Vehicle, in particular toy robot with vibration drive

The invention relates to a vehicle with a vibratory drive, in particular a toy robot with vibratory drive and with multiple legs, the toy robots reminiscent of live creeping animals or beetles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] In the state of the art, vibratory drive vehicles known to those skilled in general are known as "vibrations".

[0003] A special form of "vibrato" is the so-called "bristlebot", which consists of a toothbrush, battery and vibration drive cut off from the head. "Bristlebot" is supported on the ground by brushing the toothbrush head; the brushes therefore correspond in a sense to the legs of the "bristlebot". Both the battery and the vibratory drive are placed above the toothbrush head. The entire toothbrush head is vibrated through vibration, so that the "bristlebot" can move. Bristlebots of this type are known from the patents FR 1564 711 A, FR 2 358 174 A1 and US 4 219 957A.

[0004] The method of movement and the mechanical properties of "bristlebots" are, however, unsatisfactory in many respects. This leads to the fact that the "bristlebot" from the point of view of the user or other person simply does not give the impression of a live beetle, but rather only gives the impression of a vibrating toothbrush head.

[0005] A further form of "bristlebot" is known from GB 2 427 529 A. This "bristlebot" is in the form of an egg with two heads of toothbrushes as rows of legs. This "bristlebot" also does not look like a live beetle, but rather a moving egg.

[0006] US 6 899 589 B1 discloses a toy bouncing robot in the form of a tiger. This tiger toy has a vibratory drive and vertical legs with step springs.

Summary of the Invention [0007] The present invention relates to a vehicle according to claim 1. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0008] The vehicle according to the invention has many legs and a vibratory drive. By the term "vehicle" is meant in the present invention of any mobile robot, in particular a toy robot in general, and toy robots that have the shape of a beetle or other animal, insect or reptile.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle legs can be curved and flexible. The vibrating driver may generate a force (Fv) directed downward that is apt to deflect at least the front legs so that the vehicle moves forward. The vehicle legs are preferably inclined in a direction that is displaced from the vertical line. The bases of the legs are thus placed on the vehicle more forward compared to the tips of the legs. In particular, the front legs are adapted to bend when the vehicle vibrates due to the vibratory drive. Conversely, the vibratory drive can also cause a force (Fv) upward which is suitable to cause the vehicle to jump or tear the front legs off the back surface.

[0010] According to a further aspect of the invention, the geometry of the hind legs can be made such that a different braking or towing effect is achieved. In other words, the geometry of the tracking legs can be made such that the tendency to turn as a result of the vibration of the vibratory drive is counteracted. When the front legs bounce, the rotating eccentric mass moves - with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the lateral direction, so that without the preventive measures the vehicle would move along the curve line. Preventive measures can be achieved in various ways: you can move more weight on one front leg compared to the other front leg. The length of one back leg can be increased compared to the other back leg. The stiffness of the legs on one side can be increased compared to the legs on the other side. The back leg can be made thicker compared to other rear legs on the other side. One of the rear legs can be placed more in front of the other rear leg.

[0011] According to a further aspect of the invention, the vehicle can be designed to rotate and itself to bear due to the rotational drive torque of the vibratory drive. This can, for example, be achieved by setting the center of gravity of the body or the center of gravity of the vehicle near or on the axis of rotation of the vibratory drive. In addition, the sides and top of the vehicle should be designed to facilitate self-lifting of the vehicle during vibrations. A higher point can be provided on the upper side of the vehicle, so that the vehicle will not be able to turn completely and lie on the back. On the back of the vehicle, it is also possible to place dorsal fins, plates or fins on the sides and / or on the back of the vehicle, which external points lie preferably close to or on the virtual roller.

[0012] According to a further aspect of the invention, the legs can be arranged in rows of legs, wherein a space, in particular a V-shaped recess, is provided between the vehicle body and the legs of the vehicle, so that the legs can bend towards the inside during lifting rotation. In this way, the lifting movement of the vehicle is facilitated in the event of a tipping over. The legs are arranged in two rows of legs, as well as from the side and above the axis of rotation of the vibratory drive.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the vehicle may have a resilient toe or a resilient front part so that the vehicle is reflected when an obstacle is encountered. The springing nose or the resilient front part is preferably made of rubber. In addition, the present springy toe or spring-resisting front

- the third part is preferably made as a converging point. In this way, the vehicle can easily overcome the obstacle without the use of a sensor or other steering control.

[0014] According to a further aspect of the invention, the vibratory drive has a motor and an eccentric mass, wherein the eccentric mass is arranged in front of the forward legs. In this way, a reinforced front leg bouncing action is achieved, with the rear legs remaining as close as possible to the ground (however, they may also bounce slightly). The eccentric mass is especially placed in front of the engine. In addition, the battery is preferably located at the rear of the vehicle to increase weight on the hind legs. Both the battery and the engine are located between the legs. The axis of rotation of the motor can run along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

According to the principles of the present invention, the vehicle may thus be provided with a vibratory drive to mimic an organic life form, especially a live beetle or other animal, regarding speed of movement, stability of forward movement, tendency to wander, ability to repent and / or individuality.

[0016] The present invention may be a device, in particular a toy or vibrating drive toy robot that aims at one or more of the following purposes:

1. A vehicle with vibratory drive with flexible legs in a variable configuration;

2. Maximizing vehicle speed;

3. Changing the prevailing direction of vehicle movement;

4. Preventing vehicle rollover;

5. Creating vehicles that are able to lift themselves;

6. Generating motion that mimics live animals, especially beetles, insects, reptiles or other animals;

7. Generating multiple modes of movement, so that the vehicles visibly differ in their movement to make available many different types of vehicles;

8. Generating an apparent intelligence when the vehicle finds an obstacle.

[0017] These aspects and how they are achieved will be described hereinafter in detail in connection with the figures.

Brief description of the figures [0018]

Figs. 1a and 1b show a toy or robot toy in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 2a to 2f show general forces that can substantially affect a toy or robot toy in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention (Figure 2c is a front view);

Figs. 3a to 3c show a toy or robot toy in accordance with various other embodiments of the present invention in which the leg structure has been changed;

Fig. 4a and 4b Fig. 5 Figs. 6a and 6b Fig. 7 show a toy or robot toy in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rear legs are adjustable; presents a toy or robot toy according to a further embodiment of the present invention with a flexible nose;

present a toy or robot to a toy according to a first embodiment;

presents a toy or robot toy according to another embodiment of the present invention in which additional dorsal fins, plates or fins are placed.

Detailed description of the invention [0019] Figs. 1a and 1b show a toy or robot toy in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

The vibrated vehicle 100, e.g. a miniature toy robot, may have a body with two or more legs 104 that are adapted to bend when the vehicle vibrates in a manner that indicates a tendency that the vehicle is moving in a specific direction. . For example, the legs may bend or tilt in one direction, which is slightly displaced from the vertical line, and may be made of a flexible or tilting material. The body of the vehicle may comprise a motor to generate vibrations, and may have a relatively low center of gravity. The shape of the top side of the body may protrude in order to facilitate self-lifting of the vehicle during vibrations. The geometry of the legs (ie the hind legs) can be made as (e.g. with respect to the length or thickness of the legs) that a different braking or towing effect is achieved, to counteract the tendency to turn as a result of engine vibrations, or to cause a tendency to turn in one specific direction. If multiple legs are used then some legs (e.g. those that are placed between the forward "forward" legs and the rear "towing" legs) may be made slightly shorter to avoid further braking or towing action.

[0021] Figures 2a to 2f show general forces that can substantially affect a toy or robot toy in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention (figure 2c shows a front view).

[0022] The motor rotates the eccentric mass that evokes the torque and force vectors as shown in Figs. 2a to 2d. If the vertical force Fv is negative (i.e. directed downwards), then the legs that can be curved are deflected and the body of the vehicle moves forward to the leg section that touches the surface. If the vertical force Fv is positive (i.e., directed upwards), then the vehicle jumps, so that the front legs break away from the surface of the ground and allow the legs to return to their normal geometric shape (i.e. without further bending by external forces). During this movement, some legs, especially both hind legs, are only attracted by the others, and they do not jump at the same time. Oscillating, eccentric mass can

- rotate a few hundred times a second, so that the vehicle spins and moves in a substantially forward direction.

[0023] The rotation of the motor also causes a laterally directed vertical force Fh (see Figs. 2b and 2c) which is directed in one direction (either to the right or to the left) when the vehicle nose is raised, and is directed towards the second direction when the vehicle's nose is pressed down. The force Fh causes relatively a tendency that the vehicle continues to rotate when the vehicle nose is raised. This phenomenon may cause rotational motion; in addition, it is possible to manipulate various motion characteristics, especially speed, the prevailing direction of movement, inclination and self-elevation.

An important feature of the leg geometry is the relative position of the "base" of the leg (i.e., the part of the leg that is attached to the body, i.e., in a manner "hip joint") to the tip of the leg (i.e., the lower end of the leg that touches the surface of the substrate). Due to variations in the design of flexible legs, it is possible to change the vehicle's mobility.

[0025] The vehicle moves in one direction according to the position of the leg base that is placed before the position of the foot tip. If the vertical force Fv is negative, the body of the vehicle is pressed down. Therefore, the body will bend, so that the base of the legs will rotate around the tip of the legs towards the surface, so that the body moves again from the tip of the leg towards the base of the leg. When the base of the leg is placed vertically above the tip of the leg, the vehicle will only bounce and will not move in the general (vertical) direction.

[0026] The curved leg design emphasizes forward movement by increasing the leg flexion compared to the straight leg.

[0027] The vehicle speed can be maximized in various ways. Increasing the speed of the vehicle is significant for the visual perception of the product, which should especially be represented by the beetle, insect or reptile, being improved so that the vehicle actually gave the impression of a living being. Factors that affect speed are the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations, the material of the legs (eg lower friction of the hind legs causes a higher speed), the length of the legs, leg bending properties, the geometry of one leg relative to the other leg and the number of legs.

[0028] The frequency of vibrations (i.e. the speed of rotation of the engine) and the speed of the vehicle are directly proportional. This means that when the frequency of the motor oscillation is increased and all other factors remain unchanged, the vehicle will move faster.

[0029] Leg material has many properties that contribute to speed. The friction properties of the legs determine the value of the braking force or towing which affects the vehicle. Because the leg material can increase the friction coefficient relative to the surface, in this case the braking force or towing force of the vehicle is also increased so that the vehicle becomes slower. Therefore, it is important to choose a material with a low coefficient of friction for legs, especially for the hind legs. For example, polystyrene - butadiene - styrol with a durometer value of about 65 is suitable. Properties

- In addition, depending on the thickness of the leg and the length of the leg, the leg material 6 contributes to stiffness which ultimately determines how much the bounce action will develop. If the total stiffness of the leg increases, then the vehicle speed also increases. Longer and thinner legs, on the other hand, reduce the stiffness of the legs, so that the vehicle's speed will be lower.

[0030] If the braking or towing force (or braking / towing force) of the hind legs is now reduced - corresponding to the above-mentioned countermeasures - especially compared to the front or drive legs, the speed will be significantly increased, since only the hind legs develop braking force or towing.

[0031] The predominant direction of vehicle movement can be influenced in various ways. Adjustment of the direction of movement can be made, in particular, by the weight that loads the specified legs, the number of legs, leg positions, stiffness of the legs and the respective braking or towing coefficient.

[0032] The force Fh acting naturally from the side causes the vehicle to rotate (see Figs. 2b, 2c and 2d). If the vehicle should be moving straight ahead, this force must be compensated. This can be achieved through the geometry of the legs and the right choice of leg materials.

[0033] As shown in Figs. 2c and 2d, the motor produces a (slightly oblique) velocity vector of the motor by means of its eccentrically rotating mass, whose lateral component is caused by the laterally acting force Fh (Fig. 2c shows the effect of force in the view from front of the vehicle). If this direction of movement were to be changed, then one or more reaction forces F1 to F4 (see Fig. 2d) that act on the legs would have to cause a different velocity vector. This can be done by the following methods (separately or in combination):

(1) Influencing the drive vector F1 or F2 of the drive legs to compensate for the motor velocity vector: It is possible - in the case of the situation shown in Figure 2d - to move more weight to the right front leg to increase the speed vector F2 and thus counter Vesilnik's speed vector side. (In the case of the opposite direction of rotation of the motor, which leads to the velocity vector pointing diagonally to the right, it is necessary to reverse a lot of mass on the left front leg.) (2) Effect on the vector of braking or towing F3 or F4 to compensate for the speed vector V: this is achieved by increasing the length of the right hind leg, or by increasing the braking rate or towing the right rear leg to increase the speed vector F4 shown in Fig. 2d.

- 7 (In the case of reverse rotation of the motor which leads to the velocity vector pointing diagonally to the right, the stiffness of the legs on the left side should be increased accordingly.) (4) A change in the relative position of the hind legs, such that the inhibition or towing vector indicates the same direction as the velocity vector. In the case of the VSilnik speed vector shown in Fig. 2d, the right hind leg must be located farther forward than the left hind leg. (In the case of the reverse rotation of the motor, which leads to the velocity vector pointing diagonally to the right, the left rear leg should be placed further forward than the right rear leg.) Various preventive measures can be used,

The vehicle according to the invention preferably has the lowest possible center of gravity of the body (i.e. the center of gravity), see Fig. 2e. In addition, the legs - especially the right leg row and the left leg row - should be relatively far apart. According to the invention, legs or leg rows are arranged on the side of the vehicle, in particular on the side of the motor's rotation axis. Legs or leg rows are particularly attached above the center of gravity to the body of the vehicle (see Figures 2c, 2e and 2f), i.e. the bases or leg suspension points are each connected above the center of gravity to the body of the vehicle (see also Fig. 1). Regarding the axis of rotation of the motor, the legs are attached or suspended from the side and above of the present axis of rotation (see Figures 2c and 2e). This makes it possible to place both the motor and the battery (and, where applicable, the circuit breaker) between the legs.

[0035] Furthermore, various countermeasures can be provided so that the vehicle is able to lift itself - as long as it lies on the back or on the side. Because despite the remedial measures to prevent falling over, it can happen that the vehicle falls over on the back or on the side.

[0036] According to the invention, it can be provided that the rotary drive torque of the motor is used to rotate the vehicle and thus re-place it. This can be achieved by positioning the center of gravity of the body (i.e. the center of gravity) near or on the axis of rotation (see Fig. 2f). As a result, the vehicle tends to rotate the whole body around this axis. The rotation of the body or the vehicle takes place in the opposite direction to the motor rotation.

[0037] When a rotational tendency has been achieved with the construction remedy, it is also possible to adapt the outer shape of the vehicle such that the rotation about the axis of rotation of the body or the engine takes place only when the vehicle is on the back or side.

[0038] Thus, a higher point 120 (see Fig. 1) can be placed on the upper side, i.e. on the vehicle back - e.g. dorsal fin, lamella or fin 902.

- 8 (see Fig. 7), so that the vehicle can not lie fully inverted - i.e. rotated by 180 °. In addition, the splines can be placed on the side of the vehicle - for example, dorsal fins, plates or fins 904a, 904b (see Fig. 7), so that the vehicle can easily be turned laterally to its normal raised position. As a result, it is achieved that the normally horizontal force Fh and the normally vertical force Fv in the overturned state of the vehicle do not operate parallel to the direction of the gravity forces. Thus, the force Fh or Fv causes the vehicle to rise again.

[0039] As already mentioned above, the spacing between legs or leg rows should be as wide as possible in order to prevent overfeeding as much as possible. The two leg rows can increase their spacing - as shown in Figures 2c and 2e - from the top down, i.e. the legs (or foot legs) of both leg rows have a smaller spacing from each other than the leg tips (or leg tips). The space 404 should be provided in the opposite direction (see Fig. 2e) so that the legs can bend from the side towards the inside. The present space 404, which is preferably between the vehicle body and the legs, can have the shape of a V-shaped recess, i.e. the body of the vehicle tapers downwardly from the top - as shown in Fig. 2e. This space 404 allows the legs to bend towards the inside during the lifting rotation,

[0040] The vehicle according to the present invention should move so that it resembles live animals, in particular beetles, insects, reptiles or other animals.

[0041] In order to achieve the impression of moving as close to a living animal as possible, the vehicle should have a tendency to wander or roam in a scheme of the type of serpentine. Moving only along a single direction does not cause the user or third person to be impressed by live animals.

[0042] The freedom or randomness of movement can be achieved on the one hand by changing the rigidity of the legs, leg material and / or inertia of the eccentric mass. If the stiffness of the legs increases, then the bouncing will be reduced, so that accidental movement will decrease. Conversely, the vehicle will move in more random directions when the stiffness of the legs is lower - especially the front driving legs compared to the rear legs. In addition to the impact of the leg material on leg stiffness, the choice of material has one more effect. Because the leg material can be selected to attract dirt at the tips of the legs, so that the vehicle can accidentally rotate or move in another direction due to the changed static friction with respect to the ground. Also the inertia of the eccentric mass affects the pattern of movement.

[0043] The freedom or randomness of movement can, on the other hand, be achieved by the springing nose or front portion 108 (see Figs. 1 and 5) of the vehicle. Because, when the vehicle collides with another object, then it is achieved in a random direction. The vehicle does not try to constantly struggle with the obstacle, but

- 9 changes its direction of movement through reflection and thus it can bypass the obstacle. No sensors are needed; seemingly intelligent behavior is instead achieved by purely mechanical countermeasures.

[0044] The nose or front portion 108 of the vehicle may have resilient properties and, in particular, be manufactured from a low-friction soft material. In this case a rubber with a durometer value of 65 (or less) can be used to obtain a flexible nose that can be pressed relatively lightly. In addition, the toe or front part 108 should be made as a converging tip so that the nose can be lugged more easily and thus support the springing back, and thus that the top of the vehicle hits as sideways as possible when encountering an obstacle again. In this way it is possible to change the direction of the vehicle to a different direction thanks to the shape of the nose.

[0045] In addition, footwear additionally plays a role when encountering an obstacle. Because if the legs are made so that the vehicle turns slightly around the vertical axis during the collision, a bypass movement is achieved faster.

[0046] Finally, also the vehicle speed is important for the by-passing behavior when encountering an obstacle. The bounce effect is greater at higher speed, and therefore the probability is increased that the vehicle will then encounter an obstacle from a different angle and will bypass it.

[0047] Figures 3a to 3c show different leg configurations. In all figures the direction of forward movement is pointing to the right.

[0048] In the upper left view in fig. 3a, the legs are connected with struts. The cross-pieces serve to increase the stiffness of the legs, while the impression of a long leg is preserved. The cross-bones can be placed freely along the height of the leg. Different settings of the cross-braces, especially the right cross-braces in relation to the left cross members, serve to change the characteristics of the legs without having to change the length of the legs at the same time. In this way, an alternative way of adjusting targeting is created.

[0049] The view in the upper right part of Fig. 3a shows an overall embodiment with a plurality of curved legs. It should be noted that the middle legs, i.e. all other legs except for the two forward legs and beyond the two hind legs, can be made so that they do not touch the ground. In this way, the production of legs becomes lighter, because the middle legs may remain unaddressed during the setting of motion properties. Only the mass of the middle legs can be used in a given case to set the motor properties.

[0050] The lower (left and right) views in Fig. 3a show additional suspensions or appendages that should give the vehicle the impression of a similar animate. When the vehicle is moving, the suspensions or appendices vibrate together. The setting of the suspensions or appendages can thus also be used to produce the intended moving properties or intended resonance properties, and to create increased freedom in the mobility properties.

[0051] Further configurations of the legs are shown in Fig. 3b. The upper (left and right) representations show that the joints of the legs to the body can be in different positions compared to the embodiments that are shown in Fig. 3a. In addition to the differences in external appearance, the higher leg connection to the body is to make longer legs, without increasing the center of gravity of the body (ie the center of gravity). In contrast, longer legs have reduced stiffness, which in addition to other properties may lead to increased bouncing. The lower representation in FIG. 3b shows an alternative embodiment of the rear legs in which the two legs are joined together.

[0052] Further configurations of the legs are shown in Fig. 3c. The upper left show shows the embodiment with a minimum number of legs, namely with one hind leg and with two forelegs. Positioning of the rear leg either to the left or to the right acts like a rudder change, so it is used to control the direction of the vehicle. If a rear leg with a lower coefficient of friction is used, the vehicle speed will be increased as described above.

[0053] The lower left view of Fig. 3c shows an embodiment with three legs, wherein one front leg and two hind legs are provided. The control can be adjusted via the rear legs by placing one back leg in front of the other rear leg.

[0054] The upper right view of Fig. 3c shows a vehicle with clearly modified rear legs that look like the legs of a grasshopper. The back legs lie on the bottom with their lower sides, so that the friction against the ground is also reduced. In addition, unevenness and holes in the ground act on the vehicle to a lesser extent. The vehicle can thus more easily overcome irregularities and holes in the ground.

[0055] The lower right view of Fig. 3c shows a vehicle in which the middle legs are raised relative to the front and rear legs. The middle legs are therefore essentially an aesthetic goal. However, they also serve to influence behavior while rolling. In addition, with their weight, it is possible to regulate the lively behavior of the vehicle.

[0056] Figs. 4a and 4b show a toy or robot toy in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rear legs are adjustable in height independently of each other. The rear legs can be made of a rigid and / or flexible wire or other suitable material, for example plastic. Adjustable rear legs are used to allow the user to regulate the vehicle's movement. In particular, it is possible to adjust the direction of movement, for example from the left turn, through the straight line to the right turn.

[0057] Fig. 7 shows a toy or robot toy in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, in which additional dorsal fins, plates or fins 902, 904a, 904b are arranged. The dorsal fins, plaques or fins can be placed on top 902 and on the side 904a, 904b to influence behavior while rolling the vehicle. The dorsal fins, plates or fins 902, 904a, 904b can in particular be made such that the outermost points lie near or on

- 11 virtual waltz. In this way the vehicle can rotate like a roller when it lies on the back or on the side. In this way, the vehicle can be picked up again relatively quickly.

She prepared and verified

Grażyna Palka Patent attorney