Energy storage type mobile robot capable of rapidly releasing energy and control method of energy storage type mobile robot

Abstract

The invention discloses an energy storage type mobile robot capable of rapidly releasing energy and a control method of the energy storage type mobile robot. The energy storage type mobile robot comprises a robot body, a walking mechanism arranged on the side portion of the robot body and an energy storage type bouncing mechanism arranged at the tail end of the robot body. The energy storage type bouncing mechanism comprises a base, a limiting seat and a bouncing seat, the base and the limiting seat are both in sliding fit with the bouncing seat, a force storage spring is arranged between the base and the bouncing seat, and a reset spring is arranged between the limiting seat and the base; the limiting seat and the bouncing seat are connected through a limiting structure, a limiting drive is arranged on the limiting seat, and the limiting drive is in transmission connection with the limiting structure so as to drive the limiting structure to be unlocked; a force storage drive is arranged on the base and is in transmission connection with the limiting base so as to drive the limiting base to drive the bouncing base to slide on the base, and therefore the force storage spring and the reset spring are compressed. The method is applied to the field of robots, and the adaptability of the robot in extraterrestrial celestial body environments such as the lunar surface can be effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, specifically to an energy-storing mobile robot that rapidly releases energy and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In the complex terrain and low-gravity environment of the lunar surface, jumping is an efficient mode of movement. Traditional wheeled or tracked locomotion methods are prone to getting stuck in the soft lunar terrain, while jumping can provide better terrain traversal capabilities. However, existing robots lack sufficient energy storage and rapid release mechanisms, making it impossible to generate enough power for effective jumping in a short period of time. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, this invention provides an energy-storage mobile robot with rapid energy release and its control method, which can effectively improve the robot's adaptability in extraterrestrial environments such as the lunar surface.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an energy-storing mobile robot with rapid energy release, comprising a robot body, a walking mechanism disposed on the side of the robot body, and an energy-storing bouncing mechanism disposed at the tail end of the robot body. The energy storage bouncing mechanism includes a base, a limiting seat, and a bouncing seat. The base and the limiting seat are slidably engaged with the bouncing seat, and a storage spring is provided between the base and the bouncing seat. A return spring is provided between the limiting seat and the base. The limiting seat and the spring seat are connected by a limiting structure, and the limiting seat is provided with a limiting drive. The limiting drive is connected to the limiting structure in a transmission manner to drive the limiting structure to unlock. The base is equipped with a power storage drive, which is connected to the limiting seat to drive the limiting seat to slide the bouncing seat on the base, thereby compressing the power storage spring and the return spring.

[0005] In one embodiment, a slide rail is fixedly provided on the base, a slider is provided on the spring seat, and the limiting seat and the slider are both slidably connected to the slide rail; The limiting structure includes a limiting block and two limiting plates. The first ends of the two limiting plates are symmetrically connected to the limiting seat. The second ends of the two limiting plates are each provided with a hook plate extending toward the other limiting plate. The limiting block is a T-shaped structure and is located at the end of the slider. When the limiting structure is locked, the limiting block is located between the two limiting plates, and the limiting block abuts against the two hook plates.

[0006] In one embodiment, the limiting drive includes a first motor and a cam, wherein the first motor is fixedly mounted on the limiting seat; The cam is located at the output end of the first motor and is situated between the two limiting plates.

[0007] In one embodiment, the base is provided with a sleeve, the spring seat is provided with a slide rod, and the slide rod is provided with a boss; The slide rod is embedded in the sleeve, and the energy storage spring is sleeved on the sleeve and the slide rod, with one end of the energy storage spring abutting the base and the other end abutting the boss.

[0008] In one embodiment, the power storage drive includes a second motor mounted on the base and a winding roller mounted at the output end of the second motor; The winding roller is connected to the limiting seat by a traction rope.

[0009] In one embodiment, the robot body is a hollow structure with an open tail end, and the base is embedded in the robot body.

[0010] In one embodiment, the walking mechanism includes flexible drive wheels eccentrically positioned on both sides of the robot body.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a control method for the above-mentioned energy-storage mobile robot with rapid energy release, comprising the following steps: In the initial state, the limiting structure is in a locked state, that is, the limiting seat and the spring seat are connected as one unit; Before bouncing, the power storage drive action is controlled to make the limiting seat drive the bouncing seat to slide on the base and compress the power storage spring and the return spring; During the jump, the limiting drive action is controlled to unlock the limiting structure, so that the jumping seat is separated from the limiting seat and the elastic potential energy of the stored spring is released, thus completing the robot's jumping action. After bouncing, the power-saving drive is deactivated, allowing the limit seat to reset under the action of the reset spring. The power-saving drive is then controlled to lock the limit structure, restoring it to its initial state and waiting for the next bouncing.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The robot in this invention utilizes bouncing motion to easily overcome obstacles and rugged terrain, avoiding getting stuck in lunar dust or obstacles. It can perform large-scale autonomous exploration and data collection in lunar exploration missions, thereby effectively improving the robot's adaptability in extraterrestrial environments such as the lunar surface. 2. This invention, through an innovative energy storage and bouncing mechanism and the use of an elastic hook as a limiting structure in the preferred embodiment, enables the robot to quickly and accurately store and release energy, achieving high-frequency, controllable bouncing motion. 3. The robot in this invention is not only suitable for large-scale terrain exploration, but can also perform flexible movements by adjusting the jumping height and distance. It can also be applied to the exploration of other low-gravity celestial bodies, such as Mars or asteroids. At the same time, it can also achieve large-scale, rapid movement and precise exploration in extreme environments and disaster relief on Earth by jumping, and has a wide potential market and application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the robot in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a first isometric view of the energy storage bouncing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a second isometric view of the energy storage bouncing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a partial isometric view of the energy storage bouncing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a front axonometric view of the limiting seat before the elastic deformation of the limiting plate in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a front axonometric view of the limiting seat after elastic deformation of the limiting plate in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a back-view isometric view of the limiting seat after elastic deformation of the limiting plate in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the connection structure between the drive shaft and the slide in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the first magnet and the second magnet in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the robot in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Reference numerals in the attached figures: Robot body 1, base 2, slide rail 201, stop block 202, traction rope guide tube 2021, sleeve 203, limit seat 3, countersunk hole 301, mounting plate 302, spring seat 4, slider 401, slide rod 402, boss 403, energy storage spring 5, return spring 6, limit block 7, limit plate 8, hook plate 801, first motor 9, cam 10, second motor 11, traction rope 12, flexible drive wheel 13, transmission shaft 14, slide cylinder 15, drive spring 16, first magnet 17, second magnet 18, battery 19.

[0016] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0017] 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 a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0019] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0020] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a physical connection, or a wireless communication connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0021] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0022] This embodiment discloses an energy storage mobile robot (hereinafter referred to as "robot") with rapid energy release, which is mainly applicable to large-scale exploration of the surface of extraterrestrial anti-gravity celestial bodies and disaster relief. The robot achieves flexible bouncing movement through an efficient energy storage and release mechanism, thereby meeting diverse movement needs.

[0023] refer to Figure 1 The robot in this embodiment mainly includes a robot body 1, a walking mechanism located on the side of the robot body 1, and an energy storage jumping mechanism located at the tail end of the robot body 1. The walking mechanism is used to drive the robot body 1 to walk, and the energy storage jumping mechanism is used for energy storage and rapid energy release, utilizing the reaction force with the lunar surface to achieve efficient jumping motion of the robot.

[0024] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 The energy-storing bouncing mechanism includes a base 2, a limiting seat 3, and a bouncing seat 4. The base 2 is fixedly connected to the robot body 1 or integrally formed. Both the base 2 and the limiting seat 3 are slidably engaged with the bouncing seat 4, and a storage spring 5 is provided between the base 2 and the bouncing seat 4. A return spring 6 is provided between the limiting seat 3 and the base 2. The limiting seat 3 and the bouncing seat 4 are connected by a limiting structure, and the limiting seat 3 is equipped with a limiting drive, which is connected to the limiting structure to drive the limiting structure to unlock. Specifically, when the limiting structure is locked, the limiting seat 3 and the bouncing seat 4 are integrated; when the limiting structure is unlocked, the limiting seat 3 and the bouncing seat 4 are separated. The base 2 is equipped with a storage drive, which is connected to the limiting seat 3 to drive the limiting seat 3 to move the bouncing seat 4 on the base 2, thereby compressing the storage spring 5 and the return spring 6. This allows the storage spring 5 to quickly reset and release its elastic potential energy when the limiting structure is unlocked, thus realizing the robot's bouncing action.

[0025] A slide rail 201 is fixedly mounted on the base 2 by bolt connection or integral molding, and a slider 401 is fixedly mounted on the spring seat 4 by bolt connection or integral molding. Both the limiting seat 3 and the slider 401 are slidably connected to the slide rail 201. A stop block 202 is provided on the base 2 adjacent to the end of the slide rail 201. The stop block 202, the limiting seat 3 and the slider 401 are distributed in sequence at intervals. The end of the limiting seat 3 facing the stop block 202 has a countersunk hole 301. One end of the return spring 6 is inserted into the countersunk hole 301, and the other end abuts against the stop block 202.

[0026] refer to Figures 4 to 7 The limiting structure includes a limiting block 7 and two limiting plates 8. The first ends of the two limiting plates 8 are symmetrically connected to the limiting seat 3, and the second ends of the two limiting plates 8 face the slider 401. Each of the second ends of the two limiting plates 8 is provided with a hook plate 801 extending towards the other limiting plate 8, forming a hook claw structure. The limiting block 7 is a T-shaped structure and is located on the slider 401 at the end facing the limiting seat 3. When the limiting structure is locked, the limiting block 7 is located between the two limiting plates 8, and the limiting block 7 abuts against the two hook plates 801, that is, the limiting block 7 is hooked onto the hook claw structure, so that the limiting seat 3 and the spring seat 4 are connected as one unit.

[0027] In the specific implementation process, the limiting plate 8 is connected to the limiting seat 3 only at its first end, meaning the bottom of the limiting plate 8 is suspended, and the limiting plate 8 is an elastic plate with elastic deformation capability. The limiting drive includes a first motor 9 and a cam 10. A mounting plate 302 is fixedly installed on the limiting seat 3, and the first motor 9 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate 302. The cam 10 is located between the two limiting plates 8, and the output end of the first motor 9 passes through the mounting plate 302 and is connected to the cam 10. The cross-section of the cam 10 is elliptical, and the major axis of the cam 10 is greater than the distance between the two limiting plates 8 when they are not elastically deformed, while the minor axis of the cam 10 is smaller than the distance between the two limiting plates 8 when they are not elastically deformed. When it is necessary to unlock the limiting structure, the first motor 9 is controlled to drive the cam 10, causing the two limiting plates 8 to elastically deform, thereby opening the hook structure and separating it from the limiting block 7, thus completing the rapid release of the spring seat 4.

[0028] In this embodiment, sleeves 203 are symmetrically arranged on the base 2 at positions corresponding to both sides of the slide rail 201, and slide rods 402 are symmetrically arranged on the bouncing seat 4 at positions corresponding to both sides of the slider 401. Simultaneously, protrusions 403 are provided on the slide rods 402. The slide rods 402 are embedded in the corresponding sleeves 203, and the energy storage springs 5 ​​are sleeved on the sleeves 203 and slide rods 402. One end of the energy storage springs 5 ​​abuts against the base 2, and the other end abuts against the protrusions 403. Thus, energy storage is achieved using two symmetrically distributed energy storage springs 5.

[0029] In this embodiment, the energy storage drive includes a second motor 11, a winding roller, and a traction rope 12. The second motor 11 is mounted on the base 2 and faces away from the slide rail 201. The stop block 202 is a hollow structure, and the winding roller is located inside the stop block 202. A hollow traction rope guide tube 2021 is provided at the end of the stop block 202 facing the limiting seat 3. The base 2 has an unfolded two-stage cylindrical gear reduction mechanism inside. The output end of the second motor 11 is connected to the input end of the gear reduction mechanism through a coupling, and the winding roller is connected to the output end of the gear reduction mechanism. One end of the traction rope 12 is wound around the winding roller, and the other end passes through the traction rope guide tube 2021 and the return spring 6 before being connected to the limiting seat 3. Since rapid energy storage is not required, the robot can achieve efficient energy storage using the lightweight second motor 11 and the gear reduction mechanism, reducing the robot's mass.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the robot body 1 is a hollow structure with an open tail end, and the base 2 is embedded in the robot body 1. Furthermore, the walking mechanism includes flexible drive wheels 13 eccentrically positioned on both sides of the robot body 1, and the flexible drive wheels 13 are connected to the robot body 1 via telescopic shafts. The flexible drive wheels 13 are hemispherical, meaning that the two flexible drive wheels 13 can approximately enclose the robot body 1 before the telescopic shafts extend, making the robot approximately spherical for easy storage and transportation.

[0031] Specifically, motors and gear reduction mechanisms are installed inside both sides of the robot body 1, and a drive shaft 14 is connected to the output end of the gear reduction mechanism. The drive shaft 14 extends outward after passing through the side wall of the robot body 1, and a slide cylinder 15 is provided on the inner wall of the flexible drive wheel 13, and the slide cylinder 15 is sleeved on the drive shaft 14. The drive shaft 14 and the slide cylinder 15 are slidably engaged in the axial direction and fixedly engaged in the circumferential direction. That is, the drive shaft 14 and the slide cylinder 15 together form a telescopic shaft. The slide cylinder 15 can slide axially on the drive shaft 14, thereby realizing the retraction or extension of the flexible drive wheel 13. At the same time, the telescopic shaft can drive the slide cylinder 15 to rotate, thereby driving the flexible drive wheel 13 to rotate.

[0032] More specifically, the outer wall of the drive shaft 14 and the inner wall of the slide cylinder 15 are connected by a groove and a convex-concave fit, and the length direction of the groove and the convex-convex fit are parallel to the axial direction of the drive shaft 14 and the slide cylinder 15. There are multiple grooves and convex-convex fits, each corresponding to the other. Some grooves and / or convex-convex fits are located on the outer wall of the drive shaft 14, while others are located on the inner wall of the slide cylinder 15. The convex-convex fits into the corresponding groove, thus achieving a sliding fit in the axial direction and a fixed fit in the circumferential direction between the drive shaft 14 and the slide cylinder 15.

[0033] refer to Figure 8A drive spring 16 is provided between the bottom of the slide cylinder 15 and the end of the drive shaft 14. One end of the drive spring 16 is fixedly connected to or abuts against the end of the drive shaft 14 through a drive spring 16 end plate, and the other end of the drive spring 16 abuts against the bottom of the slide cylinder 15 through the drive spring 16 end plate. (See also...) Figure 9 The robot body 1 has multiple first magnets 17 on its side, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the drive shaft 14. Simultaneously, multiple second magnets 18 are provided on the inner wall of the flexible drive wheel 13, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the slide cylinder 15. The first magnets 17 and second magnets 18 correspond one-to-one. When the telescopic shaft extends, the first magnets 17 and their corresponding second magnets 18 attract each other, compressing the drive spring 16. At this time, the two flexible drive wheels 13 approximately enclose the robot body 1. When the two flexible drive wheels 13 need to unfold, the drive shaft 14 is rotated via a gear reduction mechanism, which in turn rotates the slide cylinder 15 and the flexible drive wheels 13, causing the first magnets 17 to separate from their corresponding second magnets 18. The drive spring 16 then extends under the force of its elasticity, causing the slide cylinder 15 to slide outward axially, thus unfolding the two flexible drive wheels 13.

[0034] As a preferred embodiment, the flexible drive wheel 13 is made of flexible material to adapt to the complex terrain of the lunar surface and to act as a buffer when the robot bounces and lands. The eccentric design of the two flexible drive wheels 13 (i.e., different axes) allows the robot to better adapt to the soft terrain of the lunar surface and prevents the wheels from slipping or getting stuck in the soft lunar dust.

[0035] refer to Figure 10 The robot body 1 is also equipped with a battery 19, which serves as the power source and is electrically connected to the first motor 9, the second motor 11, and the motor that drives the transmission shaft to rotate, thereby driving the movement of each power part on the robot.

[0036] This embodiment also discloses a control method for the above-mentioned robot, including the following steps: In the initial state, the limiting structure is in a locked state, that is, the limiting seat 3 and the spring seat 4 are connected as one unit; Before bouncing, the second motor 11 is controlled to rotate the winding roller, so that the limit seat 3 slides on the slide rail 201 under the pull of the traction rope 12, and at the same time, the bouncing seat 4 slides, compressing the energy storage spring 5 and the return spring 6. During the bouncing motion, the first motor 9 drives the cam 10 to rotate, and the two limit plates 8 undergo elastic deformation to open the hook structure, causing the bouncing seat 4 to separate from the limit seat 3 and release the elastic potential energy of the stored spring 5, thus completing the robot's bouncing action. During this process, the second motor 11 remains under load. After bouncing, the second motor 11 is turned off to keep it in a free rotation state, so that the limit seat 3 slides towards the slider 401 under the action of the reset spring 6 until the limit block 7 is located between the two limit plates 8 to complete the reset. Then, the first motor 9 is controlled to drive the cam 10 to rotate to release the elastic deformation of the two limit plates 8, complete the locking of the limit structure, and restore the robot to the initial state and wait for the next bouncing.

[0037] Define the mass of the robot as The gravitational acceleration on the surface of the celestial body is The spring constant of the energy storage spring 5 is The compression of the storage spring 5 is The launch angle is Therefore, the robot's initial bouncing speed is:

[0038] in, Energy release efficiency. Robot's jump height. and distance They are respectively:

[0039]

[0040] in, This refers to the robot's hovering time. The robot can be adapted to different application scenarios by selecting different springs. For example, when surveying large areas of terrain, a spring with a larger elastic coefficient can be used to achieve long-distance jumps; if the robot needs to accompany astronauts, it needs to adapt to the stride length and frequency of human activities on the lunar surface.

[0041] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present invention using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An energy fast-releasing energy storage type mobile robot, characterized by, The robot body, a walking mechanism arranged on the side of the robot body, and an energy storage bouncing mechanism arranged at the tail end of the robot body; The energy storage bouncing mechanism comprises a base, a limiting seat and a bouncing seat, the base and the limiting seat are in sliding fit with the bouncing seat, a force storage spring is arranged between the base and the bouncing seat, and a reset spring is arranged between the limiting seat and the base; The limiting seat and the bouncing seat are connected through a limiting structure, and a limiting drive is arranged on the limiting seat, the limiting drive is connected with the limiting structure in transmission, so as to drive the limiting structure to be unlocked; A force storage drive is arranged on the base, the force storage drive is connected with the limiting seat in transmission, so as to drive the limiting seat to drive the bouncing seat to slide on the base, so as to compress the force storage spring and the reset spring.

2. The fast energy releasing energy stored mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein, A sliding rail is fixedly arranged on the base, a sliding block is arranged on the bouncing seat, and the limiting seat and the sliding block are in sliding connection with the sliding rail; The limiting structure comprises a limiting block and two limiting plates, the first ends of the two limiting plates are symmetrically connected to the limiting seat, the second ends of the two limiting plates are provided with hook plates extending to the other limiting plate, the limiting block is in T-shaped structure and arranged at the end of the sliding block; When the limiting structure is locked, the limiting block is located between the two limiting plates, and the limiting block abuts against the two hook plates.

3. The fast energy releasing energy stored mobile robot according to claim 2, wherein, The limiting drive comprises a first motor and a cam, and the first motor is fixedly arranged on the limiting seat; The cam is arranged on the output end of the first motor, and the cam is located between the two limiting plates.

4. The fast energy releasing energy storage mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, A sleeve is arranged on the base, a sliding rod is arranged on the bouncing seat, and a boss is arranged on the sliding rod; The sliding rod is embedded in the sleeve, the force storage spring is sleeved on the sleeve and the sliding rod, one end of the force storage spring abuts against the base, and the other end abuts against the boss.

5. The fast energy releasing energy stored mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, The force storage drive comprises a second motor arranged on the base and a winding roller arranged on the output end of the second motor; The winding roller is connected with the limiting seat through a traction rope.

6. The fast energy releasing energy stored mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, The robot body is in hollow structure with the tail end being open, and the base is embedded in the robot body.

7. The fast energy releasing energy stored mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, The walking mechanism comprises flexible drive wheels eccentrically arranged on both sides of the robot body.

8. A control method of the energy fast-releasing energy-stored mobile robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: In the initial state, the limiting structure is in the locked state, that is, the limiting seat and the bouncing seat are integrated at this time; Before bouncing, the force storage drive is controlled to act, so that the limiting seat drives the bouncing seat to slide on the base, and the force storage spring and the reset spring are compressed; When bouncing, the limiting drive is controlled to act, the limiting structure is unlocked, the bouncing seat is separated from the limiting seat, and the elastic potential energy of the force storage spring is released, so that the bouncing action of the robot is completed; After bouncing, the force storage drive is turned off, the limiting seat is reset under the action of the reset spring, the force storage drive is controlled to act, the limiting structure is locked, and the initial state is restored and the next bouncing is waited.

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