Lower extremity driving mechanism and robot

CN122501481APending Publication Date: 2026-08-04江淮前沿技术协同创新中心
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
江淮前沿技术协同创新中心
Filing Date
2026-06-11
Publication Date
2026-08-04

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0005]第一类是电机直驱或大减速比刚性驱动方案;该方案通过电机和减速器直接驱动踝关节输出扭矩,结构清晰,控制简单,但通常需要较大的电机和减速器,导致踝部质量增加,摆动腿惯量增大,不利于快速摆腿和能效提升

Benefits of technology

(1)本发明中,通过设置轮径比不同的被动轮和主动轮,能够通过较小的输出电机及绳轮转化出更大的驱动力矩,从而满足机器人行走、起落和姿态调整时对大扭矩的需求,同时能够满足紧凑性需求,差动绳在被动轮、差动轮的作用下形成封闭或半封闭传力路径,脚踝电机对不同绳索进行差动控制时,可使踝关节产生对应方向的转动,实现姿态修正、平衡控制和足端顺应调整;通过协同驱动和被动轮与主动轮不同轮径比的配合,不仅提高了输出扭矩,还提高了姿态控制的精确性与动态响应能力;通过将大腿分为弹性连接的两个部分,能够减小整个下肢机构对躯干的冲击力。

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Abstract

This invention discloses a lower limb drive mechanism and robot, including a thigh assembly, a lower leg assembly, an ankle joint, and a foot. One end of the lower leg assembly is rotatably connected to the thigh assembly, and the other end is movably connected to the foot via a differential support of the ankle joint. The thigh assembly includes two elastically connected thigh connectors. In this invention, by setting passive and active wheels with different wheel diameter ratios, a larger driving torque can be generated through a smaller output motor and pulley, thereby meeting the high torque requirements for walking, lifting, and posture adjustment, while also meeting compactness requirements. The differential rope forms a closed or semi-closed force transmission path under the action of the passive and differential wheels. Through coordinated drive and the combination of different wheel diameter ratios between the passive and active wheels, not only is the output torque improved, but also the accuracy of posture control and dynamic response capability are enhanced. By dividing the thigh into two elastically connected parts, the impact force of the entire lower limb mechanism on the torso can be reduced.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and more specifically to a lower limb drive mechanism and a robot. Background Technology

[0002] In existing robot lower limb ankle joint drive solutions, common rigid direct drive or low reduction ratio transmission methods, while simple in structure, often suffer from problems such as large foot mass, high rotational inertia, insufficient flexibility in posture adjustment, and inadequate shock absorption capacity. Especially during robot walking, landing, turning, and contact with the outside world, the ankle joint needs to output large torque while also ensuring rapid response and safe compliance. Simply relying on direct motor drive can easily lead to increased motor size, bulky foot, and increased energy consumption, and it is difficult to effectively buffer the impact at the moment of collision or contact.

[0003] Furthermore, traditional rigid transmission structures often require more complex mechanism designs or greater drive redundancy when achieving coordinated control of ankle joint roll and pitch directions, resulting in poor structural compactness, limited layout space, and difficulty in balancing high torque output and lightweight requirements. For robot lower limbs that require high dynamic performance and good human-robot interaction safety, existing technologies are insufficient in terms of foot lightweighting, dynamic compliance, energy utilization efficiency, and compact integration.

[0004] Robotic lower limb systems typically include the hip joint, thigh, lower leg, and ankle joint. The ankle joint directly determines the robot's landing posture, ground adaptability, and gait stability. The ankle joint must both adjust its posture and withstand ground reaction forces, making it a critical component with high dynamic requirements in the lower limbs. To improve the ankle joint's output torque, existing technologies often employ the following approaches:

[0005] The first type is a direct-drive motor or a rigid drive scheme with a large reduction ratio. This scheme directly drives the ankle joint to output torque through the motor and reducer. The structure is clear and the control is simple, but it usually requires a large motor and reducer, which leads to an increase in ankle mass and an increase in the moment of inertia of the swinging leg, which is not conducive to rapid leg swing and energy efficiency improvement.

[0006] The second type is the multi-motor coupled drive scheme; this scheme uses two or more motors to drive different degrees of freedom of the ankle joint, which can achieve a certain degree of posture control. However, since the joint end still contains a lot of rigid transmission components, the mass and structural complexity of the foot end are still relatively high, and the ability to buffer impacts is limited.

[0007] The third type is the rope-driven or tendon-driven solution. This solution utilizes flexible transmission components such as steel wire ropes and aramid ropes, placing the motor on the lower leg or closer to the torso, and transmitting torque to the ankle joint through a pulley system. This type of solution can significantly reduce the mass of the foot end and achieve a certain degree of compliance through the slight tension of the ropes and the flexibility of the pulleys. However, if the rope path design is unreasonable, problems such as uneven force transmission, difficulty in posture coupling control, or insufficient output accuracy can easily occur.

[0008] Therefore, the existing lower limb drive mechanisms still have the following drawbacks: first, the coordinated control of ankle roll and pitch is not efficient enough; second, it is difficult to balance structural compactness and dynamic performance; and third, it is difficult to balance safety and output capacity during collisions and contact. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is how to meet the high torque requirements and reduce impact when the robot walks, takes off, and adjusts its posture while ensuring structural compactness.

[0010] This invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems through the following technical means: a lower limb drive mechanism, including a thigh assembly, a lower leg assembly, an ankle joint, and a foot. One end of the lower leg assembly is rotatably connected to the thigh assembly, and the other end is movably connected to the foot through a differential bracket of the ankle joint. The thigh assembly includes a thigh connector one and a thigh connector two that are elastically connected. The lower leg assembly includes a lower leg and two ankle motors fixed on the lower leg. The output ends of the two ankle motors are each driven by a drive wheel. A passive wheel is rotatably connected to one of the opposite ends of the differential bracket. The diameter of the passive wheel is larger than that of the drive wheel. A differential wheel is rotatably connected to the other opposite ends. The two drive wheels are each driven by a drive rope to a passive wheel. The two passive wheels are driven by a differential rope to the two differential wheels. Driving the two drive wheels to rotate in opposite directions can drive the foot to roll relative to the lower leg assembly. Driving the two drive wheels to rotate in the same direction can drive the foot to pitch relative to the lower leg assembly.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the differential support is circumferentially fixed with a front axle, a rear axle, a left axle, and a right axle arranged in a cross shape. A passive wheel is fixedly connected to the left axle and the right axle, and a differential wheel is fixedly connected to the front axle and the rear axle, respectively. The ankle joint includes a joint frame one and a joint frame two. One end of the joint frame is fixedly connected to the lower leg assembly, and the other end is rotatably connected to the left axle and the right axle. One end of the joint frame two is fixedly connected to the foot, and the other end is rotatably connected to the front axle and the rear axle.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the passive wheel includes wheel three and wheel four, the differential wheel includes wheel five and wheel six, and the differential rope includes rope three, rope four, rope five and rope six. Wheel three is connected to wheel six through rope three, wheel six is ​​connected to wheel four through rope four, wheel three is connected to wheel five through rope five, and wheel four is connected to wheel five through rope six.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the driving wheel includes wheel one and wheel two, and the transmission rope includes rope one and rope two. Wheel one is connected to wheel three through rope one, and wheel two is connected to wheel four through rope two.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, rope one and rope two are arranged in a figure-eight shape.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, the ankle motor is located on the inside of the calf assembly or at one end near the thigh assembly.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution, the connecting surfaces of leg connector 1 and thigh connector 2, as well as the connecting surfaces of thigh connector 2 and thigh connector 1, are provided with evenly arranged docking holes. Springs are installed in the docking holes, and thigh connector 1 is elastically connected to thigh connector 2 through the springs.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution, the inner fixed connection of the thigh connector is a limiting nut, and the thigh connector is slidably connected with a bolt, which is threadedly connected to the limiting nut.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution, the first thigh connector has holes 1, 2, and 3 sequentially opened along the axial direction of the mating hole, and the second thigh connector has holes 4, 5, and 6 sequentially opened along the axial direction of the mating hole. Hole 1 is adapted to the size of the large end of the bolt, holes 2 and 6 are adapted to the size of the small end of the bolt, holes 3 and 4 are adapted to the size of the spring, and hole 5 is adapted to the size of the nut.

[0019] The present invention also provides a robot, including a lower limb drive mechanism.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: (1) In this invention, by setting passive wheels and active wheels with different wheel diameter ratios, a larger driving torque can be generated through a smaller output motor and rope wheel, thereby meeting the high torque requirements of the robot when walking, lifting, and adjusting its posture, while also meeting the compactness requirements. The differential rope forms a closed or semi-closed force transmission path under the action of the passive wheel and the differential wheel. When the ankle motor performs differential control on different ropes, it can make the ankle joint rotate in the corresponding direction, realizing posture correction, balance control and foot compliance adjustment. Through the coordinated drive and the combination of different wheel diameter ratios of the passive wheel and the active wheel, not only is the output torque improved, but also the accuracy of posture control and dynamic response capability are improved. By dividing the thigh into two elastically connected parts, the impact force of the entire lower limb mechanism on the torso can be reduced.

[0021] (2) In this invention, since the rope has a certain elasticity and the pulley system has a flexible connection feature, it can output high torque while also having a certain passive compliance. When the foot collides with the ground or external objects, the micro-stretching of the rope and the elastic response of the pulley system can absorb some of the impact energy, avoid the "hard-on-hard" problem caused by rigid mechanisms, and improve the safety and durability of the system. In the robot's gait cycle, the ankle joint will exchange energy during the support and swing phases. Through the flexible energy storage characteristics of the rope system, some elastic potential energy can be temporarily stored during the joint movement and released in subsequent actions, thus having a certain potential for energy recovery and efficient storage. At the same time, since the main motor and transmission components can be arranged on the lower leg or closer to the body, the foot structure can be extremely lightweight, significantly reducing the swing leg inertia and improving gait efficiency and movement flexibility. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lower limb drive mechanism provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lower leg assembly structure provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the thigh component structure provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the thigh assembly provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the thigh assembly provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a top view schematic diagram of the passive wheel and differential wheel cooperation structure provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a bottom view of the structure of the passive wheel and differential wheel in embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the thigh component structure provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the load rope routing structure provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the constant force load mechanism provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Reference numerals: 1. Thigh assembly; 11. Thigh connector one; 111. Hole one; 112. Hole two; 113. Hole three; 12. Thigh connector two; 121. Hole four; 122. Hole five; 123. Hole six; 124. Constant force load spring; 125. Transmission wheel one; 126. Load rope; 127. Transmission wheel two; 128. Knee joint drive motor; 13. Spring; 14. Bolt; 15. Limit nut; 2. Lower leg assembly; 20. Lower leg; 21. Ankle motor; 22. Drive wheel; 221. Wheel 1; 222. Wheel 2; 23. Drive rope; 231. Rope 1; 232. Rope 2; 24. Driven wheel; 241. Wheel 3; 242. Wheel 4; 25. Differential wheel; 251. Wheel 5; 252. Wheel 6; 26. Differential rope; 261. Rope 3; 262. Rope 4; 263. Rope 5; 264. Rope 6; 3. Ankle joint; 31. Joint frame 1; 32. Joint frame 2; 33. Differential support; 4. Foot. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Example 1 See Figure 1 The lower limb auxiliary drive mechanism includes a thigh component 1, a calf component 2, an ankle joint 3, and a foot 4. One end of the calf component 2, i.e. the end of the calf component 2 facing the thigh component 1, is rotatably connected to the thigh component 1. The other end of the calf component 2, i.e. the end of the calf component 2 away from the thigh component 1, is rotatably connected to the foot 4 through the ankle joint 3.

[0025] The thigh assembly 1 includes a thigh connector 11 and a thigh connector 2 12. The thigh connector 11 and the thigh connector 2 12 are elastically connected to each other, thereby reducing the impact force of the entire lower limb mechanism on the torso. In this embodiment, one end of the spring 13 is connected to the thigh connector 11 and the other end of the spring 13 is connected to the thigh connector 2 12. See Figure 3 , Figure 4In order to adjust the extension and retraction of spring 13, evenly arranged mating holes are provided on the connecting surfaces of thigh connector 11 and thigh connector 2 12, as well as on the connecting surfaces of thigh connector 2 12 and thigh connector 11. A limiting post is provided between thigh connector 11 and thigh connector 2 12. The limiting post includes a bolt 14 and a limiting nut 15 (not shown in the figure). The small end of the bolt 14 passes through the mating hole of thigh connector 11 and the mating hole of thigh connector 2 12. The end face of the bolt 14 passing through the mating hole on thigh connector 2 12 is threadedly connected to the limiting nut 15. The limiting nut 15 is threadedly connected to the bolt 14.

[0026] See Figure 5 The thigh connector 11 has holes 111, 112, and 113 sequentially opened along the axial direction of the mating hole. The thigh connector 2 has holes 121, 122, and 123 sequentially opened along the axial direction of the mating hole. Hole 111 is matched with the size of the large end of the bolt 14, holes 112 and 123 are matched with the size of the small end of the bolt 14, holes 113 and 121 are matched with the size of the spring 13, and hole 122 is matched with the size of the nut. The limiting nut 15 is fixed in the second hole 112, and the bolt 14 slides with the thigh connector 11, thereby limiting the extension and retraction of the spring 13.

[0027] See Figure 2 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 The lower leg assembly 2 includes a lower leg 20 and an ankle drive mechanism mounted on the lower leg 20. The ankle joint 3 includes a first joint frame 31, a second joint frame 32, and a differential support 33. The ankle drive mechanism includes an ankle motor 21, a drive wheel 22, a transmission rope 23, a driven wheel 24, a differential wheel 25, and a differential rope 26. The end of the lower leg 20 facing the second thigh connector 12 is rotatably connected to the second thigh connector 12. Two opposing ankle motors 21 are provided on the inner side of the lower leg 20 or near the second thigh connector 12. The output ends of the two ankle motors 21 are each connected to a drive wheel 22. The lower leg 20 is fixedly connected to a joint frame 31 at the end opposite to the thigh connection 12. The joint frame 31 is rotatably engaged with the differential support 33. The differential support 33 has four connecting shafts fixed circumferentially. The four connecting shafts are arranged in a cross shape, namely the front shaft, rear shaft, left shaft, and right shaft. The joint frame 31 is rotatably engaged with the left and right shafts of the differential support 33. The front and rear shafts of the differential support 33 are rotatably engaged with the joint frame 32.

[0028] Two ankle motors 21 are positioned close to the thigh connector 2 12 to reduce foot mass and rotational inertia, and the transmission rope 23 is arranged in a figure-eight shape.

[0029] Driven wheels 24 are fixedly connected to both the left and right shafts of the differential support 33. Each driven wheel 24 includes a third wheel 241 and a fourth wheel 242, both fixedly connected to the left and right shafts. The size of the driven wheel 24 is larger than that of the driving wheel 22. The driving wheel 22 is connected to the driven wheel 24 via a transmission rope 23. The driving wheel 22 includes a first wheel 221 and a second wheel 222, and the transmission rope 23 includes a first rope 231 and a second rope 232. The first wheel 221 is connected to the driven wheel 24 via the first rope 231. Wheel 3 241 is connected to the drive mechanism. One end of rope 1 231 is wound and fixed to wheel 1 221, and the other end of rope 1 231 is wound and fixed to wheel 3 241. Wheel 2 222 is connected to wheel 4 242 through rope 2 232. One end of rope 2 232 is wound and fixed to wheel 2 222, and the other end of rope 2 232 is wound and fixed to wheel 4 242. It should be noted that the winding and fixing here means that the drive rope 23 is fixed to the driving wheel 22 or the driven wheel 24 and wound around the driving wheel 22 or the driven wheel 24 at least two turns.

[0030] Wheel 5 251 and wheel 6 252 are fixedly connected to the front and rear axles of the differential bracket 33; the driven wheel 24 and the differential wheel 25 are connected by a differential rope 26. The differential wheel 25 includes wheel 5 251 and wheel 6 252, and the differential rope 26 includes rope 3 261, rope 4 262, rope 5 263 and rope 6 264. Among them, wheel 3 241 is connected to wheel 6 252 via rope 3 261. One end of rope 3 261 is fixedly connected to wheel 3 241, and the other end is fixedly connected to wheel 6 252. Wheel 6 252 is connected to wheel 4 242 via rope 4 262. One end of rope 4 262 is fixedly connected to wheel 6 252, and the other end is connected to wheel 4 242. Wheel 3 241 is connected to wheel 5 251 via rope 5 263. One end of rope 5 263 is fixedly connected to one end of wheel 3 241, and the other end is fixedly connected to wheel 5 251. Wheel 4 242 is connected to wheel 5 251 via rope 6 264. One end of rope 6 264 is fixedly connected to wheel 4 242, and the other end is fixedly connected to wheel 5 251. When the two drive wheels 22 rotate in opposite directions, that is, the first wheel 221 and the second wheel 222 rotate in opposite directions, then the third wheel 241 and the fourth wheel 242 rotate in opposite directions. At this time, the foot 4 achieves a roll motion relative to the lower leg assembly 2. For example, if the third wheel 241 rotates clockwise and the fourth wheel 242 rotates counterclockwise, the foot 4 swings to the right. If the third wheel 241 rotates counterclockwise and the fourth wheel 242 rotates clockwise, the foot 4 swings to the left. When the two drive wheels 22 rotate in the same direction, the second joint frame 32 drives the foot 4 to achieve pitch motion relative to the lower leg assembly 2. For example, when the two drive wheels 22 rotate clockwise, the second joint frame 32 drives the foot 4 to rotate clockwise relative to the first joint frame 31. The fifth wheel 251 and the sixth wheel 252 both rotate counterclockwise, and the second joint frame 32 drives the foot 4 to rotate counterclockwise relative to the first joint frame 31.

[0031] See Figure 2 The diameter of the passive wheel 24 is larger than that of the active wheel 22. The rated output torque of the ankle motor 21 is amplified by the wheel diameter ratio, which can generate a large driving torque at the ankle end. The mechanical gain is achieved by using the wheel diameter difference, so that the output of the smaller ankle motor 21 is converted into a larger driving torque of the ankle joint 3 through the rope wheel, thereby meeting the high torque requirements of the robot when walking, lifting, and adjusting its posture. The smaller ankle motor 21 can meet the requirement of compact size.

[0032] It should be noted that the differential rope 26 forms a closed or semi-closed force transmission path under the action of the passive wheel 24 and the differential wheel 25. When the ankle motor 21 performs differential control on different ropes, it can cause the ankle joint 3 to rotate in the corresponding direction, thereby realizing posture correction, balance control and foot compliance adjustment. Through the coordinated drive and the cooperation of different wheel diameter ratios of the passive wheel 24 and the active wheel 22, not only is the output torque improved, but also the accuracy of posture control and dynamic response capability are improved.

[0033] Because the ropes, namely the transmission rope 23 and the differential rope 26, have a certain degree of elasticity, and the pulley system, namely the driving pulley 22, the driven pulley 24, and the differential pulley 25, has a flexible connection characteristic, it can output high torque while also having a certain degree of passive compliance. When the foot collides with the ground or an external object, the slight stretching of the rope and the elastic response of the pulley system can absorb some of the impact energy, avoiding the "hard-on-hard" problem caused by rigid mechanisms and improving the safety and durability of the system. In the robot's gait cycle, the ankle joint 3 exchanges energy during the support and swing phases. Through the flexible energy storage characteristics of the rope system, some elastic potential energy can be temporarily stored during joint movement and released in subsequent actions, thus possessing a certain potential for energy recovery and efficient storage. At the same time, since the main motor, namely the ankle motor 21 and the transmission components, can be arranged on the lower leg 20 or closer to the body, the foot structure can be extremely lightweight, significantly reducing the swing leg inertia and improving gait efficiency and movement flexibility.

[0034] Vertical shock absorption is achieved through the evenly distributed springs 13 of the thigh connector 2 12. The ankle joint 3 achieves high torque output, roll / pitch coordinated drive, lightweight layout, and compliant safety control through the transmission of two ankle motors 21, transmission rope 23, differential rope 26, active wheel 22, passive wheel 24, and differential wheel 25. The two ankle motors 21 drive four differential ropes 26, and the combination of active wheel 22 and passive wheel 24 with different wheel diameter ratios.

[0035] Example 2 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that a constant force load mechanism is added to the thigh assembly 1. This mechanism can apply a reverse pulling force to create a compensating bending moment in the straightening direction of the knee joint, thereby directly offsetting part or all of the bending moment of the knee joint caused by the weight of the lower limbs and achieving static gravity compensation. At the same time, this constant force load mechanism does not undertake all functions alone, but works in conjunction with the motor system as a parallel auxiliary actuator. When the load on the knee joint is large, it shares part of the torque, allowing the motor to work more in the optimal torque range, thereby reducing peak current, reducing heat generation, and improving the overall efficiency. Of course, the constant force load mechanism can also be set in the space adjacent to the thigh assembly 1.

[0036] See Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 The thigh assembly 1 and the lower leg assembly 2 are connected by a knee joint. The connection end of the thigh connector 2 12 and the lower leg 20 forms a knee joint. The bottom of the thigh connector 2 12 is fixedly connected to a knee joint drive motor 128. The output end of the knee joint drive motor 128 is fixedly connected to the lower leg 20. The knee joint drive motor 128 can drive the top of the lower leg 20 to rotate around its axis. The constant force load mechanism includes a constant force load spring 124, a transmission wheel 1 125, a load rope 126, and a transmission wheel 2 127.

[0037] A transmission wheel 2 127 is fixedly connected to the lower leg 20. In this embodiment, the transmission wheel 2 127 is located on the side of the lower leg 20. A transmission wheel 1 125 is rotatably connected to the side of the thigh connector 2 12. The transmission wheel 1 125 and the transmission wheel 2 127 are located on the same side. A constant force load spring 124 is fixedly connected to the transmission wheel 1 125. One end of the constant force load spring 124 is fixedly connected to the transmission wheel 1 125, and the other end of the constant force load spring 124 is wound and fixed with the load rope 126 and the transmission wheel 2 127.

[0038] It should be noted that the constant force load spring 124 in this embodiment is a CFS constant force load spring, which is arranged in a coiled manner. One end of the load rope 126 is connected to the CFS constant force load spring, and the other end is connected to the knee joint assist end, i.e., the second transmission wheel 127. When the spring is released or coiled, the direction of force transmission and the lever arm relationship are changed through the constant force load spring 124, the first transmission wheel 125, the load rope 126, and the second transmission wheel 127, so as to convert the constant force into an assist torque that is more suitable for the knee joint, thereby providing a stable straightening compensation force to the knee joint. At the same time, it can continuously output an approximately constant assist according to the change of knee joint angle, reducing the fluctuation of assist caused by changes in posture.

[0039] During operation, when the knee joint tends to bend due to the weight of the lower limb or external load, the constant force load spring 124 applies a reverse tension through the constant force load mechanism, generating a compensating bending moment in the straightening direction of the knee joint. This directly offsets part or all of the bending moment caused by the weight of the lower limb, achieving static gravity compensation. Simultaneously, the constant force load spring 124 does not perform all functions alone. Instead, it works in conjunction with the knee joint drive motor 128 as a parallel auxiliary actuator. When the knee joint load is high, it shares some of the torque, allowing the motor to operate more within its optimal torque range, thereby reducing peak current, decreasing heat generation, and improving overall efficiency.

[0040] The transmission rope 23 and differential rope 26 have a certain elastic modulus and together with the constant force load spring 124, they form a double buffer structure. When the knee joint movement undergoes rapid start-stop, sudden load change, or unloading, the transmission rope 23, differential rope 26, drive wheel 22, driven wheel 24, and differential wheel 25 can first absorb a portion of the transient impact. The constant force load spring 124 then further smooths the load change through its continuous release or retraction capability, thereby reducing the instantaneous impact force on the knee joint drive motor 128 and the joint. In addition, during the joint rotation process, some gravitational potential energy can be converted into elastic potential energy and stored in the constant force load spring 124, which is released in the next action stage, realizing a certain degree of energy recovery and reuse.

[0041] By utilizing the near-constant output characteristics of the constant force load spring 124 and the flexible transmission characteristics of the transmission rope 23 and the differential rope 26, the dynamic damping during the knee joint movement can be mechanically adjusted, thereby suppressing joint vibration, reducing shaking and overshoot, and improving the smoothness and stability of the movement. The overall structure can achieve multiple effects such as continuous assistance, precise gravity compensation, impact buffering, energy recovery and stable control in a small installation space.

[0042] Example 3 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiments 1 and 2 is that this embodiment provides a robot that includes the lower limb auxiliary drive mechanism in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0043] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lower limb drive mechanism and robot, characterized in that, The device includes a thigh assembly, a calf assembly, an ankle joint, and a foot. One end of the calf assembly is rotatably connected to the thigh assembly, and the other end is movably connected to the foot via a differential support of the ankle joint. The thigh assembly includes two elastically connected thigh connectors. The calf assembly includes the calf and two ankle motors fixed to the calf. The output ends of the two ankle motors are each driven by a drive wheel. The differential support has two opposite ends rotatably connected to driven wheels, the diameter of which is larger than that of the drive wheels. The other opposite ends are rotatably connected to differential wheels. The two drive wheels are each driven by a drive rope and a driven wheel. The two driven wheels are driven by differential ropes and differential wheels. Driving the two drive wheels to rotate in opposite directions can drive the foot to roll relative to the calf assembly. Driving the two drive wheels to rotate in the same direction can drive the foot to pitch relative to the calf assembly.

2. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The differential support is circumferentially fixed with a front axle, rear axle, left axle, and right axle arranged in a cross shape. A passive wheel is fixedly connected to the left axle and the right axle, and a differential wheel is fixedly connected to the front axle and the rear axle. The ankle joint includes a joint frame one and a joint frame two. One end of the joint frame is fixedly connected to the lower leg assembly, and the other end is rotatably connected to the left axle and the right axle. One end of the joint frame two is fixedly connected to the foot, and the other end is rotatably connected to the front axle and the rear axle.

3. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven pulley includes pulley three and pulley four, the differential pulley includes pulley five and pulley six, and the differential rope includes rope three, rope four, rope five and rope six. Pulley three is connected to pulley six via rope three, pulley six is ​​connected to pulley four via rope four, pulley three is connected to pulley five via rope five, and pulley four is connected to pulley five via rope six.

4. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving pulley includes pulley one and pulley two, and the transmission rope includes rope one and rope two. Pulley one is connected to pulley three through rope one, and pulley two is connected to pulley four through rope two.

5. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, Rope 1 and Rope 2 are arranged in a figure-eight shape.

6. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ankle motor is located on the inside of the calf assembly or at one end near the thigh assembly.

7. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting surfaces of leg connector 1 and thigh connector 2, as well as the connecting surfaces of thigh connector 2 and thigh connector 1, are provided with evenly arranged mating holes. Springs are installed in the mating holes, and thigh connector 1 is elastically connected to thigh connector 2 through the springs.

8. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The thigh connector has a limit nut for internal fixation, and a bolt for sliding connection on the thigh connector, which is threaded to the limit nut.

9. The lower limb drive mechanism and robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first thigh connector has holes 1, 2, and 3 sequentially opened along the axial direction of its mating holes. The second thigh connector has holes 4, 5, and 6 sequentially opened along the axial direction of its mating holes. Hole 1 is matched with the size of the large end of the bolt, holes 2 and 6 are matched with the size of the small end of the bolt, holes 3 and 4 are matched with the size of the spring, and hole 5 is matched with the size of the nut.

10. A robot, characterized in that, Includes the lower limb drive mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9.