JP3738908B2 - Facial expression change device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a facial expression changing device, and more particularly to a facial expression changing device suitable for installation in the head of a conversational robot or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As this type of facial expression changing device, Patent Document 1 proposes a device in which two eyeballs are moved by a motor in synchronization with left and right, and the eyebrows are rotated up and down to display various facial expressions. ing. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228688 discloses a technique in which left and right eyeballs are independently rotated by a magnet and a coil.
[Patent Document 1]
JP2001-239068
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2000-296276
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the facial expression changing devices described in the above patent documents still have a problem that a sufficiently diverse facial expression cannot be realized.
[0004]
Therefore, the present invention solves such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a facial expression changing device that can realize various facial expressions according to the situation.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a spherical body is formed, within a plane perpendicular to the first axis (L1) and the first axis (L1) extending in the vertical direction through the center of the spherical body. An eyeball member (1) provided to be rotatable about a second axis (L2) extending in the left-right direction through the center, and a hollow spherical body having a larger diameter than the eyeball member (1) and an eyeball member ( 1) having a size that covers at least a part of the front surface, and is arranged concentrically therewith and extends perpendicularly to the third axis (L3) around the third axis (L3) extending in the front-rear direction through the center. The eyelid member (2) provided so as to be rotatable about the fourth axis (L4) extending through the center in the plane, and the eyeball member (1) are connected to the first axis (L1) and the second axis (L2). ) And the third axis (L3) independently of the eyeball member (1 ). And drive means (53, 54, 55, 56) for rotating around the fourth axis (L4).
[0006]
The eyeball member (1) and the eyelid member (2) are respectively positioned in openings (H1) provided at the front left and right positions of the robot head (H). The bulging spherical surface of 2) can be exposed forward from each opening (H1).
[0007]
Here, the eyeball member (1) is formed as a hollow spherical body lacking the rear part, and supported by the support member (34) provided so as to coincide with the first axis (L1) so as to be rotatable around the first axis (L1). In addition, it is possible to adopt a structure in which the support member (34) can be bent around the second axis (L2) at the center position.
[0008]
Further, the shaft (21) provided on the side surface of the flange member (2) so as to coincide with the fourth axis (L4) is provided with the rotary shaft (64) provided so as to coincide with the third axis (L3). It is possible to adopt a structure in which the support members (57, 59) extending from the outer periphery are rotatably held.
[0009]
In the present invention, the eyeball member (1) is pitch-rotated to a predetermined angular position in the front-rear direction around the axis (L2) extending in the left-right direction through the center of the spherical body, and is also pitch-rotated. In this state, the yaw is turned to a predetermined angular position in the left-right direction around the axis (L1). Further, the collar member (2) is rotated to a predetermined angular position around the axis (L3), and is also pitch-rotated to a predetermined angular position around the axis (L4) in a state where the roll is rotated. In this way, a variety of facial expressions can be realized by rotating the eyeball member (1) to the appropriate position by pitch or yaw rotation and independently rotating the eyelid member (2) to the appropriate position or pitch rotation. Can do.
[0010]
In addition, the code | symbol in the said parenthesis shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a head H of an interactive robot provided with the facial expression changing apparatus of the present invention. The robot head H is a substantially hemispherical body made of a translucent material, and a circular opening H1 is provided in the front left and right positions, and the circular eyeball member 1 is located in the opening H1, and in FIG. The eaves member 2 is located in each opening H1 so as to cover the upper half.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 2, the robot head H is coupled to a robot body (not shown) in a posture in which the hemispherical body is inclined forward (leftward in FIG. 2). That is, the substrate 3 is positioned substantially horizontally in the state shown in FIG. 2 in the robot head H, and the substrate 3 has left and right ends 31, 32 coupled to the inner surface of the head H as shown in FIG. ing. The substrate 3 is coupled to an L-shaped bracket plate 4 having a vertical wall 41 (FIG. 2) and a horizontal wall 42, and a cylindrical support shaft 43 protrudes from the lower surface of the horizontal wall 42 of the inclined bracket plate 4. It is installed and faces diagonally backward. The support shaft 43 is rotatably supported by the cylindrical bearing member 44 via an outer peripheral bearing 431. The bearing member 44 is provided at the center on a support plate 45 (FIG. 3) extending in the left-right direction, and the support plate 45 is fixed to the robot body. With such a structure, the robot head H can turn around the inclined spindle 43 via the bracket 4 and the substrate 3.
[0013]
A circular gear plate 46 is mounted on the outer periphery of the bearing member 44, and a small gear 47 (FIG. 4) meshes with the outer periphery of the gear plate 46. The small gear 47 is mounted on the output shaft of a motor 51 (FIG. 3) provided in the vertical direction on the horizontal wall 42 of the bracket plate 4. When the motor 51 is rotated forward and backward, the robot head H is centered on the support shaft 43. Can be turned left and right.
[0014]
In FIG. 3, a rotary shaft 48 is installed between a vertical wall 41 of the bracket plate 4 and a standing wall 421 formed on the horizontal wall 42 so as to face the vertical wall 41 via a bearing. The rotating shaft 48 is positioned so as to cross the central extension line of the support shaft 43, and the substrate 3 is fixed to the rotating shaft 48, and a quadrant gear plate 49 (FIG. 5) is provided at one end of the rotating shaft 48. It is installed. A small gear 521 meshes with the outer periphery of the gear plate 49. The small gear 521 is mounted on the output shaft of the motor 52 (FIG. 3) provided on the vertical wall 41 of the bracket plate 4. When the motor 52 is rotated forward and backward, the substrate 3, that is, the robot head H is centered on the rotation shaft 48. Can be swung up and down.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the left and right eyeball members 1 are hollow spherical bodies lacking the rear part (upper part in FIG. 3), and the bulging spherical surface projects from the opening H 1 of the robot head H. A part of the substrate 3 has entered each eyeball member 1, and a support member 34 (FIG. 2) is erected on the tip plate surface of the entry portion 33. As shown in FIG. 6, the support member 34 includes a frame body Fr positioned on the outside and a shaft body Ax that vertically penetrates the center of the frame body Fr. The frame body Fr is configured by vertically arranging eight-shaped frame pieces 341 and 342. The lower frame piece 342 is fixed on the plate surface of the entry portion 33, and the lower frame body 342 and the upper frame body. 341 are coupled to each other so as to be bendable on an axis L2 extending in the left-right direction through the center of the spherical body of the eyeball member 1. The shaft body Ax is composed of upper and lower shaft pieces 343 and 344 penetrating through the centers of the upper and lower frame pieces 341 and 342, and these shaft pieces 343 and 344 can be bent with respect to each other by the universal joint structure on the axis L2. Are combined. The upper shaft piece 343 passes through the center of the spherical body of the eyeball member 1 and is positioned to coincide with the axis L1 extending in the vertical direction perpendicular to the axis L2, and the inner surface of the top of the spherical body of the eyeball member 1 is at the upper end thereof. It is fixed.
[0016]
A distal end of the link arm 61 is rotatably coupled to a leg portion 345 extending downward from a coupling portion of the upper frame 341 with the lower frame 342. The link arm 61 extends upward along the entry portion 33 of the substrate 3 (FIG. 3), and the base end of the link arm 61 is rotatably coupled to the outer periphery of the output shaft of the servo motor 53 provided on the substrate 3. (Fig. 2). A part of the lower end of the lower shaft piece 344 protrudes laterally, and the tip of the link arm 62 is rotatably coupled to the protrusion 346. The link arm 62 extends downward along the entry portion 33 of the substrate 3 (FIG. 4), and the base end of the link arm 62 is rotatably coupled to the outer periphery of the output shaft of the servo motor 54 provided on the lower surface of the substrate 3. ing.
[0017]
With this structure, when the servo motor 53 is rotated by a predetermined angle, the upper frame piece 341 is bent with respect to the lower frame piece 342 via the link arm 61, and at the same time, the upper shaft piece 343 is bent together. Then, the eyeball member 1 is pitch-rotated to a predetermined angular position in the front-rear direction around an axis L2 extending in the left-right direction through the center of the spherical body. When the servo motor 54 is rotated at a predetermined angle in this state, the upper and lower shaft pieces 343 and 344 are rotated in a bent state via the link arm 62, and the eyeball member 1 is tilted in the front-rear direction. The yaw is rotated to a predetermined angular position in the left-right direction around L1.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each eyelid member 2 is a hollow hemispherical body lacking a rear portion (right side in FIG. 8), and has a larger diameter than the spherical body of the eyeball member 1 and covers the upper half of the surface. Are arranged concentrically with the eyeball member 1. The pin member 21 that protrudes horizontally on the side surface of the flange member 2 is rotatably held at the tip of the support arm 57 reaching from the rear upper side, and is held in the horizontal posture. The pin body 21 coincides with an axis L4 extending in the left-right direction through the center of the hemispherical body of the eyelid member 2 (the center of the spherical body of the eyeball member 1).
[0019]
The base end of the support arm 57 is bent horizontally at the rear upper side to reach the support base 58 (FIG. 8), and the support base 58 is fixed to the tip of the turning arm 59. A rotating shaft 64 supported by a bearing member 63 on the substrate 3 is fixed to the base end of the swivel arm 59, and an output shaft end surface of the servo motor 55 is coupled to the rotating arm 59. The motor output shaft coincides with an axis L3 extending in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 8) through the center of the spherical body of the eyeball member 1, and is supported from the turning arm 59 when the servomotor 55 is rotated by a predetermined angle. The eaves member 2 is roll-rotated to a predetermined angular position around the axis L3 via the base body 58 and the support arm 57. An example is shown in FIG. 9, in which the left hook member 2 is rotated from the horizontal to the clockwise direction around the axis L3, and the right hook member 2 is rotated from the horizontal to the counterclockwise around the axis L3. It is moved.
[0020]
In FIG. 8, the support base 58 is provided with a servo motor 56. Both ends of the servo motor 56 are coupled to the outer periphery of the output shaft and the side surface of the flange member 2 around the pin body 21 so that the link arm 65 is provided. is there. Thus, when the servo motor 56 is rotated by a predetermined angle, the eaves member 2 is pitch-rotated to a predetermined angular position around the axis L4 extending in the left-right direction through the center of the hemispherical body via the link arm 65. It is done. An example thereof is shown in FIG. 10, and in this figure, the flange member is rotated from the horizontal to the lower side around the axis L4.
[0021]
FIG. 11 shows an electric system block diagram of the facial expression changing device. In FIG. 11, a computer 73 that has acquired video information and audio information of the outside world with a CCD camera 71 and a microphone 72 provided on the robot body appropriately operates the servo motors 53 and 54 according to the situation of the outside world. 1 to move the eyeball member 1 from the state shown in FIG. 1 to the state shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C, for example, and by appropriately operating the servo motors 55 and 56, the eyelid member 2 is moved to the state shown in FIG. For example, the state is moved to the state shown in FIGS. Thereby, various expressions of the robot head H can be suitably changed according to the stimulus from the outside world. At the same time, an optimal sound output is emitted via the speaker 74, and light emitting diodes (LEDs) 75 (FIG. 1) provided in the “mouth” region, the left and right “ear” regions, etc. in the robot head H. ) Is appropriately selected and lit appropriately.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the expression changing device of the present invention, it is possible to realize various expressions according to the situation by providing the eyeball member and the eyelid member and independently driving them.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a robot head showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the robot head as seen from one side.
FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the robot head viewed from above.
FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the robot head viewed from below.
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the robot head as viewed from the other side.
FIG. 6 is a half sectional view of the left and right eyeball members as seen from the rear.
FIG. 7 is a front view of left and right flange members.
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a driving mechanism for a collar member.
FIG. 9 is a front view of left and right flange members.
FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a driving mechanism for a collar member.
FIG. 11 is an electric system block diagram of the facial expression changing device.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a change in facial expression of the robot head.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a change in facial expression of the robot head.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Eyeball member, 2 ... Acupuncture member, 21 ... Pin body, 34 ... Support member, 53, 54, 55, 56 ... Servo motor, 57 ... Support arm, 59 ... Turning arm, 64 ... Rotating shaft, H ... Robot head Part, H1 ... opening, L1, L2, L3, L4 ... axis.

Claims (4)

It forms a spherical body and can rotate around a first axis extending in the vertical direction through the center of the spherical body and around a second axis extending in the left-right direction through the center in a plane perpendicular to the first axis. An eyeball member provided on the eyeball member, a hollow spherical body having a diameter larger than that of the eyeball member, and a size covering at least a part of the front surface of the eyeball member. An eyelid member provided rotatably about a third axis extending in the front-rear direction and a fourth axis extending through the center in a plane orthogonal to the third axis, and the eyeball member as the first axis And a driving means for rotating around the second axis and driving means for rotating the eyelid member around the third axis and the fourth axis independently of the eyeball member . 2. Each pair of the eyeball member and the eyelid member is positioned in an opening provided at the front left and right positions of the robot head, and the bulging spherical surface of the eyeball member and the eyelid member is exposed forward from each opening. The facial expression changing device described in 1. The eyeball member is a hollow spherical body lacking a rear part, and is supported by a support member provided so as to coincide with the first axis so as to be rotatable about the first axis. The facial expression changing device according to claim 1, wherein the facial expression changing device can be bent around the second axis. The shaft member provided on the side surface of the flange member so as to coincide with the fourth axis is rotatably held by a support member extending from the outer periphery of a rotary shaft provided so as to coincide with the third axis. 4. The facial expression changing device according to any one of 3 to 3.

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