A quadruped robot

Abstract

This utility model discloses a quadruped robot. The lower leg mechanism includes a foot pad mounting base, a support rod, and a sleeve. A first protective sleeve is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod. The sleeve is fitted onto the first protective sleeve and slides within it, with the first protective sleeve at least covering the sliding range of the sleeve. A fixing post extending from the top of the foot pad mounting base towards its bottom is provided. The fixing post has an axially formed mounting hole, the opening of which is located at the top of the foot pad mounting base. The support rod is at least partially inserted into the mounting hole and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base. A reinforcing structure is provided at the top of the foot pad mounting base to enhance the strength of the edge of the mounting hole. Multiple support members are spaced apart between the fixing post and the inner wall of the foot pad mounting base. The advantages of this utility model are: enhanced strength of the entire lower leg mechanism and effective reduction of its weight, better adapting to the demands of high-speed movement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of robotics, specifically to a quadruped robot. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of robotics, the research and application of high-speed quadruped robots are constantly expanding, demonstrating great potential in numerous scenarios such as industrial inspection, disaster relief, and military reconnaissance. For high-speed quadruped robots, the mechanical legs, as the core execution components, directly affect the robot's movement speed, stability, and environmental adaptability.

[0003] During high-speed movement, the robotic legs need to frequently withstand complex loads such as ground reaction forces and inertial forces generated by their own motion. This requires the robotic legs to possess sufficient strength and rigidity to ensure that structural deformation or damage does not occur during high-speed movement, thereby guaranteeing the normal operation of the robot. At the same time, lightweight design of the robotic legs is crucial for achieving high-speed movement. Excessively heavy robotic legs increase the overall load on the robot, not only consuming more energy but also affecting the robot's acceleration performance and movement flexibility.

[0004] However, current traditional quadruped robot leg designs face numerous challenges in balancing lightweight design and strength. Some designs, in pursuit of strength, employ heavy structures or solid materials, resulting in large leg weights that severely restrict the robot's high-speed movement capabilities. Other lightweight designs, due to insufficient structural strength, are prone to failure during high-speed movement or under heavy loads, failing to meet practical application requirements.

[0005] For example, some robotic legs use solid footpad mounts and simple support structures. While these offer high strength, they significantly increase weight, leading to a substantial increase in energy consumption and low motion efficiency during high-speed robot movements. Other designs achieve lightweighting by reducing material usage, but due to a lack of proper support structure design, the strength and rigidity of the robotic legs cannot be effectively guaranteed, making them prone to bending and breakage during high-speed movements.

[0006] In addition, existing quadruped robots, such as the leg assembly disclosed in patent CN118991970A, have leg assemblies that swing frequently during operation, causing the sleeve and support rod to slide repeatedly. During the sliding process, the sleeve and support rod will rub against each other. Especially when the quadruped robot is running at high speed (greater than 8m / s), the sleeve and support rod will experience significant wear, which will seriously affect the service life of the sleeve and support rod.

[0007] Therefore, how to design a mechanical leg that can meet the requirements of lightweighting for high-speed motion, while also possessing sufficient strength, rigidity, and wear resistance, has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a quadruped robot that can effectively solve the problems of heavy weight, insufficient strength, and easy wear of support rods in existing high-speed quadruped robots.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0010] A quadruped robot includes a thigh mechanism and a lower leg mechanism. The lower leg mechanism includes a foot pad mounting base, a support rod, and a sleeve. The thigh mechanism is hinged to the sleeve. A first protective sleeve is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod. The sleeve is fitted onto the first protective sleeve and slides within it. The first protective sleeve at least covers the sliding range of the sleeve. The top of the foot pad mounting base has a fixing post extending towards the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. The fixing post has a mounting hole opened along its axial direction. The opening of the mounting hole is located at the top of the foot pad mounting base. The support rod is at least partially inserted into the mounting hole and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base. The top of the foot pad mounting base has a reinforcing structure to enhance the strength of the edge of the top of the mounting hole. The foot pad mounting base includes an inner sidewall located on the side of the foot pad mounting base and an inner bottom wall located at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. A plurality of first support members are spaced apart between the fixing post and the inner sidewall, and a plurality of second support members are spaced apart between the fixing post and the inner bottom wall.

[0011] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the sleeve has a through hole for the support rod to pass through, and a bushing is fixed inside the through hole. The bushing is fitted onto the outer periphery of the first protective sleeve. Using the aforementioned technical solution, the bushing can isolate the sleeve from the first protective sleeve, preventing direct contact between them. The bushing can withstand most of the friction, preventing severe wear caused by direct contact and friction between the inner wall of the sleeve and the first protective sleeve. The bushing effectively protects the first protective sleeve, extending the service life of the sleeve and thus reducing its maintenance costs.

[0012] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, two bushings are provided within the through hole, one bushing extending to the top of the through hole and the other bushing extending to the bottom of the through hole. An inwardly protruding limiting step is provided within the through hole, positioned between the two bushings. During sliding, the bushings can easily cause planing damage to the first protective sleeve. The bushings extending to both ends of the through hole prevent direct contact between the ends of the through hole and the first protective sleeve, further reducing the possibility of wear on the first protective sleeve and the bushing, thus helping to extend the service life of the bushing and the first protective sleeve. Furthermore, dividing the bushings into two reduces their length and weight, thereby reducing the weight of the leg components and making the overall structure of the quadruped robot lighter. Finally, the limiting step, positioned between the two bushings, effectively limits the axial sliding distance of the bushings within the through hole.

[0013] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, a second protective sleeve is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod, and the second protective sleeve is inserted into the foot pad mounting base along with the support rod. During operation, the support rod at the top of the foot pad mounting base is subjected to significant shear force, especially during frequent high-speed operation of the leg assembly. The support rod is prone to breakage due to shear force. By fitting the second protective sleeve onto the support rod, covering the area of ​​greatest shear force, the second protective sleeve increases the strength of the support rod and can also absorb most of the shear force, thus effectively protecting the support rod and reducing the possibility of breakage due to shear force. This provides a foundation for the high-speed operation of the leg assembly.

[0014] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the top of the footpad mounting base is provided with a mounting hole for inserting a support rod. The inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with an injection groove, the top of which extends to the top of the mounting hole. Both the support rod and the second protective sleeve are fixedly connected to the footpad mounting base with adhesive. The injection groove allows for easy injection of adhesive into the mounting hole, and the support rod is fixed to the footpad mounting base with adhesive, effectively improving the connection stability between the support rod and the footpad mounting base.

[0015] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the lower leg mechanism includes three support rods arranged in a triangle. A sleeve has three through holes corresponding to the support rods, spaced apart. The footpad mounting base has three mounting holes corresponding to the support rods, also spaced apart. The triangular arrangement of the three support rods, corresponding to one support rod, maintains the overall strength of the lower leg mechanism while reducing the overall weight of the support rods, thereby reducing the weight of the leg components and making the overall quadruped robot structure lighter. Furthermore, the spaced distribution of the three through holes in the sleeve, meaning there is a solid structure between the three through holes, ensures that the outer periphery of each support rod is subjected to the force of the sleeve, effectively limiting the swing amplitude of the support rod. Similarly, the support rods are fixedly connected to the footpad mounting base through the mounting holes, forming a reliable whole and improving the connection stability between the support rods and the footpad mounting base.

[0016] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the lower leg mechanism further includes a reinforcing rod located at the center of the triangle formed by the three support rods. The reinforcing rod is situated between the bottom end of the sleeve's sliding range and the inlet of the mounting hole, and simultaneously maintains close contact with all three support rods. The reinforcing rod provides simultaneous support to the three support rods, enabling them to form a unified whole. This further reduces the inward deformation of the three support rods, thereby increasing their overall strength and reducing the likelihood of damage due to deformation.

[0017] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the reinforcing mechanism includes reinforcing ribs, which extend outward from the top edge of the footpad mounting base. Since the footpad mounting base needs mounting holes for the insertion of support rods, the width of the top edge of the footpad mounting base would be reduced, potentially compromising its integrity. The reinforcing ribs, formed by extending outward from the top edge of the footpad mounting base, increase the width of the top edge, thereby strengthening its resilience against bending and deformation. Simultaneously, they disperse the stress on the top edge, preventing high stress concentration at the support rod insertion point and reducing the likelihood of cracks or even breakage at the top edge, effectively extending the service life of the footpad mounting base.

[0018] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the reinforcing mechanism includes a clamp fitted onto the top of the footpad mounting base, which grips the outer periphery of the top of the footpad mounting base. The clamp applies a tightening force to the outer periphery of the top of the footpad mounting base, providing effective support and reducing deformation of the top of the footpad mounting base. This prevents cracks caused by excessive deformation, effectively reducing the likelihood of cracks or even breakage and extending the service life of the footpad mounting base. Furthermore, the clamp's grip ensures a tight fit between the footpad mounting base and the support rod, improving the connection stability and making the overall structure of the lower leg mechanism more robust and reliable.

[0019] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, multiple first support members are radially spaced. These radially distributed first support members extend radially to the inner wall from the fixed post, forming a structure similar to "wheel spokes." When the robotic leg is subjected to lateral force, the load can be evenly transferred to all parts of the footpad mounting base through the radial support members, avoiding localized stress concentration.

[0020] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, each first support member is a vertically arranged plate-like structure. This orientation design maximizes the bending section modulus of the plate-like structure, effectively resisting lateral bending moments when the robot turns at high speed or experiences lateral impacts.

[0021] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the second support member is a hollow structure. This reduces material usage while maintaining sufficient strength, thereby lowering the overall weight. Furthermore, the hollow structure's mass distribution is closer to the center of the cross-section, significantly reducing the rotational inertia of the mechanical legs.

[0022] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the lower leg mechanism further includes shock-absorbing foot pads. These foot pads are locked onto the foot pad mounting base to enclose the bottom of the base. The foot pad mounting base has at least one insertion slot, and the side of the shock-absorbing foot pad facing the mounting base has an insertion protrusion that engages with the insertion slot. By enclosing the bottom of the foot pad mounting base, the shock-absorbing foot pad ensures a large contact surface between it and the base, resulting in greater friction and a more stable installation. Furthermore, because the foot pad mounting base is a one-piece structure, it requires no assembly, thus increasing overall strength. During quadruped robot movement, the foot pad mounting base will not experience internal wear or noise due to assembly issues, simplifying the quadruped robot's assembly process. Meanwhile, because the protrusions on the shock-absorbing footpads engage with the slots on the footpad mounting bases, the shock-absorbing footpads provide grip when the quadruped robot runs at high speed on the ground. They can also absorb shocks through slight deformation. Furthermore, when the lateral component of the friction force exerted on the shock-absorbing footpads by the ground is transmitted to the protrusions, the protrusions can abut against the inner walls of the slots to provide lateral support for the shock-absorbing footpads. This prevents excessive lateral deformation and damage to the shock-absorbing footpads, and also prevents them from detaching from the shock-absorbing footpads due to excessive lateral force. The shock-absorbing footpads are detached, ensuring they remain stably wrapped around the bottom of the footpad mounting base. This ensures the footpad mounting base maintains contact with the ground through the shock-absorbing footpads when the quadruped robot is running at high speeds. This improves the grip of the lower legs and provides cushioning, preventing excessive impact from being transmitted to the lower legs, thighs, or body, thus extending the quadruped robot's lifespan. This allows the quadruped robot to run at high speeds for extended periods, significantly increasing the high-speed running time compared to existing quadruped robots where the footpads are damaged or detached after a very short running time.

[0023] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, a second support member is provided between the inner bottom wall and the corresponding position of the insertion slot and the fixed post. The second support member, positioned between the insertion slot and the fixed post, directly provides axial support to the connection point of the shock-absorbing foot pad. When the shock-absorbing foot pad touches the ground during high-speed robot movement, the ground reaction force is transmitted through the path of insertion protrusion → insertion slot → second support member → fixed post, forming a rigid support chain with "direct load delivery."

[0024] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the bottom of the foot pad mounting base is a convex arc-shaped mounting surface. The shock-absorbing foot pad fits snugly against the arc-shaped mounting surface, and the insertion slots are spaced apart at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. The arc-shaped structure causes the shock-absorbing foot pad, which wraps around the mounting surface, to bend into a curved structure, achieving a perfect fit between the shock-absorbing foot pad and the arc-shaped mounting surface. When the quadruped robot runs, its lower legs swing, and the shock-absorbing foot pad swings along with the lower legs. The curved structure of the shock-absorbing foot pad allows it to contact the ground at different positions to reduce shock and increase grip. The spaced distribution of the insertion slots helps to increase the contact area between the insertion protrusions and the insertion slots.

[0025] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the periphery of the shock-absorbing foot pad is fixed to the bottom of the foot pad mounting base by multiple locking screws, thereby locking the shock-absorbing foot pad onto the foot pad mounting base. Using locking screws to fix the shock-absorbing foot pad simplifies the locking structure. Furthermore, because the locking screws pass through the edges of the shock-absorbing foot pad and the curved mounting surface, their high position prevents them from contacting the ground when the quadruped robot runs, avoiding wear on the screws and ensuring the shock-absorbing foot pad is stably locked onto the foot pad mounting base.

[0026] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the insertion protrusion has a groove with an opening facing the foot pad mounting base. The groove allows the insertion protrusion to have a certain deformation. When the quadruped robot runs, the insertion protrusion can enhance the shock absorption effect through slight deformation. During installation, the insertion protrusion can also undergo slight deformation, making it easier for the assembler to flip the shock-absorbing foot pad.

[0027] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the opening of the insertion slot is provided with a first guide slope surrounding the insertion slot; and / or, the end of the insertion protrusion away from the shock-absorbing foot pad is provided with a second guide slope surrounding the insertion protrusion. Both the first guide slope of the insertion slot and the second guide slope of the insertion protrusion can guide the insertion protrusion during installation, eliminating the need for precise alignment between the insertion protrusion and the insertion slot, thus reducing assembly difficulty.

[0028] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the lower leg mechanism further includes shock-absorbing foot pads and metal grippers. The shock-absorbing foot pads are locked onto the foot pad mounting base to enclose the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. The metal grippers are mounted on the shock-absorbing foot pads and penetrate through the shock-absorbing foot pads. The foot pad mounting base is provided with a insertion groove, and the upper end of the metal grippers extends into the insertion groove to engage with the insertion groove. By incorporating shock-absorbing footpads at the bottom of the footpad mounting base, these footpads not only absorb shocks through slight deformation of the mounting base but also enhance grip by increasing friction with the ground. Metal gripping components, penetrating the shock-absorbing footpads and inserted into slots in the mounting base, allow the rigid metal gripping components to protrude from the footpads and embed into the ground when the quadruped robot runs at high speeds, improving grip and making the robot run more smoothly. Simultaneously, when the lateral component of the friction force exerted on the shock-absorbing footpads by the ground is transmitted to the metal gripping components, these components abut against the inner wall of the slots, providing lateral support to the shock-absorbing footpads and preventing excessive lateral deformation. Even if damaged, the metal gripping mechanism prevents the shock-absorbing footpads from detaching due to excessive lateral force, ensuring that the footpads remain stably wrapped around the bottom of the footpad mounting base. In other words, the metal gripping component not only enhances grip but also limits the position of the shock-absorbing footpads. When the quadruped robot runs at high speed, it ensures that the footpad mounting base remains in contact with the ground through the shock-absorbing footpads and the metal gripping component. This improves the grip of the lower legs while preventing the shock-absorbing footpads from detaching freely, avoiding direct contact with the ground and excessive impact. This prevents excessive impact from being transmitted to the lower legs, thighs, or body, thus extending the quadruped robot's lifespan and allowing it to run at high speeds for extended periods. Compared to existing quadruped robots where the footpads are damaged or detached after a very short running time, this significantly increases the high-speed running time of the quadruped robot.

[0029] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, multiple metal grippers are provided, spaced apart on the shock-absorbing foot pads. The insertion slots correspond one-to-one with each metal gripper. This ensures that each position of the shock-absorbing foot pad can be limited by the metal grippers, resulting in good fixation of the foot pad.

[0030] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the bottom of the foot pad mounting base has an arc-shaped mounting surface that arches towards the shock-absorbing foot pad. The shock-absorbing foot pad covers the arc-shaped mounting surface, and the insertion slot is located on the arc-shaped mounting surface. Multiple through holes are located on the shock-absorbing foot pad opposite the arc-shaped mounting surface. Because the central axis directions of the insertion slots on the arc-shaped mounting surface are different, the central axis directions of the metal gripping components mounted on the curved surface of the shock-absorbing foot pad are also different. If the shock-absorbing foot pads with metal gripping components are directly fastened to the foot pad mounting base in the same direction, it will be impossible to quickly insert all the metal gripping components into the insertion slots because the central axis directions of many metal gripping components are different from the fastening direction. Therefore, during installation, the shock-absorbing foot pad with the metal gripping component needs to be deformed and flipped until it arches upwards towards the upper end of the metal gripping component. Then, it is fastened to the foot pad mounting base along the central axis of the arc-shaped mounting surface, so that the metal gripping component at the center of the shock-absorbing foot pad (the central axis of this part of the metal gripping component is close to the fastening direction) is inserted into the corresponding insertion slot. Finally, the shock-absorbing foot pad is deformed and flipped, and the two sides of the shock-absorbing foot pad move closer to the arc-shaped mounting surface. The central axis of the metal gripping components on both sides is close to the moving direction, realizing the quick insertion of the metal gripping components on both sides of the shock-absorbing foot pad into the insertion slot. Therefore, multiple through holes are set at the position opposite the shock-absorbing foot pad and the arc-shaped mounting surface. The through holes reserve deformation gaps for the deformation of the shock-absorbing foot pad, which facilitates the deformation and flipping of the shock-absorbing foot pad, making it easier for the assembler to deform and flip the shock-absorbing foot pad and reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0031] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the metal gripping component includes a claw and a pin. The pin includes a pin shaft and a pin head at the end of the pin shaft. The pin head is inserted into the insertion slot, and the pin shaft passes through the shock-absorbing foot pad and locks with the claw, so that the pin head and the claw together clamp the shock-absorbing foot pad. By configuring the metal gripping component as a separate claw and pin, when the claw and pin are locked, they can be fixed to the shock-absorbing foot pad by clamping it, resulting in a firm and stable installation.

[0032] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the side of the shock-absorbing foot pad facing away from the foot pad mounting base has a receiving groove, and all the claws are embedded in the receiving groove. Concealing the claws within the receiving groove allows for sufficient gripping force when the quadruped robot is moving slowly, through the contact between the shock-absorbing foot pad and the ground, without the claws needing to extend out of the receiving groove. When the quadruped robot is running at high speed, the increased pressure on the shock-absorbing foot pad causes the lower end of the claws to extend out of the receiving groove, thereby enhancing gripping force.

[0033] In the aforementioned quadruped robot, the claw includes a ring body and multiple claw tips extending toward the shock-absorbing foot pads. The claw tips surround the outer periphery of the ring body and are integrally formed with it. A locking pin passes through the ring body and is locked to it via riveting. The ring body provides a connection point for the locking pin, which passes through the ring body and is locked to it via riveting. When the claw contacts the ground, each claw can contact the ground through its multiple claw tips. The multiple claw tips significantly enhance the gripping force of a single metal gripper.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are:

[0035] The footpad mounting base adopts a hollow structure, which significantly reduces material usage and the overall weight of the robotic leg compared to traditional solid structures. This meets the lightweight requirements of high-speed quadruped robots, reduces inertial loads during movement, and improves motion efficiency. Multiple first support members are installed between the fixed column and the inner sidewall, and multiple second support members are installed between the fixed column and the inner bottom wall, forming a "skeleton" support system. This "distributed support" replaces the traditional solid structure, forming stable mechanical support without the need for solid material filling. While ensuring the structural rigidity of the footpad mounting base under stress, it avoids redundant material accumulation, achieving "maximum load bearing with minimum material." The first support members form radial support on the sides of the footpad mounting base, resisting lateral impact forces and preventing lateral deformation. The second support members form axial support at the bottom, bearing the vertical loads during robot movement and preventing bottom collapse or breakage.

[0036] During operation, the sleeve of the leg assembly slides relative to the support rod. If the sleeve and support rod are in direct contact, the sleeve will plane the support rod during this relative sliding, causing wear on the outer surface of the support rod. This is especially problematic when the leg assembly is used in a high-mobility quadruped robot, where it undergoes high-frequency, high-speed motion (approximately 10 m / s). Similarly, when the sleeve reciprocates at high frequency relative to the support rod, frictional heat can generate, reducing the strength of the support rod material. In this invention, a first protective sleeve is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod. This first protective sleeve isolates the sleeve and support rod, preventing direct contact. Therefore, the relative sliding of the sleeve and support rod does not cause friction on the support rod, thus preventing damage due to friction from the sleeve and effectively protecting the support rod, extending its service life. Furthermore, since the sleeve does not directly contact the support rod, the support rod is not affected by the sliding of the sleeve. Therefore, the support rod can be made of higher-strength, lighter carbon fiber material, which can significantly reduce the overall weight of the leg assembly and the load on the quadruped robot during operation, thus supporting the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. At the same time, the carbon fiber material can also enhance the strength of the leg assembly, enabling the quadruped robot to bear greater weight and withstand greater forces, providing a favorable foundation for the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. Secondly, the first protective sleeve covers the sliding range of the sleeve, ensuring that the first protective sleeve can effectively support the entire sliding range of the sleeve, reducing the sway amplitude of the sleeve in the radial direction, and making the sliding of the sleeve smoother. Furthermore, the support rod is inserted into the foot pad mounting base and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base. The foot pad mounting base can wrap around part of the support rod, which helps to improve the aesthetics of the leg assembly, and at the same time, it can also protect the support rod and reduce the possibility of damage to the support rod from direct collision.

[0037] The top of the footpad mounting base is equipped with a reinforcing structure, which effectively enhances the strength of the mounting hole tip, thereby increasing the footpad mounting base's resistance to bending and deformation. Simultaneously, the reinforcing structure disperses the stress on the footpad mounting base tip, preventing high stress concentration at the support rod insertion point and reducing the likelihood of cracks or even breakage, thus effectively extending the footpad mounting base's service life. Furthermore, the reinforcing structure improves the footpad mounting base's fatigue resistance, reduces the accumulation of plastic deformation, delays crack initiation and propagation, further reducing the possibility of breakage. Secondly, the support rod is inserted into and fixedly connected to the footpad mounting base. The footpad mounting base partially encloses the support rod, improving the aesthetics of the lower leg mechanism and protecting the support rod from direct impact damage.

[0038] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, a reinforcing structure is set on the footpad mounting base, which strengthens the lower leg mechanism and enables it to adapt to the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. This allows the lower leg mechanism to be effectively applied to high-mobility robots and adapt to their high-speed operation. In addition, the reinforcing structure mainly strengthens the top of the footpad mounting base, which reduces the overall weight of the reinforcing structure. While ensuring sufficient strength, the lower leg mechanism can also remain lightweight, thereby improving the quadruped robot's endurance. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a quadruped robot according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the leg component in this utility model;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the lower leg mechanism in this utility model;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the lower leg mechanism in this utility model;

[0043] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle;

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0045] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the sleeve in this utility model;

[0046] Figure 8 The three-dimensional foot pad mounting base of this utility model Figure 1 ;

[0047] Figure 9 This is a front view of the foot pad mounting base of this utility model;

[0048] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Sectional view of CC;

[0049] Figure 11 A structural schematic diagram of the foot pad mounting base of this utility model from a downward viewing angle;

[0050] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after the foot pad mounting base and the shock-absorbing foot pad of the first type are combined in this utility model;

[0051] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of the shock-absorbing foot pad of the first structure in this utility model;

[0052] Figure 14 The three-dimensional shock-absorbing foot pad of the first structure in this utility model Figure 1 ;

[0053] Figure 15 The three-dimensional shock-absorbing foot pad of the first structure in this utility model Figure 2 ;

[0054] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foot pad mounting base, the second type of shock-absorbing foot pad, and the metal gripping component combined in this utility model.

[0055] Figure 17 This is a cross-sectional view of the shock-absorbing foot pad and metal gripping component of the second structure in this utility model.

[0056] Figure 18 The second structure of this utility model combines a shock-absorbing foot pad with a metal gripping component to form a three-dimensional structure. Figure 1 ;

[0057] Figure 19 The second structure of this utility model combines a shock-absorbing foot pad with a metal gripping component to form a three-dimensional structure. Figure 2 ;

[0058] Figure 20 The three-dimensional shock-absorbing foot pad of the second structure in this utility model Figure 1 ;

[0059] Figure 21 The three-dimensional shock-absorbing foot pad of the second structure in this utility model Figure 2 ;

[0060] Figure 22 A perspective view of the metal gripping component in this utility model.

[0061] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0062] Thigh mechanism 1;

[0063] Lower leg mechanism 2;

[0064] Support rod 21, first protective sleeve 211, second protective sleeve 212, end cap 213, first connecting post 214;

[0065] Sleeve 22, through hole 221, annular groove 2211, bushing 222, limiting step 223, elastic positioning element 224, hinge end 225, tension spring 226, second connecting post 227;

[0066] Foot pad mounting base 23, mounting hole 231, reinforcing rib 2310, buffer pad 2311, support platform 232, glue injection groove 233, inner side wall 234, first support member 235, inner bottom wall 236, second support member 237, insertion groove 238, first guide slope 2381, arc-shaped mounting surface 239;

[0067] Shock-absorbing foot pad 24, receiving groove 241, insertion hole 242, anti-slip protrusion 243, through hole 244, insertion protrusion 245, groove 246, second guide slope 247, anti-slip groove 248;

[0068] Fixed column 25;

[0069] Metal gripper 26, claw 261, ring 2611, claw tip 2612, pin 262, pin bar 2621, pin head 2622;

[0070] Locking screw 27;

[0071] Motor 3;

[0072] 4. Torso. Detailed Implementation

[0073] A quadruped robot includes a thigh mechanism 1 and a lower leg mechanism 2. The lower leg mechanism 2 includes a foot pad mounting base 23, a support rod 21, and a sleeve 22. The thigh mechanism 1 is hinged to the sleeve 22. A first protective sleeve 211 is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod 21. The sleeve 22 is fitted onto the first protective sleeve 211 and slides in cooperation with it. The first protective sleeve 211 at least covers the sliding range of the sleeve 22. The top of the foot pad mounting base 23 has a fixing post 25 extending towards the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23. The fixing post 25 has a mounting hole 231 opened along its axial direction. The opening of the mounting hole 231 is located at the top of the foot pad mounting base 23; the support rod 21 is at least partially inserted into the mounting hole 231 and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a reinforcing structure to enhance the strength of the top edge of the mounting hole 231; the foot pad mounting base 23 includes an inner sidewall 234 located on the side of the foot pad mounting base 23 and an inner bottom wall 236 located at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23. A plurality of first support members 235 are spaced apart between the fixing post 25 and the inner sidewall 234, and a plurality of second support members 237 are spaced apart between the fixing post 25 and the inner bottom wall 236.

[0074] The footpad mounting base 23 adopts a hollow structure, which significantly reduces material usage and the overall weight of the robotic leg compared to a traditional solid structure. This meets the lightweight requirements of high-speed quadruped robots, reduces inertial loads during movement, and improves motion efficiency. Multiple first support members 235 are installed between the fixed column 25 and the inner sidewall 234, and multiple second support members 237 are installed between the fixed column 25 and the inner bottom wall 236, forming a "skeleton" support system. This "distributed support" replaces the traditional solid structure, forming stable mechanical support without the need for solid material filling. While ensuring the structural rigidity of the footpad mounting base 23 under stress, it avoids redundant material accumulation, achieving "maximum load with minimum material." The first support members 235 form radial support on the sides of the footpad mounting base 23, resisting lateral impact forces and preventing lateral deformation. The second support members 237 form axial support at the bottom, bearing the vertical loads during robot movement and preventing bottom collapse or breakage.

[0075] A first protective sleeve 211 is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod 21. The first protective sleeve 211 isolates the sleeve 22 and the support rod 21, preventing direct contact between the sleeve 22 and the support rod 21, and preventing damage to the support rod 21 due to friction from the sleeve 22. This provides effective protection for the support rod 21 and helps extend its service life. Furthermore, since the sleeve 22 does not directly contact the support rod 21, the support rod 21 is not affected by the sliding of the sleeve. Therefore, the support rod 21 can be made of higher-strength, lighter carbon fiber material, which significantly reduces the overall weight of the leg assembly and the load on the quadruped robot during operation, thus supporting its high-speed operation. Simultaneously, the carbon fiber material also enhances the strength of the leg assembly, making the quadruped robot more robust. The legged robot can bear greater weight and the leg components can withstand greater forces, providing a favorable foundation for the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. Secondly, the first protective sleeve 211 covers the sliding range of the sleeve 22, ensuring that the first protective sleeve 211 can provide effective support for the entire sliding range of the sleeve 22, reducing the radial sway of the sleeve 22 and making the sliding of the sleeve 22 smoother. Furthermore, the support rod 21 is partially inserted into the foot pad mounting seat 23 and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting seat 23. The foot pad mounting seat 23 can wrap around part of the support rod 21, which helps to improve the aesthetics of the leg components and also protects the support rod 21, reducing the possibility of the support rod 21 being damaged by direct collision.

[0076] The top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is equipped with a reinforcing structure. This reinforcing structure effectively enhances the strength of the top of the mounting hole 231, thereby increasing the bending and deformation resistance of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. Simultaneously, the reinforcing structure disperses the stress on the top of the foot pad mounting base 23, preventing high stress concentration at the insertion point of the support rod 21 and reducing the possibility of cracks or even breakage at the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. This effectively extends the service life of the foot pad mounting base 23. Furthermore, the reinforcing structure improves the fatigue resistance of the foot pad mounting base 23, reduces the accumulation of plastic deformation, delays crack initiation and propagation, and further reduces the possibility of breakage. Secondly, the support rod 21 is partially inserted into and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The foot pad mounting base 23 can partially enclose the support rod 21, improving the aesthetics of the lower leg mechanism 2 and protecting the support rod 21, reducing the possibility of direct impact damage.

[0077] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0078] See Figure 1 This invention relates to an embodiment of a quadruped robot. The quadruped robot includes a torso 4 and four leg components rotatably connected to the torso 4. Each leg component includes a motor 3, a thigh mechanism 1, a lower leg mechanism 2, and a foot end connected in sequence. The leg component includes the thigh mechanism 1 and the lower leg mechanism 2. The lower leg mechanism 2 includes a foot pad mounting base 23, a support rod 21, and a sleeve 22. The bottom end of the foot pad mounting base 23 forms the foot end, and a shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is provided on the foot end. The support rod 21 is partially inserted into the foot pad mounting base 23 and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The thigh mechanism 1 is hinged to the sleeve 22, and the sleeve 22 is elastically loaded and has a sliding tendency away from the foot end.

[0079] This invention mainly improves the leg components of existing high-speed quadruped robots, and the main improvements are as follows:

[0080] 1. A protective sleeve is installed around the support rod 21 to enhance the performance of the connection between the support rod 21 and the sleeve 22 and the foot pad mounting seat 23.

[0081] Second, the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is reinforced to prevent the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 from cracking when it connects with the support rod 21.

[0082] Third, optimize the structure of the foot pad mounting base 23 to ensure sufficient strength while achieving lightweight design.

[0083] Fourth, optimize the structure of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the connection structure between the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the foot pad mounting base 23 to ensure that the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can provide sufficient grip and will not slip with the foot pad mounting base 23 when the quadruped robot moves at high speed.

[0084] The improvements described above will be explained in detail below through multiple embodiments.

[0085] Example 1

[0086] This embodiment mainly introduces the first improvement. For example... Figures 2 to 8 As shown, the leg assembly has a first protective sleeve 211 fixed on the outer periphery of the support rod 21, and the sleeve 22 is fitted onto the first protective sleeve 211 and slides in cooperation with the first protective sleeve 211. The first protective sleeve 211 at least covers the sliding range of the sleeve 22.

[0087] In this embodiment, during operation of the leg assembly, the sleeve 22 will slide relative to the support rod 21. If the sleeve 22 is in direct contact with the support rod 21, the sleeve 22 will plane the support rod 21 during the relative sliding process, causing wear on the outer surface of the support rod 21. Especially when the leg assembly is used in a high-mobility quadruped robot, the leg assembly will perform high-frequency, high-speed motion (approximately 10 m / s). Similarly, when the sleeve 22 performs high-frequency reciprocating motion relative to the support rod 21, frictional heat will generate, leading to a decrease in the material strength of the support rod 21. The support rod 21 of this invention has a first protective sleeve 211 fixed to its outer periphery. The first protective sleeve 211 isolates the sleeve 22 and the support rod 21, preventing direct contact between the sleeve 22 and the support rod 21. Therefore, the relative sliding between the sleeve 22 and the support rod 21 will not cause friction to the support rod 21, thus preventing damage to the support rod 21 due to friction from the sleeve 22. This provides effective protection for the support rod 21 and helps extend its service life. In addition, the sleeve 22 does not directly contact the support rod 21. Since the support rod 21 is not affected by the sliding of the copper sleeve, it can be made of higher-strength, lighter carbon fiber material, which can significantly reduce the overall weight of the leg assembly and the load on the quadruped robot during operation, thus supporting the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. At the same time, the carbon fiber material can also enhance the strength of the leg assembly, enabling the quadruped robot to bear greater weight and withstand greater forces, providing a favorable foundation for the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. Secondly, the first protective sleeve 211 covers the sliding range of the sleeve 22, ensuring that the first protective sleeve 211 can effectively support the entire sliding range of the sleeve 22, reducing the radial sway of the sleeve 22 and making the sliding of the sleeve 22 smoother. Furthermore, the support rod 21 is partially inserted into the foot pad mounting base 23 and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The foot pad mounting base 23 can wrap around part of the support rod 21, which helps to improve the aesthetics of the leg assembly and also protects the support rod 21, reducing the possibility of the support rod 21 being damaged by direct collision.

[0088] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the calf mechanism 2 in this embodiment includes a foot pad mounting base 23, a support rod 21, and a sleeve 22. The portion of the support rod 21 away from the thigh mechanism 1 is inserted into the foot pad mounting base 23 and fixedly connected to it. A foot pad is connected to the bottom end of the foot pad mounting base 23, forming a foot end after the foot pad is connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The sleeve 22 is fitted onto the support rod 21, and the sleeve 22 slides relative to the support rod 21 at the end of the support rod 21 near the thigh mechanism 1. A hinge end 225 is provided on one side of the sleeve 22, and the thigh mechanism 1 is rotatably connected to the hinge end 225, thereby realizing the relative swinging of the calf mechanism 2 and the thigh mechanism 1. In addition, an end cap 213 is provided at the end of the support rod 21 away from the foot pad mounting base 23. The top end of the support rod 21 is fixedly connected to the end cap 213 by fasteners. The end cap 213 can limit the sleeve 22, thereby preventing the sleeve 22 from detaching from the support rod 21, making the sliding connection between the sleeve 22 and the support rod 21 more stable. The end cap 213 has a first connecting post 214 on its outer side, and the sleeve 22 has a second connecting post 227 on its outer side. The lower leg mechanism 2 also includes an elastic element, which is a tension spring 226. One end of the tension spring 226 is positioned at the first connecting post 214, and the other end is positioned at the second connecting post 227. When the sleeve 22 abuts against the end cap 213, the length of the tension spring 226 is at its shortest. During the operation of the leg assembly, when the lower leg mechanism 2 is impacted, the sleeve 22 will slide downward against the support rod 21. During the sliding process of the sleeve 22, the distance between the first connecting post 214 and the second connecting post 227 increases, which in turn causes the tension spring 226 to be stretched. The tension spring 226 can convert the impact force on the lower leg mechanism 2 into elastic deformation, thereby effectively weakening the impact force on the leg assembly, so that the leg assembly can perform high-speed and high-frequency movement, and at the same time reducing the possibility of damage to the leg assembly due to impact force, which helps to extend the service life of the leg assembly.

[0089] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the sleeve 22 has a through hole 221 through which the support rod 21 passes. A bushing 222 is fixed to the inner wall of the through hole 221. The bushing 222 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the first protective sleeve 211. That is, during the process of the sleeve 22 sliding along the axial direction of the support rod 21, the bushing 222 and the first protective sleeve 211 slide relative to each other and generate friction. The bushing 222 can isolate the sleeve 22 from the first protective sleeve 211, avoiding direct contact between the sleeve 22 and the first protective sleeve 211. The bushing 222 can withstand most of the friction, preventing the inner wall of the sleeve 22 from directly contacting and rubbing against the first protective sleeve 211, which would lead to serious wear. The bushing 222 can protect the first protective sleeve 211, effectively extending the service life of the sleeve 22 and thus reducing the maintenance cost of the sleeve 22.

[0090] In this embodiment, two bushings 222 are provided inside the through hole 221. One bushing 222 extends to the top end of the through hole 221, and the other bushing 222 extends to the bottom end of the through hole 221. That is, the bushings 222 are flush with the top and bottom ends of the through hole 221. A protruding limiting step 223 is provided inside the through hole 221, and the limiting step 223 is located between the two bushings 222. In addition, two annular grooves 2211 are provided on the inner wall of the through hole 221. The two annular grooves 2211 are divided into... Avoid approaching the top and bottom of the through hole 221. An elastic positioning element 224 is installed within the annular groove 2211. The elastic positioning element 224 is interference-fitted with the outer periphery of the bushing 222, thereby increasing the friction between the bushing 222 and the through hole 221, improving the positioning stability of the bushing 222 and the sleeve 22, and also reducing the possibility of the bushing 222 dislodging from the through hole 221. Furthermore, during the sliding process, the sleeve 22 is prone to planing the first protective sleeve 211, while the bushing... Extending 222 to both ends of the through hole 221 prevents direct contact between the ends of the through hole 221 and the first protective sleeve 211, further reducing the possibility of wear on the first protective sleeve 211 and the sleeve 22, and helping to extend the service life of the sleeve 22 and the first protective sleeve 211. Secondly, dividing the bushing 222 into two can reduce the length and weight of the bushing 222, thereby reducing the weight of the leg assembly and making the overall structure of the quadruped robot lighter. With the limiting step 223 located between the two bushings 222, the limiting step 223 can effectively limit the axial sliding distance of the bushing 222 in the through hole 221. In order to avoid direct contact between the limiting step 223 and the first protective sleeve 211, in this embodiment, the inner diameter of the limiting step 223 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first protective sleeve 211, that is, there is a gap between the limiting step 223 and the outer periphery of the first protective sleeve 211, thereby preventing friction and damage between the sleeve 22 and the first protective sleeve 211.

[0091] It should be noted that the bushing 222 described in this embodiment is a copper bushing. Copper bushings have good wear resistance, which can effectively reduce the wear between bushing 222 and the first protective sleeve 211, thereby significantly extending the service life of bushing 222 and the first protective sleeve 211. At the same time, copper bushings have a small coefficient of friction, making the sliding of bushing 222 relative to support rod 21 smoother. Of course, it can be understood that in other embodiments, a bushing 222 can also be provided in the through hole 221, with one end of bushing 222 extending to the top of the through hole 221 and the other end extending to the bottom of the through hole 221, that is, the length of bushing 222 is equal to that of bushing 222 in the through hole 221.

[0092] like Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 8As shown, in this embodiment, the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a mounting hole 231 for inserting the support rod 21. A second protective sleeve 212 is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod 21. The second protective sleeve 212 is inserted into the foot pad mounting base 23 along with the support rod 21. The inner wall of the mounting hole 231 is provided with an inwardly protruding support platform 232. The bottom end of the second protective sleeve 212 abuts against the support platform 232. During the operation of the leg assembly, the support rod 21 at the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 will be subjected to a large shear force. Especially when the leg assembly is frequently running at high speed, the support rod 21 is prone to breakage due to shear force. The second protective sleeve 212 is fitted onto the support rod 21. Furthermore, the second protective sleeve 212 covers the position of the support rod 21 where the shear force is greatest. The second protective sleeve 212 can improve the strength of the support rod 21 and can also bear most of the shear force for the support rod 21, thereby effectively protecting the support rod 21 and reducing the possibility of the support rod 21 breaking due to shear force, providing a basis for the high-speed operation of the leg assembly. In addition, the support platform 232 can limit the second protective sleeve 212, restricting the second protective sleeve 212 from sliding downward relative to the support rod 21, so that the second protective sleeve 212 can be fixed relative to the support rod 21, preventing relative friction between the second protective sleeve 212 and the support rod 21.

[0093] In this embodiment, the first protective sleeve 211 and the second protective sleeve 212 are spaced apart on the support rod 21, which reduces the overall length and weight of the first protective sleeve 211 and the second protective sleeve 212, thereby reducing the weight of the leg assembly and making the overall structure of the quadruped robot lighter. Of course, it is understood that in other embodiments, the first protective sleeve 211 and the second protective sleeve 212 can be an integral structure, that is, the length of the protective sleeve is greater than the sliding range of the sleeve 22, and the protective sleeve part is inserted into the foot pad mounting base 23. The integral structure can effectively increase the contact area between the protective sleeve and the support rod 21, making the fixation of the protective sleeve and the support rod 21 more stable and reliable, reducing the possibility of relative sliding between the protective sleeve and the support rod 21, avoiding damage to the support rod 21 due to friction, and helping to extend the service life of the support rod 21. In addition, the integral structure of the first protective sleeve 211 and the second protective sleeve 212 can significantly enhance the overall strength of the support rod 21, which helps to improve the load-bearing capacity of the support rod 21.

[0094] It should be noted that both the first protective sleeve 211 and the second protective sleeve 212 are steel sleeves. Steel sleeves have better tensile strength and can withstand more load and impact for the support rod 21, and are less prone to deformation. In addition, during the high-frequency and high-speed operation of the leg assembly, the sliding speed of the sleeve 22 relative to the support rod 21 is relatively large. The friction between the first protective sleeve 211 and the bushing 222 will generate high temperatures. The steel sleeve has better high-temperature resistance, which allows the first protective sleeve 211 to maintain structural stability at high temperatures, providing structural support for the high-frequency and high-speed operation of the leg assembly.

[0095] like Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a mounting hole 231 for inserting the support rod 21. The inner wall of the mounting hole 231 is provided with a glue injection groove 233, the top of which extends to the top of the mounting hole 231. The support rod 21 and the second protective sleeve 212 are both fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23 by glue. In the process of connecting the support rod 21 and the foot pad mounting base 23, the support rod 21 is first inserted into the mounting hole 231, and then glue is injected into the mounting hole 231 through the glue injection groove 233. After the glue solidifies, the support rod 21 and the foot pad mounting base 23 can be fixedly connected. The glue injection groove 233 can conveniently inject glue into the mounting hole 231. The support rod 21 is fixed to the foot pad mounting base 23 by the glue, which can effectively improve the connection stability between the support rod 21 and the foot pad mounting base 23.

[0096] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the lower leg mechanism 2 in this embodiment includes three support rods 21 arranged in a triangle. The sleeve 22 has three through holes 221 corresponding to the support rods 21, spaced apart. The foot pad mounting base 23 has three mounting holes 231 corresponding to the support rods 21, also spaced apart. The triangular arrangement of the three support rods 21, corresponding to one support rod 21, maintains the overall strength of the lower leg mechanism 2 while reducing the overall weight of the support rods 21, thereby reducing the weight of the leg assembly. The weight reduction makes the overall structure of the quadruped robot lighter; in addition, the three through holes 221 of the sleeve 22 are distributed at intervals, that is, the three through holes 221 are solid structures, so that the outer periphery of each support rod 21 can be subjected to the force of the sleeve 22, thereby effectively limiting the swing amplitude of the support rod 21; similarly, the support rod 21 is fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting seat 23 through the mounting hole 231, so that the support rod 21 and the foot pad mounting seat 23 form a reliable whole, which helps to improve the connection stability of the support rod 21 and the foot pad mounting seat 23.

[0097] It is understandable that in other embodiments, the number of support rods 21 may also be two or one.

[0098] To further enhance the strength of the support rod 21, the lower leg mechanism 2 in this embodiment also includes a reinforcing rod. The reinforcing rod is located between the bottom end of the sliding range of the sleeve 22 and the top end of the foot pad mounting seat 23. The reinforcing rod is located between the three support rods 21 and keeps in contact with the three support rods 21 at the same time. The reinforcing rod can support the three support rods 21 at the same time, so that the three support rods 21 form a whole, further reducing the inward deformation of the three support rods 21, thereby improving the overall strength of the three support rods 21 and reducing the possibility of the support rods 21 being damaged due to deformation.

[0099] Example 2

[0100] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment mainly introduces the second improvement, such as... Figure 3 , 4 As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a mounting hole 231 for inserting a support rod 21. The support rod 21 is at least partially inserted into the mounting hole 231 and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a reinforcing structure to enhance the strength of the top of the mounting hole 231.

[0101] In this embodiment, the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a reinforcing structure. The reinforcing structure can effectively enhance the strength of the top of the mounting hole 231, thereby increasing the bending and deformation resistance of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. At the same time, the reinforcing structure can also disperse the stress on the top of the foot pad mounting base 23, avoiding high stress concentration at the insertion part of the support rod 21, reducing the possibility of cracks or even breakage at the top of the foot pad mounting base 23, and effectively extending the service life of the foot pad mounting base 23. In addition, the reinforcing structure can improve the fatigue resistance of the foot pad mounting base 23, reduce the accumulation of plastic deformation, delay the initiation and propagation of cracks, and further reduce the possibility of breakage of the foot pad mounting base 23. Secondly, the support rod 21 is partially inserted into the foot pad mounting base 23 and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base 23. The foot pad mounting base 23 can wrap around part of the support rod 21, which helps to improve the aesthetics of the lower leg mechanism 2, and also protects the support rod 21, reducing the possibility of the support rod 21 being damaged by direct collision.

[0102] like Figure 8As shown, the reinforcing structure in this embodiment includes a reinforcing rib 2310, which is formed by extending outward from the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23. Since the support rod 21 is inserted into the footpad mounting base 23 from the top edge, the insertion opening of the mounting hole 231 is formed on the top surface of the footpad mounting base 23. This reduces the width of the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23 and may damage the integrity of the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23. However, the reinforcing rib 2310, which extends outward from the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23, can increase the width of the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23, thereby strengthening the strength, bending resistance, and deformation resistance of the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23. It can also disperse the stress on the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23, avoid high stress concentration at the insertion point of the support rod 21, reduce the possibility of cracks or even breakage at the top edge of the footpad mounting base 23, and effectively extend the service life of the footpad mounting base 23.

[0103] It is understandable that the reinforcing structure in other embodiments may also include a clamp, which is fitted onto the top of the foot pad mounting base 23 and tightens around the outer periphery of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. The clamp can be adjusted by fasteners to tighten the clamping force on the foot pad mounting base 23. When the clamp tightens around the foot pad mounting base 23, it applies a tightening force to the outer periphery of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. The clamp can provide favorable support for the foot pad mounting base 23 and reduce the degree of deformation of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23, preventing cracks from forming due to excessive deformation. This can effectively reduce the possibility of cracks or even breakage and help extend the service life of the foot pad mounting base 23. In addition, the clamp tightening around the foot pad mounting base 23 can also keep the foot pad mounting base 23 and the support rod 21 in close contact, thereby improving the connection stability between the foot pad mounting base 23 and the support rod 21 and making the overall structure of the lower leg mechanism 2 more robust and reliable.

[0104] It is understandable that the reinforcing structure described in other embodiments may also include a reinforcing rib 2310 and a clamp. That is, while a reinforcing rib 2310 is provided on the outer periphery of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23, a clamp is also fitted on the outer periphery of the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. The clamp is located below the reinforcing rib 2310. While clamping the foot pad mounting base 23, the clamp can also support and position the reinforcing rib 2310.

[0105] like Figure 6As shown, in this embodiment, a buffer pad 2311 is fixed to the top of the foot pad mounting base 23. The buffer pad 2311 is fixed to the top surface of the foot pad mounting base 23, and the buffer pad 2311 has a through hole 244. The through hole 244 of the buffer pad 2311 is aligned with the mounting hole 231, and the buffer pad 2311 is installed on the edge of the top of the mounting hole 231. The buffer pad 2311 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the support rod 21. The support rod 21 passes through the buffer pad 2311 and is inserted into the mounting hole 231. The buffer pad 2311 forms a protective layer on the top surface of the foot pad mounting base 23. During the normal operation of the calf mechanism 2, the lowest sliding position of the sleeve 22 does not contact the foot pad mounting base 23, while when the sleeve... When the tension spring 226 between the sleeve 22 and the end cap 213 breaks, the sleeve 22 will slide directly downward under the impact force of the lower leg mechanism 2 and abut against the top surface of the foot pad mounting seat 23. Due to the loss of the elastic force of the tension spring 226, the sleeve 22 will generate a large impact force on the foot pad mounting seat 23. The buffer pad 2311 can absorb the impact force of the sleeve 22 on the foot pad mounting seat 23, thereby reducing the impact force on the foot pad mounting seat 23 and the reaction force on the sleeve 22, reducing the possibility of damage to the foot pad mounting seat 23 and the sleeve 22, and avoiding damage to both the sleeve 22 and the foot pad mounting seat 23 due to the breakage of the tension spring 226. This can effectively reduce the maintenance cost of the lower leg mechanism 2.

[0106] By setting a reinforcing structure on the footpad mounting base 23, the lower leg mechanism 2 can be strengthened, thereby adapting to the high-speed operation of the quadruped robot. This allows the lower leg mechanism 2 to be effectively applied to high-mobility robots and enables it to adapt to the high-speed operation of high-mobility robots. In addition, the reinforcing structure mainly strengthens the top of the footpad mounting base 23, which can reduce the overall weight of the reinforcing structure. While ensuring sufficient strength, the lower leg mechanism 2 can also remain lightweight, thereby improving the battery life of the quadruped robot.

[0107] Example 3

[0108] Based on any of the above embodiments, this embodiment mainly introduces the third improvement. For example... Figures 9 to 12 As shown, the lower leg mechanism 2 includes a hollow foot pad mounting base 23 and a shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The hollow foot pad mounting base 23 needs to provide a certain load-bearing function and can be made of lightweight materials such as carbon fiber. The shape of the foot pad mounting base 23 can be customized according to design requirements. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is located at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 mainly serves to cushion and increase friction. Therefore, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can be made of materials such as rubber. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 generally needs to cover the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 to adapt to the quadruped robot walking on various terrains. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can play a role in all these situations.

[0109] A fixing post 25 extending from the top of the footpad mounting base 23 towards the bottom of the footpad mounting base 23 is provided. The fixing post 25 has a mounting hole 231 with an opening at the top in the vertical direction. A support rod 21 is installed in the mounting hole 231 for connection with the thigh mechanism 1. The number of mounting holes 231 can be set according to design requirements. In this embodiment, the fixing post 25 has three parallel mounting holes 231. The top of the fixing post 25 is fixedly connected to the top of the footpad mounting base 23, and the fixing post 25 is equivalent to being suspended in the footpad mounting base 23. During the running of the quadruped robot, the force of the ground on the mechanical leg is transmitted to the bottom of the footpad mounting base 23 through the shock-absorbing footpad 24, and then from the top of the footpad mounting base 23 to the fixing post 25, and then transmitted upward through the support rod 21 connected in the fixing post 25. This force transmission path requires high strength of the footpad mounting base 23, which is not conducive to the lightweight design of the entire mechanical leg. However, an excessively heavy mechanical leg will also affect the running speed of the quadruped robot.

[0110] The foot pad mounting base 23 has an inner sidewall 234 on its side, meaning the side of the foot pad mounting base 23 faces the inner wall of the foot pad mounting base 23; correspondingly, the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 has an inner bottom wall 236, meaning the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 faces the inner wall of the foot pad mounting base 23. To solve the above technical problems, multiple first support members 235 are spaced apart between the fixing column 25 and the inner sidewall 234, and multiple second support members 237 are spaced apart between the fixing column 25 and the inner bottom wall. The spaced arrangement of multiple first support members 235 and second support members 237 replaces the traditional solid foot pad mounting base 23 or large area of ​​filling material, creating a large number of hollow areas inside the robotic leg. This not only reduces the weight of the robotic leg, achieving a lightweight design, but also allows external loads to be transferred to the fixing column 25 through multiple paths, avoiding overload in a single part.

[0111] The first support member 235 is positioned between the fixed column 25 and the inner sidewall 234 to resist lateral forces and prevent deformation of the side of the foot pad mounting base 23; the second support frame is positioned between the fixed column 25 and the inner bottom wall to resist vertical forces and prevent bottom collapse. Together, they enable the robotic leg to withstand impact forces several times its own weight during high-speed movement. The essence of using multiple support members at intervals is to achieve a balance between lightweight and high strength: utilizing the support members as a "skeleton" to bear the load, and replacing redundant materials with hollow areas, satisfies the lightweight requirements of high-speed robots while ensuring strength and stability through distributed support.

[0112] Furthermore, such as Figure 12As shown, the first support members 235 are radially spaced, meaning they connect radially to the inner wall 234 with the fixed column 25 as the center, forming a structure similar to "wheel spokes." When the robotic leg is subjected to lateral forces (such as centrifugal force when the robot turns or lateral impacts caused by uneven ground), the load can be evenly transmitted to all parts of the foot pad mounting base 23 through the radial support members, avoiding local stress concentration. For example, when subjected to an impact force in a certain direction, the radial support members can decompose the force into components in multiple directions, which are then distributed and transmitted through different support members, improving the uniformity of stress distribution on the side of the foot pad mounting base 23. In addition, the radially distributed support members, the fixed column 25, and the inner wall 234 form multiple triangular support units (triangles have high stability), enhancing the overall rigidity of the side structure. Even if one support member is damaged, other support members can still share the load, preventing structural failure and improving the reliability of the robotic leg.

[0113] By using the first support member 235 structure with a "radial interval distribution", the torsional strength, stress dispersion ability and dynamic stability of the mechanical leg are significantly improved without increasing the amount of material used. At the same time, the lightweight effect is further optimized, providing key support for the reliability of high-speed quadruped robots in complex motion scenarios.

[0114] Furthermore, each first support member 235 is a vertically arranged sheet-like structure. This orientation design maximizes the bending section modulus of the sheet-like structure, effectively resisting lateral bending moments when the robot turns at high speed or experiences lateral impacts. To meet the lateral stability requirements of high-speed quadruped robots in complex motion scenarios, the precise matching of structural orientation with the load direction significantly improves the anti-tilt and anti-torsion capabilities of the robotic legs without increasing weight. Moreover, the vertical sheet-like support members, fixed columns 25, and inner sidewalls 234 form a "vertical-horizontal" rigid frame, similar to load-bearing walls in buildings, resisting the vertical shear force and horizontal thrust of the robotic legs. In the event of sudden impacts such as robot falls, this structure maintains the side shape of the footpad mounting base 23, reducing the risk of structural failure.

[0115] Based on the above embodiments, the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 is a convex arc surface structure. When the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is in close contact with the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23, the contact point of the mechanical leg when it touches the ground changes naturally with the undulation of the ground. When the robot walks on a flat road, the center of the arc bottom touches the ground first, and then extends to both sides to form a gradual contact of "point → line → surface", avoiding the impact vibration caused by "instantaneous surface contact" at the bottom of the flat surface.

[0116] The outer surface of the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with an insertion groove 238, and the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is provided with an insertion protrusion 245 corresponding to the insertion groove 238. The cross-section of the insertion groove 238 can be polygonal, elliptical, or circular. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the insertion groove 238 is circular, which can avoid stress concentration points. The tight fit between the insertion protrusion 245 and the groove 246 forms a mechanical limit. When the robot moves at high speed (e.g., speed ≥10m / s), the horizontal friction force (e.g., ground adhesion force during emergency stop or turning) on ​​the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is directly transmitted to the groove 246 of the foot pad mounting base 23 through the protrusion, preventing the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 from sliding circumferentially or radially relative to the foot pad mounting base 23.

[0117] Furthermore, if the area of ​​the insertion groove 238 lacks support, it is prone to concave deformation under long-term high-frequency impact, leading to the failure of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 connection. In this embodiment, the second support member 237 is provided between the inner bottom wall 236 and the corresponding position of the insertion groove 238 and the fixing post 25, directly providing axial support to the connection part of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 (i.e., the insertion groove 238). When the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 touches the ground during the robot's high-speed movement, the ground reaction force is transmitted through the path of insertion protrusion 245 → insertion groove 238 → second support member 237 → fixing post 25, forming a rigid support chain with "direct load delivery". This design can reduce the local stress in the area of ​​the insertion groove 238 and avoid deformation or cracking of the groove 246 due to long-term impact. By installing a second support member 237 between the insertion slot 238 and the fixed post 25, a direct load transfer path is constructed from the bottom to the top of the mechanical leg. This not only strengthens the structural strength of the connection area of ​​the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 but also optimizes the stress distribution on the curved bottom surface, achieving a dual improvement in stiffness and stability without significantly increasing weight. This design is particularly suitable for high-speed robots operating in high-frequency impact scenarios in complex terrain, ensuring connection reliability and motion performance through precise structural support.

[0118] In this embodiment, the area of ​​the end of the second support member 237 connected to the inner bottom wall 236 is greater than the area of ​​the end of the second support member 237 connected to the fixed column 25. The area of ​​the bottom of the second support member 237 (connected to the inner bottom wall 236) is larger than the area of ​​the top (connected to the fixed column 25), forming a gradually changing cross-section structure with a smaller top and a larger bottom. When the mechanical leg is subjected to ground impact, the load is transferred from the bottom (large cross-section) to the top (small cross-section), which makes the stress distribution more uniform and reduces the maximum stress concentration inside the support member. Especially at the connection between the support member and the inner bottom wall 236 (a high-stress area in traditional design), the stress amplitude is greatly reduced, effectively avoiding fatigue fracture.

[0119] Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second support member 237 gradually decreases from the end connecting to the inner bottom wall 236 to the end connecting to the fixed column 25. For example, if the cross-section of the second support member 237 is circular, then the entire second support member 237 is a frustum shape. This design, with the cross-sectional area gradually decreasing from bottom to top, allows the moment of inertia of the second support member 237 to change continuously along the axial direction, thus matching the mechanical characteristic of the load gradually decreasing from bottom to top. When the mechanical leg is subjected to ground impact, the load enters the support member through the large bottom cross-section and is gradually released as the cross-sectional area decreases. This allows the stress gradient inside the support member to be controlled within 10% (compared to 30% for traditional constant cross-section supports), effectively avoiding fatigue failure caused by stress concentration. The large bottom cross-section of the gradually changing cross-section support member can improve buckling stiffness (resisting axial compressive deformation), while the small top cross-section can reduce rotational inertia (reducing kinetic inertial forces). When the robot lands at high speed, the axial buckling critical load of this structure is increased by 25% compared with the constant cross-section support. At the same time, due to the weight reduction, the swing energy consumption of the mechanical leg is reduced by 12%, achieving the dual advantages of "strong support + low energy consumption".

[0120] Based on the above embodiment, the axial extension direction of the second support member 237 converges to the vertical centerline of the fixed column 25, forming a radial support structure similar to a "pyramid". When the mechanical leg is subjected to vertical loads (such as its own weight or ground impact), the axial force of each support member can be directly transmitted to the center of the fixed column 25 along the axis, forming a symmetrical force flow path, avoiding bending of the fixed column 25 or tilting of the foot pad mounting seat 23 caused by load eccentricity. If the mechanical leg is subjected to radial impact (such as a side collision), the axis of the support member converging at the center can decompose the radial force into multiple components along the axis of the support member, and the radial displacement is offset by the mutual constraint of the support members, which is especially suitable for scenarios of avoiding obstacles during high-speed movement.

[0121] In addition, the second support member 237 can also be designed as a hollow structure, which can reduce the amount of material used while maintaining the support strength. Furthermore, the mass distribution of the hollow structure is closer to the center of the cross section, which can significantly reduce the rotational inertia of the mechanical leg.

[0122] The entire mechanical leg can be made of lightweight and high-strength materials such as carbon fiber. The foot pad mounting base 23, fixing column 25, first support 235 and second support 237 can be integrally formed by 3D printing or other methods, thereby improving the strength of the entire mechanical leg while taking into account the lightweight design.

[0123] Example 4

[0124] The existing anti-slip foot pads are attached to the foot pad mounting base 23 by adhesive or screws, which makes them easy to fall off, resulting in a shorter running distance at high speeds and failing to meet the movement requirements of high-speed quadruped robots.

[0125] Based on any of the above embodiments, this embodiment mainly introduces the fourth improvement point, which is a structural form of the fourth improvement point. For example... Figure 11 , Figures 12 to 15 As shown, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is located at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 and is locked onto the foot pad mounting base 23. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 wraps around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 so that the foot pad mounting base 23 contacts the ground through the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is preferably made of rubber, preferably wear-resistant rubber. The foot pad mounting base 23 has multiple (two or more) insertion slots 238. On the side of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 facing the foot pad mounting base 23, there are insertion protrusions 245 in the same number as the insertion slots 238. When the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is installed on the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23, the insertion protrusions 245 are inserted one-to-one into each insertion slot 238 so that the insertion protrusions 245 on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the insertion slots 238 on the foot pad mounting base 23 are engaged. Of course, it is understandable that in another embodiment, only one insertion slot 238 and one insertion protrusion 245 may be provided, with the insertion protrusion 245 located at the center of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24.

[0126] To reduce the weight of quadruped robots, multiple carbon fiber support rods 21 are typically used to form high-strength lower legs with a small cross-section. This invention provides a mounting position for shock-absorbing foot pads 24 by connecting the foot pad mounting base 23 at the lower part of the support rods 21. The shock-absorbing foot pads 24 can wrap around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 to ensure a large contact surface between the shock-absorbing foot pads 24 and the foot pad mounting base 23, resulting in greater friction and more stable installation. Furthermore, because the foot pad mounting base 23 is a one-piece molded structure, it does not require assembly, thus increasing overall strength. When the quadruped robot runs, the foot pad mounting base 23 will not experience internal wear or noise due to its own assembly issues, simplifying the assembly process of the quadruped robot. Meanwhile, because the insertion protrusions 245 on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 engage with the insertion slots 238 on the foot pad mounting base 23, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can provide grip when the quadruped robot runs at high speed on the ground, and can also absorb shock through slight deformation. Simultaneously, when the lateral component of the friction force applied to the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 by the ground is transmitted to each insertion protrusion 245, the insertion protrusions 245 can abut against the inner wall 234 of the insertion slot 238 to provide lateral support for the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, preventing excessive lateral deformation and damage, and also preventing damage due to lateral deformation. Excessive force can cause the foot pad to detach from the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, ensuring that the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 remains stably wrapped around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23. This ensures that the foot pad mounting base 23 can always maintain contact with the ground through the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 when the quadruped robot is running at high speed. This improves the grip of the lower leg and provides cushioning for the lower leg, preventing excessive impact from being transmitted to the lower leg, thigh, or body and causing damage. This extends the service life of the quadruped robot and allows it to run at high speed for extended periods. Compared to existing quadruped robots where the foot pad is damaged or detached after a very short running time, this significantly increases the high-speed running time of the quadruped robot.

[0127] In this embodiment, the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with a mounting surface for mounting the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 covers the mounting surface, and all the insertion slots 238 are distributed at intervals on the mounting surface. Because the friction force on the position opposite the mounting surface of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is the greatest when the quadruped robot runs at high speed (about 10 m / s), all the insertion slots 238 are arranged on the mounting surface. This allows all the insertion protrusions 245 to be concentrated at the position opposite the mounting surface. All the insertion protrusions 245 share the friction force by abutting against the inner sidewall 234 of the insertion slot 238, which provides better limiting and support for the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, avoids the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 from being damaged by large deformation in the lateral direction, and also prevents the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 from detaching from the foot pad mounting base 23.

[0128] In this embodiment, the mounting surface arches towards the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, making the mounting surface an arc-shaped mounting surface 239. This causes the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, which is wrapped around the mounting surface, to bend into a curved structure, achieving a close fit between the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the mounting surface. When the quadruped robot runs, its lower legs swing, and the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 swings along with the lower legs. The curved structure of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can contact the ground at different positions to reduce shock and increase grip, thereby enhancing the quadruped robot's adaptability to different road conditions.

[0129] Preferably, multiple locking screws 27 are provided around the periphery of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The locking screws 27 pass through the edge of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and extend into the edge of the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 to lock the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 onto the foot pad mounting base 23. Using locking screws 27 to fix the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 simplifies the locking structure. Furthermore, because the locking screws 27 are located at the edge of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the arc-shaped mounting surface 239, their position is relatively high. When the quadruped robot runs, the locking screws 27 will not contact the ground, avoiding wear on the locking screws 27 and ensuring that the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can be stably locked onto the foot pad mounting base 23.

[0130] Currently, in existing technologies, when foot pads are installed to the bottom of the calf using screws, shims are required between the screws and the foot pads to compress the foot pads while preventing excessive concentration of screw tightening force. Without shims, during high-speed running, the lateral friction force exerted by the ground on the foot pads will be directly transmitted to the screws, causing them to pull laterally. Due to the high friction force, this can easily lead to the screws tearing the foot pads. In this embodiment, the cooperation between the insertion protrusion 245 and the insertion slot 238 can distribute the lateral friction force of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, providing lateral support. A large amount of friction force is not directly transmitted from the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 to the locking screw 27. Therefore, the locking screw 27 can be used to directly lock the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 without the need for shims, ensuring stable locking of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and simplifying the assembly structure.

[0131] In this embodiment, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 has multiple anti-slip grooves 248 on the side facing away from the foot pad mounting base 23. These grooves are crisscrossed to form multiple anti-slip protrusions 243 on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, increasing its roughness and thus enhancing its grip. Furthermore, because the mounting surface is an arc-shaped mounting surface 239, the central axis directions of the multiple insertion protrusions 245 inserted into the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 are different. If the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is directly fastened to the foot pad mounting base 23 in the same direction, many insertion protrusions 245 will have central axis directions different from the fastening direction, making it impossible to quickly insert all insertion protrusions 245 into the insertion grooves 238. Therefore, during installation, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 needs to be deformed and flipped so that the side with the insertion protrusions 245 is arched before... The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is fastened to the foot pad mounting base 23 along the central axis of the arc-shaped mounting surface 239, so that the insertion protrusion 245 at the center of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 (the central axis of this insertion protrusion 245 is close to the fastening direction) is inserted into the corresponding insertion groove 238. Finally, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is deformed and flipped, and the two sides of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 move closer to the mounting surface. The central axis of the insertion protrusion 245 on both sides is close to the moving direction, so as to realize the quick insertion of the insertion protrusion 245 on both sides of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 into the insertion groove 238. When the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 deforms and flips, the ends of the anti-slip protrusions 243 on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 will move closer to each other or further apart. The multiple anti-slip grooves 248 are distributed in a crisscross pattern, which can reserve space for the ends of the anti-slip protrusions 243 to move closer to each other, and prevent the anti-slip protrusions 243 that move closer to each other from abutting each other and hindering the deformation and flipping of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. This makes it easier for the assembly personnel to deform and flip the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and reduces the assembly difficulty.

[0132] Multiple through holes 244 are provided on the position opposite to the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, and the through holes 244 penetrate the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The through holes 244 can reserve deformation gaps for the deformation of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, which facilitates the deformation and flipping of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, making it easier for the assembly personnel to flip the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0133] Preferably, the insertion protrusion 245 is provided with a groove 246, the opening of the groove 246 is set facing the foot pad mounting base 23. The groove 246 allows the insertion protrusion 245 to have a certain deformation. When the quadruped robot runs, the insertion protrusion 245 can enhance the shock absorption effect through slight deformation. During installation, the insertion protrusion 245 can also be slightly deformed, making it easier for the assembler to flip the shock-absorbing foot pad 24.

[0134] To reduce the difficulty of connecting the protrusion 245 to the slot 238, the protrusion 245 in this embodiment is cylindrical, and the groove 246 is located at the center of the protrusion 245, so as to be coaxial with the protrusion 245. By placing the groove 246 at the center of the protrusion 245, the thickness of the protrusion 245 around the groove 246 is made uniform, thereby making the deformation around the protrusion 245 the same. When the protrusion 245 is subjected to force in any direction, the protrusion 245 can deform to the same degree.

[0135] In this embodiment, the opening of the insertion slot 238 is provided with a first guide slope 2381 surrounding the insertion slot 238, and the end of the insertion protrusion 245 away from the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is provided with a second guide slope 247 surrounding the insertion protrusion 245. Both the first guide slope 2381 of the insertion slot 238 and the second guide slope 247 of the insertion protrusion 245 can guide the insertion protrusion 245 during installation, so that the insertion protrusion 245 does not need to be precisely aligned with the insertion slot 238, reducing the assembly difficulty. Of course, it is understood that in other embodiments, the first guide slope 2381 surrounding the insertion slot 238 may only be provided at the opening of the insertion slot 238, or the second guide slope 247 surrounding the insertion protrusion 245 may only be provided at the end of the insertion protrusion 245 away from the shock-absorbing foot pad 24.

[0136] Example 5

[0137] Based on any of the embodiments in Examples 1 to 3, this embodiment mainly introduces the fourth improvement point, which is another structural form of the fourth improvement point. For example... Figure 11 , Figures 16 to 22As shown, the lower leg mechanism 2 also includes a metal gripper 26, and a shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is located at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 and is locked onto the foot pad mounting base 23. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 wraps around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 so that the foot pad mounting base 23 contacts the ground through the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The footpad mounting base 23 has multiple (two or more) insertion slots 238. Metal grippers 26 are mounted on the shock-absorbing footpad 24, with the number of grippers matching the number of insertion slots 238. The lower end of each metal gripper 26 penetrates the shock-absorbing footpad 24, while the upper end protrudes from the shock-absorbing footpad 24. When the shock-absorbing footpad 24 is installed at the bottom of the footpad mounting base 23, the upper end of each metal gripper 26 extends into its corresponding insertion slot 238 to engage with it. The metal grippers 26 are spaced apart on the shock-absorbing footpad 24, allowing each position of the shock-absorbing footpad 24 to be limited by the metal grippers 26, resulting in good fixation of the shock-absorbing footpad 24. Of course, it is understood that in another embodiment, one insertion slot 238 and one metal gripper 26 may be provided, with the metal gripper 26 positioned at the center of the shock-absorbing footpad 24. The shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is made of rubber, preferably wear-resistant rubber. Wear-resistant rubber has high hardness and is not easily damaged. Although the coefficient of friction is lower than that of ordinary rubber, the gripping ability can be reinforced by the metal gripping component 26.

[0138] This invention features a shock-absorbing foot pad 24 at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23. This shock-absorbing foot pad 24 not only absorbs shock from the foot pad mounting base 23 through slight deformation but also enhances grip by increasing friction with the ground. Metal gripping elements 26 penetrate the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and are inserted into the insertion slots 238 of the foot pad mounting base 23. When the quadruped robot runs at high speed (approximately 10 m / s) on the ground, the hard metal gripping elements 26 protrude from the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 to improve grip, resulting in more stable running. Simultaneously, when the lateral component of the friction force applied to the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 by the ground is transmitted to each metal gripping element 26, the metal gripping elements 26 can abut against the inner wall 234 of the insertion slots 238 to provide lateral support to the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 through which the metal gripping elements 26 are inserted. This design prevents the shock-absorbing foot pads 24 from excessively deforming and being damaged laterally, and also prevents them from detaching due to excessive lateral force. It ensures that the shock-absorbing foot pads 24 remain stably wrapped around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23. In other words, the metal gripper 26 not only enhances grip but also limits the position of the shock-absorbing foot pads 24. When the quadruped robot runs at high speed, it ensures that the foot pad mounting base 23 remains in contact with the ground through the shock-absorbing foot pads 24 and the metal gripper 26. This improves the grip of the lower legs while preventing the shock-absorbing foot pads 24 from detaching freely, avoiding direct contact with the ground and excessive impact. This prevents excessive impact from being transmitted to the lower legs, thighs, or body, extending the quadruped robot's lifespan and allowing it to run at high speeds for extended periods. Compared to existing quadruped robots where the foot pads are damaged or detached after a very short running time, this design significantly increases the quadruped robot's high-speed running time.

[0139] In this embodiment, the bottom of the foot pad mounting base 23 is provided with an arc-shaped mounting surface 239. The arc-shaped mounting surface 239 arches towards the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, causing the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, which is wrapped around the arc-shaped mounting surface 239, to bend into a curved structure, so as to achieve a tight fit between the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the arc-shaped mounting surface 239. When the quadruped robot runs, its lower legs swing, and the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 swings with the lower legs. The curved structure of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can contact the ground at different positions to reduce shock and increase grip, thereby enhancing the quadruped robot's adaptability to different road conditions.

[0140] Preferably, multiple locking screws 27 are provided around the periphery of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The locking screws 27 pass through the edge of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and extend into the edge of the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 to lock the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 onto the foot pad mounting base 23. Using locking screws 27 to fix the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 simplifies the locking structure. Furthermore, because the locking screws 27 are located at the edge of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the arc-shaped mounting surface 239, their position is relatively high. When the quadruped robot runs, the locking screws 27 will not contact the ground, avoiding wear on the locking screws 27 and ensuring that the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 can be stably locked onto the foot pad mounting base 23.

[0141] Currently, in existing technologies, when foot pads are installed to the bottom of the calf using screws, washers are required between the screws and the foot pads to compress the foot pads while preventing excessive concentration of screw tightening force. Without washers, during high-speed running, the lateral friction force exerted by the ground on the foot pads will be directly transmitted to the screws, causing them to pull laterally. Due to the high friction, this can easily lead to the screws tearing the foot pads. In this embodiment, the cooperation between the metal gripping component 26 and the insertion slot 238 can distribute the lateral friction force of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, providing lateral support. A large amount of friction force is not directly transmitted from the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 to the locking screw 27. Therefore, the locking screw 27 can be used to directly lock the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 without the need for washers, ensuring stable locking of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and simplifying the assembly structure.

[0142] All the slots 238 are located on the arc-shaped mounting surface 239. This is because when the quadruped robot runs at high speed, the friction force on the position where the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is opposite to the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 is the greatest. Therefore, by setting all the slots 238 on the arc-shaped mounting surface 239, all the metal gripping parts 26 can be concentrated on the position opposite to the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 to share the friction force and provide better limiting and support for the shock-absorbing foot pad 24.

[0143] Because the central axis directions of the insertion slots 238 on the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 are different, the central axis directions of the metal gripping parts 26 installed on the curved surface of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 are also different. If the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 with the metal gripping parts 26 installed is directly fastened to the foot pad mounting base 23 in the same direction, it will be impossible to quickly insert all the metal gripping parts 26 into the insertion slots 238 because the central axis directions of a large number of metal gripping parts 26 are different from the fastening direction. Therefore, during installation, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 with the metal gripping component 26 installed needs to be deformed and flipped to an arched shape towards the upper end of the metal gripping component 26. Then, it needs to be fastened to the foot pad mounting base 23 along the central axis direction of the arc-shaped mounting surface 239 so that the metal gripping component 26 at the center of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 (the central axis of this part of the metal gripping component 26 is close to the fastening direction) is inserted into the corresponding insertion slot 238. Finally, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is deformed and flipped so that the two sides of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 move closer to the arc-shaped mounting surface 239. The central axis of the metal gripping component 26 on both sides is close to the moving direction, so as to realize the quick insertion of the metal gripping component 26 on both sides of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 into the insertion slot 238. To facilitate the deformation and flipping of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, this embodiment provides multiple through holes 244 at the positions opposite to the arc-shaped mounting surface 239. The through holes 244 reserve deformation gaps for the deformation of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24, making it easier for assemblers to flip the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and reducing assembly difficulty.

[0144] In this embodiment, as Figure 18 and Figure 22 As shown, the metal gripper 26 includes a claw 261 and a pin 262. The pin 262 includes a pin shaft 2621 and a pin head 2622. The pin head 2622 is located at the end of the pin shaft 2621. An insertion hole 242 is provided on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. Figure 19 As shown, the nail head 2622 is located on the side of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 facing the foot pad support for insertion into the insertion slot 238. The nail shank 2621 passes through the insertion hole 242 and locks with the claw 261, so that the nail head 2622 and the claw 261 together clamp the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. By configuring the metal gripper 26 as a split claw 261 and a nail 262, when the claw 261 and the nail 262 are locked, they can be fixed to the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 by clamping it, resulting in a firm and stable installation.

[0145] like Figure 17As shown, preferably, the claw 261 includes a ring body 2611 and a plurality of claw tips 2612 extending toward the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The plurality of claw tips 2612 are distributed around the outer periphery of the ring body 2611 and are integrally formed with the ring body 2611. The ring body 2611 provides a connection position for the pin 262. The pin 262 passes through the ring body 2611 and is locked to the ring body 2611 by riveting. When the claw 261 contacts the ground, each claw 261 can contact the ground through the plurality of claw tips 2612. The arrangement of the plurality of claw tips 2612 greatly improves the grip of a single metal gripping component 26.

[0146] like Figure 20 As shown, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 has a receiving groove 241 on the side opposite to the foot pad mounting base 23 to accommodate the claw 261, which is fully embedded in the receiving groove 241. Concealing the claw 261 within the receiving groove 241 allows for sufficient gripping force when the quadruped robot is moving slowly, through the contact between the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and the ground, without the claw 261 needing to extend beyond the receiving groove 241. When the quadruped robot is running at high speed, the increased pressure on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 causes the lower end of the claw 261 to extend beyond the receiving groove 241, thus enhancing gripping force.

[0147] Preferably, the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is recessed towards the side where the foot pad mounting base 23 is located, forming an opening opposite to the receiving groove 241 of the foot pad mounting base 23. This ensures that although the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 has a receiving groove 241, the thickness of the location where the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 has a receiving groove 241 is consistent with other locations, thereby ensuring that the strength of the entire shock-absorbing foot pad 24 is consistent throughout, and preventing tearing of the location where the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 has a receiving groove 241 when the quadruped robot runs at high speed.

[0148] like Figure 18 and Figure 20 As shown, in this embodiment, multiple strip-shaped anti-slip protrusions 243 are provided on the side of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 away from the foot pad mounting base 23. The multiple anti-slip protrusions 243 are arranged in a cross pattern to form anti-slip texture on the shock-absorbing foot pad 24. The anti-slip texture increases the roughness of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24 and enhances the grip of the shock-absorbing foot pad 24.

[0149] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present utility model, but the technical features of the present utility model are not limited thereto. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present utility model are covered by the patent scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A quadruped robot, comprising a thigh mechanism and a lower leg mechanism, wherein the lower leg mechanism includes a foot pad mounting base, a support rod, and a sleeve, and the thigh mechanism is hinged to the sleeve, characterized in that, A first protective sleeve is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod, and a sleeve is fitted onto the first protective sleeve and slides in cooperation with the first protective sleeve. The first protective sleeve at least covers the sliding range of the sleeve. The top of the foot pad mounting base is provided with a fixing post extending towards the bottom of the foot pad mounting base, and the fixing post is provided with a mounting hole opened along its axial direction, the opening of the mounting hole being located at the top of the foot pad mounting base. The support rod is at least partially inserted into the mounting hole and fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base. The top of the foot pad mounting base is provided with a reinforcing structure to enhance the strength of the top edge of the mounting hole. The foot pad mounting base includes an inner sidewall located on the side of the foot pad mounting base and an inner bottom wall located at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. A plurality of first support members are spaced apart between the fixing post and the inner sidewall, and a plurality of second support members are spaced apart between the fixing post and the inner bottom wall.

2. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve has a through hole through which the support rod passes, and a bushing is fixed in the through hole. The bushing is fitted onto the outer periphery of the first protective sleeve.

3. A quadruped robot as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The through hole is provided with two bushings, one of which extends to the top of the through hole and the other extends to the bottom of the through hole. The through hole is provided with an inwardly protruding limiting step, which is located between the two bushings.

4. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A second protective sleeve is fixed to the outer periphery of the support rod, and part of the second protective sleeve is inserted into the foot pad mounting base along with the support rod.

5. A quadruped robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The top of the foot pad mounting base is provided with a mounting hole for inserting a support rod. The inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with an adhesive injection groove, the top of which extends to the top of the mounting hole. The support rod and the second protective sleeve are both fixedly connected to the foot pad mounting base by adhesive.

6. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower leg mechanism includes three support rods arranged in a triangle. The sleeve has three through holes corresponding to the support rods, and the three through holes are spaced apart. The foot pad mounting seat has three mounting holes corresponding to the support rods, and the three mounting holes are spaced apart.

7. A quadruped robot as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The lower leg mechanism also includes a reinforcing rod located at the center of the triangle formed by the three support rods. The reinforcing rod is located between the bottom end of the sleeve sliding range and the inlet of the mounting hole, and is in close contact with the three support rods at the same time.

8. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing structure includes reinforcing ribs, which are formed by the outward extension of the top edge of the foot pad mounting base.

9. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing structure includes a clamp fitted onto the top of the footpad mounting base, the clamp being tightly attached to the outer periphery of the top of the footpad mounting base.

10. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple first support members are distributed radially at intervals.

11. A quadruped robot as described in claim 10, characterized in that, Each of the first support components is a vertically arranged sheet structure.

12. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second support member is a hollow structure.

13. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower leg mechanism also includes a shock-absorbing foot pad, which is locked onto the foot pad mounting base to form a wrap around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. The foot pad mounting base is provided with at least one insertion slot, and the side of the shock-absorbing foot pad facing the foot pad mounting base is provided with an insertion protrusion that engages with the insertion slot.

14. A quadruped robot as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The second support member is provided between the position of the inner bottom wall corresponding to the insertion slot and the fixed column.

15. A quadruped robot as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The bottom of the foot pad mounting base is a convex arc-shaped mounting surface, the shock-absorbing foot pad fits into the arc-shaped mounting surface, and the insertion slots are spaced apart at the bottom of the foot pad mounting base.

16. A quadruped robot as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The periphery of the shock-absorbing foot pad is fixed to the bottom of the foot pad mounting base by multiple locking screws to lock the shock-absorbing foot pad onto the foot pad mounting base.

17. A quadruped robot as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The insertion protrusion has a groove with an opening facing the foot pad mounting seat.

18. A quadruped robot as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The opening of the insertion slot is provided with a first guide slope surrounding the insertion slot; and / or, the end of the insertion protrusion away from the shock-absorbing foot pad is provided with a second guide slope surrounding the insertion protrusion.

19. A quadruped robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower leg mechanism also includes a shock-absorbing foot pad and a metal gripping component. The shock-absorbing foot pad is locked onto the foot pad mounting base to form a wrap around the bottom of the foot pad mounting base. The metal gripping component is installed on the shock-absorbing foot pad and extends through the shock-absorbing foot pad. The foot pad mounting base is provided with a insertion groove, and the upper end of the metal gripping component extends into the insertion groove to engage with the insertion groove.

20. A quadruped robot as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The metal gripping components are provided in multiples, and the multiple metal gripping components are distributed at intervals on the shock-absorbing foot pad. The insertion slots are provided one-to-one with the metal gripping components.

21. A quadruped robot as described in claim 20, characterized in that, The bottom of the foot pad mounting base is provided with an arc-shaped mounting surface that arches towards the shock-absorbing foot pad. The shock-absorbing foot pad covers the arc-shaped mounting surface. The insertion groove is provided on the arc-shaped mounting surface. The shock-absorbing foot pad is provided with multiple through holes at the position opposite to the arc-shaped mounting surface.

22. A quadruped robot as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The metal gripping component includes a claw and a pin. The pin includes a pin shaft and a pin head at the end of the pin shaft. The pin head is inserted into the insertion slot. The pin shaft passes through the shock-absorbing foot pad and locks with the claw, so that the pin head and the claw together clamp the shock-absorbing foot pad.

23. A quadruped robot as described in claim 22, characterized in that, The shock-absorbing foot pad has a receiving groove on the side opposite to the foot pad mounting base, and all the claws are embedded in the receiving groove.

24. A quadruped robot as described in claim 22, characterized in that, The claw includes a ring body and multiple claw tips extending toward the shock-absorbing foot pad. The multiple claw tips surround the outer periphery of the ring body and are integrally formed with the ring body. The clasp passes through the ring body and is locked to the ring body by riveting.

Images