Dual functional robot and storage bin
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A robot for collecting tennis balls capable of an upright position and a horizontal position, and having a midpoint between front and rear, said robot comprising:
- (a) a front end;
(b) a first axis of rotation about which the robot rotates when tilted between the upright position and the horizontal position;
(c) a first load-bearing wheel capable of supporting the robot forward of the midpoint, having a radius (r), positioned so that the robot may be rotated at least 45°
from the horizontal position along the first axis of rotation without the front end coming into contact with the ground and while the first load-bearing wheel remains in contact with the ground;
(d) a mobile load-bearing support structure capable of supporting the robot while in the horizontal position;
(e) a drive motor providing rotation to a drive wheel;
(f) a rotating collector proximate to the front end and dimensioned to collect the tennis balls; and
(g) a holding basket having a first basket position, in which said holding basket is positioned to receive the tennis balls from the rotating collector while in the horizontal position and in the first basket position.
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Abstract
A dual functional robot for collecting rollable objects capable of an upright position and a horizontal position, in which the robot includes a way to propel the robot; a way to control propulsion of the robot; a way to locate the rollable object; a way to collect the rollable object; a way to store the rollable object; a way to support the robot and allow the robot to move across a surface in a low-friction manner; and a way to stably reorient the robot from the horizontal position into the upright position.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A robot for collecting tennis balls capable of an upright position and a horizontal position, and having a midpoint between front and rear, said robot comprising:
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(a) a front end; (b) a first axis of rotation about which the robot rotates when tilted between the upright position and the horizontal position; (c) a first load-bearing wheel capable of supporting the robot forward of the midpoint, having a radius (r), positioned so that the robot may be rotated at least 45°
from the horizontal position along the first axis of rotation without the front end coming into contact with the ground and while the first load-bearing wheel remains in contact with the ground;(d) a mobile load-bearing support structure capable of supporting the robot while in the horizontal position; (e) a drive motor providing rotation to a drive wheel; (f) a rotating collector proximate to the front end and dimensioned to collect the tennis balls; and (g) a holding basket having a first basket position, in which said holding basket is positioned to receive the tennis balls from the rotating collector while in the horizontal position and in the first basket position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A robot for collecting a rollable object and capable of assuming an upright position and a horizontal position, the robot comprising:
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(a) means for propelling the robot; (b) means for controlling propulsion of the robot connected to provide commands to the means for propelling; (c) means for locating the rollable object connected to provide data to the means for controlling propulsion; (d) means for collecting the rollable object; (e) means for storing the rollable object positioned to accept the rollable object from the means for collecting; (f) means for supporting the robot and allowing the robot to move across a surface in a low-friction manner; and (g) means for reorienting the robot from the horizontal position into the upright position, wherein said means for reorienting the robot comprises a first load-bearing wheel having an axis of rotation about which the first load-bearing wheel rotates and about which the robot rotates at least 45°
while the first load-bearing wheel is in contact with the ground when tilted between the upright position and the horizontal position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification