Bionic robot with openable mouth

Abstract

The application provides a bionic robot with openable and closable mouth, relates to the technical field of robot moving mechanism, and comprises an output end of a motor and a gear reduction assembly transmission connection, the output end of the gear reduction assembly is arranged on the upper end of a rack and is engaged with the rack, and is used for converting the rotary motion of the motor into the linear reciprocating motion of the rack; the front end of the rack is integrally formed with a connecting surface, an upper connecting rod is hinged with a front end hole of the connecting surface, a lower connecting rod is hinged with a rear end hole of the connecting surface, two mouth components are connected with the upper connecting rod and the lower connecting rod respectively, and the mouth components are used for opening and closing around the center of symmetry, the technical problems of the existing technology, such as the stiff single-motor driving mode and the poor closing precision of the mouth, are solved, and the technical effects of realizing the natural and vivid motion effect through one steering engine, the compact structure and effectively resisting the elastic tension of external plush materials are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotic movement mechanisms, and in particular to a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the market size of smart companion electronic products has continued to expand, with plush-shaped, portable bionic companion robots and pet robots becoming increasingly popular. The opening and closing of the mouth is the core movement for bionic robots to achieve facial expression interaction.

[0003] Existing bionic mouth opening and closing mechanisms for robots generally employ a direct-drive motor solution. A single motor serves as the power source, with its output shaft directly connected to the upper or lower mouth component. The output shaft acts as the rotation center, driving the oscillation of one side of the mouth component to achieve the opening and closing action. Some solutions, designed to achieve bilateral mouth movement, utilize a dual-motor configuration, with one motor corresponding to each mouth component, and two independent control circuits driving the upper and lower mouths separately.

[0004] However, whether it is a single-motor direct drive or a dual-motor drive, the motion pattern is monotonous and rigid, with poor biomimetic effect; moreover, the direct drive structure does not have a speed reduction and torque amplification mechanism, so the output torque is limited. Under the elastic tension of the external plush material, problems such as incomplete mouth closure and large gaps are prone to occur. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth to alleviate the technical problems of rigid single-motor drive and poor mouth closure accuracy in the prior art.

[0006] The present invention provides a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth, comprising: a motor, a gear reduction assembly, a rack, an upper link, a lower link, and a mouth component; The output end of the motor is connected to the gear reduction assembly for transmission. The output end of the gear reduction assembly is located on the upper end of the rack and meshes with the rack, which is used to convert the rotational motion of the motor into the linear reciprocating motion of the rack. The front end of the rack is integrally formed with a connecting surface. The upper connecting rod is hinged to the front hole of the connecting surface, and the lower connecting rod is hinged to the rear end of the connecting surface. The two mouthpiece components are connected to the upper and lower connecting rods respectively, and are used for the mouthpiece components to open and close symmetrically around the center.

[0007] Furthermore, the gear reduction assembly includes a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, and a square shaft; the first gear is fixedly mounted on the output end of the motor, the second gear and the third gear are connected by the same square shaft, and the third gear is located in the middle of the square shaft and above the rack.

[0008] Furthermore, the first gear is a spur gear with fewer teeth than the second gear, used to form a first-stage reduction; the third gear rotates synchronously with the second gear, and converts the rotational motion into linear motion by cooperating with the rack.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a head housing, in which the motor, third gear, and rack are all housed within the internal cavity of the head housing.

[0010] Furthermore, the root portions of the two mouth components are respectively provided with hinge shaft holes, and are rotatably connected to the head housing via hinge pins.

[0011] Furthermore, the rack also includes an integrally formed fixing part and continuous straight teeth; The fixing part is located at the rear end of the connecting surface and has several sliding grooves. The fixing rods are inserted into the sliding grooves and the two ends of the fixing rods are fixed to the head shell. The continuous straight teeth slide back and forth through the fixing part with the fixing rods as the fixing points.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper and lower connecting rods are centrally symmetrical structures, and both the upper and lower connecting rods include a rectangular part and a crescent-shaped part; The rectangular part is inserted into the mouth component, and the crescent part is hinged and rotated around the front end hole and the rear end on the connecting surface.

[0013] Furthermore, the motor is a servo motor, and the output shaft of the motor extends horizontally in the lateral direction.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a body part that engages with the head shell, and a tail is provided at the end of the body part.

[0015] Furthermore, the outer surfaces of the head shell, body, and tail are all covered with a plush layer.

[0016] Beneficial effects: The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided by this invention adopts a single motor combined with a gear reduction assembly and a rack and pinion linkage. It synchronously drives the upper and lower mouth components to open and close in opposite directions through a single power source. Compared with the traditional single motor direct-drive solution for one side of the mouth, the mouth movement shape is more in line with the opening and closing action of real organisms, and the bionic effect is more natural and vivid. At the same time, the power is transmitted through the gear reduction assembly, which can effectively amplify the output torque and reduce the movement speed, making the mouth opening and closing action smooth and gentle, avoiding the shaking and jerking problems that are prone to occur in direct-drive structures.

[0017] Furthermore, the use of a gear rack and rigid connecting rod transmission system can effectively counteract the elastic tension of the outer plush covering layer, ensuring that the mouth can be completely closed and avoiding problems such as large gaps or incomplete closure. Furthermore, this invention integrates the power input, reduction transmission, linear conversion, and linkage drive components into the head, reducing the internal space occupied. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the transmission of a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the rack structure in a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A front view of a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 A diagram showing the open mouth of a bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth, provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic robot body with an openable and closable mouth, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Icons: 1-Motor; 2-Gear reduction assembly; 201-First gear; 202-Second gear; 203-Third gear; 204-Square shaft; 3-Rack; 301-Connecting surface; 302-Fixing part; 303-Continuous straight gear; 4-Upper connecting rod; 5-Lower connecting rod; 6-Mouth component; 7-Head housing; 8-Fixing rod; 9-Rectangular part; 10-Crescent part; 11-Body part; 12-Tail part. Detailed Implementation

[0021] 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 with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0022] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0023] 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.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0025] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0028] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, the bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided by the present invention includes: a motor 1, a gear reduction assembly 2, a rack 3, an upper connecting rod 4, a lower connecting rod 5, and a mouth component 6; The output end of the motor 1 is connected to the gear reduction assembly 2 for transmission. The output end of the gear reduction assembly 2 is located on the upper end of the rack 3 and meshes with the rack 3, which is used to convert the rotational motion of the motor 1 into the linear reciprocating motion of the rack 3. The front end of the rack 3 is integrally formed with a connecting surface 301. The upper connecting rod 4 is hinged to the front end hole of the connecting surface 301, and the lower connecting rod 5 is hinged to the rear end of the connecting surface 301. The two mouth components 6 are connected to the upper connecting rod 4 and the lower connecting rod 5 respectively, and are used for the mouth components 6 to open and close symmetrically around the center.

[0029] Specifically, motor 1, as a power source, is fixedly installed in the internal mounting position of the head cavity. Its power output end is connected to the input end of gear reduction assembly 2 to transmit rotational power to the reduction transmission link. The output gear of gear reduction assembly 2 is arranged at the upper end of rack 3, and the teeth of the output gear mesh with the continuous teeth on the upper surface of rack 3. Through the gear and rack meshing transmission pair, the rotational motion output by motor 1 is converted into the linear reciprocating sliding of rack 3 along the front-back direction of the head. The front end of the rack 3 is integrally formed with a connecting surface 301, which is a mounting base perpendicular to the sliding direction of the rack 3. A front hole and a rear port are respectively opened on the base. One end of the upper connecting rod 4 is hinged to the front hole of the connecting surface 301 by a pin, and one end of the lower connecting rod 5 is hinged to the rear port of the connecting surface 301 by a pin. The two connecting rods extend to the upper and lower sides of the front end of the head, and the other end of the rods are respectively connected to a mouth component 6. The two mouth components 6 correspond to the upper and lower mouth structures of the hippo robot, respectively. They are installed at the front opening of the head shell 7 through independent hinge shafts. Under the action of the rack 3 driving the two connecting rods to push and pull back and forth, the two mouth components 6 can rotate synchronously in opposite directions around their respective hinge shafts to realize the opening and closing action.

[0030] This invention uses only a single motor 1 to synchronously drive the upper and lower mouth components 6 to complete symmetrical opening and closing movements. Compared to traditional single motors that can only drive one side of the mouth, the mouth movement pattern is more in line with the movement logic of real organisms, resulting in a more natural and vivid biomimetic performance. At the same time, it eliminates the need for dual power units, simplifying the overall structure and reducing the cost of core materials. Through the transmission of the gear reduction assembly 2 and the rack and pinion 3, it achieves both speed reduction and torque increase, ensuring sufficient driving force for the mouth opening and closing to overcome the resistance of the external covering material, and smoothly converts rotational motion into linear driving action. Moreover, the entire transmission structure can be compactly arranged along the front-to-back direction of the head, with low space occupancy, which can well manufacture miniaturized and micro-sized plush toy products.

[0031] It should be noted that, since the robot product in this embodiment is shaped like a hippo, in order to make it more lifelike and realistic, the upper connecting rod 4 and the lower connecting rod 5 need to be equipped with front and rear end holes. In this way, when the hinge rotates, the front and rear are misaligned, thereby driving the mouth component 6 to open and close.

[0032] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the gear reduction assembly 2 includes a first gear 201, a second gear 202, a third gear 203, and a square shaft 204; the first gear 201 is fixedly mounted on the output end of the motor 1, the second gear 202 and the third gear 203 are connected by the same square shaft 204, and the third gear 203 is located in the middle of the square shaft 204 and above the rack 3.

[0033] The first gear 201 is a spur gear with fewer teeth than the second gear 202, and is used to form a first-stage reduction gear; the third gear 203 rotates synchronously with the second gear 202 and converts the rotational motion into linear motion by cooperating with the rack 3.

[0034] Specifically, the first gear 201 is the active input gear of the entire reduction assembly. Its inner cross-section is adapted to the cross-section of the output shaft of motor 1. It is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of motor 1 by interference fit and rotates synchronously with the output shaft of motor. The teeth of the second gear 202 are arranged to the side, and the two are in the same transmission plane. The square shaft 204 is a rigid transmission shaft with a square cross-section. It is horizontally mounted along the left and right sides of the head. Its two ends are respectively rotatably fitted into the corresponding shaft seat holes on the inner wall of the head housing, and can rotate freely around its own axis. The center of the second gear 202 and the third gear 203 are both provided with square mounting holes that are completely matched with the cross-section of the square shaft 204. The two are sequentially mounted on the shaft of the square shaft 204, and the circumferential relative rotation is restricted by the meshing of the square cross-sections. The second gear 202 is located at one end of the square shaft 204 near the motor 1, and maintains external meshing with the first gear 201 to form a meshing transmission pair for power input; the third gear 203 is fixedly set at the axial middle position of the square shaft 204, with its teeth facing downwards and directly facing the upper tooth surface of the rack 3, and maintains full meshing with the continuous straight teeth 303 on the upper surface of the rack 3.

[0035] A square shaft 204 with a square inner hole is used to achieve circumferential fixation of the double gears. Compared with the traditional round shaft with a flat key connection, this eliminates the need for keyway machining and key assembly. The reduction meshing pair and the rack 3 drive gear are placed at different positions on the same shaft. Reduction and torque increase can be completed through only one-stage gear meshing. Then, the coaxial third gear 203 directly completes the conversion from rotary motion to linear motion. At the same time, the overall structure makes full use of the lateral space in the head cavity. In addition, the third gear 203 is centrally located above the rack 3, and the meshing force is transmitted along the central plane of the rack.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, a head housing 7 is also included, and the motor 1, the third gear 203, and the rack 3 are all housed in the internal cavity of the head housing 7.

[0037] The root portions of the two mouth components 6 are respectively provided with hinge shaft holes, and are rotatably connected to the head housing 7 through hinge pins.

[0038] The rack 3 also includes an integrally formed fixing part 302 and a continuous straight tooth 303; the fixing part 302 is located at the rear end of the connecting surface 301 and has several sliding grooves, in which a fixing rod 8 is inserted, and the two ends of the fixing rod 8 are fixed to the head housing 7; the continuous straight tooth 303 slides back and forth through the fixing part 302 with the fixing rod 8 as the fixing point.

[0039] The upper connecting rod 4 and the lower connecting rod 5 are centrally symmetrical structures. Both the upper connecting rod 4 and the lower connecting rod 5 include a rectangular part 9 and a crescent part 10. The rectangular part 9 is inserted into the mouth part member 6, and the crescent part 10 is hinged to rotate around the front end hole and the rear end on the connecting surface 301.

[0040] Specifically, the two mouth components 6 correspond to the upper and lower jaw structures of the hippo robot, respectively. Both have through hinge shaft holes at their roots, and hinge pins pass between these holes and corresponding mounting holes at the front end of the head housing 7. This allows both mouth components 6 to rotate freely relative to the head housing 7 via the axis of the hinge pins. The rack 3 is a one-piece rigid component, including an integrally formed fixing part 302 and continuous straight teeth 303, in addition to the connecting surface 301 at the front end. The fixing part 302 extends along the sliding direction of the rack and is located at the rear end of the connecting surface 301. Two elongated grooves running through the front-rear direction are provided on the body of the fixing part 302. A fixing rod 8 is inserted into each groove, and both ends of the fixing rod 8 are fixedly mounted on the left and right inner walls of the head housing 7, respectively. This allows the rack 3 to slide back and forth along the axial direction of the fixing rod 8 via the fixing part 302. The upper connecting rod 4 and the lower connecting rod 5 are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner. They have the same structure, both including a rectangular part 9 and a crescent part 10. The rectangular part 9 is a protrusion with a rectangular cross-section, which is inserted into the mounting groove corresponding to the mouth part component 6 to form a fixed connection. The crescent part 10 is a hinge end with an arc contour, which is respectively inserted into the front end hole and the rear end hole on the connecting surface 301, and can be hinged and rotated around the pin in the hole.

[0041] The head shell 7 integrates all transmission components internally, ensuring the integrity of the product's appearance while protecting the internal precision transmission structure and preventing the external plush fabric from jamming the transmission pairs. A sliding guide system using a fixed rod 8 and a groove allows for stable linear motion constraint within the limited head cavity. The connecting rod employs a segmented design with a rectangular insert 9 for fixation and a crescent-shaped hinge 10 for connection. This eliminates the need for additional fasteners, ensuring the connection between the connecting rod and the mouth components. The crescent-shaped hinge end adapts to angle changes during the connecting rod's swing, resulting in minimal rotational clearance and smooth operation. This ensures consistency in the opening and closing angles and movement speeds of the two mouth components, enhancing the symmetry and biomimetic effect of mouth movements.

[0042] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 6 As shown, motor 1 is a servo motor, and the output shaft of motor 1 extends horizontally in the transverse direction.

[0043] It also includes a body part 11 that engages with the head shell 7, and a tail part 12 is provided at the end of the body part 11. The outer surfaces of the head shell 7, the body part 11 and the tail part 12 are all covered with a plush layer.

[0044] Specifically, motor 1 is a servo motor that can control the output rotation speed, thereby adjusting the opening and closing range and rhythm of the mouth, making it easier to achieve various biomimetic interactive actions and enhancing the interactive fun of the product.

[0045] The robotic hippo also includes a body 11 and a tail 12. The rear end of the head shell 7 has a concave annular locking groove, and the upper end of the body 11 has a corresponding outwardly protruding annular locking rib. The locking rib engages with the locking groove, achieving bidirectional axial and radial positioning and fixation of the head and body. The tail 12 is located at the end of the body 11, extending downwards and using springs to achieve a naturally drooping curved arc, conforming to the shape of a real hippo's tail. The hard outer surfaces of the head shell 7, body 11, and tail 12 are all completely covered with a plush layer. The plush layer is fixed to the shell surface by adhesive bonding and edge stitching, completely concealing the internal hard structure and forming a uniform plush toy appearance.

[0046] Based on the above embodiments, the specific working process of the bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth provided by the present invention is as follows: The output shaft of motor 1 drives the first gear 201 to rotate. The first gear 201 meshes with the second gear 202 to achieve the first stage of speed reduction and torque increase. The second gear 202 is coaxially fixed with the third gear 203 through a square shaft 204, driving the third gear 203 to rotate synchronously, ensuring sufficient output torque and smooth operation. The third gear 203 meshes with the rack 3, converting the rotational motion of motor 1 into the linear reciprocating sliding motion of rack 3. The connecting rod drives the mouth movement: rack 3 is hinged to upper connecting rod 4 and lower connecting rod 5; when rack 3 slides back and forth, it synchronously drives upper connecting rod 4 and lower connecting rod 5 to move. Under the pushing and pulling action of the connecting rod, the mouth component 6 rotates synchronously in opposite directions around the axis of rotation, thereby realizing the opening and closing action of the mouth.

[0047] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; 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 or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth, characterized in that, include: Motor (1), gear reduction assembly (2), rack (3), upper connecting rod (4), lower connecting rod (5) and mouth component (6); The output end of the motor (1) is connected to the gear reduction assembly (2) for transmission. The output end of the gear reduction assembly (2) is located on the upper end of the rack (3) and meshes with the rack (3) to convert the rotational motion of the motor (1) into the linear reciprocating motion of the rack (3). The front end of the rack (3) is integrally formed with a connecting surface (301). The upper connecting rod (4) is hinged to the front end hole of the connecting surface (301), and the lower connecting rod (5) is hinged to the rear end of the connecting surface (301). The two mouth components (6) are respectively connected to the upper connecting rod (4) and the lower connecting rod (5) for the mouth components (6) to open and close symmetrically around the center.

2. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gear reduction assembly (2) includes a first gear (201), a second gear (202), a third gear (203), and a square shaft (204); the first gear (201) is fixedly mounted on the output end of the motor (1), the second gear (202) and the third gear (203) are connected by the same square shaft (204), and the third gear (203) is located in the middle of the square shaft (204) and above the rack (3).

3. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first gear (201) is a spur gear with fewer teeth than the second gear (202), and is used to form a first-stage reduction gear; the third gear (203) rotates synchronously with the second gear (202) and converts the rotational motion into linear motion by cooperating with the rack (3).

4. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a head housing (7), in which the motor (1), the third gear (203), and the rack (3) are all housed in the internal cavity of the head housing (7).

5. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 4, characterized in that, The root portions of the two mouth components (6) are respectively provided with hinge shaft holes and are rotatably connected to the head housing (7) via hinge pins.

6. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rack (3) also includes an integrally formed fixing part (302) and continuous straight teeth (303). The fixing part (302) is located at the rear end of the connecting surface (301) and has several sliding grooves. A fixing rod (8) is inserted in the sliding groove. The two ends of the fixing rod (8) are fixed on the head shell (7). The continuous straight tooth (303) slides back and forth through the fixing part (302) with the fixing rod (8) as the fixing point.

7. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper link (4) and the lower link (5) are centrally symmetrical structures, and both the upper link (4) and the lower link (5) include a rectangular part (9) and a crescent part (10). The rectangular portion (9) is inserted into the mouth component (6), and the crescent portion (10) is hinged to rotate around the front end hole and the rear end on the connecting surface (301).

8. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor (1) is a servo motor, and the output shaft of the motor (1) extends horizontally in the lateral direction.

9. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a body part (11) that engages with the head shell (7), and the end of the body part (11) is provided with a tail part (12).

10. The bionic robot with an openable and closable mouth according to claim 9, characterized in that, The outer surfaces of the head shell (7), the body (11) and the tail (12) are all covered with a plush layer.

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