robot

Abstract

To provide a robot capable of achieving more complicated operations with one drive source.SOLUTION: A robot 1 includes a drive source for outputting power by rotating an output shaft in a first rotation range and a second rotation range, an operation part 20, and a power transmission part for transmitting power from the drive source and causing the operation part 20 to act. The power transmission part causes the operation part to operate with a first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation range, and causes the operation part to operate with a second operation in a mode different from that of the first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the second rotation range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a robot.

Background Art

[0002] Robots that perform different actions according to the situation to create familiarity or amusement are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a robot that realizes different actions such as moving back and forth and swinging by the power from one drive source.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the robot disclosed in Patent Document 1, different actions performed by the power from one drive source are always performed simultaneously. Therefore, there is a problem that the actions of the robot tend to be monotonous.

[0005] The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a robot that can realize more complex actions with one drive source.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, one aspect of the robot of the present invention includes a drive source that outputs power by rotating an output shaft in a first rotation range and a second rotation range, an operating unit, and a power transmission unit that transmits power from the drive source to operate the operating unit, wherein the power transmission unit operates the operating unit in a first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation range, and operates the operating unit in a second operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the second rotation range without performing the first operation. 1 movement Made by does not include Activate it in the second step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a robot that can perform more complex movements with a single drive source. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a robot with a portion of it cut out. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the motor of the robot and the power transmission unit that transmits power from the motor. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the motor of the robot and the power transmission unit that transmits power from the motor. [Figure 5] A perspective view of the connecting lever shown in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a plan view of the moving object. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the moving body and the first section set in the vertical cam. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the first section set in the vertical cam as seen from the cross-sectional line VIIa-VIIa in Figure 3, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the first section set in the vertical cam inserted through the moving body. [Figure 8]Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the moving body and the second section set in the vertical cam. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the second section set in the vertical cam as seen from the cross-sectional line VIIIa-VIIIa in Figure 3, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the second section set in the vertical cam inserted through the moving body. [Figure 9] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the robot. [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view of the internal structure shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the relationship between the motor's rotational speed and the operation performed by the moving parts. [Figure 12] Figure 1 shows the robot in its initial state, where (a) is a side view showing the internal structure, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the power transmission section as seen from the cross-sectional line BB in (a). [Figure 13] Figure 12 shows the state after the operating part has been rotated from its initial state, with (a) being a side view showing the internal structure and (b) being a cross-sectional view of the power transmission part as seen from the cross-sectional line BB in (a). [Figure 14] Figure 12 shows the state after the operating part has been rotated from its initial state, with (a) being a side view showing the internal structure and (b) being a perspective view of the robot. [Figure 15] This diagram shows the working part in its most open state; (a) is a side view showing the internal structure, and (b) is a perspective view of the robot. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, as shown in Figure 1, a right-handed Cartesian coordinate system having X and Y axes parallel to the horizontal direction and a Z axis parallel to the vertical direction (height direction) will be defined, and the description will refer to this coordinate system as appropriate. Unless otherwise specified, the attachment of each component will be carried out by appropriate methods such as attachment using screws, bolts, or fitting.

[0010] The robot 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a so-called pet robot that performs familiar actions. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the robot 1 has a container-shaped body portion 10 having a circular bottom portion 11 and a peripheral wall 12 erected from the edge of the bottom portion 11, and a hemispherical operation portion 20 that covers the body portion 10 from the +Z direction. The robot 1 can be placed with the bottom portion 11 in contact with the floor or a table. The operation portion 20 rotates around the Z axis with respect to the body portion 10 as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, changes its shape to an open state as shown in Fig. 15(b), or changes its shape from the open state to a closed state as shown in Fig. 1.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 2, an accommodation space 10a in which various parts of the robot 1 are accommodated is formed inside the body portion 10. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a support frame 30 is fixed to the body portion 10 by a screw passed through a screw hole 30a. As shown in Fig. 3, a motor 31 as a drive source that outputs power and a power transmission portion 40 that transmits the power from the motor 31 to the operation portion 20 (Fig. 2) are attached to the support frame 30.

[0012] The motor 31 is, for example, a servo motor. The motor 31 is fixed to the support frame 30 with the output shaft 32 aligned in the X-axis direction. The rotation direction, rotation amount, and rotation speed of the output shaft 32 of the motor 31 are controlled by a signal from a control portion (not shown). The output shaft 32 of the motor 31 can rotate in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction around the X axis in Fig. 3.

[0013] As a power transmission portion 40 for transmitting the power from the motor 31, the robot 1 includes a disk-shaped rotating body 41 connected to the output shaft 32, a connection lever 43 rotatably connected to the rotating body 41, a moving body 42 that is connected to the connection lever 43 and performs a rotational motion around the Z axis as the first motion and a parallel movement in the Z-axis direction as the second motion, a horizontal cam 所44 that restricts the movement of the connection lever 43, and a vertical cam 45 that restricts the movement of the moving body 42.

[0014] ] The rotating body 41 has a disk-shaped portion 41a and a cylindrical portion 41b provided at a position offset from the center of the disk-shaped portion 41a. The output shaft 32 of the motor 31 is connected to the center of the disk-shaped portion 41a. Thereby, the disk-shaped portion 41a rotates about the X-axis as the output shaft 32 rotates, and accordingly, the cylindrical portion 41b performs a circular motion about the X-axis. A threaded hole 41c that engages with a thread (not shown) formed at the tip of the lever pin 49 is formed in the cylindrical portion 41b. The lever pin 49 is screwed into the threaded hole 41c while being inserted through a through-hole 43a formed in the connection lever 43 shown in FIG. 5. Thereby, the connection lever 43 is rotatably attached to the rotating body 41.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 5, the connection lever 43 has a triple or three - shaped configuration, and the aforementioned through-hole 43a is formed at the first tip portion. A spherical protrusion 43b is formed at the second tip portion of the connection lever 43. A cylindrical protrusion 43c is formed at the third tip portion of the connection lever 43.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the moving body 42 has a large - diameter disk - shaped portion 46 and a small - diameter disk - shaped portion 47 that overlaps the disk - shaped portion 46 with their centers aligned. As shown in FIG. 6, six cutouts 46a having a width W are formed at equal angular intervals from the outer edge toward the center in the large - diameter disk - shaped portion 46. Inside each of these six cutouts 46a, a cylindrical mounting bar 46b extending in the width W direction of the cutout 46a is formed. As will be described later, an operation lever 65 shown in FIG. 9 is rotatably attached to this mounting bar 46b.

[0017] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, an insertion hole 48 is formed at the center of the moving body 42 through which the vertical cam 45 is inserted. As shown in Figure 6, the insertion hole 48 has a shape that combines a circular hole portion 48a, a generally rectangular protruding hole portion 48b that protrudes from the circular hole portion 48a, and a fan-shaped hole portion 48c that protrudes while widening from the opposite side of the circular hole portion 48a from where the protruding hole portion 48b is formed. The inner wall of the fan-shaped hole portion 48c is composed of a widening wall 48ca that forms part of the radius of the fan and an arc wall 48cb that forms the arc portion of the fan. The insertion hole 48 is formed continuously at the center of the overlapping large-diameter disc-shaped portion 46 and the small-diameter disc-shaped portion 47.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, an engagement hole 46c is formed on the outer edge of the disc-shaped portion 46 of the moving body 42, which engages with a spherical projection 43b (Figure 5) formed on the connecting lever 43. By engaging the projection 43b (Figure 5) with the engagement hole 46c, the connecting lever 43 is rotatably connected to the moving body 42.

[0019] The horizontal cam 44 is mounted on the support frame 30 facing the +X direction and adjacent to the rotating body 41. The horizontal cam 44 has a groove 44a formed in it that extends along the plane perpendicular to the output shaft 32 of the motor 31, i.e., the YZ plane. The groove 44a has a recess 44b, a first groove portion 44c extending downward from the recess 44b, and a second groove portion 44d extending upward from the recess 44b. The second groove portion 44d is open in the +Z direction (upward). The groove 44a guides the inserted cylindrical projection 43c shown in Figure 5 in the direction in which the groove 44a is formed. This restricts the movement of the connecting lever 43. The recess 44b is the part into which the projection 43c fits when the robot 1 is in its initial state.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, the vertical cam 45 is a columnar member extending in the Z-axis direction and is provided on the surface (upper surface) of the support frame 30 facing the +Z direction. The vertical cam 45 has a first section 55 that allows rotational movement of the inserted moving body 42 around the Z-axis and parallel movement along the Z-axis direction, and a second section 56 that allows only parallel movement of the inserted moving body 42 along the Z-axis direction. The second section 56 is a continuous section from the first section 55 and is adjacent to the first section 55 on the +Z direction side.

[0021] As shown in Figure 7(a), the first section 55 has a cylindrical portion 51 and a first projection 52 that protrudes perpendicularly from the cylindrical portion 51 in the direction in which the vertical cam 45 extends. The cylindrical portion 51 and the first projection 52 are similarly formed in the second section 56, and the cross-sectional shape and size are constant throughout the entire sections of the first section 55 and the second section 56. As shown in Figure 8(a), the second section 56 also has a second projection 53 that protrudes from the opposite side of the cylindrical portion 51 from where the first projection 52 is formed. The cross-sectional shape and size of the second projection 53 are constant throughout the entire section of the second section 56.

[0022] When robot 1 is in its initial state, as shown in Figure 4, the moving body 42 is positioned as far down (towards the -Z direction) as possible within the range in which it can be translated in the Z-axis direction. At this time, the first section 55 of the vertical cam 45 is inserted through the moving body 42, and a gap H is set between the upper end of the moving body 42 and the lower end of the second section 56.

[0023] At this time, the cylindrical portion 51 of the vertical cam 45 is passed through the circular hole portion 48a of the insertion hole 48, as shown in Figure 7(b). The radius of the circular cross-section of the cylindrical portion 51 is set to a value smaller than the diameter of the circular hole portion 48a. Therefore, the cylindrical portion 51 acts as an axis when rotating the moving body 42 around the Z axis, and also functions as a guide when moving the moving body 42 in the Z-axis direction. On the other hand, the first projection 52 of the vertical cam 45 is passed through the sector-shaped hole portion 48c. As shown in Figure 7(b), the size of the cross-section of the first projection 52 is smaller than the sector-shaped hole portion 48c, and when the robot 1 is in its initial state, a gap is provided between the side wall 52a of the first projection 52 and the widening wall 48ca of the sector-shaped hole portion 48c. Therefore, the moving body 42 passed through the first section 55 can rotate around the Z axis and move in parallel in the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the moving body 42 rotates in the direction of arrow Y1 in the figure from the initial state shown in Figure 7(b).

[0024] As the moving body 42 moves parallel upward (+Z direction) from the initial state shown in Figure 4, the second section 56 of the vertical cam 45 is inserted into the insertion hole 48. At this time, as shown in Figure 8(b), the cylindrical portion 51 of the vertical cam 45 is passed through the circular hole portion 48a of the insertion hole 48, the first projection 52 of the vertical cam 45 is passed through the fan-shaped hole portion 48c, and the second projection 53 of the vertical cam 45 is passed through the projection hole portion 48b.

[0025] The cross-sectional shape and size of the second projection 53 are approximately the same as the hole shape and size of the projection hole 48b. As a result, when the second section 56 is inserted through the insertion hole 48 of the moving body 42, the rotation of the moving body 42 around the Z axis is restricted, while parallel movement of the moving body 42 in the Z axis direction is permitted.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the operating unit 20 includes six fins 60 arranged to cover the body 10, an operating lever 65 that connects the moving body 42 and the fins 60 and transmits the movement of the moving body 42 to the fins 60, and a membrane 70 that covers the six fins 60.

[0027] The six fins 60 all have the same configuration and have a shape that appears as if a hemispherical outer shell has been divided into six equal parts by a cutting line passing through its center. As shown in Figure 9, the fins 60, together with the upper cover 90 provided on the top of the robot 1 and the upper block 80 to which the fins 60 are attached, form a hemispherical shape. Ribs 61 are formed on the inner circumferential surface 60a of the fins 60, as shown in Figure 10. Mounting recesses 62 are formed on these ribs 61, which are rotatably connected to a cylindrical mounting bar 65a formed on one end of the operating lever 65. In addition, mounting recesses 63 are formed on the upper edge (the edge on the +Z direction side) of the fins 60, which are rotatably connected to a mounting bar 80b formed on the upper block 80.

[0028] All six operating levers 65 have the same configuration and are rod-shaped members provided one-to-one with each of the six fins 60. One end of the operating lever 65 has the aforementioned mounting bar 65a, and the other end has a mounting recess 65b that rotatably connects to a mounting bar 46b formed on the moving body 42 shown in Figure 6. The other end of the operating lever 65 is inserted into the notch 46a shown in Figure 6 and engages with the mounting bar 46b. In this way, the operating lever 65 connects the moving body 42 and the fins 60 and transmits the movement of the moving body 42 to the fins 60.

[0029] The membrane 70 is made of a material with an elongation rate of 200% or more and an Asker C hardness of 5 degrees or higher. The membrane 70 covers the upper cover 90, the upper block 80, and the six fins 60 shown in Figure 9. Because the membrane 70 is made of an elastic material, it expands and contracts in accordance with the movement of the fins 60 without hindering their movement.

[0030] As shown in Figure 10, the upper block 80 is rotatably connected to the upper part of the vertical cam 45 by a screw 91 that is screwed into the upper part of the vertical cam 45, with a portion of it covered by the upper cover 90. As shown in Figure 9, the upper block 80 is a disc-shaped member, and six notches 80a are formed on its outer edge at equal angular intervals from the center. Inside each of the six notches 80a, a mounting bar 80b is formed to which a mounting recess 63 (Figure 10) for the fin 60 is rotatably connected.

[0031] Next, the operation of robot 1 (Figure 1) will be explained with reference to Figures 11 to 15. Note that in Figures 11 to 15, some components such as the membrane body 70 are omitted from the illustration as appropriate in order to allow for understanding of the internal structure of robot 1. As shown in Figure 11, the motor 31 (Figure 3), which serves as the drive source, can rotate the output shaft 32 within the range of rotation shown by the thick line. Specifically, the output shaft 32 can rotate by an amount R1 in the first rotation direction (referred to as the positive rotation direction) from the origin position, and can rotate by an amount R4 in the second rotation direction (referred to as the negative rotation direction) from the origin position. Here, the first rotation direction of the output shaft 32 is the counterclockwise direction in Figure 12(a), and the second rotation direction is the clockwise direction.

[0032] First, let's describe the state of each component of robot 1 when it is in its initial state. As mentioned above, the moving body 42 is located at the lowest point (towards the -Z direction) within the range in which it can be translated in the Z-axis direction. At this time, the first section 55 of the vertical cam 45 is inserted through the insertion hole 48 of the moving body 42, as shown in Figure 12(b). Also, the lever pin 49 that connects the rotating body 41 and the connecting lever 43 is located at the lowest point (towards the -Z direction) within the range of circular motion, as shown in Figure 12(a). Furthermore, the projection 43c formed on the connecting lever 43 is fitted into the recess 44b shown in Figure 3. This allows the projection 43c to be stopped within the recess 44b, thereby suppressing rattling of each component of robot 1 in its initial state.

[0033] Starting from the initial state shown in Figure 12(a), when the output shaft 32 rotates counterclockwise (in the + direction in Figure 11), the rotating body 41 connected to the output shaft 32 also rotates counterclockwise. Then, the first tip of the connecting lever 43 into which the lever pin 49 is inserted moves in a counterclockwise circular motion as indicated by arrow Y2. Consequently, the projection 43c formed on the second tip of the connecting lever 43 is guided diagonally downward in the figure along the first groove 44c formed on the horizontal cam 44 as indicated by arrow Y3. As a result, the projection 43b formed on the third tip of the connecting lever 43 moves to the left in the figure as indicated by arrow Y4.

[0034] In this way, power from the motor 31 is transmitted to the connecting lever 43, causing the moving body 42, which is rotatably connected to the projection 43b, to rotate clockwise around the vertical cam 45 (Z-axis) as indicated by the arrow Y5 in Figure 12(b). Consequently, the fins 60 connected to the moving body 42 via the operating lever 65, the upper block 80 to which the fins 60 are attached, and the membrane 70 (Figure 2) covering the fins 60 and the upper block 80 also rotate around the vertical cam 45 (Z-axis).

[0035] When the output shaft 32 rotates counterclockwise by a rotation amount R1 (Figure 11) from the state shown in Figures 12(a) and (b), the fins 60 and the moving body 42 reach the state shown in Figures 13(a) and (b), which represent the maximum rotation amount from the initial state. The maximum rotation amount R1 of the output shaft 32 is, for example, 90 degrees. At this time, the lever pin 49 is located on the right side of the output shaft 32 in the figure, as shown in Figure 13(a), and has undergone a 90-degree circular motion compared to the initial state where it was located on the lower side of the output shaft 32 in Figure 12(a). On the other hand, the moving body 42 and the fins 60, etc., which rotate with the moving body 42, have rotated approximately 24 degrees clockwise from the state shown in Figure 12(b). By providing the widened sector-shaped hole 48c in the moving body 42, contact between the moving body 42 and the vertical cam 45 can be prevented, and the moving body 42 can be rotated smoothly.

[0036] As the output shaft 32 rotates clockwise (in the direction of the minus sign in Figure 11) from the state shown in Figure 13(a), the rotating body 41 connected to the output shaft 32 also rotates clockwise. The first tip of the connecting lever 43 into which the lever pin 49 is inserted then moves in a clockwise circular motion as indicated by arrow Y6. Consequently, the projection 43c formed on the second tip of the connecting lever 43 is guided diagonally upward in the figure along the first groove 44c formed on the horizontal cam 44 as indicated by arrow Y7. As a result, the projection 43b formed on the third tip of the connecting lever 43 moves to the right in the figure as indicated by arrow Y8.

[0037] In this way, power from the motor 31 is transmitted to the connecting lever 43, causing the moving body 42, which is rotatably connected to the projection 43b, to rotate counterclockwise around the vertical cam 45 (Z-axis) as indicated by arrow Y9 in Figure 13(b). Simultaneously, the fins 60 connected to the moving body 42 via the operating lever 65, the upper block 80 to which the fins 60 are attached, and the membrane 70 (Figure 2) covering the fins 60 and the upper block 80, etc., rotate around the vertical cam 45 (Z-axis).

[0038] As shown in Figure 11, while the output shaft 32 rotates within a range of positive rotation amount R1 from the origin O, the robot's operating unit 20 (Figure 1) performs a rotational movement as its first operation. Therefore, the range of rotation amount from the origin O of the output shaft 32 to rotation amount R1 is defined as the first rotation range and the rotational movement range 100a. Within the rotational movement range 100a, the rotation direction of the operating unit 20 can be switched by the output shaft 32 switching its rotation direction between the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction, as shown by the arrow in Figure 1. At this time, the projection 43b formed on the connecting lever 43 is guided within the first groove 44c, thereby causing the moving body 42 to perform a rotational movement around the Z axis.

[0039] On the other hand, when the output shaft 32 rotates clockwise (in the direction of - in Figure 11) from the initial state shown in Figure 12(a), the rotating body 41 connected to the output shaft 32 also rotates clockwise. Then, the first tip of the connecting lever 43 into which the lever pin 49 is inserted moves in a clockwise circular motion as shown by arrow Y10. Consequently, the projection 43c formed on the second tip of the connecting lever 43 is guided upward in the figure along the second groove 44d formed on the horizontal cam 44 as shown by arrow Y11. As a result, the projection 43b formed on the third tip of the connecting lever 43 moves upward in the figure as shown by arrow Y12.

[0040] Eventually, when the amount of rotation of the output shaft 32 reaches the amount of rotation R2 shown in Figure 11, the moving body 42 rises higher than the gap H shown in Figure 4, and the second section 56 of the vertical cam 45 is inserted into the insertion hole 48 of the moving body 42. As a result, the movement of the moving body 42 is restricted to parallel movement along the vertical direction by the vertical cam 45. Furthermore, when the output shaft 32 rotates and exceeds the amount of rotation R3 shown in Figure 11, the projection 43c formed on the connecting lever 43 comes out of the groove 44a, as shown in Figure 14.

[0041] As the moving body 42 is pushed up via the connecting lever 43, the operating lever 65, one end of which is connected to the moving body 42, and the fin 60, the other end of which is connected to the operating lever 65, are pushed up. That is, the fin 60 is pushed up by the mounting bar 65a shown in Figure 10 and rotates around the mounting bar 80b of the rotatably mounted upper block 80. As a result, the fin 60 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow Y13 in Figure 12. Due to this movement of the fin 60, the operating unit 20 performs an action that expands the membrane 70 covering the fin 60, as shown in Figure 14(b).

[0042] As the output shaft 32 rotates further clockwise from the state shown in Figure 14(a), the first tip of the connecting lever 43 into which the lever pin 49 is inserted moves in a clockwise circular motion as indicated by arrow Y14. Consequently, the moving body 42 connected to the projection 43b is pushed further upward as indicated by arrow Y15, and the fin 60 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow Y16. When the output shaft 32 rotates clockwise by a rotation amount R4 (Figure 11), the moving body 42 is in the highest position within its movable range, and the fin 60 is in the state shown in Figure 15(a) where it is most spread out. Consequently, the operating part 20 is also in the most spread out state as shown in Figure 15(b). The maximum rotation amount R4 of the output shaft 32 is, for example, 180 degrees. At this time, the lever pin 49 is located on the upper side of the output shaft 32 in the figure, as shown in Figure 15(a).

[0043] When the output shaft 32 rotates counterclockwise (in the + direction in Figure 11) from the state shown in Figure 15(a), the rotating body 41 connected to the output shaft 32 also rotates counterclockwise. Then, the first tip of the connecting lever 43 into which the lever pin 49 is inserted moves in a counterclockwise circular motion as shown by arrow Y17. Consequently, the projection 43b formed on the third tip of the connecting lever 43 moves the moving body 42 downward in the figure as shown by arrow Y18. As the moving body 42 moves downward, the fin 60 rotates in the closing direction as shown by arrow 19. In this way, as the output shaft 32 rotates counterclockwise, the operating part 20 shown in Figure 15(b) closes, and eventually the robot 1 returns to its initial state.

[0044] As shown in Figure 11, while the output shaft 32 rotates within a range of negative rotation amount R4 from the origin O, the robot's operating unit 20 (Figure 1) performs an opening and closing operation as its second operation. Therefore, the range of rotation amount from the origin O of the output shaft 32 to rotation amount R4 is defined as the second rotation range, or the opening and closing operation range 100b. Within the opening and closing operation range 100b, the output shaft 32 can switch its rotation direction between the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction, thereby switching between the opening operation and the closing operation of the operating unit 20. At this time, the projection 43c formed on the connecting lever 43 is guided within the second groove 44d, causing the moving body 42 to move in the Z-axis direction.

[0045] According to the above embodiment, by selecting whether to rotate the output shaft 32 of the motor 31 within the rotational operation range 100a or within the opening / closing operation range 100b, the operating unit 20 can be made to perform multiple operations of different types (rotational operation or opening / closing operation). This makes it possible to make the robot 1 perform complex operations with the output from a single motor 31. Furthermore, since only one motor 31 is required to make the robot 1 perform multiple operations of different types, the configuration of the robot 1 can be simplified.

[0046] Furthermore, by switching the rotation direction of the output shaft 32 within the rotation range 100a, the rotation direction of the operating unit 20 can be reversed, and by switching within the opening / closing range 100b, the opening and closing operations of the operating unit 20 can be switched. In this way, by appropriately combining the rotation range and rotation direction of the output shaft 32, the robot 1 can be made to perform complex movements.

[0047] Furthermore, by providing a three-pronged connecting lever 43 on the power transmission unit 40, the rotating body 41 and the moving body 42 can be connected using the remaining two ends of the connecting lever 43, while the projection 43c formed on one end is guided by the groove 44a. This makes it easy to restrict the movement of the moving body 42.

[0048] Furthermore, a first groove 44c and a second groove 44d are formed in the groove 44a, so that the directions in which the inserted projection 43c is guided are different. This makes it easy to make the operation of the operating part 20 connected to the moving body 42 different.

[0049] Furthermore, when the robot 1 is in its initial state, a recess 44b is formed in the groove 44a of the horizontal cam 44 into which the projection 43c of the connecting lever 43 fits. This allows the projection 43c to be stopped within the recess 44b, thereby suppressing rattling of the various components of the robot 1 in its initial state.

[0050] Furthermore, a vertical cam 45, which has a first section that allows rotational movement and translation of the moving body 42, and a second section that allows only translation of the moving body 42, is inserted through a through hole 48 formed in the moving body 42. This allows the movement of the moving body 42 to be restricted not only by the horizontal cam 44, but also by the vertical cam 45.

[0051] Furthermore, the second projection 53 formed in the second section 56 of the vertical cam 45 and the projection hole 48b formed in the moving body 42 through which the second projection 53 is inserted not only restrict the rotation of the moving body 42 around the Z axis, but also restrict the movement of the moving body 42 in the Z axis direction when the robot 1 is rotating. That is, when the moving body 42 through which the first section 55 is inserted is rotating, the second projection 53 and the projection hole 48b are viewed from above (viewed from the Z axis direction) and are not aligned but are offset from each other. Therefore, even if the moving body 42 tries to move upward parallel along the Z axis direction, the upper end of the moving body 42 comes into contact with the lower end of the second projection 53, restricting the upward movement of the moving body 42. As a result, even if an unexpected impact is applied during the rotation of the robot 1, it is possible to prevent the moving body 42 from moving upward, and the normal operation of the robot 1 can be ensured.

[0052] Furthermore, by forming the membrane 70 covering the fin 60 from a highly elastic material, the membrane 70 can be made to follow the movement of the fin 60. This allows the fin 60 and the membrane 70 to operate as a single unit.

[0053] This invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible. In the above embodiment, the case in which the operating unit 20 performs rotational and opening / closing operations was described, but the specific operation of the operating unit 20 can be arbitrarily set. That is, the operation of the operating unit 20 can be changed by appropriately changing the method of connection to the moving body 42 and the configuration of the operating unit 20. In addition, the shape and size of the moving body 42 may be changed so that the moving body 42 becomes the operating unit of the robot 1.

[0054] Furthermore, the rotation speed, rotation range, and rotation speed of the output shaft 32 can be set arbitrarily. By appropriately controlling these, the robot 1 can be made to perform animal-like movements such as breathing, trembling, or startled movements.

[0055] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and the present invention includes the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. The invention described in the original claims of this application is listed below.

[0056] (Note) (Note 1) A drive source that outputs power by rotating the output shaft within a first rotation range and a second rotation range, The operating part, A power transmission unit that transmits power from the aforementioned drive source to operate the aforementioned operating unit, Equipped with, The power transmission unit operates the operating unit in a first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation range, and operates the operating unit in a second operation that is different from the first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the second rotation range. robot.

[0057] (Note 2) The power transmission unit is The rotating body to which the output shaft is connected, A moving body connected to the aforementioned operating unit, which causes the operating unit to perform the first operation by performing a first movement, and causes the operating unit to perform the second operation by performing a second movement, A connecting lever that connects the rotating body and the moving body and transmits the motion of the rotating body to the moving body, A horizontal cam having a groove formed therein that restricts the movement of the connecting lever by guiding a projection formed on the connecting lever, It has, The groove has a first groove portion that causes the moving body to perform the first motion and a second groove portion that causes the moving body to perform the second motion. The robot described in Appendix 1.

[0058] (Note 3) The power transmission unit further includes a rod-shaped vertical cam inserted through a through hole formed in the moving body, The first motion includes rotational motion around the vertical cam, The second motion includes a motion in which the vertical cam moves in a direction parallel to the direction in which it extends. The robot described in Appendix 2.

[0059] (Note 4) The vertical cam has a first section that allows rotational movement and translation of the moving body, and a second section that allows only translation of the moving body. The robot described in Appendix 3.

[0060] (Note 5) The second section of the vertical cam has a projection perpendicular to the direction in which the vertical cam extends, and the rotational motion of the moving body is restricted when the projection passes through a projection hole formed in the insertion hole. The robot described in Appendix 4.

[0061] (Note 6) The connecting lever has a three-pronged shape, with the first tip connected to the rotating body, the second tip having the groove formed therein, and the third tip connected to the moving body. A robot described in any one of the appendices 2-5.

[0062] (Note 7) The moving body has a disc-shaped portion, An operating lever connecting the operating unit and the moving body is connected to the outer edge of the disc-shaped portion. A robot described in any one of the appendices 2-6.

[0063] (Note 8) The aforementioned operating unit is Multiple fins having a shape in which a hemispherical outer shell is divided into multiple parts by a cutting line passing through its center, A membrane formed from an elastic material, covering the plurality of fins, It has, A robot described in any one of the appendices 1-7.

[0064] (Note 9) In its initial state, the operating part has a hemispherical shape. The first operation is a rotational operation in which the hemispherical operating part rotates around the vertical cam, The second operation is an operation in which each of the plurality of fins rotates around one end, thereby changing the shape of the operating part together with the membrane. The robot described in Appendix 8.

[0065] (Note 10) The body further comprises the aforementioned drive source, The aforementioned operating unit is movably mounted on the torso. A robot described in any one of the notes 1-9. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1...Robot, 10...Body, 10a...Housing space, 11...Bottom, 12...Surface wall, 20...Motor, 30...Support frame, 30a...Screw hole, 31...Motor, 32...Output shaft, 40...Power transmission section, 41a...Disc-shaped section, 41b...Cylindrical section, 41c...Screw hole, 42...Moving body, 43... • Connecting lever, 43a... Through hole, 43b, 43c... Projection, 44... Horizontal cam, 44a... Groove, 44b... Recess, 44c... First groove, 44d... Second groove, 45... Vertical cam, 46... Disc-shaped part, 46a... Notch, 46b... Mounting bar, 46c... Engagement hole, 47... Disc-shaped part, 48... Through hole 48a...Circular hole section, 48b...Protruding hole section, 48c...Fan-shaped hole section, 48ca...Wide wall section, 48cb...Arch wall section, 49...Lever pin, 51...Cylindrical section, 52...First protrusion section, 52a...Side wall section, 53...Second protrusion section, 60...Fin, 60a...Inner circumferential surface, 61...Rib, 62,63...Mounting recess, 65... ...Operating lever, 65a...Mounting bar, 65b...Mounting recess, 70...Membrane, 80...Upper block, 80a...Notch, 80b...Mounting bar, 90...Upper cover, 91...Screw, 100a...Rotation range, 100b...Open / close range, H...Gap, O...Origin, R1, R2, R3, R4...Rotation amount

Claims

1. A drive source that outputs power by rotating the output shaft within a first rotation range and a second rotation range, The operating part, A power transmission unit that transmits power from the aforementioned drive source to operate the aforementioned operating unit, Equipped with, The power transmission unit operates the operating unit in a first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation range, and operates the operating unit in a second operation that does not include the first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the second rotation range. robot.

2. A drive source that outputs power by rotating the output shaft within a first rotation range and a second rotation range, The operating part, A power transmission unit that transmits power from the aforementioned drive source to operate the aforementioned operating unit, Equipped with, The power transmission unit operates the operating unit in a first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation range, and operates the operating unit in a second operation that is different from the first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the second rotation range. The power transmission unit further, The rotating body to which the output shaft is connected, A moving body connected to the aforementioned operating unit, which causes the operating unit to perform the first operation by performing a first movement, and causes the operating unit to perform the second operation by performing a second movement, A connecting lever that connects the rotating body and the moving body and transmits the motion of the rotating body to the moving body, A horizontal cam having a groove formed therein that restricts the movement of the connecting lever by guiding a projection formed on the connecting lever, It has, The groove has a first groove portion that causes the moving body to perform the first motion and a second groove portion that causes the moving body to perform the second motion. robot.

3. A drive source that outputs power by rotating the output shaft within a first rotation range and a second rotation range, The operating part, A power transmission unit that transmits power from the aforementioned drive source to operate the aforementioned operating unit, Equipped with, The power transmission unit operates the operating unit in a first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation range, and operates the operating unit in a second operation that is different from the first operation by the rotation of the output shaft in the second rotation range. The aforementioned operating unit is Multiple fins having a shape in which a hemispherical outer shell is divided into multiple parts by a cutting line passing through its center, A membrane formed from an elastic material, covering the plurality of fins, It has, robot.

4. The power transmission unit is The rotating body to which the output shaft is connected, A moving body connected to the aforementioned operating unit, which causes the operating unit to perform the first operation by performing a first movement, and causes the operating unit to perform the second operation by performing a second movement, A connecting lever that connects the rotating body and the moving body and transmits the motion of the rotating body to the moving body, A horizontal cam having a groove formed therein that restricts the movement of the connecting lever by guiding a projection formed on the connecting lever, It has, The groove has a first groove portion that causes the moving body to perform the first motion and a second groove portion that causes the moving body to perform the second motion. The robot according to claim 1 or 3.

5. The power transmission unit further includes a rod-shaped vertical cam inserted through a through hole formed in the moving body, The first motion includes rotational motion around the vertical cam, The second motion includes a motion in which the vertical cam moves in a direction parallel to the direction in which it extends. The robot according to claim 2 or 4.

6. The vertical cam has a first section that allows rotational movement and translation of the moving body, and a second section that allows only translation of the moving body. The robot according to claim 5.

7. The second section of the vertical cam has a projection perpendicular to the direction in which the vertical cam extends, and the rotational motion of the moving body is restricted when the projection passes through a projection hole formed in the insertion hole. The robot according to claim 6.

8. The connecting lever has a three-pronged shape, with the first tip connected to the rotating body, the second tip having the groove formed therein, and the third tip connected to the moving body. The robot according to any one of claims 4 to 7.

9. The moving body has a disc-shaped portion, An operating lever connecting the operating unit and the moving body is connected to the outer edge of the disc-shaped portion. The robot according to any one of claims 4 to 8.

10. The aforementioned operating unit is Multiple fins having a shape in which a hemispherical outer shell is divided into multiple parts by a cutting line passing through its center, A membrane formed from an elastic material, covering the plurality of fins, It has, The robot according to claim 1 or 2.

11. In its initial state, the operating part has a hemispherical shape. The first operation is a rotational operation in which the hemispherical operating part rotates around a vertical cam. The second operation is an operation in which each of the plurality of fins rotates around one end, thereby changing the shape of the operating part together with the membrane. The robot according to claim 10.

12. The body further comprises the aforementioned drive source, The aforementioned operating unit is movably mounted on the torso. The robot according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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