Multi-legged robot with flying function

Abstract

The invention provides a multi-legged robot with a flying function, which comprises a robot body and at least one engine, the robot body comprises a trunk part and a plurality of leg components, and the engine is arranged on the trunk part and / or the leg components. The engine drives the robot body to achieve the flying function based on the preset direction. According to the multi-legged robot, the engine is arranged on the robot body and matched with the vector thruster, so that the multi-legged robot can fly and work at the same time, complex tasks are completed while the multi-legged robot stably walks on the ground or stably flies in the air, the multi-attitude flight can be achieved in the air, and the multi-legged robot is more convenient to use. And the robot has strong maneuvering capability and multi-modal motion capability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of robots, in particular, to a multi-legged robot with flight function. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous development of robot technology, multi-legged robots such as quadruped robots have shown broad application prospects and great development potential in many fields. Traditional quadruped robots mainly rely on electric motors or hydraulic systems to drive, for example, leg joints, to realize actions such as walking, running, and climbing. However, these driving methods have certain limitations in some aspects.

[0003] Specifically, in terms of moving speed, quadruped robots driven by electric motors are limited by the power of electric motors and the energy density of batteries, and their moving speed often cannot meet the requirements of some scenarios that require high speed, such as rapid inspection, emergency rescue material transportation, etc. Although quadruped robots driven by hydraulic systems have certain advantages in strength and carrying capacity, the internal structure of the hydraulic system is usually complex, there is a risk of oil leakage, and the maintenance cost is high.

[0004] In addition, when facing some complex terrains, such as obstacles with large height difference, soft ground or water surface, etc., the passing ability of traditional quadruped robots is greatly limited. Even if they have certain obstacle crossing ability, they may not be able to pass smoothly due to too harsh terrain conditions, which greatly affects the working efficiency and application range of quadruped robots. SUMMARY

[0005] The purpose of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-legged robot with flight function to solve the above problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-legged robot with flight function, comprising a robot body and at least one engine, the robot body comprising a torso and a plurality of leg assemblies, the engine being arranged on the torso and / or the leg assemblies, the engine driving the robot body to realize flight function based on a predetermined direction.

[0007] In some embodiments, the engine is a jet engine.

[0008] In some embodiments, the leg assembly comprises a leg connecting piece, a thigh unit, a shank unit and a foot unit connected in sequence, one end of the thigh unit is rotationally connected with the side surface of the torso through the leg connecting piece, the other end of the thigh unit is rotationally connected with the shank unit, and the foot unit is fixedly connected with the shank unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the torso has a mounting groove arranged on the side near the front end, and the leg connector is rotatably arranged in the mounting groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the torso has a mounting boss arranged at the rear end, the mounting boss extending away from the torso, and the leg assembly is rotatably connected with the mounting boss.

[0011] In some embodiments, the foot unit is a foot or a wheel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the engine is arranged on the torso and on at least two opposite leg assemblies of the torso.

[0013] In some embodiments, the engine is rotatably arranged on the torso through a connector.

[0014] In some embodiments, the connector includes a first base arranged on the leg assembly, a first connecting seat rotatably arranged on the first base, and the engine arranged on the first connecting seat.

[0015] In some embodiments, the engines are independently controlled.

[0016] The disclosed embodiments enable the multi-legged robot to perform flight and work, to walk stably on the ground or to fly stably in the air, and to complete complex tasks, wherein the multi-legged robot can fly in multiple postures in the air, has strong maneuverability and multi-modal motion capability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments described in the present disclosure, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor under the premise of the drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 A perspective view of the multi-legged robot according to the disclosed embodiments;

[0019] Figure 2 A front view of the multi-legged robot according to the disclosed embodiments;

[0020] Figure 3 A side view of the multi-legged robot according to the disclosed embodiments;

[0021] Figure 4A bottom view of the multi-legged robot provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 5 A connection diagram of the engine in the multi-legged robot provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 6 A connection diagram of the engine in the multi-legged robot provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 7 A movement diagram of the multi-legged robot provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 8 A movement diagram of the multi-legged robot provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 9 A movement diagram of the multi-legged robot provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 10 A perspective structural diagram of the multi-legged robot provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 11 A front view of the multi-legged robot provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 12 A side view of the multi-legged robot provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Reference signs:

[0031] 1 - connecting piece; 11 - base; 12 - connecting seat; 100 - trunk part; 100a - front end; 100b - rear end; 101 - mounting groove; 102 - mounting boss; 200 - leg assembly; 201 - leg connecting piece; 202 - thigh unit; 203 - shank unit; 204 - foot unit; 300 - engine; 301 - engine body; 302 - engine mounting seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Various aspects and features of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] It should be understood that various modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplification of the embodiments. Other modifications within the scope and spirit of the disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the general description of the present disclosure given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0035] These and other characteristics of the present disclosure will become patently apparent as the description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0036] It is also to be understood that, while the present disclosure has been described in terms of certain specific examples, those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous other forms, modifications, and implementations of the present disclosure can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims.

[0037] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinafter with reference to the drawings; however, it will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, which can be implemented in numerous ways. Well-known and / or redundant functions and structures are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure unnecessarily. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not intended to limit the present disclosure, but merely as a basis for the claims and a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriate detailed structure.

[0039] The specification can use phrases such as "in one embodiment", "in another embodiment", "in yet another embodiment", or "in other embodiments", which can refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments under the present disclosure.

[0040] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-legged robot with flight function, which is mainly used to improve the passability of the robot in the application environment of complex terrain. As shown in Figures 1-12 The multi-legged robot includes a robot body capable of realizing a walking function and at least one engine 300 disposed on the robot body and capable of driving the robot body to realize a flight function.

[0041] Specifically, the engine 300 can be, for example, a jet engine, which is a high-efficiency power device with the advantages of high power density and strong thrust. The jet engine can preferably adopt a centrifugal turbojet engine, an axial turbojet engine, a turbofan engine, a propfan engine, a pulse pressure jet engine, a ramjet engine, etc., which can be combined with the robot body to drive the multi-legged robot to realize the flight function as a vector propeller.

[0042] The engine 300 arranged on the robot body can significantly improve the moving speed and the ability of crossing complex terrain of the multi-legged robot, and achieve stable suspension and flight of the multi-legged robot in the air while completing complex tasks. For example, in the scene where the multi-legged robot needs to move quickly to a specified position, the thrust generated by the jet engine can assist the multi-legged robot to achieve rapid movement; when encountering large obstacles or needing to cross special terrains such as water surface, the thrust of the jet engine can make the multi-legged robot realize actions such as jumping and floating, thereby smoothly passing through the obstacles, expanding the working range and application scenarios.

[0043] Further, the robot body includes a trunk 100 and a plurality of leg assemblies 200, wherein the leg assemblies 200 are used to realize the walking function of the robot body, and the engine 300 is arranged on the trunk 100 and / or the leg assemblies 200, so as to realize the pushing of the multi-legged robot at different positions.

[0044] The trunk 100 may, for example, be a plate-shaped or other shaped structure, which has a front end 100a and a rear end 100b. The front end 100a and / or the rear end 100b may, for example, be provided with different types or functions of detection devices, such as laser radar, camera, millimeter wave radar, etc. The plurality of leg assemblies 200 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the trunk 100 to ensure that the multi-legged robot can stand or walk stably.

[0045] It should be noted that the number of the leg assemblies 200 is even, and the number of the leg assemblies 200 can be determined according to requirements. For example, two or three leg assemblies 200 can be arranged on each side of the trunk 100, so that the multi-legged robot has four or six leg assemblies 200. Of course, other numbers of leg assemblies 200 can be arranged on the trunk 100. The number of the leg assemblies 200 can affect the standing stability or walking speed of the multi-legged robot. Preferably, two leg assemblies 200 are arranged on each side of the trunk 100 to form a quadruped robot.

[0046] Further, the leg assembly 200 comprises a leg connecting member 201, a thigh unit 202, a shank unit 203 and a foot unit 204 connected in sequence. The thigh unit 202 is rotatably connected between the leg connecting member 201 and the side surface of the trunk 100 at one end, and rotatably connected between the other end and the shank unit 203. The rotatable connection can be achieved by, for example, a shaft connection. The leg connecting member 201 preferably provides two degrees of freedom between the thigh unit 202 and the trunk 100, and the joint between the thigh unit 202 and the shank unit 203 provides one degree of freedom, so that the multi-legged robot can adapt to different environments and scenarios.

[0047] Further, the foot unit 204 is fixedly connected to the shank unit 203. The foot unit 204 can be a foot or a wheel. In one embodiment, the foot unit 204 is a foot, which can improve the stability of the multi-legged robot while allowing the multi-legged robot to stand. In another embodiment, the foot unit 204 is a wheel, which can allow the multi-legged robot to slide in a predetermined direction, thereby enriching the movement mode of the multi-legged robot.

[0048] The structure of the foot or the wheel allows the multi-legged robot to have multi-modal movement capabilities such as flying, walking, sliding and fast advancing. Especially when walking on rough and complex ground, the engine 300 assists the leg assembly 200 to improve the terrain passing ability of the multi-legged robot, while having multi-modal driving capability.

[0049] In order to arrange the leg assembly 200 on the trunk 100, in one embodiment, two mounting grooves 101 are symmetrically arranged on the side surface of the trunk 100 near the front end 100a. The leg connecting member 201 of the two leg assemblies 200 is rotatably arranged in the mounting groove 101, which can shorten the lateral dimension of the multi-legged robot and improve the structural compactness of the multi-legged robot.

[0050] In another embodiment, two mounting bosses 102 are symmetrically arranged on the rear end 100b of the trunk 100. The mounting bosses 102 extend away from the trunk 100. The leg assembly 200 can be rotatably connected to the mounting bosses 102, especially arranged on the outer side of the mounting bosses 102, which can also shorten the lateral dimension of the multi-legged robot and improve the structural compactness of the multi-legged robot.

[0051] Further, the engine 100 is rotatably mounted on the trunk 100 and / or the leg assembly 200 of the robot body, and the rotatable mounting of the engine 100 facilitates the engine 100 to provide driving force in a desired direction. In the embodiment, the specific mounting position and number of the engine 300 are not strictly limited.

[0052] The engine 100 is combined with the trunk 100 and / or the leg assembly 200 of the robot body. In particular, since the leg assembly 200 has multiple degrees of freedom relative to the trunk 100, a vector thruster relative to the centroid of the multi-legged robot can be formed. In addition, the engine 300 on the trunk 100 and the engine 300 on the leg assembly 200 can form multiple different vector thrusters, which can meet the complex requirements of various tasks in cooperation. Based on the engine 300 arranged at different positions on the trunk 100 and / or the leg assembly 200, the engines 300 work together to enable the multi-legged robot to fly in multiple attitudes in the air, with strong maneuverability.

[0053] In particular, in one embodiment, the engine 300 is arranged on two oppositely arranged leg assemblies 200 on the trunk 100, respectively. Preferably, the engine 300 can be arranged on all the leg assemblies 200. The corresponding drawings of the embodiment are only one specific case, and the engine 300 can be installed in any reasonable area of the relevant part.

[0054] Further, the engine 300 includes an engine body 301 and an engine mounting seat 302, and the engine 300 is arranged on the trunk 100 and / or the leg assembly 200 through the engine mounting seat 302.

[0055] The engine 300 is rotatably arranged on the trunk 100 through a first connecting piece 1, and the engine mounting seat 302 and the first connecting piece 1 rotate relative to each other, so that the engine 300 can rotate relative to the trunk 100. For the engine 300 arranged on the trunk 100, the first connecting piece 1 can make the engine 300 rotate relative to the trunk 100 to form a required vector thruster, thereby providing a pushing force based on a predetermined direction.

[0056] Specifically, the first connecting member 1 comprises a base 11 arranged on the trunk 100, and a connecting seat 12 rotatably arranged on the base 11, and the engine 300 is arranged on the connecting seat 12. The engine 300 is rotated relative to the base 11 through the connecting seat 12, so that the engine 300 is rotated relative to the trunk 100, thereby forming a pushing force in a predetermined direction, and the predetermined direction can be adjusted at any time.

[0057] The engine 300 can be directly arranged on the leg assembly 200, and can be arranged on the thigh unit 202, for example, the engine mounting seat 302 is arranged on the leg assembly 200, so that the leg assembly 200 moves in different directions based on the freedom degree to generate a pushing force in the corresponding direction. Specifically, the engine 300 arranged on the leg assembly 200 can generate a pushing force to form a vector thruster through the movement of the leg assembly 200, and the direction of the pushing force generated by the engine 300 can be changed based on the position and posture of the leg assembly 200, thereby being capable of cooperating with the movement of the leg assembly 200.

[0058] In another embodiment, the engine 300 can also be connected to the leg assembly 200 through a second connecting member, and the engine 300 is arranged on the leg assembly 200 through the second connecting member, and the engine 300 can be rotated relative to the leg assembly 200 based on the second connecting member 2, thereby providing a pushing force in a predetermined direction. Similar to the first connecting member 1, the second connecting member can also comprise a base arranged on the leg assembly 200, and a connecting seat rotatably arranged on the base, and the engine 300 is arranged on the connecting seat through the engine mounting seat 302. The engine 300 is rotated relative to the base through the connecting seat, so that the engine 300 is rotated relative to the leg assembly 200, thereby forming a pushing force in a predetermined direction, and the predetermined direction can be adjusted at any time, and can be independently adjusted based on the position and posture of the leg assembly 200, thereby enabling the multi-legged robot to adapt to as many scenes as possible.

[0059] In the above different embodiments, the engine 300 on the trunk 100 and / or the leg assembly 200 can be independently controlled to rotate, so that the engine 300 forms a pushing force in any predetermined direction.

[0060] The embodiment of the present disclosure sets the engine and realizes the cooperation of the vector propeller on the robot body, so that the multi-legged robot can consider flight and work, and complete complex tasks while walking stably on the ground or flying stably in the air, wherein various attitude flights can be realized in the air, and the multi-legged robot has strong maneuverability and multi-modal motion capability.

[0061] In addition, the features of the embodiments shown in the drawings or mentioned in the specification of the present application are not necessarily understood as independent embodiments from each other. Rather, each feature described in one example of an embodiment can be combined with one or more other desired features from other embodiments, thereby generating other embodiments not described in words or with reference to the drawings.

[0062] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, but not limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments can still be modified, or some technical features can be replaced equivalently; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A multi-legged robot having a flying function, characterized by, The robot comprises a robot body and at least one engine, the robot body comprises a trunk and a plurality of leg assemblies, the engine is arranged on the trunk and / or the leg assemblies, and the engine drives the robot body to realize a flying function based on a predetermined direction.

2. The multi-legged robot with flight function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The engine is a jet engine.

3. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 1, wherein, The leg assembly comprises a leg connecting piece, a thigh unit, a shank unit and a foot unit connected in sequence, one end of the thigh unit is rotatably connected with the side of the trunk through the leg connecting piece, the other end of the thigh unit is rotatably connected with the shank unit, and the foot unit is fixedly connected with the shank unit.

4. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 3, wherein, The trunk is provided with a mounting groove close to the side of the front end, and the leg connecting piece is rotatably arranged in the mounting groove.

5. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 3, wherein, The rear end of the trunk is provided with a mounting boss, the mounting boss extends away from the trunk, and the leg assembly is rotatably connected with the mounting boss.

6. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 3, wherein, The foot unit is a foot or a wheel.

7. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 1, wherein The trunk and at least two opposite leg assemblies arranged on the trunk are respectively provided with the engine.

8. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 1, wherein, The engine is rotatably arranged on the trunk through a connecting piece.

9. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 8, wherein, The connecting piece comprises a first base arranged on the leg assembly, a first connecting seat is rotatably arranged on the first base, and the engine is arranged on the first connecting seat.

10. The multi-legged robot having a flying function according to claim 1, wherein, The engines are independently controlled.

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