A foot type inspection robot

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of legged inspection robot technology, and discloses a legged inspection robot. Its leg mechanism includes a hip joint assembly mounted on the main body, a thigh assembly connected to the hip joint assembly, and a lower leg assembly connected to the thigh assembly. The hip joint axis of the hip joint assembly extends vertically along the main body, enabling the thigh assembly to rotate omnidirectionally around the hip joint axis. Four leg mechanisms are installed circumferentially around the main body, and their foot postures include forward elbow-back knee posture, forward knee-back elbow posture, full knee posture, full elbow posture, and crawling posture. The sensing area of ​​the environmental perception component covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot. By adjusting the omnidirectional rotation of the leg mechanisms while maintaining the main body's posture, it can achieve actions such as turning and turning in confined spaces. Combined with the real-time sensing of the surrounding environment by the environmental perception component, along with foot posture adjustment and omnidirectional reversal, it can better adapt to non-uniformly structured environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of legged inspection robot technology, and in particular to a legged inspection robot. Background Technology

[0002] Legged inspection robots come in various types, including bipedal, quadrupedal, and hexapedal. Compared to wheeled inspection robots, legged inspection robots can adapt well to unstructured environments and have high leg flexibility.

[0003] The leg design of a legged inspection robot is crucial to its control and stable walking; therefore, it is of paramount importance in the design process. However, existing legged inspection robots still face several challenges, specifically:

[0004] On the one hand, most legged inspection robots in current industrial inspection scenarios usually have difficulty turning around and making turns in narrow spaces.

[0005] On the other hand, the existing navigation maps of legged inspection robots basically rely on cameras to pre-scan and stitch together the ground in front of the legged inspection robot that it will walk on. Subsequent walking plans all rely on the pre-generated navigation map, which cannot pay attention to the actual terrain below the legged inspection robot. However, when the legged inspection robot moves on some more complex road surfaces or climbs stairs, the above-mentioned navigation map generation method will have insufficient environmental perception due to the relatively flat terrain information transmitted by the navigation map, which ultimately leads to insufficient movement stability. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a legged inspection robot in order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] This application provides a legged inspection robot, comprising:

[0009] The fuselage structure, including the fuselage body;

[0010] The leg mechanism includes a hip joint assembly disposed on the main body of the fuselage, a thigh assembly connected to the hip joint assembly, and a lower leg assembly connected to the thigh assembly;

[0011] An environmental sensing component is installed on the body mechanism and / or the leg mechanism. The sensing area of ​​the environmental sensing component covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot. The hip joint component is configured to drive the thigh component to rotate 360° around the hip joint axis of the hip joint component. The hip joint axis extends along the vertical direction of the body.

[0012] The four leg mechanisms are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the fuselage body. The leg postures formed by the four leg mechanisms include front elbow and back knee posture, front knee and back elbow posture, full knee posture, full elbow posture, and crawling posture.

[0013] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot includes the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanisms and the surrounding environment of the robot body. The environmental perception component includes four depth cameras, with one depth camera positioned between two adjacent leg mechanisms. The total shooting area of ​​the four depth cameras covers the terrain around the feet of all the leg mechanisms and the surrounding environment of the robot body. Alternatively, the environmental perception component includes a radar and four cameras, with one camera positioned between two adjacent leg mechanisms. The total shooting area of ​​the four cameras covers the surrounding environment of the robot body. The radar is mounted on the bottom of the robot body, and its scanning area covers the terrain around the feet of the four leg mechanisms.

[0014] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the hip joint assembly includes:

[0015] A hip joint motor is fixed to the bottom of the main body of the machine, and the hip joint axis is the rotation axis of the output end of the hip joint motor;

[0016] A hip joint adapter plate is fixedly connected to the output end of the hip joint motor, and the thigh assembly is connected to the hip joint adapter plate.

[0017] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the bottom of the main body is provided with a hip joint receiving hole, and the hip joint motor is detachably placed in the hip joint receiving hole.

[0018] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the hip joint adapter plate includes an adapter plate and an adapter ear plate integrally formed with the adapter plate. The adapter ear plate is perpendicular to the surface of the adapter plate. The adapter plate is fixedly connected to the output end of the hip joint motor. The thigh assembly is connected to the adapter ear plate.

[0019] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the thigh assembly includes:

[0020] A thigh motor is fixed to the output end of the hip joint assembly;

[0021] A thigh plate, one end of which is fixedly connected to the output end of the thigh motor, the thigh motor being configured to drive the thigh plate to rotate about the rotation axis of the output end of the thigh motor, the rotation axis of the output end of the thigh motor being perpendicular to the hip joint axis.

[0022] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the lower leg assembly includes:

[0023] The lower leg plate has one end hinged to the end of the thigh plate that is away from the thigh motor;

[0024] The calf motor is fixed to the thigh plate, and the calf motor and the thigh motor are coaxially arranged.

[0025] The transmission component connects the calf plate to the calf motor via the transmission component.

[0026] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the lower leg plate is provided with an anti-slip curved sole at the end away from the thigh plate.

[0027] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the lower leg plate is equipped with wheels at the end away from the thigh plate.

[0028] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the transmission component includes a first transmission link and a second transmission link. One end of the first transmission link is hinged to the output end of the lower leg motor, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second transmission link. The other end of the second transmission link is hinged to the lower leg plate.

[0029] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the projection of the body mechanism along the vertical direction of the body body is a centrally symmetrical figure.

[0030] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the centrally symmetrical figure is a square, and the leg mechanism is arranged at the four vertices of the square; or, the centrally symmetrical figure is a circle, and the leg mechanism is arranged in an equally spaced array around the center of the circle.

[0031] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the ratio of the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms to the length of the leg mechanism is greater than 0.7 along the circumference of the robot body.

[0032] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the legged inspection robot also includes a support platform and a rotating component. The rotating component is disposed on the body structure, and the support platform is disposed at the output end of the rotating component. The support platform is located above the body structure and can rotate relative to the body structure.

[0033] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, the foot postures of the four leg mechanisms also include a rhomboid foot posture.

[0034] As an optional technical solution for a legged inspection robot, when the legged inspection robot is in a crawling posture, any two adjacent leg mechanisms do not interfere with each other along the circumference of the robot body.

[0035] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0036] The legged inspection robot provided by this utility model includes an environmental sensing component, a body structure, and four leg mechanisms. The body structure includes a main body; the four leg mechanisms are respectively installed on the main body and arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body, enabling the legged inspection robot to stand stably. The environmental sensing component is installed on the body structure and / or the leg mechanisms, and the sensing area of ​​the environmental sensing component covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot. Each leg mechanism includes a hip joint component set on the main body, a thigh component connected to the hip joint component, and a lower leg component connected to the thigh component; the hip joint axis of the hip joint component extends along the vertical direction of the main body, and the hip joint component can drive the thigh component to rotate 360° around the hip joint axis, realizing the omnidirectional adjustment of the leg mechanism. Thus, without changing the posture of the main body, the legged inspection robot can achieve turning and other actions in confined spaces through the omnidirectional adjustment of the leg mechanism, realizing the 360° omnidirectional walking of the legged inspection robot in any direction.

[0037] The foot postures composed of the above four leg mechanisms include the front elbow-back knee foot posture, the front knee-back elbow foot posture, the full knee foot posture, the full elbow foot posture, and the crawling foot posture, which have a variety of foot postures and can better adapt to non-single structured environments.

[0038] Furthermore, environmental sensing components are installed in the body and / or leg mechanisms. These components can cover the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot in real time, enabling it to recognize the terrain, identify obstacles early, and provide a basis for environmental awareness to ensure its own safety. This facilitates subsequent obstacle crossing, avoidance, and self-protection controls. Moreover, by sensing its surroundings through these components, the legged inspection robot can better coordinate and achieve omnidirectional changes and leg adjustments. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a side view schematic diagram of a legged inspection robot provided by some embodiments of this utility model;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a front view schematic diagram of a legged inspection robot (legged posture example 1) provided by some embodiments of this utility model;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of a legged inspection robot (legged posture example two) provided by some embodiments of this utility model;

[0042] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A bottom-view diagram of the provided legged inspection robot (legged posture example two);

[0043] Figure 5 This is a side view of a legged inspection robot (legged posture example three) provided by some embodiments of this utility model;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of a legged inspection robot (leg posture example four) provided by some embodiments of this utility model;

[0045] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A bottom-view diagram of a legged inspection robot (legged posture example four);

[0046] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a legged inspection robot (leg posture example five) provided by some embodiments of this utility model;

[0047] Figure 9 This is a structural schematic diagram of the leg mechanism (hidden thigh plate) of a legged inspection robot provided in some embodiments of this utility model;

[0048] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the connection structure of the thigh plate, thigh motor, and hip joint adapter plate of the foot and leg mechanism provided for some other embodiments of this utility model.

[0049] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the connection structure of the thigh plate, calf motor, transmission components and calf plate of the foot and leg mechanism provided for some other embodiments of this utility model.

[0050] In the picture:

[0051] 10. First sensing coverage area; 20. Second sensing coverage area;

[0052] 100. Airframe structure; 110. Airframe body; 120. Camera; 140. LiDAR;

[0053] 200. Leg and foot mechanism; 210. Hip joint assembly; 211. Hip joint motor; 212. Hip joint adapter plate; 2121. Adapter plate; 2122. Adapter ear plate;

[0054] 220. Thigh assembly; 221. Thigh motor; 222. Thigh plate;

[0055] 230. Lower leg assembly; 231. Lower leg motor; 232. Lower leg plate; 233. Transmission components; 2331. First transmission link; 2332. Second transmission link; 234. Anti-slip curved sole. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, not the entire structure.

[0057] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0058] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0059] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," and "left," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, 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. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0060] refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is a side view structural diagram of a legged inspection robot provided by some embodiments of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a front view schematic diagram of a legged inspection robot (legged posture example 1) provided in some embodiments of this utility model; in addition, Figures 3 to 9 The diagrams below illustrate different leg postures of the legged inspection robot provided in some implementations. The legged inspection robot provided in the embodiments of this application is described in detail below.

[0061] refer to Figures 1 to 4 This application discloses a legged inspection robot in some embodiments. The legged inspection robot includes an environmental perception component, a body mechanism 100, and leg mechanisms 200. The body mechanism 100 includes a body body 110. The leg mechanisms 200 include a hip joint assembly 210 disposed on the body body 110, a thigh assembly 220 connected to the hip joint assembly 210, and a lower leg assembly 230 connected to the thigh assembly 220. The environmental perception component is installed on the body body 110 and / or the leg mechanisms 200. The environmental perception component is configured to perform environmental imaging perception, and its perception area covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot. There are four leg mechanisms 200, each installed on the body body 110 and arranged at circumferential intervals along the body body 110, enabling the legged inspection robot to stand stably. Specifically, refer to... Figure 3In the diagram, the vertical direction corresponds to the vertical direction of the main body 110. The hip joint axis of the hip joint assembly 210 extends along the vertical direction of the main body 110. The hip joint assembly 210 can drive the thigh assembly 220 to rotate 360° around the hip joint axis, realizing the omnidirectional adjustment of the leg mechanism 200, and ultimately enabling the legged inspection robot to walk in any direction in 360° omnidirectional motion. That is, without adjusting the posture of the main body 110, the legged inspection robot with the above structure can adjust its direction of travel 360° omnidirectionally using the hip joint assembly 210 of the leg mechanism 200, realizing actions such as turning around and making turns in confined spaces. The four leg mechanisms 200 form various foot postures, including front elbow-back knee, front knee-back elbow, full knee, full elbow, and crawling postures, which can better adapt to non-single-structured environments. The leg mechanism 200 can realize a variety of foot postures, greatly improving flexibility.

[0062] Explained, 360° omnidirectional walking refers to changing direction in any direction by adjusting the omnidirectional rotation of the leg mechanisms 200 while keeping the body body 110 in the same position. Some embodiments of the legged inspection robot in this application can achieve 360° omnidirectional changing without changing the body body 110's position. For example, in a straight-line state, the hip joint components 210 of the four leg mechanisms 200 can simultaneously rotate clockwise or counterclockwise by 5°, 30°, 45°, 70°, or 90° to achieve a change of direction in the corresponding direction. Furthermore, during actual inspection operation, it can achieve vertical changing at narrow intersections between distribution cabinets in substation equipment rooms, direction switching at cable tunnel maintenance stair platforms, and changing direction in narrow tunnels where turning around is difficult, thus performing inspection tasks more smoothly and flexibly.

[0063] Furthermore, quadruped robots in related technologies typically only have depth cameras installed at the head and tail to primarily assist in perceiving the environment in the forward and backward directions. The configuration of their environmental perception components cannot meet the perception requirements of the legged inspection robot of this application when performing omnidirectional reversal, leg posture changes, obstacle avoidance, or when protecting its own safety. Therefore, the embodiments of this application have made cooperative improvements to the environmental perception components. Figures 1 to 8 The present paper provides an optimal implementation of the environmental perception component, which combines radar and four cameras 120. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the ranges of the first sensing coverage area 10 and the second sensing coverage area 20. The first sensing coverage area 10 is indicated by a dashed line, and the second sensing coverage area 20 is indicated by a dashed line. In some other embodiments, other environmental sensing structures or combinations may also be used. Figures 1 to 8This can serve as a design reference for environmental sensing components, and introduce environmental sensing methods.

[0064] In some embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figures 1 to 5 The environmental perception component may include one or a combination of cameras 120 and radar, the perception area of ​​which covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot. The radar may be a 16-line LiDAR 140.

[0065] Of course, in some other embodiments, the environmental perception component may also include only four cameras 120, with one camera 120 positioned between two adjacent leg mechanisms 200. The total shooting area of ​​the four cameras 120 covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot, thereby enabling better coordination to achieve omnidirectional reversal and leg posture adjustment, or real-time confirmation of the surrounding environment's status or safety conditions. Specifically, the cameras 120 may include depth cameras. Furthermore, the number of cameras 120 can be further increased as needed to better meet the requirement of covering the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot.

[0066] For the legged inspection robot with omnidirectional reversal and multiple leg posture adjustments provided in the embodiments of this application, the sensing area of ​​the environmental perception component covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot, providing the legged inspection robot with the status of the surrounding environment in real time. This enables the legged inspection robot to identify the surrounding environment when performing omnidirectional reversal, leg posture adjustment, or stationary inspection operations, or to identify obstacles in the surrounding environment early, or to provide a basis for environmental recognition for the legged inspection robot's own safety, facilitating subsequent obstacle crossing, obstacle avoidance, or self-protection in the event of potential external attacks. The legged inspection robot perceives its surrounding environment through the environmental perception component, enabling better coordination of its omnidirectional reversal and leg posture adjustments. Explained, the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot includes at least the surrounding environment of the main body 110, that is, the environment observed in the front-back, left-right, and right directions of the main body 110 of the legged inspection robot. (Reference) Figure 1 In some embodiments, the surrounding environment of the main body 110 may include a second sensing coverage area 20 of the legged inspection robot.

[0067] Furthermore, in related technologies, the navigation map of legged inspection robots primarily relies on cameras to pre-scan and stitch together the ground in front of the robot, which will be walking in the distance. Subsequent walking plans depend entirely on this pre-generated navigation map. This approach cannot constantly monitor the actual terrain directly beneath the robot, leading to decreased walking stability. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in how environmental perception components can provide more accurate perception information to enhance the operational stability of legged inspection robots when performing omnidirectional changes and leg posture adjustments.

[0068] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot includes the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanism 200 and the surrounding environment of the main body 110; illustratively, the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanism 200 may include the area projected below the main body 110 and the area involved in the foot's swing near that area. (See reference...) Figure 1 In some embodiments, the terrain around the foot at least covers the first sensing coverage area 10. The surrounding environment of the fuselage body 110 may include the area outside the terrain around the foot of the leg mechanism 200; see reference Figure 1 In some embodiments, the surrounding environment of the main body 110 at least covers the second sensing coverage area 20. By further improving the environmental sensing components, the real-time perception of the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanism 200 is enhanced. This allows the environmental sensing components to provide more accurate perception information about the terrain around the feet when cooperating with the legged inspection robot to perform omnidirectional reversal and foot posture adjustment, thereby improving the operational stability of the legged inspection robot.

[0069] Further, refer to Figures 1 to 3 The environmental perception component installed on the main body 110 can cover the surrounding environment of the main body 110 and the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanisms 200 in real time, achieving 360° terrain perception around the feet of the four leg mechanisms 200. This means the legged inspection robot can accurately perceive the terrain around the feet of the four leg mechanisms 200 in real time through the environmental perception component. This structure enables the legged inspection robot to achieve 360° terrain perception around the feet of the leg mechanisms 200 in real time during inspections. Combined with the perception of the surrounding environment of the main body 110, it can provide real-time and accurate environmental perception information for the 360° omnidirectional adjustment of the leg mechanisms 200 and the switching of different foot postures according to different terrains and inspection needs. This allows the legged inspection robot to better adapt to non-uniformly structured environments and exhibit strong motion stability.

[0070] Regarding the perception of the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanisms 200, in some other embodiments, the leg mechanisms 200 can also be equipped with environmental sensing components. The sensing area of ​​the environmental sensing components covers the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanisms 200 in real time, achieving 360° terrain perception around the feet of all four leg mechanisms 200. Installing these components on the leg mechanisms 200 allows for closer focusing on the terrain around the feet, improving the accuracy of data acquisition.

[0071] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the environmental perception component includes four depth cameras. Specifically, the depth cameras may be cameras 120 as shown in the figure. Wide-angle depth cameras can be used to obtain a wide field of view, thereby covering the area that the feet can reach and the surrounding environment of the main body 110. One depth camera is arranged between two adjacent leg mechanisms 200, and the total shooting area of ​​the four depth cameras covers the terrain around the feet of all leg mechanisms 200 and the surrounding environment of the main body 110. Some embodiments of this application provide depth cameras around the main body 110, which helps improve the perception of the foot-based inspection robot of the terrain around the feet and the surrounding environment of the main body 110 in any direction. This helps the legged inspection robot to adjust its movement in different terrains, assisting in changing direction, foot posture, and avoiding obstacles in any direction.

[0072] Of course, in some embodiments, depth cameras for observing the surrounding environment of the fuselage 110 and depth cameras for observing the terrain around the feet of all leg mechanisms 200 can also be designed separately. In some embodiments, radars for observing the surrounding environment of the fuselage 110 and radars for observing the terrain around the feet of all leg mechanisms 200 can also be designed separately.

[0073] Furthermore, in some implementations, reference is made to... Figures 1 to 4 The environmental perception components may include radar and four cameras 120. Specifically, the radar may be a 16-line lidar 140, mounted on the bottom of the main body 110. The radar's scanning area covers the terrain around the feet of the four leg mechanisms 200. The 16-line lidar 140 is a radar device capable of emitting 16 laser beams. Its working principle is to emit laser pulses and then receive the reflected light signals, calculating the distance based on the propagation time of the light signals, thereby achieving three-dimensional environmental perception. It provides higher spatial resolution, thus more accurately perceiving the surrounding environment. The radar can cover a wider field of view, performing real-time, blind-spot-free terrain scanning around the feet of the four leg mechanisms 200. Furthermore, the multi-line design effectively reduces signal interference. Additionally, [reference needed]. Figure 3The camera 120 includes a depth camera. The camera 120 is mounted on the four side walls of the main body 110, and its lens extends roughly horizontally, allowing for a wide-range observation of the surrounding environment. One camera 120 is positioned between two adjacent leg mechanisms 200. The total shooting area of ​​the four cameras 120 covers the surrounding environment of the main body 110. They are interconnected and, in conjunction with radar, enhance the perception of the terrain around the feet of the four leg mechanisms 200. This improves the legged inspection robot's perception of the terrain around the feet and the surrounding environment of the main body 110 in any direction. This helps the legged inspection robot to adjust its movements in different terrains, assisting in changing direction, altering foot posture, and avoiding obstacles in any direction. The four cameras 120 can cover scene information at a greater distance around the main body 110, while the radar focuses more on collecting terrain information around the feet. The radar and cameras 120 each leverage their strengths, coordinating to achieve comprehensive environmental perception.

[0074] In some implementations, two different terrain information acquisition methods are used: radar and four cameras 120. The image acquisition area of ​​the cameras 120 can at least partially overlap with the image acquisition area of ​​the radar around the feet. For the overlapping area, multimodal fusion of radar data and camera data is used to further improve the accuracy of terrain perception.

[0075] For example, since the leg mechanism 200 inevitably raises dust on the ground when it operates, a transparent protective cover is provided under the main body 110 to prevent dust and impurities from entering the radar or causing dirt to obstruct it. The radar can be secured inside the transparent protective cover, which helps to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the radar's terrain scanning, facilitates cleaning, and extends the service life of the radar.

[0076] Furthermore, as an improved implementation, the peripheral sidewall of the fuselage body 110 may be recessed to form a groove penetrating the bottom of the fuselage body 110, in which the camera 120 of the environmental sensing component is mounted. The groove includes a groove wall that slopes downward toward the fuselage body 110, and the camera 120 of the environmental sensing component is mounted on the groove wall such that the camera 120's shooting direction is tilted downward, and the sensing area of ​​the camera 120 can cover the terrain around the foot of the leg mechanism 200 and the surrounding environment of the fuselage body 110.

[0077] Furthermore, the four leg mechanisms 200 of the legged inspection robot form multiple foot postures, including a front-elbow-back-knee posture, a front-knee-back-elbow posture, a full-knee posture, a full-elbow posture, and a crawling posture, which better adapts to non-monostructured environments. In addition to the foot postures provided above, in some embodiments, the four leg mechanisms 200 may also include a rhomboid foot posture. Specifically, Figure 2 A footed inspection robot in a front elbow and back knee foot posture (foot posture example 1) is shown; Figure 3 and Figure 4 A footed inspection robot in a front knee and back elbow foot posture (foot posture example 2) is shown; Figure 5 The demonstration showed a footed inspection robot in either a full knee-foot or full elbow-foot posture (foot posture example 3); Figure 6 and Figure 7 A legged inspection robot in a diamond-shaped leg posture (leg posture example four) is shown; Figure 8 This demonstrates a legged inspection robot in a crawling leg posture (leg posture example five). The different leg postures of the legged inspection robot are described in detail below.

[0078] exist Figure 2 In the forward elbow and backward knee posture, the knees of the two front legs (located on the left side of the figure) and the two rear legs (located on the right side of the figure) of the four leg mechanisms 200 are folded inward relative to each other below the fuselage body 110. That is, the front legs are bent backward and the rear legs are bent forward, which has the advantage of avoiding the knees from protruding and interfering with the surrounding environment.

[0079] Explanatoryly, the knee flexion point refers to the hinged connection between the thigh assembly 220 and the lower leg assembly 230. The knee flexion point can be divided into two joint types: knee and elbow. The knee joint is characterized by its tip pointing in the forward direction; while the elbow joint has its tip pointing away from the forward direction. The front elbow and rear knee, i.e., the front leg belongs to the elbow joint type, and the rear leg belongs to the knee joint type.

[0080] exist Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the front-knee-back-elbow foot position, the knees of the two front legs (located on the left side of the diagram) and the two back legs (located on the right side of the diagram) in the four leg mechanisms 200 protrude outwards in opposite directions, that is, the front legs bend forward at the knees and the back legs bend backwards at the knees. This foot position is conducive to lifting the legs upwards, providing stronger pushing force when climbing and crossing obstacles, and is suitable for overcoming vertical height differences (such as stairs and slopes), and can be applied in stair and step scenarios.

[0081] exist Figure 5 In the full knee or full elbow position, the knees of the front and back legs bend in the same direction; Figure 5Taking a legged inspection robot as an example, when the robot moves forward along the left side of the diagram, it is in a full-knee-foot posture, meaning both the front and hind legs are bent forward. When the robot moves forward along the right side of the diagram, it is in a full-elbow-foot posture, meaning both the front and hind legs are bent backward. In both full-knee-foot and full-elbow-foot postures, the thigh and lower leg can form a more straight force transmission path when pushing off the ground after extension, resulting in high energy conversion efficiency and making it particularly suitable for rapid movement on flat ground.

[0082] exist Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the rhomboid foot position, the formation of the rhomboid foot position can be in... Figure 6 In the standing position of the full elbow-foot posture, the hip joint components 210 of the four leg mechanisms 200 can be synchronously rotated 45° clockwise or counterclockwise to switch to a diamond-shaped foot posture. Specifically, observing the legged inspection robot in its walking direction, the diamond-shaped foot posture divides the four leg mechanisms 200 into a front group of one leg mechanism 200, a middle group of two leg mechanisms 200, and a rear group of one leg mechanism 200, each controlled separately. The movement of the leg mechanisms 200 is more flexible, providing a completely new walking posture compared to existing quadruped robots. Explained, with... Figure 7 For example, in the diagram, the leg mechanism 200 in the lower left corner is the front leg mechanism 200, the leg mechanism 200 in the upper right corner is the rear leg mechanism 200, and the remaining two leg mechanisms 200 are the middle leg mechanisms 200. In this foot posture, the front leg mechanism 200 can act as a "guide leg," detecting the terrain in advance and adjusting the landing point, suitable for path planning in complex environments; the middle leg mechanisms 200 serve as the main load-bearing support, forming a stable core support area, balancing load-bearing and cushioning; the rear leg mechanism 200 can act as a "propulsion leg" or a "balancing leg." This layout can dynamically allocate leg functions according to the movement state; the front leg mechanism 200 design allows the legged inspection robot to more accurately "probe" the terrain ahead (such as step height and ground hardness), and combined with the multi-directional mobility of the leg mechanisms 200, the posture of the front leg mechanism 200 can be adjusted individually for local obstacles (such as protrusions and depressions). Furthermore, because it adopts a diamond-shaped foot posture, the length of the fuselage 110 in the forward direction is increased, making it more suitable for staircases of varying heights and lengths. The diamond-shaped foot posture can be used in exploratory walking scenarios with uncertain terrain, as well as in scenarios involving walking on long staircases or steps.

[0083] exist Figure 8 In crawling foot postures, the formation of crawling foot postures can be said to be in Figure 3In a standing position with the knees forward and elbows back, the footholds of the four leg mechanisms 200 are moved outward, causing the main body 110 to descend and approach the ground, ultimately forming a crawling posture. In this posture, crawling motion is achieved through the reciprocating swing of the hip joint components 210 of each leg mechanism 200, combined with the posture adjustment of the thigh component 220 and the lower leg component 230. The crawling posture allows the footholds of the four leg mechanisms 200 to extend outward as much as possible, thus forming a sufficiently large support surface; it also lowers the center of gravity of the main body 110, resulting in better stability and making it more suitable for crawling through narrow pipes, low spaces (requiring close contact with the ground for crawling / crawling), and scenarios where the main body needs to stably support the load during the operation of a large robotic arm.

[0084] The implementation structure of the hip joint assembly 210 is described below. (Reference) Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 9 The hip joint assembly 210 includes a hip joint motor 211 and a hip joint adapter plate 212. The hip joint motor 211 is fixed to the bottom of the main body 110, and the hip joint axis is the rotation axis of the output end of the hip joint motor 211. The hip joint adapter plate 212 is fixedly connected to the output end of the hip joint motor 211, and the thigh assembly 220 is connected to the hip joint adapter plate 212 so that the foot and leg mechanism 200 can rotate 360° in all directions by being driven by the hip joint motor 211.

[0085] Further, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the hip joint adapter plate 212 includes an adapter plate 2121 and an adapter ear plate 2122 integrally formed with the adapter plate 2121. The adapter ear plate 2122 is perpendicular to the surface of the adapter plate 2121. The adapter plate 2121 is fixedly connected to the output end of the hip joint motor 211, and the thigh assembly 220 is connected to the adapter ear plate 2122.

[0086] In some embodiments, the bottom of the main body 110 is also provided with a hip joint receiving hole, in which a hip joint motor 211 is detachably placed. The output end of the hip joint motor 211 extends out of the hip joint receiving hole and is connected to the thigh assembly 220 through a hip joint adapter plate 212. The hip joint motor 211 of each leg mechanism 200 can be connected to the main body 110 with a quick-connect detachable structure for easy installation.

[0087] The implementation structure of the thigh component 220 is described below. In some implementations, refer to... Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 9 to 11The thigh assembly 220 includes a thigh motor 221 and a thigh plate 222. The thigh motor 221 is fixed to the output end of the hip joint assembly 210, that is, the thigh motor 221 is connected to the hip joint adapter plate 212. One end of the thigh plate 222 is fixedly connected to the output end of the thigh motor 221. The thigh motor 221 can drive the thigh plate 222 to rotate around the rotation axis of the output end of the thigh motor 221. The rotation axis of the output end of the thigh motor 221 is perpendicular to the hip joint axis. When the legged inspection robot is standing, the thigh plate 222 can perform a fan-shaped sweeping motion in the vertical plane.

[0088] The implementation structure of the lower leg component 230 is described below. In some implementations, refer to... Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 9 to 11 The calf assembly 230 includes a calf plate 232, a calf motor 231, and a transmission component 233. One end of the calf plate 232 is hinged to the end of the thigh plate 222 away from the thigh motor 221. At the same time, the calf motor 231 is fixed to the thigh plate 222. The calf motor 231 and the thigh motor 221 are coaxially arranged. The calf plate 232 is connected to the calf motor 231 through the transmission component 233. The calf motor 231 can drive the transmission component 233 to move the calf plate 232. The calf plate 232 and the thigh plate 222 can rotate in the same plane. Although the two are controlled independently, the transmission correlation effect can be predicted due to the rotational correlation between them.

[0089] In addition, refer to Figures 9 to 11 As described above, in the implementation with only one adapter ear plate 2122, the structure is simple and the cost is low. The thigh motor 221 of the thigh assembly 220 is fixedly connected to the adapter ear plate 2122, and the output end of the thigh motor 221 is fixedly connected to one end of the thigh plate 222. Thus, the hip joint motor 211 drives the thigh assembly 220 to rotate 360° omnidirectionally through the adapter ear plate 2122. The calf motor 231 of the lower leg assembly 230 is fixed to the thigh plate 222, and the lower leg plate 232... One end of the thigh plate 222 is hinged to the end of the thigh plate 222 that is away from the thigh motor 221. The calf plate 232 is connected to the output end of the calf motor 231 through the transmission component 233, so that the driving work of the hip joint motor 211, the calf motor 231 and the thigh motor 221 are independent of each other and do not affect each other. When the hip joint motor 211 drives the thigh assembly 220 to rotate 360°, the calf motor 231 can remain stationary, so that the relative position of the thigh plate 222 and the calf plate 232 remains fixed.

[0090] refer to Figure 1 and Figures 9 to 11In some embodiments, the transmission component 233 includes a first transmission link 2331 and a second transmission link 2332. One end of the first transmission link 2331 is hinged to the output end of the leg motor 231, and the other end of the first transmission link 2331 is hinged to one end of the second transmission link 2332. The other end of the second transmission link 2332 is hinged to the leg plate 232. The leg motor 231, which is fixed to the thigh plate 222, drives the first transmission link 2331 to rotate. The second transmission link 2332 can pry the leg plate 232, which is connected to the rotating shaft of the thigh plate 222, forming a hinged control, and driving the leg plate 232 to rotate at a suitable angle. The linkage transmission between the first transmission link 2331 and the second transmission link 2332 will not experience transmission slippage, making it suitable for scenarios with high power output requirements, such as legged inspection robots with large loads.

[0091] In some embodiments, the transmission component 233 may also be a sprocket and chain drive structure.

[0092] Further, refer to Figure 9 To improve the end of the leg mechanism 200, an anti-slip curved foot sole 234 can be provided at the end of the lower leg plate 232 away from the thigh plate 222. The anti-slip curved foot sole 234 is plugged into the lower leg plate 232 and can be replaced. The outer surface of the anti-slip curved foot sole 234 is provided with anti-slip texture. When the anti-slip curved foot sole 234 is in relative contact with the landing point, the anti-slip texture can prevent the leg mechanism 200 from slipping, thus improving the motion stability of the leg inspection robot. Furthermore, the bottom end of the anti-slip curved foot sole 234 that is in relative contact with the landing point is set as an arc tube surface or an arc spherical surface, which allows the leg mechanism 200 to implement multi-angle landing schemes. This further improves the adaptability of the leg inspection robot for complex or narrow terrain with obstacles and expands the posture range of the leg inspection robot.

[0093] In some implementations, wheels may be provided at the end of the lower leg plate 232 away from the thigh plate 222, which may assist the legged inspection robot in switching modes of motion on smooth surfaces to move quickly.

[0094] In order to reduce mutual interference between the four leg mechanisms 200, the ratio of the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 to the length of the leg mechanism 200 has been further optimized in the embodiments of this application.

[0095] Further, refer to Figures 1 to 3 In some embodiments, the ratio of the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 to the length of the leg mechanism 200 is greater than 0.7 along the circumference of the fuselage body 110.

[0096] Specifically, the distance between two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 can be 0.7 times, 0.8 times, 0.9 times, 1 time, 1.1 times, or 1.2 times the length of the leg mechanism 200. Preferably, the ratio is 0.8 times.

[0097] Through experimentation and verification, the applicant has found that by optimizing the ratio of the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 to the length of the leg mechanism 200, different leg mechanisms 200 can independently change their movements significantly in any direction, greatly reducing mutual interference. At the same time, this enables the legged inspection robot to adjust the posture of the leg mechanism 200 in any 360° direction, achieving multiple postures in any 360° direction. This optimization also provides a structural basis for the leg mechanism 200 to swing significantly in any 360° direction and to walk or run quickly.

[0098] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, when the legged inspection robot is in a crawling posture, any two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 do not interfere with each other along the circumference of the body 110. Thus, even when the legged inspection robot is in a crawling posture... Figure 8 In a crawling posture, each leg mechanism 200 can rotate 360° in any direction without interfering with each other, resulting in greater overall flexibility. This further defines the relationship between the length of the leg mechanism 200 and the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms 200. This relationship can be designed according to requirements. Specifically, along the circumference of the fuselage body 110, the ratio of the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 to the length of the thigh assembly 220 is not less than 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, or 3.

[0099] Explained, the spacing between two adjacent leg mechanisms 200 is the interval between the hip joint axes of two adjacent hip joint assemblies 210. The length of the leg mechanism 200 refers to the sum of the lengths of the thigh assembly 220 and the lower leg assembly 230 connected to the thigh assembly 220. Specifically, in some embodiments of this application, the length of the leg mechanism 200 may refer to the sum of the lengths of the thigh plate 222 and the lower leg plate 232. The length of the thigh plate 222 is the distance from the position of the axis corresponding to the output end of the thigh motor 221 on the thigh plate 222 to the hinge position of the thigh plate 222 and the lower leg plate 232; the length of the lower leg plate 232 is the distance from the hinge position of the thigh plate 222 and the lower leg plate 232 to the foot end of the lower leg plate 232. The length of the thigh assembly 220 may be the length of the thigh plate 222.

[0100] Furthermore, some embodiments of this application also optimize and improve the shape and structure of the fuselage body 110. In some embodiments, the fuselage mechanism 100 is centrally symmetrical in its projection along the vertical direction of the fuselage body 110.

[0101] Further, refer to Figures 1 to 4 The projection of the fuselage mechanism 100 along the vertical direction of the fuselage body 110 is approximately square. This approximate square shape is due to the fact that rounded corners are generally possible at the edges. The advantage of a square shape is that the larger the projected area of ​​the fuselage mechanism 100, the more load-bearing area its back (i.e., the upper surface) can support, and thus more loads can be carried. Generally, when the fuselage mechanism 100 rotates in place for turning, it needs to complete the rotation within a circular area of ​​radius R. For a circular area of ​​radius R, the square within its inscribed quadrilateral has the largest area. Therefore, the projection of the fuselage mechanism 100 along the vertical direction of the fuselage body 110 is approximately square, and the leg mechanisms 200 are arranged at the four vertices of this square, ensuring a sufficiently large load-bearing area on the back of the fuselage mechanism 100.

[0102] As summarized above, when the projection of the fuselage mechanism 100 along the vertical direction of the fuselage body 110 forms a circle the same size as a circular area with radius R, the maximum load-bearing area can be obtained. Therefore, in some embodiments, the centrally symmetrical shape can also be a circle, with the leg mechanisms 200 arranged in an equally spaced array around the center of the circle; of course, in some other embodiments, the centrally symmetrical shape can also be a polygon such as an approximate regular octagon. In some embodiments of this application, a square is preferably used as the centrally symmetrical shape, which can provide a sufficiently large load-bearing area; on the other hand, compared with pentagons or larger polygons or circles, the overall size structure is smaller, which is beneficial for passage in some confined environments.

[0103] In some embodiments, the legged inspection robot also includes a support platform and a rotating assembly. The rotating assembly includes a drive wheel, a driven wheel, and a rotating motor. The rotating motor is fixed to the body mechanism 100, and the drive wheel is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft of the rotating motor. The driven wheel is fixedly connected to the support platform, and the drive wheel and the driven wheel are connected by a belt or gear transmission to drive the support platform to rotate via the rotating motor. The support platform is located above the body mechanism 100 and can rotate relative to the body mechanism 100. The support platform serves as the supporting structure for the legged inspection robot, enabling the legged inspection robot to carry various functional modules to adapt to different types of work. When the body mechanism 100 and the four leg mechanisms 200 are stationary, the support platform can be rotated 360° by driving it through the rotating assembly, thereby adjusting the orientation of the items or equipment carried on the support platform.

[0104] In summary, the legged inspection robot provided in some embodiments of this application relies on the special design structure of the hip joint component 210, which allows it to make 360° all-aspect-direction changes in any direction of travel without adjusting the position of the main body 110, enabling it to turn around and perform other actions in confined spaces during inspection. In addition, relying on the special design structure of the hip joint component 210, the foot postures formed by its four leg mechanisms 200 can include front elbow and back knee foot posture, front knee and back elbow foot posture, full knee foot posture, full elbow foot posture, diamond foot posture, and crawling foot posture, providing a variety of foot postures, which can better adapt to non-single-structured environments and have greater flexibility. Furthermore, it is equipped with an environmental perception component. This component's sensing area covers the legged inspection robot's surroundings in real time, enabling the robot to recognize the terrain and obstacles around it during omnidirectional changes, leg posture adjustments, or stationary inspections. This environmental awareness provides a foundation for the robot's own safety, facilitating subsequent obstacle crossing, avoidance, and self-protection controls. By sensing its surroundings through the environmental perception component, the legged inspection robot can better coordinate and cooperate safely and flexibly to achieve omnidirectional changes and leg posture adjustments.

[0105] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the protection scope of this utility model. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A legged inspection robot, characterized in that, include: The fuselage mechanism (100) includes the fuselage body (110); The leg mechanism (200) includes a hip joint assembly (210) disposed on the fuselage body (110), a thigh assembly (220) connected to the hip joint assembly (210), and a lower leg assembly (230) connected to the thigh assembly (220). The hip joint assembly (210) is configured to drive the thigh assembly (220) to rotate 360° around the hip joint axis of the hip joint assembly (210), and the hip joint axis extends along the vertical direction of the fuselage body (110). An environmental sensing component is installed on the body mechanism (100) and / or the leg mechanism (200), and the sensing area of ​​the environmental sensing component covers the surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot. There are four leg mechanisms (200), which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the fuselage body (110). The leg postures formed by the four leg mechanisms (200) include front elbow and back knee leg posture, front knee and back elbow leg posture, full knee leg posture, full elbow leg posture, and crawling leg posture.

2. The legged inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surrounding environment of the legged inspection robot includes the terrain around the feet of the leg mechanism (200) and the surrounding environment of the body (110). The environmental perception component includes four depth cameras, with one depth camera positioned between two adjacent leg mechanisms (200). The total shooting area of ​​the four depth cameras covers the terrain around the feet of all the leg mechanisms (200) and the surrounding environment of the fuselage body (110). Alternatively, the environmental perception component includes a radar and four cameras (120), with one camera (120) positioned between two adjacent leg mechanisms (200). The total shooting area of ​​the four cameras (120) covers the surrounding environment of the fuselage body (110). The radar is installed at the bottom of the fuselage body (110), and the scanning area of ​​the radar covers the terrain around the feet of the four leg mechanisms (200).

3. The legged inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hip joint assembly (210) includes: A hip joint motor (211) is fixed to the bottom of the main body (110), and the hip joint axis is the rotation axis of the output end of the hip joint motor (211). The hip joint adapter plate (212) is fixedly connected to the output end of the hip joint motor (211), and the thigh assembly (220) is connected to the hip joint adapter plate (212).

4. The legged inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the fuselage body (110) is provided with a hip joint receiving hole, and the hip joint motor (211) is detachably placed in the hip joint receiving hole; and / or, The hip joint adapter plate (212) includes an adapter plate (2121) and an adapter ear plate (2122) integrally formed with the adapter plate (2121). The adapter ear plate (2122) is perpendicular to the surface of the adapter plate (2121). The adapter plate (2121) is fixedly connected to the output end of the hip joint motor (211). The thigh assembly (220) is connected to the adapter ear plate (2122).

5. The legged inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thigh assembly (220) includes: Thigh motor (221) is fixed to the output end of the hip joint assembly (210); A thigh plate (222) is fixedly connected at one end to the output end of the thigh motor (221). The thigh motor (221) is configured to drive the thigh plate (222) to rotate about the rotation axis of the output end of the thigh motor (221). The rotation axis of the output end of the thigh motor (221) is perpendicular to the hip joint axis.

6. The legged inspection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lower leg assembly (230) includes: The lower leg plate (232) has one end hinged to the end of the thigh plate (222) away from the thigh motor (221); The calf motor (231) is fixed to the thigh plate (222), and the calf motor (231) and the thigh motor (221) are coaxially arranged. The transmission component (233) is used to drive the calf plate (232) to the calf motor (231).

7. The legged inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lower leg plate (232) is provided with an anti-slip curved sole (234) at the end away from the thigh plate (222); or, The lower leg plate (232) is provided with a wheel at the end away from the thigh plate (222); or, The transmission component (233) includes a first transmission link (2331) and a second transmission link (2332). One end of the first transmission link (2331) is hinged to the output end of the calf motor (231), and the other end is hinged to one end of the second transmission link (2332). The other end of the second transmission link (2332) is hinged to the calf plate (232).

8. The legged inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fuselage mechanism (100) is centrally symmetrical in its projection along the vertical direction of the fuselage body (110).

9. The legged inspection robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The centrally symmetrical figure is a square, and the leg mechanism (200) is arranged at the four vertices of the square; or, the centrally symmetrical figure is a circle, and the leg mechanism (200) is arranged in an equally spaced array around the center of the circle.

10. The legged inspection robot according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Along the circumference of the fuselage body (110), the ratio of the distance between any two adjacent leg mechanisms (200) to the length of the leg mechanism (200) is greater than 0.7; and / or, The legged inspection robot also includes a support platform and a rotating assembly. The rotating assembly is disposed on the body mechanism (100), and the support platform is disposed at the output end of the rotating assembly. The support platform is located above the body mechanism (100) and can rotate relative to the body mechanism (100); and / or, the foot postures of the four leg mechanisms (200) also include a rhomboid foot posture; and / or, when the legged inspection robot is in a crawling foot posture, any two adjacent leg mechanisms (200) do not interfere with each other along the circumference of the body body (110).

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