Wheel-foot hybrid hexapod robot capable of achieving wheel-foot switching

Abstract

The invention discloses a wheel-foot mixed type hexapod robot capable of achieving wheel-foot switching. The wheel-foot mixed type hexapod robot comprises a robot body, two foot type legs and four wheel-foot mixed type legs. The two foot-type legs are mounted at the front end and the rear end of the machine body in an external knee-elbow manner; the four wheel-foot mixed legs are distributed and mounted at the left end and the right end of the fuselage in pairs in a full-elbow manner; the foot-type leg part is composed of a thigh assembly and a shank assembly, the machine body is connected with the thigh assembly through a hip joint and a root joint, and the thigh assembly is connected with the shank assembly through a knee joint; the wheel-foot mixed leg part is composed of a foot type leg part and a wheel-foot switching device, the wheel-foot switching device is arranged on the thigh assembly, and the wheel-foot switching device comprises a rotating module and a wheel module; the rotating module is used for changing the position of the wheel module; the wheel module is used for walking. By adopting the specific leg layout structure and the wheel-foot switching device, the robot has high advancing efficiency and stability, meanwhile, the flexibility of the robot is improved, and efficient switching of wheel-foot modes can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hexapod robots, and more specifically to a hexapod robot with a wheel-leg hybrid design that can switch between wheels and legs. Background Technology

[0002] The rapid development of robotics technology has led to the widespread adoption of various types of mobile robots in practical applications. Wheeled mobile robots offer advantages such as high speed and simple control, but they are only suitable for relatively flat terrain and have insufficient obstacle-crossing ability. Legged mobile robots have strong adaptability to complex terrain, but their travel speed is low and energy consumption is high on flat terrain. Hybrid wheeled-legged mobile robots combine the advantages of both wheeled and legged mobile robots, making up for their shortcomings. They can effectively adapt to various complex terrains, improve travel efficiency, reduce energy consumption to a certain extent, and greatly expand the working environment of mobile robots, making them a hot topic of research and development.

[0003] Hexapods possess excellent stability and terrain adaptability, enabling flexible movement through various gait patterns. They hold immense promise for applications in military reconnaissance, disaster relief, and outdoor exploration. Existing hexapods typically employ a symmetrical 3-3 leg arrangement, allowing the robot to maintain three legs in contact with the ground throughout movement, providing exceptional stability, particularly suitable for navigating complex terrain. However, during movement, the robot must sequentially lift each leg, alternating contact with the ground, resulting in generally slower movement speeds. This approach is suitable for stable tasks but not for rapid movement, and gait choreography is not flexible enough for sharp turns or precise adjustments. Furthermore, existing robots often use a fixed-length body, limiting their maneuverability when overcoming obstacles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a hybrid hexapod robot with wheel-leg switching capability, overcoming the aforementioned problems in the prior art. By employing a specific leg layout structure and wheel-leg switching device, this invention enables the robot to possess both high mobility and stability, while simultaneously improving its flexibility and allowing for efficient switching between wheel-leg modes to adapt to different terrains.

[0005] Technical solution of the present invention: A hexapod robot with wheel-leg hybrid configuration capable of switching between legs and wheels includes a body, two legs, and four wheel-leg hybrid legs. The two legs are mounted at the front and rear ends of the body using an external knee-elbow joint. The four wheel-leg hybrid legs are mounted in pairs at the left and right ends of the body using a full elbow joint. Each leg consists of a thigh assembly and a lower leg assembly. The body and thigh assembly are connected via hip and root joints, and the thigh and lower leg assembly are connected via knee joints. Each wheel-leg hybrid leg consists of the legs and a wheel-leg switching device. The wheel-leg switching device is mounted on the thigh assembly and includes a rotation module and a wheel module. The rotation module is connected to the thigh assembly and is used to switch the wheel module between the hip and knee joints. The wheel module is used for walking.

[0006] Compared to existing technologies, the leg layout of this invention adopts a 1-2-2-1 configuration combining full-elbow and external-knee-elbow configurations. Two foot-type legs are mounted at the front and rear ends of the robot body using an external-knee-elbow configuration, while four wheel-foot hybrid legs are distributed in pairs at the left and right ends of the robot body using a full-elbow configuration. The full-elbow structure offers high travel efficiency, while the external-knee-elbow structure provides good stability. Compared to the 3-3 layout of other hexapod robots, this invention reduces interference between legs and increases the robot's flexibility. Furthermore, the wheel-foot hybrid design of this invention provides strong adaptability to complex terrain and obstacle-crossing capabilities for the foot-type structure, while the wheel-type structure offers high travel speed and low energy consumption on flat terrain. The wheel-foot switching device designed in this invention uses a rotating module to switch the wheel module between the hip and knee joints, thereby achieving efficient switching between wheel-foot modes.

[0007] The existing technologies include several wheel-foot switching modes under different structures: (1) The wheel structure is fixed at the knee joint. The robot can switch to wheel-foot mode by changing to a kneeling posture. The switching efficiency is high. However, since the wheel structure is always fixed at the knee joint, the knee joint has a large moment of rotation. During the leg walking process, the robot has the defects of slow swing response and high energy consumption. (2) The wheel structure is fixed at the abdomen of the robot. When in use, the legs retract and the body descends, so that the wheel structure touches the ground and moves. Under this structure, the wheel structure is fixed, and the mobility and buffering ability during the wheel mode movement are poor, and the adaptability to complex terrain is reduced. In this invention: (1) The wheel structure is not fixed at the knee joint. In the leg walking state, the wheel module rotates and is fixed at the hip joint, which reduces the moment of rotation at the knee joint, improves the control accuracy of leg walking and reduces energy consumption. In the wheel walking state, as long as the rotating module rotates the wheel module to the knee joint, the robot can achieve wheel walking in a kneeling posture. The wheel-foot switching efficiency is high. (2) The wheel module is fixed to the thigh assembly through the rotating module. In the walking state of the wheel structure, the hip joint and root joint can improve the freedom of movement of the wheel mode. When facing bumpy roads, it can act as an active suspension to provide a certain amount of shock absorption and cushioning, thereby improving the walking efficiency and stability of the wheel structure.

[0008] Preferably, in the aforementioned wheel-foot hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot switching, the rotation module includes a rotary motor and a rotary link. The rotary motor is mounted on the thigh assembly, and one end of the rotary link is rigidly connected to the rotary motor, while the other end is connected to the wheel module. The rotary motor drives the rotary link to rotate, enabling the wheel module to switch between the hip and knee joint positions. Wheel-foot switching is achieved by changing the position of the wheel module and the robot changing its kneeling posture.

[0009] Preferably, in the aforementioned hexapod robot capable of switching between wheels and legs, the wheel module includes a hub motor and a wheel; the hub motor is mounted on a rotating link, and the wheel is rigidly connected to the hub motor. This wheel module structure provides strong power and more stable movement.

[0010] Preferably, in the aforementioned wheel-foot hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot switching, the wheel-foot switching device includes a guide module; a T-shaped groove is provided at the upper and lower positions of the thigh cover of the thigh assembly; one end of the guide module is connected to a rotating link, and the other end can slide along the T-shaped groove; one end of the T-shaped groove is located at the edge of the thigh cover and has an opening, while the other end of the T-shaped groove is closed. One end of the guide module is a stepped shaft, and the other end is a bearing structure. The guide module slides within the T-shaped grooves at the upper and lower positions of the thigh cover, allowing the position of the wheel module to change between the hip joint and the knee joint. When walking on wheels, the wheel module is located at the knee joint, i.e., the guide module is located within the T-shaped groove at the lower part of the thigh cover; when walking on feet, the wheel module is located at the hip joint, i.e., the guide module is located within the T-shaped groove at the upper part of the thigh cover. One end of the T-shaped slide is located at the edge of the thigh cover and has an opening, which allows the guide module to slide smoothly into the T-shaped slide when the rotating module is rotated to the hip or knee joint position; the other end of the T-shaped slide is closed, which limits the guide module and prevents it from sliding out of the T-shaped slide.

[0011] Furthermore, the wheel-foot switching device includes an auxiliary fixing module, which consists of a support member, a needle roller module, a second slider, and a cylinder. The support member is installed inside the thigh housing of the thigh assembly, and the needle roller module is mounted on the support member. The cylinder is mounted on the support member below the needle roller module, and the second slider is mounted on the cylinder's push rod. The second slider can slide within the needle roller module under the action of the cylinder. Two grooves are respectively provided at the upper and lower positions of the thigh cover of the thigh assembly, and the grooves communicate with the T-shaped sliding groove. The positions of the grooves correspond to the second slider. The second slider is initially located in the groove corresponding to the thigh cover. When the rotating module drives the guide module to move to the bottom end of the T-shaped sliding groove corresponding to the thigh cover, the cylinder can drive the second slider to move out of or into the groove. When the second slider moves out of the groove, it can block the movement of the guide module, thereby playing the role of assisting in fixing the wheel-foot switching device. When the second slider moves into the groove, the guide module can move, and the rotating module can drive the wheel module to rotate to the position of the hip or knee joint. The needle roller module guides the second slider and reduces friction during movement. The auxiliary fixing module increases the stability of the robot's movement and simplifies the complex mechanical structure. When the wheel module is idle, it is fixed at the hip joint, thereby improving the problems of high energy consumption and large inertia of the robot's legs.

[0012] Preferably, in the aforementioned wheel-leg hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-leg switching, the body comprises a front half and a rear half; the front half and the rear half are connected by a waist section; the waist section consists of a scissor mechanism and two guide devices; the scissor mechanism is installed between the front half and the rear half, and the two guide devices are symmetrically installed on the left and right sides of the body. The body structure used in this invention is a connection between the front and rear halves and the scissor mechanism. By extending the scissor mechanism, the distance between the root joints of the front and rear legs is increased, thereby improving the robot's mobility and obstacle-crossing ability.

[0013] Preferably, in the aforementioned wheel-leg hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-leg switching, the guiding device includes two symmetrically arranged first supports, which are respectively fixedly connected to the front and rear halves of the robot body. Linear bearings are mounted on the first supports, and guide posts pass through the linear bearings to form sliding pairs. Limiting nuts are installed at both ends of the guide posts. The sliding pairs formed by the linear bearings and guide posts improve the flexibility of the robot body's extension and retraction, while the limiting nuts limit the maximum stroke of the sliding pairs. The guiding device prevents significant torsion of the robot body, increases its rigidity, and limits the extension and retraction of the robot body's waist within a suitable range.

[0014] Preferably, in the aforementioned wheel-leg hybrid hexapod robot capable of switching between wheels and legs, the lower leg assembly includes a lower leg rod and two foot end plates installed at the ends of the lower leg rod. The foot end plates increase the contact area between the robot's feet and the ground, improve the robot's gripping ability, and effectively prevent the feet from sinking into the ground. Attached Figure Description

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

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

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the fuselage structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the foot-type leg structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the wheel-foot hybrid leg structure of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the scissor lift device in the waist section of the fuselage in this invention.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the guide device structure in the waist section of the fuselage in this invention.

[0022] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the wheel-foot switching device of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary fixing module structure of the wheel-foot switching device in this invention.

[0024] The markings in the attached diagram are: 1-fuselage, 2-legged type, 3-wheeled / legged hybrid type; 11-Front half of the fuselage, 12-Rear half of the fuselage, 13-Waist of the fuselage; 131-Scissor lift device, 1311-Side plate one, 1312-Side plate two, 1313-Guide rail, 1314-Ball screw, 13141-Bearing seat one, 13142-Bearing seat two, 13143-Nut, 13144-Screw; 1315-First slider, 1316-Scissor lift crossbar; 13161-Nut seat vertical bar, 13162-Horizontal bar one, 13163-Horizontal bar two, 13164-Vertical bar, 13165 First connecting piece; 132-Guide device; 1321-First bracket, 1322-Linear bearing, 1323-Guide post, 1324-Limit nut, 1325-First internal hex bolt; 201-First thigh assembly, 2011-First thigh shell, 2012-First motor, 2013-Second connector, 2014-First connecting rod, 2015-First thigh cover; 202-First lower leg assembly, 2021-First lower leg rod, 2022-First foot end plate; 203-First hip joint, 2031-First motor, 2032-Second bracket; 204-First joint, 2041-Second motor, 2042-Third bracket; 205-First knee joint; 2051-First bearing end cap, 2052-First fastening end cap, 2053-First angular contact ball bearing, 2054-First pin shaft, 2055-First connecting shaft; 301-Second thigh assembly, 3011-Second thigh housing, 3012-Second motor, 3013-Third connector, 3014-Second connecting rod, 3015-Second thigh upper cover; 302-Second lower leg assembly, 3021-Second lower leg rod, 3022-Second foot end plate; 303-Second hip joint, 3031-Third motor, 3032-Fourth bracket; 304-Second joint, 3041-Fourth motor, 3042-Fifth bracket; 305-Second knee joint, 3051-Second bearing end cap, 3052-Second angular contact ball bearing, 3053-Second fastening end cap, 3054-Second connecting shaft, 3055-Second pin shaft; 306-Wheel-foot switching device; 3061-Rotation module, 30611-Rotation motor, 30612-Rotation connecting rod; 3062-Auxiliary fixing module, 30621-Support component, 30622-Needle roller module, 30623-Second slider, 30624-Cylinder; 3063-Guide module, 30631-Guide shaft, 30632-Second hexagon socket bolt, 30633-Snap ring, 30634-Deep groove ball bearing; 3064-Wheel module; 30641-Hub motor, 30642-Wheel, 30643-Third hexagon socket bolt. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] The embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a hexapod robot with wheel-leg hybrid configuration that can switch between wheel and leg configuration includes a body 1, two leg-type legs 2, and four wheel-leg hybrid legs 3. The two leg-type legs 2 are mounted on the front and rear ends of the body 1 using an external knee-elbow configuration, while the four wheel-leg hybrid legs 3 are mounted on the left and right ends of the body 1 using a full elbow configuration.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, the fuselage 1 consists of a front fuselage 11, a rear fuselage 12, and a fuselage waist 13, with the front fuselage 11 and the rear fuselage 12 connected by the fuselage waist 13. Both the front fuselage 11 and the rear fuselage 12 are rectangular box-shaped structures, which can be equipped with batteries, air pumps, drivers, robotic arms, and other devices as needed. The fuselage waist 13 consists of a scissor lift device 131 and two guide devices 132. The scissor lift device 131 is installed between the front fuselage 11 and the rear fuselage 12, and the two guide devices 132 are symmetrically installed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 1.

[0029] like Figure 4 As shown, the foot-type leg 2 is composed of a first thigh assembly 201 and a first calf assembly 202. The body 1 is connected to the first thigh assembly 201 through a first hip joint 203 and a first root joint 204. The first thigh assembly 201 and the first calf assembly 202 are connected through a first knee joint 205.

[0030] The first thigh assembly 201 comprises a first thigh housing 2011, a first motor 2012, a second connector 2013, a first connecting rod 2014, and a first thigh cover 2015. The first thigh housing 2011 has a cylindrical cavity at its upper end to accommodate the first motor 2012, and a cylindrical cavity at its lower end to accommodate the first angular contact ball bearing 2053 of the first knee joint 205. The first motor 2012 is installed in the cylindrical cavity at the upper end of the first thigh housing 2011. The second connector 2013 is a... The extended end circular plate structure is rigidly connected to the first motor 2012, which drives it to rotate; the first connecting rod 2014 has a structure with holes at both ends, one end is connected to the extended end of the second connecting member 2013, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the first lower leg member 2021. The connection points form a rotating pair, so the rotation of the first motor 2012 can drive the first lower leg assembly 202 to swing through the first connecting rod 2014; the first thigh cover 2015 and the first thigh shell 2011 are connected by threads.

[0031] The first lower leg assembly 202 consists of a first lower leg rod 2021 and a first foot end baffle 2022. The first lower leg rod 2021 is an integral hollow rod with two shaft holes for the first knee joint 205 at the upper end and two first foot end baffles 2022 installed at the lower end. When the robot is on sandy or muddy ground, the first foot end baffles 2022 can increase the contact area between the robot's foot and the ground, improve the robot's gripping ability, and effectively prevent the foot from sinking.

[0032] The first hip joint 203 is a rotating joint with its axis perpendicular to the ground, which drives the entire foot leg 2 to rotate parallel to the ground. It consists of a second motor 2031 and a second bracket 2032. The second motor 2031 is mounted on the second bracket 2032 and is directly rigidly connected to the first joint 204. It is driven by a direct drive of the joint module. The second bracket 2032 is an L-shaped bracket structure with holes, with one end mounted on the body 1.

[0033] The first joint 204 is a rotating joint with its axis parallel to the ground, which drives the first thigh assembly 201 to rotate. It consists of a third motor 2041 and a third bracket 2042. The third motor 2041 is mounted on the third bracket 2042 and is directly rigidly connected to the first thigh assembly 201. It is driven by a joint module direct drive. The third bracket 2042 is an L-shaped bracket structure with holes, one end of which is connected to the second motor 2031 of the first hip joint 203.

[0034] The first knee joint 205 connects the first thigh assembly 201 and the first lower leg assembly 202, and is composed of a first bearing end cap 2051, a first fastening end cap 2052, a first angular contact ball bearing 2053, a first pin shaft 2054, and a first connecting shaft 2055. The first angular contact ball bearing 2053 is installed in the cylindrical cavity at the lower end of the first thigh housing 2011, and the two first angular contact ball bearings 2053 are arranged back-to-back and positioned by the cavity structure. The first connecting shaft 2055 is fixed to the first lower leg member 2021 by bolts, and the shaft end passes through the first angular contact ball bearing 2053 to form a rotating pair. The first lower leg assembly 202 can rotate around the first knee joint 205; the first bearing end cap 2051 is installed at the lower end of the first thigh housing 2011 to fix the first angular contact ball bearing 2053; the first pin shaft 2054 is installed at the lower end of the first connecting rod 2014, passes through the shaft hole at the upper end of the first lower leg member 2021, and connects the first connecting rod 2014 to the first lower leg member 2021, so that the first connecting rod 2014 can drive the first lower leg assembly 202 to swing around the first knee joint 205; the first fastening end cap 2052 is installed at the upper end of the first lower leg member 2021 to fix the first pin shaft 2054.

[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, the wheel-foot hybrid leg 3 is composed of a second thigh assembly 301 and a second lower leg assembly 302. The body 1 is connected to the second thigh assembly 301 through a second hip joint 303 and a second root joint 304. The second thigh assembly 301 and the second lower leg assembly 302 are connected through a second knee joint 305.

[0036] The second thigh assembly 301 comprises a second thigh housing 3011, a fourth motor 3012, a third connector 3013, a second connecting rod 3014, and a second thigh cover 3015. The second thigh housing 3011 has a cylindrical cavity at its upper end to accommodate the fourth motor 3012, a cylindrical cavity in its middle to accommodate a rotary motor 3011, and a cylindrical cavity at its lower end to accommodate a second angular contact ball bearing 3052 of the second knee joint 305. The fourth motor 3012 is mounted in the cylindrical cavity at the upper end of the second thigh housing 3011. The third connector 3013 has a circular plate structure with an extended end and connects to the fourth motor 3012. 012 is rigidly connected, and the fourth motor 3012 drives its rotation; the second connecting rod 3014 has a structure with holes at both ends, one end is connected to the protruding end of the third connecting member 3013, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the second lower leg member 3021. The connection points form a rotating pair, so the rotation of the fourth motor 3012 can drive the second lower leg assembly 302 to swing through the second connecting rod 3014; the second thigh cover 3015 and the second thigh shell 3011 are connected by threads. The second thigh cover 3015 is provided with two T-shaped sliding grooves for the movement of the guide module 3063 and two grooves for the auxiliary fixing module 3062.

[0037] The second lower leg assembly 302 consists of a second lower leg rod 3021 and a second foot end baffle 3022. The second lower leg rod 3021 is an integral hollow rod with two shaft holes for the second knee joint 305 at the upper end and two second foot end baffles 3022 installed at the lower end. When the robot is on sandy or muddy ground, the second foot end baffles 3022 can increase the contact area between the robot's foot and the ground, improve the robot's gripping ability, and effectively prevent the foot from sinking.

[0038] The second hip joint 303 is a rotating joint with its axis perpendicular to the ground, which drives the entire wheel-foot hybrid leg 3 to rotate parallel to the ground. It consists of a fifth motor 3031 and a fourth bracket 3032. The fifth motor 3031 is mounted on the fourth bracket 3032 and is directly rigidly connected to the second joint 304. It is driven by a direct drive of the joint module. The fourth bracket 3032 is an L-shaped bracket structure with holes, with one end mounted on the body 1.

[0039] The second joint 304 is a rotating joint with its axis parallel to the ground, which drives the second thigh assembly 301 to rotate. It consists of a sixth motor 3041 and a fifth bracket 3042. The sixth motor 3041 is mounted on the fifth bracket 3042 and is directly rigidly connected to the second thigh assembly 301. It is driven by a joint module direct drive. The fifth bracket 3042 is an L-shaped bracket structure with holes, one end of which is connected to the fifth motor 3031 of the second hip joint 303.

[0040] The second knee joint 305 connects the second thigh assembly 301 and the second lower leg assembly 302. It comprises a second bearing end cap 3051, a second angular contact ball bearing 3052, a second fastening end cap 3053, a second connecting shaft 3054, and a second pin shaft 3055. The second angular contact ball bearing 3052 is installed in the cylindrical cavity at the lower end of the second thigh housing 3011. The two second angular contact ball bearings 3052 are arranged back-to-back and positioned by the cavity structure. The second connecting shaft 3054 is bolted to the second lower leg member 3021, and its end passes through the second angular contact ball bearing 3052 to form a rotating pair. The second lower leg assembly 302 can rotate around the second knee joint 305; the second bearing end cap 3051 is installed at the lower end of the second thigh housing 3011 to fix the second angular contact ball bearing 3052; the second pin shaft 3055 is installed at the lower end of the second connecting rod 3014, passes through the shaft hole at the upper end of the second lower leg member 3021, and connects the second connecting rod 3014 to the second lower leg member 3021, so that the second connecting rod 3014 can drive the second lower leg assembly 302 to swing around the second knee joint 305; the second fastening end cap 3053 is installed at the upper end of the second lower leg member 3021 to fix the second pin shaft 3055.

[0041] The second thigh assembly 301 is provided with a wheel-foot switching device 306, wherein two auxiliary fixing modules 3062 are installed on the second thigh housing 3011, a rotary motor 30611 is installed in the cylindrical cavity on the second thigh housing 3011, a rotating connecting rod 30612 is rigidly connected to the rotary motor 30611, and a guide module 3063 and a wheel module 3064 are installed on the rotating connecting rod 30612.

[0042] like Figure 6 As shown, the scissor lift device 131 consists of a first side plate 1311, a second side plate 1312, a guide rail 1313, a ball screw 1314, first sliders 1315, and a scissor lift crossbar 1316. The first side plate 1311 and the second side plate 1312 are respectively installed on the opposite end faces of the front half of the machine body 11 and the rear half of the machine body 12. The guide rail 1313 is installed on the first side plate 1311 and the second side plate 1312, and the ball screw 1314 is installed on the first side plate 1311. Eight first sliders 1315 are installed on the scissor lift crossbar 1316, and each guide rail 1313 is connected to two first sliders 1315. The ball screw 1314 consists of bearing housing 13141, bearing housing 2 13142, nut 13143, and screw 13144. Bearing housing 13141 is installed at both ends of side plate 1311, bearing housing 2 13142 is installed in the middle of side plate 1311, and screw 13144 is installed between bearing housing 13141 and bearing housing 2 13142. Two nuts 13143 are respectively installed on the nut seat vertical rod 13161 of scissor lift crossarm 1316. Nut 13143 moves on screw 13144, driving scissor lift crossarm 1316 to extend and retract. The scissor lift frame 1316 consists of a nut seat vertical rod 13161, a first horizontal rod 13162, a second horizontal rod 13163, a vertical rod 13164, and a first connecting member 13165. Both ends of the first horizontal rod 13162 and the second horizontal rod 13163 are connected to a nut seat vertical rod 13161 and a vertical rod 13164 respectively via the first connecting member 13165. The scissor lift device 131 connects the front half of the robot's body 11 to the rear half of the robot's body 12, extending the waist section 13 of the body to increase the distance between the root joints of the front and rear legs, making obstacle avoidance easier, while also increasing the robot's degrees of freedom and improving its flexibility.

[0043] like Figure 7As shown, the guide device 132 consists of a first bracket 1321, linear bearings 1322, guide posts 1323, limiting nuts 1324, and first hexagon socket head cap screws 1325. The first bracket 1321 is an L-shaped bracket structure with holes. Two first brackets 1321 are symmetrically installed and fixedly connected to the front half of the fuselage 11 and the rear half of the fuselage 12, respectively. Linear bearings 1322 are mounted on the first brackets 1321 and connected by the first hexagon socket head cap screws 1325. Two linear bearings 1322 are mounted on each first bracket 1321. Two guide posts 1323 pass through the two linear bearings 1322 on the two first brackets 1321, forming a sliding pair. Limiting nuts 1324 are installed at both ends of the guide posts 1323 to limit the maximum stroke of the sliding pair. The guide device 132 prevents large torsion of the fuselage 1, increases the rigidity of the fuselage 1, and limits the extension and retraction of the fuselage waist 13 within a suitable range.

[0044] like Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, the wheel-foot switching device 306 consists of a rotation module 3061, an auxiliary fixing module 3062, a guide module 3063, and a wheel module 3064. The rotation module 3061, used to switch the wheel module 3064 between the hip and knee joint positions, comprises a rotary motor 30611 and a rotary link 30612. The rotary motor 30611 is mounted in a cylindrical cavity on the second thigh housing 3011, driving the rotary link 30612 to rotate. One end of the rotary link 30612 is rigidly connected to the rotary motor 30611, and the guide module 3063 and wheel module 3064 are mounted on the other end. The auxiliary fixing module 3062 is mounted on the second thigh housing 3011, located below the T-shaped groove corresponding to the second thigh cover 3012, and is used to reduce impact during wheel-foot switching and improve the robot's movement stability. The guide module 3063 consists of a guide shaft 30631, a second hexagon socket bolt 30632, a retaining ring 30633, and a deep groove ball bearing 30634. The guide shaft 30631 is mounted on the rotating connecting rod 30612 via the second hexagon socket bolt 30632. The deep groove ball bearing 30634 is mounted on the lower end of the guide shaft 30631 and is embedded in the T-shaped groove of the second thigh cover 3012, allowing the guide shaft 30631 to move smoothly along the T-shaped groove of the second thigh cover 3012. The retaining ring 30633 is mounted on the lower end of the guide shaft 30631, located below the deep groove ball bearing 30634, and is used to fix the deep groove ball bearing 30634. The wheel module 3064 consists of a hub motor 30641, a wheel 30642, and a third hexagon socket bolt 30643. The hub motor 30641 is mounted on the rotating connecting rod 30612 via the third hexagon socket bolt 30643, and the wheel 30642 is rigidly connected to the hub motor 30641.

[0045] like Figure 9As shown, the auxiliary fixing module 3062 consists of a support member 30621, a needle roller module 30622, a second slider 30623, and a cylinder 30624. The support member 30621 is mounted on the second thigh housing 3011. The needle roller module 30622 is mounted on the support member 30621, serving to guide the second slider 30623 and reduce friction during movement. The cylinder 30624 is mounted on the support member 30621, and the second slider 30623 is mounted on the cylinder 30624 push rod. Initially, the second slider 30623 is located in the groove corresponding to the second thigh cover 3012. When the rotating module 3061 drives the guide module 3063 to move to the bottom of the T-shaped groove corresponding to the second thigh cover 3015, the cylinder 30624 drives the second slider 30623 out of the groove, blocking the movement of the guide module 3063, thus providing auxiliary fixing.

[0046] The specific workflow of this invention is as follows: like Figure 1 As shown, the robot moves in foot mode when on uneven ground. In foot mode, the lower leg components of the foot-type leg 2 and the wheel-foot hybrid leg 3 are in contact with the ground. The robot moves in foot mode through the hip joint, root joint, and knee joint.

[0047] Taking the wheel-foot hybrid leg 3 as an example, the second hip joint 303 drives the wheel-foot hybrid leg 3 to rotate around an axis perpendicular to the ground, the second joint 304 drives the second thigh assembly 301 to rotate around an axis parallel to the ground, and the fourth motor 3012 drives the second lower leg assembly 302 to swing around the second knee joint 305. The driver on the body 1 drives the two nuts 13143 in the scissor lift device 131 to move towards each other on the screw 13144, and the scissor lift crossbar 1316 extends, thereby increasing the body length and effectively improving the robot's obstacle-crossing ability.

[0048] When the robot switches from foot mode to wheel mode, the cylinder 30624 in the auxiliary fixing module 3062 installed on the upper end of the second thigh shell 3011 drives the second slider 30623 to retract into the corresponding groove on the second thigh cover 3015. The rotary motor 30611 drives the rotary connecting rod 30612 to rotate, placing the wheel module 3064 at the second knee joint 305. The guide module 3063 moves to the bottom end of the corresponding T-shaped slide groove of the second thigh cover 3015. The cylinder 30624 in the auxiliary fixing module 3062 at the second knee joint 305 drives the second slider 30623 to move out of the groove, thus assisting in fixing the guide module 3063. The lower leg components of the two foot-type legs 2 and the four wheel-foot hybrid legs 3 retract, and the wheel 30642 touches the ground, thus completing the switch from foot mode to wheel mode.

[0049] like Figure 2As shown, the robot moves in wheel mode when on a flat surface. In wheel mode, the lower leg components of the two leg-type legs 2 and the four wheel-leg hybrid legs 3 are retracted, and the wheels 30642 of the four wheel-leg hybrid legs 3 are in contact with the ground. The hub motor 30641 drives the wheels 30642 to rotate, realizing the robot's movement in wheel mode. When the robot switches from wheel mode to foot mode, the lower leg components of the two foot-type legs 2 and the four wheel-foot hybrid legs 3 are lowered and in contact with the ground, supporting the robot to transform into a standing posture; the cylinder 30624 in the auxiliary fixing module 3062 at the second knee joint 305 drives the second slider 30623 to retract into the corresponding groove on the second thigh cover 3015, the rotary motor 30611 drives the rotary linkage 30612 to rotate, placing the wheel module 3064 near the second hip joint 303, the guide module 3063 moves to the bottom end of the corresponding T-shaped slide groove of the second thigh cover 3015, the cylinder 30624 in the auxiliary fixing module 3062 at the second hip joint 303 drives the second slider 30623 to move out of the groove, assisting in fixing the guide module 3063, thus completing the switch from foot mode to wheel mode.

[0050] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot transition, characterized in that: The application relates to a robot, which comprises a body (1), two foot-type legs (2) and four wheel-foot hybrid legs (3); the two foot-type legs (2) are installed on the front and rear ends of the body (1) in an outer knee elbow type; the four wheel-foot hybrid legs (3) are installed on the left and right ends of the body (1) in a full elbow type; the foot-type leg (2) is composed of a thigh component and a calf component; the body (1) is connected with the thigh component through a hip joint and a root joint; the thigh component is connected with the calf component through a knee joint; the wheel-foot hybrid leg (3) is composed of the foot-type leg (2) and a wheel-foot switching device (306); the wheel-foot switching device (306) is arranged on the thigh component; the wheel-foot switching device (306) comprises a rotating module (3061) and a wheel module (3064); the rotating module (3061) is connected on the thigh component and is used for realizing the transformation of the wheel module (3064) between the hip joint and the knee joint; and the wheel module (3064) is used for walking.

2. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot switching according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating module (3061) comprises a rotating motor (30611) and a rotating connecting rod (30612); the rotating motor (30611) is installed on the thigh component; one end of the rotating connecting rod (30612) is rigidly connected with the rotating motor (30611); and one end of the rotating connecting rod (30612) is connected with the wheel module (3064).

3. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot switching according to claim 2, wherein: The wheel module (3064) comprises a wheel hub motor (30641) and a wheel (30642); the wheel hub motor (30641) is installed on the rotating connecting rod (30612); and the wheel (30642) is rigidly connected with the wheel hub motor (30641).

4. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot switching according to claim 3, wherein: The wheel-foot switching device (306) comprises a guiding module (3063); one end of the guiding module (3063) is connected on the rotating connecting rod (30612); the other end of the guiding module (3063) can slide along a T-shaped sliding groove; one end of the T-shaped sliding groove is located at the edge of the thigh upper cover and has an opening; and the other end of the T-shaped sliding groove is closed.

5. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot transition according to claim 4, wherein: The wheel-foot switching device (306) comprises an auxiliary fixing module (3062); the auxiliary fixing module (3062) is composed of a supporting piece (30621), a needle roller module (30622), a second sliding block (30623) and a cylinder (30624); the supporting piece (30621) is installed in the thigh shell of the thigh component; the needle roller module (30622) is installed on the supporting piece (30621); the cylinder (30624) is installed on the supporting piece (30621) and is located below the needle roller module (30622); a pushing rod of the cylinder (30624) is provided with the second sliding block (30623); the second sliding block (30623) can slide in the needle roller module (30622) under the action of the cylinder (30624); two recesses are arranged on the upper and lower positions of the thigh upper cover of the thigh component; the recesses are communicated with the T-shaped sliding groove; and the positions of the recesses correspond to the second sliding block (30623).

6. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot transition of claim 1, wherein: The fuselage (1) comprises a front half fuselage (11) and a rear half fuselage (12); the front half fuselage (11) and the rear half fuselage (12) are connected through a fuselage waist (13); the fuselage waist (13) is composed of a scissors device (131) and two guide devices (132); the scissors device (131) is installed between the front half fuselage (11) and the rear half fuselage (12), and the two guide devices (132) are symmetrically installed on the left and right sides of the fuselage (1).

7. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot switching according to claim 6, wherein: The guide device (132) comprises two symmetrically arranged first supports (1321), the two first supports (1321) are respectively fixedly connected with the front half fuselage (11) and the rear half fuselage (12), a linear bearing (1322) is installed on the first support (1321), a guide column (1323) passes through the linear bearing (1322) to form a moving pair, and limit nuts (1324) are installed at the two ends of the guide column (1323).

8. The wheel-legged hybrid hexapod robot capable of wheel-foot transition according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The lower leg assembly comprises a lower leg rod and two foot end stop pieces installed at the end of the lower leg rod.

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