KR20090118542A - Humanoid robot and neck joint assembly thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A humanoid robot and a neck joint assembly thereof are provided to move a head parallelly toward left and right directions after turning the head leftward and rightward by moving the head in the parallel direction through a second neck joint unit. CONSTITUTION: A humanoid robot comprises a neck joint assembly connecting a body and a head. The neck joint assembly comprises first, second, and third joint neck units(500,600,700). The first neck joint is connected to the head and rotates the head. The second neck joint unit moves the head and the first neck joint unit to be parallel. The third neck joint unit rotates the second neck joint in the yaw direction.

Description

HUMANOID ROBOT AND NECK JOINT ASSEMBLY THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a humanoid robot, and more particularly to a humanoid robot with improved freedom of the neck joint.

Robots are mechanical devices that automatically perform certain tasks or operations, and are used to replace or assist humans in various fields.

In recent years, humanoid robots that have a human-like appearance and have a human-like behavior have been developed. Humanoid robots have great advantages in that they can coexist with humans in daily life and provide various services to humans intimately.

Humanoid robots have a torso, head, arms, and legs similar to humans. The head, arms, and legs are connected to the torso via neck, shoulder and waist joints (femoral joints), respectively.

In conventional humanoid robots, the neck joint has 2 to 3 degrees of freedom. In order to interact and collaborate with humans smoothly in daily life, it is desirable to allow them to mimic various human motions and gestures similarly. Cannot be imitated naturally.

In addition, the conventional robot has a problem that the moving range is limited as the head interferes with the body when performing the head bow to the body.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an improved humanoid robot and its joint assembly to mimic various human motions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a humanoid robot and its joint assembly which can widen the moving range of the head.

In the humanoid robot according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a humanoid robot having a wood joint assembly to connect the body and the head, the wood joint assembly is connected to the head and the first neck to rotate the head And a second neck joint apparatus for moving the head and the first neck joint apparatus in parallel; and a third neck joint apparatus for rotating the second neck joint apparatus in a yaw direction. do.

The second wood joint device includes a support bracket having a first side panel and a second side panel facing each other, a first link member and a first end member disposed side by side in a front-rear direction and rotatably coupled to the first side panel. The second link member may be configured to include a third link member and a fourth link member disposed side by side in the front-rear direction and having one end rotatably coupled to the second side panel.

The second wood joint device may further include a driving motor connected to any one of the first to fourth link members to rotate the first to fourth link members.

The third wood joint device may include a joint bracket for rotatably supporting the other end of the first to fourth link members.

The first wood joint device includes a first joint bracket and a second joint bracket, the first joint bracket is rotatably supported by the second joint bracket, and the second joint bracket is rotatable to the support bracket. Can be supported.

The first wood joint device may include a first rotary joint for rotating the head in a roll direction and a second rotary joint for rotating the head in a pitch direction.

In addition, the neck joint assembly of the humanoid robot according to the present invention is connected to the head of the humanoid robot, the first joint bracket rotatable in the roll (roll); and the first joint bracket to rotatably support, the pitch (pitch) A second joint bracket rotatable in a direction; and a support bracket rotatably supporting the second joint bracket; and a third joint bracket connected to a fuselage of a humanoid robot and rotatable in a yaw direction; and the support bracket And a plurality of link members rotatably coupled to each of the third joint brackets.

The present invention is configured to rotate the head through the first wood joint device in a state in which the head of the robot is moved in parallel through the second wood joint device can express a variety of motions and gestures than the conventional robot and the range of motion of the head You can widen it.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the head can be parallelly moved through the second neck joint apparatus while the head is rotated in the yaw direction through the third neck joint apparatus, the head is moved left or right and then moved in parallel to the left and right directions. Can be performed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. 1 is a view showing the appearance of a humanoid robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a view schematically showing the configuration of the humanoid robot of FIG.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the humanoid robot (hereinafter simply referred to as 'robot') 1 is a fuselage 10 and legs 20R connected to both lower sides of the fuselage 10, 20L, arms 30R and 30L connected to the upper both sides of the body 10, and a head 40 connected to the upper end of the body 10 are provided. In the reference numerals, "R" and "L" represent the right and the left, respectively.

The interior of the body 10 is protected by a cover 11. The body 10 may be provided with a control unit 12, a battery 13, and an inclination sensor 14 (see FIG. 2). The inclination sensor 14 detects the inclination angle of the body 10 with respect to the vertical axis, its angular velocity, and the like.

The fuselage 10 may be divided into a chest portion 10a and a waist portion 10b, and a chest portion 10a is rotated relative to the waist portion 10b between the chest portion 10a and the waist portion 10b. Joint 15 may be installed to be. In FIG. 2, the fuselage 10 is briefly shown as a fuselage link.

Both legs 20R and 20L have a femoral link 21, a lower thigh 22 and a foot 23, respectively. Femoral link 21 is connected to the body 10 through the femoral joint (210). The femoral link 21 and the lower thigh 22 are connected to each other through the knee joint 220, the lower thigh 22 and the foot 23 is connected to each other through the ankle joint 230.

Femoral joint 210 has three degrees of freedom. Specifically, the femoral joint portion 210 includes a rotary joint 211 in the yaw direction (rotation around the Z axis), a rotary joint 212 in the pitch direction (rotation around the Y axis), and a roll ( and a rotational joint 213 in the roll direction (rotation about the X axis).

The knee joint 220 has one degree of freedom including the rotation joint 221 in the pitch direction. The ankle joint 230 has two degrees of freedom including the rotational joints 231 and 232 in the pitch direction and the roll direction.

As such, since six rotational joints are provided for each of the three joint portions 20R and 20L, twelve rotational joints are provided for the entire leg. Although not shown in the drawings, each leg 20R, 20L is provided with a motor for driving each rotary joint. The control unit 12 may implement various operations of the legs 20R and 20L, including the walking of the robot 1, by appropriately controlling the motors provided in the legs 20R and 20L.

On the other hand, a multi-axis F / T sensor (Multi-Axis Force and Torque Sensor) 24 is provided between the foot 23 and the ankle joint 230 in both legs (20R, 20L), respectively. The multi-axis F / T sensor 24 measures the landing of the foot 23 by measuring the three-way component (Fx, Fy, Fz) of the force transmitted from the foot 23 and the three-way component (Mx, My, Mz) of the moment. And whether the load applied to the foot 23 is detected.

Both arms 30R, 30L have an upper link 31, a lower link 32, and a hand 33. As shown in FIG. Upper thin link 31 is connected to the body 10 through the shoulder joint 310. The upper and lower links 31 and 32 are connected to each other through the elbow joint 320, the lower link 32 and the hand 33 is connected to each other through the wrist joint 330.

The shoulder joint 310 may have three degrees of freedom, including a rotation joint 311 in the pitch direction, a rotation joint 312 in the roll direction, and a rotation joint 313 in the yaw direction. Each rotary joint 311, 312, 313 of the shoulder joint 310 is individually driven by motors (not shown).

The elbow joint 320 has two degrees of freedom including the rotation joint 321 in the pitch direction and the rotation joint 322 in the yaw direction, and the wrist joint 330 has the rotation joint 331 in the pitch direction and the roll direction. The rotation joint 332 may have two degrees of freedom.

Five fingers 33a are installed in the hand 33. Each finger 33a may be provided with a plurality of joints (not shown) driven by a motor. The finger 33a performs various operations such as gripping an object or pointing in a specific direction in association with the movement of the upper and lower links 31 and 32.

The head 40 may be provided with a camera 41 functioning as the time of the robot 1 and a microphone 42 functioning as the hearing.

Head 40 is connected to fuselage 10 through neck joint assembly 410. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the wood joint assembly of FIG. 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the neck joint assembly 410 is connected to the head 40, the first neck joint apparatus 500 for rotating the head 40, the head 40 and the first neck The second neck joint apparatus 600 for moving the arthroplasty 500 in parallel, and the third neck joint apparatus 700 for rotating the first neck joint apparatus 500 and the second neck joint apparatus 600 in the yaw direction. It may be configured to include).

The first wood joint device 500 may have two degrees of freedom including a first rotary joint 501 in the roll direction and a second rotary joint 502 in the pitch direction.

The second neck joint apparatus 600 is configured to move the first neck joint apparatus 500 and the head 40 as a whole in parallel, and has one degree of freedom. When the head 40 is moved through the first wood joint apparatus 500 in a state in which the head 40 is moved forward in parallel as shown in FIG. 3 using the second wood joint apparatus 600, only 2 to 3 rotation degrees of freedom are provided. Branches can express various motions and gestures than conventional robots. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the head 40 can be bowed relatively more in the state of moving the head 40 forward, which causes the robot 1 to bow the head 40 to identify an obstacle in front of the foot. Very useful for doing this.

The third wood joint device 700 may have one degree of freedom including the third rotary joint 701 in the yaw direction. The third wood joint apparatus 700 rotates the second wood joint apparatus 600, the first wood joint apparatus 500, and the head 40 as a whole in the yaw direction. After the head 40 is rotated in the yaw direction through the third wood joint device 700 and the head 40 is moved using the second wood joint device 600, the head 40 is turned left or right. In operation, the operation of moving the head 40 in the left and right directions may be performed.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a specific embodiment of the wood joint assembly in the present invention, Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the wood joint assembly of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a side view showing the wood joint assembly of Figure 4 .

4 to 6, the first wood joint device 500 of the wood joint assembly 410 and the first joint bracket 510 rotatably installed in the roll direction, and rotatably in the pitch direction The second joint bracket 540 is installed. In addition, the second wood joint device 600 includes a support bracket 610 for supporting the first wood joint device, the third wood joint device 700 in the yaw direction to the body (10, Fig. 1) of the robot. A third joint bracket 710 is rotatably installed.

The support bracket 610 is opened up and down, and the first joint bracket 510 and the second joint bracket 540 are disposed therein. The support bracket 610 has a first side panel 611 and a second side panel 612 facing each other, and the first side panel 611 and the second side panel 612, respectively, an axial coupling portion 611a. 612a is provided.

The third joint bracket 710 is disposed under the support bracket 610 to fully support the head 40, the first wood joint apparatus 500, and the second wood joint apparatus 600 of the robot.

The first joint bracket 510 has a coupling panel 511, and the head 40 of the robot is coupled to the coupling panel 511. Therefore, the head 40 of the robot can move in conjunction with the first joint bracket 510.

In addition, the first joint bracket 510 has a first hinge panel 512 and a second hinge panel 513 extending downward from both front and rear sides of the coupling panel 511. The first hinge panel 512 and the second hinge panel 513 are provided with shaft coupling portions 512a and 513a (see FIG. 6), respectively.

The second joint bracket 540 is disposed between the first hinge panel 512 and the second hinge panel 513 of the first joint bracket 510. The second joint bracket 540 includes a third hinge panel 541, a fourth hinge panel 542, a front panel 543, and a rear panel 544. Axial coupling portions 541a (544a, see FIG. 6) are provided on the third hinge panel 541 and the rear panel 544, respectively.

The third hinge panel 541 and the fourth hinge panel 542 are arranged side by side in the left and right direction, and the front panel 543 and the rear panel 544 are respectively the first hinge panel 512 of the first joint bracket 510. ) And the second hinge panel 513 are disposed to face each other.

At the rear of the first joint bracket 510, a first driving motor 520 for rotating the first joint bracket 510 is mounted, and the shaft coupling part 513a and the rear panel of the second hinge panel 513 are mounted. A first rotation shaft 531 driven by the first driving motor 520 is coupled to the shaft coupling portion 544a of the 544. At this time, the first rotation shaft 531 is coupled in a form that does not rotate relative to the second hinge panel 513 so that the first joint bracket 510 may rotate together with the first rotation shaft 531. On the other hand, the first rotation shaft 531 is coupled to the rear panel 544 so as to be relatively rotatable. That is, the rear panel 544 of the second joint bracket 540 serves to rotatably support the first rotation shaft 531.

A second rotation shaft 532 coaxially disposed with the first rotation shaft 531 is coupled to the shaft coupling portion 512a of the first hinge panel 512. The second rotating shaft 532 is provided on the front panel 543 of the second joint bracket 540 to rotatably support the first joint bracket 510.

The second joint bracket 540 is equipped with a second driving motor 550 for rotating the second joint bracket 540, and the axial coupling part 541a and the second side panel of the third hinge panel 541 are mounted. A third rotation shaft 561 driven by the second driving motor 550 is coupled to the shaft coupling portion 612a of the 612. At this time, the third rotation shaft 561 is coupled in a form that does not rotate relative to the third hinge panel 541 so that the second joint bracket 540 may rotate together with the third rotation shaft 561. On the other hand, the third rotation shaft 561 is coupled to the second side panel 612 so as to be relatively rotatable. That is, the second side panel 612 of the support bracket 610 rotatably supports the third rotation shaft 561.

In the support bracket 610, a fourth rotating shaft 562 coaxially disposed with the third rotating shaft 561 is coupled to the shaft coupling portion 611a of the first side panel 611. The fourth rotation shaft 562 is provided on the fourth hinge panel 542 of the second joint bracket 540 and rotatably coupled to the support bracket 610.

In addition, the second wood joint device 600 and the first to fourth link members 621, 622, 623, 624 disposed between the support bracket 610 and the third joint bracket 710, the link And a third driving motor 630 for rotating any one of the members.

The first link member 621 and the second link member 622 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction, and one end thereof is rotatably coupled to the support bracket 610 by being pinned to the first side panel 611. Similarly, the third link member 623 and the fourth link member 624 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction, and one end thereof is pinned to the second side panel 612 to be rotatably coupled to the support bracket 610.

The third joint bracket 710 has link coupling portions 711 corresponding to the first to fourth link members 621, 622, 623, and 624, respectively. The other ends of the first to fourth link members 621, 622, 623, and 624 are pin-coupled to the link coupling portions 711, respectively, so that the first to fourth link members 621, 622, and 623 are respectively pinned. 624 is rotatably coupled to the third joint bracket 710.

The third driving motor 630 is mounted on the third joint bracket 710 and rotationally drives the first link member 621 through the pulleys 631 and 632 and the belt 633. When the first link member 621 is rotated by the third driving motor 630, the other link members 622, 623, and 624 also rotate together with the first link member 621, thereby supporting the bracket. 610, the first wood joint device 500 and the head 40 of the robot may move in parallel.

One end of the fifth rotating shaft 720 is fixed to the third joint bracket 710, and the fifth rotating shaft 720 is driven by the fourth driving motor 730. The other end of the fifth rotation shaft 720 is rotatably coupled to the fuselage 10 (see FIG. 1) of the robot so that the third joint bracket 710 may rotate relative to the fuselage 10 of the robot in the yaw direction.

The fourth driving motor 730 may be mounted on the third joint bracket 710, and the motor shaft (not shown) of the fourth driving motor 730 is connected to the fifth rotating shaft through the belt 731 and the pulley 732. Transfer power to 720.

1 is a view showing the appearance of a humanoid robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view schematically showing the configuration of the humanoid robot of FIG.

Figure 3 is a side view showing an extract of the neck joint assembly in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a specific embodiment of the wood joint assembly in the present invention.

5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the wood joint assembly of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the wood joint assembly of FIG. 4. FIG.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

1: humanoid robot 10: fuselage

40 head 410 wood joint assembly

500: first wood joint device 501: first rotary joint

502: second joint 510: first joint bracket

540: second joint bracket 600: second wood joint device

610: support bracket 621, 622, 623, 624: link member

700: third wood joint device 710: third joint bracket

Claims (7)

In the humanoid robot having a wood joint assembly that connects the body and the head, the wood joint assembly is A first wood joint device connected to the head to rotate the head; and A second wood joint device for moving the head and the first wood joint device in parallel; and A third wood joint device for rotating the second wood joint device in a yaw direction; Humanoid robot characterized in that it comprises. The method of claim 1, The second wood joint device includes a support bracket having a first side panel and a second side panel facing each other, a first link member and a first end member disposed side by side in a front-rear direction and rotatably coupled to the first side panel. And a second link member, and a third link member and a fourth link member disposed side by side in the front-rear direction and rotatably coupled to the second side panel. The method of claim 2, The second wood joint device further comprises a drive motor connected to any one of the first to fourth link members to rotate the first to fourth link members. The method of claim 2, The third wood joint device is a humanoid robot, characterized in that it comprises a joint bracket for rotatably supporting the other end of the first to fourth link members. The method of claim 2, The first wood joint device includes a first joint bracket and a second joint bracket, The first joint bracket is rotatably supported by the second joint bracket, The second joint bracket is a humanoid robot, characterized in that rotatably supported by the support bracket. The method of claim 1, The first wood joint apparatus includes a first rotary joint for rotating the head in a roll direction and a second rotary joint for rotating the head in a pitch direction. . A first joint bracket connected to the head of the humanoid robot and rotatable in a roll direction; and A second joint bracket rotatably supporting the first joint bracket and rotatable in a pitch direction; and A support bracket rotatably supporting the second joint bracket; and A third joint bracket connected to the body of the humanoid robot and rotatable in a yaw direction; and A plurality of link members rotatably coupled to each of the support bracket and the third joint bracket; Wooden joint assembly of the humanoid robot characterized in that it comprises.

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