Modular Two-Wheeled Robot Coupling for Stable Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional two-wheeled robots struggle with maintaining balance while navigating obstacles and have limitations in performing various functions based on user needs, with fixed functionality and challenges in coupling and decoupling with functional modules.
Innovation Solution
A robot design featuring a robot body with a motor and battery, coupled with a leg unit and wheel unit, and a lower functional module that can be detachably coupled, using a coupling bar and hook mechanism for easy attachment and detachment, and a lamp for detecting the module's location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a two-wheeled robot uses a pendulum body rotation mechanism to maintain balance, then balance stability is improved, but the robot body shakes in vertical direction and cannot stably support additional functional modules
Solution Approach 1:
The robot body is segmented into an upper body and a lower body that can rotate relative to each other. The lower body rotates as a pendulum to maintain balance, while the upper body remains stable for supporting functional modules. This segmentation allows independent optimization of balance maintenance and operational stability.
Solution Approach 2:
A counterbalance wheel is introduced to compensate for the vertical shaking caused by pendulum rotation. The counterbalance wheel rotates in the opposite direction to the pendulum body, generating counteracting forces that reduce vertical vibration and stabilize the upper body for functional module operation.
2Ease of operation
If conventional hook structures are used for coupling functional modules, then ease of coupling is improved, but the hook can be deformed during decoupling and damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deforming the hook to decouple, the invention inverts the mechanism by deforming a separate decoupling lever. The lever is elastically deformed to release the locking ball from the locking hole, allowing the hook structure itself to remain intact and avoid damage during the decoupling process.
Solution Approach 2:
A locking ball and locking hole mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between the hook and the functional module. The locking ball engages with the locking hole to secure the coupling, while a decoupling lever controls the ball's position. This intermediary mechanism protects the hook from direct deformation stress during coupling and decoupling operations.
3Productivity
If the robot simply moves to the shortest path or avoids obstacles, then movement efficiency is improved, but it cannot properly approach functional modules for coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary orientation adjustment before reaching the functional module. The control unit calculates the optimal approach direction and adjusts the robot's heading in advance, ensuring that the coupling surface is properly aligned with the functional module when the robot arrives, facilitating successful coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot employs dynamic path planning that adapts to the functional module's position and orientation. Instead of following a fixed shortest path, the robot dynamically adjusts its trajectory and approach angle based on real-time spatial relationships, enabling it to efficiently reach and properly orient toward the coupling target.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a robot including a robot body in which a motor and a battery are accommodated, a leg unit coupled to first and second side surfaces of the robot body, a wheel unit including a wheel, and a lower functional module detachably coupled to a lower side of the robot body. A lower surface of the robot body may be provided with a coupling bar detachably coupled to the lower functional module. In the lower functional module, at least a portion of the coupling bar may be accommodated in a bar accommodation groove, and a coupling hook is rotated to support a coupling bar accommodated in the accommodation groove.