Bionic femur and humanoid robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a bionic femur and a humanoid robot, and relates to the technical field of bionic robotics.The bionic femur comprises a first beam body, a first butt joint structure is arranged at one end of the first beam body and used for connecting knee joints, and a second butt joint structure is arranged at the other end of the first beam body and used for connecting a driving source; the outer surface of the first beam body is provided with multiple sections of continuous cambered surfaces, the cambered surfaces protrude outwards, and the curvature values of the multiple sections of cambered surfaces are gradually increased from the first butt joint structure to the second butt joint structure. Different arc-shaped sections are arranged on the outer surface of the first beam body to simulate natural bending of the thighbone of the human body, received impact force or load can be better absorbed and dispersed, direct impact on the bionic thighbone is reduced, the service life is effectively prolonged, and the probability of fatigue damage under high-strength dynamic response is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In humanoid robots that need to simulate human walking and movement, especially in the fields of service robots, rescue robots, and exploration robots that need to walk in complex terrain, the overall walking stability and carrying capacity of humanoid robots on complex or uneven ground are limited, resulting in limited activity performance of humanoid robots, affecting the overall performance and operating efficiency of the robots. Among them, the bionic femur of the humanoid robot is an important structural support, and the design of the bionic femur has a great impact on the stability and life of the humanoid robot's performance. At present, the design of the femur of the humanoid robot faces many challenges in pursuing strength and reducing weight. Although the bionic femur of the humanoid robot has been designed to be lightweight, the design is not perfect, and there is still the problem of fatigue damage under high-intensity dynamic response. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present application aims to solve one of the above technical problems in the prior art. To this end, the present application embodiment provides a bionic femur.

[0004] The embodiment of the present application also provides a humanoid robot.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, a bionic femur is provided, including a first beam body, a first docking structure is provided at one end of the first beam body, the first docking structure is used for connecting to the knee joint, and a second docking structure is provided at the other end, the second docking structure is used for connecting to a driving source, and the outer surface of the first beam body has a plurality of continuous arc surfaces, the arc surfaces protrude outward, and the curvature values ​​of the plurality of arc surfaces gradually increase from the first docking structure to the second docking structure.

[0006] The above-mentioned bionic femur has at least the following beneficial effects: when the bionic femur of the present application is used for a humanoid robot, the first docking structure of the first beam body is used for the docking connection of the knee joint, and the second docking structure is used for the installation of the drive source. By setting multiple continuous arc surfaces on the outer surface of the first beam body, the arc surfaces are set to bulge toward the first beam body, and the curvature of the multiple arc surfaces gradually increases from the first docking structure to the second docking structure. By setting different arc segments, the natural curvature of the human femur is simulated, which helps to better absorb and disperse the impact force or load received, reduce the direct impact on the bionic femur, effectively extend the service life, and reduce the probability of fatigue damage under high-intensity dynamic response.

[0007] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the central axis of the first docking structure and the central axis of the second docking structure are in the same reference plane, the first beam body includes a first supporting side and a second supporting side, the first supporting side and the second supporting side are hollowed out, and the first supporting side and the second supporting side are distributed on both sides of the reference plane.

[0008] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, a support structure is arranged between the first support side and the second support side, and the support structure divides the hollow cavity between the first support side and the second support side into at least two parts.

[0009] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the support structure includes a first support member and a second support member, two ends of the first support member or two ends of the second support member are respectively connected to the first support side and the second support side, and one end of the first support member intersects with one end of the second support member.

[0010] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the angle A between the first support member and the second support member is set to 50° to 60°.

[0011] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the bionic femur includes a second beam body, a portion of the second beam body is connected to the first beam body, and a portion of the second beam body on the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure has a third docking structure, and the third docking structure cooperates with the second docking structure to complete the fixation of the driving source.

[0012] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, one end of the second beam body having the third docking structure first extends outwardly and then extends in a direction parallel to the first beam body to the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure, and the angle C between the outward inclined part of the second beam body and the first beam body is set to 40°~60°.

[0013] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the second beam body includes a third supporting side and a fourth supporting side, the third supporting side and the fourth supporting side are closed towards each other to form the third docking structure, and the portion between the third supporting side and the fourth supporting side is hollowed out.

[0014] According to the bionic femur described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the angle B between the third supporting side and the fourth supporting side is set to 60° to 90°.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application, there is provided a humanoid robot comprising the bionic femur described above.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present application is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments;

[0018] Figure 1 is the axial view of the bionic femur of the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0019] Figure 2 is an axial view of the bionic femur of an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 3 is a front view of a bionic femur in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 is a rear view of a bionic femur in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a top view of the bionic femur in an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure numerals: first beam body 110, first support member 111, second support member 112, first support side 113, second support side 114, second beam body 120, third support side 121, fourth support side 122, second docking structure 130, first rotor hole 131, third docking structure 140, second rotor hole 141, first arc plate 151, shaft hole 152, avoidance gap 153, mounting groove 154. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] This section will describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present application. 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 the overall technical solution of the present application, but it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present application.

[0025] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientation, 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, and are only for the convenience of describing the present 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, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0026] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "more" means more than two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed", etc. are understood to exclude the number itself, and "above", "below", "within", etc. are understood to include the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0027] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. 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.

[0028] All parts of existing humanoid robots are designed to be lightweight, especially the femur, which is the main force-bearing support structure. After lightweight design, the existing femur is prone to fatigue damage under high-intensity dynamic response. Common fatigue damage problems mainly include the following situations:

[0029] Microcrack initiation and growth: In high stress areas of the femur, especially the flexure and joints, repeated loading can cause microscopic cracks to develop. These microcracks may gradually grow over time and with continued cyclic loading.

[0030] Fracture: The final manifestation of fatigue damage is fracture. When the crack expands to a certain extent, the femur will not be able to withstand the applied load, resulting in sudden fracture.

[0031] Deformation: In some cases, the femur may not break immediately, but long-term cyclic loading may cause the material to undergo plastic deformation, which can affect the robot's walking stability and accuracy.

[0032] Loosening of connections: The connections between the femur and other components, such as joints and bearings, may become loose due to long-term vibration and cyclic loads, affecting the stability and movement coordination of the robot.

[0033] Material performance degradation: Under long-term cyclic loading, the intrinsic performance of the femoral material may degrade, such as reduced elastic modulus and yield strength, which may eventually lead to structural failure.

[0034] In order to solve the existing problems, the present invention provides a newly designed bionic femur, referring to Figures 1 to 5The bionic femur includes a first beam body 110, one end of the first beam body 110 is provided with a first docking structure, the first docking structure is used to connect the knee joint, and the other end is provided with a second docking structure 130, the second docking structure 130 is used to connect the driving source, the outer surface of the first beam body 110 has multiple continuous arc surfaces, the arc surfaces protrude outward, and the curvature values ​​of the multiple arc surfaces gradually increase from the first docking structure to the second docking structure 130.

[0035] In some embodiments, the curvature of the arc surface ranges from 0.001 to 0.004.

[0036] By setting different arc segments to simulate the natural curvature of the human femur, it helps to better absorb and disperse the impact force or load, reduce the direct impact on the bionic femur, effectively extend the service life, and reduce the probability of fatigue damage under high-intensity dynamic response.

[0037] from Figures 1 to 4 It can be seen that the bionic femur of the present application is small at both ends and large in the middle. The middle area is reasonably arranged into arc segments, which can enable the first beam 110 to withstand a stronger load. At the same time, under high-intensity use conditions, the load or impact force can be effectively dispersed and evenly distributed to avoid large local stress concentration.

[0038] In some examples, the central axis of the first docking structure and the central axis of the second docking structure 130 are in the same reference plane, the first beam body 110 includes a first support side 113 and a second support side 114, the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 are hollowed out, and the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 are distributed on both sides of the reference plane.

[0039] In some specific embodiments, the first docking structure includes an axial hole 152 for positioning and connecting the knee joint, and the central axis of the axial hole 152 is the central axis of the first docking structure; the driving source is a joint motor, and the rotor of the joint motor is installed on the second docking structure 130. The second docking structure 130 is provided with a first rotor hole 131 for installing the rotor, and the central axis of the first rotor hole 131 is the central axis of the second docking structure 130.

[0040] Because the central axis of the first docking structure and the central axis of the second docking structure 130 are in the same reference plane, according to the operation mode of the robot, the directions of the load and impact force mainly act on both sides of the reference plane. Therefore, the present application configures the first beam body 110 to include a first supporting side 113 and a second supporting side 114, and the parts other than the first supporting side 113 and the second supporting side 114 are removed, and the space between the first supporting side 113 and the second supporting side 114 is hollowed out, and the first supporting side 113 and the second supporting side 114 are distributed on both sides of the reference plane. The first supporting side 113 and the second supporting side 114 serve as the main force-bearing structures. On the one hand, they can reduce the weight of the first beam body 110 to the greatest extent; on the other hand, because the first supporting side 113 and the second supporting side 114 are both multiple continuous arc surfaces, they imitate the muscle bending shape of human running posture, which helps to better absorb and disperse the impact force of the ground and reduce the direct impact on the joints.

[0041] In one embodiment shown in the present application, the central axis of the shaft hole 152 is parallel to the central axis of the first rotor hole 131 .

[0042] In some embodiments shown in the present application, the second docking structure 130 is a circular ring for installing the joint motor, the first rotor hole 131 is located at the center of the circular ring, the first support side 113 extends to connect with one side of the circular ring, and the second support side 114 extends to connect with the other side of the circular ring.

[0043] In some of the illustrated embodiments, the first docking structure includes two symmetrically arranged first arc plates 151 , a mounting groove 154 for the knee joint to enter is provided between the two first arc plates 151 , and both first arc plates 151 are provided with an axial hole 152 .

[0044] Furthermore, the first supporting side 113 extends to connect with one side of the first docking structure, and the second supporting side 114 extends to connect with the other side of the second docking structure 130. An avoidance notch 153 is provided at the bottom of the mounting groove 154, and both the first supporting side 113 and the second supporting side 114 are provided with the avoidance notch 153. The shape of the avoidance notch 153 is optimized to reduce the impact on the strength of the bionic femoral structure.

[0045] After the knee joint is installed in the installation groove 154, it is positioned through the shaft hole 152. Part of the knee joint is in the avoidance groove, and the avoidance gap 153 is in a semi-enclosed state to limit both sides of the knee joint, which is beneficial to increase the local structural strength of the first docking structure.

[0046] In some embodiments, due to the hollowing out between the first support side 113 and the second support side 114, it is easy to cause the situation of insufficient bending resistance and rigidity. As a further improvement, a support structure is provided between the first support side 113 and the second support side 114, and the support structure divides the hollow cavity between the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 into at least two parts. The support structure is used to enhance the bending and torsional resistance of the first beam body 110.

[0047] Specifically, the support structure includes a first support member 111 and a second support member 112 , both ends of the first support member 111 or both ends of the second support member 112 are respectively connected to a first support side 113 and a second support side 114 , and one end of the first support member 111 intersects with one end of the second support member 112 .

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the two ends of the first support member 111 are respectively connected to the inner side of the first support side 113 and the inner side of the second support side 114, and the two ends of the second support member 112 are respectively connected to the inner side of the first support side 113 and the inner side of the second support side 114. In one embodiment, if the first support member 111 is between the second support member 112 and the first docking structure, the first support member 111 is inclined toward the first docking structure, and the second support member 112 is inclined toward the second docking structure 130; if the second support member 112 is between the first support member 111 and the first docking structure, the second support member 112 is inclined toward the first docking structure, and the first support member 111 is inclined toward the second docking structure 130.

[0049] Among them, one end of the first support member 111 and one end of the second support member 112 can intersect on the inner side of the same arc surface of the first support side 113, and one end of the first support member 111 and one end of the second support member 112 can also intersect on the inner side of the same arc surface of the second support side 114, that is, the first support member 111 and the second support member 112 are in the same plane.

[0050] The first support member 111 and the second support member 112 divide the hollow cavity between the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 into three parts. Specifically, the first support member 111 and the second support member 112 are connected to the ends of the first support side 113 and intersect. The first support member 111, the second support member 112 and part of the second support side 114 enclose a cavity similar to a triangle. The first support member 111 and the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 near the first docking structure also form a cavity similar to a triangle. The second support member 112 and the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 near the second docking structure 130 also form a cavity similar to a triangle. The hollow cavity is divided into three cavities similar to triangles, and the inner side of the first support side 113 and the second support side 114 is stably supported by the stability of the triangle. The bending and torsion resistance of the bionic femur can be greatly enhanced.

[0051] In some embodiments, the angle A between the first support member 111 and the second support member 112 is set to 50° to 60°. When the angle A is within this range, after force analysis, the structural stability of the bionic femur is better.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first support member 111 and the second support member 112 may be columns, the middle portion of the first support member 111 may be recessed in a direction away from the second support member 112, and the middle portion of the second support member 112 may also be recessed in a direction away from the middle portion of the first support member 111. When the first support member 111 or the second support member 112 is in a slightly bent state, the structural stability is better.

[0053] In some embodiments, the bionic femur includes a second beam body 120, a portion of the second beam body 120 is connected to the first beam body 110, and a portion of the second beam body 120 on the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure 130 has a third docking structure 140, and the third docking structure 140 cooperates with the second docking structure 130 to complete the fixation of the driving source. Using the first beam body 110 and the second beam body 120 to effectively fix the driving source can also improve the structural strength of the bionic femur and reduce the risk of fatigue damage caused by the first beam body 110 alone.

[0054] In some specific embodiments, the third docking structure 140 includes a second rotor hole 141 for installing the rotor. When the joint motor is installed on the ring, one end of the rotor is fixed to the first rotor hole 131, and the other end of the rotor is fixed to the second rotor hole 141. The third docking structure 140 cooperates with the second docking structure 130 to complete the fixation of the driving source. The addition of the second beam body 120 can also reduce the load received by the first beam body 110 and disperse the impact received.

[0055] In some specific embodiments, one end of the second beam body 120 having the third docking structure 140 first extends outwardly and then extends in a direction parallel to the first beam body 110 to the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure 130, and the angle C between the outward inclined part of the second beam body 120 and the first beam body 110 is set to 40°~60°.

[0056] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when viewed from above, the width of the outwardly inclined portion a of the second beam body 120 gradually decreases from one end close to the first beam body 110 to one end close to the third docking structure 140. The above design can reduce the weight of the entire bionic femur and provide sufficient rigidity and structural strength.

[0057] In some embodiments, the width of the portion b of the second beam 120 parallel to the first beam 110 is consistent everywhere.

[0058] In some specific embodiments, the second beam body 120 includes a third supporting side 121 and a fourth supporting side 122, and the third supporting side 121 and the fourth supporting side 122 are close together to form a third docking structure 140, and a portion between the third supporting side 121 and the fourth supporting side 122 is hollowed out to provide sufficient structural rigidity while reducing the weight of the entire bionic femur, thereby achieving a lightweight design.

[0059] In some embodiments shown in the present application, the third support side 121 is connected to the first support side 113 of the first beam 110, and the portion where the third support side 121 is connected to the first support side 113 also has multiple curved surfaces with different curvatures to enhance the structural strength of the entire bionic femur.

[0060] The fourth supporting side 122 is connected to the second supporting side 114 of the first beam 110 . The portion of the fourth supporting side 122 connected to the second supporting side 114 also has multiple curved surfaces with different curvatures, so as to enhance the structural strength of the entire bionic femur.

[0061] In some embodiments, the end of the third support side 121 not connected to the first support side 113 extends obliquely toward the fourth support side 122, and the end of the fourth support side 122 not connected to the second support side 114 extends obliquely toward the third support side 121, and then one end of the third support side 121 and one end of the fourth support side 122 meet on the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure 130 to form the third docking structure 140. The overall structural design is ingenious, and it is lightweight while having sufficient structural rigidity.

[0062] In some embodiments, the angle B between the third support side 121 and the fourth support side 122 is set to 60° to 90°. Within this range, the angle B can stabilize the structure of the second beam body 120 and further reduce the weight of the second beam body 120.

[0063] In the embodiment of the present application, the bionic femur is manufactured by an integrated molding technology, which may be die-casting or 3D printing, so that the manufactured bionic femur has sufficient structural strength and reduces the manufacturing cost.

[0064] In the embodiment of the present application, the first beam body 110 and the second beam body 120 are both made of aluminum alloy.

[0065] In some specific embodiments of the present application, the thickness of the first supporting side 113 , the second supporting side 114 , the third supporting side 121 and the fourth supporting side 122 is controlled within a range of 6 to 15 mm to meet the requirements of structural strength and lightness.

[0066] The bionic femur of the present application uses a double-beam structure with a multi-arc surface design to imitate the natural curvature of the human femur, which helps to better absorb and disperse the impact force of the ground and reduce direct impact on the joints.

[0067] In addition, the arrangement of the first support member 111 and the second support member 112 of the first beam body 110 in conjunction with the third support side 121 and the fourth support side 122 of the second beam body 120 enhances the local stiffness of the bionic femur, especially when subjected to bending and torsional moments, thereby improving the bionic femur's ability to resist deformation.

[0068] The embodiment of the present application also provides a humanoid robot, which includes the above-mentioned bionic femur. With the above-mentioned bionic femur, the humanoid robot can better adapt to uneven ground, variable load conditions, and possible impacts and collisions in complex environments, thereby greatly improving the adaptability and service life of the humanoid robot.

[0069] 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 knowledge scope of ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application.

Claims

1. A bionic femur, characterized in that: It includes a first beam body, a first docking structure is provided at one end of the first beam body, the first docking structure is used for connecting the knee joint, and a second docking structure is provided at the other end, the second docking structure is used for connecting the driving source, the outer surface of the first beam body has multiple sections of continuous arc surfaces, the arc surfaces protrude outward, and the curvature values ​​of the multiple sections of the arc surfaces gradually increase from the first docking structure to the second docking structure.

2. The bionic femur according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central axis of the first docking structure and the central axis of the second docking structure are in the same reference plane, the first beam body includes a first supporting side and a second supporting side, the first supporting side and the second supporting side are hollowed out, and the first supporting side and the second supporting side are distributed on both sides of the reference plane.

3. The bionic femur according to claim 2, characterized in that: A supporting structure is disposed between the first supporting side and the second supporting side, and the supporting structure divides the hollow cavity between the first supporting side and the second supporting side into at least two parts.

4. The bionic femur according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support structure includes a first support member and a second support member, two ends of the first support member or two ends of the second support member are respectively connected to the first support side and the second support side, and one end of the first support member intersects with one end of the second support member.

5. The bionic femur according to claim 4, characterized in that: The included angle A between the first support member and the second support member is set to 50° to 60°.

6. The bionic femur according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The bionic femur includes a second beam body, a portion of which is connected to the first beam body, and a portion of the second beam body on the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure has a third docking structure, and the third docking structure cooperates with the second docking structure to complete the fixation of the driving source.

7. The bionic femur according to claim 6, characterized in that: One end of the second beam body having the third docking structure first extends outwardly in an inclined manner and then extends in a direction parallel to the first beam body to the extension line of the central axis of the second docking structure, and an angle C between the outward inclined part of the second beam body and the first beam body is set to 40° to 60°.

8. The bionic femur according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second beam body includes a third supporting side and a fourth supporting side. The third supporting side and the fourth supporting side are closed towards each other to form the third docking structure. A portion between the third supporting side and the fourth supporting side is hollowed out.

9. The bionic femur according to claim 8, characterized in that: An included angle B between the third supporting side and the fourth supporting side is set to 60° to 90°.

10. A humanoid robot, characterized in that: The bionic femur comprises any one of claims 1 to 9.

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