Autonomous mobile robots

Abstract

This utility model discloses an autonomous mobile robot, relating to the field of robot technology. The autonomous mobile robot includes a base and multiple drive components. Each drive component includes a connecting seat, drive wheels, a suspension cylinder, and an accumulator. The suspension cylinder is connected between the connecting seat and the base and has a first oil chamber. The accumulator is mounted on the base and located on one side of the connecting seat. The accumulator includes a housing and multiple second pistons. The housing has a second oil chamber and multiple gas chambers. The second oil chambers communicate with the first oil chamber, and each second oil chamber is separated from one of the multiple gas chambers by a second piston. The initial gas pressure of at least two of the multiple gas chambers is unequal. This utility model's autonomous mobile robot uses the accumulator to adjust the oil pressure of the first oil chamber of the suspension cylinder. The accumulator has a simple structure and small size, allowing it to be mounted on the base, thus simplifying the overall structure and layout of the autonomous mobile robot, facilitating maintenance, and reducing overall costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of robotics technology, and in particular to an autonomous mobile robot. Background Technology

[0002] The drive wheel assembly of the autonomous mobile robot features flexible suspension to adapt to undulating terrain, ensuring that all multiple wheels of the drive wheel assembly maintain proper ground contact and thus guaranteeing its driving capability. In related technologies, to meet the requirement of maintaining optimal suspension capability under heavy loads, the drive wheel assembly's suspension system uses an auxiliary hydraulic system for height adjustment. This hydraulic system includes at least a hydraulic pump station and control valve assembly, resulting in a large overall size, occupying significant space, impacting the layout of other components of the autonomous mobile robot, and also incurring high costs and difficulties in later maintenance. Utility Model Content

[0003] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an autonomous mobile robot that uses an accumulator to adjust the oil pressure in the first oil chamber of the suspension cylinder to provide suspension function. The accumulator has a simple structure and small size, which allows it to be installed on the base, thereby simplifying the overall structure and layout of the autonomous mobile robot, facilitating later maintenance, and helping to reduce overall costs.

[0004] An autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base; multiple drive components are respectively installed on the base and used to drive the base to move. Each drive component includes a connecting seat, a drive wheel, a suspension cylinder, and an accumulator. The drive wheel is installed on the connecting seat, the suspension cylinder is connected between the connecting seat and the base, the suspension cylinder has a first oil chamber, and the accumulator is installed on the base and located on one side of the connecting seat in the horizontal direction. The accumulator includes a housing and multiple second pistons, the multiple second pistons are slidably installed in the housing, the housing has a second oil chamber and multiple gas chambers, the second oil chambers are in communication with the first oil chamber, and the second oil chambers and the multiple gas chambers are separated by a second piston. The second pistons are configured to move under the pressure difference between the second oil chambers and the gas chambers, and the initial gas pressures of at least two of the multiple gas chambers are not equal.

[0005] The autonomous mobile robot according to the embodiments of this utility model has at least the following beneficial effects: By connecting an accumulator to the suspension cylinder to adjust the oil pressure in the first oil chamber of the suspension cylinder, when the load on the suspension cylinder increases, the oil in the first oil chamber flows to the second oil chamber, and the oil in the second oil chamber pushes the second piston to move; when the load on the suspension cylinder decreases, the gas in the gas chamber pushes the second piston to move and causes the oil in the second oil chamber to flow to the first oil chamber. Therefore, when the load on the suspension cylinder changes, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber can change with the load, enabling the suspension cylinder to provide an elastic suspension function. Specifically, under low load conditions, the second piston corresponding to the gas chamber with lower initial gas pressure moves, while the second piston corresponding to the gas chamber with higher initial gas pressure remains stationary; under high load conditions, the second pistons corresponding to both the gas chamber with lower initial gas pressure and the gas chamber with higher initial gas pressure move. Therefore, under any load condition, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber remains in a relatively stable pressure state, avoiding a sharp rise in oil pressure, thereby enabling the suspension cylinder to have good elastic suspension function and suspension holding capability. The accumulator has a simple structure and small size, which makes it easy to install on the base, thereby simplifying the overall structure and layout of the autonomous mobile robot, facilitating later maintenance, and helping to reduce overall costs.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in every two drive components, two of the energy storage devices are stacked in the vertical direction.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the autonomous mobile robot further includes at least one mounting plate, with two of the energy storage devices in every two drive components mounted on one mounting plate, and the mounting plate being connected to the base.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the drive assembly further includes a first oil pipe, a second oil pipe, and an oil pipe connector. The oil pipe connector is installed on the base. The two ends of the first oil pipe are respectively connected to the first oil cavity and the oil pipe connector. The two ends of the second oil pipe are respectively connected to the second oil cavity and the oil pipe connector.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the autonomous mobile robot further includes a flow valve connected between the first oil chamber and the second oil chamber, and the flow valve is configured to limit the flow rate of oil from the first oil chamber to the second oil chamber.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the initial gas pressure of the plurality of gas chambers increases sequentially.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the suspension cylinder includes a cylinder body and a first piston. The cylinder body includes a cylinder barrel and a guide post. The guide post is installed inside the cylinder barrel and arranged along the axial direction of the cylinder barrel. The first piston has an inner hole. The cylinder barrel is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first piston. The guide post passes through the inner hole.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the autonomous mobile robot further includes a first guide ring, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first piston and disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder and the outer peripheral wall of the first piston; and / or, the autonomous mobile robot further includes a second guide ring, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide post and disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the inner hole and the outer peripheral wall of the guide post.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cylinder body and the first piston define the first oil chamber, the top of the first piston is provided with a first oil hole, the first oil hole communicates with the first oil chamber, and the first oil chamber communicates with the second oil chamber through the first oil hole.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cylinder body includes a first limiting part, which protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the guide post, and the first piston includes a second limiting part, which protrudes from the inner peripheral wall of the inner hole. When the second limiting part and the first limiting part are configured to contact each other, the first piston is restricted from rotating relative to the cylinder body.

[0015] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the autonomous mobile robot in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the image; Figure 3 This is a bottom schematic diagram of the autonomous mobile robot in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of point B in the image; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the driving component in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the energy storage device in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the suspension cylinder in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the first piston and guide post in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 9 It is a curve showing the compression stroke of the first piston in the suspension cylinder as a function of load.

[0017] Figure label: Suspension cylinder 100; cylinder body 110; cylinder barrel 111; cylinder liner 1111; bottom cover 1112; guide post 112; first limiting part 113; inner cavity 114; first oil chamber 115; third limiting part 116; first piston 120; piston body 121; bottom sleeve 122; first oil hole 123; inner hole 124; second limiting part 125; flow valve 130; first guide ring 140; second guide ring 150; third guide ring 160; flange 170; first oil pipe 180; second oil pipe 190; Accumulator 200; housing 210; second oil chamber 211; high-pressure chamber 212; low-pressure chamber 213; second piston 220; Connector 300; Drive wheel 310; Motor 320; Reducer 330; Base 400; Mounting plate 410; Oil pipe connector 420. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0019] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. If "first" or "second" is used in the description, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0021] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, assembling, and cooperating should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0022] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, this utility model embodiment provides an autonomous mobile robot. The autonomous mobile robot includes a drive component, which includes a suspension component. The drive component is a differential steering wheel. The drive component provides elastic suspension function through the suspension component, enabling the autonomous mobile robot to adapt to undulating roads and withstand impacts.

[0023] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the autonomous mobile robot includes a base 400 and multiple drive components. These drive components are mounted on the base 400 and drive the base 400 to move, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot to perform functions such as cargo handling and delivery. The drive components are configured as differential steering wheels, which can perform both walking and steering functions, thus improving the mobility of the autonomous mobile robot.

[0024] Reference Figure 1 As shown, it can be understood that in some embodiments, the autonomous mobile robot includes four drive components arranged in a rectangular array, which provide support for the base 400 to ensure the walking stability of the autonomous mobile robot.

[0025] Of course, in other embodiments, the number of driving components can also be five, six, seven, etc.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the drive assembly includes a connecting base 300, drive wheels 310, and a suspension assembly, wherein the suspension assembly includes a suspension cylinder 100 and an accumulator 200. Typically, there are two drive wheels 310, which are rotatably mounted on opposite sides of the connecting base 300 in the horizontal direction, with their rotation axes coinciding and arranged horizontally. Generally, each drive wheel 310 is driven by a motor 320, and a reducer 330 is provided between the motor 320 and the drive wheel 310 to control the rotational speed of the drive wheel 310.

[0027] Reference Figure 5As shown, the connecting seat 300 has a hollow section extending vertically through its center. A portion of the suspension cylinder 100 is located within this hollow section, and the suspension cylinder 100 is hinged to the connecting seat 300. The hinge axis between the suspension cylinder 100 and the connecting seat 300 is horizontally aligned and perpendicular to the rotation axis of the drive wheel 310. Another portion of the suspension cylinder 100 is fixedly connected to the base 400. Therefore, when the autonomous mobile robot walks on uneven ground, the two drive wheels 310 can rotate around the hinge axis between the suspension cylinder 100 and the connecting seat 300 via the connecting seat 300, ensuring that both drive wheels 310 can touch the ground and maintain driving force.

[0028] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the suspension cylinder 100 is provided with a first oil chamber 115. Specifically, the suspension cylinder 100 includes a cylinder body 110 and a first piston 120. The cylinder body 110 is provided with an upward-opening inner cavity 114. The first piston 120 is installed in the inner cavity 114 through the opening, and the first piston 120 slides in cooperation with the cylinder body 110. The sliding direction of the first piston 120 is vertical. The first oil chamber 115 is defined between the first piston 120 and the cylinder body 110.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, it can be understood that the suspension cylinder 100 also includes a flange 170, which is mounted on top of the first piston 120. The cylinder body 110 is hinged to the connecting seat 300, and the flange 170 is fixedly connected to the base 400, thereby enabling the suspension cylinder 100 to be connected to the connecting seat 300 and the base 400 respectively.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the accumulator 200 is mounted on the base 400 and located on one side of the connecting seat 300 along the horizontal direction, and is connected to the suspension cylinder 100. Specifically, the accumulator 200 is located on one side of the connecting seat 300 along the length of the base 400, and includes a housing 210 and a plurality of second pistons 220, which are slidably mounted within the housing 210. The housing 210 is provided with a second oil chamber 211 and a plurality of gas chambers, each gas chamber being separated from the second oil chamber 211 by a second piston 220, and the plurality of second pistons 220 being slidably mounted within the plurality of gas chambers respectively. Typically, the gas chambers store inert gases, such as nitrogen.

[0031] Reference Figure 6As shown, it can be understood that in some embodiments, the housing 210 is provided with two gas chambers, and correspondingly, the accumulator 200 includes two second pistons 220. The housing 210 has a generally transversely arranged columnar structure, the second oil chamber 211 is located in the middle of the housing 210, and the two gas chambers are respectively located on both sides of the second oil chamber 211 along the length direction of the housing 210. The two second pistons 220 are slidably installed in the two gas chambers along the length direction of the housing 210.

[0032] Reference Figure 6 As shown, it can be understood that the second piston 220 is configured to move under the pressure difference between the second oil chamber 211 and the gas chamber. Specifically, when the oil pressure in the second oil chamber 211 is greater than the gas pressure in the gas chamber, the second piston 220 moves away from the second oil chamber 211; when the oil pressure in the second oil chamber 211 is less than the gas pressure in the gas chamber, the second piston 220 moves closer to the second oil chamber 211.

[0033] Reference Figures 5 to 7 As shown, it can be understood that the second oil chamber 211 is connected to the first oil chamber 115. Specifically, an oil pipe is connected between the housing 210 and the suspension cylinder 100, with the two ends of the oil pipe connected to the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211, respectively. Therefore, oil can flow between the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211.

[0034] It is understandable that the initial gas pressures of the two gas chambers are not equal. The gas chamber with the higher initial gas pressure is defined as the high-pressure chamber 212, and the gas chamber with the lower initial gas pressure is defined as the low-pressure chamber 213. The initial gas pressure of the gas chamber can be understood as the gas pressure of the gas chamber when the load on the first piston 120 is zero, or the gas pressure of the gas chamber when the accumulator 200 is set at the factory.

[0035] Reference Figures 5 to 7As shown, it can be understood that by setting up the suspension cylinder 100 to transmit the force and torque between the drive wheel 310 and the base 400, during the autonomous mobile robot's movement, when the load on the first piston 120 increases, the first piston 120 moves downward relative to the cylinder body 110, causing the oil in the first oil chamber 115 to flow to the second oil chamber 211. The oil in the second oil chamber 211 then pushes one or all of the second pistons 220 to move, compressing the gas in the gas chamber. When the load on the first piston 120 decreases, the gas in the gas chamber expands and pushes the second piston 220 to move, causing the oil in the second oil chamber 211 to flow to the first oil chamber 115. The oil in the first oil chamber 115 pushes the first piston 120 upward relative to the cylinder body 110. Therefore, when the load on the first piston 120 changes, the first piston 120 can move relative to the cylinder body 110 according to the load change, thus providing an elastic suspension function. For example, when the autonomous mobile robot walks over an undulating road surface, the undulating road surface will continuously generate changing impacts on the base 400 through the drive wheel 310, that is, the load is continuously changing. Utilizing the elastic suspension function of the suspension cylinder 100, the first piston 120 and the cylinder body 110 move relative to each other, so that the drive wheel 310 and the base 400 move relative to each other with the changes in the undulating road surface. On the one hand, this can buffer the impact of the undulating road surface on the base 400 and effectively reduce the vibration caused by the undulating road surface. On the other hand, it can keep the drive wheel 310 in contact with the ground at all times to ensure driving force, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot to walk smoothly.

[0036] Reference Figures 5 to 7 As shown, it can be understood that since the accumulator 200 is equipped with at least two gas chambers with unequal initial pressures, namely the high-pressure chamber 212 and the low-pressure chamber 213, under low load conditions, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211 is relatively low, the second piston 220 corresponding to the low-pressure chamber 213 moves, while the second piston 220 corresponding to the high-pressure chamber 212 remains stationary; under high load conditions, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211 is relatively high, and the second pistons 220 corresponding to both the low-pressure chamber 213 and the high-pressure chamber 212 move. Therefore, under any load condition, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 can be maintained at a relatively stable pressure state, avoiding a sharp rise in oil pressure, thereby improving the suspension function and suspension holding capability of the suspension cylinder 100. The suspension holding capability means that it can provide good suspension function under any load condition. At the same time, it avoids the disadvantage of the suspension stiffness increasing when only the low-pressure chamber 213 is set, which is difficult to further compress the gas in the low-pressure chamber 213 under high load conditions. It also avoids the disadvantage of the suspension stiffness increasing when only the high-pressure chamber 212 is set, which is difficult to compress the gas in the high-pressure chamber 212 under low load conditions. The increased suspension stiffness will cause the displacement of the first piston 120 to be small or non-displaced, which means that the suspension becomes stiff and cannot buffer the impact of the undulating road surface on the base 400.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 , Figures 5 to 7 As shown, it can be understood that by using the accumulator 200 to adjust the pressure of the oil in the first oil chamber 115 to provide a suspension function, the accumulator 200 has a simple structure and small size, so that the accumulator 200 can be installed on the base 400, thereby simplifying the overall structure and layout of the autonomous mobile robot, facilitating later maintenance, and helping to reduce the overall cost.

[0038] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, it can be understood that in some embodiments, the autonomous mobile robot includes four drive components arranged in a rectangular array. Typically, the base 400 is hollow. In the two drive components located at one end of the base 400 along its length, two energy storage units 200 are stacked vertically, positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the base 400. This fully utilizes the hollow space of the base 400 in the height direction, making the overall structure more compact and optimizing the overall layout. Similarly, in the two drive components located at the other end of the base 400 along its length, two energy storage units 200 are stacked vertically, positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the base 400; this will not be elaborated further here.

[0039] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the autonomous mobile robot also includes two mounting plates 410. Two accumulators 200 from two drive components located at the same end of the base 400 along its length are respectively mounted on one mounting plate 410. The mounting plate 410 is connected to the base 400, for example, by fasteners such as screws. Therefore, during assembly, the two accumulators 200 can be first mounted on the mounting plates 410, and then the mounting plates 410 and the two accumulators 200 can be fixed together to the base 400. This facilitates operation, effectively improves assembly efficiency, and facilitates later maintenance.

[0040] The following is combined Figure 9 The curve of the compression stroke of the first piston 120 in the suspension cylinder 100 as a function of load is shown to further illustrate the suspension function of the suspension assembly.

[0041] Reference Figure 9As shown, the dashed line in the figure represents the curve of the compression stroke of the first piston 120 as a function of load when the accumulator 200 only has the high-pressure chamber 212; the solid line with a star represents the curve of the compression stroke of the first piston 120 as a function of load when the accumulator 200 only has the low-pressure chamber 213; and the red solid line represents the curve of the compression stroke of the first piston 120 as a function of load when the accumulator 200 has both the low-pressure chamber 213 and the high-pressure chamber 212. It is easy to understand that the red solid line is actually composed of three segments, with the middle segment overlapping a portion of the star-marked solid line.

[0042] Understandably, the ideal gas law is:

[0043] Where P is the gas pressure, V is the gas volume, and r is the gas polytropic index. When the gas change is isothermal, r = 1; when the gas change is adiabatic, r = 1.4.

[0044] Once the load is slowly loaded to a steady state, the gas can fully exchange heat with the outside environment, which can be considered an isothermal process, r=1. When the gas is rapidly compressed, the heat cannot dissipate quickly enough, and this process is approximately adiabatic, r=1.4. During the autonomous mobile robot's movement, the first piston 120 in the suspension cylinder 100 moves rapidly, and the gas in the accumulator 200 is rapidly compressed. Considering that the autonomous mobile robot is an indoor, low-speed operating device, the heat exchange time between the gas and the outside environment is longer than that of a high-speed outdoor vehicle; therefore, r=1.3 is taken here.

[0045] According to the ideal gas law above, we can obtain: ,in, .

[0046] in, The initial gas pressure, The initial gas volume, The gas pressure at static equilibrium. S is the gas volume at static equilibrium, S is the effective force-bearing area of ​​the first piston 120, and d is the compression stroke of the first piston 120.

[0047] Understandably, given the selection of the accumulator 200 and the suspension cylinder 100, the parameters... , Both S and S are fixed values. The relationship between the load force F borne by the first piston 120 and the compression stroke of the first piston 120 is as follows:

[0048] Therefore, the relationship between the compression stroke of the first piston 120 and the load force F when the accumulator 200 is simultaneously equipped with a low-pressure chamber 213 and a high-pressure chamber 212 can be derived:

[0049] in, This refers to the actual compression stroke of the first piston 120. The initial gas pressure of the low-pressure chamber 213. The initial gas volume of the low-pressure chamber 213. The initial gas pressure of high-pressure chamber 212. This represents the initial gas volume of the high-pressure chamber 212.

[0050] Reference Figure 9 As shown, it can be understood that for the accumulator 200 with only a low-pressure chamber 213, if one or more low-pressure chambers 213 with equal gas pressure are provided, the first half of the curve is relatively flat, and the second half is relatively steep. When the load force is less than approximately 4000 kg, the load force required per unit compression stroke increases slowly with the increase of the compression stroke, which is reflected in the slow increase of the curve's slope. When the load force is greater than 4000 kg, the load force required per unit compression stroke increases sharply with the increase of the compression stroke, which is reflected in the sharp increase of the curve's slope. In other words, under high load conditions, the gas pressure of the accumulator 200 increases sharply and approaches the maximum pressure value it can withstand, making it difficult for the gas to be further compressed. The displacement of the first piston 120 is small, resulting in increased suspension stiffness.

[0051] Reference Figure 9 As shown, it can be understood that for the accumulator 200 with only a high-pressure chamber 212, if one or more high-pressure chambers 212 with equal gas pressure are provided, the curve is relatively flat overall. However, when the load force is less than approximately 4000 kg, the compression stroke of the first piston 120 is zero. In other words, the suspension function cannot be performed under low load conditions.

[0052] Therefore, when the accumulator 200 is only equipped with a gas chamber with equal gas pressure, it cannot meet the requirement of having good suspension function under any load condition.

[0053] Reference Figure 9 As shown, it can be understood that in some embodiments, for the energy storage 200 to simultaneously provide a low-pressure chamber 213 and a high-pressure chamber 212, when the load force is less than or equal to At this time, as shown in the first segment of the red curve, the compression stroke of the first piston 120 is 0, and the second pistons 220 corresponding to the low-pressure chamber 213 and the high-pressure chamber 212 remain stationary, indicating that the suspension function is not being utilized. At this time, the autonomous mobile robot usually walks on a relatively flat surface and has a small load, so there is no need to utilize the suspension function.

[0054] When the load force is greater than and less than or equal to At this time, i.e., under low load conditions, as shown in the second segment of the red curve, the slope of the curve increases slowly. As the compression stroke increases, the load force required per unit compression stroke increases slowly. At this time, the second piston 220 corresponding to the low-pressure chamber 213 moves, while the second piston 220 corresponding to the high-pressure chamber 212 remains stationary. At this time, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 remains in a relatively stable pressure state, and the suspension cylinder 100 has good suspension function and suspension holding capability.

[0055] When the load force is greater than At this time, i.e. under high load conditions, as shown in the third segment of the red curve, the slope of the curve also increases slowly. As the compression stroke increases, the load force required per unit compression stroke increases slowly. At this time, the second piston 220 corresponding to the low-pressure chamber 213 and the second piston 220 corresponding to the high-pressure chamber 212 both move. At this time, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 also remains in a relatively stable pressure state, and the suspension cylinder 100 has good suspension function and suspension holding capability.

[0056] Therefore, since the high-pressure chamber 212 and the low-pressure chamber 213 jointly participate in adjusting the oil pressure of the first oil chamber 115 of the suspension cylinder 100, the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 can be kept in a relatively stable pressure state under any load condition, avoiding a sharp rise in oil pressure, thereby improving the suspension function and suspension holding capability of the suspension cylinder 100.

[0057] It is understood that in other embodiments, the accumulator 200 may be provided with three, four or more gas chambers, wherein at least two gas chambers must have unequal initial gas pressures to form a high-pressure chamber 212 and a low-pressure chamber 213 to jointly participate in adjusting the oil pressure of the first oil chamber 115 of the suspension cylinder 100, thereby improving the suspension function and suspension holding capability of the suspension cylinder 100. This will not be elaborated further here.

[0058] Understandably, when the accumulator 200 has three, four, or more gas chambers, the initial gas pressure of each gas chamber increases sequentially, meaning that the initial gas pressures of the multiple gas chambers are not equal. Therefore, when the suspension assembly provides the suspension function, as the load increases, the multiple gas chambers participate sequentially from low pressure to high pressure to jointly adjust the oil pressure of the first oil chamber 115 of the suspension cylinder 100. This makes the increase in load force required per unit compression stroke smoother, makes the oil pressure in the first oil chamber 115 more stable, and reduces fluctuations, thereby further improving the suspension function and suspension holding capability of the suspension cylinder 100.

[0059] Reference Figures 5 to 7As shown, the suspension assembly also includes a flow valve 130 connected between the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211. Specifically, the flow valve 130 is connected in the oil pipe between the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211. The flow valve 130 is configured to control the flow rate of oil from the first oil chamber 115 to the second oil chamber 211, such as limiting the flow rate to a small extent. Of course, the flow valve 130 can also allow oil to flow from the second oil chamber 211 to the first oil chamber 115, but without limiting the flow rate. Therefore, when the first piston 120 is compressed, the oil in the first oil chamber 115 flows slowly to the second oil chamber 211 and drives the second piston 220 to move slowly. The second piston 220 compresses the gas in the gas chamber, thereby providing the suspension function. Therefore, even if the load on the first piston 120 suddenly increases, such as when the autonomous mobile robot passes through a road with large undulations, or when the load on the autonomous mobile robot suddenly increases, the first piston 120 still moves slowly, thereby providing a relatively gentle suspension function and effectively improving the walking stability of the autonomous mobile robot.

[0060] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the oil pipe between the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211 includes a first oil pipe 180 and a second oil pipe 190. The suspension assembly also includes an oil pipe connector 420, which is mounted on the base 400. The two ends of the first oil pipe 180 are connected to the first oil chamber 115 and the oil pipe connector 420, respectively. The two ends of the second oil pipe 190 are connected to the second oil chamber 211 and the oil pipe connector 420, respectively. The oil pipe connector 420 allows the first oil pipe 180 and the second oil pipe 190 to communicate. A flow valve 130 is connected between the second oil chamber 211 and the second oil pipe 190. Therefore, during assembly, the oil pipe connector 420, the suspension cylinder 100 with the first oil pipe 180, and the accumulator 200 with the second oil pipe 190 can be installed onto the base 400 respectively. Then, the first oil pipe 180 and the second oil pipe 190 are connected to the oil pipe connector 420 respectively. This reduces the installation difficulty of the suspension cylinder 100 and the accumulator 200 and facilitates assembly. It is easy to understand that during later maintenance, the first oil pipe 180 and the second oil pipe 190 can be pulled out from the oil pipe connector 420 respectively, and then the suspension oil pipe or the accumulator 200 can be disassembled for easy maintenance.

[0061] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, it can be understood that for the structure of the suspension cylinder 100, the cylinder body 110 includes a cylinder barrel 111 and a guide post 112. Specifically, the cylinder barrel 111 has an upward-opening cylindrical structure, and the guide post 112 is fixedly installed inside the cylinder barrel 111 and arranged along the axial direction of the cylinder barrel 111, which is the direction of the central axis of the cylindrical structure. The space between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder barrel 111 and the outer peripheral wall of the guide post 112 is the inner cavity 114 of the cylinder body 110, and the opening of the inner cavity 114 is upward. Correspondingly, the first piston 120 is provided with an inner hole 124, the opening of which is downward. The first piston 120 is installed inside the inner cavity 114, and the guide post passes through the inner hole 124. That is to say, the cylinder barrel 111 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first piston 120, and the first piston 120 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide post 112 through the inner hole 124.

[0062] Reference Figure 7 As shown, it can be understood that the space between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 and the outer peripheral wall of the first piston 120, the space between the inner peripheral wall of the inner bore 124 and the inner peripheral wall of the guide post 112, and the space between the top surface of the guide post 112 and the bottom wall of the inner bore 124 together constitute the first oil chamber 115. That is to say, the space in the inner cavity 114 other than the space occupied by the first piston 120 constitutes the first oil chamber 115.

[0063] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the first piston 120 includes a piston body 121 and a bottom sleeve 122. The piston body 121 is cylindrical, with an inner hole 124 disposed within it. The bottom sleeve 122 is annular and fitted around the outer periphery of the piston body 121. The bottom sleeve 122 is connected to one end of the piston body 121 along the axial direction of the cylinder 111. Specifically, the bottom sleeve 122 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the piston body 121 by fasteners such as screws, that is, the bottom sleeve 122 is located at the end of the inner cavity 114 away from the opening of the inner cavity 114.

[0064] Reference Figure 7 As shown, it can be understood that the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 and the outer peripheral wall of the first piston 120 form a first sliding pair, and the inner peripheral wall of the inner bore 124 and the outer peripheral wall of the guide post 112 form a second sliding pair. The sliding directions of the first and second sliding pairs are the same and parallel to the axial direction of the cylinder 111. Specifically, the first sliding pair is located outside the piston body 121 and at one end of the inner cavity 114 near the opening of the inner cavity 114, and the second sliding pair is located at one end of the inner bore 124 away from the opening of the inner bore 124. Therefore, under the guiding action of the first and second sliding pairs, the first piston 120 can move stably along the axial direction of the cylinder 111 to provide a suspension function. In this embodiment, the first piston 120 slides in the vertical direction.

[0065] It is easy to understand that a sealing ring is provided between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 and the outer peripheral wall of the piston body 121 to prevent oil leakage.

[0066] By providing a guide post 112 inside the cylinder 111, when the first piston 120 is subjected to a lateral force (i.e., a force perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder 111), the cylinder 111 and the guide post 112 respectively provide support force to the first piston 120 in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder 111. This effectively ensures the straightness of the first piston 120's vertical movement, reduces the risk of oil leakage due to displacement of the first piston 120, and thus improves the lateral load capacity of the suspension cylinder 100. The overall structure is simple, effectively reducing manufacturing costs.

[0067] Specifically, during the autonomous mobile robot's movement, when it encounters sudden stops, sudden starts, or collisions, a large lateral force is generated. The cylinder 111 and guide column 112 simultaneously provide lateral support to the first piston 120, effectively ensuring the working stability of the suspension cylinder 100 and effectively preventing oil leakage, thereby effectively improving the lateral load capacity of the drive component.

[0068] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the suspension assembly also includes a first guide ring 140, which is disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 and the outer peripheral wall of the piston body 121. Specifically, the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 is provided with an annular groove, and the first guide ring 140 is installed in the annular groove of the cylinder 111 and sleeved on the outer periphery of the piston body 121. Therefore, by providing the first guide ring 140, the first piston 120 is guided in the vertical direction and laterally supported, ensuring the straightness of the vertical movement of the first piston 120. At the same time, it can reduce the contact area between the cylinder 111 and the first piston 120, prevent the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 from roughening and effectively reduce the wear of the first piston 120, thereby improving sealing and preventing oil leakage.

[0069] Reference Figure 7As shown, the suspension assembly also includes a second guide ring 150, which is disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the inner bore 124 and the outer peripheral wall of the guide post 112. Specifically, the inner peripheral wall of the inner bore 124 is provided with an annular groove, and the second guide ring 150 is installed in the annular groove of the piston body 121 and sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide post 112. Similarly, by providing guidance for the first piston 120 in the vertical direction with the second guide ring 150, lateral support can be provided for the first piston 120. This, combined with the first guide ring 140, provides a double guiding effect and a double lateral support effect, further ensuring the straightness of the first piston 120's vertical movement. At the same time, it can reduce the contact area between the guide post 112 and the first piston 120, effectively reducing the wear of the first piston 120, thereby improving sealing and preventing oil leakage.

[0070] Reference Figure 7 As shown, it can be understood that a third sliding pair is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the bottom sleeve 122 and the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111, and the sliding direction of the third sliding pair is parallel to the sliding direction of the first sliding pair. Therefore, sliding pairs are formed between the two axial ends of the cylinder 111 and the two ends of the first piston 120, respectively. Under the guiding action of the first and third sliding pairs, the guiding accuracy of the cylinder 111 on the first piston 120 can be improved, thereby effectively ensuring the straightness of the first piston 120's vertical movement. At the same time, the cylinder 111 provides lateral support force to the first piston 120 at the first and third sliding pairs, respectively, further reducing the risk of oil leakage caused by the first piston 120's deviation, thereby further improving the lateral load capacity of the suspension cylinder 100.

[0071] Understandably, the bottom sleeve 122 is typically made of a material with better wear resistance than the piston body 121, such as high-silicon cast iron, ceramics, or alloy plating. Therefore, it reduces wear on the first piston 120 and extends its service life.

[0072] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the suspension assembly also includes a third guide ring 160, which is disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 and the outer peripheral wall of the base sleeve 122. Specifically, the outer peripheral wall of the base sleeve 122 is provided with an annular groove, and the third guide ring 160 is installed in the annular groove of the base sleeve 122 and sleeved on the outer periphery of the base sleeve 122. Similarly, by providing guidance for the first piston 120 in the vertical direction, the third guide ring 160 can provide lateral support for the first piston 120. Together with the first guide ring 140 and the third guide ring 160, multiple guiding and lateral support functions are provided to further ensure the straightness of the first piston 120's vertical movement. At the same time, it can reduce the contact area between the guide post 112 and the first piston 120, effectively reducing the wear of the first piston 120, thereby improving sealing and preventing oil leakage.

[0073] It is understood that in some other embodiments, only the first guide ring 140, the second guide ring 150, or the third guide ring 160 may be provided, or only two of the first guide ring 140, the second guide ring 150, and the third guide ring 160 may be provided, which will not be elaborated here.

[0074] Reference Figure 7 As shown, it can be understood that the bottom sleeve 122 protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the piston body 121 along the radial direction of the cylinder 111. The cylinder body 110 also includes a third limiting portion 116, which is disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder 111 and located at one end of the inner cavity 114 near the opening of the inner cavity 114. On a projection plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder 111, the projections of the bottom sleeve 122 and the third limiting portion 116 at least partially coincide. In some embodiments, on a projection plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder 111, the projection of the third limiting portion 116 falls on the bottom sleeve 122. Therefore, during the vertical movement of the first piston 120, when the bottom sleeve 122 contacts the third limiting portion 116, the third limiting portion 116 restricts the first piston 120 from moving further upward, that is, limits the stroke of the first piston 120, thereby preventing the first piston 120 from disengaging from the cylinder body 110 and improving reliability. In other words, when the autonomous mobile robot encounters uneven terrain during its movement, the first piston 120 will not disengage from the cylinder 110, ensuring that the suspension cylinder 100 maintains good elastic suspension function and guarantees the stability and reliability of the autonomous mobile robot's movement.

[0075] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the cylinder 111 includes a cylinder liner 1111 and a bottom cover 1112, with the bottom cover 1112 connected to one axial end of the cylinder liner 1111. Specifically, the cylinder liner 1111 has a sleeve structure with open ends, and the bottom cover 1112 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the cylinder liner 1111 by fasteners such as screws. The guide post 112 is also connected to the bottom cover 1112 by fasteners such as screws. Therefore, during assembly, the first piston 120 can be installed into the cylinder liner 1111 from the bottom, and then the assembly of the bottom cover 1112 and the guide post 112 can be connected to the cylinder liner 1111. The guide post 112 passes through the inner hole 124 of the first piston 120, which facilitates assembly and ensures the operability of the assembly. Generally, sealing rings are provided between the bottom cover 1112 and the cylinder liner 1111, and between the bottom cover 1112 and the guide post 112, to prevent oil leakage.

[0076] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 7As shown, it can be understood that in a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder 111, the cross-sections of the guide post 112, the inner bore 124, and the inner circumferential wall of the cylinder 111 are all circular. Therefore, the first piston 120 can rotate relative to the cylinder 110 around the guide post 112; that is, the first piston 120 rotates in conjunction with the cylinder 110. Thus, when the two drive wheels 310 rotate in opposite directions, the connecting seat 300 rotates relative to the base 400, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot to turn.

[0077] Reference Figure 8 As shown, the cylinder body 110 includes a first limiting portion 113, specifically, the first limiting portion 113 protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the guide post 112. Correspondingly, the first piston 120 includes a second limiting portion 125, which protrudes from the inner peripheral wall of the inner hole 124. In the circumferential direction of the guide post 112, i.e., the rotation direction of the first piston 120, the first limiting portion 113 and the second limiting portion 125 have an interleaved portion; that is, at least a portion of the structure of the first limiting portion 113 and at least a portion of the structure of the second limiting portion 125 are arranged correspondingly in the circumferential direction of the guide post 112. Therefore, when the first piston 120 rotates relative to the cylinder body 110 by a certain angle, the first limiting portion 113 and the second limiting portion 125 can come into contact, thereby restricting further rotation of the first piston 120 relative to the cylinder body 110 when the first limiting portion 113 and the second limiting portion 125 are in contact.

[0078] During the autonomous mobile robot's movement, when the drive component (i.e., the differential steering wheel) rotates, the first piston 120 rotates relative to the cylinder 110. When the rotation angle reaches its upper limit, the first limiting part 113 and the second limiting part 125 come into contact, thereby preventing further rotation and achieving hard limiting. The limiting structure has high strength, avoiding the failure of the limiting function and preventing the autonomous mobile robot from going out of control, thus effectively improving safety.

[0079] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 7As shown, it can be understood that the top of the first piston 120 is provided with a first oil hole 123, which connects to the first oil chamber 115. Correspondingly, the flange 170 is provided with a through hole connecting to the first oil hole 123. The first oil chamber 115 is connected to the second oil chamber 211 through the first oil hole 123. Therefore, when installing the oil pipe located between the housing 210 and the suspension cylinder 100 and used to connect the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211, the end of the oil pipe is installed from the top of the suspension cylinder 100 through the through hole of the flange 170 to the first oil hole 123. That is, the oil pipe is led out from the top of the suspension cylinder 100, which facilitates later maintenance. At the same time, it is easy to understand that the oil pipe is connected to the first piston 120. When the drive assembly (i.e., the differential steering wheel) rotates, the first piston 120 and the cylinder 110 rotate relative to each other. The oil pipe will not rotate with the cylinder 110, avoiding the oil pipe from being torn and improving reliability.

[0080] It is understood that in some embodiments, a second oil hole is provided on the side wall of the cylinder body 110. Specifically, the second oil hole is provided on the side wall of the cylinder barrel 111, and the second oil hole connects to the first oil chamber 115, and the first oil chamber 115 connects to the second oil chamber 211 through the second oil hole. Therefore, the oil pipe located between the housing 210 and the suspension cylinder 100 and used to connect the first oil chamber 115 and the second oil chamber 211 is led out from the side of the suspension cylinder 100, which can reduce the space occupied by the suspension cylinder 100 in the vertical direction to a certain extent. It is easy to understand that, in order to accommodate the rotation of the cylinder body 110, within the limited angular range of the cylinder body 110, the oil pipe can be a flexible hose with an appropriate length reserved to reduce the risk of the oil pipe being torn.

[0081] The embodiments of the present utility model have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot, characterized in that, include: Base; Multiple drive components are respectively installed on the base and used to drive the base to move. Each drive component includes a connecting seat, a drive wheel, a suspension cylinder and an accumulator. The drive wheel is installed on the connecting seat. The suspension cylinder is connected between the connecting seat and the base. The suspension cylinder has a first oil chamber. The accumulator is installed on the base and located on one side of the connecting seat in the horizontal direction. The accumulator includes a housing and a plurality of second pistons, which are slidably mounted in the housing. The housing has a second oil chamber and a plurality of gas chambers. The second oil chamber is connected to the first oil chamber, and the second oil chamber is separated from the plurality of gas chambers by a second piston. The second piston is configured to move under the pressure difference between the second oil chamber and the gas chamber. The initial gas pressure of at least two of the plurality of gas chambers is not equal.

2. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: In every two drive components, two of the energy storage units are stacked vertically.

3. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The autonomous mobile robot also includes at least one mounting plate, with two of the energy storage devices from every two drive components mounted on one mounting plate, and the mounting plate being connected to the base.

4. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive assembly further includes a first oil pipe, a second oil pipe, and an oil pipe connector. The oil pipe connector is installed on the base. The two ends of the first oil pipe are respectively connected to the first oil cavity and the oil pipe connector. The two ends of the second oil pipe are respectively connected to the second oil cavity and the oil pipe connector.

5. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: The autonomous mobile robot also includes a flow valve connected between the first oil chamber and the second oil chamber, and the flow valve is configured to limit the flow rate of oil from the first oil chamber to the second oil chamber.

6. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The initial gas pressure of the multiple gas chambers increases sequentially.

7. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suspension cylinder includes a cylinder body and a first piston. The cylinder body includes a cylinder barrel and a guide post. The guide post is installed inside the cylinder barrel and arranged along the axial direction of the cylinder barrel. The first piston has an inner hole. The cylinder barrel is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first piston. The guide post passes through the inner hole.

8. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The autonomous mobile robot further includes a first guide ring, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first piston and disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder and the outer peripheral wall of the first piston; and / or, the autonomous mobile robot further includes a second guide ring, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide post and disposed between the inner peripheral wall of the inner hole and the outer peripheral wall of the guide post.

9. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The cylinder body and the first piston define the first oil chamber. The top of the first piston is provided with a first oil hole, which communicates with the first oil chamber. The first oil chamber communicates with the second oil chamber through the first oil hole.

10. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The cylinder body includes a first limiting part that protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the guide post. The first piston includes a second limiting part that protrudes from the inner peripheral wall of the inner hole. When the second limiting part and the first limiting part are configured to contact each other, the first piston is restricted from rotating relative to the cylinder body.

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