SELF PROPELLED DEVICE WITH MAGNETIC COUPLING

• US 20150224941A1
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orbotix Incorporated
• Inventors: Bernstein, Ian H., Wilson, Adam, MacGregor, Ross, Chun, Kong
• Granted Patent: US 9,429,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/007 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 39/00 Vehicle bodies not otherwise provided for , e.g. safety vehicles safety equipment B60R21/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system including one or more motors. The internal drive system acts to provide power to an interior surface of the spherical housing, thereby causing the self-propelled device to move. A biasing assembly can be included to enable the internal drive system to continuously engage an inner surface of the spherical housing. An external accessory magnetically interacts with interior magnetic components through the spherical housing such that as the self-propelled device rotates and maneuvers, the accessory component maintains a positional relationship to a top portion of the self-propelled device.

Claims

1. A self-propelled device comprising:

a spherical housing enclosing a first set of one or more magnetically interactive elements and an internal drive system to cause the self-propelled device to roll; and

an external accessory comprising a second set of one or more magnetically interactive elements to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set of magnetically interactive elements as the self-propelled device rolls.

2. The self-propelled device of claim 1, further comprising:

a magnet holder within the spherical housing, the magnet holder comprising the first set of magnetically interactive elements.

3. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the first set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a first and a second magnet oriented to have opposite polarity, and wherein the second set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a first and a second magnet also oriented to have opposite polarity in order to magnetically couple with the first and the second magnets of the magnet holder respectively.

4. The self-propelled device of claim 2, further comprising:

a biasing subassembly coupled to the internal drive system to cause the internal drive system to continuously engage the interior surface of the spherical housing.

5. The self-propelled device of claim 4, wherein the biasing subassembly comprises a plurality of portal axles each including a bias spring to engage the interior surface of the spherical housing at a plurality of contact points.

6. The self-propelled device of claim 4, wherein the biasing subassembly and the magnet holder comprise a single internal assembly within the spherical housing.

7. The self-propelled device of claim 6, wherein the single internal assembly is coupled to the internal drive system by one or more springs.

8. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the external accessory includes a housing structure and a contact portion, the contact portion to engage an exterior surface of the spherical housing.

9. The self-propelled device of claim 8, wherein the contact portion of the external accessory comprises a slider bearing to engage the exterior surface of the spherical housing.

10. The self-propelled device of claim 9, wherein the slider bearing includes the second set of magnetically interactive elements.

11. The self-propelled device of claim 8, wherein the housing structure includes the second set of magnetically interactive elements.

12. The self-propelled device of claim 8, wherein the external accessory includes one or more springs coupling the housing structure and the contact portion.

13. The self-propelled device of claim 8, wherein the contact portion of the external accessory comprises a pair of wheels coupled by an axle assembly, the pair of wheels to engage the exterior surface of the spherical housing.

14. The self-propelled device of claim 13, wherein external accessory includes one or more springs coupling the housing structure to the axle assembly of the contact portion.

15. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second set of magnetically interactive elements each comprises one or more ferromagnetic element, one or more magnets, or one or more electromagnetic elements.

16. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the internal drive system comprises a first motor to operate a first wheel, and a second motor to operate a second wheel, the first and the second wheels to engage the interior surface of the spherical housing.

17. The self-propelled device of claim 16, further comprising:

a wireless interface to receive control commands from a controller device; and

one or more processors to implement the control commands on the first and the second motors to maneuver the self-propelled device.

18. The self-propelled device of claim 17, wherein the magnet holder includes a pivot mechanism and one or more actuators to enable the magnet holder to pivot within the spherical housing.

19. The self-propelled device of claim 18, wherein the control commands include a pivot command, and wherein the pivot command causes the one or more processors to activate the one or more actuators to pivot the magnet holder within the spherical housing, the pivoting magnet holder causing the external accessory to pivot correspondingly.

20. The self-propelled device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source coupled to the internal drive system; and

an inductive charge port to enable inductive charging of the power source.