four-legged robot

Abstract

To provide a compact quadruped walking robot which a user can use for daily use.SOLUTION: A quadruped walking robot comprises: a main body; four leg parts which are connected with the main body and perform bending motion in which respective leg parts include two or more joints; a plurality of joint actuators which drive the plurality of joints; a travel unit which protrudes downward from the main body and activates to contact with a supporting surface supporting the quadruped walking robot, and moves the quadruped walking robot while contacting with the supporting surface; and a controller which controls behavior of the plurality of joint actuators and the travel unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose robots capable of moving on rough terrain. Each of these robots has a pair of wheels arranged on both sides of a body, four legs arranged at the front and rear ends of the body, and a seat arranged on the body. Each wheel and each leg is driven by a DC servo motor. Furthermore, the robot of Patent Document 2 has an auxiliary wheel on each leg. In Patent Documents 1 and 2, the robot operates by selecting a mode using only wheels, a mode using only legs, a mode using wheels and legs, or a mode using wheels, legs, and auxiliary wheels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4482677 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4724845 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The robots in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are intended for use in industries such as forestry and construction, and are designed for high-speed travel, so have a large structure suitable for movement on large wheels. The present disclosure provides a compact four-legged walking robot that can be used by users for everyday purposes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A four-legged walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a main body, four legs connected to the main body and capable of bending, each of the four legs including two or more joints, a plurality of joint actuators that drive a plurality of the joints, a running device that protrudes downward from the main body and operates to contact a support surface that supports the four-legged walking robot, and moves the four-legged walking robot while in contact with the support surface, and a controller that controls the operation of the plurality of joint actuators and the running device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a four-legged walking robot according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] Side view of the quadruped robot in Figure 1 [Figure 3] FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the controller for the quadruped walking robot shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] Plan view of the quadruped robot in Figure 1 [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of joints of a quadruped walking robot according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the quadruped walking robot of FIG. 1 in quadruped walking mode. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the four-legged walking robot of FIG. 1 in wheel running mode. [Figure 8] A side view showing an example of the quadruped walking robot of Figure 6 moving using both the legs and the running mechanism. [Figure 9] A side view showing an example of the state of the quadruped walking robot of Figure 6 when a human gets on and off. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a side view showing an example of the quadruped walking robot of FIG. 6 in a resting state. [Figure 11] FIG. 7 is a side view showing an example of the quadruped walking robot of FIG. 6 in a resting state. [Figure 12] 12 is a side view showing another example of the four-legged walking robot of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a controller of a quadruped walking robot according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. Among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not recited in the independent claims showing the highest concepts will be described as optional components. Each figure in the accompanying drawings is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact drawing. In each figure, substantially identical components are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted or simplified. In this specification and claims, the term "device" may refer not only to one device but also to a system consisting of multiple devices.

[0008] The configuration of a four-legged walking robot 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a four-legged walking robot 1 according to an embodiment. Hereinafter, the term "four-legged walking robot" will also be referred to simply as "robot." The robot 1 has a structure that allows it to walk on all fours, whether alone or with a human riding on it. Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the robot 1 has an appearance that imitates a four-limbed mammal, such as a horse, cow, deer, goat, or sheep, with a body shape that humans can ride. The robot 1 is configured so that one human can straddle the robot 1, but may also be configured so that two or more humans can straddle the robot 1, for example, one in front of the other. The robot 1 may be the same size as the above-mentioned four-limbed mammal or motorcycle, and therefore may have a compact structure. The robot 1 can function as a small or ultra-small mobility vehicle that provides convenient transportation for humans.

[0009] The robot 1 includes a torso 10, a neck 20, four legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, and a controller 40. The controller 40 controls the entire robot 1. The torso 10 includes a seat 11 on which a person sits astride, located at a position Du in the upward direction of the torso 10, and a footrest 12 on which the person seated on the seat 11 places their feet, located at a position Dd in the downward direction of the torso 10. The torso 10 is an example of a main body.

[0010] In this specification and claims, the "forward direction Df," "backward direction Db," "upward direction Du," "downward direction Dd," and "lateral direction Dl" of the torso 10 are directions set for the torso 10 with the torso 10 as the reference. The forward direction Df is the direction in which the robot 1 moves forward when walking on all fours. The backward direction Db is the opposite direction to the forward direction Df. The lateral direction Dl includes a first lateral direction Dl1 and a second lateral direction Dl2, and the first lateral direction Dl1 and the second lateral direction Dl2 are opposite directions and intersect with the forward direction Df and the backward direction Db, for example, perpendicular directions. The upward direction Du and the downward direction Dd are opposite directions and intersect with the forward direction Df, the backward direction Db, the first lateral direction Dl1, and the second lateral direction Dl2, for example, perpendicular directions. The upward direction Du is the direction in which the robot 1 faces upward when walking on all fours.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the quadruped walking robot 1 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat 11 includes a seat 11A extending from a forward direction Df to a rearward direction Db and a first portion 11B. For example, the seat 11A may have a structure similar to a horse saddle or a cushioned motorcycle seat. Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the seat 11A includes a seat surface 11Aa large enough for one person to sit astride. The seat surface 11Aa may also be large enough for two or more people to sit astride. The first portion 11B is located at a position rearward Db of the seat surface 11Aa and is higher in the upward direction Du than the seat surface 11Aa. The first portion 11B has a cushioned structure and may be, for example, a seat back. The first portion 11B may be integrated with the seat 11A.

[0012] Two footrests 12 are arranged on the sides Dl1 and Dl2 of the fuselage 10. In this embodiment, the two footrests 12 are arranged to hang down from the fuselage 10, although this is not limited thereto. The footrests 12 have a structure similar to stirrups for horse riding, and may be movably suspended from the fuselage 10 or may be fixedly secured to the fuselage 10. Alternatively, the two footrests 12 may have a structure similar to footrests for a motorcycle, and may protrude from the fuselage 10 in the sides Dl1 and Dl2 and be fixedly secured to the fuselage 10.

[0013] The neck portion 20 has a columnar shape and extends upward from the body 10 at a position Df forward of the seat portion 11. The neck portion 20 is fixedly secured to the body 10 or is integrated with the body 10.

[0014] The neck portion 20 includes a handle 23 that is grasped by a person seated on the seat portion 11. In this embodiment, the handle 23 protrudes in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2 beyond the neck portion 20, although this is not limited thereto. The handle 23 is fixedly secured to the neck portion 20 or the torso 10. The handle 23 includes a bar 23a that is grasped by a person seated on the seat portion. The bar 23a has a linear shape extending in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2. The handle 23 includes handle grips 23b on both ends of the bar 23a. The handle grips 23b may be made of a material with a high friction coefficient, such as rubber or sponge, to increase friction with the human hand, and may be surface-treated with bumps, grooves, etc.

[0015] One bar 23a is disposed in the rearward direction Db of the neck portion 20. Alternatively, the bar 23a may be disposed so as to penetrate the neck portion 20, or two bars 23a may be disposed so as to extend from the neck portion 20 in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2. The bar 23a may be movable relative to the neck portion 20. For example, the bar 23a may be rotatable like a handlebar on a bicycle or motorcycle. The structure of the handlebar 23 is not limited to the above and may be any structure that can be grasped by a human hand. For example, the handlebar 23 may have a structure similar to an arc-shaped or U-shaped bar extending in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2, an aircraft control stick, an automobile steering wheel, a handrail, a U-shaped handle, or a horseback riding reins. In this case, the handlebar 23 may be fixed or movable relative to the neck portion 20.

[0016] The robot 1 includes a head 21, which resembles the head of a four-limbed mammal, at the end of the neck 20 in the upward direction Du. The robot 1 includes a sensor 22 in the head 21 that scans the surroundings of the robot 1. The sensor 22 outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the controller 40.

[0017] In this embodiment, sensor 22 includes a camera, although it is not limited thereto. The shooting direction of the camera is directed in the forward direction Df. Sensor 22 includes a three-dimensional camera capable of detecting the distance to an object, but may also include a camera capable of simply acquiring an image. Examples of three-dimensional cameras include a stereo camera, a Time-of-Flight (TOF) camera, a pattern light projection camera such as a stripe projection camera, or a camera using a light section method. Sensor 22 is a spherical or hemispherical 360-degree camera having an omnidirectional field of view, but may also be a camera having a limited field of view such as a wide-angle camera.

[0018] The sensor 22 may be a sensor capable of detecting the distance to an object. Such a sensor 22 is configured to perform detection using light waves, lasers, magnetism, radio waves, electromagnetic waves, ultrasonic waves, or a combination thereof, and may include a photoelectric sensor, a laser sensor, a radio wave sensor, an electromagnetic wave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, various types of LiDAR, or a combination thereof.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the controller 50 of the quadruped walking robot 1 of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the robot 1 is equipped with the controller 50 arranged on the handle 23. The controller 50 receives input of commands related to the operation of the robot 1. Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment the controller 50 includes an input device 51 arranged near the two handle grips 23b and a display device 52 arranged near the center of the bar 23a.

[0020] The display device 52 displays various information related to the robot 1. The display device 52 may include one or more of a display, display lamps such as indicator lamps and warning lamps, and meters such as analog meters and digital meters. The display may be a touch panel. In this embodiment, the display device 52 includes at least a display.

[0021] The input device 51 accepts various inputs and outputs the accepted input information to the controller 40. The input device 51 accepts inputs for various settings of the robot 1, setting of an execution task in the automatic driving mode, setting of a movement destination, selection of an operation mode, selection of a walking mode, selection of an operation method in the manual driving mode, manual operation in the manual driving mode, selection of the posture of the robot 1 when getting on and off, and selection of the posture of the robot 1 when at rest, etc.

[0022] The input device 51 may include one or more of a joystick, a key, a slide switch, a button switch, a lever, and a microphone. A touch panel of the display device 52 may implement part of the functions of the input device 51. In this embodiment, the input device 51 includes at least a joystick. The joystick accepts inputs such as selections on the display and manual operations. For example, the joystick may accept inputs of the movement direction and movement speed of the robot 1 during manual operation.

[0023] The handle 23 may implement part of the function of the input device 51. If the handle 23 is movable, the input device 51 may include a rotation sensor such as an encoder that detects the amount and speed of rotation of the handle 23. The input device 51 may accept the amount and speed of rotation of the handle 23 as a manual operation or the like. If the handle 23 is immobile, the input device 51 may include force sensors disposed on or near the two handle grips 23b. The input device 51 may accept the magnitude and direction of force detected by the force sensors as a manual operation or the like.

[0024] The operation modes include an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode. In the automatic operation mode, the controller 40 controls the robot 1 to autonomously execute designated execution tasks according to a predetermined program. In the manual operation mode, the controller 40 controls the robot 1 to execute operations according to manual operations input to the input device 51.

[0025] The operation methods for manual operation include a direct operation method using the operation device 50 and a remote operation method using a remote operation device located away from the robot 1. The remote operation device communicates with the robot 1 wirelessly, but may also communicate via wired communication or a combination of wired and wireless communication. The remote operation device may be an operation device such as a remote controller, or an operation terminal. The remote operation device may be a dedicated operation device for the robot 1 or a general-purpose operation device. For example, the remote operation device may be a personal computer, a workstation, a smart device such as a smartphone or a tablet, or other electronic device. The remote operation device is an example of a wireless operation device.

[0026] The walking modes include a four-legged walking mode and a wheeled running mode. In the four-legged walking mode, the controller 40 controls the robot 1 to walk using the four legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D. In the wheeled running mode, the controller 40 controls the robot 1 to run using wheels, which will be described later.

[0027] An execution task is a job to be performed by the robot 1 in the autonomous driving mode, and includes a series of operations. A travel destination is a destination to which the robot 1 travels. For example, the robot 1 may be equipped with a navigation system, and the travel destination may be set in the navigation system. The travel destination may be set in either the autonomous driving mode or the manual driving mode.

[0028] The posture of the robot 1 when getting on or off can be selected when a human gets on or off the seat 11. At this time, for example, the controller 40 may be configured to bend the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D to lower the trunk 10 downward. The controller 40 may change the height position of the trunk 10 depending on the posture of the robot 1 when getting on or off that is selected.

[0029] The posture of the robot 1 at rest can be selected when the robot 1 is put to rest by, for example, turning off the power of the robot 1. At this time, the controller 40 may be configured to bend the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D to bring the wheels of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, which will be described later, into contact with a support surface of the robot 1. In this way, the robot 1 is supported by the wheels, and can be moved manually even when the power is off.

[0030] Figure 4 is a plan view of the quadruped walking robot 1 of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the torso 10 includes a first recess 10a and a second recess 10b. The first recess 10a is recessed at a position of the torso 10 that is in the first lateral direction Dl1 and a downward direction Dd of the seat 11. The second recess 10b is recessed at a position of the torso 10 that is in the second lateral direction Dl2 and a downward direction Dd of the seat 11. The recesses 10a and 10b are recessed to accommodate the legs of a person sitting on the seat 11. The recesses 10a and 10b are arranged to face each other in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2.

[0031] The first recess 10a is recessed in the second lateral direction Dl2 more than the first fuselage portion 10c in the forward direction Df of the recesses 10a and 10b of the fuselage 10. The first recess 10a is recessed in the second lateral direction Dl2 more than the second fuselage portion 10d in the rearward direction Db of the recesses 10a and 10b of the fuselage 10. The second recess 10b is recessed in the first lateral direction Dl1 more than the fuselage portions 10c and 10d. The portion of the fuselage 10 between the recesses 10a and 10b is the third fuselage portion 10e. The first fuselage portion 10c is an example of a second portion, and the third fuselage portion 10e is an example of a third portion.

[0032] The width of the third torso portion 10e in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2 may be closer to the width of the seat portion 11 in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2 than the width of the first torso portion 10c in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2. The width of the third torso portion 10e in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2 may be closer to the width of the seat portion 11 in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2 than the width of the second torso portion 10d in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2. Because the width of the third torso portion 10e is closer to the width of the seat portion 11, the feet of a person seated on the seat portion 11 can land comfortably. A person seated on the seat portion 11 can easily and reliably hold the third torso portion 10e between both legs, allowing them to ride the robot 1 stably. The wider torso portions 10c and 10d can prevent a person from sliding forward Df and backward Db on the seat portion 11, allowing the person to sit stably.

[0033] The first body portion 10c projects further in both the first lateral direction Dl1 and the second lateral direction Dl2 than the third body portion 10e. The first body portion 10c can prevent the legs of a person seated on the seat 11 from moving upward in the Du direction, allowing the person to sit stably. Because the first body portion 10c is wide, it can accommodate various devices without adversely affecting the person's sitting posture.

[0034] In this embodiment, although not limited thereto, legs 30A and 30B are connected to first body portion 10c and can function as front legs of robot 1. Legs 30C and 30D are connected to second body portion 10d and can function as rear legs of robot 1.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, the robot 1 includes a controller 40, a secondary battery module 60, a power supply circuit 70, and a communicator 80 in the first body portion 10c.

[0036] The secondary battery module 60 functions as a power source for the robot 1. The secondary battery module 60 includes one or more secondary batteries. A secondary battery is a battery that can charge and discharge power. Examples of secondary batteries include lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion secondary batteries, all-solid-state batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-cadmium batteries.

[0037] The power supply circuit 70 is a circuit that controls the supply and demand of power to the secondary battery module 60. The power supply circuit 70 is configured to control power in accordance with commands from the controller 40. For example, the power supply circuit 70 may include devices such as a converter, an inverter, a transformer, and an amplifier.

[0038] The power supply circuit 70 is configured to be connected to an external power source such as a commercial power source. The power supply circuit 70 receives power from the external power source and supplies and stores the power in the secondary battery module 60. The power supply circuit 70 controls the power supplied to the secondary battery module 60. The power supply circuit 70 supplies the power stored in the secondary battery module 60 to components within the robot 1 that consume power. The power supply circuit 70 controls the power supplied to each component.

[0039] The communicator 80 is a device for wireless communication with a remote controller. The communicator 80 may be configured to wirelessly communicate with the remote controller directly or indirectly. In the case of indirect wireless communication, the communicator 80 may be configured to connect to a communication network via wireless communication and communicate with the remote controller via the communication network. The wireless communication used by the communicator 80 is not particularly limited.

[0040] The communication network is not particularly limited and may include, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, or a combination of two or more of these. The communication network may be configured to use short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and ZigBee (registered trademark), a network dedicated line, a dedicated line of a telecommunications carrier, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile communication network, the Internet network, satellite communication, or a combination of two or more of these. The mobile communication network may use a fourth-generation mobile communication system, a fifth-generation mobile communication system, or the like. The communication network may include one or more networks.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of joints of the quadruped walking robot 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D includes two or more joints. Although not limited to this, in the present embodiment, the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D include base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D connected to the torso 10, and one or more intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D disposed between the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D and the distal ends of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D. Furthermore, the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D include one or more intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D, and distal end links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D, respectively.

[0042] The intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D connect the joints to each other and form part of the skeleton of the leg sections 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, respectively. The tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D are connected to the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D and extend to the tips of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, forming part of the skeleton of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D. The tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D are treated to increase friction with the support surface that supports the robot 1. For example, the tips may be fitted with a member made of a material with a high friction coefficient, such as rubber or sponge, or may be surface-treated to have bumps, grooves, etc.

[0043] In this embodiment, the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D each include one intermediate joint 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D, respectively. The legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D each include one intermediate link 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D, respectively.

[0044] Each of the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D can move with two or more degrees of freedom, and each of the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D can move with one or more degrees of freedom. In this embodiment, the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D can move with two degrees of freedom, and each of the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D can move with one degree of freedom.

[0045] The base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D include first bending portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1, and second bending portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2, and 31D2, respectively. In this embodiment, the first bending portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1 are connected to the body 10, and the second bending portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2, and 31D2 are connected to the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D, respectively, although this is not limited thereto.

[0046] The first bent portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1 are bent about the second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D, respectively. The second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D extend in a direction intersecting with the first axes A1A, A1B, A1C, and A1D, which extend in the up-down directions Du and Dd, respectively, of the fuselage 10.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first axes A1A, A1B, A1C, and A1D are not parallel to the up-down directions Du and Dd, but they may be parallel to them. The first axes A1A, A1B, A1C, and A1D are also axes extending from the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D toward the trunk 10, respectively.

[0048] In this embodiment, the second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D are perpendicular to the first axes A1A, A1B, A1C, and A1D, respectively. Furthermore, the second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D extend in the lateral directions D11 and D12. The second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D are not parallel to the lateral directions D11 and D12, but they may be.

[0049] Such first bent portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1 bend in the pitching direction relative to the fuselage 10.

[0050] The second bending portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2, and 31D2 bend about the third axes A3A, A3B, A3C, and A3D, respectively. The third axes A3A, A3B, A3C, and A3D extend in a direction that intersects with the first axes A1A, A1B, A1C, and A1D and with the second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D, respectively. In this embodiment, the third axes A3A, A3B, A3C, and A3D are perpendicular to the second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D, respectively. Furthermore, the third axes A3A, A3B, A3C, and A3D extend in the front-rear directions Df and Db, respectively, with the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D extending in the downward direction Dd.

[0051] Such second bent portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2 and 31D2 bend in the rolling direction relative to the body 10 when the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C and 33D extend in the downward direction Dd.

[0052] However, the second curved portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2, and 31D2 may be connected to the fuselage 10, and the first curved portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1 may be connected to the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D, respectively. In this case, the third axes A3A, A3B, A3C, and A3D may extend in the fore-and-aft directions Df and Db. The second axes A2A, A2B, A2C, and A2D may extend in the lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2, with the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D extending in the downward direction Dd.

[0053] The base joints 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D respectively enable the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C and 33D to perform a combination of swinging in the front-rear directions Df and Db and swinging in the side directions Dl1 and Dl2.

[0054] The intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D include third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 that bend to change the angles formed by the links on both sides of the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D, respectively. In this embodiment, the third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 bend to change the angles formed by the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D and the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D, respectively.

[0055] The third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 bend about fourth axes A4A, A4B, A4C, and A4D, respectively. The fourth axes A4A, A4B, A4C, and A4D extend in directions intersecting the extension directions of the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D and the extension directions of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D, respectively. The fourth axes A4A, A4B, A4C, and A4D extend in lateral directions Dl1 and Dl2, respectively, while the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D extend in the downward direction Dd.

[0056] When the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D extend downward in the direction Dd, the third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 bend in the pitching direction relative to the trunk 10. The intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D enable the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D to swing in the forward and backward directions Df and Db, respectively.

[0057] The robot 1 includes a plurality of actuators that drive the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D and the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D. The plurality of actuators are an example of joint actuators. The plurality of actuators include actuators 35A, 35B, 35C, and 35D that drive the first bending portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1 to bend, respectively; actuators 36A, 36B, 36C, and 36D that drive the second bending portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2, and 31D2 to bend, respectively; and actuators 37A, 37B, 37C, and 37D that drive the third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 to bend, respectively. The actuators 35A to 35D, 36A to 36D, and 37A to 37D are examples of joint actuators.

[0058] Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, each of the actuators 35A to 35D, 36A to 36D, and 37A to 37D includes a servo motor SM, a reducer R, and a rotation sensor E such as an encoder. The servo motor SM is controlled by a controller 40, and the rotation sensor E detects the amount of rotation of the servo motor SM and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the controller 40. The reducer R transmits the rotational driving force of the servo motor SM to the bent portion while reducing the rotational speed of the servo motor SM and increasing the rotational driving force.

[0059] Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the actuators 35A, 36A, and 37A are arranged on the intermediate link 33A, the actuators 35B, 36B, and 37B are arranged on the intermediate link 33B, the actuators 35C, 36C, and 37C are arranged on the intermediate link 33C, and the actuators 35D, 36D, and 37D are arranged on the intermediate link 33D. As a result, the weight of the components of the robot 1 decreases in the downward direction Dd, making it easier for the controller 40 to control the posture balance of the robot 1.

[0060] 1 and 2, the robot 1 further includes one or more rotatable driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D at the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D, respectively. In this embodiment, the number of the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D is two, although this is not limitative. The pairs of driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D rotate coaxially around the fourth axes A4A, A4B, A4C, and A4D, respectively, and are disposed on either side of the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D. The driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D are examples of first wheels.

[0061] The driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D are disposed at the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D, respectively, so as to come into contact with a support surface that supports the robot 1 when the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D and the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D operate, thereby movably supporting the robot 1. For example, when the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D are bent so that the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D protrude downward Dd, the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D may come into contact with the support surface.

[0062] Fig. 6 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the four-legged walking robot 1 of Fig. 1 in four-legged walking mode. Fig. 7 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the four-legged walking robot 1 of Fig. 1 in wheel running mode. Footrests 12 are not shown in Figs. 6 and 7. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the robot 1 further includes a running device 90 on the body 10.

[0063] The running device 90 can be stored in the body 10. Furthermore, the running device 90 is operable to protrude from the body 10 in the downward direction Dd when stored in the body 10, and to come into contact with a support surface that supports the robot 1, and can move the robot 1 while in contact with the support surface.

[0064] The traveling device 90 includes a traveling wheel 91, a first actuator 92, a support 93, a second actuator 94, a biasing member 95, and a damper 96. The first actuator 92 rotates the traveling wheel 91, and the second actuator 94 operates the support 93. The first actuator 92 is an example of a traveling actuator, and the second actuator 94 is an example of a support actuator. Both the actuators 92 and 94 include a servomotor SM, a reducer R, and a rotation sensor E such as an encoder. The servomotor SM is controlled by the controller 40, and the rotation sensor E outputs a signal indicating the detection result of the rotation amount of the servomotor SM to the controller 40. The reducer R transmits the rotational driving force of the servomotor SM to the object to be driven.

[0065] Although not limited to this, in this embodiment, the traveling device 90 includes two traveling wheels 91A and 91B as traveling wheels 91, and first actuators 92A and 92B that drive the traveling wheels 91A and 91B, respectively, as first actuators 92.

[0066] The support body 93 is disposed on and fixed to the fuselage 10, and supports the running wheels 91A and 91B on the fuselage 10. The support body 93 is operable to move the running wheels 91A and 91B between a first position in which the running wheels 91A and 91B protrude from the fuselage 10 in the downward direction Dd as shown in Fig. 7, and a second position in which the running wheels 91A and 91B approach the fuselage 10 and are stored in the fuselage 10 as shown in Fig. 6.

[0067] In this embodiment, the support 93 includes, but is not limited to, an arm 93a, a tip member 93b, and an auxiliary link 93c. The arm 93a supports the traveling wheels 91A and 91B via the tip member 93b and is bendable. The arm 93a includes two links 93a1 and 93a2 that are rotatably connected to each other. A base end of the link 93a1 at the base of the arm 93a is rotatably connected to the body 10, and a tip end of the link 93a2 at the tip of the arm 93a is connected to the tip member 93b. The base end of the link 93a1 is connected to a second actuator 94. The link 93a1 is driven to rotate about its base end by the second actuator 94.

[0068] The base end of the auxiliary link 93c is rotatably connected to the body 10. The tip of the auxiliary link 93c is rotatably connected to the link 93a2 at a position away from the connection portion of the links 93a1 and 93a2. For example, the tip of the auxiliary link 93c may be connected to the connection portion of the tip member 93b and the link 93a2 or near the connection portion. The auxiliary link 93c determines the path of the connection portion of the links 93a2 and 93c as a single arc-shaped path. This determines the path of the tip member 93b when the link 93a1 rotates. The arm 93a is bent in the second position shown in FIG. 6 and extended in the first position shown in FIG. 7.

[0069] The tip member 93b supports the traveling wheels 91A and 91B at the end opposite the arm 93a so that they can rotate coaxially. In this embodiment, the rotation axes of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B extend in the lateral directions D11 and D12, respectively, although this is not limited thereto. The tip member 93b supports first actuators 92A and 92B, a biasing member 95, and a damper 96. The first actuators 92A and 92B are connected to the traveling wheels 91A and 91B, respectively. The biasing member 95 and damper 96 are connected to the bearings or bearing support members of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B. The bearings or bearing support members of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B are movable in a direction D1A from the traveling wheels 91A and 91B toward the arm 93a and in the opposite direction D1B.

[0070] The biasing member 95 biases the traveling wheels 91A and 91B via the bearings of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B or support members for the bearings. The biasing member 95 biases the traveling wheels 91A and 91B, which are in the first position as shown in FIG. 7, in a direction away from the body 10. The biasing member 95 biases the traveling wheels 91A and 91B in a direction from the arm 93a toward the tip member 93b. For example, the biasing member 95 may have a structure including a spring such as a coil spring, a bellows, a gas pressure or hydraulic cylinder, or a combination thereof.

[0071] The damper 96 acts on the running wheels 91A and 91B via the bearings or support members of the running wheels 91A and 91B, and damps vibration energy acting on the running wheels 91A and 91B. For example, the damper 96 may have a structure including a damper containing gas or liquid, rubber, gel, or a combination thereof.

[0072] For example, in the quadruped walking mode, as shown in Fig. 6, the controller 40 controls the actuators of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D so that the tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D come into contact with the support surface of the robot 1. Furthermore, the controller 40 controls the second actuator 94 so that the traveling wheels 91A and 91B are stored in the second position. Then, the controller 40 controls the actuators of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D so that the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D perform walking motions.

[0073] 7, in the wheel traveling mode, the controller 40 controls the actuators of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D so that the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D of the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D contact the support surface of the robot 1. Furthermore, the controller 40 controls the second actuator 94 so that the traveling wheels 91A and 91B extend to the first position.

[0074] Although not limited thereto, in the present embodiment, the intermediate joints 32A and 32B are located in a downward direction Dd from the base joints 31A and 31B or in a forward direction Df from the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively. The intermediate joints 32C and 32D are located in a downward direction Dd from the base joints 31C and 31D or in a rearward direction Db from the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively. The tips of the tip links 34A and 34B are located in a rearward direction Db from the intermediate joints 32A and 32B, respectively, and the tips of the tip links 34C and 34D are located in a forward direction Df from the intermediate joints 32C and 32D, respectively. The positions of the tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D are not limited to those described above. The intermediate joints 32A and 32B may be located in a rearward direction Db from the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively, and the intermediate joints 32C and 32D may be located in a forward direction Df from the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively.

[0075] The controller 40 controls the first actuators 92A and 92B to drive the traveling wheels 91A and 91B. The controller 40 drives the traveling wheels 91A and 91B to rotate in the same direction and at the same rotational speed, thereby moving the robot 1 forward or backward. The controller 40 drives the traveling wheels 91A and 91B to rotate in the same direction but at different rotational speeds, or in different rotational directions, thereby turning the robot 1 left or right. The controller 40 may drive the actuators of the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D to rotate the intermediate link 33A, 33B, 33C, or 33D, thereby turning the robot 1 left or right.

[0076] In the four-legged walking mode, as shown in Fig. 8, the controller 40 may control the actuators so that the robot 1 moves using the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the running device 90. Fig. 8 is a side view showing an example in which the four-legged walking robot 1 of Fig. 6 moves using the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the running device 90.

[0077] For example, when the robot 1 is in a predetermined state in the quadruped walking mode, the controller 40 may control the operation of the actuators 92A, 92B, and 94 of the running device 90 so that, in addition to the operation of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, the running device 90 protrudes from the torso 10 and presses against a support surface of the robot 1. In this case, the support and movement of the robot 1 by the running device 90 may be supplementary to the support and movement of the robot 1 by the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D. The support and movement of the robot 1 by the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D may be supplementary to the support and movement of the robot 1 by the running device 90.

[0078] For example, the predetermined state in the quadruped walking mode may be a state in which the load received by the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D exceeds a predetermined load, a state in which the posture of the robot 1 is unstable, etc. For example, the predetermined state may occur when the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D walk on a support surface that is not flat in the horizontal direction, such as a support surface with a step or an inclined support surface.

[0079] When the robot 1 is in a predetermined state in the wheeled traveling mode, as shown in FIG. 7 , the controller 40 may control the actuators to move the robot 1 using the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the running device 90. In addition to the operation of the running device 90, the controller 40 may control the operation of the actuators of the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D so that the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D press the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D against the support surface of the robot 1. In this case, the support of the robot 1 by the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D may be supplementary to the support of the robot 1 by the running device 90. The support of the robot 1 by the running device 90 may be supplementary to the support of the robot 1 by the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D. When the robot 1 is in a predetermined state in the wheel traveling mode, the controller 40 may use the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the traveling device 90, as shown in FIG.

[0080] For example, the predetermined state in the wheel traveling mode may be a state in which the driving force of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B cannot be sufficiently transmitted to the support surface of the robot 1, a state in which the driving force of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B is insufficient to move the robot 1, or a state in which the posture of the robot 1 is unstable. For example, the predetermined state may occur when the traveling wheels 91A and 91B move on a support surface that is not horizontally flat, such as an uneven support surface or an inclined support surface.

[0081] When a human gets on or off the robot 1, the controller 40 may bend the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D to move the torso 10 in a downward direction Dd, as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a side view showing an example of the state of the quadruped walking robot 1 of Fig. 6 when a human gets on or off. The running mechanism 90 is stored in the torso 10. The height position of the torso 10 controlled by the controller 40 may be a fixed height position, or may be a height position corresponding to a height position specified via the operation device 50 or a remote operation device.

[0082] After a person gets on or off the torso 10, the controller 40 may extend the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D to move the torso 10 in the upward direction Du. The controller 40 may control the actuators to move the torso 10 using the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the running device 90, as shown in FIG. 8 , during one or both of the movement of the torso 10 in the downward direction Dd and the movement of the torso 10 in the upward direction Du.

[0083] When the robot 1 is at rest, as shown in Fig. 10, the controller 40 may bend the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D to bring the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D into contact with the support surface of the robot 1. Fig. 10 is a side view showing an example of the resting state of the four-legged walking robot 1 of Fig. 6. The running gear 90 is stored in the body 10.

[0084] Although not limited thereto, in the present embodiment, the intermediate joints 32A and 32B are located in a downward direction Dd from the base joints 31A and 31B or in a rearward direction Df from the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively. The intermediate joints 32C and 32D are located in a downward direction Dd from the base joints 31C and 31D or in a forward direction Df from the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively. The tips of the tip links 34A and 34B are located in a rearward direction Db from the intermediate joints 32A and 32B, respectively, and the tips of the tip links 34C and 34D are located in a forward direction Df from the intermediate joints 32C and 32D, respectively. The positions of the tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D are not limited to those described above.

[0085] The robot 1 includes stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA and 39DA at the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D, respectively, that prevent movement in a predetermined direction beyond a predetermined amount.

[0086] In this embodiment, stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA are configured to prevent first bending portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1 from bending more than a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, respectively. Stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA may be configured to prevent second bending portions 31A2, 31B2, 31C2, and 31D2 from bending more than a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, in addition to first bending portions 31A1, 31B1, 31C1, and 31D1.

[0087] The stoppers 39AA and 39BA prevent the bending of the first bending portions 31A1 and 31B1, respectively, thereby preventing the intermediate links 33A and 33B from rotating beyond a predetermined amount so as to move the intermediate joints 32A and 32B in the backward direction Db. The stoppers 39AA and 39BA prevent the intermediate links 33A and 33B from rotating beyond the state shown in FIG. 10 so as to move the intermediate joints 32A and 32B in the backward direction Db.

[0088] The stoppers 39CA and 39DA prevent the bending of the first bending portions 31C1 and 31D1, respectively, thereby preventing the intermediate links 33C and 33D from rotating beyond a predetermined amount so as to move the intermediate joints 32C and 32D in the forward direction Df. The stoppers 39CA and 39DA prevent the intermediate links 33C and 33D from rotating beyond the state shown in FIG. 10 so as to move the intermediate joints 32C and 32D in the forward direction Df.

[0089] The structure of the stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of stopping the movement of the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D. For example, the stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA may be configured not to actively move for stopping, or may be configured to actively move for stopping. For example, a stopper that does not actively move may include a stationary engagement body that engages with a base joint that moves in a predetermined direction, a link connected to the base joint, etc. For example, a stopper that actively moves may include an engagement body that moves to engage or mate with the base joint and its drive device, and a brake that comes into contact with the base joint to frictionally stop it and its drive device, etc.

[0090] The base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D of the robot 1 shown in FIG. 10 are restrained by stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA. When the actuators of all joints of the robot 1 are powered off, the weight of the torso 10 and neck 20 acts on the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, but the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D do not bend. This maintains the posture of the robot 1 as shown in FIG. 10. Even when the robot 1 is powered off, the robot 1 can be moved manually by rotating the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D. For example, the controller 40 may operate the robot 1 in the state shown in FIG. 10 when it receives a pause command from the manipulator 50 or a remote control, when it detects an abnormality in the robot 1, or the like.

[0091] When the robot 1 is at rest, as shown in Fig. 11, the controller 40 may bend the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D to bring the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D and the tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D into contact with the support surface of the robot 1. Fig. 11 is a side view showing an example of the resting state of the four-legged walking robot 1 of Fig. 6. The running gear 90 is stored in the body 10.

[0092] Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the states of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D are similar to the states of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D shown in FIG. 7 . In order to stabilize the robot 1, it is preferable that the tips of the tip links 34A and 34B are positioned in the downward direction Dd of the base joints 31A and 31B or in the rearward direction Db of the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively. In order to stabilize the robot 1, it is preferable that the tips of the tip links 34C and 34D are positioned in the downward direction Dd of the base joints 31C and 31D or in the forward direction Df of the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively. However, it is also possible that the tips of the tip links 34A and 34B are positioned in the forward direction Df of the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively, or that the tips of the tip links 34C and 34D are positioned in the rearward direction Db of the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively. In either case, the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D and the tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D can support the robot 1 in a stationary state.

[0093] The robot 1 includes stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB at the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D, respectively, that prevent the third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 from bending more than a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction. The stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB prevent the third bending portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1, and 32D1 from bending in such a way that the interior angles formed between the intermediate links 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D and the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D, respectively, become smaller than a predetermined angle. The stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB and 39DB prevent the third bent portions 32A1, 32B1, 32C1 and 32D1 from bending so that the interior angles become smaller than those in the state shown in FIG.

[0094] The structure of the stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB is not particularly limited as long as it is a structure that can stop the movements of the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D. For example, the stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB may include one or more of the structures exemplified for the stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA shown in FIG.

[0095] The intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D of the robot 1 shown in FIG. 11 are restrained by stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB. When the power to the actuators of all the joints of the robot 1 is turned off, the weight of the torso 10 and neck 20 acts on the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, but the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D do not bend, and the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D and the tips of the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D come into contact with the support surface of the robot 1 to support the robot 1. At this time, the base joints 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D do not bend from the state shown in FIG. 11. As a result, the posture of the robot 1 is maintained as shown in FIG. 11. Even when the robot 1 is powered off, the robot 1 can be moved manually by rotating the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D. For example, the controller 40 may cause the robot 1 to operate in the state shown in Fig. 11 when it receives a pause command from the operation device 50 or a remote operation device, or when it detects an abnormality in the robot 1.

[0096] The robot 1 may include stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA, and stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB. When the robot 1 is at rest, the controller 40 may select one of the postures shown in Fig. 10 and the posture shown in Fig. 11 depending on the state of the robot 1, and cause the robot 1 to perform the selected posture.

[0097] As shown in Fig. 12, the robot 1 shown in Fig. 11 may further include driven wheels 38AA, 38BA, 38CA, and 38DA on the tip links 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D, respectively. Fig. 12 is a side view showing another example of the quadruped walking robot 1 of Fig. 11. The running gear 90 is stored in the body 10. When the robot 1 is at rest, the controller 40 causes the robot 1 to operate in the same manner as in Fig. 11. The driven wheels 38AA, 38BA, 38CA, and 38DA are examples of second wheels.

[0098] Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the states of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D are similar to the states of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D shown in FIG. 11 . It is preferable for the driven wheels 38AA and 38BA of the tip links 34A and 34B to be positioned downward Dd of the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively, or in a rearward direction Db relative to the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively, in order to stabilize the robot 1. It is preferable for the driven wheels 38CA and 38DA of the tip links 34C and 34D to be positioned downward Dd of the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively, or in a forward direction Df relative to the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively, in order to stabilize the robot 1. However, it is also possible for the driven wheels 38AA and 38BA to be positioned forward Df of the base joints 31A and 31B, respectively, or for the driven wheels 38CA and 38DA to be positioned rearward Db relative to the base joints 31C and 31D, respectively. In either case, the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, 38AA, 38BA, 38CA and 38DA can support the robot 1 in a stationary state.

[0099] When the power to the actuators of all the joints of the robot 1 shown in FIG. 12 is turned off, the intermediate joints 32A, 32B, 32C, and 32D do not bend, and the driven wheels 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D and the driven wheels 38AA, 38BA, 38CA, and 38DA contact the support surface of the robot 1 and support the robot 1. The posture of the robot 1 is then maintained as shown in FIG. 12. Even when the power is turned off, the robot 1 can be easily moved manually by rotating the driven wheels 38A to 38D and 38AA to 38DA. For example, the controller 40 may cause the robot 1 to operate in the state shown in FIG. 12 when it receives a pause command from the manipulator 50 or a remote control, when it detects an abnormality in the robot 1, or the like.

[0100] The robot 1 may include stoppers 39AA, 39BA, 39CA, and 39DA, and stoppers 39AB, 39BB, 39CB, and 39DB. When the robot 1 is at rest, the controller 40 may select one of the postures shown in Fig. 10 and the posture shown in Fig. 12 depending on the state of the robot 1, and cause the robot 1 to perform the selected posture.

[0101] Fig. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the controller 40 of the quadruped walking robot 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 13, the controller 40 includes a computer, which may be, for example, an electronic circuit board, an electronic control unit, or a microcomputer. The controller 40 includes a processor P and a memory M. The processor P and the memory M transmit and receive commands, information, data, and the like to and from other devices. The processor P and the memory M input signals from various devices and output control signals to controlled objects.

[0102] For example, the memory M may include a volatile semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAM), a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, a solid state drive (SSD), or a combination thereof. The memory M stores programs executed by the processor P, various data, and the like.

[0103] At least some of the functions of the controller 40 may be realized by cooperation between the processor P and the memory M. The processor P and the memory M including RAM and ROM form a computer system. For example, the computer system may realize the above functions by the processor P using the RAM as a work area and executing a program recorded in the ROM.

[0104] Some or all of the functions of the controller 40 may be realized by the computer system described above, by a dedicated hardware circuit such as an electronic circuit or an integrated circuit, or by a combination of the computer system and the hardware circuit. The controller 40 may execute processes under centralized control by a single computer, or may execute processes under distributed control by cooperation of multiple computers.

[0105] For example, the processor P may include, but is not limited to, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a microprocessor, a processor core, a multiprocessor, an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a reconfigurable processor, etc., and processing may be realized by a logic circuit or a dedicated circuit, which is a hardware circuit formed in an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip or an LSI (Large Scale Integration). Multiple functions of the controller 40 may be realized by individual integrated circuits formed on a single chip, or by an integrated circuit that includes some or all of the functions on a single chip.

[0106] The controller 40 is connected to sensors 22 and 24, an operating device 50, a secondary battery module 60, a power supply circuit 70, a communication device 80, actuators 35A to 37A of leg 30A, actuators 35B to 37B of leg 30B, actuators 35C to 37C of leg 30C, actuators 35D to 37D of leg 30D, and actuators 92A, 92B and 94 of the running device 90.

[0107] The robot 1 includes a sensor 22 as a first sensor and further includes a sensor 24 as a second sensor. The second sensor 24 is disposed inside the trunk 10. The second sensor 24 detects the movement of the trunk 10. Although not limited thereto, in the present embodiment, the second sensor 24 includes a gyro sensor and detects the angular velocity of the trunk 10. For example, the second sensor 24 detects the angular velocity around three orthogonal axes. The second sensor 24 may further include an acceleration sensor and detect the acceleration of the trunk 10. For example, the second sensor 24 may detect the acceleration in three orthogonal axial directions. Such a second sensor 24 may include an inertial measurement unit. The second sensor 24 outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the controller 40.

[0108] The controller 40 receives and processes a signal indicating the detection result from the first sensor 22. If the first sensor 22 includes a three-dimensional camera, the controller 40 may process the image received from the first sensor 22 to detect an object included in the image and the distance between the object and the sensor 22. Furthermore, the controller 40 may detect the three-dimensional position of the object. The first sensor 22 may include a processing circuit or the like that performs the image processing. The controller 40 may output the processing result to one or both of the operation device 50 and the remote operation device T, or may use the processing result in the processing that the controller 40 itself executes, such as controlling the robot 1.

[0109] The controller 40 receives and processes a signal indicating the detection result from the second sensor 24. The controller 40 may process the signal received from the second sensor 24 to detect the angular velocity and acceleration of the torso 10. The second sensor 24 may include a processing circuit or the like that performs detection processing of the angular velocity and acceleration. The controller 40 may use the detection result in processing that it itself performs, such as posture control of the robot 1.

[0110] The controller 40 communicates with the remote controller T via the communication device 80. The controller 40 processes signals received from the remote controller T and executes commands contained in the signals. The controller 40 stores the information and data contained in the signals in memory M, etc., and uses the information and data in the processing it executes. The controller 40 transmits various information and data, etc. to the remote controller T.

[0111] The controller 40 processes the signal received from the operation device 50 and executes the command contained in the signal. The controller 40 stores the information and data contained in the signal in the memory M or the like and uses the information and data in the processing that it executes. The controller 40 outputs various information and data to the operation device 50.

[0112] The controller 40 can receive signals from the remote control T and the control device 50 indicating various settings of the robot 1, settings of tasks to be executed in the automatic driving mode, settings of destinations to travel to, selection of operation mode, selection of walking mode, selection of operation method in the manual driving mode, manual operation in the manual driving mode, selection of the posture of the robot 1 when getting on and off, and selection of the posture of the robot 1 when at rest.

[0113] The controller 40 is connected to the external power supply EP via a first power supply circuit 70a of the power supply circuit 70. The controller 40 controls the charging of the secondary battery module 60 with power from the external power supply EP by controlling the first power supply circuit 70a.

[0114] The controller 40 is connected to the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D of the legs 30A to 30D via a second power supply circuit 70b of the power supply circuit 70. The controller 40 outputs current command values ​​to the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D to the second power supply circuit 70b, and the second power supply circuit 70b supplies currents according to the command values ​​from the secondary battery module 60 to the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D. The controller 40 obtains the detection results of the rotation sensors E of the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D and the current values ​​of the actuators via the second power supply circuit 70b, and uses these as feedback information when determining the current command values. That is, the controller 40 controls the servo motors SM of the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D.

[0115] The controller 40 is connected to the actuators 92A, 92B, and 94 of the traveling device 90 via a third power supply circuit 70c of the power supply circuit 70. The controller 40 outputs current command values ​​to the actuators 92A, 92B, and 94 to the third power supply circuit 70c, and the third power supply circuit 70c supplies currents according to the command values ​​from the secondary battery module 60 to the actuators 92A, 92B, and 94. The controller 40 acquires the detection results of the rotation sensors E of the actuators 92A, 92B, and 94 and the current values ​​of the actuators via the third power supply circuit 70c, and uses these as feedback information when determining the current command values. In other words, the controller 40 servo-controls the servo motors SM of the actuators 92A, 92B, and 94.

[0116] In the automatic driving mode, the controller 40 executes an automatic driving program in accordance with commands including an execution task and a movement destination received from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T. For example, the automatic driving program includes control data including information such as the positions and speeds of the legs 30A to 30D to be executed by the robot 1. The control data may include information such as the position, movement direction, and speed of the robot 1 to be executed by the robot 1. The control data may be teaching data set through a teaching operation.

[0117] In the quadruped walking mode, the controller 40 calculates the target positions, target velocities, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D using the control data and the processed results of the detection signals of the sensors 22 and 24. The controller 40 determines command values ​​for the currents to the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D so as to move the legs 30A to 30D to the target positions, target velocities, etc.

[0118] For example, the controller 40 calculates a target position, a target speed, etc. corresponding to the state of the ground surface around the robot 1 and the position of an object, by reflecting the processing result related to the first sensor 22 in the above calculation. In this way, the controller 40 can cause the legs 30A to 30D to change the way they move, change their movement trajectories, decelerate, stop, etc. For example, the controller 40 calculates a target position, a target speed, etc. that balances the robot 1 in accordance with the movement and posture of the trunk 10, by reflecting the processing result related to the second sensor 24 in the above calculation.

[0119] In the wheel driving mode, the controller 40 uses control data etc. to calculate the target position, target speed etc. of the robot 1. The controller 40 determines the command values ​​of the currents to the actuators 92A and 92B based on the target position, target speed etc. of the robot 1.

[0120] The controller 40 may use the processing results of the detection signals from the sensors 22 and 24 in the above calculations. For example, the controller 40 may use the processing results of the first sensor 22 to calculate the target positions and target velocities of the legs 30A to 30D corresponding to the condition of the ground surface around the robot 1 and the position of an object, etc. As a result, the controller 40 may operate the legs 30A to 30D to change the horizontal and vertical positional relationships between the driven wheels 38A to 38D and the traveling wheels 91A and 91B in response to the condition of the ground surface. For example, changing the horizontal positional relationship can adjust the balance of the robot 1. Changing the vertical positional relationship allows the legs 30A to 30D to function as suspensions and reduce vibrations and impacts. The controller 40 may calculate the target positions and target velocities of the robot 1 so as to change the traveling direction, decelerate, stop, etc. of the robot 1 in response to the position of a surrounding object.

[0121] For example, the controller 40 may use the processing results related to the second sensor 24 to calculate target positions, target velocities, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D so as to balance the robot 1 in accordance with the movement, posture, etc. of the trunk 10. As a result, the controller 40 may operate the legs 30A to 30D so as to change the horizontal and vertical positional relationships between the driven wheels 38A to 38D and the traveling wheels 91A and 91B in accordance with the movement, posture, etc. of the trunk 10.

[0122] In the manual operation mode, the controller 40 executes a program for manual operation. The controller 40 receives a signal from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T indicating the content of the manual operation input to the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T.

[0123] In the quadruped walking mode, the controller 40 processes signals indicating the details of manual operation in accordance with a manual driving program to calculate the target positions, target velocities, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D. The controller 40 determines command values ​​for the currents to the actuators 35A to 37A, 35B to 37B, and 35D to 37D based on the target positions, target velocities, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D.

[0124] The controller 40 may use the processed results of the detection signals from the sensors 22 and 24 to calculate the target positions, target velocities, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D. For example, the controller 40 may use the processed results of the detection signals from the first sensor 22 to calculate the target positions, target velocities, etc. corresponding to the state of the ground surface around the robot 1. The controller 40 may stop or slow down the movement of the legs 30A to 30D to avoid collisions, contact, etc., depending on the positions of objects around the robot 1. For example, the controller 40 may use the processed results of the detection signals from the second sensor 24 to calculate the target positions, target velocities, etc., so as to balance the robot 1 depending on the movement, posture, etc. of the torso 10. In this way, even if the manual command is a simple command indicating the robot 1's forward movement, backward movement, left turn, right turn, and traveling speed, the controller 40 can cause the robot 1 to operate in accordance with the state of the robot 1's surroundings and the balance of the robot 1.

[0125] In the wheel driving mode, the controller 40 processes signals indicating the details of manual operation in accordance with a manual driving program to calculate the target position, target speed, etc. of the robot 1. Based on the target position, target speed, etc. of the robot 1, the controller 40 determines the command values ​​of the currents to the actuators 92A and 92B.

[0126] The controller 40 may use the processing results of the detection signals from the sensors 22 and 24 in the above calculations. For example, the controller 40 may use the processing results related to the first sensor 22 to calculate the target positions, target speeds, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D so as to change the horizontal and vertical positional relationships between the driven wheels 38A to 38D and the running wheels 91A and 91B in response to the state of the ground surface around the robot 1. For example, changing the horizontal positional relationship may adjust the balance of the robot 1. Changing the vertical positional relationship may cause the legs 30A to 30D to function as suspensions and reduce vibrations and impacts. The controller 40 may stop or slow down the movement of the robot 1 in response to the position of an object around the robot 1 to avoid collisions, contact, etc. The controller 40 may use the processing results related to the second sensor 24 to calculate the target positions, target speeds, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D so as to balance the robot 1 in response to the movement, posture, etc. of the torso 10.

[0127] In the four-legged walking mode of the automatic driving mode and the manual driving mode, the controller 40 may use the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the traveling device 90 as shown in Fig. 8 in response to a program, the detection result of the first sensor 22, or a command from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T. The controller 40 may use the processing results related to the sensors 22 and 24 to calculate the target position, target speed, etc. of the traveling wheels 91A and 91B of the traveling device 90 so as to balance with the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D.

[0128] In the wheel driving mode of the automatic driving mode and the manual driving mode, the controller 40 may use the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D in combination with the traveling device 90, as shown in Fig. 8, in response to a program, the detection result of the first sensor 22, or a command from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T. The controller 40 may calculate the target positions, target speeds, etc. of the legs 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D so as to balance with the traveling device 90, using the processing results related to the sensors 22 and 24.

[0129] In either mode, the controller 40 may calculate the target positions and target velocities of the legs 30A to 30D, etc., in response to a program or a command from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T, as shown in Figure 9, for raising and lowering the torso 10 when a human gets on or off the robot 1.

[0130] In either mode, the controller 40 may calculate target positions, target speeds, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D for bringing the robot 1 to rest in response to a program or a command from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T. For example, if the running device 90 protrudes from the torso 10, the controller 40 may calculate target positions, target speeds, etc. of the running device 90 for retracting into the torso 10. The controller 40 may determine a state to be used for resting from the state of the robot 1 shown in FIG. 10 and the state of the robot 1 shown in FIG. 11 or 12 based on the processing results of the sensors 22 and 24. The controller 40 may calculate target positions, target speeds, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D corresponding to the determined state of the robot 1.

[0131] Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the controller 40 autonomously executes the operation of switching the walking mode between the four-legged walking mode and the wheeled driving mode. In the autonomous driving mode, the controller 40 may determine the walking mode in accordance with a walking mode command included in the control data. The controller 40 may also determine the walking mode depending on the state of the ground surface based on the detection result of the first sensor 22. When switching the walking mode, the controller 40 may calculate the target position, target speed, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D based on information regarding the switching operation, such as the position and speed, included in the control data, and the processed result of the detection signal of the second sensor 24.

[0132] In the manual driving mode, the controller 40 receives a signal specifying the walking mode from the operation device 50 or the remote control device T. When switching the walking mode, the controller 40 obtains information regarding the switching operation, such as the position and speed of the legs 30A to 30D, from a manual driving program, but may also obtain the information from control data of the automatic driving program. The controller 40 may calculate the target position, target speed, etc. of the legs 30A to 30D based on the above information and the processing results of the detection signal of the second sensor 24, etc.

[0133] In the four-legged walking mode of the automatic driving mode, the controller 40 controls the movements of the legs 30A to 30D according to an automatic driving program while reflecting the detection results of the sensors 22 and 24 in the control, in order to cause the robot 1 shown in Fig. 6 to autonomously execute tasks. The controller 40 can change the state of the robot 1 from the four-legged walking mode to the wheeled driving mode in response to the program, the detection result of the first sensor 22, or a command from the operation device 50 or the remote operation device T.

[0134] In the wheeled mode of the automatic driving mode, the controller 40 controls the operation of the running device 90 according to an automatic driving program to cause the robot 1 shown in Fig. 7 to autonomously execute tasks. The controller 40 can control the operation of the running device 90 and legs 30A to 30D in response to the detection results of the sensors 22 and 24. The controller 40 can change the state of the robot 1 from the wheeled mode to the four-legged walking mode in response to the program, the detection result of the first sensor 22, or a command from the controller 50 or the remote controller T.

[0135] In the four-legged walking mode of the manual driving mode, the controller 40 controls the movements of the legs 30A to 30D so that the robot 1 as shown in Fig. 6 walks in accordance with the manual operation of the controller 50 or the remote controller T. The controller 40 can control the movements of the legs 30A to 30D in response to the detection results of the sensors 22 and 24. The controller 40 can change the state of the robot 1 from the four-legged walking mode to the wheeled driving mode in response to the detection result of the first sensor 22 or a command from the controller 50 or the remote controller T.

[0136] In the wheeled driving mode of the manual driving mode, the controller 40 controls the operation of the traveling device 90 so that the robot 1 as shown in Fig. 7 travels in accordance with the manual operation of the operation device 50 or the remote control T. The controller 40 can control the operation of the traveling device 90 and the legs 30A to 30D in response to the detection results of the sensors 22 and 24. The controller 40 can change the state of the robot 1 from the wheeled driving mode to the four-legged walking mode in response to the detection result of the first sensor 22 or a command from the operation device 50 or the remote control T.

[0137] In either mode, the controller 40 can control the robot 1 in accordance with commands from both the operating device 50 operated by a user riding the robot 1 and the remote operating device T operated by a user remote from the robot 1.

[0138] (Other embodiments) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. That is, various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, various modifications to the embodiments and embodiments constructed by combining components of different embodiments are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0139] For example, in the robot 1 according to the embodiment, the legs 30A and 30B are connected to the body 10 at positions biased toward the forward direction Df, and the legs 30C and 30D are connected to the body 10 at positions biased toward the backward direction Db, but this is not limiting. The positions at which the legs 30A to 30D are connected to the body 10 may be arranged in any manner.

[0140] In the robot 1 according to the embodiment, the base joints 31A to 31D of the legs 30A to 30D are configured to bend around two axes, the pitching direction and the rolling direction, relative to the torso 10 when the intermediate links 33A to 33D extend in the downward direction Dd, but are not limited to this. For example, the base joints 31A to 31D may be configured to bend around two axes, the pitching direction and the yawing direction, or around two axes, the rolling direction and the yawing direction, relative to the torso 10 when the intermediate links 33A to 33D extend in the downward direction Dd. The base joints 31A to 31D may be configured to bend around two other axes relative to the torso 10. Furthermore, the base joints 31A to 31D may be configured to bend around three or more axes relative to the torso 10.

[0141] In the robot 1 according to the embodiment, the intermediate joints 32A to 32D of the legs 30A to 30D are configured to bend in the pitching direction relative to the torso 10 when the legs 30A to 30D extend in the downward direction Dd, but are not limited to this. For example, the intermediate joints 32A to 32D may be configured to bend in the yawing direction, the rolling direction, or another direction relative to the torso 10 when the legs 30A to 30D extend in the downward direction Dd. The intermediate joints 32A to 32D may be configured to bend around two or more axes. When one leg includes two or more intermediate joints, the bending directions of the intermediate joints may be the same or different from each other.

[0142] In the robot 1 according to the embodiment, the actuators of the joints of the legs 30A to 30D and the running gear 90 include servo motors SM as their drive sources. The servo motors SM are rotary electric motors, but the drive sources of the actuators are not limited to rotary electric motors. For example, the actuators may include, as their drive sources, rotary electric motors, direct-acting electric motors, rotary hydraulic or gas pressure motors, direct-acting hydraulic or gas pressure motors, or a combination of two or more of these. The various motors described above may or may not be servo motors.

[0143] The robot 1 according to the embodiment includes a footrest 12 fixed to the torso 10, but is not limited to this. The footrest 12 may be configured so that its position can be changed relative to the torso 10. For example, the footrest 12 may be movable in the up-down direction, the front-back direction, or a combination of these directions relative to the torso 10. This allows the footrest 12 to move in accordance with the physique of the person riding the robot 1, thereby reducing the load on the person's legs.

[0144] The robot 1 according to the embodiment includes a seat 11 for carrying a person, but may also be configured to carry an object. For example, the robot 1 may include a carrier for carrying an object, a hanging device for hanging an object, an attachment for a box for storing an object, or the like, on one or more of the seat 11, the body 10, and the neck 20.

[0145] Although the robot 1 according to the embodiment includes a neck 20, it does not necessarily have to include a neck 20. In this case, the handle 23 may be disposed on the body 10. The handle 23 only needs to be disposed in a position where it can be grasped by a person seated on the seat 11, and even if the robot 1 includes a neck 20, it may be disposed on a component of the robot 1 other than the neck 20.

[0146] The appearance of the robot 1 according to the embodiment is not limited to an appearance imitating a four-limbed mammal. For example, the appearance of the robot 1 that does not include the legs 30A to 30D may be any appearance. For example, the appearance of the robot 1 that does not include the legs 30A to 30D may be an appearance imitating various vehicles such as a motorcycle, a bicycle, an automobile with three or more wheels, a ship, or an aircraft.

[0147] The robot 1 according to the embodiment uses the secondary battery module 60 as a power source, but is not limited to this. For example, the robot 1 may use an external power source such as a commercial power source as a power source. In this case, the robot 1 may be electrically connected to the external power source via a wire or contact and operate while receiving power from the external power source.

[0148] Examples of various aspects of the technology of the present disclosure are given below: A quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a main body, four legs connected to the main body and capable of bending, each leg including two or more joints, a plurality of joint actuators that drive a plurality of the joints, a running device that protrudes downward from the main body and operates to come into contact with a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot and moves the quadruped walking robot while in contact with the support surface, and a controller that controls the operations of the plurality of joint actuators and the running device.

[0149] According to the above aspect, the quadruped walking robot can move using the running device and walk using the legs. The quadruped walking robot can operate the running device in a running state in which it protrudes from the body, and in a retracted state in which it does not protrude from the body. The quadruped walking robot can have a compact structure by retracting the running device when walking using the legs. Since the legs include two or more joints, they can assume various postures. This makes it easy for people to get on and off the quadruped walking robot by moving the body up and down. Furthermore, the quadruped walking robot can walk on various types of ground surfaces. Thus, a compact quadruped walking robot that can be used for everyday purposes is provided.

[0150] In a four-legged walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the running device includes a running wheel, a running actuator that rotates and drives the running wheel, a support that supports the running wheel and operates to move the running wheel between a first position where the running wheel protrudes downward from the main body and a second position where the running wheel approaches the main body, and a support actuator that operates the support, and the controller may be configured to control the operation of the running actuator and the support actuator as the operation of the running device.

[0151] According to the above aspect, the four-legged walking robot moves by the running wheels in a running state of the running device, in which the running wheels are located at a first position. For example, if the support surface that supports the four-legged walking robot is flat, the four-legged walking robot in the running state can move at high speed.

[0152] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the running device may include a biasing member that is disposed on the support and biases the running wheels in the first position in a direction away from the main body. According to the above aspect, the biasing member presses the running wheels against a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot. Stable contact between the running wheels and the support surface allows the running device to reliably move the robot.

[0153] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the running device may include a damper disposed on the support and configured to damp vibration energy acting on the running wheels. According to the above aspect, the damper prevents vibrations generated in the running wheels from being transmitted to the main body via the support. The damper prevents a person seated in the seat from feeling discomfort from the vibrations generated in the running wheels.

[0154] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the support may include an arm that supports the running wheels and bends, the arm extending at the first position and bending at the second position, and the support actuator may drive the arm. According to the above aspect, the structure of the support and the structure for driving the support can be simplified.

[0155] In a four-legged walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the running device may include, as the running wheels, a first running wheel and a second running wheel that rotate on the same axis, and, as the running actuators, a first running actuator that rotationally drives the first running wheel and a second running actuator that rotationally drives the second running wheel, and the controller may be configured to control the operation of the first running actuator and the second running actuator to change the rotation direction of the first running wheel and the rotation direction of the second running wheel, thereby changing the direction of travel of the running device.

[0156] According to the above aspect, the traveling device can arbitrarily change the direction of travel of the four-legged walking robot by controlling the rotation of the first traveling wheel and the second traveling wheel with the controller, which simplifies the structure for changing the direction of travel of the four-legged walking robot.

[0157] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, each of the four legs includes a base joint connected to the main body and one or more intermediate joints disposed between the base joint and the distal end of the leg, and the base joint may move with two or more degrees of freedom, and the intermediate joint may move with one or more degrees of freedom. According to the above aspect, the legs can perform a variety of movements. The quadruped walking robot can walk in various walking patterns and can walk on various ground surfaces, including slopes, steps, and unevenness.

[0158] A quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include, in each of the four legs, a rotatable first driven wheel at one or more joints between the joint connected to the main body and the tip of the leg, and the first driven wheel is positioned so as to support the quadruped walking robot by contacting a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot when the joint moves. According to the above aspect, the quadruped walking robot can move without walking with its legs, with the first driven wheel in contact with the support surface.

[0159] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller may be configured to drive the running device with one or more of the first driven wheels and the running device in contact with a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot. According to the above aspect, the quadruped walking robot can move using the running device with the first driven wheels of the legs and the running wheels of the running device in contact with a support surface. Because the quadruped walking robot is supported by multiple wheels, it can move in a stable manner.

[0160] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller may be configured to change the direction of travel of the quadruped walking robot by operating the joints to move the first driven wheels together with the legs. According to the above aspect, the quadruped walking robot can change its direction of travel by operating the joints to move the legs. This simplifies the structure for changing the direction of travel of the quadruped walking robot.

[0161] In one embodiment of the quadruped walking robot of the present disclosure, each of the four legs further includes a stopper that stops the movement of one or more of the joints, and the controller controls the multiple actuators to operate the four legs in a predetermined case so that the stopper stops the movement of one or more of the joints and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface, and the predetermined case may include one or both of a case where the quadruped walking robot is at rest and a case where a person gets on or off the quadruped walking robot.

[0162] According to the above aspect, in a given case, each of the four legs supports the quadruped walking robot with the joint movement prevented by the stopper. Even when the actuator, which does not generate driving force, is in the OFF state, the joints of the four legs are supported by the stopper so that bending does not progress due to the weight of the quadruped walking robot. Even when the actuator is in the OFF state, the quadruped walking robot can maintain a posture in which the first driven wheel is in contact with the support surface. When the actuator is in the OFF state, the quadruped walking robot can move using the first driven wheel, and a person can get on and off the quadruped walking robot.

[0163] In a quadruped walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the four legs may include a first stopper as the stopper that stops the movement of the joint connected to the main body, and the controller may control the multiple actuators to operate the four legs in the specified case so that the first stopper stops the movement of the joint and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface.

[0164] According to the above aspect, in a predetermined case, the first stopper stops the movement of the joint connected to the main body, and the quadruped walking robot can maintain a posture in which the bases of the four legs are stopped in a predetermined state by the first stopper even when the actuator is turned off.

[0165] In a quadruped walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the four legs may include a second stopper as the stopper that stops the movement of the joint at which the first driven wheel is located, and the controller may control the multiple actuators to operate the four legs in the specified case so that the second stopper stops the movement of the joint and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface.

[0166] According to the above aspect, in certain cases, the second stopper prevents the movement of the joint where the first driven wheel is located. Even when the actuator is turned off, the quadruped walking robot can maintain a posture in which the peripheral portions of the first driven wheels on the four legs are held in a predetermined state by the second stopper.

[0167] In a quadruped walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the four legs may further include a rotatable second driven wheel between the joint at which the first driven wheel is disposed and the tip of the leg, and the second driven wheel may be positioned to contact the support surface when the second stopper stops the movement of the joint and the first driven wheel is in contact with the support surface.

[0168] According to the above aspect, in a certain case, the second stopper prevents the movement of the joint where the first driven wheel is disposed, and the first driven wheel and the second driven wheel come into contact with the support surface, thereby stabilizing the quadruped walking robot in the certain case.

[0169] In a four-legged walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the controller causes the four-legged walking robot to move from the specified case state to a standing state on the four legs, the controller may control the operation of the running device so that, together with the movement of the four legs, the running device protrudes from the main body and presses against the support surface.

[0170] According to the above-described embodiment, the quadruped walking robot operates in a standing state on four legs by the driving force of the four legs and the driving force of the running device. Therefore, this operation is reliable. The load on the actuators of the four legs is reduced. The actuators of the legs can be made smaller.

[0171] In a quadruped walking robot according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the controller may be configured to select and execute a first control for moving the quadruped walking robot by operating the legs, or a second control for moving the quadruped walking robot by operating the running device. According to the above aspect, the controller can select between walking with the legs and moving with the running device depending on the situation and cause the quadruped walking robot to move.

[0172] In a four-legged walking robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the four-legged walking robot is moved by operating the legs, the controller may control the operation of the running device so that, when the four legs are in a predetermined state, the running device protrudes from the main body and presses against the support surface.

[0173] According to the above aspect, the quadruped walking robot moves using the four legs and the running device together when the four legs are in a predetermined state. For example, the predetermined state may be a state in which the load on the legs exceeds a predetermined load, or a state in which the posture of the quadruped walking robot is unstable. This reduces the load on the actuators of the four legs. Furthermore, the quadruped walking robot becomes more stable.

[0174] A quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure may further include a seat disposed on the main body and on which a person sits astride the main body, a handle grasped by the person seated on the seat, and an operating device disposed on the handle for receiving input of commands related to operation of the quadruped walking robot, wherein the controller controls the operation of the plurality of joint actuators and the running device in accordance with the commands received from the operating device. According to the above aspect, the quadruped walking robot has a main body with a shape and dimensions that allow a person to sit on the seat astride the main body. Furthermore, the main body of the quadruped walking robot has a shape and dimensions that allow a person to operate the operating device of the handle while sitting on the seat astride the main body. This allows the main body to have a compact structure.

[0175] A quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure may further include a sensor that scans the surroundings of the quadruped walking robot, and the controller may be configured to process signals received from the sensor to detect either or both of objects around the quadruped walking robot and the positions of the objects. According to the above aspect, the controller can use information about the surrounding objects and information about the positions of the surrounding objects to control the quadruped walking robot and to provide information to an operator of the quadruped walking robot.

[0176] In a four-legged walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller may receive commands for tasks to be performed by the four-legged walking robot, and based on the results of processing signals received from the sensors, control the multiple joint actuators and the running device in accordance with a predetermined program for executing the tasks so as to cause the four-legged walking robot to move independently.

[0177] According to the above aspect, the controller causes the quadruped walking robot to autonomously execute a task in accordance with the processing results of the signals received from the sensors. For example, the controller can cause the quadruped walking robot to reliably execute a task by causing the robot to perform an action in accordance with information about surrounding objects and information about the positions of the surrounding objects.

[0178] In a quadruped walking robot according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller may be configured to communicate via wireless communication with a wireless controller that accepts input of commands related to operation of the quadruped walking robot, and the controller may control the operation of the joint actuators and the running device in accordance with the commands received from the wireless controller and transmit processed results of signals received from the sensors to the wireless controller. According to the above aspect, the controller can accept remote control via the wireless controller and control the quadruped walking robot in accordance with the remote control. The controller facilitates operation by the operator by transmitting processed results of signals received from the sensors to the wireless controller.

[0179] The functions of the elements disclosed herein can be performed using circuits or processing circuitry, including general-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, integrated circuits, ASICs, conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. A processor is considered a processing circuit or circuitry because it includes transistors and other circuitry. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the recited functions or hardware that is programmed to perform the recited functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the recited functions. Where the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware and / or processor.

[0180] The ordinal numbers, quantitative numbers, and other figures used above are all examples given to specifically explain the technology of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated figures. The connection relationships between the components are examples given to specifically explain the technology of the present disclosure, and the connection relationships that realize the functions of the present disclosure are not limited to these.

[0181] Because the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of its essential features, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the description in the specification, and therefore the exemplary embodiments and modifications are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. All modifications within the scope of the claims, or equivalents thereof, are intended to be embraced by the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0182] 1. Four-legged robot 10 fuselage (main body) 11 Seat 22 First Sensor 30A,30B,30C,30D Legs 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D Base joint 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D Intermediate joints 35A, 35B, 35C, 35D, 36A, 36B, 36C, 36D, 37A, 37B, 37C, 37D Actuators (joint actuators) 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D Driven wheels (first wheels) 38AA, 38BA, 38CA, 38DA Driven wheel (second wheel) 39AA, 39AB, 39BA, 39BB, 39CA, 39CB, 39DA, 39DB Stopper 40 Controller 50 Controller 90 Running gear 91, 91A, 91B Traveling wheels 92, 92A, 92B First actuator (travel actuator) 94 Second actuator (support actuator) 93 Support 93a Arm 95 biasing member 96 Attenuator T Remote controller (wireless controller)

Claims

1. A quadruped walking robot, The main body and Four legs connected to the main body and capable of bending, each of the four legs including two or more joints; a plurality of joint actuators that drive the plurality of joints; a running device that protrudes downward from the main body and operates to come into contact with a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot, and moves the quadruped walking robot while in contact with the support surface; a controller for controlling the operation of the plurality of joint actuators and the traveling device; A four-legged walking robot.

2. The traveling device is A running wheel; a travel actuator that rotates the travel wheel; a support for supporting the running wheel, the support being operable to move the running wheel between a first position on the body where the running wheel protrudes downward from the body and a second position where the running wheel approaches the body; a support actuator for moving the support; The controller is configured to control the operation of the travel actuator and the support actuator as the operation of the travel device. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 1.

3. The traveling device includes a biasing member that is disposed on the support and biases the traveling wheel in the first position in a direction away from the main body.

3. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 2.

4. The traveling device includes a damper disposed on the support and configured to damp vibration energy acting on the traveling wheel.

4. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 2 or 3.

5. the support includes an arm that supports the traveling wheel and performs a bending motion; the arm is extended in the first position and bent in the second position; The support actuator drives the arm. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The traveling device is The running wheels include a first running wheel and a second running wheel that rotate coaxially; The travel actuators include a first travel actuator that rotationally drives the first travel wheel and a second travel actuator that rotationally drives the second travel wheel, The controller is configured to control the operation of the first traveling actuator and the second traveling actuator to change the rotation direction of the first traveling wheel and the rotation direction of the second traveling wheel, thereby changing the traveling direction of the traveling device. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. Each of the four legs includes a base joint connected to the main body and one or more intermediate joints disposed between the base joint and the distal end of the leg; the base joint operates with two or more degrees of freedom; The intermediate joint operates with one or more degrees of freedom. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. a rotatable first driven wheel is provided at one or more of the joints between the joint connected to the main body and the tip of the leg in each of the four legs; The first driven wheel is arranged so as to come into contact with a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot when the joint operates, thereby supporting the quadruped walking robot. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The controller is configured to drive the running device while the one or more first driven wheels and the running device are in contact with a support surface that supports the quadruped walking robot. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 8.

10. The controller is configured to change the direction of travel of the quadruped walking robot by operating the joints to move the first driven wheels together with the legs. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 9.

11. Each of the four legs further includes a stopper that restricts movement of one or more of the joints; the controller controls the actuators to move the four legs to a state in which, in a given case, the stoppers prevent movement of one or more of the joints and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface; The predetermined case includes one or both of a case where the quadruped walking robot is at rest and a case where a person gets on or off the quadruped walking robot. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. each of the four legs includes, as the stopper, a first stopper that stops the movement of the joint connected to the main body; The controller controls the actuators to move the four legs in the predetermined case so that the first stopper stops the movement of the joint and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 11.

13. Each of the four legs comprises: the stopper includes a second stopper that stops the movement of the joint where the first driven wheel is disposed, The controller controls the actuators to move the four legs in the predetermined case so that the second stopper stops the movement of the joint and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface.

13. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 11 or 12.

14. Each of the four legs further includes a rotatable second driven wheel between the joint where the first driven wheel is disposed and the tip of the leg, The second driven wheel is positioned to contact the support surface when the second stopper prevents movement of the joint and the first driven wheel contacts the support surface. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 13.

15. When the quadruped walking robot is caused to move from the predetermined case state to a state in which it stands on the four legs, the controller controls the movement of the four legs and the movement of the running device so that the running device protrudes from the main body and presses against the support surface.

15. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 11 to 14.

16. The controller is configured to select and execute a first control for moving the quadruped walking robot by operating the legs, or a second control for moving the quadruped walking robot by operating the running device.

16. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. When the quadruped walking robot is moved by operating the legs, the controller controls the operation of the running device so that the running device protrudes from the main body and presses against the support surface together with the operation of the four legs when the quadruped walking robot is in a predetermined state.

17. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. a seat portion disposed on the main body and on which a person sits astride; a handle that is grasped by a person seated in the seat; an operating device disposed on the handle and configured to receive an input of a command related to the operation of the quadruped walking robot; The controller controls the operations of the joint actuators and the traveling device in accordance with commands received from the operating device.

18. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. a sensor for scanning the surroundings of the quadruped walking robot; The controller is configured to process signals received from the sensors to detect objects and / or positions of the objects in the vicinity of the quadruped robot.

19. The quadruped walking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. The controller receiving a command for a task to be executed by the quadruped walking robot; Based on the processing results of the signals received from the sensors, the joint actuators and the running device are controlled in accordance with a predetermined program for executing the task, so that the quadruped walking robot moves independently.

20. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 19.

21. the controller is configured to communicate via wireless communication with a wireless controller that accepts input of commands related to operation of the quadruped walking robot; The controller controlling the operations of the joint actuators and the traveling device in accordance with commands received from the wireless controller; The processing result of the signal received from the sensor is transmitted to the wireless controller.

21. The quadruped walking robot according to claim 19 or 20.

Images