JPH0550384A - Moving mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a moving mechanism and to prevent the lowering of driving force by connecting a plurality of driving legs and direction selecting legs to layered ceramic actuators which are connected through transmission mechanisms respectively and holding these legs by means of moving mechanism base plates in a miniaturized moving type moving mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of driving legs 31 to 36, and a plurality of direction selecting legs 11, 12, 21, and 22 which swing up and down facing either back or forth are arranged on the side of the ground plane of the robot on a moving mechanism base plate 1. In addition, the driving legs 31 to 36 are connected first kind layered ceramic actuators 71 to 73 through a transmission mechanism comprising racks 141 and 142, pinions 151 and 152, and an output shaft 110. The direction selecting legs 11, 12, 21, and 22 are connected to second kind layered ceramic actuators 51, 52, 61, and 62 through a transmission mechanism comprising a rack 141, pinion 151, and output shaft 110.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a small-sized movable moving mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a moving mechanism for realizing movement by combining individual parts. In this device, movement was realized by a combination of a minute motor and minute wheels.

For example, Anita M.F.
"The World Largest One Cubic Inch Robot"("Then
World's Largest One Cubi
c Inch Robot "), IEEE Micro Electromechanical Systems Proceedings (Proc
feedings IEEE Micro Electr
o Mechanical Systems) 98-1
It is described on page 01.

[0004]

The above-mentioned conventional moving mechanism can realize a relatively minute moving robot having a size of 1 inch cubic or less. However, since the electromagnetic motor and gears and other parts are combined, this is greatly reduced. There was a problem that it was impossible to miniaturize. Further, there is a big problem that the driving force becomes weaker as the size becomes smaller.

An object of the present invention is to provide a moving mechanism that solves these problems.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in a small-sized moving mechanism, a plurality of drive legs swinging both forward and backward with respect to a robot traveling direction, and either the front or the rear are turned up and down. A plurality of direction selection legs swinging in the direction, a first type monolithic ceramic actuator connected to the drive leg, a second type monolithic ceramic actuator connected to the direction selection leg, a drive leg and the first A transmission mechanism of a first type for connecting a monolithic ceramic actuator of the above type; a direction selection leg and a transmission mechanism of a second type for connecting the second type monolithic ceramic actuator; A moving mechanism substrate that holds an actuator and a plurality of transmission mechanisms.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a mechanism diagram showing a mechanism structure of a moving mechanism according to the present invention.

The moving mechanism is mounted on the moving mechanism board 1 which holds a plurality of legs, a plurality of actuators, and a plurality of transmission mechanisms. A plurality of drive legs 31, 32, ..., 36 swinging both forward and backward with respect to the robot traveling direction are installed on the robot contact surface side on the moving mechanism substrate 1. In addition, a plurality of direction selection legs 11, 12, and 2 that swings up and down by facing either the front or the rear
1 and 22 are installed on the robot ground plane side.

The drive legs 31, 32, ..., 36 are respectively provided with a first-type monolithic ceramic actuator 71, 7 respectively.
2, 73 via a transmission mechanism. Further, the direction selection legs 11, 12, 21, 22 are connected to the second type of laminated ceramic actuators 51, 52, 61, 62 via a transmission mechanism.

In the configuration of FIG. 1, in order to execute the movement of the robot, the driving legs 31, 32, ..., 36 are swung, and the direction selecting legs 11, 12 are set as the first depending on the desired traveling direction. Of the direction selection legs 21 and 22 is grounded as the second, or either the first or the second is selectively driven. By the operation of the drive leg, the entire mechanism gives a driving force to the front and back with respect to the robot traveling direction, but the driving force is effective only in one direction by the direction selection leg.

For example, in FIG. 1, the direction selection legs 11, 1
Drive legs 31, 32, ..., 36 while grounding the pair of 2
When is swung, the direction selection leg does not hinder the movement to the right on the paper surface, but causes a large friction with respect to the movement to the left and prevents the movement. Therefore, the driving legs 31, 32, ..., 36 generate driving force on both the right and left sides of the drawing, but the moving mechanism as a whole moves to the right on the drawing.

FIG. 2 is a detailed mechanism diagram showing an embodiment of the mechanism of the actuator and the leg.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), drive legs 31, 3 are provided.
2 and the first type of monolithic ceramic actuator 1
00 is the rack 141, 1 as the first type transmission mechanism.
42 and the pinions 151 and 152. As a result, the output shaft 11 of the monolithic ceramic actuator 100 is
When 0 is displaced vertically, the drive legs 31 and 32 swing back and forth.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the direction selection leg 11 and the second type monolithic ceramic actuator 100 include a rack 14 as a second type transmission mechanism.
1 and the pinion 151. As a result, when the output shaft 110 of the monolithic ceramic actuator 100 is vertically displaced, the direction selection leg 11 swings vertically.

Here, the monolithic ceramic actuator is a device in which ceramic elements which expand and contract due to an electric field are stacked. By applying a voltage to both ends of the monolithic ceramic actuator 100 in FIG. 2, the entire length is extended. Therefore, by fixing one end on the opposite side of the output shaft 110 to the moving mechanism substrate 1, the output shaft 110 can be pushed downward. Further, it is possible to generate a large driving force with less electric power as compared with an electromagnetic actuator such as a general motor.

According to the configuration of FIG. 2, first, of the laminated ceramic actuators connected to the direction selection legs, a voltage is applied to the set of actuators corresponding to the traveling direction to extend the actuators. As a result, the output shaft is pulled down, and the direction selection leg is grounded. After that, the robot can be moved in a desired direction by continuing to vertically displace the laminated ceramic actuator for the drive leg.

FIG. 3 is a detailed mechanical view showing a second embodiment of the actuator and leg mechanism. A hinge mechanism is used instead of the rack and pinion shown in FIG. The hinge lever 202 is fixed to the moving mechanism substrate 1 while being rotatable about its axis at the fixed end 201. On the other hand, the other fixed end 203 of the hinge lever 202 is connected to one point of the direction selection leg 11 while being rotatable about its axis. Further, the center 211 of the direction selection leg 11 is fixed to the moving mechanism substrate 1 while being rotatable about its axis. On the other hand, the output shaft 110 of the monolithic ceramic actuator 100 is connected so as to push in the vicinity of the fixed end 201 of the hinge lever 202.

As described above, according to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the direction selection leg 11 can be largely displaced by a minute displacement of the monolithic ceramic actuator 100. The drive legs can likewise be constructed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a moving mechanism to which the present invention is applied. The moving mechanism boards 1 and 2 according to the present invention are attached to both side surfaces of the moving mechanism body 3. The robot body 3 can be moved by driving the movement mechanism substrates 1 and 2 in the same direction with respect to the desired traveling direction. Further, by driving the moving mechanism substrates 1 and 2 in opposite directions,
It can rotate on the spot without moving. By stopping one of the moving mechanism substrates 1 and 2 and driving only the other, the direction of the robot body 3 can be changed with a relatively large radius.

The configuration and operation of each block described above can be easily inferred by those skilled in the art, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the moving mechanism with the moving mechanism according to the present invention, the transmission mechanism of the drive shaft and the leg portion has been described in detail with respect to the example using the rack and the pinion, but it is driven by the friction between the direct acting member and the rotating member. It is obvious that the present invention can be applied to the configuration.

Furthermore, the number of drive legs and direction selection legs can be designed and processed to any values depending on the required driving force, the state of the surface to be moved, etc. The number is not limited to the number shown in.

[0024]

According to the present invention, a moving mechanism capable of moving in a minute shape can be obtained. When the size of the entire mechanism is reduced, the driving force also decreases in accordance with the outer shape, but the structure according to the present invention allows the actuator to be installed by making maximum use of the rectangular area, and the robot side surface can be used. Most of the area can be used as an actuator. This configuration provides an optimal installation shape as an installation method for a laminated ceramic type actuator having a large driving force. Therefore, there is a great feature that the driving force of the actuator can be maximized while keeping the size of the entire robot small.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to obtain a moving mechanism that solves the conventional problems.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a mechanism diagram showing a mechanism configuration of a moving mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed mechanism diagram showing an embodiment of the mechanism of the actuator and the leg.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a moving mechanism to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a moving mechanism to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 moving mechanism substrate 3 robot body 31, 32, ..., 36 drive leg 11, 12, 21, 22 direction selection leg 51, 52, 61, 62, 71, 72, 73, 100
Multilayer ceramic actuator 141,142 Rack 151,152 Pinion 110 Output shaft

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a small moving mechanism, a plurality of drive legs swinging forward and backward with respect to a robot traveling direction, and a plurality of direction selections swinging up and down facing either forward or backward. Connects the leg, the first type monolithic ceramic actuator connected to the drive leg, the second type monolithic ceramic actuator connected to the direction selection leg, and connects the drive leg and the first type monolithic ceramic actuator Holding a plurality of legs, a plurality of actuators, and a plurality of transmission mechanisms, a second type of transmission mechanism that connects the direction selection leg and the second type of laminated ceramic actuator And a moving mechanism substrate for performing the moving mechanism.