Single actuator per leg robotic hexapod

• US 6,481,513 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McGill University, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: McGill University, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Buehler, Martin, Koditschek, Daniel E., Saranli, Uluc
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/808,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20010054518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 180/8.1, 180/8.6, 446/353, 446/356, 446/377, 901/1
• US Class Current: 180/8.6
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/02 Motor vehicles

Abstract

A mobile robot comprising a body and at least six compliant legs each having only one actuator. The compliant legs are mounted to the body for movement relative thereto in a single degree of freedom. A controller is operably coupled to the actuator of each compliant leg, the controller selectively actuates the actuators to drive the compliant legs in an alternating tripod gait.

Claims

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a body;

at least six compliant legs each having an actuator, said compliant legs being mounted to said body for movement relative thereto, each of said compliant legs having a single actuated degree of freedom; and

a controller operably coupled to said actuators, said controller selectively actuating said actuators to drive said compliants legs in an alternating tripod gait.

2. The mobile robot according to claim 1 wherein said compliant legs are passively compliant.

3. The mobile robot according to claim 2 wherein said passive compliance is substantially in a radial direction.

4. The mobile robot according to claim 2 wherein said compliant legs are each generally C-shaped, said C-shape legs providing compliance substantially in a radial direction.

5. The mobile robot according to claim 1 wherein said actuators drive said compliant legs in a solely rotational direction.

6. The mobile robot according to claim 1 wherein said body is symmetrical about a horizontal plane so as to permit mobility when the mobile robot is in an upside-down orientation.

7. The mobile robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power unit for supplying power to said actuators and said controller, said power unit being mounted on said body.

8. The mobile robot according to claim 1 wherein each of said actuators comprises:

a motor coupled to said controller; and

a planetary gear set enmeshing said motor and driving said corresponding compliant leg.

9. A mobile robot comprising:

a rigid body being symmetrical about a horizontal plane to permit the mobile robot to travel in an inverted position;

at least six legs rotatably coupled to said rigid body, each of said legs being made of a resilient material so as to absorb at least a portion of the forces exerted on said rigid body during movement;

at least six actuators individually driving each of said legs; and

a controller selectively actuating said actuators to drive said legs in an alternating tripod gait.

10. The mobile robot according to claim 9 wherein said legs are each compliant substantially in a radial direction.

11. A mobile robot comprising:

a rigid body;

at least six legs rotatably coupled to said rigid body, each of said legs being made of a resilient material so as to absorb at least a portion of the forces exerted on said rigid body during movement, said legs are each generally C-shaped, said C-shape legs providing compliance in response to ground reaction forces;

at least six actuators individually driving each of said legs; and

a controller selectively actuating said actuators to drive said legs in an alternating tripod gait.

12. A mobile robot comprising:

a rigid body;

at least six legs rotatably coupled to said rigid body, each of said legs being made of a resilient material so as to absorb at least a portion of the forces exerted on said rigid body during movement;

at least six actuators individually driving each of said legs, said actuators drive said legs in a solely rotational direction; and

a controller selectively actuating said actuators to drive said legs in an alternating tripod gait.

14. A mobile robot comprising:

a rigid body;

at least six legs rotatably coupled to said rigid body, each of said legs being made of a resilient material so as to absorb at least a portion of the forces exerted on said rigid body during movement;

at least six actuators individually driving each of said legs, each of said actuators comprising;

a motor coupled to said controller; and

a gear set enmeshing said motor and driving said corresponding leg; and

a controller selectively actuating said actuators to drive said legs in an alternating tripod gait.

13. The mobile robot according to claim 14, further comprising:

a power unit for supplying power to said actuators and said controller, said power unit being mounted on said rigid body.

15. A robot comprising:

a rigid body;

a drive system operably coupled to said rigid body, said drive system having at least six drive members;

at least six compliant legs independently coupled to said drive members of said power drive system, each of said at least six compliant legs being rotatable in a plane generally parallel to a sagittal plane, each of said at least six compliant legs absorbing at least a portion of the forces exerted on said rigid body;

a controller operably coupled to each of said at least six drive members, said controller selectively driving said at least six compliant legs in an alternating tripod gait; and

an onboard power source supplying power to said drive system and said controller.

16. The robot according to claim 15 wherein said compliant legs are passively compliant.

17. The robot according to claim 15 wherein said compliant legs provide compliance substantially in a radial direction.

18. The robot according to claim 15 wherein said body is symmetrical about a horizontal plane so as to permit mobility when the mobile robot is in an upside-down orientation.

19. The robot according to claim 15 wherein each of said drive members comprises:

a motor coupled to said controller; and

a gear set enmeshing said motor and driving said corresponding compliant leg.