Active folding steering mechanism and robot with active folding steering mechanism

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of robotics, disclosing an active folding steering mechanism and a robot equipped with such a mechanism. The mechanism includes a steering system nested within a main body for steering the main body. The steering mechanism comprises an outer ring assembly and two inner ring assemblies, with the two inner ring assemblies located at opposite ends within the outer ring assembly. The outer ring assembly has a first gear component, and the inner ring assemblies have a second gear component and a roller component. One sidewall of the main body is located between the outer ring assembly and the inner ring assemblies and is moved by being clamped by the first and second gear components. The other side of the main body extends into the inner ring assembly and is moved by being clamped by the roller component. This invention effectively solves the problems of insufficient steering capability, low steering accuracy, and complex steering mechanisms in existing self-growing robots, and is of great significance for improving the adaptability and task completion capabilities of robots in complex environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to an active folding steering mechanism and a robot equipped with such an active folding steering mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of robotics technology, its applications in numerous fields such as industry, medicine, agriculture, and rescue are becoming increasingly widespread. Traditional robots typically have fixed structures and dimensions, which often limit their ability to handle complex environments and diverse tasks. For example, traditional robots are not adaptable enough to tasks requiring confined spaces, flexible turning, or long-distance extension.

[0003] In recent years, self-growing robots have attracted attention as a novel type of robot due to their ability to adapt to different task requirements through structural changes. Self-growing robots can flexibly change their shape and position through actions such as growth, contraction, and turning, thereby better completing tasks. However, existing self-growing robots still have shortcomings in their turning capabilities. Most self-growing robots use passive turning methods, resulting in low turning accuracy and difficulty in achieving precise turning control in complex environments. Furthermore, while some self-growing robots possess some turning ability, their turning mechanisms are complex and heavy, affecting the overall performance and flexibility of the robot.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an active folding steering mechanism and a robot equipped with such a mechanism to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an active folding steering mechanism and a robot with an active folding steering mechanism to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides an active folding steering mechanism, comprising:

[0007] A steering mechanism, nested on the main body, is used to achieve steering of the main body;

[0008] The steering mechanism includes an outer ring assembly and two inner ring assemblies. The two inner ring assemblies are respectively located at both ends inside the outer ring assembly. A first gear component is provided on the outer ring assembly, and a second gear component and a roller component are provided on the inner ring assembly.

[0009] The main body has one sidewall located between the outer ring assembly and the inner ring assembly and is clamped and moved by the first gear and the second gear, while the other side of the main body extends into the inner ring assembly and is clamped and moved by the roller.

[0010] According to the present invention, an active folding steering mechanism is provided, wherein the outer ring assembly includes an outer ring, the first gear component includes two sets of support members located at both ends inside the outer ring, the support members include two support frames symmetrically fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer ring, and two external gears are mounted on the support frames.

[0011] According to the present invention, an active folding steering mechanism is provided, wherein the inner ring assembly includes an inner ring, the second gear component includes two internal gears, and grooves are provided on opposite sides of the outer wall of the inner ring, the two grooves correspond one-to-one with the two support frames, the internal gears are rotatably connected in the grooves, and the two external gears mesh with the internal gears respectively, the main body sidewall is located between the external gears and the internal gears, and two gear drive motors are fixedly connected in the inner ring, the central axis of the internal gears is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the gear drive motors.

[0012] According to the present invention, an active folding steering mechanism is provided, wherein the roller component includes two sliding members, which are respectively disposed at the top and bottom of the inner ring. Each sliding member includes two slide rails, which are respectively fixedly connected to opposite side walls of the inner ring. A slider bracket is slidably connected to the slide rail. A roller is rotatably connected between the two upper and lower slider brackets. The main body side wall is located between the two rollers. A roller drive motor is fixedly connected to the upper slider bracket. The central axis of the roller is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the roller drive motor.

[0013] According to the present invention, an active folding steering mechanism is provided, wherein one end of a spring is fixedly connected to the slider bracket, and the other end of the spring is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the inner ring.

[0014] According to the present invention, an active folding steering mechanism is provided, wherein concave bearing wheels are installed at both ends of the inner wall of the outer ring, and convex bearing wheels are installed on the inner ring, wherein the concave bearing wheels are adapted to the convex bearing wheels.

[0015] A robot with an active folding steering mechanism includes an active folding steering mechanism and a base. One end of the main body is fixedly connected to the base, and at least one of the steering mechanisms is fitted onto the main body.

[0016] According to the present invention, a robot with an active folding and steering mechanism is provided, wherein a growth motor is installed in the base, and the inner side of the main body is wound and housed in the base by the growth motor.

[0017] The present invention provides a robot with an active folding steering mechanism, further comprising: a load mechanism located at the tip of the main body, the load mechanism including a load support and a camera module, one end of the load support being fixedly connected to the steering mechanism, the main body being filled within the load support, and the camera module being mounted at the front end of the load support.

[0018] According to the present invention, a robot with an active folding steering mechanism is provided, wherein the surface of the main body has tension, the main body as a whole has rigidity, the base has air pressure, and the main body expands by the air pressure in the base.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and technical effects:

[0020] 1. The active folding steering mechanism provided by this invention has a steering mechanism nested on the main body. The first gear and the second gear between the inner ring component and the outer ring component mesh and drive the main body to move, so that the steering angle and direction can be precisely adjusted. Through the design of the roller component, the growth and recycling on the inner side of the main body can be precisely controlled. The steering mechanism adopts a cylindrical nested design, and the inner ring component and the outer ring component are closely matched to ensure the compactness and stability of the structure. Compared with the traditional complex steering mechanism, the steering mechanism of this invention significantly reduces the weight while achieving high-precision steering.

[0021] 2. The robot with an active folding steering mechanism provided by this invention enables the robot to achieve high-precision steering control. The high-precision steering capability allows the robot to flexibly adjust its posture in complex environments and better complete tasks, such as precise steering in narrow pipes or flexible obstacle avoidance in complex terrain. It can achieve growth and recovery of the inner side of the main body, avoiding the main body buckling problem that may occur during the recovery process. The design of the load mechanism solves the load-bearing problem of the self-growing robot and improves the overall flexibility and load capacity of the robot. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the outer ring component of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a side view of the outer ring component of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a side view of the inner ring component of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the convex bearing wheel structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the roller component structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the load mechanism structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 For the present invention Figure 7 Sectional view of AA;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection state between the outer ring component and the inner ring component of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the self-growing robot before it turns according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the self-growing robot after it has turned.

[0034] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the retrieval of the self-growing robot of the present invention;

[0035] The components include: 1. Base; 11. Growth motor; 2. Main body; 3. Steering mechanism; 31. Outer ring assembly; 311. Outer ring; 312. External gear; 313. Concave bearing wheel; 32. Inner ring assembly; 321. Inner ring; 322. Internal gear; 323. Convex bearing wheel; 324. Gear drive motor; 325. Roller component; 3251. Roller; 3252. Slider bracket; 3253. Slide rail; 3254. Spring; 3255. Roller drive motor; 4. Load mechanism; 41. Load support; 42. Camera module. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 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 making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0038] Reference Figures 1-12 The present invention provides an active folding steering mechanism, comprising:

[0039] Steering mechanism 3, nested on main body 2, is used to achieve steering of main body 2;

[0040] The steering mechanism 3 includes an outer ring assembly 31 and two inner ring assemblies 32. The two inner ring assemblies 32 are located at both ends inside the outer ring assembly 31. A first gear is provided on the outer ring assembly 31, and a second gear and a roller 325 are provided on the inner ring assembly 32.

[0041] One side wall of the main body 2 is located between the outer ring assembly 31 and the inner ring assembly 32 and is clamped and moved by the first gear and the second gear. The other side of the main body 2 extends into the inner ring assembly 32 and is clamped and moved by the roller 325.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, the steering mechanism 3 is nested on the main body 2. The first gear and the second gear between the inner ring component 32 and the outer ring component 31 mesh and drive the main body 2 to move, so that the steering angle and direction can be precisely adjusted. Through the design of the roller component 325, the growth and recycling of the inner side of the main body 2 can be precisely controlled, which effectively improves the growth accuracy and avoids the buckling problem of the main body that may occur during the recycling process.

[0043] As an optional implementation, the outer ring assembly 31 includes an outer ring 311, and the first gear component includes two sets of support members located at both ends inside the outer ring 311. The support members include two support frames symmetrically and fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer ring 311, and two external gears 312 are installed on the support frames.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, there are two sets of external gears 312, four in each set, which are symmetrically distributed in pairs on the inner side of the outer ring 311 through the support frame, and the axis of the external gears 312 is perpendicular to the axis of the outer ring 311.

[0045] As an optional implementation, the inner ring assembly 32 includes an inner ring 321, and the second gear component includes two internal gears 322. The outer wall of the inner ring 321 has grooves on both opposite sides, and the two grooves correspond to the two support frames one by one. The internal gears 322 are rotatably connected in the grooves, and the two external gears 312 mesh with the internal gears 322 respectively. The side wall of the main body 2 is located between the external gears 312 and the internal gears 322. Two gear drive motors 324 are fixedly connected inside the inner ring 321, and the central axis of the internal gears 322 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the gear drive motors 324.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present invention, the internal gear 322 is distributed on the left and right sides of the inner ring 321, and its axis is perpendicular to the axis of the inner ring 321. One internal gear 322 meshes with two external gears 312 at the same time, and the outer side of the main body 2 passes through the space between the internal gear 322 and the two external gears 312. The tooth surfaces of the internal gear 322 and the external gears 312 are made of high friction material to ensure that the main body 2 and the tooth surface will not slide relative to each other during the meshing rotation. The rotation of the internal gear 322 is controlled by the gear drive motor 324.

[0047] As an optional implementation, the roller component 325 includes two sliding members, which are respectively disposed at the top and bottom of the inner ring 321. The sliding members include two slide rails 3253, which are respectively fixedly connected to the opposite side walls of the inner ring 321. A slider bracket 3252 is slidably connected to the slide rail 3253. A roller 3251 is rotatably connected between the two slider brackets 3252 located at the top and bottom. The side wall of the main body 2 is located between the two rollers 3251. A roller drive motor 3255 is fixedly connected to the upper slider bracket 3252. The central axis of the roller 3251 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the roller drive motor 3255.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, a slider bracket 3252 is arranged on both sides of the roller 3251 to fix the roller 3251 and is installed in conjunction with a slide rail 3253. The slide rail 3253 is fixed inside the inner ring 321. The roller 3251 can move radially through the relative movement between the slider bracket 3252 and the slide rail 3253. The roller 3251 is a long cylindrical body and is controlled to rotate by a roller drive motor 3255. The inner side of the main body 2 passes between the two rollers 3251.

[0049] As an optional implementation, one end of a spring 3254 is fixedly connected to the slider bracket 3252, and the other end of the spring 3254 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the inner ring 321.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, one end of the spring 3254 is fixed to the inner surface of the inner ring 321, and the other end is fixed to the slider bracket 3252, providing pressure to press the two rollers 3251 toward the center, ensuring that there is no relative sliding between the inner side of the main body 2 and the rollers 3251.

[0051] As an optional implementation, concave bearing wheels 313 are installed at both ends of the inner wall of the outer ring 311, and convex bearing wheels 323 are installed on the inner ring 321, with the concave bearing wheels 313 and the convex bearing wheels 323 being compatible.

[0052] In one embodiment of the present invention, the convex bearing wheel 323 is located below the inner ring 321. The convex bearing wheel 323 and the concave bearing wheel 313 cooperate with each other, and the inner gear 322 and the outer gear 312 cooperate with each other to ensure that the outer ring assembly 31 and the inner ring assembly 32 are relatively stationary during the movement. The outer side of the main body 2 passes between the concave bearing wheel 313 and the convex bearing wheel 323.

[0053] A robot with an active folding steering mechanism includes an active folding steering mechanism and a base 1. One end of a main body 2 is fixedly connected to the base 1, and at least one steering mechanism 3 is fitted onto the main body 2.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, the robot can achieve high-precision steering control through the design of the steering mechanism 3. The gear meshing transmission between the inner ring component 32 and the outer ring component 31 allows the steering angle and direction to be precisely adjusted.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the main body 2 needs to turn, if it is turning to the right, the two internal gears 322 on the left and the internal gear 322 on the right near the base 1 are stopped rotating, while the internal gear 322 on the right near the tip rotates. Through the rotation of this internal gear 322, the outer side of the tip of the main body 2 is continuously fed into the steering mechanism 3 by the meshing of the internal gear 322 and the external gear 312, forming folds. At this time, a length difference appears on both sides of the main body 2, thereby completing the rightward turn of the main body 2. The steering angle of the main body 2 can be precisely controlled according to the rotation angle of this internal gear 322. Multiple steering mechanisms 3 can be arranged on the main body 2 to achieve free steering at multiple angles.

[0056] As an optional implementation, a growth motor 11 is installed inside the base 1, and the main body 2 is wound and housed inside the base 1 by the growth motor 11.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner side of the main body 2 is wound and housed inside the base 1 by the growth motor 11, and the outer side is fixed to the front end of the base 1. By inputting a certain air pressure into the base 1, the surface of the main body 2 has a certain tension and the whole has a certain rigidity.

[0058] As an optional implementation, it also includes: a load mechanism 4 located at the tip of the main body 2. The load mechanism 4 includes a load support 41 and a camera module 42. One end of the load support 41 is fixedly connected to the steering mechanism 3. The main body 2 is filled in the load support 41. The camera module 42 is installed at the front end of the load support 41.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, due to the constraint of the load mechanism 4, the main body 2 released from the growth motor 11 cannot be directly flipped forward and outward, but will only accumulate inside the main body 2. By controlling the rotation of the four internal gears 322, under the action of air pressure, the inner side of the accumulated main body 2 is continuously flipped outward to become the outer side of the main body 2, thereby achieving precise control of the growth of the main body 2. Through the design of the load mechanism 4, the load mounting problem of the self-growing robot is solved, and the stable installation and operation of loads such as the camera module 42 on the self-growing robot are realized.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, during the recycling process, by controlling the rotation of the roller component 325, the outer side of the tip body 2 can be pulled back. The pulled-back body 2 is wound and stored by the growth motor 11. By controlling the rotation of each internal gear 322, the steering mechanism 3 and the load mechanism 4 can be moved towards the base 1 and always remain on the tip of the body 2, preventing the load mechanism 4 from detaching from the body 2.

[0061] As an optional implementation, the surface of the main body 2 has tension, the main body 2 as a whole has rigidity, the base 1 has air pressure, and the main body 2 expands by the air pressure in the base 1.

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, the base 1 has a certain air pressure, which gives the surface of the main body 2 a certain tension and the whole body has sufficient rigidity. By controlling the rotation of the growth motor 11, the inner side of the main body 2 of the self-growing robot is transported forward, and the tip is turned outward to form the outer side of the main body 2, thereby realizing the growth of the main body 2.

[0063] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0064] The embodiments described above are merely descriptions of preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present invention by persons skilled in the art should fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active folding steering mechanism, characterized in that, include: Steering mechanism (3), nested on the main body (2), is used to achieve steering of the main body (2); The steering mechanism (3) includes an outer ring assembly (31) and two inner ring assemblies (32). The two inner ring assemblies (32) are located at both ends inside the outer ring assembly (31). The outer ring assembly (31) is provided with a first gear component, and the inner ring assembly (32) is provided with a second gear component and a roller component (325). The main body (2) has one side wall located between the outer ring assembly (31) and the inner ring assembly (32) and is clamped and moved by the first gear and the second gear, and the other side of the main body (2) extends into the inner ring assembly (32) and is clamped and moved by the roller (325); The outer ring assembly (31) includes an outer ring (311). The first gear component includes two sets of support members, which are located at both ends inside the outer ring (311). The support members include two support frames, which are symmetrically fixedly connected to the inner wall of the outer ring (311). Two external gears (312) are installed on the support frames. The inner ring assembly (32) includes an inner ring (321). The second gear component includes two internal gears (322). Grooves are provided on both sides of the outer wall of the inner ring (321). The two grooves correspond one-to-one with the two support frames. The internal gears (322) are rotatably connected in the grooves. The two external gears (312) mesh with the internal gears (322). The side wall of the main body (2) is located between the external gears (312) and the internal gears (322). Two gear drive motors (324) are fixedly connected inside the inner ring (321). The central axis of the internal gear (322) is connected to the gear drive motor. The output shaft of the machine (324) is fixedly connected; the roller component (325) includes two sliding parts, which are respectively set at the top and bottom of the inner ring (321). The sliding parts include two slide rails (3253), which are respectively fixedly connected to the opposite side walls of the inner ring (321). A slider bracket (3252) is slidably connected on the slide rail (3253). A roller (3251) is rotatably connected between the two slider brackets (3252) located above and below. The side wall of the main body (2) is located between the two rollers (3251). A roller drive motor (3255) is fixedly connected on the upper slider bracket (3252). The central axis of the roller (3251) is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the roller drive motor (3255). One end of a spring (3254) is fixedly connected on the slider bracket (3252). The other end of the spring (3254) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the inner ring (321).

2. The active folding steering mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both ends of the inner wall of the outer ring (311) are equipped with concave bearing wheels (313), and the inner ring (321) is equipped with convex bearing wheels (323). The concave bearing wheels (313) and the convex bearing wheels (323) are adapted to each other.

3. A robot with an active folding steering mechanism, comprising the active folding steering mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: It also includes a base (1), one end of the main body (2) is fixedly connected to the base (1), and at least one of the steering mechanisms (3) is fitted onto the main body (2).

4. The robot with an active folding steering mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The base (1) is equipped with a growth motor (11), and the inner side of the main body (2) is wrapped and housed in the base (1) by the growth motor (11).

5. The robot with an active folding steering mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: The load mechanism (4) is located at the tip of the main body (2). The load mechanism (4) includes a load support (41) and a camera module (42). One end of the load support (41) is fixedly connected to the steering mechanism (3). The main body (2) is filled in the load support (41). The camera module (42) is installed at the front end of the load support (41).

6. The robot with an active folding steering mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The surface of the main body (2) has tension, the main body (2) as a whole has rigidity, the base (1) has air pressure, and the main body (2) expands through the air pressure in the base (1).

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