Home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of old-age robot, including robot main body, still including: walking component, the bottom of the robot main body is equipped with walking component, walking component is used to drive robot main body to move towards arbitrary direction;Lifting component, the main body of the robot is equipped with lifting component, lifting component is used to adjust the position of embrace component;Embrace component, the top of the lifting component of the robot is equipped with embrace component, embrace component is used to embrace the body of fixed object, and lead object upper body moves;Seat adjusting component, the main body of the robot is equipped with seat adjusting component, seat adjusting component is used to control the rotation of seat;Lifting pedal component, the main body of the robot is also equipped with lifting pedal component, lifting pedal component is used to move the object both feet from ground to robot main body.The application can automatically embrace object on seat or away from seat on robot, assist object to move in room.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of home robot technology, and in particular to a home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking. Background Technology

[0002] As people age, various bodily functions begin to decline, making simple movements difficult and increasing the risk of falls and injuries. Therefore, elderly people with mobility issues require external assistance when walking indoors. Traditional methods of human companionship for walking assistance suffer from problems such as a shortage of caregivers, high costs, and the inability to provide constant care. Robots, on the other hand, can be mass-produced, have lower long-term operating costs than human care, and can respond to user needs at any time, effectively solving the problems associated with human care.

[0003] However, most existing assistive walking robots for home-based elderly care are integrated bed-chair robots, capable only of carrying the elderly person away from and back to bed, but not of transferring them to other furniture such as commodes, chairs, or sofas, thus lacking versatility. Furthermore, existing assistive walking robots for home-based elderly care focus on basic functions such as support, lifting, and movement, failing to adequately guarantee safety and comfort during the care process. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an assistive walking robot for home-based elderly care that, in the absence of a caregiver, can lift the person from their seat to the robot's chair, carry them to a designated location, and then safely set them down. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking, so as to help the elderly move around indoors.

[0005] The technical solution to achieve the purpose of this invention is as follows:

[0006] An elderly care robot includes a robot body and further includes: a walking component mounted on the bottom of the robot, used to drive the robot body to move in any direction; a lifting component mounted on the robot body, used to adjust the position of a holding component; a holding component mounted on top of the lifting component, used to hold and fix the body of the object and to move the upper body of the object; a seat adjustment component mounted on the robot body, used to control the rotation of the seat; and a lifting pedal component mounted on the robot body, used to move the object's feet from the ground onto the robot.

[0007] The significant advantages of this invention compared to existing technologies are:

[0008] (1) The present invention uses a lifting component to drive a clamping component to approach the object. As the distance between the clamping component and the object decreases, the sensor on the clamping component feeds back a signal to the corresponding motor. The clamping component will automatically contract according to the signal until it fixes the object's body, thereby improving the stability and comfort when clamping the object.

[0009] (2) The present invention controls the rotation of the seat by a seat rotation motor, so that the seat rotates to or away from the object as needed, thereby reducing the actions required by the object to cooperate with the robot.

[0010] (3) The present invention uses an electric cylinder to lift the pedal, so that when the robot approaches the object, it lifts the object's feet onto the robot's base platform to avoid the robot trapping the object's feet and causing injury. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the robot structure of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Another perspective structural diagram.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the seat base of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the seat base drive assembly structure of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the walking component of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the leveling structure of the clamping component of the present invention.

[0017] In the diagram: 1-Clamping component upper arm motor, 2-Clamping component upper arm, 3-Clamping component lower arm motor, 4-Clamping component lower arm, 5-Flexible fabric, 6-Seat, 7-Seat lifting electric cylinder, 8-Lifting pedal electric cylinder, 9-Lifting pedal, 10-Seat base, 11-Robot chassis, 12-Walking wheels, 13-Base platform, 14-LiDAR, 15-Lifting component base, 16-Lifting component upper arm motor, 17-Lifting component upper arm reducer, 18-Lifting component lower arm motor connecting rod, 19-Lifting component tie rod, 20-Lifting component lower arm reducer, 2 1- Lifting component forearm motor, 22- Lifting component boom, 23- Clamping component leveling motor, 24- Clamping component leveling reducer, 25- Lifting component forearm mounting base, 26- Lifting component forearm, 27- Clamping component mounting base, 28- Clamping component frame, 29- Depth camera, 30- Traveling component reduction gear set, 31- Seat base rotation drive motor, 32- Seat base roller, 33- Seat base rotation driven wheel, 34- Seat base rotation drive wheel, 35- Traveling component motor, 36- Clamping component leveling gear set, 37- Clamping component leveling connecting shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Combination Figures 1-6 The present invention provides a home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking, comprising a robot body, which is composed of a robot chassis 11 and a base platform 13, used to provide positioning and support for the installation of other robot components, and further comprising:

[0019] The robot chassis 11 is equipped with a walking assembly. Each walking assembly consists of four sets of walking wheels 12, a walking assembly reduction gear set 30, and a walking assembly motor 35. The walking wheels 12 are Mecanum wheels, divided into two left-handed wheels and two right-handed wheels, with an O-shaped layout. The walking assembly motors 35 of each set can drive the robot body to move in any direction by outputting different combinations of speeds through the walking assembly reduction gear set 30.

[0020] The lifting assembly is installed above the base platform 13. The lifting assembly consists of a lifting assembly base 15, a lifting assembly boom motor 16, a lifting assembly boom reducer 17, a lifting assembly forearm motor connecting rod 18, a lifting assembly tie rod 19, a lifting assembly forearm reducer 20, a lifting assembly forearm motor 21, a lifting assembly boom 22, a clamping assembly leveling motor 23, a clamping assembly leveling reducer 24, a lifting assembly forearm fixing seat 25, a lifting assembly forearm 26, a clamping assembly fixing seat 27, a clamping assembly leveling gear set 36, and a clamping assembly leveling connecting shaft 37. The lifting assembly boom 22 is directly connected to the lifting assembly base 15 by a hinge. The rotation of the lifting assembly boom 22 is controlled by the lifting assembly boom motor 16. The lifting assembly forearm fixing seat 25 is hinged to the lifting assembly boom 22 and fixedly connected to the lifting assembly forearm 26. If the lifting assembly upper arm 22 is considered fixed, then the lifting assembly lower arm motor connecting rod 18, the lifting assembly pull rod 19, and the lifting assembly lower arm fixing seat 25 form a crank-rocker mechanism. The rotation of the lifting assembly lower arm motor 21 will cause the lifting assembly lower arm fixing seat 25 to swing relative to the lifting assembly upper arm 22, thereby changing the angle between the lifting assembly upper arm 22 and the lifting assembly lower arm 26. By combining different rotation angles of the lifting assembly upper arm 22 and the lifting assembly lower arm 26, the clamping assembly fixing seat 27 can be moved to any position within a certain plane. The component fixing seat 27 is fixedly connected to the lifting component arm 26. Inside it, a pair of clamping component leveling gear sets 36 are installed. The clamping component leveling motor 23 controls the clamping component leveling connecting shaft 37 to rotate after being reduced by the clamping component leveling reducer 24. This drives the bevel gear in the clamping component leveling gear set 36 that is connected to the clamping component leveling connecting shaft 37 to rotate. The other bevel gear is connected to the clamping component frame 28. Through the rotation transmitted by the clamping component leveling gear set 36, the clamping component frame 28 can rotate around the clamping component fixing seat 27, ensuring that the clamping component remains horizontal.

[0021] The clamping assembly is installed above the lifting assembly. The clamping assembly consists of a clamping assembly boom motor 1, a clamping assembly boom 2, a clamping assembly forearm motor 3, a clamping assembly forearm 4, a flexible fabric 5, and a clamping assembly frame 28. There are two of each of the clamping assembly boom motors 1, 2, 3, and 4. The area enclosed by the clamping assembly boom 2, forearm 4, and flexible fabric 5 is used to place the object's body. During operation, the clamping assembly boom 2 opens according to the object's chest width, so that the distance between the front ends of the two clamping assembly booms 2 is slightly greater than the chest width. Then, the clamping assembly boom motor 1 remains locked, and the clamping assembly forearm 4 passes under the object's armpits, parallel to the forward direction. The flexible fabric 5 moves with the object's body. The material is gradually brought into contact with the object's body and tightened. Force sensors are installed on the two rods that fix the fabric. When the force reaches a predetermined value, the signal is fed back to the clamping component arm motor 3. The clamping component arm motor 3 controls the clamping component arm 4 to rotate inward according to the signal, so that the flexible fabric 5 further conforms to the object's body. Force sensors are installed on the inside of the clamping component arm 4. When the flexible fabric 5 is tightened to the limit, the inside of the clamping component arm 4 will contact the object's body. When the force exerted by the object's body on the inside of the clamping component arm 4 reaches a predetermined value, the sensor feeds back the signal to the clamping component arm motor 3, the lifting component upper arm motor 16, the lifting component arm motor 21, and the clamping component leveling motor 23. The above motors stop rotating and lock, completing the clamping and fixing of the object.

[0022] The seat adjustment assembly is mounted on top of the robot chassis 11. The assembly consists of a seat 6, a seat lifting electric cylinder 7, a seat base 10, a seat base rotation drive motor 31, seat base rollers 32, seat base driven wheels 33, and seat base drive wheels 34. There are six seat base rollers 32. The seat lifting electric cylinder 7 adjusts the height of the seat 6. A portion of the seat base 10 is located between the robot chassis 11 and the base platform 13. The seat base 10 can rotate around the connecting shaft of the seat base driven wheels 33. To reduce friction, grooves are provided on the robot chassis 11 and the base platform 13, allowing the six seat base rollers 32 to roll within these grooves. The seat base driven wheels 33 and the seat base drive wheels 34 are sprockets, protected by covers after installation. The seat base rotation drive motor 31 drives the seat base 10 to rotate via the sprocket and chain transmission, thus enabling the seat 6 to rotate.

[0023] The lifting pedal assembly is installed above the base platform 13. The lifting pedal assembly consists of two lifting pedal electric cylinders 8 and two lifting pedals 9. The lower plane of the lifting pedal 9 is parallel to the ground, while the upper plane is slightly inclined to allow it to pass under the object's feet. To prevent the lifting pedal 9 from obstructing the robot's movement, portions are cut off from the robot chassis 11 and base platform 13 according to the shape of the lifting pedal 9. Similarly, portions are cut off from both sides of the seat base 10 according to the shape of the lifting pedal 9. When the cut portion on one side of the seat base 10 aligns with the cut portions of the robot chassis 11 and base platform 13, the lifting pedal electric cylinder 8 can drive the lifting pedal 9 to move up and down, thus moving the object's feet from the ground onto the robot. To prevent the object's toes from exceeding the lifting pedal 9 and getting caught when it lifts the object's feet, a baffle is installed on the robot chassis 11. A force sensor is placed on the baffle. When the force reaches a predetermined value, the sensor sends a signal to the walking component motor 35, and the robot stops moving.

[0024] During normal operation, after receiving a command, the walking component will drive the robot to move directly in front of the elderly person, and the seat 6 will rotate to... Figure 2 The location shown or Figure 2 The position shown is rotated 180° clockwise. At this point, the seat base 10, chassis 11, and base platform 13 are aligned with the portion cut off by the lifting pedal 9. The lifting pedal 9 can rise freely. Lower the lifting pedal 9 to a position close to the ground, and adjust the position of the lifting assembly so that the clamping assembly is slightly lower than the height of the object's armpits. The upper arm 2 of the clamping assembly opens according to the object's chest width, so that the distance between the front ends of the two upper arms 2 of the clamping assembly is slightly greater than the chest width. The lower arm 4 of the clamping assembly remains parallel to the direction of travel. As the robot continues to move forward, the lifting pedal will pass under the object's feet. When the force sensor on the upper baffle of the robot chassis 11 detects a predetermined force value, the sensor will feed back the signal to the travel... When the robot stops moving, the lifting platform 9 rises until its lower plane aligns with the lower plane of the base platform 13, thus moving the object's feet from the ground onto the robot. After this, the motors of the lifting assembly control the rotation speed of the lifting assembly's upper arm 22 and lower arm 26, causing the clamping assembly to advance horizontally and clamp the object securely. Once the object is clamped, the motors of the lifting assembly control the rotation speed of the lifting assembly's upper arm 22 and lower arm 26, causing the clamping assembly to rise vertically, lifting the object's upper body. When the clamping assembly reaches a predetermined height, it stops rising, at which point the object's buttocks separate from the original seat. Then, the seat base rotation drive motor 31 rotates the seat 6 to... Figure 1At the indicated position, i.e., under the object, the motors of the lifting assembly control the rotation speed of the lifting assembly's large arm 22 and small arm 26, causing the clamping assembly to slowly descend to the previous clamping height, thus moving the object from its original seat onto the robot. With the clamping assembly's motors locked, the walking assembly drives the robot to move the object to the destination. The height of the seat 6 and the clamping assembly are adjusted according to the height of the destination seat, so that the seat surface of the seat 6 is slightly higher than the destination height. The robot continues to move forward until the seat surface of the seat 6 reaches above the destination. While keeping the clamping assembly stationary, the seat base rotation drive motor 31 controls the seat 6 to rotate 90° clockwise or counterclockwise. Then, the clamping assembly is slowly lowered, placing the object on the destination seat. The clamping assembly is released and the robot moves backward until it is separated from the object, thus moving the object from the robot to the destination seat.

Claims

1. A home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking, characterized in that, include: Robot body; A walking component is installed on the bottom of the robot body, which is used to drive the robot body to move in any direction; A lifting component is installed on the robot body, and the lifting component is used to adjust the position of the clamping component; A clamping component is provided on the top of the lifting component. The clamping component is used to clamp and fix the body of the object and to move the upper body of the object. A seat adjustment assembly is installed on the robot body, and the seat adjustment assembly is used to control the rotation of the seat; A lifting pedal assembly is also installed on the robot body. The lifting pedal assembly is used to move the object's feet from the ground to the robot body. The robot body includes a robot chassis (11) and a base plate platform (13). A portion of both the robot chassis (11) and the base plate platform (13) is cut off, and the cut-off shape matches the shape of the lifting pedal (9). A portion of the seat base (10) with the same shape as the lifting pedal (9) is symmetrically cut off on both sides. After the robot is installed, the lifting pedal (9) can only move up and down when the empty portion after the cut-off on either side of the seat base (10) matches the empty portion after the cut-off on the robot chassis (11) and the base plate platform (13), that is, when the seat (6) is rotated to the side position, ensuring that the seat (6) is in the correct position before the robot is ready to hug the object.

2. The home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking assembly includes four walking wheels (12), four walking assembly reduction gear sets (30) and four walking assembly motors (35). The number of the walking wheels (12) is 4, and the specifications of the walking wheels (12) are 2 left-handed wheels and 2 right-handed wheels, adopting an O-type layout.

3. The home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping assembly includes two clamping assembly upper arms (2), two clamping assembly lower arms (4), flexible fabric (5), and clamping assembly frame (28). The clamping assembly frame (28) is hinged to the clamping assembly upper arms (2), and the clamping assembly upper arms (2) is hinged to the clamping assembly lower arms (4). Motors are installed at the hinges to control the rotation of the clamping assembly upper arms (2) and clamping assembly lower arms (4). A rod is provided at the bottom of each clamping assembly lower arm (4) for installing the flexible fabric. A force sensor is installed on the rod to control the rotation of the clamping assembly lower arm motor (3) by monitoring the magnitude of the force. A force sensor is installed on the inside of the clamping assembly lower arm (4) to control the rotation of the clamping assembly lower arm motor (3), the lifting assembly upper arm motor (16), the lifting assembly lower arm motor (21), and the clamping assembly leveling motor (23) by monitoring the magnitude of the force.

4. The home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seat adjustment assembly includes a seat (6), a seat lifting electric cylinder (7), a seat base (10), a seat base rotation drive motor (31), six seat base rollers (32), a seat base rotation driven wheel (33), and a seat base rotation drive wheel (34). A portion of the seat base (10) is located between the robot chassis (11) and the base plate platform (13) and can rotate around the axis of the seat base rotation driven wheel (33). Six identical seat base rollers (32) are installed on the top of the seat base (10) to reduce friction when the seat base (10) rotates. Grooves are provided on the top of the robot chassis (11) and the bottom of the base plate platform (13) according to the movement trajectory of the seat base rollers (32). The space of the two grooves is used to accommodate the rolling of the seat base rollers (32).

5. The home-based elderly care robot for assisting walking according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting pedal assembly includes a lifting pedal electric cylinder (8) and a lifting pedal (9). The lower plane of the lifting pedal (9) is parallel to the ground, and the upper plane is slightly inclined. The lifting pedal (9) gradually becomes thicker from the front end to the rear end, so that the lifting pedal (9) can pass under the object's foot.

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