Eight-drive mobile robot steering assembly

Abstract

According to the eight-drive mobile robot steering assembly, a mobile robot comprises a main body platform, a mechanical arm is installed on the upper portion of the main body platform, and the steering assembly comprises driving wheels installed at the four corners of the lower portion of the main body platform; a plurality of groups of power motors are arranged right above the corresponding driving wheels in the main body platform, a hole channel is formed in the main body platform below the power motors, a crossed roller bearing is mounted at the hole channel, the upper end of the crossed roller bearing is connected with the output end of the power motor through a first flange, and the lower end of the crossed roller bearing is connected with a bogie through a second flange; the driving wheels are connected with the bogie through connecting pieces, and driving motors are installed in the driving wheels and can drive the driving wheels to rotate. The four driving wheels can independently achieve the steering function, autonomous steering can be completed in the complex environment, the flexible performance of the mobile robot is greatly improved, each driving wheel can be independently driven to rotate, the power performance of the mobile robot is improved, and therefore autonomous running can be completed in the complex environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of mobile robots, and specifically relates to a steering assembly of an eight-wheel drive mobile robot. Background Technique

[0002] In recent years, mobile robot technology has made great progress and is widely used in fields such as agriculture, mining, and rescue. Especially in complex terrain and high-load environments, the demand for mobile robots with high flexibility and adaptability is increasing. Most mobile robots have functions of automatic navigation and obstacle avoidance. Usually, a mobile robot is equipped with a robotic arm, and functional components are installed at one end where the robotic arm moves to achieve various functions such as grasping and monitoring.

[0003] Existing mobile robots usually drive forward and turn with two wheels, which can basically meet the walking ability on flat roads. However, for rough mountainous areas or complex road conditions such as wet and muddy ground, on the one hand, the power is poor and the movement is strenuous. On the other hand, the steering angle of the two wheels has certain limitations, which cannot meet complex road conditions and working conditions, and the flexibility is low, making the mobile robot have great limitations. Content of the Utility Model

[0004] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the above background technique, the utility model provides a steering assembly of an eight-wheel drive mobile robot.

[0005] The technical solution of the utility model is as follows:

[0006] A steering assembly of an eight-wheel drive mobile robot, the mobile robot includes a main body platform, a robotic arm is installed above the main body platform, and the steering assembly includes drive wheels installed at the four corners below the main body platform;

[0007] Multiple groups of power motors are arranged in the main body platform corresponding to the positions directly above the drive wheels. There are channels opened at the position of the main body platform below the power motors, and cross roller bearings are installed at the channels. The upper end of the cross roller bearing is connected to the output end of the power motor through a first flange, and the lower end is connected to a steering bracket through a second flange;

[0008] The drive wheel is connected to the steering bracket through a connecting piece, and a drive motor is installed inside the drive wheel, which can drive the drive wheel to rotate.

[0009] In order to facilitate the installation of the power motor, a connecting plate is installed above the channel, and a mounting seat is arranged on the connecting plate, and the power motor is installed on the mounting seat.

[0010] The specific design of the steering bracket is that the steering bracket is set in an inverted L shape, and the drive wheel is installed at the open end of the inverted L-shaped steering bracket.

[0011] The specific design of the connecting piece is that the connecting piece includes a connecting block, and the output shaft of the driving motor penetrates through the connecting block and is fixed thereto;

[0012] Two adjusting plates are respectively rotatably installed on the front and rear end faces of the connecting block, and the other end of the adjusting plate is rotatably connected to the bogie.

[0013] In order to facilitate the fixation of the output shaft, an L-shaped plane is provided on the upper end surface of the end of the output shaft away from the driving motor, and the position where the connecting block contacts this surface is L-shaped and adapted thereto;

[0014] External threads are provided at the end of the output shaft away from the driving motor, and it is fixed against the connecting block through a nut.

[0015] In order to achieve shock absorption of the driving wheel, an installation frame is connected to the upper end of the connecting block, a spring shock absorber is hinged on the installation frame, and its upper end is hinged to the corner of the bogie.

[0016] In order to prevent mud or water from splashing onto the main platform when driving on a muddy road or a water-covered road, a mudguard is installed on the bogie, and the mudguard is arranged in an arc shape.

[0017] The arrangement method of the mudguard is that both ends of the mudguard extend towards the front and rear sides of the driving wheel, and are respectively fixed to the front and rear end faces of the bogie through two connecting frames.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the present utility model are as follows: The present utility model is a steering assembly for an eight-wheel drive mobile robot. Firstly, by setting multiple power motors in cooperation with the bogie, each of the four driving wheels can independently achieve the steering function, enabling autonomous steering in a complex environment, greatly improving the flexibility of the mobile robot, and enhancing the ability to cope with complex road conditions and complex working conditions. Moreover, the power motor is connected to the bogie through two sets of flange plates, which on the one hand improves the bearing capacity of the crossed roller bearing, and on the other hand can ensure the transmission accuracy, making the steering control more precise. Secondly, by installing a driving motor in each driving wheel, each driving wheel can be independently driven to rotate, and in combination with independent steering, the eight-wheel drive movement of the robot is realized, improving the power performance of the mobile robot, so that it can complete autonomous driving in a complex environment. Moreover, in combination with the design of the connecting block, the adjusting plate hinged thereto, and the spring shock absorber, it plays a role in damping the vibration force transmitted by the driving wheel. On a complex road surface, the robot can still drive easily and smoothly. Finally, by setting a mudguard that extends forward and backward relative to the driving wheel, when the mobile robot moves forward or backward on a muddy road or the like, it can protect the main platform, ensuring the cleanliness of the mobile robot. Description of the Drawings

[0019] The solutions and advantages of the present application will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are only for the purpose of showing the preferred embodiments and are not considered to be a limitation of the present invention.

[0020] In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 is a partial front view of the mobile robot;

[0022] Figure 2 is a partial right view of the mobile robot;

[0023] Figure 3 is a partial sectional view of the rotating assembly;

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the output shaft and the connecting block;

[0025] The components represented by the reference numerals in the drawings are:

[0026] 1, main body platform; 2, robotic arm; 3, drive wheel; 4, power motor; 5, duct; 6, crossed roller bearing; 7, first flange; 8, second flange; 9, bogie; 10, drive motor; 11, connecting plate; 12, mounting seat; 13, connecting block; 14, output shaft; 15, adjusting plate; 16, nut; 17, mounting bracket; 18, spring shock absorber; 19, fender; 20, connecting frame. Specific Embodiments

[0027] The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] Example

[0029] As mentioned in the background art, there are many defects in existing mobile robots during operation. Most of them are in the form of two-wheel drive. On the one hand, the power is poor, and on the other hand, the flexibility of two-wheel steering is poor. These two aspects make it difficult for mobile robots to handle complex road conditions or working conditions. Moreover, the structures of existing four-wheel drive mobile robots are relatively complex and not concise enough as a whole. Therefore, the inventor has designed a new steering assembly for an eight-wheel drive mobile robot during the creation process. The following will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0030] This embodiment provides an eight-wheel drive mobile robot steering assembly, in combination with Figure 1 and Figure 2, the mobile robot includes a main body platform 1, and a robotic arm 2 is installed above the main body platform 1. The main body platform 1 is in the shape of a shell, and electronic components such as the controller of the mobile robot are installed inside the main body platform 1. Moreover, various functional components can be installed at the movable end of the robotic arm 2 to adapt to different working conditions. The above is the prior art and no improvement has been made thereto, so no redundant description will be given.

[0031] In this embodiment, the steering assembly includes drive wheels 3 installed at the four corners below the main body platform 1. The drive wheels 3 are arranged separately from the main body platform 1 and serve as the traveling components for the movement of the main body platform 1. The first key design in this solution is that all four drive wheels 3 can perform independent steering. Specifically, multiple groups of power motors 4 are provided inside the main body platform 1 directly above the drive wheels 3. As Figure 3 shown, specifically, there are four groups corresponding to the drive wheels 3. In this solution, the model of the power motor 4 is Yushu M8010. Moreover, a bogie 9 is provided below the main body platform 1, and the drive wheels 3 are connected to the bogie 9 through connecting pieces, that is, the output end of the power motor 4 can drive the bogie 9 to rotate, and then drive the drive wheels 3 to rotate, realizing the independent steering of each drive wheel 3.

[0032] The second improvement point in this solution is the connection method between the power motor 4 and the bogie 9. Specifically, a duct 5 is opened at the main body platform 1 below the power motor 4, and a crossed roller bearing 6 is installed at the duct 5. The upper end of the crossed roller bearing 6 is connected to the output end of the power motor 4 through a first flange 7, and the lower end is connected to the bogie 9 through a second flange 8, replacing the prior art method of connecting the power motor 4 and the bogie 9 through a torque transmission shaft. On the one hand, it can improve the bearing capacity of the crossed roller bearing 6 and withstand more torque, making the steering speed of the drive wheels 3 faster. On the other hand, through the design of the first flange 7 and the second flange 8, it can improve the accuracy of torque transmission, making the angle of the power motor 4 controlling the steering of the drive wheels 3 more accurate.

[0033] Moreover, a connecting plate 11 is installed above the duct 5. The connecting plate 11 is rectangular, and a mounting seat 12 is provided on the connecting plate 11. The mounting seat 12 is circular, and through holes corresponding to the duct 5 are opened in the middle of both the connecting plate 11 and the mounting seat 12 for connecting the output end of the power motor 4 and the first flange 7. The power motor 4 is installed on the mounting seat 12.

[0034] On the basis of the above structure, the bogie 9 is configured to be in an inverted L-shape, and the drive wheel 3 is installed at the open end of the inverted L-shaped bogie 9, that is, the horizontal end of the bogie 9 is used to connect to the second flange 8, and the relatively vertical end is used to install the drive wheel 3. In addition, in order to enable the four drive wheels 3 to rotate independently and improve the overall power, a drive motor 10 is installed in the drive wheel 3, which can drive the drive wheel 3 to rotate. It is mentioned above that the bogie 9 is connected to the drive wheel 3 through a connecting piece. Specifically, the output end of the drive motor 10 is fixed to the connecting piece to complete the connection between the two.

[0035] Specifically, the connecting member includes a connecting block 13, the output shaft 14 of the drive motor 10 passes through the connecting block 13 and is fixed thereto, the connecting block 13 is connected to the bottom end of the bogie 9, and in order to fix the output shaft 14 so that the drive motor 10 can drive the drive wheel 3 to rotate, the output shaft 14 is provided with an L-shaped plane on the upper end surface away from the drive motor 10, combined with Figure 4 , and the position where the connecting block 13 contacts the surface is an L-shape adapted to it. The output shaft 14 can be rotationally limited by the mutual engagement of the two L-shaped planes. In order to prevent the output shaft 14 from separating from the connecting block 13, the end of the output shaft 14 away from the drive motor 10 is provided with an external thread, and is fixed to the connecting block 13 by a nut 16. The nut 16 is threadedly connected to the output shaft 14 on one side of the connecting block 13, so that the output shaft 14 can be fixed to the connecting block 13.

[0036] On the basis of the above structure, it is mentioned that the connecting block 13 is connected to the bottom end of the bogie 9. Specifically, two adjustment plates 15 are rotatably installed on the front and rear end faces of the connecting block 13, and the two adjustment plates 15 on each end face are arranged parallel to each other up and down, and the other end of the adjustment plate 15 is rotatably connected to the bogie 9. Through two hinges, when the driving wheel 3 is bumpy, it can move up and down around the hinge point, and in order to further reduce the vibration caused by the bump, the upper end of the connecting block 13 is connected to the mounting frame 17, and the mounting frame 17 is hinged with a spring shock absorber 18. The spring shock absorber 18 is a built-in damper and an external spring. It is a relatively mature existing technology and can be purchased as a component. Its upper end is hinged to the corner of the bogie 9 so that the bottom end of the spring shock absorber 18 is tilted toward the side of the driving wheel 3. When the driving wheel 3 is bumpy, it drives the connecting block 13 to move up and down around the hinge point. Then the spring shock absorber 18 can absorb most of the displacement generated by the connecting block 13, which can slow down the vibration of the entire mobile robot.

[0037] Moreover, during the operation of the mobile robot, the inventors also found that there is a problem, that is, when the mobile robot is driving on a muddy road or a rainy road, the driving wheel 3 will throw mud and water onto the main platform 1, affecting the overall cleanliness. Figure 1 and Figure 2, a mudguard 19 is installed on the bogie 9, and the mudguard 19 is arranged in an arc shape. Moreover, since the mobile robot can move forward and backward, the mudguard 19 needs to cover the front and rear sides of the drive wheel 3. The two ends of the mudguard 19 extend towards the front and rear sides of the drive wheel 3, and the designed size of the mudguard 19 should not come into contact with other components when the bogie 9 drives it to rotate. The specific size can be designed according to factors such as the actual size of the drive wheel 3 and the height of the main body platform 1. Moreover, the mudguard 19 is fixed to the front and rear end faces of the bogie 9 through two connecting frames 20 respectively, and the connecting frames 20 can be connected to the mudguard 19 and the bogie 9 through bolts respectively.

Claims

1. An eight-wheel drive mobile robot steering assembly, the mobile robot comprising a main body platform (1), and a robotic arm (2) is installed above the main body platform (1), characterized in that, The steering assembly includes drive wheels (3) installed at the four corners below the main body platform (1); Inside the main body platform (1), multiple power motors (4) are arranged directly above the drive wheels (3). At the position of the main body platform (1) below the power motors (4), a duct (5) is formed, and a crossed roller bearing (6) is installed at the duct (5). The upper end of the crossed roller bearing (6) is connected to the output end of the power motor (4) through a first flange (7), and the lower end is connected to a bogie (9) through a second flange (8); The drive wheel (3) is connected to the bogie (9) through a connecting member, and a drive motor (10) is installed inside the drive wheel (3) and can drive the drive wheel (3) to rotate.

2. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein A connecting plate (11) is installed above the duct (5), and a mounting seat (12) is arranged on the connecting plate (11). The power motor (4) is installed on the mounting seat (12).

3. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The bogie (9) is arranged in an inverted L shape, and the drive wheel (3) is installed at the open end of the inverted L-shaped bogie (9).

4. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The connecting member includes a connecting block (13), and the output shaft (14) of the drive motor (10) penetrates through the connecting block (13) and is fixed thereto; Two adjusting plates (15) are respectively rotatably installed on the front and rear end faces of the connecting block (13), and the other ends of the adjusting plates (15) are rotatably connected to the bogie (9).

5. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, An L-shaped plane is formed on the upper end face of the end of the output shaft (14) away from the drive motor (10), and the position where the connecting block (13) contacts this surface is L-shaped and adapted thereto; External threads are formed at the end of the output shaft (14) away from the drive motor (10), and it is fixed against the connecting block (13) through a nut (16).

6. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, An installation frame (17) is connected to the upper end of the connecting block (13), and a spring damper (18) is hinged on the installation frame (17), and its upper end is hinged to the corner of the bogie (9).

7. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 3, characterized in that A mudguard (19) is installed on the bogie (9), and the mudguard (19) is arranged in an arc shape.

8. The steering assembly of the eight-wheel drive mobile robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both ends of the mudguard (19) extend towards the front and rear sides of the drive wheel (3), and are respectively fixed to the front and rear end faces of the bogie (9) through two connecting frames (20).

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