Equipment and robots

Abstract

Reduces the load on the drive unit caused by the exterior. [Solution] A convex part 241A is provided on the head 204 of the robot 200. Also, a convex part 241B is provided on the body 206. An engagement plate 260A and an engagement plate 260B provided on the exterior 201 engage with the corresponding convex part 241A and convex part 241B, respectively, thereby fixing the exterior 201 of the robot 200 to the housing 207. The convex part 241A and the convex part 241B are provided on the side of the head 204 and the side of the body 206, which are planes approximately perpendicular to an axis 102 about which the head 204 is rotatable relative to the body 206.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and robots Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to make a robot as familiar as a pet, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a robot equipped with an exterior covering a housing unit. Also, in robots that imitate animals such as dogs and cats, the housing unit is covered with an elastic exterior to make the robot look like a real animal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-191276 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the robot described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of attachment parts are provided at different positions on the housing, and the exterior is fixed to the housing by the plurality of attachment parts. Here, when an elastic exterior is fixed to the housing by such a plurality of attachment parts, the exterior is pulled between one attachment part and the other attachment part depending on the movement of the robot. Therefore, there is a problem that the tension of the exterior hinders the movement of the robot and increases the load on the driving parts such as the motor.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides an apparatus capable of reducing the load on a drive unit caused by an exterior. and robots The purpose is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The device according to the present invention comprises: It has elasticity, bag-like was formed inExterior and, A housing portion accommodated inside the exterior; and Equipped with The housing portion includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion is connected to the second housing portion in a front-rear direction, and the first housing portion is connected to the second housing portion so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction, the exterior is engaged with the first housing portion and the second housing portion at a plurality of engagement points inside the exterior, the plurality of engagement points of the exterior with the first housing are on both side surfaces of the first housing in a left-right direction, At least one of the plurality of engagement portions of the exterior to the second housing portion is on either one of both side surfaces in the left and right direction of the second housing portion. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the load on the drive unit caused by the exterior can be reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the left-right direction of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the up-down direction of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along dashed line XX' in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining a housing unit of the robot according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion “VI” in FIG. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an engagement plate and a convex part according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is an oblique view of the engagement plate and the convex part in a state where they are not engaged with each other, and (b) is an oblique view of the engagement plate and the convex part in a state where they are engaged with each other. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the effect of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a robot in which a convex part is provided in a position different from that of the robot according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the robot shown in FIG. 1A when the head of the robot is rotated downward. [Figure 9]1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the effect of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the robot, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the robot when its head is rotated downward. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the effect of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the length of an exterior of a conventional robot before and after head rotation, and (c) and (d) are diagrams showing the length of an exterior of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention before and after head rotation. [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the mechanism by which the rotation of the engagement plate reduces the stretching of the exterior, where (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention in its initial state, (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the head of the robot has rotated, assuming that the engagement plate does not rotate, and (c) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the head of the robot according to an embodiment of the present invention has rotated. [Figure 12] 11 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the left-right direction of a robot according to a modified example of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 11 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the left-right direction of a robot according to a modified example of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a perspective view for explaining a housing part of a robot according to a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the embodiment, the description will be given with reference to the front, back, left and right directions in FIG.

[0010] (Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 200 according to the embodiment is a pet robot that imitates a small animal. The robot 200 is provided with two decorative parts 202 on the front side, each having a decorative part that imitates the eyes of a small animal. In this way, the front side of the robot 200 forms the face of the small animal. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot 200 has a housing part 207 and an exterior 201 that covers the housing part 207. Note that hatching has been omitted in FIGS. 2 and 3 in consideration of ease of viewing the drawings.

[0011] 2 and 3, housing 207 has head 204 as a first housing, body 206 as a second housing provided behind head 204, and connecting portion 205 connecting head 204 and body 206. Housing 207 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is colored light pink so as not to give a mechanical impression to the user.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting unit 205 constituting a part of the housing unit 207 connects the rear end of the head 204 and the front end of the body unit 206. The connecting unit 205 is provided with a motor 222 as a drive unit of the robot 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the motor 222 rotates the head 204 in the direction indicated by the arrow Y1 around a virtual axis 102 as a first rotation axis extending in a direction penetrating the figure (depth direction). By moving the head 204 in this way, it is possible to make the robot 200 imitating a small animal shown in FIG. 1 move as if shaking its head up and down. The connecting unit 205 connects the head 204 and the body unit 206 so that the head 204 can move by rotation by the motor 222.

[0013] Here, the connection structure between the head 204 and the connecting part 205 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the robot 200 cut along the dashed line XX' in FIG. 2. The motor 222 is housed in a case 2051 of the connecting part 205. The motor 222 has a coil 2221 and a drive shaft 2222 arranged concentrically with the shaft 102. The left and right ends of the drive shaft 2222 are exposed to the left and right outsides of the connecting part 205 from left and right holes provided in the left and right side walls of the case 2051, respectively, and are attached integrally to a disk-shaped horn 2223. The left and right horns 2223 are fixed to the left and right side walls of the case 2041 of the head 204 by four screws 2042, and each screw 2042 extends in the axial direction of the drive shaft 2222 (i.e., the left and right direction).

[0014] In addition, a ring-shaped rubber 2043 is provided at each of the left and right side walls of the case 2041 at the portion through which the screw 2042 penetrates. The screw 2042 is inserted into a through hole at the center of the rubber 2043, and the head of the screw 2042 contacts the edge of the through hole of the rubber 2043 from the outside. When the motor 222 is driven and the drive shaft 2222 rotates, the case 2041 (head 204) fixed by the screw 2042 can be rotated via the horn 2223. Here, even if an external force is applied to the head 204 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the drive shaft 2222, the impact of this external force can be absorbed by the rubber 2043, and damage to the motor 222 can be prevented. Note that instead of the rubber 2043, a material such as a resin having high impact absorption properties may be used.

[0015] The head 204, which constitutes a part of the housing 207, is a part corresponding to the head of the robot 200 simulating a small animal. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, on the left and right side surfaces of the head 204, at positions within a specific range from the axis 102 (for example, within a range of 3 centimeters from the axis 102), a convex part 241A is attached as a first engaged part that engages with a first engaging part (engagement plate 260A) provided on the exterior 201. The left and right side surfaces of the head 204 are surfaces that are approximately perpendicular to the axis 102 on which the head 204 can rotate with respect to the body 206. By engaging the first engaging part (engagement plate 260A) provided on the exterior 201 with the first engaged part (convex part 241A) attached to the head 204, the exterior 201 can be locked to the housing 207, and thus the exterior 201 can be moved in accordance with the operation of the housing 207. The first engaging part and the first engaged part will be described in detail later.

[0016] The body 206 constituting a part of the housing 207 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape long in the front-rear direction, and is placed on a placement surface 101 such as a floor or a table via the exterior 201 as shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the left and right side surfaces of the body 206 are provided with convex parts 241B as second engaged parts similar to those provided on the head 204. The left and right side surfaces of the body 206 to which the convex parts 241B are attached are surfaces that are approximately perpendicular to the shaft 102 about which the body 206 is rotatable relative to the head 204. As with the first engaged part, the convex part 241B as the second engaged part engages with a second engaging part (engagement plate 260B) provided on the exterior 201. The configurations of the second engaging portion (engaging plate 260B) and the second engaged portion (convex part 241B) are similar to the configurations of the first engaging portion (engaging plate 260A) and the first engaged portion (convex part 241A) described above. In the following description, the first engaging portion (engaging plate 260A) and the second engaging portion (engaging plate 260B) are collectively referred to simply as the engaging portion (engaging plate 260). In addition, the first engaged portion (convex part 241A) and the second engaged portion (convex part 241B) are collectively referred to simply as the engaged portion (convex part 241).

[0017] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the exterior 201 is long in the front-rear direction and has a bag-like shape having elasticity capable of accommodating the housing unit 207 inside. As shown in Fig. 6, the exterior 201 is formed by sewing together sheet-like outer fabric 251 and inner fabric 252 with thread 253 at multiple locations in a state where they are overlapped with each other. In this way, by sewing together the outer fabric 251 and the inner fabric 252 with thread 253 at multiple locations, it is possible to handle them as a single unit without causing any misalignment between the outer fabric 251 and the inner fabric 252. It is preferable that the sewing location of the outer fabric 251 and the inner fabric 252 with thread 253 is provided at a location other than between the engagement plate 260A and the engagement plate 260B. This is because if a sewing location is provided between the engagement plate 260A and the engagement plate 260B, the extension of the exterior 201 due to the rotation of the head 204 becomes large, and the load on the motor 222 becomes large. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the outer material 251 is made of an artificial pile fabric that imitates the fur 203 of a small animal. This allows the feel of the skin of the robot 200 to resemble that of a small animal. In Fig. 6, the fur 203 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is omitted in order to prevent the drawing from becoming complicated. The lining 252 is made of a woven cloth made of synthetic fibers. The lining 252 may also be made of natural leather, artificial leather, a sheet material made of synthetic resin, a sheet material made of rubber, or a cloth made of natural fibers. Also, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inside of the exterior 201 is provided with engagement plates 260A and 260B as engagement parts. The engagement plates 260A and 260B engage with the corresponding convex parts 241A and 241B, so that the exterior 201 is engaged (fixed) to the housing part 207.

[0018] 1, line fastener 208 is attached to the rear of exterior 201. With housing unit 207 (FIG. 2) housed inside exterior 201, slider 208a of line fastener 208 is slid to close line fastener 208, thereby maintaining housing unit 207 (FIG. 2) housed in exterior 201. On the other hand, housing unit 207 (FIG. 2) can be inserted or removed from exterior 201 by sliding slider 208a to open line fastener 208.

[0019] 2 and 3, the exterior 201 moves in response to the movement of the housing part 207 caused by the drive of the motor 222, so that the robot 200 modeled after a small animal can move as if it were alive. To this end, the exterior 201 is appropriately engaged with the housing part 207 using the first and second engaging parts and the first and second engaged parts, so that the exterior 201 follows the movement of the housing part 207.

[0020] Next, a detailed description will be given of a configuration for engaging exterior 201 with housing part 207 housed inside exterior 201. As shown in Fig. 3, all four convex parts 241 (241A, 241B) provided on housing part 207 have the same configuration, and all four engagement plates 260 (260A, 260B) provided on exterior 201 have the same configuration. Therefore, the configurations of convex parts 241 and engagement plates 260 in part "VI" in Fig. 3 will be described below.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 6, an engagement plate 260 is sewn to the inside of the exterior 201 as a second engagement portion. The engagement plate 260 is made of polyamide 6 (PA6) having a thickness t=0.5 mm, for example, and is molded into a disk shape as shown in FIG. 7(a). The diameter of the engagement plate 260 is, for example, 16 mm. In addition, a round hole 260a is formed in the center of the engagement plate 260 as a fitting hole into which the convex part 241 is inserted and fitted. As shown in FIG. 6, the engagement plate 260 is sewn only to the lining 252 of the exterior 201 using thread 254, and is not sewn to the outer fabric 251. The engagement plate 260 is sewn to the lining 252 before the lining 252 and the outer fabric 251 are sewn together. As described above, since the engagement plate 260 is a disk-shaped plate without a step and the thickness t of the engagement plate 260 is 0.5 mm, there is no large step between the engagement plate 260 and the lining 252 that would cause a problem when sewing the engagement plate 260 to the lining 252 with a sewing machine. Therefore, the engagement plate 260 is sewn using a sewing machine in consideration of ease of work. The engagement plate 260 is sewn to the lining 252 along two parallel straight lines L1 and L2 sandwiching a round hole 260a, as shown in Figs. 7(a) and (b), for example. As described above, by setting the diameter of the engagement plate 260 to 16 mm, a sewing distance sufficient to ensure the sewing strength of the engagement plate 260 can be ensured. Here, the sewing distance refers to the length of the part where the engagement plate 260 is sewn with the thread 254, that is, the total length of the lines L1 and L2.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 6, a convex part 241 is attached to the side of the body part 206 constituting a part of the housing part 207 as a second engaged part that engages with the engagement plate 260. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the convex part 241 has a screw thread part 241a with a Phillips groove 241d formed therein, a cylindrical spacer part 241b, and a shaft part 241c with a male thread. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, an insertion hole 207a with a female thread into which the male thread of the shaft part 241c is screwed is formed in a direction perpendicular to the side of the body part 206. The screw thread part 241a is a large diameter part having the largest diameter in the convex part 241. The spacer part 241b sandwiched between the screw thread part 241a and the shaft part 241c is a small diameter part having a diameter smaller than that of the screw thread part 241a, and its diameter is larger than that of the insertion hole 207a. Therefore, when the convex part 241 is tightened into the insertion hole 207a by the driver, the lower end 241e of the spacer part 241b shown in FIG. 7(a) eventually comes into contact with the body part 206, and further tightening is not possible. In this manner, the convex part 241 is tightened into the body part 206 until the lower end 241e of the spacer part 241b comes into contact with the body part 206, and the attachment of the convex part 241 to the body part 206 is completed. Here, as described above, the convex part 241 is attached to the side of the body part 206 by screwing the shaft part 241c into the insertion hole 207a formed in a direction perpendicular to the side of the body part 206. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of the convex part 241 is perpendicular to the side of the body part 206, that is, approximately parallel to the axis 102 (FIGS. 2, 3, 5). As shown in Fig. 6, the convex part 241 after the attachment is completed protrudes from the body part 206 by the total height of the thread part 241a and the spacer part 241b. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7(b), the thread part 241a has a bulging shape such that the diameter is smallest at both ends in the length direction of the convex part 241 and largest in the center part in the length direction. The maximum diameter of the thread part 241a is, for example, about 0.5 mm larger than the diameter of the spacer part 241b. The diameter of the part of the thread part 241a that connects with the spacer part 241b is equal to the diameter of the cylindrical spacer part 241b.

[0023] The diameter of the round hole 260a formed in the engagement plate 260 is smaller than the diameter of the spacer portion 241b of the convex part 241, for example, by about 0.2 mm. When the engagement plate 260 having such a round hole 260a formed therein is engaged with the convex part 241, the engagement plate 260 is first brought close to the convex part 241 as shown by the arrow Y2 in FIG. 7(a). Next, the round hole 260a formed in the engagement plate 260 is pressed against the thread portion 241a, and the thread portion 241a, which is the large diameter portion, is caused to pass over the round hole 260a. Then, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the round hole 260a is fitted into the spacer portion 241b, which is the small diameter portion. Since the engagement plate 260 is formed of a material having some elasticity, the round hole 260a can pass over the thread portion 241a, which is the large diameter portion. The round hole 260a of the engagement plate 260 that has climbed over the threaded portion 241a is fitted into the spacer portion 241b having a diameter larger than that of the round hole 260a, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7(b). This completes the operation of engaging the engagement plate 260 with the convex part 241. In this way, the round hole 260a of the engagement plate 260 is in a state of being fitted into the spacer portion 241b of the convex part 241 without any gap, and the threaded portion 241a, which is a large diameter portion, is disposed above it. Therefore, the engagement state between the engagement plate 260 and the convex part 241 can be made firm, and the engagement state between the engagement plate 260 and the convex part 241 is not easily released unless the operation of removing the engagement plate 260 and the convex part 241 is performed with the clear intention of releasing the engagement state.

[0024] The surface of the spacer portion 241b of the convex part 241 is polished and smooth. Therefore, the engagement plate 260 can rotate in the direction indicated by Y3 (FIG. 2) around the convex part 241, whose longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the axis 102, as an axis while maintaining the engagement state with the convex part 241.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, two such convex parts 241 are provided as first engaged parts (convex parts 241A) on the head 204 of the housing part 207, and two are provided as second engaged parts (convex parts 241B) on the body part 206. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the engaging plates 260A and 260B are sewn to the exterior 201 covering the housing part 207 at positions corresponding to the respective convex parts 241A and 241B. That is, the exterior 201 and the housing part 207 are attached, for example, at a total of four places using the engaging plates 260A and 260B and the convex parts 241A and 241B. By attaching the exterior 201 at a plurality of places in this way, the exterior 201 can be made to follow the movement of the housing part 207, and the robot 200 imitating a small animal can be made to move as if it were alive. Note that the number of attachment points between the exterior 201 and the housing part 207 is not limited to four, and may be any within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

[0026] (effect) Next, the effects of the present invention will be described. Unlike the robot 200 shown in FIG. 2 and the like according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the robot 2000 shown in FIG. 8 has a convex part 241A on the front of the head 204 and a convex part 241B on the rear upper surface of the body 206. In addition, the exterior 201 covering the housing 207 of the robot 2000 has engagement plates 260A and 260B sewn to positions corresponding to the convex parts 241A and 241B, and the exterior 201 is attached to the housing 207 by engaging the corresponding convex parts 241A and 241B with the engagement plates 260A and 260B. In FIG. 8, in order to prevent the illustration from becoming complicated, the entire exterior 201 is omitted, and the exterior 201 between the engagement plates 260A and 260B is indicated by a dotted line. The robot 2000 has the same configuration as the robot 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention, except that the positions of the convex part 241 and the engagement plate 260 are different.

[0027] Here, consider a case where head 204 of robot 2000 rotates downward from the state shown in Fig. 8(a) to the state shown in Fig. 8(b). In this case, exterior sheath 201 attached to engagement plate 260A of head 204 is rolled downward along head 204. Therefore, the exterior sheath 201 between engagement plate 260A and engagement plate 260B shown by the dotted line becomes very long compared to the state shown in Fig. 8(a), and it can be seen that exterior sheath 201 is greatly stretched. Therefore, in the state shown in Fig. 8(b), a large tension is generated in exterior sheath 201, and this tension acts as a load on motor 222, hindering the movement of robot 2000.

[0028] In contrast, in the robot 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 9(a), convex parts 241A and 241B are provided on the sides of the head 204 and the body 206, respectively, and corresponding engagement plates 260A and 260B engage with each other to fix the exterior 201 (not shown) to the housing 207. Therefore, even if the head 204 of the robot 200 rotates in the same manner as shown in Fig. 9(b), the extension of the exterior 201 between the engagement plates 260A and 260B shown by the dotted lines is significantly less than that of the robot 2000 shown in Figs. 8(a) and (b).

[0029] Furthermore, when the head 204 rotates relative to the body 206 from the state shown in FIG. 9(a) to the state shown in FIG. 9(b), the exterior 201 is pulled between the engagement plates 260A and 260B, so that the engagement plate 260A rotates clockwise around the convex part 241A, and the engagement plate 260B rotates counterclockwise around the convex part 241B. Therefore, the rotation of the engagement plates 260A and 260B can ease the stretch of the exterior 201 sewn to the engagement plates 260A and 260B. Therefore, even if the robot 200 changes from the state shown in FIG. 9(a) to the state shown in FIG. 9(b), a large tension is not generated in the exterior 201, and the tension of the exterior 201 does not become a load on the motor 222 and does not hinder the movement of the robot 200.

[0030] Here, using Figure 10, the difference in the amount of extension of exterior 201 due to rotation of head 204 between robot 2000 and robot 200 will be described. Figure 10(a) shows, as a straight line, the length of exterior 201 between engagement plates 260A and 260B when head 204 of robot 2000 is not rotating (dotted line in Figure 8(a)). Figure 10(b) shows, as a straight line, the length of exterior 201 between engagement plates 260A and 260B when head 204 of robot 2000 is rotating (dotted line in Figure 8(b)).

[0031] Figure 10(c) shows, as a straight line, the length of exterior 201 between engagement plates 260A and 260B (dotted line in Figure 9(a)) when head 204 of robot 200 is not rotating. Figure 10(d) shows, as a straight line, the length of exterior 201 between engagement plates 260A and 260B (dotted line in Figure 9(b)) when head 204 of robot 200 is rotating.

[0032] The difference in length between the straight line shown in Fig. 10(a) and the straight line shown in Fig. 10(b) is the amount by which the exterior 201 stretches as the head 204 of the robot 2000 rotates. Also, the difference between the straight line shown in Fig. 10(c) and the straight line shown in Fig. 10(d) is the amount by which the exterior 201 stretches as the head 204 of the robot 200 rotates.

[0033] Therefore, as is clear from FIG. 10, in the robot 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the amount by which the exterior 201 extends due to the rotation of the head 204 is extremely small compared to the robot 2000, and the load on the motor 222 due to the extension of the exterior 201 can be reduced.

[0034] Next, the mechanism by which the rotation of the engagement plate 260 alleviates the stretching of the exterior 201 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 11. In FIG. 11, the engagement plate 260A is shown enlarged from the actual size for ease of understanding. As described above, the exterior 201 is sewn on two parallel lines L1 and L2 provided on the engagement plate 260A. One end of each of the lines L1 and L2 is designated as stitching points A and B. In FIG. 11, the exterior 201 between the stitching points A and B of the engagement plate 260A and the engagement plate 260B is indicated by a dotted line, and the reference numerals therefor are omitted.

[0035] Here, consider a case where the head 204 of the robot is rotated downward by 90 degrees from the initial state shown in FIG. 11(a). The initial state means a state where the rotation angle of the head 204 relative to the body 206 of the robot 200 is the initial angle (0 degrees), that is, a state where the head 204 of the robot 200 is not rotated. Unlike the case of this embodiment, if it is assumed that the engagement plate 260A is engaged with the convex part 241A so as not to rotate, the state of the robot 200 will be the state shown in FIG. 11(b). In this state, the stitching point A moves in a direction away from the engagement plate 260B within the engagement plate 260A, and therefore the exterior 201 is significantly stretched between the stitching point A and the engagement plate 260B as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 11(b).

[0036] In contrast, in reality, when the head 204 rotates downward by 90 degrees, the engaging plate 260 is pulled by the exterior 201 and rotates clockwise (right) around the convex part 241A in FIG. 11, so that the state of the robot 200 becomes the state shown in FIG. 11(c). In this state, compared to FIG. 11(b), the sewing point A moves in the direction toward the engaging plate 260B on the body part 206 side within the engaging plate 260A. Therefore, compared to the case of FIG. 11(b) where the engaging plate 260A does not rotate, the stretch of the exterior 201 between the sewing point A and the engaging plate 260B is mitigated. That is, the rotation of the engaging plate 260A can suppress the stretch of the exterior 201, and the load on the motor 222 can be reduced. At the sewing point B, there is no difference in the stretch of the exterior 201 between the state of FIG. 11(b) where it is assumed that the engaging plate A does not rotate and the state of FIG. 11(c) where it rotates.

[0037] Thus, according to the above embodiment, the head 204 as the first housing is provided with the convex part 241A as the first engaged part. The body 206 as the second housing is provided with the convex part 241B as the first engaged part. The engaging plate 260A as the first engaging part and the engaging plate 260B as the second engaging part provided on the exterior 201 engage with the corresponding convex part 241A and convex part 241B, respectively, so that the exterior 201 of the robot 200 is locked (fixed) to the housing 207. Here, the head 204 is connected to the body 206 so as to be rotatable about the axis 102, and the convex part 241A and the convex part 241B are provided on the side of the head 204 and the side of the body 206, which are planes approximately perpendicular to the axis 102, respectively (FIGS. 2, 3, and 5). Therefore, even if the head 204 of the robot 200 rotates relative to the body 206 about the axis 102, the length by which the exterior 201 is pulled between the engagement plates 260A and 260B can be shortened as much as possible, and it is possible to prevent the tension generated in the exterior 201 from becoming a load and impeding the movement of the robot 200. That is, according to the above embodiment, it is possible to reduce the load on the drive unit (motor 222) caused by the exterior 201 of the robot 200.

[0038] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the engagement plates 260 (engagement plates 260A and 260B) are rotatable with respect to the corresponding convex parts 241 (convex parts 241A and 241B) about the convex part 241, which is a rotation axis substantially parallel to the axis 102 (FIG. 2). This rotation can ease the stretch of the exterior 201 between the engagement plates 260A and 260B. This can further reduce the load on the drive unit (motor 222) caused by the exterior 201.

[0039] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the convex part 241 includes the spacer part 241b, which is a small diameter part, and the thread part 241a, which is a large diameter part, and the engagement plate 260 is rotatable with respect to the convex part 241 in a state in which the spacer part 241b is fitted into the round hole 260a, which is a fitting hole. Therefore, the thread part 241a acts as a stopper, and it is possible to prevent the engagement plate 260 from falling off the convex part 241 during rotation.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the convex part 241A is provided at a position within a specific range from the axis 102 (for example, within a range close to the axis 102 on the side surface of the head 204). This makes it possible to suppress the amount of relative movement between the convex parts 241A and 241B that accompanies the rotation of the head 204 with respect to the body 206, and to reduce the stretch of the exterior 201 between the convex parts 241A and 241B.

[0041] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the location where the outer fabric 251 and the lining 252 of the exterior 201 are sewn together with the thread 253 is provided other than between the engagement plates 260A and 260B. This makes it possible to suppress the stretching of the exterior 201 caused by the rotation of the head 204 and reduce the load on the drive unit (motor 222).

[0042] (Modification) This invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible. In the above embodiment, the engagement plate 260 formed by punching a plate made of polyamide 6 (PA6) into a circular shape is used as the engagement portion (first and second engagement portions) sewn to the exterior 201, but the material and shape of the engagement portion can be selected arbitrarily. For example, it may be made of synthetic resin such as polycarbonate. Alternatively, a cloth made of chemical fiber such as polyester cut into a circular shape may be used, or a cloth made of natural fiber such as cotton or wool may be used, or a rubber sheet material may be used. In addition, the shape of the engagement portion may be a flat plate, and may be a square plate such as a triangular plate or a square plate. In addition, in the above embodiment, the engagement plate 260 is provided with a round hole 260a that is a through hole, but a recess may be provided instead of the round hole 260a, and the convex member 261 may be engaged with the recess.

[0043] 12, the convex part 241A may be provided on the side of the head 204 on the line segment L3 connecting the convex part 241B and the shaft 102 in the initial state of the robot 200 (a state in which the head 204 is not rotated). In this way, when the head 204 of the robot 200 rotates from the initial state, the exterior 201 fixed between the convex parts 241A and B is always stretched. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the exterior 201 from loosening between the convex parts 241A and B due to the rotation of the head 204, which would deteriorate the ability of the exterior 201 to follow the housing part 207. In addition, as shown in FIG. 13, when two convex parts 241B are provided on the side of the body part 206, the convex part 241A may be provided at a midpoint between the line segments L4 and L5 connecting each of the convex parts 241B and the shaft 102, or at a position between the line segments L4 and L5. By doing so, tension can be applied to the exterior 201 in a well-balanced manner even if the head 204 rotates up and down.

[0044] In the above embodiment, both the convex part 241A and the convex part 241B are provided on the side surface of the head 204 and the side surface of the body 206, which are surfaces approximately perpendicular to the axis 102 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 5). However, only one of the convex part 241A and the convex part 241B may be provided on the side surface of the head 204 or the side surface of the body 206, and the other may be provided on a surface other than the side surface of the head 204 or the body 206. In addition, the surface approximately perpendicular to the axis 102 may be defined as a surface inclined at an angle of 85 degrees to 95 degrees with respect to the axis 102, for example. If the convex part 241 is provided on a surface that is somewhat perpendicular to the axis 102, even if it is not completely perpendicular to the axis 102, it is possible to reduce the elongation of the exterior 201 when the head 204 rotates around the axis 102.

[0045] Furthermore, in the case where the housing 207 has a curved surface, the same effect can be obtained by providing a convex part 241 on the surface of the housing 207 whose tangential plane is approximately perpendicular to the axis 102. For example, in the case of a robot having a cylindrical body 206 as shown in FIG. 14, a convex part 241B is provided on the surface of the body 206 whose tangential plane, indicated by the dotted line, is approximately perpendicular to the axis 102.

[0046] In the above embodiment, both the engagement plate 260A and the engagement plate 260B are configured to be rotatable around an axis approximately parallel to the shaft 102 relative to the corresponding convex part 241 (FIG. 2). However, the robot 200 may be configured so that only one of the engagement plate 260A and the engagement plate 260B is rotatable around an axis approximately parallel to the shaft 102, and the other is not rotatable. Here, an axis approximately parallel to the shaft 102 may be defined as an axis tilted within a range of ±45 degrees with respect to the shaft 102, for example. If the engagement plate 260 is engaged with the convex part 241 so as to rotate around an axis that is somewhat parallel to the shaft 102, even if it is not completely parallel to the shaft 102, it is possible to rotate the engagement plate 260 so as to reduce the elongation of the exterior 201 when the head 204 rotates around the shaft 102.

[0047] In addition, although the sewing positions of the engagement plate 260 to the exterior 201 are described as being on two parallel lines L1 and L2 as shown in FIG. 7, other sewing positions may be used. For example, in addition to the lines L1 and L2, a line perpendicular to the lines L1 and L2 may be added as a sewing position. The added line is set at a position that avoids the round hole 260a of the engagement plate 260, similar to the lines L1 and L2. Alternatively, sewing positions may be provided circumferentially along the outer shape of the disk-shaped engagement plate 260. The engagement plate 260 may be sewn to the exterior 201 by only one line L1.

[0048] Furthermore, the method of attaching the engagement plate 260 to the exterior 201 is not limited to sewing with a sewing machine. For example, the engagement plate 260 may be sewn by hand, or the engagement plate 260 may be adhered by applying adhesive to the periphery of the round hole 260a. When sewing the engagement plate 260 by hand, a hole for passing a needle through the engagement plate 260 may be formed in advance. This makes it easy to perform the sewing work by hand.

[0049] Also, although the thickness t of the engagement plate 260 has been described as 0.5 mm, the thickness can be changed as long as there is no problem with sewing with a sewing machine. Also, as described above, if the engagement plate 260 is attached by sewing by hand or by bonding with an adhesive, the thickness restriction can be relaxed. For example, a thicker flat plate may be used, or an engagement plate formed to have different thicknesses depending on the location may be used.

[0050] Also, the spacer portion 241b of the convex part 241 has been described as being a portion molded integrally with the convex part 241, but it may be a separate part from the convex part 241. Thus, by preparing a plurality of spacer portions with different heights, the amount of protrusion of the convex part 241 from the housing portion 207 can be easily changed, and the convex part 241 can be attached in a manner suitable for the robot to which it is applied.

[0051] Also, the convex part 241 as the engaged part is attached to the housing part 207 by screwing the male thread cut in the convex part 241 into the female thread of the housing part 207, but the attachment method is not limited to this method. For example, the convex part 241 can be integrally molded with the housing part 207. This makes it possible to omit the work of attaching the convex part 241 to the housing part 207.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the engaging plate 260 is provided on the exterior 201 and the convex part 241 is provided on the housing, but the engaging plate 260 may be provided on the housing and the convex part 241 may be provided on the exterior 201. In this case, the engaging plate 260 becomes the engaged part and the convex part 241 becomes the engaging part.

[0053] Also, although the robot 200 has been described as imitating a small animal, the robot may imitate any animal. For example, the robot may imitate a large animal such as a rhinoceros. In this case, the decorative part 202 may imitate a rhinoceros horn. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to robots. For example, the present invention is also applicable to devices such as dolls and toys that have a housing having at least two rotatably connected parts and a stretchable exterior covering the housing.

[0054] Furthermore, exterior 201 is not limited to a form that covers the entire housing unit 207, and may be a form that covers part of housing unit 207. Furthermore, although it has been described that exterior 201 imitates the fur of a small animal, the exterior can be any type of exterior. For example, the exterior may imitate clothing attached to a robot, or a banner displaying an advertisement.

[0055] In addition, although the outer fabric 251 and the lining fabric 252 are described as being sewn together using thread 253, they may be integrated together by other methods. For example, the outer fabric 251 and the lining fabric 252 may be bonded together using an adhesive.

[0056] Also, the means for locking the exterior 201 to the housing part 207 is realized by inserting the convex part 241, which is an engaged part provided on the housing part 207, into the round hole 260a formed in the engagement plate 260, which is an engagement part provided on the exterior 201. However, other methods may be used for locking the exterior 201 to the housing part 207. For example, a hook with a curved tip may be attached to one of the exterior 201 and the housing part 207, and a loop made of a string in a loop shape may be attached to the other. Then, the exterior 201 is locked to the housing part 207 by hooking the hook to the loop. Alternatively, a hook part of a hook-and-loop fastener may be attached to one of the exterior 201 and the housing part 207, and a loop part of the hook-and-loop fastener may be attached to the other. Then, the exterior 201 may be locked to the housing part 207 by attaching the hook part to the loop part.

[0057] The present invention allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are for the purpose of explaining the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the scope of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The inventions described in the original claims of this application are appended below.

[0058] (Additional Note) (Appendix 1) An exterior having elasticity; a housing section covered by the exterior and including a first housing section and a second housing section rotatably connected to the first housing section about at least a first rotation axis; A first engagement portion and a second engagement portion provided on the inside of the exterior; a first engaged portion that is provided on the first housing portion and engages with the first engaging portion to lock the exterior to the first housing portion; a second engaged portion that is provided on the second housing portion and engages with the second engaging portion to lock the exterior to the second housing portion; At least one of the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion is provided on a surface that is approximately perpendicular to the first rotation axis in at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion that corresponds to the engaged portion. Device.

[0059] (Appendix 2) At least one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the engaging portion corresponding to the engaged portion, is rotatable relative to the engaged portion about a rotation axis that is substantially parallel to the first rotation axis. 2. The apparatus described in claim 1.

[0060] (Appendix 3) the engaging portion is formed of a plate-like member having a fitting hole formed therein to fit into the engaged portion, and a periphery of the fitting hole of the engaging portion is sewn to the inside of the exterior; the engaged portion is provided on the housing portion and includes a convex part having a small diameter portion that is fitted into the fitting hole and a large diameter portion that is passed through the fitting hole and has a diameter larger than that of the small diameter portion, the engaging portion is rotatable with respect to the convex part in a state in which the small diameter portion is fitted into the fitting hole, 10. The apparatus described in claim 2.

[0061] (Appendix 4) The engaged portion is provided at a position within a specific range from the first rotation axis in at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion corresponding to the engaged portion. 4. The apparatus of claim 1,

[0062] (Appendix 5) The exterior has an outer fabric and a lining on which the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are provided, The stitching portion between the outer fabric and the lining fabric is provided other than between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

[0063] (Appendix 6) At least one of the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion is provided so as to be located on a line segment connecting the other of the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion and the first rotation axis in an initial state in which a rotation angle of the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion is an initial angle. 6. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5.

[0064] (Appendix 7) the device is a robot; the first housing portion is a head portion of the robot, The second housing part is a body part of the robot. 6. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 101: mounting surface, 102: shaft, 200: robot, 201: exterior, 202: decorative part, 203: bristles, 204: head, 2041: case, 2042: screw, 2043: rubber, 205: connection part, 2051: case, 206: body part, 207: housing part, 207a: insertion hole, 208: wire fastener, 208a: slider, 222: motor, 2221: Coil, 2222... drive shaft, 2223... horn, 241 (241A, 241B)... convex part, 241a... thread part, 241b... spacer part, 241c... shaft part, 241d... plus groove, 241e... lower end, 251... outer material, 252... lining, 253, 254... thread, 260 (260A, 260B)... engagement plate, 260a... round hole, L1, L2... lines, L3, L4, L5... line segments

Claims

1. An exterior formed in a bag shape having elasticity; A housing portion accommodated inside the exterior; and Equipped with The housing portion includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion is connected to the second housing portion in a front-rear direction, and the first housing portion is connected to the second housing portion so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction, the exterior is engaged with the first housing portion and the second housing portion at a plurality of engagement points inside the exterior, the plurality of engagement points of the exterior with the first housing are on both side surfaces of the first housing in a left-right direction, At least one of a plurality of engagement portions of the exterior to the second housing portion is on either one of both side surfaces in a left-right direction of the second housing portion. An apparatus comprising:

2. An exterior formed in a bag shape having elasticity; A housing portion accommodated inside the exterior; and Equipped with The housing portion includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion is connected to the second housing portion in a front-rear direction, and the first housing portion is connected to the second housing portion so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction, the exterior is engaged with the housing portion at a portion corresponding to the first housing portion and a portion corresponding to the second housing portion inside the exterior, The portion corresponding to the first housing portion and the portion corresponding to the second housing portion are both set as portions corresponding to both side surfaces of the housing portion in the left-right direction. An apparatus comprising:

3. A fastener is provided on the exterior, the fastener having a slider that slides along the left-right direction to open and close the exterior.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A robot modeled after a living organism, An exterior formed in a bag shape having elasticity; A housing portion accommodated inside the exterior; and Equipped with The housing unit includes a head unit and a body unit, the head unit being connected to the body unit in a front-rear direction and the head unit being connected to the body unit so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction, The exterior is engaged with the head and the body at a plurality of engagement points inside the exterior, The plurality of engagement points of the exterior with the head are on both side surfaces of the head in the left and right direction, At least one of the plurality of engagement points of the exterior to the body portion is on either one of both side surfaces in the left and right direction of the body portion. A robot characterized by:

5. A fastener having a slider that slides along the left-right direction to open and close the exterior is provided on the exterior, The fastener is provided on the body portion side of the head portion and the body portion, 5. The robot according to claim 4.

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