MOBILE ROBOTIC VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A robot comprising:
- a robot chassis having a forward end, a rearward end and a center of gravity;
a support surface moveably connected to the chassis and configured to propel the robot chassis;
a trailing arm rotatable about an axis located rearward of the center of gravity of the robot chassis; and
a controller configured to execute a stair climbing control routine stored on the mobile robot, including causing the robot to perform operations comprising;
driving the support surface over an underlying surface towards a stair;
pivoting the trailing arm downward against the underlying surface and causing the forward end of the robot chassis to raise up off the underlying surface, the trailing arm having a distal end that contacts the underlying surface forward of the center of gravity of the vehicle;
further driving the support surface to cause the forward end of the vehicle to ascend a riser of the stair, the support surface generating sufficient traction against the riser to climb the riser as the support surface is driven; and
pivoting the trailing arm so that the distal end contacts the underlying surface at a point behind the support surface while the robot ascends the stair.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile robot includes a robot chassis having a forward end, a rearward end and a center of gravity. The robot includes a driven support surface to propel the robot and first articulated arm rotatable about an axis located rearward of the center of gravity of the robot chassis. The arm is pivotable to trail the robot, rotate in a first direction to raise the rearward end of the robot chassis while the driven support surface propels the chassis forward in surmounting an obstacle, and to rotate in a second opposite direction to extend forward beyond the center of gravity of the robot chassis to raise the forward end of the robot chassis and invert the robot endwise.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A robot comprising:
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a robot chassis having a forward end, a rearward end and a center of gravity; a support surface moveably connected to the chassis and configured to propel the robot chassis; a trailing arm rotatable about an axis located rearward of the center of gravity of the robot chassis; and a controller configured to execute a stair climbing control routine stored on the mobile robot, including causing the robot to perform operations comprising; driving the support surface over an underlying surface towards a stair; pivoting the trailing arm downward against the underlying surface and causing the forward end of the robot chassis to raise up off the underlying surface, the trailing arm having a distal end that contacts the underlying surface forward of the center of gravity of the vehicle; further driving the support surface to cause the forward end of the vehicle to ascend a riser of the stair, the support surface generating sufficient traction against the riser to climb the riser as the support surface is driven; and pivoting the trailing arm so that the distal end contacts the underlying surface at a point behind the support surface while the robot ascends the stair. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification