JP2009234534A - Locomotive robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a locomotive robot which can step and move on a step, even if a friction coefficient of an upper surface or a slope surface of the step is low. <P>SOLUTION: An articulated leg wheel 10 includes: a rotating leg portion 11 supported by a vehicle body 2 through a first revolute joint drive shaft 12 fixably turning; and a turning leg portion 20 having both end parts 20a at which fixably rotating drive wheels 13 are arranged, and a center part 20b supported by a rotating leg portion 11 through a second revolute joint drive shaft 15 fixably rotating. The articulated leg wheel 10 has a projection 21 positioned to one surface 20c of the turning leg portion 20 opposed to a traveling surface A at the stage of laying the turning leg portion 20 along the traveling surface A, and getting stuck on or biting into the traveling surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is a mobile robot that is suitable for use in transportation work, towing work, rescue work, and information gathering activities in areas with many elements that hinder traveling such as rough terrain and disaster sites. It is about.

The mobile robot described above is required to be able to run through obstacles, i.e., obstacles. However, in the past, as a robot having such a function, for example, a leg wheel type mobile robot and There is what is called (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
As shown in FIG. 13 of Patent Document 1, this leg-wheel type mobile robot is formed by arranging at least four or more legs on the front, rear, left, and right of the robot body, and the legs include a thigh, a knee, In the flat area where there is an obstacle below the radius of the wheel, run only on the wheel, and in the area where the obstacle exceeds the radius of the wheel, the leg should be It is designed to move up.
JP-A-6-32263

  However, in the above-described leg-wheel type mobile robot, if the posture is changed using the wheels and legs themselves to move the position of the center of gravity, there is a possibility that even a step with a height or a tight slope may be traversed. However, when the friction coefficient of the upper surface of the step or the slope is low, there is a problem that the wheel slips in any case, and the traversability is remarkably lowered, and it is a conventional problem to solve this problem It was.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-described conventional problems, and of course, it is possible to overcome the travel-inhibiting elements such as a step having a height and a hard slope, such as this travel-inhibiting element, For example, even if the friction coefficient of the upper surface of the step or the slope is low, it is possible to traverse and move, and in addition, the traverse performance against a travel impediment element that cannot be traveled only by wheel running and leg walking It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile robot that can also improve the performance.

  A mobile robot according to a first aspect of the present invention is disposed at a vehicle body and at least four positions, front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle body, and a base end portion is pivotable so as to be fixed at an appropriate position in a horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle body. A leg wheel having a rotating leg supported via a first joint driving shaft and a driving wheel supported by the vehicle body via the rotating leg and rotating forward and backward so as to be fixed at an appropriate position. A leg wheel disposed on at least one of the front part and the rear part of the vehicle body is fixed in a horizontal direction and at an appropriate position with respect to a distal end portion of the rotating leg part while the driving wheel is disposed. An articulated leg wheel having a swivel leg supported by a second joint drive shaft that can be pivoted and swiveling around the first joint drive shaft by the rotation of the pivot leg. On the articulated leg wheels, the swivel leg should be laid on the running surface. At one stage of the swiveling leg that faces the running surface and / or at one end portion located on the running surface side at the step of standing on the running surface, the hook is caught on the running surface. The mobile robot having this configuration is provided with a projecting protrusion, and the mobile robot having this configuration is used as a means for solving the above-described conventional problems.

In the mobile robot according to a second aspect of the present invention, the swivel leg of the articulated leg wheel has the driving wheel disposed at both end portions and the center portion in a horizontal direction with respect to the tip end portion of the rotating leg portion. And it is set as the structure supported via the 2nd joint drive shaft which rotates so that it can fix in an appropriate position.
In the mobile robot according to claim 3 of the present invention, the swiveling leg portion of the articulated leg wheel has the driving wheel disposed at a distal end portion and a base end portion in a horizontal direction with respect to the distal end portion of the rotating leg portion. And it is set as the structure supported via the 2nd joint drive shaft rotated so that it can fix in an appropriate position.

In the mobile robot according to claim 4 of the present invention, the protrusion has a wedge shape, and in the mobile robot according to claim 5 of the present invention, the protrusion has a claw shape. .
In the mobile robot according to the present invention, a vehicle body mounted object is determined according to the purpose, and examples of the mounted object include various sensors and cameras, and traction parts and a loading platform are provided as necessary. .

The present invention can be applied to a robot that moves completely autonomously, and can also be applied to a robot that moves semi-autonomously by radio (or wired) or a robot that is completely remotely controlled.
In the mobile robot according to the present invention, for example, when moving over a high step, the rotating leg portions of the left and right articulated leg wheels in the state where the rotating leg portions and the turning leg portions of the articulated leg wheels are upright. Are alternately rotated together with the first joint drive shaft, and the left and right swivel legs are alternately turned around the first joint drive shaft to lie along the running surface on the step, thereby facing the running surface. If each protrusion installed on one surface of both swivel legs engages or bites into the running surface, a high frictional force that cannot be obtained simply by fixing the wheel on the running surface is obtained.

At this time, if the running surface is made of concrete, for example, and the protrusion is difficult to catch, the rotating leg portion of the articulated leg wheel is rotated a plurality of times, and the protrusion is struck against the running surface to be engaged. If it forms so that protrusion may be hooked.
If the articulated leg wheel can be fixed to the running surface by obtaining a high frictional force, the vehicle body can be pulled up by making full use of the rotating leg part and the turning leg part of the articulated leg wheel. Improvement of the traverse performance against a travel impediment factor that cannot be traveled only by travel and leg walking will be achieved.

  According to the mobile robot of the first aspect of the present invention, since it has the above-described configuration, it is needless to say that the travel hindrance elements such as a step having a height and a hard slope can be overcome. Even if the friction coefficient of the elements, for example, the upper surface of the step or the slope, is low, it can be traversed and moved, for example, at the disaster site, projecting a protrusion on the car that became an obstacle If the wire fence is cut by a protrusion, an excellent effect is achieved that it is possible to improve the traverse performance with respect to a travel-inhibiting element that cannot be traveled only by wheel travel and leg walking.

In the mobile robot according to the second aspect of the present invention, the drive wheels are arranged at both end portions of the swivel leg portion. Therefore, if these drive wheels are appropriately selected according to the situation, further improvement in the traverse performance is achieved. It is possible to realize.
In the mobile robot according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the driving wheel is arranged at the tip portion of the swing leg portion, it is possible to realize an agile operation of the swing leg portion.

  Since the mobile robot according to claim 4 of the present invention has the above-described configuration, for example, even when the traveling surface is made of concrete, a protrusion can be easily projected on the traveling surface. Since the mobile robot according to the fifth aspect has the above-described configuration, the protrusion can be easily hooked when there is a handle on the traveling surface.

Hereinafter, a mobile robot according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 4 show an embodiment of a mobile robot according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile robot 1 includes a vehicle body 2 on which a battery, a control computer, and the like are mounted, and articulated leg wheels 10 disposed at four positions on the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle body 2.

  The articulated leg wheel 10 includes a pivot leg 11 supported by a first joint drive shaft 12 that pivots so that a base end portion 11a can be fixed in a horizontal direction and at an appropriate position with respect to the vehicle body 2, and a wheel. A drive wheel 13 integrally having a main body 13a and a drive motor 13b for rotating the wheel main body 13a forward and backward so that the wheel main body 13a can be fixed at an appropriate position is disposed at both end portions 20a, 20a, and a central portion 20b is a tip portion of the rotating leg portion A turn that is supported by a second joint drive shaft 15 that rotates in a horizontal direction and can be fixed at an appropriate position with respect to 11b, and that turns around the first joint drive shaft 12 by the turning of the turning leg portion 11. Leg 20 is provided.

The first joint drive shaft 12 of the articulated leg wheel 10 is rotated by the output of the motor 3 with a speed reducer disposed in the vehicle body 2, while the second joint drive of the articulated leg wheel 10. The shaft 15 is rotated by the output of the motor 4 with a speed reducer disposed in the rotating leg 11.
In addition, two protrusions 21 and 21 are provided on the turning leg portion 20 of the articulated leg wheel 10. These protrusions 21 and 21 are arranged on one surface (upper surface in FIG. 1) 20c so as to face each other in both end portions 20a and 20a of the swivel leg portion 20, and in the articulated leg wheel 10, As shown in FIG. 2, at the stage where the revolving leg 20 is laid along the traveling surface A, the projections 21 and 21 are hooked on the traveling surface A with one surface 20 c facing the traveling surface A, It is designed to bite in.

In such a mobile robot 1, for example, when moving over a high step, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the front articulated leg from the state approaching the step D shown in FIG. 3 (a). The turning leg portion 11 and the turning leg portion 20 of the wheel 10 are turned to stand upright, and the turning leg portion 20 of the rear articulated leg wheel 10 is turned upright.
In this state, as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, the turning legs 11 of the front and right articulated leg wheels 10 are sequentially turned together with the first joint drive shaft 12 to turn left and right. The turning legs 20 are sequentially turned so that the upper surfaces 20c of the legs 20 are all directed upward, whereby the driving wheels 13 positioned on the leading sides of the left and right articulated leg wheels 10 are traveled in steps D. As shown in FIG. 3 (e), the vehicle body 2 is stepped by appropriately rotating the turning leg portion 11 and the turning leg portion 20 of the front articulated leg wheel 10 respectively. The drive wheels 13 in the front and rear articulated leg wheels 10 are operated while avoiding colliding with the edge of D, and the vehicle body 2 moves forward until the bottom of the vehicle body 2 contacts the step D.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (f), the turning legs 11 and the turning legs 20 of the articulated leg wheels 10 on the front left and right are respectively turned so that the turning legs 20 follow the running surface A. Then, at the stage where the swiveling leg portion 20 is laid down, the projections 21 and 21 are hooked or bitten on the traveling surface A with the one surface 20c of the swiveling leg portion 20 facing the traveling surface A. Here, if the bottom of the vehicle body 2 can be grounded in a stable state, it is possible to simultaneously rotate the turning leg 11 and the turning leg 20 in the front left and right multi-joint leg wheels 10. The operation time shown in 3 (f) can be shortened.

At this time, when the running surface A is made of, for example, concrete and the protrusions 21 and 21 are difficult to be caught, the rotating leg portion 11 of the articulated leg wheel 10 is rotated a plurality of times, and the protrusions 21, If 21 is struck against the running surface A to form a handle, the protrusions 21 and 21 can be hooked.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 3G to 3I, while the driving wheels 13 of the rear left and right articulated leg wheels 10 are operated, the rotating leg parts 11 of the front left and right articulated leg wheels 10 and The swivel legs 20 are respectively rotated and pulled up until the center of gravity of the mobile robot 1 is positioned on the step D, and as shown in FIG. 11 is laid along the traveling surface A, and the vehicle body 2 is grounded to the traveling surface A of the step D in a hungry state.

  And as shown in FIG.3 (k), the rotation leg part 11 and the turning leg part 20 of the articulated leg wheel 10 of front and rear, right and left are each rotated, and one surface 20c of the turning leg part 20 faces upwards. After the protrusions 21 and 21 are separated from the running surface A in this way, as shown in FIG. 3 (l), the turning leg 11 and the turning leg 20 of the front and rear articulated leg wheels 10 are turned respectively. The vehicle body 2 is lifted away from the traveling surface A of the step D, and the drive wheels 13 in the front and rear articulated leg wheels 10 are operated to move forward.

  Thus, in the mobile robot 1 described above, the protrusions 21 and 21 installed on the one surfaces 20c and 20c of the both turning leg portions 20 and 20 facing the traveling surface A of the articulated leg wheel 10 are formed on the traveling surface A. If each is hooked or bitten, a high frictional force that cannot be obtained by simply fixing the wheel on the running surface A will be obtained. At this time, the friction coefficient of the running surface A on the step D is low. Even if there is, you can move through.

  Further, in the mobile robot 1 described above, for example, when climbing a steep slope, from the state in which the protrusions 21, 21 of the front and rear articulated leg wheels 10 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the rotating leg portions 11 of the front, rear, left and right multi-joint leg wheels 10 are laid along the steep slope S, and the vehicle body 2 is grounded to the steep slope S in a hungry state. This hungry state allows the left and right articulated leg wheels 10 to be moved away from the ground at the same time while maintaining a stable posture, and thus the mobile robot 1 particularly needs to be controlled to keep the posture stable. Instead, it will proceed more quickly and reliably than operating one leg at a time.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, the rotating leg portions 11 of the front and rear articulated leg wheels 10 are alternately rotated together with the first joint drive shaft 12, so that the front and rear turning leg portions 20. The swivel legs 20 are alternately swung so that each of the upper surfaces 20c faces the steep slope S side.
That is, the operations shown in FIGS. 4B to 4D are repeated while one of the projections 21 and 21 of the front and rear articulated leg wheels 10 is always hooked or bitten on the steep slope S. By that, the steep slope S is climbed.

  Also in this case, in the above-described mobile robot 1, the protrusions 21 and 21 installed on the one surfaces 20 c and 20 c of both the turning leg portions 20 and 20 facing the steep slope S of the articulated leg wheel 10 are respectively hooked on the steep slope S. Or if it is bitten, a high frictional force that cannot be obtained only by fixing the wheel on the steep slope S will be obtained. Even if the friction coefficient of the steep slope S is low, it will be overcome. It can move.

  In the mobile robot 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the protrusions 21 and 21 provided on the articulated leg wheel 10 are arranged on one surface 20c so that both end portions 20a and 20a of the swivel leg 20 face in the same direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as another configuration, for example, as shown in FIG. In the step of standing upright, one end portion 20a located on the running surface A side is provided with a protrusion 22 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the protrusion 21, or as shown in FIG. In addition, a protrusion 22 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the protrusion 21 may be provided only on one end portion 20a located on the traveling surface A side when the swiveling leg portion 20 stands upright with respect to the traveling surface A. .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the protrusions 21 and 22 of the articulated leg wheel 10 may be wedge-shaped protrusions 21 and 22, and as shown in FIG. The protrusions 21 and 22 forming the above can be employed.
Furthermore, in the mobile robot 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the articulated leg wheels 10 are arranged at all four positions on the front and rear, left and right of the vehicle body 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is shown in FIG. As described above, the articulated leg wheels 10 are arranged at two positions on the left and right of the front part of the vehicle body 2, and the leg wheels 10 </ b> A including the rotating legs 11 and the drive wheels 13 are arranged at the two right and left positions on the rear part of the vehicle body 2. You may do it.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the drive wheels 13 are arranged at both end portions 20a, 20a of the swiveling leg portion 20 of the articulated leg wheel 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown, the driving wheel 13 may be disposed only at the tip portion 20a of the articulated leg wheel 10 and the turning leg portion 20. In this case as well, the protrusions 22 are formed on both end portions 20a and 20a of the turning leg portion 20. Can be provided.

It is side explanatory drawing (a) and front explanatory drawing (b) of the driving | running | working state which laid down the turning leg part in the articulated leg wheel which shows simply one Embodiment of the mobile robot which concerns on this invention. It is side explanatory drawing (a) and front explanatory drawing (b) of the state which protruded the protrusion of the mobile robot in FIG. 1 on the running surface. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing (a)-(l) of the condition where the mobile robot shown in FIG. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing (a)-(d) of the condition where the mobile robot shown in FIG. 1 crosses a steep slope. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged side explanatory view of a state that a swiveling leg portion is upright in a multi-joint leg wheel, and a protrusion is protruded from a running surface, simply showing another embodiment of the mobile robot according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged side view illustrating a mobile robot according to another embodiment of the present invention in a state in which a swiveling leg portion is upright in a multi-joint leg wheel and a protrusion is protruded from a running surface. It is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of the shape of the projection in the mobile robot according to the present invention. It is a perspective explanatory view showing another example of the shape of the protrusion in the mobile robot according to the present invention. It is side explanatory drawing of the driving | running | working state which laid down the turning leg part in the articulated leg wheel which shows still another embodiment of the mobile robot which concerns on this invention simply. It is side explanatory drawing of the state which made the turning leg part stand in the articulated leg wheel which shows still another embodiment of the mobile robot which concerns on this invention simply.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mobile robot 2 Car body 10 Articulated leg wheel 11 Rotating leg 12 First joint drive shaft 13 Drive wheel 15 Second joint drive shaft
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Rotating leg part 20a Both-ends part of slewing leg part 20b Center part of slewing leg part 20c One surface of a slewing leg part 21,22 Protrusion A Running surface

Claims (5)

The car body,
Rotating legs disposed at least at four locations on the front, rear, left and right sides of the vehicle body and supported by first joint drive shafts whose base end portions rotate in a horizontal direction and fixed at appropriate positions with respect to the vehicle body. And a leg wheel including a drive wheel that is supported by the vehicle body via the rotating leg portion and rotates forward and backward so that it can be fixed at an appropriate position.
A leg wheel arranged at at least one of the front part and the rear part of the vehicle body can be fixed at an appropriate position in a horizontal direction with respect to a tip part of the rotating leg part while the driving wheel is arranged. A multi-joint leg wheel having a swivel leg supported by a rotating second joint drive shaft and swiveling around the first joint drive shaft by the rotation of the swivel leg,
The articulated leg wheel is configured such that when the swivel leg is laid down so as to be along the traveling surface, the traveling leg is allowed to stand upright with respect to one surface and / or the traveling surface of the swivel leg facing the traveling surface. A mobile robot characterized in that a protrusion is provided on one of the end portions located on the surface side to catch or bite into the travel surface.   The swivel leg portion of the articulated leg wheel has the drive wheel disposed at both end portions thereof, and a second central portion pivots so as to be fixed at an appropriate position in the horizontal direction with respect to the tip end portion of the rotating leg portion. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the mobile robot is supported via a joint drive shaft.   The swiveling leg portion of the articulated leg wheel is configured such that the driving wheel is disposed at a distal end portion thereof and a proximal end portion thereof is rotated in a horizontal direction and fixed at an appropriate position with respect to the distal end portion of the rotating leg portion. The mobile robot according to claim 1, which is supported via a two-joint drive shaft.   The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a wedge shape.   The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a claw shape.

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