Robotic platform
First Claim
1. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
- a main section including a main frame having two sides and a front end, and including a pair of parallel main tracks, each including a flexible continuous belt coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame; and
a forward section including an elongated arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the arm being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the forward end of the main frame about a transverse axis generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the arm having a length sufficiently long to allow the forward section to extend below the main section in at least some degrees of rotation of the arm, and a length shorter than the length of the main section;
wherein the center of mass of the main section is located forward of the rearmost point reached by the distal end of the arm in its pivoting about the transverse axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An articulated tracked vehicle that has a main section, which includes a main frame, and a forward section. The main frame has two sides and a front end, and includes a pair of parallel main tracks. Each main track includes a flexible continuous belt coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame. The forward section includes an elongated arm. One end of the arm is pivotally coupled to the main frame near the forward end of the main frame about a transverse axis that is generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame. The arm has a length sufficiently long to allow the forward section to extend below the main section in at least some degrees of rotation of the arm, and a length shorter than the length of the main section. The center of mass of the main section is located forward of the rearmost point reached by the end of the arm in its pivoting about the transverse axis. The main section is contained within the volume defined by the main tracks and is symmetrical about a horizontal plane, thereby allowing inverted operation of the robot.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
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a main section including a main frame having two sides and a front end, and including a pair of parallel main tracks, each including a flexible continuous belt coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame; and
a forward section including an elongated arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the arm being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the forward end of the main frame about a transverse axis generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the arm having a length sufficiently long to allow the forward section to extend below the main section in at least some degrees of rotation of the arm, and a length shorter than the length of the main section;
wherein the center of mass of the main section is located forward of the rearmost point reached by the distal end of the arm in its pivoting about the transverse axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
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a main section including a main frame having two sides and a front end, and including a pair of parallel main tracks, each including a flexible continuous belt coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame;
a forward section including a pair of elongated arms each having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal ends of the arms being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the forward end of the main frame allowing rotation of the arms outside the main tracks around a transverse axis that is generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the forward section further including a pair of forward tracks, each including a flexible continuous belt, one track coupled to each of the two arms;
on each side of the vehicle, a pair of drive pulleys for supporting and driving each of the main and forward tracks, respectively, the drive pulleys being coaxial with the transverse axis of rotation of the arms, and joined so that they rotate together. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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13. An impact resistance tracked vehicle comprising:
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a main frame;
a pair of parallel main tracks, each including a flexible continuous belt; and
on each side of the main frame, two compliant pulleys coupled between one of the main tracks and the main frame, and a plurality of compliant track supports coupled between the tracks and the side plates;
wherein each pulley includes a compliant outer rim, a hub, and a plurality of compliant spoke segments coupled between the rim and the hub.
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18. A method for operating an articulated tracked vehicle having a main tracked chassis and a pivoting forward arm to climb a set of stairs, comprising:
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pivoting the arm to raise the arm higher than the rise of the bottom-most stair of the set of stairs;
approaching the first stair until the arm contacts the first stair;
driving the main tracks until the main tracks contacts the first stair;
pivoting the arm to extend the tracked base of the vehicle; and
driving the main tracks to ascend the set of stairs.
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19. A method for inverting an articulated tracked vehicle having a main tracked chassis and a pivoting arm, comprising:
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supporting the vehicle on the main tracks in a first vertical orientation;
supporting the vehicle on the pivoting arm;
pivoting the arm to raise the main chassis above the supporting surface;
further pivoting the arm to pass the main chassis past a stable point;
supporting the vehicle on the main tracks in a second vertical orientation, the second vertical orientation being inverted with respect to the first orientation.
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Specification