Wheel-foot robot with anti-impact leg joints

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wheel-foot robot with an anti-impact leg joint, which comprises a machine base, a joint driving component, a thigh joint framework, a shank joint framework, a wheel component and a damping spring, the top end of the thigh joint framework is connected with a first driving end of the joint driving component, and the top end of the shank joint framework is connected with a second driving end of the joint driving component; the shank joint skeleton is connected with a second driving end of the joint driving assembly, the bottom end of the thigh joint skeleton is hinged to the shank joint skeleton, the wheel assembly is arranged at the bottom end of the shank joint skeleton, and the two ends of the damping spring are hinged to the thigh joint skeleton and the shank joint skeleton respectively. The damping spring is arranged between the thigh joint framework and the shank joint framework, when the robot climbs over an obstacle or encounters an uneven terrain, the damping spring can effectively absorb and buffer vibration and energy generated by impact, and therefore the internal structure of the robot is protected against damage, and the service life of the robot is prolonged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the structure technical field of wheel-legged robot, especially a wheel-legged robot with impact-resistant leg joint. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous development of mobile robot technology, as a new type of mobile robot combining the characteristics of wheels and legs, wheel-legged robots have gradually become a hot spot in research and application fields. Wheel-legged robots combine the advantages of efficient movement on flat ground of wheels and the characteristics of good obstacle crossing in complex environments, enabling them to cope with variable and complex indoor environments, especially suitable for task scenarios that require large-scale and high-mobility inspection.

[0003] Wheel-legged robots have flexible and diverse movement methods, mainly including wheel-based movement methods and leg-based movement methods. On flat and obstacle-free ground, wheel-legged robots can mainly rely on wheels for movement, which can achieve smooth, efficient and fast displacement, greatly improving the inspection efficiency of robots in a wide space. However, when facing complex obstacles such as stairs, rough terrain or slippery surfaces, wheel-legged robots can switch to leg-based movement methods to overcome obstacles through flexible leg structures, demonstrating excellent passability and adaptability.

[0004] Although wheel-legged robots have been widely used in many fields, there are still some urgent improvements in the structure of existing wheel-legged robots. For example, existing wheel-legged robots lack effective buffer mechanisms, when the robot is climbing over a large obstacle, it will be subjected to strong impact, and the vibration generated will not only affect the stability of the robot, but also may cause damage to the internal structure of the robot. In addition, due to the existence of the gravity of the robot itself, the main part of the robot has a sinking tendency during operation. In order to overcome this part of the gravity, the joint motor in the existing wheel-legged robot for controlling the action of the thigh joint and the calf joint needs to divide a part of the torque to balance the weight, resulting in an increase in power consumption. SUMMARY

[0005] The utility model aims at providing a wheel-legged robot with impact-resistant leg joint to solve one or more technical problems in the background art.

[0006] To achieve this purpose, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A wheel-legged robot with an anti-impact leg joint comprises a base, a joint driving assembly, a thigh joint frame, a shank joint frame, a wheel assembly and a damping spring, the joint driving assembly is arranged on the base, the top end of the thigh joint frame is connected with the first driving end of the joint driving assembly, the shank joint frame is connected with the second driving end of the joint driving assembly, the bottom end of the thigh joint frame is hinged to the shank joint frame, the wheel assembly is arranged at the bottom end of the shank joint frame, and the two ends of the damping spring are respectively hinged to the thigh joint frame and the shank joint frame; the joint driving assembly is used to drive the thigh joint frame to swing so as to adjust the relative angle between the thigh joint frame and the base; the joint driving assembly is also used to drive the shank joint frame to swing so as to adjust the relative angle between the shank joint frame and the thigh joint frame.

[0008] Preferably, a stepped pin and a shaft pin are further included, the stepped pin and the shaft pin are respectively fixed at the two ends of the damping spring, the damping spring is hinged to the top end of the thigh joint frame through the stepped pin, and the damping spring is hinged to the middle part of the shank joint frame through the shaft pin.

[0009] Preferably, a swing rod and a connecting rod are further included, one end of the swing rod is connected with the second driving end of the joint driving assembly, the other end of the swing rod is hinged to one end of the connecting rod, and the other end of the connecting rod is hinged to the top end of the shank joint frame.

[0010] Preferably, the thigh joint frame is located between the connecting rod and the damping spring.

[0011] Preferably, the wheel assembly comprises a wheel piece, a parallel transmission component and at least two walking motors, the two walking motors are arranged at the bottom end of the shank joint frame in an up-down mode, the rotating shaft ends of the two walking motors are connected with the input end of the parallel transmission component, and the output end of the parallel transmission component is connected with the wheel piece.

[0012] Preferably, the parallel transmission component comprises at least two transmission gears and a connecting shaft, the transmission gears are sleeved on the rotating shaft ends of the walking motors, the two transmission gears are engaged with each other, one end of one of the transmission gears is connected with one end of the connecting shaft, and the other end of the connecting shaft is connected with the wheel piece.

[0013] Preferably, the thigh joint frame is provided with a hollow part.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the robot with the anti-impact leg joint has the advantages that: the damping spring is arranged between the thigh joint framework and the shank joint framework, when the robot surmounts an obstacle or encounters uneven terrain, the damping spring can effectively absorb and buffer the vibration and energy generated by the impact, thereby protecting the internal structure of the robot from being damaged and prolonging the service life of the robot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The drawings further illustrate the present application, but the contents of the drawings do not constitute any limitation on the present application.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a wheel-foot robot according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a damping spring according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a wheel assembly according to one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The technical solutions of the present application will be further described below in combination with the drawings and through specific embodiments.

[0020] The wheel-foot robot with the anti-impact leg joint according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 1, which comprises a base 9, a joint driving assembly 5, a thigh joint framework 3, a shank joint framework 2, a wheel assembly 1 and a damping spring 4. Figure 1 and 2 The joint driving assembly 5 is arranged on the base 9, the top end of the thigh joint framework 3 is connected to the first driving end of the joint driving assembly 5, the shank joint framework 2 is connected to the second driving end of the joint driving assembly 5, the bottom end of the thigh joint framework 3 is hingedly connected to the shank joint framework 2, the wheel assembly 1 is arranged at the bottom end of the shank joint framework 2, and the two ends of the damping spring 4 are respectively hingedly connected to the thigh joint framework 3 and the shank joint framework 2. The joint driving assembly 5 is used to drive the thigh joint framework 3 to swing, so as to adjust the relative angle between the thigh joint framework 3 and the base 9. The joint driving assembly 5 is also used to drive the shank joint framework 2 to swing, so as to adjust the relative angle between the shank joint framework 2 and the thigh joint framework 3.

[0021] The damping spring 4 is arranged between the thigh joint framework 3 and the shank joint framework 2, and can effectively absorb and buffer the vibration and energy generated by the impact when the robot surmounts obstacles or walks on uneven terrain, thereby protecting the internal structure of the robot from damage and prolonging the service life of the robot. Since the damping spring 4 is arranged between the thigh joint framework 3 and the shank joint framework 2, the elastic force provided by the damping spring 4 can offset part of the force in the vertical direction, i.e., it can offset part of the gravity of the base 9 and the joint driving assembly 5 itself, thereby reducing the torque output of the joint driving assembly 5, saving the consumption of electric quantity, and improving the endurance of the robot.

[0022] Preferably, the stepped pin 24 and the shaft pin 23 are further included, and the stepped pin 24 and the shaft pin 23 are respectively fixed at two ends of the damping spring 4. The damping spring 4 is hinged to the top end of the thigh joint framework 3 through the stepped pin 24, and the damping spring 4 is hinged to the middle part of the shank joint framework 2 through the shaft pin 23. By arranging the stepped pin 24 and the shaft pin 23 at the two ends of the damping spring 4, the hinging between the damping spring 4 and the thigh joint framework 3 and the shank joint framework 2 is realized, and it is ensured that the damping spring 4 can more effectively transmit and disperse impact energy when subjected to force. The arrangement of the stepped pin 24 and the shaft pin 23 also facilitates the installation and disassembly of the damping spring 4. In the long-term use of the robot, if the damping spring 4 is worn or damaged, the damping spring 4 can be disassembled and replaced without disassembling the thigh joint framework 3 or the shank joint framework 2, thereby ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the robot.

[0023] Preferably, the swing rod 31 and the connecting rod 25 are further included, one end of the swing rod 31 is connected to the second driving end of the joint driving assembly 5, the other end of the swing rod 31 is hinged to one end of the connecting rod 25, and the other end of the connecting rod 25 is hinged to the top end of the shank joint framework 2.

[0024] By arranging the hinged swing rod 31 and the connecting rod 25, the joint driving assembly 5 arranged on the base 9 can directly control the movement of the shank joint framework 2. By adjusting the length and hinged point position of the swing rod 31 and the connecting rod 25, the motion trajectory of the shank joint framework 2 can also be optimized, and it is ensured that the shank joint framework 2 can realize complex and flexible movement relative to the thigh joint framework 3, thereby improving the coordination and balance of the movement.

[0025] Preferably, the thigh joint framework 3 is located between the connecting rod 25 and the damping spring 4. That is, the hinged end between the thigh joint framework 3 and the shank joint framework 2 is located between the hinged end between the connecting rod 25 and the shank joint framework 2 and the hinged end between the damping spring 4 and the shank joint framework 2. Through this layout, when the shank joint framework 2 is impacted, the damping spring 4 can more effectively absorb and buffer the impact energy.

[0026] Preferably, reference is made to the accompanying drawings Figure 3The wheel assembly 1 comprises a wheel piece 11, a parallel transmission part and at least two walking motors 14, the two walking motors 14 are arranged on the bottom end of the lower leg joint framework 2 in an up-down mode, the rotating shaft ends of the two walking motors 14 are connected with the input end of the parallel transmission part, and the output end of the parallel transmission part is connected with the wheel piece 11. By arranging the at least two walking motors 14 on the bottom end of the lower leg joint framework 2 in an up-down mode and connecting the parallel transmission part, the driving force of the wheel assembly 1 can be provided. During the walking of the robot, the two walking motors 14 work together, the torques of the two walking motors 14 are superposed through the parallel transmission part, and the torques are applied to the wheel piece 11, so that the large torque is achieved, the obstacle surmounting capability is increased, the robot can keep a stable driving state on various terrains, and the structure can be simplified.

[0027] Further, the parallel transmission part comprises at least two transmission gears 15 and a connecting shaft 19, the transmission gears 15 are sleeved on the rotating shaft ends of the walking motors 14, the two transmission gears 15 are rotatably connected with the lower leg joint framework 2 through deep groove ball bearings 18 respectively, the two transmission gears 15 are engaged, the end of one of the transmission gears 15 is connected with one end of the connecting shaft 19, the outer side of the connecting shaft 19 is rotatably connected with the lower leg joint framework 2 through a cross roller bearing 21, and the other end of the connecting shaft 19 is connected with the wheel piece 11. Through the engagement of the two transmission gears 15, the transmission connection between the rotating shaft ends of the two walking motors 14 and the wheel piece 11 is realized. The wheel assembly 1 can obtain greater driving force and torque, so that the passing capability and climbing capability of the robot on complex terrains are enhanced.

[0028] Preferably, the thigh joint framework 3 is provided with a hollow part 32. By providing the hollow part 32 in the thigh joint framework 3, the weight of the thigh joint framework 3 can be significantly reduced, so that the energy consumption for offsetting the gravity of the thigh joint framework 3 is reduced, and the motion efficiency and endurance of the robot are improved.

[0029] The technical principles of the utility model are described above in combination with specific embodiments. The descriptions are only for explaining the principles of the utility model, and cannot be explained as the limitation of the protection scope of the utility model in any way. Based on the explanations herein, the other specific embodiments of the utility model can be thought of by the person skilled in the art without creative labor, and these embodiments will fall into the protection scope of the utility model.

Claims

1. A wheeled-legged robot with impact-resistant leg joints, characterized in that, The device includes a base, a joint drive assembly, a thigh joint frame, a calf joint frame, a wheel assembly, and a damping spring. The joint drive assembly is mounted on the base. The top end of the thigh joint frame is connected to a first drive end of the joint drive assembly, and the calf joint frame is connected to a second drive end of the joint drive assembly. The bottom end of the thigh joint frame is hinged to the calf joint frame. The wheel assembly is located at the bottom end of the calf joint frame. The two ends of the damping spring are respectively hinged to the thigh joint frame and the calf joint frame. The joint drive assembly is used to drive the thigh joint frame to swing, thereby adjusting the relative angle between the thigh joint frame and the base. The joint drive assembly is also used to drive the calf joint frame to swing, thereby adjusting the relative angle between the calf joint frame and the thigh joint frame.

2. The wheeled robot with impact-resistant leg joints according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a step pin and a pivot pin, which are respectively fixed to the two ends of the damping spring. The damping spring is hinged to the top of the thigh joint skeleton through the step pin, and the damping spring is hinged to the middle of the lower leg joint skeleton through the pivot pin.

3. A wheeled robot with impact-resistant leg joints according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a swing arm and a connecting rod, one end of which is connected to the second drive end of the joint drive assembly, the other end of which is hinged to one end of the connecting rod, and the other end of the connecting rod is hinged to the top of the lower leg joint skeleton.

4. A wheeled robot with impact-resistant leg joints according to claim 3, characterized in that, The thigh joint frame is located between the connecting rod and the damping spring.

5. A wheeled robot with impact-resistant leg joints according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel assembly includes a wheel component, a parallel transmission component, and at least two walking motors. The two walking motors are arranged vertically at the bottom end of the lower leg joint frame. The shaft ends of the two walking motors are connected to the input end of the parallel transmission component, and the output end of the parallel transmission component is connected to the wheel component.

6. A wheeled robot with impact-resistant leg joints according to claim 5, characterized in that, The parallel transmission component includes at least two transmission gears and a connecting shaft. The transmission gears are sleeved on the shaft end of the walking motor. The two transmission gears mesh with each other. One end of the transmission gear is connected to one end of the connecting shaft, and the other end of the connecting shaft is connected to the wheel component.

7. A wheeled robot with impact-resistant leg joints according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thigh joint skeleton has a hollowed-out section.

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