Patent Application
20200282572
This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201910154369.0, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on Mar. 1, 2019, titled “ROBOT HEAD AND NECK ASSEMBLY, AND ROBOT”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of robots, and in particular, relate to a robot head and neck assembly and a robot.
A robot head and neck assembly is a top structural component of a robot, and is an important component for a user to make man-machine interactions.
During the implementation of the present application, the inventors have identified that: At present, the robot head and neck assembly is generally divided into a robot head and neck skeleton and a case skin. The robot head and neck skeleton is directly lapped to the skin to form the robot head and neck assembly. If the appearance of the robot head and neck needs to be changed, the whole robot head and neck skeleton needs to be replaced.
An embodiment of the present application provides a robot head and neck assembly. The robot head and neck assembly includes: a head and neck inner skeleton; and a head and neck outer skeleton, disposed on an outer side of the head and neck inner skeleton, and wrapping the head and neck inner skeleton.
Another embodiment of the present application provides a robot. The robot includes a robot head and neck assembly. The robot head and neck assembly includes: a head and neck inner skeleton; and a head and neck outer skeleton, disposed on an outer side of the head and neck inner skeleton, and wrapping the head and neck inner skeleton.
For clearer descriptions of the technical solutions according to the specific embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the related art, the accompanying drawings incorporated for illustrating the specific embodiments or the related art are briefly described hereinafter. In all the accompanying drawings, like elements or parts are generally denoted by like reference numerals. In the accompanying drawings, various elements or parts are not necessarily drawn according to the actual scale.
The embodiments containing the technical solutions of the present application are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments hereinafter are only used to clearly describe the technical solutions of the present application. Therefore, these embodiments are only used as examples, but are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present application.
It should be noted that unless otherwise specified, the technical terms and scientific terms used in the present application shall express general meanings that may be understood by a person skilled in the art.
In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms “central”, “longitudinal”, “transversal”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential” and the like indicate orientations and position relationships which are based on the illustrations in the accompanying drawings, and these terms are merely for ease and brevity of the description, instead of indicating or implying that the devices or elements shall have a particular orientation and shall be structured and operated based on the particular orientation. Accordingly, these terms shall not be construed as limiting the present application.
In addition, terms of “first”, “second” are only used for description, but shall not be understood as indication or implication of relative importance or implicit indication of the number of the specific technical features. In the description of the present application, the term “more” or “a plurality of” signifies at least two, unless otherwise specified.
In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified and defined, the terms “mounted”, “coupled”, “connected” and “fixed” and derivative forms thereof shall be understood in a broad sense, which, for example, may be understood as fixed connection, detachable connection or integral connection; may be understood as mechanical connection or electrical connection, or understood as direct connection, indirect connection via an intermediate medium, or communication between the interiors of two elements or interactions between two elements. Persons of ordinary skill in the art may understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application according to the actual circumstances and contexts.
In the present application, unless otherwise specified or defined, by defining that a first feature is disposed “above” or “below” or “beneath” a second feature, it may be meant that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature via an intermediate medium. In addition, by defining that a first feature is disposed “over” or “above” a second feature, it may be meant that the first feature is rightly over the second feature or is obliquely above the second feature, or the horizontal height of the first feature is greater than that of the second feature. In addition, by defining that a first feature is disposed “under” or “blow, or “beneath” a second feature, it may be meant that the first feature is rightly under the second feature or is obliquely below the second feature, or the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.
Referring to
With respect to the head and neck inner skeleton 21, as illustrated in
With respect to the first connecting member 211 and the swing head effector 212, as illustrated in
It may be understood that both the two ends of the top plate 2111 may be respectively connected to the first connecting stand plate 2112 and the second connecting stand plate 2113, and the second connecting stand plate 2113 may be connected to the output end of the swing head effector 212 in other modes, for example, snap-fitting connection or the like, other than the connection modes as described above.
With respect to the second connecting member 213 and the lift head effector 214, still referring to
It may be understood that both the third connecting stand plate 2131 and the fourth connecting stand plate 2132 may be respectively connected to the case of the swing head effector 212, and the fourth connecting stand plate 2132 may be connected to the output end of the lift head effector 214 in other modes, for example, snap-fitting connection or the like, other than the connection modes as described above. The first connecting member 211 and the second connecting member 213 may also be other devices achieving the same connection effect, which are not described herein any further.
With respect to the rotate head effector 215, still referring to
It may be understood that male-female engagement between the connecting boss 2141 and the connecting groove 2151 may be practiced in other modes other than the mode as described above, which are not described herein any further. The output end of the rotate head effector 215 may also be connected to the case of the lift head effector 214 in other modes other that the connection mode as described above, which are not described herein any further.
In summary, the head and neck inner skeleton 21 is divided into the first connecting member 211, the swing head effector 212, the second connecting member 213, the lift head effector 214, and the rotate head effector 215, and these effectors and connecting members are connected in a detachable mode, such that modularized design of the head and neck inner skeleton 21 is implemented, which is favorable to assembling, repair and part replacement of the head and neck inner skeleton 21. Nevertheless, with respect to different types of head and neck inner skeletons 21 or head and neck inner skeletons 21 imposing different design requirements, these head and neck inner skeletons impose different requirements on degree of freedom. Correspondingly, the number of effectors and the number of connecting members of the head and neck inner skeletons 21 are also different, which are not described herein any further.
With respect to the head and neck outer skeleton 22, as illustrated in
With respect to the head outer skeleton 221, as illustrated in
It may be understood that the head left outer skeleton 2211 may be connected to the first connecting stand plate 2112, the head right outer skeleton 2212 may be connected to the second connecting stand plate 2113, and the head left outer skeleton 2211 may be connected to the head right outer skeleton 2212 all in other modes other than the connection modes as described above, which are not described herein any further. In addition, the first positioning groove 2213 may also be formed in other modes. For example, the first positioning groove 2213 may be directly disposed on the head left outer skeleton 2211 or the head right outer skeleton 2212.
With respect to the skull outer skeleton 222, still referring to
It may be understood that the skull outer skeleton 222 may be connected to the head left outer skeleton 2211 and the head right outer skeleton 2212 in other modes other than the connection mode as described above, which are not described herein any further. Further, the first positioning boss 2221 and the first positioning groove 2213, and the second positioning boss 2211a and the second positioning groove 2212a may also be other structures having the same positioning functions, which are not described herein any further.
With respect to the swing head outer skeleton 223, as illustrated in
With respect to the lift head outer skeleton 224, as illustrated in
With respect to the rotate head outer skeleton 225, as illustrated in
It may be understood that the swing head front outer skeleton 2231 may be connected to the third connecting stand plate 2131, the swing head rear outer skeleton 2232 may be connected to the fourth connecting stand plate 2132, the connecting piece 2232 may be connected to the swing head front outer skeleton 2231 and the swing head rear outer skeleton 2232 respectively, the lift head front outer skeleton 2241 and the lift head rear outer skeleton 2242 may be respectively connected to the lift head effector 214, the lift head front outer skeleton 2241 may be connected to the lift head rear outer skeleton 2242, the rotate head front outer skeleton 2251 and the rotate head rear outer skeleton 2252 may be respectively connected to the rotate head effector 215, and the rotate head front outer skeleton 2251 may be connected to the rotate head rear outer skeleton 2252 all in other modes other than the connection modes as described above, which are not described herein any further.
The head and neck outer skeleton 22 is divided into the head outer skeleton 221, the skull outer skeleton 222, the swing head outer skeleton 223, the lift head outer skeleton 224, and the rotate head outer skeleton 225. The head outer skeleton 221, the skull outer skeleton 222, the swing head outer skeleton 223, the lift head outer skeleton 224, and the rotate head outer skeleton 225 respectively wrap the corresponding effectors and connecting members, such that the modularized design of the head and neck outer skeleton 22 is implemented, which is favorable to assembling, repair, and part replacement of the head and neck outer skeleton 22. Nevertheless, with respect to different types of head and neck inner skeletons 21 or head and neck inner skeletons 21 imposing different design requirements, these head and neck inner skeletons impose different requirements on degree of freedom. Correspondingly, the number of effectors and the number of connecting members of the head and neck inner skeletons 21 are also different, and thus the modularized design of the head and neck outer skeleton 22 needs to be changed. In other embodiments, considering that the complexities of the effectors and connecting members of the head and neck inner skeleton 21 are different, correspondingly, further divisions of the correspondingly types of the outer skeletons are also different, which are not described herein any further.
With respect to the outer skin 23, as illustrated in
It should be noted that the skull outer skin 231, the head outer skin 232, the swing head outer skin 233, and the lift head outer skin 234 may all be detachably connected to the head and neck inner skeleton 21 by thread connection, snap-fitting connection or the like.
It may be understood that different types of robots impose different requirements on appearance skin, and therefore, in other embodiments, the head and neck outer skeleton 22 may have one or a plurality of portions thereof coated with the skin 23. Alternatively, the robot head and neck assembly 20 may also not include the outer skin 23, such that different requirements on appearance skin imposed by different robots are accommodated.
In some embodiments, the density of the head and neck outer skeleton 22 is smaller than the density of the head and neck inner skeleton 21; and relative to an integrally-designed robot head and neck skeleton, the head and neck outer skeleton is lighter. Optionally, the head and neck outer skeleton 22 is made of plastic materials with a lighter weight, and may be manufactured by an injection-molding process. This process features lower cost and fewer restrictions on the appearance and shape, and thus diversified appearances of the robots may be achieved. In addition, by this process, the overall weight of the robot head and neck may be lowered, such that the robot head and neck assembly is light-weighted.
It may be understood that the head and neck outer skeleton 22 may also be manufactured by low-density and light-weighted materials other than the materials as descried above, which are not described herein any further.
In the embodiment of the present application, the robot head and neck assembly 20 is divided into the head and neck inner skeleton 21 and the head and neck outer skeleton 22. The head and neck outer skeleton 22 is disposed outside the head and neck inner skeleton 21, and wraps the head and neck inner skeleton 21. The head and neck inner skeleton 21 is configured to define a movement structure of the robot head and neck, and the head and neck outer skeleton 22 is configured to define the appearance and shape of the robot head and neck. Therefore, in the present application, the appearance of the robot head and neck may be changed by replacing the head and neck outer skeleton 22, with no need to wholly replace the robot head and neck assembly 20. In this way, the cost of the replacement is low, and the replacement is convenient. In addition, the head and neck outer skeleton 22 is made of lightweight materials, which may reduce the overall weight of the robot head and neck assembly 20, make the assembly lighter, and lower the cost.
An embodiment of the present application further provides a robot. The robot includes a robot head and neck assembly. The structure and functionality of the robot head and neck assembly are the same as those of the robot head and neck assembly as described in the above embodiments. For details of the structure and functionality, reference may be made to the above embodiments, which are not described herein any further.
It should be finally noted that the above-described embodiments are merely for illustration of the present application, but are not intended to limit the present application. Although the present application is described in detail with reference to these embodiments, a person skilled in the art may also make various modifications to the technical solutions disclosed in the embodiments, or make equivalent replacements to a part of or all technical features contained therein. Such modifications or replacement, made without departing from the principles of the present application, shall fall within the scope defined by the claims and the specification of the present application. Especially, various technical features mentioned in various embodiments may be combined in any mode as long as there is no structural conflict. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein in this specification, but also includes all the technical solutions falling within the scope subject to the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201910154369.0 | Mar 2019 | CN | national |
