Robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12054022-B2
Application number	US-202018024905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2020
Priority date	Sep 14, 2020
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise: a base; a driving wheel protruding downward from the base; a plate spaced upward from the base; a through hole formed at the plate; a suspension bar including a shaft part rotatably connected to the base and vertically extending upward, and a screw part vertically extending from an upper end of the shaft part toward the through hole; a slider sliding along the shaft part and connected to the driving wheel; a bushing top configured to move up and down along the screw part when the suspension bar rotates; a spring located on an outer circumference of the suspension bar and located between the bushing top and the slider; and a motor disposed above the plate and connected to the screw part through the through hole to rotate the suspension bar.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robot comprising:
a base;
a driving wheel protruding downward from the base;
a plate spaced upward from the base;
a through hole formed in the plate;
a suspension bar including a shaft part rotatably connected to the base and vertically extending upward, and a screw part vertically extending from an upper end of the shaft part toward the through hole;
a slider configured to slide along the shaft part and connected to the driving wheel;
a bushing top configured to move up and down along the screw part when the suspension bar rotates;
a spring located on an outer circumference of the suspension bar and located between the bushing top and the slider; and
a motor disposed above the plate and connected to the screw part through the through hole and configured to rotate the suspension bar,
the robot further comprising a guide fastened to a bottom surface of the plate to guide a lifting of the bushing top,
wherein a guide protrusion protruding in a horizontal direction is formed on the bushing top, and
the guide protrusion is inserted into the guide and a guide groove extending in a vertical direction is formed.

2. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises:
a fastening part fastened to the bottom surface of the plate; and
an extension part extending downward from the fastening part and the guide groove is formed at the extension part.

3. The robot according to claim 2 , wherein an accommodation groove is formed in the fastening part, and
when the bushing top is in contact with the bottom surface of the plate, an end of the guide protrusion is accommodated in the accommodation groove.

4. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the bushing top moves up and down between a first height in contact with the bottom surface of the plate and a second height lower than the first height and higher than half of a vertical distance between the base and the plate.

5. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a loading unit located on the upper side of the plate and configured to support an object;
a load cell configured to detect a weight of an object loaded on the loading unit; and
a controller configured to control the motor so that the bushing top descends as a sensing value of the load cell increases.

6. The robot according to claim 5 ,
wherein the driving wheel is one of a plurality of driving wheels, and
wherein the controller is configured to move up and down the bushing top so that a suspension stroke of the spring is determined according to the following equation:

S
=

W

T
*
N
*
k

-

S
0

where
S: suspension stroke of the spring,
W: a sum of a previously stored weight of the robot and the weight of the object loaded on the loading unit of the robot,
N: a number of the driving wheels,
k: elastic coefficient of the spring,
S 0 : compression amount of the spring when a floor surface is horizontal in a state where the bushing top is in contact with the bottom surface of the plate, and
T: a predetermined correction constant of 1.3 or more and 2 or less.

7. The robot according to claim 6 , wherein the correction constant is 1.65 or more and 1.75 or less.

8. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprises:
a sensor configured to detect a state of a floor surface contacted by the driving wheel; and
a controller configured to control the motor according to a sensing value of the sensor.

9. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control the motor according to a rotational speed of the driving wheel.

10. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector fastened to the base; and
a suspension arm configured to connect the slider with the driving wheel and rotate about a rotation axis connected to the connector.

11. The robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of lower pillars extending upward from the base, supporting the plate, and spaced apart in parallel with the suspension bar.

12. A robot comprising:
a base;
a driving wheel protruding downward from the base;
a plate spaced upward from the base;
a suspension bar extending vertically from the base toward the plate;
a spring disposed on an outer circumference of the suspension bar;
a slider configured to slide along the suspension bar at a lower side of the spring and connected to the driving wheel;
a bushing top configured to slide along the suspension bar on an upper side of the spring;
a motor disposed above the plate;
a long hole formed in the plate; and
a cam configured to be rotated by the motor and to press the bushing top downward through the long hole,
wherein the cam comprises:
a pair of cam bodies configured to press the bushing top downward and are spaced apart from each other; and
a connection shaft connecting the pair of cam bodies, located on an upper side of the plate, and extending in a horizontal direction,
the robot further comprises:
a rotation shaft connected to the motor and extending in a direction parallel to the connection shaft; and
a chain or belt connecting the rotation shaft and the connection shaft.

13. The robot according to claim 12 , wherein an upper surface of the bushing top comprises:
a first area pressed by one of the pair of cam bodies; and
a second area pressed by the other of the pair of cam bodies and symmetrical to the first area with respect to the suspension bar.

14. A robot comprising:
a base;
a pair of driving wheels protruding downward from both sides of the base;
a plate spaced upward from the base;
a pair of suspension bars vertically extending from the base toward the plate;
a pair of springs disposed on outer circumferences of the pair of suspension bars;
a pair of sliders configured to slide along the pair of suspension bars at a downside of the pair of springs and connected to the pair of driving wheels;
a pair of bushing tops configured to slide along the pair of suspension bars at an upper side of the pair of springs;
a motor disposed above the plate;
a plurality of long holes formed at the plate; and
a plurality of cams configured to be rotated by the motor and to press the pair of bushing tops downward through the plurality of long holes,
wherein each of the plurality of cams comprises:
a pair of cam bodies configured to press the bushing top downward and are spaced apart from each other; and
a connection shaft configured to connect the pair of cam bodies and extending in a horizontal direction and located on an upper side of the plate;
the robot further comprising:
a rotation shaft coupled to the motor; and
a plurality of chains or a plurality of belts configured to connect the rotation shaft and the plurality of connection shafts.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Haklim
• Shin Jiyong
• Im Sanghyuk

Classifications

• B60G2500/30

  Height or ground clearance · CPC title

• B60G2400/60

  Load · CPC title

• B60G2300/26

  Carts · CPC title

• B60G2204/423

  Rails, tubes, or the like, for guiding the movement of suspension elements · CPC title

• B60G2202/12

  Wound spring · CPC title