Moving body

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a wheel structure of a moving body that allows easy cleaning of wheels. [Solution] The present invention comprises a motor 621, a front wheel 102 having a tread 506 for gripping a road surface and rotated by the drive of a motor 621, a speed reduction mechanism that is disposed inside the front wheel 102 and that decelerates the drive of the motor 621 and transmits the same to the front wheel 102, and an attachment / detachment mechanism for the front wheel 102.

Description

[Rule 26 Amendment 31.07.2024] Mobile

[0001] The present invention relates to a wheel structure for a moving body.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A mobile body that moves by wheels is known (see Patent Document 1). In this type of mobile body, the wheels are driven to move to a desired location.

[0003] For example, a robot placed in a user's home can move freely around the home by driving wheels. Also, a mobile body whose constituent units are detachable is known (see Patent Document 2). With this type of mobile body, the user can remove a malfunctioning unit and install a new unit.

[0004] Restatement 2019 / 131696 Patent No. 4972100

[0005]

[0006] However, in the case of conventional mobile bodies, it has not been easy to remove the wheels. An object of the present invention is to provide a wheel structure for a mobile body that allows the wheels to be easily removed.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention is a mobile body comprising a motor, a drive wheel that is rotated by the drive of the motor, a reduction mechanism that is disposed inside the drive wheel and reduces the drive of the motor and transmits it to the drive wheel, and a mechanism for attaching and detaching the drive wheel.

[0008] 1 is a front view showing the appearance of the robot. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the appearance of the robot. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the robot. FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing the structure and operation of the wheel storage mechanism. FIG. 5 is a front view schematically showing the structure and operation of the wheel storage mechanism. FIG. 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the robot. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the robot system. FIG. 8 is a side view showing the appearance of the wheel cover and front wheel. FIG. 9 is a K-K cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and front wheel. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and front wheel (opening and closing hinge of the wheel cover). FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and front wheel (torsion spring). FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and front wheel (lock slider in locked state). FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and front wheel (lock slider in unlocked state). FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and front wheel (lock lever in unlocked state). FIG. 15 is a top view showing the appearance of the wheel cover (open state). FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the wheel cover (open state). FIG. 17 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the front wheel. FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front wheel. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the front wheel with the tread separated. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the wheel cover with the tread removed (open state). 2 is a table showing the reduction ratio of the front wheel. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the grooves of the tread. 4 is a side view showing the printed part of the front wheel. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the advancing / retracting mechanism. 6 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the damper mechanism. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the rotational position of the gear of the advancing / retracting mechanism (stored state). 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the rotational position of the gear of the advancing / retracting mechanism (advanced state). 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and the front wheel. 10 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the wheel cover (open state). 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wheel cover and the front wheel. 12 is a perspective view of the wheel cover with the front wheel separated.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For convenience, the following description may refer to the positional relationship of each structure based on the illustrated state. In the following embodiments and their modifications, substantially identical components will be designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted where appropriate.

[0010] <Basic Configuration> Figure 1 shows the external appearance of the robot 100. Figure 1A is a front view, and Figure 1B is a side view. The robot 100 is an autonomous robot that determines its behavior based on the external environment and its internal state. The external environment is recognized by various sensors such as a camera and a thermosensor. The internal state is quantified as various parameters that represent the emotions or state of the robot 100. The robot 100's range of activity is within the owner's home. Hereinafter, a human interacting with the robot 100 will be referred to as the "user."

[0011] The body 104 of the robot 100 has an overall rounded shape and includes an outer skin 314 made of a soft and elastic material such as urethane, rubber, resin, or fiber. The robot 100 may be dressed in clothing. The total weight of the robot 100 is approximately 1 to 15 kilograms, and the height is approximately 0.3 to 1.2 meters. It is preferable that the robot 100 has various attributes such as a moderate weight that allows the user to easily hold the robot 100, as well as roundness, softness, and a pleasant feel.

[0012] The robot 100 includes a pair of front wheels 102 (left wheel 102a, right wheel 102b) and one rear wheel 103. The front wheels 102 are drive wheels, and the rear wheels 103 are driven wheels. The front wheels 102 do not have a steering mechanism, but the rotation speed and rotation direction of the left and right wheels can be controlled individually. The rear wheels 103 are casters that are rotatable to move the robot 100 forward, backward, left, and right. The rear wheels 103 may be omniwheels. By increasing the rotation speed of the right wheel 102b compared to the left wheel 102a, the robot 100 can turn left or rotate counterclockwise. By increasing the rotation speed of the left wheel 102a compared to the right wheel 102b, the robot 100 can turn right or rotate clockwise.

[0013] The front wheels 102 and rear wheels 103 can be stored in the body 104 by a drive mechanism (rotation mechanism, link mechanism). A pair of left and right covers 312 are provided on the lower half of the body 104. The covers 312 are made of a flexible and elastic resin material (rubber, silicone rubber, etc.), form a soft body, and can store the front wheels 102. The covers 312 have slits 313 (openings) that open from the side to the front, and the front wheels 102 can be advanced through the slits 313 and exposed to the outside. Even when the robot 100 is moving, most of the wheels are hidden by the body 104. However, once the wheels are stored in the body 104, the robot 100 becomes immobile. That is, as the wheels are stored, the body 104 descends and rests on the floor F. In this seated state, a flat seating surface 108 (ground-contact surface) formed on the bottom of the body 104 abuts on the floor F. The robot 100 has two arms 106. There are hands at the ends of the arms 106, but they do not have the function of grasping objects. The arms 106 can perform simple movements such as lifting, bending, waving, and vibrating by driving actuators described below. The two arms 106 can be controlled independently.

[0014] A facial region 116 is exposed on the front of the head of the robot 100. Two eyes 110 are provided in the facial region 116. Images can be displayed on the eyes 110 using liquid crystal elements or organic electroluminescence (EL) elements. A nose 109 is provided in the center of the facial region 116. An analog stick is provided on the nose 109, which can detect not only up, down, left, and right directions, but also the direction of pressure. The robot 100 is also provided with multiple touch sensors, which can detect the user's touch on almost all areas of the robot 100, including the head, torso, buttocks, and arms. The robot 100 is equipped with various sensors, such as a microphone array and ultrasonic sensors, which can identify the direction of a sound source. It also has a built-in speaker and can emit simple sounds. A horn 112 is attached to the head of the robot 100. An omnidirectional camera 113 is attached to the horn 112, which can capture the entire upper area of ​​the robot 100 at once. The horn 112 also has a built-in thermal sensor 115 (thermal camera). The horns 112 are provided with an emergency stop switch, and the user can stop the robot 100 in an emergency by pulling out the horns 112.

[0015] 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of the robot 100. The body 104 includes a main body frame 310, a pair of arms 106, a pair of covers 312, and an outer skin 314. The main body frame 310 includes a head frame 316 and a torso frame 318. The head frame 316 is hollow and hemispherical, forming the head skeleton of the robot 100. The torso frame 318 is rectangular and cylindrical, forming the torso skeleton of the robot 100. The lower end of the torso frame 318 is fixed to a lower plate 334. The head frame 316 is connected to the torso frame 318 via a connection mechanism 330.

[0016] The trunk frame 318 forms the axis of the body 104. The trunk frame 318 is configured by fixing a pair of left and right side plates 336 to a lower plate 334, and supports the pair of arms 106 and internal mechanisms. The interior of the trunk frame 318 houses the battery 118, a control circuit 342, various actuators, etc. The bottom surface of the lower plate 334 forms the seating surface 108. The trunk frame 318 has an upper plate 332 on its top. A cylindrical support part 319 with a bottom is fixed to the upper plate 332.

[0017] The upper plate 332, the lower plate 334, the pair of side plates 336, and the support part 319 constitute the body frame 318. The outer diameter of the support part 319 is smaller than the distance between the left and right side plates 336. The pair of arms 106 are integrally assembled with an annular member 340 to constitute an arm unit 350. The annular member 340 has an annular shape, and the pair of arms 106 are attached to the center line of the annular member 340 so as to be spaced apart in the radial direction. The annular member 340 is inserted coaxially through the support part 319 and placed on the upper end surfaces of the pair of side plates 336. The arm unit 350 is supported from below by the body frame 318.

[0018] The head frame 316 has a yaw axis 321, a pitch axis 322, and a roll axis 323. Rotation (yawing) of the head frame 316 around the yaw axis 321 realizes a head swinging motion, rotation (pitching) around the pitch axis 322 realizes a nodding motion, a looking up motion, and a looking down motion, and rotation (rolling) around the roll axis 323 realizes a motion of tilting the head left and right. The position and angle of each axis can change in three-dimensional space depending on the driving mode of the connection mechanism 330. The connection mechanism 330 is composed of a link mechanism and is driven by multiple motors installed in the body frame 318.

[0019] The trunk frame 318 houses a wheel drive mechanism 370. The wheel drive mechanism 370 includes a front wheel drive mechanism and a rear wheel drive mechanism that respectively retract and retract the front wheels 102 and rear wheels 103 into and out of the body 104. The front wheels 102 and rear wheels 103 function as a "movement mechanism" that moves the robot 100. The front wheel 102 has a motor 621 at its center. This allows the left wheel 102a and the right wheel 102b to be driven independently. The front wheels 102 are rotatably supported by wheel covers 105, which are rotatably supported by the trunk frame 318.

[0020] The pair of covers 312 are provided to cover the trunk frame 318 from the left and right, and have a smoothly curved shape to round the outline of the body 104. A closed space is formed between the trunk frame 318 and the cover 312, and this closed space serves as a storage space S for the front wheel 102. The rear wheel 103 is stored in a storage space provided at the lower rear of the trunk frame 318.

[0021] The outer skin 314 covers the main body frame 310 and the pair of arms 106 from the outside. The outer skin 314 is thick enough that a person can feel its elasticity, and is made of a stretchy material such as urethane sponge. This allows the user to hug the robot 100 with just the right amount of softness, allowing for natural skin-to-skin contact, just as a person would with a pet. The outer skin 314 is attached to the main body frame 310 in a manner that exposes the cover 312. An opening 390 is provided at the upper end of the outer skin 314. The horns 112 are inserted through this opening 390. The outer skin 314 is detachable from the main body frame 310.

[0022] Touch sensors are disposed between the main body frame 310 and the outer skin 314. Touch sensors are embedded in the cover 312. These touch sensors are all capacitance sensors that detect touches over almost the entire area of ​​the robot 100. The touch sensors may be embedded in the outer skin 314 or disposed inside the main body frame 310.

[0023] Arm 106 has first joint 352 and second joint 354, with arm 356 between the two joints and hand 358 at the end of second joint 354. First joint 352 corresponds to the shoulder joint, and second joint 354 corresponds to the wrist joint. A motor is provided at each joint to drive arm 356 and hand 358, respectively. The drive mechanism for driving arm 106 includes these motors and their drive circuits 344.

[0024] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the wheel storage mechanism. Figure 3A is a side view, and Figure 3B is a front view. In the figure, the dotted lines indicate the state in which the wheels have advanced from the storage space S and are ready to move, and the solid lines indicate the state in which the wheels have been stored in the storage space S.

[0025] The wheel drive mechanism 370 includes a front wheel drive mechanism 374 and a rear wheel drive mechanism 376. The front wheel drive mechanism 374 includes a rotating shaft 378 and an actuator 379. The rotating shaft 378 is connected to the wheel cover 105. In this embodiment, a motor is used as the actuator 379. By driving the actuator 379 to rotate the wheel cover 105, the front wheel 102 can be driven to move forward and backward from the storage space S to the outside.

[0026] In this embodiment, the forward and backward movement of the left wheel 102a and the right wheel 102b can be controlled separately. That is, an actuator 379a for the left wheel 102a and an actuator 379b for the right wheel 102b are provided, and each can be driven independently. The wheel cover 105 for the left wheel 102a is connected to the actuator 379a via a rotating shaft 378a, and the wheel cover 105 for the right wheel 102b is connected to the actuator 379a via a rotating shaft 378b. In the following description, the rotating shafts 378a and 378b will be referred to as the "rotating shaft 378" when there is no need to distinguish between them, and the actuators 379a and 379b will be referred to as the "actuator 379" when there is no need to distinguish between them.

[0027] The rear wheel drive mechanism 376 includes a rotating shaft 404 and an actuator 406. The rotating shaft 404 is arranged parallel to the rotating shaft 378 of the front wheel drive mechanism 374, and supports the rear wheel 103 rotatably around the axis. The rear wheel 103 is a caster, and has a main shaft 407 (swivel shaft) and an axle 408. A bifurcated arm 410 extends from the main shaft 407, and the axle 408 is provided at the tip of the arm 410. A wheel is rotatably supported on the axle 408. The upper end of the main shaft 407 is connected to the center of the rotating shaft 404, and is supported rotatably around its own axis. The axle 408 is not on the axis of the main shaft 407, but is offset. The main shaft 407 arbitrarily changes the direction (travel direction) of the rear wheel 103. The actuator 406 is driven to rotate the rotation shaft 404, thereby driving the rear wheel 103 forward and backward from the rear accommodation space to the outside.

[0028] When the wheels are stored, the actuators 379 and 406 are driven in one direction. At this time, the wheel cover 105 rotates about the rotation shaft 378, and the front wheel 102 rises from the floor surface F. In addition, the arm 410 rotates about the rotation shaft 404, and the rear wheel 103 rises from the floor surface F (see the dashed-dotted arrow). As a result, the body 104 descends and the seating surface 108 contacts the floor surface F (see the solid-line arrow), realizing a seated state for the robot 100. By driving the actuators 379 and 406 in the opposite direction, the wheels are advanced, and the robot 100 can be made to stand up.

[0029] A rear cover 107 resembling a tail is provided on the outside of the rear wheel 103, and opens and closes the rear lower opening of the body 104 in conjunction with the advance and retreat of the rear wheel 103. That is, when the rear wheel 103 is advanced, the rear cover 107 opens, and when the rear wheel 103 is retracted, the rear cover 107 closes.

[0030] 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of the robot 100. The robot 100 includes an internal sensor 128, a communication device 126, a memory device 124, a processor 122, a drive mechanism 120, and a battery 118. The drive mechanism 120 includes the connection mechanism 330 and wheel drive mechanism 370 described above. The processor 122 and the memory device 124 are included in a control circuit 342. Each unit is connected to each other by a power line 130 and a signal line 132. The battery 118 supplies power to each unit via the power line 130. Each unit transmits and receives control signals via the signal line 132. The battery 118 is a lithium-ion secondary battery and is the power source for the robot 100.

[0031] The internal sensor 128 is a collection of various sensors built into the robot 100. Specifically, these include a camera, a microphone array, a distance sensor (infrared sensor), a thermosensor, a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and an odor sensor. The touch sensor covers most of the body 104 and detects a user's touch based on changes in capacitance. The odor sensor is a known sensor that applies the principle that electrical resistance changes due to the adsorption of odor-causing molecules.

[0032] The communicator 126 is a communication module that performs wireless communication with various external devices. The storage device 124 is composed of non-volatile memory and volatile memory, and stores computer programs and various setting information. The processor 122 is a means for executing computer programs. The drive mechanism 120 includes multiple actuators. A display, a speaker, and other components are also mounted. The drive mechanism 120 mainly controls the wheels and head. The drive mechanism 120 changes the direction and speed of movement of the robot 100, and can also raise and lower the wheels. When the wheels are raised, they are completely retracted into the body 104, and the robot 100 abuts the floor F at the seating surface 108, thereby assuming a seated state. The drive mechanism 120 also controls the arms 106.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a robot system 300. The robot system 300 includes a robot 100, a server 200, and multiple external sensors 114. The components of the robot 100 and the server 200 are implemented by hardware, including computing units such as a central processing unit (CPU) and various coprocessors, storage devices such as memory and storage, and wired or wireless communication lines connecting these components, as well as software stored in the storage devices and supplying processing instructions to the computing units. Computer programs may be configured by device drivers, an operating system, various application programs located at higher levels, and libraries that provide common functions to these programs. The blocks described below represent functional blocks rather than hardware configurations. Some of the functions of the robot 100 may be implemented by the server 200, or some or all of the functions of the server 200 may be implemented by the robot 100. Multiple external sensors 114 are installed in the house in advance. The server 200 manages the external sensors 114 and provides the robot 100 with detection values ​​acquired by the external sensors 114 as needed. The robot 100 determines basic behaviors based on information obtained from an internal sensor 128 and multiple external sensors 114. The external sensors 114 are intended to augment the sensory organs of the robot 100, and the server 200 is intended to augment the processing capabilities of the robot 100. The communicator 126 of the robot 100 may periodically communicate with the server 200, and the server 200 may be responsible for processing to identify the location of the robot 100 using the external sensors 114.

[0034] <Server 200> The server 200 includes a communication unit 204, a data processing unit 202, and a data storage unit 206. The communication unit 204 is responsible for communication processing with the external sensor 114 and the robot 100. The data storage unit 206 stores various data. The data processing unit 202 executes various processes based on the data acquired by the communication unit 204 and the data stored in the data storage unit 206. The data processing unit 202 also functions as an interface between the communication unit 204 and the data storage unit 206.

[0035] The data storage unit 206 includes a motion storage unit 232 and a personal data storage unit 218. The robot 100 has a plurality of movement patterns (motions). Various motions are defined, such as shaking the arms 106, meandering towards the owner, and tilting the head while gazing at the owner.

[0036] The motion storage unit 232 stores "motion files" that define the control content of a motion. Each motion is identified by a motion ID. The motion files are also downloaded to the motion storage unit 160 of the robot 100. The decision as to which motion to execute may be made by the server 200 or by the robot 100. Many of the motions of the robot 100 are composed of composite motions that include multiple unit motions.

[0037] The personal data storage unit 218 stores user information. Specifically, it stores master information indicating the degree of intimacy with the user and the user's physical and behavioral characteristics. Other attribute information such as age and gender may also be stored. The robot 100 has an internal parameter called intimacy for each user. When the robot 100 recognizes an action that shows affection toward the user, such as picking up the robot or talking to the user, the degree of intimacy with the user increases. The degree of intimacy with users who do not interact with the robot 100, users who are violent, and users that the robot 100 encounters infrequently decreases.

[0038] The data processing unit 202 includes a position management unit 208, a recognition unit 212, a motion control unit 222, an intimacy management unit 220, and a state management unit 244. The position management unit 208 identifies the position coordinates of the robot 100. The state management unit 244 manages various internal parameters such as the charge rate, internal temperature, and various physical states such as the processing load of the processor 122. The state management unit 244 also manages various emotion parameters that indicate the emotions of the robot 100 (loneliness, curiosity, desire for recognition, etc.).

[0039] The recognition unit 212 recognizes the external environment. Recognition of the external environment includes various recognitions such as recognition of weather and season based on temperature and humidity, and recognition of shade (safe zone) based on the amount of light and temperature. The recognition unit 156 of the robot 100 acquires various environmental information using the internal sensor 128, performs initial processing on it, and then transfers it to the recognition unit 212 of the server 200.

[0040] The recognition unit 212 compares a feature vector extracted from an image captured by the built-in camera of the robot 100 with feature vectors of users (clusters) pre-registered in the personal data storage unit 218 to determine which person the captured user corresponds to (user identification process). The recognition unit 212 also estimates the user's emotions by performing image recognition of the user's facial expression. The recognition unit 212 also performs user identification process on moving objects other than people, such as pet cats and dogs.

[0041] The recognition unit 212 recognizes various responsive actions made to the robot 100 and classifies them into pleasant or unpleasant actions. The recognition unit 212 also recognizes the owner's responsive actions to the behavior of the robot 100 and classifies them into positive or negative reactions. The pleasant or unpleasant actions are determined based on whether the user's responsive actions are pleasant or unpleasant for the living organism.

[0042] The movement control unit 222 cooperates with the movement control unit 150 of the robot 100 to determine the motion of the robot 100. The movement control unit 222 creates a movement destination point for the robot 100 and a movement route therefor. The movement control unit 222 may create multiple movement routes and then select one of the movement routes. The movement control unit 222 selects the motion of the robot 100 from multiple motions in the motion storage unit 232.

[0043] The intimacy management unit 220 manages the intimacy level for each user. The intimacy level is registered as part of personal data in the personal data storage unit 218. When a pleasant behavior is detected, the intimacy management unit 220 increases the intimacy level with the owner. When an unpleasant behavior is detected, the intimacy level decreases. Furthermore, the intimacy level of an owner who has not been viewed for a long period of time gradually decreases.

[0044] <Robot 100> The robot 100 includes a communication unit 142, a data processing unit 136, a data storage unit 148, an internal sensor 128, and a drive mechanism 120. The communication unit 142 corresponds to the communicator 126 (see FIG. 4) and is responsible for communication processing with the external sensor 114, the server 200, and other robots 100. The data storage unit 148 stores various data. The data storage unit 148 corresponds to the storage device 124 (see FIG. 4). The data processing unit 136 performs various processes based on the data acquired by the communication unit 142 and the data stored in the data storage unit 148. The data processing unit 136 corresponds to the processor 122 and the computer program executed by the processor 122. The data processing unit 136 also functions as an interface between the communication unit 142, the internal sensor 128, the drive mechanism 120, and the data storage unit 148.

[0045] The data storage unit 148 includes a motion storage unit 160 that defines various motions of the robot 100. Various motion files are downloaded to the motion storage unit 160 from the motion storage unit 232 of the server 200. Motions are identified by motion IDs. To represent various motions, such as sitting down with the wheels stowed, lifting the arms 106, rotating the two front wheels 102 in reverse or by rotating only one of the front wheels 102 to make the robot 100 rotate, trembling by rotating the front wheels 102 with the wheels stowed, and stopping and looking back when moving away from the user, the operation timing, operation duration, and operation direction of various actuators (drive mechanisms 120) are defined in chronological order in the motion files. Various data may also be downloaded to the data storage unit 148 from the personal data storage unit 218.

[0046] The data processing unit 136 includes a recognition unit 156 and an operation control unit 150. The recognition unit 156 interprets external information obtained from the internal sensor 128. The recognition unit 156 is capable of visual recognition (visual unit), smell recognition (olfactory unit), sound recognition (auditory unit), and tactile recognition (tactile unit).

[0047] The recognition unit 156 extracts image regions corresponding to moving objects, particularly people and animals, from the image, and extracts a "feature vector" from the extracted image region as a set of features indicating the physical and behavioral characteristics of the moving object. Feature vector components (feature values) are numerical values ​​that quantify various physical and behavioral characteristics. For example, the width of a human eye is quantified in the range of 0 to 1 to form one feature vector component. The method for extracting feature vectors from captured images of people is an application of known face recognition technology. When a moving object is detected, physical and behavioral characteristics are also extracted from an odor sensor, built-in sound-collecting microphone, thermosensor, etc. These features are also quantified and become feature vector components. The recognition unit 156 identifies the user from the feature vector based on known technology. The robot 100 transmits the feature vector to the server 200.

[0048] Of the series of recognition processes including detection, analysis, and judgment, the recognition unit 156 selects and extracts information necessary for recognition, while interpretation processes such as judgment are performed by the recognition unit 212 of the server 200. The recognition process may be performed by the recognition unit 212 of the server 200 alone, or by the recognition unit 156 of the robot 100 alone, or the recognition process may be performed by both units sharing roles as described above. The robot 100 acquires the user's actions as physical information using the internal sensor 128, and the recognition unit 212 of the server 200 judges whether the user is comfortable or uncomfortable. The recognition unit 212 of the server 200 also performs user identification processing based on feature vectors.

[0049] The recognition unit 212 of the server 200 recognizes various responses of the user to the robot 100. Some typical responses among the various responses are associated with pleasant or unpleasant, positive or negative. Generally, most pleasant responses are positive reactions, and most unpleasant responses are negative reactions. Pleasant and unpleasant actions are related to the degree of intimacy, and positive and negative reactions affect the behavior selection of the robot 100.

[0050] The intimacy management unit 220 of the server 200 changes the intimacy level with respect to the user in accordance with the interaction behavior recognized by the recognition unit 156. In principle, the intimacy level with respect to a user who has performed a pleasant behavior increases, and the intimacy level with respect to a user who has performed an unpleasant behavior decreases.

[0051] The movement control unit 150 decides the motions of the robot 100 in cooperation with the movement control unit 222 of the server 200. Some motions may be decided by the server 200, and other motions may be decided by the robot 100. Alternatively, the robot 100 may decide the motions, but when the processing load of the robot 100 is high, the server 200 may decide the motions. The server 200 may decide base motions, and the robot 100 may decide additional motions. How the motion decision process is shared between the server 200 and the robot 100 may be designed according to the specifications of the robot system 300.

[0052] The motion control unit 150 instructs the driving mechanism 120 to execute the selected motion. The driving mechanism 120 controls each actuator in accordance with the motion file.

[0053] The movement control unit 150 can execute a motion of lifting both arms 106 as a gesture of asking to be "held" when a user with whom the robot has a high level of intimacy is nearby, and can also express a motion of refusing to be held by alternately rotating the left and right front wheels 102 in the opposite direction and stopping the wheels 102 while keeping them retracted when the robot gets tired of being "held." The drive mechanism 120 drives the front wheels 102, arms 106, and head (head frame 316) in accordance with instructions from the movement control unit 150, thereby causing the robot 100 to express various motions.

[0054] <Drive Wheel Attachment / Detachment Mechanism> As shown in FIG. 7 , the wheel cover 105 has a first cover 610 and an openable / closable second cover 620. When the front wheel 102 (drive wheel) is attached, the first cover 610 and the second cover 620 cover most of the front wheel 102 while the front wheel 102 is drivable. As shown in FIGS. 7 , 8 , and 13 , the first cover 610 has a bearing 610A, a bearing 610B, two engagement portions 610C, an engagement portion 610D, and a reflective surface 610E. The two engagement portions 610C are configured to be engageable with protrusions 623B of a lock lever 623 (described later). The engagement portion 610D is configured to be engageable with protrusions 624B of a lock slider 624 (described later). The reflective surface 610E is configured to reflect light from a reflective photosensor 626 (described later). As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 , the second cover 620 includes a motor 621, a third cover 622 that holds the motor, a first cover 610 lock lever 623, a lock slider 624, a torsion spring 625, a reflective photosensor 626, and a distance sensor 627. The lock lever 623 is configured to engage and disengage with the first cover 610. The lock slider 624 is configured to maintain the engaged state of the lock lever 623. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 14 , the motor 621 includes a parallel pin 621A fixed to the output shaft. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 14 , the third cover 622 includes a convex portion 622A, a shaft portion 622B, and a bearing portion 622C. The convex portion 622A is configured to have multiple convex shapes arranged on a circumference. The shaft portion 622B is rotatably supported by a bearing portion 610B of the first cover 610. As shown in Figures 8 to 12, the lock lever 623 has a shaft 623A, protrusions 623B on the first cover 6102, a guide rail 623C, and a protrusion 623D. The two protrusions 623B engage with engaging portions 610C of the first cover 610. The guide rail 623C guides the movement of the lock slider 624. The protrusions 623D restrict the movement of the lock slider 624. The shaft 623A is rotatably supported by a bearing 622C of the third cover 622, and is biased in the direction of arrow P by a torsion spring 625.As shown in FIG. 10 , the lock slider 624 has a snap-fit ​​portion 624A and a protrusion 624B on the first cover 610. The protrusion 624B engages with the engagement portion 610D of the first cover 610. The lock slider 624 is slidably guided by a guide rail portion 623C of the lock lever 623. The snap-fit ​​portion 624A also engages with the protrusion 623D of the lock lever 623. This maintains the state in which the protrusion 624B engages with the engagement portion 610D of the first cover 610. As shown in FIG. 6 , four distance measuring sensors 627 are provided on the second cover 620. The distance measuring sensors 627 are included in the internal sensor 128 described above. The data processing unit 136 detects obstacles based on information obtained from the distance measuring sensors 627 and determines actions to take, such as slowing down or stopping. As shown in Figures 7 and 15, the front wheel 102 has a planetary gear reduction mechanism, a disk-shaped fourth cover 505, a tread 506 that grips the road surface, and a support shaft 507. The planetary gear reduction mechanism is composed of a sun gear 501, planet gears 502, an internal gear 503, and a planet carrier 504. As shown in Figures 7 and 16, the sun gear 501 has a recessed portion 501A, a protruding portion 501B, a cylindrical portion 501C, and a cylindrical portion 501D. The cylindrical portion 501C is rotatably supported by the fourth cover 505. The cylindrical portion 501D is supported by the planet carrier 504 via a bearing B1. A parallel pin 621A of a motor 621 is inserted into the recessed portion 501A. The protruding portion 501B guides the parallel pin 621A when inserted into the recessed portion 501A. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 15, three planetary gears 502 are provided and are journaled to the planetary carrier 504 via bearings B2. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 16, the internal gear 503 has a convex portion 503A with multiple convex shapes arranged on its circumference. The convex portion 503A meshes with a convex portion 622A of the third cover 622, thereby fixing the internal gear 503 to the third cover 622. The planetary carrier 504 is fixed to the fourth cover 505 with screws (not shown). As shown in FIG. 7, the fourth cover 505 has a reflective surface 505A. The reflective surface 505A is configured to reflect light from the reflective photosensor 626. The reflective surface 505A is formed of a material with a reflectivity different from that of the reflective surface 610E.The fourth cover 505 is journaled to the internal gear 503 via a bearing B3. The tread 506 has a groove 506A on its outer circumferential surface. The tread 506 is molded from an elastomer material or the like and fixed to the fourth cover 505 by integral molding. The support shaft 507 has a cylindrical portion 507A, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 15 . The cylindrical portion 507A is journaled to a bearing portion 610A of the first cover 610. The support shaft 507 is journaled to the planetary carrier 502 via a bearing B4. When the front wheel 102 is mounted on the wheel cover 105 and the parallel pin 621A is rotated by the drive of the motor 621, the front wheel 102 is rotated via the planetary gear reduction mechanism. In this planetary gear reduction mechanism, the sun gear 501 rotates as the parallel pin 621A rotates, and the planetary gear 502 meshing with the sun gear 501 also rotates. As the planetary gear 502 rotates, the planetary carrier 504 that supports the planetary gear 502 rotates because the internal gear 503 is fixed to the third cover 622. The rotation of the planetary carrier 504 rotates the tread 506 that is integral with the fourth cover 505 because the planetary carrier 504 and the fourth cover 505 are fixed together with screws. The rotation of the tread 506 causes the robot 100 to move forward and backward.

[0055] A method for attaching and detaching the front wheel 102 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13 . When the lock slider 624 is pushed in the direction of arrow P from the state shown in FIG. 10 , the snap fit portion 624A bends and moves over the protrusion 623D of the lock lever 623. Then, the protrusion 624B of the lock slider 624 and the engagement portion 610D of the first cover 610 are disengaged, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 11 . The biasing force of the spring 625 causes the lock lever 623 to rotate in the direction of arrow Q, disengaging the protrusion 623B of the lock lever 623 from the engagement portion 610C of the first cover 610, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 12 . In this state, by rotating the second cover 620 in the direction of arrow R as shown in FIG. 13 , the front wheel 102 held by the first cover 610 and the second cover 620 is released, allowing it to be removed. The reverse operation is used for attachment. The front wheel 102 is attached to the first cover 610 or the second cover 620, and the second cover 620 is closed by operating it in the opposite direction of arrow R, the lock lever 623 is rotated in the opposite direction of arrow Q, and the lock slider 624 is operated in the opposite direction of arrow P. To open the lock lever 623, the user simply operates the lock slider 624 in the direction of arrow P, and the lock lever 623 rotates in the direction of arrow Q due to the biasing force of the spring 625, and disengages from the engaging portion 610C of the second cover 620. To close the lock lever 623, the user rotates the lock lever 623 in the opposite direction of arrow Q and then slides the lock slider 624 in the opposite direction of arrow P, whereby the protrusion 624B of the lock slider 624 engages with the engaging portion 610D of the first cover 610 and is fixed. The arrow Q indicating the direction of operation of the lock lever 623 and the arrow P indicating the direction of operation of the lock slider 624 are substantially the same direction, so the user can operate the lock slider 624 and the lock lever 623 with a single action.

[0056] The means for detecting whether the front wheel 102 is attached or detached will now be described. In this embodiment, the means for detecting whether the front wheel 102 is attached or detached is configured by a reflective photosensor 626, and detects whether the front wheel 102 is attached or detached. The reflective photosensor 626 receives light reflected from the reflective surface 610E of the first cover 610 when the front wheel 102 is detached, and receives light reflected from the reflective surface 505A of the fourth cover 505 when the front wheel 102 is attached. The reflective surfaces 610E and 505A have different reflectivities and therefore different reflection intensities. The data processing unit 136 compares the reflection intensities of the respective reflective surfaces stored in advance with the reflection intensities measured by the reflective photosensor 626 to determine which reflective surface is facing, thereby determining whether the front wheel 102 is attached or detached.

[0057] <Effects> With the above configuration, removing and attaching the front wheels 102 (drive wheels) does not require the use of tools or the loosening and tightening of screws, making it easy for users without specialized knowledge to remove and attach the drive wheels. The detachable drive wheels allow for easy maintenance and replacement. For example, if the home environment is prone to a lot of dirt and grime, such as dust and debris, the robot 100 may travel in such an environment, which can cause the drive wheels to adhere to the drive wheels and degrade their running performance. In such cases, to maintain the running performance of the drive wheels, it is necessary to frequently clean the drive wheels. In Patent Documents 1 and 2, when a user cleans the accumulated dirt and grime on the drive wheels, the user has difficulty doing so because the drive wheels cannot be removed separately. For example, a user may clean the partially exposed portion of the drive wheel, press that portion with a finger to rotate the drive wheel, and then clean it again, repeating this process. In contrast, with the configuration of this embodiment, the user can remove the drive wheels, making it easy to clean the entire surface of the drive wheels. The drive wheels are easy to maintain, allowing users to frequently maintain and keep the robot clean. By frequently caring for the wheels, users can take care of the robot and feel a sense of affection for it. This naturally soothes the user, drawing out their vitality and productivity.

[0058] <Other Wheel Cover Embodiments> In the above configuration, the motor 621 is provided in the second cover 620. However, this is not limiting. The motor 621 may be provided in the first cover 1610, as shown in FIGS. 26 and 27 . In this case, the first cover 1610 is provided with a convex portion 1610F and a reflective photosensor 626. The convex portion 1610F is formed by circumferentially arranging multiple convex shapes that mesh with the convex portions 503A of the internal gear 503. The reflective photosensor 626 is provided in a position facing the reflective surface 505A of the front wheel 102. The third cover 1622 is provided with a bearing portion 1622D and a reflective surface 1622E. The bearing portion 1622D is configured to support the support shaft 507. The reflective surface 1622E is provided in a position facing the reflective photosensor 626. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the front wheel 102 is pivotally supported by both the first cover 610, 1610 and the second cover 620, 1620, but this is not limiting, and as shown in Figures 28 and 29, the front wheel 102 may be pivotally supported by only one of the first cover 2610 and the second cover 2620. Figures 28 and 29 show a configuration in which the front wheel 102 is pivotally supported by the first cover 2610. A groove 2621B is provided in the motor 2621, and a latching portion 2504B is provided in the planetary carrier 2504, and the latching portion 2504B engages with the groove 2621B, thereby preventing the front wheel 102 from coming off the motor 2621. When the user pulls the front wheel 102 in the direction of the arrow J with a force greater than a predetermined value, the latching portion 2504B of the planetary carrier 2504 bends and disengages from the groove portion 2621B of the motor 2621, allowing the front wheel 102 to be removed. This configuration does not require parts such as an openable cover or lock lever, reducing product costs.

[0059] Second Embodiment In the above-described configuration, the tread 506 is fixed to the front wheel 102 and is detached integrally with the front wheel 102, but this is not limiting. As shown in FIG. 17 , a configuration in which the tread 506 can be separated from the detachable front wheel 102 is also possible. The tread 506 has a convex portion 506B, and the planetary carrier 504 has a concave portion 504A that fits with the convex portion 506B of the tread 506, so the tread 506 is fixed to the planetary carrier 504 and rotates integrally therewith. In this configuration, the fourth cover 505 does not have a reflective surface 505A, and the tread 506 is provided with a reflective surface 506C that has the same function as the reflective surface 505A. This makes it possible to detect the attachment or detachment of the tread 506. Furthermore, in a configuration in which the tread 506 can be detached from the front wheel 102, a configuration in which the portion of the front wheel 102 excluding the tread 506 is always held by the second cover 620 may be used, as shown in FIG. 18 . In this configuration, the internal gear 503 of the front wheel 102 is fixed to the second cover 620 with screws (not shown), thereby holding the front wheel 102 in a rotatable state. In this configuration, only the tread 506 can be removed. With the above configuration, when the surface of the tread 506 is worn, it is possible to replace only the tread 506, thereby reducing replacement costs.

[0060] <Third Embodiment> The drive wheels of this embodiment include a front wheel 710 and a front wheel 720. As shown in Fig. 19 , the front wheel 710 incorporates a speed reduction mechanism with a larger reduction ratio than the front wheel 102 of the first embodiment. The front wheel 720 incorporates a speed reduction mechanism with a smaller reduction ratio than the front wheel 102. While the reduction ratio is determined by the number of teeth on the sun gear and the internal gear, in the speed reduction mechanism of this embodiment, at least one of the number of teeth on the sun gear and the number of teeth on the internal gear of the front wheels 710 and 720 is different from the number of teeth on the sun gear or the number of teeth on the internal gear of the front wheel 102. For example, as shown in Fig. 19 , the front wheels 102, 710, and 720 have the same number of teeth on their sun gears, but the number of teeth on the internal gears of the front wheels 710 and 720 is different from the number of teeth on the internal gear of the front wheel 102, resulting in different reduction ratios. In Figure 19, the number of teeth on the internal gear of front wheel 710 is about 10% more than the number of teeth on the internal gear of front wheel 102, and the number of teeth on the internal gear of front wheel 720 is about 10% less than the number of teeth on the internal gear of front wheel 102, so front wheel 710 rotates about 10% slower and front wheel 720 rotates about 10% faster than front wheel 102.

[0061] Fourth Embodiment The drive wheel of this embodiment includes a front wheel 730 having a tread 508 with a different grip strength than the tread 506. The grip strength can be adjusted by changing the groove shape and the hardness of the material. For example, as shown in FIG. 20 , by setting the groove portion 508A of the tread 508 to have a larger depth dimension M and a larger slope angle N than the groove portion 506A of the tread 506, the grip strength of the tread 508 becomes stronger than that of the tread 506. When the front wheel 710 is installed, the rotational torque of the front wheel 710 is stronger than that of the front wheel 102, thereby improving the vehicle's ability to traverse floors with many steps, for example. When the front wheel 720 is installed, the rotational speed of the front wheel 720 is higher than that of the front wheel 102, thereby increasing the vehicle's running speed, for example, when agile movement is desired on a large stage. When the front wheel 730 of this embodiment is installed, the tread 508 has a stronger grip than the tread 506 of the front wheel 102, allowing the front wheel to run without slipping, for example, on a long-pile carpet. Users can purchase front wheels 710, 720, and 730 and change the front wheel to suit the environment or scene. As shown in FIG. 21 , the reflective surface 505A of the front wheels 710 and 720 is provided with a printed portion 505B in which a predetermined number of radial lines are printed at equal intervals. The reflective surface 505A of the front wheel 730 is provided with a printed portion 505C in which a different number of radial lines are printed at equal intervals from the printed portion 505B. When the front wheel 710, 720, or 730 is installed and the motor 621 is driven to rotate at a predetermined speed, when the reflective photosensor 626 receives reflected light from the rotating printed portion 505A, the reflected light from the rotating printed portion 505B or 505C has a constant frequency because the reflection intensity fluctuates at a constant cycle. The frequencies for each of the front wheels 102, 710, 720, and 730 are stored in advance in the robot 100. In the case of the front wheel 102, the reflected light does not fluctuate, so the frequency for the front wheel 102 is set to zero. Therefore, the robot 100 can determine which of the front wheels 102, 710, 720, and 730 is attached by detecting the frequency of the reflected light based on the output of the reflective photosensor 626 and comparing the detected frequency with the pre-stored frequency.The robot 100 may perform operation control such as speed control, braking control, path control, or movement range control according to the type of wheel corresponding to the frequency of the detected reflected light. For example, when the robot 100 detects the installation of the front wheel 710 based on the frequency of the detected reflected light, the robot 100 may increase the rotation speed of the motor 621 to achieve the same running speed as when the front wheel 102 is installed, because the front wheel 710 rotates slower than the front wheel 102. Furthermore, when the robot 100 is equipped with the front wheel 102, the robot 100 may be configured to detect an obstacle based on information obtained from the distance sensor 627 and temporarily stop before colliding with the obstacle. When the robot 100 is equipped with the front wheel 720, the wheel rotation speed is faster than that of the front wheel 102, so the braking distance is longer than that of the front wheel 102. Therefore, when the robot 100 is equipped with the front wheel 720, the time from detecting an obstacle to temporarily stopping may be set shorter than the stopping time of the front wheel 102 to ensure a reliable stop. The robot 100 may set a path according to the detected wheel based on the frequency of the detected reflected light. For example, when wheel A is detected, robot 100 may set path X suitable for wheel A's travel, but when wheel B is detected, robot 100 may set path Y suitable for wheel B's travel. Robot 100 may also set a movable range according to the detected wheel. For example, robot 100 may set a narrower movable range for wheel C, which has a relatively fast travel speed, than for wheel D, which has a relatively slow travel speed. Robot 100 may also set a relatively wider movable range for wheel E, which can travel in a relatively wide range of environments. These types of motion control enable the robot 100 to travel in accordance with the type of wheel. Robot 100 may execute motion control by referencing pre-stored information associating frequencies with motion control modes.

[0062] <Advance / retreat mechanism, holding mechanism, damper mechanism> As shown in FIG. 22 , the actuator 379 has a rotating shaft 378, a servo motor 801, a gear 802, a gear 803, a torsion spring 804, a cover 805, and a cover 806. The revolving shaft 378 is configured to be connected to the wheel cover 105. The gear 802 is fixed to the output shaft of the servo motor 801. The gear 803 is configured to mesh with the gear 802. As shown in FIG. 22 , the cover 805 rotatably supports the rotating shaft 378 via a bearing B4 and fixes the servo motor 801. The cover 806 rotatably supports the rotating shaft 378 via a bearing B5 and rotatably supports the gear 802 via a bearing B6. The cover 805 is fixed to the cover 806, and the cover 806 is fixed to the barrel frame 318. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 , the pivot shaft 378 has a hole 378A, a shaft 378B, and a rotation stopper 378C. The shaft 378B rotatably supports the gear 803. As shown in FIG. 24 , the gear 802 has a fan-shaped convex portion 802A. The gear 803 has a fan-shaped concave portion 803A, a hole 803B, and a rotation stopper 803C. As shown in FIG. 23 , the torsion spring 804 has end portions 804A and 804B and a coil portion 804C. The coil portion 804C is pivotally supported by the shaft 378B of the pivot shaft 378. When the coil is bent in the winding direction to provide a predetermined biasing force, the end portion 804A engages with the hole 378A of the pivot shaft 378, and the end portion 804B engages with the hole 803B of the gear 803. The rotation stopper 803C of the gear 803 comes into contact with the rotation stopper portion 378C of the rotation shaft 378, preventing the gear 803 from rotating relative to the rotation shaft 378. The predetermined biasing force is preferably equal to or greater than a load set so that the front wheel 102 will not move even when the robot 100's own weight is applied to it. As shown in Figure 24, when the gear 802 rotates in the direction of arrow G due to the drive of the servo motor 801, the gear 803 meshing with the gear 802 rotates, and the rotation shaft 378 rotates integrally with the gear 803 and the torsion spring 804, causing the wheel cover 105 to rotate in the direction of arrow H, resulting in the state shown in Figure 25. This operation rotates the wheel cover 105, allowing the front wheel 102 to be driven forward and backward from the storage space S to the outside.In the state shown in FIG. 25 , the wheel cover 105 extends from the storage space S, making it easier to access the wheel cover 105 and remove or attach the front wheel 102. When the convex portion 802A of the gear 802 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 24 to the state shown in FIG. 25 , the concave portion 803A of the gear 803 engages with the convex portion 802A of the gear 802. This restricts the rotation of the gear 803, and also restricts the rotation of the wheel cover 105 via the torsion spring 804 and the rotation shaft 378. At this time, the wheel cover 105 does not rotate even under the weight of the robot 100 due to the engagement between the concave portion 803A of the gear 803 and the convex portion 802A of the gear 802. This retention eliminates the need to excite the servo motor 801 to restrict the rotation of the wheel cover 105, thereby reducing power consumption of the battery 118 and extending the operating time of the robot 100. When attaching or detaching the front wheels in the state shown in Figure 25, a worker or a workbench may unintentionally push the front wheels hard, potentially placing a load on the front wheels greater than the robot's own weight. Also, if the robot 100 is accidentally dropped to the floor while being lifted, a load greater than the robot's own weight may be placed on the front wheels. In such cases, the torsion spring 804 bends, reducing the load on the recessed portion 803A of the gear 803 and the protruding portion 802A of the gear 802. This prevents the engagement from coming loose or becoming deformed, ultimately preventing breakdown of the advance / retreat mechanism. Furthermore, the torsion spring 804 not only absorbs the excessive load when attaching or detaching the front wheels, but also absorbs the impact when the front wheels go over a step during travel or when the robot 100 accidentally falls off a cliff.

[0063] The above configuration has a forward / backward mechanism that moves the front wheels forward and backward, a holding mechanism that keeps the front wheels in the forward position, and a damper mechanism that reduces damage to the holding mechanism, but it is not limited to this and may also be a configuration that omits the forward / backward mechanism, holding mechanism, and damper mechanism.

[0064] In the embodiment, since the drive wheels can be detached even when the power is on, the detachment of the drive wheels can be detected by detecting the detachment of the drive wheels. When the data processing unit 136 detects the detachment of the drive wheels, the data processing unit 136 may increase the intimacy level with a nearby user. This allows the intimacy level to increase by having the user maintain the drive wheels. Furthermore, the robot 100 may execute a predetermined reaction on the condition that one or both of the drive wheels are detected as being removed or attached. This allows the robot 100 to express a reaction of gratitude for maintaining the drive wheels. These reactions may, for example, be output via a display or speaker in the form of text, images, music, or voice, or a combination thereof. Alternatively or in addition to these, the robot 100 may execute a motion via an actuator. Furthermore, the data processing unit 136 may record the detachment of the drive wheels and, based on the record, display an event related to the maintenance of the drive wheels, such as "the drive wheels were maintained," in a diary or the like within an app on an external device. As the attachment / detachment detection means, instead of or in addition to the reflective photosensor 626, a sensor that detects a load and a mechanism that detects attachment / detachment of a wheel based on the detected load may be used. Alternatively or in addition to these, the attachment / detachment detection means may be a mechanism in which a magnet is provided inside the wheel, a Hall element is provided on the cover side that detects the presence or absence or magnetic force of the magnet, and attachment / detachment of a wheel is detected based on the detected presence or absence or magnetic force of the magnet. Furthermore, the robot 100 may detect the type of wheel by varying the magnetic force or arrangement of the magnets for each wheel. The gears (501, 502, 503) may be spur gears or helical gears. The reduction mechanism described above is a planetary gear reduction mechanism, but is not limited thereto. Any reduction mechanism with concentric input and output shafts may be used, including a strain wave gear reduction mechanism or a cycloid reduction mechanism.

[0065] 102 Front wheel 105 Wheel cover 378 Rotating shaft 379 Actuator 501 Sun gear 502 Planetary gear 503 Internal gear 504 Planet carrier 505 Cover 506 Tread 507 Support shaft 508 Tread B1, B2, B3 Bearing 610 Cover 620 Cover 621 Motor 622 Cover 623 Lock lever 624 Lock slider 625 Torsion spring 626 Reflective photosensor 627 Distance measurement sensor 710, 720, 730 Front wheel 801 Servo motor 802 Gear 803 Gear 804 Torsion spring 805 Cover 806 Cover B4, B5, B6 Bearing

Claims

1. A moving body comprising: a motor; a drive wheel that is rotated by the drive of said motor; a speed reduction mechanism that is disposed inside said drive wheel and reduces the speed of the drive of said motor before transmitting it to said drive wheel; and a mechanism for attaching and detaching said drive wheel.

2. A moving body according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive wheel and the reduction mechanism are detachable as a single unit.

3. A moving body according to claim 1, wherein the reduction mechanism is a reduction mechanism in which the input shaft and the output shaft are concentric.

4. A moving body according to claim 1, further comprising a drive wheel detachment detection means for detecting detachment of said drive wheels.

5. A moving body according to claim 4, wherein the drive wheel detachment detection means is a reflective photosensor.

6. A moving body according to claim 1, which detects the type of wheel and executes operational control in accordance with the detected type of wheel.

7. A moving body according to claim 1, further comprising an advancing / retracting mechanism for moving the drive wheels to a first position where they advance outward relative to the moving body and a second position where they retreat inward.

8. A moving body according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises: a holding mechanism that holds the drive wheel at the first position; and a damper mechanism that reduces an external overload on the holding mechanism.

Images