Wheel-Legged Robot Locomotion for Stable Obstacle Crossing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheeled robots struggle to navigate complex road conditions, including obstacles and uneven surfaces, leading to instability and rollover.
Innovation Solution
A wheel-legged traveling device that integrates wheeled and legged mechanisms, allowing it to simulate human walking posture and adjust posture for improved stability and obstacle crossing, using motors and adjustment mechanisms for enhanced mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional wheeled robot uses only wheeled traveling mechanism, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot navigate complex road conditions requiring crossing and climbing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines wheeled and legged traveling mechanisms into a single hybrid device. The wheeled mechanism provides efficient locomotion on flat surfaces, while the legged mechanism enables crossing and climbing capabilities. This merging allows the device to adapt to various road conditions without requiring separate specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid wheel-legged device serves multiple functions: it can travel on flat surfaces using wheels, cross obstacles using legs, and climb inclines by coordinating both mechanisms. This multi-functionality allows a single device to handle diverse terrain types that would otherwise require different specialized vehicles.
2Speed
If a wheeled robot travels on pothole road surfaces, then it moves quickly, but it experiences vibration and instability leading to rollover
Solution Approach 1:
The legged traveling mechanism provides dynamic adaptation to road surface conditions. When encountering potholes or uneven surfaces, the legs can adjust their position and configuration to maintain stability, unlike fixed wheeled structures that transmit vibrations directly to the body. The alternating motion between legs and wheels creates a damping effect that reduces vibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The device can change its motion parameters dynamically - switching between wheeled and legged modes, adjusting leg joint angles, and modifying wheel rotation speeds based on detected road conditions. These parameter changes allow the device to optimize both speed and stability for different terrain types.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wheeled robot crosses obstacles, then it cannot do so effectively, but adding legged mechanism improves obstacle crossing ability
Solution Approach 1:
The traveling mechanism is segmented into distinct wheeled and legged components that can operate independently or in coordination. The legged mechanism is further divided into multiple segments (thigh, shank, foot) that can articulate to navigate obstacles. This segmentation allows the device to tackle obstacles that would be impassable for conventional wheeled robots.
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
Enhances the device's ability to traverse complex terrain by combining wheeled and legged motion, reducing vibration and rollover, and improving stability on pothole roads and crossing obstacles.
Implementation Method 1
a first motor, coupled to the base, and adapted to drive the upper leg bracket to rotate around a first rotation direction
Implementation Method 2
a second motor, coupled to the base, and adapted to drive the lower leg bracket to rotate around a second rotation direction by driving the connecting rod assembly to move
Implementation Method 3
a drive motor, coupled to the rim, and adapted to drive the rim to rotate around its own axis
Implementation Method 4
at least one driving wheel to drive the wheel-legged traveling device to move
Data Source
AI summary
According to embodiments of the disclosure, a wheel-legged traveling device and a wheel-legged robot are provided. The wheel-legged traveling device includes: a main body extending in a main body direction; a wheeled traveling mechanism rotatably coupled to a first end of the main body in the main body direction and including at least one driving wheel to drive the wheel-legged traveling device to move; and at least one pair of legged traveling mechanisms at least coupled to a second end of the main body opposite the first end in the main body direction, and the at least one pair of legged traveling mechanisms respectively arranged on two sides of the main body direction, to be adapted to drive the wheel-legged traveling device to move in an alternating motion manner.