, robot 100 includes hoses 128 and 130 that belong to bundle of hoses 102 that passes behind, or alongside, torso 112 and around the outside of arm 116b. In some implementations, bundle of hoses 102 can accommodate twenty (20) one-eighth inch (⅛ in.) hoses.

A shortcoming of the implementation of robot 100 shown in FIG. 1 can be a presence of external hydraulic coupling (e.g., bundle 102 of FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1, a bundle of hydraulic hoses may run between hydraulic components located, for example, in the base or torso of the robot, and actuators located, for example, in an end effector at the end of a robotic arm. As described above, in some implementations, there can be as many as twenty (20) one-eighth inch (⅛ in.) hoses in a bundle. As previously described, the bundle of hoses can increase the overall dimensions of the robot, make it harder to fit into restricted spaces, and add a risk the bundle will snag on objects in the robot's environment thereby causing damage to the robot and/or its environment.

Bundle 102 typically includes several adjacent hydraulic hoses packed together to form a bundle where the bundle has a honeycomb cross-section. In this configuration, bundle 102 can be stiff and difficult to bend. In one implementation of bundle 102, the hydraulic hoses (e.g., hoses 128 and 130) have an outer diameter of ⅛″.

As will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, it can be desirable for a bundle of hydraulic hoses to be more flexible, especially if the bundle is routed internally to the robot e.g., through a pivot joint. A particular example of a pivot joint for a humanoid robot is the wrist. It is desirable for the wrist to be able to twist and bend. It can be difficult to perform a twisting or bending movement of the wrist if a bundle of hydraulic hoses with a conventional honeycomb cross-section is routed through the wrist.

The technology described below provides an improved geometry for routing hydraulic hoses through a pivot joint, e.g., a wrist.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example implementation of a hydraulically-powered robot 200 with a hydraulic pump 202 integrated with arm 116b of robot 200, in accordance with the present systems, devices, and methods. Components of robot 200 that are the same as, or similar to, components of robot 100 of FIG. 1 have the same reference numerals.

Robot 200 differs from robot 100 of FIG. 1 in the distribution of components of the hydraulic system and the routing of hydraulic hoses to actuation pistons (e.g., actuation piston 136). An actuation piston is an example of a hydraulically-activated component. As described with reference to FIG. 1, robot 100 includes bundle of hoses 102 that runs externally from torso 112 to hand 118b. Bundle of hoses 102 can have a number of disadvantages, as described above.

Robot 200 comprises a hydraulic pump 202, a reservoir 204, and an accumulator 206 that are housed in robotic arm 116b. Housing hydraulic pump 202, reservoir 204, and accumulator 206 in robotic arm 116b advantageously eliminates the external bundle of hoses.

Robot 200 further comprises hoses 208 and 210. Hose 208 provides a hydraulic coupling between accumulator 206 and a pressure valve 212. Hose 210 provides a hydraulic coupling between an exhaust valve 214 and reservoir 204. Robot 200 further comprises hose 216 which runs from pressure valve 212 to actuation piston 136, and hose 218 which runs from actuation piston 136 to exhaust valve 214. Hoses 208 and 216, and pressure valve 212, provide a forward path to actuation piston 136. Hoses 210 and 218, and exhaust valve 214 provide a return path from actuation piston 136.

Hydraulic hoses are conventionally bundled with a honeycomb cross-section which, as described above, can cause the bundle to be stiff and inflexible. In restricted spaces (e.g., in the interior of a robot, particularly in pivot joints of a robot), it can be advantageous to increase flexibility of a bundle of hydraulic hoses housed in, or traversing, a restricted space, e.g., a pivot joint. It can also be advantageous to arrange the hydraulic hoses so as to facilitate routing of other elements (e.g., electrical wiring) through the same restricted space.

The technology described in the present application provides an improved geometry for a bundle of hydraulic hoses routed to an end effector of a robot through an internal volume of the robot, and is particularly suitable for a bundle of hydraulic hoses passing through a restricted space internal to the robot e.g., a pivot joint.

Though the example implementations of FIGS. 1 and 2 of hydraulically-powered robots with hydraulic systems include only a single hydraulic system, a person of skill in the art will appreciate that a hydraulically-powered robot may include multiple hydraulic systems. In some implementations, at least some of the multiple hydraulic systems are hydraulically-isolated. In some implementations, at least some of the multiple hydraulic systems share a common hydraulic pump.

It can be beneficial for a hydraulically-powered robot to have multiple hydraulically-isolated hydraulic systems. For example, a hydraulically-powered robot may have multiple components or devices that include hydraulic actuators. A single hydraulic system operable to control the hydraulic actuators of multiple components or devices may be too large, complex, or costly for practical implementations. It may be difficult, for example, to route hydraulic hoses (e.g., internally) from a single shared pump to multiple components or devices located in different regions of the robot. A hydraulic system dedicated to a single component or device, or dedicated to a subset of the multiple components or devices, may be more localized, and more readily adapted to fit within a desired form factor.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of an example implementation of a portion of a hydraulic system in a forearm 302, wrist 304, and hand 306 of a robot (e.g., robot 200 of FIG. 2), in accordance with the present systems, devices, and methods. Hand 306 includes a digit 308.

Forearm 302 includes a set of valves 310 which is integrated with forearm 302. Valves 310 include valve 310-1. (Only one valve is separately labeled for clarity of illustration.) Valves 310 may include pressure valves and exhaust valves. Valves 310 may include electrohydraulic servo valves, and may be operated by a controller (not shown in FIG. 3). In other implementations, valves 310 may be located elsewhere on the robot, e.g., in the upper arm or the torso. In some implementations, forearm 302 includes other hydraulic components of the hydraulic system.