JP2011224772A - Legged mobile robot and swing structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a legged mobile robot whose ankle joint is properly covered without interference with a rod, concerning the legged mobile robot.SOLUTION: The legged mobile robot 1 includes: lower leg covers 52aR, 52aL fixed to lower legs 52R, 52L to cover the lower legs 52R, 52L; a lower cover 82 positioned outward from the rod 64 and connected to feet 53R, 53L; an upper cover 81 swingingly connected to swingable members 43cR, 43cL, which are swingable with the feet 53R, 53L, through an arm 72 and also movable between the lower leg covers 52aR, 52aL and the lower cover 82 along a guide 71 that is provided in the lower legs 52R, 52L and extended in a vertical direction.

Description

  The present invention relates to a legged mobile robot, and more particularly to an exterior structure that covers an ankle joint and a swing structure.

  Conventionally, the lower leg connected to the lower end of the thigh via the knee joint, the foot connected to the lower end of the lower leg via the ankle joint, and the lower end connected to the foot and the lower leg In a legged mobile robot having a leg having a swinging mechanism that swings the foot with respect to the crus through an ankle joint by advancing and retreating a rod extending in the leg, an exterior covering the part of the ankle joint of the leg A structure having a partial spherical cover as a structure is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  The ankle joint of Patent Document 1 includes an ankle pitch joint that allows the foot to swing in the pitch direction with respect to the crus, and an ankle roll joint that can swing in the roll direction. An electric motor is provided in the lower leg part, and the driving force of this electric motor is transmitted to the speed reducer provided in the ankle pitch joint part of the ankle joint via the belt, so that the foot part becomes the lower leg part. Swings in the pitch direction.

  The crus part is provided with a crus cover that covers the internal structure thereof, and both end portions in the axial direction of the electric motor, the speed reducer, and the ankle pitch joint are covered with the crus cover. The central portion in the axial direction of the ankle pitch joint is covered with a partial spherical cover attached to the upper side of the foot. An ankle roll joint is disposed in the cover.

  Thus, in the thing of patent document 1, the appearance of the ankle joint part is kept favorable, without exposing the internal structure of the ankle joint by covering the ankle joint with the lower leg cover and the partial spherical cover.

  Here, in the ankle joint structure of Patent Document 1, since the speed reducer is attached to the pitch direction swing shaft, when the leg is operated, the mass on the grounding side is large and a large inertial force is generated in the leg. Therefore, it is necessary to use an electric motor with a large capacity for driving the legs, which is problematic in terms of downsizing and power consumption reduction.

  In order to solve this, the speed reducer is placed above the ankle joint, the speed reducer and the foot are connected by a rod, the rod is moved up and down as the speed reducer rotates, and the foot is moved to the lower leg A configuration is also known that is configured to swing in the pitch direction (for example, Patent Document 2). According to this, the mass on the grounding side of the leg can be reduced, and the electric motor for driving the leg can be reduced in size and the power consumption can be reduced.

JP 2002-210682A Japanese Patent No. 4255663

  However, in order to cause the foot to swing at the ankle joint, as shown in Patent Document 2, when a mechanism for swinging the foot in the pitch direction by moving the rod back and forth is used, the rod connected to the foot is It will extend from the foot to the lower leg. For this reason, in the exterior structure which consists of the conventional spherical cover, a rod and a spherical exterior will interfere.

  The present invention can prevent interference with the rod and properly cover the ankle joint without restricting its movable range even if a swing mechanism that swings the foot by moving the rod forward and backward is used. An object of the present invention is to provide an exterior structure that can be used.

  Furthermore, the present invention prevents interference with the rod even in a joint other than the ankle joint, even if a swing mechanism that swings the second member relative to the first member by moving the rod back and forth is used. An object of the present invention is to provide an exterior structure that can appropriately cover the movable range without limiting the movable range.

  [1] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a lower leg connected to the lower end of the thigh via a knee joint, and a foot connected to the lower end of the lower leg via an ankle joint. And a swinging mechanism that swings the foot part with respect to the crus part via an ankle joint by moving a rod whose lower end is connected to the foot part and extends toward the crus part. A legged mobile robot comprising a lower leg cover fixed to the lower leg part and covering the lower leg part, a lower cover positioned on the outside of the rod and connected to the foot part, and the foot part And an oscillating member that oscillates the ankle joint via an arm, and is connected to the crus cover and the lower cover along a vertically extending guide provided on the crus. And an upper cover movable between the two.

  According to this configuration, the upper cover is connected to the swinging member that swings together with the foot portion, and moves between the lower leg cover and the lower cover while the movement is restricted by the guide provided on the lower leg portion. To do. Therefore, even if the foot swings with respect to the lower leg, the upper cover can cover the gap between the lower leg cover fixed to the lower leg and the lower cover connected to the foot. . Therefore, the ankle joint can be properly covered without the rod interfering with the cover, and the appearance of the ankle joint portion can be kept good.

  [2] In the present invention, the lower cover is swingably connected to the foot, and is biased outward by biasing means, the arm is fixed to the swing member, and the upper cover is Preferably, the upper cover is swingably connected to the arm, and the upper end of the lower cover is slidable along the inner surface of the lower end of the upper cover.

  In this case, the present invention provides a lower leg connected to the lower end of the thigh via a knee joint, a foot connected to the lower end of the lower leg via an ankle joint, and the lower end connected to the foot. An ankle joint of a leg in a legged mobile robot having a leg having a swinging mechanism that swings the foot with respect to the lower leg through an ankle joint by advancing and retreating a rod extending toward the lower leg A lower cover that is positioned outside the rod and is swingably connected to the foot, a biasing means that biases the lower cover outward, and an ankle joint pitch. An arm fixed to a swinging member that swings in a direction, and an upper cover that is swingably connected to the arm and that is movable in the vertical direction along a guide that is provided on the lower leg and extends in the vertical direction. The upper end of the lower cover slides along the inner surface of the lower end of the upper cover. Characterized in that it is configured to.

  According to this configuration, the upper cover is pushed and pulled by the arm as the foot swings and moves in the vertical direction along the guide. In addition, the lower cover is urged outward by the urging means, and the upper end thereof is pressed against the inner surface of the lower end of the upper cover. Change can be suppressed. Therefore, even if the foot swings with respect to the lower leg, the ankle joint can be properly covered without restricting the movable range of the ankle joint, and the appearance of the ankle joint portion can be kept good. Can do.

  [3] In the present invention, it is preferable that the lower cover is fixed to the foot, the arm is swingably connected to the swing member, and the upper cover is connected to the arm.

  According to such a configuration, the ankle joint can be appropriately covered with a simple configuration, and the appearance of the ankle joint portion can be kept good.

  [4] In the present invention, it is preferable to connect the rod on the front side in the pitch direction with respect to the portion connected to the ankle joint of the foot. It is conceivable to connect the rod on the rear side of the foot, but when the leg is bent at the knee joint, the upper end of the rod may contact the thigh and the movable range of the knee joint may be limited. There is.

  If the rod is connected on the front side of the foot as in the present invention, the rod and the thigh are not in contact with each other, and it is possible to prevent the movable range of the knee joint from being limited.

  [5] In the present invention, a hemispherical first cover fixed to a portion of the foot portion opposite to the side to which the rod is connected, disposed outside or inside the first cover, and A hemispherical second cover that is provided swingably in the roll direction at the lower end of the crus, and is disposed between the first cover and the second cover and is swingable in the pitch direction. In this way, it is preferable that the first cover is provided with a hemispherical intermediate cover, and an upper end portion of the intermediate cover is provided with an engaging portion that is engaged with the lower end portion of the second cover.

  According to such a configuration, the first cover, the second cover, and the intermediate cover slide in a bellows shape, so that the portion of the ankle joint on the side opposite to the side where the rod is disposed can be appropriately covered.

  [6] Further, according to the present invention, the second member is coupled to the lower end of the first member via the joint, and the rod is advanced and retracted by advancing and retracting the rod having the lower end coupled to the second member and extending toward the first member. A swing mechanism having a swing mechanism for swinging the first member with respect to the second member, a first member cover fixed to the first member and covering the first member; A lower cover that is positioned outside the rod and connected to the second member, and a swinging member that swings together with the second member are swingably connected via an arm and provided on the first member. An upper cover that is movable between the first member and the lower cover is provided along a vertically extending guide.

  According to this configuration, the upper cover is connected to the swinging member that swings together with the second member, and the movement of the upper cover is restricted by the guide provided on the first member, while the first member cover and the lower cover Move between. Therefore, even if the second member swings with respect to the first member, the upper cover covers the gap between the first member cover fixed to the first member and the lower cover connected to the second member. Is possible. Therefore, the joint can be appropriately covered without the rod interfering with the cover, and the appearance of the joint portion can be kept good.

  Note that the swinging structure of the present invention is not limited to that applied to the ankle joint of the legged mobile robot as described above, but is also applicable to a joint of a robot such as a wrist joint, and further to a joint provided in other than the robot. be able to.

The perspective view which shows schematic structure of the legged mobile robot using the exterior structure of the ankle joint of embodiment of this invention. A front view showing typically an internal mechanism of a leg of a legged mobile robot of an embodiment. A side view showing typically an internal structure of a leg of a legged mobile robot of an embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the exterior structure of embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the state rock | fluctuated the foot part of embodiment to the pitch direction front. Sectional drawing which shows the state which rock | fluctuated the foot part of embodiment to the pitch direction back. The front view which shows the state which rock | fluctuated the leg part of embodiment in the roll direction. Sectional drawing which shows the exterior structure of another embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the state which rock | fluctuated the foot part of another embodiment to the pitch direction front. Sectional drawing which shows the state which rock | fluctuated the foot part of another embodiment back to the pitch direction.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described using a legged mobile robot 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as a robot 1) having a schematic configuration shown in FIG. The robot 1 includes an upper body 2 and a pair of left and right legs 3R and 3L extending downward from the upper body 2. The upper body 2 is supported above the floor surface by legs 3R and 3L that come into contact with the floor.

  The legs 3R and 3L are thighs 51R and 51L whose upper ends are connected to the upper body 2 through hip joints 41R and 41L, and knees 42R and 42L at the lower ends of the thighs 51R and 51L. The crus 52R and 52L are connected to the upper ends, and the legs 53R and 53L are connected to the lower ends of the crus 52R and 52L via the ankle joints 43R and 43L.

  The hip joints 41R and 41L include yaw joints 41aR and 41aL, hip roll joints 41bR and 41bL, and hip pitch joints 41cR and 41cL, and have three degrees of freedom. The yaw joints 41aR and 41aL connect the crotch roll joints 41bR and 41bL to the upper body 2 so as to be rotatable in the yaw direction (the turning direction, the direction of rotation about the Z axis).

  The crotch roll joints 41bR and 41bL connect the crotch pitch joints 41cR and 41cL to the yaw joints 41aR and 41aL so as to be swingable in the roll direction (left and right direction, a direction rotating around the X axis). The crotch pitch joints 41cR and 41cL connect the thighs 51R and 51L to the crotch roll joints 41bR and 41bL so as to be swingable in the pitch direction (the front-rear direction and the direction of rotation about the Y axis).

  The knee joints 42R and 42L have one degree of freedom, and connect the crus 52R and 52L to the thighs 51R and 51L so as to be swingable in the pitch direction.

  The ankle joints 43R and 43L are composed of ankle pitch joints 43aR and 43aL and ankle roll joints 43bR and 43bL, and have two degrees of freedom. The ankle pitch joints 43aR and 43aL connect the ankle roll joints 43bR and 43bL to the crus 52R and 52L so as to be swingable in the pitch direction. The ankle roll joints 43bR and 43bL connect the foot portions 53R and 53L to the ankle pitch joints 43aR and 43aL so as to be swingable in the roll direction.

  In the description of the present embodiment, the symbols R and L mean that they correspond to the right leg and the left leg, respectively. The X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis mean three coordinate axes of the support leg coordinate system. In this support leg coordinate system, the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are two axis directions orthogonal to each other on the horizontal plane, the X-axis direction is the front-rear direction (roll axis direction) of the robot 1, and the Y-axis direction is the left-right direction of the robot This corresponds to the direction (pitch axis direction). The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction (gravity direction) and corresponds to the vertical direction (yaw axis direction) of the robot 1.

  Each joint 41R-43R, 41L-43L is rotationally driven by an actuator (electric motor). The robot 1 can move in a three-dimensional space such as a walking motion and a running motion by appropriately driving the joints 41R to 43R and 41L to 43L and causing the legs 3R and 3L to perform a desired motion. it can.

  A control unit 21 for controlling the operation of the robot 1 is stored in the upper body 2. In FIG. 1, for convenience, the control unit 21 is illustrated outside the upper body 2.

  6-axis force sensors 31R and 31L are interposed between the ankle joints 43R and 43L and the foot portions 53R and 53L in the legs 3R and 3L. The 6-axis force sensors 31R and 31L detect the force component in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions of the floor reaction force transmitted from the floor to the feet 53R and 53L and the moment component around the three axes. The detection signal is output to the control unit 21.

  The body 2 is equipped with an inclination sensor 22 for measuring the inclination angle (inclination angle in the roll direction and the pitch direction) of the body 2 with respect to the vertical direction (gravity direction) and the rate of change (angular velocity) thereof. ing. More specifically, the inclination sensor 22 includes an acceleration sensor and a rate sensor (angular velocity sensor) such as a gyro sensor, and outputs detection signals of these sensors to the control unit 21.

  The electric motors that rotate the joints 41R to 43R and 41L to 43L are provided with encoders (rotary encoders) for detecting the rotation angles of the joints, and the detection signals of the encoders are output to the control unit 21. Is done. The control unit 21 controls the electric motors that drive the joints 41R to 43R and 41L to 43L based on the input detection signals.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each thigh 51R, 51L is provided with a pair of left and right electric motors 61Ra, 61Rb, 61La, 61Lb for ankle joints 43R, 43L. A drive pulley 62a is provided on the output shafts of the electric motors 61Ra, 61Rb, 61La, 61Lb, and the driving force of the drive pulley 62a is driven pulley 62c provided coaxially with the knee joints 42R, 42L via the belt 62b. Is transmitted to.

  A crank arm 63 extending forward is connected to the driven pulley 62c. One end of a rod 64 is pivotally connected to the tip of the crank arm 63 via a ball joint 64a. The other end of the rod 64 is connected so as to be swingable in the pitch direction and the roll direction via a joint 64b having two degrees of freedom at a portion ahead of the portion where the ankle joints 43R and 43L of the foot portions 53R and 53L are connected. Has been.

  Thus, by driving the electric motors 61Ra, 61Rb, 61La, 61Lb, the rod 64 is moved up and down to swing the foot portions 53R, 53L with respect to the crus portions 52R, 52L with the ankle joints 43R, 43L as fulcrums. be able to.

  The lower end portion of the rod 64 is connected to the front side of the portion of the foot portions 53R, 53L connected to the ankle joints 43R, 43L, and the upper end portion of the rod 64 is connected to the tip of the crank arm 63 extending forward. Has been. For this reason, the rod 64 and the thighs 51R and 51L come into contact with the knee joints 42R and 42L when the crus 52R and 52L swing back in the pitch direction with respect to the thighs 51R and 51L. It is possible to prevent the movement range of the knee joints 42R and 42L from being limited.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a guide 71 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the front side of the crus 52R and 52L. An upper cover 81 is swingably provided on the guide 71 via a roller 81a and is movable up and down along the guide 71 (movable up and down).

  For the upper cover 81 extending forward, the ankle pitch joints 43aR and 43aL of the ankle joints 43R and 43L have a substantially cruciform swing member 43cR and 43cL that swings in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R and 52L. Arm 72 is provided. A fixing member 81b for the upper cover 81 is coupled to the tip of the arm 72 so as to be swingable in the pitch direction.

  The fixing member 81b is formed in a substantially Y shape, and is fixed to the inner side of the upper cover 81 with a screw 73 at an upper end portion 81c extending on both the upper left and right sides. The upper cover 81 of the embodiment is swingably connected to the arm 72 via a fixing member 81b. A curved portion 81d is formed at the lower end portion of the upper cover 81 so as to bend toward the front. A crus cover 52aR (52aL) is fixed to the crus 52R, 52L, and the crus cover 52aR (52aL) covers the front side of the rod 64.

  A substantially hemispherical lower cover 82 is connected to the foot portions 53R and 53L in front of the rod 64 so as to be swingable in the pitch direction. The lower cover 82 is urged outward in the pitch direction with respect to the legs 53R and 53L by a torsion spring 74 (urging means). The upper end of the lower cover 82 is in contact with the inner surface of the curved portion 81d of the upper cover 81 and is slidable on the inner surface of the curved portion 81d.

  Thereby, the front side of the rod 64 and the ankle joints 43R, 43L is covered by the lower leg cover 52aR (52aL), the lower cover 82, and the upper cover 81 arranged between the lower leg cover 52aR (52aL) and the lower cover 82. Is called.

  A hemispherical first cover 91 is formed on the foot portions 53R and 53L at a portion on the opposite side (rear side) to the side (front side) to which the rod 64 is connected. A hemispherical second cover 92 disposed inside the first cover 91 is provided at the lower ends of the lower leg portions 52R and 52L so as to be swingable in the roll direction. Further, a hemispherical intermediate cover 93 is provided on the first cover 91 so as to be swingable in the pitch direction so as to be positioned between the first cover 91 and the second cover 92.

  A locking portion 93 a that protrudes inward is provided at the upper end of the intermediate cover 93. The locking portion 93a can be locked to a protruding portion 92a provided at the lower end portion of the second cover 92 and protruding outward.

  Thereby, the rear side of the ankle joints 43 </ b> R and 43 </ b> L is covered with the first cover 91, the second cover 92, and the intermediate cover 93 disposed between the first cover 91 and the second cover 92.

  The legged mobile robot 1 according to the embodiment drives the electric motors 61Ra, 61Rb (61La, 61Lb) and pulls the pair of rods 64 upward, thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, a foot 53R (53L). Can be swung forward in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R (52L).

  At this time, the upper cover 81 is pressed upward by the arm 72 swinging forward in the pitch direction together with the foot portion 53R (53L) via the fixing member 81b, and moves upward along the guide 71, and its upper end The portion is accommodated in the crus cover 52aR (52aL) of the crus 52R (52L).

  The lower cover 82 is pushed upward as the foot portion 53R (53L) swings, and moves upward while sliding upward on the inner surface of the curved portion 81d of the upper cover 81. At this time, the lower cover 82 is biased forward in the pitch direction by the torsion spring 74 (biasing means), and the upper end portion thereof is maintained in contact with the inner surface of the curved portion 81 d of the upper cover 81.

  Therefore, the angle of the lower cover 82 with respect to the crus 52R (52L) hardly changes regardless of the swing of the foot 53R (53L) in the pitch direction.

  At this time, the intermediate cover 93 swings downward together with the first cover 91 due to its own weight, but when the locking portion 93a is locked to the protrusion 92a, the downward swing of the intermediate cover 93 is prevented, and the first cover 91 Cover the gap between the cover 91 and the second cover 92. In the case where the intermediate cover 93 cannot swing properly due to its own weight, a biasing means such as a torsion spring that biases the intermediate cover 93 downward is used, or the lower end of the intermediate cover 93 is What is necessary is just to provide the latching | locking part latched with the upper end part of 1 cover 91. FIG.

  On the other hand, when the pair of rods 64 are pressed downward, as shown in FIG. 6, the foot 53R (53L) can be swung back in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R (52L). At this time, the upper cover 81 is pulled by the arm 72 that swings backward in the pitch direction together with the foot portion 53R (53L), and moves downward along the guide 71. The lower cover 82 is pulled by the foot 53R (53L) and moves downward. Also in this case, the angle in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R (52L) of the lower cover 82 hardly changes.

  At this time, the lower end of the intermediate cover 93 comes into contact with the foot portion 53R (53L) and is pushed up to slide on the outer surface of the second cover 92 as the foot portion 53R (53L) swings.

  Further, when one of the pair of rods 64 is pulled upward and the other is pressed downward, the foot portions 53R and 53L can be swung in the roll direction. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, this will be described in detail by taking the right leg 3R as an example. The inner (left) electric motor 61Ra is driven to press the inner rod 64 downward, and the outer (right) When the electric motor 61Rb is driven and the outer rod 64 is pulled upward, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), the foot portion 53R rotates outward in the roll direction from the state of FIG. 7 (b).

  Conversely, when the inner rod 64 is pulled upward and the outer rod 64 is pressed downward, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the foot 53R is moved inward in the roll direction from the state of FIG. 7 (b). Roll.

  In the embodiment, the electric motors 61Ra, 61Rb, 61La, 61Lb, the drive pulley 62a, the belt 62b, the driven pulley 62c, the crank arm 63 and the rod 64 constitute the swing mechanism of the present invention.

  According to the present embodiment, although the upper cover 81 and the lower cover 82 move in the vertical direction, the angle in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R and 52L regardless of the swinging of the feet 53R and 53L in the pitch direction. Can be maintained with almost no change.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the foot portions 53R and 53L can be swung in a wide movable range of about 60 degrees on the front side in the pitch direction and about 15 degrees on the rear side in the pitch direction in total 75 degrees. In the legged mobile robot 1, the movable range of the ankle joint can be prevented from being limited by the interference between the upper cover 81 and the lower cover 82 and the rod 64. The front of the pair of rods 64 and the ankle joints 43R and 43L can be appropriately covered with one cover.

  In addition, when the ankle joints 43R and 43L are viewed from the front side, only two of the upper cover 81 and the lower cover 82 are visible, so the appearance can be refreshed, the design is improved, and the affinity is increased. be able to.

  Further, since the lower cover 82 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape, as shown in FIG. 7, even when the foot portions 53R and 53L swing in the roll direction, the two covers 81 and 82 The front of the rod 64 and the ankle joints 43R and 43L can be appropriately covered.

  Further, on the rear side where the rod 64 is not disposed, the three covers of the first cover 91, the second cover 92, and the intermediate cover 93 slide in a bellows shape so that the rear of the ankle joints 43R, 43L Can be properly obscured.

  In the present embodiment, the rod 64 is connected to the front of the foot portions 53R and 53L. However, the present invention can be applied to the case where the rod 64 is connected to the rear of the foot portions 53R and 53L. it can. In this case, the upper cover 81 and the lower cover 82 may be disposed on the rear side of the ankle joints 43R and 43L, and the first cover 91, the second cover 92, and the intermediate cover 93 may be disposed on the front side of the ankle joints 43R and 43L. .

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the rod 65 is connected to the rear of the foot portions 53R and 53L.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a guide 75 extending in a generally vertical direction is provided on the rear side of the crus 52R and 52L. An upper cover 85 is provided on the guide 75 via a roller 85a so as to be swingable and movable along the guide 75 in a substantially vertical direction (movable up and down).

  The ankle pitch joints 43aR and 43aL of the ankle joints 43R and 43L extend upward at the rear ends of the substantially cross-shaped swinging members 43cR and 43cL that swing in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R and 52L. A lower end of a substantially L-shaped arm 76 for the upper cover 85 is connected to be swingable in the pitch direction. And the connection part 85b formed in the back side of the substantially intermediate part of the up-down direction of the upper cover 85 is connected with the front-end | tip of the arm 76 so that rocking | fluctuation is possible in the roll direction. As described above, the upper cover 85 is connected to the swing members 43cR and 43cL via the arm 76 so as to be swingable in the pitch direction and the roll direction.

  A lower cover 86 having a substantially hemispherical shape is formed on the legs 53R and 53L so as to be positioned behind the rod 65. A crus cover 52aR (52aL) is fixed to the crus 52R and 52L, and the crus cover 52aR (52aL) covers the rear side of the rod 65.

  Thereby, the rear side of the rod 65 and the ankle joints 43R and 43L is covered by the lower leg cover 52aR (52aL), the lower cover 86, and the upper cover 85 disposed between the lower leg cover 52aR (52aL) and the lower cover 86. Is called.

  A hemispherical first cover 95 is formed on each of the legs 53R and 53L on the opposite side (front side) to the side (rear side) to which the rod 65 is connected. A hemispherical second cover 96 disposed inside the first cover 95 is provided at the lower ends of the lower leg portions 52R and 52L so as to be swingable in the roll direction. Further, a hemispherical intermediate cover 97 is provided on the first cover 95 so as to be swingable in the pitch direction so as to be positioned between the first cover 95 and the second cover 96.

  A locking portion 97 a that protrudes inward is provided at the upper end portion of the intermediate cover 97. The locking portion 97 a can be locked to a projecting portion 96 a provided at the lower end portion of the second cover 96 and projecting outward.

  Thereby, the front side of the ankle joints 43R and 43L is covered by the first cover 95, the second cover 96, and the intermediate cover 97 disposed between the first cover 95 and the second cover 96.

  The legged mobile robot 1 according to the embodiment drives the electric motors 61Ra, 61Rb (61La, 61Lb) and presses the pair of rods 65 downward, thereby, as shown in FIG. 9, the foot 53R (53L). Can be swung forward in the pitch direction with respect to the crus 52R (52L).

  At this time, the lower cover 86 swings downward as the foot portion 53R (53L) swings, and a gap is generated between the lower cover 86 and the crus cover 52aR (52aL). However, the upper cover 85 is pressed downward by the swinging members 43cR and 43cL swinging downward in the pitch direction together with the foot portions 53R (53L) via the arm 76, and moves downward along the guide 75. Thereby, the upper cover 85 covers the gap generated between the lower cover 86 and the lower leg cover 52aR (52aL).

  At this time, the lower end of the intermediate cover 97 comes into contact with the foot portion 53R (53L) and is pushed up to slide on the outer surface of the second cover 96 as the foot portion 53R (53L) swings.

  Conversely, when the pair of rods 65 are pulled upward, the foot portion 53R (53L) can be swung back in the pitch direction with respect to the crus portion 52R (52L), as shown in FIG.

  At this time, the lower cover 86 swings upward as the foot portion 53R (53L) swings, and no gap is generated between the lower cover 86a and the lower leg cover 52aR (52aL). The upper cover 85 is pressed upward via an arm 76 that swings upward in the pitch direction together with the foot portion 53R (53L), and moves upward along the guide 75. Thereby, the upper cover 85 is accommodated between the lower cover 86 and the crus cover 52aR (52aL).

  At this time, the intermediate cover 97 swings downward together with the first cover 95 due to its own weight, but when the locking portion 97a is locked to the protrusion 96a, the downward swing of the intermediate cover 97 is prevented, Cover the gap between the first cover 95 and the second cover 96.

  According to the present embodiment, although the upper cover 85 moves in the vertical direction, the angle in the pitch direction with respect to the lower leg portions 52R and 52L is almost changed regardless of the swinging of the foot portions 53R and 53L in the pitch direction. Can be maintained.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the legged mobile robot 1 that can swing the foot portions 53R and 53L in a wide movable range, the upper cover 85, the lower cover 86, and the rod 65 interfere with each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the range of movement of the ankle joint from being restricted, and the two covers of the upper cover 85 and the lower cover 86 can appropriately cover the rear of the pair of rods 65 and the ankle joints 43R and 43L. it can.

  Further, when the ankle joints 43R and 43L are viewed from the rear side, only two of the upper cover 85 and the lower cover 86 can be seen, so the appearance can be refreshed, the design is improved, and the affinity is increased. be able to.

  Further, since the lower cover 86 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape, even when the foot portions 53R and 53L swing in the roll direction, the pair of rods 65 and the ankle joints 43R and 43L are formed by the two covers 85 and 86. It is possible to properly cover the back of the.

  In addition, on the front side where the rod 65 is not disposed, the three covers of the first cover 95, the second cover 96, and the intermediate cover 97 slide in a bellows shape so that the rear of the ankle joints 43R and 43L can be seen. Can be properly obscured.

  In the present embodiment, the rod 65 is connected to the rear of the foot portions 53R and 53L. However, the present invention can be applied to the case where the rod 65 is connected to the front of the foot portions 53R and 53L. it can. In this case, the upper cover 85 and the lower cover 86 may be disposed on the rear side of the ankle joints 43R and 43L, and the first cover 95, the second cover 96, and the intermediate cover 97 may be disposed on the rear side of the ankle joints 43R and 43L. .

  Further, the configuration of the joints and the arrangement of the joints are not limited to the embodiments. For example, the ankle joint 43R (43L) may be one that does not swing the foot portions 53R and 53L in the roll direction.

  Further, according to the present invention, the second member is connected to the lower end of the first member through the joint, and the first member is connected to the first member through the joint by advancing and retracting the rod having the lower end connected to the second member and extending toward the first member. And a swing mechanism that swings the second member with respect to the second member, the first member cover fixed to the first member and covering the first member, and the first member cover positioned outside the rod. A lower cover connected to the two members, a swinging member that swings together with the second member, is swingably connected via an arm, and is provided along a vertically extending guide provided on the first member. What is necessary is just to provide the upper cover which can move between one member and the said lower cover.

  Note that the swinging structure of the present invention is not limited to that applied to the ankle joint of the legged mobile robot as described above, but is also applicable to a joint of a robot such as a wrist joint, and further to a joint provided in other than the robot. be able to.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Leg type mobile robot (oscillation structure), 2 ... Upper body, 21 ... Control unit, 22 ... Inclination sensor, 3R, 3L ... Leg, 31R, 31L ... 6-axis force sensor, 41R, 41L ... Hip joint, 42R , 42L ... knee joint, 43R, 43L ... ankle joint (joint), 43aR, 43aL ... ankle pitch joint, 43bR, 43bL ... ankle roll joint, 43cR, 43cL ... swing member, 51R, 51L ... thigh, 52R, 52L ... Lower leg (first member), 52aR, 52aL ... Lower leg cover (first member cover), 53R, 53L ... Foot (second member), 61Ra, 61Rb, 61La, 61Lb ... Electric motor, 62a ... Drive Pulley, 62b ... belt, 62c ... driven pulley, 63 ... crank arm, 64, 65 ... rod, 64a, 65a ... ball joint, 64b, 65b ... join 71, 75 ... guide, 72,76 ... arm, 73 ... screw, 74 ... torsion spring (biasing means), 81,85 ... upper cover, 81a, 85a ... roller, 81b ... fixing member, 81c ... upper end, 81d ... curved portion, 82, 86 ... lower cover, 91, 95 ... first cover, 92, 96 ... second cover, 92a, 96a ... projection, 93, 97 ... intermediate cover, 93a, 97a ... locking portion.

Claims (6)

A lower leg connected to the lower end of the thigh via a knee joint, a foot connected to the lower end of the lower leg via an ankle joint, and a lower end connected to the foot, the lower leg A legged mobile robot comprising a leg having a swinging mechanism that swings the foot part relative to the crus part via an ankle joint by moving a rod extending sideways forward and backward;
A crus cover fixed to the crus and covering the crus;
A lower cover located on the outside of the rod and connected to the foot;
An oscillating member that oscillates together with the foot part is oscillatingly connected via an arm, and is provided between the crus cover and the lower cover along a guide provided in the crus part that extends in the vertical direction. A legged mobile robot comprising a movable upper cover.   The lower cover is swingably connected to the foot, and is biased outward by biasing means, the arm is fixed to the swing member, and the upper cover is swingable to the arm. The legged mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the upper end portion of the lower cover is configured to be slidable along the inner surface of the lower end portion of the upper cover.   The legged mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the lower cover is fixed to the foot, the arm is swingably connected to the swing member, and the upper cover is connected to the arm. .   4. The legged mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the rod is connected on a front side in a pitch direction with respect to a portion of the foot connected to the ankle joint. 5. A hemispherical first cover fixed to a portion of the foot opposite to the side to which the rod is connected;
A hemispherical second cover that is disposed outside or inside the first cover, and is provided at the lower end of the crus so as to be swingable in the roll direction;
A hemispherical intermediate cover disposed between the first cover and the second cover and provided on the first cover so as to be swingable in the pitch direction;
The legged mobile robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a locking portion that is locked to a lower end portion of the second cover is provided at an upper end portion of the intermediate cover. A second member is connected to the lower end of the first member via a joint, and the first member is moved to the first member via the joint by advancing and retracting a rod whose lower end is connected to the second member and extends toward the first member. A swinging structure having a swinging mechanism swinging with respect to two members,
A first member cover fixed to the first member and covering the first member;
A lower cover positioned on the outside of the rod and connected to the second member;
The first member and the lower cover are connected to a swinging member that swings together with the second member via an arm, and is swingably connected to the first member and extends in a vertical direction. A swing structure comprising an upper cover movable between the two.

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