EXPLOSION PROOF LEGGED ROBOT

Abstract

The invention refers to a legged robot (1000) comprising a torso (1) with a cavity (10) enclosing at least one robot component (11) and at least one leg with at least one actuator (100) that comprises an explosion proof housing. An absolute pressure (P.sub.c) within the cavity (10) is higher than an ambient pressure (P.sub.a), and wherein the explosion proof housing of the actuator (100) comprises at least one flame proof gap (105).

Claims

1. A legged robot, in particular a quadruped robot, comprising: a torso comprising a cavity defining the inner space within the robot torso and enclosing at least one robot component, at least one leg with at least one actuator comprising an explosion proof housing, and a gas tight cable gland to electrically connect a wire from the actuator to one or more of the robot components in the cavity, wherein an absolute pressure p.sub.c within the cavity is higher than an ambient pressure p.sub.a, and wherein the explosion proof housing of the actuator comprises at least one flame proof gap.

2. The legged robot according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a dynamic joint with a moving section and a static section, with the at least one flame proof gap arranged at the interface of the moving section and the static section.

3. The legged robot according to claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises within the explosion proof housing the following sections arranged along a longitudinal axis: the dynamic joint with a moving shaft as the moving section and an output flange as the static section, a gear housing, a stator housing, and a back cap, wherein between each section there is arranged at least one flame proof gap.

4. The legged robot according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is directly adjacent to the outside of the torso.

5. The legged robot according to claim 1 wherein a differential pressure p.sub.d=p.sub.cp.sub.a is p.sub.d500 Pa, in particular, wherein the robot comprises a differential pressure sensor unit to measure the differential pressure pd.

6. The legged robot according to claim 1, comprising a DC fan, wherein the DC fan is adapted to be explosion proof, in particular, wherein a housing of the DC fan comprises at least one flame gap.

7. The legged robot according to claim 1, wherein the at least one robot component is a LIDAR, a sensor element, an electronic component, a battery, and/or a camera.

8. (canceled)

9. The legged robot according to claim 2, comprising the cable gland to connect a wire from the actuator or the dynamic joint or any of the other sections of the actuator to a robot component within the cavity, comprising a separator with at least one cable inlet and at least one cable outlet, and at least one cable connection adapted to connect an electrical component of the actuator of the robot to one or more electrical components and/or a battery within the torso, wherein the cable connection enters the cable gland through the cable inlet and exits the cable gland through the cable outlet, and wherein a bare section of the cable connection arranged within the separator, wherein the bare section is soldered up, and wherein the separator is filled with an insulating material.

10. The legged robot according to claim 1, wherein at least one electrical component of the at least one actuator is electrically connected to one or more electrical components and/or a battery of the torso, in particular by means of a wire that passes the cable gland.

11. The legged robot according to claim 1, comprising a safety unit to recognize the differential pressure p.sub.d, wherein in an intended use of the legged robot, the safety unit is adapted to monitor the differential pressure p.sub.d and to start running a safety measure if the differential pressure p.sub.d is below a predefined pressure value, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, very particular if p.sub.d50 Pa.

12. The legged robot [(1000)] according to claim 10, wherein the safety measure is: a shutdown of the robot, in particular if p.sub.d50 Pa, a return of the robot to a safety zone, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, or a return of the robot to a docking station.

13. The legged robot according to claim 1, comprising a gas cartridge adapted to control the cavity pressure p.sub.c, in particular adapted to fill the cavity with gas from the cartridge if the differential pressure is p.sub.d500 Pa.

14. A cable gland for a legged robot according to claim 1, comprising a separator with at least one cable inlet and at least one cable outlet. wherein the cable inlet is adapted to receive at least one cable connection that is adapted to connect an electrical component of an actuator of a leg of the robot wherein the cable outlet is adapted to exit the cable connection that is adapted to connect to one or more electrical components and/or a battery within a cavity of a torso, and wherein the separator is adapted to receive a bare section of the cable connection.

15. The cable gland according to claim 13, comprising the separator, and the at least one cable connection adapted to connect the electrical component of the actuator of the leg of the robot to one or more electrical components and/or a battery within the cavity of the torso, wherein the cable connection enters the cable gland through the cable inlet and exits the cable gland through the cable outlet, and wherein a bare section of the cable connection is soldered up and wherein the separator is filled with an insulating material.

16. An actuator for a robot according to claim 1.

17. A method to provide an explosion proof legged robot, wherein the legged robot comprises: the torso, and the at least one leg with at least one actuator with an explosion proof housing, wherein the explosion proof housing of the actuator has at least one flame proof gap, a pressure sensor unit adapted to measure a differential pressure p.sub.d between a cavity pressure p.sub.c and an ambient pressure p.sub.a, wherein p.sub.c>p.sub.a, a safety unit adapted to recognize the differential pressure p.sub.a, the method comprises the steps of: measuring the differential pressure p.sub.d by means of the safety unit, and starting to run a safety measure if the differential pressure p.sub.d is below a predefined pressure value, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, in particular if p.sub.d50 Pa.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the safety measure is: a shutdown of the robot, in particular if p.sub.d50 Pa, or a return of the robot to a safety zone, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, or a return of the robot to a docking station, or filling the cavity with gas from a cartridge that is comprised in the robot to restore the gas pressure, if p.sub.d500 Pa.

19. Use of a legged robot according to claim 1 for performing tasks in an explosive environment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0087] The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

[0088] FIG. 1 discloses a schematic of a legged robot according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0089] FIG. 2 discloses a further embodiment of the legged robot according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0090] FIG. 3 discloses an actuator according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0091] FIG. 4 discloses a cross section of an actuator according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0092] FIG. 5 discloses a cable gland according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0093] FIG. 6 discloses an embodiment of a legged robot comprising an actuator that is connected to the robot torso by means of a cable and a cable gland.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0094] FIG. 1 discloses a legged robot 1000 comprising a torso 1 with a cavity 10. The cavity 10 encloses at least one robot component 11. In addition, the legged robot 1000 comprises at least one leg 99 with at least one actuator 100. The actuator 100 comprises an explosion proof housing. The explosion proof housing comprises at least one flame proof gap 105.

[0095] Advantageously, as shown in FIG. 1, the at least one actuator 100 is arranged directly adjacent to the robot torso 1.

[0096] An absolute pressure p.sub.c within the cavity 10 is higher than an ambient pressure p.sub.a. Therefore, there is an overpressure in the cavity 10.

[0097] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a differential pressure p.sub.d measured between the absolute cavity pressure p.sub.c and the ambient pressure p.sub.a outside the robot torso is p.sub.d=p.sub.cp.sub.a is p.sub.d500 Pa.

[0098] Advantageously, the legged robot 1000 comprises a pressure sensor unit 111 to measure the differential pressure p.sub.d.

[0099] In a further advantageous embodiment of the legged robot 1000, it comprises a DC fan 110, wherein the DC fan 110 is adapted to be explosion proof, in particular, wherein a housing of the DC fan 110 comprises at least one flame proof gap 105. The exemplary flame proof gap 105 is visible in FIG. 4.

[0100] In a further advantageous embodiment of the legged robot 1000, at least one robot component 11 is a LiDAR 101, a sensor element 111, an electronic component, a battery 12 and/or a camera. Various such elements are shown in FIG. 1.

[0101] All the robot components 11 are in fluid connection with the cavity 10 and therefore are in an environment with the same overpressure as the cavity 10 is, since the cavity 10 is sealed towards the outer environment. Some of the components 11 might be fully enclosed by the cavity 10, some other components 11 might be partially enclosed by the cavity 10, but are sealed towards the outer environment.

[0102] In a further advantageous embodiment of the legged robot 1000, the robot 1000 comprises a safety unit to recognize the differential pressure p.sub.d. Wherein in an intended use of the legged robot 1000, the safety unit is adapted to monitor the differential pressure p.sub.d and to start running a safety measure if the differential pressure p.sub.d is below a predefined value, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, very particular if p.sub.d50 Pa.

[0103] Advantageously, the safety measure is: [0104] a shutdown of the robot 1000, in particular if p.sub.d50 Pa, [0105] a return of the robot 1000 to the safety zone, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, or [0106] a return of the robot 1000 to the docking station, or [0107] automatically or manually refilling the cavity 10 with gas from a gas cartridge to a predefined overpressure that is comprised within the robot 1000 if p.sub.d500 Pa. In particular, the cartridge is a nitrogen cartridge.

[0108] Therefore, a method to provide a flame proof legged robot 10000 would comprise the steps of measuring the differential pressure p.sub.a by means of the safety unit, and starting to run a safety measure if the differential pressure p.sub.a is below a predefined pressure value, in particular if p.sub.d500 Pa, very particular if p.sub.d50 Pa.

[0109] In particular, such a legged robot 1000 is used for performing tasks in an explosive environment.

[0110] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of a legged robot 1000 from the outside. Therefore the torso 1 is visible from the outside and the adjacently arranged actuator 100.

[0111] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of an embodiment of the actuator 100 of the embodiment of the legged robot 1000 as shown in FIG. 2. The explosion proof housing of the actuator 100 comprises flame gaps 105.

[0112] In an advantageous embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the actuator 100 comprises within the explosion proof housing the following sections arranged along a longitudinal axis: [0113] a dynamic joint with a moving shaft 102 as the moving section and a output flange 103 as the static section, [0114] a gear housing 104 [0115] a stator housing 106, and [0116] a back cap 107.

[0117] Between each section is at least one flame proof gap 105 arranged.

[0118] FIG. 4 discloses a section of the actuator 100 of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3. In particular visible in FIG. 4 is a flame gap 105 of the housing of the dynamic joint 100 (a flame gap 105 is the black line marked with arrow 105).

[0119] Advantageously, the flame gaps have a minimum of 6 mm in length and less than 0.2 mm in width.

[0120] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of an advantageous embodiment of the cable gland 2. The cable gland 2 comprises a separator 20 with at least one cable inlet 22 and at least one cable outlet 21.

[0121] The cable inlet 22 is adapted to receive at least one cable connection 200 that is adapted to connect an electrical component of the actuator 100 of the robot 1000.

[0122] The cable outlet 21 is adapted to exit the cable connection 200 that is adapted to connect to one or more electrical components and/or a battery 12 within the cavity 10.

[0123] The separator 20 is adapted to receive a bare section 201 of the cable connection 200. The bare section 201 refers to a section of the cable connection 200 along which the cable connection 200 has no cable jacket.

[0124] In a further advantageous embodiment of the cable gland 2, the bare section 201 is soldered with a conducting material, in particular a metal, to prevent gas accumulation between the individual wires of the bare section 201. The separator plenum between the inlet 22 and outlet 21 opening is then completely potted with glue in order to close the cavity gas tight.

[0125] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a legged robot 1000 of FIG. 2 comprising a torso 1 and an actuator 100, wherein at least one cable connection 200 is adapted to connect an electrical component of the actuator 100 of the robot 1000 to one or more electrical components and/or a battery 12 within the cavity 10.

[0126] The cable connection 200 from the actuator of the dynamic joint enters the torso 1 respectively the cavity 10 at the cable gland 2 through the cable inlet 22 and exits the cable gland 2 through the cable outlet 21.

[0127] In particular it is visible in FIG. 6 how the cable connection 200 leaves the actuator 100, where the inner cable might be exposed to ambient conditions. The cable enters the torso 1 by means of the cable gland 2, where the separator 20 prevents the gas from the environment to enter the cavity 10 of the torso 1.

Reference Table

[0128] 1 Torso [0129] 10 Cavity [0130] 11 At least one robot component [0131] 12 Battery [0132] 100 Actuator [0133] 101 LIDAR system [0134] 102 Dynamic joint: output shaft [0135] 103 Dynamic joint: output flange [0136] 104 Gear housing with gear box [0137] 105 Flame proof gaps [0138] 106 Stator housing [0139] 107 Back cap [0140] 110 DC fan [0141] 111 Pressure sensor unit or pressure sensor [0142] 1000 Legged robot [0143] 2 Cable gland [0144] 20 Separator [0145] 200 Cable connection [0146] 201 Bare section of the cable connection [0147] 21 Cable outlet [0148] 22 Cable inlet [0149] 99 At least one leg