Multi-motion-mode multi-body-weight spherical robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-motion-mode multi-body spherical robot. The multi-motion-mode multi-body spherical robot is formed by combining a parent spherical robot with a plurality of mechanical legs and a plurality of child spherical robots with air-ground amphibious motion modes. The parent spherical robot is combined with and separated from one child spherical robot through the capturing and docking mechanism at the tail end of each mechanical leg, and the multi-motion-mode multi-body structural spherical robot is formed. By means of deformation, combination and separation of the two types of spherical robots, the purpose that the reconstructed spherical robot has multiple motion modes is achieved, the ability of switching the motion modes according to different external environments is achieved when the spherical robot faces multiple terrains such as flat terrains, slopes and muddy terrains and wide-area environments such as wet lands, pipelines and air, and the spherical robot has the advantages of being high in practicability and wide in application range. Therefore, the requirements of work tasks such as rescue and relief work, reconnaissance and detection and autonomous cooperative work are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a spherical robot, in particular to a spherical robot with reconfiguration capability and multiple motion modes. The present invention belongs to the field of robot technology. Background Art

[0002] A spherical robot is a robot with a spherical shell. It moves by shifting the center of mass and the principle of conservation of momentum. Because spherical robots have good balance and flexibility and do not have the problem of rollover, they have great advantages in the fields of planetary exploration and dangerous environment detection, and are widely used.

[0003] Reconstructable spherical robots are a type of spherical robots, which are spherical robots that are deformed, combined and separated into different configurations and formations by different types of spherical robots. The disadvantage of existing reconstructable spherical robots is that their movement mode is single, and their application scenarios are limited to the ground or the air.

[0004] Therefore, the industry's research focuses on developing a reconstructed spherical robot with multi-motion mode capabilities, broadening its application scenarios, and giving full play to the advantages of the spherical robot. In the face of various terrains such as flat, sloped, muddy, and wide-area environments such as wetlands, pipelines, and air, it can switch motion modes according to different external environments to meet the needs of work tasks such as disaster relief, reconnaissance and detection, and autonomous collaborative operations. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above reasons, an object of the present invention is to provide a reconfigurable spherical robot that can adapt to different environmental requirements and has multiple motion modes.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention adopts the following technical scheme: a multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot with multiple motion modes, characterized in that it comprises a mother spherical robot with multiple mechanical legs, a plurality of daughter spherical robots with amphibious motion capabilities on land and in the air, and a plurality of capture and docking mechanisms;

[0007] The mechanical legs of the mother spherical robot are retractable mechanical legs, and a capture and docking mechanism for capturing the daughter spherical robot is fixedly connected to the end of each mechanical leg;

[0008] The capture and docking mechanism comprises a semi-spherical capture cylinder, a self-locking mechanism, and an annular self-locking trigger striker; the semi-spherical capture cylinder is connected to the end of the mechanical leg, an annular self-locking trigger striker is provided at the bottom of the semi-spherical capture cylinder, and a striker feeler is provided on the annular self-locking trigger striker pointing vertically upward and pointing to the mother spherical robot; a self-locking mechanism is symmetrically provided on both sides of the bottom of the semi-spherical capture cylinder, which is linked to the annular self-locking trigger striker and is used to lock the passive docking mechanism of the daughter spherical robot;

[0009] The sub-body spherical robot is provided with a passive docking mechanism, which includes a conical docking rod, an end cover, a flange, and a tension spring; the end cover is installed at the end of the conical docking rod by a set screw, and is retained inside the flange under the action of the flange limiting step; the conical docking rod is installed on the central axis of the flange by a spline; a tension spring is arranged between the end cover and the flange; the flange is clamped on both sides of the spherical shell of the sub-body spherical robot by a double bearing, and is connected to the motion driving mechanism of the sub-body spherical robot.

[0010] Preferably, the mother spherical robot comprises a mother spherical shell, a bevel gear box and a plurality of mechanical legs; the bevel gear box is installed at the core of the mother spherical shell by means of set screws to drive the mechanical legs to move; the mechanical legs are symmetrically arranged on the bevel gear box body and are linked with the bevel gears in the bevel gear box.

[0011] Preferably, the sub-body spherical robot comprises a sub-body spherical shell, the motion driving mechanism and two symmetrically arranged passive docking mechanisms;

[0012] The motion driving mechanism is arranged at the core of the sub-body spherical shell; the two passive docking structures are respectively fixedly connected to the motion driving mechanism through shaft hole matching, and are clamped at the two side ends of the sub-body spherical shell through double bearings.

[0013] Preferably, the self-locking mechanism of the capture docking mechanism comprises a mounting plate, two symmetrically arranged guide rods, two slide blocks, two limit pins, two locking tongues and two compression springs;

[0014] The mounting plate is mounted on the ends of both sides of the capture tube by means of set screws, and a notch is provided in the middle thereof for capturing the conical docking rod;

[0015] The two guide rods, two sliders, two limit pins, two lock tongues and two compression springs are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the notch in the middle of the mounting plate; one end of the guide rod is connected to the annular self-locking trigger striker, and the other end is connected to the slider through the limit pin; the lock tongue is connected to the slider; when the guide rod moves up and down, under the transmission action of the limit pin, the slider pulls the lock tongue to move horizontally;

[0016] The compression spring is sleeved on the locking tongue and is fixedly connected to the mounting plate.

[0017] Preferably, the mother spherical shell includes a plurality of spherical shell petals, a horizontal rudder plate, a first longitudinal rudder plate, a second longitudinal rudder plate, a first transverse rudder plate, and a second transverse rudder plate;

[0018] The first longitudinal rudder plate and the second longitudinal rudder plate are symmetrically arranged on the longitudinal plane of the horizontal rudder plate; the first transverse rudder plate and the second transverse rudder plate are symmetrically arranged on the transverse plane of the horizontal rudder plate; the spherical shell petals are arranged on the quadrants of the three-dimensional configuration formed by the horizontal rudder plate, the first longitudinal rudder plate, the second longitudinal rudder plate, the first transverse rudder plate and the second transverse rudder plate; the bevel gear box is installed at the center of the three-dimensional configuration;

[0019] A circular hole is opened on each of the spherical shell petals, and the mechanical legs pass through the circular hole and are connected to the bevel gear box at the core of the parent spherical shell.

[0020] Preferably, the bevel gear box comprises a box body, a bevel gear set, a transmission shaft, a flange, and a gear box motor;

[0021] The bevel gear set is fixed at the center of the housing, and is composed of a plurality of bevel gears meshing with each other, and a transmission shaft is fixedly connected to the center of each bevel gear;

[0022] The flange is fixed on the outer surface of the box body, and at the same time, the flange is fixedly connected to a bevel gear in the bevel gear set through double bearings and the transmission shaft;

[0023] The gear box motor is fixed on one of the transmission shafts to drive a bevel gear in the bevel gear set to rotate.

[0024] Preferably, the mechanical leg comprises a femur, a first link chain connected by a retractable shaft, a second link chain and a thigh motor;

[0025] One end of the femur is fixedly connected to the flange at the top corner of the bevel gear assembly box body through a set screw, and the other end is connected to the first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain through a bearing;

[0026] The first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain are arranged in parallel and connected via a supporting shaft; the first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain are both connected by a plurality of connecting rod shafts;

[0027] The thigh motor is fixed on the femur, and the end of the first connecting rod chain connected to the femur is connected to the rotor of the thigh motor through a set screw. Driven by the thigh motor, the first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain can be extended and retracted, and rotated relative to the femur.

[0028] Preferably, the multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot further includes a remote controller;

[0029] A plurality of binocular vision sensors are installed on the outer wall of the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot;

[0030] A first microprocessor for controlling the movement of the gearbox motor and the thigh motor is installed in the spherical shell of the mother spherical robot; a second microprocessor for controlling the movement of the motion drive mechanism is installed in the spherical shell of the daughter spherical robot;

[0031] The remote controller performs wireless data transmission with the binocular vision sensor, and the remote controller wirelessly controls the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor to remotely control the mother spherical robot to capture or release the daughter spherical robot to reconstruct the spherical robot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot with multiple motion modes according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mother spherical robot of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bevel gear box of the parent spherical robot of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the bevel gear box of the parent spherical robot of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mechanical legs of the parent spherical robot of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the sub-body spherical robot of the present invention;

[0040] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the spherical shell structure of the spherical robot of the present invention;

[0041] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the motion driving mechanism of the sub-body spherical robot of the present invention;

[0042] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the passive docking mechanism of the sub-body spherical robot of the present invention;

[0043] Fig.12 It is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the passive docking mechanism of the daughter spherical robot and the daughter spherical shell of the present invention;

[0044] Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the capture and docking mechanism of the present invention;

[0045] Fig.14 This is a schematic diagram of the self-locking mechanism structure of the capture docking mechanism of the present invention;

[0046] Fig.15 This is a schematic diagram of the fixed flight mode of the multi-motion mode multi-body reconstructed spherical robot quadrotor of the present invention;

[0047] Fig.16 This is a schematic diagram of the fixed flight mode of the multi-motion mode multi-body reconstructed spherical robot with eight rotors according to the present invention;

[0048] Fig.17 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-rotor cooperative flight mode of the multi-motion mode multi-body reconstructed spherical robot of the present invention;

[0049] Fig.18 This is a schematic diagram of a two-wheeled and leg fixed motion mode of a multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot with multiple motion modes according to the present invention;

[0050] Fig.19 This is a schematic diagram of the fixed motion mode of the four-wheeled legs of the multi-body reconstructed spherical robot with multiple motion modes according to the present invention;

[0051] Fig. 20 This is a schematic diagram of the eight-wheel leg retraction motion mode of the multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot of the present invention;

[0052] Fig.21 It is a schematic diagram of the multi-wheel and leg coordinated motion mode of the multi-motion mode multi-body reconstructed spherical robot of the present invention.

[0053] Among them, 1. mother spherical robot, 2. daughter spherical robot, 3. capture docking mechanism; 11. mechanical leg, 12. mother spherical shell, 13. bevel gear box; 111. femoral head, 112. first rib plate, 113. second rib plate, 114. third rib plate, 115. thigh motor, 116. first connecting rod chain, 117. second connecting rod chain, 118. support shaft; 121. spherical shell flap, 122. horizontal rudder plate, 123. first longitudinal rudder plate, 124. second longitudinal rudder plate, 125. first transverse rudder plate, 126. second transverse rudder plate, 127. connecting angle code, 128. notch, 129. round hole; 131. box, 132. bevel gear set, 133. transmission shaft, 134. double bearing, 135. flange, 136. gear box motor; 21. daughter spherical shell, 22. motion drive machine Structure, 23, passive docking mechanism; 211, spherical shell, 212, spherical shell spokes, 213, spherical shell left end cover, 214, spherical shell right end cover; 221, forward rolling motor, 222, first central axis, 223, second central axis, 224, gyro frame drive mechanism, 225, variable center of mass drive mechanism, 226, coaxial dual rotor drive mechanism, 227, turning motor; 231, conical docking rod, 232, end cover, 233, flange, 234, tension spring, 235, double bearing; 31, capture tube, 32, self-locking mechanism, 33, annular self-locking trigger striker, 331, striker feeler; 311, first connecting arm, 312, second connecting arm; 321, mounting plate, 3211, notch, 322, guide rod, 323, slider, 324, limit pin, 325, lock tongue, 326, compression spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The structure and features of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that various modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein, and therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the specification should not be regarded as limiting the present invention, but are merely examples of embodiments, the purpose of which is to make the features of the present invention obvious.

[0055] like Figure 1As shown, the multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot with multiple motion modes disclosed in the present invention is composed of a mother spherical robot 1, a plurality of daughter spherical robots 2 with amphibious motion capabilities on land and in the air, and a plurality of capture and docking mechanisms 3. The mother spherical robot is provided with a plurality of retractable mechanical legs 11, and a capture and docking mechanism 3 for capturing daughter spherical robots is fixedly connected at the end of each mechanical leg. The mother spherical robot 1 is combined and separated with the daughter spherical robot 2 through the capture and docking mechanism 3, so that the mother spherical robot 1 and one or more daughter spherical robots 2 are reconstructed to form a new spherical robot with multiple motion modes. The daughter spherical robot completes flying motion and land rolling motion through a variable center of mass drive mechanism based on the variable center of mass control principle and a coaxial dual-rotor drive mechanism; the mother spherical robot completes the walking, jumping and rolling motion of the mother spherical robot through the cooperation of the mechanical legs and the captured daughter spherical robots.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mother spherical robot 1 is symmetrically provided with eight mechanical legs 11, and each mechanical leg end is fixedly connected to a capture docking mechanism 3. The mother spherical robot 1 is combined and separated with the daughter spherical robot 2 through the capture docking mechanism 3 at the end of its mechanical leg, and can be reconfigured to form a four-rotor fixed flight mode (see Fig.15 ), eight-rotor fixed flight mode (see Fig.16 ), multi-rotor cooperative flight mode (see Fig.17 ), two-wheeled leg fixed movement mode (see Fig.18 ), four-wheeled and fixed-legged movement mode (see Fig.19 ), eight-wheeled leg fixed motion mode (see Fig. 20 ), multi-wheeled leg coordinated motion mode (see Fig.21 )'s spherical robot can handle a variety of terrains, including flat, sloped, muddy, and wide-area environments such as wetlands, pipelines, and air to meet the needs of emergency rescue, reconnaissance and detection, and autonomous collaborative operations.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, the mother spherical robot 1 of the present invention comprises a mother spherical shell 12, a bevel gear box 13 and a plurality of mechanical legs 11. The bevel gear box 13 is installed at the core of the mother spherical shell 12 by means of set screws; the mechanical legs 11 are symmetrically arranged on the bevel gear box body and are fixedly connected to the bevel gear box. The mechanical legs 11 extend out of the mother spherical shell 12 and can be freely extended; the capture and docking mechanism 3 is fixed at the end of the mechanical legs 11. The bevel gear box drives the mechanical legs to move, and then drives the capture and docking mechanism to extend and retract, thereby capturing or releasing the daughter spherical robot 2.

[0058] like Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the mother spherical shell 12 includes a plurality of spherical shell petals 121 , a horizontal rudder plate 122 , a first longitudinal rudder plate 123 , a second longitudinal rudder plate 124 , a first transverse rudder plate 125 , a second transverse rudder plate 126 , and a connecting angle code 127 .

[0059] The first longitudinal rudder plate 123 and the second longitudinal rudder plate 124 are symmetrically arranged on the longitudinal surface of the horizontal rudder plate 122; the first transverse rudder plate 125 and the second transverse rudder plate 126 are symmetrically arranged on the transverse surface of the horizontal rudder plate 122; the spherical shell 121 is arranged on the quadrant of the three-dimensional configuration formed by the horizontal rudder plate 122, the first longitudinal rudder plate 123, the second longitudinal rudder plate 124, the first transverse rudder plate 125 and the second transverse rudder plate 126, and a notch 128 for placing the bevel gear box 13 is provided at the center of the three-dimensional configuration. The spherical shell 121, the horizontal rudder plate 122, the first longitudinal rudder plate 123, the second longitudinal rudder plate 124, the first transverse rudder plate 125 and the second transverse rudder plate 126 of the present invention are connected to each other through the connecting angle code 127. When the mother spherical robot 1 completes the rolling motion, the three-dimensional space structure formed by the horizontal rudder plate 122, the first longitudinal rudder plate 123, the second longitudinal rudder plate 124, the first transverse rudder plate 125 and the second transverse rudder plate 126 can bear the contact force and impact force from the ground. Compared with the spherical shell mechanism without internal support, the mother spherical robot of the present invention has better stability and rigidity.

[0060] A circular hole 129 is formed on each spherical shell petal, and the mechanical leg 11 passes through the circular hole 129 and is connected to the bevel gear box 13 at the core of the parent spherical shell.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mother spherical shell 12 includes eight spherical shell petals 121, and each spherical shell petal 121 is arranged on eight quadrants of the three-dimensional configuration formed by the horizontal rudder plate 122, the first longitudinal rudder plate 123, the second longitudinal rudder plate 124, the first transverse rudder plate 125 and the second transverse rudder plate 126.

[0062] like Figure 2 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the bevel gear box 13 installed at the core of the parent spherical shell includes a box body 131, a bevel gear set 132, a transmission shaft 133, double bearings 134, a flange 135, and a gear box motor 136.

[0063] The bevel gear set 132 is fixed at the center of the housing 131. The bevel gear set 132 is composed of a number of bevel gears meshing with each other, and a transmission shaft 133 is fixedly connected to the center of each bevel gear. The flange 135 is fixed on the outer surface of the housing 131. At the same time, the flange 135 is fixedly connected to a bevel gear in the bevel gear set 132 through a double bearing 134 and a transmission shaft 133. The gearbox motor 136 is fixed on one of the transmission shafts 133. The gearbox motor 136 drives a bevel gear in the bevel gear set to rotate. When the bevel gear rotates, it drives the other bevel gears to rotate at the same time. Then, through the transmission of the flange, the mechanical legs (the mechanical legs 11 are fixed to the end face of the flange 135 by set screws) rotate relatively at the same time, switching the motion mode of the reconstructed spherical robot.

[0064] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bevel gear set 132 is composed of eight bevel gears meshing with each other, and the center of each bevel gear is fixedly connected to a transmission shaft 133. A flange 135 is fixed at each of the eight vertex corners of the housing 131, and each flange is fixedly connected to a bevel gear through a double bearing 134 and a transmission shaft 133. The end face of each flange is connected to a mechanical leg 11 through a set screw.

[0065] like Figure 2 , Figure 7 As shown, the mechanical leg 11 of the present invention includes a femur, a first connecting rod chain connected by a retractable shaft, a second connecting rod chain and a thigh motor. The femur is composed of a femoral head 111, a first rib plate 112, a second rib plate 113 and a third rib plate 114. The femoral head 111 is fixedly connected to the flange 135 in the bevel gear assembly box 13 by a set screw, one end of the first rib plate 112, the second rib plate 113 and the third rib plate 114 is fixedly connected to the femoral head 111, and the thigh motor 115 is installed on the other end of the second rib plate 113 by a set screw.

[0066] The other ends of the first rib plate 112 and the third rib plate 114 are connected to the first connecting rod chain 116 and the second connecting rod chain 117 through bearings respectively; the first connecting rod chain 116 and the second connecting rod chain 117 are arranged in parallel and connected to each other through a support shaft 118. The first connecting rod chain 116 and the second connecting rod chain 117 are both connected by a plurality of connecting rod shafts. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first connecting rod chain 116 and the second connecting rod chain 117 are both connected by four connecting rod shafts.

[0067] The end of the first link chain 116 connected to the first rib is connected to the rotor of the thigh motor 115 through a set screw. Driven by the thigh motor 115, the first link chain 116 and the second link chain 117 are extended and retracted, and rotated relative to the femur.

[0068] The two ends of the support shaft 118 are respectively clamped in the middle of the first link chain 116 and the middle of the second link chain 117 through bearings, so as to realize the mutual transmission of the movement of the first link chain and the second link chain, enhance the relative stability and rigidity of the first link chain and the second link chain, and make the mechanical freedom degree of the mechanical leg 11 1.

[0069] The last links of the first link chain 116 and the second link chain 117 are fixedly connected to the capture and docking mechanism 3 .

[0070] like Figure 8 As shown, the sub-body spherical robot 2 of the present invention comprises a sub-body spherical shell 21, a motion drive mechanism 22 and two symmetrically arranged passive docking mechanisms 23. The motion drive mechanism 22 is arranged at the core of the sub-body spherical shell 21, and the two passive docking structures 23 are respectively fixedly connected to the motion drive mechanism 22 through shaft hole matching, and are symmetrically clamped on both sides of the sub-body spherical shell 21 through double bearings, and are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the sub-body spherical shell 21.

[0071] like Fig. 9 As shown, the sub-body spherical shell 21 includes a spherical shell 211 with two ends opened, a spherical shell spoke 212, a spherical shell left end cover 213 and a spherical shell right end cover 214. One end of the spherical shell spoke 212 is connected to the spherical shell 211 by a set screw, and the other end is connected to the spherical shell left end cover 213 or the spherical shell right end cover 214 by a set screw to form a complete sub-body spherical shell 21. The sub-body spherical shell 21 of the present invention has the advantages of easy disassembly and low processing and manufacturing difficulty.

[0072] like Fig.10 As shown, the motion drive mechanism 22 includes a forward rolling motor 221 , a first central axis 222 , a second central axis 223 , a gyro frame drive mechanism 224 , a variable center of mass drive mechanism 225 , a coaxial dual-rotor drive mechanism 226 , and a turning motor 227 .

[0073] The forward rolling motor 221 is installed on the passive docking mechanism 23 through a set screw, and its rotor is connected to the left end cover 213 or the right end cover 214 of the spherical shell (in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, its rotor is connected to the right end cover 214 of the spherical shell). Under the drive of the forward rolling motor, the relative motion driving mechanism of the sub-body spherical shell is realized. One end of the first central axis 222 and the second central axis 223 are respectively tightly connected to the passive docking mechanism 23 through an axial hole, and the other end is connected to the gyro frame driving mechanism 224 through a set screw.

[0074] The gyro frame drive mechanism 224, the variable center of mass drive mechanism 225, the coaxial dual-rotor drive mechanism 226, and the turning motor 227 are fixed at the core of the sub-body spherical shell 21 through a mounting bracket. The gyro frame drive mechanism 224 enables the sub-body spherical robot 2 to have a land rolling motion mode, the coaxial dual-rotor drive mechanism 226 enables the sub-body spherical robot to have a flying motion mode, and the variable center of mass drive mechanism 225 cooperates with the gyro frame drive mechanism 224 and the coaxial dual-rotor drive mechanism 226 to adjust the motion posture of the sub-body spherical robot. The turning motor 227 enables the sub-body spherical robot to have the ability of self-steering.

[0075] like Figure 8 , Figure 1 As shown, a passive docking mechanism 23 is symmetrically arranged at the left and right ends of the daughter spherical robot 2. The daughter spherical robot is combined or separated with the capture docking mechanism 3 at the end of the mechanical leg 11 of the mother spherical robot 1 through the passive docking mechanism 23, thereby realizing the combination or separation of the mother spherical robot 1 and the daughter spherical robot 2 and completing the reconstruction.

[0076] like Fig.11 , Fig.12 As shown, the passive docking mechanism 23 includes a tapered docking rod 231 , an end cover 232 , a flange 233 , a tension spring 234 , and a double bearing 235 .

[0077] The end cover 232 is installed at the end of the conical docking rod 231 by means of a set screw, and is retained inside the flange 233 under the action of the limiting step of the flange 233, thereby limiting the relative movement position of the conical docking rod 231 connected to the end cover 232 relative to the flange 233.

[0078] The central axis of the forward rolling motor 221 is hollow, and the conical docking rod 231 passes through the hollow central axis of the forward rolling motor 221. The housing of the forward rolling motor 221 is fixedly connected to the flange 233 by means of a set screw, and at the same time, the rotor of the forward rolling motor 221 is connected to the left end cover 213 or the right end cover 214 of the spherical shell of the sub-body spherical robot (in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, its rotor is connected to the right end cover 214 of the spherical shell).

[0079] The conical butt joint rod 231 is installed on the central axis of the flange 233 through a spline, so that the conical butt joint rod 231 can move relative to each other in the axial direction and remain relatively still in the circumferential direction. In order to enable the conical butt joint rod 231 to move relative to each other in the axial direction smoothly, a tension spring 234 is arranged between the end cap 232 at the end of the conical butt joint rod 231 and the flange 233.

[0080] The flange 233 is clamped on the spherical shell left end cover 213 or the spherical shell right end cover 214 of the spherical shell 21 of the spherical robot through a double bearing 235, and at the same time, the flange 233 is tightly connected to the first central axis 222 or the second central axis 223 of the motion drive mechanism through an axial hole. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flange 233 is clamped on the spherical shell left end cover 213 of the spherical shell 21 of the spherical robot through a double bearing 235, and at the same time, the flange 233 is tightly connected to the first central axis 222 of the motion drive mechanism through an axial hole.

[0081] During the docking stage between the daughter spherical robot and the mother spherical robot, the conical docking rod 231 moves along the axis of the flange 233 away from the flange under the action of the capture docking mechanism 3. When the end cover at the end of the conical docking rod fits with the flange limit step, the conical docking rod and the flange are in the maximum relative movement position; during the non-docking stage between the daughter spherical robot and the mother spherical robot, under the action of the tension spring 234, the conical docking rod and the flange are in the minimum relative movement position.

[0082] Fig.13 As shown in the figure, the capture and docking mechanism 3 includes a semi-spherical capture cylinder 31, a self-locking mechanism 32, and an annular self-locking trigger striker 33.

[0083] The top of the hemispherical capture cylinder 31 is symmetrically provided with a first connecting arm 311 and a second connecting arm 312, and the two connecting arms are respectively connected to the mechanical legs 11 of the parent spherical robot through bearings. An annular self-locking trigger striker 33 is provided at the bottom of the hemispherical capture cylinder 31, and a self-locking mechanism 32 linked to the annular self-locking trigger striker 33 is symmetrically provided on both sides of the bottom of the hemispherical capture cylinder 31.

[0084] A striker feeler 331 is arranged on the annular self-locking trigger striker 33 and points vertically upwards to the mother spherical robot 1 .

[0085] like Fig.14 As shown, the self-locking mechanism 32 constituting the capture docking mechanism 3 includes a mounting plate 321 , two symmetrically arranged guide rods 322 , two sliders 323 , two limit pins 324 , two locking tongues 325 and two compression springs 326 .

[0086] The mounting plate 321 is mounted on the ends of both sides of the capture tube 31 by means of set screws, and a notch 3211 is opened in the middle thereof for capturing the conical docking rod 231 of the passive docking mechanism of the sub-body spherical robot.

[0087] Two guide rods 322, two sliders 323, two limit pins 324, two lock tongues 325 and two compression springs 326 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the notch 3211 in the middle of the mounting plate. One end of the guide rod 322 is connected to the annular self-locking trigger striker 33, and the other end is connected to the slider 323 through the limit pin 324, and can drive the slider to move; the lock tongue 325 is connected to the slider 323. When the guide rod 322 moves up and down, under the transmission action of the limit pin 324, the lock tongue 325 is pulled to move left and right through the slider 323 to open the notch 3211 in the middle of the mounting plate 321.

[0088] The compression spring 326 is sleeved on the locking tongue 325 , and the other end is fixed on the mounting plate 321 .

[0089] In order to ensure that the mother spherical robot can accurately capture the daughter spherical robot, the present invention installs a plurality of binocular vision sensors on the outer wall of the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot. A first microprocessor for controlling the action of the gear box motor and the thigh motor is installed in the spherical shell of the mother spherical robot. A second microprocessor for controlling the action of the motion drive mechanism is installed in the spherical shell of the daughter spherical robot.

[0090] The present invention also includes a remote controller, which performs wireless data transmission with a binocular vision sensor installed on a mother spherical robot. The remote controller wirelessly controls a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor to remotely control the mother spherical robot to capture a daughter spherical robot, so that the mother spherical robot reconstructs the spherical robot according to different external environment requirements to meet actual needs.

[0091] refer to Figure 11-Figure 14 When the mother spherical robot 1 needs to capture the daughter spherical robot 2, the first microprocessor accurately obtains the position of the daughter spherical robot to be captured through the binocular vision sensor, and outputs a control signal to drive the mechanical leg 11 to extend through the bevel gear box, so that the notches 3211 of the self-locking mechanism 32 on both sides of the capture and docking mechanism 3 fixed to the end of the mechanical leg are infinitely close to and aligned with the conical docking rod 231 of the passive docking mechanism 23 on both sides of the spherical shell of the daughter spherical robot; then, the mechanical leg 11 is further extended, so that the self-locking mechanism 32 of the capture and docking mechanism presses the conical docking rod 231 of the passive docking mechanism 23 of the daughter spherical shell robot; the conical docking rod 231 squeezes the locking tongue 325, and pushes the locking tongue to be accommodated in the notch 3211 of the mounting plate; under the action of the compression spring 326, the locking tongue 325 is reset; the mother spherical robot captures the daughter spherical robot.

[0092] When the mother spherical robot 1 needs to release the daughter spherical robot 2, the first microprocessor outputs a control signal to retract the mechanical leg 11 through the bevel gear box; when the striker feeler 331 of the annular self-locking trigger striker 33 of the capture and docking mechanism at the end of the mechanical leg is squeezed by the outer wall of the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot, a force is applied to the lock tongue 325 through the guide rod 322 fixed thereto, pulling the lock tongue 325 to move and open the lock tongue, so that the conical docking rod 231 of the passive docking mechanism 23 of the daughter spherical robot escapes from the notch 3211 of the self-locking mechanism of the capture and docking mechanism, and the daughter spherical robot 2 is separated from the mother spherical robot 1.

[0093] When the striker feeler 331 on the annular self-locking trigger striker 33 of the capture docking mechanism is not squeezed by the outer wall of the spherical shell of the mother spherical robot, the lock tongue 325 remains in a closed state under the action of the compression spring 326.

[0094] The present invention realizes the opening of the lock tongue 325 of the self-locking mechanism of the capture and docking mechanism through the non-powered input design of the capture and docking mechanism 3 and the passive docking mechanism 23 of the daughter spherical robot, utilizing the motion trajectory of the striker feeler 331 on the annular self-locking trigger striker 33 of the capture and docking mechanism intersecting with the outer wall of the spherical shell of the mother spherical robot, and utilizing the compression spring to ensure that the lock tongue always remains in a closed state without the action of external force, thereby realizing the combination or separation of the mother spherical robot and the daughter spherical robot.

[0095] Advantages of the present invention:

[0096] 1. It has reconfigurable and multi-motion mode capabilities.

[0097] The present invention combines and separates the mother spherical robot and the daughter spherical robot to achieve the goal that the reconstructed spherical robot has not only the ability to have multiple motion modes on the ground, but also the ability to have multiple motion modes in the air. It can face a variety of terrains such as flat, sloped, muddy, and wide-area environments such as wetlands, pipelines, and the air, and can switch motion modes according to different external environments to meet the needs of work tasks such as emergency rescue, reconnaissance and detection, and autonomous collaborative operations.

[0098] 2. Strong anti-overturning and impact resistance.

[0099] No matter the daughter spherical robot or the mother spherical robot of the present invention, both retain the spherical or quasi-spherical state, so that the robot can move and operate when landing in any posture.

[0100] In addition, since the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot of the present invention is a three-dimensional space structure composed of a horizontal rudder plate, a first longitudinal rudder plate, a second longitudinal rudder plate, a first transverse rudder plate and a second transverse rudder plate, when the mother spherical robot completes the rolling motion, it will bear the contact force and impact force from the ground. Compared with the spherical shell mechanism without internal support, it has stronger impact resistance.

[0101] 3. The driving method of the mechanical legs is relatively simple, flexible and efficient.

[0102] The present invention uses a 1-DOF mechanical leg machine, driven by a single thigh motor, to realize the quadrupedal walking, jumping and tumbling movements of the mother spherical robot. At the same time, it can also capture and dock the daughter spherical robot and reconfigure it into multiple movement modes.

[0103] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments may still be modified, or some or all of the technical features thereof may be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot, characterized in that: It includes a mother spherical robot with multiple mechanical legs, several daughter spherical robots with amphibious movement capabilities on land and in the air, and several capture and docking mechanisms; The mechanical legs of the mother spherical robot are retractable mechanical legs, and a capture and docking mechanism for capturing the daughter spherical robot is fixedly connected to the end of each mechanical leg; The capture and docking mechanism comprises a semi-spherical capture cylinder, a self-locking mechanism, and an annular self-locking trigger striker; the semi-spherical capture cylinder is connected to the end of the mechanical leg, an annular self-locking trigger striker is provided at the bottom of the semi-spherical capture cylinder, and a striker feeler is provided on the annular self-locking trigger striker pointing vertically upward and pointing to the mother spherical robot; a self-locking mechanism is symmetrically provided on both sides of the bottom of the semi-spherical capture cylinder, which is linked to the annular self-locking trigger striker and is used to lock the passive docking mechanism of the daughter spherical robot; The sub-body spherical robot is provided with a passive docking mechanism, which includes a conical docking rod, an end cover, a flange, and a tension spring; the end cover is installed at the end of the conical docking rod by a set screw, and is retained inside the flange under the action of the flange limiting step; the conical docking rod is installed on the central axis of the flange by a spline; a tension spring is arranged between the end cover and the flange; the flange is clamped on both sides of the spherical shell of the sub-body spherical robot by a double bearing, and is connected to the motion driving mechanism of the sub-body spherical robot.

2. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mother spherical robot includes a mother spherical shell, a bevel gear box and a plurality of mechanical legs; the bevel gear box is installed at the core of the mother spherical shell by means of set screws to drive the mechanical legs to move; the mechanical legs are symmetrically arranged on the bevel gear box body and are linked with the bevel gears in the bevel gear box.

3. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sub-body spherical robot comprises a sub-body spherical shell, the motion driving mechanism and two symmetrically arranged passive docking mechanisms; The motion driving mechanism is arranged at the core of the sub-body spherical shell; the two passive docking structures are respectively fixedly connected to the motion driving mechanism through shaft hole matching, and are clamped at the two side ends of the sub-body spherical shell through double bearings.

4. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The self-locking mechanism of the capture docking mechanism includes a mounting plate, two symmetrically arranged guide rods, two slide blocks, two limit pins, two locking tongues and two compression springs; The mounting plate is mounted on the ends of both sides of the capture tube by means of set screws, and a notch is provided in the middle thereof for capturing the conical docking rod; The two guide rods, two sliders, two limit pins, two lock tongues and two compression springs are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the notch in the middle of the mounting plate; one end of the guide rod is connected to the annular self-locking trigger striker, and the other end is connected to the slider through the limit pin; the lock tongue is connected to the slider; when the guide rod moves up and down, under the transmission action of the limit pin, the slider pulls the lock tongue to move horizontally; The compression spring is sleeved on the locking tongue and is fixedly connected to the mounting plate.

5. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mother spherical shell includes a plurality of spherical shell petals, a horizontal rudder plate, a first longitudinal rudder plate, a second longitudinal rudder plate, a first transverse rudder plate, and a second transverse rudder plate; The first longitudinal rudder plate and the second longitudinal rudder plate are symmetrically arranged on the longitudinal plane of the horizontal rudder plate; the first transverse rudder plate and the second transverse rudder plate are symmetrically arranged on the transverse plane of the horizontal rudder plate; the spherical shell petals are arranged on the quadrants of the three-dimensional configuration formed by the horizontal rudder plate, the first longitudinal rudder plate, the second longitudinal rudder plate, the first transverse rudder plate and the second transverse rudder plate; the bevel gear box is installed at the center of the three-dimensional configuration; A circular hole is opened on each of the spherical shell petals, and the mechanical legs pass through the circular hole and are connected to the bevel gear box at the core of the parent spherical shell.

6. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bevel gearbox includes a housing, a bevel gear set, a transmission shaft, a flange, and a gearbox motor; The bevel gear set is fixed at the center of the housing, and is composed of a plurality of bevel gears meshing with each other, and a transmission shaft is fixedly connected to the center of each bevel gear; The flange is fixed on the outer surface of the box body, and at the same time, the flange is fixedly connected to a bevel gear in the bevel gear set through double bearings and the transmission shaft; The gear box motor is fixed on one of the transmission shafts to drive a bevel gear in the bevel gear set to rotate.

7. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical leg includes a femur, a first link chain connected by a retractable shaft, a second link chain and a thigh motor; One end of the femur is fixedly connected to the flange at the top corner of the bevel gear assembly box body through a set screw, and the other end is connected to the first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain through a bearing; The first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain are arranged in parallel and connected via a supporting shaft; the first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain are both connected by a plurality of connecting rod shafts; The thigh motor is fixed on the femur, and the end of the first connecting rod chain connected to the femur is connected to the rotor of the thigh motor through a set screw. Driven by the thigh motor, the first connecting rod chain and the second connecting rod chain can be extended and retracted, and rotated relative to the femur.

8. The multi-motion mode multi-body reconfigurable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes a remote control; A plurality of binocular vision sensors are installed on the outer wall of the mother spherical shell of the mother spherical robot; A first microprocessor for controlling the movement of the gearbox motor and the thigh motor is installed in the spherical shell of the mother spherical robot; A second microprocessor for controlling the motion drive mechanism is installed in the spherical shell of the sub-body spherical robot; The remote controller performs wireless data transmission with the binocular vision sensor, and the remote controller wirelessly controls the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor to remotely control the mother spherical robot to capture or release the daughter spherical robot to reconstruct the spherical robot.

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