小型轮/履变结构移动机器人设计及越障分析

针对非结构环境中路面软硬相间、平坦与崎岖并存的地形特征,提出了一种小型轮/履变结构移动机器人,兼具有轮式移动机器人的快速移动性和履带式机器人的高越障性的优点. 机器人主要由控制箱单元、两个相同的轮/履变结构行走单元和尾支杆单元组成. 本文旨在介绍机器人的系统构成和行走单元的关键机构设计——行走轮定位、四连杆变换机构及可伸缩履带,分析对台阶、楼梯类地形的越障性能. 实验结果表明:机器人采用的行走轮定位方法可靠,四连杆机构及可伸缩履带能够快速完成轮/履切换,对于台阶、楼梯典型地形具有高通过性,从而为轮/履复合机构技术实施途径和新的行走机理研究打下基础. 

Design of a Small Wheel-Track Mobile Robot and Obstacle-Surmounting Analysis

To access to the complex and unpredictable environment where the ground may be soft or hard alternately, a transformable wheel/track robot was proposed, which could travel over relatively smooth terrain quickly and move on uneven terrain well. The robot consists of a control box unit, two symmetric transformable wheel/track units and a tail sting unit. In the paper, the system structure and key mechanical points-including the positioning method of the walking wheels, the four-bar linkage conversion mechanism and the retractable track were presented, and then the obstacle climbing ability was analysed. The result shows that, the walking wheels are fixed firm, and the four-bar linkage conversion mechanism and the retractable track can quickly switch between in wheel mode and track mode, and the robot can successfully cross steps and stairs,which would lay the foundation for researching new mobile mechanism and wheel-track mechanism technique.