Waist structure and humanoid robot

Abstract

The application provides a waist structure and a humanoid robot, and relates to the technical field of robots. The waist structure comprises a first waist connecting piece and a second waist connecting piece which are arranged at intervals, a universal joint assembly, and at least two waist driving assemblies. The universal joint assembly comprises a first joint piece and a second joint piece which are connected through a vertical shaft and are connected with the first waist connecting piece and the second waist connecting piece respectively. The two ends of the driving assembly are movably connected with the two connecting pieces respectively and are arranged on the two sides of the second shaft body respectively, and the relative movement between the first waist connecting piece and the second waist connecting piece can be realized through driving. The application can realize independent control of each degree of freedom, reduce the rotational inertia and the joint coupling degree, improve the structural rigidity and the dynamic response performance, and thus enhance the motion coordination and stability of the robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and more particularly to a waist structure and a humanoid robot. Background Technology

[0002] The waist structure of a humanoid robot plays a crucial role in enhancing its anthropomorphic movement and overall coordination. The human waist can be simplified into a multi-degree-of-freedom complex motion. Currently, the waist structure of humanoid robots uses a scheme where multiple rotary joint servos are directly connected in series, with each servo driving one degree of freedom to achieve the aforementioned motion. While this design is structurally simple, the sequential arrangement of multiple drive joints along the vertical direction results in insufficient overall structural rigidity and stability, making it prone to vibration or deformation during dynamic movement, thus limiting the robot's performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a waist structure and humanoid robot that can achieve independent control of each degree of freedom of motion, reduce rotational inertia and joint coupling, improve structural stiffness and dynamic response performance, thereby enhancing the robot's motion coordination and stability.

[0004] This invention provides the following technical solution: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a waist structure, the waist structure comprising: A first waist connector and a second waist connector are provided at intervals. The universal joint assembly includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a connecting shaft. The connecting shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft connected to each other, and the axis of the first shaft and the axis of the second shaft are perpendicular to each other. The first joint member is rotatably mounted on the first shaft, and the second joint member is rotatably mounted on the second shaft. The first joint member is connected to the first waist connector, and the second joint member is connected to the second waist connector. At least two waist drive assemblies are provided. One end of each waist drive assembly is movably connected to the first waist connector, and the end of each waist drive assembly away from the first waist connector is movably connected to the second waist connector. At least one waist drive assembly is provided on each of the opposite sides of the second shaft. Under the driving action of the waist drive assemblies, the first waist connector and the second waist connector move relative to each other through the universal joint assembly.

[0005] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the axis of the first shaft intersects the axis of the second shaft.

[0006] In some embodiments of the first aspect, each of the waist drive components is located on the same side of the first shaft.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect, each of the waist drive components includes a fixed end and a telescopic end, the telescopic end being telescopic relative to the fixed end, one of the fixed end and the telescopic end being movably connected to a corresponding side of the first waist connector, and the other being movably connected to a corresponding side of the second waist connector.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the distance between the telescopic ends located on opposite sides of the second shaft along the axial direction of the first shaft is less than the distance between the fixed ends located on opposite sides of the second shaft.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, one end of each of the waist drive components is movably connected to the first waist connector via a ball joint; and / or Each of the waist drive components is movably connected to the second waist connector at one end away from the first waist connector via a ball joint.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the universal joint assembly further includes a limiting member connected to the connecting shaft. The first joint includes a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion arranged at intervals along its rotation direction. The limiting member is located between the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion. When the first joint rotates to a preset position, one of the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion can form an abutment limiting with the limiting member.

[0011] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a bionic robot, the bionic robot including a waist structure as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0012] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the bionic robot further includes a chest connection assembly, a thoracic cavity structure, and a leg structure. The chest connection assembly is disposed on the first waist connector. The chest connection assembly includes a third axis that is rotatable about its axis relative to the first waist connector. The thoracic cavity structure is connected to the third axis. The leg structure is connected to the second waist connector. The axis of the third axis is perpendicular to the axis of the first axis and the axis of the second axis, respectively.

[0013] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the chest connection assembly further includes a chest drive member, which is drively connected to the third shaft to drive the third shaft to rotate.

[0014] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the axis of the third shaft intersects the axis of the first shaft and the axis of the second shaft, respectively.

[0015] The embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages: The waist structure provided by this invention consists of an upper first waist connector and a lower second waist connector. A pair of waist drive components (such as linear actuators or oscillating servos) are arranged on both sides of the second axis. These two waist drive components are independently controlled. When the two waist drive components extend or retract synchronously, they push or pull the first waist connector, causing the entire first waist connector to pitch (e.g., tilt forward / backward) around the first axis. When the two waist drive components are differentially controlled (e.g., the left waist drive component extends while the right waist drive component retracts), a height difference is generated on the corresponding side of the first waist connector, thereby causing the first waist connector to yaw (e.g., tilt left or right) around the second axis. This structure achieves pitch and yaw through the coordinated / differential control of the bottom pair of drive components.

[0016] Therefore, this application adopts a bottom parallel drive layout to lower the center of gravity and avoid the problem of cumulative rotational inertia caused by the stacking of drive motors in traditional serial schemes. This not only reduces the torque requirements of joint drives and lowers energy consumption, but also enables higher speed and more dynamic motion. Furthermore, since the pitch and yaw drives are relatively independent in mechanical structure, the strong coupling effect between the degrees of freedom is reduced. This allows the control algorithm to control the motion of each axis more accurately and independently without having to deal with complex nonlinear coupling compensation, significantly improving the accuracy and coordination of motion control. In addition, the parallel structure has higher structural stiffness than the cantilevered serial structure. A pair of waist drive components, universal joint components, and the first and second waist connectors form a stable support that can effectively resist bending moments and torques during motion. This reduces structural vibration and deformation of the robot during rapid movement, improving the overall stability and dynamic response speed. Moreover, the high-stiffness structure and optimization of rotational inertia allow the waist to withstand greater upper limb loads and maintain posture stability during movement. This is crucial for robots to perform tasks such as carrying, walking quickly, or running and jumping.

[0017] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This diagram shows a schematic view of a waist structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This diagram shows a structural schematic from another perspective of a waist structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This diagram shows a structural schematic of a universal joint assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention from one perspective; Figure 4 This diagram illustrates a structural schematic from another perspective of a universal joint assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 The diagram shows a one-view structural schematic of a humanoid robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Explanation of key component symbols: 100 - Chest connection assembly; 110 - Third shaft; 200 - First waist connector; 300 - Waist drive assembly; 310 - Telescopic end; 320 - Fixed end; 400 - Second waist connector; 500 - Universal joint assembly; 510 - First joint member; 511 - First limiting part; 512 - Second limiting part; 520 - First shaft; 530 - Second shaft; 540 - Second joint member; 550 - Limiting member; 600 - Thoracic structure; 700 - Leg structure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown 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 are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that when an element is said to be "fixed" to another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is said to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. Conversely, when an element is said to be "directly" on another element, there is no intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0023] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] 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.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the template description is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0026] In related technologies, the waist structure of humanoid robots plays a crucial role in improving their anthropomorphic movement and overall coordination. The human waist can be simplified into multi-degree-of-freedom complex motion, mainly including three basic degrees of freedom: pitch, lateral movement, and rotation about a vertical axis. Currently, the waist structure of humanoid robots uses a scheme where multiple rotary joint servos are directly connected in series, with each servo driving one degree of freedom to achieve the aforementioned movements. Although this design is structurally simple, the sequential arrangement of multiple drive joints along the vertical direction leads to the following problems: the superposition of rotational inertia significantly increases the joint drive torque requirements, reducing energy efficiency; strong coupling between degrees of freedom complicates the control model, making it difficult to achieve precise and coordinated motion control; and insufficient overall structural stiffness and stability make it prone to vibration or deformation during dynamic movement, limiting robot performance.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides a waist structure, which includes a first waist connector 200, a second waist connector 400, a universal joint assembly 500, and at least two waist drive assemblies 300. The first waist connector 200 and the second waist connector 400 are spaced apart. The universal joint assembly 500 includes a first joint member 510, a second joint member 540, and a connecting shaft. The connecting shaft includes a first shaft body 520 and a second shaft body 530 connected to each other, and the axis of the first shaft body 520 and the axis of the second shaft body 530 are perpendicular to each other. The first joint member 510 is rotatably disposed on the first shaft body 520, and the second joint member 540 is rotatably disposed on the second shaft body 530. The first joint member 510 is connected to the first waist connector 200, and the second joint member 540 is connected to the second waist connector 400. One end of the waist drive assembly 300 is movably connected to the first waist connector 200, and the other end of the waist drive assembly 300 away from the first waist connector 200 is movably connected to the second waist connector 400. At least one waist drive assembly 300 is provided on each of the opposite sides of the second shaft 530. Under the driving action of the waist drive assembly 300, the first waist connector 200 and the second waist connector 400 move relative to each other through the universal joint assembly 500.

[0028] In these embodiments, for example, the first waist connector 200 and the second waist connector 400 are spaced apart in the vertical direction, forming an installation space between them to accommodate the universal joint assembly 500 and the drive assembly. For example, the first waist connector 200 is used for fixed connection to the robot's upper torso (such as the thoracic structure 600), and the second waist connector 400 is used for fixed connection to the lower torso (such as the leg structure 700).

[0029] The universal joint assembly 500 includes a first joint member 510, a second joint member 540, and a connecting shaft. The connecting shaft consists of a first shaft body 520 and a second shaft body 530 that are perpendicularly connected to each other and arranged in a cross shape in space. For example, an integrally molded cross shaft structure is used to improve rigidity.

[0030] The axis of the first shaft 520 is along the left-right direction, and the axis of the second shaft 530 is along the front-back direction; the two are orthogonally arranged. The first joint member 510 is rotatably sleeved on the first shaft 520 via bearings and can rotate freely around the axis of the first shaft 520. The second joint member 540 is rotatably sleeved on the second shaft 530 via bearings and can rotate freely around the axis of the second shaft 530.

[0031] The first joint member 510 is rigidly connected to the first waist connector 200, for example by bolts or clips, and the second joint member 540 is rigidly connected to the second waist connector 400.

[0032] Thus, the universal joint assembly 500 constitutes a passive joint with two orthogonal rotational degrees of freedom, namely pitch and yaw, allowing for compound angular deflection between the upper and lower connectors.

[0033] This embodiment includes two waist drive assemblies 300, which are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the second shaft 530. One end of each waist drive assembly 300 is movably connected to the first waist connector 200 via a ball joint or universal joint, and the other end is also movably connected to the second waist connector 400 via a ball joint, forming a spatial four-bar linkage drive configuration.

[0034] For example, the waist drive assembly 300 is an electric actuator, such as a miniature linear servo motor or a lead screw servo, whose extension and retraction stroke is controllable. When the left waist drive assembly 300 extends and the right waist drive assembly 300 retracts (or vice versa), the first waist connector 200 can be driven to sway relative to the second waist connector 400 around the second axis 530 (i.e., in the left-right direction). When both waist drive assemblies 300 extend or retract simultaneously, the first waist connector 200 is driven to pitch around the second axis 530 (i.e., in the front-back direction).

[0035] Therefore, because the point of application of the drive is far from the center of the universal joint, and the drive direction has spatial vector decomposition capability, pitch and yaw motion can be independently achieved through the coordinated control of the two drive components, significantly reducing the joint coupling in traditional multi-servo tandem structures. Furthermore, the universal joint assembly 500 adopts an integrated cross-axis design, avoiding the slender cantilever structure caused by stacking multiple servos, significantly improving overall bending and torsional stiffness. Additionally, the drive components are arranged on both sides of the joint, with the mass distribution closer to the center of rotation, effectively reducing the system's moment of inertia.

[0036] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the axis of the first shaft 520 intersects the axis of the second shaft 530.

[0037] In these embodiments, the geometry of the universal joint assembly 500 is further optimized to improve motion accuracy and force transmission efficiency.

[0038] The first shaft 520 and the second shaft 530 in the connecting shaft are not only perpendicular to each other, but their axes also intersect at a single point in space, that is, the center lines of the two shafts intersect at the same point, forming a standard spatial orthogonal intersecting cross-axis structure. This intersection point is the instantaneous rotation center of the universal joint.

[0039] In this configuration, the first joint 510 rotates about the first axis 520 to achieve the pitch degree of freedom. The first joint 510 rotates about the second axis 530 to achieve the lateral swing degree of freedom. The motion centers of the two rotational degrees of freedom coincide, avoiding motion interference, additional torque, or pose errors caused by axis misalignment.

[0040] This ensures that the relative motion between the first lumbar connector 200 and the second lumbar connector 400 always revolves around the same spatial point, conforming to the motion characteristics of the human lumbar spine and significantly enhancing the naturalness of the bionic motion.

[0041] Furthermore, since the torque calculation of the force arm of the drive components is performed with a point as the reference center, the control system can more accurately calculate the driving force required for each degree of freedom, further reducing coupling effects and improving dynamic control accuracy.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, each waist drive assembly 300 is located on the same side of the first shaft 520.

[0043] In these embodiments, both waist drive assemblies 300 are arranged on the same side of the first shaft 520, for example, both located on the rear side of the robot torso.

[0044] The upper ends of the two waist drive components 300 are connected to the rear region of the first waist connector 200 via ball joints or revolute joints, and the lower ends are connected to the corresponding rear position of the second waist connector 400. Both are located behind the axis of the first shaft 520, i.e., on the same side.

[0045] It should be noted that the drive components can be asymmetrically distributed on both sides of the second shaft 530, but by reasonably designing their installation angle and lever arm length, effective driving of the two degrees of freedom can still be achieved.

[0046] When the two drive components extend and retract synchronously, they mainly cause the first waist connector 200 to pitch around the first axis 520. When the two drive components extend and retract differentially (one extends and the other retracts), due to the horizontal distance between the points of action, a lateral bending moment can be generated around the second axis 530, thereby driving the lateral swing motion.

[0047] This arrangement eliminates the need to reserve space for driver installation on the left and right sides, which is beneficial for the narrow body design of the robot's torso and is especially suitable for humanoid robots with high requirements for humanoid appearance or limited internal space.

[0048] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, each waist drive assembly 300 includes a fixed end 320 and a telescopic end 310, the telescopic end 310 being able to extend and retract relative to the fixed end 320, one of the fixed end 320 and the telescopic end 310 being movably connected to the corresponding side of the first waist connector 200, and the other being movably connected to the corresponding side of the second waist connector 400.

[0049] In these embodiments, this embodiment details the specific structure of the waist drive assembly 300. Each waist drive assembly 300 is constructed as a linear actuator. The fixed end 320 serves as the base of the actuator, integrating a motor, reduction mechanism, and transmission screw. The telescopic end 310 serves as a movable output end, typically a push rod or piston rod, capable of linear telescopic movement relative to the fixed end 320 along the axial direction. The telescopic end 310 achieves controllable telescopic displacement through mechanisms such as precision ball screws, voice coil motors, hydraulic cylinders, or electric push rods to meet the dynamic motion requirements of the humanoid robot.

[0050] For each waist drive assembly 300, one end of the fixed end 320 and the telescopic end 310 (e.g., the fixed end 320) is movably connected to the corresponding side (e.g., the rear left side) of the first waist connector 200 via a ball joint (or universal joint, revolute joint). The other end of the fixed end 320 and the telescopic end 310 (i.e., the telescopic end 310) is movably connected to the corresponding side (e.g., the rear left side) of the second waist connector 400 via another ball joint.

[0051] The corresponding side here refers to the matching positions in the spatial layout. For example, if the fixed end 320 is connected to the left rear part of the first waist connector 200, then the telescopic end 310 is connected to the left rear part of the second waist connector 400 to ensure a reasonable force transmission path and avoid excessive bending moment.

[0052] Because both ends use movable connections (such as ball joints), the drive assembly can automatically adapt to the angle changes between the upper and lower connecting parts during the extension and retraction process, avoiding structural interference or stress concentration caused by rigid connections.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the distance between the telescopic ends 310 located on opposite sides of the second shaft 530 along the axial direction of the first shaft 520 is less than the distance between the fixed ends 320 located on opposite sides of the second shaft 530.

[0054] Based on the aforementioned embodiments, this embodiment optimizes the spatial geometric relationship of the two waist drive components 300 symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the second axis 530.

[0055] Two waist drive assemblies 300 are located on the left and right sides of the second shaft 530, respectively. Each drive assembly still includes a fixed end 320 and a telescopic end 310, and is movably connected to the first waist connector 200 and the second waist connector 400 via ball joints. The two fixed ends 320 are mounted on the first waist connector 200, and their lateral spacing is relatively large when measured along the axial direction of the first shaft 520. The two telescopic ends 310 are connected to the second waist connector 400, and their lateral spacing measured in the same direction is relatively small.

[0056] In other words, when viewed from above or the side, the two drive components are arranged in an "inverted V" or "recessed" shape to help improve the overall structural stiffness and suppress torsional deformation.

[0057] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, one end of each waist drive assembly 300 is movably connected to the first waist connector 200 via a ball joint.

[0058] In these embodiments, a ball joint is used only at the end of the waist drive assembly 300 near the first waist connector 200, while a revolute joint (such as a pin) or fixed connection is used at the end of the waist drive assembly 300 near the second waist connector 400. This structural arrangement enables the waist drive assembly 300 to oscillate.

[0059] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the end of each waist drive assembly 300 away from the first waist connector 200 is movably connected to the second waist connector 400 via a ball joint.

[0060] In these embodiments, a ball joint is used only at the end of the waist drive assembly 300 away from the first waist connector 200, while a revolute joint (such as a pin) or fixed connection is used at the end of the waist drive assembly 300 near the first waist connector 200. This structural arrangement enables the waist drive assembly 300 to oscillate.

[0061] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, one end of each of the waist drive components 300 is movably connected to the first waist connector 200 via a ball joint. The end of each of the waist drive components 300 away from the first waist connector 200 is movably connected to the second waist connector 400 via a ball joint.

[0062] In these embodiments, each waist drive assembly 300 is connected at both ends to the first waist connector 200 and the second waist connector 400 via ball joints (also known as ball joints or universal ball joints). Specifically, this includes: The first ball joint is located at one end of the waist drive assembly 300 near the first waist connector 200. It includes a ball socket fixed on the first waist connector 200 and a ball head fixed at the end of the drive assembly, allowing the drive assembly to swing relative to the first waist connector 200 in three rotational degrees of freedom.

[0063] The second ball joint is located at the end of the waist drive assembly 300 away from the first waist connector 200 (i.e., close to the second waist connector 400), and has a similar structure, allowing the drive assembly to freely adjust its posture relative to the second waist connector 400.

[0064] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the universal joint assembly 500 further includes a limiting member 550 connected to the connecting shaft. The first joint member 510 includes a first limiting portion 511 and a second limiting portion 512 arranged at intervals along its rotation direction, with the limiting member 550 located between the first limiting portion 511 and the second limiting portion 512. When the first joint member 510 rotates to a preset position, one of the first limiting portion 511 and the second limiting portion 512 can form an abutment limiting with the limiting member 550.

[0065] In these embodiments, a mechanical limiting mechanism is added to the universal joint assembly 500 to prevent excessive waist deflection that could lead to structural damage or loss of control.

[0066] In addition to the first joint member 510, the second joint member 540, and the connecting shaft, the universal joint assembly 500 further includes a limiting member 550. The limiting member 550 is fixedly connected to the connecting shaft.

[0067] For example, the limiting member 550 may be a pin, a protrusion, a bolt, or an integrally formed limiting boss, and its extension direction is perpendicular to the rotation plane of the first joint member 510.

[0068] The first joint member 510 has two limiting portions arranged at intervals along the rotation direction in its circumferential direction of rotation about the first shaft 520, namely a first limiting portion 511 and a second limiting portion 512. The first limiting portion 511 is located on one side of the first joint member 510, such as the front side. The second limiting portion 512 is located on the opposite side, such as the rear side.

[0069] The first limiting part 511 and the second limiting part 512 may be a lug, a stop, a groove edge, or a specially machined stop surface, and the included angle between the two defines the maximum allowable rotation angle range of the first joint 510.

[0070] When the first joint 510 rotates around the first axis 520: if it rotates forward to its limit position, the first limiting part 511 will rigidly abut against the limiting part 550, preventing further rotation. If it rotates backward to its limit position, the second limiting part 512 will abut against the limiting part 550, achieving reverse limiting.

[0071] This limit switch is a purely mechanical hard limit switch, which does not rely on sensors or software judgment and has high reliability and fast response characteristics.

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, this application also provides a bionic robot, which includes any of the waist structures described in the above embodiments.

[0073] Since the aforementioned waist structure has the aforementioned technical effects, the bionic robot including this waist structure should have the same technical effects, which will not be elaborated here.

[0074] In some embodiments, the bionic robot further includes a chest connection assembly 100, a thoracic cavity structure 600, and a leg structure 700. The chest connection assembly 100 is disposed on the first waist connector 200. The chest connection assembly 100 includes a third axis 110, which is rotatable relative to the first waist connector 200 about its axis. The thoracic cavity structure 600 is connected to the third axis 110, and the leg structure 700 is connected to the second waist connector 400. The axis of the third axis 110 is perpendicular to the axis of the first axis 520 and the axis of the second axis 530, respectively.

[0075] In these embodiments, this embodiment applies the waist structure to a complete humanoid robot and further extends its upper torso movement capabilities.

[0076] The chest connecting assembly 100 is fixedly mounted on the upper end face of the first waist connecting member 200. The third shaft 110 extends vertically, and its axis is perpendicular to both the first shaft 520 and the second shaft 530, forming a spatial orthogonal three-axis system. The third shaft 110 is rotatably mounted on the first waist connecting member 200 via bearings or a slewing support, allowing it to rotate freely around its own axis.

[0077] The thoracic structure 600 (which supports the head, arms, and main control unit) is rigidly connected to the upper end of the third axis 110. Therefore, when the third axis 110 rotates, the entire thoracic structure 600 rotates accordingly, enabling torso twisting movements above the waist, such as turning around or looking to the side, and other anthropomorphic actions.

[0078] The leg structure 700 (including the hip joint, thigh, calf and foot) is connected to the lower end of the second waist connector 400, serving as the robot's lower limb support and walking actuator.

[0079] Therefore, the above structure realizes the three degrees of freedom of the biomimetic robot: pitch, yaw, and rotation.

[0080] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the chest connection assembly 100 further includes a chest drive member, which is drively connected to the third shaft 110 to drive the third shaft 110 to rotate.

[0081] In these embodiments, the chest actuator can be an electric motor, a Samsung servo motor, or a hydraulic motor or a pneumatic rotary actuator.

[0082] For example, the chest drive is fixedly mounted on the upper inner cavity or side wall of the first waist connector 200, with its output shaft facing upward or horizontally. The output end of the drive is connected to the third shaft 110 via a transmission mechanism.

[0083] When a chest rotation command is issued, the chest drive unit is activated, which drives the third shaft 110 to rotate via the transmission mechanism.

[0084] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the axis of the third shaft 110 intersects the axis of the first shaft 520 and the axis of the second shaft 530, respectively.

[0085] In these embodiments, this embodiment optimizes the spatial arrangement accuracy of the first axis 520, the second axis 530 and the third axis 110, so that the three are not only perpendicular to each other, but their axes also intersect at the same point, forming a spatial three-degree-of-freedom rotation center.

[0086] When the axes of the three axes coincide, the rotations of the three degrees of freedom of pitch, yaw, and torsion all revolve around the same spatial point, avoiding positional coupling errors caused by axis offset. The center of gravity trajectory of the thoracic structure 600 is more stable in any composite posture, which is conducive to dynamic balance control and is closer to the biomechanical characteristics of the human lumbar-thoracic junction (approximate spherical motion).

[0087] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations; therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0088] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0089] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A waist structure, characterized in that, The waist structure includes: A first waist connector and a second waist connector are provided at intervals. The universal joint assembly includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a connecting shaft. The connecting shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft connected to each other, and the axis of the first shaft and the axis of the second shaft are perpendicular to each other. The first joint member is rotatably mounted on the first shaft, and the second joint member is rotatably mounted on the second shaft. The first joint member is connected to the first waist connector, and the second joint member is connected to the second waist connector. At least two waist drive assemblies are provided. One end of each waist drive assembly is movably connected to the first waist connector, and the end of each waist drive assembly away from the first waist connector is movably connected to the second waist connector. At least one waist drive assembly is provided on each of the opposite sides of the second shaft. Under the driving action of the waist drive assemblies, the first waist connector and the second waist connector move relative to each other through the universal joint assembly.

2. The waist structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axis of the first shaft intersects the axis of the second shaft.

3. The waist structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the waist drive components is located on the same side of the first shaft.

4. The waist structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the waist drive components includes a fixed end and a telescopic end, the telescopic end being able to extend and retract relative to the fixed end, one of the fixed end and the telescopic end being movably connected to the corresponding side of the first waist connector, and the other being movably connected to the corresponding side of the second waist connector.

5. The waist structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the first shaft, the distance between the telescopic ends located on opposite sides of the second shaft is less than the distance between the fixed ends located on opposite sides of the second shaft.

6. The waist structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, One end of each of the said waist drive components is movably connected to the first waist connector via a ball joint; and / or Each of the waist drive components is movably connected to the second waist connector at one end away from the first waist connector via a ball joint.

7. The waist structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The universal joint assembly further includes a limiting member connected to the connecting shaft. The first joint includes a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion arranged at intervals along its rotation direction. The limiting member is located between the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion. When the first joint rotates to a preset position, one of the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion can form an abutment limiting with the limiting member.

8. A biomimetic robot, characterized in that, The biomimetic robot includes the waist structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The bionic robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bionic robot further includes a chest connection assembly, a thoracic cavity structure, and a leg structure. The chest connection assembly is disposed on the first waist connector. The chest connection assembly includes a third axis that can rotate relative to the first waist connector about its axis. The thoracic cavity structure is connected to the third axis, and the leg structure is connected to the second waist connector. The axis of the third axis is perpendicular to the axis of the first axis and the axis of the second axis, respectively.

10. The bionic robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The chest connection assembly also includes a chest drive component, which is connected to the third shaft to drive the third shaft to rotate.

11. The bionic robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The axis of the third axis intersects the axis of the first axis and the axis of the second axis, respectively.

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