Bionic neck elastic connecting structure of humanoid simulation robot

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of bionic robots, and provides a bionic neck elastic connecting structure of a simulated humanoid robot, which comprises a latticed supporting structure arranged around the periphery of a cervical vertebra bionic section, and a spiral elastic assembly arranged between the cervical vertebra bionic section and the latticed supporting structure; the spiral elastic assembly comprises round strip spiral units and flat strip spiral units which are arranged around the periphery of the cervical vertebra bionic section and are alternately arranged; each spiral ring of the round bar spiral units and each spiral ring of the flat bar spiral units are connected with the latticed supporting structure through a plurality of connecting pieces. The composite elasticity of neck muscles and ligaments is simulated, the round bar spiral unit mainly provides radial support and torsion restoring force, the flat bar spiral unit provides higher bending rigidity and stable lateral support during bending, and the round bar spiral unit and the flat bar spiral unit work cooperatively to realize complex nonlinear rigidity and multi-degree-of-freedom movement close to the neck of a human body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of biomimetic robot technology, specifically, it relates to a biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of humanoid robot technology, the requirements for its anthropomorphic movement performance and interactive safety are increasing. As a key part connecting the head and torso, the robot's neck directly affects the robot's overall performance in terms of flexibility, cushioning ability and naturalness of movement.

[0003] In existing technologies, the neck structure of robots mostly adopts rigid servo motor direct drive or simple spring damping mechanism; the former has stiff movement, lacks buffering and has poor safety, while the latter can provide a certain degree of elasticity, but often has simple damping characteristics, which makes it difficult to simulate the complex biomechanical characteristics of the human neck with multiple degrees of freedom and nonlinear stiffness, and is prone to instability or unnatural vibration when subjected to multi-directional loads. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot, so as to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot includes a mesh-like support structure surrounding the periphery of a biomimetic cervical segment, and a helical elastic component disposed between the biomimetic cervical segment and the mesh-like support structure. The helical elastic component includes circular helical units and flat helical units arranged alternately around the periphery of the biomimetic cervical segment. Each spiral coil of the circular and flat helical units is connected to the mesh-like support structure through multiple connectors, and all the connectors are spaced apart along the axial direction of the biomimetic cervical segment.

[0006] Preferably, the connector includes a connecting rod with one end fixedly connected to the grid-like support structure, and a collar disposed at the other end of the connecting rod, wherein the collar is sleeved on the spiral ring of the round bar spiral unit or the flat bar spiral unit.

[0007] Preferably, the round bar spiral unit is made of round bar elastic wire, and the flat bar spiral unit is made of flat bar elastic wire.

[0008] Preferably, the cross-sectional dimensions of the wires of the circular spiral unit and the flat spiral unit gradually increase from top to bottom along the axial direction of the cervical bionic segment.

[0009] Preferably, the spiral direction of the circular spiral unit is opposite to that of the flat spiral unit.

[0010] Preferably, the cervical bionic segment is mainly composed of multiple bionic vertebrae connected in series by flexible connectors.

[0011] Preferably, the mesh support structure is funnel-shaped, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, and includes several mesh units.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) The present invention includes a mesh-like support structure and a spiral elastic component on the outside of the bionic segment of the cervical spine, which simulates the composite elasticity of the neck muscles and ligaments. The circular spiral unit mainly provides radial support and torsional recovery force, while the flat spiral unit provides greater bending stiffness and stable lateral support when bending. The two work together to achieve complex nonlinear stiffness and multi-degree-of-freedom movement close to that of the human neck.

[0013] (2) In this invention, the circular bar spiral unit and the flat bar spiral unit are arranged alternately, so that when the spiral elastic component is subjected to force in any direction, there are symmetrical elastic units participating in the response, avoiding single-point weakness and ensuring the smoothness of movement and impact resistance.

[0014] (3) The present invention anchors the composite elastic body composed of round bar spiral units and flat bar spiral units to the inner wall of the grid-like support structure by multiple connectors arranged at intervals along the axial direction, forming a multi-point force transmission path. When the load on the robot head changes or is subjected to external impact, the force is distributed and transmitted to the entire grid-like support structure through multiple connectors, rather than being borne by a single point, which greatly improves the load-bearing capacity, stability and impact resistance of the structure. At the same time, it can ensure that the deformation of the round bar spiral units and flat bar spiral units is synchronized, avoiding the instability and uncoordinated movement that may occur when multiple elastic elements are connected in parallel, thereby ensuring the smoothness and accuracy of neck movements. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0017] The component names corresponding to the reference numerals in the attached drawings are as follows: 1. Cervical bionic segment; 2. Grid-like support structure; 21. Grid unit; 3. Spiral elastic component; 31. Round spiral unit; 32. Flat spiral unit; 4. Connector; 41. Connecting rod; 42. Collar. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To enable those skilled in the art to have a clearer understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described below are merely for illustrative purposes and to facilitate understanding. The technical solutions provided by the present invention are not limited to those provided in the following embodiments, nor should they limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Example like Figure 1 and 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a bionic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot, the structure surrounding the bionic segment 1 of the cervical spine ( Figure 1 Not shown in the image. Figure 2 The setup (shown in the image) includes a mesh support structure 2 and a helical elastic component 3.

[0020] The cervical bionic segment 1 simulates the physiological curvature of the human cervical spine and mimics its seven-segment structure. It is composed of multiple bionic vertebrae connected by flexible connectors. The bionic vertebrae are preferably made of lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber or glass fiber through a single molding process, with through-holes in the center for the flexible connectors to pass through. The flexible connectors can be made of silicone pillars, allowing for slight relative rotation and bending between adjacent vertebrae. The cervical bionic segment 1 connects to the robot's bionic spine and head. A mesh-like support structure 2 and a helical elastic component 3 are arranged circumferentially around the cervical bionic segment 1, but are not directly connected to it. The cervical bionic segment 1 can adopt a hollow structure design, meaning the bionic vertebrae are hollow inside, ensuring support strength while meeting lightweight requirements.

[0021] A mesh-like support structure 2 is fitted around the outer periphery of the cervical bionic segment 1. This structure is integrally molded from an elastic polymer material (such as nylon or TPU), and has several regular or irregular mesh units 21 distributed on it. The mesh-like support structure 2 is flared at the top and narrows at the bottom, conforming to the external contour of the human neck. The main functions of the mesh-like support structure 2 are to provide external shape constraints and protect the internal structure; to act as the primary load-bearing and dispersing component for external loads (such as touch or collision); and to possess a certain radial elastic deformation capacity.

[0022] The spiral elastic component 3 is disposed within the annular cavity between the cervical bionic segment 1 and the mesh-like support structure 2. In this embodiment, the spiral elastic component 3 consists of two independent spiral units: a circular spiral unit 31 and a flat spiral unit 32. The circular spiral unit 31 is made of spring steel or stainless steel wire with a circular cross-section; the flat spiral unit 32 is made of elastic metal strip with a rectangular cross-section (i.e., flat strip). Both have the same central axis, which coincides with the axis of the cervical bionic segment 1.

[0023] The circular spiral unit 31 and the flat spiral unit 32 are arranged in an alternating symmetrical manner. Axially, the spiral coil of one unit is precisely located in the gap between the spiral coils of the other unit. They partially overlap radially but do not interfere with each other, and are symmetrically distributed about the axis of the cervical bionic segment 1. Preferably, the spiral direction of the circular spiral unit 31 is opposite to that of the flat spiral unit 32; for example, one is right-handed and the other is left-handed. This alternating arrangement generates mutually restraining and compensating torques during torsional motion, resulting in smoother torsional recovery.

[0024] When the robot's neck needs to flex, tilt, or bend laterally, the drive mechanism causes the bionic segment 1 of the cervical spine to deform accordingly. The movement of the bionic segment 1 compresses or stretches the surrounding helical elastic components 3. The circular helical unit 31 mainly provides radial support and restoring force to resist compression, while the flat helical unit 32 mainly provides axial bending and torsional stiffness. Because the two are staggered and symmetrical with opposite directions of rotation, they restrain each other during deformation, effectively preventing unidirectional torsional instability of the structure.

[0025] In this embodiment, the circular spiral unit 31 and the flat spiral unit 32 are connected and fixed as follows: each spiral coil of the circular spiral unit 31 and the flat spiral unit 32 is connected to the grid-like support structure through multiple connectors; specifically, the connectors include a connecting rod 41 fixed at one end to the grid-like support structure 2 by welding or bonding, and a collar 42 disposed at the other end of the connecting rod, the connecting rod 41 and the collar 42 being integrally formed. Multiple sets of connectors 4 are arranged at approximately equal intervals along the axial direction of the cervical bionic segment 1, for example, 3-5 layers or more of connection points can be set from top to bottom.

[0026] The collar 42 is fitted onto the spiral coil of the corresponding round or flat spiral unit. Preferably, the inner diameter of the collar 42 is slightly larger than the wire diameter of the round spiral unit 31 or the thickness of the flat spiral unit 32, so that it can be loosely fitted onto the corresponding spiral unit. In each layer's axial position, the connector 4 corresponds to the arrangement of the spiral units in the circumferential direction, that is: the collar 42 of one connector 4 is fitted onto the round spiral unit 31, and the collar 42 of the adjacent connector 4 is fitted onto the flat spiral unit 32, and so on.

[0027] With the above settings, the connecting rod 41 is rigidly fixed to the mesh structure 2, which determines the final force transmission path; the collar 42 and the helical unit are in sliding fit, which allows the helical unit to undergo slight axial sliding and rotation within the collar when deformed under force. Under severe deformation or impact, the helical unit can slide within the collar 42 to absorb excess energy, avoid stress concentration and permanent damage at the rigid connection point, and improve reliability.

[0028] In this embodiment, multiple connectors 4 distributed along the axial direction force the deformation of the two helical units to be synchronized and guided to a shape that adapts to the inner wall of the mesh support structure 2. This ensures that the round and flat strip units maintain a coordinated motion relationship throughout the deformation process, outputting a uniform and smooth composite elastic force. On the other hand, the load or inertial force of the robot head can be transmitted to the multiple connectors 4 through the helical assembly, and then distributed to multiple nodes of the entire mesh support structure 2, which greatly reduces local stress. At the same time, since the connection points of the two units are independent and designable, those skilled in the art can adjust the overall stiffness of different sections of the robot's neck and different directions of movement by adjusting the density of the connectors at different positions or the fitting precision of the collars, achieving an effect similar to muscle zoning.

[0029] To simulate the characteristics of the human neck, which is more flexible in the upper part and more stable in the lower part, in this embodiment, the wire cross-sectional dimensions of the round bar spiral unit 31 and the flat bar spiral unit 32 can be set to gradually increase from top to bottom along the axial direction. For example, the upper part has a smaller wire diameter or strip thickness to provide lower stiffness, while the lower part has a larger diameter or thickness to provide higher stiffness; correspondingly, the pitch can also be adapted to change.

[0030] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot, characterized in that: The device includes a grid-like support structure (2) arranged around the periphery of the cervical bionic segment (1), and a spiral elastic component (3) arranged between the cervical bionic segment (1) and the grid-like support structure (2); the spiral elastic component (3) includes a circular spiral unit (31) and a flat spiral unit (32) arranged around the periphery of the cervical bionic segment (1), and the two are arranged alternately; each spiral of the circular spiral unit (31) and the flat spiral unit (32) is connected to the grid-like support structure (2) through multiple connectors (4), and all the connectors (4) are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the cervical bionic segment (1).

2. The biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connector (4) includes a connecting rod (41) fixedly connected at one end to the mesh support structure (2), and a collar (42) disposed at the other end of the connecting rod (41), and the collar (42) is sleeved on the spiral ring of the round bar spiral unit (31) or the flat bar spiral unit (32).

3. The biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The circular spiral unit (31) is made of circular elastic wire, and the flat spiral unit (32) is made of flat elastic wire.

4. The biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cross-sectional dimensions of the wires of the circular spiral unit (31) and the flat spiral unit (32) gradually increase from top to bottom along the axial direction of the cervical bionic segment (1).

5. The biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The spiral direction of the circular spiral unit (31) is opposite to that of the flat spiral unit (32).

6. The biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The grid-like support structure (2) is shaped like a trumpet, with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and includes several grid units (21).

7. The biomimetic neck elastic connection structure for a humanoid robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cervical bionic segment (1) is mainly composed of multiple bionic vertebrae connected in series by flexible connectors.

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