Stair climbing robot and stair climbing control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a stair climbing robot and a stair climbing control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of robots. Comprising a machine body, a first climbing assembly, a second climbing assembly, a control assembly and a power supply; the machine body comprises a frame body, two optical axis sets are vertically arranged on the frame body, and a climbing driving assembly, a frame body driving assembly and a clamping base used for installing a dust suction device are arranged at the bottom of the frame body; the first climbing assembly is connected with the machine body through one optical axis set, the second climbing assembly is connected with the machine body through the other optical axis set, and the first climbing assembly and the second climbing assembly can move in the height direction of the optical axis sets. The climbing driving assembly is used for controlling the first climbing assembly and the second climbing assembly to move; the first climbing assembly and the second climbing assembly are each provided with a horizontal driving assembly and a sensing assembly. The stair climbing robot is novel in structure, easy to control, high in stability and capable of stably, rapidly and efficiently achieving continuous lifting or descending of multiple steps and achieving the function of going up and down stairs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, specifically to a stair-climbing robot and its stair-climbing control method. Background Technology

[0002] Against the backdrop of rapid social development, an aging population, and increasingly diversified urban spaces, the demand for mobile robots in complex environments, especially stairwells, is becoming increasingly urgent. Traditional mobile robots suffer from insufficient power and poor climbing stability, making them unable to meet practical application requirements.

[0003] Looking at international research on wheeled stair-climbing robots, both domestic and international wheeled stair-climbing robots have their own advantages in terms of modularity, intelligent control, and structural innovation. For example, the high wheel height of MIT, the complex ground stability control of ETH Zurich, the complex terrain adaptability of Colorado State University, and the multi-mode switching of Jiangxi University of Science and Technology and the staircase adaptability and structural stability of the Hans Publishers research team in China. However, all of them share obvious shortcomings: In terms of floor cleaning, the core design of all robots focuses on mobility and stair-climbing capabilities, lacking integrated cleaning components such as sweeping brushes and vacuuming devices, and also failing to reserve interfaces for cleaning modules and design-related control logic. This makes it impossible to complete floor cleaning operations simultaneously, requiring additional cleaning equipment or manual labor, increasing usage costs and complexity. Regarding lateral movement across stairs, foreign robots, such as the MIT model, lack structural and control designs for lateral movement within the stair plane. The ETH Zurich model suffers from insufficient balance and precision during lateral movement due to its control logic prioritizing stability on ascending and descending stairs. The Colorado State University model exhibits slow lateral movement response and low precision due to its drive and control characteristics. The domestic Jiangxi University of Science and Technology model is constrained by stair edges and suffers from insufficient differential speed control precision, leading to frequent jamming. The Hans Publishing research team's model, due to poor modular coordination and insufficient lateral drive force, struggles to achieve flexible, precise, and safe lateral movement on stairs, failing to meet the position adjustment requirements in complex scenarios. Therefore, there is an urgent need to research a new type of wheeled stair-climbing robot to adapt to the operational requirements of complex environments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a stair-climbing robot and its stair-climbing control method, which addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies and solves the problems mentioned in the background.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A stair-climbing robot includes a body, a first climbing component, a second climbing component, a control component, and a power supply.

[0007] The machine body includes a frame, on which two sets of optical axis groups are vertically arranged. At the bottom of the frame are a climbing drive assembly, a frame drive assembly, and a mounting bracket for installing a vacuuming device.

[0008] The first climbing component is connected to the body via a set of optical axes, and the second climbing component is connected to the body via another set of optical axes. The first and second climbing components can move along the height direction of the optical axes. The climbing drive component is used to control the movement of the first and second climbing components.

[0009] Both the first and second climbing components are equipped with horizontal drive components and sensing components.

[0010] The control component is electrically connected to the climbing drive component, the horizontal drive component, and the sensing component;

[0011] The power supply and control components, the climbing drive components, the horizontal drive components, and the sensing components are electrically connected.

[0012] Furthermore, the first climbing component includes two η-shaped support frames and a connecting rod. The support frame includes a front support portion and a rear support portion, the length of the front support portion being shorter than the length of the rear support portion. The two support frames are fixedly connected by the connecting rod.

[0013] Both the lower ends of the front and rear support sections are equipped with horizontal drive components and sensing components.

[0014] Furthermore, the second climbing component has the same structure as the first climbing component.

[0015] Furthermore, the climbing drive assembly includes a drive motor and a transmission assembly. One end of the transmission assembly is connected to the top of the frame, and the other end of the transmission assembly is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor. The transmission assembly is fixedly connected to the support frame.

[0016] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes a driving gear, a driven gear, a closed flexible rack and pinion track, and a fixing member. The driving gear is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor, the driven gear is mounted on the top of the frame, the closed flexible rack and pinion track meshes with the driving gear and the driven gear, and is fixedly connected to the support frame through the fixing member.

[0017] Furthermore, the frame drive assembly consists of multiple first drive wheels equipped with motors.

[0018] Furthermore, the horizontal drive assembly includes a second drive wheel with a motor and a driven wheel. The second drive wheel is located at the lower end of the front support portion of the first climbing assembly and the lower end of the rear support portion of the second climbing assembly; the driven wheel is located at the lower end of the rear support portion of the first climbing assembly and the lower end of the front support portion of the second climbing assembly.

[0019] Furthermore, the sensing components consist of multiple infrared sensors.

[0020] A stair-climbing robot stair-climbing control method includes:

[0021] The first and second climbing components move up and down along the optical axis under the drive of the climbing drive component, or move horizontally under the drive of the frame drive component and the horizontal drive component.

[0022] In the initial state, the second drive wheel and the first drive wheel on the second climbing component are in contact with the ground. When the sensing component on the front support of the first climbing component detects a step, the control component manipulates the climbing drive component to drive the first climbing component to rise at least one step. The first drive wheel works to make the stair climbing robot move forward until the second drive wheel on the first climbing component is on the step plane. The climbing drive component continues to run to drive the frame to rise to a certain height. The second drive wheel on the first climbing component and the second drive wheel on the second climbing component bear the entire load and control the second drive wheel on the second climbing component to move forward.

[0023] When the sensing component on the front support of the first climbing component detects the second step, the climbing drive component drives the first climbing component to rise to the same height as the second step, at which point the second climbing component bears the entire load. The control component controls the second drive wheel on the second climbing component to move forward until the second drive wheel of the first climbing component is above the second step. The climbing drive component continues to operate, driving the second climbing component and the frame to rise to a certain height. At this point, the first climbing component bears the entire load, and the second drive wheel on the first climbing component moves forward.

[0024] When the sensor on the front support of the first climbing component detects the third step, the second climbing component and the first climbing component work together to support it. The second drive wheel of the first climbing component rises to the same height as the third step. The second drive wheel on the second climbing component moves forward, and this cycle continues until the top of the stairs is reached.

[0025] This invention has at least the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0026] The stair-climbing robot designed in this invention features a novel structure, simple control, and high reliability and stability. This robot has the ability to move vertically and vertically in three separate parts. Two sets of climbing drive components and the first and second climbing components alternately support and translate, enabling smooth, rapid, and efficient continuous lifting or lowering of multiple steps to complete the function of going up and down stairs. Furthermore, a dust-collecting device installed at the bottom allows for thorough cleaning and removal of debris from the stairs. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a stair-climbing robot and its stair-climbing control method provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second climbing component provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the first climbing component and the second climbing component provided by the present invention mounted on the optical axis assembly;

[0031] Figure 4 The overall block diagram of the hardware system of the stair-climbing robot provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 The overall block diagram of the software system for the stair-climbing robot provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 The flowchart of the stair-climbing robot provided by the present invention.

[0034] Icons: 100, Body; 101, Frame; 103, Optical Axis Assembly; 105, Frame Drive Assembly; 107, Optical Axis Lead Screw; 200, First Climbing Assembly; 201, Support Frame; 203, Connecting Rod; 205, Front Support Part; 207, Rear Support Part; 300, Second Climbing Assembly; 400, Control Assembly; 500, Climbing Drive Assembly; 501, Drive Motor; 503, Transmission Assembly; 505, Drive Gear; 507, Driven Gear; 509, Closed Flexible Rack and Pinion Track; 511, Fixing Component; 600, Horizontal Drive Assembly; 601, Second Drive Wheel; 603, Driven Wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1As shown, a stair-climbing robot includes a body 100, a first climbing component 200, a second climbing component 300, a control component 400, and a power supply. The body 100 includes a frame 101 and two vertically arranged optical axis groups 103 on the frame 101. The bottom of the frame 101 is provided with a climbing drive component 500, a frame drive component 105, and a mounting bracket for a vacuum cleaner. In this embodiment, the frame drive component 105 consists of multiple first drive wheels equipped with motors, and the first drive wheels are Mechlam wheels. The mounting bracket for the vacuum cleaner includes a fixing plate for placing the vacuum cleaner and a vacuum tray. The fixing plate secures the vacuum cleaner using a combination of a telescopic strap and buckles. The vacuum tray has an installation port and a suction port, which are connected. After the vacuum cleaner's suction pipe is connected to the installation port of the vacuum tray, the vacuum cleaner can be manually started and stopped. The suction port faces the ground and serves as the dust inlet.

[0037] The first climbing component 200 is connected to the body 100 via a set of optical axes 103, and the second climbing component 300 is connected to the body 100 via another set of optical axes 103. Both the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300 can move along the height direction of the optical axes 103 to which they are connected. The climbing drive component 500 is used to control the movement of the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300.

[0038] In addition, a horizontal drive component 600 and a sensing component are provided on both the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300. The horizontal drive component 600 can contact the ground, thereby driving the stair-climbing robot to move horizontally. The sensing component consists of multiple infrared sensors. In this embodiment, a Sharp GP2Y0A21YK0F infrared sensor is selected, which can stably measure distances of 10-80cm and output an analog voltage signal. It is used to detect the position information of the steps. In other embodiments, multiple infrared sensors can also be installed as needed, such as at the bottom and sides of the frame 101.

[0039] The control component 400 is electrically connected to the frame drive component 105, the climbing drive component 500, the horizontal drive component 600, and the sensing component. The control component 400 can control the operation of the frame drive component 105, the climbing drive component 500, and the horizontal drive component 600, and can receive the step information collected by the sensing component.

[0040] The power supply is electrically connected to the frame drive assembly 105, control assembly 400, climbing drive assembly 500, horizontal drive assembly 600 and sensing assembly, and is used to supply power to the above-mentioned components.

[0041] Please refer to Figure 2As shown, the first climbing component 200 includes two η-shaped support frames 201 and a connecting rod 203, with the two support frames 201 fixedly connected by the connecting rod 203. Specifically, each support frame 201 includes a front support portion 205 and a rear support portion 207, with the length of the front support portion 205 being shorter than the length of the rear support portion 207. When the stair-climbing robot ascends a staircase, the front support portion 205 is initially positioned above the step.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 3 As shown, the second climbing component 300 has the same structure as the first climbing component 200. However, in this embodiment, the width of the second climbing component 300 is smaller than the width of the first climbing component 200. That is, when the second climbing component 300 and the first climbing component 200 are installed in place, a part of the second climbing component 300 is located in the first climbing component 200.

[0043] Please refer to this again. Figure 2 or Figure 3 As shown, a horizontal drive assembly 600 and a sensing assembly are respectively provided at the lower ends of the front support portion 205 and the rear support portion 207 of the first climbing assembly 200 and the second climbing assembly 300. The horizontal drive assembly 600 includes a second drive wheel 601 with a motor and a driven wheel 603. The second drive wheel 601 is located at the lower end of the front support portion 205 of the first climbing assembly 200 and the lower end of the rear support portion 207 of the second climbing assembly 300. The driven wheel 603 is located at the lower end of the rear support portion 207 of the first climbing assembly 200 and the lower end of the front support portion 205 of the second climbing assembly 300. The second drive wheel 601 is a Mechlam wheel, and the driven wheel 603 is a bullseye wheel. When the lower end of the first climbing assembly 200 or the second climbing assembly 300 contacts the ground or the surface of the step, the control assembly 400 can control the second drive wheel 601 to work, thereby enabling the stair-climbing robot to move horizontally.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 As shown, the optical axis assembly 103 is provided in two sets, each set including four optical axis lead screws 107. Both ends of the eight optical axis lead screws 107 are fixedly connected to the top and bottom of the frame 101, respectively. One set of optical axis lead screws 107 is slidably connected to the two support frames 201 of the first climbing component 200, and the other set of optical axis lead screws 107 is slidably connected to the two support frames 201 of the second climbing component 300. The two sets of optical axis assemblies 103 provide smooth guidance for the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300, ensuring their linear movement.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1As shown, the climbing drive assembly 500 includes a drive motor 501 and a transmission assembly 503. The transmission assembly 503 includes a drive gear 505, a driven gear 507, a closed flexible rack and pinion track 509, and a fixing member 511. The drive gear 505 is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor 501, the driven gear 507 is mounted on the top of the frame 101, the closed flexible rack and pinion track 509 meshes with the drive gear 505 and the driven gear 507, and the fixing member 511 is fixedly connected to the support frame 201 and clamps and fixes the closed flexible rack and pinion track 509, thereby fixing the support frame 201 to the closed flexible rack and pinion track 509. The drive motor 501 is a stepper motor. When the drive motor 501 is running, the drive gear rotates, and drives the driven gear 505 to rotate through the closed flexible rack and pinion track 509. When the closed flexible rack and pinion track 509 moves, it drives the support frame 201, which is fixedly connected to it, to move along the height direction of the optical axis group 103, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300. It should be noted that in order to ensure that the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300 do not deviate during the lifting and lowering process, the climbing drive component 500 is provided in 4 sets, and each set of climbing drive components 500 is fixedly connected to a support frame 201.

[0046] Preferably, an ultrasonic ranging module is also installed on the front support 205 and the rear support 207. The ultrasonic ranging module is used to detect the distance between the front support 205 or the rear support 207 and the side facade of the step, and the width of the step surface. The ultrasonic ranging module is electrically connected to the control component 400.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the control component 400 consists of a main controller, motor drivers, transceiver modules, and related peripheral circuits. In this embodiment, an STM32F407VE is used as the main control chip, with a Cortex-M4 core and a main frequency of 168MHz, paired with an L298N dual-channel drive module, infrared sensors, and other hardware devices. On the software side, a stair recognition algorithm and a classic PID control algorithm are used, combined with the I2C communication protocol to achieve efficient and stable data transmission between modules. A three-stage stair-climbing gait planning algorithm is designed, and the internal and external environment is detected in the timer interrupt, outputting the corresponding stair-climbing control signal to ensure precise control of the robot and ultimately complete the robot's stair-climbing operation. Furthermore, an L298N motor driver chip is used to drive each DC geared motor. This is a dual full-bridge high-voltage, high-current general-purpose driver capable of driving two DC motors. The L298N chip integrates a dual full-bridge high-voltage, high-current circuit, which can control the motor's forward and reverse rotation, braking, and speed regulation functions through high and low voltage logic levels. The power module circuit uses a 24V lithium battery to power the lithium battery. The voltage is reduced to 5V by the LM2596 step-down chip to power the L298N motor drive module, infrared sensor and other circuits. The voltage is reduced to 3.3V by the 662K voltage regulator chip to power the main control chip STM32F407VE.

[0048] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the distance between the front support portion 205 and the rear support portion 207 on the same support frame 201 is fixed. In other embodiments, the distance between the front support portion 205 and the rear support portion 207 can also be changed by setting a device such as an electric telescopic rod, that is, the front support portion 205 and the rear support portion 207 on the same side of the same support frame 201 are connected by a telescopic device. This allows it to accommodate step widths of different widths.

[0049] Furthermore, the stair-climbing robot can adapt to the height of the steps. Infrared sensors can measure the distance between the second drive wheel 601 and the driven wheel 603 and the step plane or ground. The control component 400 can control the climbing drive component 500 to adjust the height of the first climbing component 200 and the second climbing component 300 based on the measurement data, so that the second drive wheel 601 and the driven wheel 603 contact the step plane or ground when needed, ensuring the stability of the stair-climbing robot. Further, infrared sensors installed on both sides of the bottom of the frame 101 can also measure the distance between the frame 101 and the sides of the stairs, the edge of the stairs, and the distance to obstacles. In conjunction with the second drive wheel 601 (McLam wheel), the control component 400 can control the second drive wheel 601 to complete compound movements forward, backward, left, and right on the steps, allowing the suction disc to move to various parts of the step plane, thereby improving the cleaning accuracy and efficiency of the stair-climbing robot.

[0050] A stair-climbing robot stair-climbing control method includes:

[0051] The first and second climbing components move up and down along the optical axis under the drive of the climbing drive component, or move horizontally under the drive of the frame drive component and the horizontal drive component.

[0052] In the initial state, the second drive wheel and the first drive wheel on the second climbing component are in contact with the ground. When the sensing component on the front support of the first climbing component detects a step, the control component manipulates the climbing drive component to drive the first climbing component to rise at least one step. The first drive wheel works to make the stair climbing robot move forward until the second drive wheel on the first climbing component is on the step plane. The climbing drive component continues to run to drive the frame to rise to a certain height. The second drive wheel on the first climbing component and the second drive wheel on the second climbing component bear the entire load and control the second drive wheel on the second climbing component to move forward.

[0053] When the sensing component on the front support of the first climbing component detects the second step, the climbing drive component drives the first climbing component to rise to the same height as the second step, at which point the second climbing component bears the entire load. The control component controls the second drive wheel on the second climbing component to move forward until the second drive wheel of the first climbing component is above the second step. The climbing drive component continues to operate, driving the second climbing component and the frame to rise to a certain height. At this point, the first climbing component bears the entire load, and the second drive wheel on the first climbing component moves forward.

[0054] When the sensor on the front support of the first climbing component detects the third step, the second climbing component and the first climbing component work together to support it. The second drive wheel of the first climbing component rises to the same height as the third step. The second drive wheel on the second climbing component moves forward, and this cycle continues until the top of the stairs is reached.

[0055] It should be noted that since both the first and second climbing components are equipped with multiple sensors, the control component will prioritize the signal transmitted by the sensor closest to the sidewall of the step as the execution signal. For example, when the first climbing component is under load, the control component will process the signal from whichever sensor—either the sensor at the second drive wheel of the second climbing component or the sensor at the driven wheel of the second climbing component—detects the sidewall of the step, and issue a command to lift the second climbing component.

[0056] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stair-climbing robot, characterized in that, It includes the main body, the first climbing assembly, the second climbing assembly, the control assembly, and the power supply; The machine body includes a frame and two sets of optical axis groups vertically arranged on the frame. The bottom of the frame is provided with a climbing drive assembly, a frame drive assembly and a bracket for installing a vacuuming device. The first climbing component is connected to the body via a set of optical axes, and the second climbing component is connected to the body via another set of optical axes. The first climbing component and the second climbing component are capable of moving along the height direction of the optical axes. The climbing drive component is used to control the movement of the first climbing component and the second climbing component. Both the first climbing component and the second climbing component are equipped with a horizontal drive component and a sensing component; The control component is electrically connected to the climbing drive component, the horizontal drive component, and the sensing component; The power supply is electrically connected to the control component, the climbing drive component, the horizontal drive component, and the sensing component.

2. The stair-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first climbing assembly includes two η-shaped support frames and a connecting rod. Each support frame includes a front support portion and a rear support portion. The length of the front support portion is shorter than the length of the rear support portion. The two support frames are fixedly connected by the connecting rod. The horizontal drive assembly and the sensing assembly are both provided at the lower ends of the front support and the rear support.

3. A stair-climbing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second climbing component has the same structure as the first climbing component.

4. A stair-climbing robot according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The climbing drive assembly includes a drive motor and a transmission assembly. One end of the transmission assembly is connected to the top of the frame, and the other end of the transmission assembly is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor. The transmission assembly is fixedly connected to the support frame.

5. A stair-climbing robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes a driving gear, a driven gear, a closed flexible rack and pinion track, and a fixing member. The driving gear is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor, the driven gear is mounted on the top of the frame, the closed flexible rack and pinion track meshes with the driving gear and the driven gear, and is fixedly connected to the support frame through the fixing member.

6. A stair-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame drive assembly consists of multiple first drive wheels equipped with motors.

7. A stair-climbing robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The horizontal drive assembly includes a second drive wheel with a motor and a driven wheel. The second drive wheel is disposed at the lower end of the front support portion of the first climbing assembly and the lower end of the rear support portion of the second climbing assembly; the driven wheel is disposed at the lower end of the rear support portion of the first climbing assembly and the lower end of the front support portion of the second climbing assembly.

8. A stair-climbing robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sensing components consist of multiple infrared sensors.

9. A stair-climbing robot's stair-climbing control method, characterized in that, include: The first and second climbing components move up and down along the optical axis group under the drive of the climbing drive component, or move horizontally under the drive of the frame drive component and the horizontal drive component. In the initial state, the second drive wheel and the first drive wheel on the second climbing component are in contact with the ground. When the sensing component on the front support of the first climbing component detects a step, the control component manipulates the climbing drive component to drive the first climbing component to rise at least one step. The first drive wheel works to make the stair climbing robot move forward until the second drive wheel on the first climbing component is on the step plane. The climbing drive component continues to run to drive the frame to rise to a certain height. The second drive wheel on the first climbing component and the second drive wheel on the second climbing component bear the entire load and control the second drive wheel on the second climbing component to move forward. When the sensing component on the front support of the first climbing component detects the second step, the climbing drive component drives the first climbing component to rise to the same height as the second step, at which point the second climbing component bears the entire load. The control component controls the second drive wheel on the second climbing component to move forward until the second drive wheel of the first climbing component is above the second step. The climbing drive component continues to operate, driving the second climbing component and the frame to rise to a certain height. At this point, the first climbing component bears the entire load, and the second drive wheel on the first climbing component moves forward. When the sensor on the front support of the first climbing component detects the third step, the second climbing component and the first climbing component work together to support it. The second drive wheel of the first climbing component rises to the same height as the third step. The second drive wheel on the second climbing component moves forward, and this cycle continues until the top of the stairs is reached.

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