Electro-Hydraulic Legged Robot Explosion-Proof Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robots with electric control lack explosion-proof performance when operating in flammable and explosive environments, posing a risk of motor explosions during routine inspections.
Innovation Solution
An electro-hydraulic combination driven explosion-proof legged robot is designed with a positive-pressure chamber and a leg-foot assembly that includes a hydraulic cylinder outside the chamber, separating electrical components from flammable gases, and utilizing a servo pump and control unit inside the chamber to prevent explosions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If electric control is used in robots, then control precision and automation are improved, but explosion-proof performance deteriorates in flammable environments
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is segmented into two separate parts: an explosion-proof chamber containing electrical components (control unit, servo pump) and an external hydraulic execution system (hydraulic cylinder, leg-foot assembly). This segmentation isolates the ignition sources from the flammable environment, allowing automated control while maintaining explosion-proof performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic cylinder and leg-foot assembly are extracted from the explosion-proof chamber and placed externally. This extraction removes the components most susceptible to explosion risks from the hazardous environment, while the electrical control components remain protected within the sealed chamber, resolving the contradiction between automation and explosion-proof reliability.
2Reliability
If electro-hydraulic separation is implemented, then explosion-proof performance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit and servo pump are merged within the same explosion-proof chamber, and the hydraulic system is integrated with the existing leg-foot mechanism. This merging reduces the number of separate components and interfaces, simplifying the overall system structure while maintaining electro-hydraulic separation for explosion-proof performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Hydraulic oil serves as an intermediary medium between the electrical control system inside the chamber and the mechanical leg-foot assembly outside. This intermediary transfers energy and control signals without requiring direct electrical connections to the external environment, achieving explosion-proof performance while maintaining system simplicity.
3Reliability
If hydraulic cylinder is placed outside chamber body, then explosion-proof performance is improved, but connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic connection through oil inlet and outlet holes in the chamber wall, eliminating the need for complex external piping or wireless transmission systems. The hydraulic oil flows directly through sealed channels in the chamber body, providing a simple and reliable connection between the internal servo pump and external hydraulic cylinder while maintaining explosion-proof integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The electro-hydraulic separation design and positive-pressure chamber provide effective explosion-proof performance, reducing the complexity of control algorithms and ensuring the robot's safety in hazardous environments.
Implementation Method 1
The chamber body employs a positive-pressure design, eliminating the likelihood of external flammable and explosive gases entering the chamber body to come into contact with electrical components
Implementation Method 2
The hydraulic cylinder is located outside the chamber body, and a control unit and the servo pump are located inside the chamber body, achieving an electro-hydraulic separation effect
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-hydraulic combination driven explosion-proof legged robot which includes a positive-pressure chamber body and a leg-foot assembly. The leg-foot assembly includes a hydraulic cylinder. A servo pump is arranged inside the chamber body. The hydraulic cylinder is located outside the chamber body. The chamber body has a chamber wall formed with oil inlet and outlet holes configured to intercommunicate the servo pump with the hydraulic cylinder. The leg-foot assembly includes a mounting bracket, a leg-foot forward-and-backward swing mechanism, a hip joint mechanism and a leg-foot mechanism. The leg-foot forward-and-backward swing mechanism and the hip joint mechanism are connected outside the chamber body through the mounting bracket. The hip joint mechanism is connected to the leg-foot mechanism and is able to drive the leg-foot mechanism to swing laterally inward and outward. The leg-foot forward-and-backward swing mechanism is connected to the hip joint mechanism in a coaxial transmission manner.