Bipedal robot

Abstract

The objective is to provide a bipedal robot with a highly versatile configuration that allows for easy gait control while reducing energy consumption. [Solution] The bipedal robot 100 has a pair of drive units 1. Each drive unit 1 includes a rotary pump 2 for moving a working fluid 9, a first muscle 7a, a second muscle 7b, and a leg 60 to which the first muscle 7a and the second muscle 7b are connected. When the rotary pump 2 is operated, the working fluid 9 moves inside the first muscle 7a and the second muscle 7b.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a biped walking robot.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, biped walking robots using actuators have been proposed (Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-231081, Patent Document 2: International Publication No. 2021 / 256044, Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-126892). In addition, an actuator device using artificial muscles has been proposed (Patent Document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-176100).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A configuration in which a balloon is inflated or deflated to serve as an actuator makes it easier to reproduce muscle movement compared to a combination of an electric motor and gears or a combination of an electric pump and a cylinder. On the other hand, walking control remains a challenge, and due to factors such as high power consumption, such configurations have not achieved widespread adoption. Accordingly, a biped walking robot with a simple and highly versatile configuration is desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a bipedal walking robot with a simple and versatile configuration that allows for easy walking control and consumes less energy than conventional structures.

[0006] As one embodiment, the above problem is solved by the solution disclosed below.

[0007] The bipedal robot according to the present invention comprises a rotary pump for moving a working fluid, a first muscle connected to a first connection port of the rotary pump, a second muscle connected to a second connection port of the rotary pump, and legs to which the first and second muscles are connected, wherein the working fluid is movable inside the first muscle and inside the second muscle, the legs are connected in pairs to the hip joint, the rotary pump is signal-connected in pairs to a control unit, and the control unit drives and controls the rotary pump so that the legs perform flexion and extension movements.

[0008] This configuration allows for easy gait control because the rotary pump circulates the working fluid within the first and second muscles. Furthermore, it enables a highly versatile configuration while reducing energy consumption.

[0009] The rotary pump can be a screw pump, vane pump, gear pump, swashplate pump, screw pump, or any other known rotary pump. In particular, a screw pump can be made small while still providing a large stroke, making it easy to increase the volume of working fluid transported.

[0010] As an example, the rotary pump comprises an electric motor, a screw that rotates around an axis by the electric motor, and a housing that houses the screw. The housing has a first connecting port located near the base of the screw, and a first muscle is connected to the first connecting port via a first pipe. A second connecting port is located near the tip of the screw, and a second muscle is connected to the second connecting port via a second pipe. This configuration makes it easy to increase the amount of working fluid transported. Furthermore, it makes it easy to make the drive unit small and lightweight.

[0011] The electric motor can be a DC motor, an AC motor, or any other known electric motor. Brushless motors, in particular, allow for easy speed control.

[0012] As an example, the system includes a battery that supplies power to the electric motor and the control unit. This configuration makes it easy to operate over a wide range of motion. As an example, the control unit controls the electric motor at a variable speed. This configuration makes it easy to control the motor in accordance with the flexion and extension movements of the lower limbs.

[0013] This configuration can be used with PLL control (Phase Locked Loop control), F / V control (Frequency / Voltage control), servo control, and other known variable speed control methods. In particular, F / V control makes it easy to continuously control the rotational speed of the electric motor and allows for a simple device.

[0014] According to the present invention, walking control can be easily performed, and a highly versatile configuration can be achieved while reducing energy consumption. Therefore, a simple and highly versatile bipedal walking robot can be realized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating the drive unit of a bipedal walking robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which the electric motor is rotated in the forward direction, and the first amount of working fluid is transferred to the first muscle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the electric motor is rotated in the reverse direction in the drive unit of Figure 1, and half of the first component of the working fluid is moved to the second muscle. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the electric motor is rotated in the reverse direction in the drive unit of Figure 1, and the entire first component of the working fluid is moved to the second muscle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram schematically showing a state where the biped walking robot of the present embodiment is subjected to walking control to perform an A1 motion. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram schematically showing a state where the biped walking robot of the present embodiment is subjected to walking control to perform a B1 motion. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram schematically showing a state where the biped walking robot of the present embodiment is subjected to walking control to perform a C1 motion. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. A biped walking robot 100 of the present embodiment has a pair of drive units 1. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the drive unit 1 includes a rotary pump 2, an electric motor 4, a first muscle 7a, and a second muscle 7b. The rotary pump 2 has a screw 5 built in a cylindrical housing 3. The drive shaft of the electric motor 4 and the shaft portion of the screw 5 are connected on the axis P1. The biped walking robot 100 has a control unit 8b that performs variable speed control on the electric motor 4, and a battery 8a that supplies power to the electric motor 4 and the control unit 8b.

[0017] As an example, the working fluid 9 is an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or air. As a configuration other than the above, the working fluid 9 may be a flame-retardant hydraulic oil or antifreeze liquid. In all the drawings for describing the embodiments, members having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof may be omitted.

[0018] In the rotary pump 2, the first pipe 6a is connected to the first connection port 3a of the housing 3, and the second pipe 6b is connected to the second connection port 3b of the housing 3. The first muscle 7a includes a first balloon 31 and a first net 21 that covers the first balloon 31 and is attached to the leg portion 60. The first balloon 31 is inflated when it is filled with the working fluid 9 and the volume increases, and is deflated when the volume of the working fluid 9 decreases. The second muscle 7b includes a second balloon 32 and a second net 22 that covers the second balloon 32 and is attached to the leg portion 60. The second balloon 32 is inflated when it is filled with the working fluid 9 and the volume increases, and is deflated when the volume of the working fluid 9 decreases.

[0019] As an example, the first balloon 31 and the second balloon 32 are formed by molding an elastic rubber such as butyl rubber, synthetic rubber latex, polyurethane, or silicone rubber into a columnar shape, so as to have a structure that facilitates inflation and deflation. As an example, the first net 21 and the second net 22 are each made of a cylindrical woven fabric of synthetic fibers such as para-aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, high-strength polyarylate fibers, PBO fibers, and carbon fibers, and the cylindrical woven fabric has a plurality of filamentous fibers drawn out at equal intervals from the entire circumference of both end portions, and the filamentous fibers are configured to be interlocked with the cylindrical woven fabric. Then, the first balloon 31 connected to the first pipe 6a is covered with the first net 21, so that a structure that facilitates inflation and deflation together with the first balloon 31 is obtained. Similarly, the second balloon 32 connected to the second pipe 6b is covered with the second net 22, so that a structure that facilitates inflation and deflation together with the second balloon 32 is obtained.

[0020] FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 show the traveling direction of the working fluid 9 in the screw 5 of the housing 2 by arrow x1 and arrow x2. Further, the traveling direction of the working fluid 9 at the first connection port 3a and the second connection port 3b of the housing 3 is shown by arrow z1 and arrow z2. The operation direction at a position away from the joint 53 of the second bone 52 is shown by arrow y1 and arrow y2.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, when the screw 5 rotates forward, the working fluid 9 in the screw 5 moves in the direction of arrow x1, the working fluid 9 in the second connecting port 3b moves in the direction of arrow z1, the working fluid 9 drawn in from the second connecting port 3b moves into the housing 3 and the second balloon 32 contracts, and at the same time, the working fluid 9 in the first connecting port 3a moves in the direction of arrow z2, the working fluid 9 discharged from the first connecting port 3a moves into the first balloon 31 and the first balloon 31 expands. In other words, when the electric motor 4 rotates forward, the position of the second bone 52 away from the joint 53 moves in the direction of y1, causing a bending motion.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, when the screw 5 rotates in the reverse direction, the working fluid 9 in the screw 5 moves in the direction of arrow x2, the working fluid 9 in the first connecting port 3a moves in the direction of arrow z1, the working fluid 9 drawn in from the first connecting port 3a moves into the housing 3 and the first balloon 31 contracts, and at the same time, the working fluid 9 in the second connecting port 3b moves in the direction of arrow z2, the working fluid 9 discharged from the second connecting port 3b moves into the second balloon 32 and the second balloon 32 expands. In other words, when the electric motor 4 rotates in the reverse direction, the position of the second bone 52 away from the joint 53 moves in the direction of y2, causing an extension movement.

[0023] Figure 2 shows the state where half of the first volume of working fluid 9 has been transferred to the second balloon 32. At this time, the electric motor 4 is stopped, and the amount of working fluid 9 in the first balloon 31 is equal to the amount of working fluid 9 in the second balloon 32.

[0024] The above operation is just one example; by having the control unit 8b control the electric motor 4 at a variable speed, various physical movements such as walking and bending / stretching can be easily performed at a desired speed.

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating the state in which the bipedal robot 100 of this embodiment is controlled to perform the A1 action. Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating the state in which the bipedal robot 100 of this embodiment is controlled to perform the B1 action. Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating the state in which the bipedal robot 100 of this embodiment is controlled to perform the C1 action. Walking motion can be easily performed by performing the A1, B1, and C1 actions in sequence. Furthermore, by combining walking motion with flexion and extension motion, it can be used to lift and move a person requiring care, or to assist a person requiring care in walking.

[0026] The bipedal robot 100 has a left leg 61 and a right leg 62 that are rotatably connected at a hip joint 63. A first rotary pump 2a drives the left leg 61. A second rotary pump 2b drives the right leg 62. A first electric motor 4a and a second electric motor 4b are signal-connected to a control unit 8b. A battery 8a supplies power to the control unit 8b, the first electric motor 4a, and the second electric motor 4b. The control unit 8b drives and controls the first electric motor 4a and the second electric motor 4b to perform walking movements with the left leg 61 and the right leg 62.

[0027] According to the above embodiment, the control unit 8b controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the screw 5 in the rotary pump 2 (2a, 2b), thereby circulating the working fluid 9 within the first muscle 7a and the second muscle 7b. This makes walking control easier and allows for a highly versatile configuration while reducing energy consumption.

[0028] In the embodiments described above, the rotary pump 2 was described as a screw pump. Other configurations include vane pumps, gear pumps, swashplate pumps, and screw pumps as the rotary pump. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 1. Drive unit 2 rotary pumps, 2a first rotary pump, 2b second rotary pump 3 Housing, 3a First connection port, 3b Second connection port 4 Electric motors: 4 First electric motor, 4b Second electric motor 5 screws 6a 1st pipe, 6b 2nd pipe 7a 1st muscle, 7b 2nd muscle 8a Battery, 8b Control Unit 9 Working fluid 21 First Net, 21a First Connection Port, 21b Second Connection Port 22 Second net, 22a Third end, 22b Fourth end 23 First mounting fixture 24. Second mounting bracket 25 First connection section 26 Second connection section 31. Balloon 1 32. Second balloon 51 First bone 52 Second bone 53 Knee joint 60 Legs 61 Left leg 62 Right leg 63 Hip joint E1 ground P1 axis x1 1st direction x2 2nd direction y1 bending direction y2 extension direction z1 3rd direction z2 4th direction

Claims

1. The apparatus comprises a rotary pump for moving a working fluid, a first muscle connected to a first connection port of the rotary pump, a second muscle connected to a second connection port of the rotary pump, and a leg portion to which the first and second muscles are connected, wherein the working fluid is movable inside the first muscle and inside the second muscle, the leg portion is connected in pairs to the hip joint, the rotary pump is signal-connected in pairs to a control unit, and the control unit drives and controls the rotary pump so that the leg portion performs flexion and extension movements. A bipedal robot characterized by [feature].

2. The rotary pump comprises an electric motor, a screw that rotates around an axis by the electric motor, and a housing in which the screw is housed. The housing has a first connecting port located near the base of the screw, and a first muscle is connected to the first connecting port via a first pipe. The housing also has a second connecting port located near the tip of the screw, and a second muscle is connected to the second connecting port via a second pipe. A bipedal robot according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

3. The system comprises an electric motor and a battery that supplies power to the control unit, and the control unit controls the electric motor at a variable speed. A bipedal robot according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

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