阅读说明：本技术 机器动物拼插模型 (Machine animal inserting model ) 是由 李荣仲 于 2019-10-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种机器动物拼插模型,由平板状部件组装而成。所述机器动物包括头部。所述头部包括颈部组、躯干部、多个腿部和尾部,所述躯干部包括用于可选的电池的固定座15。这些部件和组通过互锁机构或柔性连接件进行连接,以形成机器动物形状的拼插模型。运动和姿势可以通过由机载电池组供电的外接的处理器进行控制。拖拽机构被提供用来方便地调整质心。插槽允许连接电池座的螺钉滑动。(A machine animal splicing model is assembled by flat plate parts. The machine animal includes a head. The head portion comprises a neck group, a trunk portion including a holder 15 for an optional battery, a plurality of leg portions and a tail portion. These components and groups are connected by interlocking mechanisms or flexible connectors to form a jig-saw model in the shape of a machine animal. The movements and gestures may be controlled by an external processor powered by an on-board battery pack. A drag mechanism is provided to facilitate adjustment of the center of mass. The slot allows the screw connected with the battery seat to slide.)

1. A robotic animal collage model, comprising:

a head, a torso, a plurality of legs, and a tail; the head portion including a neck group operatively connected to the torso portion by a tilt group and a pan group;

the tilt group includes an intermediate piece, a mouth piece, an eye piece, a chin piece, an ultrasonic sensor, an ear piece, and a first servomotor operable to tilt the head;

the pan group comprising opposing neck members, a small servo arm, a base, a pair of small locking portions and a long servo arm; a second servo motor connected between the torso group and the neck at a shoulder of the torso section; and

the torso portion including a top piece and a bottom piece, at least one structure for adjusting a center of mass of the machine animal, a controller, a battery holder for housing one or more batteries and the controller, the battery holder movably coupled to the bottom piece by adjusting a position relative to the plurality of structures; the plurality of legs are movably attached to the torso to support and control movement of the animal device;

the controller is optionally mountable on the top piece to coordinate sensors and actuators of the animal device.

2. The jigsaw model of claim 1, wherein the at least one feature for adjusting the center of mass includes one or more rows of holes spaced apart by a predetermined distance for receiving screws; and wherein the battery holder is slidably attached to the base member and is adjustable by selective attachment to the base member.

3. The collage model of claim 1, wherein a plurality of sensors are inserted into the eye pieces, the sensors for communicating with a controller in response to sensed objects.

4. A jigsaw puzzle model of claim 1, wherein the ear piece is inserted into a slot in the intermediate piece, the ear piece being configured to urge at least one of the sensors into a locked position in the eye piece.

5. A jigsaw puzzle model of claim 1, wherein the first servo is disposed in a slot in the middleware to lock the ear piece.

6. The parquet model as recited in claim 1 wherein said pan group further comprises a servo arm attached to said neck, a pair of "C" shaped locking members inserted into said base to lock said neck and maintain said neck perpendicular to said base, a long servo arm secured to said base; the pan group is connected to the tilt group by a first servo arm engaged with the first servo; wherein the head group and the torso group are connected by a second servo arm engaged with the second servo.

7. The jigsaw model of claim 1, wherein the body portion further includes a mounting for a battery-powered device.

8. The interpolation model of claim 1, wherein the slant set comprises: the mouth piece and the eye piece slidable into the intermediate piece; the chin piece insertable into the intermediate piece in a locked position; and a top surface of the chin piece for pushing a lower edge of the chin piece to lock the chin piece within the intermediate piece.

9. The jigsaw model of claim 3, wherein the plurality of sensors are inserted into the eye pieces, the eye pieces being inserted into the middle piece, wherein the ears urge the sensors to lock them in the eye pieces; the first server is inserted into the middleware.

10. The pin-sharing model of claim 1, wherein a flexible connector is disposed between the neck group and the torso portion, the flexible connector being configured to allow for smaller displacements of the neck group; wherein the second servo mechanism connects the shoulder set with the neck set and is arranged to slide freely; a spring is attached to the bottom shoulder member to urge the second servo toward the top member of the torso.

11. The jigsaw model of claim 1, wherein the structure includes one or more rows of threaded holes arranged in series, the threaded holes being disposed in the bottom body member and being coaxial with the body member; the screw holes are spaced at a certain distance and used for adjusting the mass center; wherein the battery holder is attached to the bottom piece such that the position of the battery can be adjusted by selective positioning along the one or more rows of screw holes.

12. The jigsaw model of claim 1, wherein the structure includes one or more elongated slots to receive screws that attach the battery holder to the bottom torso member to allow the battery holder to slide coaxially; the width of the one or more slots is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the screw; the one or more slots further comprise a plurality of sequentially arranged larger holes separated by a distance for adjusting the center of mass.

13. The jigsaw pattern of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a compression spring and a nut member disposed above the base member; the compression force of the compression spring is greater than the weight of the battery holder and the one or more batteries; wherein in response to pushing the nut member upward, a rivet is raised into the larger aperture to lock the battery pack in a desired position; and wherein pulling the battery holder downward allows the battery holder to be pulled down and the rivet to be pulled out of the hole in the elongated slot to move the battery holder along the length of the slot.

14. The jigsaw model of claim 1, wherein each leg includes a thigh section including a track for receiving a motor arm of a drive servomotor, each drive servomotor being embedded in the body member; the servo arm is partially constrained in the track and is urged to a normal position by a spring; when the relative position between the thigh part and the servo is changed, the servo arm is stressed; wherein the servo arm slides in a length direction of the thigh in response to a force acting on the servo arm being greater than a compression force of the spring; in response to a shear force component, a contact point between the servo arm and the track becomes a pivot axis that can rotate; and wherein the servo arm rotates and slides along the length of the thigh section in response to an external torque being greater than the torque generated by the spring.

15. The patchwork model of claim 1 further comprising a tail attached to the body piece by a partially constrained joint; the tail includes a servo arm connected to a pan servo; the tail is rotatable through an angle in the pitch direction.

16. The jigsaw puzzle model of claim 18, wherein the tail portion further includes a wheel member attached to a distal end of the tail portion to reduce friction.

17. A patchwork model according to claim 18 wherein the tail may be servo driven in the pan direction, passively gravity driven to balance the device in walking or standing mode, and may be rotated by pushing the body member to avoid rolling for roll recovery.

Background

The present application relates generally to a robotic animal puzzle. The present application more particularly relates to a machine animal puzzle with hinged attachments having controllable movement.

The robot-jigsaw model is used for entertainment and educational purposes, for teaching mechanical skills and anatomy, and for entertainment. The process of assembling the modular components into an animal replica provides entertainment and is instructive in the assembly and interconnection of interactive components. In addition, by introducing the control of the microprocessor, the robot-patchwork model can be assembled to be interactive and mobile to simulate actual animal movements.

Disclosed is a system and/or method that provides an animaltiform robot arranged in a patchwork model, meets one or more of these needs or provides other advantageous characteristics. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the present description. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims, regardless of whether they satisfy one or more of the aforementioned requirements for an interlocking mechanism and flexible linkage for a modular machine animal.

Disclosure of Invention

One embodiment relates to a machine-animal jigsaw model. The robot animal piecing model includes a head portion, a torso portion, a plurality of leg portions, and a tail portion. The head portion includes a neck group operatively connected to the torso portion by a tilt group and a pan group. The tilt group includes an intermediate piece, a mouth piece, an eye piece, a chin piece, an ultrasonic sensor, an ear piece, and a first servomotor operable to tilt the head. The pan group includes opposing neck members, a small servo arm, a base member, a pair of small locking members and a long servo arm. A second servomotor is connected between the torso group and the neck group at the shoulder of the torso section. The torso portion includes top and bottom pieces, at least one configuration for adjusting the center of mass of the robotic animal, an optional controller mounted on the top piece to coordinate sensors and actuators of the animal device, and a battery holder for housing one or more batteries. The battery holder is movably attached to the base member by adjusting a position relative to the plurality of configurations to adjust a center of mass of the robotic animal patchwork model. The plurality of legs are movably attached to the torso to support and control movement of the animal device.

One advantage of the present invention is an easily assembled robotic animal puzzle model for entertainment and gaming.

Another advantage is the ability to adjust the center of mass to balance the motion of the robotic animal patchwork model.

Yet another advantage is a thigh design with shock absorbing springs to reduce wear.

Yet another advantage is a plurality of sensors mounted on the movable head for simulating the eyes, scanning the surrounding environment for perception and transmitting signals to the controller.

A further advantage is a tail for aiding posture and balance.

Other advantages are described below and will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled machine animal patchwork model of the present invention.

Fig. 1A shows a top view of the assembled machine-animal patchwork model of fig. 1.

FIG. 1B shows a rear perspective view of the assembled machine animal patchwork model of FIG. 1.

Fig. 1C shows a front perspective view of the assembled machine animal patchwork model of fig. 1.

FIG. 1D illustrates a rear view of the assembled machine-animal patchwork model of FIG. 1.

Fig. 1E illustrates a bottom view of the assembled machine animal parquet model of fig. 1.

Fig. 1F shows a front view of the assembled machine-animal-parquet model of fig. 1.

Fig. 2 shows various parts of the torso frame of the robot of fig. 1.

Figure 2A shows a multi-angular shoulder component.

Fig. 2B shows a server.

Figure 2C shows a shoulder member.

Fig. 2D shows a floor element.

Figure 2E shows a spine.

Figure 2F shows a torso connector.

FIG. 3 and FIGS. 3A-3E

3A-3E show the assembly sequence of the servo frame.

Fig. 4 shows an interlocking mechanism in the servo frame.

FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional view of the interlock mechanism in the servo frame taken along line A4-A4 in FIG. 4D.

FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the interlock mechanism in the servo frame taken along line B4-B4 in FIG. 4D.

FIG. 4C shows a cross-sectional view of the interlock mechanism in the servo frame taken along line C4-C4 in FIG. 4D.

Fig. 4D shows a plan view of the interlock mechanism.

Figure 5 shows various portions of the head set of the machine animal puzzle of figure 1.

Figure 5A shows the middleware of the header group.

Fig. 5B shows an ocular component.

Fig. 5C shows an ultrasound component.

Figure 5D shows the mouthpiece.

Fig. 5E shows an ear piece.

Fig. 5F shows the chin piece.

Fig. 5G shows a server.

Fig. 5H shows the base member.

Fig. 5I shows a neck member.

Fig. 5J shows the locking member associated with the base member.

Fig. 5K shows the servo arm.

Fig. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D show the assembly sequence of the interlock mechanism, and the head set.

Figure 7 shows a flexible connection in the neck joint of the robot of figure 1.

FIG. 7A illustrates a translation servo for a flexible connection in a neck joint.

Fig. 7B shows a perspective view of the pan servo.

Fig. 7C shows another perspective view of the pan servo partially assembled.

Fig. 7D shows a screw connection of the spring.

Fig. 7E shows a side view of the pan servo spring without a load.

Fig. 7F shows a detail view of fig. 7E.

Fig. 7G shows a side view of the pan servo spring compressed under load.

Fig. 7H shows a detail view of fig. 7G.

Fig. 8 illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of a torso and battery pack combination, showing the sequential screw holes for adjusting the center of mass.

Fig. 8A shows a cross-sectional view of the torso, showing the screw connection between the battery pack and the torso.

Fig. 9 shows a drag mechanism for conveniently adjusting the center of mass of the robot.

Fig. 9A shows a cross-sectional view of the drag mechanism of fig. 9.

FIG. 9B shows a cross-sectional view along line A9-A9 in FIG. 9A.

FIG. 9C shows a cross-sectional view along line B9-B9 in FIG. 9A.

FIG. 9D shows a cross-sectional view of the drag mechanism of FIG. 9 in an adjustment position with the spring compressed.

Fig. 9E shows a locked position for a screw and rivet arranged as shown in fig. 9B.

FIG. 9F shows a cross-sectional view along line F9-F9 in FIG. 9D.

Fig. 9G shows an alternative configuration of a drag mechanism with dual slots.

FIG. 9H shows a perspective view of a drag mechanism with a double slot.

FIG. 9I shows another view of the screws and rivets arranged as shown in FIG. 9H.

Fig. 9J shows the locked position of a screw and rivet arranged as shown in fig. 9I.

Fig. 10 shows a shock absorbing mechanism in the thigh of the robot of fig. 1.

Fig. 10A shows another face of the intersection of fig. 10.

Fig. 10B shows the inside of the top of the thigh.

Fig. 10C shows the outer side of the top of the thigh.

Fig. 10D shows a perspective view of an outer portion of the top of the thigh.

Fig. 10E shows a front view of the assembled thigh section.

Fig. 10F shows an assembled side view of the medial and lateral portions of the thigh top.

Fig. 10G shows the outer thigh section of the bottom.

Fig. 10H shows the inner thigh section of the bottom.

Fig. 10I shows the inner thigh section of the bottom in a rotated position.

Figure 11 shows an exploded view of a partially constrained caudal joint and a wheel at the caudal end.

Fig. 11A shows the caudal joint assembled.

Fig. 11B shows the caudal joint in a normal position.

Fig. 11C shows the caudal joint in a tilted position.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 and 1A to 1F, there is shown a perspective view of an assembled machine animal patchwork model 10. The drawings show a plurality of projection views of a machine-animal-jigsaw puzzle model 10 made of flat plate-like members. The machine animal jigsaw model 10 includes: a head 13 comprising a neck group 14; a trunk 12 including a mount 15 for an optional battery (not shown); a plurality of legs 16; and a tail 17. These components and groups are connected by interlocking mechanisms or flexible connections, as described in the following figures.

A method for driving the robot-animal-piecing model 10 is described in U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/614,479 entitled "walking robot and method for controlling walking robot" filed on 8.1.2018, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to fig. 2, 2A-2C, and 3A-3E, the torso frame portion is depicted. Torso portion 12 is made of four identical sets of parts and is assembled symmetrically about axes 2A-2A and 2B-2B.

FIG. 3: the assembly sequence of the torso frame. In the embodiment of fig. 3A to 3E, assembly begins at the front shoulder. The corner 21a on the shoulder part is inserted into the shoulder part 22 through its wider slot 22 a. When the notches 2lb on the part 21 mate with 22b on the part 22 (see fig. 2 and 3), the two parts 21 are pushed away from each other to fix their position in the part 22 by friction. A shoulder set is then made. The shoulder sets on the other side are assembled in the same manner. The parts 23 and 24 are inserted into the slots 21c of the shoulder set. Then, two servos 25 are inserted into the part 22 through the gap between the parts 21. They are pushed further into the notches 23d on 23 and 24e on 24. Finally, two screws will fix the servo 25 to the head 22. The shoulder sets on the other side are assembled in the same manner. Finally, an optional spine member 26 is inserted into the slot 21f on the shoulder set to further stabilize the torso frame.

Referring to fig. 4, an interlocking mechanism in the torso frame. The torso interlock mechanism involves three primary locks. The cross-sectional view a-a shows the part 22 being constrained 21 by friction between the notch 21b and the slot 22 a. However, without the servo 25, the parts 21 can still be moved towards each other.

The cross-sectional views B3-B3 illustrate the servo 25 preventing the components 21 from moving toward each other. Pushing the corners 25d and 25e of 25 into the slots 23d and 24e will lock the shoulder sets at a 45 degree angle.

Section C3-C3 show that once the members 23, 24 are inserted into the shoulder sets at both ends, the distance between the members 23, 24 is limited by the slot 21C.

The above interlocking forms a rather stable trapezoid. The only part that may become loose due to wear is the 45 degree angle that is constrained by the corners 25d and 25e in the slots 23d and 24 e. The optional spine member F helps to secure the structure by fixing the distance between 21F on both shoulder sets.

Referring to fig. 5 and 5A through 5K, various portions of the header set are shown. The head group has two subgroups: a tilt group and a pan group. The tilting group has an intermediate piece 31, a mouth piece 32, an eye piece 33, a chin piece 34, an ultrasonic piece 35, an ear piece 36 and a servo 37. The pan group has two neck members 38, a small servo arm 39, a base member 310, two small locking members 311, and a long servo arm 312.

Referring to fig. 6A-6D, the interlocking mechanism and assembly sequence of the header set is shown. In the figures, the assembly of the tilting group starts from the intermediate piece 31. The mouth piece 32 and eye piece 33 can be slid into the slots 31a and 31b of the housing 31. The chin 34 is inserted into the slot 31c on the intermediate piece 31 and its projection 34d is pushed into 32d on 32 to lock the position of 32. The upper surface of which pushes the lower edge of the part 33 to lock it in the intermediate piece 31. An ultrasonic sensor 35 is inserted into the ocular component 33 through 33 e. The ear piece 36 is inserted into the insertion groove 31 f. Its front surface pushes against the ultrasonic member 35 to lock it in position 33. Its notches 36g and 34g mate and lock the ear piece 34 in the slot 31 c. The servo 37 is inserted into the slot 31h on the intermediate member 31 to lock the member 36. Which itself is fixed to the intermediate piece 31 by two screws at 31 i.

The ultrasonic sensor is used for both morphological and functional purposes. It looks like the eyes of a cat while it measures the distance in front of the device and can transmit a signal to the controller for perception. It may be replaced by other sensors that can fit into the space.

The assembly of the pan group begins by screwing an "L" shaped servo arm 39 onto one of the necks 38 at 38 a. The two 38 are inserted into the wider slots 310b on the base 310 and pushed into the narrower slots 310c, respectively. While 3l0d was inserted into 38 d. Two "C" shaped locking members 311 are inserted into the base 310 through the wider slots 310e and then slid into the narrower slots 310f to lock the neck 38 perpendicular to the base. The long servo arm 312 is screwed to the base 310 and its longer end 312g locks the small locking part 311 in the narrower slot 310 f. The pan group and the tilt group are connected by a servo arm 39. The entire head group and torso group are connected by servo arm 312.

Referring to fig. 7 and 7A-7H, a flexible connection 100 in a neck joint is shown. The head is connected to the body by a neck group 14. When the robot-animal-jigsaw model 10 moves, if an excessive force is applied to the head, a frontal collision may occur. A flexible connection 100 is introduced between the neck and body to achieve less displacement and reduce shock, thereby protecting joints and components.

A pan servo 41 connects the shoulder and neck sets 14. Which is inserted into a slot 21g in the upper shoulder part 21 and can slide freely. The spring 42 stands on the lower shoulder part 21 and pushes the servo toward the upper shoulder part 21. A screw 43 is attached to the pan servo 41 and inserted through the spring 42. It avoids spring jump out. The edge on the other side of the servo serves as a rotation pivot. When the head sags in a collision, the servo will be able to rotate along the pivot axis. The spring will absorb some of the shock and bring the servo back to the normal position.

Referring to fig. 8 and 8A, there are shown sequential threaded holes for adjusting the center of mass. Ambulation is a dynamic process in which the center of mass (CoM) is constantly moving in and out of the projected area of the plantar contact portion. Control of the leg movements (gait) associated with the CoM is crucial for quadruped walking. On the other hand, if the gait is already preset and fixed, the position of the CoM can be adjusted to optimize walking performance. Since the battery pack accounts for a significant portion of the overall weight, changing its position will effectively adjust the CoM.

In one possible configuration, there are one or more rows of screw holes 23i in the bottom torso member 23, arranged in series, along the longer/spinal direction of the torso. The screw holes are spaced at distances that meet minimum precision requirements for adjusting the CoM. The battery holder 51 is attached to the bottom piece by means of screws 52 through screw holes 51i, while its position can be adjusted by screwing into suitable screw holes in said hole matrix.

Referring to FIG. 9, in an alternative embodiment, a drag mechanism for conveniently adjusting the center of mass is shown. One or more elongated slots or rails 23h are provided on the body member 23 to allow the screws 52 attached to the battery holder 51 to slide together. The width of the slot is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the screw. For each screw, through-hole rivet 54 is inserted into the battery holder and then into bottom torso member 23. The rivet has an inner diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the screw 52 and an outer diameter larger than the width of the elongated slot 23 h. The length of the rivet approximates the thickness of the torso member 23. Along the slot 23h, there are successively larger holes, which are spaced apart by a distance that satisfies the minimum precision requirement for adjusting the CoM. The diameter of these holes is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rivet. The screw 52 will pass through the rivet 54, the hole in the bottom of the battery holder 51, the elongated slot 23h, the compression spring 53, and finally be screwed into the nut member 27 above the lower body member 23.

The compression force of the spring 53 is slightly greater than the weight of the battery holder with the battery. By pushing the nut member 27 upwards, it lifts the rivet 54 along the slot 23h into the large hole. Because the width of the slot is less than the outer diameter of the rivet, the rivet will lock the position of the battery pack to which it is attached.

By pulling the battery holder 51 downwards, the spring can be further compressed to allow the battery holder to be pulled down. The rivet 54 to which it is attached will be pulled out of the hole in the elongated slot 23 h. Now only the thinner screw 52 is located inside the slot and is free to move along the length of the slot. After the battery pack has been repositioned, the spring is simply released and the spring extends and lifts the rivet 54 along the slot 23h into the nearest larger hole. The position of the battery pack is locked again.

Fig. 9G shows an alternative embodiment of the bottom piece of the towing mechanism with a plurality of slots 23h for adjusting the center of mass.

Referring to fig. 10 and 10A to 10I, a shock absorbing mechanism in the thigh is shown. Ambulation is a cyclic motion in which the joints involved are subject to wear and tear during the application of frequent loading and unloading forces. Accidental stops and collisions can further damage the mechanical parts in the actuator. An elastic linkage is introduced between the actuating servo motor and the limb.

Each thigh or thigh comprises a track for receiving a motor arm 62 of each drive servo motor embedded in the other body part. The servo arm is partially constrained in the track and is urged to its normal position (shown in cross-section B10-B10) by spring 61. It can also be moved along the length of the thigh, or rotated about the joint axis.

When the relative position between the thigh and the servo joint changes, the servo arm will be subjected to an external force or torque. If the force acting on the servo arm is greater than the compression force of the spring, the servo arm will slide along the length of the thigh. If a shear force component is present, the contact point between the servo arm and the track will become the pivot for the rotation that may occur. If the external torque is greater than the torque created by the spring tension, the servo arm will rotate while sliding lengthwise (shown in cross-section D10-D10). The friction during sliding also absorbs some of the energy, thereby reducing the vibration.

The elastic connection converts the rapidly changing load into a gradually changing tension in the spring and relieves sudden shocks. It also creates an acceptable range of torsion to avoid damaging the servo during a collision or injuring a person touching the limb.

In the disclosed embodiments, the thigh may be divided into upper and lower parts, which may provide some ease of manufacture and assembly.

Referring to fig. 11, 11A and 11B, there is shown a partially constrained caudal joint and a caudal distal wheel. The tail is important to the balance, posture and appearance of the animal. The robot has a tail 71 attached to the torso by partially constrained joints. The servo arm 73 is inserted through the slot 71a and connected to the pan servo 74. The screw 75 is fixed to the servo arm and passes through the metal rivet 76 and then is inserted into the slot 71 b. The slot is longer than the diameter of the rivet to allow the tail to rotate a small angle in the pitch direction. The length of the rivet is slightly greater than the thickness of the slot to prevent it from falling off. The metal rivet 76 serves to reduce friction between the screw 75 and the slot 71 b.

In some cases, the end of the tail may contact the ground or other surface and become scratched. An optional wheel assembly 72 is mounted at the end of the tail to reduce friction. The screw 77 is passed through the hole 71c in the tail piece 71 by means of a metal rivet 76. The inner diameter of the rivet is slightly larger than the diameter of the screw, and the outer diameter of the rivet is slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole 71 c. The length of the rivet is slightly greater than the thickness of the tail 71. The rounded end of the rivet is located between the wheel and the tail and serves as a washer-type washer.

The tail 71 may be actively driven in the panning direction by a servo, or passively driven by gravity, or by centrifugal force generated by rapid rotation, depending on the direction of the body. The tail 71 is used for balance when walking or standing. It can rotate to the descending side to avoid rolling, push the body to resume rolling, and can be the third support point when standing with two rear legs.

This application contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing its operations. Embodiments of the present application may be implemented using an existing computer processor, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system incorporated for this or other purposes, or by a hardwired system.

It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the robotic animal collage model shown in the various exemplary embodiments described is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be substituted or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this application. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. In the claims, any means-plus-function clause is intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present application.

As mentioned above, embodiments within the scope of the present application may include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine having a processor. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.