Charging system for legged walking robot
First Claim
1. A charging system for a legged walking robot for charging a battery by connecting an external power source to a legged walking robot having a battery and an electric load connected to the battery, comprising:
- a connection circuit that is provided in the legged walking robot and has a first diode that brings the positive electrode of the battery and the positive input terminal of the electric load into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the battery to the electric load as a forward direction, a second diode that brings the positive electrode of the external power source and the positive input terminal of the electric load into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive input terminal of the electric load as a forward direction, a third diode that brings the positive electrode of the external power source and the positive electrode of the battery into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive electrode of the battery as a forward direction, and a circuit that brings the negative electrode of the external power source, the negative electrode of the battery, and the negative input terminal of the electric load into conduction; and
output electric power control means comprising a voltage sensing means for sensing the voltage across electrodes of the battery, wherein the output voltage of the external power source is set so that a total voltage of the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing means and a forward voltage of the third diode is higher than the total voltage of the voltage across electrodes of the battery when the battery is fully charged and the forward voltage of the third diode, while setting a current of the external power source that can be output to be larger than a required current of the electric load, wherein the output electric power control means comprises a CPU that sets the voltage and the current of the external power source,wherein the electric load connected to the battery comprises a joint motor,wherein the legged walking robot comprises a power receiving connector, the external power source comprises a power feeding connector configured to be attached to and detached from the power receiving connector, and the power feeding connector is maintained at a connecting state with the power receiving connector when the legged walking robot is maintained at a predetermined posture by an output power of the joint motor, wherein the joint motor is maintained at a power supplied state when the legged walking robot is maintained at the predetermined posture during the charging of the battery, andwherein the connection circuit is connected to the external power source when the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are connected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inexpensive charging system with a simple construction can supply charging current to a battery of a legged walking robot while maintaining the supply of required current to an electric load of the legged walking robot by an external power source. The charging system includes a connection circuit having a first, a second diode, a third diode, and a circuit that brings various negative electrode and a negative input terminal of the electric load into conduction, and an output electric power controller that sets an output voltage of the external power source to be higher than a total voltage of a voltage across electrodes of the battery when the battery is fully charged and a forward voltage of the third diode, while setting a current of the external power source that can be output to be larger than a required current of the electric load.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A charging system for a legged walking robot for charging a battery by connecting an external power source to a legged walking robot having a battery and an electric load connected to the battery, comprising:
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a connection circuit that is provided in the legged walking robot and has a first diode that brings the positive electrode of the battery and the positive input terminal of the electric load into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the battery to the electric load as a forward direction, a second diode that brings the positive electrode of the external power source and the positive input terminal of the electric load into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive input terminal of the electric load as a forward direction, a third diode that brings the positive electrode of the external power source and the positive electrode of the battery into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive electrode of the battery as a forward direction, and a circuit that brings the negative electrode of the external power source, the negative electrode of the battery, and the negative input terminal of the electric load into conduction; and output electric power control means comprising a voltage sensing means for sensing the voltage across electrodes of the battery, wherein the output voltage of the external power source is set so that a total voltage of the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing means and a forward voltage of the third diode is higher than the total voltage of the voltage across electrodes of the battery when the battery is fully charged and the forward voltage of the third diode, while setting a current of the external power source that can be output to be larger than a required current of the electric load, wherein the output electric power control means comprises a CPU that sets the voltage and the current of the external power source, wherein the electric load connected to the battery comprises a joint motor, wherein the legged walking robot comprises a power receiving connector, the external power source comprises a power feeding connector configured to be attached to and detached from the power receiving connector, and the power feeding connector is maintained at a connecting state with the power receiving connector when the legged walking robot is maintained at a predetermined posture by an output power of the joint motor, wherein the joint motor is maintained at a power supplied state when the legged walking robot is maintained at the predetermined posture during the charging of the battery, and wherein the connection circuit is connected to the external power source when the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are connected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A charging system for a legged walking robot for charging a battery by connecting an external power source to a legged walking robot having a battery and an electric load connected to the battery, comprising:
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a connection circuit that is provided in the legged walking robot and has a first diode that brings the positive electrode of the battery and the positive input terminal of the electric load into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the battery to the electric load as a forward direction, a second diode that brings the positive electrode of the external power source and the positive input terminal of the electric load into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive input terminal of the electric load as a forward direction, a third diode that brings the positive electrode of the external power source and the positive electrode of the battery into conduction, defining the direction from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive electrode of the battery as a forward direction, and a circuit that brings the negative electrode of the external power source, the negative electrode of the battery, and the negative input terminal of the electric load into conduction; output electric power control means comprising a voltage sensing means for sensing the voltage across electrodes of the battery, wherein the output voltage of the external power source is set so that a total voltage of the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing means and a forward voltage of the third diode is higher than the total voltage of the voltage across electrodes of the battery when the battery is fully charged and the forward voltage of the third diode, while setting a current of the external power source that can be output to be larger than a required current of the electric load, wherein the output electric power control means comprises a CPU that sets the voltage and the current of the external power source; charging amount detecting means for detecting the charging amount of the battery; a current breaker switch for cutting off a current supply path from the positive electrode of the external power source to the positive electrode of the battery through the intermediary of the third diode; charging control means for cutting off the current supply path from the external power source to the battery through the intermediary of the third diode by the current breaker switch when the charging amount detecting means detects that the charging amount of the battery has reached a fully charged level after the legged walking robot and the external power source are connected to begin supply of current to the battery from the external power source through the intermediary of the third diode; current detecting means for detecting output current of the external power source; and detaching control means for causing the legged walking robot to detach from the power feeding connector when the current detecting means detects that an output current of the external power source has decreased to a vicinity of a required current of the load after the operation of the current breaker switch is begun by the charging control means, wherein the electric load connected to the battery comprises a joint motor, wherein the legged walking robot comprises a power receiving connector, the external power source comprises a power feeding connector configured to be attached to and detached from the power receiving connector, and the power feeding connector is maintained at a connecting state with the power receiving connector when the legged walking robot is maintained at a predetermined posture by an output power of the joint motor, wherein the joint motor is maintained at a power supplied state when the legged walking robot is maintained at the predetermined posture during the charging of the battery, and wherein the connection circuit that is connected to the external power source when the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are connected. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification