RU2667593C1 - Foot of walking cosmic micromechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: robotics.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to robotics, namely to walking area-mobile robots, and is intended to carry out work in extreme situations, mainly in deep sky and to accomplish on-planet missions. Foot is made in form of plate with adhesive applied to the area of its contact with moving surface, connected by a heel to foot with a hinge with one degree of freedom. Plate is made flexible with rigid elements placed on it with intervals between themselves, so that their total area on unit of surface area of plate monotonically decreases from heel to toe.EFFECT: increased reliability of fixation on displacement surface.10 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The invention relates to robotics, namely to walking mobile robots, and is intended to carry out work in extreme situations, mainly in open space and to perform tasks of planetary missions.

Known robot climber, the design of which provides for the use of adhesive elements for fixing on the surface of the movement (US 2012181096 [1]). As adhesive elements in a preferred embodiment, it is proposed to use vacuum suction cups mounted on a moving belt provided with an appropriate drive, covering the support.

A disadvantage of the known design is its complexity and significant weight and size characteristics, which limits their use for the implementation of tasks of planetary missions.

A known leg structure for a multi-legged walking robot, comprising a flexible foot with holes made therein for supplying liquid adhesive to the lower contact surface (CN 201784730 [2]). Above the foot is a reservoir with a liquid adhesive with a means of creating excess pressure in it, which supplies adhesive to the contact surface of the foot.

A disadvantage of the known design is its complexity and significant weight and size characteristics, which limits their use for the implementation of tasks of planetary missions.

Closest to the claimed invention in its technical essence is a walking robot designed to perform work in outer space, in particular for inspection of the surface of devices (US 2007173973 [3]). The foot of the robot is made in the form of a plate fixed to the rod (ankle) in its center, and an adhesive layer is applied to the contact surface with the displacement surface.

A disadvantage of the known design of the foot is its inability to adapt to irregularities of the displacement surface at a height of irregularities exceeding the thickness of the adhesive, which leads to a decrease in the contact surface and reduces the reliability of fixing the robot to the displacement surface. In addition, the foot of the robot is made in the form of a plate, which also reduces the reliability of fixing the robot to the movement surface. It is also known that the separation force often exceeds the pressing force, while the known design does not allow to reduce the separation force due to the isotropic stiffness of the plate.

The inventive design of the foot of the foot of the walking space micromechanism is aimed at improving the reliability of fixation on the displacement surface.

The specified result is achieved by the fact that the foot of the walking space micromechanism is made in the form of a plate with an adhesive applied to the area of its contact with the moving surface. In this case, the foot is connected with the heel to the foot with a hinge with one degree of freedom, the plate is flexible with rigid elements placed on it with gaps between them, while their total area per unit surface of the plate monotonously decreases from heel to toe.

The specified result is also achieved by the fact that the rigid elements are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from heel to toe.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the rigid elements are made with different areas, decreasing from heel to toe

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the total area of the rigid elements per unit surface of the plate monotonically decreases from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the rigid elements are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the rigid elements are made with different sizes, decreasing from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to the toe.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that between the flexible plate and the adhesive there is a film of polarized piezoelectric material connected to an AC voltage source.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the AC voltage source is made with an operating frequency above 2 kHz (http://www.piceramic.de [5]).

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the rigid elements are made of piezoelectric plates and are connected to an AC voltage source.

The specified result is also achieved by the fact that the AC voltage source is made with an operating frequency above 2 kHz.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the adhesive is placed on a flexible plate in the form of separate pads on the contact surface of the foot with the moving surface, while the adhesive pads are placed under the rigid elements.

The indicated result is also achieved by the fact that the adhesive areas coincide in shape and size with rigid elements placed on a flexible plate.

The specified result is also achieved by the fact that they use adhesive with a multiple cycle "adhesion-detachment".

Distinctive features of the claimed device are:

- the foot is connected with the heel to the foot with a hinge with one degree of freedom;

- the plate is made flexible with rigid elements placed on it at intervals with each other;

- the total area of the rigid elements on the unit surface of the plate monotonically decreases from heel to toe;

- rigid elements are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from heel to toe.

- rigid elements are made with different sizes, decreasing from heel to toe;

- the total area of the rigid elements on the unit surface of the plate monotonously decreases from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe;

- rigid elements are made of the same area, and the spaces between them increase from heel to toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from heel to toe;

- rigid elements are made with a different area, decreasing from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to the toe;

- a film of polarized piezoelectric material connected to an AC voltage source is placed between the flexible plate and the adhesive;

- the AC voltage source is made with an operating frequency above 2 kHz,

- rigid elements are made of piezoelectric plates and connected to an AC voltage source;

- the AC voltage source is made with an operating frequency above 2 kHz;

- the adhesive is placed on a flexible plate in the form of separate pads on the contact surface of the foot with the movement surface, while the adhesive pads are placed under the rigid elements;

- adhesive pads coincide in shape and size with rigid elements placed on a flexible plate;

- use an adhesive with a multiple cycle "adhesion-detachment". The implementation of the flexible plate provides the adaptation of the foot on an uneven surface of movement and this ensures an increase in the contact area between the foot and the surface of movement.

The placement of rigid elements on the plate with gaps between them does not affect the adaptation of the foot to the displacement surface, but prevents its twisting, because rigid elements play the role of weights and provide a foot clamp to the displacement surface.

The connection of the foot with the heel and foot using a hinge with one degree of freedom and the placement of rigid elements on the plate so that their total area on the unit surface of the plate monotonically decreases from heel to toe is necessary in order to overcome the adhesion force of the foot to the displacement surface due to the presence of adhesive and ensure separation of the foot from the surface of movement. Thus, the mechanics of the adhesion-detachment process consist in sequentially attaching the heel of the foot with an adhesive, forming a narrow crack formed between the surface and the heel of the foot, increasing the contact surface, decreasing the size of the crack, and as a result of attaching the foot to the surface with little effort compared with a foot made of a rigid plate. The detachment of the foot from the surface begins from the heel of the foot to the toe with a successive increase in the crack due to the weakening of the adhesion forces under the condition of variable stiffness, monotonously decreasing from the heel to the toe.

In order to ensure the fulfillment of the condition of monotonous decrease from heel to toe of the total area of rigid elements per unit surface of the plate, in various cases, various embodiments of the device can be used. Rigid elements can be made of the same area, and the gaps between them can be increased from heel to toe. And you can perform hard elements with different sizes, decreasing from heel to toe.

In addition, in special cases of implementation, it is advisable to change the stiffness of the foot not only from the heel to the toe, but also towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe. This will ensure full contact of the foot with the surface, provided that the surface is not uniform along two axes.

In this case, implementation options are also possible to fulfill this condition. You can perform rigid elements with the same area and change the gaps between them towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe, or you can perform rigid elements with different areas decreasing towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to wear.

In particular cases of implementation, it is advisable to place a film of polarized piezoelectric material between a flexible plate and adhesive connected to an AC voltage source. When voltage is applied, the foot will vibrate and can provide two functions - to facilitate the separation of the foot from the moving surface in order to overcome the adhesion force of the foot to the moving surface due to the presence of adhesive (voltage should be applied from the moment the step is taken) and to ensure that the adhesive is cleaned of dirt. In this case, it is necessary to apply alternating voltage with a frequency above 2 kHz.

In special cases, it is advisable to perform rigid elements in the form of piezoelectric plates and connect to an AC voltage source. In this case, the rigid elements will perform several functions - to fulfill the role of weights, providing the foot pressure to the displacement surface and be a source of oscillations, facilitating the separation of the foot from the displacement surface in order to overcome the adhesion force of the foot to the displacement surface due to the presence of adhesive (voltage should be applied from the moment step) and ensure that the adhesive is cleaned of contaminants. In this case, it is advisable to place the adhesive on a flexible plate in the form of separate pads on the contact surface of the foot with the moving surface and the adhesive pads under the rigid elements. This will significantly reduce the weight of the structure. It seems optimal for the walking robot to use adhesive with a multiple “stick-to-stick” cycle. In particular, such a “dry” adhesive is described, for example, in (CN 103333495 [4], www.membrana.ru/particle/17615 [6]).

The essence of the claimed device is illustrated by examples of implementation and drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of the foot, implemented in the most general form. Figure 2 shows a schematic top view of the foot. Figure 3 presents the options for the implementation of the foot (top view) when the rigid elements are made with different areas, decreasing towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to the toe. In FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the foot using, between a flexible plate and an adhesive, a film of polarized piezoelectric material connected to an AC voltage source. In FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the foot using rigid elements made of piezoelectric material connected to an AC voltage source. In FIG. 6 schematically shows the adaptation of the foot to the displacement surface.

Example 1. The foot in the most general case is a flexible plate 1 on which rigid elements 2 are placed at intervals between each other so that their total area on a unit surface of the plate monotonically decreases from heel to toe. The foot is connected with the heel to the foot 3 using a hinge 4 with one degree of freedom. An adhesive layer 5 is applied to the contact surface of the plate 1 with the displacement surface. As the material of the plate, polyimide, polyetheramide, polysulfone or a similar polymer formed from solution with subsequent polymerization can be used. Monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, polycor, metals or piezoelectric rigid materials such as quartz, lithium niobate, etc. can serve as the material of rigid elements.

The device operates as follows. When the foot sticks (Fig. 1), the heel of the foot near the hinge 4 is sequentially attached to the surface with adhesive 5 with a gradual increase in the contact area between the foot and the surface due to adhesive forces with a decrease in the crack between the foot and the surface and due to the variable stiffness of the foot (Fig. 3 ) provided by the total area of the rigid elements 2 (Fig. 3) per unit surface of the plate monotonically decreasing from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe. In this case, the rigid elements 2 (Fig. 3) are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe, the rigid elements can be made with different areas (2 , Fig. 3), decreasing from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to the toe. The detachment of the foot (Figs. 1-5) from the surface starts from the heel of the foot to the toe with a successive increase in the crack due to the weakening of the adhesion forces under the condition of variable stiffness of the foot, monotonically decreasing from the heel to the toe by reducing the area of the rigid elements 2.

Example 2. The foot is a flexible plate 1 on which the rigid elements 2 are placed at intervals between each other so that their total area on a unit surface of the plate monotonously decreases from heel to toe. The foot is connected by the heel to foot 3 by means of a hinge 4 with one degree of freedom, the plate is flexible with rigid elements placed on it with gaps between them, while their total area on a unit surface of the plate monotonously decreases from heel to toe. An adhesive layer 5 is applied to the contact surface of the plate 1 with the displacement surface. A film 6 of a polarized piezoelectric material connected to an AC voltage source (not shown) is placed between the flexible plate 1 and the adhesive layer.

The device operates as follows. When the foot sticks (Fig. 4), the heels of the foot near the hinge 4 are sequentially attached to the surface with the help of adhesive 5 with a gradual increase in the contact area between the foot and the surface due to adhesive forces and deformation of the foot due to the piezoelectric film 6 activated by stress with a successive decrease in the crack between the foot and the surface and due to the variable stiffness of the foot (Fig. 3), provided by the total area of the rigid elements 2 (Fig. 3) per unit surface of the plate, monotonically decreasing from the heel to toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe. In this case, the rigid elements 2 (Fig. 3) are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe, and the rigid elements are made with a different area, decreasing from heels to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to the toe. After the formation of contact of the heel with the surface, voltage activation of the film 6 is turned off. The detachment of the foot (Fig. 4) from the surface starts from the heel of the foot to the toe while simultaneously activating the piezoelectric film 6 with a successive increase in crack due to the weakening of the adhesion forces under the condition of variable stiffness of the foot, monotonically decreasing from the heel to the toe due to the decrease in the area of the rigid elements 2.

Example 3. The foot is a flexible plate 1 on which rigid elements 2 are placed at intervals between each other so that their total area on a unit surface of the plate monotonically decreases from heel to toe. The foot is connected by the heel to foot 3 by means of a hinge 4 with one degree of freedom, the plate is flexible with rigid elements placed on it with gaps between them, while their total area on a unit surface of the plate monotonously decreases from heel to toe. Under the rigid elements on the flexible plate is an adhesive in the form of separate pads on the contact surface of the foot with the movement surface. Rigid elements 2 are made of piezoelectric material and connected to an AC voltage source (not shown in the drawing). Single crystal quartz, sintered PZT type piezoceramics, lithium niobate, etc. can act as a piezoelectric material.

The device operates as follows. When the foot sticks (Fig. 5), the heel of the foot is sequentially attached to the surface, located near the hinge 4 with adhesive 5 with a gradual increase in the contact area between the foot and the surface due to adhesive forces and deformation of the foot with a consequent decrease in the crack between the foot and the surface and due to variable stiffness of the foot (Fig. 2 and 3) provided by the total area of the rigid elements 2 (Fig. 5) per unit surface of the plate monotonically decreasing from heel to toe and towards the periphery from the axis of sym etria, passing through the foot from heel to toe. In this case, the rigid elements 2 (Fig. 5) are made of a piezoelectric, the gaps between them increase from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe. Rigid elements can be made with different sizes (2, Fig. 3), decreasing from heel to toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to toe. Before contact is formed between the foot and the surface, the piezoelectric rigid inserts are energized to remove dust, particles, and the like. Then the activation of the voltage of the hard elements 2 is turned off. The detachment of the foot (Fig. 5) from the surface starts from the heel of the foot to the toe with a successive increase in crack due to the weakening of the adhesion forces under the condition of variable stiffness of the foot, monotonically decreasing from the heel to the toe.

Literature

1. US 2012181096.

2. CN 201784730.

3. US 2007173973.

4. CN 103333495.

5.http: //www.piceramic.de

6. www.membrana.ru/particle/17615

Claims (10)

1. The foot of the foot of the walking space micromechanism, made in the form of a plate with an adhesive applied to the area of its contact with the moving surface, characterized in that it is connected to the foot by the heel using a hinge with one degree of freedom, the plate is made flexible with the intervals between rigid elements, while their total area per unit surface area of the plate monotonically decreases from the heel to the toe of the foot. 2. The foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid elements are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from the heel to the toe of the foot. 3. The foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid elements are made with different sizes, decreasing from the heel to the toe of the foot. 4. The foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the total area of the rigid elements per unit surface area of the plate monotonically decreases from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe. 5. The foot according to claim 4, characterized in that the rigid elements are made of the same area, and the gaps between them increase from the heel to the toe and toward the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the foot from the heel to the toe. 6. The foot according to claim 4, characterized in that the rigid elements are made with a different area, decreasing from the heel to the toe and towards the periphery from the axis of symmetry passing through the heels to the toe. 7. The foot according to claim 1, characterized in that between the flexible plate and the adhesive there is a film of polarized piezoelectric material connected to an AC voltage source with an operating frequency above 2 kHz. 8. The foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid elements are made of piezoelectric plates and are connected to an AC voltage source with an operating frequency above 2 kHz. 9. The foot according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that the adhesive is placed on a flexible plate in the form of separate pads on the contact surface of the foot with the movement surface, while the adhesive pads are placed under the rigid elements. 10. A foot according to claim 9, characterized in that the adhesive pads coincide in shape and size with rigid elements placed on a flexible plate.

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