VEHICLE WITH AERIAL AND GROUND MOBILITY
First Claim
1. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising:
- a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body;
a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm;
an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;
a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising:
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a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body; a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm; an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor; a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An unmanned vehicle apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle body; right and left rotor arms extending from corresponding right and left sides of the vehicle body; a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of each rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive operative to rotate each rotor such that each rotor exerts an upward lift force on the corresponding rotor arm; a corresponding open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of each rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the corresponding rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor; a wheel drive operative to rotate the wheels; wherein the right and left rotor arms are oriented such that the bottom edges of the wheels support the vehicle body for movement along the ground, and such that the lift force generated by rotating the rotors is operative to raise the vehicle body and wheels above the ground. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 75)
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- 26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the front and rear left rotor arms are mounted to a left arm plate and oriented such that front and rear left rotor axes are substantially parallel, corresponding front and rear left wheels are aligned and oriented to roll in the ground operating travel direction, and wherein the left arm plate is pivotally attached to the vehicle body about a left plate pivot axis oriented substantially in alignment with the ground operating travel direction.
Specification