Asteroid exploration robot for microgravity environment

Abstract

The invention discloses an asteroid exploration robot oriented to a microgravity environment. The asteroid exploration robot comprises a robot base body, a six-foot moving mechanism, an anchoring mechanism and a hub mechanism. The device has the beneficial effects that the anchoring mechanism adopts a spatial six-connecting-rod mechanism, a grabbing and attaching mechanism of insect claw thorns and a climbing and attaching mechanism of woodpeckers are combined, a brand new method is provided for microgravity surface exploration of asteroids, the technical limitation in the field at home and abroad at present is broken through, and the anchoring mechanism is different from a traditional rope-driven anchoring technology; each crawling unit has three degrees of freedom, and an anchoring mechanism and a hub mechanism are integrated at the tail end of the moving device; by means of the design, the robot can alternately work in a three-foot attaching mode or a three-foot crawling mode, meanwhile, a three-wheel rapid moving mode is supported, horizontal moving and flexible steering of the robot are achieved, and the technology can support the robot to complete multi-site and multi-target moving surveying tasks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a robot, in particular to an asteroid exploration robot for use in a microgravity environment, and belongs to the technical field of exploration robots. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous increase in global mineral resource consumption and the increasing shortage of earth energy, the development and utilization of asteroid resources has become an effective exploration method to solve the problems of mineral resource shortage and insufficient energy reserves. As far as the solar system is concerned, the moon, Mars, asteroids and other celestial bodies are rich in mineral resources and rare metals. Among them, asteroids are numerous in the solar system and have important scientific research significance and application value. For example, the 16th asteroid "Psyche" is estimated to have 500 million tons of iron, 50 million tons of nickel, and hundreds of millions of tons of other rare metals. Therefore, asteroids are the main objects of human space resource development and utilization.

[0003] Due to the low gravity, high vacuum, and uncertain terrain of asteroids, the current exploration of asteroids is mainly carried out through probe flybys and orbits, which can only obtain information such as the size, mass, and shape of surface craters, but cannot carry out in-depth scientific research. In order to have a deeper and more complete understanding of the material composition and evolution of asteroids, it is necessary to carry out soft landing and robotic exploration, so that robots can carry out sampling work in the asteroid catalog for multiple and long periods of time to obtain more detailed asteroid information.

[0004] Therefore, a safe and effective exploration robot is one of the key components for realizing the asteroid exploration mission. In the prior art, for example, a lunar exploration robot disclosed in the announcement number CN108639380A includes a motion system for realizing the movement of the lunar exploration robot on the lunar surface; an operation system supported on the motion system for performing predetermined lunar operation tasks; a measurement and control system supported on the motion system for measuring and controlling the operating state of the lunar exploration robot, monitoring the lunar environment around the lunar exploration robot, and realizing the transmission and reception of information data; and an energy system supported on the motion system for supplying power to the lunar exploration robot. It can carry astronauts for control and can also operate autonomously to carry out lunar surface operations. In view of the microgravity environment and complex terrain of the asteroid surface, although the existing technology is equipped with a motion system to ensure the movement of the robot on the lunar surface, it is unable to achieve reliable attachment of the asteroid probe and continuous movement to multiple target points under the conditions of the asteroid's microgravity environment and uncertain surface terrain and geological characteristics, and it is unable to achieve horizontal movement and flexible steering of the robot, resulting in the robot being unable to complete multi-location and multi-target mobile survey tasks. After the robot moves to the designated position, it needs to be positioned so that it can drill the planetary surface to obtain the planetary soil or stratum material structure, but the existing robot cannot be fixed well, and thus cannot achieve stable anchoring when facing the impact force brought about by the drilling process. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an asteroid exploration robot for microgravity environment in order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, to solve the problem of reliable attachment of the asteroid probe and continuous movement to multiple target points under the conditions of microgravity environment of the asteroid and uncertain surface topography and geological characteristics, as well as the problem of stable anchoring under the impact force brought about by drilling and mining.

[0006] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned purpose through the following technical solutions: an asteroid exploration robot for microgravity environment, comprising a robot base, a six-legged mobile mechanism, an anchoring mechanism and a hub mechanism, the robot base is hexagonal, the six-legged mobile mechanism is connected to six corners of the robot base through six steering gear units, the anchoring mechanism and the hub mechanism are connected to the six-legged mobile mechanism, and the connection positions of the anchoring mechanism and the hub mechanism are arranged in an interval manner; The steering gear unit of the hexapod mobile mechanism includes a first steering gear, a second steering gear and a third steering gear, the first steering gear, the second steering gear and the third steering gear are connected in sequence, the power output end of the first steering gear is connected to the robot base, the axis of the power output end of the first steering gear is perpendicular to the axis of the power output end of the second steering gear in space, and the axis of the power output end of the second steering gear is parallel to the power output end of the third steering gear; The hexapod mobile mechanism also includes a femur bracket, a tibia bracket and a foot bracket. The femur bracket is connected between the first servo and the second servo, the tibia bracket is connected between the second servo and the third servo, part of the foot bracket is connected between the third servo and the anchoring mechanism, and the other part of the foot bracket is connected between the third servo and the hub mechanism.

[0007] As a further solution of the present invention: the robot base includes a base shell and an internal drive component, the base shell of the robot base is composed of a top plate, a bottom plate and a side plate, the internal drive component of the robot base includes a servo drive board, a hub motor drive board, a main control chip and a drive power supply, and the servo drive board, the hub motor drive board and the main control chip are all powered by the drive power supply.

[0008] As a further solution of the present invention: the anchoring mechanism includes an anchoring servo, a steering wheel, a connecting rod assembly, an anchoring claw and an anchoring bracket. The anchoring servo is fixedly connected to the foot bracket through the anchoring bracket. The output end of the anchoring servo is connected to the steering wheel, the steering wheel is connected to the upper end of the connecting rod assembly, and the lower end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the anchoring claw.

[0009] As a further solution of the present invention: the connecting rod assembly includes a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a fourth connecting rod, one end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the steering wheel, the other end of the first connecting rod is connected to the second connecting rod by a cotter pin, the second connecting rod and the third connecting rod are connected by a cotter pin, the third connecting rod and the fourth connecting rod are connected by a bearing and a shaft, and the fourth connecting rod is fastened to the anchor claw by bolts, and the rod body of the fourth connecting rod is rotatably connected to the anchor bracket.

[0010] As a further solution of the present invention: the anchoring claw includes a claw array base, a claw unit and a limiting bottom plate, the claw array base is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the fourth connecting rod, the limiting bottom plate is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the claw array base, the claw unit is movably arranged in the claw array base, and the lower end of the claw unit passes through the limiting bottom plate.

[0011] As a further solution of the present invention: a plurality of blind holes are provided in the claw array base, and springs are arranged in the blind holes provided in the claw array base, the upper ends of the claw units are clamped in the blind holes, and the springs are against the upper parts of the claw units.

[0012] As a further solution of the present invention: the lower ends of the claw thorn units are all provided with steel nails, and the steel nails are inclinedly arranged from the ends of the claw thorn array base toward the center of the anchor bracket.

[0013] As a further solution of the present invention: the hub mechanism includes a hub motor and a hub motor bracket, the hub motor is fixedly connected to the hub motor bracket, the hub motor bracket is fixedly connected to the foot bracket, and the rotating shaft of the hub motor is connected to the driving hub.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1) The anchoring mechanism of the present invention adopts a spatial six-bar linkage mechanism, which innovatively combines the grasping mechanism of insect claws and the climbing mechanism of woodpeckers, and proposes an asteroid exploration robot designed for microgravity environment and unknown surface geological conditions; this technical solution aims to provide a new method for microgravity surface exploration of asteroids, breaking through the current technical limitations in this field at home and abroad, and is different from the traditional rope-driven anchoring technology; 2) The present invention adopts a bionic six-legged mobile device mechanism technology. Each crawling unit has three degrees of freedom, and an anchoring mechanism and a hub mechanism are integrated at the end of the mobile device. This design enables the robot to work alternately in a three-legged attachment or three-legged crawling mode, and also supports a three-wheel rapid movement mode, thereby realizing the robot's horizontal movement and flexible steering. This technology can support the robot to complete multi-location and multi-target mobile survey tasks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the six-legged mobile mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the anchor steering gear of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the anchoring claw of the present invention; Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the anchoring claw of the present invention; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the hub mechanism structure of the present invention; In the figure: 1. robot base, 2. hexapod mobile mechanism, 2. first steering gear, 22. second steering gear, 23. third steering gear, 24. femoral bracket, 25. tibia bracket, 26. foot bracket, 3. anchoring mechanism, 31. anchoring steering gear, 32. steering plate, 33. first connecting rod, 34. second connecting rod, 35. third connecting rod, 36. fourth connecting rod, 37. anchoring claw, 371. claw thorn array base, 372. spring, 373. claw thorn unit, 374. limiting base plate, 38. anchoring bracket, 4. hub mechanism, 41. hub motor, 42. hub motor bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] Embodiment 1, as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, an asteroid exploration robot for microgravity environment includes a robot base 1, a six-legged mobile mechanism 2, an anchoring mechanism 3 and a hub mechanism 4. The robot base 1 is hexagonal, the six-legged mobile mechanism 2 is connected to six corners of the robot base 1 through six steering gear units, the anchoring mechanism 3 and the hub mechanism 4 are connected to the six-legged mobile mechanism 2, and the connection positions of the anchoring mechanism 3 and the hub mechanism 4 are arranged in an interval manner. The six-legged mobile mechanism 2 is evenly distributed on the robot base 1 according to the hexagonal layout. Each six-legged mobile mechanism 2 imitates the structural design of an ant's leg and has the characteristics of being hollow and slender, which not only reduces the weight but also ensures sufficient strength and flexibility. The steering gear unit of the hexapod mobile mechanism 2 includes a first steering gear 21, a second steering gear 22 and a third steering gear 23, which are connected in sequence, and a power output end of the first steering gear 21 is connected to the robot base 1, and an axis of the power output end of the first steering gear 21 is perpendicular to an axis of the power output end of the second steering gear 22 in space, and an axis of the power output end of the second steering gear 22 is parallel to an axis of the power output end of the third steering gear 23; The hexapod mobile mechanism 2 also includes a femur bracket 24, a tibia bracket 25 and a foot bracket 26. The femur bracket 24 is connected between the first servo 21 and the second servo 22, the tibia bracket 25 is connected between the second servo 22 and the third servo 23, part of the foot bracket 26 is connected between the third servo 23 and the anchoring mechanism 3, and the other part of the foot bracket 26 is connected between the third servo 23 and the hub mechanism 4. The femur bracket 24, tibia bracket 25 and foot bracket 26 of the hexapod mobile mechanism 2 correspond to the coxa, femur and tibia of the insect leg respectively. Through the connecting rod system driven by these three joints, the robot can perform complex movements and maintain good stability and adaptability on various terrains.

[0018] Embodiment 2, in addition to all the technical features in Embodiment 1, this embodiment also includes: the robot base 1 includes a base shell and an internal drive component, the base shell of the robot base 1 is composed of a top plate, a bottom plate and a side plate, the internal drive component of the robot base 1 includes a steering gear drive board, a wheel hub motor drive board, a main control chip and a drive power supply, the steering gear drive board, the wheel hub motor drive board and the main control chip are all powered by a drive power supply, the power supply comes from an 11.1V lithium battery, and is converted to the required 5V after passing through a voltage stabilizing module to ensure that each component is stably and reliably supplied with electricity. The main control chip based on the ARM architecture is responsible for the overall control logic, processes sensor data, plans the motion path, and sends instructions to each steering gear and wheel hub motor, and the steering gear drive board receives these signals to drive twenty-one steering gears to complete precise movements, and the wheel hub motor drive board controls three wheel hub motors to support the robot's rapid movement on a flat surface.

[0019] Embodiment three, in addition to all the technical features of embodiment one, this embodiment also includes: the anchoring mechanism 3 includes an anchoring servo 31, a steering wheel 32, a connecting rod assembly, an anchoring claw 37 and an anchoring bracket 38, the anchoring servo 31 is fixedly connected to the foot bracket 26 through the anchoring bracket 38, the output end of the anchoring servo 31 is connected to the steering wheel 32, the steering wheel 32 is connected to the upper end of the connecting rod assembly, and the lower end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the anchoring claw 37, the driving force can be provided by the anchoring servo 31, and under the action of the connecting rod assembly, the three anchoring claws 37 are driven to anchor the surface structure of the external environment.

[0020] The connecting rod assembly includes a first connecting rod 33, a second connecting rod 34, a third connecting rod 35 and a fourth connecting rod 36. One end of the first connecting rod 33 is rotatably connected to the steering wheel 32, the other end of the first connecting rod 33 is connected to the second connecting rod 34 through a cotter pin, the second connecting rod 34 is connected to the third connecting rod 35 through a cotter pin, the third connecting rod 35 is connected to the fourth connecting rod 36 through a bearing and a shaft, and the fourth connecting rod 36 is fastened to the anchor claw 37 through bolts, and the rod body of the fourth connecting rod 36 is rotatably connected to the anchor bracket 38, so that through the cooperation of the connecting rods of the connecting rod assembly, the rotation of the steering wheel 32 can drive the anchor claw 37 to perform corresponding actions, thereby realizing anchoring of the surface structure of the external environment.

[0021] The anchoring claw 37 includes a claw array base 371, a claw unit 373 and a limiting bottom plate 374. The claw array base 371 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the fourth connecting rod 36, and the limiting bottom plate 374 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the claw array base 371. The claw unit 373 is movably arranged in the claw array base 371. The lower end of the claw unit 373 passes through the limiting bottom plate 374. When the connecting rod assembly can be driven to move by the steering wheel 32, the anchoring claw 37 can generate corresponding movement, so that the claw unit 373 can be inserted into the surface structure of the external environment.

[0022] A plurality of blind holes are provided in the claw array base 371, and a spring 372 is installed in the blind hole provided in the claw array base 371. The upper end of the claw unit 373 is clamped in the blind hole, and the spring 372 is against the top of the claw unit 373, so that the claw unit 373 can be extended and retracted through the elastic action of the spring 372. When the claw unit 373 is inserted into the surface structure of the external environment, when encountering a relatively hard surface structure, the claw unit 373 can be partially contracted to avoid rigid contact between the claw unit 373 and the surface structure of the external environment.

[0023] The lower end of the claw unit 373 is provided with a steel nail, and the steel nail is inclined from the end of the claw array base 371 toward the center of the anchor bracket 38. The specific inclined setting of the steel nail can facilitate the insertion of the claw unit 373 into the surface structure of the external environment.

[0024] Embodiment 4. In addition to all the technical features of Embodiment 1, this embodiment also includes: the hub mechanism 4 includes a hub motor 41 and a hub motor bracket 42, the hub motor 41 is fixedly connected to the hub motor bracket 42, the hub motor bracket 42 is fixedly connected to the foot bracket 26, the rotating shaft of the hub motor 41 is connected to the driving hub, and the rotation of the driving hub can be controlled by the hub motor 41, thereby driving the robot to move.

[0025] The entire robot is equipped with 21 servos and three wheel hub motors. The main control board with ARM as the main control chip centrally manages and outputs control signals to accurately control the movements of each servo. In order to achieve efficient movement, the robot adopts the triangular gait commonly used by hexapods when crawling quickly on a vertical surface, that is, three legs maintain adhesion at any time during the movement, providing a stable support point to ensure that the robot can move smoothly on various terrains. This gait not only improves the stability and flexibility of the robot, but also enhances its adaptability in complex environments. The servo driver board, wheel hub motor driver board and main control chip are all powered by 5V. The power comes from an 11.1V lithium battery, which is converted to the required 5V after the voltage regulator module to ensure that each component is stably and reliably supplied with power. The main control chip based on the ARM architecture is responsible for the overall control logic, processes sensor data, plans the motion path, and sends instructions to each servo and wheel hub motor. The servo driver board receives these signals to drive the 21 servos to complete precise movements, and the wheel hub motor driver board controls the three wheel hub motors to support the robot's rapid movement on a flat surface.

[0026] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims be included in the invention. Any reference numeral in a claim should not be considered as limiting the claim to which it relates.

[0027] In addition, it should be understood that although the present specification is described according to implementation modes, not every implementation mode contains only one independent technical solution. This description of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment may also be appropriately combined to form other implementation modes that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A robot for asteroid exploration in a microgravity environment, comprising a robot base (1), a hexapod moving mechanism (2), an anchoring mechanism (3) and a hub mechanism (4), characterized in that: The robot base (1) is hexagonal in shape, the hexapod mobile mechanism (2) is connected to six corners of the robot base (1) via six steering gear units, respectively, the anchor mechanism (3) and the wheel hub mechanism (4) are connected to the hexapod mobile mechanism (2) respectively, and the connection positions of the anchor mechanism (3) and the wheel hub mechanism (4) are arranged in an interval manner; The steering gear unit of the hexapod mobile mechanism (2) comprises a first steering gear (21), a second steering gear (22) and a third steering gear (23); the first steering gear (21), the second steering gear (22) and the third steering gear (23) are connected in sequence; a power output end of the first steering gear (21) is connected to a robot base (1); an axis of the power output end of the first steering gear (21) is perpendicular to an axis of the power output end of the second steering gear (22) in space; and an axis of the power output end of the second steering gear (22) is parallel to an axis of the power output end of the third steering gear (23); The hexapod mobile mechanism (2) further comprises a femur bracket (24), a tibia bracket (25) and a foot bracket (26); the femur bracket (24) is connected between the first steering gear (21) and the second steering gear (22); the tibia bracket (25) is connected between the second steering gear (22) and the third steering gear (23); part of the foot bracket (26) is connected between the third steering gear (23) and the anchor mechanism (3); and another part of the foot bracket (26) is connected between the third steering gear (23) and the wheel hub mechanism (4).

2. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot base (1) comprises a base shell and an internal drive component, wherein the base shell of the robot base (1) is composed of a top plate, a bottom plate and a side plate, and the internal drive component of the robot base (1) comprises a steering gear drive board, a wheel hub motor drive board, a main control chip and a drive power supply, and the steering gear drive board, the wheel hub motor drive board and the main control chip are all powered by the drive power supply.

3. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anchoring mechanism (3) comprises an anchoring steering gear (31), a steering disc (32), a connecting rod assembly, an anchoring claw (37) and an anchoring bracket (38); the anchoring steering gear (31) is fixedly connected to the foot bracket (26) via the anchoring bracket (38); the output end of the anchoring steering gear (31) is connected to the steering disc (32); the steering disc (32) is connected to the upper end of the connecting rod assembly; and the lower end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the anchoring claw (37).

4. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting rod assembly comprises a first connecting rod (33), a second connecting rod (34), a third connecting rod (35) and a fourth connecting rod (36); one end of the first connecting rod (33) is rotatably connected to the steering wheel (32); the other end of the first connecting rod (33) is connected to the second connecting rod (34) via a split pin; the second connecting rod (34) is connected to the third connecting rod (35) via a split pin; the third connecting rod (35) is connected to the fourth connecting rod (36) via a bearing and a shaft; the fourth connecting rod (36) is fastened to an anchor claw (37) via a bolt; and the rod body of the fourth connecting rod (36) is rotatably connected to an anchor bracket (38).

5. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The anchor claw (37) comprises a claw thorn array base (371), a claw thorn unit (373) and a limiting bottom plate (374); the claw thorn array base (371) is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the fourth connecting rod (36); the limiting bottom plate (374) is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the claw thorn array base (371); the claw thorn unit (373) is movably arranged in the claw thorn array base (371); and the lower end of the claw thorn unit (373) passes through the limiting bottom plate (374).

6. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of blind holes are provided in the claw array base (371), and springs (372) are arranged in the blind holes provided in the claw array base (371). The upper ends of the claw units (373) are clamped in the blind holes, and the springs (372) are pressed against the upper sides of the claw units (373).

7. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lower ends of the claw thorn units (373) are all provided with steel nails, and the steel nails are arranged obliquely from the ends of the claw thorn array base (371) towards the direction close to the center of the anchor bracket (38).

8. The asteroid exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wheel hub mechanism (4) comprises a wheel hub motor (41) and a wheel hub motor bracket (42); the wheel hub motor (41) is fixedly connected to the wheel hub motor bracket (42); the wheel hub motor bracket (42) is fixedly connected to the foot bracket (26); and the rotating shaft of the wheel hub motor (41) is connected to a driving wheel hub.

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