CN113212587A

CN113212587A - Modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot

Info

Publication number: CN113212587A
Application number: CN202110369396.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 管贻生; 付强; 朱海飞; 谷世超; 魏赏彪
Original assignee: Guangdong University of Technology
Current assignee: Guangdong University of Technology
Priority date: 2021-04-06
Filing date: 2021-04-06
Publication date: 2021-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2041-04-06
Also published as: CN113212587B

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot, which comprises two symmetrically arranged motion modules and a connecting module, wherein two ends of the connecting module are respectively connected with the two motion modules; the motion module comprises a wheel-foot conversion module, a first joint module and a second joint module, wherein the first joint module is used for realizing the rotation motion of the wheel-foot conversion module, the second joint module is used for realizing the swing motion of the wheel-foot conversion module, and the wheel-foot conversion module, the first joint module and the second joint module are sequentially connected. The invention aims to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot which can be switched between a vertical state and a horizontal state through wheels and further share the wheel feet.

Description

Modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot.

Background

The mobility of the mobile robot greatly expands the moving range and the application field of the robot, and the wheel type mobile robot is widely applied due to the characteristics of high speed, stable operation and the like during movement, and is a durable hot spot in the research of the robot; the foot-type mobile robot can run in the environment where the wheel-type mobile robot cannot work, such as the conditions of sand and stone roads and the conditions of vertical and horizontal roads of rubble bricks, and can also jump over obstacles or ravines, the foot-type mobile robot has discrete points as the foothold of the motion mode, and has good adaptability to rugged roads, so that the foot-type mobile robot can replace people to complete the environments of routing inspection, service and industrial application, such as a transformer substation and the like.

In the prior art, various wheeled and foot-type mobile robots are available, but the maneuvering flexibility is not high enough, and the wheeled mobile robot and the foot-type mobile robot cannot be mutually converted on the same robot and are only fixed in one mode. When the wheeled mobile robot encounters an obstacle, a ravine, or the like, the robot cannot do so.

Chinese patent CN205574095U discloses a wheel-foot dual-purpose robot, which has four walking wheels and six foot legs at the same time, and can meet the requirement of random switching between wheel type and foot type, but the walking wheels and the foot legs can not be shared, because four walking wheels and six foot legs need to be arranged on one robot at the same time, the walking wheels and the foot legs can contact with the ground to realize the movement of the robot, resulting in that the whole robot is huge, and the occupied space is large, and the robot is not flexible enough, and is not convenient to move in narrow areas.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to overcome the defects of the prior art, provides a modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot which can be switched between a vertical state and a horizontal state through wheels, further realizes the function of wheels and feet by only one part, saves materials, reduces cost, and can ensure that the robot occupies small space and can move in a narrow area.

In order to solve the technical problems, the invention adopts the technical scheme that:

the modularized wheel-foot dual-purpose robot comprises two symmetrically arranged motion modules and a connecting module, wherein two ends of the connecting module are respectively connected with the two motion modules; the motion module comprises a wheel-foot conversion module, a first joint module and a second joint module, wherein the first joint module is used for realizing the rotation motion of the wheel-foot conversion module, the second joint module is used for realizing the swing motion of the wheel-foot conversion module, and the wheel-foot conversion module, the first joint module and the second joint module are sequentially connected.

The motion module of the invention realizes the wheeled or foot type motion of the robot, and the connecting module is used for connecting the two motion modules; the first joint module is used for realizing self rotation of the wheel-foot conversion module, so that the direction of the wheel-foot conversion module can be conveniently adjusted in the moving process; the second joint module is used for realizing swinging and rotation of the wheel-foot conversion module, so that the spanning of the wheel set conversion module is facilitated; the first joint module and the second joint module each have at least one rotational degree of freedom. The wheel-foot conversion module is used for converting the robot between a wheel type moving mode and a foot type moving mode according to requirements, and when the road surface is flat, the wheel type mode is used, so that the robot can move at a high speed; when the road condition is hollow or meets an obstacle, the foot type mode is used, so that the robot can walk smoothly or cross the obstacle. Specifically, the wheels are in a vertical state, namely the axes of the wheels are parallel to the ground, so that the wheels can roll, namely in a wheel mode; by having the wheels in a horizontal position, i.e. the wheel axis is perpendicular to the ground, translation and crossing of the wheels, i.e. a foot mode, can be achieved. The connecting module is used for connecting the two second joint modules positioned at the end parts of the two motion modules, realizes the rotation between the two second joint modules, and further transmits force to the first joint module to drive the wheel-foot conversion module to realize swinging motion. The modularized wheel-foot dual-purpose robot is easy to construct, simple in structure and high in system flexibility, can have the functions of wheels and feet by changing a module through the wheel set, and realizes the rapid movement of the robot under the wheel state and the walking and crossing under the foot state; the whole robot can walk upright like the feet of a person, has a narrow body shape and can pass through a narrow area; therefore, the method can be widely applied to the scenes of service, industry, detection, disaster relief and the like.

Preferably, the connecting module is at least one third joint module capable of realizing rotary motion and/or at least one fourth joint module capable of realizing swing motion.

Preferably, the third joint module has the same structure as the first joint module, and the fourth joint module has the same structure as the second joint module.

Preferably, the wheel-foot conversion module comprises two wheels, a connection unit for connecting the wheels with the first joint module, and a conversion unit for converting the wheels between a vertical state and a horizontal state, and the conversion unit is arranged between the connection unit and the wheels and is rotatably connected with the connection unit and the wheels.

Preferably, the conversion unit comprises a first driving mechanism, a first transmission mechanism; the connecting unit comprises an upper shell and a lower shell which are provided with hollow cavities, and a driven rod used for assisting in supporting the wheels, wherein one end of the upper shell is connected with the lower shell, and the other end of the upper shell is connected with the first joint module; the lower shell is rotatably connected with one end of the driven rod, and the other end of the driven rod is rotatably connected with the first driving mechanism; a second driving mechanism is arranged in the upper shell, and a second transmission mechanism is arranged in the lower shell; one end of the first driving mechanism is connected with one end of the first transmission mechanism, and the other end of the first driving mechanism is connected with the wheel; one end of the second transmission mechanism is connected with the second driving mechanism, and the other end of the second transmission mechanism is connected with the first transmission mechanism.

Preferably, the first transmission mechanism comprises a worm gear and a straight rod; the first driving mechanism comprises a first motor base and a first motor; the second transmission mechanism comprises a first harmonic reducer, a coupling and a worm; the second driving mechanism comprises an output disc and a second motor; one end of the worm wheel is connected with one end of the straight rod, and the other end of the worm wheel is meshed with the worm; one end of the first motor base is connected with the first motor, and the other end of the first motor base is respectively connected with the other end of the straight rod and the end part of the driven rod in a rotating manner; the shaft coupling in proper order with first harmonic reduction gear, the output dish, the worm coaxial coupling, the second motor with the output dish is connected.

Preferably, the first joint module comprises a first shell provided with a hollow cavity, a third transmission mechanism, a third driving mechanism and a first joint output part, and the interior of the first shell is divided into a first cavity and a second cavity by a first partition plate along the axis direction; the third transmission mechanism is arranged in the first cavity, and the third driving mechanism is arranged in the second cavity; the third driving mechanism penetrates through the first partition plate and is connected with one end of a third transmission mechanism, and the other end of the third transmission mechanism is connected with the first joint output piece.

Preferably, the third driving mechanism is a third motor; the third transmission mechanism comprises a driving cylindrical gear, a driven cylindrical gear and a second harmonic reducer; the third motor spindle penetrates through the first partition plate to be coaxially connected with the driving cylindrical gear, the driven cylindrical gear is meshed with the driving cylindrical gear and is coaxially connected with the second harmonic reducer, and one end, far away from the driven cylindrical gear, of the second harmonic reducer is connected with the first joint output piece.

Preferably, the second joint module comprises a second shell provided with a hollow cavity, a fourth transmission mechanism, a fourth driving mechanism and a second joint output part, and the inside of the second shell is divided into a third cavity and a fourth cavity by a second partition plate; the fourth transmission mechanism is arranged in the third cavity, and the fourth driving mechanism is arranged in the fourth cavity; the fourth driving mechanism penetrates through the second partition plate and is connected with one end of the fourth transmission mechanism, and the other end of the fourth transmission mechanism is connected with the second joint output piece.

Preferably, the fourth driving mechanism is a fourth motor; the fourth transmission mechanism comprises a driving bevel gear, a driven bevel gear and a third harmonic reducer; the fourth motor spindle penetrates through the second partition plate to be coaxially connected with the driving bevel gear, the driven bevel gear is meshed with the driving bevel gear and is coaxially connected with the third harmonic reducer, and one end, far away from the driven bevel gear, of the third harmonic reducer is connected with the second joint output piece.

Preferably, the electric foot wheel switching device further comprises a control unit, the control unit comprises a first controller for controlling the foot wheel switching module to perform mode switching, a second controller for controlling the third motor to operate, and a third controller for controlling the fourth motor to operate, and the first controller is electrically connected with the first motor and the second motor respectively; the second controller is electrically connected with the third motor; the third controller is electrically connected with the fourth motor.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial effects that:

(1) the wheel-foot conversion module is used for realizing that the robot can be flexibly switched between a wheel mode and a foot mode in different application scenes, so that the robot can move quickly and realize a crossing function when encountering obstacles, and the defects of single application scene, poor adaptability and the like of the conventional mobile robot are overcome; specifically, the spanning movement of the wheels in a foot mode is realized through the swinging of the second joint module, and the direction adjustment of the wheels is realized through the rotation of the first joint module so as to adjust the advancing direction when the robot moves;

(2) the joint module rotates around the straight cylindrical gear, and the bevel gear is used for swinging and rotating the joint module, so that the robot can flexibly deal with different environments, and the robot is simple in structure and high in system flexibility.

(3) The control unit realizes automatic intelligent control, and is portable and efficient;

(4) the invention adopts a modularized design, the robot body can be reconstructed, and the robot is convenient and rapid to disassemble and assemble.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot dual-purpose robot in a foot mode according to embodiment 1 of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in accordance with an embodiment 1 of the present invention in a first wheel mode;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a wheel-foot conversion module;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of a first joint module;

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural view of a second joint module after the drive bevel gear is rotated by 90 degrees based on FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the first foot mode of motion;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the second foot mode of motion;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in accordance with embodiment 1 of the present invention in a second wheel mode;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the movement of the wheel-foot changing module for adjusting the direction in the second wheel mode according to embodiment 1;

FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in a 2-foot mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot according to an embodiment of the present invention in a wheel mode 2;

FIG. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in a 3-foot mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot according to an embodiment of the present invention in a wheel mode 3;

FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in a 4-foot mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot according to an embodiment of the present invention in a wheel mode of 4;

FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in a 5-foot mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 17 is a schematic structural diagram of a modular wheel-foot robot in an embodiment of the invention, in a wheel mode 5.

The graphic symbols are illustrated as follows:

1. a wheel-foot conversion module; 11. a wheel; 12. a connection unit; 121. an upper housing; 122. a driven lever; 123. a second drive mechanism; 1231. an output tray; 1232. a second motor; 124. a second transmission mechanism; 1241. a first harmonic reducer; 1242. a coupling; 1243. a worm; 125. a lower housing; 13. a transformation unit; 131. a first drive mechanism; 1311. a first motor mount; 1312. a first motor; 132. a first transmission mechanism; 1321. a worm gear; 1322. a straight rod; 2. a first joint module; 21. a first housing; 211. a first partition plate; 22. a third transmission mechanism; 221. a driving cylindrical gear; 222. a driven cylindrical gear; 223. a second harmonic reducer; 23. a third drive mechanism; 24. a first joint output; 3. a second joint module; 31. a second housing; 311. a second partition plate; 32. a fourth transmission mechanism; 321. a drive bevel gear; 322. a driven bevel gear; 323. a third harmonic reducer; 33. a fourth drive mechanism; 34. a second joint output; 4. a connection module; 41. a third joint module; 42. and a fourth joint module.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be further described with reference to the following embodiments. Wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustration only and are shown by way of illustration only and not in actual form, and are not to be construed as limiting the present patent; to better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some parts of the drawings may be omitted, enlarged or reduced, and do not represent the size of an actual product; it will be understood by those skilled in the art that certain well-known structures in the drawings and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "central," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," and the like are used in the orientations and positional relationships indicated in the drawings for convenience in describing the invention and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the referenced device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and are not to be considered limiting of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless specifically limited otherwise.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," and the like are to be construed broadly and can, for example, be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally formed; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be directly connected or indirectly connected through intervening media, or they may be connected internally or in any other suitable relationship, unless expressly stated otherwise. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may be directly contacting the first and second features or indirectly contacting the first and second features through an intermediate. Also, a first feature "on," "over," and "above" a second feature may be directly or diagonally above the second feature, or may simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. A first feature being "under," "below," and "beneath" a second feature may be directly under or obliquely under the first feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is at a lesser elevation than the second feature.

In the description herein, references to the description of the term "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an example," "a specific example," or "some examples," etc., mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, various embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described in this specification can be combined and combined by one skilled in the art without contradiction.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and that variations, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to the above embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the present invention.

It should be understood that the above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art in light of the above description. And are neither required nor exhaustive of all embodiments. Any modification, equivalent replacement, and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Example 1

Fig. 1 to 9 show a first embodiment of a modular wheel-foot robot according to the present invention, which includes two symmetrically disposed motion modules, and a connection module having two ends respectively connected to the two motion modules; the motion module comprises a wheel-foot conversion module 1, a first joint module 2 used for realizing rotary motion of the wheel-foot conversion module 1 and a second joint module 3 used for realizing swing motion of the wheel-foot conversion module 1, wherein the wheel-foot conversion module 1, the first joint module 2 and the second joint module 3 are connected in sequence.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the connection module is a third joint module 41, and the wheel-foot conversion module 1, the first joint module 2, the second joint module 3, and the third joint module 41 are all detachably connected.

The wheel-foot conversion module 1, the first joint module 2, the second joint module 3, the third joint module 41, the second joint module 3, the first joint module 2 and the wheel-foot conversion module 1 are sequentially connected to form the whole robot with a portal frame structure, as shown in figure 1, the whole robot can be straightened by rotating to form a straight line shape, as shown in figure 8, the whole robot is symmetrically arranged, so that the stress balance of the robot is facilitated, and the robot can move conveniently. The third joint module 41, the second joint module 3, the first joint module 2 and the wheel-foot conversion module 1 can be clamped and connected through a clamping ring and a pin, the clamping is a common connection mode, force can be transmitted between the first joint module 2 and the wheel-foot conversion module 1, between the second joint module 3 and the first joint module 2 and between the third joint module 41 and the second joint module 3, and rotation and swing of the wheel-foot conversion module 1 are achieved. Within the scope of the knowledge of those skilled in the art, the connection module is not limited to be the third joint module 41, but may be a roller whose two ends can be rotatably connected with the two second joint modules 3, and the object of the present invention can be achieved as well, but the connection module adopts one third joint module 41 as a preferred embodiment, and can straighten the whole robot to form a straight line shape, so as to facilitate the direction adjustment of the wheel-foot conversion module 1, and if the connection module is a roller, the function cannot be achieved, but can achieve the rolling in the wheel mode and the spanning in the foot mode when the robot forms a portal frame structure, and the disadvantage is that the distance adjustment between the two wheel-foot conversion modules 1 cannot be achieved.

As one embodiment of the present invention, the third joint module 41 has the same configuration as the first joint module 2, and the fourth joint module 42 has the same configuration as the second joint module 3.

The structure of the third joint module 41 is the same as that of the first joint module 2, and the structure of the fourth joint module 42 is the same as that of the second joint module 3, so that the robot can be processed more conveniently, the processing cost is reduced, and the robot can be connected in a modularized manner more easily.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the wheel-foot conversion module 1 includes two wheels 11, a connection unit 12 for connecting the wheels 11 with the first joint module 2, and a conversion unit 13 for converting the wheels 11 between a vertical state and a horizontal state, and the conversion unit 13 is disposed between the connection unit 12 and the wheels 11 and is rotatably connected thereto.

The wheels 11 are used to roll in a wheeled mode, acting as feet in a foot mode; the connecting unit 12 is used for connecting the wheel 11 with the first joint module 2, transmitting the rotation force of the first joint module 2 to the wheel 11, and transmitting the swinging force of the second joint module 3 to the wheel 11, thereby realizing the wheel-type movement and foot-type movement functions of the robot. The transformation unit 13 is used for transforming the wheels 11 between a vertical state and a horizontal state even if the robot is transformed between a wheel mode and a foot mode, when the robot is in the wheel mode, the wheels 11 are in the vertical state, namely, the axes of the wheels 11 are parallel to the ground, so that the wheels 11 can roll relative to the ground to form the four-wheel mobile robot, and the robot can rapidly move on a flat road surface; when the robot is in the foot type mode, the wheels 11 are in a horizontal state, namely, the axes of the wheels 11 are vertical to the ground, so that the wheels 11 are equivalent to support legs and can be stably placed on the ground to form the biped mobile robot, and the obstacle crossing and the up-down stair climbing are realized. The conversion unit 13 is rotatably connected with the connection unit 12 and the wheel 11 to change the placing state of the wheel 11 by rotation, thereby achieving the purpose of converting the wheel mode and the foot mode.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the conversion unit 13 includes a first driving mechanism 131, a first transmission mechanism 132; the connection unit 12 includes an upper housing 121 and a lower housing 125 provided with hollow cavities, and a driven rod 122 for assisting in supporting the wheels 11, one end of the upper housing 121 is connected with the lower housing 125, and the other end is connected with the first joint module 2; the lower shell 125 is rotatably connected with one end of the driven rod 122, and the other end of the driven rod 122 is rotatably connected with the first driving mechanism 131; a second driving mechanism 123 is arranged in the upper shell 121, and a second transmission mechanism 124 is arranged in the lower shell 125; one end of the first driving mechanism 131 is connected to one end of the first transmission mechanism 132, and the other end is connected to the wheel 11; the second transmission mechanism 124 has one end connected to the second driving mechanism 123 and the other end connected to the first transmission mechanism 132.

The first driving mechanism 131 provides driving force to the wheel 11 to drive the wheel 11 to change states; the first transmission mechanism 132 transmits the turning force to the wheel 11, so that the wheel 11 changes state by rotation; the upper casing 121 and the lower casing 125 together serve as a support for the connection unit 12, and the upper casing 121 serves as a force transmission mechanism for the first joint module 2 and the second joint module 3, so that the wheels 11 can move as required; the lower shell plays a role of connecting the first joint module 2 and the wheel 11; the driven rod 122 provides auxiliary support for the wheel 11, and the wheel 11 is stressed in a balanced manner under the driving of the first transmission mechanism 132, so that the wheel 11 can be switched between a vertical state and a horizontal state; the second driving mechanism 123 is used for driving the second transmission mechanism 124 to operate, and the second transmission mechanism 124 is connected with the first transmission mechanism 132, and transmits the turning force to the wheel 11 through the first transmission mechanism 132 to realize the change of the state of the wheel 11.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the first transmission mechanism 132 includes a worm wheel 1321, a straight rod 1322; the first driving mechanism 131 includes a first motor mount 1311, a first motor 1312; the second transmission mechanism 124 comprises a first harmonic reducer 1241, a coupler 1242 and a worm 1243; the second drive mechanism 123 includes an output disc 1231, a second motor 1232; one end of the worm wheel 1321 is connected with one end of the straight rod 1322, and the other end is meshed with the worm 1243; one end of the first motor block 1311 is connected to the first motor 1312, and the other end is respectively connected to the other end of the straight rod 1322 and the end of the driven rod 122 in a rotating manner; the coupling 1242 is coaxially connected with the first harmonic reducer 1241, the output disc 1231 and the worm 1243 in sequence, and the second motor 1232 is connected with the output disc 1231.

The coupling 1242 plays a role in buffering, damping and improving the dynamic performance of the shafting, and the coupling 1242 is used as a safety device for preventing the first shell 121 from bearing an excessive load and playing a role in overload protection; the first harmonic drive reducer is assembled with a flexible bearing through a wave generator to enable a flexible gear to generate controllable elastic deformation and is meshed with a rigid gear to transmit motion and power. The second motor 1232 is a disc motor, the disc motor is fixed on the first housing 121 and is connected with the first harmonic reducer 1241 through the coupling 1242, the first harmonic reducer 1241 outputs power to the output disc 1231, the output disc 1231 is provided with a spline hole, the worm 1243 is connected with the output disc 1231 through a spline on the worm 1243, the worm 1243 is matched with a worm wheel 1321 installed in the first housing 121, one end of the driven rod 122 is hinged in the first housing 121, the other end of the driven rod is hinged on a through hole of the first motor base 1311, the worm wheel 1321 is provided with a straight rod 1322, the straight rod 1311322 is hinged with the other through hole of the first motor base 1311 through a pin, when the disc motor is started, the opening and closing actions of the two wheels 11 can be realized, the first motor base 1311 is provided with a dc brushless motor for driving the wheels 11, and the wheels 11 are fixed on the dc brushless motor through a set screw; in the wheel mode, the wheels 11 are driven by the disc motor to form a vertical angle with the ground, and then the direct current brushless motor is driven to rotate the wheels 11, so that the whole robot moves; in the foot type mode, the wheels 11 are horizontally arranged on the ground under the driving of the disc type motor, the two wheel-foot conversion modules 1 are equivalent to the double feet of the robot, and the robot can finish the walking of the double feet alternately under the movement of the joints of the robot body.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the first joint module 2 includes a first housing 21 provided with a hollow cavity, a third transmission mechanism 22, a third driving mechanism 23, and a first joint output member 24, and the inside of the first housing 21 is divided into a first cavity and a second cavity by a first partition 211 along an axial direction; the third transmission mechanism 22 is arranged in the first cavity, and the third driving mechanism 23 is arranged in the second cavity; the third driving mechanism 23 passes through the first partition 211 and is connected with one end of the third transmission mechanism 22, and the other end of the third transmission mechanism 22 is connected with the first joint output member 24.

The first housing 21 is used for supporting the third driving mechanism 23 and the third transmission mechanism 22; the third driving mechanism 23 drives the third transmission mechanism 22 to transmit force and output the force to the first joint output member 24, so that the first joint output member 24 rotates.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the third driving mechanism 23 is a third motor; the third transmission mechanism 22 comprises a driving cylindrical gear 221, a driven cylindrical gear 222 and a second harmonic reducer 223; the third motor spindle passes through the first partition plate 211 and is coaxially connected with the driving cylindrical gear 221, the driven cylindrical gear 222 is meshed with the driving cylindrical gear 221 and is coaxially connected with the second harmonic reducer 223, and one end, far away from the driven cylindrical gear 222, of the second harmonic reducer 223 is connected with the first joint output piece 24.

The output shaft of the third motor passes through the first partition plate and is coaxially connected with the driving cylindrical gear 221, the driving cylindrical gear 221 is meshed with the driven cylindrical gear 222 to drive the driven cylindrical gear 222 to rotate, the driven cylindrical gear 222 is coaxially connected with the second harmonic reducer 223, force is output to the first joint output member 24 through the second harmonic reducer 223, and rotary motion of the first joint output member 24 is achieved.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the second joint module 3 includes a second housing 31 provided with a hollow cavity, a fourth transmission mechanism 32, a fourth driving mechanism 33, and a second joint output member 34, and the inside of the second housing 31 is partitioned into a third cavity and a fourth cavity by a second partition 311; the fourth transmission mechanism 32 is arranged in the third cavity, and the fourth driving mechanism 33 is arranged in the fourth cavity; the fourth driving mechanism 33 passes through the second partition plate 311 and is connected to one end of the fourth transmission mechanism 32, and the other end of the fourth transmission mechanism 32 is connected to the second joint output member 34.

The second housing 31 has the same function as the first housing 21 and also has a supporting function of supporting the fourth transmission mechanism 32 and the fourth drive mechanism 33, and the second joint output member 34 serves as a motion output to swing and rotate the first joint module 2 connected to the second joint output member 34, thereby realizing the crossing motion of the robot in the foot mode. Specifically, the fourth transmission mechanism 32 is driven by the fourth drive mechanism 33 to transmit a force to the second joint output member 34, and the force is output from the second joint output member 34.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the fourth driving mechanism 33 is a fourth motor; the fourth transmission mechanism 32 comprises a driving bevel gear 321, a driven bevel gear 322 and a third harmonic reducer 323; the fourth motor spindle passes through the second partition plate 311 and is coaxially connected with the drive bevel gear 321, the driven bevel gear 322 is engaged with the drive bevel gear 321 and is coaxially connected with the third harmonic speed reducer 323, and one end of the third harmonic speed reducer 323, which is far away from the driven bevel gear 322, is connected with the second joint output member 34.

An output shaft of the fourth motor is coaxially connected with the drive bevel gear 321, the drive bevel gear 321 is engaged with the driven bevel gear 322 to drive the driven bevel gear 322 to rotate, so as to drive the third harmonic speed reducer 323 coaxially connected with the driven bevel gear 322 to rotate, and then output the swinging force to the second joint output part 34, and the second joint output part 34 is connected with the first shell 21 or the first joint output part 24, so that the second joint module 3 drives the first joint module 2 to swing.

As an embodiment of the present invention, the electric vehicle further includes a control unit, the control unit includes a first controller for controlling the foot wheel changing module to perform mode switching, a second controller for controlling the third motor to operate, and a third controller for controlling the fourth motor to operate, the first controller is electrically connected to the first motor 1312 and the second motor 1232, respectively; the second controller is electrically connected with the third motor; the third controller is electrically connected with the fourth motor.

The control unit is used as a central brain of the whole robot to control the whole robot to perform coordinated actions, on one hand, the control unit controls the rolling of the wheels 11 in the wheel mode, on the other hand, the control unit controls the crossing motion of the wheels 11 in the foot mode, and on the other hand, the control unit controls the robot to flexibly switch between the wheel mode and the foot mode under different road conditions or different application scenes, so that the flexible motion of the whole robot is realized. The first controller controls the foot-wheel conversion module to realize conversion between a foot-type mode and a wheel-type mode, and specifically, the first controller controls the first motor 1312 and the second motor 1232 to realize free switching of the wheels 11 in a horizontal state and a vertical state; the second controller controls the action of the third motor and is matched with the wheel 11 to roll in the wheel mode; the third controller controls the action of the fourth motor and drives the wheel 11 to swing in cooperation with the foot mode.

The motion process of the first foot mode is as follows: fig. 6, (a) in the foot mode, the robot stands on the ground; (b) rotating the two second joint modules 3 to enable one wheel-foot conversion module 1 to be horizontally lifted, namely lifting one leg of the robot; (c) rotating a wheel-foot conversion module 1 which is in contact with the ground and is adjacent to a first joint module 2 to enable the leg lifted by the robot to step forward; (d) continuing to rotate the two second joint modules 3 to put down the lifted wheel-foot conversion module 1 to finish walking in a small step; (e) rotating the two second joint modules 3 to enable the rear wheel-foot conversion module to be horizontally lifted; (f) rotating the front first joint module 2 to enable the leg lifted by the robot to step forward; (g) then the two second joint modules 3 are rotated to lead the lifted wheel-foot conversion module 1 to be put down; (h) the two feet are aligned to finish the walking of one whole step. In the same way, multi-step walking can be realized by repeating the same steps.

The second foot mode of motion proceeds as follows: fig. 7, (a) in the foot mode, the robot stands on the ground; (b) rotating the two second joint modules 3 to enable one wheel-foot conversion module 1 to be horizontally lifted, namely lifting one leg of the robot; (c) rotating the third joint module 41 between the two second joint modules 3 to advance the robot's raised leg forward; (d) continuing to rotate the two second joint modules 3 to put down the lifted wheel-foot conversion module 1 to finish walking in a small step; (e) rotating the two second joint modules 3 to enable the rear wheel-foot conversion module to be horizontally lifted; (f) the third joint module 41 between the two second joint modules 3 is rotated to enable the robot to lift the rear leg and step forward; (g) then the two second joint modules 3 are rotated to lead the lifted wheel-foot conversion module 1 to be put down; (h) the two feet are aligned to finish the walking of one whole step. In the same way, multi-step walking can be realized by repeating the same steps.

The first wheel mode motion process is as follows: as shown in fig. 2, the robot forms a portal frame structure, the direction adjustment of the wheel-foot conversion module 1 can be realized by rotating the first joint module 2 adjacent to the wheel-foot conversion module 1, the distance between the two wheel-foot conversion modules 1 can be adjusted by rotating the two second joint modules 3, the two second joint modules 3 swing outwards, the wheel distance is increased, the wheel distance swings inwards, and the wheel distance is decreased.

The second wheel mode motion process is as follows: as shown in fig. 8, the robot is adjusted to a straight configuration by rotating the two second joint modules 3, respectively, so that the distance between the two wheel-foot conversion modules 1 can be maximized, and the third joint module 41 in the middle of the figure and the first joint module 2 on the right side are rotated so that the second joint module 3 in the middle of them can be rotated by 90 °, and in this state, the direction of the wheel-foot conversion module 1 can be adjusted by rotating the second joint module 3, as shown in fig. 9.

Example 2

Fig. 10 to 11 show a second embodiment of the modular wheel-foot robot according to the present invention, which is similar to embodiment 1 except that the connecting module is two third joint modules 41 connected to each other. Compared with the embodiment 1, the embodiment realizes the connection of the two motion modules through the two mutually connected third joint modules 41, so that the robot has one more rotation degree of freedom, and the robot can steer and change the configuration more flexibly while expanding the distance between the two wheel-foot conversion modules 1.

Example 3

Fig. 12 to 13 show a third embodiment of the modular wheel-foot robot according to the present invention, which is similar to embodiment 1 except that the connecting module is two fourth joint modules 42 connected to each other. Compared with the embodiment 1, the embodiment realizes the connection of the two motion modules through the two fourth joint modules 42 which are connected with each other, so that the robot has two more swinging degrees of freedom, more dimensions of swinging motion can be realized between the two motion modules of the robot, the angle transformation of the robot is convenient, and the distance for lifting feet is higher and the span is larger by rotating the connection module when the robot is in a foot type mode.

Example 4

Referring to fig. 14 to 15, a fourth embodiment of a modular wheel-foot robot according to the present invention is shown, and this embodiment is similar to embodiment 1 except that the connection module includes a fourth joint module 42 and a third joint module 41, and the fourth joint module 42 and the third joint module 41 are connected to each other. Compared with the embodiment 1, the robot has one more degree of freedom of swinging and one more degree of freedom of rotation, so that the robot can conveniently adjust the distance between feet and perform movements such as turning, two wheel-foot conversion modules of the robot are taken as the front foot and the rear foot of an inchworm, and the wheel-foot conversion modules can realize the gait movement of the inchworm by alternately converting a wheel mode and a foot mode.

Example 5

Fig. 16 to 17 show a fifth embodiment of the modular wheel-foot robot according to the present invention, which is similar to embodiment 1, except that the connection module includes two third joint modules 41 and a fourth joint module 42, the fourth joint module 42 is disposed between the two third joint modules 41, and both ends of the fourth joint module are respectively connected to the two third joint modules 41. Compared with the embodiment 1, the robot has one more swing freedom degree and two more rotation freedom degrees, and the robot is more convenient to adjust the foot-foot distance and perform movements such as turning.

It is within the scope of the knowledge of the skilled person that the connection module 4 may comprise more third joint modules 41 for enabling a swiveling motion and/or more fourth joint modules 42 for enabling a swiveling motion, without being limited to the examples listed in the above embodiments.

Each module of the modularized wheel-foot dual-purpose robot can be reconstructed at will, including increasing the number or changing the connection sequence, therefore, the connection module can be formed by connecting a plurality of third joint modules 41 in sequence, or can be formed by connecting a plurality of fourth joint modules 42 in sequence, or can be formed by connecting a plurality of third joint modules 41 and a plurality of fourth joint modules 42, wherein, the connection sequence of the third joint modules 41 and the fourth joint modules 42 can be various, can be correspondingly set as required, can be alternately connected in sequence, or can be connected in other sequences. By overlapping the third joint modules 41 and the fourth joint modules 42 in terms of number and arrangement, robots with different shapes and different functions can be easily obtained, and the robot is convenient to disassemble and assemble, has more degrees of mobility, and can adjust the distance between the two wheel-foot conversion modules 1.

Claims

1. A modularized wheel-foot dual-purpose robot is characterized by comprising two symmetrically arranged motion modules and a connecting module (4) with two ends respectively connected with the two motion modules; the motion module comprises a wheel-foot conversion module (1), a first joint module (2) used for realizing rotary motion of the wheel-foot conversion module (1) and a second joint module (3) used for realizing swing motion of the wheel-foot conversion module (1), wherein the wheel-foot conversion module (1), the first joint module (2) and the second joint module (3) are sequentially connected.

2. The modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection module (4) is at least one third joint module (41) capable of a swiveling motion and/or at least one fourth joint module (42) capable of a swinging motion.

3. The modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 2, characterized in that the structure of the third joint module (41) is identical to the structure of the first joint module (2) and the structure of the fourth joint module (42) is identical to the structure of the second joint module (3).

4. The modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 3, characterized in that the wheel-foot conversion module (1) comprises two wheels (11), a connection unit (12) for connecting the wheels (11) with the first joint module (2), a conversion unit (13) for converting the wheels (11) between a vertical state and a horizontal state, the conversion unit (13) being provided between the connection unit (12) and the wheels (11) and being in rotational connection therewith.

5. Modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 4, characterized in that the transformation unit (13) comprises a first drive mechanism (131), a first transmission mechanism (132); the connecting unit (12) comprises an upper shell (121) and a lower shell (125) which are provided with hollow cavities, and a driven rod (122) which is used for assisting in supporting the wheels (11), wherein one end of the upper shell (121) is connected with the lower shell (125), and the other end of the upper shell is connected with the first joint module (2); the lower shell (125) is rotatably connected with one end of the driven rod (122), and the other end of the driven rod (122) is rotatably connected with the first driving mechanism (131); a second driving mechanism (123) is arranged in the upper shell (121), and a second transmission mechanism (124) is arranged in the lower shell (125); one end of the first driving mechanism (131) is connected with one end of the first transmission mechanism (132), and the other end of the first driving mechanism is connected with the wheel (11); one end of the second transmission mechanism (124) is connected with the second driving mechanism (123), and the other end is connected with the first transmission mechanism (132).

6. The modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 5, wherein the first transmission mechanism (132) comprises a worm gear (1321), a straight rod (1322); the first driving mechanism (131) comprises a first motor base (1311) and a first motor (1312); the second transmission mechanism (124) comprises a first harmonic reducer (1241), a coupling (1242) and a worm (1243); the second drive mechanism (123) comprises an output disc (1231), a second motor (1232); one end of the worm wheel (1321) is connected with one end of the straight rod (1322), and the other end of the worm wheel is meshed with the worm (1243); one end of the first motor base (1311) is connected with the first motor (1312), and the other end of the first motor base is respectively connected with the other end of the straight rod (1322) and the end of the driven rod (122) in a rotating manner; the coupling (1242) is coaxially connected with the first harmonic reducer (1241), the output disc (1231) and the worm (1243) in sequence, and the second motor (1232) is connected with the output disc (1231).

7. The modular wheel-foot robot as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first joint module (2) comprises a first shell (21) provided with a hollow cavity, a third transmission mechanism (22), a third driving mechanism (23), a first joint output member (24), and the interior of the first shell (21) is divided into a first cavity and a second cavity by a first partition plate (211) along the axial direction; the third transmission mechanism (22) is arranged in the first cavity, and the third driving mechanism (23) is arranged in the second cavity; the third driving mechanism (23) penetrates through the first partition plate (211) to be connected with one end of the third transmission mechanism (22), and the other end of the third transmission mechanism (22) is connected with the first joint output piece (24).

8. The modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 7, characterized in that said third driving mechanism (23) is a third motor; the third transmission mechanism (22) comprises a driving cylindrical gear (221), a driven cylindrical gear (222) and a second harmonic reducer (223); the third motor spindle penetrates through the first partition plate (211) and is coaxially connected with the driving cylindrical gear (221), the driven cylindrical gear (222) is meshed with the driving cylindrical gear (221) and is coaxially connected with the second harmonic reducer (223), and one end, far away from the driven cylindrical gear (222), of the second harmonic reducer (223) is connected with the first joint output part (24).

9. The modular wheel-foot robot as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second joint module (3) comprises a second shell (31) provided with a hollow cavity, a fourth transmission mechanism (32), a fourth driving mechanism (33), and a second joint output member (34), and the interior of the second shell (31) is divided into a third cavity and a fourth cavity by a second partition plate (311); the fourth transmission mechanism (32) is arranged in the third cavity, and the fourth driving mechanism (33) is arranged in the fourth cavity; the fourth driving mechanism (33) penetrates through the second partition plate (311) and is connected with one end of the fourth transmission mechanism (32), and the other end of the fourth transmission mechanism (32) is connected with the second joint output piece (34).

10. The modular wheel-foot robot according to claim 9, characterized in that the fourth driving mechanism (33) is a fourth motor; the fourth transmission mechanism (32) comprises a driving bevel gear (321), a driven bevel gear (322) and a third harmonic reducer (323); the fourth motor spindle penetrates through the second separation plate (311) and is coaxially connected with the driving bevel gear (321), the driven bevel gear (322) is meshed with the driving bevel gear (321) and is coaxially connected with the third harmonic speed reducer (323), and one end, far away from the driven bevel gear (322), of the third harmonic speed reducer (323) is connected with the second joint output part (34).