A wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot and its usage method

Abstract

This invention relates to a coaxial wheel-propeller amphibious robot and its usage method, belonging to the field of robotic aircraft technology. It includes a fuselage, transforming modules, linkages, and a land-to-air actuator mechanism. Four transforming modules are evenly arranged on the fuselage, connected to the land-to-air actuator mechanism via linkages. The transforming modules control the position transformation of the land-to-air actuator mechanism, thereby achieving the conversion between land mode and drone mode. This invention adopts a coaxial design where the wheel motor directly drives the wheel, avoiding errors and frictional losses caused by other gear transmissions or synchronous belt transmissions, while also avoiding the use of bearings and thus reducing weight. The channel design at the center of the sleeve in this invention also facilitates the wiring layout of the propeller motor, and the fixing method of the propeller motor base effectively solves the problem of wire entanglement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an amphibious robot and its method of use, belonging to the field of robotic flight technology. Background Technology

[0002] Drone technology has made remarkable progress in recent years, becoming an indispensable branch of modern technology. However, the operational mode of drones remains relatively singular, and their flight time remains a bottleneck limiting their application. In complex disaster relief scenarios, drones need to possess both aerial reconnaissance and ground mobility capabilities to adapt to changing operational demands. Currently, ground-based unmanned vehicles (UAVs) have a flight time of 1-3 hours, while multi-rotor drones only have a flight time of 5-30 minutes. This difference is mainly due to the fact that drones need to overcome gravity, while UAVs only need to overcome friction. Drones have the advantage of easily traversing obstacles, while UAVs struggle to do so; therefore, both operational modes have their advantages and disadvantages.

[0003] In amphibious robot research, to address the issue of wire entanglement caused by the rotation of the propeller motor base when the motor directly drives the wheels, gear transmission or synchronous belt transmission is typically used as the wheel drive method. While these transmission methods avoid the wire entanglement problem, they also introduce transmission errors and friction losses, affecting the robot's performance and efficiency.

[0004] In summary, existing drones generally suffer from problems such as limited operating modes, short endurance, low flight efficiency, and poor ground maneuverability. For example, the invention disclosed in publication number CN112498034A, entitled "An Amphibious Robot with Integrated Wheel and Paddlewheel," uses a gear-driven deformation mechanism that transmits motion through the meshing of spur gears and bevel gears to change the position of the propeller assembly, offering stable transmission and high efficiency. However, the use of gear transmission is prone to transmission errors, frictional losses, and noise. Furthermore, the additional use of bearings and other components to complement the gear transmission increases its mass and affects its aerial maneuverability.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot and its usage method to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot and its method of use are provided. A brief overview of the invention is given below to provide a basic understanding of certain aspects of the invention. It should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive summary of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or essential parts of the invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention:

[0008] A wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot includes a fuselage, morphing modules, linkages, and a land-air actuator. Four morphing modules are evenly arranged on the fuselage. The morphing modules are connected to the land-air actuator via linkages. The morphing modules are used to control the position changes of the land-air actuator, thereby realizing the conversion between land mode and drone mode.

[0009] Preferably, the deformable module includes a motor mounting plate, a main motor, a first motor connector, an auxiliary motor, and a second motor connector. The main motor is connected to the fuselage via the motor mounting plate. The output end of the main motor is connected to the auxiliary motor via the first motor connector. The pitch angle adjustment (pitch position change) of the land-air actuator is achieved by controlling the pitch movement of the auxiliary motor housing through the main motor. The output end of the auxiliary motor is connected to one end of the connecting rod via the second motor connector. The auxiliary motor controls the forward and backward movement of the connecting rod to achieve the forward and backward angle adjustment (forward and backward position change) of the land-air actuator. The main motor and the auxiliary motor can be servo motors.

[0010] Preferred: The land-air actuator includes a sleeve, a wheel motor, a wheel, a blade motor, and blades. The wheel motor and blade motor can be brushless motors. The wheel motor is connected to the other end of the connecting rod, and the output end of the wheel motor is connected to the wheel axle. The wheel motor is hollow. One end of the sleeve is connected to the connecting rod, and the other end of the sleeve passes through the hollow structure of the wheel motor axle and is connected to the blade motor. The output end of the blade motor is connected to the blade axle, so that the blades and the wheel are coaxially arranged.

[0011] Preferably, the sleeve includes a sleeve core and a sleeve cover. The sleeve core is designed to pass through the central axis of the wheel motor and is screwed into the sleeve core through an internal thread. The sleeve cover is tightly connected to the blade motor by a fastening screw.

[0012] The wheel includes an inner plate and an outer plate. The inner plate includes an inner ring plate and an outer ring plate. The inner ring plate and the outer ring plate are coaxially connected by evenly distributed radial rods. The outer plate is circular. The outer plate and the outer ring plate of the inner plate are connected by evenly arranged axial rods. The sleeve core passes through the wheel motor and the central through hole of the inner ring plate in sequence and is connected to the sleeve cover. The sleeve cover is connected to the blade motor housing.

[0013] Preferably, the connecting rod includes a connecting block, a connecting plate, and reinforcing ribs. The second motor connector is connected to one end of the connecting plate by screws. Reinforcing ribs are fixedly provided on the connecting plate. Two rows of reinforcing ribs 603 are provided to increase the rigidity of the connecting rod. One end of the reinforcing rib is connected to the second motor connector by screws, and the other end of the reinforcing rib is connected to the connecting block by bolts. The connecting block is also connected to the connecting plate by bolts. The connecting block is located between the two rows of connecting plates. The other end of the connecting plate is connected to the sleeve and wheel motor of the land-air actuator.

[0014] Preferably, the body includes a top plate, a rear plate, a front plate, a side plate, and a bottom plate. The rear plate, one side plate, the front plate, and the other side plate are connected end to end to form an annular shell. The top plate and the bottom plate are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the annular shell. The top plate is connected to the motor fixing plate by bolts. The motor fixing plate can be set inside the annular shell or between the side plate and the front plate or the rear half.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes support legs, with two symmetrically arranged support legs bolted to the lower side of the base plate; the support legs include a bracket and a base, with the two upper support legs bolted to the base plate and the three lower support legs bolted to the base.

[0016] Preferably, it also includes a control module and a power module. The control module is set on the base plate, and the power module is set on the underside of the base plate. The power module is located between the two legs.

[0017] Preferably, the control module includes a power distribution board, an onboard computer, a flight controller, a lidar, and a receiver. The upper part of the base plate is connected to the power distribution board via screws and studs, the upper part of the power distribution board is connected to the flight controller via screws and studs, the top plate is connected to the lidar and the onboard computer via screws, and the top plate is connected to the receiver via adhesive.

[0018] The onboard computer is a Jetson Orin NX, the flight controller is a Holybro Pixhawk 6C, and the lidar is a Livox Mid-360;

[0019] The serial port interface of the airborne computer is connected to the serial port interface of the flight controller. The Ethernet interface of the airborne computer is connected to the lidar. The PWM interface of the airborne computer is connected to the main motor and auxiliary motor. The CAN interface of the airborne computer is connected to the wheel motor. The serial port interface of the flight controller is connected to the receiver. The ground computer communicates with the receiver via UDP and with the airborne computer via Wi-Fi.

[0020] The power module includes a battery and a battery support plate. The base plate is connected to the battery support plate by screws and studs, and the battery support plate is fixed to the battery by straps.

[0021] The battery is a 6S lithium battery with a capacity of 4000mAh, which provides power to the airborne computer, the flight controller, the receiver, the lidar, the main motor, the auxiliary motor, the wheel motor, and the propeller motor.

[0022] A method for using a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot, comprising the following steps:

[0023] Autonomous vehicle initialization:

[0024] After the robot is powered on, the program in the onboard computer is started, all motors are locked, and the receiver and remote controller successfully pair frequencies, thus completing the initialization. After initialization, it enters unmanned vehicle mode.

[0025] Driverless car mode:

[0026] In flat environments, the robot operates in unmanned mode, with wheel motors directly driving the wheels to rotate, enabling forward and backward movement. The robot is controlled to turn using a four-wheel differential drive system, and PID control is used to ensure that each wheel motor reaches its desired speed.

[0027] Crouching mode:

[0028] When encountering height-restricted obstacles, the robot needs to enter crouch mode; the remote controller sends a configuration change command to the receiver, the onboard computer executes the corresponding program, and the outputs of the auxiliary motors rotate 45 degrees to reach the expected position. The robot's height decreases, and it assumes a crouching state to pass through the obstacle; when the robot is in crouch mode, it can switch between driverless car mode and drone mode at will.

[0029] Drone mode:

[0030] When the terrain is rugged and there are many obstacles, in crouching mode, the main motor output remains locked, while the auxiliary motor outputs continue to rotate 45 degrees each. During this process, the wheels gradually leave the ground and no longer bear the load, while the base gradually contacts the ground and bears the load. Finally, the second motor connector reaches its mechanical limit position. Figure 6 As shown; then the main motor output rotates 90 degrees and the auxiliary motor output rotates 62 degrees in the opposite direction. Both rotate simultaneously to avoid interference between parts. At this time, the robot's base touches the ground and bears the entire load. The robot then enters drone mode to fly over obstacles. The unmanned vehicle mode, crouching mode, and drone mode can be switched between adjacent modes.

[0031] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0032] This invention adopts a coaxial design in which the wheel motor directly drives the wheel. Compared with other gear transmissions and synchronous belt transmissions that drive the wheel, it avoids the errors and friction losses caused by transmission, and also avoids the use of bearings, thus avoiding a reduction in quality.

[0033] The channel design at the center of the sleeve in this invention also facilitates the wiring arrangement of the blade motor, while the fixing method of the blade motor base effectively solves the problem of wire entanglement.

[0034] This invention can be configured as a drone or unmanned vehicle, and also has a crouching mode that can lower its height to pass through height-restricted obstacles. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion and working principle of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial wheel and propeller shaft system of the amphibious robot with coaxial wheel and propeller as described in this invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mode of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the crouching mode of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the second connecting member of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention reaching the mechanical limit position;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the unmanned vehicle mode of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical control connection of a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to the present invention.

[0043] In the diagram: 1-Fuselage, 2-Control Module, 3-Power Module, 4-Outriggers, 5-Transformation Module, 6-Linkage, 7-Land-Air Actuator, 101-Top Plate, 102-Rear Plate, 103-Front Plate, 104-Side Plate, 105-Base Plate, 201-Power Distribution Board, 202-Airborne Computer, 203-Flight Controller, 204-LiDAR, 205-Receiver, 301-Battery, 302-Battery Support Plate, 401-Bracket, 402- Base, 501-Motor fixing plate, 502-Main motor, 503-First motor connector, 504-Auxiliary motor, 505-Second motor connector, 601-Connecting block, 602-Connecting plate, 603-Reinforcing rib, 701-Sleeve, 702-Wheel motor, 703-Wheel, 704-Paddle motor, 705-Paddle, 701-1-Sleeve core, 701-2-Sleeve cover, 703-1-Inner side plate, 703-2-Outer side plate. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention is described below with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0045] Specific implementation method one: Combining Figure 1-7 This embodiment describes a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot, which includes a body 1, a deformable module 5, a link 6, and a land-air actuator 7. Four deformable modules 5 are evenly arranged on the body 1. The deformable modules 5 are connected to the land-air actuator 7 through the link 6. The deformable modules 5 are used to control the position change of the land-air actuator 7, thereby realizing the conversion between land mode and drone mode.

[0046] The deformable module 5 includes a motor mounting plate 501, a main motor 502, a first motor connector 503, an auxiliary motor 504, and a second motor connector 505. The main motor 502 is connected to the fuselage 1 through the motor mounting plate 501. The output end of the main motor 502 is connected to the auxiliary motor 504 through the first motor connector 503. The pitch angle adjustment (pitch position change) of the land-air actuator 7 is realized by controlling the pitch movement of the housing of the auxiliary motor 504 through the main motor 502. The output end of the auxiliary motor 504 is connected to one end of the connecting rod 6 through the second motor connector 505. The auxiliary motor 504 controls the forward and backward movement of the connecting rod 6 to realize the forward and backward angle adjustment (forward and backward position change) of the land-air actuator 7. The main motor 502 and the auxiliary motor 504 can be servo motors.

[0047] The air-ground actuator 7 includes a sleeve 701, a wheel motor 702, a wheel 703, a blade motor 704, and a blade 705. The wheel motor 702 and the blade motor 704 can be brushless motors. The wheel motor 702 is connected to the other end of the connecting rod 6. The output end of the wheel motor 702 is connected to the shaft of the wheel 703. The wheel motor 702 is hollow. One end of the sleeve 701 is connected to the connecting rod 6. The other end of the sleeve 701 passes through the hollow structure of the shaft of the wheel motor 702 and is connected to the blade motor 704. The output end of the blade motor 704 is connected to the shaft of the blade 705, so that the blade 705 and the wheel 703 are coaxially arranged.

[0048] Sleeve 701 includes sleeve core 701-1 and sleeve cover 701-2. Sleeve core 701-1 is designed to pass through the central axis of wheel motor 702 and is screwed into sleeve core 701-1 via internal thread. Sleeve cover 701-2 is tightly connected to blade motor 704 via fastening screws, thus forming a coaxial design of wheel and blade. This coaxial design of wheel motor 702 directly driving wheel 703 avoids transmission errors and friction losses compared with other gear transmission and synchronous belt transmission, and also avoids the use of bearings, thus reducing quality. The channel design in the center of sleeve 701 also facilitates the wiring layout of blade motor 704, and the fixing method of blade motor 704 base effectively solves the problem of wire entanglement.

[0049] The wheel 703 includes an inner plate 703-1 and an outer plate 703-2. The inner plate 703-1 includes an inner ring plate and an outer ring plate, which are coaxially connected by evenly distributed radial rods. The outer plate 703-2 is annular and is connected to the outer ring plate of the inner plate 703-1 by evenly arranged axial rods. The sleeve core 701-1 passes sequentially through the wheel motor 702 and the central through hole of the inner ring plate and is connected to the sleeve cover 701-2. The sleeve cover 701-2 is connected to the housing of the propeller motor 704. Both the inner plate 703-1 and the outer plate 703-2 are made of carbon fiber plates and are connected by screws and studs. Compared with conventional wheels, this design achieves lightweight while ensuring structural strength and rigidity. The ingenious structural design allows for smooth flight in UAV mode.

[0050] The connecting rod 6 includes a connecting block 601, a connecting plate 602, and a reinforcing rib 603. The second motor connector 505 is connected to one end of the connecting plate 602 by screws. The connecting plate 602 is fixedly provided with reinforcing ribs 603. Two rows of reinforcing ribs 603 are provided to increase the rigidity of the connecting rod 6. One end of the reinforcing rib 603 is connected to the second motor connector 505 by screws, and the other end of the reinforcing rib 603 is connected to the connecting block 601 by bolts. The connecting block 601 is also connected to the connecting plate 602 by bolts. The connecting block 601 is located between the two rows of connecting plates. The other end (end end) of the connecting plate 602 is connected to the sleeve 701 and the wheel motor 702 of the land-air actuator 7.

[0051] The body 1 includes a top plate 101, a rear plate 102, a front plate 103, a side plate 104, and a bottom plate 105. The rear plate 102, one side plate 104, the front plate 103, and the other side plate 104 are connected end to end to form an annular shell. The top plate 101 and the bottom plate 105 are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the annular shell. The top plate 101 is connected to the motor fixing plate 501 by bolts. The motor fixing plate 501 can be set inside the annular shell or between the side plate and the front plate or the rear plate.

[0052] It also includes support legs 4. Two support legs 4 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the bottom plate 105 by bolts. Support legs 4 include brackets 401 and bases 402. The two support legs on the upper part of the bracket 401 are bolted to the bottom plate 105, and the three support legs on the lower part of the bracket 401 are bolted to the base 402.

[0053] It also includes a control module 2 and a power module 3. The control module 2 is installed on the base plate 105, and the power module 3 is installed on the underside of the base plate 105. The power module 3 is located between the two support legs 4.

[0054] Control module 2 includes a power distribution board 201, an onboard computer 202, a flight controller 203, a lidar 204, and a receiver 205. The upper side of the base plate 105 is connected to the power distribution board 201 by screws and studs. The upper part of the power distribution board 201 is connected to the flight controller 203 by screws and studs. The top plate 101 is connected to the lidar 204 and the onboard computer 202 by screws. The top plate 101 is connected to the receiver 205 by adhesive bonding.

[0055] The onboard computer 202 is a Jetson Orin NX, the flight controller 203 is a HolybroPixhawk6C, and the lidar 204 is a Livox Mid-360;

[0056] The serial port interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the serial port interface of the flight controller 203. The Ethernet interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the lidar 204. The PWM interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the main motor 502 and the auxiliary motor 504. The CAN interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the wheel motor 702. The serial port interface of the flight controller 203 is connected to the receiver 205. The ground computer communicates with the receiver 205 via UDP and with the airborne computer 202 via Wi-Fi.

[0057] The power module 3 includes a battery 301 and a battery support plate 302. The base plate 105 is connected to the battery support plate 302 by screws and studs, and the battery support plate 302 is fixed to the battery 301 by straps.

[0058] The battery 301 is a 6S lithium battery with a capacity of 4000mAh, which provides power to the airborne computer 202, the flight controller 203, the receiver 205, the lidar 204, the main motor 502, the auxiliary motor 504, the wheel motor 702, and the propeller motor 704.

[0059] This invention addresses the limitations of existing unmanned vehicles (UAVs) and drones: UAVs only need to overcome friction to move but struggle to overcome obstacles, while drones need to overcome gravity to fly over obstacles easily. This invention integrates motors and corresponding structural components onto the four legs of the UAV, enabling free conversion between UAVs and drones. This structure also allows for lowering the UAV's height to traverse height-restricted obstacles. The coaxial wheel-propeller design avoids errors caused by using other transmission methods to drive the wheels, achieving precise control in one step. Combining the advantages of ground-based UAVs and multi-rotor drones, this invention not only leverages the energy efficiency of UAVs but also combines the obstacle avoidance and maneuverability of drones, demonstrating innovation and practical value.

[0060] Specific Implementation Method Two: Combining Figure 1-8 This embodiment describes a method for using a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot. The robot comprises a body 1, a control module 2, a power module 3, legs 4, transformation modules 5, connecting rods 6, and a land-air actuator 7. The control module 2, power module 3, and legs 4 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom at the center of the body 1. Each of the four corners of the body 1 has a transformation module 5. The output end of each transformation module 5 is connected to the connecting rod 6 via screws. The connecting rod 6 is connected to the land-air actuator 7 via screws. The power module 3 supplies power to the control module 2, transformation modules 5, and land-air actuator 7.

[0061] The fuselage 1 includes a top plate 101, a rear plate 102, a front plate 103, a side plate 104, and a bottom plate 105. The control module 2 is mounted on the bottom plate 105. The control module 2 includes a power distribution board 201, an onboard computer 202, a flight controller 203, a lidar 204, and a receiver 205. The bottom plate 105 is connected to the power distribution board 201 via screws and studs. The power distribution board 201 is also connected to the flight controller 203 via screws and studs. The top plate 101 is connected to the lidar 204 and the onboard computer 202 via screws, and to the receiver 205 via adhesive bonding.

[0062] The deformable module 5 includes a motor mounting plate 501, a main motor 502, a first motor connector 503, an auxiliary motor 504, and a second motor connector 505. The base plate 105 and the top plate 101 are connected to the motor mounting plate 501 by bolts. The motor mounting plate 501 is connected to the main motor 502 by screws. The output end of the main motor 502 is connected to the first motor connector 503 by screws. The first motor connector 503 is connected to the auxiliary motor 504 by screws. The output end of the auxiliary motor 504 is connected to the second motor connector 505 by screws. The second motor connector 505 is connected to the connecting rod 6.

[0063] The connecting rod 6 includes a connecting block 601, a connecting plate 602, and reinforcing ribs 603. The second motor connector 505 is connected to the connecting plate 602 by screws. Two reinforcing ribs 603 are provided to increase the rigidity of the connecting rod 6. One side of the reinforcing rib 603 is connected to the second motor connector 505 by screws, and the other side is connected to the connecting plate 602 by bolts. The connecting block 601 is also connected to the connecting plate 602 by bolts. The end of the connecting plate 602 is connected to the land-air actuator 7.

[0064] The air-ground actuator 7 includes a wheel motor 702, a wheel 703, a sleeve 701, a blade motor 704, and a blade 705. The end of the connecting plate 602 is connected to the wheel motor 702 by screws. The output end of the wheel motor 702 is connected to the wheel 703 by screws. One end of the sleeve 701 is connected to the connecting plate 602 by bolts and passes through the wheel motor 702. The wheel motor 702 is hollow. The other end of the sleeve 701 is connected to the blade motor 704. The blade motor 704 and the blade 705 are fixed by nuts.

[0065] The power module 3 includes a battery 301 and a battery support plate 302. The base plate 105 is connected to the battery support plate 302 by screws and studs, and the battery support plate 302 is fixed to the battery 301 by straps.

[0066] The support leg 4 includes a bracket 401 and a base 402. The bracket 401 and the base 402 are connected by an interference fit.

[0067] Each of the deformable modules 5 has a main motor 502 and an auxiliary motor 504 for lateral and forward / backward movement; when the output terminals of the main motor 502 and the auxiliary motor 504 move to designated positions, the module can be configured as a drone and an unmanned vehicle, and also has a crouching mode to reduce its height to pass through height-restricted obstacles.

[0068] The sleeve 701 includes a sleeve core 701-1 and a sleeve cover 701-2. The sleeve core 701-1 is designed to pass through the central axis of the wheel motor 702 and is screwed into the sleeve cover 701-1 via an internal thread. The sleeve cover 701-2 is tightly connected to the blade motor 704 via fastening screws, thus forming a coaxial design of the wheel and blade. This coaxial design, in which the wheel motor 702 directly drives the wheel 703, avoids transmission errors and friction losses compared to other gear transmissions and synchronous belt transmissions that drive the wheel. It also avoids the use of bearings, thus reducing weight. The channel design in the center of the sleeve 701 also facilitates the wiring layout of the blade motor 704, and the fixing method of the blade motor 704 base effectively solves the problem of wire entanglement.

[0069] The main motor 502 drives the first motor connector 503 at its output end and is provided with two mechanical limiters to restrict the movement range of the main motor 502. The two mechanical limiter positions are the working lock positions of the main motor 502. The lower mechanical limiter position is formed by the structure of the motor fixing plate 501, which is the position of the main motor 502 in the unmanned vehicle form, and the upper mechanical limiter position is formed by the structure of the top plate 101, which is the position of the main motor 502 in the drone form. At the same time, the auxiliary motor 504 drives the second motor component at its output end and is provided with a mechanical limiter to prevent the output end of the auxiliary motor 504 from moving beyond its working range and causing interference.

[0070] The main motor 502 is a Feetech SM8524BL-C001, and the auxiliary motor 504 is a Feetech SM-45BL-C001. The positional arrangement of the main motor 502 and the auxiliary motor 504 needs to meet the degrees of freedom required for robot configuration transformation, that is, the output shaft of the main motor 502 is consistent with the normal direction of the front plate 103, and the output shaft of the auxiliary motor 504 is consistent with the normal direction of the side plate 104.

[0071] The wheel 703 includes an inner side plate 703-1 and an outer side plate 703-2. The inner side plate 703-1 and the outer side plate 703-2 are made of carbon fiber plates and connected by screws and studs. Compared with conventional wheels, it achieves lightweight while ensuring structural strength and rigidity, thus enabling smooth flight in drone mode.

[0072] The airborne computer 202 is a Jetson Orin NX, the flight controller 203 is a HolybroPixhawk6C, and the lidar 204 is a Livox Mid-360;

[0073] The serial port interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the serial port interface of the flight controller 203. The Ethernet interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the lidar 204. The PWM interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the main motor 502 and the auxiliary motor 504. The CAN interface of the airborne computer 202 is connected to the wheel motor 702. The serial port interface of the flight controller 203 is connected to the receiver 205. The ground computer communicates with the receiver 205 via UDP and with the airborne computer 202 via Wi-Fi.

[0074] The battery 301 is a 6S lithium battery with a capacity of 4000mAh, which powers the airborne computer 202, the flight controller 203, the receiver 205, the lidar 204, the main motor 502, the auxiliary motor 504, the wheel motor 702, and the propeller motor 704.

[0075] like Figure 4-8 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0076] Autonomous vehicle initialization:

[0077] After the robot is powered on, the program in the onboard computer 202 is started, all motors are locked, and the receiver 205 and the remote controller are successfully paired. The initialization is then completed, and the robot is in unmanned vehicle mode.

[0078] Driverless car mode:

[0079] In a flat environment, the robot operates in unmanned mode. The wheel motor 702 directly drives the wheel 703 to rotate, enabling forward and backward movement. The robot is controlled to complete turning movements through a four-wheel differential drive method, and PID control is used to make each wheel motor 702 reach its desired speed.

[0080] Crouching mode:

[0081] When encountering height-restricted obstacles, the robot needs to enter crouch mode; the remote controller sends a configuration change command to the receiver 205, the onboard computer executes the corresponding program, and the output terminals of the auxiliary motors 504 rotate 45 degrees to reach the expected position. The robot's height decreases, and it assumes a crouching state to pass through the obstacle; when the robot is in crouch mode, it can switch arbitrarily to unmanned vehicle mode or drone mode.

[0082] Drone mode:

[0083] When the terrain is rugged and there are too many obstacles, in crouching mode, the output of the main motor 502 remains locked, while the outputs of the auxiliary motors 504 continue to rotate 45 degrees each. During this process, the wheels gradually leave the ground and no longer bear the load, while the base 402 gradually contacts the ground and bears the load. Finally, the second motor connector 505 reaches the mechanical limit position. Figure 6 As shown; then the output of the main motor 502 rotates 90 degrees, and the output of the auxiliary motor 504 rotates 62 degrees in the opposite direction. Both rotate at the same time to avoid interference between the parts. At this time, the robot's base 402 contacts the ground and bears the entire load. The robot then enters the drone mode to fly over obstacles. The unmanned vehicle mode, crouching mode, and drone mode can be switched between adjacent modes.

[0084] It should be noted that in the above embodiments, as long as the technical solutions are not contradictory, they can be permuted and combined. Those skilled in the art can exhaust all possibilities based on the mathematical knowledge of permutation and combination. Therefore, the present invention will not describe the technical solutions after permutation and combination one by one, but it should be understood that the technical solutions after permutation and combination have been disclosed by the present invention.

[0085] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot, characterized in that: It includes a fuselage (1), a transformation module (5), a connecting rod (6), and a land-air actuator (7). The transformation module (5) is evenly arranged on the fuselage (1). The transformation module (5) is connected to the land-air actuator (7) through the connecting rod (6). The transformation module (5) is used to control the position change of the land-air actuator (7), thereby realizing the conversion between land mode and UAV mode. The deformable module (5) includes a motor fixing plate (501), a main motor (502), a first motor connector (503), an auxiliary motor (504), and a second motor connector (505); The fuselage (1) includes a top plate (101), a rear plate (102), a front plate (103), a side plate (104), and a bottom plate (105). The air-ground actuator (7) includes a sleeve (701), a wheel motor (702), a wheel (703), a blade motor (704), and a blade (705). The wheel motor (702) is connected to the other end of the connecting rod (6). The output end of the wheel motor (702) is connected to the wheel (703). The wheel motor (702) is hollow. One end of the sleeve (701) is connected to the connecting rod (6). The other end of the sleeve (701) passes through the wheel motor (702) and is connected to the blade motor (704). The output end of the blade motor (704) is connected to the blade (705). The sleeve (701) includes a sleeve core (701-1) and a sleeve cover (701-2). The sleeve core (701-1) passes through the central axis of the wheel motor (702) and is connected to the sleeve core (701-1) by a thread. The sleeve cover (701-2) is connected to the blade motor (704). The wheel (703) includes an inner plate (703-1) and an outer plate (703-2). The inner plate (703-1) includes an inner ring plate and an outer ring plate. The inner ring plate and the outer ring plate are coaxially connected by evenly distributed radial rods. The outer plate (703-2) is annular. The outer plate (703-2) and the outer ring plate of the inner plate (703-1) are connected by evenly arranged axial rods. The sleeve core (701-1) passes through the wheel motor (702) and the central through hole of the inner ring plate in sequence and is connected to the sleeve cover (701-2). The sleeve cover (701-2) is connected to the housing of the blade motor (704). The connecting rod (6) includes a connecting block (601), a connecting plate (602), and a reinforcing rib (603). The second motor connector (505) is connected to one end of the connecting plate (602). The connecting plate (602) is provided with a reinforcing rib (603). One end of the reinforcing rib (603) is connected to the second motor connector (505), and the other end of the reinforcing rib (603) is connected to the connecting block (601). The connecting block (601) is connected to the connecting plate (602), and the other end of the connecting plate (602) is connected to the sleeve (701) and the wheel motor (702) of the land-air actuator (7). The control module (2) includes a power distribution board (201), an airborne computer (202), a flight controller (203), a lidar (204), and a receiver (205). The upper side of the base plate (105) is connected to the power distribution board (201), the upper part of the power distribution board (201) is connected to the flight controller (203), the top plate (101) is connected to the lidar (204) and the airborne computer (202), and the top plate (101) is connected to the receiver (205). The onboard computer (202) is a Jetson Orin NX, the flight controller (203) is a HolybroPixhawk6C, and the lidar (204) is a Livox Mid-360; The serial port interface of the airborne computer (202) is connected to the serial port interface of the flight controller (203). The Ethernet interface of the airborne computer (202) is connected to the lidar (204). The PWM interface of the airborne computer (202) is connected to the main motor (502) and the auxiliary motor (504). The CAN interface of the airborne computer (202) is connected to the wheel motor (702). The serial port interface of the flight controller (203) is connected to the receiver (205). The ground computer communicates with the receiver (205) via UDP and with the airborne computer (202) via Wi-Fi. The power module (3) includes a battery (301) and a battery support plate (302). The base plate (105) is connected to the battery support plate (302), and the battery support plate (302) is fixed to the battery (301). The battery (301) is a lithium battery, which provides power to the airborne computer (202), the flight controller (203), the receiver (205), the lidar (204), the main motor (502), the auxiliary motor (504), the wheel motor (702), and the propeller motor (704); Crouching mode conversion: The remote controller sends a configuration change command to the receiver (205), the onboard computer executes the corresponding program, the output of the auxiliary motor (504) rotates 45 degrees to reach the expected position, the robot's height decreases, and it crouches to pass through obstacles; when the robot is in crouching mode, it can switch to unmanned vehicle mode or drone mode at will. Drone mode switching: The output of the main motor (502) remains locked, while the output of the auxiliary motor (504) continues to rotate 45 degrees. During this process, the wheels gradually leave the ground and no longer bear the load. The base (402) contacts the ground and bears the load. Finally, the second motor connector (505) reaches the mechanical limit position. Then, the output of the main motor (502) rotates 90 degrees, and the output of the auxiliary motor (504) rotates 62 degrees in the opposite direction. Both rotate simultaneously to avoid interference between parts. At this time, the robot's base (402) contacts the ground and bears the entire load. The robot then enters drone mode to fly over obstacles. The unmanned vehicle mode, crouching mode, and drone mode can be switched between adjacent modes.

2. The amphibious robot with coaxial wheel and propeller as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The main motor (502) is connected to the body (1) through the motor fixing plate (501). The output end of the main motor (502) is connected to the auxiliary motor (504) through the first motor connector (503). The output end of the auxiliary motor (504) is connected to one end of the connecting rod (6) through the second motor connector (505).

3. A wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The rear plate (102), one side plate (104), the front plate (103), and the other side plate (104) are connected end to end to form an annular shell. The top plate (101) and the bottom plate (105) are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the annular shell. The top plate (101) is connected to the motor fixing plate (501).

4. The amphibious robot with coaxial wheel and propeller as described in claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a support leg (4), and the support leg (4) is installed on the lower side of the base plate (105); the support leg (4) includes a bracket (401) and a base (402), the upper part of the bracket (401) is connected to the base plate (105), and the lower part of the bracket (401) is connected to the base (402).

5. The amphibious robot with coaxial wheel and propeller as described in claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a control module (2) and a power module (3), with the power module (3) mounted on the base plate (105).

6. A method of using a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot, characterized in that: The method of using a wheel-paddle coaxial amphibious robot as described in claim 1 includes the following steps: Autonomous vehicle initialization: After the robot is powered on, the program in the onboard computer (202) is started, all motors are locked, and the receiver (205) and the remote controller are successfully paired. The initialization is completed and the robot is in unmanned vehicle mode. Driverless car mode: In a flat environment, the robot is in unmanned vehicle mode. The wheel motor (702) directly drives the wheel (703) to rotate, and can move forward and backward. The robot can complete turning motion by controlling the four-wheel differential drive. PID control is used to make each wheel motor (702) reach its own desired speed. Crouching mode: When encountering height-restricted obstacles, the robot needs to enter crouch mode; the remote controller sends a configuration change command to the receiver (205), the onboard computer executes the corresponding program, and the output of the auxiliary motor (504) rotates 45 degrees to reach the expected position. The robot's height is reduced, and it is in a crouching state to pass through the obstacle; when the robot is in crouch mode, it can switch to unmanned vehicle mode or drone mode at will. Drone mode: When the terrain is rugged and there are too many obstacles, in the crouching mode, the output of the main motor (502) remains locked, and the output of the auxiliary motor (504) continues to rotate 45 degrees. During this process, the wheels gradually leave the ground and no longer bear the load, and the base (402) contacts the ground to bear the load. Finally, the second motor connector (505) reaches the mechanical limit position. Then the output of the main motor (502) rotates 90 degrees, and the output of the auxiliary motor (504) rotates 62 degrees in the opposite direction. Both rotate at the same time to avoid interference between parts. At this time, the robot's base (402) contacts the ground and bears the entire load. The robot then enters the drone mode to fly over obstacles. The unmanned vehicle mode, crouching mode, and drone mode can be switched between adjacent modes.

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