal unit.

[0006] As an optional embodiment, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the bionic mechanical spine also includes a first joint connector, and the two ends of the first joint connector are respectively connected to the first fixed support of the previous spinal unit and the second fixed support of the next spinal unit to connect the two adjacent spinal units, the first fixed support is connected to the side of the first connection part away from the previous spinal unit and extends in the direction away from the previous spinal unit, the second fixed support is connected to the side of the second connection part away from the next spinal unit and extends in the direction away from the next spinal unit, and the first joint connector is connected to one end of the first fixed support away from the first connection part and one end of the second fixed support away from the second connection part.

[0007] As an optional embodiment, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the bionic mechanical spine also includes a control device, the control device includes a frame and a drive module, the drive module is installed on the frame, the second fixed support of the spine unit located at the front end is connected to the frame, and the drive module is rotatably connected to the first connecting part of the spine unit and is used to drive the first connecting part to move.

[0008] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the driving module includes a first part, and the first connecting portion is meshedly connected with the first part to form a first ball gear pair.

[0009] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, one of the first connecting portion and the first part is a convex ball gear, and the other is a concave ball gear.

[0010] As an optional embodiment, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the driving module includes a movable part and a first driving member, the movable part is rotatably connected to the first connecting part, the first driving member is installed on the frame, and the first driving member is used to drive the movable part to rotate to drive the first connecting part to move.

[0011] As an optional embodiment, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the driving module also includes a second driving member, the first driving member and the second driving member are used to drive the movable part to move in two different directions, the frame includes a first bracket and a second bracket, the first driving member is installed on the first bracket, the movable part includes a first part and a second part connected to the first part, the first part is rotatably connected to the first joint component, and the output end of the first driving member is connected to the second part, the second driving member is installed on the second bracket, the output end of the second driving member is connected to the first bracket, the second driving member is used to drive the first bracket to rotate, and the second fixed support is fixedly connected to the second bracket.

[0012] As an optional embodiment, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the universal joint includes a main body and a first rotating part and a second rotating part respectively connected to the main body, the first rotating part and the second rotating part respectively extend in two mutually perpendicular directions, the extension directions of the first rotating part and the second rotating part are respectively perpendicular to the polar axis of the first connecting part and pass through the center of the first connecting part, and the first articulated support can be rotatably connected to the first rotating part, and the second articulated support can be rotatably connected to the second rotating part.

[0013] As an optional embodiment, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the number of the first fixed supports and the number of the second fixed supports are both multiple, the multiple first fixed supports are evenly and spaced apart in the first connecting portion, the multiple second fixed supports are evenly and spaced apart in the second connecting portion, and the second fixed supports and the first fixed supports are staggered in space.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application discloses a robot, characterized in that it includes the bionic mechanical spine as described in the first aspect above.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0016] An embodiment of the present application provides a bionic mechanical spine and robot, wherein the bionic mechanical spine includes a plurality of spinal units arranged in sequence, wherein the spinal units include a first joint component, a universal joint, and a second joint component from front to back, wherein the first articulated support of the first joint component and the second articulated support of the second joint component are respectively connected to the universal joint, so that the two joint components of the spinal unit can both move relative to each other and transmit rotation angle information. At the same time, the first connection part of the first joint component is used to be rotatably connected to the second connection part of the adjacent front vertebral unit, the second connection part of the second joint component is used to be rotatably connected to the first connection part of the adjacent rear vertebral unit, the first fixed support is used to be fixedly connected to the second fixed support of the adjacent rear vertebral unit, and the second fixed support is used to be fixedly connected to the first fixed support of the adjacent front vertebral unit. In this way, when the first connection part of one of the vertebral units (hereinafter referred to as the first vertebral unit) rotates, the first fixed support can drive the second fixed support and the second connection part of the rear vertebral unit adjacent to the first vertebral unit to rotate. At this time, in the rear vertebral unit (hereinafter referred to as the second vertebral unit), the second articulated support connected to the second connection part drives the first articulated support to rotate through the universal joint, and the first articulated support drives the first connection part relative to the first vertebral unit. The second connection part of the element rotates. Since the second fixed support of the subsequent spinal unit adjacent to the second spinal unit (hereinafter referred to as the third spinal unit) is connected to the first fixed support of the second spinal unit, the first connection part of the second spinal unit can drive the second fixed support and the second connection part of the third spinal unit to rotate through the first fixed support of the second spinal unit. At this time, the structural transmission in the third spinal unit and the subsequent spinal units is similar to the movement occurring in the second spinal unit, that is, the second articulated support connected to the second connection part drives the first articulated support to rotate through the universal joint, so as to drive the first connection part to rotate relative to the second connection part of the second spinal unit, and drives the second fixed support and the second connection part of the fourth spinal unit to rotate through the first connection part and the first fixed support of the third spinal unit... thereby realizing the sequential linkage of multiple spinal units to drive the bionic mechanical spine to bend and swing.

[0017] It can be seen that the bionic spinal machinery of the present application can enable close linkage between multiple spinal units, and the movement of one spinal unit can drive the adjacent spinal unit to move synchronously. Through the sequential transmission of two adjacent spinal units, multiple spinal units can move simultaneously to drive the bionic mechanical spine to bend and swing, thereby improving the flexibility and bionic performance of the bionic mechanical spine. At the same time, the two adjacent spinal units are fixedly connected by a fixed support, which can restrain each other when the two spinal units rotate relative to each other, so as to ensure the structural stability of the bionic mechanical spine and avoid the situation where adjacent spinal units are separated from each other.

[0018] In addition, the structures of each spinal unit are similar, which enables the rotation angle and direction of two adjacent spinal units to remain consistent, so that when the bionic mechanical spine moves, it can present a posture of multiple continuums with equal curvature bending, while also facilitating the manufacturing and molding of joint components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the bionic mechanical spine in an upright state disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the bionic mechanical spine in a bent state disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a front view of the bionic mechanical spine disclosed in an embodiment of the present application in a bent state;

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view at point A;

[0023] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the first movable joint of the bionic mechanical spine disclosed in the embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 6 is a top view of the first movable joint of the biomimetic mechanical spine disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the first movable joint of the biomimetic mechanical spine disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the first joint component disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the second joint component disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of the first shaft core disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the control device of the bionic mechanical spine disclosed in the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 12 It is a structural diagram of the movable part disclosed in the embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 13 is a schematic structural diagram of the first bracket disclosed in the embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 14It is a structural schematic diagram of the second bracket disclosed in the embodiment of this application.

[0033] Reference numerals:

[0034] 1. Bionic mechanical spine; 10. First vertebral unit; 11. First joint component; 111. First connecting portion; 112. First fixed support; 113. First hinge support; 1130. First hinge hole; 12. Second joint component; 121. Second connecting portion; 122. Second fixed support; 123. Second hinge support; 1230. Second hinge hole; 13. Universal joint; 131. Main body; 132. First rotating portion; 133. Second rotating portion; 20. Second vertebral unit; 30. Third vertebral unit; 40. First joint component Connector; 50. Control device; 51. Frame; 511. First bracket; 5110. First hollow portion; 5111. First opening; 5112. Second fixing hole; 5113. Second rotating shaft; 512. Second bracket; 5120. Second hollow portion; 5121. Second opening; 52. Drive module; 521. Movable portion; 5211. First portion; 5212. Second portion; 52120. First fixing hole; 52121. First rotating shaft; 522. First drive member; 523. Second drive member; 60. Second joint connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] This section will describe the specific embodiments of the present application in detail. The preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the accompanying drawings is to supplement the description of the text part of the specification with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and overall technical solution of the present application, but it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present application.

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on this application.

[0037] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "many" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The terms "first" and "second" are used solely to distinguish technical features and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or as implicitly specifying the number or order of the technical features indicated.

[0038] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0039] The technical solution of the present application will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and drawings.

[0040] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 4 In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a bionic mechanical spine 1, comprising a plurality of spinal units arranged in sequence, the spinal units comprising a first joint component 11, a universal joint 13 and a second joint component 12 from front to back, the first joint component 11 comprising a first connecting portion 111, a first fixed support 112 and a first articulated support 113, the second joint component 12 comprising a second connecting portion 121, a second fixed support 122 and a second articulated support 123, the first articulated support 113 and the second articulated support 123 are respectively connected to the universal joint 13, the first connecting portion 111 is used to be rotatably connected to the second connecting portion 121 of the adjacent previous spinal unit, the second connecting portion 121 is used to be rotatably connected to the first connecting portion 111 of the adjacent subsequent spinal unit, the first fixed support 112 is used to be fixedly connected to the second fixed support 122 of the adjacent subsequent spinal unit, and the second fixed support 122 is used to be fixedly connected to the first fixed support 112 of the adjacent previous spinal unit.

[0041] The bionic mechanical spine 1 provided in the present application comprises a first joint component 11, a universal joint 13 and a second joint component 12 in sequence from front to back by arranging the spinal units. The first articulated support 113 of the first joint component 11 and the second articulated support 123 of the second joint component 12 are respectively connected to the universal joint 13, so that the two joint components of the spinal unit can both move relative to each other and transmit torque. At the same time, the first connecting portion 111 of the first joint component 11 is used for rotatable connection with the second connecting portion 121 of the adjacent previous spinal unit, the second connecting portion 121 of the second joint component 12 is used for rotatable connection with the first connecting portion 111 of the adjacent next spinal unit, the first fixed support 112 is used for fixed connection with the second fixed support 122 of the adjacent next spinal unit, and the second fixed support 122 is used for fixed connection with the first fixed support 112 of the adjacent previous spinal unit. In this way, when one of the spinal units (hereinafter referred to as the first When the first connection portion 111 of the vertebral unit 10 rotates, the first fixed support 112 can drive the second fixed support 122 and the second connection portion 121 of the subsequent vertebral unit adjacent to the first vertebral unit 10 to rotate. At this time, in the subsequent vertebral unit (hereinafter referred to as the second vertebral unit 20), the second hinged support 123 connected to the second connection portion 121 drives the first hinged support 113 to rotate through the universal joint 13, and the first hinged support 113 drives the first connection portion 111 relative to the second connection portion of the first vertebral unit 10. When the first connecting portion 111 of the second vertebral unit 20 rotates, the second fixing support 122 of the subsequent vertebral unit (hereinafter referred to as the third vertebral unit 30) adjacent to the second vertebral unit 20 is connected to the first fixing support 112 of the second vertebral unit 20. When the first connecting portion 111 of the second vertebral unit 20 rotates, it can drive the second fixing support 122 and the second connecting portion 121 of the third vertebral unit 30 to rotate through the first fixing support 112 of the second vertebral unit 20. At this time, the structural transmission in the third vertebral unit 30 and the subsequent vertebral units is consistent with the second vertebral unit. The movement occurring in element 20 is similar, that is, the second articulated support 123 connected to the second connection part 121 drives the first articulated support 113 to rotate through the universal joint 13, so as to drive the first connection part 111 to rotate relative to the second connection part 121 of the second vertebral unit 20, and drives the second fixed support 122 and the second connection part 121 of the fourth vertebral unit to rotate through the first connection part 111 and the first fixed support 112 of the third vertebral unit 30... thereby realizing the sequential linkage of multiple vertebral units to drive the bionic mechanical spine 1 to bend and swing.

[0042] It can be seen that the bionic spinal machinery of the present application can enable close linkage between multiple spinal units, and the movement of one spinal unit can drive the adjacent spinal unit to move synchronously. Through the sequential transmission of two adjacent spinal units, multiple spinal units can move simultaneously to drive the bionic mechanical spine 1 to bend and swing, thereby improving the flexibility and bionic performance of the bionic mechanical spine 1. At the same time, the two adjacent spinal units are fixedly connected by a fixed support, and can restrain each other when the two spinal units rotate relative to each other, so as to ensure the structural stability of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and avoid the structural disintegration of the bionic mechanical spine 1 due to the separation of adjacent spinal units.

[0043] In addition, the structures of each spinal unit are similar, which can keep the rotation angle and direction of two adjacent spinal units consistent, so that when the bionic mechanical spine 1 moves, it can present a posture of multiple continuums with equal curvature bending, and at the same time facilitate the manufacturing and molding of joint components.

[0044] It should be noted that the rotatable connection between the first connection portion 111 and the second connection portion 121 between two adjacent spinal units here refers to a rotation with two degrees of freedom, not a hinge with a single degree of freedom.

[0045] Please combine Figure 1 as well as Figures 5 to 7 In some embodiments, when the length direction of the bionic mechanical spine 1 is perpendicular to the ground, the bionic mechanical spine 1 is in an upright state. At this time, the bionic mechanical spine 1 is equivalent to the posture of an animal spine when it is upright. The number of the first fixing supports 112 and the second fixing supports 122 are both multiple, and the multiple first fixing supports 112 are evenly and spaced apart on the first connecting portion 111. The multiple second fixing supports 122 are evenly and spaced apart on the second connecting portion 121, and the second fixing supports 122 and the first fixing supports 112 are spatially staggered. That is, when the bionic mechanical spine 1 is in an upright state, the projection of the second fixing supports 122 along the length direction of the bionic mechanical spine 1 does not overlap with the projection of the first fixing supports 112 along the length direction of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0046] This ensures that the first joint component 11 and the second joint component 12 do not interfere with or collide with each other during relative rotation, thereby ensuring the operational reliability of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and improving the flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1. Furthermore, since the multiple first fixed supports 112 and the multiple second fixed supports 122 are evenly distributed, the force applied to the first movable joint can be evenly distributed, which is beneficial for improving the reliability of the structure and the smoothness of movement.

[0047] Optionally, this embodiment is described using an example in which there are three first fixing supports 112 and three second fixing supports 122. The angle between two adjacent first fixing supports 112 is 120°, and the angle between two adjacent second fixing supports 122 is 120°. When the bionic mechanical spine 1 is in an upright position, the projection of the second fixing supports 122 along the length of the bionic mechanical spine 1 forms a first angle with the projection of the first fixing supports 112 along the length of the bionic mechanical spine 1. The first angle is greater than 0° and less than 120° (e.g., 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, or 105°), thereby ensuring that adjacent joint components do not interfere or collide during movement.

[0048] Please combine Figure 5 、 Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 In some embodiments, the bionic mechanical spine 1 also includes a first joint connector 40, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first fixed support 112 of the previous spinal unit and the second fixed support 122 of the next spinal unit to connect two adjacent spinal units. The first fixed support 112 is connected to the side of the first connecting part 111 away from the previous spinal unit and extends in the direction away from the previous spinal unit, the second fixed support 122 is connected to the side of the second connecting part 121 away from the next spinal unit and extends in the direction away from the next spinal unit, and the first joint connector 40 is connected to one end of the first fixed support 112 away from the first connecting part 111 and one end of the second fixed support 122 away from the second connecting part 121.

[0049] In this way, on the one hand, it can avoid the interference between adjacent spinal units and the first fixed support 112 and the second fixed support 122 during relative rotation, which is conducive to increasing the relative rotation range of the two adjacent spinal units, thereby facilitating increasing the bending amplitude of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and improving the flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1. On the other hand, it can also improve the compactness of the structure and reduce the space occupied by the bionic mechanical spine 1, which is conducive to increasing the number of spinal units, thereby expanding the range of motion of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and ensuring the flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0050] Optionally, two adjacent spinal units are defined as spinal unit assemblies, and the number of first joint connectors 40 in each spinal unit assembly is associated with the number of first fixed supports 112 and second fixed supports 122 in each spinal unit assembly. In each spinal unit assembly, the number of first joint connectors 40 is half the number of first fixed supports 112, so that the multiple first joint connectors 40 of one of the spinal units in each spinal unit assembly correspond one-to-one to the multiple first fixed supports 112.

[0051] Optionally, when the bionic mechanical spine 1 is in an upright state, the length direction of the first joint connector 40 is parallel to the length direction of the bionic mechanical spine 1 , which can help simplify the structural design of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and make the structure neater.

[0052] Please combine Figure 4 、 Figure 5 as well as Figure 10 In some embodiments, the universal joint 13 includes a main body 131 and a first rotating portion 132 and a second rotating portion 133 respectively connected to the main body 131, the first rotating portion 132 and the second rotating portion 133 respectively extend in two mutually perpendicular directions, the extension directions of the first rotating portion 132 and the second rotating portion 133 are respectively perpendicular to the polar axis of the first connecting portion 111 and pass through the center of the first connecting portion 111, and the first hinge support 113 can be rotatably connected to the first rotating portion 132, and the second hinge support 123 can be rotatably connected to the second rotating portion 133.

[0053] Thereby, the first joint component 11 and the second joint component 12 can be connected at the universal joint 13 to form a cross universal joint, so that the first joint component 11 and the second joint component 12 can rotate relative to each other with two degrees of freedom, so that the first articulated support 113 and the second articulated support 123 are respectively connected to the universal joint 13, while the first articulated support 113 and the second articulated support 123 are staggered, so as to ensure that there will be no structural interference or collision between the first joint component 11 and the second joint component 12 during relative movement, thereby improving structural reliability.

[0054] It can be understood that in other embodiments, the universal joint 13 can also be a ball-and-socket universal joint or a three-pivot universal joint, or it can be any hinge or connector that allows two axes to transmit rotational motion in a non-collinear situation, so that the connected parts can be angularly deviated in different directions.

[0055] Optionally, the number of the first rotating parts 132 and the second rotating parts 133 is two, the number of the first articulated supports 113 and the second articulated supports 123 is also two, and the two first articulated supports 113 are evenly distributed along the polar axis direction of the first connecting part 111, and the two second articulated supports 123 are evenly distributed along the polar axis direction of the second connecting part 121. The two first articulated supports 113 correspond one-to-one with the two first rotating parts 132, and the two second articulated supports 123 correspond one-to-one with the two second rotating parts 133, so that the force on the spinal units can be uniform, which is beneficial to improving the structural stability and movement smoothness of each spinal unit, and avoiding the structural disconnection of the spinal units when rotating in different directions, resulting in the structural disintegration of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0056] It can be understood that in other embodiments, the extension direction of the first rotating part 132 and the second rotating part 133 can also be set at an acute angle or an obtuse angle, and the number of the first rotating part 132, the second rotating part 133, the first hinged support 113 and the second hinged support 123 are all multiple and evenly distributed.

[0057] Please combine Figures 8 to 10 Optionally, the first rotating part 132 and the second rotating part 133 can both be rotating shafts, the first hinge support 113 is provided with a first hinge hole 1130, and the second hinge support 123 is provided with a second hinge hole 1230. The first rotating part 132 is passed through the first hinge hole 1130 and can be rotated relative to the first hinge hole 1130, and the second rotating part 133 is passed through the second hinge hole 1230 and can be rotated relative to the second hinge hole 1230, thereby realizing the hinge connection between the universal joint 13 and the first hinge support 113 and the second hinge support 123.

[0058] Optionally, the first hinge hole 1130 and the second hinge hole 1230 may also be provided with bearings, or the first rotating part 132 and the second rotating part 133 may be provided with sleeves, which is beneficial to reduce the friction between the first hinge support 113, the second hinge support 123 and the universal joint 13, so as to reduce structural wear and improve structural reliability.

[0059] Optionally, a limiting portion is provided at one end of the first rotating portion 132 and the second rotating portion 133 away from the main body portion 131, and the limiting portion is used to limit the displacement of the first articulated support 113 and the second articulated support 123 to improve the connection reliability between the universal joint 13 and the first articulated support 113 and the second articulated support 123, thereby improving the structural stability of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0060] Optionally, as can be seen from the foregoing, there are two first hinge supports 113 and two second hinge supports 123, and the first hinge supports 113 and the second hinge supports 123 are arranged perpendicularly. Therefore, the centerline direction of the first hinge hole 1130 is perpendicular to the extension direction of one of the first fixed supports 112, and the centerline direction of the second hinge hole 1230 is parallel to the extension direction of one of the second fixed supports 122. This ensures that the first joint component 11 is symmetrically arranged along the centerline direction of the second hinge hole 1230, and the second joint component 12 is symmetrically arranged along the centerline direction of the second hinge hole 1230. Thus, in the projection along the length of the biomimetic mechanical spine 1 when it is in an upright position, the intersection of adjacent first fixed supports 112 and second fixed supports 122 forms a first angle of 60°. This ensures the operational reliability of the biomimetic mechanical spine 1.

[0061] It can be understood that in other embodiments, the center line of the first hinge hole 1130 can also form other angles with the extension direction of any first fixed support 112, and the center line direction of the second hinge hole 1230 can form other angles with the extension direction of one of the second fixed supports 122. The specific settings can be made according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0062] Please combine Figure 1 、 Figure 4 as well as Figure 11 In some embodiments, the bionic mechanical spine 1 further includes a control device 50, which includes a frame 51 and a drive module 52. The drive module 52 is mounted on the frame 51, and the second fixed support 122 of the spine unit at the front end is fixedly connected to the frame 51. The drive module 52 is rotatably connected to the first connecting portion 111 of the spine unit and is used to drive the first connecting portion 111 to move.

[0063] The drive module 52 at the front end of the biomimetic mechanical spine 1 drives the first connecting portion 111 of the spinal unit to move, thereby driving the movement of adjacent spinal units. This, in turn, causes the biomimetic spinal units to flex and oscillate, adjusting the shape of the biomimetic mechanical spine 1 and simulating different postures of an animal spine. By providing a control device 50 at the end of the biomimetic mechanical spine 1 to control the movement of multiple spinal units, the number of drive components can be reduced, simplifying control, reducing the weight of the biomimetic spine, and improving the robot's flexibility.

[0064] Optionally, the bionic mechanical spine 1 also includes a second joint connector 60, the two ends of which are fixedly connected to the second fixed support 122 and the frame 51 respectively. When the bionic mechanical spine 1 is in an upright state, the projection of the first joint connector 40 on the second spine unit 20 along the length direction of the bionic mechanical spine 1 overlaps with the projection of the first joint connector 40 along the length direction of the bionic mechanical spine 1, thereby simplifying the structural design of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and making the structure neater while ensuring that the first joint connector 40 and the second joint connector 60 do not interfere or collide during movement.

[0065] It can be understood that in other embodiments, the control device 50 can also be located at the rear end of the bionic mechanical spine 1, that is, the first fixed support 112 of the spinal unit located at the rear end is connected to the frame 51, or the number of control devices 50 can be two, and the two control devices 50 are respectively connected to the front and rear ends of the bionic mechanical spine 1. By jointly driving the bionic mechanical spine 1 through the two control devices 50, the output of the bionic mechanical spine 1 can be increased, and the flexibility and stability of the bionic mechanical spine 1 can be improved.

[0066] Please combine Figure 4 、 Figure 7 as well as Figure 11 Optionally, the driving module 52 includes a movable part 521 and a first driving member 522, the movable part 521 includes a first part 5211 and a second part 5212 connected to the first part 5211, the first part 5211 is rotatably connected to the first connecting part 111 of the spinal unit located at the front end, the first connecting part 111 is meshed with the first part 5211 and forms a first gear pair, and the first driving member 522 is installed on the frame 51, the output end of the first driving member 522 is connected to the second part 5212, and the first driving member 522 is used to drive the second part 5212 to rotate to drive the first connecting part 111 to move.

[0067] In this way, the first drive member 522 drives the front vertebral unit to move, thereby causing the entire bionic mechanical spine 1 to swing, achieving single-degree-of-freedom motion of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and simulating the posture changes of an animal spine. Simultaneously, the first gear pair drives the movement of multiple vertebral units, improving the reliability and stability of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0068] Optionally, one of the first connecting portion 111 and the first part 5211 is a convex ball gear, and the other is a concave ball gear. This allows the first gear pair to be a ball gear pair, which provides multiple degrees of freedom and facilitates pure rolling motion of the two ball gears in any direction at a precise transmission ratio. This allows the first connecting portion 111 and the first part 5211 to continuously and smoothly adjust their transmission ratio, thereby achieving stepless transmission and improving the mobility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0069] Since the second joint component 12 of the first vertebral unit 10 is fixedly connected to the frame 51 through the second joint connector 60, the combination of the second joint component 12 of the first vertebral unit 10, the second joint connector 60 and the frame 51 is equivalent to the central wheel in the planetary gear system, the combination of the first joint component 11 of the first vertebral unit 10, the first connector and the second joint component 12 of the second vertebral unit 20 is equivalent to the planetary carrier in the planetary gear system, and the combination of the first joint component 11 of the second vertebral unit 20, the first joint connector 40 and the second joint component 12 of the third vertebral unit 30 is equivalent to the planetary gear in the planetary gear system. When the joint member 11 rotates, the planetary carrier (i.e., the combination of the first joint member 11 of the first vertebral unit 10, the first connector, and the second joint member 12 of the second vertebral unit 20) drives the planetary gear (i.e., the combination of the first joint member 11 of the second vertebral unit 20, the first joint connector 40, and the second joint member 12 of the third vertebral unit 30) to rotate relative to the central gear (i.e., the combination of the second joint member 12 of the first vertebral unit 10, the second joint connector 60, and the frame 51), thereby achieving the coordinated movement of the various vertebral units of the bionic mechanical spine 1, allowing the bionic mechanical spine 1 to perform constant curvature bending and swinging to simulate the different postures of the animal spine. The connection between the various vertebral units via ball gear pairs can help improve the degree of freedom of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and enable the two ball gears to perform pure rolling motion in any direction according to a precise transmission ratio, so that the transmission ratio between the ball gear pairs can be continuously and smoothly adjusted, which is conducive to achieving stepless transmission and thereby improving the movement flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0070] Optionally, the first connecting portion 111 , the first part 5211 and the second connecting portion 121 may all be involute annular spherical gears, thereby improving the transmission efficiency and transmission ratio accuracy of the first gear pair and improving the transmission efficiency and operational reliability of the bionic mechanical spine 1 .

[0071] It is understood that in other embodiments, the first connecting portion 111 and the first portion 5211 may be other types of ball gears, which can be configured based on actual needs and are not limited here. However, it should be noted that the ball gears of the first connecting portion 111, the second connecting portion 121, and the first portion 5211 must be of the same type to ensure proper meshing between the multiple spinal units and between the spinal units and the movable portion 521.

[0072] Please also refer to Figure 4 as well as Figures 11 to 14In some embodiments, the driving module 52 also includes a second driving member 523. The first driving member 522 and the second driving member 523 are used to drive the movable part 521 to move in two different directions. The frame 51 includes a first bracket 511 and a second bracket 512. The first driving member 522 is installed on the first bracket 511, and the output end of the first driving member 522 is connected to the second part 5212. The second driving member 523 is installed on the second bracket 512, and the output end of the second driving member 523 is connected to the first bracket 511. The second driving member 523 is used to drive the first bracket 511 to rotate, and the second joint component 12 is fixedly connected to the second bracket 512.

[0073] Thus, by connecting the output end of the first driving member 522 to the second portion 5212, and mounting the first driving member 522 on the first bracket 511, and connecting the output end of the second driving member 523 to the first bracket 511, the first driving member 522 can directly drive the movable portion 521 to move, while the second driving member 523 drives the first bracket 511 to move, and the movable portion 521 to move via the first driving member 522. This enables the movable portion 521 to move in different directions, thereby increasing the degrees of freedom of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and thereby improving its flexibility.

[0074] Optionally, the axial directions of the output ends of the first driving member 522 and the second driving member 523 are perpendicular to each other, and the intersection of the axis of the output end of the first driving member 522 and the axis of the output end of the second driving member 523 is orthogonal to the center of the sphere of the first part 5211, so that the movable part 521 can move simultaneously in two mutually perpendicular directions, so that the bionic mechanical spine 1 has two degrees of freedom.

[0075] It can be understood that in other embodiments, the axial directions of the output ends of the first driving member 522 and the second driving member 523 form an acute angle or an obtuse angle.

[0076] Alternatively, as previously mentioned, the first portion 5211 meshes with the first connecting portion 111 to form a first gear pair, with one of the first connecting portion 111 and the first portion 5211 being a convex ball gear and the other being a concave ball gear. Accordingly, the second portion 5212 is connected to the side of the first portion 5211 away from the first connecting portion 111.

[0077] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the output end of the first driving member 522, the second part 5212 has two opposite sides, one side is provided with a first fixing hole 52120, and the other side is provided with a first rotating shaft 52121. The first driving member 522 is passed through the first fixing hole 52120 and is fixedly connected to the second part 5212. The first rotating shaft 52121 can be rotatably connected to the first bracket 511, so that the movable part 521 is installed on the first bracket 511 through the first driving member 522 and the first rotating shaft 52121, so as to ensure the connection stability of the movable part 521 and the first bracket 511 while meeting the design requirement that the first driving member 522 drives the movable part 521 to rotate relative to the first bracket 511.

[0078] Optionally, the first bracket 511 is provided with a first hollow portion 5110 and a first opening 5111 connected to the first hollow portion 5110, the second bracket 512 is provided with a second hollow portion 5120 and a second opening 5121 connected to the second hollow portion 5120, and the first bracket 511 is located in the second hollow portion 5120, and the second portion 5212 is located in the first hollow portion 5110, and the first portion 5211 extends out of the frame 51 through the first opening 5111 and the second opening 5121 in sequence and is connected to the first connecting portion 111 of the first joint component 11.

[0079] By providing the hollow portion and the opening, space can be reasonably utilized to reduce the volume of the drive module 52 while satisfying the rotation of the components, thereby helping to reduce the space occupied by the control device 50 and facilitate the miniaturization design of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0080] Optionally, considering that the second joint component 12 is connected to the second bracket 512 via the third connecting member, the size of the first opening 5111 can be as large as possible, while the size of the second opening 5121 only needs to be large enough. Based on this, the top of the first bracket 511 is hollowed out so that the first opening 5111 covers the top of the first bracket 511, and the second opening 5121 can be a circular hole or a rectangular hole. The sizes of the first opening 5111 and the second opening 5121 are larger than the size of the first portion 5211. This ensures the reliability of the connection between the second joint component 12 and the second bracket 512 while ensuring the range of motion of the movable portion 521.

[0081] Optionally, as can be seen from the foregoing, the axial directions of the output ends of the first drive member 522 and the second drive member 523 are perpendicular to each other. Based on this, the first bracket 511 has two opposing sides along two mutually perpendicular directions. The two opposing sides of the first bracket 511 along the axial direction of the output end of the first drive member 522 are defined as the first side and the second side, respectively. The two opposing sides of the first bracket 511 along the axial direction of the output end of the second drive member 523 are defined as the third side and the fourth side, respectively. The second drive member 523 is connected to the third side. The first drive member 522 is mounted on the first side, and the output end of the first drive member 522 extends into the first hollow portion 5110 through the first side. A first bearing is provided on the second side, and the first rotating shaft 52121 of the second portion 5212 is inserted through the first bearing.

[0082] The rotatable connection between the second portion 5212 and the first bracket 511 is achieved through the bearing and the rotating shaft, which can help reduce the rotational friction between the movable portion 521 and the first bracket 511 and improve the structural reliability and movement flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0083] Optionally, a second fixing hole 5112 is provided on the third side, and a second rotating shaft 5113 is provided on the fourth side. The output end of the second driving member 523 is passed through the second fixing hole 5112 and is fixedly connected to the third side. The second rotating shaft 5113 can be rotatably connected to the second bracket 512, so that the first bracket 511 is installed on the second bracket 512 through the second driving member 523 and the second rotating shaft 5113, and the first bracket 511 and the second bracket 512 can rotate relative to each other.

[0084] Optionally, the second bracket 512 is provided with a second bearing, and the second rotating shaft 5113 is passed through the second bearing, so that the first bracket 511 can be rotatably connected to the second bracket 512, so as to reduce the rotational friction between the first bracket 511 and the second bracket 512, and improve the structural reliability and movement flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0085] In some embodiments, considering that the first bracket 511 is connected to the second bracket 512 via the third side and the fourth side and is located in the second hollow portion 5120, the first driving member 522 is mounted on the first side, and the second driving member 523 is used to drive the first bracket 511 to rotate relative to the second bracket 512. Based on this, the two sides of the second bracket 512 along the axis of the first driving member 522 are hollowed out, so that the second bracket 512 forms a ring or a square structure. This can reduce the spatial and structural restrictions on the assembly of the first driving member 522 by the second bracket 512, facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the first driving member 522 and the first bracket 511, and at the same time, the first driving member 522 can extend outside the second bracket 512 to reduce the restrictions on the rotation range of the first bracket 511 by the second bracket 512, thereby increasing the range of motion of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and improving the flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0086] Optionally, the structures of the first bracket 511 and the second bracket 512 can be rectangular, spherical, or elliptical, etc., and can be set according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0087] It can be seen that the present application realizes two-degree-of-freedom bending motion through two driving parts and a ball gear pair, which corresponds exactly to the all-round swinging of the animal spine in front, back, left and right directions, and has a large range of motion. Moreover, when the bionic mechanical spine 1 swings, it takes the form of a multi-segment continuum with equal curvature linkage, which is similar to the linkage bending of multiple vertebrae during the movement of the animal spine. Therefore, the bionic mechanical spine 1 of the present application has better bionic performance than ordinary two-axis joints. At the same time, the present application adopts a modular design of multiple spinal units linked together, which can facilitate the manufacture and assembly of each spinal unit to reduce the difficulty of production and installation. The compact connection between each spinal unit can help reduce the space occupied by the bionic mechanical spine 1, so as to help increase the number of spinal units, thereby expanding the range of motion of the bionic mechanical spine 1 and ensuring the flexibility of the bionic mechanical spine 1.

[0088] In a second aspect, the present application provides a robot (not shown) comprising the bionic mechanical spine 1 as described in the first aspect above.

[0089] It is understandable that, since the robot includes the bionic mechanical spine 1 described in the first aspect above, the robot has the beneficial effects of the bionic mechanical spine 1 described in the first aspect above, which will not be described in detail here.

[0090] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application.

Claims

1. A bionic mechanical spine, characterized in that: include: A plurality of spinal units are arranged in sequence, and the spinal units include a first joint component, a universal joint and a second joint component from front to back, the first joint component includes a first connecting part, a first fixed support and a first articulated support, the second joint component includes a second connecting part, a second fixed support and a second articulated support, the first articulated support and the second articulated support are respectively connected to the universal joint, the first connecting part is used to be rotatably connected to the second connecting part of the adjacent previous spinal unit, the second connecting part is used to be rotatably connected to the first connecting part of the adjacent next next spinal unit, the first fixed support is used to be fixedly connected to the second fixed support of the adjacent next next spinal unit, and the second fixed support is used to be fixedly connected to the first fixed support of the adjacent previous spinal unit.

2. The bionic mechanical spine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bionic mechanical spine also includes a first joint connector, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first fixed support of the previous spinal unit and the second fixed support of the next spinal unit to connect the two adjacent spinal units. The first fixed support is connected to the side of the first connecting part away from the previous spinal unit and extends in the direction away from the previous spinal unit. The second fixed support is connected to the side of the second connecting part away from the next spinal unit and extends in the direction away from the next spinal unit. The first joint connector is connected to one end of the first fixed support away from the first connecting part and one end of the second fixed support away from the second connecting part.

3. The bionic mechanical spine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bionic mechanical spine also includes a control device, which includes a frame and a drive module. The drive module is installed on the frame, and the second fixed support of the spine unit located at the front end is connected to the frame. The drive module can be rotatably connected to the first connecting part of the spine unit and is used to drive the first connecting part to move.

4. The bionic mechanical spine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The driving module includes a first portion, and the first connecting portion is meshedly connected with the first portion to form a first ball gear pair.

5. The bionic mechanical spine according to claim 4, characterized in that: One of the first connecting portion and the first part is a convex ball gear, and the other is a concave ball gear.

6. The bionic mechanical spine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The driving module includes a movable part and a first driving member. The movable part is rotatably connected to the first connecting part. The first driving member is installed on the frame. The first driving member is used to drive the movable part to rotate to drive the first connecting part to move.

7. The bionic mechanical spine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The driving module also includes a second driving member, and the first driving member and the second driving member are used to drive the movable part to move in two different directions. The frame includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The first driving member is installed on the first bracket. The movable part includes a first part and a second part connected to the first part. The first part is rotatably connected to the first joint component, and the output end of the first driving member is connected to the second part. The second driving member is installed on the second bracket, and the output end of the second driving member is connected to the first bracket. The second driving member is used to drive the first bracket to rotate, and the second fixed support is fixedly connected to the second bracket.

8. The bionic mechanical spine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The universal joint includes a main body and a first rotating part and a second rotating part respectively connected to the main body, the first rotating part and the second rotating part respectively extend in two mutually perpendicular directions, and the extension directions of the first rotating part and the second rotating part are respectively perpendicular to the polar axis of the first connecting part and pass through the center of the first connecting part, the first articulated support can be rotatably connected to the first rotating part, and the second articulated support can be rotatably connected to the second rotating part.

9. The bionic mechanical spine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The number of the first fixed supports and the number of the second fixed supports are both multiple, the multiple first fixed supports are evenly and spaced apart on the first connecting portion, the multiple second fixed supports are evenly and spaced apart on the second connecting portion, and the second fixed supports and the first fixed supports are staggered in space.

10. A robot, characterized in that: The bionic mechanical spine comprises the bionic mechanical spine as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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