Omnidirectional wheel, lifting mechanism for adjusting height by means of pivoting wheel, and lawn mower

Abstract

An omnidirectional wheel (60), a lifting mechanism (100) for adjusting a height by means of pivoting a wheel, and a lawn mower. An omnidirectional wheel (60) is mounted on a front end of a lawn mower, wherein the omnidirectional wheel (60) comprises: a wheel support, first rollers (63) and second rollers (64), and the wheel support is rotatably connected to the front end; an outer diameter of the first rollers is greater than an outer diameter of the second rollers, the plurality of first rollers and the plurality of second rollers are rotatably connected to the wheel support in an alternating manner, a plane on which the center of each second roller is situated is located on a side of a plane on which the center of each first roller is situated that faces away from the front end, and an outer contour of each second roller is internally tangent to an outer contour of each first roller.

Description

Omnidirectional wheels, a height-adjustable lifting mechanism via swing wheels, and a lawnmower.

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese patent applications No. 202422662618.6, filed on November 1, 2024, entitled "A Lifting Mechanism for Adjusting Height by Swinging Wheels", and Chinese patent application No. 202422672195.6, filed on November 1, 2024, entitled "An Omnidirectional Wheel for a Lawn Mower", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of omnidirectional wheel technology, and in particular to an omnidirectional wheel, a lifting mechanism for adjusting height by swinging the wheel, and a lawnmower. Background Technology

[0004] Omnidirectional wheels are wheels capable of moving in multiple directions. They typically consist of a central wheel and multiple smaller rollers arranged around it. These smaller rollers can be controlled independently, allowing the omnidirectional wheel to move at any angle. Omnidirectional wheels are designed for use on lawns. However, in commercially available omnidirectional wheels, the outer contours of the large and small rollers are tangent to the central plane. This means that as the angle between the large and small rollers increases, the smaller rollers become less effective, affecting obstacle-crossing ability.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an omnidirectional wheel for lawnmowers that can balance the function of large and small rollers and improve obstacle-crossing ability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide an omnidirectional wheel, a lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel, and a lawnmower. The omnidirectional wheel solution addresses the technical problem of the diminishing effectiveness of small rollers in existing technologies. The various technical effects of the solutions provided in this application are detailed below.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] The first aspect of this application provides an omnidirectional wheel, mounted on the front of a lawnmower. The omnidirectional wheel includes: a wheel bracket rotatably connected to the front of the lawnmower; a first roller and a second roller, wherein the outer diameter of the first roller is larger than the outer diameter of the second roller; a plurality of the first rollers and a plurality of the second rollers are alternately rotatably connected to the wheel bracket; the center plane of the plurality of second rollers is located on the side of the center plane of the plurality of first rollers away from the front of the lawnmower; and the outer contour lines of the plurality of second rollers are tangent to the outer contour lines of the plurality of first rollers.

[0009] In the omnidirectional wheel technical solution provided in the first aspect of this application, all the first rollers and all the second rollers are alternately arranged and not coplanar. The outer contour lines of some second rollers are tangent to the outer contour lines of some first rollers. This arrangement is beneficial for reducing steering resistance on soft surfaces such as grass, enhancing obstacle-crossing ability, and playing a balancing role. It also reduces the impact of changes in the angle between the omnidirectional wheel and the ground during movement on the support of the small rollers. This ensures that both the large-diameter first rollers and the small-diameter second rollers can play their roles during the movement of the omnidirectional wheel, thus guaranteeing the obstacle-crossing and travel capabilities of the omnidirectional wheel.

[0010] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional wheel further includes: a first profile line and a second profile line, wherein the outer profile lines of a plurality of the first rollers are the first profile line, the outer profile lines of a plurality of the second rollers are the second profile lines, and the second profile lines are tangent to the first profile line.

[0011] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional wheel further includes: a first reference surface and a second reference surface, wherein the plane in which the center of a plurality of the first rollers is located is the first reference surface, the plane in which the center of a plurality of the second rollers is located is the second reference surface, and the second reference surface is located on the side of the first reference surface away from the front of the vehicle.

[0012] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket includes: a roller bracket rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle; a clamping plate coaxially and detachably connected to the roller bracket, wherein the first roller and the second roller are respectively rotatably connected between the roller bracket and the clamping plate.

[0013] In some further embodiments, the clamping plate and the roller bracket are fixedly connected by bolts.

[0014] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional wheel further includes: a first U-shaped opening, a plurality of first U-shaped openings being equally spaced on the roller bracket and the clamping plate, the first roller being located within the first U-shaped opening; and a second U-shaped opening, a plurality of second U-shaped openings being equally spaced on the roller bracket and the clamping plate, and being alternately arranged with a plurality of first U-shaped openings, the second roller being located within the second U-shaped opening.

[0015] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional wheel further includes: a fixed shaft rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle; a connecting plate, a first end of which is fixedly connected to the end of the fixed shaft away from the front of the vehicle and is inclined relative to the fixed shaft; and a roller bracket rotatably connected to the second end of the connecting plate.

[0016] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional wheel further includes a bearing, which is mounted at the rotatable connection between the fixed shaft and the roller bracket.

[0017] The second aspect of this application provides a lifting mechanism for adjusting height via swing wheels, mounted on a vehicle frame, comprising: a connecting shaft rotatably connected to the vehicle frame, with wheel sets eccentrically mounted at both ends of the connecting shaft; and a drive module mounted on the vehicle frame and driving the connecting shaft to rotate.

[0018] The second aspect of this application provides a height-adjusting mechanism that uses swing wheels to adjust the height. By employing a drive module to drive a connecting shaft, the mechanism synchronously drives the wheel sets at both ends to swing, thereby adjusting the height of the frame relative to the support surface, which is beneficial for obstacle crossing. This application achieves synchronous adjustment of the wheel set's swing angle by driving a connecting shaft with a drive module, which facilitates the synchronous raising or lowering of the entire frame. The various structures in this application are compactly arranged, effectively saving structural space.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, the lifting mechanism further includes an elastic component, which is hinged between the side wall of the connecting shaft and the frame. In this application, the main function of the elastic component is to ensure that the wheelset is in full contact with the ground. During the swinging process, the angle between the elastic component and the ground continuously adapts and changes to ensure full contact between the wheelset and the ground.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the lifting mechanism further includes: sensors, a plurality of sensors for detecting the motion state of the drive module and the connecting shaft.

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, the lifting mechanism further includes: a first connecting block, the first end of which is fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft; and a first connecting rod, which is hinged between the second end of the first connecting block and the telescopic end of the drive module.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the lifting mechanism further includes: a second connecting block, the first end of which is fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft, and the elastic component is hinged between the second end of the second connecting block and the vehicle frame.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the elastic component includes a spring, the two ends of which are respectively hinged to the second end of the second connecting block and the vehicle frame.

[0024] In some embodiments of this application, the lifting mechanism further includes: a second link, the first end of which is fixedly connected to the first end of the spring, and the second end of which is hinged to the second end of the second connecting block; and a third link, the first end of which is hinged to the vehicle frame, and the second end of which is fixedly connected to the second end of the spring, wherein the third link, the spring, and the second link are arranged collinearly.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, the lifting mechanism further includes: a sleeve, the spring being located inside the sleeve, and the two ends of the sleeve being axially sleeved on the first end of the second connecting rod and the second end of the third connecting rod, respectively.

[0026] In some embodiments of this application, the wheel set includes the omnidirectional wheel described in any of the foregoing embodiments, and the wheel set includes two of the omnidirectional wheels, each of which is eccentrically connected to the connecting shaft via a connecting plate.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, the connecting plate is inclined toward the vehicle frame in the direction from the rotation center of the two omnidirectional wheels to the connecting shaft.

[0028] In some embodiments of this application, the extension direction of the drive module on the frame is substantially perpendicular to the height direction of the frame.

[0029] The third aspect of this application provides a lawnmower, including the omnidirectional wheel described in any of the foregoing embodiments; and / or, including the lifting mechanism described in any of the foregoing embodiments for adjusting height by swinging the wheel.

[0030] The lawnmower provided in the third aspect of this application, when including the omnidirectional wheels of the aforementioned embodiments, possesses the technical effects of omnidirectional wheels. It can at least reduce steering resistance on soft surfaces such as grass, enhance obstacle-crossing ability, and provide a balancing effect, reducing the impact of changes in the angle between the omnidirectional wheels and the ground on the support of the small rollers during movement. When including the lifting mechanism of the aforementioned embodiments, it possesses the technical effects of a lifting mechanism. It can at least achieve the effect of using a drive module to drive the connecting shaft to rotate, thereby synchronously driving the wheel sets at both ends to swing, thus adjusting the height of the frame relative to the support surface, which is beneficial for obstacle crossing. This application achieves synchronous adjustment of the swing angle of the wheel sets by driving a connecting shaft through a drive module, which is beneficial for synchronously raising or lowering the entire frame. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the omnidirectional wheel, the connecting plate and the fixed shaft of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the omnidirectional wheel explosion of this application;

[0034] Figure 3 is a radial schematic diagram of the omnidirectional wheel of this application;

[0035] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the outer contours of the first roller and the second roller of this application;

[0036] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lifting mechanism of this application that adjusts the height by swinging wheels;

[0037] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the extended state of the drive module in this application;

[0038] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the shortened state of the driver module in this application;

[0039] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the state of the elastic component when the wheel assembly of this application is swinging upwards;

[0040] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the state of the elastic component when the wheel assembly of this application is in the lower position.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, Lifting mechanism; 1, Drive module; 2, Linear displacement sensor; 3, Connecting shaft; 4, First connecting rod; 5, Sleeve; 6, Wheel set; 60, Omnidirectional wheel; 61, Roller bracket; 62, Clamping plate; 63, First roller; 64, Second roller; 65, First U-shaped opening; 66, Second U-shaped opening; 67, First reference plane; 68, Second reference plane; 69, First contour line; 610, Second contour line; 611, Fixed shaft; 612, Connecting plate; 7, First connecting block; 8, Second connecting rod; 9, Second connecting block; 10, Third connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0043] This application provides an omnidirectional wheel 60, a lifting mechanism 100 that adjusts the height by swinging the wheel, and a lawnmower.

[0044] Omnidirectional wheels are wheels capable of moving in multiple directions. They typically consist of a central wheel and multiple smaller rollers arranged around it. These smaller rollers can be controlled independently, allowing the omnidirectional wheel to move at any angle. Omnidirectional wheels are designed for use on lawns. In existing omnidirectional wheels, the outer contours of the large and small rollers are tangent to the central plane. This means that as the angle between the large and small rollers increases, the smaller rollers become less effective, affecting obstacle-crossing ability.

[0045] In view of this, some embodiments of this application provide an omnidirectional wheel 60, which aims to solve the aforementioned technical problems.

[0046] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, this application provides an omnidirectional wheel 60, which is mounted on the front of a lawnmower and includes: a wheel bracket, a first roller 63 and a second roller 64.

[0047] The wheel bracket is rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the outer diameter of the first roller 63 is larger than the outer diameter of the second roller 64. Several first rollers 63 and several second rollers 64 are alternately rotatably connected to the wheel bracket. The center plane of several second rollers 64 is located on the side away from the front of the vehicle from the center plane of several first rollers 63. The outer contour lines of several second rollers 64 are tangent to the outer contour lines of several first rollers 63.

[0048] In commercially available omnidirectional wheels, the tangents of the outer contours of the large and small rollers are located on the central plane. This results in the smaller roller's supporting effect decreasing as the angle between the large and small rollers increases. In this application, all the first rollers 63 and all the second rollers 64 are alternately arranged and not coplanar. The outer contours of some second rollers 64 are tangent to the outer contours of some first rollers 63. This arrangement helps reduce steering resistance on soft surfaces such as grass, enhances obstacle-crossing ability, and provides a balancing effect. It also reduces the impact of changes in the angle between the omnidirectional wheel 60 and the ground during movement on the supporting effect of the smaller rollers (specifically, the second rollers 64 with smaller outer diameters). This ensures that both the larger-diameter first rollers 63 and the smaller-diameter second rollers 64 function effectively during the movement of the omnidirectional wheel 60, guaranteeing its obstacle-crossing and travel capabilities.

[0049] It should be noted that the vehicle frame in this application includes the front end, and in some embodiments, the vehicle frame also includes the rear end.

[0050] In a further embodiment, as shown in FIG4, the omnidirectional wheel 60 further includes: a first contour line 69 and a second contour line 610. As shown in FIG3 and FIG4, the outer contour line of a plurality of first rollers 63 is the first contour line 69, and the outer contour line of a plurality of second rollers 64 is the second contour line 610. The second contour line 610 is tangent to the first contour line 69.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the outer contours of several second rollers 64 are tangent to the outer contours of several first rollers 63, with the tangency points on the sides of the first contour line 69 and the second contour line 610. This arrangement effectively increases the diameter of the omnidirectional wheel 60 and enhances its obstacle-crossing ability.

[0052] In a further embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the omnidirectional wheel 60 further includes a first reference surface 67 and a second reference surface 68. The plane containing the centers of a plurality of first rollers 63 is the first reference surface 67, and the plane containing the centers of a plurality of second rollers 64 is the second reference surface 68. The second reference surface 68 is located on the side of the first reference surface 67 away from the front of the vehicle. The first reference surface 67 and the second reference surface 68 are not coplanar, which allows the second contour line 610 to be tangent to the first contour line 69, thereby balancing the forces of the large and small rollers and effectively improving the load-bearing capacity of the omnidirectional wheel 60.

[0053] In a further embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wheel bracket includes a roller bracket 61 and a clamping plate 62. The roller bracket 61 is rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle. The clamping plate 62 is coaxially and detachably connected to the roller bracket 61. A first roller 63 and a second roller 64 are rotatably connected between the roller bracket 61 and the clamping plate 62, respectively. The clamping plate 62 and the roller bracket 61 are fixedly connected by bolts.

[0054] The clamping plate 62 and the roller bracket 61 in this application are detachably connected. The roller is placed directly between the clamping plate 62 and the roller bracket 61, and then the clamping plate 62 and the roller bracket 61 are fixed. This greatly reduces the complexity and time of assembling the first roller 63 and the second roller 64, thereby greatly reducing the roller assembly cost.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG2, the omnidirectional wheel 60 further includes: a first U-shaped opening 65 and a second U-shaped opening 66.

[0056] Among them, a number of first U-shaped openings 65 are equally spaced on the roller bracket 61 and the clamping plate 62, and the first roller 63 is located inside the first U-shaped opening 65; a number of second U-shaped openings 66 are equally spaced on the roller bracket 61 and the clamping plate 62, and are alternately arranged with the number of first U-shaped openings 65, and the second roller 64 is located inside the second U-shaped opening 66.

[0057] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG1, the omnidirectional wheel 60 further includes a fixed shaft 611 and a connecting plate 612.

[0058] The fixed shaft 611 is rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle. The first end of the connecting plate 612 is fixedly connected to the end of the fixed shaft 611 away from the front of the vehicle and is inclined relative to the fixed shaft 611. The roller bracket 61 is rotatably connected to the second end of the connecting plate 612, and the axis of the fixed shaft 611 is also inclined relative to the axis of the roller bracket 61. When the fixed shaft 611 is driven to rotate, it will cause the connecting plate 612 connected to it to swing, which will in turn cause the axis of the omnidirectional wheel 60 to rotate around the axis of the fixed shaft 611. For example, the omnidirectional wheel 60 rotates towards the ground, thereby pushing the front of the vehicle to rise and increasing the height difference between the front of the vehicle and the ground, which is conducive to the front of the vehicle crossing obstacles. Or, for example, the omnidirectional wheel 60 rotates away from the ground, thereby rotating towards the front of the vehicle, thereby reducing the height difference between the front of the vehicle and the ground, which is conducive to the stable forward movement of the front of the vehicle and makes it less likely to tip over.

[0059] In a further embodiment, the omnidirectional wheel 60 also includes a bearing (not marked in the figure), which is installed at the rotatable connection between the fixed shaft 611 and the roller bracket 61. This effectively improves the rotational stability between the fixed shaft 611 and the roller bracket 61.

[0060] Commercially available omnidirectional wheels have rollers whose outer contour tangent is located on the center plane. This means that the supporting effect of the smaller rollers decreases as the angle between the omnidirectional wheel and the ground changes. Furthermore, most omnidirectional wheels on the market have rollers of the same diameter. This results in smaller roller diameters for the same circumference and number of rollers, leading to lower load-bearing capacity and weaker obstacle-crossing ability. The rollers in commercially available omnidirectional wheels are often manufactured using a double-injection molding process, which is not only complex but also incurrs high production costs and time. Finally, the rollers are assembled onto the roller bracket one by one using bolts or interference clips. This assembly process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, resulting in high assembly costs.

[0061] In this application, only the rollers (referring to the first roller 63 and the second roller 64) and the fixed shaft 611 need to be manufactured separately, and then the fixed shaft 611 is passed through the center hole of the roller. The production process only involves one injection molding and one ordinary machining operation, and there are a large number of readily available products to choose from, which greatly reduces the production complexity of components such as the first roller 63 and the second roller 64, thereby greatly reducing the production cost of roller components.

[0062] Operating conditions: The fixed shaft 611 is rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle, and the omnidirectional wheel 60 can rotate around the axis. When in use, a force is applied to the circumference of the fixed shaft 611, causing the fixed shaft 611 to rotate and swing downward around the axis with the omnidirectional wheel 60, thereby pushing the front of the vehicle upward.

[0063] Since the rotation axis of the omnidirectional wheel 60 is not parallel to the axis of the fixed shaft 611, the movement process will cause the omnidirectional wheel 60 to have a changing angle with the ground, which will enable the omnidirectional wheel 60 to drive the front of the vehicle to change its height relative to the ground.

[0064] Most height adjustment solutions for elevators on the market use a vertical guide rail screw method, which requires a screw to be vertically arranged at the geometric center to adjust the height. This has problems such as occupying too much vertical space, occupying too much structural space, and unstable contact between the omnidirectional wheels and the ground.

[0065] In view of this, this application provides a lifting mechanism 100 that adjusts the height by swinging wheels, which can effectively save structural layout space and ensure that the wheel set 6 is in full contact with the ground and improve contact stability.

[0066] The lifting mechanism 100 of this application, which adjusts the height by means of a swing wheel, will now be described.

[0067] Referring to Figures 5 to 9, some embodiments of this application provide a lifting mechanism 100 that adjusts the height by swinging wheels, which is mounted on a vehicle frame. The lifting mechanism 100 includes a connecting shaft 3 and a drive module 1.

[0068] As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, the connecting shaft 3 is rotatably connected to the frame, and the wheel set 6 is eccentrically mounted at both ends of the connecting shaft 3; the drive module 1 is horizontally mounted on the frame and drives the connecting shaft 3 to rotate. In a specific embodiment, the connecting shaft 3 of this application includes the aforementioned fixed shaft 611.

[0069] Most height adjustment solutions on the market use a vertical guide rail and lead screw, requiring a vertically positioned lead screw at the geometric center for height adjustment. This results in issues such as occupying excessive vertical space, excessive structural layout space, and unstable contact between the omnidirectional wheels and the ground. In this application, by using a horizontally mounted drive module 1, vertical layout space is saved. The drive connecting shaft 3 rotates, synchronously causing the wheel sets 6 at both ends to swing up and down. Overall, this application effectively saves structural layout space and ensures sufficient contact between the wheel sets 6 and the ground.

[0070] In some embodiments, wheel set 6 includes omnidirectional wheels 60 as described in the preceding embodiments, thereby facilitating reversing and providing reliable obstacle-crossing capability. Wheel set 6 can be one or two sets. For example, when wheel set 6 is one set, it includes two omnidirectional wheels 60. As another example, when wheel set 6 is two sets, it includes four omnidirectional wheels 60, with each pair of omnidirectional wheels 60 connected to a connecting shaft 3. The drive module 1 can have two output ends, one connected to a connecting shaft 3; or two drive modules 1 can be provided, with each drive module 1's output end connected to a connecting shaft 3. In other embodiments, wheel set 6 may also include ordinary caster wheels or directional wheels.

[0071] In some specific embodiments, the wheel set 6 includes two omnidirectional wheels 60, which are eccentrically connected to the connecting shaft 3 via a connecting plate 612. Thus, when the drive module 1 drives the connecting shaft 3 to rotate, the connecting shaft 3 drives the two connecting plates 612 to swing, thereby causing the omnidirectional wheels 60 to swing, so that the frame can be raised and lowered relative to the ground.

[0072] In some embodiments of this application, the connecting plate 612 is inclined toward the direction closer to the frame from the rotation center of the two omnidirectional wheels 60 to the connecting shaft 3. This makes the two omnidirectional wheels 60 more balanced during movement and provides better support when the two omnidirectional wheels 60 are in contact with the ground or grass surface.

[0073] In some embodiments of this application, the extension direction of the drive module 1 on the frame is approximately perpendicular to the height direction of the frame. This means that the drive module 1 does not occupy space in the height direction of the frame, but is aligned with the width direction of the frame, which is beneficial for the compact arrangement of the various structures of the entire lifting mechanism 100 and reduces the space occupied by the entire lifting mechanism 100.

[0074] In a further embodiment, the lifting mechanism 100 further includes an elastic component, which is hinged between the side wall of the connecting shaft 3 and the frame. The main function of the elastic component is to ensure that the wheel set 6 is in full contact with the ground and to adapt to changes in the angle with the ground during the swinging process. The elastic component can be a torsion spring, installed on the connecting shaft 3. During the rotation of the connecting shaft 3, the torsion spring always exerts a counterforce on the connecting shaft 3 to ensure that the wheel set 6 is in full contact with the ground.

[0075] In a further embodiment, the lifting mechanism 100 further includes sensors, a plurality of sensors for detecting the motion state of the drive module 1 and the connecting rotating shaft 3. The drive module 1 is one of an electric push rod, a hydraulic cylinder, or a telescopic cylinder.

[0076] In some embodiments, the sensor includes a linear displacement sensor 2 and an angle encoder. For example, in a specific embodiment, two sets of linear displacement sensors 2 are respectively installed on the drive module 1 and are set to correspond to the extension or retraction limit positions of the drive module 1. When the drive module 1 runs to the extension or retraction limit position, the linear displacement sensor 2 is triggered, and a stop or reverse operation signal is sent to the drive module 1 through the PLC controller to ensure that the drive module 1 moves within the limit range, thus playing a protective role. At the same time, the PLC controller can convert the rotation position information of the connecting shaft 3 based on the signal of the linear displacement sensor 2. In this process, the inductive triggering has high reliability and stability. The angle encoder can be installed between the connecting shaft 3 and the frame, and can obtain the signal of the rotation angle of the connecting shaft 3 and transmit the signal to the PLC controller. It is mainly used to monitor the rotation angle of the connecting shaft 3. The relative position of the wheel set 6 and the frame is obtained by the rotation angle of the connecting shaft 3, thereby determining the lifting height of the front of the vehicle on the frame.

[0077] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the lifting mechanism 100 further includes a first connecting block 7 and a first connecting rod 4. Further, the first end of the first connecting block 7 is fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft 3. The first connecting rod 4 is hinged between the second end of the first connecting block 7 and the telescopic end of the drive module 1. As shown in FIG6, after the drive module 1 extends, it pushes the first connecting block 7 through the first connecting rod 4, causing the first connecting block 7 and the connecting shaft 3 to rotate around the axis of the connecting shaft 3 at a certain angle, thereby driving the wheel set 6 to swing towards the frame, i.e., swing upwards.

[0078] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the lifting mechanism 100 further includes a second connecting block 9. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the first end of the second connecting block 9 is fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft 3, and the elastic component is hinged between the second end of the second connecting block 9 and the frame. Referring to FIG6, during the extension of the drive module 1, the connecting shaft 3 is driven to rotate, causing the wheel set 6 to swing upward, and the second connecting block 9 rotates synchronously around the connecting shaft 3. At this time, the elastic component continues to be stretched. Referring to FIG7, during the shortening of the drive module 1, the connecting shaft 3 is driven to rotate, causing the wheel set 6 to swing downward. At this time, the elastic component continues to be stretched, but the degree of stretching is reduced (appropriately relaxed). During the contact between the wheel set 6 and the ground, the elastic component helps the wheel set 6 to make full contact with the ground. The elastic component can be an elastic rubber belt, installed between the second end of the second connecting block 9 and the frame.

[0079] In other embodiments, in addition to the torsion spring and elastic rubber band described above, the elastic component can also be a spring, with both ends of the spring hinged to the second end of the second connecting block 9 and the frame, respectively. Throughout the entire swinging process of the wheel set 6, the elastic component remains in a stretched state.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the lifting mechanism 100 further includes a second link 8, a third link 10, and a sleeve 5.

[0081] The first end of the second connecting rod 8 is fixedly connected to the first end of the spring, and the second end of the second connecting rod 8 is hinged to the second end of the second connecting block 9. The first end of the third connecting rod 10 is hinged to the frame, and the second end of the third connecting rod 10 is fixedly connected to the second end of the spring. The third connecting rod 10, the spring, and the second connecting rod 8 are arranged collinearly. The spring is located inside the sleeve 5, and the two ends of the sleeve 5 are axially sleeved on the first end of the second connecting rod 8 and the second end of the third connecting rod 10, respectively.

[0082] This configuration ensures that the connection between the spring, the second connecting block 9, and the frame remains stable during the stretching or relaxing process, thereby ensuring that the wheelset 6 remains in contact with the ground throughout the height adjustment process and within the movement restriction range.

[0083] In a further embodiment, the lifting mechanism 100 further includes: a swing arm (not marked in the figure), the first end of the swing arm is fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft 3, and an angle is provided between the swing arm and the connecting shaft 3, so that the connecting shaft 3 drives the wheel set 6 to swing during rotation, and the second end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the wheel set 6, that is, the wheel set 6 is eccentrically installed at both ends of the connecting shaft 3 through the swing arm.

[0084] In some embodiments, the drive module 1 can also be a motor, and the rotating shaft 3 is driven by the motor. The drive method can be conventional gear transmission. An angle encoder can be installed on the motor to detect the rotation state of the motor and then reflect the corresponding rotation angle of the rotating shaft 3.

[0085] The lawnmower of this application will now be described.

[0086] Embodiments of this application provide a lawnmower, including an omnidirectional wheel 60 of any of the foregoing embodiments; and / or, including a lifting mechanism 100 of any of the foregoing embodiments that adjusts the height by swinging the wheel.

[0087] The lawnmower provided in the third aspect of this application, when including the omnidirectional wheel 60 of the aforementioned embodiments, possesses the technical effects of the omnidirectional wheel 60. It can at least reduce steering resistance on soft surfaces such as grass, enhance obstacle-crossing ability, and provide a balancing effect, reducing the impact on the support of the small-diameter second roller 64 caused by changes in the angle between the omnidirectional wheel 60 and the ground during movement. When including the lifting mechanism of the aforementioned embodiments, it possesses the technical effects of the lifting mechanism. It can at least achieve the use of a drive module to drive the connecting shaft to rotate, thereby synchronously driving the wheel sets at both ends to swing, thus adjusting the height of the frame relative to the support surface, which is beneficial for obstacle crossing. This application achieves synchronous adjustment of the swing angle of the wheel sets by driving a connecting shaft through a drive module, which is beneficial for synchronously raising or lowering the entire frame.

[0088] It should be noted that the terms "center," "width," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., used herein to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the equipment or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0089] In this description, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0090] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional wheel, mounted on the front of a lawnmower, characterized in that, Omnidirectional wheels include: A wheel bracket, which is rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle; A first roller and a second roller, wherein the outer diameter of the first roller is larger than the outer diameter of the second roller, a plurality of the first rollers and a plurality of the second rollers are alternately rotatably connected to the wheel bracket, the center plane of the plurality of the second rollers is located on the side of the center plane of the plurality of the first rollers away from the front of the vehicle, and the outer contour lines of the plurality of the second rollers are tangent to the outer contour lines of the plurality of the first rollers.

2. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A first contour line and a second contour line, wherein the outer contour lines of a plurality of the first rollers are the first contour line, and the outer contour lines of a plurality of the second rollers are the second contour lines, and the second contour lines are internally tangent to the first contour line.

3. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A first reference plane and a second reference plane, wherein the plane in which the centers of a plurality of the first rollers are located is the first reference plane, and the plane in which the centers of a plurality of the second rollers are located is the second reference plane, and the second reference plane is located on the side of the first reference plane away from the front of the vehicle.

4. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel bracket includes: A roller bracket, which is rotatably connected to the front of the vehicle; A clamping plate is provided, which is detachably connected to the roller bracket on the same axis. The first roller and the second roller are respectively rotatably connected between the roller bracket and the clamping plate.

5. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping plate and the roller bracket are fixedly connected by bolts.

6. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: A first U-shaped opening, and several first U-shaped openings are equally spaced on the roller bracket and the clamping plate, with the first roller located inside the first U-shaped opening; The second U-shaped opening is provided at equal intervals on the roller bracket and the clamping plate, and is alternately arranged with the first U-shaped opening. The second roller is located inside the second U-shaped opening.

7. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: A fixed shaft, which is rotatably connected to the vehicle head; A connecting plate, the first end of which is fixedly connected to the end of the fixed shaft away from the front of the vehicle and is inclined relative to the fixed shaft, and the roller bracket is rotatably connected to the second end of the connecting plate.

8. The omnidirectional wheel according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A bearing is installed at the rotatable connection between the fixed shaft and the roller bracket.

9. A lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel, mounted on a vehicle frame, characterized in that, include: A connecting shaft is rotatably connected to the frame, and the wheel set is eccentrically mounted at both ends of the connecting shaft; A drive module is mounted on the frame and drives the connecting shaft to rotate.

10. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: An elastic component is hinged between the sidewall of the connecting shaft and the vehicle frame.

11. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: Sensors, including several sensors, are used to detect the motion state of the drive module and the connecting shaft.

12. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: The first connecting block, the first end of the first connecting block is fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft; The first link is hinged between the second end of the first connecting block and the telescopic end of the drive module.

13. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: The second connecting block has its first end fixedly sleeved on the connecting shaft, and the elastic component is hinged between the second end of the second connecting block and the vehicle frame.

14. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 13, characterized in that, The elastic component includes: A spring, the two ends of which are respectively hinged to the second end of the second connecting block and the frame.

15. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: The second link has its first end fixedly connected to the first end of the spring, and its second end hinged to the second end of the second connecting block. The third link has its first end hinged to the vehicle frame and its second end fixedly connected to the second end of the spring. The third link, the spring, and the second link are arranged collinearly.

16. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 15, characterized in that, Also includes: A sleeve, the spring is located inside the sleeve, and the two ends of the sleeve are respectively axially sleeved on the first end of the second connecting rod and the second end of the third connecting rod.

17. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to any one of claims 9 to 16, characterized in that, The wheel set includes an omnidirectional wheel as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, and the wheel set includes two omnidirectional wheels, each of which is eccentrically connected to the connecting shaft via a connecting plate.

18. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connecting plate is inclined toward the vehicle frame in the direction from the rotation center of the two omnidirectional wheels to the connecting shaft.

19. The lifting mechanism for adjusting height via a swing wheel according to any one of claims 9 to 16, characterized in that, The extension direction of the drive module on the frame is approximately perpendicular to the height direction of the frame.

20. A lawnmower, characterized in that, It includes an omnidirectional wheel as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; and / or includes a lifting mechanism as described in any one of claims 9 to 19 that adjusts the height by means of a swing wheel.

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