Charging device and method for charging an energy storage device of a multi-legged robot

Abstract

A charging device (1) for charging an energy storage device of a multi-legged robot (2) is specified. The charging device (1) has a basin device containing an oil-dissolving medium, wherein the basin device (3) is arranged such that the feet (4) of a multi-legged robot to be charged by the charging device are in contact with the oil-dissolving medium in the basin device (3) during the charging process. Furthermore, a method for charging an energy storage device of a multi-legged robot (2) is specified.

Description

A charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot is specified. Furthermore, a method for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot is specified.Multi-leg robots, such as four-leg robot dogs, are becoming increasingly widely used. If the robot dogs become shaking or slipping, an algorithm is used which stabilizes them.However, robotic dogs currently have massive problems running on oily surfaces. The oil often adheres to the rubber feet of the robot dogs and causes the robot dog to be unable to balance. Once it is shaking, the oil adhering causes the algorithm to intervene more and more, and the robot dog attempts to stabilize until it falls over. Experiments have shown that very small amounts of oil reach the ground to cause the robot dog to fall over time.It is an object to be achieved of at least some embodiments to specify a charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot, by means of which charging device the problem mentioned can be resolved or at least reduced. A further object is to specify a method for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot.These objects are achieved by objects according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the subject matter are furthermore evident from the dependent patent claims, the following description and from the drawings.The charging device described here for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot has at least one basin device which contains an oil-dissolving medium. The basin device is arranged in such a way that feet of a multi-leg robot to be charged by the charging device are in contact with the oil-dissolving medium in the basin device during the charging process.The multi-leg robot has, for example, a fuselage section and a plurality of robot legs protruding from the fuselage section. A foot is formed at the end of each of the robot legs, wherein the feet of the multi-leg robot at least temporarily have ground contact when the multi-leg robot is moved. For example, the multi-leg robot can be designed as a four-leg robot or as a so-called robot dog.During a charging process, in which the multi-leg robot is arranged on the charging device, wherein the energy store of the multi-leg robot is charged, for example by a plug connection or inductively, the feet of the multi-leg robot can be arranged in the basin device filled with the oil-dissolving medium, so that the feet can be freed of adhering oil or dirt during the charging process.According to a further embodiment, the charging device has at least one blower device for removing oil-dissolving medium from a foot of the multi-leg robot by means of an air flow. For example, the blower device can be arranged at one end of the basin device in such a way that the multi-leg robot can hold the feet on the blower device after the charging process, so that oil-releasing liquid is blown back into the basin device again, in particular before the multi-leg robot or the feet of the multi-leg robot again have ground contact.According to a further embodiment, the basin device has a first partial basin and a second partial basin spatially separated from the first partial basin. For example, the first partial basin and the second partial basin can be arranged in such a way that during the charging process at least a part of the feet of the multi-leg robot are in the first partial basin and the remaining feet of the multi-leg robot are in contact with the oil-dissolving medium in the second partial basin. For example, the first subbasin can be arranged laterally on the one side of the charging device and the second subbasin can be arranged laterally on the opposite side of the charging device.According to a further embodiment, the blower device for removing oil-dissolving medium has a first blower unit, which is arranged at the end of the first sub-basin, and a second blower unit, which is arranged at the end of the second sub-basin. In other words, each of the partial basins can have a blower unit, for example. As a result, for example, the feet of the multi-leg robot, which were arranged in the first sub-basin during the charging process, can be freed of oil-dissolving liquid by the blower unit of the first sub-basin, and the feet of the multi-leg robot, which were arranged in the second sub-basin during the charging process, can be freed of oil-dissolving liquid by the blower unit of the second sub-basin.According to a further embodiment, the pelvic device has a pelvic depth of at least 5.0 cm, preferably of at least 8.0 cm. Furthermore, the sub-basins can each have a basin depth of at least 5.0 cm, preferably of at least 8.0 cm.Furthermore, a method for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot is specified. In this case, a charging device described here for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot, which can have one or more features of the aforementioned embodiments, and at least one multi-leg robot are provided.The multi-leg robot is moved to the charging device and is positioned on the charging device in such a way that the energy store of the multi-leg robot is charged, for example by plug contact or inductively, while the feet of the multi-leg robot are arranged in contact with the oil-dissolving medium in the basin device. As a result, the time of the charging process of the energy store of the multi-leg robot can advantageously be used to free the feet of the multi-leg robot from accumulated dirt or oil.According to a further embodiment, during the loading process, a part of the feet of the multi-leg robot, for example two feet of the robot dog, is arranged in the first sub-basin of the basin device, and the remaining feet of the multi-leg robot, for example other two feet of the robot dog, are arranged in the second sub-basin of the basin device.According to a further embodiment, after the loading process, the multi-leg robot holds its feet to the blower device, so that oil-dissolving medium remaining on the feet and / or residual oil is blown back into the basin device by an air flow caused by the blower device. For example, the multi-leg robot can successively hold two of its feet to the blower unit arranged on the first sub-basin, and the other two feet to the blower unit arranged on the second sub-basin. Before the multi-leg robot leaves the basin device after loading, it can keep its feet in front of an air flow of the blower device or blower units, respectively, which blows the liquid and / or the remaining oil back into the basin device. In this case, the multi-leg robot can move the feet up and down in order to reach all the locations on the feet.Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the charging device described here for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot or of the method for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot result from the embodiment described below in connection with FIG. 1.The elements shown and their relative sizes with respect to one another are fundamentally not to be regarded as being to scale. Rather, for improved displayability and / or for improved understanding, individual elements can be represented with exaggerated thickness or large dimensions.FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a charging device 1 for charging a battery or an energy store of a multi-leg robot 2. the multi-leg robot 2 is designed in the exemplary embodiment shown as a robot dog having four robot legs, at each end of which a foot is formed.The charging device 1 has a battery cooling fan 8 for cooling the energy store of the multi-leg robot 2 during the charging process, and a basin device 3, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is embodied in two parts and comprises a first partial basin 6 and a second partial basin 7. An oil-dissolving medium is contained in the basin device 3 or in the sub-basins 6, 7. The partial basins 6, 7 are arranged in such a way that the feet 4 of the multi-leg robot 2 to be charged by the charging device are in contact with the oil-dissolving medium during the charging process in the basin device 3. As a result, the time of the charging process for charging the energy store of the multi-leg robot 2 can be used to free the feet 4 from accumulated oil by contact with the oil-dissolving medium.At the end of the partial basins 6, 7, a blower unit 5 is arranged. The multi-leg robot 2 can successively hold two of its feet 4 to the blower unit 5 arranged on the first sub-basin 6, and the other two feet 4 to the blower unit 5 arranged on the second sub-basin 7. Before the multi-leg robot 2 leaves the sub-basins 6, 7 after loading, it can thus hold its feet 4 in front of an air flow of the blower device or blower units 5, respectively, which blows the liquid and / or the remaining oil back into the basin device 3. At this time, the multi-leg robot 2 can move the feet 4 up and down to reach all the locations on the feet.Alternatively or additionally, the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures can have further features according to the embodiments of the general description.List of reference characters1 Charging device for charging an energy store 2 Multi-leg robot 3 Basin device 4 Feet of the multi-leg robot 5 Blower device 6 First partial basin 7 Second partial basin 8 Battery cooling blower

Claims

Charging device (1) for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2), having at least one basin device (3) which contains an oil-dissolving medium, wherein the basin device (3) is arranged in such a way that the feet (4) of a multi-leg robot (2) to be charged by the charging device are in contact with the oil-dissolving medium in the basin device (3) during the charging process.Charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2) according to claim 1, comprising at least one blower device (5) for removing oil-dissolving medium from a foot of the multi-leg robot (2) by means of an air flow.Charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the basin device (3) has a first partial basin (6) and a second partial basin (7) spatially separated from the first partial basin (6).Charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2) according to claim 3, wherein the first partial basin (6) and the second partial basin (7) are arranged such that during the charging process at least a part of the feet (4) of the multi-leg robot (2) are in the first partial basin (6) and the remaining feet (4) of the multi-leg robot (2) in the second partial basin (7) are each in contact with the oil-dissolving medium.Charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2) according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the blower device (5) for removing oil-dissolving medium has a first blower unit arranged at the end of the first partial basin (6) and a second blower unit arranged at the end of the second partial basin (7).Charging device for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the basin device (3) has a basin depth of at least 5.0 cm, preferably of at least 8.0 cm.Method for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2), comprising the steps of: - providing a charging device (1) for charging an energy store of a multi-leg robot (2) according to one of the preceding claims, - providing a multi-leg robot (2), - moving the multi-leg robot (2) to the charging device (1), and - positioning the multi-leg robot (2) on the charging device (1) such that an energy store of the multi-leg robot (2) is charged while the feet (4) of the multi-leg robot (2) are arranged in the basin device (3) in contact with the oil-dissolving medium.Method according to claim 7, wherein a part of the feet (4) of the multi-leg robot (2) is arranged in the first sub-basin (6) of the basin device (3) and the further feet (4) of the multi-leg robot (2) are arranged in the second sub-basin (7) of the basin device (3).Method according to one of claims 7 or 8, wherein after the loading process the multi-leg robot (2) holds its feet (4) on the blower device (5), so that oil-dissolving medium and / or residual oil remaining on the feet is blown back into the basin device (3) by an air flow caused by the blower device (5).

Images