Robotic leg with multiple robotic feet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561829-B1
Application number	US-201514613632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are robotic systems, methods, bipedal robot devices, and computer-readable mediums. For example, a robotic system may include a robotic body, a robotic hip connected to the robotic body, a robotic leg connected to the robotic hip. Further, the robotic system may include a first robotic foot that is connected to one end of the robotic leg and a second robotic foot is connected to an opposite end of the robotic leg. Yet further, the robotic leg may be fully rotatable around an axis of rotation defined by the robotic hip. In addition, the robotic hip may be linearly movable along the robotic leg to one or more positions between the one end of the robotic leg and the opposite end of the robotic leg.

First claim

We claim:

1. A robotic system comprising:
a robotic body;
a first robotic hip connected to the robotic body;
a first robotic leg connected to the first robotic hip, wherein a first robotic foot is connected to one end of the first robotic leg and a second robotic foot is connected to an opposite end of the first robotic leg, wherein the first robotic leg is fully rotatable around a first axis of rotation defined by the first robotic hip, and wherein the first robotic hip is linearly movable along the first robotic leg to one or more positions between the one end of the first robotic leg and the opposite end of the first robotic leg;
a second robotic hip connected to the robotic body; and
a second robotic leg connected to the second robotic hip, wherein a third robotic foot is connected to one end of the second robotic leg and a fourth robotic foot is connected to an opposite end of the second robotic leg, wherein the second robotic leg is fully rotatable around a second axis of rotation defined by the second robotic hip, wherein the second robotic hip is linearly movable along the second robotic leg to one or more positions between the one end of the second robotic leg and the opposite end of the second robotic leg, and wherein a surface area of a bottom surface of the third robotic foot is different than a surface area of a bottom surface of the fourth robotic foot, wherein a surface area of a bottom surface of the first robotic foot is equal to the surface area of the bottom surface of the third robotic foot, and wherein a surface area of a bottom surface of the second robotic foot is equal to the surface area of the bottom surface of the fourth robotic foot.

2. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic system further comprises a computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the robotic system, cause the robotic system to perform operations comprising:
causing the first robotic hip to move along the first robotic leg to a first position of the one or more positions between the one end of the first robotic leg and the opposite end of the first robotic leg; and
causing the second robotic hip to move along the second robotic leg to a second position of the one or more positions between the one end of the second robotic leg and the opposite end of the second robotic leg.

3. The robotic system of claim 2 , wherein a first length of the first robotic leg is equivalent to a second length of the second robotic leg, wherein the first position is half way between the one end of the first robotic leg and the opposite end of the first robotic leg, and wherein the second position is half way between the one end of the second robotic leg and the opposite end of the second robotic leg.

4. The robotic system of claim 2 , the operations further comprising:
causing the first robotic leg to rotate 360 degrees around the axis of rotation defined by the first robotic hip; and
causing the second robotic leg to rotate 360 degrees around the second axis of rotation defined by the second robotic hip, wherein the first robotic leg and the second robotic leg rotate with a phase difference of 90 degrees.

5. The robotic system of claim 2 , the operations further comprising:
causing the first robotic leg to rotate 180 degrees around the axis of rotation defined by the first robotic hip, wherein weight of the robotic system is shifted from being placed on the second robotic foot to the first robotic foot;
causing the second robotic leg to rotate 180 degrees around the second axis of rotation defined by the second robotic hip, wherein the weight of the robotic system is shifted from being placed on the fourth robotic foot to the third robotic foot; and
based on causing the first robotic leg and the second robotic leg to rotate, causing the robotic system to take an initial step with the first robotic foot and a subsequent step with the third robotic foot.

6. The robotic system of claim 2 , wherein the robotic system further comprises one or more liquid-cooled devices, and wherein the operations further comprise:
using the one or more liquid-cooled devices to move the first robotic hip along the first robotic leg to a first position of the one or more positions between the one end of the first robotic leg and the opposite end of the first robotic leg; and
using the one or more liquid-cooled devices to move the second robotic hip along the second robotic leg to a second position of the one or more positions between the one end of the second robotic leg and the opposite end of the second robotic leg.

7. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the first robotic leg comprises a first spring that applies a first force against the second robotic foot, and wherein the second robotic leg comprises a second spring that applies a second force against the fourth robotic foot.

8. The robotic system of claim 1 , wherein a material of the bottom surface of the third robotic foot is different than a material of the bottom surface of the fourth robotic foot, wherein a material of the bottom surface of the first robotic foot is the same as the material of the bottom surface of the third robotic foot, and wherein a material of the bottom surface of the second robotic foot is the same as the material of the bottom surface of the fourth robotic foot.

9. The robotic system of claim 8 , wherein the material of the bottom surface of the third robotic foot comprises a rubber base that facilitates friction against adjacent surfaces.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Urata Junichi
• Hamafuji Masaki

Classifications

• 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

• B62D57/02

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

• B62J11/00

  Supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening specific devices to cycles, e.g. supports for attaching maps · CPC title

• B62D57/022

  consisting of members having both rotational and walking movements · CPC title

• B25J13/08

  by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices · CPC title