# US 12,179,358 B2 · Robot apparatus, method for controlling robot apparatus, and load compensation apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,358 B2 - Document ID: US12179358B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/610,471 - Filed: 2020-02-25 - Published: 2022-07-14 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-27 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Yasunori Kawanami; Yasuhisa Kamikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179358B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1638: {compensation for arm bending/inertia, pay load weight/inertia} - B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control} - B25J 9/1641: {compensation for backlash, friction, compliance, elasticity in the joints} - B25J 11/008: {Manipulators for service tasks} - B25J 19/0016: {using springs} - B62D 57/032: with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid (B62D57/024 takes precedence) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract Provided is a robot apparatus that includes a load compensation function dealing with a variation in load, where the robot apparatus includes one or more movable portions, a load compensation section utilizing an elastic body to compensate for a load acting on the movable portion, and an initial displacement amount setting section applying, to the elastic body, an initial displacement amount corresponding to a desired position or posture of the movable portion. The initial displacement setting section includes an actuator displacing the elastic body by an initial displacement amount and locks the actuator with the elastic body remaining displaced by the initial displacement amount. The movable portion is a leg including a joint portion having a degree of rotational freedom around a pitch axis, and the initial displacement amount setting section sets the initial displacement amount on the basis of a toe force of the leg. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot apparatus, comprising: an actuator; one or more movable portions, wherein a movable portion of the one or more movable portions is a leg, and the leg includes a joint portion having at least a degree of rotational freedom around a pitch axis; an elastic body configured to: generate a restoring force to compensate for a load applied on the movable portion; and provide support to the joint portion; and a control section configured to: control the actuator to displace the elastic body by a first displacement amount, wherein the first displacement amount corresponds to one of a desired position of the movable portion or a desired posture of the movable portion; control the actuator to lock the elastic body displaced by the first displacement amount; set, based on a toe force of the leg, a second displacement amount; and maintain the one of the desired position or the desired posture based on the generated restoring force, wherein the restoring force is generated based on the set second displacement amount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control section is further configured to: calculate the toe force of the leg based on a weight of luggage placed on the robot apparatus, a weight of a robot apparatus main body, and a position of a center of gravity of the robot apparatus; and calculate the second displacement amount for the the elastic body based on the calculated toe force. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robot apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of legs; and a plurality of sub-control sections, wherein each sub-control section of the plurality of sub-control sections is configured to control a corresponding leg of the plurality of legs, and each leg of the plurality of legs includes a respective elastic body and a respective actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the each sub-control section is further configured to set a third displacement amount, the third displacement amount corresponds to a specific toe force of each leg of the plurality of legs, and the robot apparatus is in a specific reference posture based on the third displacement amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the robot apparatus further includes a loading portion on which the luggage is placed, and the specific reference posture is a position of the robot apparatus and a posture of the robot apparatus in which the loading portion is at a level position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the each sub-control section is further configured to set a fourth displacement amount for each leg of the plurality of legs, and the robot apparatus is in a reference posture on a hill or in an irregular ground based on the set fourth displacement amount corresponding to each leg of the plurality of legs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, in a case where a respective toe force of a plurality of toe forces of the plurality of legs vary based on the weight of the luggage placed on the robot apparatus, the weight of the robot apparatus main body, and the position of the center of gravity, the each sub-control section is further configured to set a third displacement amount corresponding to each leg of the plurality of legs, wherein the third displacement amount is different for the each leg. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the each sub-control section is further configured to set a corresponding second displacement amount of a plurality of second displacement amounts for each leg of the plurality of legs, and the corresponding second displacement amount is set based on at least one of detection of a change in the weight of the luggage placed on the robot apparatus, the weight of the robot apparatus main body, or the position of the center of gravity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the each sub-control section is further configured to set, based on detection of one of an entrance of the robot apparatus on a hill, an irregular ground, or a condition of a road surface, a corresponding second displacement of a plurality of second displacement amounts for each leg of the plurality of legs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when at least one leg of the plurality of legs becomes unusable due to failure or malfunction, the each sub-control section, corresponding to each leg of the plurality of legs other than the at least one leg, is further configured to set a corresponding third displacement amount of a plurality of third initial displacement amounts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body includes one of a coil spring or a torsion spring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is locked by one of: a brake or a plunger, or the actuator in a case where the actuator is one of an ultrasonic motor or a brushless motor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body includes: a first elastic body and a second elastic body connected in series, and a structure configured to impose a preload between the first elastic body and the second elastic body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a series elastic actuator configured to drive the movable portion, wherein the series elastic actuator includes the actuator connectable to the load in series using the elastic body. ### Claim 15 A method for controlling a robot apparatus, the method comprising: calculating, by a control section of the robot apparatus, a toe force of a movable leg of one or more movable legs of the robot apparatus, wherein the toe force is calculated based on a weight of a luggage placed on the robot apparatus, a weight of a robot apparatus main body, and a position of a center of gravity, and the robot apparatus includes an elastic body to compensate for a load applied on the movable leg; calculating, by the control section, an initial displacement amount for the elastic body based on the calculated toe force of the movable leg; displacing, by an actuator of the robot apparatus, the elastic body by the initial displacement amount; and locking, by the control section, the actuator with the elastic body that remains displaced by the initial displacement amount. ### Claim 16 A load compensation apparatus, comprising: an actuator; an elastic body configured to generate a restoring force to compensate for a load applied on a movable portion of one or more movable portion of a robot apparatus; and a control section configured to: control the actuator to displace the elastic body by a first displacement amount, wherein the first displacement amount corresponds to one of a desired position of the movable portion or a desired posture of the movable portion; control the actuator to lock the elastic body displaced by the first displacement amount; set, based on a toe force of the movable portion, a second displacement amount; and maintain the one of the desired position or the desired posture based on the generated restoring force, wherein the restoring force is generated based on the set second displacement amount.