Charging system of biped walking robot

• US 7,834,584 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Koyanagi, Takuro, Kaneko, Satoshi, Nakayama, Takashi, Ujino, Ryuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORRES RUIZ, JOHALI ALEJANDRA
• Application Number:
  US11/212,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/137, 320/166
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4536 Inwardly pivoting shutter
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits

Abstract

A charging system is capable of charging a battery of a biped walking robot while stabilizing the posture of the biped walking robot and also restraining the occurrence of spark discharge or noises. A charger of the charging system for charging the battery provided in the biped walking robot includes a seating and retaining unit for retaining the biped walking robot in a seated posture, a power feeding connector that is fitted to a power receiving connector provided in the biped walking robot when the biped walking robot sits on the seating and retaining unit, and a charging unit having a connection detector for detecting whether the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are in a connected state, a charging power source for supplying charging current to the battery, and a charging controller that supplies charging current to the battery from the charging power source to charge the battery when the connection detector detects that the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are in the connected state.

Claims

1. A charging system of a biped walking robot for charging a battery provided in the biped walking robot, comprising:

a seating and retaining means on which the biped walking robot can sit and which retains the biped walking robot at a seated posture, wherein thighs and a back of a body of the biped walking robot are held at predetermined positions of the seating and retaining means;

a power feeding connector to be connected to a power receiving connector provided in the biped walking robot in a state that the biped walking robot is maintained at the seated posture by the seating and retaining means, the power feeding connector having a first charging terminal and a first detecting connector;

connection detecting means for detecting whether the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are in a connected state;

a charging power source for supplying charging current to the battery;

communication means for communicating with the biped walking robot; and

a charging control means for charging the battery by supplying charging current to the battery from the charging power source through the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector in response to a signal from the biped walking robot via the communication means notifying the start of seating approach to the seating and retaining means, wherein a timer is started based on the notifying the start of seating approach and then the connection detecting means detects that the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are in the connected state, wherein

in the course of transition of the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector from a disconnected state to a connected state, the first charging terminal and a second charging terminal of the power receiving connector are brought into a conduction state from a detached state, and then the first detecting terminal and a second detecting terminal of the power receiving connector are brought into a conduction state from a detached state,

the connection detecting means detects that the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are in the connected state when the first detecting terminal and the second detecting terminal are brought into conduction, and when the state detected by the connection detecting means is switched from a state

wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are not in connection to a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are in connection and the timer has not expired, the charging control means starts supply of charging current from the charging power source to the battery,

wherein, in the course of transition of the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector from the connected state to the disconnected state, the first detecting terminal and the second detecting terminal are brought into the detached state from the conduction state, and then the first charging terminal and the second charging terminal are brought into the detached state from the conduction state, further comprising;

a capacitor connected across output terminals of the charging power source; and

discharging means for discharging charges from the capacitor, and

wherein, after receiving a signal from the biped walking robot via the communication means notifying the start of the execution of standing approach, and then the state detected by the connection detecting means is switched from a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are in connection to a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are not in connection, the charging control means stops supply of charging current by the charging power source and discharges the charges from the capacitor by the discharging means.

2. The charging system of a biped walking robot according to claim 1, wherein

the power receiving connector has a tapered recession whose inclined surfaces gradually approach each other toward a terminal from the opening, and

the power feeding connector has a projection shaped to match the tapered shape of the power receiving connector.

3. The charging system of a biped walking robot according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter provided at the front of the power receiving connector, wherein

the shutter covers an opening of the power receiving connector in a state wherein the power receiving connector has been disconnected from the power feeding connector, whereas the shutter is released to expose the opening as the power feeding connector comes in contact with the power receiving connector when the power receiving connector is fitted to the power feeding connector.

4. The charging system of a biped walking robot according to claim 3, wherein

the power receiving connector has a tapered recession whose inclined surfaces gradually approach each other toward a terminal from the opening, and

the power feeding connector has a projection shaped to match the tapered shape of the power receiving connector.

5. The charging system of a biped walking robot according to claim 1, wherein

the first charging terminal and the first detecting terminal are pin-type terminals provided in parallel to each other,

the second charging terminal is a socket-type terminal into which the first charging terminal is inserted when the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are connected,

the second detecting terminal is a socket-type terminal into which the first detecting terminal is inserted when the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are connected, and

the length of insertion of the first charging terminal into the second charging terminal is set to be greater than the length of insertion of the first detecting terminal into the second detecting terminal when the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are connected.

6. The charging system of a biped walking robot according to claim 1, wherein the biped walking robot comprises a joint motor in associated leg portions to which power is supplied to enable the biped walking robot to walk.

7. A charging system of a biped walking robot for charging a battery provided in the biped walking robot, comprising:

a seating and retaining unit on which the biped walking robot can sit and configured to retain the biped walking robot at a seated posture, wherein thighs and a back of a body of the biped walking robot are held at predetermined positions of the seating and retaining unit;

a power feeding connector configured to be connected to a power receiving connector provided in the biped walking robot in a state that the biped walking robot is maintained at the seated posture by the seating and retaining unit, the power feeding connector having a first charging terminal and a first detecting connector;

a connection detector configured to detect whether the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are in a connected state;

a charging power source configured to supply charging current to the battery;

a communication unit configured to communicate with the biped walking robot; and

a charging control unit configured to charge the battery by supplying charging current to the battery from the charging power source through the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector in response to a signal from the biped walking robot via the communication unit notifying the start of seating approach to the seating and retaining unit, wherein a timer is started based on the notifying the start of seating approach and then the connection detector detects that the power receiving connector and the power feeding connector are in the connected state, wherein

in the course of transition of the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector from a disconnected state to a connected state, the first charging terminal and a second charging terminal of the power receiving connector are brought into a conduction state from a detached state, and then the first detecting terminal and a second detecting terminal of the power receiving connector are brought into a conduction state from a detached state,

the connection detector detects that the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are in the connected state when the first detecting terminal and the second detecting terminal are brought into conduction, and

when the state detected by the connection detector is switched from a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are not in connection to a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are in connection and the timer has not expired, the charging control means starts supply of charging current from the charging power source to the battery,

wherein, in the course of transition of the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector from the connected state to the disconnected state, the first detecting terminal and the second detecting terminal are brought into the detached state from the conduction state, and then the first charging terminal and the second charging terminal are brought into the detached state from the conduction state, further comprising

a capacitor connected across output terminals of the charging power source; and

a discharger configured to discharge charges from the capacitor, and

wherein after receiving a signal from the biped walking robot via the communication unit notifying the start of the execution of standing approach, and then the state detected by the connection detector is switched from a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are in connection to a state wherein the power feeding connector and the power receiving connector are not in connection, the charging control unit stops supply of charging current by the charging power source and discharges the charges from the capacitor by the discharger.