Running robot

Abstract

To provide a running robot capable of making a minimum value of a turning radius while reducing cost.SOLUTION: A running robot includes a base part, a shaft part, a driving source arranged on the base part to rotate the shaft part, a first driving wheel attached to one end part of the shaft part, a second driving wheel attached to the other end part of the shaft part, a differential gear for adjusting rotations of the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, a first brake for decelerating rotational motion of at least either one of the first driving wheel or the second driving wheel, and a control part for controlling operation of the driving source and the first brake.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a running robot. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a trackless vehicle that has independent drive wheels on the left and right sides of the center of the vehicle body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to Patent Document 1, one motor and one brake are provided for each tire. Casters are also attached to the front and rear of the vehicle in the direction of travel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-8067 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the trackless vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, a configuration in which one motor and one brake are provided for each tire leads to increased costs when multiple tires are provided. Furthermore, for example, if a differential gear is used on the rear wheels to drive the left and right tires with one motor and the front wheels are used for steering, the minimum turning radius becomes large. This reduces the vehicle's maneuverability and reduces the vehicle's freedom of movement.

[0005] Therefore, one of the objects is to provide a traveling robot that can reduce the minimum value of the turning radius while reducing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A running robot according to the present disclosure comprises a base, an axle, a drive source disposed on the base and rotating the axle, a first drive wheel attached to one end of the axle, a second drive wheel attached to the other end of the axle, a differential gear that adjusts the rotation of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, a first brake that slows down the rotational motion of at least one of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, and a control unit that controls the operation of the drive source and the first brake. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the traveling robot, the minimum turning radius can be reduced while reducing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a running robot according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the running robot shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the running robot shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the traveling robot shown in FIG. 1 with some members removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the running robot shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view of the running robot shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of the running robot shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the running robot shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the first omni-wheel. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the first omni-wheel shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of the first omniwheel shown in FIG. [Figure 12]FIG. 12 is a schematic side view of the first omni-wheel shown in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view showing a running robot according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic front view showing a running robot according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Outline of the embodiment] The running robot of the present disclosure comprises a base portion, an axle portion, a drive source arranged on the base portion and rotating the axle portion, a first drive wheel attached to one end of the axle portion, a second drive wheel attached to the other end of the axle portion, a differential device that adjusts the rotation of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, a first brake that slows down the rotational motion of at least one of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, and a control unit that controls the operation of the drive source and the first brake.

[0010] According to the traveling robot of the present disclosure, a single drive source can rotate the axle, thereby rotating the first and second drive wheels attached to both ends of the axle. This reduces the number of drive sources, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, the first brake can decelerate at least one of the first and second drive wheels, thereby controlling the rotational movement of at least one of the first and second drive wheels to allow the robot to turn. In this case, one of the drive wheels can be stopped and controlled to turn around the position of the stopped drive wheel as the center of rotation, thereby reducing the minimum turning radius. As a result, the traveling robot described above can reduce the minimum turning radius while reducing costs.

[0011] The traveling robot may further include a second brake that decelerates the rotational motion of the second drive wheel. The first brake may decelerate the rotational motion of the first drive wheel. The control unit may control the operation of the second brake. In this way, by controlling the rotational motion of the first drive wheel with the first brake and the rotational motion of the second drive wheel with the second brake, the rotational motion of each drive wheel can be controlled with two brakes to turn. Therefore, more precise control of the rotational motion can be achieved.

[0012] In the traveling robot, at least one of the first brake and the second brake may be provided as a pair with the shaft in between, allowing each brake to be controlled by the pair of brakes, enabling more precise control of deceleration.

[0013] In the running robot, at least one of the first brake and the second brake may include a micropowder brake. Such a micropowder brake adjusts torque via magnetic powder, reducing impact during braking and enabling smooth running. Therefore, it is suitable for use in the running robot.

[0014] In the running robot, the base may be plate-shaped. The first brake and the second brake may be mounted on the base. This allows the first brake and the second brake to be stably disposed on the base. This allows for smoother running.

[0015] The traveling robot may further include a gear disposed between at least one of the first brake and the second brake and the shaft, for transmitting deceleration motion. This allows deceleration motion to be transmitted via the gear. This allows for more appropriate deceleration motion. Furthermore, the torque increases when decelerating by using the gear, which results in a reduction in the required brake torque. This allows for the selection of a more compact brake with flexible layout.

[0016] The running robot may further include a driven wheel disposed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the shaft and rotatably supported on the base portion, whereby the rotation of the driven wheel allows the running robot to run smoothly while supporting the base portion.

[0017] In the running robot, the driven wheels may be provided as a pair with the shaft portion sandwiched between them. In this way, the pair of driven wheels enables the running robot to run more smoothly.

[0018] In the traveling robot, the drive source may be provided coaxially with the shaft. This simplifies the mechanism for rotating the shaft by the drive source, while making it easier to make the structure of the traveling robot compact. This improves convenience.

[0019] In the running robot, the driven wheels may include omni-wheels. Such omni-wheels are preferably used because they appropriately transmit the driving force from the driving source in the running direction and rotate freely in a direction intersecting the running direction without generating their own driving force.

[0020] [Specific example of embodiment] Next, an example of a specific embodiment of the traveling robot of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0021] (Embodiment 1) First, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a running robot according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the running robot shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a view from the direction indicated by arrow II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the running robot shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view from the direction indicated by arrow III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the running robot shown in FIG. 1 with some components removed. Specifically, FIG. 4 is a view of the running robot shown in FIG. 1 with a pair of side plate sections (described later) and a pair of support sections (described later) removed. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the running robot shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a view from the direction indicated by arrow V in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view of the running robot shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a view from the direction indicated by arrow VI in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of the running robot shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a view from the direction indicated by arrow VII in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the running robot shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a view seen from the direction indicated by arrow VIII in FIG. 4. In FIG. 1 and the following figures, the X direction indicates the front-to-rear direction of the running robot, the Y direction indicates the left-to-right direction (width direction) of the running robot, and the Z direction indicates the height direction (up-to-down direction) of the running robot. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are all orthogonal to each other. The running robot mainly travels in the front-to-back direction. In FIG. 3, a control unit 19a, which will be described later, is schematically illustrated, and the control unit 19a is not illustrated in other figures.

[0022] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, a traveling robot 10a according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a base portion 11a, a shaft portion 12a, a motor 13a as a drive source, a first tire 14a as a first drive wheel, a second tire 15a as a second drive wheel, and a differential gear 16a as a differential device. The base portion 11a is plate-shaped. The base portion 11a includes a first main surface 17a located on one side in the thickness direction and a second main surface 18a located on the other side in the thickness direction. The base portion 11a has a rectangular shape in which the length in the front-to-rear direction is longer than the length in the left-to-right direction when viewed in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the base portion 11a. Each part constituting the traveling robot 10a is disposed on the base portion 11a, specifically on the first main surface 17a of the base portion 11a. When the traveling robot 10a is in operation, the second main surface 18a is positioned so as to face the ground. The second main surface 18a is spaced apart from the ground by the first tire 14a, the second tire 15a, and the first omni-wheel 31a and the second omni-wheel 32a (described later).

[0023] The shaft 12a is disposed above the base 11a with its longitudinal direction parallel to the left-right direction, i.e., its width direction. That is, the shaft 12a is attached with its longitudinal direction parallel to the Y direction. The shaft 12a rotates when driven by a motor 13a serving as a drive source. The motor 13a is mounted on a first main surface 17a of the base 11a. The motor 13a is provided coaxially with the shaft 12a. A first tire 14a serving as a first drive wheel is attached to one end of the shaft 12a (the end facing opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow Y). A second tire 15a serving as a second drive wheel is attached to the other end of the shaft 12a (the end facing the direction indicated by the arrow Y). The traveling robot 10a can travel using both the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a as main driving wheels. The outer circumferential portions of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a that come into contact with the ground are made of rubber. Each of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a has a plurality of elongated holes extending in the circumferential direction and penetrating in the Y direction, a total of three holes in total, spaced apart in the circumferential direction in this embodiment. The first tire 14a and the second tire 15a are not inclined, and are attached so as to be parallel to the XZ plane, as can be seen particularly from Figures 5 to 7.

[0024] The differential gear 16a, which serves as a differential device, adjusts the rotation of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a. The differential gear 16a is placed above the first main surface 17a of the base portion 11a with a gap therebetween. The differential gear 16a is also provided coaxially with the shaft portion 12a. The differential gear 16a is arranged alongside the motor 13a in the Y direction. In the Y direction, the motor 13a is arranged on the first tire 14a side, and the differential gear 16a is arranged on the second tire 15a side.

[0025] The traveling robot 10a also includes a pair of side plates 21a, 22a and a pair of support portions 23a, 24a. The pair of side plates 21a, 22a are attached to both ends of the base portion 11a in the Y direction, spaced apart in the Y direction, with the thickness direction being the Y direction. The pair of side plates 21a, 22a are provided with an opening through which the shaft portion 12a passes. The pair of support portions 23a, 24a are provided so as to connect the pair of side plates 21a, 22a in the Y direction. The pair of support portions 23a, 24a are provided with a space in the X direction, sandwiching the shaft portion 12a therebetween.

[0026] The traveling robot 10a includes a pair of omni-wheels (a first omni-wheel 31a and a second omni-wheel 32a) as a pair of driven wheels. The first omni-wheel 31a and the second omni-wheel 32a are attached to both ends of the base portion 11a in the X direction, which is a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 12a and, in this embodiment, a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The base portion 11a is provided with a first notch 25a located at one end in the X direction and at the center in the Y direction, penetrating the thickness direction. When viewed in the thickness direction (Z direction), the first omni-wheel 31a is housed within this first notch 25a. The first omni-wheel 31a housed within the first notch 25a is covered, at an area above the base portion 11a, by a first cover portion 36a. The first cover portion 36a is a member formed by bending a strip-shaped member into a semicircular arc, and is semicircular when viewed in the Y direction.

[0027] The traveling robot 10a also includes a first support rod 27a and a pair of first support plates 28a, 29a. The first omniwheel 31a is rotatably supported by the round rod-shaped first support rod 27a. The first support rod 27a is supported by a pair of first support plates 28a, 29a that are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction and straddle the first cutout 25a. The first support plates 28a, 29a each have a semicircular arc shape when viewed in the Y direction and are provided to protrude from the first main surface 17a of the base portion 11a.

[0028] The base portion 11a has a second notch 26a located at the other end in the X direction and at the center in the Y direction, penetrating the base portion 11a in the thickness direction. The second omni-wheel 32a is housed in this second notch 26a when viewed in the thickness direction. The traveling robot 10a also includes a second support rod 33a and a pair of second support plates 34a and 35a. The second support rod 33a has the same configuration as the first support rod 27a, and the second support plates 34a and 35a have the same configuration as the first support plates 28a and 29a, so their description will be omitted. The second omni-wheel 32a is rotatably supported by the second support rod 33a, and the second support rod 33a is supported by the pair of second support plates 34a and 35a. The area of ​​the second omni-wheel 32a housed in the second notch 26a above the base portion 11a is covered by a second cover portion 37a. The second cover portion 37a is a member obtained by bending a strip-shaped member into a semicircular arc shape when viewed in the Y direction.

[0029] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the first omni-wheel 31a. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the first omni-wheel 31a shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a view seen from the direction opposite to the direction indicated by arrow Z in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of the first omni-wheel 31a shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a view seen from the direction indicated by arrow XI in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a schematic side view of the first omni-wheel 31a shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a view seen from the direction indicated by arrow XII in FIG. 9.

[0030] 9 to 12, the first omniwheel 31a includes a first frame portion 41a and a plurality of, in this embodiment, six, first barrel portions 42a, 43a, 44a, 45a, 46a, and 47a. The outer shape of the first frame portion 41a is disk-shaped when viewed in the Y direction, and a first through-hole 48a, into which the first support rod 27a is inserted, is provided at the radial center so as to penetrate in the Y direction. The first frame portion 41a is provided with six first mounting portions 52a, 53a, 54a, 55a, 56a, and 57a that accommodate and mount the six first barrel portions 42a, 43a, 44a, 45a, 46a, and 47a. The first barrel portion 42a includes a first outer cover portion 49a that is configured with a curved surface and has an outer circumferential surface whose diameter gradually increases from both longitudinal ends of the first barrel portion 42a toward the center. The first barrel portion 42a is rotatably supported by the first frame portion 41a via a first receiver 51a. The first barrel portions 42a, 43a, and 44a are attached to one side of the first frame portion 41a in the Y direction at different angles. The first barrel portions 42a, 43a, and 44a are attached so that their rotational centers are spaced 120 degrees apart. The first barrel portions 45a, 46a, and 47a are attached to the other side of the first frame portion 41a in the Y direction. Like the first barrel portions 42a, 43a, and 44a, the first barrel portions 45a, 46a, and 47a are also attached so that their rotational centers are spaced 120 degrees apart.

[0031] Such a first omni-wheel 31a is suitable for use because it transmits the driving force of the motor 13a as a driving source appropriately in the traveling direction, and rotates freely in a direction intersecting the traveling direction without having its own driving force. The second omni-wheel 32a has the same configuration as the first omni-wheel 31a except for its mounting position, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] Here, the traveling robot 10a includes first brakes 61a and 62a, second brakes 63a and 64a, and a control unit 19a (see FIG. 3 in particular). The first brakes 61a and 62a decelerate the rotational motion of the first tire 14a. The first brakes 61a and 62a are provided as a pair, sandwiching the axle 12a. In the X direction, the first brake 61a is disposed on the first omni-wheel 31a side, and the first brake 62a is disposed on the second omni-wheel 32a side. The second brakes 63a and 64a decelerate the rotational motion of the second tire 15a. The second brakes 63a and 64a are also provided as a pair, sandwiching the axle 12a. In the X direction, the second brake 63a is disposed on the first omni-wheel 31a side, and the second brake 64a is disposed on the second omni-wheel 32a side. Furthermore, the first brake 61a and the second brake 63a are arranged side by side in the Y direction with a gap therebetween, and the first brake 62a and the second brake 64a are arranged side by side in the Y direction with a gap therebetween. Electromagnetic brakes are preferably used as the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a. In this embodiment, the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a include micropowder brakes. Specifically, the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a are micropowder brakes.

[0033] The traveling robot 10a includes gears (a first gear 65a, a second gear 66a, a pair of third gears 67a, 68a, a pair of fourth gears 71a, 72a, a pair of fifth gears 73a, 74a, and a pair of sixth gears 75a, 76a). The first gear 65a and the second gear 66a are attached to the shaft portion 12a and rotate together with the shaft portion 12a. In the Y direction, the first gear 65a is attached to the side of the first tire 14a, and the second gear 66a is attached to the side of the second tire 15a. In the Y direction, the pair of third gears 67a, 68a and the pair of fourth gears 71a, 72a are attached to the side of the first tire 14a. The third gear 67a is attached to the first brake 61a, and the third gear 68a is attached to the first brake 62a. The fourth gear 71a is arranged to mesh with both the first gear 65a and the third gear 67a. The fourth gear 72a is arranged to mesh with both the first gear 65a and the third gear 68a. In the Y direction, the pair of fifth gears 73a, 74a and the pair of sixth gears 75a, 76a are attached to the second tire 15a side. The fifth gear 73a is attached to the second brake 63a, and the fifth gear 74a is attached to the second brake 64a. The sixth gear 75a is arranged to mesh with both the second gear 66a and the fifth gear 73a. The sixth gear 76a is arranged to mesh with both the second gear 66a and the fifth gear 74a. That is, the traveling robot 10a includes a first gear 65a, a second gear 66a, a pair of third gears 67a, 68a, a pair of fourth gears 71a, 72a, a pair of fifth gears 73a, 74a, and a pair of sixth gears 75a, 76a, which are arranged between the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a and the shaft portion 12a and transmit the deceleration motion of the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a to the shaft portion 12a.

[0034] The control unit 19a controls the rotational operation of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a. In this embodiment, the control unit 19a is disposed above the motor 13a, the first brakes 61a, 62a, and the second brakes 63a, 64a. The control unit 19a is schematically illustrated by a dashed line in FIG. 3. The control unit 19a, the motor 13a, the first brakes 61a, 62a, and the second brakes 63a, 64a are electrically connected to each other via wiring or the like (not shown). The control unit 19a controls the operation of the motor 13a, the first brakes 61a, 62a, and the second brakes 63a, 64a, thereby controlling the rotational operation of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a.

[0035] Next, an example of control of the rotational movement by the control unit 19a will be briefly described. First, a control signal is sent from the control unit 19a to drive the motor 13a. At this time, no control signal is sent to the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a. Then, the traveling robot 10a travels in the direction of arrow X or the opposite direction depending on the direction of rotation of the shaft 12a.

[0036] Next, by sending control signals to the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a to set a difference between the rotation speeds of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a, the traveling robot 10a can travel while turning in either direction. Then, by stopping either the first tire 14a or the second tire 15a using the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a, the traveling robot 10a can turn around the stopped tire 14a or the second tire 15a as its center of rotation. The turning radius R1 in this case is as shown in FIG. 5. The turning radius R1 corresponds to the length of the line segment connecting the center of the first tire 14a and the center of the second tire 15a in the Y direction. In this way, the minimum value of the turning radius R1 can be reduced.

[0037] As described above, the traveling robot 10a configured as described above can rotate the axle 12a using the motor 13a as a single drive source, thereby rotating the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a attached to both ends of the axle 12a. This allows for a reduction in the number of motors 13a, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, the first brakes 61a and 62a can decelerate the first tire 14a, thereby controlling the rotational motion of the first tire 14a and enabling the robot to turn. In this case, the first tire 14a can be stopped and controlled to turn around the position of the stopped first tire 14a as the center of rotation, thereby reducing the minimum turning radius R1. As described above, the traveling robot 10a can reduce the minimum turning radius R1 while reducing costs.

[0038] In this embodiment, a second brake that decelerates the rotational motion of the second tire 15a is included. The first brakes 61a and 62a decelerate the rotational motion of the first tire 14a. The control unit 19a controls the operation of the second brakes 63a and 64a. Therefore, by controlling the rotational motion of the first tire 14a with the first brakes 61a and 62a and controlling the rotational motion of the second tire 15a with the second brakes 63a and 64a, the rotational motion of each drive wheel can be controlled with two brakes to turn. This allows for more precise control of the rotational motion.

[0039] In this embodiment, the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a are provided as a pair, with the shaft 12a sandwiched between them, so that each of the pair of brakes can be controlled, enabling more precise control of the deceleration operation.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a each include a micropowder brake. Such a micropowder brake adjusts torque via magnetic powder, reducing impact during braking and enabling smooth running. Therefore, it is suitable for use in the running robot 10a.

[0041] In this embodiment, the base portion 11a is plate-shaped. The first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a are mounted on the base portion 11a. This allows the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a to be stably disposed on the base portion 11a. This allows for smoother travel.

[0042] In this embodiment, the brake system includes gears (a first gear 65a, a second gear 66a, a pair of third gears 67a, 68a, a pair of fourth gears 71a, 72a, a pair of fifth gears 73a, 74a, and a pair of sixth gears 75a, 76a) that are disposed between the shaft portion 12a and each of the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a. These gears transmit deceleration motion. This allows for more appropriate deceleration. Furthermore, torque increases during deceleration due to the gears, resulting in a reduction in the required brake torque. This allows for the selection of a more compact brake with flexible layout.

[0043] In this embodiment, the running robot 10a includes a first omni-wheel 31a and a second omni-wheel 32a as driven wheels that are arranged in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the shaft 12a and rotatably supported on the base 11a. Therefore, the rotation of the first omni-wheel 31a and the second omni-wheel 32a enables the running robot 10a to run smoothly while supporting the base 11a.

[0044] In this embodiment, the first omni-wheel 31a and the second omni-wheel 32a are provided as a pair with the shaft portion 12a sandwiched between them. Therefore, the pair of the first omni-wheel 31a and the second omni-wheel 32a enables the running robot 10a to run more smoothly.

[0045] In this embodiment, the motor 13a as a drive source is provided coaxially with the shaft 12a. This simplifies the mechanism for rotating the shaft 12a by the motor 13a, while making it easy to make the structure of the traveling robot 10a compact. This improves convenience.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the first brakes 61a, 62a and the second brakes 63a, 64a are provided in pairs, but this is not limited to this and one of each may be provided, or three or more may be provided.

[0047] (Embodiment 2) Another embodiment, embodiment 2, will now be described. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view showing a running robot 10b according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. Running robot 10b according to embodiment 2 basically has the same configuration as in embodiment 1 and achieves the same effects. However, running robot 10b according to embodiment 2 differs from running robot 10a according to embodiment 1 in that it does not include a second brake.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 13, the running robot 10b of the second embodiment includes a base portion 11a, an axle portion 12a, a motor 13a as a drive source, a first tire 14a, a second tire 15a, a differential gear 16a that adjusts the rotation of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a, first brakes 61a, 62a that slow down the rotational motion of the first tire 14a, and a control unit 19a (see FIG. 3) that controls the operation of the motor 13a and the first brakes 61a, 62a.

[0049] With this configuration, the configuration of the traveling robot 10b can be made even more compact.

[0050] (Embodiment 3) Another embodiment, a third embodiment, will now be described. FIG. 14 is a schematic front view showing a running robot 10c according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. Running robot 10c according to the third embodiment basically has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment and achieves the same effects. However, running robot 10c according to the third embodiment differs from running robot 10a according to the first embodiment in that first tire 14a and second tire 15a are tilted compared to running robot 10a according to the first embodiment. Note that, to facilitate understanding, the first tire 14a and second tire 15a are exaggeratedly tilted in FIG. 14.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 14, the first tire 14a included in the traveling robot 10c of the third embodiment is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the vertical direction. In this case, the first tire 14a is inclined so that the upper side approaches the center of the traveling robot 10c. The second tire 15a included in the traveling robot 10c is also inclined at an angle −θ with respect to the vertical direction. That is, the width W1 in the Y direction of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a that come into contact with the ground surface 20a is configured to be larger than the width W2 in the Y direction of the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a at their highest points in the Z direction. This configuration can be achieved, for example, by including a pair of joints (not shown) in the traveling robot 10c that allow swinging and by arranging ball joints at the connection portions between the first tire 14a and the second tire 15a and the axle portion 12a, respectively.

[0052] With this configuration, the running stability of the running robot 10c can be improved.

[0053] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, an omniwheel is used as the driven wheel, but this is not limiting. For example, the driven wheel may be a simple ball that is rotatably supported, or a configuration that does not include a driven wheel may be adopted.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the motor is mounted on the base portion, but this is not limited to this, and the motor may be arranged, for example, above the differential gear, the first brake, or the second brake.

[0055] The present invention is intended to cover a wide range of applications, including those related to the present invention, including those related to the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 10a, 10b, 10c traveling robot, 11a base portion, 12a shaft portion, 13a motor, 14a, first tire, 15a second tire, 16a differential gear, 17a first main surface, 18a second main surface, 19a control portion, 20a contact surface, 21a, 22a side plate portion, 23a, 24a support portion, 25a first notch, 26a second notch, 27a first support rod, 28a, 29a first support plate, 31a first omni wheel, 32a second omni wheel, 33a second support rod, 34a, 35a second support plate, 36a first cover portion, 37a second cover portion, 41a first frame portion, 42a, 43a, 44a, 45a, 46a, 47a first barrel portion, 48a First through hole, 49a outer skin portion, 51a first receiving device, 52a, 53a, 54a, 55a, 56a, 57a first mounting portion, 61a, 62a first electromagnetic brake, 63a, 64a second electromagnetic brake, 65a first gear, 66a second gear, 67a, 68a third gear, 71a, 72a fourth gear, 73a, 74a fifth gear, 75a, 76a sixth gear.

Claims

1. A base portion; A shaft portion; a drive source disposed on the base portion and configured to rotate the shaft portion; a first drive wheel attached to one end of the shaft; a second drive wheel attached to the other end of the shaft; a differential device that adjusts rotation of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel; a first brake that decelerates the rotational motion of at least one of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel; a control unit that controls operation of the drive source and the first brake.

2. a second brake that slows down the rotational movement of the second drive wheel; the first brake slows down the rotational movement of the first drive wheel; The running robot according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls an operation of the second brake.

3. The traveling robot according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first brake and the second brake is provided as a pair with the shaft portion therebetween.

4. The running robot according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one of the first brake and the second brake includes a micro-powder brake.

5. The base portion is plate-shaped, The traveling robot according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first brake and the second brake are mounted on the base portion.

6. 4. The running robot according to claim 2, further comprising a gear disposed between at least one of the first brake and the second brake and the shaft portion, the gear transmitting deceleration motion.

7. 3. The running robot according to claim 1, further comprising a driven wheel disposed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion and rotatably supported on the base portion.

8. The running robot according to claim 7 , wherein the driven wheels are provided as a pair with the shaft portion sandwiched therebetween.

9. The running robot according to claim 7 , wherein the driven wheels include omni-wheels.

10. 3. The running robot according to claim 1, wherein the drive source is provided coaxially with the shaft portion.

Images