JP5017589B2 - Hand throwing robot - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot characterized by a moving mechanism. Specifically, the robot is characterized by a moving mechanism that enables the main body to move stably in the drive mode.

As a related technique, for example, a hand-throwing robot described in Patent Document 1 can be cited.
As shown in FIG. 15A, the hand-throwing robot described in Patent Document 1 can be rotated in conjunction with a motor (main body) with a built-in motor, and the motor via a gear box on the left and right of the frame. Then, it is driven using a pair of substantially hemispherical movable wheels that are hollow inside. As shown in FIG. 15B, the moving mechanism of the hand-throwing robot is disposed on the same axis as the drive shaft of the movable wheel in the gear box in order to hold the gantry in a stationary state. Is provided with a reverse rotation mechanism that rotates the balancer as a flywheel in the reverse rotation direction. Further, the hand-throwing robot is provided with a male and female screw on a pair of substantially hemispherical movable wheels, and the male and female screws are rotated in the opposite directions from the storage form in which the female and male screws are tightened. When the wheel is removed, the movable wheel is separated by a compression coil spring and can be changed to a drive form.

JP 2008-229813 A

  The hand-throwing robot described in Patent Document 1 has the above-described structure, and as shown in FIG. 16, the CPU (control means), the camera, and the wireless that are mounted in a variable manner from the storage mode to the driving mode. An image is transmitted to a remote place using communication means.

  However, the driving mode of the hand-throwing robot requires a complicated reversing mechanism and a control circuit for controlling the reversing mechanism. Even when the reversing mechanism is used, the robot starts and stops (when sudden acceleration / deceleration occurs). ) Has the disadvantage that the gantry cannot be kept completely stationary. Also, the angle at which the gantry rests tends to vary. In addition, because of the two-wheel drive, it may be difficult to go straight due to the influence of the running surface.

  Further, since the reverse rotation mechanism rotates the balancer as a flywheel, it is necessary to increase either the mass or the diameter of the balancer, and it is impossible to reduce the size or the weight.

  Further, since the reversing mechanism is provided, in the driving mode, it is necessary to constantly operate the flywheel so that the built-in battery is consumed and the activity time is shortened.

  Further, in the hand-throw type robot, the movable wheel is separated by using a compression coil spring biased for separating the movable wheel, and the storage mode is changed to the drive mode. Can not. In addition, since the impact applied after deformation of the drive form is directly transmitted to the gear box, the structure is vulnerable to impact.

An object of the present invention is to provide a moving mechanism that can solve the above-described problems and that can stably move a main body without including a reverse rotation mechanism or the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a robot that stably moves a main body.

A moving mechanism according to the present invention includes a main body having sensor means for acquiring a surrounding situation and a motor control function, and is provided in pairs on both sides of the main body, and is rotatable with respect to the main body. A first driving wheel that contacts the ground, a first driving means that rotates each of the first driving wheels by a motor, and a rotation of the first driving wheel with respect to the main body outside the first driving wheel. A second driving wheel that is free to be grounded during traveling and that maintains the angle of the main body in a fixed manner independently of the rotation of the first driving wheel; and the respective second driving A second drive means for rotating the wheels with a motor, respectively , and a first storage mechanism for making the first drive wheel approach, and the second drive in conjunction with the first storage mechanism. Second storage for storing the wheel within the circumference of the first drive wheel Comprises a structure, the expansion accommodating motor for operating said first and second receiving mechanism, characterized in that could mutually to change the drive mode and the storage mode.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the moving mechanism which enables a main body to move stably can be provided. Further, it is possible to provide a robot that stably moves the main body.

It is a perspective view which shows the storage form (A) and drive form (B) of the robot 1 of one Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure which decomposed | disassembled the main drive wheel and the sub drive wheel. It is a partial cross section figure which shows the expansion | deployment process of a main drive wheel and a sub drive wheel. It is a partial cross section figure which shows the expansion | deployment process of a main drive wheel and a sub drive wheel. It is a partial cross section figure which shows the expansion | deployment process of a main drive wheel and a sub drive wheel. It is a perspective view which shows the drive means of the main drive wheel. It is a front view which shows the drive means of the main drive wheel. It is a front view which shows the drive means of a sub drive wheel. It is a perspective view which shows the structure which decomposed | disassembled the sub drive wheel holding plate and the sub drive wheel. It is explanatory drawing which shows the slide lock mechanism of a sub drive wheel. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other locking mechanism of a sub drive wheel. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the mechanical components provided in a main drive wheel holding plate. It is a functional block diagram which shows roughly the structure of a robot and a remote control apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which showed the transition which changes from the drive form of a robot to a storage form. It is explanatory drawing which shows the external appearance (a) and structure (b) of the hand throwing-type robot described in patent document 1. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the hand throwing-type robot described in patent document 1. FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the drawings, details are omitted for clarity.
Drawing 1 is a perspective view showing (A) storage form and (B) drive form of robot 1 of one embodiment. The robot 1 according to the embodiment uses a moving mechanism, which will be described later, and has a driving form and a substantially spherical shape that are separated into a main body 4 and a pair of main driving wheels 2 and sub driving wheels 3 that are deployed on the left and right sides of the main body 4. It is possible to mutually change the storage form.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure in which the main drive wheel 2 and the sub drive wheel 3 are disassembled.
As the first storage mechanism, the moving mechanism includes a deployment storage motor 17 (see FIG. 3) inside the main body 4 having a function of controlling various motors, and the main body 4 left and right. It has two hollow ball screws 5 on one side that rotate in the opposite direction. A fixing flange 7 is provided at the end of the hollow ball screw 5 and has a main drive wheel holding plate 6 that is fixedly held to the main body 4 via the flange. As will be described later, the main driving wheel 2 having driving means is connected to the main driving wheel holding plate 6. The first storage mechanism rotates the hollow ball screw 5 to bring the main drive wheel holding plates 6 on both sides closer to the main body 4 and bring the main drive wheels 2 on both sides closer to each other.

  In addition, the moving mechanism, as the second storage mechanism, is connected to the auxiliary driving wheel 3 that rotates around the auxiliary driving wheel fixing shaft 8 and the auxiliary driving wheel fixing shaft 8 provided on the main driving wheel holding plate 6 and the inside of the main body. The cam gear 12 and the deployment storage gear 32 (see FIG. 5) rotate in conjunction with the deployment storage motor 17. The cam gear 12 is rotated by receiving power through a shaft 31 passing through the hollow interior of the hollow ball screw 5 on the lower side in FIG. Store in the circumference (within diameter).

  As will be described later, the auxiliary drive wheel 3 of the present embodiment has an in-wheel motor mechanism. However, if the second storage mechanism can be used for deployment and storage so that the ground surface is grounded and the position of the main drive wheel 2 is fixedly held independently of the rotation of the main drive wheel 2, It is not always necessary to rotate as a secondary wheel, and the main body 4 can be stably held. That is, the auxiliary driving wheel 3 is moved to the rear of the main driving wheel 2 to function as a holding body (stabilizer) that contacts the running surface. Further, by making the diameter of the auxiliary drive wheel 3 smaller than that of the main drive wheel 2, the center of gravity of the robot 1 in the drive mode is shifted rearward, thereby enabling stable driving. Instead of rotating the auxiliary driving wheel 3, the auxiliary driving wheel 3 may be slid and moved backward or forward of the main driving wheel 2.

3, 4, and 5 are partial cross-sectional views illustrating the unfolding process of the main drive wheel 2 and the sub drive wheel 3.
The moving mechanism includes a guide pin 18, a spring 19, and a pulley 23 as illustrated. One end of the guide pin 18 is fixed to the main drive wheel frame 22, and the main drive wheel 2 and the main drive wheel holding plate 6 are connected using the shaft of the guide pin 18. The spring 19 is passed through the shaft of the guide pin 18, and when the hollow configuration is changed from the storage configuration to the drive configuration, the shock-absorbing material 21 of the main drive wheel 2 and the auxiliary drive wheels 3 (impact-proof It is biased to isolate the material 30). The pulley 23 is rotatably provided about the guide pin 18 as an axis, and is held by the main drive wheel holding plate 6. It is also possible to use a bearing instead of a pulley.

  With the above structure, the main drive wheels 2 provided in pairs on both sides of the main body 4 are rotatable with respect to the main body 4 in the driving state. Although only two sets of guide pins 18 and the like are illustrated, the main drive wheels 2 are held in three or four sets on each of the main drive wheels 2 on both sides in consideration of the stability of the main drive wheels 2. It is desirable.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the drive means of the main drive wheel 2. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the drive means of the main drive wheel 2.
The main drive wheel holding plate 6 is provided with a main drive wheel motor 11 and a main drive wheel rotation transmission gear 10 as drive means for the main drive wheel 2, and the rotational movement of the rotation shaft of the main drive wheel motor 11 is controlled by the main drive. This is transmitted to the gear 16 provided on the inner edge of the main drive wheel 2 via the wheel rotation transmission gear 10. The main drive wheel motor 11 is electrically connected to the main body 4 and operates by receiving electric power from a battery built in the main body 4. The main drive wheel motor 11 is provided for each main drive wheel 2 and is controlled by a control function provided in the main body 4.
Instead of the gear 16, a pulley that transmits the rotational motion of the main drive wheel rotation transmission gear 10 to the main drive wheel 2 using friction may be used. The driving means of the main driving wheel 2 is an in-wheel motor mechanism, but the main driving wheel 2 may be rotated with respect to the main body 4 using other driving means.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing the driving means of the auxiliary driving wheel 3. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a structure in which the auxiliary drive wheel holding plate 24 and the auxiliary drive wheel 3 are disassembled.
The auxiliary drive wheel holding plate 24 shown in FIG. 8 is fixed to the cam gear 12 and rotates about the auxiliary drive wheel fixing shaft 8 as a rotation axis. The auxiliary drive wheel fixed shaft 8 is fixedly held at the position of the main body 4 in both the drive form and the storage form.

  The sub drive wheel holding plate 24 is provided with a sub drive wheel motor 25 as a drive means for the sub drive wheel 3, and the rotational movement of the rotation shaft of the sub drive wheel motor 25 is transferred to the sub drive wheel rotation transmission worm gear 26 and the sub drive wheel. This is transmitted to the auxiliary drive wheel 3 (see FIG. 9) via the wheel rotation transmission gear 27. The central auxiliary driving wheel rotation transmission gear 27 is held by the auxiliary driving wheel holding plate 24 by the driving gear holding plate 28, and the auxiliary driving wheel 3 (sub driving wheel frame 29) passes through the center hole vacated in the driving gear holding plate 28. Fixed. The auxiliary drive wheel frame 29 is provided with a shock-resistant cushioning material 30 having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the main body 4 as a wheel.

  The auxiliary drive wheel motor 25 is electrically connected to the main body 4 and operates by receiving electric power from a battery built in the main body 4. The sub drive wheel motor 25 is provided for each sub drive wheel 3 and is controlled by a control function provided in the main body 4.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a slide lock mechanism of the auxiliary drive wheel 3. In FIG. 10, mechanical parts different from the slide lock mechanism are omitted.
As shown in the figure, the moving mechanism has a slide lock plate 13 and a slide lock spring 14 interlocking with the cam gear 12 attached to the auxiliary drive wheel fixed shaft 8 as the lock mechanism on the main drive wheel holding plate 6, and the slide lock The sub drive wheel 3 (sub drive wheel holding plate 24) has a sub drive wheel fixing pin 15 that fits into a recess provided in the plate 13.

  The operation of the locking mechanism will be described. When the unfolding and storing motor 17 provided in the main body 4 rotates, the cam gear 12 is powered by the hollow ball screw 5 and the unfolding and storing gear 32 (see FIG. 12). introduce. As the cam gear 12 rotates, the slide lock plate 13 moves with the contraction force biased by the slide lock spring 14. As the slide lock plate 13 moves, the sub drive wheel fixing pin 15 is unfixed and the sub drive wheel 3 (sub drive wheel holding plate 24) can rotate. Since the cam mechanism of the cam gear 12 is used as a lock mechanism in both the housed state and the drive state, the sub drive wheel 3 (the sub drive wheel holding plate 24) changes from the housed state to the drive state in one rotation of the cam gear 12. ). The lock mechanism functions as a protection means for various gears in the housed state or the driven state.

  Further, in place of the slide lock mechanism, as shown in FIG. 11, the protrusion provided on the auxiliary drive wheel holding plate 24 may be fixed to the hole formed in the main drive wheel holding plate 6 in the storage form. good.

  FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an example of the arrangement of the mechanical components provided on the main drive wheel holding plate 6. As shown in the figure, the main drive wheel holding plate 6 holds the main drive wheel motor 11, the slide lock plate 13, the unfolding and storing gear 32, the cam gear 12, and the like.

  By using the various mechanisms described above, the main body 4 can be stably moved, and when the first and second storage mechanisms are driven to change from the drive configuration to the storage configuration, the left and right main drive wheels 2 and the holding body (sub drive wheel 3), the entire body 4 can be accommodated inside. In other words, the moving mechanism can be transformed into a substantially ball-shaped storage configuration as shown in FIG. Further, in the storage form, an impact resistant structure is realized by contacting each warming portion (impact resistant shock absorbing materials 21 and 30) of the main drive wheel 2 and the sub drive wheel 3. Further, in the storage form, by fixing the holding body (sub drive wheel 3) to the main body 4, the shock applied to the sub drive wheel holding plate 24, the cam gear 12, and the sub drive wheel gear in the storage form is absorbed, Even when subjected to an impact, the storage form can be maintained.

FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the robot 1 and the remote control device 20.
The main body 4 incorporates a CPU, a storage unit, various sensors, an antenna, a wireless communication unit, a battery, and the like, in addition to the above-described deployment storage motor 17 and the hollow ball screw 5. In addition to the battery, a solar cell may be mounted.

  The robot 1 communicates the ambient state information acquired by using various sensors to the remote control device 20 through wireless communication means using the above-described moving mechanism and hardware resources such as a CPU and a storage unit. And a control means for receiving the remote operation information and controlling the moving mechanism.

  The control means of the robot 1 enables each motor control by control from the remote control device 20 by the wireless communication means, and transmits information acquired by the sensor to the remote control device 20 using the wireless communication means.

  The remote control device 20 can use wireless communication means to receive information acquired by the sensor and display it on the display unit, and can transmit input from the operation unit to the robot 1.

For example, the various sensors may be provided with a high-sensitivity camera or night-vision camera for imaging on the front surface. An acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor may be provided. Further, a microphone or a temperature / humidity sensor may be provided in the rear or in the internal space of the auxiliary drive wheel. Further, the omnidirectional camera may protrude from the upper part of the main body 4 in the drive mode.

  By adopting the configuration of the moving mechanism described above, the robot 1 can stably move the main body 4 and can also realize a substantially ball shape with a diameter of about 110 mm in the housed form, and can be reduced in size and weight. Also, because of the size, it is easy to set a target with a human hand and throw it far.

  Next, the operation of the robot 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a transition that changes from the drive mode of the robot 1 to the storage mode.

  The control unit of the robot 1 communicates with the remote control device 20 and communicates information on the acquired ambient condition using a sensor and wireless communication means for acquiring the ambient condition, and receives the remote operation information and moves the moving mechanism. Control.

  The control unit of the robot 1 changes the shape of the drive form and the storage form in accordance with a deformation instruction from the remote control device 20 or its own determination.

  The robot 1 operates a first storage mechanism built in the main body 4 and a second storage mechanism interlocked with the first storage mechanism, so that the main body 4 having a substantially cylindrical shape is larger in diameter than the main body 4. The threshold main drive wheel warming portion 21 and the sub drive wheel warming portion 30 having a diameter smaller than that of the main drive wheel 21 are housed in the shock-resistant cushioning material so as to cover them. In this state, the main driving wheel warming portion 21 and the auxiliary driving wheel warming portion 30 are in contact (see FIG. 3), and when an external force is applied, the shock is released to other shock-resistant cushioning materials. The structure is such that no impact is transmitted to the inside of the robot 1.

  The external force applied to the robot 1 in the storage form is distributed by the shock-resistant cushioning material as described above. In each shock-resistant cushioning material, the auxiliary drive wheel holding plate 24 is locked to the main body 4 (main drive wheel holding plate 6) by a lock mechanism, and the main drive wheel 2 (main drive wheel warming portion 21) and the main drive wheel. The auxiliary driving wheel warming-up part 30 that is in contact with the warming-up part 21 is fixed and functions as a unit.

  In such a storage configuration, the shock-resistant cushioning material of the outer shells of both drive wheels is brought into close contact, which contributes to an improvement in impact resistance performance such as dropping. Further, when the above structure is adopted, the storage form can be reduced to a substantially ball shape having a diameter of about 110 mm.

  Further, in the transformation from the storage mode to the driving mode, the movement mechanism is operated by the control unit of the robot 1 to rotate the deployment storage motor 17 and the hollow ball screw 5 pushes the main driving wheel holding plate 6 outward, In addition, by rotating the auxiliary drive wheel holding plate 24, it can be transformed into a drive form in which the auxiliary drive wheel 3 is arranged behind the main drive wheel 2, and can travel freely.

  The robot 1 travels in four wheels using the main driving wheel 2 and the sub driving wheel 3 in the driving state. By disposing the auxiliary drive wheel 3 behind the main drive wheel 2, the main body 4 is held in a stationary state (stable state) during traveling. Further, reduction (storage) and expansion can be freely performed as necessary.

  In remote control by the remote control device 20, since the robot 1 can be operated based on information from the sensor, the operator can freely move, change direction, and deform.

  Further, when the acceleration sensor is mounted on the robot 1, when the acceleration higher than the self-running is detected by the acceleration sensor in the driving state, the robot 1 may be changed to the storage form. Further, when a constant acceleration sensor or angular velocity sensor is detected in the housed state, the change to the driving state by remote operation may be canceled or temporarily waited. In this way, the detection values of the acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor and the moving mechanism are linked by the control unit, thereby contributing to improvement in impact resistance performance.

  As described above using the embodiment, according to the moving mechanism of the present invention, the main body can be held stationary during traveling.

  Further, according to the moving mechanism of the present invention, the robot can be deformed into a substantially ball shape, and can be easily transported and thrown.

  Further, according to the moving mechanism of the present invention, a robot having impact resistance can be realized.

  Further, according to the robot of the present invention, it is possible to freely move, change direction, and deform, and to remotely control in real time.

  Further, according to the hand-throw-type robot of the present invention, it has impact resistance in the housed state, and can hold the main body in the stationary state in the driving state. The robot can be used not only for throwing but also for dropping from the sky.

  In addition, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and changes within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention are included in the present invention.

  For example, in the description of the moving mechanism, the deployment and storage motor is arranged at the center of the main body. However, if the arrangement position interferes with the mounting of the components of the robot, it can be moved forward or backward via a gear. You may move below the hollow ball screw. In addition, by changing the shape of the auxiliary drive wheels to make the storage form an elliptical shape, the space for mounting the components of the robot is expanded while maintaining impact resistance. For example, a large capacity battery and various sensors can be installed. Can be installed.

  The present invention can be used for, for example, a mobile surveillance camera. It can also be used for star search robots.

1 Robot 2 Main drive wheel 3 Sub drive wheel (holding body)
4 Main body 5 Hollow ball screw 6 Main drive wheel holding plate 7 Fixed flange 8 Sub drive wheel fixed shaft 9 Sensor 10 Main drive wheel rotation transmission gear 11 Main drive wheel motor 12 Cam gear 13 Slide lock plate 14 Slide lock spring 15 Sub drive wheel fixed Pin 16 Gear 17 Deployment and storage motor 18 Guide pin 19 Spring 20 Remote control device 21 Shock-resistant shock absorbing material (main drive wheel warming part)
22 Main drive wheel frame 23 Pulley
24 sub-drive wheel holding plate 25 sub-drive wheel motor 26 sub-drive wheel rotation transmission worm gear 27 sub-drive wheel rotation transmission gear 28 drive gear holding plate 29 sub-drive wheel frame 30 shock-resistant cushioning material (sub-drive wheel warming part)
31 Shaft 32 Deployment storage gear

Claims (7)

A main body having sensor means for acquiring the surrounding situation and a motor control function;
A first drive wheel provided in pairs on both sides of the main body, rotatable with respect to the main body, and grounded on a running surface;
First driving means for rotating each of the first driving wheels with a motor;
Outside the respective first drive wheels, the main body is rotatable with respect to the main body, and is grounded to the traveling surface during travel, and the angle of the main body is independent of the rotation of the first drive wheel. A second drive wheel that is fixedly maintained;
Second driving means for rotating each of the second driving wheels by a motor;
And having a,
A first storage mechanism for approaching the first drive wheel;
In conjunction with the first storage mechanism, a second storage mechanism for storing the second drive wheel within the circumference of the first drive wheel;
A deploying and storing motor for operating the first and second storing mechanisms;
A moving mechanism characterized in that the storage form and the drive form can be shifted to each other . The moving mechanism body according to claim 1, wherein the first storage mechanism makes the first driving wheel approach using a ball screw . When the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are deformed into a storage form by driving the first and second storage mechanisms by the unfolding and storing motor, the first drive wheel and The moving mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second driving wheel is used to house the main body. Structurally interlocked with the operation of the first and second storage mechanisms, and in the storage form, structurally at a position where the first and second drive wheels have been brought close to the main body using the ball screw. The movement mechanism body according to claim 2, further comprising a lock mechanism for fixing to the movement mechanism. The ground planes of the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are used as warming portions, and the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are covered so as to cover the main body in a substantially ball shape when stored. 5. The moving mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising an impact-resistant structure that contacts each warming portion of the drive wheel. A moving mechanism body according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Wireless communication means;
Control means for controlling the operation of the moving mechanism by receiving remote operation information and communicating information indicating the surrounding situation acquired using the sensor means of the moving mechanism via the wireless communication means A robot characterized by comprising: Using the sensor means for acquiring the ambient situation and the wireless communication means, it communicates information indicating the obtained ambient situation, and includes a control means for receiving the remote operation information and controlling the operation,
A main body having a substantially cylindrical shape having the control means and the sensor means and having a motor control function;
A pair of main drive wheels on both sides of the main body, rotatable relative to the main body, having a larger diameter than the main body and having a main drive wheel warming portion;
On the outer rear side of each of the main drive wheels, there is a sub drive wheel warming portion that is different from the main drive wheel in the central axis position, is rotatable with respect to the main body, and has a smaller diameter than the main drive wheel. A set of auxiliary drive wheels;
A first storage mechanism built in the main body and causing the main drive wheels on both sides to approach using a ball screw;
In conjunction with the first storage mechanism, a second storage mechanism for storing the auxiliary drive wheel within the circumference of the main drive wheel;
Interlocking with the second storage mechanism, and having a lock mechanism for fixing the auxiliary drive wheel to the main body in at least one of a storage form or a drive form;
In the driving mode, the one set of auxiliary driving wheels is fixed to maintain the angle of the main body by being grounded to the traveling surface using a central axis different from that of the one set of main driving wheels,
When the first and second storage mechanisms are driven and transformed into a storage form, the main body is wrapped using the main drive wheel and the sub drive wheel locked by the lock mechanism, A hand-throwable robot characterized in that a main driving wheel warming part and the auxiliary driving wheel warming part are in contact with each other and the main body is deformed into a substantially ball shape wrapped with a warming material.