Robot Leg Structure With Leaf Spring and Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot leg structures with elastic members experience vibration issues when contacting the ground, leading to instability, especially on uneven terrain, which can cause the robot to tumble.
Innovation Solution
A robot leg structure incorporating a link, a ground contact portion, an elastic member such as an arc-shaped leaf spring, and a damping member, where the damping member is arranged in parallel with the leaf spring to absorb shocks and reduce vibration, thereby enhancing stability and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the foot member is formed of an elastic member to provide flexibility and shock absorption, then the robot can adapt to uneven terrain, but vibration occurs when the foot contacts the ground leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an elastic member (leaf spring) with a damping member in parallel to create a hybrid suspension system. The elastic member provides flexibility and shock absorption for terrain adaptation, while the damping member simultaneously suppresses vibrations. This merging of two different functional elements resolves the contradiction between adaptability and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining materials with different mechanical properties - the elastic leaf spring (typically metal) provides structural flexibility, while the damping member (typically rubber or polymer) provides vibration suppression. This composite approach allows both terrain adaptation and motion stability to be achieved simultaneously.
2Strength
If the foot member is formed of an elastic member to absorb impact, then shock absorption is improved, but vibration is generated causing robot tumbling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the shock absorption function of the elastic leaf spring with the vibration damping function of the damping member. The elastic member absorbs impact energy through deformation, while the damping member dissipates vibrational energy through internal friction, thereby eliminating the harmful vibration effect while maintaining shock absorption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful vibration generated by the elastic member into beneficial energy dissipation through the damping member. The vibration that would normally cause tumbling is instead absorbed and converted into heat energy by the damping material, transforming a harmful effect into a stabilizing function.
3Device complexity
If only an elastic member is used in the leg structure, then the structure remains simple, but vibration control is insufficient on uneven terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the damping member with the existing elastic leaf spring structure in a parallel arrangement. This merging adds vibration control functionality without requiring a complete redesign of the leg structure, maintaining relative simplicity while significantly improving reliability on uneven terrain through the combined shock absorption and vibration damping capabilities.
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 combination of the leaf spring and damping member reduces vibration, improves controllability, and prevents interference with uneven terrain, ensuring stable robot movement by effectively absorbing impacts and maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member that couples the link and the ground contact portion to each other; an arc-shaped leaf spring
Implementation Method 2
a damping member that is arranged adjacent to the elastic member and couples the link and the ground contact portion to each other
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a robot leg structure that includes a link extending downward from a leg joint, a ground contact portion that comes in contact with a ground, a leaf spring that couples the link and the ground contact portion to each other, and a damping member adjacent to the leaf spring and couples the link and the ground contact portion to each other. With this configuration, the damping member damps the vibration attributed to the leaf spring, making it possible to reliably stabilize the motion of the legs of a robot.