A continuous hopping robot with adjustable take-off direction and a hopping method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a continuous jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction and its jumping method, belonging to the field of robotics technology. The continuous jumping robot includes a continuous energy storage mechanism and a jumping mechanism. The continuous energy storage mechanism includes a main frame, a cover plate, a first servo motor, an incomplete gear, and a spring. The jumping mechanism includes an elastic pad, a connecting rod, a stop block, a micro servo motor, a slider, and supporting legs. The continuous energy storage mechanism and the jumping mechanism are connected by a spring. The robot's energy storage and take-off are achieved through the reciprocating motion of the continuous energy storage mechanism, and the take-off direction can be adjusted by changing the support method of the supporting legs. This invention improves the randomness of the robot's motion trajectory, enabling continuous jumping motion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a continuous jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction and its jumping method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of robotics technology, the industry's requirements for robot obstacle-crossing performance continue to increase. To enhance robots' ability to navigate complex terrain environments in the wild, robots with jumping capabilities have gradually become a research hotspot.

[0003] There are still many technical pain points to be solved in some existing jumping robots: 1) The robot mechanism is relatively complex, the processing and manufacturing cost is high, and the reliability during the jumping impact is low; 2) The controllability of the jumping posture and movement direction is poor, the take-off angle and movement trajectory have strong randomness, and the movement stability is insufficient; 3) There are bottlenecks in the design of energy storage structure, and most models only support single energy storage and release, making it difficult to achieve continuous and stable jumping movement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuous jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction and its jumping method. By adjusting the pitch angle and swing angle at take-off, the randomness of the robot's motion trajectory is improved, thereby realizing the robot's continuous jumping motion.

[0005] Technical solution: A continuous jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction, comprising a continuous energy storage mechanism and a jumping mechanism. The continuous energy storage mechanism includes a main frame, a cover plate, a first servo motor, an incomplete gear, and a spring. The main frame is used to mount the first servo motor, which is connected to the incomplete gear via an output shaft. One end of the spring is fixed to the main frame. A guide rail is provided on the lower layer of the main frame. The jumping mechanism includes a catapult, a stop, a micro servo motor, and a support leg. The catapult includes an elastic pad, a connecting rod, and a slider. The elastic pad is connected to the slider via the connecting rod. The slider has racks on both sides, which are installed in conjunction with incomplete gears. The micro servo motor is installed at the bottom of the main frame, and its output shaft is connected to the support leg. The slider is connected to the other end of a spring and can reciprocate in a guide rail. The stop is installed at the end of the guide rail. The two supporting legs and the elastic pad make contact with the ground, forming a total of three contact points, which together constitute the take-off plane. Each of the two support legs is controlled by a micro servo motor, which adjusts the pitch and sway angles during takeoff by using different combinations of sway angles. The angle control of the micro servo motors is achieved through an external Arduino control board.

[0006] Furthermore, the incomplete gear is divided into a toothless section and a gear section. The gear section and the rack cooperate with each other and have approximately the same number of teeth. When the incomplete gear rotates, it drives the rack through the gear section. When the gear section on the incomplete gear has finished rotating, the toothless section faces the rack, the slider is released, and the jump is completed.

[0007] Furthermore, slider stops are provided on both sides of the slider. After the jumping action is completed, the slider stops contact the stop block to ensure that the slider returns to its initial position.

[0008] Furthermore, the section of the elastic pad that contacts the ground is arc-shaped.

[0009] Furthermore, the incomplete gear has only half the number of teeth.

[0010] Furthermore, the main frame and slider are made of plastic and have a hollow structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the elastic pad is made of rubber and is elastic.

[0012] A jumping method for a continuous jumping robot, based on any of the aforementioned continuous jumping robots, to achieve take-off direction adjustment and continuous jumping, includes the following process: When the robot is in its initial state, the gear segment of the incomplete gear faces upward, the toothless segment faces the rack, the spring is in a contracted state, and the slider is in the rear. When the robot begins to store energy, the first servo motor rotates counterclockwise. After the gear segment of the incomplete gear contacts the rack, the first servo motor continues to rotate and drives the slider to move forward along the guide rail. At this time, the spring is stretched and gradually stores energy. As the gear segment and rack are about to disengage, the slider reaches its maximum position, the spring completes energy storage, and the incomplete gear stops rotating; at the same time, the pitch and yaw angles of the fuselage are adjusted by the micro servo motor to determine the take-off position; Once the take-off angle is set, the take-off phase begins; the incomplete gear continues to rotate, the gear segment and rack disengage, and the slider quickly returns to its initial position under the action of the spring. It then drives the elastic pad to contact the ground through the connecting rod to complete the push-out action. Driven by the reaction force, the robot jumps along the set direction. During landing, the robot lands stably with the help of its two supporting legs and elastic pads, returning to its initial state and preparing for the next jump.

[0013] Furthermore, the rotation direction of the micro servo motor is adjusted via an external Arduino control board, changing the pitch angle and sway angle during takeoff.

[0014] Furthermore, when the two micro servos rotate synchronously, the pitch angle of the fuselage can be adjusted; when the two micro servos rotate asynchronously, the lateral tilt angle of the fuselage can be adjusted.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the significant advantages of this invention are as follows: 1. The jumping robot mechanism of the present invention is simple and makes extensive use of 3D printing materials and carbon fiber materials, which has the characteristics of low manufacturing cost and high structural reliability. By changing the rotation angle of two micro servo motors, the pitch angle and swing angle during take-off can be adjusted, thereby improving the controllability of the jumping robot's movement. 2. The jumping robot of the present invention drives the slider to move by rotating an incomplete gear, so as to complete the continuous energy storage of the spring multiple times and realize the continuous jumping of the robot; 3. The main frame of the jumping robot of the present invention adopts a hollow design to reduce the overall weight of the robot and increase the jumping distance of the robot; 4. The jumping method of the present invention achieves the adjustment of the body pitch angle by controlling two micro servos to rotate synchronously, and achieves the adjustment of the body lateral swing angle by rotating asynchronously. It is implemented by an external Arduino control board, and the adjustment program is easy to implement, which further improves the controllability of the jumping robot's movement. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the robot's high-angle jump in this invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Top view; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the robot's small-angle jump. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the entire process of energy storage and take-off for the robot, where (a) is the initial stage, (b) is the energy storage stage, (c) is the direction adjustment stage, and (d) is the take-off stage; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main framework structure of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the servo motor and incomplete gear mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the ejector structure of the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Main frame, 101. Guide rail, 102. Fixing groove, 103. Servo groove, 104. Spring fixing groove; 2. Cover plate, 3. First servo; 4. Incomplete gear, 401. Toothless section, 402. Gear section; 5. Elastic pad, 6. Connecting rod, 7. Stop block, 8. Spring, 9. Miniature servo; 10. Slider, 1001. Rack, 1002. Slider stop bar, 1003. Slider mounting hole; 11. Support leg. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0018] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 The diagram shows the overall design of the robot, which consists of a continuous energy storage mechanism and a jumping mechanism. The continuous energy storage mechanism comprises a main frame 1, a cover plate 2, a first servo motor 3, an incomplete gear 4, and a spring 8. The main frame 1 has two layers, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the upper layer is a servo groove 103 for mounting the first servo 3, and the first servo 3 is pressed and fixed by the cover plate 2. The first servo 3 can provide a large torque to meet the robot's energy storage needs. Incomplete gears 4 are installed on both sides of the first servo 3, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the lower layer of the main frame 1 is a guide rail 101 for the reciprocating motion of the slider 10. A micro servo motor 9 is mounted on the bottom of the main frame 1 via a fixing slot 102. The micro servo motor 9 has low torque and is lightweight. The output shaft of the micro servo motor 9 is connected to the robot support leg 11. The guide rail 101 has a spring fixing slot 104 for fixing one end of a spring 8, while the other end of the spring 8 is fixed to the slider mounting hole 1003.

[0019] The robot's main frame 1 and slider 10 are made of plastic or carbon fiber materials, or are formed in one piece by 3D printing, and extensively use hollow structures to reduce the robot's own weight and increase the robot's jumping height.

[0020] The jumping mechanism mainly consists of a catapult, a stop block 7, a micro servo motor 9, and a support leg 11. The catapult mainly consists of an elastic pad 5, a connecting rod 6, and a slider 10. Figure 7 As shown, the slider 10 has a symmetrical structure. Racks 1001 are integrated on both sides of the slider 10, and these racks 1001 have the same module as the incomplete gear 4, allowing them to mesh and match. Slider stops 1002 are also provided on both sides of the slider 10. After a jump, the stop 1002 contacts the stop block 7 to ensure the slider 10 returns to its initial position. The elastic pad 5 is made of elastic material and is connected to the slider 10 via a connecting rod 6. The micro servo motor 9 is fixed to the bottom of the main frame 1, and its output shaft is connected to the support leg 11 via AB glue, enabling angle control of the support leg 11.

[0021] The elastic pad 5 is made of rubber and is elastic to prevent damage to the robot's structure from the impact force with the ground at the moment of takeoff.

[0022] The section of the elastic pad 5 that contacts the ground is arc-shaped, which can maintain its supporting function when the robot changes its jumping direction from left to right.

[0023] The incomplete gear 4 is divided into a toothless section 401 and a gear section 402. The gear section 402 cooperates with the rack 1001 on the slider 10, and the number of teeth is approximately the same. When the incomplete gear 4 rotates, it drives the rack 1001 through the gear section 402. After the gear section 402 on the incomplete gear 4 has finished rotating, the toothless section 401 faces the rack 1001, the slider is released, and the jump is completed.

[0024] The two support legs 11 can be controlled by micro servos 9 respectively. By different combinations of swing angles, the pitch angle and swing angle of take-off can be adjusted, and the angle control of micro servos 9 can be achieved through an external Arduino control board.

[0025] like Figure 1 The diagram shown illustrates a robot's high-angle jump. Figure 3 The diagram shows the robot's small-angle jump. The two supporting legs 11 and the elastic pad 5 are in contact with the ground, with a total of three contact points to provide a stable take-off plane.

[0026] Regarding power supply and control: The entire jumping robot is controlled by a primary servo motor (3) and two miniature servos (9). It is powered by two 3.7-volt miniature lithium batteries connected in series via a 6V DC power supply connected externally through lightweight wires. The controller uses an external Arduino board to control the angles of the three servos.

[0027] Regarding the process of achieving takeoff direction adjustment and continuous jumps: In the initial stage of the robot, Figure 4 In (a), the gear segment 402 of the incomplete gear 4 faces upward, the toothless segment 401 faces the slider rack, the spring 8 is in a contracted state, and the slider 10 is located on the rear side of the main frame 1. When the robot enters the energy storage phase, Figure 4 In (b), the drive component is... Figure 1 As shown, rotate counterclockwise until the gear segment 402 of the incomplete gear meshes with the rack 1001, continuously driving the slider 10 to slide along the guide rail 101 towards the front of the main frame 1, simultaneously stretching the spring 8, and gradually completing the elastic energy storage. As gear segment 402 is about to separate from rack 1001, slider 10 reaches its limit stroke position, spring 8 reaches saturation, and incomplete gear 4 immediately stops operating. Simultaneously, by adjusting the micro servo motor 9, the robot's pitch and lateral tilt angles can be adjusted to determine the takeoff orientation; at this point, the robot can enter a direction adjustment state. Figure 4 In (c), when the two micro servos 9 rotate synchronously, the pitch angle of the fuselage can be adjusted; when the two micro servos 9 rotate asynchronously, the lateral tilt angle of the fuselage can be adjusted.

[0028] Once the takeoff angle is set, the robot enters the takeoff phase. Figure 4 In step (d), the incomplete gear 4 continues to rotate, causing the gear segment 402 to completely disengage from the rack 1001; the slider 10 quickly resets under the elastic force of the spring 8, and the elastic pad 5 is pulled by the connecting rod 6 to instantly push against the ground. With the help of the ground's reverse force, the robot is driven to complete the jumping action in the preset direction.

[0029] During landing, the two supporting legs 11 and the elastic pad 5 work together to help the robot land stably and return to its initial posture, thus enabling it to perform the next jump.

Claims

1. A continuous hopping robot with adjustable take-off direction, characterized by, It includes a continuous energy storage mechanism and a jumping mechanism. The continuous energy storage mechanism includes a main frame (1), a cover plate (2), a first servo motor (3), an incomplete gear (4), and a spring (8). The main frame (1) is used to install the first servo motor (3). The first servo motor (3) is connected to the incomplete gear (4) through an output shaft. One end of the spring (8) is fixed to the main frame (1). The lower layer of the main frame (1) is provided with a guide rail (101). The jumping mechanism includes a catapult, a stop (7), a micro servo motor (9), and a support leg (11). The catapult includes an elastic pad (5), a connecting rod (6), and a slider (10). The elastic pad (5) is connected to the slider (10) through the connecting rod (6). The slider (10) has racks (1001) on both sides, and the racks (1001) are installed in conjunction with the incomplete gear (4). The micro servo motor (9) is installed at the bottom of the main frame (1), and its output shaft is connected to the support leg (11). The slider (10) is connected to the other end of the spring (8) and can reciprocate in the guide rail (101). The stop (7) is installed at the end of the guide rail (101). The two supporting legs (11) and the elastic pad (5) respectively contact the ground, forming a total of three contact points, which together form the take-off plane; The two support legs (11) are each controlled by a micro servo motor (9). By different combinations of swing angles, the pitch angle and swing angle of the take-off can be adjusted. The angle control of the micro servo motor (9) is achieved through an external Arduino control board.

2. The jump direction adjustable continuous jumping robot according to claim 1, wherein, The incomplete gear (4) is divided into a toothless section (401) and a gear section (402). The gear section (402) and the rack (1001) cooperate with each other and have approximately the same number of teeth. When the incomplete gear (4) rotates, it drives the rack (1001) through the gear section (402). After the gear section (402) on the incomplete gear (4) has finished rotating, the toothless section (401) faces the rack (1001), the slider is released, and the jump is completed.

3. The jump direction adjustable continuous jumping robot according to claim 1, wherein, The slider (10) is also provided with slider stops (1002) on both sides. After the jumping action is completed, the slider stops (1002) contact the stop block (7) to ensure that the slider (10) is reset to the initial position.

4. The jump direction adjustable continuous jumping robot according to claim 1, wherein, The section of the elastic pad (5) that contacts the ground is arc-shaped.

5. The continuously jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The incomplete gear (4) has only half the number of teeth.

6. The continuously jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The main frame (1) and slider (10) are made of plastic and have a hollow structure.

7. The continuously jumping robot with adjustable take-off direction according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The elastic pad (5) is made of rubber and is elastic.

8. A jumping method for a continuous jumping robot, based on the continuous jumping robot according to any one of claims 1-7, achieving adjustment of take-off direction and continuous jumping, characterized in that, Includes the following processes: When the robot is in the initial state, the gear segment (402) of the incomplete gear (4) faces upward, the toothless segment (401) faces the rack (1001), the spring (8) is in the contracted state, and the slider (10) is in the rear. When the robot starts to store energy, the first servo motor (3) rotates counterclockwise. When the gear segment (402) of the incomplete gear (4) contacts the rack (1001), the first servo motor (3) continues to rotate and drives the slider (10) to move forward along the guide rail (101). At this time, the spring (8) is stretched and gradually stores energy. When the gear segment (402) and rack (1001) are about to disengage, the slider (10) reaches its maximum position, the spring (8) completes energy storage, and the incomplete gear (4) stops rotating; at the same time, the pitch angle and lateral swing angle of the fuselage are adjusted by the micro servo motor (9) to determine the take-off position; Once the take-off angle is set, the take-off phase begins; the incomplete gear (4) continues to rotate, the gear segment (402) and rack (1001) disengage, the slider (10) quickly returns to its initial position under the action of the spring (8), and through the connecting rod (6) drives the elastic pad (5) to contact the ground to complete the push-out action. Under the action of the reaction force, the robot jumps along the set direction; During the landing process, the robot lands stably and returns to its initial state through the action of the two supporting legs (11) and the elastic pad (5), preparing for the next jump.

9. The jumping method for the continuous jumping robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The rotation direction of the micro servo (9) is adjusted by an external Arduino control board, changing the pitch angle and sway angle during takeoff.

10. The jumping method for the continuous jumping robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the two micro servos (9) rotate synchronously, the pitch angle of the fuselage is adjusted; when the two micro servos (9) rotate asynchronously, the lateral tilt angle of the fuselage is adjusted.

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