Small unmanned ground vehicle

• US 10,611,418 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne FLIR Detection Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rudakevych, Pavlo E., Gossage, Garran M., Morey, Christopher L., Meaney, Todd M., Ohm, Timothy R., Wozniak, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Knutson, Jacob D
• Application Number:
  US15/383,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20170158266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 180 932
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/043 Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0046 the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0061 the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 : responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/25 : Track vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 : with tracks without ground wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/075 : Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, steep slopes or vertical surfacesmagnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 : Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 : characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 : by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The present teachings relate generally to a small remote vehicle having rotatable flippers and a weight of less than about 10 pounds and that can climb a conventional-sized stairs. The present teachings also relate to a small remote vehicle can be thrown or dropped fifteen feet onto a hard/inelastic surface without incurring structural damage that may impede its mission. The present teachings further relate to a small remote vehicle having a weight of less than about 10 pounds and a power source supporting missions of at least 6 hours.

Claims

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, side surfaces, a front surface and a rear surface;

a battery housed within the housing and including two or more cylindrical cells, the battery resting on the bottom surface of the housing;

a driven support surface movably connected to each side of the housing and configured to propel the housing in at least a forward direction, each driven support surface comprising a flexible track trained about a pair of wheels; and

a flipper rotatably connected to each side of the housing rearward of a center of gravity of the housing, the flippers being configured to rotate in a first direction to raise a rearward end of the robot and to rotate in a second and opposite direction to raise a forward end of the robot housing,

wherein the bottom surface of the housing is contoured to accommodate a shape of the battery cells and is configured to conduct heat away from the battery by providing additional surface area for heat dissipation,

the mobile robot further comprising at least one drive motor and an H-Bridge to control the at least one drive motor, the H-bridge reducing an audible component of the at least one drive motor sound by randomly varying a pitch wave modulation (PWM) frequency.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising a sound exciter, wherein a portion of the housing top surface can be acted on by the sound exciter to emit sound.

3. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot weighs less than about 5 pounds.

4. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of an antenna.

5. The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic flipper position encoder on a rear axle of the mobile robot and a flipper printed circuit board (PCB) with a sensor located adjacent to the magnetic flipper position encoder to track a rotational position of the flippers.

6. The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic odometry encoder on a front axle of the mobile robot and a mobility PCB with a sensor located adjacent to the magnetic odometry encoder to track odometry of the mobile robot.