Power recovery system suitable for humanoid robot or multi-legged robot

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robot kinetic energy recovery, and discloses a power recovery system suitable for a humanoid robot or a multi-legged robot. The leg hydraulic buffering unit, the power generation assembly and the air hydraulic buffering unit are connected in series through a hydraulic pipeline to form a closed loop, and an efficient energy capture and conversion chain is constructed; when the feet of the robot make contact with the ground, impact force forces pistons in the hydraulic buffering units to move, and mechanical energy is directly converted into hydraulic energy of high-pressure oil flow; the oil flow immediately drives an impeller and a rotor of the power generation assembly to rotate at a high speed to generate power, instant and direct conversion from impact kinetic energy to electric energy is achieved, the recovery path is short, efficiency is high, and the energy utilization rate of the robot in the walking, running or jumping process is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robot kinetic energy recovery technology, specifically a power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots. Background Technology

[0002] Humanoid robots and multi-legged robots represent an important development direction in the field of robotics. They are capable of adapting to complex, unstructured terrain environments and have broad application prospects in areas such as rescue and detection, material transportation, and specialized services. However, the highly dynamic movements of these robots, such as walking, running, or jumping, subject their leg joints, especially the ankle and knee joints, to frequent and significant ground impact loads. To ensure structural safety and smooth movement, cushioning mechanisms, such as hydraulic or pneumatic shock absorbers, are typically installed in the legs, particularly at the junctions of the lower leg and foot or the thigh and lower leg, to absorb and dissipate this impact energy.

[0003] Currently, the energy dissipated due to buffering is usually released as heat and is not effectively utilized. Meanwhile, humanoid and multi-legged robots, due to their high integration and heavy load, have enormous energy consumption in their drive, sensing, and computing systems, and their limited battery capacity severely restricts their continuous operating time. Therefore, how to recover the energy generated during robot movement that would otherwise be wasted and convert it into electrical energy to recharge the battery has become one of the key technological challenges in improving robot endurance.

[0004] Existing technologies include some kinetic energy recovery solutions for vehicle suspensions or human energy harvesting, but these are generally difficult to directly apply to humanoid or multi-legged robots. These solutions are either structurally complex and bulky, making integration into the robot's compact leg space; or they have low recovery efficiency, unable to handle the high-frequency, reciprocating impact loads during robot movement; or they are functionally limited, only achieving energy recovery without addressing the real-time, adjustable damping characteristics required for robot movement. In particular, for applications requiring hydraulic damping, existing designs often treat damping and power generation as two separate systems, resulting in complex piping, long energy transfer paths, significant efficiency losses, and a lack of mechanisms for actively adjusting energy recovery and damping performance during the damping process.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies lack an integrated power recovery system that can be tightly integrated into the leg structure of humanoid or multi-legged robots, efficiently recover kinetic impact energy, and simultaneously possess adjustable buffering and reset functions. This invention aims to solve the above problems and proposes a power recovery system suitable for humanoid or multi-legged robots. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots, thereby resolving the problems in the background technology.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots, comprising a robot body, upper limbs driven by the robot body, and lower limbs hinged to the lower ends of the upper limbs. A battery is fixedly connected to the upper end of the robot body, and the lower limbs include a support part and a connecting part, with the connecting part installed at the lower end of the upper limbs. A hydraulic buffer unit is installed between the support part and the connecting part; the robot body is equipped with a power generation component and an air-hydraulic return unit. The hydraulic output end of the hydraulic buffer unit, the hydraulic drive end of the power generation component, and the air-hydraulic return unit are interconnected through hydraulic pipelines. The hydraulic buffer unit, due to the force exerted on the lower limbs, generates hydraulic oil flow that drives the power generation component to generate electricity, which is used to charge the battery carried by the robot body. The air-hydraulic return unit is used to provide reverse pressure to the hydraulic circuit to reset the hydraulic buffer unit.

[0008] Preferably, the hydraulic buffer unit includes a buffer oil chamber opened in the connecting part, a buffer rod installed at the end of the support part, a hydraulic oil pipe installed in the connecting part and communicating with the buffer oil chamber, and a first piston installed at the end of the buffer rod. One end of the buffer rod passes through the buffer oil chamber and controls the first piston to slide in the buffer oil chamber.

[0009] Preferably, the power generation component includes a component housing installed at the bottom of the robot body. A partition plate is fixedly installed inside the component housing, dividing the interior of the component housing into a power generation chamber and a drive chamber. A rotating shaft is rotatably installed in the middle of the partition plate, with its two ends located in the power generation chamber and the drive chamber, respectively. Several blades are installed on the outer wall of the end of the rotating shaft located in the drive chamber, and a rotor is installed at the end of the rotating shaft located in the power generation chamber. A stator matching the rotor is installed in the power generation chamber. The rotor and stator cooperate to charge the battery. A first inlet and outlet oil pipe is provided on the component housing, and the oil pipe is connected to the first inlet and outlet oil pipe.

[0010] Preferably, the power generation component is further provided with a second inlet and outlet oil pipe on the component housing, and the air-hydraulic return unit includes a hydraulic return housing installed at the bottom of the robot body. An annular liquid channel is installed on the end face of the hydraulic return housing. The second inlet and outlet oil pipe is connected to the annular liquid channel to form a connecting oil circuit. A plurality of regulating liquid holes communicating with the annular liquid channel are opened at one end of the hydraulic return housing. A limit stop is installed at one end inside the hydraulic return housing. A second piston is slidably installed on the outer wall of the limit stop. The second piston divides the inside of the hydraulic return housing into an oil chamber and a compressed air chamber.

[0011] Preferably, the air-hydraulic regenerative unit further includes an adjusting motor installed at one end of the hydraulic regenerative housing. The output end of the adjusting motor extends into the hydraulic regenerative housing and is fixedly mounted with a rotating rod. A limit strip is fixedly mounted on the outer wall of the rotating rod. A sealing block is slidably connected to the outer walls of the rotating rod and the limit strip. The outer wall of the sealing block has several return oil holes that fit with the adjusting fluid holes. End caps are fixedly mounted on the ends of the rotating rod and the limit strip.

[0012] Preferably, the end of the hydraulic return housing near the regulating fluid hole is a concave conical surface, the sealing block is a convex conical block, and the regulating fluid hole and the return oil hole are both located on their respective conical inclined surfaces.

[0013] Preferably, a full-bridge rectifier is provided in the charging circuit between the rotor and stator and the battery.

[0014] Preferably, a power conditioning circuit is provided between the DC output terminal of the full-bridge rectifier and the battery to adjust the rectified fluctuating DC power into a stable DC power that meets the charging requirements of the battery.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention constructs a highly efficient energy capture and conversion chain by connecting the leg hydraulic buffer unit, the power generation component, and the air-hydraulic recovery unit in series through hydraulic pipelines to form a closed loop. When the robot's foot touches the ground, the impact force forces the piston in the hydraulic buffer unit to move, directly converting mechanical energy into hydraulic energy of high-pressure oil flow. This oil flow immediately drives the impeller and rotor of the power generation component to rotate at high speed to generate electricity, realizing the instantaneous and direct conversion of impact kinetic energy into electrical energy. The recovery path is short and the efficiency is high, improving the energy utilization rate of the robot during walking, running, or jumping.

[0016] 2. This invention utilizes the extensibility of the pre-compressed gas in the air-hydraulic recovery unit to temporarily store the remaining hydraulic energy after an impact as potential energy. After the impact ends, the gas expansion not only provides a stable and controllable reset thrust for the system, but also drives the oil flow in the opposite direction through the power generation component, driving the rotor to rotate and generate electricity again. This design utilizes two oil flow directions within an impact-reset cycle to achieve secondary energy recovery under a single action, significantly increasing the total amount of energy recovered.

[0017] 3. This invention achieves real-time adjustable dynamic characteristics of the system through a conical sealing block mechanism integrated within the air-hydraulic recovery unit and precisely controlled by an adjusting motor. By changing the opening of the return oil hole, the oil return resistance can be steplessly adjusted, thereby achieving low-damping fast rebound in scenarios requiring rapid response to ensure agility; and switching to high-damping slow rebound in scenarios requiring high stability and maximum energy harvesting to extend power generation time and improve recovery efficiency, greatly enhancing the robot's environmental adaptability.

[0018] 4. This invention achieves a high degree of functional integration and extreme structural simplification by deeply integrating the energy recovery system into the necessary motion buffer structure. The hydraulic buffer unit itself serves as a shock absorber and also as the starting point for energy harvesting; the power generation component and the air-hydraulic return unit are compactly installed in the main body. The entire system simultaneously completes four functions—buffering and shock absorption, energy recovery, energy storage, and reset—without adding redundant motion mechanisms. It boasts outstanding advantages such as compact structure, high reliability, and minimal impact on the original robot's kinematics.

[0019] 5. This invention, by setting a full-bridge rectifier and subsequent power conditioning circuit in the output circuit of the power generation component, efficiently and stably converts the voltage and current to a constant voltage and current that meets the requirements for safe battery charging. This design ensures the absolute safety and high efficiency of the energy recovery circuit under complex and non-constant operating conditions.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures pointed out in the description, claims and drawings. Attached Figure Description Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the location and structure of the air-hydraulic regenerative braking unit and the power generation component of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the hydraulic buffer unit and connecting part of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the air-hydraulic regenerative braking unit and the power generation component of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the housing of the component of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the power generation structure of the power generation component of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the air-hydraulic regenerative unit and the hydraulic regenerative housing of the present invention. Figure 8 for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle. In the diagram: 1. Robot body; 2. Battery; 3. Upper limbs; 4. Lower limbs; 41. Support; 42. Connecting part; 5. Hydraulic buffer unit; 51. Buffer oil chamber; 52. Buffer rod; 53. First piston; 54. Hydraulic oil pipe; 6. Air-hydraulic return unit; 61. Hydraulic return shell; 62. Annular fluid channel; 63. Limiting bar; 64. Adjusting fluid hole; 65. Adjusting motor; 66. Rotary rod; 67. Sealing rod. 68. Sealing block; 69. Oil return hole; 610. Limiting stop; 611. Second piston; 612. Compressed air chamber; 613. Hydraulic oil chamber; 7. End cap; 7. Generator assembly; 71. Assembly housing; 72. Divider plate; 73. First inlet / outlet oil pipe; 74. Second inlet / outlet oil pipe; 75. Shaft; 76. Rotary blade; 77. Stator; 78. Rotor; 79. Drive chamber; 710. Generator chamber.

Claims

1. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots, comprising a robot body (1), upper limb legs (3) driven by the robot body (1), and lower limb legs (4) hinged to the lower ends of the upper limb legs (3), characterized in that, The upper end of the robot body (1) is fixedly connected to a battery (2), and the lower leg (4) includes a support part (41) and a connecting part (42). The connecting part (42) is installed at the lower end of the upper leg (3). A hydraulic buffer unit (5) is installed between the support part (41) and the connecting part (42); a power generation component (7) and an air-hydraulic return unit (6) are provided on the robot body (1). The hydraulic output end of the hydraulic buffer unit (5), the hydraulic drive end of the power generation component (7), and the air-hydraulic return unit (6) are interconnected through hydraulic pipelines. The hydraulic buffer unit (5) generates hydraulic oil flow due to the force exerted on the lower leg (4), which drives the power generation component (7) to generate electricity. The generated electrical energy is used to charge the battery (2) carried by the robot body (1). The air-hydraulic return unit (6) is used to provide reverse pressure to the hydraulic circuit to reset the hydraulic buffer unit (5).

2. The power recovery system for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydraulic buffer unit (5) includes a buffer oil chamber (51) opened in the connecting part (42), a buffer rod (52) installed at the end of the support part (41), a hydraulic oil pipe (54) installed in the connecting part (42) and communicating with the buffer oil chamber (51), and a first piston (53) installed at the end of the buffer rod (52). One end of the buffer rod (52) passes through the buffer oil chamber (51) and controls the first piston (53) to slide in the buffer oil chamber (51).

3. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 2, characterized in that, The power generation component (7) includes a component housing (71) installed at the bottom of the robot body (1). A partition plate (72) is fixedly installed inside the component housing (71). The partition plate (72) divides the interior of the component housing (71) into a power generation chamber (710) and a drive chamber (79). A rotating shaft (75) is rotatably installed in the middle of the partition plate (72). The two ends of the rotating shaft (75) are located in the power generation chamber (710) and the drive chamber (79) respectively. Several blades (76) are installed on the outer wall of the end of the rotating shaft (75) located in the drive chamber (79). A rotor (78) is installed at the end of the rotating shaft (75) located in the power generation chamber (710). A stator (77) matching the rotor (78) is installed in the power generation chamber (710). The rotor (78) and the stator (77) work together to charge the battery (2). A first inlet and outlet oil pipe (73) is provided on the component housing (71). The liquid oil pipe (54) is connected to the first inlet and outlet oil pipe (73).

4. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power generation component (7) is further provided with a second inlet and outlet oil pipe (74) on the component housing (71). The air-hydraulic recovery unit (6) includes a hydraulic recovery housing (61) installed at the bottom of the robot body (1). An annular liquid channel (62) is installed on the end face of the hydraulic recovery housing (61). The second inlet and outlet oil pipe (74) is connected to the annular liquid channel (62) to form a connecting oil circuit. A plurality of regulating liquid holes (64) communicating with the annular liquid channel (62) are opened at one end of the hydraulic recovery housing (61). A limit stop bar (69) is installed at one end inside the hydraulic recovery housing (61). A second piston (610) is slidably installed on the outer wall of the limit stop bar (69). The second piston (610) divides the inside of the hydraulic recovery housing (61) into a liquid oil chamber (612) and a compressed air chamber (611).

5. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air-hydraulic recovery unit (6) also includes an adjustment motor (65) installed at one end of the hydraulic recovery housing (61). The output end of the adjustment motor (65) extends into the hydraulic recovery housing (61) and is fixedly installed with a rotating rod (66). A limit strip (63) is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the rotating rod (66). A sealing block (67) is slidably connected to the outer wall of the rotating rod (66) and the limit strip (63). A plurality of oil return holes (68) that fit with the adjustment fluid hole (64) are opened on the outer wall of the sealing block (67). An end cap (613) is fixedly installed at the end of the rotating rod (66) and the limit strip (63).

6. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 5, characterized in that, The end of the hydraulic return housing (61) near the regulating fluid hole (64) is a concave conical surface, and the sealing block (67) is a convex conical block. The regulating fluid hole (64) and the return oil hole (68) are both located on their respective conical inclined surfaces.

7. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 3, characterized in that, A full-bridge rectifier is provided in the charging circuit between the rotor (78) and stator (77) and the battery (2).

8. A power recovery system suitable for humanoid robots or multi-legged robots according to claim 7, characterized in that, Between the DC output terminal of the full-bridge rectifier and the battery (2), there is a power conditioning circuit, which is used to adjust the rectified fluctuating DC power to a stable DC power that meets the charging requirements of the battery (2).

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