Biped ambulatory robot

• US 6,640,160 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Susumu, Takahashi, Hideaki, Matsuda, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/987,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 700/246, 700/245, 700/249, 700/256, 700/260, 700/264, 700/247, 318/568.12, 318/568.17, 318/568.1, 318/568.22, 901/1, 901/48, 901/50
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• 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

Abstract

A biped ambulatory robot is provided having a structure in which the electrical storage device is arranged to reduce the load on the joints (particularly the knee joints) of the leg members of the robot and to enable easy maintenance of stability of the robot posture. The electrical storage device 19 which is a power supply for operation of the robot is installed on the electrical storage device unit 16 of the torso 1 of the robot, such that the center of gravity A of the electrical storage device exists on the forward side from the center of gravity B of the robot when in a vertically-erect posture and with the electrical storage device 19 removed. In a state in which the robot stands normally on the floor F with the knee joints 14 of the leg members 2 bent forward slightly, the center of gravity C of the entire robot including the electrical storage device 19 exists substantially directly above the knee joints 14 as seen from one side of the robot.

Claims

1. A biped ambulatory robot, comprising an electrical storage device as a power supply for robot operation and two leg members, and which stands on a floor on a standing posture in which a knee joint in the middle portion of each of the leg members is bent further in the forward direction from the robot than in a vertically-erect posture in which each of the leg members is extended in the vertical direction, wherein:

said electrical storage device is mounted in an electrical storage device unit provided on the torso of said robot, such that the center of gravity of said electrical storage device exists at a position further forward than the center of gravity of the robot without said electrical storage device in the vertically-erect posture, and the center of gravity of the robot with the electrical storage device thus mounted in the standing posture exists substantially directly above the knee joint of each of the leg members, as seen from one side of the robot, and wherein

said electrical storage device is mounted in said electrical storage device unit such that said electrical storage device is installed and removed via an aperture provided in either the front surface or the rear surface of the torso of said robot.

2. The biped ambulatory robot according to claim 1, wherein

said aperture is provided in the front surface of the torso of said robot, and said electrical storage device unit is provided in a position enabling installation and removal of said electrical storage device via said aperture by operation of arm members extending from the torso of said robot; and said robot further comprising;

auxiliary power supply means, other than the electrical storage device, which supplies power for the robot operation when installing and removing said electrical storage device by operation of the arm members.

3. The biped ambulatory robot according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising clasping:

clasping means to clasp, said electrical storage device to said electrical storage device unit releasably, in the state in which the electrical storage device is mounted in the electrical storage device unit.

4. The biped ambulatory robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for controlling a torque about the ankle of the biped ambulatory robot according to an inverted-pendulum dynamic model using a behavior characteristics of perturbation of behavior characteristics of perturbations in the upper body position of the robot.