ENERGY EFFICIENT ROBOTIC SYSTEM

• US 20100170729A1
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kalik, Steven F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/8.100
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/032 with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid B62D57/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1892 Generators with parts oscillating or vibrating about an axis

Abstract

An energy efficient biped robotic system with passive-dynamic locomotion includes a body having a frame, an energy recapture mechanism, and a leg. The cyclical movement of the leg during passive-dynamic locomotion is transferred to a load through a mechanical energy storage mechanism, and the resulting oscillatory movement of the load is transferred by the mechanical energy input mechanism to an electric energy generating mechanism. The generated electric energy is transferred to the energy storage device for use by the robotic system.

Claims

1. An apparatus, the apparatus being a robotic system with passive dynamic locomotion, the apparatus comprising:

a body portion;

a leg connected to the body portion, the leg having a cyclical movement during passive dynamic locomotion,

the cyclical movement of the leg inducing a movement of the body portion; and

an energy recapture mechanism, mechanically associated with the body portion, operable to use the movement of the body portion during locomotion to generate electric energy used for operation of the robotic system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the energy recapture mechanism comprising:

a load, and

an electric energy generating mechanism for generating electric energy from a motion of the load,

the motion of the load being induced by the movement of the body portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising an energy storage device,

the energy storage device receiving electrical energy from the electric energy generating mechanism.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, the load including the energy storage device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the energy storage device being a rechargeable battery, the electrical energy from the electric energy generating mechanism being used to recharge the rechargeable battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the cyclical movement of the leg inducing an oscillatory movement of the body portion.

7. An apparatus, the apparatus being a robotic system with passive dynamic locomotion, the apparatus comprising:

a body portion;

a leg connected to the body portion, the leg having a cyclical movement during passive dynamic locomotion;

an energy recapture mechanism associated with the body portion, the energy recapture mechanism including

a load, and

an electric energy generating mechanism for generating electric energy from a motion of the load,

the motion of the load being induced by the cyclical movement of the leg during passive dynamic locomotion; and

an energy storage device, receiving electrical energy from the electric energy generating mechanism.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the load including the energy storage device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, the energy storage device being a rechargeable battery, the electrical energy from the electric energy generating mechanism being used to recharge the rechargeable battery.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, the apparatus comprising two legs connected to the body portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, each leg including first and second leg members interconnected by a knee joint.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a cyclical movement of the legs during passive-dynamic locomotion provides a mechanical energy input to the electric energy generating mechanism, so as to generate electric energy.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein spring-loading of the load generates a periodic upward motion during locomotion that alternately unweights each of the legs,

so as to increase locomotion efficiency.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, the load being spring-loaded from the body portion using a spring.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a damping element associated with the spring.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the spring and the damping element is adjustable to accommodate variations in the load.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, the load including the energy storage device.

18. The apparatus of claim 7, the body portion including a frame,

the energy recapture mechanism being suspended from the frame,

the motion of the load being with respect to the frame.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the frame includes a guide mechanism for guiding the motion of the load,

the guide mechanism being secured to the frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, the guide mechanism including a rod,

the motion of the load being guided by the rod.

21. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electric energy generating mechanism includes a generator.

22. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an arm operatively connected to the body portion,

wherein the arm swings in counter opposition to the leg during locomotion.

23. The apparatus of claim 7, the cyclical movement of the leg inducing an oscillatory movement of the body portion.

24. The apparatus of claim 7, the motion of the load being an oscillatory motion with respect to the body portion,

the oscillatory motion of the load resulting from the cyclical movement of the leg.

25. The apparatus of claim 7, the motion of the load providing a mechanical energy input to the electric energy generating mechanism.