Bionic snake robot

Abstract

The invention provides a bionic snake robot which comprises a vibration advancing mechanism set and a posture adjusting mechanism, and the vibration advancing mechanism set and the posture adjusting mechanism are alternately connected to form a snake shape. The vibration advancing mechanism set comprises a plurality of vibration advancing mechanisms, and the vibration advancing mechanisms are connected through universal joints. The whole vibration advancing mechanism is obliquely arranged, the vibration advancing mechanism is provided with a left ground friction surface and a right ground friction surface, and the two ground friction surfaces of the vibration advancing mechanisms in the same group are controlled to selectively vibrate or synchronously vibrate, so that the vibration advancing mechanism group is driven to advance towards the non-vibrated side or forwards advance; the posture adjusting mechanism comprises at least two steering engines, one steering engine is used for providing horizontal swing action, the other steering engine is used for providing vertical swing action, the robot is driven to move through vibration, the using amount of the steering engines is greatly reduced, the structure is lighter, the moving speed is higher, the overall size is small, the robot can conveniently pass through a narrow space, and the robot is more convenient to use. And because the energy demand is small, the endurance time is long.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a bionic snake robot. Background Art

[0002] Bionic robot kinematics is an important branch of bionics. In the field of terrain exploration, ecological monitoring and other tasks, bionic snake robots were born to replace humans to complete these tasks.

[0003] At present, there are mainly the following categories of bionic snake robots: EELS (Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor) is an autonomous snake-like robot used for exploring the ice world, which uses a spiral structure to move; the HITSZ-Snakebot series of snake-like robots use modular spherical joints in series, and the outer frame is designed as a spherical structure to reduce friction with the road; the tracked snake-like robot developed by Guangzhou Anling Technology Co., Ltd. mainly imitates the four forms of movement of snakes: winding movement, lateral movement, straight crawling movement and organ movement; the amphibious snake-like robot of the Shenyang Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences mainly performs three-dimensional movement on the ground and underwater; the snake-like robot developed by the National University of Defense Technology can move forward, turn, retreat and accelerate, and is the first snake-like robot in my country.

[0004] In view of the application market of bionic snake in multi-terrain survey, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the industry pain points and summarized the current status of bionic snake robots as follows:

[0005] (1) The bionic snake robot moves slowly

[0006] The bionic snakes currently on the market are not fast enough to meet the requirements of urgent terrain detection. For victims after a disaster, every minute and every second is very urgent.

[0007] (2) Low ability to cross obstacles

[0008] Among robots that can climb over obstacles, the bionic snake is the first to do so, using its own wave motion to move forward, cross stairs, climb over obstacles, etc. However, how to achieve its rock climbing effect still requires technical research and development.

[0009] (3) High power consumption

[0010] At present, most bionic robots still need to be powered by batteries when used in surveying fields. However, in uninterrupted long-term surveying, bionic robots use a large number of servos, which consume too much energy and have short battery life.

[0011] (4) Difficulty entering narrow spaces

[0012] As we all know, when disasters occur, the collapse of buildings will cause large areas of ruins, which will bury people, so detection equipment must search for people through narrow gaps. However, due to the large size of most bionic robots, they cannot enter narrow gaps for searching.

[0013] In order to solve the above problems, people have been seeking an ideal technical solution. Summary of the invention

[0014] The purpose of the present invention is to address the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a bionic snake robot that utilizes vibration to drive movement, greatly reduces the use of servos, has a lighter structure, moves faster, and has a small overall size, making it easy to move in narrow spaces. It has a small energy requirement and a long battery life.

[0015] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a bionic snake robot, comprising a vibration forward mechanism group and a posture adjustment mechanism, wherein the vibration forward mechanism group and the posture adjustment mechanism are alternately connected to form a snake-like form;

[0016] The vibration forward mechanism group includes a plurality of vibration forward mechanisms, and each vibration forward mechanism is connected by a universal joint;

[0017] The vibrating forward mechanism is tilted as a whole, and has two left and right ground friction surfaces. By controlling the two ground friction surfaces of each vibrating forward mechanism in the same group to vibrate selectively or synchronously, the vibrating forward mechanism group is driven to move forward to the non-vibrating side or forward in the positive direction;

[0018] The attitude adjustment mechanism includes at least two steering gears, at least one of which is used to provide a swinging motion in a horizontal direction, and at least one of which is used to provide a swinging motion in a vertical direction.

[0019] Based on the above, the vibration forward mechanism includes a bracket, two force transmission ribs, two ground friction surfaces, two motor slots and two vibration motors;

[0020] The bracket is in a semicircular ring shape, the upper end of the force transmission rib is hinged to the two ends of the lower part of the bracket, the lower end of the force transmission rib is hinged to the ground friction surface, the ground friction surface is used to contact the ground, and the two ground friction surfaces are connected by a first return spring;

[0021] One end of the two motor slots is hingedly connected to the bracket, and the other end is connected to the force transmission rib on the corresponding side. The motor slots are used to install the vibration motors.

[0022] Based on the above, a ground pin is arranged at the inner upper end of the ground friction surface, and the upper end of the ground pin is hinged to the lower end of the force transmission rib.

[0023] Based on the above, the upper end of the ground pin, the lower end of the force transmission rib and the upper end of the ground friction surface are coaxially hinged.

[0024] Based on the above, the bracket, the force transmission ribs, the ground pin and the first return spring together form an annular or quasi-annular structure.

[0025] Based on the above, the structural part consisting of the bracket, the force transmission ribs and the ground pins is arranged obliquely, and the ground friction surface is arranged horizontally.

[0026] Based on the above, a connecting shaft is arranged at the upper hinge of the motor slot, and the connecting shafts of two adjacent vibration forward mechanisms are connected together through a universal joint.

[0027] Based on the above, a second return spring is arranged between the upper hinge of the motor slot and the inner side of the top end of the bracket.

[0028] Based on the above, bearings are installed at the hinges between the bracket and the force transmission rib, between the force transmission rib and the ground friction surface, and between the force transmission rib and the ground pin.

[0029] Based on the above, at least the outer skin of the attitude adjustment mechanism.

[0030] The present invention has outstanding substantive features and significant progress compared to the prior art. Specifically, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0031] This scheme uses vibration energy as the driving force of the bionic snake robot, replacing the traditional method of using servos as the main driving force, with lower energy consumption. Moreover, due to the less use of servos, the overall weight is greatly reduced, and the size can also be designed to be smaller, which is roughly equivalent to the size of snakes in nature, and the moving speed is faster. In addition, in the process of moving forward, it is more similar to the walking of snakes in nature, the walking is more reliable, and it can pass through various complex working conditions. In the face of complex situations, in addition to moving forward and turning, it can also use the posture adjustment mechanism to complete the three-dimensional steering function of turning upward and downward, and the obstacle surmounting ability is stronger.

[0032] In general, due to the innovation in basic principles, this scheme has greatly improved its travel speed, energy consumption, obstacle crossing and narrow space penetration capabilities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 This is one of the overall structural schematic diagrams of a bionic snake robot in the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the overall structure of a bionic snake robot in the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3It is a structural schematic diagram of the vibration forward mechanism group in the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of a single vibrating forward mechanism in the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 It is a side view of a single vibrating forward mechanism in the present invention.

[0038] Figure 6 It is a force analysis diagram of the forward mode in the present invention.

[0039] Figure 7 It is a force analysis diagram of the unilateral forward mode in the present invention.

[0040] In the figure: 1. Vibration forward mechanism group; 2. Attitude adjustment mechanism; 11. Forward mechanism; 12. Universal joint; 111. Bracket; 112. Force transmission rib; 113. Ground friction surface; 114. Motor slot; 115. Ground pin; 116. Connecting shaft; 117. First return spring; 118. Second return spring; 21. Servo. F f DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The technical solution of the present invention is further described in detail below through specific implementation methods.

[0042] like Figure 1-Figure 6 As shown, a bionic snake robot includes a vibration forward mechanism group 1 and a posture adjustment mechanism 2, wherein the vibration forward mechanism group 1 and the posture adjustment mechanism 2 are alternately connected to form a snake shape. In this embodiment, four vibration forward mechanism groups 1 and four posture adjustment mechanisms 2 are connected for illustration.

[0043] The vibration forward mechanism group 1 includes a plurality of vibration forward mechanisms 11 , and the vibration forward mechanisms 11 are connected via universal joints 12 .

[0044] Specifically, in this embodiment, the vibration forward mechanism 11 is tilted as a whole, and the vibration forward mechanism 11 includes a bracket 111, two force transmission ribs 112, two ground friction surfaces 113, two motor slots 114, two ground pins 115 and two vibration motors.

[0045] The bracket 111 is in a semicircular shape, the upper end of the force transmission rib 112 is hinged to the two ends of the lower part of the bracket 111, and the lower end of the force transmission rib 112 is hinged to the ground friction surface 113, and the ground friction surface 113 is used to contact the ground. The two ground friction surfaces 113 are connected by a first return spring 117.

[0046] Among them, the force transmission rib 112 is used to simulate the rib structure of a bionic snake. The force transmission rib 112 is driven by a vibration motor to swing around the upper hinge point, driving the hinged ground friction surface 113 below to vibrate, and the first return spring is used to provide a return tension.

[0047] A ground pin 115 is provided at the inner upper end of the ground friction surface 113, and the upper end of the ground pin 115 is hinged to the lower end of the force transmission rib 112. The upper end 115 of the ground pin, the lower end of the force transmission rib 112 and the upper end of the ground friction surface 113 are coaxially hinged. The ground pin 115 is used to provide an auxiliary structure for the ground friction surface 113 to stably vibrate, so as to prevent the problem of a large flipping angle caused by the single-point hinge of the ground friction surface 113.

[0048] The bottom end of the ground friction surface 113 is provided with friction lines to cooperate with the ground to provide better friction.

[0049] One end of the two motor slots 113 is hinged and connected to the bracket 111, and the other end is connected to the force transfer rib 112 on the corresponding side. The motor slot 113 is used to install the vibration motor. Specifically, a connecting shaft 116 is set at the upper hinge of the motor slot 113, and the connecting shafts 116 of the two adjacent vibration forward mechanisms are connected together through a universal joint; a second return spring 118 is set between the upper hinge of the motor slot and the inner side of the top end of the bracket 111. The hinged mounting structure of the motor slot 113 is used to make the vibration motor fully vibrate and release energy, and the second return spring 118 is used to provide a return force.

[0050] In this embodiment, bearings are installed at the hinges between the bracket and the force transmission rib, between the force transmission rib and the ground friction surface, and between the force transmission rib and the ground pin.

[0051] In this embodiment, the bracket 111, the force transmission ribs 112, the ground pin 115 and the first return spring 117 together form an annular or quasi-annular structure, that is, a structure similar to a snake.

[0052] The structural part composed of the bracket 111, the force transmission rib 112 and the ground pin 115 is arranged obliquely, and the ground friction surface 115 is arranged horizontally.

[0053] By controlling the two ground friction surfaces 113 of each vibrating forward mechanism in the same group to vibrate selectively or synchronously, the vibrating forward mechanism group is driven to move forward to the non-vibrating side or forward in the positive direction.

[0054] The attitude adjustment mechanism 2 includes at least two steering gears 21, at least one of which is used to provide a swinging motion in a horizontal direction, and at least one of which is used to provide a swinging motion in a vertical direction.

[0055] At least the outer skin of the attitude adjustment mechanism.

[0056] Working principle description:

[0057] The vibration forward mechanism is assumed to meet the following conditions:

[0058] Each part of the vibration forward mechanism 11 is an ideal rigid body, that is, each part will not be slightly deformed due to the action of external force;

[0059] Because the length and shape of the vibration forward mechanism 11 are optimized, the center of mass of the entire vibration forward mechanism 11 can be approximately considered to be located at the center of the approximate circle;

[0060] Based on the shape design and material selection, the forces on each part can be approximately considered to act on the center of mass, and it can be approximately considered that no friction couple will be generated, that is, the single vibration forward mechanism 11 will not roll forward or tip over;

[0061] The contact between each friction surface and the ground is planar and uniform contact, ensuring that the contact points are continuous and form a plane.

[0062] Under this premise, we conduct stress analysis:

[0063] In the forward mode, the analysis is performed with a single vibration forward mechanism 11 as a unit, and the vibration motors on both sides simultaneously apply forces to both sides, so that the overall force is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, since the vibrating forward mechanism 11 is tilted as a whole, the resultant force of the forces applied on both sides is directed toward the front. Therefore, under the forces applied on both sides, the entire vibrating forward mechanism 11 moves toward the front through the action of friction.

[0064] In the single-side forward mode, the single vibration forward mechanism 11 is analyzed as a unit, and the overall force condition is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, when a force is applied on one side, since the vibration forward mechanism 11 is tilted as a whole, the force moves forward in the horizontal direction toward the non-vibrated side, thereby completing the forward steering action.

[0065] From basic mechanics knowledge, we know that the three forces acting on the pins are located in the same plane. If we assume that the force exerted by the center rod on one side is F(t), then the force acting on each pin is

[0066] F(t)'=F(t)sin60° / sin45°

[0067] Then the vertical force generated by the contact surface can be solved

[0068] Fn=F(t)'cos 15°

[0069] Then the vertical pressure distribution function qz1 (a) Need to be satisfied

[0070]

[0071] Combining the friction mechanics in the space coordinate system, the following formula can be obtained:

[0072]

[0073] Then the vertical pressure distribution function q on the other side is z2 (a) and f2 are

[0074]

[0075] Overall movement:

[0076] When the whole robot receives the command to start moving, the vibration forward mechanism group provides the whole robot with forward power, and decides to adopt the forward mode or the unilateral forward mode (turning) according to the ground conditions.

[0077] Based on the properties of friction, the vibration forward mechanism can only provide a planar force, that is, it can only move on a two-dimensional plane. However, in actual application scenarios, most environments are three-dimensional spaces, which requires the snake-like robot to be able to move in three dimensions.

[0078] The main function of the servo group attitude adjustment unit is to provide a force in the z-axis direction, so that the snake-like robot can complete a three-dimensional space movement. At the same time, it can perform a certain degree of two-dimensional plane attitude adjustment to assist in adjusting the robot's self-generated motion posture.

[0079] The bionic snake-like robot has the characteristics of low unit pressure on the ground, small settlement, strong adhesion, fast speed, low vibration and noise, which enables it to operate safely in dangerous and easily collapsed places, and it has little damage to the contact surface of the driving route. It is a new all-terrain snake-like structure design, which brings the most reliable performance and the widest adaptability with the simplest structure possible. It has strong advantages and adaptability for topographic geological surveys and auxiliary post-disaster rescue.

[0080] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, ordinary technicians in the field should understand that the specific implementation methods of the present invention can still be modified or some technical features can be replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit of the technical solution of the present invention, which should be included in the scope of the technical solution for protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bionic snake robot, characterized in that: It includes a vibration forward mechanism group and a posture adjustment mechanism, wherein the vibration forward mechanism group and the posture adjustment mechanism are alternately connected in a serpentine shape; The vibration forward mechanism group includes a plurality of vibration forward mechanisms, and each vibration forward mechanism is connected by a universal joint; The vibrating forward mechanism is tilted as a whole, and has two left and right ground friction surfaces. By controlling the two ground friction surfaces of each vibrating forward mechanism in the same group to vibrate selectively or synchronously, the vibrating forward mechanism group is driven to move forward to the non-vibrating side or forward in the positive direction; The attitude adjustment mechanism includes at least two steering gears, at least one of which is used to provide a swinging motion in a horizontal direction, and at least one of which is used to provide a swinging motion in a vertical direction.

2. The bionic snake robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vibrating forward mechanism comprises a bracket, two force transmission ribs, two ground friction surfaces, two motor slots and two vibrating motors; The bracket is in a semicircular ring shape, the upper end of the force transmission rib is hinged to the two ends of the lower part of the bracket, the lower end of the force transmission rib is hinged to the ground friction surface, the ground friction surface is used to contact the ground, and the two ground friction surfaces are connected by a first return spring; One end of the two motor slots is hingedly connected to the bracket, and the other end is connected to the force transmission rib on the corresponding side. The motor slots are used to install the vibration motors.

3. The bionic snake robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: A ground pin is arranged at the inner upper end of the ground friction surface, and the upper end of the ground pin is hinged to the lower end of the force transmission rib.

4. The bionic snake robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper end of the ground pin, the lower end of the force transmission rib and the upper end of the ground friction surface are coaxially hinged.

5. The bionic snake robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bracket, the force transmission ribs, the ground pin and the first return spring together form an annular or quasi-annular structure.

6. The bionic snake robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The structural part composed of the bracket, the force transmission ribs and the ground pins is arranged obliquely, and the ground friction surface is arranged horizontally.

7. The bionic snake robot according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: A connecting shaft is arranged at the upper hinge of the motor slot, and the connecting shafts of two adjacent vibration forward mechanisms are connected together through a universal joint.

8. The bionic snake robot according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: A second return spring is arranged between the upper hinge of the motor slot and the inner side of the top end of the bracket.

9. The bionic snake robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: Bearings are installed at the hinges between the bracket and the force transmission rib, between the force transmission rib and the ground friction surface, and between the force transmission rib and the ground pin.

10. The bionic snake robot according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: At least the outer skin of the attitude adjustment mechanism.

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