Support module and robot having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9452797-B2
Application number	US-201213723534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A support module includes a first rigid body, a space formation body connected to the first rigid body and forming an enclosed space, and a plurality of hard particles located within the enclosed space. When at least a predetermined pressure is applied to the support module such that a volume of the enclosed space is decreased to a predetermined value, the plurality of hard particles and space formation body form a second rigid body. Such a support module may improve the stability of a walking robot, the grip of a gripping structure, or the stability of a load-bearing structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A walking robot comprising:
a body part;
at least one leg part connected to the body part and movably supporting the body part;
a foot connected to a lower end of the at least one leg part; and
at least one support module connected to a lower end of the foot,
wherein the at least one support module includes,
a first rigid body connected to the lower end of the foot,
a space formation body connected to at least a portion of the first rigid body and forming a space part together with the at least a portion of the first rigid body, and
a plurality of hard particles located within the space part that form a second rigid body supporting a load of the robot when the support module contacts a ground surface and a volume of the space part is decreased to at least a set value, and
wherein the space formation body is formed of a material which is deformable to a shape corresponding to the shape of the ground surface during a contact process of the support module with the ground surface and is not contracted or expanded in any direction.

2. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum volume of the space part is achieved in a state in which pressure is not applied to the support module.

3. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein
air gaps are formed between the plurality of hard particles,
a pressure required to form the second rigid body increases as the volume in the space part occupied by the air gaps increases, and
a pressure required to form the second rigid body decreases as the volume in the space part occupied by the air gaps increases.

4. A support module comprising:
a first rigid body;
a space formation body connected to at least a portion of the first rigid body and forming a space part together with the at least a portion of the first rigid body; and
a plurality of hard particles located within the space part that form a second rigid body supporting a load of the first rigid body when pressure is applied to the support module and a volume of the space part is decreased to at least a set value,
wherein the space formation body is formed of a material which is deformable to a shape corresponding to a shape of a contact surface during a contact process of the support module with the contact surface and is not contracted or expanded in any direction.

5. The support module according to claim 4 , wherein the space formation body is formed of a material which is not contracted or expanded in any direction.

6. The support module according to claim 4 , wherein a maximum volume of the space part is achieved in a state in which pressure is not applied to the support module.

7. The support module according to claim 4 ,
wherein:
air gaps are formed between the plurality of hard particles; and
the volume in the space part occupied by the air gaps is configured to be proportional to the pressure applied to the support module to form the second rigid body.

8. The support module according to claim 4 , wherein at least three support modules are connected to a structure to support the structure, and a center of mass of the structure is located within a support polygon formed by the at least three support modules.

9. A surface contact structure comprising:
a rigid structure; and
a contact structure connected to the rigid structure and having a first shape,
wherein the contact structure includes,
a deformable structure containing a plurality of particles that are mobile within the deformable structure when a volume of the deformable structure is greater than or equal to a set value, and
the contact structure becomes rigid when at least a set amount of pressure is applied to the contact structure,
wherein the deformable structure is configured to deform to a shape corresponding to a shape of a surface during a contact process of the contact structure with the surface and is not contracted or expanded in any direction.

10. The surface contact structure according to claim 9 , wherein the contact structure is adapted to contact the surface, and the rigid structure is connected to a load-bearing structure.

11. The surface contact structure according to claim 9 , wherein a rigidity of the contact structure results from a decrease in the volume of the deformable structure less than the set value such that the plurality of particles are immobilized within the deformable structure.

12. The surface contact structure according to claim 9 , wherein a mobility of the plurality of particles within the deformable structure is restored when the at least a set amount of pressure is removed from the contact structure.

13. The surface contact structure according to claim 9 , wherein the contact structure is restored to the first shape when the contact structure is not in contact with the surface.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Joo Hyung
• Roh Kyung Shik
• Seo Kee Hong

Classifications

• B62D57/02 Primary

  with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members · CPC title

• B25J15/0023

  Gripper surfaces directly activated by a fluid (flexible fingers B25J15/12) · CPC title

• B25J9/0009 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · 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