JP2021160407A - Propulsion device and exploration robot equipped with propulsion device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a propulsion device which has simple configuration and a small size, can advance, and also can retract and turn left and right.SOLUTION: A propulsion device 10 comprises: an inner shall 20 as a base; a plurality of fimbriae 21 which are provided on the inner shell 20, have elasticity, and ground the inner shell 20; a vibrator 22 which is provided on the inner shell 20 and vibrates the fimbriae 21; an outer shell 30 which is movably provided along the inner shell 20, and is provided with a control open hole 34 in which each of the plurality of fimbriae 21 is inserted and which can control an extension direction of each fimbria 21 by contacting the same; and a movement mechanism 40 which moves the outer shell 30 with respect to the inner shell 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a propulsion device, particularly a propulsion device that propels in a desired direction by utilizing a vibration action.

Propulsion robots (propulsion devices) may be used to explore narrow spaces such as pipes and rough terrain. Conventional propulsion robots include earthworm-type robots that move forward in a motion similar to that of so-called earthworms, and link-type robots with wheels that move forward by providing wheels at the refracted portion of a so-called lightning-refracted link.

However, the earthworm type robot holds a part in the pipe by expanding the diameter expansion mechanism and contacting the inside of the pipe, and moves another part by expanding and contracting the expansion and contraction mechanism with respect to the held part. The mechanism is complicated and the cost of the device is high, for example, it is necessary to repeat the operation of expanding the diameter of the diameter-expanding mechanism of the portion and holding the other portion in the pipe. Further, in the link type robot with wheels, the link itself is lightning-shaped and has a large width, and the wheels protruding from the link make the link large, so that it is difficult to enter a narrow pipe. As a countermeasure against these, a propulsion device disclosed in Patent Document 1 which is miniaturized by a simple mechanism is known.

The propulsion device of Patent Document 1 includes a housing, an eccentric motor that is provided at a position closer to the traveling direction of the housing and generates vibration, and a plurality of cilia that ground the housing and have elasticity. The vibration generated by the rotation of the eccentric motor is propagated to the elastic cilia to generate minute deflections in the cilia, and the reaction force received from the floor surface when the cilia return to their original state is used to obtain propulsive force. It is a thing.

By the way, in order to explore the inside of pipes in detail, it is necessary to avoid obstacles and proceed in the direction you want to investigate at the crossroads, so it may be necessary not only to move forward but also to move backward or change direction to the left or right. be. However, it is difficult to carry out a detailed investigation because the propulsion device of Patent Document 1 can only stop or move forward and cannot freely advance in the desired direction.

JP-A-2018-176835

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a propulsion device having a simple structure, a small size, and capable of moving backward and turning left and right in addition to forward movement.

[1] The base inner shell and
A plurality of cilia provided on the inner shell and having elasticity to ground the inner shell,
A vibrating body that vibrates the cilia and
An outer shell movably provided along the inner shell and formed with a control through hole capable of controlling the extending direction of the cilia by inserting and abutting each of the plurality of the cilia.
It is characterized by comprising a moving mechanism for moving the outer shell with respect to the inner shell.

According to this configuration, the propulsion device includes an inner shell, a plurality of cilia, a vibrating body, an outer shell, and a moving mechanism. Such a complicated configuration is not required and a simple configuration can be made, and further, unlike a conventional link-type robot with wheels, it is not necessary to provide wheels in a lightning-shaped shape, and miniaturization can be achieved. Further, the outer shell is provided with a control through hole that is movably provided along the inner shell and can control the extending direction of the cilia by inserting and contacting each of a plurality of cilia. The outer shell is moved relative to the inner shell. When the outer shell is moved by the moving mechanism, the cilia come into contact with the edge of the control through hole and are pushed, the extending direction changes with the base end portion of the cilia as a fulcrum, and the cilia can be tilted in a desired direction. Therefore, by vibrating the vibrating body, the elasticity of the cilia can be utilized to advance the propulsion device in the direction opposite to the inclined direction of the cilia. Since the movement mechanism can move the outer shell in any direction along the inner shell, it is possible to freely control the extension direction (inclination direction) of the cilia, and in addition to advancing, it is also possible to move backward and change direction to the left and right. It becomes.

[2] Preferably, the moving mechanism includes a rack provided on a surface of the outer shell facing the inner shell and having teeth that can be meshed in a predetermined first direction of the facing surface, and the first rack of the rack. It includes a first gear that can mesh in one direction.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to provide a propulsion device having a simple configuration capable of moving forward and backward in one direction, for example, moving only in the front-rear direction.

[3] Preferably, the moving mechanism includes a first motor provided in the inner shell and rotating the first gear.

According to such a configuration, since the first gear is rotated by the first motor, for example, a commercially available motor can be used to reduce the component cost.

[4] Preferably, the moving mechanism is provided on the surface of the outer shell facing the inner shell and can mesh with a predetermined first direction of the opposing surface and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. It includes a toothed omni gear, a first gear that can mesh with the first direction of the omni gear, and a second gear that can mesh with the second direction of the omni gear.

According to such a configuration, the moving mechanism includes an omni gear provided on the surface of the outer shell and having teeth that can be meshed in a predetermined first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Since the omni gear is provided, the outer shell can be moved to a free position in the front-rear and left-right directions via the first gear and the second gear. Therefore, with a simple configuration, the moving mechanism can move the outer shell in any direction along the inner shell, freely control the extending direction (inclination direction) of the cilia, and move the propulsion device forward. , Retreat and turn left and right.

[5] Preferably, the moving mechanism includes a first motor provided in the inner shell to rotate the first gear, and a second motor provided in the inner shell to rotate the second gear. There is.

According to such a configuration, the first gear and the second gear can be simply rotated by the first motor and the second motor, respectively.

[6] Preferably, the moving mechanism is provided with the first motor and the second motor on the surface of the inner shell opposite to the surface on which the cilia are provided.
A through hole for a gear through which a part of the first gear and a part of the second gear pass is formed in the inner shell.

According to such a configuration, the inner shell and the outer shell are arranged close to each other, and the first gear and the second gear are passed through the through holes for gears formed in the inner shell. It can be made smaller.

[7] Preferably, the vibrating body is an eccentric motor in which a weight separated from the central axis in the radial direction moves in a circular motion about the central axis.

According to such a configuration, since the vibrating body is an eccentric motor, it is possible to reduce the component cost with a simpler configuration.

[8] Preferably, the vibrating body is a piezoelectric element in which the cilia vibrate when a voltage is applied.

According to this configuration, since the vibrating body is the cilia themselves composed of the voltage element, the eccentric motor for vibration becomes unnecessary, and the device can be further miniaturized.

[9] Preferably, the inner shell, the outer shell and the cilia are formed of biodegradable plastic.

According to this configuration, the inner shell, outer shell and cilia, which are the main parts of the device, are made of biodegradable plastic, so when exploring the inside of the pipe with the propulsion device, the propulsion device may be used for some reason. Even if it cannot be taken out, the device is disassembled over time, so that it does not get in the way as dust in the pipe and the environment inside the pipe can be prevented from deteriorating.

[10] Preferably, an exploration robot provided with the propulsion device.

According to such a configuration, since the propulsion device is applied to the exploration robot, it is suitable for movement in the pipe, and the exploration in the pipe can be performed satisfactorily.

It is possible to provide a propulsion device having a simple structure, a small size, and capable of moving backward and turning left and right in addition to forward movement.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the propulsion apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic principle of the propulsion apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the omni-gear and the example of the cilia which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view from the upper side which shows the basic structure of the propulsion apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view from the lower side which shows the basic structure of the propulsion apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is an operation diagram when moving in the left-right direction of the propulsion device which concerns on the basic structure of this invention. It is an operation diagram when advancing in the front-rear direction of the propulsion device which concerns on the basic structure of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the main part of the propulsion apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cilia which concerns on this invention. It is an operation diagram when moving in the left-right direction of the propulsion device which concerns on this invention. It is an operation diagram when advancing in the front-rear direction of the propulsion device which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the omni-gear which concerns on another aspect.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings shall also include drawings that conceptually (schematically) show the schematic configuration of the propulsion device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the propulsion device 10 supplies power to the housing 11, a plurality of cilia 21 provided so as to extend outward from the inside of the housing 11, and a control signal while supplying power to the propulsion device 10. It includes a cable 12 for sending. A plurality of propulsion devices 10 are connected via a cable 12. The cilia 21 have elasticity, extend radially from the entire circumference of the housing 11 about the front-rear direction of the propulsion device 10, and are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction. A commercially available dry battery 19 (AA battery) is arranged as a comparison target for the size of the propulsion device 10.

Next, the basic principle for propelling the propulsion device 10 in the forward direction will be described.

FIG. 2 is a model conceptually showing the propulsion device 10. The propulsion device 10 includes a housing 11, an eccentric motor 13 as a driving member provided inside the housing 11, and a plurality of cilia 21 as a grounding member provided on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 11. ..

The eccentric motor 13 may be, for example, a commercially available small motor used in a toy plastic model. The electric power for driving the eccentric motor 13 may be supplied from a battery (not shown) provided inside the housing 11, in which case the power supply cable 12 (see FIG. 1) becomes unnecessary.

The plurality of cilia 21 have elasticity that changes the distance between the housing 11 and the contact surface 50, and extend in a direction opposite to the traveling direction. The housing 11 is grounded to the contact surface 50 by these plurality of cilia 21. The cilia 21 as the ground contact member may have elasticity to generate a predetermined propulsive force when subjected to the eccentric action by the eccentric motor 13, and is inclined in the direction opposite to the traveling direction as shown in FIG. The cilia 21 are not limited to those with a slightly curved tip, but cilia 21 extending linearly, cilia having a rectangular cross section, and cilia whose thickness and cross-sectional shape change in the length direction. May be good. Further, the material of the cilia 21 can be rubber or synthetic resin whose viscoelasticity is adjusted so as to exert an appropriate propulsive force corresponding to the rotation speed of the eccentric motor 13.

A weight 15 is provided on the central shaft 14 of the eccentric motor 13 at a position separated from the central shaft 14 by a predetermined distance in the radial direction. The weight 15 is rotated around the central axis 14 by the eccentric motor 13, so that the position of the center of gravity of the entire housing 11 moves and the housing 11 vibrates. Through the vibration of the housing 11 due to the high-frequency vibration at the position of the center of gravity, a motion component is generated in the housing 11 at least in the vertical direction.

Due to the movement component in the vertical direction, the plurality of elastic cilia 21 sink as shown by the arrow (1) from the state at the start position (the position of the imaginary line on the left side of the figure), that is, the state having substantially no bending. It changes to a state of being indented and tilted forward (the position of the imaginary line in the center of the figure), that is, a state of having a bend. Therefore, the plurality of cilia 21 receive a predetermined reaction from the contact surface 50 as shown by the arrow (2). As a result, a predetermined force, that is, a propulsive force due to an elastic force acts on the cilia 21, and the cilia move slightly forward as shown by the arrow (3) to return to the original posture (the position of the solid line on the right side of the figure). Become. In the state of the imaginary line in the center of FIG. 2, the inclination of the housing 11 and the cilia 21 is drawn slightly excessively for the sake of easy explanation, but in reality, the inclination angle depends on the elasticity of the cilia 21. Is usually small.

By repeating the above-mentioned operation by the vibration from the eccentric motor 13 in this way, the propulsion device 10 advances in the forward direction, which is the direction opposite to the direction in which the cilia 21 are inclined.

Next, the omni-gear 31 and the cilia 21 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the omni-gear 31 is formed on, for example, a surface 32 serving as the tooth base of the panel-shaped outer shell 30 in a predetermined first direction X along the surface 32 and in the first direction X. It is a so-called omnidirectional drive gear provided with a plurality of teeth 33 that can be meshed with each other in the orthogonal second direction Y.

The first gear 41 that meshes with the first direction X of the omni gear 31 and the second gear 42 that meshes with the second direction Y enable the omni gear 31 to output in two directions on one surface, and function as a small and lightweight actuator. Can have.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the cilia 21 are provided on, for example, a tubular inner shell 20, and are outward from the central axis of the tubular inner shell 20 so as to touch the inner shell 20. A plurality of them extend radially toward the shell 20 and are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction of the inner shell 20. The cilia 21 are made of an elastic material such as rubber or synthetic resin, and the inner shell 20 can be inclined in the direction opposite to the desired direction and vibrated to advance by utilizing the reaction force. can.

By making the cilia 21 in such a mode, it can be propelled by a simple mechanism, can be small and lightweight, and can have high waterproofness and dustproofness.

Next, the basic configuration of the propulsion mechanism 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5A, the propulsion mechanism 10 according to the basic configuration includes a housing 11, a base inner shell 20 movably provided in the housing 11, and the inner shell 20 thereof. It includes a plurality of cilia 21 provided on the inner shell 20 and having elasticity and grounding the inner shell 20, and a vibrating body 22 provided on the inner shell 20 and vibrating the cilia 21.

Further, the propulsion mechanism 10 is provided in the outer shell 30 integrally provided in the housing 11 and relatively movable along the inner shell 20, and the outer shell 20 provided in the inner shell 20 with respect to the inner shell 20. A moving mechanism 40 for moving 30 is provided. A control through hole 34 capable of controlling the extending direction of the cilia 21 is formed in the outer shell 30 by inserting and abutting the plurality of cilia 21 respectively. In a state where the cilia 21 extend in the vertical direction with respect to the surface 23 of the inner shell 20 provided with the cilia 21, the outer shell 30 is in the reference position, and the center of the control through hole 34 is the base end portion of the cilia 21. It is located on the central axis extending vertically from the (root) center.

The moving mechanism 40 is provided on the surface 32 of the outer shell 30 facing the inner shell 20 (see FIG. 6) and meshes with the predetermined first direction X and the second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X of the opposing surfaces 32. An omni gear 31 having possible teeth 33, a first motor 43 provided on the inner shell 20, and a first gear 41 rotatably provided on the first motor 43 and meshing with the first direction X of the omni gear 31. A second motor 44 provided on the shell 20 and a second gear 42 rotatably provided on the second motor 44 and meshing with the second direction Y of the omni gear 31 are provided.

The moving mechanism 40 is provided with a first motor 43 and a second motor 44 on a surface 24 opposite to the surface 23 on which the cilia 21 of the inner shell 20 is provided. The inner shell 20 is formed with a through hole 25 for a gear through which a part of the first gear 41 and a part of the second gear 42 pass.

The vibrating body 22 is an eccentric motor in which a weight 27, which is radially separated from the central shaft 26, moves in a circular motion around the central shaft 26.

The housing 11, inner shell 20, cilia 21, outer shell 30, moving mechanism 40, and the like are made of biodegradable plastic. In the examples, the materials such as the housing 11, the inner shell 20, the cilia 21, the outer shell 30, and the moving mechanism 40 are made of biodegradable plastic, but the material is not limited to this, and is made of a non-biodegradable constituent resin. The material does not matter, such as metal or wood. Further, other than the electric parts of the propulsion device 10 may be made of biodegradable plastic, and further, only some parts may be made of biodegradable plastic.

Next, the operation of the propulsion device 10 according to the basic configuration described above will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the propulsion device 10 is viewed in the front-rear direction. The outer shell 30 is in a reference position with respect to the inner shell 20, and the cilia 21 extend in the direction perpendicular to the propulsion device 10 (the surface 23 of the inner shell 20).

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the first motor 43 of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the first gear 41 as shown by the arrow (4), the inner shell 20 moves (to the inner shell 20). On the other hand, the outer shell 30 moves), and the cilia 21 incline to the right in the figure as shown by the arrow (5). Here, when the vibrating body 22 (see FIG. 4) is vibrated, the propulsion device 10 moves to the left in the figure as shown by the arrow (6).

As shown in FIG. 6 (c), when the first motor 43 of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the first gear 41 as shown by the arrow (7), the inner shell 20 moves (to the inner shell 20). On the other hand, the outer shell 30 moves), and the cilia 21 incline to the left in the figure as shown by the arrow (8). Here, when the vibrating body 22 (see FIG. 4) is vibrated, the propulsion device 10 moves to the right in the figure as shown by the arrow (9).

FIG. 7A shows a state in which the propulsion device 10 is viewed from the side. The outer shell 30 is in a reference position with respect to the inner shell 20, and the cilia 21 extend in the direction perpendicular to the propulsion device 10 (the surface 23 of the inner shell 20).

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the second motor 44 of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the second gear 42 as shown by the arrow (10), the inner shell 20 moves (to the inner shell 20). On the other hand, the outer shell 30 moves), and the cilia 21 incline in the rear direction (to the right in the figure) as shown by the arrow (11). When the vibrating body 22 is vibrated here, the propulsion device 10 moves in the forward direction (leftward in the figure) as shown by the arrow (12).

As shown in FIG. 7 (c), when the second motor 44 of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the second gear 42 as shown by the arrow (13), the inner shell 20 moves (to the inner shell 20). On the other hand, the outer shell 30 moves), and the cilia 21 incline in the forward direction (leftward in the figure) as shown by the arrow (14). When the vibrating body 22 is vibrated here, the propulsion device 10 moves in the rear direction (right direction in the figure) as shown by the arrow (15).

Next, a main part of the propulsion mechanism 10 as an exploration robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 10A, the propulsion mechanism 10 is applied to the exploration robot. A cylindrical inner shell 20 as a base, a plurality of cilia 21 provided on the inner shell 20 and having elasticity and grounding the inner shell 20, and a vibrating body 22 provided on the inner shell 20 to vibrate the cilia 21. , Is equipped. A plurality of cilia 21 extend radially outward from the central axis of the cylindrical inner shell 20, and are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction of the inner shell 20.

Further, on the outer radial side of the inner shell 20, a cylindrical outer shell 30 is provided so as to be relatively movable along the inner shell 20. The inner shell 20 is provided with a moving mechanism 40 for moving the outer shell 30 with respect to the inner shell 20. A control through hole 34 capable of controlling the extending direction of the cilia 21 is formed in the outer shell 30 by inserting and abutting the plurality of cilia 21 respectively. In a state where the cilia 21 extend in the vertical direction with respect to the surface 23 of the inner shell 20 provided with the cilia 21, the outer shell 30 is in the reference position, and the center of the control through hole 34 is the base end portion of the cilia 21. It is located on the central axis extending vertically from the (root) center.

The moving mechanism 40 has teeth provided on the surface 32 of the outer shell 30 facing the inner shell 20 and capable of meshing with a predetermined first direction X of the opposing surface 32 and a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X. The omni gear 31 and the first motor 43 provided on the inner shell 20, the first gear 41 rotatably provided on the first motor 43 and meshing with the first direction X of the omni gear 31, and the inner shell 20 are provided. A second motor 44 and a second gear 42 rotatably provided on the second motor 44 and meshing with the second direction Y of the omni gear 31 are provided. The omni gear 31 is formed along the inner surface of the cylindrical outer shell 30.

The moving mechanism 40 is provided with a first motor 43 and a second motor 44 on a surface 24 opposite to the surface 23 on which the cilia 21 of the inner shell 20 is provided. The inner shell 20 is formed with a through hole 25 for a gear through which a part of the first gear 41 and a part of the second gear 42 pass. The first gear 41 and the second gear 42 pass through the gear through hole 25 and mesh with an omni gear (not shown) provided in the outer shell 30 shown by an imaginary line.

Next, the characteristics of the cilia 21 will be described. In FIG. 9, for convenience, the inner shell 20 is shown as a substantially cylindrical shape, and the cilia 21 which are inclined in a predetermined direction in advance will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, the cilia length of the cilia 21 is L, the cilia diameter is D, and the cilia angle with respect to the axis in the anteroposterior direction is θ. When the cilia length L is large, the cilia 21 tend to change their traveling direction, and on the other hand, it becomes difficult to support their own weight. Further, when the cilia diameter D is large, the thrust of the cilia 21 increases, but on the other hand, the traveling direction becomes difficult to change. In the embodiment, the cilia angle θ is 90 degrees at the reference position, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be set to 80 degrees, 100 degrees, or the like.

Next, the operation of the propulsion device 10 as the exploration robot according to the above-described embodiment will be described.

FIG. 10A shows a state in which the propulsion device 10 as an exploration robot is viewed in the front-rear direction. The outer shell 30 is in a reference position with respect to the cylindrical inner shell 20, and the cilia 21 extend in the direction perpendicular to the propulsion device 10 (the surface 23 of the inner shell 20) and are radial as a whole.

As shown in FIG. 10B, when the first motor 43 of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the first gear 41 as shown by the arrow (16), the inner shell 20 moves (to the inner shell 20). On the other hand, the outer shell 30 moves), and the cilia 21 incline in the counterclockwise direction in the figure as shown by the arrow (17). When the vibrating body 22 is vibrated here, the propulsion device 10 moves to the left in the figure as shown by the arrow (18).

As shown in FIG. 10 (c), when the first motor 43 of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the first gear 41 as shown by the arrow (19), the inner shell 20 moves (to the inner shell 20). On the other hand, the outer shell 30 moves), and the cilia 21 incline in the clockwise direction in the figure as shown by the arrow (20). When the vibrating body 22 is vibrated here, the propulsion device 10 moves to the right in the figure as shown by the arrow (21).

FIG. 11A shows a state in which the propulsion device 10 as an exploration robot is viewed from the side. The outer shell 30 is in a reference position with respect to the inner shell 20, and the cilia 21 extend in the direction perpendicular to the propulsion device 10 (the surface 23 of the inner shell 20).

As shown in FIG. 11B, when the second motor 44 (see FIG. 10) of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the second gear 42, the inner shell 20 moves as shown by the arrow (22). (The outer shell 30 moves with respect to the inner shell 20), and the cilia 21 tilt backward (to the right in the figure) as shown by the arrow (23). When the vibrating body 22 is vibrated here, the propulsion device 10 moves in the forward direction (leftward in the figure) as shown by the arrow (24).

As shown in FIG. 11 (c), when the second motor 44 (see FIG. 10) of the moving mechanism 40 is driven to rotate the second gear 42, the inner shell 20 moves as shown by the arrow (25). (The outer shell 30 moves with respect to the inner shell 20), and the cilia 21 are inclined forward (to the left in the figure) as shown by the arrow (26). When the vibrating body 22 is vibrated here, the propulsion device 10 moves in the rear direction (right direction in the figure) as shown by the arrow (27).

Next, another aspect of the omni gear 31 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the outer shell 30 is a free curved surface, and a predetermined first direction X along the surface 32 serving as the tooth bottom and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction X are used. By providing a plurality of teeth 33 that can mesh with Y, the omni gear 31 can also be shaped along a free curved surface. Further, the outer shell 30 is made of a flexible material, and the omni gear 31 is provided on the flexible outer shell 30 to give the entire propulsion device 10 flexibility, and temporarily hit an obstacle such as a step during exploration. The propulsion device 10 can be flexibly deformed to overcome obstacles.

Next, the actions and effects of the propulsion device 10 described above will be described.

In the configuration of the present invention, the propulsion device 10 includes an inner shell 20, a plurality of cilia 21, a vibrating body 22, an outer shell 30, and a moving mechanism 40. It does not require a complicated configuration such as a mechanism or an expansion / contraction mechanism, and can be a simple configuration. Further, unlike a conventional link-type robot with wheels, it is not necessary to provide wheels in a lightning-shaped shape, and miniaturization can be achieved. Further, the outer shell 30 is provided so as to be movable along the inner shell 20, and a plurality of cilia 21 are inserted into and abutted against the outer shell 30 to control the extending direction of the cilia 21. 34 is formed, and the outer shell 30 is moved relative to the inner shell 20 by the moving mechanism 40. When the outer shell 30 is moved by the moving mechanism 40, the cilia 21 come into contact with the edge of the control through hole 34 and are pushed, the extending direction changes with the base end of the cilia 21 as a fulcrum, and the cilia 21 are tilted in a desired direction. Can be made to. Therefore, by vibrating the vibrating body 22, the elasticity of the cilia 21 can be utilized to advance the propulsion device 10 in the direction opposite to the inclined direction of the cilia 21. Since the moving mechanism 40 can move the outer shell 30 in any direction along the inner shell 20, it can freely control the extending direction (inclination direction) of the cilia 21 and move forward, backward, and left and right. It is also possible to change direction.

Further, the moving mechanism 40 includes an omni gear 31 provided on the surface 32 of the outer shell 30 and having teeth that can mesh with a predetermined first direction X and a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X. Since the omni gear 31 is provided, the outer shell 30 can be moved to a free position in the front-rear and left-right directions via the first gear 41 and the second gear 42. Therefore, with a simple configuration, the moving mechanism 40 can move the outer shell 30 in any direction along the inner shell 20, freely controls the extending direction (inclination direction) of the cilia 21, and is a propulsion device. In addition to moving forward, 10 can be moved backward and left and right.

Further, the first gear 41 and the second gear 42 can be simply rotated by the first motor 43 and the second motor 44, respectively.

Further, the inner shell 20 and the outer shell 30 are arranged close to each other, and the first gear 41 and the second gear 42 are passed through the through hole 25 for gears formed in the inner shell 20, so that the parts are densely packed and the entire device is used. Can be made smaller.

Further, since the vibrating body 22 is an eccentric motor, the component cost can be reduced with a simpler configuration.

Further, since the inner shell 20, the outer shell 30, and the cilia 21 which are the main parts of the device are made of biodegradable plastic, when exploring the inside of the pipe with the propulsion device 10, the propulsion device 10 is tentatively for some reason. Even if it cannot be taken out, the device will be disassembled over time, so that it will not get in the way as dust in the pipe and the environment inside the pipe will be prevented from deteriorating.

Further, since the propulsion device 10 is applied to the exploration robot, it is suitable for movement in the pipe, and the exploration in the pipe can be performed satisfactorily.

In the embodiment, the vibrating body 22 is provided on the inner shell 20, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the vibrating body 22 may be provided on the outer shell 30 or other parts, and the propulsion device 10 itself vibrates and propels. If possible, the vibrating body 22 may be installed anywhere. Further, the vibrating body 22 is an eccentric motor, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the vibrating body 22 may be a piezoelectric element that vibrates when the cilia 21 apply a voltage as long as the cilia 21 can be vibrated. .. In this case, since the vibrating body 22 is the cilia 21 itself composed of the voltage element, the eccentric motor for vibration becomes unnecessary, and the device can be further miniaturized.

Further, in the embodiment, the moving mechanism 40 includes an omni gear 31 provided on the surface 32 of the outer shell 30 and having teeth that can mesh with a predetermined first direction X and a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration of the moving mechanism 40 may be appropriately simplified according to the specific use of the propulsion device 10. For example, a gear (rack) having teeth that can be meshed only in a predetermined first direction X can be provided on the surface 32 of the outer shell 30, and a gear having teeth that can be meshed in the second direction Y can be omitted. In this case, the outer shell 30 can be moved to a free position in the front-rear direction (or left-right direction) by the first motor 43 via the first gear 41. As a result, the extending direction (inclination direction) of the cilia 21 can be controlled, and the propulsion device 10 can be turned in the forward and backward directions (or the left-right direction).

Further, in the embodiment, the first motor 43 and the second motor 44 are provided, and the outer shell 30 is moved to a free position via the first gear 41 and the second gear by these motors. The configuration of 40 is not limited to this. For example, a gear may be provided on the surface 32 of the outer shell 30, and the relative positions of the inner shell 20 and the outer shell 30 may be shifted by rotating the gear by a predetermined angle by a mechanical mechanism instead of the motor. Alternatively, by providing an electromagnet or a permanent magnet and switching the attraction and repulsion between these magnets by switching, the relative positions of the inner shell 20 and the outer shell 30 are set to a predetermined state, and the traveling direction of the propulsion device 10 is controlled. You may.

That is, the present invention is not limited to the examples as long as the actions and effects of the present invention are exhibited.

The present invention is suitable for an exploration robot that explores the inside of a pipe. The exploration robot provided with the propulsion device 10 according to the present invention can be equipped with various sensors, an image pickup device, a lighting, a transmission / reception device, a control device, a power supply, and the like, if necessary, like a conventional exploration robot.

10 ... Propulsion device, 20 ... Inner shell, 21 ... Gears (grounding member, piezoelectric element), 22 ... Vibrating body (eccentric motor, piezoelectric element), 23 ... Surface provided with gears, 24 ... Opposite surface, 25 ... Through hole for gear, 26 ... central shaft, 27 ... weight, 30 ... outer shell, 31 ... omni gear, 32 ... opposing surface, 33 ... tooth, 34 ... control through hole, 40 ... moving mechanism, 41 ... first gear, 42 ... 2nd gear, 43 ... 1st motor, 44 ... 2nd motor, X ... 1st direction, Y ... 2nd direction.

Claims (10)

The base inner shell and
A plurality of cilia provided on the inner shell and having elasticity to ground the inner shell,
A vibrating body that vibrates the cilia and
An outer shell movably provided along the inner shell and formed with a control through hole capable of controlling the extending direction of the cilia by inserting and abutting each of the plurality of the cilia.
A propulsion device including a moving mechanism for moving the outer shell with respect to the inner shell. The propulsion device according to claim 1.
The moving mechanism is capable of meshing with a rack having teeth provided on a surface of the outer shell facing the inner shell and having teeth that can mesh in a predetermined first direction of the facing surface and the rack in the first direction. A propulsion device equipped with a first gear. The propulsion device of claim 2.
The moving mechanism is a propulsion device provided in the inner shell and including a first motor for rotating the first gear. The propulsion device according to claim 1.
The moving mechanism includes an omni gear provided on a surface of the outer shell facing the inner shell and having teeth that can mesh with a predetermined first direction of the opposing surface and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A propulsion device including a first gear that can mesh with the first direction of the omni gear and a second gear that can mesh with the second direction of the omni gear. The propulsion device according to claim 4.
The moving mechanism is a propulsion device including a first motor provided in the inner shell to rotate the first gear and a second motor provided in the inner shell to rotate the second gear. The propulsion device according to claim 5.
In the moving mechanism, the first motor and the second motor are provided on a surface of the inner shell opposite to the surface on which the cilia are provided.
A propulsion device in which a through hole for a gear through which a part of the first gear and a part of the second gear pass is formed in the inner shell. The propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
The vibrating body is a propulsion device that is an eccentric motor in which a weight separated from the central axis in a radial direction moves in a circular motion around the central axis. The propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
The vibrating body is a propulsion device that is a piezoelectric element in which the cilia vibrate when a voltage is applied. The propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
A propulsion device in which the inner shell, the outer shell, and the cilia are made of biodegradable plastic. The propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
An exploration robot equipped with the propulsion device.

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