Legged mobile robot

• US 7,826,925 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Hiroyuki, Miyazaki, Susumu, Shishido, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/578,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/246, 700/247, 700/249, 700/250, 700/251, 700/253, 700/258, 700/260, 700/264, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.15, 318/568.16, 318/568.17, 318/568.2, 318/568.22, 318/568.25, 318/561, 318/580, 901/1, 901/2, 901/8, 901/9, 901/11, 901/23, 901/46, 901/47, 180/7.1, 180/8.1, 434/267, 297/238, 297/344.23, 701/25, 361/5, 361/23, 361/24
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0091 Shock absorbers in general F16F

Abstract

In a legged mobile robot having a body and legs connected to the body, a seating aid is provided at its body so as to enable to sit on a seat. With this, the space occupied by the robot can be decreased to reduce space during storage and transport, and also enhance safety in the course of transport. In addition, maintenance work is simplified because immobilization in the seated condition is possible. Still further, the range of works is expanded to enable deskwork and the like. Further, the seating aid is provided at a location that is rearward of a center of gravity of the robot when the robot is seated. With this, the moment acting on the robot about the center of gravity during seating does not operate to tilt the robot rearward and, therefore, the robot can be enabled to keep a stable posture from before to after sitting down.

Claims

1. A legged mobile robot comprising:

a body;

a leg linkage connected to the body through a joint and attached with a foot at its distal end, wherein the robot is movable on a surface of a floor by driving the leg linkage to bring the foot in contact with a floor surface; and

a seating aid comprising a cylindrical member attached to the robot configured to support the at least one of the body and the leg linkage so as to enable the robot to sit on a seat, wherein

the seating aid is made displaceable relative to the seat.

2. A legged mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the seating aid is provided at a location that is rearward of a center of gravity of the robot when the robot is seated.

3. A legged mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the seating aid is provided with a terminal for charging a battery that powers onboard equipment of the robot.

4. A legged mobile robot, comprising:

a body;

a leg linkage swingably connected to the body through a hip joint and attached with a foot at its distal end, and an arm linkage swingably connected to the body through a shoulder joint and attached with a hand at its distal end, to work in a workspace by driving the arm linkage; and

a seating aid comprising a cylindrical member attached to the robot configured to support the at least one of the body and the leg linkage so as to enable the robot to sit on a seat to work on objects in the workspace, wherein

a height to the shoulder joint from a ground contact surface of the foot when the robot is seated is defined within a range determined based on an averaged value obtained by averaging heights of the objects from a surface of floor and deviations thereof, and wherein

the seating aid is located at a predetermined distance below the shoulder joint in a gravity direction.

5. A legged mobile robot according to claim 4, wherein the leg linkage has a thigh link and a shank link connected by a knee joint, and the seating aid is provided at a location within a range of H±

{(⅓

)·

H} from the ground contact surface of the foot, when the robot is seated, if a distance from the ground contact surface of the foot to the knee joint is defined as H.

6. A legged mobile robot according to claim 4, wherein the seating aid is provided with a terminal for charging a battery that powers onboard equipment of the robot.

7. A legged mobile robot, comprising:

a body;

a leg linkage connected to the body through a joint and attached with a foot at its distal end, wherein the robot is movable on a surface of a floor by driving the leg linkage to bring the foot in contact with a floor surface; and

a seating aid configured to support the at least one of the body and the leg linkage so as to enable the robot to sit on a seat, wherein

a portion of the seating aid that contacts the seat comprises a rotating member to enable the seating aid to be displaceable relative to the seat.

8. A legged mobile robot according to claim 7, wherein the seating aid is provided with a terminal for charging a battery that powers onboard equipment of the robot.

9. A legged mobile robot, comprising:

a body; and

a leg linkage connected to the body through a joint and attached with a foot at its distal end, wherein the robot is movable on a surface of a floor by driving the leg linkage to bring the foot in contact with a floor surface; and

a seating aid configured to support the at least one of the body and the leg linkage so as to enable the robot to sit on a seat, wherein

a portion of the seating aid that contacts the seat comprises a rotating member fabricated from an elastic material to enable the seating aid to be displaceable relative to the seat.

10. A legged mobile robot according to claim 9, wherein the seating aid is provided with a terminal for charging a battery that powers onboard equipment of the robot.