Fish robot

Abstract

To provide a fish robot having a more natural appearance.SOLUTION: A fish robot includes a housing unit 1 having two housing bodies 11 arranged side by side in a first direction D1, and a cover structure 12 formed at a part where the two housing bodies 11 are connected to each other. The two adjacent housing bodies 11 are connected so as to rotate relatively to each other. The cover structure 12 includes a first cover part 121 formed in one of the two housing bodies 11 and a second cover part 122 formed in the other of the two housing bodies 11. The first cover part 121 includes two end side edges 121a along a third direction D3, which are positioned at the end and the second cover part 122 includes two outside arc surfaces 122a along the third direction D3 so as to correspond to the end side edges 121a. At least one of the outside arc surfaces 122a is adjacent to the corresponding end side edge 121a, and is positioned inside the end side edge 121a to which the adjacent part corresponds.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fish robot, and more particularly to a fish robot including two or more housing bodies. [Background technology]

[0002] Fish robots generally include multiple active joints to achieve motion similar to that of a real fish.

[0003] The active joint is typically made of a hard material, such as plastic or metal.

[0004] In order to prevent these active joints from interfering with each other after rotation or movement, it is necessary to apply an interference avoidance design to the connecting structure.

[0005] However, the interference avoidance design causes steps, gaps, depressions and uneven parts on the appearance of the fish robot, which are particularly noticeable when the fish robot is bent during operation, making the appearance of the fish robot look unnatural. For example, the fish robot described in Patent Document 1 has gaps and uneven parts. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] China Patent Publication No. 103879534 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a fish robot that can ameliorate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides: a housing unit including at least two housing bodies arranged in a first direction so as to be connected in order from front to back, and a cover structure formed at a connecting portion between the two adjacent housing bodies; the two adjacent housing bodies are connected to each other so as to be capable of relative rotation about a rotation axis that is parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the cover structure includes a first cover portion formed on one of the two adjacent housing bodies and a second cover portion formed on the other of the two adjacent housing bodies, The first cover portion includes two end side edges located at an end and aligned side by side along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the second cover portion includes two outer arcuate surfaces aligned side by side along the third direction so as to correspond to the two distal side edges, respectively; The two outer arcuate surfaces have centers of curvature located on the rotation axis; At least one of the outer arc surfaces is adjacent to a corresponding one of the terminal edges, and a portion adjacent to the corresponding terminal edge is located inside the corresponding terminal edge. Effect of the Invention

[0009] In the fish robot of the present invention, the connecting portion between two adjacent housing bodies 11 in the housing unit 1 can be made less noticeable by the outer arc surface of the adjacent second cover part and the terminal side edge of the first cover part, which can reduce situations that could cause unnaturalness such as steps, gaps, and depressions.

[0010] The arcuate shape of the two outer arcuate surfaces of the second cover portion can reduce the situation where the connecting portion between the two adjacent housing bodies 11 lacks smoothness.

[0011] Therefore, the appearance of the fish robot of the present invention is more natural than that of the conventional fish robots. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the housing unit in an initial state in the embodiment of the fish robot of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the housing unit of the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is an exploded view showing the housing unit of the embodiment from another angle. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the housing unit of the embodiment in a transient state. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the above embodiment in the state of FIG. 5 from another angle. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the embodiment in the state shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the housing unit of the embodiment in a curved state. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view showing the embodiment in the state shown in FIG. 8 from another angle. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the embodiment in the state shown in FIG. 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] In order to more clearly describe the objectives, technical means and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical means in the embodiments of the present invention in combination with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention depicted and shown in the accompanying drawings can be configured and designed in various different arrangements. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings hereinafter does not constitute any limitation on the protection scope of the present invention, but only represents selected embodiments of the present invention.

[0014] Before describing the present invention in more detail, it should be noted that, where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

[0015] In the present invention, terms indicating orientations or positional relationships, such as "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "left", "right", "front", and "rear", are based on the orientations and positional relationships shown in the drawings or the orientations and positional relationships customarily placed when using the product of the present invention, for the purpose of easier and clearer explanation, and are not intended to teach or suggest that the corresponding apparatus or device has a specific orientation, a structure or operation in a specific orientation, etc., and are not limitations on the present invention.

[0016] Moreover, in the present invention, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for distinction purposes only and do not teach or imply relative importance.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a fish robot 100 of the present invention includes a housing unit 1 and a rotation mechanism 2 installed in the housing unit 1 in one embodiment.

[0018] The housing unit 1 includes at least two housing bodies 11 arranged in a connected order from front to back along a first direction D1, and a cover structure 12 formed at a connecting portion of two adjacent housing bodies 11. The two adjacent housing bodies 11 are connected so as to be rotatable relative to each other about a rotation axis A that is parallel to a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1.

[0019] One rotation mechanism 2 is installed between two adjacent housing bodies 11, and the rotation mechanism 2 is installed so that the two adjacent housing bodies 11 are connected so that they can rotate relative to each other with the rotation axis A as the axis center.

[0020] The housing unit 1 has an approximately mirror-symmetric structure along a third direction D3 perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2, and can be manufactured from materials such as plastic or metal.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the fish robot 100 includes three rotation mechanisms 2, four housing bodies 11, and three cover structures 12, but the numbers of rotation mechanisms 2, housing bodies 11, and cover structures 12 are not limited to this embodiment.

[0022] The rotation mechanism 2 includes a fixed part 21 installed in the front housing body 11 of two adjacent housing bodies 11, and a rotating part 22 installed in the rear housing body 11 of the two adjacent housing bodies 11.

[0023] The rotating part 22 is connected to the fixed part 21 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis A as an axis center.

[0024] The rotating part 22 can rotate relative to the fixed part 21 by being driven by an electronic component such as a motor (not shown).

[0025] The cover structure 12 includes a first cover portion 121 formed on one of two adjacent housing bodies 11, and a second cover portion 122 formed on the other of the two adjacent housing bodies 11.

[0026] In this embodiment, the first cover portion 121 is formed at the rear end portion of the housing body 11 that is in the front of the two adjacent housing bodies 11, and the second cover portion 122 is formed at the front end portion of the housing body 11 that is in the rear of the two adjacent housing bodies 11. The first cover portion 121 includes two terminal side edges 121a located at the end (i.e., the outer end) and aligned side by side along the third direction D3, and two inner arc surfaces 121b aligned side by side along the third direction D3 so as to connect to the two terminal side edges 121a.

[0027] The two inner arcuate surfaces 121b extend forward and inward from the two distal side edges 121a, respectively.

[0028] The second cover portion 122 includes two outer arcuate surfaces 122a aligned side by side in the third direction D3 so as to correspond to the two distal side edges 121a, respectively.

[0029] The two outer arcuate surfaces 122a are located in front of the rotation axis A in the first direction D1.

[0030] The two outer arcuate surfaces 122a have centers of curvature positioned on the rotation axis A.

[0031] At least one outer arcuate surface 122a is adjacent to a corresponding terminal edge 121a, and a portion adjacent to the corresponding terminal edge 121a is located inside the corresponding terminal edge 121a.

[0032] Each of the two inner arcuate surfaces 121b faces inwardly toward the two outer arcuate surfaces 122a of the second cover part 122, and is aligned to correspond to the two outer arcuate surfaces 122a so that the two adjacent housing bodies 11 can smoothly rotate relative to each other.

[0033] In this embodiment, the two inner arcuate surfaces 121b are shaped to correspond to the two outer arcuate surfaces 122a, respectively.

[0034] In addition, in other embodiments, the first cover portion 121 can be formed at the front end portion of the housing body 11 that is located at the rear of two adjacent housing bodies 11, and the second cover portion 122 can be formed at the rear end portion of the housing body 11 that is located at the front of two adjacent housing bodies 11.

[0035] The housing unit 1 is configured to be switched between an initial state (see Figures 1 and 4) and a curved state (see Figures 8 and 10) by the relative rotation of two adjacent housing bodies 11, and to pass through a transitional state (see Figures 5 and 7) in the process of switching between the initial state and the curved state.

[0036] In the transition state and the curved state, the first direction D1 becomes a curved line, and the third direction D3 is perpendicular to the connection direction of the corresponding two adjacent housing bodies 11.

[0037] The housing unit 1 can be bent to the right or left along the third direction D3, but for ease of explanation, only the situation of bending to one of the sides will be described.

[0038] In the initial state, the housing unit 1 is configured to extend along a straight first direction D1, and each of the two outer arc surfaces 122a between two adjacent housing bodies 11 is adjacent to two terminal side edges 121a, and the portions adjacent to the two terminal side edges 121a are located inside the two terminal side edges 121a.

[0039] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, in the transitional state, the housing unit 1 is slightly curved, but each of the two outer arc surfaces 122a between two adjacent housing bodies 11 is still adjacent to the two terminal side edges 121a, and the portions adjacent to the two terminal side edges 121a are located inside the two terminal side edges 121a.

[0040] 8 to 10, in the curved state, the housing unit 1 is curved to the limit, but the outer arc surface 122a on the side of the housing unit 1 that is convex outward due to the curve is still adjacent to the corresponding distal edge 121a, and the portion adjacent to the corresponding distal edge 121a is located inside the corresponding distal edge 121a. And, on the side of the housing unit 1 that is concave inward due to the curve, the side surface of the rear housing body 11 of the two adjacent housing bodies 11 is adjacent to the corresponding distal edge 121a from the inside.

[0041] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the fish robot of the present invention can reduce the situation that may cause unnaturalness such as steps, gaps, and depressions at the connecting portion of the two adjacent housing bodies 11 in the housing unit 1 by the outer arc surface 122a of the second cover part 122 and the terminal side edge 121a of the first cover part 121, which are adjacent to each other. , the center of curvature is located on the rotation axis A The arc shape of the two outer arc surfaces 122a can reduce the situation where the connecting portion of the two adjacent housing bodies 11 lacks smoothness. In this way, the situation where there is a step, a gap, a depression, or lack of smoothness is less likely to occur and is mitigated so as not to be noticeable, so that the appearance of the fish robot 100 of the present invention becomes more natural than that of the conventional fish robot.

[0042] While the invention has been described in connection with what are considered to be exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements within the broadest spirit and scope so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

[0043] The above embodiment is illustratively intended to explain the principles and effects of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art may make some changes or modifications to the above embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention should be considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0044] The present invention is suitable for providing a fish robot with a more natural appearance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 100 Fish Robot 1 Housing Unit 11 Housing body 12 Cover structure 121 First cover part 121a Distal edge 121b Inner arc surface 122 Second cover part 122a outer arc surface 2 Rotation mechanism 21 Fixed part 22 Rotating section A Rotation Axis D1 First direction D2 Second direction D3 The third direction

Claims

1. A housing unit including at least two housing bodies arranged in a first direction so as to be connected in order from front to back, and a cover structure formed at a connecting portion between the two adjacent housing bodies, The two adjacent housing bodies are connected to each other so as to be capable of relative rotation about a rotation axis that is parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the cover structure includes a first cover portion formed on one of the two adjacent housing bodies and a second cover portion formed on the other of the two adjacent housing bodies, the first cover portion includes two end side edges located at an end and aligned side by side along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; the second cover portion includes two outer arcuate surfaces aligned side by side along the third direction so as to correspond to the two distal side edges, respectively; The two outer arcuate surfaces have centers of curvature located on the rotation axis; At least one of the outer arc surfaces is adjacent to a corresponding one of the terminal edges, and a portion adjacent to the corresponding terminal edge is located inside the corresponding terminal edge.

2. the first cover portion further includes two inner arcuate surfaces aligned along the third direction such that each of the inner arcuate surfaces connects to the two distal side edges; 2. The fish robot according to claim 1, wherein each of the two inner arc surfaces faces inwardly to the two outer arc surfaces of the second cover portion, and is matched to the two outer arc surfaces so that the two adjacent housing bodies can smoothly rotate relative to each other.

3. The first cover portion is formed at a rear end portion of the housing body that is located at the front of the two adjacent housing bodies, The second cover portion is formed at a front end portion of the housing body that is located at the rear of the two adjacent housing bodies, 2. The fish robot according to claim 1, wherein in the housing body in which the second cover portion is formed, the two outer arc surfaces of the second cover portion are located in front of the rotation axis in the first direction.

4. 2. The fish robot according to claim 1, wherein the housing unit includes at least three of the housing bodies and at least two of the cover structures formed at a connecting portion between two adjacent housing bodies.

5. 2. The fish robot according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism installed between two adjacent housing bodies so that the two adjacent housing bodies are connected so as to be able to rotate relatively to each other about the rotation axis.

6. the rotation mechanism includes a fixed portion provided on the front one of the two adjacent housing bodies, and a rotating portion provided on the rear one of the two adjacent housing bodies, 6. The fish robot according to claim 5, wherein the rotating part is connected to the fixed part so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft.

7. The housing unit is configured to be switched between an initial state and a curved state by relative rotation of the two adjacent housing bodies, In the initial state, each of the two outer arcuate surfaces is adjacent to the two terminal side edges, and the portions adjacent to the two terminal side edges are located inside the two terminal side edges; 2. The fish robot according to claim 1, wherein in the bent state, the outer arc surface on the side of the housing unit that is convex outward due to bending is adjacent to the corresponding terminal side edge, and the portion adjacent to the corresponding terminal side edge is located inside the corresponding terminal side edge.

8. the housing unit is configured to undergo a transition state while switching between the initial state and the curved state; 8. The fish robot according to claim 7, wherein in the transition state, each of the two outer arc surfaces is adjacent to the two end edges, and the portions adjacent to the two end edges are located inside the two end edges.

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