JP2007301654A - Mobile robot having a plurality of axes - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot which can quickly move, and can safely stop without consuming the control energy in stopping while utilizing such a merit of an inverted pendulum robot that its moving direction can be changed in a narrow space. <P>SOLUTION: The mobile robot has a plurality of axes and wheels arranged on the axes so as to be rotationally controlled. A plurality of the axes move to different axis lines in the stop of the robot, and move to the same axis line in the travel of the robot. As a result, the control of an inverted pendulum mode can be carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile robot having a plurality of axles, and in particular, when moving, the plurality of axles are arranged on the same axis and controlled in an inverted pendulum mode, and when stopped, the axle is arranged on at least two different axes. The present invention relates to a mobile robot that is stable and stationary.

  Inverted pendulum robots are generally 1-axis and 2-wheel, and have the advantage of allowing rapid movement and changing the direction of movement within a narrow range by tilting the upper body back and forth during acceleration / deceleration. In addition, since the upper body is tilted back and forth during acceleration / deceleration, surrounding humans can predict the movement of the robot and have a sense of security.

  However, a one-axis two-wheel robot needs to balance dynamically in order to stabilize the posture even when stopped, and has a drawback that energy is constantly consumed.

Conventionally, there has been disclosed a technique for preventing a fall even if the posture control operation is stopped when the vehicle is stopped. (See Patent Document 1)
FIG. 4 shows the external appearance (front view and side view) of the inverted pendulum robot of the first conventional example described in Patent Document 1, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the first embodiment (stop). An example of an operating mechanism during movement and movement) is shown. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, Conventional Example 1 includes a cart having four auxiliary wheels in addition to the two driving wheels at the center lower part of the robot body. Pull up the wheel to prevent it from tipping over, and push down the driving wheel to move the auxiliary wheel in the air when moving to control the inverted pendulum mode.

  Since the robot described in Patent Document 1 includes a carriage having auxiliary wheels as in Conventional Example 1 shown in FIG. 4, the robot projection surface on the floor occupies a predetermined area even during movement, and the movement direction is determined. The area required to change is increased.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a robot that can operate quickly and can safely stop without consuming control energy at the time of stopping while taking advantage of the feature of an inverted pendulum robot that can change the moving direction within a narrow range. With the goal.

  A first invention is a mobile robot having a plurality of axles and wheels on the axle, wherein the plurality of axles transition between different axes and the same axis.

  A second invention is the mobile robot according to the first invention, wherein each of the wheels is a drive wheel capable of rotation control, and when the robot is stopped, the plurality of axles are arranged on different axes, and the robot During the movement, the inverted pendulum mode is controlled by arranging the plurality of axles on the same axis.

  A third invention is the mobile robot according to the second invention, wherein the first axle is assembled to one end of the first arm, and the second axle is elongated with the first arm. Assembling to one end of the second arm having the same length, and assembling the third axle to one end of the third arm having the same length as the first arm, and to the other end of the first arm And the other end of the second arm and the other end of the third arm are flexibly connected to a laterally-facing axis of the mobile robot, and the first arm The third arm protrudes rearward of the mobile robot, the second arm protrudes forward of the mobile robot, and the connecting shaft of the arm is placed in a vertical link groove provided at the upper center of the mobile robot. Slidably assembled to one end of the first auxiliary arm on the first arm. A second auxiliary arm having the same length as that of the first auxiliary arm is flexibly assembled to the connection point, and one end of the second auxiliary arm having the same length as the first auxiliary arm is flexibly assembled to the connection point on the second arm. One end of a third auxiliary arm having the same length as that of the auxiliary arm is flexibly assembled to a connection point on the third arm, and the other end of the first auxiliary arm and the second end The other end of the auxiliary arm and the other end of the third auxiliary arm are assembled so as to be bendable on the auxiliary arm connecting axis in the lateral center of the lower part of the mobile robot body. The arm, the second arm, the third arm, the first auxiliary arm, the second auxiliary arm, and the third auxiliary arm constitute a pantograph to stop the robot Sometimes the second axle, the first axle, and the third axle Are arranged on different axes, and when the robot moves, the first axle, the second axle, and the third axle are arranged on the same axis to control the inverted pendulum mode. .

  A fourth invention is the mobile robot according to the third invention, wherein each of the driving wheels can be individually controlled for rotation.

  A fifth invention is the mobile robot according to the third invention, further comprising a drive wheel on the auxiliary arm connecting axis.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a robot that can operate quickly and can safely stop without consuming control energy while stopping while taking advantage of the characteristics of an inverted pendulum robot that can change the moving direction within a narrow range. It becomes possible.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention. The mobile robot according to the present invention includes two axles that can move, and each axle has two wheels that can be rotationally controlled, that is, drive wheels. The mobile robot, when moving, has its axles, and therefore each wheel, aligned on the same axis, and controls the inverted pendulum mode so that it can freely accelerate and decelerate and change the direction of travel within a narrow range. When stopping, each wheel is opened back and forth to prevent falling even in an uncontrolled state.

  A first embodiment of the mobile robot 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. A first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 shows an internal mechanism at the time of stopping in the principle explanatory view of the present invention shown in FIG.

  A first axle 13 is assembled to one end of the first arm 1, a second axle 15 is assembled to one end of the second arm 2 having the same length as the first arm 1, A third axle 17 is assembled to one end of the third arm 3 having the same length as the first arm 1, and the other end of the first arm 1 and the other end of the second arm 2 are assembled. And the other end of the third arm 3 are flexibly coupled to a laterally oriented axis of the mobile robot 100, that is, an arm coupling shaft 4, and the first arm 1 and the third arm 3 The arm 3 is protruded rearward of the mobile robot 100, the second arm 2 is protruded forward of the mobile robot 100, and the arm connection shaft 4 is provided at the upper center of the mobile robot 100. Assembling is slidable in the groove 5.

  Further, one end of the first auxiliary arm 6 shorter than the first arm 1 is placed on the first arm 1 from the assembly position of the first axle 13 to the first auxiliary arm 6. One end of a second auxiliary arm 8 having a length equal to that of the first auxiliary arm 6 is attached to the connecting point 7 which is separated from the length of the second auxiliary arm 8 by bending. One end of a third auxiliary arm 10 having a length equal to that of the first auxiliary arm 6 is attached to the connection point 9 corresponding to the connection point 7 on the one arm 1 so as to be bent. The arm 3 is assembled to a connection point 11 corresponding to the connection point 7 on the first arm 1 so as to be bent.

  Further, the other end of the first auxiliary arm 6, the other end of the second auxiliary arm 8, and the other end of the third auxiliary arm 10 are arranged at the lower center of the main body of the mobile robot 100, The auxiliary arm connecting shaft 12 facing in the lateral direction is assembled so as to be bendable.

  Thus, the first arm 1, the second arm 2, the third arm 3, the first auxiliary arm 6, the second auxiliary arm 8, and the third auxiliary. A pantograph is configured with the arm 10.

  It should be noted that wheels 14 and 18 are attached to the first axle 13 and the third axle 17, respectively, and wheels 16 and 16 'are attached to the second axle 15 and connected to a rotation control mechanism (not shown). Then, control the inverted pendulum mode. The wheel attached to the second axle 15 may be an auxiliary wheel (not connected to the rotation control mechanism).

  In such a configuration, when the mobile robot 100 moves, the first axle 13, the second axle 15, and the third axle 17 are arranged in the inverted pendulum mode by being aligned on the same axis by an axle moving mechanism (not shown). When the vehicle is stopped, the second axle 15 moves on an axis different from that of the first axle 13 and the third axle 17, that is, becomes a four-wheeled robot, and prevents falls. Control is unnecessary.

  The auxiliary arm connecting shaft 12 determines the rotation center of bending of each auxiliary arm, and does not need to be a single connected shaft, and the mobile robot 100 shifts to the inverted pendulum mode when the movement starts. Therefore, when closing each arm, the movement of each arm and wheel is not hindered.

  Further, by independently controlling the left and right wheels 14 and 18 attached to the first axle 13 and the third axle 17, the direction change or the rotation on the spot is enabled.

  FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the same components as those of the first embodiment are represented by the same symbols.

  A first axle 13 is assembled to one end of the first arm 1, a second axle 15 is assembled to one end of the second arm 2 having the same length as the first arm 1, A third axle 17 is assembled to one end of the third arm 3 having the same length as the first arm 1, and the other end of the first arm 1 and the other end of the second arm 2 are assembled. And the other end of the third arm 3 are flexibly connected to a laterally oriented axis of the mobile robot 200, that is, an arm connecting shaft 4, and the first arm 1 and the third arm 3 are also bent. The arm 3 is projected to the rear of the mobile robot 200, the second arm 2 is projected to the front of the mobile robot 200, and the arm connecting shaft 4 is provided at the upper center of the mobile robot 200. Assembling is slidable in the groove 5.

  Further, one end of the first auxiliary arm 6 shorter than the first arm 1 is placed on the first arm 1 from the assembly position of the first axle 13 to the first auxiliary arm 6. One end of a second auxiliary arm 8 having a length equal to that of the first auxiliary arm 6 is attached to the connecting point 7 which is separated from the length of the second auxiliary arm 8 by bending. One end of a third auxiliary arm 10 having a length equal to that of the first auxiliary arm 6 is attached to the connection point 9 corresponding to the connection point 7 on the one arm 1 so as to be bent. The arm 3 is assembled to a connection point 11 corresponding to the connection point 7 on the first arm 1 so as to be bent.

  Further, the other end of the first auxiliary arm 6, the other end of the second auxiliary arm 8, and the other end of the third auxiliary arm 10 are arranged at the lower center of the mobile robot 200 body, The auxiliary arm connecting shaft 19 facing in the lateral direction is assembled so as to be bendable.

  Thus, the first arm 1, the second arm 2, the third arm 3, the first auxiliary arm 6, the second auxiliary arm 8, and the third auxiliary. A pantograph is configured with the arm 10.

  The first axle 13, the second axle 15, and the third axle 17 are attached with wheels 14 and wheels 16, 16 ′, 18 (not connected to the rotation control mechanism), respectively, and auxiliary arms. Wheels 20 and 21 connected to a rotation control mechanism (not shown) are attached to the connecting shaft 19.

  In such a configuration, the mobile robot 200 moves the first axle 13, the second axle 15, and the third axle 17 together with the auxiliary arm connecting shaft 12 by an axle moving mechanism (not shown). The inverted pendulum mode is controlled side by side on the same axis, and when stopped, the first axle 13, the second axle 15, and the third axle 17 are on different axes from the auxiliary arm connecting shaft 12. Move and eliminate the need for control to prevent falls.

  In this configuration, a rotation control mechanism (not shown) can be built in the mobile robot 200.

Principle explanatory diagram of the present invention Example 1 Example 2 Appearance of Conventional Example 1 Principle explanatory diagram of Conventional Example 1

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, 3 Arm 4 Arm connecting shaft 5 Vertical link groove 6, 8, 10 Auxiliary arm 7, 9, 11 Connecting point 12, 19 Auxiliary arm connecting shaft 13, 15, 17 Axle 14, 16, 16 ', 18, 20, 21 wheels

Claims (5)

A mobile robot having a plurality of axles and wheels on the axles,
The mobile robot characterized in that the plurality of axles transition between different axes and the same axis. The mobile robot according to claim 1,
Each wheel is a drive wheel capable of rotation control,
When the robot is stopped, the plurality of axles are arranged on different axes,
A mobile robot characterized by controlling the inverted pendulum mode by arranging the plurality of axles on the same axis when the robot moves. The mobile robot according to claim 2,
Assemble the first axle to one end of the first arm,
Assembling the second axle to one end of the second arm having the same length as the first arm,
Assembling the third axle to one end of the third arm having the same length as the first arm,
The other end of the first arm, the other end of the second arm, and the other end of the third arm are flexibly coupled to a laterally oriented axis of the mobile robot. The first arm and the third arm are protruded rearward of the mobile robot, the second arm is protruded forward of the mobile robot, and the connecting shaft of the arm is placed at the upper center of the mobile robot. Assembling so as to be slidable in the vertical link groove provided,
Assembling one end of the first auxiliary arm to a connecting point on the first arm so that it can be bent;
One end of a second auxiliary arm having the same length as that of the first auxiliary arm is assembled to a connecting point on the second arm so as to be bent.
One end of a third auxiliary arm having the same length as the first auxiliary arm is assembled to a connection point on the third arm so as to be bent,
The other end of the first auxiliary arm, the other end of the second auxiliary arm, and the other end of the third auxiliary arm are connected to the lower center of the mobile robot main body in the lateral direction. Assemble the arm connecting axis so that it can be bent,
The first arm, the second arm, the third arm, the first auxiliary arm, the second auxiliary arm, and the third auxiliary arm constitute a pantograph,
When the robot is stopped, the second axle is arranged on an axis different from the first axle and the third axle,
A mobile robot characterized in that when the robot moves, the inverted pendulum mode is controlled by arranging the first axle, the second axle, and the third axle on the same axis. The mobile robot according to claim 3,
Each of the driving wheels can be individually controlled for rotation. The mobile robot according to claim 3,
Further, a mobile robot characterized in that a drive wheel is provided on the auxiliary arm connecting axis.

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