Pivot steering mechanism and robot

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of robots, and particularly relates to a pivot steering mechanism and a robot, which comprise a self-driven wheel with a hub motor, a horizontal rotation driving mechanism and a rotating shaft, the upper end of the rotating shaft is in transmission connection with the horizontal rotation driving mechanism, and the lower end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected with a wheel shaft of the self-driven wheel; the horizontal rotation driving mechanism drives the rotating shaft to rotate by an angle in the horizontal direction so as to drive the self-driven wheel to steer. The self-driven wheel and the horizontal rotation driving mechanism are combined, the self-driven wheel is driven by the hub motor to move forwards and backwards, and the horizontal rotation driving mechanism drives the self-driven wheel to rotate horizontally to achieve steering. Each pivot steering mechanism is driven independently, the requirement for the turning radius does not exist, and pivot steering can be achieved in a narrow space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of robots, and in particular relates to an in-situ steering mechanism and a robot. Background Art

[0002] The mobile robot handling system is generally composed of a mobile robot, a navigation system, a positioning system, a handling gripper and other devices. It is a system that performs work automatically, can navigate autonomously, and perform actions by directly transporting loads or carrying robotic arms. It has been widely used in logistics, assembly, handling and other process fields.

[0003] Mobile robots are usually powered and controlled by motors connected to reducers, differentials and other gear mechanisms. The driving wheels rotate at a low speed to achieve smooth movement and precise stopping. The robot system is equipped with a robotic arm, which is carried on a mobile chassis and then controlled by the end tool to achieve handling, assembly and other actions. The robotic arm is usually handled by electric grippers or pneumatic tools.

[0004] Existing mobile robots have the following defects when carrying goods: 1. Most mobile robots use differential steering, and the turning radius is large; 2. Some mobile robots use Mecanum wheels to achieve on-the-spot turning, but the tires wear out quickly and have high requirements on the ground; 3. Electric grippers or air grippers are used, and their compatibility is poor. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art and provide an in-situ steering mechanism.

[0006] The utility model is realized through the following technical scheme: an in-situ steering mechanism, comprising a self-driving wheel, a horizontal rotation driving mechanism and a rotating shaft; the upper end of the rotating shaft is transmission-connected to the horizontal rotation driving mechanism, and the lower end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the wheel axle of the self-driving wheel.

[0007] Furthermore, the horizontal rotation drive mechanism includes: a servo electric cylinder, a gear rack transmission mechanism and a reduction mechanism; the gear rack transmission mechanism converts the linear motion of the servo electric cylinder in the horizontal direction into horizontal rotational motion, and drives the rotating shaft to perform the reduced-speed horizontal rotational motion through the reduction mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the reduction mechanism includes: a driven wheel transmission-connected to the rotating shaft; a gear in a rack and pinion transmission mechanism as a driving wheel, the driven wheel meshes with the driving wheel for transmission, and the diameter of the driven wheel is larger than the diameter of the driving wheel.

[0009] Furthermore, the self-driving wheel has a hub motor, and the tire of the self-driving wheel is a pneumatic tire.

[0010] A robot comprises a shell, and an in-situ steering mechanism of the utility model is installed at the bottom of the shell.

[0011] Furthermore, a mechanical arm is provided on the shell, and a gripper is provided on the mechanical arm.

[0012] Furthermore, an electromagnetic suction part is provided at the front end of the gripper.

[0013] Furthermore, the electromagnetic absorption part is a cylindrical part or a columnar part, or two or more cylindrical parts arranged side by side, or two or more columnar parts arranged side by side.

[0014] Furthermore, the rear end of the gripper is connected to the robotic arm via a bracket; a camera is provided on the bracket.

[0015] Furthermore, the bottom of the shell is connected to a magnetic sensor via a screw rod perpendicular to the ground.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the utility model include:

[0017] 1. The utility model combines a self-driving wheel and a horizontal rotation drive mechanism. The self-driving wheel is driven by a wheel hub motor to move forward and backward, and the horizontal rotation drive mechanism drives the self-driving wheel to rotate horizontally to achieve steering. Each in-situ steering mechanism is driven independently, and there is no requirement for a turning radius, so in-situ steering can be achieved in a small space.

[0018] 2. The utility model utilizes magnetic force to adsorb small metal parts, does not require a clamping mechanism, and only requires the parts to have an adsorption surface, which greatly improves compatibility.

[0019] 3. The electromagnetic suction part of the gripper of the utility model is cylindrical or columnar, or a derivative structure of the cylindrical or columnar shape, which is suitable for working in a narrow space.

[0020] 4. The utility model only needs to use ordinary tires, such as pneumatic tires. Compared with Mecanum wheels, the tires have less wear and tear and lower the requirements on the ground. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the in-situ steering mechanism in Example 1;

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the horizontal rotation drive mechanism in Example 1;

[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robot in Example 2;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gripper in Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Existing mobile robots generally use differential steering control to achieve on-site steering, which requires a large turning radius. However, when the mobile robot is carrying, the working space is often not wide enough, so the utility model proposes an on-site steering mechanism and a robot that can perform on-site steering in a small space.

[0026] The present invention will be described in further detail below by taking a robot as an example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] refer to Figure 1 As shown, an in-situ steering mechanism includes a self-driving wheel 3 with a hub motor, a horizontal rotation drive mechanism 1 and a rotating shaft 2; the upper end of the rotating shaft 2 is transmission-connected to the horizontal rotation drive mechanism 1, and the lower end of the rotating shaft 2 is fixedly connected to the wheel axle of the self-driving wheel 3; the horizontal rotation drive mechanism 1 drives the rotating shaft 2 to rotate an angle in the horizontal direction to drive the self-driving wheel to steer.

[0029] In this specific embodiment, the horizontal rotation drive mechanism 1 includes a servo electric cylinder 101, a gear rack transmission mechanism and a reduction mechanism. The gear rack transmission mechanism converts the linear motion of the servo electric cylinder 101 into horizontal rotational motion, and the rotating shaft 2 obtains the decelerated horizontal rotational motion through the reduction mechanism.

[0030] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 As shown, the speed reduction mechanism includes a driven wheel 10202 that is transmission-connected to the rotating shaft 2. The transmission connection between the driven wheel 10202 and the rotating shaft can be achieved by key connection or tight fit.

[0031] The gear in the rack and pinion transmission mechanism serves as the driving wheel 10201, and the driven wheel 10202 is meshed with the driving wheel 10201 for transmission, and the diameter of the driven wheel 10202 is larger than the diameter of the driving wheel 10201, so that the driven wheel 10202 can play a deceleration role.

[0032] The telescopic rod 10101 of the servo electric cylinder 101 performs linear reciprocating motion under the drive of the servo motor, thereby driving the rack 10102 to perform linear reciprocating motion in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the driving wheel 10201 is meshed with the rack 10102 for transmission. The driving wheel 10201 converts the linear reciprocating motion in the horizontal direction into clockwise and counterclockwise rotational motion. The driving wheel 10201 then drives the driven wheel 10202 to perform horizontal rotational motion. The direction of the rotational motion is controlled by the linear reciprocating motion of the servo electric cylinder. The driven wheel 10202 then drives the rotating shaft 2 to rotate. Since the rotating shaft 2 is fixedly connected to the wheel axle of the self-driving wheel 3, when the rotating shaft 2 rotates, it can drive the self-driving wheel 3 to rotate in the horizontal direction to turn.

[0033] For ease of installation and aesthetics, in this specific implementation, the driving wheel 10201 and the driven wheel 10202 are integrated in the gearbox 102, the shaft supporting the rotation of the driving wheel 10201 is also set in the gearbox 102 through a bearing, and the rotating shaft 2 is also connected to the gearbox 102 through a bearing.

[0034] The self-driving wheel 3 itself is driven by a wheel hub motor and can rotate on a vertical plane, thereby realizing forward and backward movement. This is prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0035] In order to reduce the wear on the ground, the tire 301 of the self-driving wheel is a pneumatic tire.

[0036] Example 2

[0037] refer to Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a robot based on the in-situ steering mechanism of Embodiment 1, comprising a shell 4, and the in-situ steering mechanism of the present invention is installed at the bottom of the shell 4.

[0038] Two in-situ steering mechanisms can be installed at the front end of the bottom of the shell, or two in-situ steering mechanisms can be installed at the rear end and the front end of the bottom of the shell respectively. It is also possible to install only one in-situ steering mechanism at the front end of the bottom of the shell. Each in-situ steering mechanism is independently controlled, and each in-situ steering mechanism can drive the robot to turn left or right at the same time. Compared with differential steering, there is no requirement for turning radius, which meets the demand for in-situ steering in a small space.

[0039] In order to realize the function of grasping parts, a mechanical arm 7 is provided on the housing, and a gripper 11 is provided on the mechanical arm 7. The mechanical arm 7 is detachably connected to the front end of the top surface of the housing 1 through a threaded fastener.

[0040] A control box 8 is provided at the rear end of the top surface of the shell, and a robot arm controller, a visual industrial computer, a gripper controller, a motion controller and network equipment are arranged in the control box.

[0041] The main functions of the motion controller are: 1. Control the feed amount of the servo electric cylinder of the in-situ steering mechanism, thereby changing the steering angle; 2. Control the hub motor of the self-driving wheel to achieve forward rotation, reverse rotation and speed adjustment; 3. Signal reception and processing.

[0042] A battery pack 5 is also provided in the shell, and the battery pack 5 is used to provide 48V and 12V power supplies to meet the requirements of different voltage levels.

[0043] The bottom of the shell is connected to a magnetic sensor 6 through a screw rod perpendicular to the ground. Specifically, the magnetic sensor 6 is fixed to the lower end of the screw rod, and the upper end of the screw rod is threadedly connected to the shell 4. The height of the magnetic sensor 6 from the ground is adjusted by adjusting the screw rod's screw-out length. By adjusting the height of the magnetic sensor 6, it can adapt to undulating road conditions and self-driving wheels of different sizes. After the magnetic sensor 6 senses the magnetic track 12, it transmits the sensing signal to the motion controller to achieve guidance and positioning. Magnetic navigation technology belongs to the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0044] refer to Figure 4 As shown, in order to improve the compatibility of the gripper and the grasping of small parts, the front end of the gripper 11 is provided with an electromagnetic suction part 1101. The electromagnetic suction part 11 is a cylindrical part or a columnar part, or two or more cylindrical parts arranged side by side, or two or more columnar parts arranged side by side. Such electromagnetic suction parts have a small width dimension, which is convenient for operation in a narrow space.

[0045] The rear end of the gripper 11 is connected to the mechanical arm 7 via a bracket 10, and the bracket 10 can be connected to the mechanical arm 7 via a flange. Further, a camera 9 is provided on the bracket 10, and the camera 9 provides machine vision for the gripper.

[0046] The visual industrial computer and the gripper controller in the control box 8 are connected to the camera 9 and the gripper 11 respectively through the harness 13. The visual industrial computer is used to identify parts according to the image collected by the camera 9. Image recognition belongs to the prior art and will not be described here. The gripper controller is used to control the electromagnetic suction part 11 to be powered on or off. The electromagnetic suction part can absorb metal parts when powered on and release the absorbed metal parts when powered off.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0049] The above technical solution is only one implementation method of the utility model. For those skilled in the art, it is easy to make various types of improvements or modifications based on the principles disclosed in the utility model, and it is not limited to the technical solution described in the above specific embodiments of the utility model. Therefore, the above description is only preferred and does not have a restrictive meaning.

Claims

1. An in-situ steering mechanism, characterized in that: It includes a self-driving wheel, a horizontal rotation driving mechanism and a rotating shaft; the upper end of the rotating shaft is drivingly connected to the horizontal rotation driving mechanism, and the lower end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the wheel axle of the self-driving wheel; The horizontal rotation drive mechanism includes: a servo electric cylinder, a gear rack transmission mechanism and a reduction mechanism; the gear rack transmission mechanism converts the linear motion of the servo electric cylinder in the horizontal direction into horizontal rotation motion, and drives the rotating shaft to perform the decelerated horizontal rotation motion through the reduction mechanism.

2. The in-situ steering mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The speed reduction mechanism comprises: a driven wheel connected to the rotating shaft; a gear in a rack and pinion transmission mechanism as a driving wheel, the driven wheel meshes with the driving wheel for transmission, and the diameter of the driven wheel is greater than the diameter of the driving wheel.

3. The in-situ steering mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The self-driving wheel has a hub motor, and the tire of the self-driving wheel is a pneumatic tire.

4. A robot, characterized in that: It comprises a shell, and the bottom of the shell is installed with the in-situ steering mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The shell is provided with a mechanical arm, and the mechanical arm is provided with a gripper.

6. The robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: An electromagnetic suction part is arranged at the front end of the gripper.

7. The robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The electromagnetic absorption part is a cylindrical part or a columnar part, or two or more cylindrical parts arranged side by side, or two or more columnar parts arranged side by side.

8. The robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rear end of the gripper is connected to the mechanical arm through a bracket; a camera is arranged on the bracket.

9. The robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom of the shell is connected with a magnetic sensor via a screw rod perpendicular to the ground.

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