DEVELOPMENT OF A LIGHTWEIGHT ON-BOARD HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR A QUADRUPED ROBOT

This paper presents the development of an on-board power pack for a highly dynamic and lightweight hydraulic quadruped robot called MiniHyQ. It is a torque-controlled quadruped robot able to walk over rough terrain, jump and run. The compact power pack is designed to fit inside MiniHyQ’s torso section. The hydraulic power source is provided by an on-board miniature gear pump, which is driven by a high torque brushless motor. The selection of each appropriate component of power pack is discussed in detail. A step-by-step procedure is proposed which demonstrates how to design of the power pack for a quadruped robot in order to obtain the desired performance. A centralized compact and lightweight manifold design is also presented which works at 20 MPa operating pressure.

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