Mouth corner control device of simulation robot

Abstract

The invention provides a mouth corner control device of a simulation robot, which comprises a steering engine and a rocker arm connecting rod, and the output end of the steering engine is fixedly connected with the rocker arm connecting rod; the end, away from the steering engine, of the rocker arm connecting rod is fixedly connected with a traction mechanism. The traction mechanism is used for driving simulated skin at the mouth corner of the robot to move. The outer wall of the traction mechanism is slidably sleeved with a guide mechanism. A steel wire traction movement mode is adopted, the mouth space is saved, the movement amplitude is large, installation is convenient, and later maintenance is simple.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of simulation robots, in particular to a mouth corner control device of a simulation robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the field of simulation robots, the simulation of facial expressions is one of the key technologies, and the control of mouth corner movement directly affects the authenticity and naturalness of expressions. In the prior art, the control of the mouth corner of a simulation robot mostly adopts a connecting rod movement mode, such as the scheme disclosed in Chinese patent CN202422700735.7. This scheme realizes mouth corner movement by driving a connecting rod mechanism with a motor, but has the following shortcomings: the connecting rod mechanism has a complex structure and occupies a large space in the mouth, which limits the movement amplitude and angle; at the same time, due to the limited space in the mouth, the arrangement of the motor and the connecting rod further limits the activity range of the movement point, affecting the diversity of expressions. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a mouth corner control device that has a small space occupation, a large movement amplitude, a simple structure and is easy to maintain. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the above problems, the present application is proposed to provide a mouth corner control device of a simulation robot that overcomes the above problems or at least partially solves the above problems, comprising a steering wheel and a rocker connecting rod, the output end of the steering wheel being fixedly connected with the rocker connecting rod; One end of the rocker connecting rod away from the steering wheel is fixedly connected with a traction mechanism, and the traction mechanism is used to drive the simulation skin of the mouth corner of the robot to move; The outer wall of the traction mechanism is slidably sleeved with a guide mechanism.

[0004] Preferably, the traction mechanism comprises a moving block and a steel wire rope; One end of the steel wire rope is fixedly connected with the rocker connecting rod, and the other end is fixedly connected with the moving block; The moving block is fixedly connected with the simulation skin of the mouth corner of the robot, and is used to drive the movement of the mouth corner of the robot.

[0005] Preferably, the guide mechanism comprises a first guide pipe and a second guide pipe, and the first guide pipe and the second guide pipe are respectively slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the steel wire rope.

[0006] Preferably, the inner wall of the first guide pipe and the second guide pipe is provided with a low-friction material lining.

[0007] Preferably, it further comprises a control unit, the control unit being electrically connected with the steering wheel, and being used to control the rotation angle and speed of the output shaft of the steering wheel.

[0008] A head structure of a simulation robot, comprising a mouth corner control device as described in any one of the embodiments of the present application, a simulation skin and a shell. The corner of the mouth control device includes at least two, and the outer shell is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes for adjusting the facial expressions of the head structure, the number of adjustment holes being greater than the number of the corner of the mouth control device; One end of the traction mechanism that is connected to the simulated skin extends out from the adjustment hole and is connected to the simulated skin; The guiding mechanism is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing, and the servo motor is fixedly installed at the top inside the housing.

[0009] Preferably, a mounting base is fixedly provided at the inner top of the housing, and the servo motor is fixedly connected to the surface of the mounting base.

[0010] Preferably, the corner of the outer shell is provided with a groove, and the moving block is slidably connected to the groove.

[0011] Preferably, an eye plate is fixedly provided at the outer corner of the outer shell, and the eye plate is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the first guide tube.

[0012] Preferably, the cheek portion of the outer casing is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the second guide tube.

[0013] This application has the following advantages: In the embodiments of this application, addressing the shortcomings of existing linkage mechanisms which are complex in structure, occupy a large space in the mouth area, and thus limit the range and angle of movement, this application provides a mouth corner control device for a simulated robot, including a servo motor and a rocker arm linkage. The output end of the servo motor is fixedly connected to the rocker arm linkage; a traction mechanism is fixedly connected to the end of the rocker arm linkage away from the servo motor, and the traction mechanism is used to drive the simulated skin at the corner of the robot's mouth to move; a guide mechanism is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the traction mechanism. By placing the servo motor and its mounting base on the inner top of the housing, the installation position of the driving component is transferred from the space-constrained mouth area to the spacious top head area, effectively solving the technical problem of the original linkage mechanism accumulating in the mouth and occupying a large amount of effective space. This achieves the effect of releasing more space for the mouth corner movement point (moving block) and the deformation of the simulated skin, thus providing a physical basis for achieving a larger range and richer angle of mouth corner movement; by adopting a traction transmission scheme of "servo motor-rocker arm linkage-wire rope" to replace the complex multi-link mechanism, the problem of numerous parts, complex structure, and difficult assembly of traditional linkage mechanisms is effectively solved. The technical problem of easy wear and damage at joint connections has been solved, achieving the effects of simplifying the overall structure, reducing assembly difficulty, improving device reliability, and significantly reducing later maintenance costs. By setting up a guiding mechanism composed of a first guide tube and a second guide tube, and precisely guiding and constraining the path of the wire rope, the technical problem of low transmission efficiency and inaccurate movement caused by the wire rope potentially deviating, slackening, or interfering with the internal structure during transmission has been effectively solved. This ensures that the rotational power of the servo motor can be efficiently and accurately converted into the linear or predetermined trajectory movement of the mouth corner moving block, improving the accuracy and consistency of facial expression control. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the description of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0015] Fig. 1 This is a schematic diagram of a mouth corner control device for a simulation robot provided in one embodiment of this application; Fig. 2 This is a front view of the housing of a mouth corner control device for a simulation robot provided in one embodiment of this application; Fig. 3 This is a side view of the housing of a mouth corner control device for a simulation robot provided in one embodiment of this application; The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows: 100, outer casing; 200, mounting base; 300, servo motor; 400, rocker arm linkage; 500, traction mechanism; 510, moving block; 520, wire rope; 600, guiding mechanism; 610, first guide tube; 620, eye plate; 630, second guide tube. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0017] Through analysis of existing technologies, the inventors discovered that current linkage mechanisms are complex in structure, occupy a large amount of mouth space, and thus limit the range and angle of motion. Furthermore, due to the limited mouth space, the arrangement of the motor and linkages further restricts the range of motion of the movement points, affecting the diversity of facial expressions. Therefore, there is a need in this field for a mouth corner control device that occupies less space, has a large range of motion, a simple structure, and is easy to maintain.

[0018] Reference Figs. 1-3 This application illustrates a mouth corner control device for a simulated robot according to an embodiment of the present application. The simulated robot includes a shell 100, the surface of which is covered with simulated skin. Includes a fixing base 200, which is fixedly disposed at the inner top of the outer casing 100; Two servo motors 300 are symmetrically fixed to the surface of the mounting base 200, and the two servo motors 300 are respectively located above the eye of the housing 100; The ends of the two servo motors 300 that are far apart from each other are the output ends of the servo motors 300, and the output ends of the servo motors 300 are fixedly connected to the rocker arm linkage 400. A steel wire rope 520 is fixedly connected to one end of the rocker arm linkage 400 away from the servo motor 300, and the other end of the steel wire rope 520 away from the rocker arm linkage 400 is fixedly connected to the corner of the housing 100. The outer wall of the wire rope 520 is slidably fitted with a guide mechanism 600, which is fixedly connected to the outer shell 100.

[0019] In the embodiments of this application, in view of the shortcomings of existing linkage mechanisms which are complex in structure, occupy a large space in the mouth, and thus limit the range and angle of movement, this application provides a mouth corner control device for a simulated robot, including a servo motor 300 and a rocker arm linkage 400. The output end of the servo motor 300 is fixedly connected to the rocker arm linkage 400. A traction mechanism 500 is fixedly connected to the end of the rocker arm linkage 400 away from the servo motor 300. The traction mechanism 500 is used to drive the simulated skin of the robot's mouth corner to move. A guide mechanism 600 is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the traction mechanism 500. By placing the servo motor 300 and its mounting base 200 on the top interior of the housing 100, the installation position of the drive component is moved from the space-constrained mouth area to the spacious top head area. This effectively solves the technical problem of the original linkage mechanism accumulating in the mouth and occupying a large amount of usable space. It frees up more space for the mouth corner movement point (moving block 510) and the deformation of the simulated skin, thus providing a physical basis for achieving greater amplitude and richer angle mouth corner movements. Furthermore, by using a traction transmission scheme of "servo motor 300 - rocker arm linkage 400 - steel wire rope 520" to replace the complex multi-link mechanism, it effectively solves the problems of numerous parts, complex structure, and difficult assembly associated with traditional linkage mechanisms. The technical problem of easy wear and damage at joint connections has been solved, achieving the effects of simplifying the overall structure, reducing assembly difficulty, improving device reliability, and significantly reducing later maintenance costs. By setting up a guiding mechanism 600 composed of a first guide tube 610 and a second guide tube 630, and precisely guiding and constraining the path of the wire rope 520, the technical problem of low transmission efficiency and inaccurate movement caused by possible deviation, slackness, or interference with the internal structure of the wire rope 520 during transmission has been effectively solved. This ensures that the rotational power of the servo motor 300 can be efficiently and accurately converted into the linear or predetermined trajectory movement of the mouth corner moving block 510, improving the accuracy and consistency of facial expression control.

[0020] The following will further describe a mouth control device for a simulated robot in this exemplary embodiment.

[0021] It should be noted that, in any embodiment of this application, several of the aforementioned mouth corner control devices are symmetrically arranged inside the robot's skull shell 100. This arrangement allows for independent and coordinated control of the left and right mouth corners, enabling a rich combination of facial expressions such as smiling, pouting, and asymmetrical smiling, significantly improving the naturalness and complexity of the simulated robot's expressions.

[0022] In one embodiment of this application, the traction mechanism 500 includes a moving block 510 and a wire rope 520; One end of the wire rope 520 is fixedly connected to the rocker arm connecting rod 400, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving block 510; The movable block 510 is fixedly connected to the simulated skin at the corner of the robot's mouth, and is used to drive the movement of the robot's mouth corner.

[0023] It should be noted that the traction mechanism 500 is the core component for power transmission and motion execution. The moving block 510, as the endpoint of power transmission and the direct component for facial expression execution, ensures the stability of the motion trajectory through its sliding connection with the housing 100. When the servo motor 300 applies tension via the steel cable 520, the moving block 510 slides along a predetermined path, converting the linear traction force of the steel cable into precise and smooth displacement of the simulated skin at the corner of the mouth, avoiding dead points and motion interference caused by multi-joint movements in traditional linkage mechanisms.

[0024] In one specific implementation, the movable block 510 may be provided with a protruding slider that cooperates with the straight groove precisely machined on the inner side of the housing 100 to ensure that the movable block 510 always moves in a straight line in the set direction when it is pulled by the wire rope 520, thereby ensuring the symmetry and repeatability of the movement of the left and right corners of the mouth.

[0025] In one embodiment of this application, the guiding mechanism 600 includes a first guiding tube 610 and a second guiding tube 630, which are slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the wire rope 520.

[0026] It should be noted that the first guide tube 610 and the second guide tube 630 work together to form a precise, low-friction transmission path from the servo motor 300 to the corner of the mouth. The first guide tube 610 is typically located near the corner of the eye and is responsible for guiding the wire rope 520 from the top to the side of the face; the second guide tube 630 is located on the cheek and is responsible for a second turn, ultimately guiding the wire rope 520 to the moving block 510 at the corner of the mouth. This two-stage guide design ensures a smooth transmission path and avoids stress concentration and energy loss caused by sharp bends.

[0027] In one specific implementation, the first guide tube 610 is fixed in the mounting hole of the eye plate 620, and its outlet direction is precisely calculated so that the wire rope 520 is directed at the second guide tube 630 at the optimal angle towards the cheek. The inlet and outlet positions of the second guide tube 630 are also optimized so that the entire path of the wire rope 520 forms a smooth spatial curve, ensuring efficient and stable transmission.

[0028] In one embodiment of this application, the inner walls of the first guide tube 610 and the second guide tube 630 are provided with a low-friction material lining.

[0029] It should be noted that the main function of the low-friction material liner is to significantly reduce the frictional resistance and wear generated when the wire rope 520 reciprocates in the guide tube, thereby improving the transmission efficiency, making the power of the servo motor 300 more effectively converted into the movement of the mouth, and also greatly extending the service life of the wire rope 520 and the guide tube itself, reducing the maintenance frequency.

[0030] As an example, the low-friction material liner may be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), or an engineering plastic with self-lubricating properties.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, a control unit is further included. The control unit is electrically connected to the servo motor 300 and is used to control the rotation angle and speed of the output shaft of the servo motor 300.

[0032] It should be noted that the control unit is the "brain" of the device. Based on preset expression commands or real-time input signals (such as voice recognition and emotion algorithm output), it precisely controls the motion parameters (angle, speed, acceleration) of each servo motor 300, thereby driving the corners of the mouth to make expected amplitude, speed and dynamic expression changes, achieving a smooth transition from a static smile to a dynamic laugh.

[0033] As an example, the control unit can be a functional module in the robot's main controller (such as an MCU or SOC) or a standalone servo motor control board.

[0034] In one specific implementation, the control unit sends PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signals to the servo motors 300. For example, to simulate a natural smile, the control unit can control the left and right servo motors 300 to rotate to a predetermined angle at a specific speed and acceleration, and hold them in this position for a period of time, thereby achieving a smooth upward and sustained upward turn of the corners of the mouth; to make a pouting expression, the control unit controls the servo motor 300 on one side to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0035] In one embodiment of this application, a head structure for a simulated robot is provided, including a mouth corner control device as described in any embodiment of this application, simulated skin, and a shell 100; The corner of the mouth control device includes at least two, and the outer shell 100 is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes for adjusting the facial expressions of the head structure, the number of adjustment holes being greater than the number of the corner of the mouth control device; One end of the traction mechanism 500 that is connected to the simulated skin extends out from the adjustment hole and is connected to the simulated skin; The guide mechanism 600 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing 100, and the servo motor 300 is fixedly installed at the top inside the housing 100.

[0036] As an example, in addition to the two adjustment holes for the corners of the mouth, the housing 100 can also have additional adjustment holes for the forehead, nostrils, etc., to accommodate other micro-drive mechanisms for controlling a wider range of facial expressions.

[0037] In one specific implementation, during assembly, workers can choose to pass the end of the traction mechanism 500 (moving block 510) through a specific adjustment hole and connect it to the simulated skin, as needed. This design improves production and subsequent maintenance flexibility, allowing the expression mechanism to be adjusted or repaired without replacing major structural components.

[0038] In one embodiment of this application, a mounting base 200 is fixedly provided at the top inner end of the housing 100, and the servo motor 300 is fixedly connected to the surface of the mounting base 200.

[0039] It should be noted that the mounting base 200 is the mounting base for the servo motor 300, and its structural strength and installation accuracy directly affect the stability of the entire transmission system. Concentrating the servo motors 300 on the mounting base 200 on the top of the headstock not only makes full use of the space there, but also makes wiring, heat dissipation, and maintenance more convenient.

[0040] As an example, the mounting base 200 can be a platform integrally formed with the housing 100, or it can be a separate component that is detachably mounted inside the housing 100 by screws or clips.

[0041] In one specific implementation, the mounting base 200 is designed with a groove or mounting hole that matches the shape of the bottom of the servo motor 300, and the servo motor 300 is firmly locked with screws to prevent it from shifting due to vibration during operation and to ensure that the origin position of the power output remains constant.

[0042] In one embodiment of this application, a groove (not shown in the figure) is provided at the corner of the outer shell 100, and the moving block 510 is slidably connected to the groove.

[0043] It should be noted that the groove provides a precise motion track and reliable support for the moving block 510. This interlocking sliding pair not only restricts the degree of freedom of the moving block 510, allowing it to move only in a single direction (usually diagonally upward or horizontally to simulate the lifting of the corners of the mouth), but also improves the rigidity and stability of the entire transmission system, ensuring clean and crisp facial expressions.

[0044] As an example, the cross-sectional shape of the chute can be "T" shaped, "swallowtail" shaped, or a simple rectangle.

[0045] In one specific implementation, a "T"-shaped groove is used in conjunction with a corresponding "T"-shaped slider on the moving block 510. This effectively prevents the moving block 510 from detaching from the track during movement, improving the reliability and service life of the device. The inner wall of the groove should be kept smooth; if necessary, a small amount of lubricant can be applied to reduce friction.

[0046] In one embodiment of this application, an eye plate 620 is fixedly provided at the outer corner of the outer shell 100, and the eye plate 620 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the first guide tube 610.

[0047] It should be noted that the eye plate 620 is a multifunctional connecting component, serving as part of the robot's "eye socket" structure, providing support and shaping; simultaneously, the eye plate 620 also provides a robust and precisely positioned mounting point for the first guide tube 610. Fixing the first guide tube 610 to the eye plate 620 ensures the stability of the first turning point of the steel cable 520 from the top of the head to the face, which is crucial for ensuring the symmetry of the transmission on both sides.

[0048] As an example, the eye plate 620 can be integrally injection molded with the housing 100, or it can be fixed to the housing 100 by screws. The first guide tube 610 can be fixed in the reserved hole of the eye plate 620 by interference fit, adhesive or snap-fit.

[0049] In one specific implementation, the guide tube mounting hole on the eye plate 620 was designed with the spatial geometric relationship between the servo motor 300 rocker arm and the inlet of the second guide tube 630 in mind, ensuring that the natural bending radius formed after the wire rope 520 passes through is within a reasonable range and avoiding excessive bending.

[0050] In one embodiment of this application, the cheek portion of the outer casing 100 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the second guide tube 630.

[0051] It should be noted that by directly fixing the second guide tube 630 to the inner wall of the cheek of the outer casing 100, the final segment of the transmission path is fixed. This positioning ensures that the final ejection direction of the wire rope 520 is directly aligned with the moving block 510 at the corner of the mouth, minimizing the length of the free segment in the transmission path and improving the directness and response speed of the transmission.

[0052] As an example, the second guide tube 630 can be fixed to a specific location on the inner wall of the housing 100 by means of heat fusion, adhesive, or the use of small brackets and screws.

[0053] Although preferred embodiments of the present application have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or terminal device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or terminal device. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or terminal device that includes said element.

[0055] The above provides a detailed description of a mouth control device for a simulated robot provided in this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A mouth corner control device for a simulated robot, characterized in that: It includes a servo motor and a rocker arm linkage, wherein the output end of the servo motor is fixedly connected to the rocker arm linkage; The rocker arm linkage is fixedly connected to a traction mechanism at the end away from the servo motor. The traction mechanism is used to move the simulated skin at the corner of the robot's mouth. The outer wall of the traction mechanism is fitted with a guide mechanism.

2. The mouth corner control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traction mechanism includes a moving block and a steel wire rope; One end of the wire rope is fixedly connected to the rocker arm connecting rod, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving block; The movable block is fixedly connected to the simulated skin at the corner of the robot's mouth, and is used to drive the movement of the robot's mouth corner.

3. The mouth corner control device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The guiding mechanism includes a first guide tube and a second guide tube, which are slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the wire rope.

4. The mouth corner control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner walls of the first guide tube and the second guide tube are provided with a low-friction material lining.

5. The mouth corner control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a control unit, which is electrically connected to the servo motor and is used to control the rotation angle and speed of the servo motor output shaft.

6. A head structure for a simulated robot, characterized in that, Includes the mouth corner control device as described in claims 1-5, simulated skin, and a shell; The corner of the mouth control device includes at least two, and the outer shell is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes for adjusting the facial expressions of the head structure, the number of adjustment holes being greater than the number of the corner of the mouth control device; One end of the traction mechanism that is connected to the simulated skin extends out from the adjustment hole and is connected to the simulated skin; The guiding mechanism is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing, and the servo motor is fixedly installed at the top inside the housing.

7. The head structure of the simulated robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: A mounting base is fixedly installed at the top of the inner part of the housing, and the servo motor is fixedly connected to the surface of the mounting base.

8. The head structure of the simulated robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The outer shell has a groove at the corner, and the moving block is slidably connected to the groove.

9. The head structure of the simulated robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: An eye plate is fixedly installed at the outer corner of the outer shell, and the eye plate is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the first guide tube.

10. The head structure of the simulated robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cheek portion of the outer casing is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the second guide tube.

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