Foot structure and humanoid robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279487-B2
Application number	US-201715465609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A foot structure for contacting the ground and connecting to a leg structure of a humanoid robot, includes: a foot assembly for contacting the ground; a first servo mounted on the foot assembly and including a first output shaft; a connecting assembly rotatably connected to the foot assembly and to constitute an ankle portion; and a second servo mounted on the connecting assembly and connected with the leg structure, the second servo including a second output shaft perpendicular to the first output shaft; the connecting assembly being arranged perpendicularly to the foot assembly and including a first connecting structure used to mount the first output shaft and rotatably connected to the foot assembly, and a second connecting structure connected to the first connecting structure and used to mount the second output shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foot structure for contacting the ground and connecting to a leg structure of a humanoid robot, comprising:
a foot assembly for contacting the ground;
a first servo mounted on the foot assembly and comprising a first output shaft;
a connecting assembly rotatably connected to the foot assembly and configured to constitute an ankle portion; and
a second servo mounted on the connecting assembly and configured to connect with the leg structure, the second servo comprising a second output shaft perpendicular to the first output shaft;
the connecting assembly being arranged perpendicularly to the foot assembly and comprising a first connecting structure configured to mount the first output shaft and rotatably connected to the foot assembly, and a second connecting structure connected to the first connecting structure and configured to mount the second output shaft;
wherein the foot assembly comprises a bottom plate, a fixing portion and a mounting portion that protrude toward the leg structure, and a mounting block fixed to the bottom plate and opposite to the mounting portion, the first servo is fixed to the fixing portion, the first output shaft is mounted to the first connecting structure, and opposite ends of the first output shaft are connected to the mounting portion and the mounting block.

2. The foot structure of claim 1 , wherein the fixing portion comprises a stopper provided with a stopper groove and fixing posts located on opposite sides of the stopper, and an outer surface of the first servo is provided with a protruding block received in the stopper groove and a connecting block arranged opposite to the fixing posts and securely connected to the fixing posts by fasteners.

3. The foot structure of claim 1 , wherein the first connecting structure comprises a first side cover and a first end cover which are securely connected to each other and define a first receiving chamber, the second connecting structure comprises a second side cover and a second end cover which are securely connected to each other and define a second receiving chamber, the first side cover and the second side cover are integrally formed with each other, the first servo is partly accommodated in the first receiving chamber, and the second servo is partly received in the second receiving chamber.

4. The foot structure of claim 3 , wherein the first side cover comprises a first connecting portion securely connected to the first end cover and a first side end cover that extends along the first connecting portion and is provided with a first pivot shaft protruding therefrom, the first side end cover defines a first shaft hole, the first end cover comprises a first side plate securely connected to the first connecting portion and a first cover portion extending along the first side plate and provided with a second pivot shaft protruding therefrom, the first cover portion is provided with a second shaft hole that is arranged opposite to and coaxial with the first shaft hole, opposite ends of the first output shaft are respectively received in the first shaft hole and the second shaft hole, and the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft are arranged opposite to each other outside the first connecting structure and are pivotally connected to the foot assembly.

5. The foot structure of claim 4 , wherein the first connecting portion and the first side plate cooperatively form an arc-shaped first receiving chamber, and a gap is formed between a housing of the first servo and each of inner walls of the first connecting portion and the first side plate.

6. The foot structure of claim 4 , wherein the second side cover comprises a second connecting portion that is securely connected to the second end cover and is integrally formed with the first connecting portion, and a second side end cover extending along the second connecting portion, and the second side end cover is provided with a first connecting hole, the second end cover comprises a second side plate securely connected to the second connecting portion and a second cover portion extending along the second side plate, the second cover portion is provided with a second connecting hole that is arranged opposite to and coaxial with the first connecting hole, and opposite ends of the second output shaft are respectively received in the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole.

7. The foot structure of claim 6 , wherein the second connecting portion and the second side plate cooperatively form an arc-shaped second receiving chamber, and a gap is formed between a housing of the second servo and each of inner walls of the second connecting portion and the second side plate.

8. The foot structure of claim 6 , wherein the connecting assembly further comprises a plurality of ribs spaced apart from each other and extending along an outer surface of the first connecting portion toward an outer surface of the second connecting portion.

9. The foot structure of claim 1 , wherein the first servo and the second servo are both spherical, the first servo and the second servo each comprise a power component and a spherical mechanism for outputting power of the power component, the spherical mechanism of the first servo comprises the first output shaft, and the spherical mechanism of the second servo comprises the second output shaft.

10. The foot structure of claim 9 , wherein the first servo comprises a first connection end connected to the foot assembly, the first connection end is located on a side of the power component of the first servo away from the spherical mechanism; the second servo comprises a second connection end connected to the foot assembly, the second connection end is located on a side of the power component of the second servo away from the spherical mechanism, an axis of the first connection end and an axis of the second connection end are arranged perpendicular to each other.

11. A humanoid robot comprising a head, a trunk connected with the head, and two legs and two arms connected to the trunk, each of the legs comprising a leg structure connected to a waist structure and the foot structure of claim 1 connected to the leg structure.

12. A foot structure for contacting the ground and connecting to a leg structure of a humanoid robot, comprising:
a foot assembly for contacting the ground;
a first servo mounted on the foot assembly and comprising a first output shaft;
a connecting assembly rotatably connected to the foot assembly and configured to constitute an ankle portion; and
a second servo mounted on the connecting assembly and configured to connect with the leg structure, the second servo comprising a second output shaft perpendicular to the first output shaft;
the connecting assembly being arranged perpendicularly to the foot assembly and comprising a first connecting structure configured to mount the first output shaft and rotatably connected to the foot assembly, and a second connecting structure connected to the first connecting structure and configured to mount the second output shaft,
wherein the first servo is rotatably and at least partly received within the first connecting structure, and the second servo is rotatably and at least partly received within the second connecting structure.

13. The foot structure of claim 12 , wherein the foot assembly comprises a bottom plate, a fixing portion and a mounting portion that protrude toward the leg structure, and a mounting block fixed to the bottom plate and opposite to the mounting portion, the first servo is fixed to the fixing portion, the first output shaft is mounted to the first connecting structure, and opposite ends of the first outpu

Assignees

• Ubtech Robotics Corp

Inventors

• Xiong Youjun
• Hu Feng
• Chen Xinpu

Classifications

• Y10S901/28

  Joint · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• B25J17/00 Primary

  Joints · CPC title

• B62D57/032

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

• B25J9/0006 Primary

  Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure · CPC title