Bionic leg segments and robots

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a bionic leg segment and robot. The bionic leg segment includes: a foot; a lower leg skeleton; an ankle pivot rotatably connecting the foot and the lower leg skeleton; a first transmission assembly including a first crank and a first connecting rod, one end of the first connecting rod being pivotally connected to the foot and the other end being pivotally connected to the first crank; and a first joint motor fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton and spaced apart from the ankle pivot in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The first joint motor drives the first crank to rotate, thereby causing the foot to pitch forward and backward or sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of terminal technology, and more particularly to a bionic leg segment and robot. Background Technology

[0002] Robotics is a cutting-edge technology that integrates multiple disciplines. Currently, various robots have been developed both domestically and internationally, and have been applied to some extent.

[0003] In the limb structure of robots, the joint design can usually be modeled after the structure of human arms and legs. Due to the large number of degrees of freedom, the number of joint motors increases, and the mass of the limb structure increases accordingly, which is not conducive to controlling limb movement and results in poor control accuracy. Utility Model Content

[0004] This disclosure provides a bionic leg segment and robot to address shortcomings in related technologies.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a bionic leg segment is provided, comprising:

[0006] Feet;

[0007] Lower leg frame;

[0008] An ankle pivot, which rotatably connects the foot and the lower leg skeleton;

[0009] A first transmission assembly, the first transmission assembly including a first crank and a first connecting rod, one end of the first connecting rod being pivotally connected to the foot and the other end being pivotally connected to the first crank;

[0010] The first joint motor is fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton and is spaced apart from the ankle pivot in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The first joint motor is used to drive the first crank to rotate so that the foot can move forward and backward or sideways relative to the lower leg skeleton.

[0011] Optionally, the first connecting rod and the lower leg skeleton are arranged at intervals in the anterior-posterior direction of the bionic leg segment, and the first connecting rod is located at the front end of the lower leg skeleton.

[0012] Optional, also includes:

[0013] The second transmission assembly includes a second crank and a second connecting rod. One end of the second connecting rod is pivotally connected to the foot and the other end is pivotally connected to the second crank. The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are parallel and spaced apart in the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment.

[0014] The second joint motor is fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton and is spaced apart from the ankle rotation axis in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The second joint motor is used to drive the second crank to rotate so that the foot can move forward and backward or sideways relative to the lower leg skeleton.

[0015] Optionally, the ankle pivot includes a first pivot and a second pivot that are fixedly connected. The axial direction of the first pivot, the axial direction of the second pivot, and the gravity direction of the bionic leg segment are perpendicular to each other. The first pivot is pivotally connected to the foot, and the second pivot is pivotally connected to the lower leg skeleton.

[0016] When both the first joint motor and the second joint motor are working, they drive the foot and the ankle pivot to pitch forward and backward relative to the lower leg skeleton around the second pivot; and / or drive the foot to sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton around the first pivot.

[0017] Optionally, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are respectively connected to a first fisheye bearing and a second fisheye bearing at both ends. The first connecting rod is pivotally connected to the first crank through the first fisheye bearing, and the second connecting rod is pivotally connected to the second crank through the first fisheye bearing. The first connecting rod is pivotally connected to the foot through the second fisheye bearing, and the axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is perpendicular to the axial direction of the second fisheye bearing.

[0018] Optionally, the axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the pitching motion, and the axial direction of the second fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the lateral swing motion.

[0019] Optionally, the lower leg frame is disposed between the first joint motor and the second joint motor.

[0020] Optionally, the foot includes:

[0021] Foot plate;

[0022] A fixed shaft is fixedly connected to the foot plate. A first connecting rod is pivotally connected to one end of the fixed shaft, and a second connecting rod is pivotally connected to the other end of the fixed shaft. The axial direction of the fixed shaft extends along the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment.

[0023] Optionally, the rotor axis of the first joint motor and the rotor axis of the second joint motor are parallel and spaced apart in the direction of gravity.

[0024] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a robot is provided, including a bionic leg segment as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0025] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0026] As can be seen from the above embodiments, in this disclosure, the first joint motor and the ankle rotation axis are spaced apart, and the power is transmitted through the first transmission component, so that the first shutdown motor can move upward relative to the foot in the bionic leg segment, and the center of mass of the bionic leg segment moves upward accordingly, which is beneficial to reduce the rotational inertia when the lower leg skeleton rotates, and is beneficial to improve the motion control accuracy of the bionic leg segment.

[0027] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic leg segment according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an ankle pivot structure according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0032] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in this disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this disclosure to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a bionic leg segment according to an exemplary embodiment. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the bionic leg segment includes a foot 1, a lower leg skeleton 2, an ankle pivot 3, a first transmission assembly 4, a first joint motor 5, a second transmission assembly 6, and a second joint motor 7. The ankle pivot 3 rotatably connects the foot 1 and the lower leg skeleton 2. The first transmission assembly 4 includes a first crank 41 and a first connecting rod 42. One end of the first connecting rod 42 is pivotally connected to the first crank 41, and the other end is pivotally connected to the foot 1. The first joint motor 5 is fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton 2 and is spaced apart from the ankle pivot 3 in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The distance between them is related to the length and inclination of the first connecting rod 42. The first joint motor 5 can drive the first crank 41 to rotate, transmitting power to the foot 1 through the first connecting rod 42, thereby causing the foot 1 to pitch forward and backward or sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton 2.

[0035] The second transmission assembly 6 includes a second crank 61 and a second connecting rod 62. One end of the second connecting rod 62 is pivotally connected to the foot 1, and the other end is pivotally connected to the second crank 61. The first connecting rod 42 is parallel to the second connecting rod 62 and is spaced apart in the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment. The second joint motor 7 is fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton 2, and the second joint motor 7 and the ankle pivot 3 are spaced apart in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The second joint motor 7 can drive the second crank 61 to rotate, and transmit power to the second connecting rod 62 through the second crank 61, thereby driving the foot 1 to move, causing the foot 1 to pitch forward and backward or swing left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton 2. In this way, the foot 1 can be driven to pitch forward and backward or swing left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton 2 through the combined action of the first transmission assembly 4 and the second transmission assembly 6. The lower leg skeleton 2 is located between the first joint motor 5 and the second joint motor 7, which is beneficial to the uniformity of the leg mass and avoids the leg's center of gravity from being excessively biased to one side.

[0036] The pitching and lateral movements described in this disclosure can be defined based on the forward and backward orientation of the bionic leg segments. For example, when bionic segments are applied to bipedal robots, similar to the human body, "forward" refers to the face orientation of the bipedal robot, and "backward" refers to the back orientation. Based on this, the left and right directions can be further defined. In this scheme, the first joint motor 5 is spaced apart from the ankle axis 3 and transmits power through the first transmission component 4, allowing the first motor 5 to move upward relative to the foot 1 in the bionic leg segment. The center of mass of the bionic leg segment moves upward accordingly, which helps to reduce the rotational inertia of the lower leg skeleton 2 during rotation and improves the motion control accuracy of the bionic leg segment. Similarly, through the second transmission component 6, the second joint motor 7 can also move upward relative to the foot 1, further increasing the center of mass and helping to reduce the rotational inertia of the lower leg skeleton 2 during rotation.

[0037] In some embodiments, the first link 42 and the lower leg skeleton 2 are spaced apart in the anterior-posterior direction of the bionic leg segment. For example, the first link 42 can be located at the front end of the lower leg skeleton 2. This avoids the first link 42 being pivotally connected to the "heel" of the foot 1, which helps to avoid the incoordination of the foot 1 shape and improve the bionic effect of the foot 1. At the same time, it will not cause obstruction at the rear end of the foot 1, which helps to increase the angle range of the foot 1 during the pitching and flexing movements relative to the lower leg skeleton 2. Moreover, when the bionic leg segment is also provided with a thigh skeleton connected to the lower leg skeleton 2, the first link 42 will not cause obstruction at the rear end of the bionic leg segment, which helps to increase the angle range of the pitching and flexing movements between the thigh skeleton and the lower leg skeleton 2. Of course, in other embodiments, the first link 42 can also be located at the rear end of the lower leg skeleton 2, and this disclosure does not limit this. Similarly, the second link 62 can also be provided at the front end of the lower leg skeleton 2 to increase the angle range of the foot 1 during the pitching and flexing movements relative to the lower leg skeleton 2.

[0038] It should be noted that, in the embodiments disclosed herein, the bionic leg segment is described using the example of a first transmission component 4, a first joint motor 5, a second transmission component 6, and a second joint motor 7. In other embodiments, the bionic leg segment may also include a first transmission component 4 and a first joint motor 5, with the first joint motor 5 outputting power and the first transmission component 4 transmitting power, so that the foot 1 can perform forward and backward pitching or left and right lateral swinging relative to the lower leg skeleton 2.

[0039] In some embodiments, the rotor axis of the first joint motor 5 and the rotor axis of the second joint motor 7 can be arranged coaxially; in other embodiments, the rotor axis of the first joint motor 5 and the rotor axis of the second joint motor 7 can be parallel and spaced apart. For example, the rotor axis of the first joint motor 5 and the rotor axis of the second joint motor 7 are both parallel to the plane where the foot 1 is located, and in the direction perpendicular to the plane, the rotor axis of the first joint motor 5 and the rotor axis of the second joint motor 7 are spaced apart. This is beneficial because the first crank 41 and the second crank 61 can also be spaced apart, which helps to avoid the dead zone of the four-bar linkage composed of the first transmission component 4, the second transmission component 6 and the foot 1, and reduces the probability of jamming.

[0040] In some embodiments, the foot 1 includes a foot plate 11 and a fixed shaft 12. The fixed shaft 12 is fixedly connected to the foot plate 11, and one end of the fixed shaft 12 is pivotally connected to a first connecting rod 42, while the other end is pivotally connected to a second connecting rod 62. This allows for the pivotal connection between the first connecting rod 42, the second connecting rod 62, and the foot 1. The axial direction of the fixed shaft 12 extends along the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment, ensuring that the line connecting the point of application of the force exerted by the first connecting rod 42 on the foot 1 and the point of application of the force exerted by the second connecting rod 62 on the foot 1 is parallel to the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment, thus ensuring the precise implementation of left-right lateral movements.

[0041] In the above embodiments, the second joint motor 7 and the first joint motor 5 can work simultaneously or in shifts, and can be designed according to the movement requirements of the foot 1 relative to the lower leg skeleton 2.

[0042] For example, in some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the ankle pivot 3 includes a first pivot 31 and a second pivot 32 fixedly connected. The axial directions of the first pivot 31, the second pivot 32, and the gravitational direction of the bionic leg segment are perpendicular to each other. The gravitational direction of the bionic leg segment can be perpendicular to the plane where the foot 1 is located. The first pivot 31 is pivotally connected to the foot 1, and the second pivot 32 is pivotally connected to the lower leg skeleton 2. For example, the foot 1 may include a foot plate 11 and a bracket fixedly connected to the foot plate 11, which is rotatably connected to the first pivot 31. When both the first joint motor 5 and the second joint motor 7 are working, the foot 1 and the ankle pivot 3 are driven to pitch back and forth relative to the lower leg skeleton around the second pivot 32; and / or the foot 1 is driven to sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton 2 around the first pivot 31.

[0043] For example, when both the first joint motor 5 and the second joint motor 7 are working, causing the first crank 41 and the second crank 61 to rotate in the same direction at the same speed, such as when they rotate counterclockwise at the same speed, the first connecting rod 42 and the second connecting rod 62 apply a downward force to the foot 1, driving the foot 1 and the ankle pivot 3 to rotate counterclockwise around the second pivot 32; for example, when the first crank 41 and the second crank 61 rotate clockwise at the same speed, the first connecting rod 42 and the second connecting rod 62 apply an upward force to the foot 1, driving the foot 1 and the ankle pivot 3 to rotate clockwise around the second pivot 32, thereby realizing the pitching motion of the foot 1 and the ankle pivot 3 relative to the lower leg skeleton around the second pivot 32.

[0044] For example, when both the first joint motor 5 and the second joint motor 7 are working, causing the first crank 41 and the second crank 61 to rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, for example in Figure 1 From the perspective of the right side, when the first crank 41 rotates counterclockwise and the second crank 61 rotates clockwise, the first connecting rod 42 applies a downward force to the foot 1, and the second connecting rod 62 applies an upward force to the foot 1, driving the foot 1 to rotate clockwise around the first axis of rotation 31 in the front view direction of the foot 1; when the first crank 41 rotates clockwise and the second crank 61 rotates counterclockwise, the first connecting rod 42 applies an upward force to the foot 1, and the second connecting rod 62 applies a downward force to the foot 1, driving the foot 1 to rotate counterclockwise around the first axis of rotation 31 in the front view direction of the foot 1, realizing the left and right lateral movement of the foot 1 relative to the lower leg skeleton 2 around the first axis of rotation 31.

[0045] For example, when the first crank 41 and the second crank 61 rotate at different speeds in the same direction, the foot 1 and the ankle pivot 3 can be driven to pitch forward and backward relative to the lower leg skeleton around the second pivot 32, while simultaneously driving the foot 1 to sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton 2 around the first pivot 31. Or, for example, when the first crank 41 and the second crank 61 rotate at different speeds in different directions, the foot 1 and the ankle pivot 3 can be driven to pitch forward and backward relative to the lower leg skeleton around the second pivot 32, while simultaneously driving the foot 1 to sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton 2 around the first pivot 31.

[0046] In the above embodiments, the first connecting rod 42 and the second connecting rod 62 are respectively connected to a first fisheye bearing and a second fisheye bearing at both ends. The first connecting rod 42 is pivotally connected to the first crank 41 via the first fisheye bearing, and the second connecting rod 62 is pivotally connected to the second crank 62 via the first fisheye bearing. The first connecting rod 42 is pivotally connected to the foot 1 via the second fisheye bearing, for example, it can be pivotally connected to the fixed shaft 12 of the foot 1. The axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is perpendicular to the axial direction of the second fisheye bearing, thereby assisting in realizing different relative movement modes between the lower leg skeleton 2 and the foot 1. The arrangement of the first and second fisheye bearings allows the shaft to rotate or swing at a fixed point, providing flexible rotation, strong load-bearing capacity, and a lower coefficient of friction. The axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the pitching motion, that is, the axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the second rotating shaft 32. The axial direction of the second fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the left and right lateral swing motion, that is, the axial direction of the second fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the first rotating shaft 31.

[0047] Based on the technical solution disclosed herein, a robot is also provided, which may include the bionic leg segments described in any of the above embodiments. The number of bionic leg segments may be one or more, such as the robot including one bionic leg segment, two bionic leg segments, or four bionic leg segments.

[0048] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0049] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A biomimetic leg segment, characterized in that, include: Feet; Lower leg frame; An ankle pivot, which rotatably connects the foot and the lower leg skeleton; A first transmission assembly, the first transmission assembly including a first crank and a first connecting rod, one end of the first connecting rod being pivotally connected to the foot and the other end being pivotally connected to the first crank; The first joint motor is fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton and is spaced apart from the ankle pivot in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The first joint motor is used to drive the first crank to rotate so that the foot can move forward and backward or sideways relative to the lower leg skeleton.

2. The bionic leg segment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connecting rod and the lower leg skeleton are arranged at intervals in the anterior-posterior direction of the bionic leg segment, and the first connecting rod is located at the front end of the lower leg skeleton.

3. The bionic leg segment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The second transmission assembly includes a second crank and a second connecting rod. One end of the second connecting rod is pivotally connected to the foot and the other end is pivotally connected to the second crank. The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are parallel and spaced apart in the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment. The second joint motor is fixedly connected to the lower leg skeleton and is spaced apart from the ankle rotation axis in the direction of gravity of the bionic leg segment. The second joint motor is used to drive the second crank to rotate so that the foot can move forward and backward or sideways relative to the lower leg skeleton.

4. The bionic leg segment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ankle pivot includes a first pivot and a second pivot that are fixedly connected. The axial direction of the first pivot, the axial direction of the second pivot, and the gravity direction of the bionic leg segment are perpendicular to each other. The first pivot is pivotally connected to the foot, and the second pivot is pivotally connected to the lower leg skeleton. When both the first joint motor and the second joint motor are working, they drive the foot and the ankle pivot to pitch forward and backward relative to the lower leg skeleton around the second pivot; and / or drive the foot to sway left and right relative to the lower leg skeleton around the first pivot.

5. The bionic leg segment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each end of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod is respectively connected to a first fisheye bearing and a second fisheye bearing. The first connecting rod is pivotally connected to the first crank through the first fisheye bearing, and the second connecting rod is pivotally connected to the second crank through the first fisheye bearing. The first connecting rod is pivotally connected to the foot through the second fisheye bearing, and the axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is perpendicular to the axial direction of the second fisheye bearing.

6. The bionic leg segment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The axial direction of the first fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the pitching motion, and the axial direction of the second fisheye bearing is parallel to the axis of the lateral swing motion.

7. The bionic leg segment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lower leg frame is positioned between the first joint motor and the second joint motor.

8. The bionic leg segment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The foot includes: Foot plate; A fixed shaft is fixedly connected to the foot plate. A first connecting rod is pivotally connected to one end of the fixed shaft, and a second connecting rod is pivotally connected to the other end of the fixed shaft. The axial direction of the fixed shaft extends along the left-right direction of the bionic leg segment.

9. The bionic leg segment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotor axis of the first joint motor is parallel to the rotor axis of the second joint motor and is spaced apart in the direction of gravity.

10. A robot, characterized in that, Includes the bionic leg segment as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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