Robotic Platform
First Claim
1. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
- a main section comprising a main frame having two sides and a front end, and comprising a pair of parallel main tracks, each track being coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame;
a forward section comprising a pair of elongated arms each having a proximal end and a distal end, proximal ends of the arms being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the front end of the main frame allowing rotation of the arms around a transverse axis that is generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the forward section comprising a pair of forward tracks, one of the forward tracks being coupled to each of the 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 the main and forward tracks are driven together;
a mast that is extendible relative to the main section and the forward section; and
a sensor mounted on the mast;
wherein the articulated tracked vehicle is configured to operate in a first orientation in which a bottom of the articulated tracked vehicle contacts a surface and in a second orientation in which a top of the articulated tracked vehicle contacts the surface.
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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.
102 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
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a main section comprising a main frame having two sides and a front end, and comprising a pair of parallel main tracks, each track being coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame; a forward section comprising a pair of elongated arms each having a proximal end and a distal end, proximal ends of the arms being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the front end of the main frame allowing rotation of the arms around a transverse axis that is generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the forward section comprising a pair of forward tracks, one of the forward tracks being coupled to each of the 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 the main and forward tracks are driven together; a mast that is extendible relative to the main section and the forward section; and a sensor mounted on the mast; wherein the articulated tracked vehicle is configured to operate in a first orientation in which a bottom of the articulated tracked vehicle contacts a surface and in a second orientation in which a top of the articulated tracked vehicle contacts the surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
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a main section comprising a main frame having two sides and a front end, and comprising a pair of parallel main tracks, each track being coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame; a forward section comprising a pair of elongated arms each having a proximal end and a distal end, proximal ends of the arms being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the front end of the main frame allowing rotation of the arms around a transverse axis that is generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the forward section comprising a pair of forward tracks, one of the forward tracks being coupled to each of the 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 the main and forward tracks are driven together; a mast that is extendible relative to the main section and the forward section; a sensor mounted on the mast; a flexible continuous belt attached to each of the parallel main tracks; and a plurality of compliant longitudinal track supports coupled between the main frame and the flexible continuous belts, each longitudinal track support having a series of open slots forming a series of rib sections between upper and lower edges of a support.
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14. A mobile robot comprising:
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a main section comprising main tracks that are substantially parallel; a forward section comprising an elongated arm, the elongated arm being pivotally coupled to the main section to permit rotation of the elongated arm relative to the main section, the forward section comprising a forward track, the forward track being coupled to the elongated arm; a mast that is extendible relative to the main section and the forward section; and a sensor mounted on the mast; wherein the mobile robot is configured to operate in a first orientation in which a bottom of the mobile robot contacts a surface and in a second orientation in which a top of the mobile robot contacts the surface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A mobile robot comprising:
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a main section comprising a mechanical mechanism to effect forward and/or reverse motion, the mechanical mechanism comprising a pulley, an axle, and a track; an arm that is coupled to the main section, wherein coupling between the arm and the main section allows the arm to pivot relative to the main section; a communication system comprising electronics for transmitting information between the mobile robot and an external system; a mast that is mounted on the main section, the mast being movable relative to the main section so that at least a portion of the mast extends beyond the main section and the forward section; and a sensor mounted on the mast, the sensor providing information to the communication system for transmission to the external system; wherein the mobile robot is configured to operate in a first orientation in which a bottom of the mobile robot contacts a surface and in a second orientation in which a top of the mobile robot contacts the surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An articulated tracked vehicle comprising:
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a main section comprising a main frame having two sides and a front end, and comprising a pair of parallel main tracks, each track being coupled to a corresponding side of the main frame; a forward section comprising a pair of elongated arms each having a proximal end and a distal end, proximal ends of the arms being pivotally coupled to the main frame near the front end of the main frame allowing rotation of the arms around a transverse axis that is generally perpendicular to the sides of the main frame, the forward section comprising a pair of forward tracks, one of the forward tracks being coupled to each of the 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 the main and forward tracks are driven together; a mast that is extendible relative to the main section and the forward section; and a sensor mounted on the mast; wherein the main section is contained within a volume defined by the main tracks, and wherein the articulated track vehicle is configured to operate in different orientations.
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Specification