REMOTE-CONTROLLED MOBILE MACHINE USING FLEXIBLE SHAFTS

• US 20090281681A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kagoshima University
• Original Assignee: Kagoshima University
• Inventors: Yu, Yong, Hayashi, Ryota, Tsujio, Showzou
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/045 shaped as armoured cars, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/00 Drive mechanisms for toys in general
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 31/10 Gearing mechanisms actuated by movable wires enclosed in flexible tubes

Abstract

A remote-controlled mobile machine has a pair of flexible shafts (10) formed by inserting torque transmission driving wires (11) into tubes (12). One ends of the flexible shafts (10) are respectively connected to power sources (2), and the other ends thereof are respectively connected to a pair of left and right crawler mechanisms (102). The crawler mechanisms (102) are driven/controlled by remote control via the flexible shafts (10) to make the mobile machine travel.

Claims

1. A remote-controlled mobile machine using flexible shafts comprising:

a pair of flexible shafts formed by inserting torque transmission driving wires into tubes,

wherein one ends of said flexible shafts are respectively connected to power sources, and the other ends thereof are respectively connected to a pair of left and right crawler mechanisms being a driven side; and

wherein the crawler mechanisms are driven/controlled by remote control via said flexible shafts to make said mobile machine travel.

2. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 1,

wherein the driving wire is composed of a wire of multi-layer structure having a twist direction thereof being reversed at every layer;

and

wherein the crawler mechanisms are designed to rotate in a same direction or an opposite direction in accordance with coincidence or non-coincidence of rotational directions of a pair of driving wires.

3. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 1,

wherein said pair of flexible shafts is bound together in parallel as one bundle.

4. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 2,

wherein said pair of flexible shafts is bound together in parallel as one bundle.

5. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 1,

wherein bearings rotatably supporting the driving wire are arranged at predetermined intervals along with a longitudinal direction of said flexible shaft.

6. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 2,

wherein bearings rotatably supporting the driving wire are arranged at predetermined intervals along with a longitudinal direction of said flexible shaft.

7. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 3,

wherein bearings rotatably supporting the driving wire are arranged at predetermined intervals along with a longitudinal direction of said flexible shaft.

8. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 4,

wherein bearings rotatably supporting the driving wire are arranged at predetermined intervals along with a longitudinal direction of said flexible shaft.

9. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 1, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

10. The remote-control-led mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 2, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

11. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 3, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

12. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 4, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

13. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 5, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

14. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 6, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

15. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 7, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.

16. The remote-controlled mobile machine using the flexible shafts according to claim 8, further comprising

an imaging device mounted on a main body of said mobile machine,

wherein said mobile machine can be operated by remote control while monitoring a video obtained by said imaging device.