Mobile robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099378-B2
Application number	US-201514841849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2015
Priority date	Oct 6, 2014
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A mobile robot 1 has a lower base body 6 and an upper base body 7 , which is relatively rotatable with respect to the lower base body 6 . The robot 1 is configured to be capable of performing a travel motion in which the robot 1 travels in a state wherein the front side of the upper base body 7 is oriented to face the same direction as the front side of the lower base body 6 , and a travel motion in which the robot 1 travels in a state wherein the front side of the upper base body 7 is oriented to face the same direction as the rear side of the lower base body 6 . The middle portion of each of leg links 3 can be bended toward either the front side or the rear side of the lower base body 6.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile robot comprising:
a base body assembly;
a plurality of movable links including a plurality of leg links extended from the base body assembly; and
a joint provided between a distal end portion of each of the movable links and the base body assembly such that each of the movable links can be moved with respect to the base body assembly,
wherein the base body assembly is constituted of a lower base body from which the plurality of leg links are extended and an upper base body connected to the lower base body such that the upper base body is relatively rotatable about an axial center in the direction of a trunk axis with respect to the lower base body,
the upper base body can be operated in a state in which a front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as a front side of the lower base body and in another state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as a rear side of the lower base body by a relative rotation about the axial center in the direction of the trunk axis,
each of the leg links is configured to be bendable such that a middle portion between a distal end portion thereof and the lower base body juts out toward either the front side or the rear side of the lower base body,
the mobile robot includes at least one of an external world condition observation instrument for observing an external world condition on the front side of the upper base body and an arm link as a movable link extended from the upper base body, and
the mobile robot is configured to be capable of selectively performing a first travel motion, in which the mobile robot travels in the direction of a front side of the upper base body by a motion in which a distal end portion of each of the plurality of the leg links is lifted off and then landed following the lifting off in a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as the front side of the lower base body, and a second travel motion, in which the mobile robot travels in the direction of the front side of the upper base body by a motion in which a distal end portion of each of the plurality of the leg links is lifted off and then landed following the lifting off in a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as the rear side of the lower base body.

2. The mobile robot according to claim 1 , comprising:
the arm link,
wherein the mobile robot is configured to be capable of selectively performing a third travel motion, in which the mobile robot travels by a motion in which a distal end portion of each of the plurality of the leg links and the arm link is lifted off and then landed on the front side of the upper base body following the lifting off in a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as the front side of the lower base body, and a fourth travel motion, in which the mobile robot travels by a motion in which the distal end portion of each of the plurality of the leg links and the arm link is lifted off and then landed on the front side of the upper base body following the lifting off in a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as the rear side of the lower base body, in addition to the first travel motion and the second travel motion.

3. The mobile robot according to claim 1 , comprising:
two leg links, namely, a leg link on the right side and a leg link on the left side as observed facing the front of the lower base body, and two arm links, namely, an arm link on the right side and an arm link on the left side as observed facing the front of the upper base body,
wherein the first travel motion and the second travel motion are travel motions in which the two arm links are moved according to the motions of the two leg links, and the first travel motion and the second travel motion are carried out such that a motion pattern of the arm link on the right side based on the motions of the two leg links in the first travel motion and a motion pattern of the arm link on the left side based on the motions of the two leg links in the second travel motion agree with each other, and a motion pattern of the arm link on the left side based on the motions of the two leg links in the first travel motion and a motion pattern of the arm link on the right side based on the motions of the two leg links in the second travel motion agree with each other.

4. The mobile robot according to claim 2 , comprising:
two leg links, namely, a leg link on the right side and a leg link on the left side as observed facing the front of the lower base body, and two arm links, namely, an arm link on the right side and an arm link on the left side as observed facing the front of the upper base body,
wherein the third travel motion and the fourth travel motion are travel motions in which the two arm links are moved according to the motions of the two leg links, and the third travel motion and the fourth travel motion are carried out such that a motion pattern of the arm link on the right side based on the motions of the two leg links in the third travel motion and a motion pattern of the arm link on the left side based on the motions of the two leg links in the fourth travel motion agree with each other, and a motion pattern of the arm link on the left side based on the motions of the two leg links in the third travel motion and a motion pattern of the arm link on the right side based on the motions of the two leg links in the fourth travel motion agree with each other.

5. A mobile robot comprising:
a base body assembly;
a plurality of movable links including a plurality of leg links extended from the base body assembly; and
a joint provided between a distal end portion of each of the movable links and the base body assembly such that each of the movable links can be moved with respect to the base body assembly,
wherein the base body assembly is includes a lower base body from which the plurality of leg links are extended and an upper base body connected to the lower base body such that the upper base body is relatively rotatable about an axial center in the direction of a trunk axis with respect to the lower base body,
the upper base body can be placed in a state in which a front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as a front side of the lower base body and a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as a rear side of the lower base body by a relative rotation about the axial center in the direction of the trunk axis,
each of the leg links is configured to be bendable such that a middle portion thereof between a distal end portion thereof and the lower base body juts out toward either the front side or the rear side of the lower base body,
the mobile robot includes an arm link as a movable link extended from the upper base body, and
the mobile robot is configured to be capable of selectively performing a third travel motion, in which the mobile robot travels by a motion in which a distal end portion of each of the plurality of the leg links and the arm link is lifted off and then landed on the front side of the upper base body following the lifting off in a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction as the front side of the lower base body, and a fourth travel motion, in which the mobile robot travels by a motion in which a distal end portion of each of the plurality of the leg links and the arm link is lifted off and then landed on the front side of the upper base body following the lifting off in a state in which the front side of the upper base body is oriented to face the same direction

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kaneko Hiroyuki
• Watabe Tomoki

Classifications

• B25J9/1694 Primary

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• B62D57/032 Primary

  with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid (B62D57/024 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title