EP2301638B1 - Vehicle, in particular toy robot with vibration drive - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle (100) has front and rear legs (104) inclined in a direction. A resilient nose or front part (108) is made of rubber so that the vehicle is rebounded when hitting an obstacle. The front legs are adjusted to bend when the vehicle is vibrated. A vibration drive produces upwardly directed force such that the vehicle is brought for hopping or the front legs are raised from a base surface. The drive produces laterally directed force to provide a tendency of rotating the vehicle when the nose or front part is raised. The vehicle exhibits shape of a beetle, insect, reptile or an animal.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to vibratory driven vehicles, more particularly to vibratory multi-legged toy robots, wherein the toy robots resemble living crawling animals.

Background of the invention

In the prior art vehicles with vibration drive are known, which are generally referred to by the skilled person as "Vibrobots".

A special form of "Vibrobot" is the so-called "Bristlebot", which consists of a cut off toothbrush head, a battery and a vibration drive. The "Bristlebot" is supported against the surface with the brushes of the toothbrush head; So the brushes correspond to the legs of a "Bristlebot". Both the battery and the vibration drive are located above the toothbrush head. The vibration causes the entire toothbrush head to vibrate, allowing the "Bristlebot" to move. Such Bristlebots are out FR 1 564 711 A . FR 2 358 174 A1 and US 4 219 957 A known.

However, the nature of the locomotion and the mechanical properties of the "Bristlebot" are in many ways quite unsatisfactory. As a result, a "Bristlebot" from the point of view of a user or other person does not act just like a live bug, but just like a vibrating toothbrush head.

Another form of "Bristlebots" is off GB 2 427 529 A known. This "Bristlebot" has an egg-shaped form with two toothbrush heads as rows of legs. This "Bristlebot" also does not look like a live bug, but more like a running egg.

US Pat. No. 6,899,589 B1 discloses a hopping toy robot in the shape of a tiger. This toy tigger has a vibratory drive and vertical legs with springs

Summary of the invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle according to claim 1. The dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments of the present invention.

The vehicle of the present invention has multiple legs and a vibratory drive. By "vehicle" is meant in the present invention any movable robot, in particular toy robots in general and toy robots, which have the shape of a beetle or other animal, an insect or a reptile.

In one aspect of the invention, the legs of the vehicle may be bent and flexible. The vibratory drive can generate a downward force (Fv) capable of deflecting at least the front legs so that the vehicle moves forward. The legs of the vehicle are preferably inclined in a direction offset from the vertical. Thus, the base of the legs are located farther forward of the vehicle relative to the top of the legs. Specifically, the front legs are adapted to flex as the vehicle vibrates due to the vibration drive. Conversely, the vibratory drive may also generate an upward force (Fv) suitable for causing the vehicle to hop or for the front legs to rise from the ground.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the geometry of the rear legs may be configured such that a different braking or towing effect is achieved. The trailing leg geometry is designed to counteract tendencies of rotation due to the vibration of the vibratory drive. The rotating eccentric weight moves laterally during hopping of the front legs, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, so that the vehicle would move along a curve without countermeasures. Countermeasures can be achieved in several ways: It can more weight can be shifted to one front leg compared to the other front leg. The length of one hind leg can be increased compared to the other hind leg. The stiffness of the legs may be increased on one side compared to the legs on the other side. One hind leg may be thicker compared to the other hind legs on the other side. One of the hind legs may be located further forward than the other hind leg.

According to another aspect of the invention, the vehicle may be constructed to rotate and self-erect by the action of the rotational torque of the vibratory drive. This can be achieved, for example, by positioning the body center of gravity or the center of gravity of the vehicle near or on the axis of rotation of the vibration drive. In addition, the sides and top of the vehicle may be constructed to facilitate self-erection of the vehicle during vibration. Thus, a high point may be provided on the top of the vehicle, so that the vehicle can not lie completely turned over on the back. However, it is also possible to arrange fins, lamellas or fins on the sides and / or on the back of the vehicle whose outer points are preferably close to or on a virtual cylinder.

According to another aspect of the invention, the legs may be arranged in two rows of legs, wherein between the body of the vehicle and the legs of the vehicle, a space, in particular a V-shaped recess is provided so that the legs can bend inwardly during a Aufrichtdrehung , In this way, the erection movement of the vehicle is facilitated in case it should fall over. Preferably, the legs are arranged in two rows of legs and laterally and above the axis of rotation of the vibration drive.

According to another aspect of the invention, the vehicle may have a resilient nose or spring so that the vehicle rebounds upon impact with an obstacle. The resilient nose or the springy front part is preferably formed of rubber. In addition, the resilient nose or the resilient front part is preferably formed tapered. In this way, the vehicle can more easily avoid an obstacle without the use of a sensor or other steering control.

According to another aspect of the invention, the vibration drive may comprise a motor and an eccentric weight, the eccentric weight being arranged in front of the front legs. In this way, an increased jumping movement of the front legs is achieved, with the hind legs remain as possible on the ground (but may also bounce slightly). In particular, the eccentric weight is arranged in front of the engine. In addition, a battery is preferably arranged at the rear of the vehicle to increase the weight on the hind legs. Both the battery and the engine are preferably located between the legs. The axis of rotation of the motor may run along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Thus, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the vehicle may be vibratory driven, and an organic life form, particularly a live bug or other animal, in terms of locomotion speed, stability of forward motion, a tendency to roam, ability to rear up, and / or imitate individuality.

1. 1. Vehikel mit Vibrationsantrieb mit flexiblen Beinen in variierter Konfiguration;
2. 2. Maximierung der Vehikelgeschwindigkeit;
3. 3. Veränderung der vorwiegenden Bewegungsrichtung des Vehikels;
4. 4. Verhinderung des Umkippens des Vehikels;
5. 5. Erzeugen von Vehikeln, die sich selbst aufrichten können;
6. 6. Generieren einer Bewegung, die lebendigen Tieren, insbesondere Käfern, Insekten, Reptilien oder sonstigen Tierchen gleicht;
7. 7. Generieren vielfacher Bewegungsmodi, so dass die Vehikel sich sichtbar in ihrer Bewegung unterscheiden, um vielfache verschiedene Vehikeltypen bereitzustellen;
8. 8. Generieren einer scheinbaren Intelligenz, wenn Hindernisse angetroffen werden.

The present invention may be a vehicle or vibratory toy robot which has one or more of the following objectives:

1. 1. Vibration-driven vehicle with flexible legs in varied configuration;
2. 2. maximization of vehicle speed;
3. 3. change in the predominant direction of movement of the vehicle;
4. 4. prevention of tipping over of the vehicle;
5. 5. generating vehicles that can self-erect;
6. 6. generating a movement that resembles living animals, especially beetles, insects, reptiles or other animals;
7. 7. Generate multiple modes of motion so that the vehicles visibly differ in their motion to provide multiple different types of vehicles;
8. 8. Generate an apparent intelligence when obstacles are encountered.

These aspects, and how they are achieved, are explained in detail in the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1a and

1b show a vehicle or a toy robot according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2a to 2f

show general forces that can generally act on a vehicle or a toy robot according to an embodiment of the present invention ( Fig. 2c shows the view from the front);

Fig. 3a to 3c

show vehicle or toy robots according to various other embodiments of the present invention, in which the construction of the legs has been modified;

Fig. 4a and 4b

show a vehicle or a toy robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the hind legs are adjustable;

Fig. 5

shows a vehicle or a toy robot according to another embodiment of the present invention with a flexible nose;

Fig. 6a and 6b

show the vehicle and the toy robot of the first embodiment;

Fig. 7

shows a vehicle or a toy robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which additional fins, fins or fins are arranged.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1a and 1b show a vehicle or a toy robot according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

A vibration driven vehicle 100 , such as a miniature toy robot, may include a body having two or more legs 104 that are adapted to flex as the vehicle vibrates in a manner that results in a tendency for the vehicle to vibrate Vehicle is moving in a certain direction. For example, the legs may bend or tilt in a direction slightly offset from the vertical, and may be made of a bendable material. The body of the vehicle may include an engine to generate vibrations and may have a relatively low center of gravity. The shape of the top of the body may protrude to facilitate self-erection of the vehicle during vibration. The geometry of the trailing (ie, rear) legs may be configured (eg, in terms of length or thickness of the legs) such that a different drag effect is achieved to counteract tendencies of rotation due to the vibration of the engine, or one To cause a tendency to turn in a certain direction. When multiple legs are used, some legs (eg, those disposed between the front "drive" legs and the rear "tow" legs) may be made slightly shorter to avoid further drag.

Fig. 2a to 2f show general forces that can generally act on a vehicle or a toy robot according to an embodiment of the present invention ( Fig. 2c shows the view from the front).

The motor rotates an eccentric weight that generates torque and force vectors, as in the Fig. 2a to 2d is shown. If the vertical force Fv is negative (ie, directed downwards), it causes the legs, which may be bent, to be deflected and the body of the body to flex Vehicles except for the leg section that touches the surface, moved forward. When the vertical force Fv is positive (ie, upwardly directed), this causes the vehicle to bounce so that the forelegs lift off the ground and allow the legs to return to their normal geometric shape (ie, without further bending) Bending due to external force). During this movement, some legs, especially the two hind legs, are only ground afterwards, and will not bounce. The oscillating eccentric weight can rotate hundreds of times per second so that the vehicle vibrates and moves in a generally forward direction.

The rotation of the motor also causes a sideways, vertical force Fh (see Fig . 2 B and 2c ) directed in one direction (either to the right or to the left) when the nose of the vehicle is lifted off and in the other direction when the nose of the vehicle is pushed down. The force Fh tends to cause the vehicle to continue turning when the nose of the vehicle is lifted. This phenomenon can cause a rotational movement; In addition, various movement characteristics can be manipulated, in particular the speed, the predominant direction of movement, a tilt and a self-righting.

An important feature of beeingometry is the relative position of the "base" of a leg (ie, the part of the leg attached to the body, so to speak the "hip joint") to the leg top (ie, the underneath end of the leg forming the surface of the leg) Bodens touched). By varying the construction of the flexible legs, the movement behavior of the vehicle can be changed.

The vehicle moves in a direction corresponding to the position of the leg base, which is located in front of the position of the leg tip. When the vertical force Fv is negative, the body of the vehicle is pushed down. Therefore, the body will tilt so that the leg base rotates around the leg tip and toward the surface, allowing the body to turn from the tip of the leg moved to the leg base. In contrast, if the leg base is located vertically above the leg tip, then the vehicle will merely bounce and not move in a general (vertical) direction.

A curved configuration of the leg emphasizes the forward motion by increasing the bending of the leg compared to a straight leg.

The vehicle speed can be maximized in several ways. The increase in vehicle speed is critical to improving the visual perception of the product, which is intended to represent, in particular, a beetle, insect or reptile, to actually act as a living being. Factors that affect speed are vibration frequency and amplitude, leg material (e.g., lower hindlimb friction causes greater speed), leg length, leg flexing properties, leg geometry over another leg, and number of legs.

The vibration frequency (i.e., the rotational speed of the motor) and the vehicle speed are directly proportional. That is, as the engine's frequency of oscillation increases, with all other factors remaining constant, the vehicle will move faster.

The material of the legs has several properties that contribute to speed. The friction characteristics of the legs determine the amount of braking or towing force that acts on the vehicle. In this case, since the material of the legs can increase the friction coefficient against a surface, the braking force of the vehicle is also increased, so that the vehicle becomes slower. Therefore, it is important to select a material with a low friction coefficient for the legs, especially for the hind legs. For example, polystyrene-butadiene-styrene with a durometer value of about 65 is suitable. The properties of the leg material also contribute to stiffness, depending on the leg thickness and leg length, which ultimately determines how much hopping a vehicle will unfold. As the overall stiffness of the legs increases, the speed of the vehicle will also be higher. Longer and thinner legs, on the other hand, reduce the stiffness of the legs, so the speed of the vehicle will be lower.

If you now reduce the braking or towing force (or the braking / drag coefficient) of the hind legs - in accordance with the above measures - in particular compared to the front or drive legs, the speed will increase significantly, since only the hind legs develop a braking or towing force.

The predominant direction of movement of the vehicle can be influenced in various ways. In particular, by the weight that rests on certain legs, the number of legs, the arrangement of the legs, the stiffness of the legs and the respective braking or Schleppkoeffizienten the direction of movement can be adjusted.

The natural lateral force Fh causes the vehicle to turn (see Fig. 2b . 2c and 2d ) . So if the vehicle is to move straight ahead, then that power must be balanced. This can be achieved by the beeingometrie and by a suitable selection of the materials for the legs.

1. (1) Beeinflussung des Antriebsvektors F1 bzw. F2 der Antriebsbeine, um den Geschwindigkeitsvektor Vmotor auszugleichen: Es kann - im Falle der Situation, die in Fig. 2d dargestellt ist - mehr Gewicht auf das rechte Vorderbein verlagert werden, um den Geschwindigkeitsvektor F2 zu erhöhen, und so dem Geschwindigkeitsvektor Vmotor seitlich entgegenzuwirken. (Bei umgekehrter Rotationsrichtung des Motors, die zu einem schräg nach rechts zeigenden Geschwindigkeitsvektor führt, muss umgekehrt mehr Gewicht auf das linke Vorderbein verlagert werden.)
2. (2) Beeinflussung des Brems- bzw. Schleppvektors F3 bzw. F4, um den Geschwindigkeitsvektor Vmotor auszugleichen: Dies wird erreicht, indem die Länge des rechten hinteren Beines erhöht wird, oder indem der Brems- bzw. Schleppkoeffizient des rechten hinteren Beines erhöht wird, um den in Fig. 2d dargestellten Geschwindigkeitsvektor F4 zu erhöhen. (Bei umgekehrter Rotationsrichtung des Motors, die zu einem schräg nach rechts zeigenden Geschwindigkeitsvektor führt, muss umgekehrt dementsprechend das linke hintere Bein abgeändert werden.)
3. (3) Erhöhung der Steifigkeit der Beine auf der rechten Seite (z.B. durch Erhöhung der Dicke der Beine), um die in Fig. 2d dargestellten Geschwindigkeitsvektoren F2 und F4 zu erhöhen. (Bei umgekehrter Rotationsrichtung des Motors, die zu einem schräg nach rechts zeigenden Geschwindigkeitsvektor führt, muss umgekehrt dementsprechend die Steifigkeit der Beine auf der linken Seite erhöht werden.)
4. (4) Veränderung der relativen Position der Hinterbeine, so dass der Brems- bzw. Schleppvektor in die selbe Richtung wie der Geschwindigkeitsvektor zeigt. Im Falle des in Fig. 2d dargestellten Geschwindigkeitsvektors Vmotor, muss das rechte Hinterbein weiter vorne als das linke Hinterbein angeordnet sein. (Bei umgekehrter Rotationsrichtung des Motors, die zu einem schräg nach rechts zeigenden Geschwindigkeitsvektor führt, muss umgekehrt das linke Hinterbein weiter vorne als das rechte Hinterbein angeordnet sein.)

As in the Fig. 2c and 2d is shown, the motor with its eccentric rotating weight generates a (somewhat skewed) velocity vector Vmotor whose lateral component is induced by the laterally acting force Fh ( Fig. 2c shows the force effect from the front view of the vehicle). If this direction of movement is to be changed, then one or more of the reaction forces F1 to F4 (see Fig. 2d ), which act on the legs, induce a different velocity vector. This can be achieved in the following ways (alone or in combination):

1. (1) influencing the drive vector F1 or F2 of the drive legs, to compensate for the speed vector Vmotor: It can - in the case of the situation in Fig. 2d is shown - more weight to be shifted to the right front leg to increase the speed vector F2 , and thus counteract the speed vector V motor laterally. (Conversely, if the motor turns in the opposite direction, resulting in an obliquely right-pointing velocity vector, more weight must be shifted to the left front leg.)
2. (2) Influencing the drag vector F3 or F4 to compensate for the velocity vector Vmotor: This is achieved by increasing the length of the right rear leg or by increasing the drag coefficient of the right rear leg, around the in Fig. 2d to increase illustrated speed vector F4 . (Conversely, reversing the direction of rotation of the motor resulting in a velocity vector pointing obliquely to the right reverses the left rear leg.)
3. (3) increase the stiffness of the legs on the right side (eg by increasing the thickness of the legs) to the in Fig. 2d to increase speed vectors F2 and F4 shown . (Conversely, if the motor is reversing in the direction of the rotation, which leads to an obliquely right-pointing velocity vector, the stiffness of the legs on the left must be increased.)
4. (4) Change the relative position of the hind legs so that the drag vector points in the same direction as the velocity vector. In the case of in Fig. 2d shown speed vector Vmotor, the right hind leg must be located further forward than the left hind leg. (Conversely, if the motor is reversing in rotation, resulting in a velocity vector pointing obliquely to the right, the left hind leg must be placed farther forward than the right hind leg.)

Various measures can be used to prevent the vehicle from tipping over or to reduce the risk of tipping over (which is very great in the case of the "vibrobots" according to the prior art):

The vehicle according to the present invention preferably has the lowest possible center of gravity (ie center of gravity), see Fig. 2e , In addition, the legs - especially the right leg row and the left leg row - should be relatively far apart. According to the invention, the legs or the rows of legs are arranged laterally from the vehicle, in particular laterally from the axis of rotation of the motor. In particular, the legs or leg rows above the center of gravity are attached to the body of the vehicle ( see 2c , 2e and 2f) that is, the base or suspension points of the legs are each attached to the body of the vehicle above the center of gravity (see also Figs Fig. 1 ). With respect to the axis of rotation of the motor, the legs are mounted and suspended laterally and above this axis of rotation ( see Fig. 2c and 2e ). This makes it possible to arrange both the engine and the battery (and possibly a switch) between the legs. The center of gravity can be arranged in this way very close to the ground to prevent tipping over of the vehicle or to reduce the risk of tipping over.

Furthermore, various measures can be used so that the vehicle - if it is on its back or on one side - can automatically rear up. Because despite the measures to prevent tipping over, it can happen that a vehicle falls down on the back or on one side.

According to the invention, it can be provided that the rotational torque of the motor is used to rotate the vehicle and thus to rear again. This can be achieved by positioning the center of gravity (ie the center of gravity) close to or on the axis of rotation ( see Fig. 2f ). As a result, the vehicle has a tendency to rotate the entire body about this axis. The rotation of the body or of the vehicle takes place opposite to the rotation of the motor.

As a tendency to rotate has been achieved by these constructive measures, the outer shape of the vehicle may also be adjusted so that rotation about the body or motor rotation axis occurs only when the vehicle is on its back or in a lateral position.

Therefore, a high point 120 (see Fig. 1 ) - for example, a fin, fin or fin 902 (see Fig. 7 ) - be placed on the top, ie on the back of the vehicle, so that the vehicle is not completely reversed - ie rotated by 180 ° - can lie. In addition, projections - for example, fins, fins or fins 904a, 904b ( see Fig. 7 ) - be arranged laterally on the vehicle so that the vehicle can easily turn from the side back to its normal upright position. This ensures that the usually horizontally acting force Fh and the usually vertical force Fv in the fallen state of the vehicle do not act parallel to the direction of gravity. Thus, the force Fh or Fv can cause a re-erection of the vehicle.

As already stated, the distance between the legs and the rows of legs should be as wide as possible, so that falling over is prevented as far as possible. The two rows of legs can their distance - as in Fig. 2c and 2e is shown - from top to bottom increase, ie the leg suspensions (or the base of the legs) of the two rows of legs have a smaller distance from each other than the leg ends (or leg tips). Conversely, a room 404 (see Figure 2e ) , so that the legs can bend from the side inwards. This space 404 , which is preferably present between the body of the vehicle and the legs, may be in the form of V-shaped recesses, ie the body of the vehicle is - as in FIG Fig. 2e shown - tapered from top to bottom. This space 404 allows the legs to flex inwardly during a righting rotation to achieve the smoothest possible transition from the lateral position to the stable upright normal position.

The vehicle of the present invention is intended to move in a manner that resembles as much as possible live animals, especially beetles, insects, reptiles or other animals.

In order to achieve a lifelike appearance of the movement of the vehicle in the sense of a living animal, the vehicle should have a tendency to roam or wander in a serpentine-like pattern. Because a movement only along a single direction does not seem to be alive to the user or to a third person.

On the one hand, an arbitrariness or randomness of the movement can be achieved by changing the leg stiffness, the leg material and / or the inertia of the eccentric mass. As the leg stiffness is increased, the amount of hopping is reduced, thus reducing random movement. Conversely, the vehicle will move in more random directions when the leg stiffness, especially the front drive legs compared to the rear legs, is lower. While the material of the legs affects the stiffness of the legs, the choice of material has a different effect. Because the material of the legs can be selected to attract dirt on the leg tip, so that the vehicle by the changed static friction against the ground can rotate randomly or move in another direction. The inertia of the eccentric mass also influences the randomness of the movement pattern. Because with greater inertia, the vehicle hops with greater amplitude, causing the vehicle to strike the ground in other relative positions.

On the other hand, an arbitrariness or randomness of the movement can be achieved by a resilient nose or front part 108 (see FIG Fig. 1 and 5 ) of the vehicle. Because when the vehicle collides with another object, a rebound in a random direction is achieved. The vehicle therefore does not constantly try to fight against the obstacle, but changes its direction of movement by springing backwards and can thus avoid the obstacle. No sensors are required; a seemingly intelligent behavior is instead achieved by purely mechanical means.

The nose or front portion 108 of the vehicle may have resilient properties and, in particular, be made of a soft, low coefficient of friction material. A rubber with a durometer value of 65 (or less) can be used to obtain a flexible nose, which can be pressed relatively easily. In addition, the nose or the front part 108 should be tapered, so that the nose can be pressed easily, and so promotes spring back, and so that the tip of the vehicle hits as later as possible in a new impact. The vehicle can thus be redirected by the shape of the nose in a different direction.

In addition, the characteristics of the legs during impact with an obstacle also play a role. Because when the legs are designed so that the vehicle rotates around a vertical axis during an impact more easily, an evasive movement is achieved faster.

Finally, the speed of the vehicle is also important for avoidance behavior when hitting an obstacle. Because at higher speeds, the rebound effect is greater and the likelihood of the vehicle subsequently hitting and dodging at a different angle is increased.

Different leg configurations are in the Fig. 3a to 3c shown. The forward movement points to the right in all figures.

In the upper left illustration of the Fig. 3a the legs are connected with struts. The struts serve to increase the stiffness of the legs, while maintaining the appearance of a long leg. The struts can be arranged arbitrarily along the height of a leg. A different attitude of struts, especially the right struts opposite The left-hand strut serves to alter the leg characteristics without having to change the leg length. In this way, an alternative possibility is created to correct the steering.

The representation in the right upper side of the Fig. 3a shows a general embodiment with multiple curved legs. It should be noted that the middle legs, ie all other legs except the two front legs and except the two hind legs, can be designed so that they do not touch the ground. In this way, the production of the legs is easier because the middle legs can be disregarded in the adjustment of the movement behavior. If necessary, only the weight of the middle legs can be used to adjust the movement behavior.

The lower (left and right) representations of the Fig. 3a show additional attachments or extensions, which should give the vehicle a lifelike appearance. These appendages or extensions vibrate together as the vehicle moves. An adjustment of the appendages or extensions can therefore also be used to produce a desired movement behavior or a desired resonance behavior, and to generate an increased arbitrariness in the movement behavior.

Other leg configurations are in the Fig. 3b shown. The upper (left and right) illustrations show that the connection of the legs to the body can be at different positions compared to the embodiments shown in FIG Fig. 3a are shown. In addition to the differences in the external appearance, a higher connection of the legs to the body serves to make the legs longer without increasing the center of gravity (ie the center of gravity). Longer legs, in turn, have reduced stiffness, which, among other properties, can lead to increased hopping. The lower illustration of the Fig. 3b shows an alternative embodiment of the hind legs, in which two legs are connected together.

Other leg configurations are in the Fig. 3c shown. The upper left illustration shows an embodiment with a minimum number of legs, namely with one hind leg and two front legs. The positioning of the hind leg either to the left or to the right acts like a change of a rudder, thus serving to control the direction of the vehicle. If a rear leg with a low coefficient of friction is used then the speed of the vehicle is increased, as described above.

The lower left illustration of Fig. 3c shows a Auführungsform with three legs, wherein a single front leg and two hind legs are provided. The control can be adjusted via the hind legs by placing one hind leg in front of the other hind leg.

The upper right representation of Fig. 3c shows a vehicle with significantly altered hind legs, which look like a grasshopper. The hind legs lie with their lower sides on the ground, so that the friction against the ground is reduced. In addition, the vehicle is less affected by bumps or holes in the ground. The vehicle can thus more easily glide over bumps or holes in the ground.

The lower right representation of Fig. 3c shows a vehicle in which the middle legs are raised relative to the front and hind legs. So the middle legs have mainly an aesthetic purpose. But they also serve to influence the rollover behavior. In addition, the hopping behavior of the vehicle can be adjusted by its weight.

The Fig. 4a and 4b show a vehicle or a toy robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the hind legs are independently adjustable in height. The hind legs may be made of a stiff and / or flexible wire or other suitable material, for example made of plastic. The adjustable hind legs serve to allow the user to adjust the movement behavior of the vehicle can. In particular, the direction of movement can be adjusted, for example, from a left turn over a straight move towards a right turn.

Fig. 7 shows a vehicle or a toy robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which additional fins, fins 902, 904a, 904b are arranged. The fins, fins may be positioned at the top 902 and at the sides 904a, 904b to affect the rollover behavior of the vehicle. In particular, the fins, fins 902, 904a, 904b may be configured such that the outer points are close to or on a virtual cylinder. In this way, the vehicle can rotate like a cylinder when lying on its back or on one side. The vehicle can rebuild itself relatively quickly.

Claims (12)

1. A vehicle (100), in particular, toy robot, comprising:

   a nose (108),

   a plurality of legs (104) comprising at least one front leg (104a) and at least one rear leg on each side of the vehicle and a vibration drive (202),

   wherein the legs of the vehicle (100) are curved and flexible, or wherein the vibration drive (202) can generate a force (Fv) that is directed downward and is suitable to deflect at least the front legs (104a), so that the vehicle (100) moves forward,

   characterized in that the geometry of the rear legs (104c) is constructed such that the tendency for rotation due to the vibration of the vibration drive (202) is counteracted.
2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the geometry of the rear legs (104c) is constructed such that a different braking or dragging effect of the legs is achieved.
3. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that more weight is displaced onto one front leg in comparison to the other front leg.
4. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of one rear leg is increased in comparison to the other rear leg.
5. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stiffness of the legs on one side is increased in comparison to the legs on the other side.
6. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one rear leg has a thicker construction in comparison to the other rear leg on the other side.
7. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the legs of the vehicle are inclined in a direction that is offset from the vertical.
8. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of the legs is arranged farther forward on the vehicle relative to the tip of the legs.
9. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two or more legs, in particular the front legs, are adapted to bend when the vehicle vibrates due to the vibration drive (202).
10. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration drive (202) can generate a force (Fv) that is directed upward and is suitable for causing the vehicle (100) to hop or to lift the front legs (104a) from the ground surface.
11. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration drive (202) can generate a force (Fh) that is directed to the side and generates a tendency for the vehicle (100) to rotate when the nose (108) of the vehicle is lifted.
12. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (100) is constructed such that the rear legs (104c) of the vehicle (100) only slide along behind, but do not hop.

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