JP2005279856A - Robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot which secures sufficient space in a head section so as to cope with driving of a robot neck joint, shortens a longitudinal dimension of a roll shaft so as to cope with driving of a robot shoulder joint, and collectively drives two or more finger sections while imparting variations to the finger sections, at the time of driving of the robot finger sections. <P>SOLUTION: The robot (1A) is formed of a body section (2), and the head section (3) connected to the body section (2) via the neck joint having at least two degrees of freedom. The body section (2) has two sets of actuators (10, 20) arranged therein so as to be opposed to each other, and driving gears (31, 32) attached to output shafts of the respective actuators (10, 20), and driven gears (33, 34) opposed to each other and in mesh with the respective driving gears (31, 32) cooperatively constitute a gear mechanism (30). Then an output shaft (35) having both the driven gears (33, 34) of the gear mechanism (30) attached thereto, forms a pitch axis and a yawing axis of the neck joint. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot suitable for application to, for example, a legged mobile robot.

  In the conventional legged mobile robot, the neck joint that supports the head with respect to the body is driven by two independent actuators, the pitch axis and the yaw axis, the pitch axis, the roll axis, In some cases, the three yaw axes are driven by independent actuators (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  Further, in the conventional legged mobile robot, regarding the driving of the shoulder joint that supports the arm part with respect to the body part, each of these axes is independent for two to three axes orthogonal to each other when the robot is weakened. It was driven by an actuator (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

In addition, in a conventional legged mobile robot, as a method of expressing a finger motion, there is a type in which there are several finger parts configured by multiple links and biased in one direction, and each finger part is driven to bend with a wire. (For example, see Patent Document 4).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-237776 JP 2003-200366 A JP 2002-154076 A JP 2003-266357 A

  However, for example, in the conventional one described in Patent Document 2, among the actuators (motors and deceleration mechanisms) that drive each joint shaft, at least one set of actuators is housed in the head. For example, in a small robot, there is a problem that a space for storing various sensors in the head is insufficient.

  Further, for example, in the conventional one described in Patent Document 3, an actuator (motor and deceleration mechanism) that drives a joint serving as a roll shaft in the state of weakness of the robot is installed on the joint axis. The roll axis joint (the part that corresponds to the shoulder in humans) became longer in the front-rear direction, making it look like a robot.

  In particular, a small robot has a problem that this tendency is conspicuous because there is a limit to shortening the dimension of the actuator in the axial direction.

  In addition, for example, the conventional one described in Patent Document 4 can be freely expressed because each finger portion is driven by an independent actuator, but it is inevitable that the structure is complicated and large. On the other hand, in the case where the fingers are driven collectively, there is a problem that the operation is inevitably simplified.

  Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to ensure a sufficient space in the head for driving the neck joint of the robot, and for the driving of the shoulder joint of the robot, the roll shaft longitudinal direction It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot capable of shortening dimensions and driving a finger part of a robot so that the movement of the finger part can be changed while collectively driving two or more finger parts.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and the invention according to claim 1 is a robot including a body part and a head part connected to the body part via a neck joint having at least two degrees of freedom. In the body portion, two sets of actuators are arranged to face each other, and a gear mechanism is composed of mutually facing drive gears attached to the output shafts of both actuators and mutually opposed driven gears meshing with these drive gears. And a pitch axis and a yaw axis of the neck joint configured by an output shaft to which the driven gears of the gear mechanism are attached.

  The invention according to claim 2 is a robot including a body part and an arm part connected to the body part via a shoulder joint having three degrees of freedom, and the yaw axis of the shoulder joint is provided in the arm part. And a roll shaft actuator arranged in parallel, and the direction of the output shaft of the roll shaft actuator is changed and transmitted to the roll shaft member.

  The invention according to claim 3 is a robot including an arm portion and two or more finger portions rotatably connected to the tip of the arm portion via a support shaft, and is arranged in the arm portion. A robot in which a drive member having two or more drive units that individually engage with each finger unit and individually rotate each finger unit according to the rotation of the output shaft is installed on the output shaft of the actuator. is there.

  The invention according to claim 4 includes a joint that links the link mechanism, an actuator that drives the joint, an angle measuring unit that measures an angle of the joint, or an angular velocity measuring unit that measures the angular velocity of the actuator. A robot in which a control value of the actuator is determined so that an output value of the measuring unit or the angular velocity measuring unit follows a target angle of the joint or a target angular velocity of the actuator, and is obtained from the angle measuring unit The robot is configured to estimate a torque output from the joint based on an angular velocity of the joint and a control value of the actuator.

  As described above, the present invention is a robot including a body portion and a head portion connected to the body portion through a neck joint having at least two degrees of freedom, and two sets of actuators are opposed to each other in the body portion. The gear mechanism is constituted by the mutually facing drive gears mounted on the output shafts of the two actuators and the driven gears facing each other and meshed with the two drive gears, and the both driven gears of the gear mechanism are attached. Since the pitch axis and yaw axis of the neck joint are constituted by the output shaft, the actuator for driving the pitch axis and yaw axis of the neck joint is accommodated in the body part, so that a sufficient space in the head is secured. Therefore, the controllability can be improved by reducing the weight of the head, and various sensors can be housed in the head, thereby enabling fine control.

  Further, the present invention is a robot including a body part and an arm part connected to the body part via a shoulder joint having three degrees of freedom, and the yaw axis actuator for the shoulder joint is provided in the arm part. Since the roll shaft actuator is arranged in parallel, the direction of the output shaft of the roll shaft actuator is changed and transmitted to the roll shaft member, the longitudinal dimension of the roll shaft can be shortened. The effect is that the design of the robot's shoulder can be reduced to a natural shape.

  Further, the present invention is a robot including an arm portion and two or more finger portions rotatably connected to the tip of the arm portion via a support shaft, the actuator being arranged in the arm portion Since the output member is provided with a drive member having two or more drive portions that individually engage with each finger portion and individually rotate each finger portion according to the rotation of the output shaft. All the fingers connected to the arm can be driven by a single actuator, so that in addition to being suitable for miniaturization, the movement of the fingers with changes that are not simple movements There is an effect that can be realized.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes a joint that connects a link mechanism, an actuator that drives the joint, an angle measuring unit that measures an angle of the joint, or an angular velocity measuring unit that measures an angular velocity of the actuator, and the angle measuring unit Or a robot in which the control value of the actuator is determined so that the output value of the angular velocity measuring means follows the target angle of the joint or the target angular velocity of the actuator, and the joint is obtained from the angle measuring means. Since the torque output from the joint is estimated based on the angular velocity and the control value of the actuator, the actuator can be used without using a pressure sensor, a force sensor, or the like for directly detecting an external force. The external force is estimated by software without measuring the current value to know the load of Allows, as a result, weight reduction of the robot, such an effect can contribute to cost reduction.

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

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a robot according to the present invention. The robot 1A is connected to a body 2 and the body 2 via a neck joint having at least two degrees of freedom. The head 3 is provided.

  Two sets of actuators 10 and 20 are arranged to face each other in the body part 2 (part corresponding to a clavicle in humans).

  The actuator 10 includes a motor 11 and a speed reducer 12, and a drive gear (bevel gear) 31 is fixed to the output shaft of the actuator 10 (that is, the output shaft of the speed reducer 12).

  Similarly, the actuator 20 includes a motor 21 and a speed reducer 22, and a drive gear (bevel gear) 32 is fixed to the output shaft of the actuator 20 (that is, the output shaft of the speed reducer 22).

  Both drive gears (bevel gears) 31 and 32 constitute a gear mechanism 30 with driven gears (bevel gears) 33 and 34 facing each other and meshing with both drive gears 31 and 32.

  One of the driven gears (bevel gear) 33, 34 is fixed to the output shaft 35 of the gear mechanism 30, and the other driven gear (for example bevel gear 34) is the output shaft 35. It is attached to be rotatable around.

  The head 3 is attached to the tip of the output shaft 35 of the gear mechanism 30, and this output shaft 35 constitutes the pitch axis and yaw axis of the neck joint of the robot 1A.

  In the robot 1A configured as described above, when both the actuators 10 and 20 rotate the drive gears (bevel gears) 31 and 32 of the gear mechanism 30 in the same direction around the common axis, When the driven gears (bevel gears) 33 and 34 change their postures, the output shaft 35 tilts forward or backward. That is, the head 3 swings in the pitch direction.

  On the other hand, when the actuators 10 and 20 rotate the drive gears (bevel gears) 31 and 32 of the gear mechanism 30 in the opposite directions, the driven gears (bevel gears) 33 and 34 rotate in the opposite directions in conjunction with them. By moving, the output shaft 35 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise. That is, the head 3 rotates in the yaw direction.

  As described above, the robot 1A can secure a sufficient space in the head 3, and therefore, the controllability is improved by reducing the weight of the head 3, and various sensors are stored in the head 3. And fine control is possible.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the robot of the present invention. The robot 1B is connected to the body 2 and the body 2 via a shoulder joint having three degrees of freedom. Arm 4 is provided.

  Here, the three degrees of freedom of the shoulder joint means three axes of pitch, roll, and yaw when the robot 1B is weak and the arm portion 4 is in a stable state in the vertical direction.

  In the body part 2, an actuator 40 for the shoulder joint pitch axis is disposed laterally from the center of the body part 2 toward the arm part 4. The actuator 40 includes a motor 41 and a speed reducer 42. The output shaft of the actuator 40 (that is, the output shaft of the speed reducer 42) is attached to a pitch shaft member 45 disposed on a portion corresponding to the shoulder of the arm portion 4.

  In the arm portion 4, an actuator 50 for the yaw axis of the shoulder joint is arranged upward toward a portion corresponding to the shoulder of the arm portion 4. The actuator 50 includes a motor 51 and a speed reducer 52. The output shaft of the actuator 50 (that is, the output shaft of the speed reducer 52) is attached to a yaw shaft member 55 disposed on a portion corresponding to the shoulder of the arm portion 4.

  In the arm portion 4, an actuator 60 for the roll axis of the shoulder joint is arranged in parallel with the actuator 50 for the yaw axis. The actuator 60 includes a motor 61 and a speed reducer 62.

  A bevel gear 63 is fixed to the output shaft of the actuator 60 (that is, the output shaft of the speed reducer 62), and a bevel gear 64 that meshes with the bevel gear 63 is fixed to a roll shaft member 65 disposed on the shoulder of the arm portion 4. Has been. The axis of the output shaft of the actuator 60 and the axis of the roll shaft member 65 are arranged at an angle of approximately 90 degrees with each other via bevel gears 63 and 64.

  In the robot 1 </ b> B configured as described above, when the actuator 40 rotates the pitch shaft member 45, the arm portion 4 swings in the pitch direction with respect to the body portion 2.

  Further, when the actuator 50 rotates the yaw shaft member 55 relatively (actually, the actuator 50 rotates relative to the yaw shaft member 55), the arm portion 4 rotates in the yaw direction with respect to the body portion 2. Move.

  Further, when the actuator 60 rotates the roll shaft member 65 via the bevel gears 63 and 64, the arm portion 4 swings in the roll direction with respect to the body portion 2.

  As described above, the robot 1B can shorten the dimension of the roll axis in the front-rear direction, so that the design of the shoulder of the robot 1B can be reduced to a natural shape.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the robot according to the present invention. The robot 1C is rotatable about an arm portion 4 and a support shaft 6 at the tip of the arm portion 4. Two or more (specifically, five) finger portions 5 (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) are provided.

  An actuator 70 for driving a finger portion is disposed in the arm portion 4. The actuator 70 includes a motor 71 and a speed reducer 72. A drive member 75 is installed on the output shaft of the actuator 70 (that is, the output shaft of the speed reducer 72).

  The drive member 75 is individually engaged with the finger portions 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e, and the finger portions 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e are individually engaged with the rotation of the output shaft of the actuator 70. Two or more (specifically five) drive parts 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, and 75e to be rotated are provided.

  Such a drive member 75 is preferably constituted by a cylindrical multiple missing gear in which each of the driving portions 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, and 75e is constituted by a missing gear. However, the drive member 75 can also be constituted by a cylindrical multiple cam in which each of the drive portions 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, and 75e is a cam. FIG. 3 shows a drive member 75 composed of a cylindrical multiple cam.

  On the other hand, each finger part 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e is formed with one to several gears (or one to several cam followers). Further, a potentiometer (angle sensor) capable of detecting the angle of the drive member 75 is provided.

  In the robot 1 </ b> C configured as described above, when the actuator 70 rotates the drive member 75, the fingers 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d, and 5 e swing around the support shaft 6 with respect to the arm 4. To do. In addition, each of the finger portions 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d is formed by forming a missing gear or a cam in an arbitrary phase and an arbitrary shape for each of the driving portions 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, and 75e of the driving member 75. , 5e can be moved independently of each other.

  That is, if a mode is set in which the angle state of each finger 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e is set within a 360-degree rotation region where the drive member 75 rotates once, positioning control is performed using the value of the potentiometer. Thus, several combinations of finger angles can be realized.

  For example, three modes are set so that each finger 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e takes the shape of a rock goo, a choke, and a par in a 360-degree rotation region where the drive member 75 rotates once. If so, by instructing the target value of the potentiometer, any one of goo, choki and par according to the command can be realized.

  As described above, the robot 1C can drive all the finger parts 5 (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) connected to the arm part 4 with a single actuator 70, and is therefore suitable for miniaturization. In addition to the above, it is possible to realize the movement of the finger 5 (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) with a change that is not a simple movement.

  Further, in the robot 1C, the finger portions 5 (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) can also have an articulated structure. In this case, the articulated finger link can be urged in one direction when in a free state, and a bending operation can be realized by pulling and driving a wire having one end attached to the tip of the finger.

  The robots 1A, 1B, and 1C described above have different parts and all have joints. That is, the robot 1A shown in FIG. 1 has a neck joint, the robot 1B shown in FIG. 2 has a shoulder joint, and the robot 1C shown in FIG. 3 has a finger joint.

  As described above, when the joint connecting the links is driven by the actuator, it is attached to the joint output shaft so as to follow the target value given as the angle or angular velocity of the joint output shaft or the target value given as the angular velocity of the actuator. The sensor value of the potentiometer or the tachometer of the actuator is compared with the target value, and the actuator is driven so that the deviation becomes small.

  The control value of the actuator is determined by the PD control or the PID control as follows using the above deviation.

_{Q = K p (q ref -q} ) + K d (q ref -q) + K i ∫ (q ref -q)

  The control value is sent to the motor driver amplifier as a duty ratio when the actuator is PWM-driven, for example.

  In the case of a DC motor often used as an actuator, when the rotational speed is constant or in a stopped state, the DC motor generates a torque proportional to the PWM duty ratio as a voltage application input. Therefore, the torque output from the joint can be estimated by referring to the joint rotation speed and the joint drive control value. For example, when the link connected to this joint is grounded, the reaction force received from the ground via the torque of the joint axis can be estimated.

  For example, in a walking robot, ankle torque in the sense of giving a “kick” to the ground is an important stability factor, and this method is effective.

  As described above, by using the fact that it is possible to estimate the external force applied to the link connected to the joint by estimating the torque output from the joint, for example, a pressure sensor, a force sensor, etc. for directly detecting the external force The external force can be estimated by software without using it and without measuring the current value to know the load of the actuator.

  Therefore, by using such external force estimation, it is possible to contribute to weight reduction and cost reduction of the robot, and it is also effective for small robots where it is difficult to mount sensors. It is a simple method.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows 1st Embodiment of the robot of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the robot of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows 3rd Embodiment of the robot of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1A, 1B, 1C Robot 2 Body part 3 Head part 4 Arm part 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e Finger part 6 Support shaft 10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70 Actuator 11, 21, 41, 51 , 61, 71 Motor 12, 22, 42, 52, 62, 72 Reducer 30 Gear mechanism 31, 32 Drive gear (bevel gear)
33, 34 Driven gear (bevel gear)
35 Output shaft 45 Pitch shaft member 55 Yaw shaft member 65 Roll shaft member 75 Drive member 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, 75e Drive unit

Claims (4)

A robot comprising a torso and a head connected to the torso via a neck joint with at least two degrees of freedom;
Two sets of actuators are arranged opposite to each other in the body part, and a gear mechanism is constituted by mutually opposing drive gears attached to the output shafts of the two actuators and mutually opposed driven gears meshing with the two drive gears,
A robot characterized in that a pitch axis and a yaw axis of the neck joint are constituted by an output shaft to which the driven gears of the gear mechanism are attached. A robot comprising a torso and an arm connected to the torso via a shoulder joint with 3 degrees of freedom;
In the arm, the shoulder joint yaw axis actuator and the roll axis actuator are arranged in parallel, and the direction of the output axis of the roll axis actuator is changed and transmitted to the roll axis member. Robot to do. A robot comprising an arm and two or more fingers rotatably connected to the tip of the arm via a support shaft;
A drive member having two or more drive parts that individually engage with each finger part and individually rotate each finger part according to the rotation of the output shaft on an output shaft of an actuator disposed in the arm part A robot characterized by having installed. A joint that links the link mechanism; an actuator that drives the joint; and an angle measuring unit that measures an angle of the joint, or an angular velocity measuring unit that measures an angular velocity of the actuator, the angle measuring unit or the angular velocity measuring unit A robot in which a control value of the actuator is determined so that an output value follows a target angle of the joint or a target angular velocity of the actuator,
A robot configured to estimate a torque output from the joint based on an angular velocity of the joint obtained from the angle measuring unit and a control value of the actuator.

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