A six-legged wheel-legged composite robot and its application method
By designing a six-legged wheel-legged composite robot, utilizing a shared power source between the first and second drive shafts, and combining reinforcement components and guide sleeve structures, the problem of insufficient power integration in existing technologies is solved, achieving high passability and stability of the robot in complex terrain.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- WUHAN UNIV OF TECH
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing wheel-legged hybrid robots have shortcomings in power integration, resulting in high installation space requirements and susceptibility to collision damage, making it difficult to achieve a good power layout.
The robot adopts a six-legged wheel-legged composite design. By setting the first and second drive shafts to share the same power source, it can realize the lifting and rotation of the moving wheel group. Combined with the reinforcement and guide sleeve structure, it can improve the overall structural strength and stability. And through sensor information fusion, it can realize intelligent terrain switching.
The high degree of integration of the power system ensures that the robot maintains high passability and stability in complex terrain, reduces maintenance costs, and improves ease of use.
Smart Images

Figure CN122126367A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a hexapod wheel-legged composite robot and its application method. Background Technology
[0002] Wheel-legged hybrid robots are a common type of robot structure. They can move by means of wheels, mechanical legs, or a combination of wheels and legs, thus coping with various complex terrains and having good mobility. Therefore, they have good application prospects in transportation, search and rescue, and other fields.
[0003] An existing invention patent application with publication number CN121062840A discloses a wheel-legged mobile robot and its leg device, including a body. An upper leg rod is rotatably connected to the lower surface of the body, and a lower leg rod is rotatably connected to the upper leg rod. A waist hole is opened inside the lower leg rod, and an electric push rod is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the lower leg rod. A connecting frame is fixedly connected to the output end of the electric push rod. A sliding rod is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the connecting frame. The outer wall of the sliding rod is slidably connected to the inside of the waist hole, and a wheel is rotatably connected to the sliding rod.
[0004] As described in the above technical solution, electric push rods are installed on the robot's legs to drive the wheels for raising and lowering, thus enabling the robot to switch between wheel and leg positions. Since the electric push rods, as driving components, can only achieve the raising and lowering of the wheels, the wheels require an additional motor to provide driving force. However, in this solution, the wheels slide in conjunction with the lower leg rod via a sliding lever, requiring the wheels to be positioned very close to the lower leg rod. This interferes with the installation of the motor and other driving components, placing significant demands on installation space. If the motor is placed on the side of the wheel away from the lower leg rod, it is easily damaged by collisions or other factors. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve a satisfactory power integration solution, resulting in significant drawbacks in application. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In view of this, the present invention proposes a hexapod-wheel-leg composite robot with a highly integrated power system and convenient operation switching, and its application method, to solve the problem that the existing solutions do not achieve integrated power of the moving wheels, resulting in inconvenient application.
[0006] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: On one hand, this invention provides a hexapod wheel-legged composite robot and its application method, comprising a body, mechanical legs, a set of movable wheels, and a drive component, wherein, The machine body is equipped with multiple movable mechanical legs; Movable wheel sets are installed on some of the mechanical legs to form wheeled legs; mechanical legs without movable wheel sets are footed legs. The drive unit is located inside the wheeled leg and is used to drive the moving wheel assembly to rise, fall, and rotate along the mechanical leg. The drive unit is equipped with a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft, which are rotatably mounted on the mechanical leg and share the same power source; The first drive shaft is used to drive the moving wheel assembly to move up and down, and the second drive shaft is used to drive the moving wheel assembly to rotate, and serves as a guide shaft when the first drive shaft is working.
[0007] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the movable wheel set includes an axle, a wheel body, and a nut seat, and the driving components also include a clutch, a motor, and gears, wherein... A wheel body is rotatably mounted on one end of the axle, and a nut seat is fixedly mounted on the other end of the axle; The first drive shaft is a lead screw, which is connected to the nut seat by a threaded engagement. The wheel axle is in sliding engagement with the second drive shaft, and the sliding direction is radial to the wheel axle; One clutch is provided on each of the first and second drive shafts; The motor is mounted on the mechanical leg; One gear is provided at the end of the first drive shaft, one gear is provided at the end of the second drive shaft, and one gear is provided on the main shaft of the motor. The gear on the main shaft of the motor meshes with the gears at the end of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft.
[0008] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the movable wheel set also includes bearings, a drive shaft, and bevel gears, wherein... The axle has a hollow structure, and the bearing is located inside the axle. The drive shaft is coaxially mounted inside the wheel axle, and the drive shaft rotates with the bearing. One end of the drive shaft extends outside the wheel axle and is connected to the wheel body. The second drive shaft passes through the wheel axle, and the bevel gear connects the drive shaft and the second drive shaft.
[0009] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the movable wheel set also includes a bracket, and the wheel axle has a top port and a bottom port corresponding to the second drive shaft, wherein... The opening area of the top port is smaller than that of the bottom port; One end of the bracket is connected to the axle, and the other end of the bracket extends into the axle through the bottom port and supports the drive shaft.
[0010] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, a reinforcing component is also included. The reinforcing component comprises a connecting frame, a first guide sleeve, a guide rod, and a second guide sleeve. The connecting bracket is connected to the wheel axle, and the connecting bracket spans the bottom port; The first guide sleeve is connected to the connecting frame, and the first guide sleeve is slidably engaged with the second drive shaft; The guide rod is fixed relative to the mechanical leg, and the guide rod passes through the wheel axle; The second guide sleeve is mounted on the connecting frame, and the second guide sleeve slides in conjunction with the guide rod.
[0011] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the reinforcing component also includes an elastic seat and a connecting plate, wherein, The elastic seat is mounted on the second guide sleeve; One end of the connecting plate is connected to the elastic seat, and the other end of the connecting plate is connected to the nut seat.
[0012] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the axle is provided with an elastic section, and the elastic section is located between the connecting frame and the nut seat.
[0013] Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, the mechanical leg includes a root joint, a hip joint, a knee joint, and a lower leg component. The mechanical leg further includes a root joint servo motor, a root joint servo disk, a hip joint servo disk, a hip joint servo motor, a knee joint servo motor, a tibial support plate, and a knee joint servo motor servo disk. The root joint servo is connected to the fuselage; The root joint rudder disk is connected to the main shaft of the root joint servo motor; The hip joint rudder is connected to the root joint rudder; The spindle of the hip joint servo motor is connected to the hip joint servo disk; The knee joint servo and the hip joint servo are connected via a tibial support plate; The knee joint rudder is connected to the main shaft of the knee joint servo motor, and the moving wheel set and drive components are mounted on the knee joint rudder.
[0014] On the other hand, the present invention provides a method for applying the above-mentioned hexapod-wheeled composite robot, comprising the following steps: The machine is equipped with six mechanical legs. The two mechanical legs at the front and two at the rear are wheeled, while the two mechanical legs in the middle are footed. When encountering obstacle terrain, the mobile wheel assembly is in the raised state, and the root joint servo disk, hip joint servo disk, and knee joint servo disk achieve multi-degree-of-freedom displacement adjustment of the mechanical leg through servo motors, so that the robot can perform crawling actions. On flat terrain, the drive unit lowers the mobile wheel assembly to support the robot, and then the drive unit provides power to the mobile wheel assembly to move the robot.
[0015] Based on the above technical solutions, the preferred embodiment also includes the following steps: S1. Configure sensors on the robot to collect information on the robot's posture, wheel speed of the moving wheel set, foot pressure of the mechanical legs, and distance to obstacles; S2. Configure a control module on the robot to generate a terrain complexity coefficient C based on the robot's posture, the wheel speed of the moving wheel set, the foot pressure of the mechanical leg, and the distance to obstacles through a weighted fusion algorithm. S3. Based on the range of the terrain complexity coefficient C, dynamically select and switch the driving mode, including setting the terrain complexity coefficient thresholds T1 and T2. When C < threshold T1, it is determined to be flat terrain. Control the robot to adopt the driving mode dominated by the mobile wheel group and distribute the power of each mobile wheel group according to the ratio. When threshold T1 ≤ C < threshold T2, it is determined to be a low-obstacle terrain, triggering the wheel-leg hybrid drive mode. The robot is controlled to use the two front mechanical legs' moving wheel sets as the main drive, and the two rear mechanical legs as the auxiliary coordinators. Before approaching the obstacle, the controller reduces the speed of the front wheels and controls the rear mechanical legs to retract the moving wheel sets. When the front wheels contact the obstacle, the controller controls the rear leg joint servo motor to output torque to lift the front of the robot. At the same time, the two middle mechanical legs in the retracted state are controlled to perform a pole-assisted gait to enable the robot to cross the obstacle. Then the rear mechanical legs put down the moving wheel sets. When C ≥ threshold T2, it is determined to be an extremely rugged or steep terrain. The robot is then controlled to switch to a leg-dominated drive mode. All mechanical legs retract their movement wheels, and the robot executes an alternating gait of support and swing phases. In the support phase, the hind legs grip the ground to provide propulsion, while the front legs lift up and use sensors to scan the terrain ahead to select a safe landing point. In the swing phase, the front legs adjust their gait based on the detection results to support the landing, while the hind legs lift up and take a step forward.
[0016] The hexapod-wheeled composite robot and its application method of the present invention have the following advantages over the prior art: (1) By setting up a drive unit, it can drive the moving wheel set to move along the mechanical leg, so that the wheeled leg can switch between the wheeled leg and the footed leg, which is beneficial to ensure the robot's passability; at the same time, the drive unit realizes the integration of power functions, which can drive the moving wheel set to rotate, so as to realize the robot's displacement drive. Therefore, there is no need to set up an additional motor for the wheel rotation drive, which effectively solves the problem that the existing solution is limited by the structure and cannot form a good power layout. (2) By setting the wheel body, wheel axle and nut seat coaxially and setting the lead screw as the first drive shaft, the wheel body can be driven to rise and fall under the drive of the motor; a second drive shaft is also set to connect the transmission shaft and the wheel body with a bevel gear, so that the motor can also drive the wheel body to rotate through the second drive shaft, bevel gear and transmission shaft. The motor only needs to selectively connect the first drive shaft or the second drive shaft through the clutch to realize the switching of power under different needs. This ensures the high integration of the power system to make the application convenient. (3) By setting reinforcements, the structural strength of the wheel axle can be effectively improved by connecting frame, and the radial force on the wheel bearing can be transmitted to the second drive shaft and guide rod through the first guide sleeve and the second guide sleeve. This can effectively reduce the external force on the lead screw, which is the first drive shaft, thereby ensuring the reliability of the transmission structure. (4) By arranging the first drive shaft, the second drive shaft and the guide rod in parallel, and the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft adopt the structure of passing through the wheel axle, and the transmission shaft can be coaxially arranged with the wheel axle and cooperate with the second transmission shaft with a bevel gear, the overall structure can be further ensured to be compact. (5) By setting an elastic seat on the second guide sleeve and a connecting plate on the nut seat to connect the elastic seat, when the second guide sleeve transmits force to the guide rod, the guide rod will be the first to bear the force. Even if the guide rod undergoes a slight deformation, it can be offset by the elastic seat to ensure the stability of the screw drive structure. At the same time, the wheel axle is provided with an elastic section, which plays a supporting role and has a certain deformation capacity, so as to avoid damage to the screw and nut seat mating structure when the guide rod is deformed due to excessive impact, thereby reducing the maintenance cost after damage. (6) By fusing information from multiple sensors to generate a terrain complexity coefficient, the robot can automatically and seamlessly switch between three modes: pure wheeled high-efficiency drive, wheel-leg hybrid collaborative drive, and pure legged high passability drive. This intelligent decision-making based on real-time perception enables the robot to maintain near-optimal passability, motion stability, and energy utilization in complex mixed terrain. Attached Figure Description
[0017] 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 these drawings without creative effort.
[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the hexapod-wheeled composite robot of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the mechanical legs of the hexapod wheel-legged composite robot of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the drive components of the hexa-legged wheel-footed composite robot of the present invention; Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 3 Enlarged view of the structure at point A in the middle; Figure 5 This is a structural diagram showing the reinforcement and wheel axle disassembled structure of the hexapod-wheeled composite robot of the present invention; Figure 6This is a side view of the mechanical leg of the hexapod wheel-leg composite robot of the present invention; Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 Sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 8 For the present invention Figure 7 Enlarged view of the structure at point B; In the diagram: 1. Body; 2. Mechanical leg; 21. Root joint servo; 22. Root joint servo disk; 23. Hip joint servo disk; 24. Hip joint servo; 25. Knee joint servo; 26. Tibial support plate; 27. Knee joint servo disk; 3. Moving wheel assembly; 31. Axle; 311. Elastic section; 32. Wheel body; 33. Nut seat; 34. Bearing; 35. Drive shaft; 36. Bevel gear; 37. Bracket; 4. Drive component; 41. First drive shaft; 42. Second drive shaft; 43. Clutch; 44. Motor; 45. Gear; 401. Top port; 402. Bottom port; 5. Reinforcing component; 51. Connecting frame; 52. First guide sleeve; 53. Guide rod; 54. Second guide sleeve; 55. Elastic seat; 56. Connecting plate. Detailed Implementation
[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.
[0020] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.
[0021] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention.
[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
[0024] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. Additionally, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention; however, those skilled in the art will recognize the applicability of other processes and / or the use of other materials.
[0025] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the hexapod wheel-leg composite robot of the present invention includes a body 1, mechanical legs 2, a set of moving wheels 3, a drive component 4, and a reinforcing component 5.
[0026] like Figures 1-3 As shown, multiple mechanical legs 2 are movably mounted on the body 1; movable wheel sets 3 are mounted on some of the mechanical legs 2 to form wheeled legs, while mechanical legs 2 without movable wheel sets 3 are footed legs; a drive unit 4 is mounted inside the wheeled legs, and the drive unit 4 is used to drive the movable wheel sets 3 to move up and down and rotate along the mechanical legs 2; the drive unit 4 is provided with a first drive shaft 41 and a second drive shaft 42, which are rotatably mounted on the mechanical legs 2 and share the same power source; the first drive shaft 41 is used to drive the movable wheel sets 3 to move up and down, and the second drive shaft 42 is used to drive the movable wheel sets 3 to rotate, and when the first drive shaft 41 is working, it serves as a guide shaft; As described above, body 1 is the main body of the robot, used to carry various working equipment; The body 1 has six mechanical legs 2 around its perimeter. The mechanical legs 2 are divided into wheeled legs and footed legs. The wheeled legs are formed by adding a set of movable wheels 3 to the footed legs. At the same time, the wheeled legs are equipped with a drive unit 4, which is used to adjust the position of the movable wheel set 3 so that the mechanical leg 2 or the movable wheel set 3 can selectively contact the ground. This allows the wheeled legs to be adjusted to be footed legs. Specifically, the drive unit 4 is provided with a first drive shaft 41 and a second drive shaft 42. The first drive shaft 41 is used to transmit power to raise and lower the moving wheel set 3, so that the moving wheel set 3 is grounded or the end of the mechanical leg 2 is grounded. The second drive shaft 42 is used to provide rotational power to the moving wheel set 3, so that the robot can be driven to move forward through the moving wheel set 3. The first drive shaft 41 and the second drive shaft 42 share the same power source, thereby enabling both the lifting and lowering of the movable wheel set 3 and the rotation of the movable wheel set 3. This achieves a high degree of integration of the power system, which not only optimizes the overall structure but also reduces costs. Meanwhile, since the drive unit 4 is integrated inside the wheeled leg, specifically inside the mechanical leg 2, it can avoid being affected by external collision factors and has good protective performance and stability when applied.
[0027] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the movable wheel assembly 3 includes an axle 31, a wheel body 32, and a nut seat 33. The driving component 4 also includes a clutch 43, a motor 44, and a gear 45. The wheel body 32 is rotatably mounted at one end of the axle 31, and the nut seat 33 is fixedly mounted at the other end of the axle 31. The first drive shaft 41 is a lead screw, which is threadedly connected to the nut seat 33. The axle 31 and the second drive shaft 42 are in sliding engagement, with the sliding direction being radial. One clutch 43 is mounted on each of the first drive shaft 41 and the second drive shaft 42. The motor 44 is mounted on the mechanical leg 2. One gear 45 is mounted on each end of the first drive shaft 41, the second drive shaft 42, and the main shaft of the motor 44. The gear 45 on the main shaft of the motor 44 meshes with the gears 45 on the ends of the first drive shaft 41 and the second drive shaft 42. As described above, the axle 31 is a connecting part, with a wheel body 32 mounted on one end for movement; the other end of the axle 31 is connected to a nut seat 33, which is connected to the first drive shaft 41, i.e., to the lead screw. Thus, when the first drive shaft 41 rotates, it can cooperate with the nut seat 33 to drive the axle 31 and the wheel body 32 to move synchronously, thereby realizing the movement of the moving wheel assembly 3 relative to the mechanical leg 2. The second drive shaft 42 is an optical shaft and slides with the wheel axle 31, which ensures the stability of the moving wheel assembly 3 when it is raised or lowered; at the same time, the second drive shaft 42 is also used to provide power for the rotation of the wheel body 32. During the above actions, power is provided by a single power source, motor 44. Motor 44 is connected and fixed to mechanical leg 2. The main shaft of motor 44 is connected to two clutches 43 via gears. The two clutches 43 are mounted opposite each other on the ends of the first drive shaft 41 and the second drive shaft 42. Thus, when the first drive shaft 41 is raised or lowered, the clutches 43 mounted on the second drive shaft 42 are disengaged. When the second drive shaft 42 is driven to provide power to the wheel 32, the clutches 43 mounted on the end of the second drive shaft 42 are engaged, and the clutches 43 mounted on the end of the first drive shaft 41 are disengaged. Specifically, clutch 43 is an electromagnetic jaw clutch.
[0028] like Figure 8 As shown, the movable wheel assembly 3 also includes a bearing 34, a drive shaft 35, and a bevel gear 36. The wheel axle 31 is a hollow structure, and the bearing 34 is disposed inside the wheel axle 31. The drive shaft 35 is coaxially disposed inside the wheel axle 31, and the drive shaft 35 is rotatably engaged with the bearing 34. One end of the drive shaft 35 extends to the outside of the wheel axle 31 and is connected to the wheel body 32. The second drive shaft 42 passes through the wheel axle 31, and the bevel gear 36 connects the drive shaft 35 and the second drive shaft 42. As described above, the second drive shaft 42 and the wheel body 32 are powered by the transmission shaft 35 and the bevel gear 36. Among them, one bevel gear 36 is provided on the second drive shaft 42 and one on the transmission shaft 35. When the second drive shaft 42 rotates, it can drive the transmission shaft 35 to rotate, thereby causing the wheel body 32 to rotate, which can drive the robot to move. Specifically, the drive shaft 35 is coaxially arranged with the wheel axle 31 and is fixed by bearing 34 to ensure the stability of the structure.
[0029] like Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the movable wheel set 3 also includes a bracket 37. The wheel axle 31 has a top port 401 and a bottom port 402 corresponding to the second drive shaft 42. The opening area of the top port 401 is smaller than the opening area of the bottom port 402. One end of the bracket 37 is connected to the wheel axle 31, and the other end of the bracket 37 extends into the wheel axle 31 through the bottom port 402 and supports the drive shaft 35. As described above, the axle 31 has a top port 401 and a bottom port 402 for use by the second drive shaft 42. The bottom port 402 has a larger area so that when the moving wheel assembly 3 is raised, the bevel gear 36 mounted on the second drive shaft 42 can disengage from the inside of the axle 31, avoiding structural interference problems. Furthermore, relying solely on the bearing 34 to fix the drive shaft 35 structure would not be stable enough, especially since the force borne by the wheel 32 would only be transmitted from the bearing 34 to the axle 31. Therefore, a bracket 37 is provided on the axle 31, and the bracket 37 is matched with the drive shaft 35 to optimize the force transmission structure of the drive shaft 35 and ensure the stability of the overall structure.
[0030] like Figures 3-8 As shown, the reinforcing member 5 includes a connecting frame 51, a first guide sleeve 52, a guide rod 53, and a second guide sleeve 54. The connecting frame 51 is connected to the wheel axle 31 and spans the bottom port 402. The first guide sleeve 52 is connected to the connecting frame 51 and is slidably engaged with the second drive shaft 42. The guide rod 53 is fixed relative to the mechanical leg 2 and passes through the wheel axle 31. The second guide sleeve 54 is disposed on the connecting frame 51 and is slidably engaged with the guide rod 53. As described above, the reinforcing member 5 is used to improve the strength of the overall transmission system in this robot structure; Specifically, when the moving wheel set 3 is subjected to force, the drive shaft 35 will transmit the force to the wheel axle 31, and then the wheel axle 31 will transmit the force to the first drive shaft 41 and the second drive shaft 42, causing the first drive shaft 41 and the second drive shaft 42 to bear a large radial force. If structural deformation and damage occur, it will affect subsequent applications. Therefore, the reinforcement 5 is provided. In the structure of the reinforcing member 5, the connecting bracket 51 is connected to the wheel axle 31 and spans the bottom port 402, thereby strengthening the rigidity of the wheel axle 31 and avoiding the impact of the opening of the top port 401 and the bottom port 402 on the overall structural strength, so as to prevent the occurrence of deformation problems. Furthermore, the connecting frame 51 slides with the second drive shaft 42 through the first guide sleeve 52. In this way, when the wheel axle 31 is subjected to force, the force can be distributed to the second drive shaft 42. At the same time, the force is transmitted to the first drive shaft 41 through the nut seat 33, ensuring uniform force distribution and avoiding stress concentration in the first drive shaft 41, which may lead to deformation or even breakage. The system also includes a guide rod 53 and a second guide sleeve 54 that cooperates with the guide rod 53 on the connecting frame 51, so as to further distribute the force through the guide rod 53. Specifically, the first drive shaft 41, the second drive shaft 42, and the guide rod 53 are arranged in parallel and side by side to facilitate integration. During installation, the ends of the first drive shaft 41, the second drive shaft 42, and the guide rod 53 are fixed to the mechanical leg 2. Specifically, the guide rod 53 is also installed through the wheel axle 31.
[0031] like Figure 8 As shown, the reinforcing member 5 also includes an elastic seat 55 and a connecting plate 56. The elastic seat 55 is disposed on the second guide sleeve 54. One end of the connecting plate 56 is connected to the elastic seat 55, and the other end of the connecting plate 56 is connected to the nut seat 33. As described above, by setting an elastic seat 55 on the second guide sleeve 54 and a connecting plate 56 on the nut seat 33 to connect the elastic seat 55, when the second guide sleeve 54 transmits force to the guide rod 53, the guide rod 53 will be subjected to the force first. Even if the guide rod 53 undergoes a slight deformation, it can be offset by the elastic seat 55 to ensure the stability of the screw drive structure.
[0032] Furthermore, the axle 31 is provided with an elastic section 311, and the elastic section 311 is located between the connecting frame 51 and the nut seat 33; As described above, the elastic segment 311 on the axle 31 works in conjunction with the elastic seat 55. While supporting the robot body 1, it also has a certain deformation space. Thus, when the wheel body 32 is subjected to an impact, the impact force is preferentially distributed to the second drive shaft 42 and the guide rod 53. A small portion of the force is transmitted through the elastic segment 311 and the elastic seat 55 and borne by the first drive shaft 41. This minimizes the risk of deformation and damage to the first drive shaft 41, thereby ensuring that the moving wheel set 3 can maintain its lifting and lowering operation to achieve the switching of walking posture.
[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the mechanical leg 2 includes a root joint servo motor 21, a root joint servo disc 22, a hip joint servo disc 23, a hip joint servo motor 24, a knee joint servo motor 25, a tibia support plate 26, and a knee joint servo disc 27. The root joint servo motor 21 is connected to the body 1; the root joint servo disc 22 is connected to the main shaft of the root joint servo motor 21; the hip joint servo disc 23 is connected to the root joint servo disc 22; the main shaft of the hip joint servo motor 24 is connected to the hip joint servo disc 23; the knee joint servo motor 25 is connected to the hip joint servo motor 24 via the tibia support plate 26; and the knee joint servo disc 27 is connected to the main shaft of the knee joint servo motor 25. A moving wheel assembly 3 and a drive unit 4 are mounted on the knee joint servo disc 27. As described above, the mechanical leg 2 is equipped with several joints, among which the root joint rudder disk 22, hip joint rudder disk 23, tibia joint support plate 26 and knee joint rudder disk 27 are connecting parts, and the root joint servo motor 21, hip joint servo motor 24 and knee joint servo motor 25 are power parts. This enables the mechanical leg 2 to have the function of multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment and steering, thereby ensuring the flexibility of movement and realizing foot walking. Furthermore, the bottom of the mechanical leg 2 is equipped with a shock-absorbing mechanism, which includes a ball that contacts the ground, a guide rod that connects the ball and slides with the mechanical leg 2, and a shock-absorbing spring sleeved on the guide rod to achieve cushioning and shock absorption during walking. When the robot switches from legged walking mode to wheeled rolling mode, follow these steps: S1: Wheel assembly direction pre-alignment. The control system drives the servo motor 21 located at the wheel leg joint to make unified adjustments based on the target travel direction, so that the planes of the four wheel modules rotate to be parallel to each other and the rolling direction is consistent with the target direction.
[0034] S2: Wheelset descent, ground contact, and drive switching. This step is completed by drive unit 4, specifically including: S2.1: Wheelset Descending. The control system executes control to engage the drive component 4 with the sinking transmission path. The power of the motor 44 drives the first drive shaft 41 to rotate, causing the meshing nut seat and the entire moving wheelset 3 to move downwards in a straight line along the outside of the mechanical leg 2 until the wheel body 32 reliably contacts the ground and bears part of the machine's weight. During this descent, the system maintains stable contact between the two middle legs and the ground, forming a six-point redundant support polygon with four wheels and two legs. The support compensation of the two middle legs counteracts the overturning moment caused by the shift in the center of gravity projection, ensuring static stability during the transient process of mode transition. The subsequent S3 step is triggered only after all four sets of wheels reliably bear weight.
[0035] S2.2: Travel drive takeover. When the wheel set descends to the preset ground contact position, the control system switches the state of the drive component 4, disconnects the sinking transmission path and simultaneously engages the travel transmission path. The power of the motor 44 is switched to the second travel drive shaft 42, which drives the wheel body 32 to rotate through the bevel gear 36 and the transmission shaft 35.
[0036] S3: Auxiliary Leg Retraction. Simultaneously or after the four wheels around the perimeter complete descent and drive switching, the control system drives the servo motors of each joint of the two middle legs to fold them up, with the feet completely off the ground, to avoid interference during wheeled travel.
[0037] When the robot switches from wheeled rolling mode back to legged walking mode, the following steps are performed: S1: Movement Stop and Stabilization Preparation. The control system executes control to smoothly brake motor 44 to stop the robot, and then controls the servo motors of each joint of the two middle legs to unfold from the retracted state until the feet make stable contact with the ground, providing stable support for subsequent operations.
[0038] S2: Drive path switching and wheel set reset. This step is completed in reverse by drive component 4, specifically including: S2.1: Disengagement of travel drive and unlocking of mechanism. The control system executes control to disconnect the travel transmission path of drive component 4, cut off the power connection between transmission shaft 35 and motor 44, and release the additional mechanical lock on the moving wheel set 3 or lead screw nut.
[0039] S2.2: Wheel set reset and rise. The control system executes control to engage the power switching mechanism with the sinking transmission path, the motor 44 rotates in the opposite direction, driving the first drive shaft 41 to rotate in the opposite direction, and through the nut seat 33, drives the entire moving wheel set 3 to move upward along the guide mechanism until the wheels are completely off the ground and reset to the preset storage position.
[0040] S3: Posture Reset and Mode Transition. The control system controls the root joint servo motors to rotate and adjust the wheel module to a retracted posture parallel to the axis of the mechanical leg; it controls the joint servo motors of the four peripheral wheeled legs to drive their feet to contact the ground, adjusting the body to a stable standing position; and it fine-tunes the posture of the two middle lower legs as needed. At this point, the robot has fully transitioned to legged walking mode.
[0041] Furthermore, by adaptively adjusting the posture of the wheeled legs through the servo motors of each joint, the robot can adjust its direction of travel, including forward, backward, lateral, stationary, and diagonal movements.
[0042] The application method of the hexapod-wheeled composite robot of the present invention includes the following steps: Six mechanical legs 2 are configured on the body 1. The two mechanical legs 2 at the front end and the two mechanical legs 2 at the rear end of the body 1 are configured as wheel-type legs, and the two mechanical legs 2 in the middle are configured as foot-type legs. When encountering obstacle terrain, the mobile wheel set 3 is in the raised state, and the root joint rudder 22, hip joint rudder 23 and knee joint rudder 27 realize the multi-degree-of-freedom displacement adjustment of the mechanical leg 2 through the servo motor, so that the robot can perform crawling actions. When on flat terrain, the drive unit 4 drives the moving wheel set 3 to fall down, so as to support the robot through the moving wheel set 3. Then the drive unit 4 provides power to the moving wheel set 3 to drive the robot to move.
[0043] The application method of the hexapod-wheeled composite robot of the present invention further includes the following steps: S1. Configure sensors on the robot to collect information on the robot's posture, the wheel speed of the moving wheel set 3, the foot pressure of the mechanical leg 2, and the distance to obstacles; S2. Configure a control module on the robot to generate a terrain complexity coefficient C based on the robot's posture, the wheel speed of the moving wheel set 3, the foot pressure of the mechanical leg 2, and the distance to obstacles through a weighted fusion algorithm. S3. Based on the range of the terrain complexity coefficient C, dynamically select and switch the driving mode, including setting the terrain complexity coefficient thresholds T1 and T2. When C < threshold T1, it is determined to be flat terrain. Control the robot to adopt the driving mode dominated by the mobile wheel group 3 and distribute the power of each mobile wheel group 3 according to the ratio. When threshold T1≤C<threshold T2, it is determined to be a low-obstacle terrain, triggering the wheel-leg hybrid drive mode. The robot is controlled to use the two front mechanical legs 2 with the moving wheel sets 3 as the main drive and the two rear mechanical legs 2 as the auxiliary coordinator. Before approaching the obstacle, the controller reduces the speed of the front wheels and controls the rear mechanical legs 2 to retract the moving wheel sets 3. When the front wheels contact the obstacle, the controller controls the rear leg joint servo motor to output torque to lift the front of the robot. At the same time, the two middle mechanical legs 2 in the retracted state are controlled to perform a pole-assisted gait to enable the robot to cross the obstacle. Then the rear mechanical legs 2 put down the moving wheel sets 3. Specifically, the system employs a pole-assisted gait, where the mechanical legs rhythmically push off the ground downwards and backwards, using ground reaction force to provide additional longitudinal thrust to the fuselage and assist the front wheels in overcoming obstacle resistance. After clearing the obstacle, the fuselage returns to its normal posture and switches back to flat terrain drive mode. Throughout the process, the hind leg movements are closely coordinated with the front wheel drive to prevent the vehicle from jamming. When C ≥ threshold T2, it is determined to be an extremely rugged or steep terrain. The robot is controlled to switch to a leg-dominated drive mode. All mechanical legs 2 retract the moving wheel sets 3, and the robot is controlled to execute a gait that alternates between a support phase and a swing phase. In the support phase, the hind legs grip the ground to provide propulsion, and the front legs lift up and use sensors to scan the terrain ahead to select a safe landing point. In the swing phase, the front legs adjust their gait to land and support the ground based on the detection results, and the hind legs lift up and step forward.
[0044] Specifically, collecting the above information through sensors is a conventional technical method, and will not be elaborated further. Specifically, the central control module generates the terrain complexity coefficient C through a weighted fusion algorithm: ;
[0045] in, The instantaneous tilt angle of the fuselage fed back by the IMU. The variance of the foot pressure sensor fluctuation. The absolute height of the obstacle detected by the visual sensor. , , These are the preset weighting coefficients for the corresponding sensing parameters. Their value ranges are usually pre-set and dynamically adjusted according to the robot's stability requirements and maneuverability preferences under different tasks.
[0046] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A hexapod-wheeled composite robot, characterized in that: It includes a body (1), mechanical legs (2), a set of moving wheels (3), and a drive unit (4), among which, Multiple mechanical legs (2) are movably mounted on the body (1); The movable wheel set (3) is set on part of the mechanical leg (2) to form a wheeled leg, and the mechanical leg (2) without the movable wheel set (3) is a footed leg; The drive component (4) is disposed inside the wheel leg, and the drive component (4) is used to drive the movable wheel assembly (3) to rise and fall and rotate along the mechanical leg (2); The drive unit (4) is provided with a first drive shaft (41) and a second drive shaft (42). The first drive shaft (41) and the second drive shaft (42) are rotatably mounted on the mechanical leg (2) and share the same power source. The first drive shaft (41) is used to drive the moving wheel set (3) to move up and down, and the second drive shaft (42) is used to drive the moving wheel set (3) to rotate, and serves as a guide shaft when the first drive shaft (41) is working.
2. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The movable wheel assembly (3) includes an axle (31), a wheel body (32), and a nut seat (33), and the driving component (4) further includes a clutch (43), a motor (44), and a gear (45), wherein, One end of the axle (31) is rotatably provided with a wheel body (32), and the other end of the axle (31) is fixedly provided with a nut seat (33). The first drive shaft (41) is a lead screw, and the lead screw is connected to the nut seat (33) by a threaded connection; The axle (31) is in sliding engagement with the second drive shaft (42), and the sliding direction is radial to the axle (31); One clutch (43) is provided on each of the first drive shaft (41) and the second drive shaft (42); The motor (44) is mounted on the mechanical leg (2); One gear (45) is provided at the end of the first drive shaft (41), the second drive shaft (42), and the main shaft of the motor (44), and the gear (45) on the main shaft of the motor (44) meshes with the gear (45) at the end of the first drive shaft (41) and the second drive shaft (42).
3. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The movable wheel assembly (3) also includes a bearing (34), a drive shaft (35), and a bevel gear (36), wherein, The axle (31) is a hollow structure, and the bearing (34) is disposed inside the axle (31); The drive shaft (35) is coaxially disposed inside the wheel axle (31). The drive shaft (35) is rotatably engaged with the bearing (34), and one end of the drive shaft (35) extends outside the wheel axle (31) and is connected to the wheel body (32). The second drive shaft (42) passes through the wheel axle (31), and the bevel gear (36) connects the transmission shaft (35) and the second drive shaft (42).
4. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The movable wheel assembly (3) also includes a bracket (37), and the wheel axle (31) has a top port (401) and a bottom port (402) corresponding to the second drive shaft (42), wherein, The opening area of the top port (401) is smaller than the opening area of the bottom port (402); One end of the bracket (37) is connected to the axle (31), and the other end of the bracket (37) extends through the bottom port (402) into the axle (31) and supports the drive shaft (35).
5. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a reinforcing member (5), which includes a connecting frame (51), a first guide sleeve (52), a guide rod (53), and a second guide sleeve (54), wherein, The connecting frame (51) is connected to the axle (31), and the connecting frame (51) spans the bottom port (402). The first guide sleeve (52) is connected to the connecting frame (51), and the first guide sleeve (52) is slidably engaged with the second drive shaft (42); The guide rod (53) is fixed relative to the mechanical leg (2), and the guide rod (53) passes through the wheel axle (31). The second guide sleeve (54) is disposed on the connecting frame (51), and the second guide sleeve (54) slides in cooperation with the guide rod (53).
6. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The reinforcing member (5) further includes an elastic seat (55) and a connecting plate (56), wherein, The elastic seat (55) is disposed on the second guide sleeve (54); One end of the connecting plate (56) is connected to the elastic seat (55), and the other end of the connecting plate (56) is connected to the nut seat (33).
7. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The axle (31) is provided with an elastic section (311), and the elastic section (311) is located between the connecting frame (51) and the nut seat (33).
8. The hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The mechanical leg (2) includes a root joint servo motor (21), a root joint servo disc (22), a hip joint servo disc (23), a hip joint servo motor (24), a knee joint servo motor (25), a tibial support plate (26), and a knee joint servo disc (27), wherein, The root joint servo motor (21) is connected to the body (1); The root joint rudder disk (22) is connected to the main shaft of the root joint servo motor (21); The hip joint rudder (23) is connected to the root joint rudder (22); The spindle of the hip joint servo motor (24) is connected to the hip joint servo disk (23); The knee joint servo (25) and the hip joint servo (24) are connected via the tibia support plate (26); The knee joint rudder (27) is connected to the main shaft of the knee joint servo (25), and the moving wheel set (3) and the drive unit (4) are mounted on the knee joint rudder (27).
9. A method for applying the hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Six mechanical legs (2) are arranged on the body (1). The two mechanical legs (2) at the front end and the two mechanical legs (2) at the rear end of the body (1) are configured as wheeled legs, and the two mechanical legs (2) in the middle are configured as footed legs. When in obstacle terrain, the moving wheel set (3) is in the raised state, and the root joint rudder disk (22), the hip joint rudder disk (23) and the knee joint rudder disk (27) realize the multi-degree-of-freedom displacement adjustment of the mechanical leg (2) through the rudder, so that the robot can realize the crawling action; When on flat terrain, the drive member (4) drives the moving wheel set (3) to fall so as to support the robot through the moving wheel set (3). Then the drive member (4) provides power to the moving wheel set (3) to drive the robot to move.
10. The application method of the hexapod-wheeled composite robot as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: S1. Configure sensors on the robot to collect information on the robot's posture, the wheel speed of the moving wheel set (3), the foot pressure of the mechanical leg (2), and the distance to obstacles; S2. Configure a control module on the robot to generate a terrain complexity coefficient C based on the robot's posture, the wheel speed of the moving wheel group (3), the foot pressure of the mechanical leg (2) and the distance to the obstacle through a weighted fusion algorithm. S3. Based on the value range of the terrain complexity coefficient C, dynamically select and switch the driving mode. include, Set terrain complexity coefficient thresholds T1 and T2. When C < threshold T1, it is determined to be flat terrain. Control the robot to adopt the driving mode dominated by the mobile wheel set (3) and distribute the power of each mobile wheel set (3) according to the ratio. When threshold T1 ≤ C < threshold T2, it is determined to be a low obstacle terrain, triggering the wheel-leg hybrid drive mode. The robot is controlled to drive with the two front mechanical legs (2) and the two rear mechanical legs (2) assisting in coordination. Before approaching the obstacle, the controller reduces the front wheel speed and controls the rear mechanical legs (2) to retract the mobile wheel set (3). When the front wheel contacts the obstacle, the controller controls the rear leg joint servo to output torque to lift the front of the vehicle body. At the same time, the two middle mechanical legs (2) in the retracted state are controlled to perform a pole-assisted gait so that the robot can cross the obstacle. Then the rear mechanical legs (2) put down the mobile wheel set (3). When C ≥ threshold T2, it is determined to be an extremely rugged or steep terrain. The robot is controlled to switch to a leg-driven mode. All mechanical legs (2) retract the moving wheel set (3) and the robot is controlled to perform a gait that alternates between a support phase and a swing phase. In the support phase, the hind leg grips the ground to provide propulsion, the front leg lifts up and uses sensors to scan the terrain in front to select a safe landing point. In the swing phase, the front leg adjusts its gait to support the landing based on the detection results, and the hind leg lifts up and steps forward.