Sole with Sole Component Stabilizers for Robots

Abstract

A robot system, comprising a robot capable of gait or gait-like operations, stance or stance-like operations, or a combination of these. The robot can comprise at least one ground-contacting appendage configured to facilitate locomotion of the robot. The system can further comprise a sole supported on the ground-contacting appendage that is operable to interface with a ground surface. The sole can comprise a robot interface facilitating attachment of the sole to the robot, a first sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the first sole component defining a first compliant zone, and a second sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the second sole component defining a second compliant zone. The first sole component can comprise a compliance the same or different than the second sole component.

1 . A sole for a robot, comprising:
 a first sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the first sole component defining a first compliant zone;   a structural frame in support of the first sole component,   a component stabilizer configured to back the first sole component; and   a robot interface of the structural frame that is operable to facilitate attachment of the sole to a ground contacting appendage of the robot.   
     
     
         2 . The sole of  claim 1 , further comprising a base configured to support the at least one sole component stabilizer, the sole component stabilizer being formed on an angle with respect to the base 
     
     
         3 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole component stabilizer comprises a curved stabilizer surface. 
     
     
         4 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole component stabilizer comprises a plate-like configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the structural frame further comprises the sole component stabilizer configured to back at least a portion of the first sole component, and a second sole component stabilizer configured to back at least one of a portion of the first sole component or a second sole component. 
     
     
         6 . The sole of  claim 4 , further comprising a base configured to support the sole component stabilizer and the second sole component stabilizer, the sole component stabilizer and the second sole component stabilizer being formed on an angle with respect to the base. 
     
     
         7 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the structural frame further comprises the sole component stabilizer configured to back the first sole component, a second sole component stabilizer configured to back a second sole component, and a base configured to support the sole component stabilizer and the second sole component stabilizer, the sole component stabilizer and the second sole component stabilizer being formed on an angle with respect to the base. 
     
     
         8 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole component stabilizer comprises a front sole component stabilizer located at a front portion of the sole. 
     
     
         9 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole component stabilizer comprises a rear sole component stabilizer located at a rear portion of the sole. 
     
     
         10 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole component stabilizer comprises at least one lateral stabilizer located about a lateral portion of the sole. 
     
     
         11 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole component is disposed at a rearward area of the sole so as to facilitate at least partial support of a hind foot of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         12 . The sole of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second sole component stabilizers are interconnected to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The sole of  claim 1 , further comprising a second sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the second sole component defining a second compliant zone, wherein the first sole component comprises a compliance different than a compliance of the second sole component. 
     
     
         14 . The sole of  claim 13 , wherein the second sole component is disposed adjacent the first sole component so as to facilitate at least partial support of at least one of a midfoot or a forefoot of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         15 . The sole of  claim 13 , wherein the first sole component extends around an outer perimeter of the sole, wherein the first sole component circumscribes the second sole component. 
     
     
         16 . The sole of  claim 13 , wherein the second sole component is disposed adjacent the first sole component at a first lateral side of the sole, the second sole component being operable to at least partially support one of a first lateral area or a second lateral area of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         17 . The sole of  claim 13 , further comprising a third sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the third sole component defining a third compliant zone. 
     
     
         18 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole is substantially in the shape of a human foot. 
     
     
         19 . The sole of  claim 13 , wherein the compliance of the first sole component is greater than the compliance of the second sole component. 
     
     
         20 . The sole of  claim 13 , wherein the first sole component sits proud of the second sole component with respect to a bottom of the sole. 
     
     
         21 . The sole of  claim 17 , wherein the second sole component is disposed about a mid-area of the sole, and wherein the third sole component is disposed at a forward area of the sole so as to facilitate at least partial support of a forefoot of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot, the second sole component being situated between the first and third sole components. 
     
     
         22 . The sole of  claim 17 , wherein the third sole component is disposed at a first lateral side of the sole so as to at least partially support one of a first lateral area or a second lateral area of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         23 . The sole of  claim 17 , further comprising a fourth sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the fourth sole component defining a fourth compliant zone, wherein the fourth sole component is disposed at a first lateral side of the sole so as to support a first lateral area of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         24 . The sole of  claim 23 , further comprising a fifth sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the fifth sole component defining a fifth compliant zone, wherein the fifth sole component is disposed at a second lateral side of the sole so as to support a second lateral area of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         25 . The sole of  claim 17 , wherein a compliance of the third sole component is greater than the compliance of the second sole component. 
     
     
         26 . The sole of  claim 17 , wherein the first sole component and the third sole component sit proud of the second sole component with respect to a bottom of the sole. 
     
     
         27 . The sole of  claim 23 , wherein a compliance of the fourth sole component is greater than the compliance of the second sole component. 
     
     
         28 . The sole of  claim 24 , wherein a compliance of the fifth sole component is greater than the compliance of the second sole component. 
     
     
         29 . The sole of  claim 24 , wherein compliance of each of the first, third, fourth, and fifth sole components are the same. 
     
     
         30 . The sole of  claim 24 , wherein the compliance of at least one of the first, third, fourth, or fifth sole components are different from one another. 
     
     
         31 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the robot interface comprises a surface of the first sole component, and wherein the surface is adhered to the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         32 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the robot interface comprises a surface of the first sole component, and wherein the surfaces is removably fastened to the ground-contacting appendage of the robot using one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         33 . The sole of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The sole of  claim 1 , wherein one or more ground-contacting surfaces of the first sole component comprises a tread pattern formed thereon. 
     
     
         35 . A sole for a robot, comprising:
 a sole component comprising a ground-contacting surface, and having at least a first compliant zone and a second compliant zone, wherein the first compliant zone comprises a compliance different than a compliance of the second compliant zone;   a sole component stabilizer configured to back the sole component; and   a robot interface operable to facilitate attachment of the sole to a ground-contacting appendage of the robot.   
     
     
         36 . The sole of  claim 29 , further comprising a structural frame in support of the sole component, the structural frame comprising the robot interface. 
     
     
         37 . The sole of  claim 30 , wherein the structural frame further comprises the sole component stabilizer, and a base configured to support the sole component stabilizer, the sole component stabilizer extending away from the base. 
     
     
         38 . The sole of  claim 29 , wherein the ground-contacting surface of the sole component comprises a tread pattern formed thereon. 
     
     
         39 . A robot system, comprising:
 a robot comprising at least one ground-contacting appendage configured to facilitate locomotion of the robot; and   a sole supported on the ground-contacting appendage, and operable to interface with a ground surface, the sole comprising:
 a robot interface facilitating attachment of the sole to the robot; 
 a first sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the first sole component defining a first compliant zone; 
 a structural frame in support of the first sole component; and 
 a sole component stabilizer configured to back the first sole component. 
   
     
     
         40 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the sole further comprises a second sole component having a ground-contacting surface, the second sole component defining a second compliant zone, wherein the first sole component comprises a compliance different than the second sole component. 
     
     
         41 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the robot comprises at least one of a humanoid robot, a tele-operated robot, or a wearable exoskeleton. 
     
     
         42 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the sole is removably coupled to the ground-contacting appendage of the robot via the robot interface. 
     
     
         43 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the robot interface comprises a surface of the first sole component adhered to the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         44 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the sole is integrally formed with the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         45 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the robot is operable to achieve a heel-strike event of a gait cycle, the first sole component operating to absorb impact forces associated with the heel-strike event. 
     
     
         46 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the sole further comprises a base configured to support the sole component stabilizer, the sole component stabilizer being formed on an angle with respect to the base 
     
     
         47 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the sole component stabilizer is configured to provide lateral and front-back stabilization of the ground-contacting appendage and the robot during the heel-strike event. 
     
     
         48 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the sole component stabilizer comprises a curved stabilizer surface. 
     
     
         49 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the robot is operable to achieve a toe-off event of a gait cycle, the first sole component operating to absorb impact forces associated with the toe-off event. 
     
     
         50 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the structural frame further comprises a base configured to support the sole component stabilizer, the sole component stabilizer being formed on an angle with respect to the base. 
     
     
         51 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein the robot is operable to achieve a toe stance event, the first sole component operating to support at least a portion of weight of the robot in the toe stance event, wherein the sole component stabilizer provides a backing surface for the first sole component to conform to in order to distribute standing forces of the robot over an area corresponding to the sole component stabilizer and to provide lateral and front-back stabilization of the ground-contacting appendage and the robot during the toe stance event. 
     
     
         52 . The robot system of  claim 46 , wherein the robot is operable to achieve a standing event, wherein the base provides a backing surface for the first sole component to conform to in order to distribute standing forces of the robot over an area corresponding to the base and to provide stabilization of the ground-contacting appendage and the robot during the standing event. 
     
     
         53 . The robot system of  claim 39 , further comprising at least one sensor supported between the sole and the ground-contacting appendage of the robot. 
     
     
         54 . The robot system of  claim 39 , wherein one or more ground-contacting surfaces of the first sole component comprises a tread pattern formed thereon. 
     
     
         55 . A method for facilitating stable operation of a robot, the method comprising:
 configuring a sole to comprise a first sole component having a ground-contacting surface to be supported on a ground-contacting appendage of the robot at a first zone, the first sole component being configured to support a hind foot region of the ground-contacting appendage of the robot; and   configuring the sole to comprise a structural frame in support of the first sole component; and   configuring the sole to comprise a sole component stabilizer configured to back the first sole component.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 configuring the sole to comprise a second sole component having a ground-contacting surface to be supported on the ground-contacting appendage of the robot at a second zone, the second sole component being configured to support a midfoot region of the robot, wherein the first sole component comprises a compliance different than the second sole component; and   configuring the sole to comprise a second sole component stabilizer configure to back the second sole component.