A small snow exploration robot equipped with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism

Abstract

This utility model relates to a small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism, belonging to the field of mobile robot technology. It includes a robot body, a track, and six legs. The track is located below the robot body, and the six legs are arranged in a ring around the robot body. The six legs include two sled legs and four walking legs, which rotate and move under the action of servo motors. By controlling the rotation and movement of each sled and walking leg, the robot moves in conjunction with the track. This utility model allows the robot to flexibly switch between snowmobile mode and six-legged walking mode, enabling the robot to maintain fast and stable movement in different environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of mobile robot technology, specifically relating to a small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] The statements herein provide only background information related to this invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] Currently, small robots are demonstrating significant technological background and broad application potential in the field of exploration. Exploration-oriented small robots, with their lightweight and high mobility, exhibit unique advantages in complex environments. Drawing inspiration from bionics, biomimetic robots designed to mimic the locomotion of six-legged insects possess excellent climbing capabilities and exceptional flexibility, enabling them to adapt to diverse terrains. In disaster relief, they can easily traverse rugged areas to deliver supplies to affected regions. Furthermore, adding tracks to machinery and optimizing their design can also provide excellent traction; for example, snow tracks allow for rapid movement on snow. With the optimization and development of artificial intelligence, control algorithms, and sensor technologies, the applications of small exploration robots will become even more widespread in the future.

[0004] However, existing snow exploration robots generally suffer from some technical problems, such as: (1) In terms of snow exploration, most existing exploration robots rely on manual selection of snowmobiles and other riding equipment. However, many of these devices have limited adaptability to terrain and are prone to getting stuck or losing control in complex terrain. Even when paired with tracked or wheeled ground robots for snow exploration, they may encounter situations where it is difficult to move in deep snow or ice.

[0005] (2) In the existing technology, there are also unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used for exploration. Although these robots can overcome terrain limitations, their use will be greatly limited in snowy or extreme weather conditions.

[0006] Therefore, existing snow exploration robots cannot simultaneously achieve rapid walking on flat snow-covered areas and climbing over rugged terrain. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism, including: a robot body, a walking track and six moving legs; The traveling tracks are positioned below the robot body; The six movable legs are arranged in a ring and fixed around the robot body; the six movable legs include two sled legs and four walking legs, which rotate and move under the action of servo motors. By controlling the rotation and movement of each sled leg and walking leg in coordination with the walking tracks, the robot's movement mode can be changed, enabling the robot to walk quickly and stably in different environments.

[0008] As a further technical solution, the two sled legs are adjacent to each other and located on one side of the robot's forward direction of travel.

[0009] As a further technical solution, the sled leg includes a sled board, a first servo motor, a first steering connector, and a second steering connector; The sled is hinged to one side of the first servo motor, and the other side of the first servo motor is connected to one end of the first steering connector. The other end of the first steering connector is connected to one end of the second steering connector via a first connecting rod, and the other end of the second steering connector is connected to the robot body. Furthermore, a first drive motor and a third drive motor are provided inside the second steering connector.

[0010] As a further technical solution, a motor, a shock absorber, and a second servo motor are sequentially connected on the inner side of the first steering connector; wherein, the first steering connector includes a first steering plate and a second steering plate that are concentrically fitted and connected by a nut.

[0011] As a further technical solution, the walking leg includes a walking plate, a third servo motor, a third steering connector, and a fourth steering connector; The walking plate is hinged to one side of the third servo motor, and the other side of the third servo motor is connected to one end of the fourth steering connector via a second connecting rod. The other end of the fourth steering connector is connected to the robot body. Furthermore, a second drive motor is provided inside the fourth steering connector.

[0012] As a further technical solution, a connecting block and a fourth servo motor are sequentially connected on the inner side of the third steering connector.

[0013] As a further technical solution, the track includes a track support frame, a track motor, a first track connecting rod, a second track connecting rod, and multiple track plates; the first track connecting rod, the second track connecting rod, and multiple track plates are arranged on the track support frame; the track motor is connected to a drive shaft via a belt, and the drive shaft drives the multiple track plates to rotate via the first track connecting rod and the second track connecting rod.

[0014] As a further technical solution, the track also includes a snow deflector, which is disposed above the track support frame.

[0015] As a further technical solution, a small snow exploration robot with a tracked and legged composite movement mechanism also includes a cover and an image acquisition device; wherein, the cover is disposed above the robot body, and the image acquisition device is fixed on the cover.

[0016] As a further technical solution, the image acquisition device includes a support and a camera; the support is a folded plate structure with three plates connected; wherein, the three plates are a base plate and two symmetrical side plates; a rotating motor is provided below the base plate of the support, and a shim is provided between the base plate and the rotating motor; a camera is installed between the two side plates of the support, and a symmetrical fifth servo and a sixth servo are respectively provided on the outer side of the two side plates; the fifth servo and the sixth servo are connected to the camera through a through rod penetrating the two side plates.

[0017] The beneficial effects of one or more of the above technical solutions: (1) This utility model provides a small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism, including a robot body, a track, and six legs. Specifically, the track is located below the robot body, and the six legs are arranged in a ring and fixed around the robot body. When encountering uneven terrain or ice areas where the track is difficult to pass, it can switch to a six-legged walking mode (i.e., all six legs are lowered to support the track). The six legs increase the friction force on the ground when the robot walks, which allows it to walk better on ice and traverse uneven terrain compared to the prior art.

[0018] (2) The six moving legs in this utility model include two sled legs and four walking legs. When it is necessary to travel quickly on flat snow, it can be converted into snowmobile mode, that is, only the two sled legs are kept on the ground, while the four walking legs can be raised by rotation, so that the tracks can be put on the ground. By coordinating the sled legs and tracks, it is possible to travel quickly and stably on flat snow. When the machine is stuck in the snow, the four walking legs can serve as support to help the machine get out of danger; and compared with the prior art, the limitations of extreme weather are greatly reduced.

[0019] Therefore, the small snow exploration robot with a tracked and legged composite movement mechanism provided by this utility model can simultaneously achieve rapid walking on flat snow areas and climbing over rugged areas. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, are used to provide a further understanding of this utility model. The illustrative embodiments of this utility model and their descriptions are used to explain this utility model and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a small snow exploration robot with a tracked and legged composite movement mechanism in a six-legged walking mode, according to an embodiment of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a small snow exploration robot with a tracked and legged composite movement mechanism in snowmobile mode, according to an embodiment of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a first-view structural diagram of the sled leg in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a second-view structural diagram of the sled leg in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the first steering connector in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the inter-board displacement of the first steering connector in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the walking leg in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the traveling track in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the image acquisition device in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0030] In the diagram, 1 represents the robot body; 2 represents the sled leg; 21 represents the sled plate; 22 represents the first servo motor; 23 represents the first steering connector; 231 represents the first steering plate; 232 represents the second steering plate; 24 represents the second steering connector; 25 represents the first connecting rod; 26 represents the first drive motor; 27 represents the motor; 28 represents the shock absorber; 29 represents the second servo motor; 30 represents the third drive motor; 3 represents the walking leg; 31 represents the walking plate; 32 represents the third servo motor; 33 represents the third steering connector; 34 represents the fourth steering connector; 35 represents the second connecting rod; 36 represents the second drive motor; 37 represents the connecting block; 38 represents the fourth servo motor; 4 represents the vehicle cover; 5 represents the track; 51 represents the track support frame; 52 represents the track motor; 53 represents the first track connecting rod; 54 represents the second track connecting rod; 55 represents the track plate; 56 represents the belt; 57 represents the drive shaft; 58 represents the snow deflector; 6 represents the image acquisition device; 61 represents the support; 62 represents the camera; 63 represents the rotary motor; 64 represents the gasket; 65 represents the fifth servo motor; 66 represents the sixth servo motor. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The specific implementation of this embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] This utility model embodiment provides a small snow exploration robot equipped with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism. like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, a small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism includes: a robot body, a walking track, and six moving legs. The traveling tracks are positioned below the robot body; The six movable legs are arranged in a ring and fixed around the robot body; the six movable legs include two sled legs and four walking legs, which rotate and move under the action of servo motors. By controlling the rotation and movement of each sled leg and walking leg in coordination with the walking tracks, the robot's movement mode can be changed, enabling the robot to walk quickly and stably in different environments.

[0033] Based on the above design, this utility model can realize the robot's flexible switching between snowmobile mode and six-legged walking mode, thereby enabling the robot to maintain fast and stable walking in different environments. To facilitate understanding of the technical solution of this invention, the specific implementation methods of this invention will be further explained and described below.

[0034] A small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism includes: a robot body 1, a walking track 5, and six moving legs. The six moving legs include two sled legs 2 and four walking legs 3.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the two sled legs 2 are adjacent to each other and located on one side of the robot body 1 in the forward direction of travel, so that when the robot is converted to snowmobile mode later, they can cooperate with the tracks to achieve fast and stable travel on flat snow.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, the sled leg 2 includes a sled plate 21, a first servo motor 22, a first steering connector 23, and a second steering connector 24.

[0037] The sled 21 is hinged to one side of the first servo motor 22, and the other side of the first servo motor 22 is connected to one end of the first steering connector 23 and fits tightly. The other end of the first steering connector 23 is connected to one end of the second steering connector 24 through the first connecting rod 25, and the other end of the second steering connector 24 is used to connect to the robot body 1. Furthermore, a first drive motor 26 and a third drive motor 30 are arranged inside the second steering connector 24. As an optional embodiment, the first servo motor 22 is of model XM430-W350-T, and the first drive motor 26 and the third drive motor 30 are respectively of model RE40 4.6 N·m torque motor and model DCX 22L 1.2 N·m torque motor.

[0038] In actual operation, the first servo motor 22 controls the rotation of the skid 21. Specifically, the skid 21 and the output shaft of the first servo motor 22 are mechanically connected via a hinge. The output shaft of the first servo motor 22 is tightly nested with the connecting hole of the skid 21, with no relative sliding. Therefore, when the rotor of the first servo motor 22 rotates, the output shaft directly drives the skid 21 to rotate synchronously, thus setting the ground-supporting part of the skid 21 to face outwards from the fuselage. The first connecting rod 25 is a standard connecting rod.

[0039] The second steering connector 24 is a plate-shaped frame structure, serving as a rigid connection node between the sled leg 2 and the robot body 1, bearing the dynamic load of the leg (such as the impact force of snow). The output shaft of the first drive motor 26 is interference-fitted with the first connecting rod 25. In actual operation, the first drive motor 26 rotates, directly driving the first connecting rod 25 to rotate around the axis, thereby causing the first steering connector 23 and the sled 21 to deflect as a whole.

[0040] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, a motor 27, a shock absorber 28, and a second servo motor 29 are sequentially connected on the inner side of the first steering connector 23. Specifically, the motor 27 is connected to the inner steering plate (first steering plate, second steering plate) of the first steering connector 23, and the first steering connector 23 can rotate relative to the motor 27. In this design, the motor 27 serves both to limit the position and to control the rotation of the first steering connector 23, along with the first servo motor 22 and the skid plate 21, preparing for mode switching. As an optional embodiment, the second servo motor 29 is an EC 45 Flat model.

[0041] The relationship between the second servo motor 29 and the second steering connector 24 is as follows: after the rotation shaft of the second servo motor 29 rotates, the second servo motor 29, along with the sled 21, the first servo motor 22, the first steering connector 23, the motor 27, and the first connecting rod 25, rotates relative to the second steering connector 24. That is, the second servo motor 29 controls the up and down movement of the sled leg 2.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, a first drive motor 26 and a third drive motor 30 are disposed inside the second steering connector 24; wherein, the first drive motor is disposed at the bottom end of the inner side of the second steering connector 24, and the third drive motor 30 is disposed at the top end of the inner side of the second steering connector 24. The first drive motor 26 is used to control the rotation of the second steering connector 24 relative to the first steering connector 23, in preparation for realizing the snowmobile mode; the third drive motor 30 is used to adjust the angle between the skis and the horizontal plane to adapt to the driving needs under different snow slopes, that is, when the third drive motor 30 is started, the gear fixed at the output shaft of the third drive motor 30 drives the second steering connector 24 to rotate around the axis (X-axis) of the first steering connector 23, thereby changing the angle between the skis 21 and the horizontal plane.

[0043] like Figure 5 As shown, the first steering connector 23 includes a first steering plate 231 and a second steering plate 232 that are concentrically fitted and connected by nuts (pin connection). Specifically, multiple identical and compatible openings are provided on the first steering plate 231 and the second steering plate 232, and screws and nuts are used to fix them at the openings; at the same time, the connection between the screws and the first steering plate 231 and the second steering plate 232 is smooth, which can realize the relative displacement of the two plates. In the actual connection, after the shock absorber is installed, one surface of the two plates will overlap.

[0044] Excessive speed in snowmobile mode will cause significant impact on the connection point of the sled legs 21, resulting in compression of the sled legs 2. The springs on the shock absorbers 28 will be compressed to provide cushioning. Simultaneously, the first steering plate 231 and the second steering plate 232 will shift, with the displacement limited within a pre-defined space, approximately 35°. Specifically... Figure 6 As shown.

[0045] like Figure 7 As shown, the walking leg 3 is actually a simplified version of the sled leg 2. Specifically, the walking leg 3 includes a walking plate 31, a third servo motor 32, a third steering connector 33, and a fourth steering connector 34. The third steering connector 33 has the same structure as the first steering connector; the fourth steering connector 34 has the same structure as the second steering connector. As an optional embodiment, both the third servo motor 32 and the fourth servo motor 38 are of model CXM-2232T.

[0046] The walking plate 31 is hinged to one side of the third servo motor 32, which controls the rotation of the walking plate 31. The other side of the third servo motor 32 is connected to one end of the fourth steering connector 34 via the second connecting rod 35, and the other end of the fourth steering connector 34 is connected to the robot body 1. Furthermore, a second drive motor 36 is provided inside the fourth steering connector 34, which controls the forward and backward movement of the walking legs 3. As an optional embodiment, the second drive motor 36 is a CX-16 model.

[0047] Inside the third steering connector 33, there are a connecting block 37 and a fourth servo motor 38 connected in sequence. The connecting block 37 is a common connecting block structure that serves as a support between the rods to distribute the pressure inside the third steering connector 33, thereby enhancing stability. Similar to the servo motor on the sled leg 2, the fourth servo motor 38 also controls the relative rotation of the walking plate 31, the third servo motor 32, the connecting block 37, and the third steering connector 33 and the fourth steering connector 34.

[0048] like Figure 8 As shown, the track 5 includes a track support frame 51, a track motor 52, a first track connecting rod 53, a second track connecting rod 54, and multiple track plates 55.

[0049] A first track connecting rod 53, a second track connecting rod 54, and multiple track plates 55 are provided on the track support frame 51. The track motor 52 is connected to the drive shaft 57 via a belt 56, and the drive shaft 57 drives the multiple track plates 55 to rotate via the first track connecting rod 53 and the second track connecting rod 54.

[0050] like Figure 8 As shown, the track 5 also includes a snow deflector 58, which is disposed above the track support frame 51.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, a small snow exploration robot with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism also includes a vehicle cover 4 and an image acquisition device 6.

[0052] The cover 4 is positioned above the robot body 1, and an image acquisition device 6 is fixed above the cover 4.

[0053] like Figure 9 As shown, the image acquisition device 6 includes a support 61 and a camera 62.

[0054] Specifically, the support 61 is a folded plate structure with three connected plates; the three plates are a base plate and two symmetrical side plates; a rotating motor 63 is installed below the base plate of the support 61, and a gasket 64 is installed between the base plate and the rotating motor 63; at the same time, a camera 62 is installed between the two side plates of the support 61, and a symmetrical fifth servo motor 65 and a sixth servo motor 66 are respectively installed on the outer side of the two side plates; the fifth servo motor 65 and the sixth servo motor 66 are connected to the camera 62 through a through rod (not shown in the figure) that passes through the two side plates. As an optional embodiment, both the fifth servo motor 65 and the sixth servo motor 66 are of model XM540-W270-T.

[0055] Working principle: A small snow exploration robot equipped with a combined tracked and legged mobility mechanism can flexibly switch between snowmobile mode and six-legged walking mode, enabling the robot to maintain fast and stable walking in different environments. The six legs of the robot are divided into two groups: one group consists of two sled legs, with one sled leg and two adjacent walking legs on the same side forming one group, and the other sled leg and two adjacent walking legs on the same side forming the other group.

[0056] 1) When switching from hexapod locomotion mode to snowmobile mode in a flat snowy environment, specifically: before the switch, the small snow exploration robot's form is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, during the conversion: First, the left sled leg in the positive direction (with the direction of travel as the positive direction) performs the following operations: the first servo motor 22 on the sled leg 2 rotates counterclockwise; the second servo motor 29 rotates clockwise, driving the first connecting rod 25 forward by 10 through the concentric steering plate, which in turn drives the second steering connector 24 to rise; the first drive motor 26 starts, driving the first steering connector 23 to deflect through the gear pair on the output shaft of the first drive motor 26, causing the sled 21 to tilt outward; the third drive motor 30 adjusts the pitch angle of the sled 2, that is, adjusts the angle between the sled and the horizontal plane through the internal worm gear mechanism.

[0057] Then, the walking legs pre-retrieve (four walking legs working in tandem): the third servo motor 32 of the two walking legs in the same group as the left sled leg 2 rotates counterclockwise, pulling the fourth steering connector 34 via the second connecting rod 35, lifting the walking plate 31 off the ground; the second drive motor 36 activates the damping mode, outputting torque through the planetary gear reducer and limiting the leg retraction speed; the fourth servo motor 38 rotates synchronously, adjusting the leg spacing through the bevel gear pair. Correspondingly, the two walking legs rotate clockwise, mirroring the synchronous action.

[0058] Next, motor 27 in the left sled leg rotates one revolution, causing the ground contact portion of sled leg 2 to face outwards from the body. After the left sled leg completes the transition, the walking leg also lowers the device, thus grounding the track; finally, the right sled leg mirrors and repeats the transition process of the previous sled leg. The robot's form after the transition is as follows. Figure 2 As shown; where motor 27 enables steering in snowmobile mode.

[0059] like Figure 8 As shown, the traveling track 5 is connected and fixed to the robot body 1 by the first track connecting rod 53 and the second track connecting rod 54. When walking in snowmobile mode, the track motor 53 serves as the power source, which is transmitted to the drive shaft 57 by the belt 56, ultimately realizing the movement of the traveling track.

[0060] 2) When switching from snowmobile mode to six-legged mode in rugged snowy conditions, specifically: before the switch, the small snow exploration robot's form is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, during the conversion: The first drive motor 26 of the two sled legs 21 rotates in the direction of the outer side of the vehicle body; then, the first servo motor 22 and the second servo motor 29 drive the sled legs 2 to ground; the walking legs 2 achieve flipping to ground by performing the reverse operation of the previous stage.

[0061] At this point, although the six moving legs are grounded, the walking track is still grounded; the six moving legs move simultaneously, and the servo motors close to the body drive the leg steering connectors to support the robot body, completing the conversion from snowmobile mode to six-legged walking mode.

[0062] 3) In any mode, in terms of spatial coordinates, the rotating motor 63 in the image acquisition unit 6 drives the support 61 to rotate around the Z-axis, and the fifth and sixth servo motors cooperate to drive the camera 62 to rotate along the y-axis, thereby achieving panoramic capture and completing snow detection.

[0063] Although the specific embodiments of the present utility model have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort based on the technical solution of the present utility model are still within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A small-sized snowfield exploration robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism, characterized by comprising: include: The robot body, tracks, and six legs; The traveling tracks are positioned below the robot body; The six movable legs are arranged in a ring and fixed around the robot body; the six movable legs include two sled legs and four walking legs, which rotate and move under the action of servo motors. By controlling the rotation and movement of each sled leg and walking leg in coordination with the walking tracks, the robot's movement mode can be changed, enabling the robot to walk quickly and stably in different environments.

2. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by The two sled legs are adjacent to each other and located on one side of the robot's main body in the forward direction of travel.

3. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 2, characterized by The sled leg includes a sled board, a first servo motor, a first steering connector, and a second steering connector; The sled is hinged to one side of the first servo motor, and the other side of the first servo motor is connected to one end of the first steering connector. The other end of the first steering connector is connected to one end of the second steering connector via a first connecting rod, and the other end of the second steering connector is connected to the robot body. Furthermore, a first drive motor and a third drive motor are provided inside the second steering connector.

4. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 3, characterized by A motor, a shock absorber, and a second servo motor are sequentially connected on the inner side of the first steering connector; wherein, the first steering connector includes a first steering plate and a second steering plate that are concentrically fitted and connected by a nut.

5. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking leg includes a walking plate, a third servo motor, a third steering connector, and a fourth steering connector. The walking plate is hinged to one side of the third servo motor, and the other side of the third servo motor is connected to one end of the fourth steering connector via a second connecting rod. The other end of the fourth steering connector is connected to the robot body. Furthermore, a second drive motor is provided inside the fourth steering connector.

6. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 5, wherein A connecting block and a fourth servo motor are sequentially connected on the inner side of the third steering connector.

7. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by The track includes a track support frame, a track motor, a first track connecting rod, a second track connecting rod, and multiple track plates; the first track connecting rod, the second track connecting rod, and multiple track plates are arranged on the track support frame; the track motor is connected to a drive shaft via a belt, and the drive shaft drives the multiple track plates to rotate via the first track connecting rod and the second track connecting rod.

8. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 7, characterized by The track also includes a snow deflector, which is positioned above the track support frame.

9. A small snow exploration robot with a tracked and legged composite mobility mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a cover and an image acquisition device; wherein the cover is located above the robot body, and the image acquisition device is fixed on the cover.

10. The small-sized snow survey robot having a track and leg compound moving mechanism according to claim 9, wherein The image acquisition device includes a support and a camera; the support is a folded plate structure with three plates connected; wherein the three plates are a base plate and two symmetrical side plates; a rotating motor is provided under the base plate of the support, and a shim is provided between the base plate and the rotating motor; a camera is installed between the two side plates of the support, and a fifth servo motor and a sixth servo motor are respectively provided on the outer side of the two side plates; the fifth servo motor and the sixth servo motor are connected to the camera through a through rod that passes through the two side plates.

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