Head drive motion system free of neck joint dependency

Abstract

The application relates to a head driving movement system free of neck joint dependence, and relates to the technical field of a robot head control system, which comprises a neck support, a head support, a pull rod, a crank, a driving device, a torsional spring, a permanent magnet, an angle adjusting disc, a first Hall element, a second Hall element and a microprocessor system. The driving device is arranged on the head support and drives the head to swing left and right through the transmission cooperation of the crank and the pull rod, the dependence on the neck joint is eliminated, the neck diameter is reduced, and miniaturized design is realized. The torsional spring stores power when the head deflects and assists in resetting when the head returns to normal, thereby reducing the return load of the driving device; the permanent magnet and the two Hall elements cooperate to identify angle intervals such as vertical, medium left, left and the like, thereby providing judgment for head positioning. The application has the characteristics of compact structure and reliable positioning detection, and is beneficial to the development of robots in the direction of miniaturization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of robot head control systems, and in particular to head motion systems. Background Technology

[0002] To achieve left-right head movement, small humanoid robots, toy robots, or service robots commonly employ a method of directly mounting the head-swinging motor on the neck. While this method offers a shorter path, the placement of the motor and its reduction gear on the neck forces an increase in the robot's neck diameter and overall profile, hindering miniaturization. To accommodate the motor and transmission components, the neck shell often needs to be thickened and lengthened, resulting in disproportionately large and bulky robots, making it difficult to manufacture compact, lifelike humanoid or toy robots.

[0003] Furthermore, in order to minimize the overall size of the robot, designers often need to forgo measuring the left and right tilt angles of the head to avoid further increasing the size by adding additional angle sensors to the neck. Even if angle sensors are forcibly added in some designs, existing angle sensors are insufficient to detect small head tilts because the amplitude of the left and right tilts is usually small, thus failing to meet the posture control requirements of the robot's head. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a head-driven motion system that is free from dependence on the cervical joint.

[0005] The head-driven motion system that eliminates dependence on the cervical joint provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: Head-driven movement systems that eliminate reliance on cervical joints, including neck braces and head braces; The head support is positioned above the neck support and can swing left and right. It also includes a lever, the lower end of which is linked to the neck brace; The upper end of the lever is connected to the driven end of a crank, and the driving end of the crank is connected to the drive shaft of a drive device fixed on the head bracket. A torsion spring is mounted on the drive shaft. The fixed end of the torsion spring is fixed to the drive unit; The crank is provided with an arc-shaped slot around the drive shaft, and the movable end of the torsion spring is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped slot. When the head support is vertical, the movable end slides to the middle of the arc-shaped slot, and the vertical position is the reset position of the torsion spring; A permanent magnet is mounted on the side of the crank facing the drive unit; Below the rotation trajectory of the permanent magnet, an angle adjustment disc with a shaft hole is assembled. The angle adjustment disc and the housing of the drive device have a locking mechanism, and the drive shaft passes through the shaft hole. It also includes a microprocessor system; The angle adjustment dial is equipped with a first Hall element and a second Hall element connected to the microprocessor system at intervals. The relative positions of the two Hall elements and the permanent magnet are as follows: The permanent magnet is located between the two Hall elements. The signals sensed by the two Hall elements are equal, and the microprocessor system considers the head support to be in a vertical position. When the permanent magnet is close to the first Hall element and far away from the second Hall element, the sensing signal of the first Hall element is enhanced and the sensing signal of the second Hall element is weakened. The microprocessor system considers the head support to be in the middle to the left, and the torsion spring torque increases. The permanent magnet continues to rotate to the left, moving away from the first Hall element. The sensing signal of the first Hall element is stronger than that of the second Hall element. Both sensing signals weaken, and the microprocessor system considers the head support to be on the left, and the torsion spring torque gradually reaches its maximum. During the process of the head support returning to its vertical position, a torsion spring assists in resetting the head support.

[0006] This application places the drive device that drives the robot to swing on the head support, and through the transmission cooperation of the crank and the pull rod, the driving force of the drive device is transmitted from the head to the neck support, thereby reducing the diameter and profile of the robot's neck and realizing the miniaturization design of the robot.

[0007] The torsion spring is mounted on the drive shaft with the vertical position as the reset position. As the head swings from vertical to the left, the torsion spring gradually accumulates energy and releases it to assist the drive device in resetting upon returning to center, thus significantly reducing the load on the drive device during the resetting phase. When the torsion spring is to the left, it gradually reaches its maximum torque and works in conjunction with the drive force of the drive device to form a resultant force. This resultant force overcomes the torque generated by the gravity of the head shell, head support, and accessories, ensuring the head support can return to center. Furthermore, the movable end of the torsion spring only slides without pressing against the slot end when the head support is vertical, meaning the torsion spring does not provide auxiliary torque within this small range. Even without the torsion spring's assistance, resetting is still relatively convenient. Simultaneously, because the torsion spring's assistance is eliminated, slight head shaking results in a smaller load on the drive device, making the movements more precise and rapid.

[0008] Meanwhile, the permanent magnet rotates with the crank, and the two Hall elements are electrically connected to the microprocessor system. Based on the strength of the sensing signals from the two Hall elements, the relative position of the head is identified, so that when the robot head rotates to a vertical, left-center, or left-leaning position, the angle range of the head swing can be identified. Thus, without adding complexity to the structure, the positioning control of the head swing is provided.

[0009] The angle adjustment disk can rotate around the drive shaft, thereby causing the two Hall elements on the angle adjustment disk to move circumferentially relative to the permanent magnet, thus flexibly adjusting the detection starting angle of the Hall elements according to the actual assembly tolerance or different detection scenarios.

[0010] The entire solution concentrates the drive and detection within the head shell, reducing the space occupied at the neck and allowing for a smaller neck diameter and length, thus reducing the robot's overall size and facilitating miniaturization. Furthermore, since the detection is based on the correlation between the strength of the sensing signals from two Hall elements and the head's swaying angle, the microprocessor system can directly acquire the head posture. Compared to traditional angle sensor solutions that require precise angle measurement and full circumferential angle measurement, this application leverages the limited range of head swaying and lower accuracy requirements, achieving detection with only two Hall elements and a permanent magnet, making it particularly suitable for miniaturized robot applications.

[0011] Preferably, the length of the arc-shaped slot is set such that when the head support is offset by more than 3 degrees, the movable end abuts against one end of the arc-shaped slot and presses it tightly.

[0012] In the actual movement of the head support, when the deflection angle is less than 3 degrees, the torque generated around the rotation axis by gravity on the head shell, head support and accessories is small. The drive device itself can easily overcome this torque to achieve reset without the need for the intervention of the torsion spring. The movable end of the torsion spring only slides within a 3-degree range near the vertical of the head support without pressing the end of the slot, so that the torsion spring does not provide auxiliary torque in this small angle range, thus slightly shaking the head. The load on the drive device is smaller, and the action is more precise and faster.

[0013] Preferably, the permanent magnet is close to the second Hall element and far away from the first Hall element. The sensing signal of the second Hall element is enhanced, and the sensing signal of the first Hall element is weakened. The microprocessor system considers the head support to be in the middle to the right, and the torsion spring torque is increased. The permanent magnet continues to rotate to the right, moving away from the second Hall element. The sensing signal of the second Hall element is stronger than that of the first Hall element, and both sensing signals weaken. The microprocessor system considers the head support to be on the right, and the torsion spring torque gradually reaches its maximum.

[0014] It was clarified that when the permanent magnet is close to the second Hall element and far away from the first Hall element, the microprocessor system identifies it as being slightly to the right. When it continues to rotate to the right and the second Hall signal is stronger than the first Hall signal, it is identified as being to the right. This allows the microprocessor system to process the interval identification and control logic on both sides. At the same time, when the head support swings to the right, the torsion spring torque gradually increases, which can also store power and assist in resetting when the head support returns to the center.

[0015] Preferably, the line connecting the first Hall element to the drive shaft axis of the drive device and the line connecting the second Hall element to the drive shaft axis form an angle between them, with the angle ranging from 60 to 120 degrees. Furthermore, both the crank and the angle adjustment dial are made of plastic.

[0016] Since the actual amplitude of the robot's head swaying left and right is usually small, if the included angle is too large, the two Hall elements will be located at opposite ends of the permanent magnet's rotation trajectory. This causes the signal of the Hall element farther away from the center to attenuate as the permanent magnet rotates from the center to one side, while the signal of the Hall element closer to the center gradually increases with the increase of the rotation angle. In other words, the rate of increase of the signal of the Hall element closer to the center gradually accelerates, making it difficult for the microprocessor system to accurately determine the direction of the sway when the head support just begins to sway. This solution controls the included angle between 60 and 120 degrees. This angle design fully utilizes the inherent characteristic of the small amplitude of the head sway, ensuring that the permanent magnet is always between the sensitive areas of the two Hall elements. While the signal of one element increases, the signal of the other element decreases, and the difference between the two signals changes monotonically, preventing the microprocessor system from being unable to recognize the sway.

[0017] The use of plastic cranks and angle adjustment discs serves two purposes: firstly, the low density of plastic reduces the weight of the small robot's head, thus decreasing inertia during rotation; secondly, the plastic cranks and angle adjustment discs minimize interference with the Hall element's sensing signals, further ensuring system stability.

[0018] Preferably, the surface of the drive unit housing near the crank is called the mounting surface; On the side of the crank's driving end that is close to the mounting surface, there is a recessed hole arranged around the drive shaft; It also includes an electromagnetic telescopic rod assembled inside the housing, with the telescopic rod end of the electromagnetic telescopic rod protruding from the mounting surface of the housing as a telescopic plug; The electromagnetic telescopic rod is an electromagnetic telescopic rod that extends its telescopic plug when power is lost. The electromagnetic telescopic rod has a retraction trigger signal interface and extends its telescopic plug when power is lost. The telescopic plug is arranged corresponding to the recess to form an electric locking mechanism for the crank. The signal control terminal of the electromagnetic telescopic rod is connected in parallel with the signal control terminal of the drive device.

[0019] When the drive unit is powered off or in standby mode, the head support may be moved by external force, causing the robot head to lose its posture, or the transmission gears inside the drive unit may be damaged by the external force. To address this, a recessed hole surrounding the drive shaft is provided at the active end of the crank, and a normally closed electromagnetic telescopic rod is installed inside the drive unit. Simultaneously, the signal control terminal of the electromagnetic telescopic rod is connected in parallel with the signal control terminal of the drive unit. This allows the electromagnetic telescopic rod to extend and insert into the recessed hole to lock the crank when the drive unit stops, and to retract and release the lock when the drive unit is activated.

[0020] This design, which connects the electromagnetic telescopic rod signal control end and the drive device signal control end in parallel, along with the design of opening a concave hole on the crank, ensures that the robot head cannot be moved by external force in the event of an accidental power failure or shutdown. This protects the transmission gears from impact damage and maintains the stability of the head posture, thereby improving the product's durability and safety performance.

[0021] Preferably, the telescopic rod end of the electromagnetic telescopic rod protrudes from the mounting surface of the housing, and a through hole is provided on the angle adjustment disc for the telescopic rod end to pass through.

[0022] When the electromagnetic telescopic rod is de-energized, the telescopic plug passes through the through holes of the housing and the angle adjustment disc in sequence and is then inserted into the concave hole of the crank. The housing and the through hole of the angle adjustment disc together form a guide channel, which ensures that the extension and retraction paths of the electromagnetic telescopic rod are unobstructed.

[0023] Preferably, the neck brace supports a cervical spine connector with a degree of swing freedom; The head support is mounted above the cervical spine connector via a pivot that rotates left and right. A support extending outward is fixed to one side of the cervical spine connector, and the support is rotatably connected to the lower end of the pull rod; The cervical spine connector includes a front-to-back swing bracket extending in the front-to-back direction. The inner end of the support member is connected to the rear part of the outer end face of the front-to-back swing bracket. The cervical spine connector is connected to the neck support through the front-to-back swing bracket. The cervical support has a built-in motor drive system with a power output shaft that rotates back and forth. The power output shaft is connected to the back-and-forth swinging support to drive the cervical spine connector back and forth.

[0024] This technical solution separates the drive sources for forward and backward head movement from those for left and right head movement. Forward and backward movement is driven by a motor system inside the neck support, while left and right movement is driven by a drive device inside the head support. The two do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, by placing the forward and backward movement drive inside the neck support and using the neck support as a load-bearing base, combined with the left and right movement drive structure on the head support, the overall drive layout for head movement is optimized.

[0025] Preferably, the head support is mounted above the cervical spine connector via a pivot that rotates left and right; this pivot is called a swing pivot. The outwardly extending portion of the support member is provided with a pivot that rotates left and right; this pivot is referred to as the support member pivot. The lower end of the pull rod is rotatably connected to the support member via the support member's pivot. The driven end of the crank is provided with a rotating shaft that can rotate left and right; this rotating shaft is called the crank shaft. The upper end of the pull rod is rotatably connected to the driven end of the crank via the crank shaft.

[0026] The swing axis serves as the swing center of the head support. The support axis hinges the lower end of the pull rod to the support on the cervical spine connector, while the crank axis hinges the upper end of the pull rod to the driven end of the crank. The crank axis rotates around the drive shaft with the crank, converting the crank's swing into the head support's left-right swing around the swing axis via the pull rod. These three components work together to form a complete transmission chain, ensuring that the drive unit is mounted on the head support and swings with it, further supporting the robot's miniaturization design.

[0027] Preferably, the crank is curved downwards and shaped like a cashew nut; The crank has a drive end shaft hole for inserting the drive shaft of the drive device. The driven end of the crank has interconnected front and rear walls, with an opening between the front and rear walls; The crank also has a driven end shaft hole that passes through the front and rear walls and is fitted with the crank shaft; The upper end of the pull rod is embedded in the opening and is rotatably connected to the crank via the crank shaft.

[0028] The crank is curved downwards in a cashew-nut shape. The drive shaft is inserted into the shaft hole at the driving end, while the driven end has interconnected front and rear walls with an opening between them. The upper end of the pull rod is inserted into the opening and rotated through the crank shaft. The opening structure formed by the front and rear walls allows the upper end of the pull rod to be clamped on both sides, ensuring stable rotation and preventing it from coming out. The downward-curving profile is suitable for the limited height space inside the head housing and avoids components above, which is beneficial for miniaturization and compact layout.

[0029] Preferably, the drive device is mounted on the head support at a position above the eyes; The pull rod includes a first rod-shaped body, a plate-shaped body, and a second rod-shaped body connected in sequence; The first rod-shaped body is located above and extends downward, the plate-shaped body is rhomboid in shape and extends downward and backward, and the second rod-shaped body is located below and extends downward; The first rod-shaped body is connected to the upper front side of the plate-shaped body, and the second rod-shaped body is connected to the lower rear side of the plate-shaped body; The second rod-shaped body has a gradually curved structure that curves from top to bottom and from the outside to the inside, in order to conform to the contour of the neck joint from the cheek to the back of the cheek.

[0030] The drive unit is mounted on the head support above the eyes, making full use of the unused space above the head shell and resulting in a more compact overall head structure. The first rod extends downwards, the rhomboid plate extends downwards and backwards, and the second rod extends downwards with a gradually curving structure from top to bottom and from the outside in, conforming to the contours from the cheeks to the back of the neck. The rhomboid plate provides sufficient bending stiffness, while its backward extension avoids the jaw and facial areas, ensuring the rod does not rub against the cheeks when swinging left and right. The gradually curving structure of the second rod conforms to the robot's neck curve, preventing the rod from scraping against the head shell when the head swings, and ensuring smooth head movement.

[0031] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The torsion spring is mounted on the drive shaft with the vertical position as the reset position. As the head swings from vertical to the left, the torsion spring gradually accumulates force, releasing it to assist the drive device in resetting upon returning to center, thus significantly reducing the load on the drive device during the resetting phase. When the torsion spring is to the left, it gradually reaches its maximum torque, combining with the driving force of the drive device to form a resultant force. This resultant force overcomes the torque generated by gravity on the head shell, head support, and accessories, ensuring the head support can return to center. Furthermore, the movable end of the torsion spring only slides without pressing against the slot end when the head support is vertical, meaning the torsion spring does not provide auxiliary torque within this small range. Even without the torsion spring's assistance, resetting is still relatively convenient. Simultaneously, because the torsion spring's assistance is eliminated, slight head shaking results in a smaller load on the drive device, making the movements more precise and rapid. 2. The permanent magnet rotates with the crank, and two Hall elements are electrically connected to the microprocessor system. Based on the strength of the sensing signals from the two Hall elements, the relative position of the head is identified. This allows the robot head to identify the tilting angle range when it reaches a vertical, slightly to the left, or slightly to the left position, thus providing a basis for positioning control of the tilting head without adding complexity to the structure. The angle adjustment disk can rotate around the drive shaft, thereby causing the two Hall elements on the angle adjustment disk to undergo circumferential displacement relative to the permanent magnet. This allows for flexible adjustment of the detection starting angle of the Hall elements according to actual assembly tolerances or different inspection scenarios. 3. The entire solution concentrates the drive and detection within the head shell, reducing the space occupied at the neck and allowing for a smaller neck diameter and length, thus reducing the robot's overall size and facilitating miniaturization. Furthermore, since the detection is based on the correlation between the strength of the sensing signals from two Hall elements and the head's swaying angle, the microprocessor system can directly acquire the head posture. Compared to traditional angle sensor solutions that require precise angle measurement and full circumferential angle measurement, this application utilizes the limited range of head swaying and lower accuracy requirements, achieving detection with only two Hall elements and a permanent magnet, making it particularly suitable for miniaturized robot applications. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a state reference diagram illustrating the use of a head-driven motion system that is independent of the neck joint on the head of a small robot, as shown in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a head-driven motion system that is independent of cervical joint dependence, as described in this application embodiment. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a head-driven motion system that is free from dependence on the cervical joint, with the head support removed, as an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 This embodiment of the application is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the crank and the permanent magnet; Figure 5 This embodiment of the application is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the drive device, the turntable, and the torsion spring; Figure 6 This embodiment of the application is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the drive device and the crank after the housing is removed.

[0033] Reference numerals: 1. Neck brace; 2. Head brace; 3. Cervical spine connector; 4. Support; 5. Pull rod; 6. Crank; 7. Drive device; 8. Torsion spring; 9. Permanent magnet; 10. Angle adjustment disc; 11. First Hall element; 12. Second Hall element; 13. Arc-shaped slot; 14. Recessed hole; 15. Electromagnetic telescopic rod; 16. Motor drive system; 17. Swing shaft; 18. Support shaft; 19. Crank shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 -Appendix Figure 6 This application will be described in further detail.

[0035] This application discloses a head-driven motion system that is independent of cervical joint dependence.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 A head-driven motion system that eliminates reliance on cervical joints includes a cervical support 1 and a head support 2 housed within a head shell. The cervical support 1 supports a cervical spine connector 3 with forward and backward swing freedom. The head support 2 is mounted above the cervical spine connector 3 via a left-right rotating shaft. An outwardly extending support 4 is fixed to one side of the cervical spine connector 3, and the support 4 is rotatably connected to a pull rod 5. The upper end of the pull rod 5 is connected to the driven end of a crank 6, and the driving end of the crank 6 is connected to the drive shaft of a drive device 7, on which a torsion spring 8 is mounted. The fixed end of the torsion spring 8 is fixed to the drive device 7, and the movable end is inserted into the crank 6. The drive device 7 is mounted on the head support 2, and a permanent magnet 9 is mounted on the crank 6 facing the drive device 7. Below the rotation path of the permanent magnet 9, an angle adjustment disc 10 with a shaft hole is mounted. The angle adjustment disc 10 has a locking mechanism with the shell, and the drive shaft passes through the shaft hole. It also includes a microprocessor system, on which a first Hall element 11 and a second Hall element 12 are mounted at intervals, and the two Hall elements are connected to the microprocessor system through an AD conversion circuit.

[0037] The relative positions of the two Hall elements and the permanent magnet 9 are as follows: The head support 2 has vertical, slightly to the left, left, slightly to the right, and right positions. The vertical position is the reset position of the torsion spring 8.

[0038] The permanent magnet 9 is located in the middle of the two Hall elements. The two Hall elements have equivalent sensing signals, and the microprocessor system considers the head support 2 to be in a vertical position.

[0039] When the permanent magnet 9 is close to the first Hall element 11 and far away from the second Hall element 12, the sensing signal of the first Hall element 11 is enhanced, and the sensing signal of the second Hall element 12 is weakened. The microprocessor system considers the head support 2 to be in the middle to the left, and the torque of the torsion spring 8 increases.

[0040] The permanent magnet 9 continues to rotate to the left, moving away from the first Hall element 11. The sensing signal of the first Hall element 11 is stronger than the sensing signal of the second Hall element 12, and both sensing signals weaken. The microprocessor system considers the head support 2 to be on the left, and the torque of the torsion spring 8 gradually reaches its maximum.

[0041] When the permanent magnet 9 is close to the second Hall element 12 and far away from the first Hall element 11, the sensing signal of the second Hall element 12 is enhanced, and the sensing signal of the first Hall element 11 is weakened. The microprocessor system considers the head support 2 to be in the middle to the right, and the torque of the torsion spring 8 is increased.

[0042] The permanent magnet 9 continues to rotate to the right, moving away from the second Hall element 12. The sensing signal of the second Hall element 12 is stronger than the sensing signal of the first Hall element 11, and both sensing signals weaken. The microprocessor system considers the head support 2 to be on the right, and the torque of the torsion spring 8 gradually reaches its maximum.

[0043] When the head support 2 returns to its vertical position, the torsion spring 8 assists the head support 2 in resetting.

[0044] Specifically, the neck support 1 is a connector between the robot's head and body. A motor drive system 16 is provided on the top of the neck support 1. The motor drive system 16 has a power output shaft that can rotate back and forth. The cervical spine connector 3 is connected to the power output shaft of the motor drive system 16 and is mounted on the neck support 1 so that the cervical spine connector 3 has the freedom to swing back and forth.

[0045] In this embodiment, the cervical spine connector 3 is provided with a left-right rotating shaft, and the head support 2 is rotatably connected to the left-right rotating shaft on the cervical spine connector 3 to realize the left-right rotation capability of the head support 2. A support member 4 extending outward is fixed on one side of the cervical spine connector 3, and the outer end of the support member 4 is also provided with a rotating shaft that rotates in the left-right direction. The lower end of the pull rod 5 is rotatably connected to the support member 4 through this rotating shaft. The upper end of the pull rod 5 is also rotatably connected to the driven end of the crank 6 through a left-right rotating shaft, and the driving end of the crank 6 is driven and connected by the drive shaft of the drive device 7.

[0046] A torsion spring 8 is mounted on the drive shaft of the drive device 7. The two ends of the torsion spring 8 are called the fixed end and the movable end, respectively. A slot is provided on the housing of the drive device 7, and the fixed end of the torsion spring 8 is fixed in the slot. An arc-shaped slot 13 is provided on the side of the crank 6 facing the drive device 7. The movable end of the torsion spring 8 is inserted into the arc-shaped slot 13, allowing the movable end of the torsion spring 8 to slide within a small range.

[0047] An angle adjustment disc 10 is fitted onto the drive shaft between the crank 6 and the housing. The angle adjustment disc 10 has a central hole for the drive shaft to pass through. A locking mechanism is provided between the angle adjustment disc 10 and the end face of the housing. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism is a screw. When the angle adjustment disc 10 is not fixed by the screw, it can rotate relative to the housing of the drive device 7. When the angle adjustment disc 10 is rotated to a suitable position, it is fixedly mounted to the housing of the drive device 7 by the screw.

[0048] In this embodiment, a Hall angle sensing system is also included. The Hall angle sensing system includes a permanent magnet 9 disposed on the crank 6 and two Hall elements mounted on the angle adjustment disk 10. The two Hall elements are referred to as the first Hall element 11 and the second Hall element 12, respectively. The first Hall element 11 and the second Hall element 12 are fixedly spaced circumferentially, and both Hall elements face the crank 6, while the permanent magnet 9 faces the drive device 7. When the drive device 7 drives the crank 6 to rotate, the permanent magnet 9 will move in a circular motion around the drive shaft axis with the crank 6, causing the permanent magnet 9 to move closer to or further away from the two Hall elements during rotation.

[0049] The output terminals of the first Hall element 11 and the second Hall element 12 are electrically connected to the microprocessor system through an AD conversion circuit. The microprocessor system determines the angle range of the permanent magnet 9 based on the magnitude of the induced signals of the two Hall signals, and then infers the left and right swing position of the head support 2.

[0050] That is, the permanent magnet 9 is located in the middle of the two Hall elements, and the signals sensed by the two Hall elements are roughly equal, corresponding to the head support 2 being vertical; when the permanent magnet 9 approaches the first Hall element 11, the signal sensed by the first Hall element 11 increases and the signal sensed by the second Hall element 12 decreases, corresponding to the center-left; continuing to rotate to the left until the signal sensed by the first Hall element 11 is still stronger than the signal sensed by the second Hall element 12, but the signals sensed by both the first Hall element 11 and the second Hall element 12 decrease, corresponding to the left. The same logic applies to the rightward swing of the head support 2.

[0051] While the head support 2 swings, the torsion spring 8 compresses or relaxes accordingly based on the swing or return of the head support 2. When the head support 2 is vertical, the torsion spring 8 is not under force; when the head support 2 deflects to the left or right, the torsion spring 8 is twisted to store energy, with the larger the deflection angle, the greater the torque; when the head support 2 returns to center, the torsion spring 8 releases energy to assist the drive device 7 in resetting. Furthermore, at the extreme left or right positions, the resultant force of the maximum torque of the torsion spring 8 and the output torque of the drive device 7 is designed to be greater than the torque generated around the swing axis 17 by the gravity of the head shell, head support 2, and internal accessories, thereby ensuring that the head can reliably return to center under any circumstances.

[0052] This application sets the drive device 7 that drives the robot to swing left and right on the head support 2, and through the transmission cooperation of the crank 6 and the pull rod 5, the driving force of the drive device 7 is transmitted from the head to the cervical spine connector 3. The reaction force drives the head to swing left and right around the axis of rotation, thus eliminating the dependence on the drive structure at the cervical joint, thereby reducing the diameter and outline of the robot's neck and realizing the miniaturization design of the robot.

[0053] The torsion spring 8 is mounted on the drive shaft with the vertical position as the reset position. As the head swings from vertical to the left, the torsion spring 8 gradually accumulates energy and releases it to assist the drive device 7 in resetting when returning to the center position, thus significantly reducing the load on the drive device 7 during the resetting phase. When the torsion spring 8 is on the left, it gradually reaches its maximum torque and works in conjunction with the driving force of the drive device 7 to form a resultant force. This resultant force can overcome the torque around the rotation axis caused by gravity of the head shell, head support 2, and accessories, thereby ensuring that the head support 2 can return to the center position.

[0054] Meanwhile, the permanent magnet 9 rotates with the crank 6, and the two Hall elements are connected to the microprocessor system through the AD conversion circuit. Based on the strength of the sensing signals of the two Hall elements, the relative position of the head is identified, so that when the robot head reaches the position states of vertical, left-center, left, right-center, and right when it rotates left or right, the angle range of the head swing is identified, thus providing a judgment for the positioning control of the head swing without adding complexity to the structure.

[0055] The angle adjustment disk 10 can rotate around the drive shaft, thereby causing the two Hall elements on the angle adjustment disk 10 to undergo circumferential displacement relative to the permanent magnet 9, so as to flexibly adjust the detection starting angle of the Hall elements according to the actual assembly tolerance or different detection scenarios.

[0056] The entire solution concentrates the drive and detection within the head shell, reducing the space occupied at the neck and allowing for a smaller neck diameter and length, thus reducing the robot's overall size and facilitating miniaturization. Furthermore, since the detection is based on the correlation between the strength of the sensing signals from two Hall elements and the head's swaying angle, the microprocessor system can directly acquire the head posture. Compared to traditional angle sensor solutions that require precise angle measurement and full circumferential angle measurement, this application leverages the limited range of head swaying and lower accuracy requirements, achieving detection with only two Hall elements and a permanent magnet 9, making it particularly suitable for miniaturized robot applications.

[0057] The crank 6 has an arc-shaped slot 13, and the movable end of the torsion spring 8 is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped slot 13. When the head support 2 is vertical and the torsion spring 8 is reset, the movable end slides to the middle of the arc-shaped slot 13. The length of the arc-shaped slot 13 is set such that when the head support 2 deflects more than 3 degrees, the movable end abuts against one end of the arc-shaped slot 13 and is pressed tightly. This ensures that when the head support 2 deflects within ±3 degrees, the torsion spring 8 does not participate in the work, and only the drive device 7 undertakes the reset task. Only when the deflection angle is large does the torsion spring 8 intervene to provide auxiliary torque.

[0058] In the actual movement of the head support 2, when the deflection angle is less than 3 degrees, the torque generated around the rotation axis by gravity on the head shell, head support 2, and accessories is small. The drive device 7 itself can easily overcome this torque to achieve reset without the need for the torsion spring 8. The crank 6 has an arc-shaped slot 13, which allows the movable end of the torsion spring 8 to slide within a 3-degree range near the vertical without pressing against the slot end. In other words, the torsion spring 8 does not provide auxiliary torque within this small angle range. Even without the assistance of the torsion spring 8, reset can still be performed relatively easily. Furthermore, because the assistance of the torsion spring 8 is eliminated, the load on the drive device 7 is smaller when the head is slightly shaken, resulting in more precise and rapid movements.

[0059] The line connecting the first Hall element 11 to the drive shaft axis of the drive device 7 and the line connecting the second Hall element 12 to the drive shaft axis form an angle between them, with the angle ranging from 60 to 120 degrees. Both the crank 6 and the angle adjustment disc 10 are made of plastic. In this embodiment, the angle is limited to 120 degrees.

[0060] Since the actual amplitude of the robot's head swaying left and right is usually small, if the included angle is too large, the two Hall elements will be located at opposite ends of the rotation trajectory of the permanent magnet 9. This causes the signal of the Hall element farther away from the center to attenuate as the permanent magnet 9 rotates from the center to one side, while the signal of the Hall element closer to the center gradually increases with the increase of the rotation angle. That is, the rate of increase of the sensing signal of the Hall element closer to the center gradually accelerates, making it difficult for the microprocessor system to accurately determine the direction of the sway when the head support 2 just begins to sway. However, by controlling the included angle between 60 and 120 degrees, this angle design fully utilizes the inherent characteristic of the small amplitude of the head sway, ensuring that the permanent magnet 9 is always between the sensitive areas of the two Hall elements. While one sensing signal increases, the other sensing signal decreases, and the difference between the two sensing signals changes monotonically, preventing the microprocessor system from being unable to recognize the signal.

[0061] The use of plastic crank 6 and angle adjustment disc 10 serves two purposes: firstly, the low density of plastic reduces the weight of the small robot's head, thereby reducing inertia during rotation; secondly, the plastic crank 6 and angle adjustment disc 10 reduce interference with the Hall element's sensing signal, further ensuring the system's stability.

[0062] The surface of the drive unit 7 housing near the crank 6 is called the mounting surface. On the side of the crank 6's driving end near the mounting surface, recesses 14 arranged around the drive shaft are provided. An electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 is also provided inside the drive unit 7 housing. The telescopic rod end of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 protrudes from the mounting surface of the housing, serving as a telescopic plug. The electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 is an electromagnetic telescopic rod that extends its telescopic plug when de-energized. The electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 has a retraction trigger signal interface. When de-energized, the telescopic plug extends, and the telescopic plug is arranged correspondingly to the recesses 14, forming an electric locking mechanism for the crank 6. Furthermore, the signal control terminal of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 is connected in parallel with the signal control terminal of the drive unit 7.

[0063] When the drive unit 7 is powered off or in standby mode, the head shell and head support 2 may be affected by external forces, causing the robot head to lose its posture or the transmission gears inside the drive unit 7 to be damaged. A recessed hole 14 surrounding the drive shaft is provided at the active end of the crank 6, and a normally closed electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 is installed inside the drive unit 7. Simultaneously, the signal control terminal of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 is connected in parallel with the signal control terminal of the drive unit 7, so that when the drive unit 7 stops, the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 extends, inserts into the recessed hole 14 to lock the crank 6, and when the drive unit 7 drives, the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 retracts, releasing the lock on the crank 6.

[0064] The design of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 signal control terminal and the drive device 7 signal control terminal in parallel, combined with the design of the recessed hole 14 on the crank 6, ensures that the robot head cannot be moved by external force in the event of an accidental power failure or shutdown. This protects the transmission gears from impact damage and maintains the stability of the head posture, thereby improving the product's durability and safety performance.

[0065] The telescopic rod end of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 protrudes from the assembly surface of the housing, and a through hole is provided on the angle adjustment disc 10 for the telescopic rod end to protrude.

[0066] Since the angle adjustment disk 10 can rotate around the drive shaft to adjust its position, the angle adjustment disk 10 has multiple through holes, and the multiple through holes are also arranged around the drive shaft. Thus, when the angle adjustment disk 10 rotates to other angles, there is at least one corresponding through hole for the telescopic rod end of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 to pass through.

[0067] When the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 is de-energized, the telescopic plug passes through the through holes of the housing and the angle adjustment disc 10 in sequence and is then inserted into the recess 14 of the crank 6. The housing and the through holes of the angle adjustment disc 10 together form a guide channel, which ensures that the extension path and retraction path of the electromagnetic telescopic rod 15 are unobstructed.

[0068] The cervical spine connector 3 includes a front-to-back swinging bracket extending in the front-to-back direction. The inner end of the support member 4 is connected to the rear part of the outer end face of the front-to-back swinging bracket. The cervical spine connector 3 is connected to the cervical support 1 through the front-to-back swinging bracket. The cervical support 1 has a built-in motor drive system 16, which has a power output shaft that rotates back and forth. The power output shaft is connected to the front-to-back swinging bracket to form a front-to-back swinging drive for the cervical spine connector 3.

[0069] This design separates the drive sources for the forward and backward movement of the head from those for the left and right movement. The forward and backward movement is accomplished by the motor drive system 16 inside the neck support 1, while the left and right movement is accomplished by the drive device 7 inside the head support 2. The two do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, the forward and backward movement drive is located inside the neck support 1, which serves as a load-bearing base. Combined with the left and right movement drive structure inside the head shell, this optimizes the overall drive layout for head movement.

[0070] The head support 2 is mounted above the cervical spine connector 3 via a pivot that rotates left and right; this pivot is called the swing pivot 17. The outwardly extending portion of the support member 4 is provided with a pivot that rotates left and right; this pivot is called the support pivot 18. The lower end of the pull rod 5 is rotatably connected to the support member 4 via the support pivot 18. The driven end of the crank 6 is provided with a pivot that rotates left and right; this pivot is called the crank pivot 19. The upper end of the pull rod 5 is rotatably connected to the driven end of the crank 6 via the crank pivot 19.

[0071] The swing shaft 17 serves as the swing center of the head support 2. The support shaft 18 hinges the lower end of the pull rod 5 to the support 4 on the cervical spine connector 3, and the crank shaft 19 hinges the upper end of the pull rod 5 to the driven end of the crank 6. The crank shaft 19 rotates around the drive shaft with the crank 6, and the swing of the crank 6 is converted into the left and right swing of the head support 2 around the swing shaft 17 through the pull rod 5. The three work together to form a complete transmission chain, ensuring that the drive device 7 is mounted on the head support 2 and swings with the head support 2, further supporting the miniaturization design of the robot.

[0072] The crank 6 is curved downwards, resembling a cashew nut. The driving end of the crank 6 has a driving end shaft hole for inserting the drive shaft of the drive device 7. The driven end of the crank 6 has interconnected front and rear walls, with an opening between them. The crank 6 also has a driven end shaft hole that passes through the front and rear walls and is fitted with the crank shaft 19. The upper end of the pull rod 5 is embedded in the opening and is rotatably connected to the crank 6 via the crank shaft 19.

[0073] Meanwhile, the cashew-shaped crank 6 provides sufficient length and space for the arc-shaped slot 13, avoiding interference between the slot and other structures of the crank 6, and ensuring that the direction of the clamping force when the movable end of the torsion spring 8 abuts against the end of the slot matches the rotation direction of the crank 6, thereby effectively transmitting torque.

[0074] The crank 6 is curved downwards in a cashew-nut shape. The driving end is inserted into the shaft hole to connect to the drive shaft. The driven end has interconnected front and rear walls with an opening between them. The upper end of the pull rod 5 is inserted into the opening and is rotatably connected via the crank shaft 19. The opening structure formed by the front and rear walls allows the upper end of the pull rod 5 to be clamped on both sides, ensuring stable rotation and preventing it from coming out. The downward-curving profile is suitable for the limited height space inside the head housing and avoids components above, which is beneficial for miniaturization and compact layout.

[0075] The drive unit 7 is mounted on the head support 2 above the eyes. The pull rod 5 includes a first rod-shaped body, a plate-shaped body, and a second rod-shaped body connected in sequence. The first rod-shaped body is located above and extends downward, the plate-shaped body is diamond-shaped and extends downward and backward, and the second rod-shaped body is located below and extends downward. The first rod-shaped body is connected to the upper front side of the plate-shaped body, and the second rod-shaped body is connected to the lower rear side of the plate-shaped body. The second rod-shaped body has a gradually curving structure from top to bottom and from the outside to the inside to conform to the contour of the neck joint from the cheek to the back of the cheek.

[0076] The drive unit 7 is mounted on the head support 2 above the eyes, making full use of the unused space above the head shell and making the overall head structure more compact. The first rod extends downwards, the rhomboid plate extends downwards and backwards, and the second rod extends downwards with a gradually curving structure from top to bottom and from the outside in, conforming to the contour from the cheeks to the back of the neck. The rhomboid plate provides sufficient bending stiffness, while the backward-extending design avoids the jaw and facial areas, ensuring that the lever 5 does not rub against the cheeks when swinging left and right. The gradually curving structure of the second rod conforms to the robot's neck curve, ensuring that the lever 5 does not scrape against the head shell when the head swings, and preventing interference with head movement due to scraping, thus ensuring smooth head movement.

[0077] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A head-driven motion system that eliminates dependence on cervical joints, comprising a cervical support (1) and a head support (2), characterized in that, The head support (2) is positioned above the neck support (1) and can swing left and right. It also includes a pull rod (5), the lower end of which is linked to the neck brace (1); The upper end of the pull rod (5) is attached to the driven end of a crank (6), and the driving end of the crank (6) is connected to the drive shaft of a drive device (7) fixed on the head bracket (2). A torsion spring (8) is mounted on the drive shaft. The fixed end of the torsion spring (8) is fixed to the drive device (7); The crank (6) is provided with an arc-shaped slot (13) around the drive shaft, and the movable end of the torsion spring (8) is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped slot (13); When the head support (2) is vertical, the movable end slides to the middle of the arc-shaped slot (13), and the vertical position is the reset position of the torsion spring (8); A permanent magnet (9) is mounted on the side of the crank (6) facing the drive unit (7); Below the rotation trajectory of the permanent magnet (9), an angle adjustment disk (10) with a shaft hole is assembled. The angle adjustment disk (10) and the housing of the drive device (7) have a locking mechanism, and the drive shaft passes through the shaft hole. It also includes a microprocessor system; The angle adjustment disk (10) is equipped with a first Hall element (11) and a second Hall element (12) connected to the microprocessor system at intervals; The relative positions of the two Hall elements and the permanent magnet (9) are as follows: The permanent magnet (9) is located in the middle of the two Hall elements. The two Hall elements have equivalent sensing signals. The microprocessor system considers the head support (2) to be in a vertical position. The permanent magnet (9) is close to the first Hall element (11) and far away from the second Hall element (12). The sensing signal of the first Hall element (11) is enhanced, and the sensing signal of the second Hall element (12) is weakened. The microprocessor system considers the head support (2) to be in the middle to the left, and the torque of the torsion spring (8) increases. The permanent magnet (9) continues to rotate to the left, away from the first Hall element (11). The sensing signal of the first Hall element (11) is stronger than the sensing signal of the second Hall element (12). Both sensing signals weaken. The microprocessor system considers the head support (2) to be on the left, and the torque of the torsion spring (8) gradually reaches its maximum. During the vertical return process of the head support (2), the torsion spring (8) assists the head support (2) in resetting.

2. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the arc-shaped slot (13) is set such that when the head support (2) is offset by more than 3 degrees, the movable end abuts against one side end of the arc-shaped slot (13) and presses it tightly.

3. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 1, characterized in that, The permanent magnet (9) is close to the second Hall element (12) and far away from the first Hall element (11). The sensing signal of the second Hall element (12) is enhanced, and the sensing signal of the first Hall element (11) is weakened. The microprocessor system considers the head support (2) to be in the middle to the right, and the torque of the torsion spring (8) is increased. The permanent magnet (9) continues to rotate to the right, moving away from the second Hall element (12). The sensing signal of the second Hall element (12) is stronger than that of the first Hall element (11), and both sensing signals weaken. The microprocessor system considers the head support (2) to be on the right, and the torque of the torsion spring (8) gradually reaches its maximum.

4. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 1, characterized in that, The line connecting the first Hall element (11) to the drive shaft axis of the drive device (7) and the line connecting the second Hall element (12) to the drive shaft axis form an angle between the two lines, with the angle ranging from 60 to 120 degrees. Furthermore, both the crank (6) and the angle adjustment disc (10) are made of plastic.

5. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the housing of the drive unit (7) near the crank (6) is called the mounting surface; On the side of the crank (6) near the mounting surface at the active end, there is a recessed hole (14) arranged around the drive shaft; It also includes an electromagnetic telescopic rod (15) assembled in the housing, the telescopic rod end of which protrudes from the mounting surface of the housing as a telescopic plug; The electromagnetic telescopic rod (15) is an electromagnetic telescopic rod that extends the telescopic plug when the power is off. The electromagnetic telescopic rod (15) has a retraction trigger signal interface and extends the telescopic plug when the power is off. The telescopic plug is arranged corresponding to the recess (14) to form an electric locking mechanism for the crank (6); The signal control terminal of the electromagnetic telescopic rod (15) is connected in parallel with the signal control terminal of the drive device (7).

6. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 5, characterized in that, The telescopic rod end of the electromagnetic telescopic rod (15) protrudes from the assembly surface of the housing, and a through hole is provided on the angle adjustment disc (10) for the telescopic rod end to protrude.

7. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cervical support (1) supports a cervical spine connector (3) with a degree of swing freedom; The head support (2) is mounted above the cervical spine connector (3) via a rotating shaft that rotates left and right. A support member (4) extending outward is fixed on one side of the cervical spine connector (3), and the support member (4) is rotatably connected to the lower end of the pull rod (5); The cervical spine connector (3) includes a front-to-back swing bracket extending in the front-to-back direction. The inner end of the support member (4) is connected to the rear part of the outer end face of the front-to-back swing bracket. The cervical spine connector (3) is connected to the neck support (1) through the front-to-back swing bracket. The neck support (1) has a built-in motor drive system (16) with a power output shaft that rotates back and forth. The power output shaft is connected to the front and back swing support to form a front and back swing drive for the cervical spine connector (3).

8. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 7, characterized in that, The head support (2) is mounted above the cervical spine connector (3) via a pivot that rotates left and right. This pivot is called the swing pivot (17). The support member (4) is provided with a pivot for left and right rotation on the outward-extending portion, which is called the support member pivot (18); The lower end of the pull rod (5) is rotatably connected to the support member (4) through the support member pivot (18); The driven end of the crank (6) is provided with a rotating shaft that can rotate left and right, which is called the crank shaft (19); The upper end of the pull rod (5) is rotatably connected to the driven end of the crank (6) via the crank shaft (19).

9. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 8, characterized in that, The crank (6) is bent downwards and is shaped like a cashew nut; The crank (6) has a drive end shaft hole for inserting the drive shaft of the drive device (7); The driven end of the crank (6) has interconnected front and rear walls, with an opening between the front and rear walls; The crank (6) is also provided with a driven end shaft hole that passes through the front wall and the rear wall and is fitted with the crank shaft (19); The upper end of the pull rod (5) is embedded in the opening and is rotatably connected to the crank (6) via the crank shaft (19).

10. The head-driven motion system free from cervical joint dependence according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive device (7) is mounted on the head support (2) at a position above the eyes; The pull rod (5) includes a first rod-shaped body, a plate-shaped body, and a second rod-shaped body connected in sequence; The first rod-shaped body is located above and extends downward, the plate-shaped body is rhomboid in shape and extends downward and backward, and the second rod-shaped body is located below and extends downward; The first rod-shaped body is connected to the upper front side of the plate-shaped body, and the second rod-shaped body is connected to the lower rear side of the plate-shaped body; The second rod-shaped body has a gradually curved structure that curves from top to bottom and from the outside to the inside, in order to conform to the contour of the neck joint from the cheek to the back of the cheek.

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