VEHICLE FOR USE IN PLANETARY EXPLORATION

• US 3,730,287 A
• Filed: 05/17/1971
• Issued: 05/01/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward Hryniewiecki
• Original Assignee: Edward Hryniewiecki
• Inventors: Hryniewiecki, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Hersh, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pekar, John A.
• Application Number:
  US05/144,139
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.7,9.2R,9.46,7R,8R,8A,41,43R,46,45,6.5
• US Class Current: 180/6.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/043 Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/20 Endless-track steering having pivoted bogie carrying track B62D11/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/247 Gas filled or inflatable flexible tracks connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00

Abstract

A self-propelled vehicle particularly suited for use in traversing hostile terrain. The vehicle is characterized by a plurality of mutually independently operable propulsion units, each including an extended leg coupled with the frame of the vehicle for rotation about an axis transversely related thereto and supported by a steerable pedestal having operational attributes of both a wheel and an endless track and employable for propelling the vehicle along a given surface, through a selectively operable power train functioning to drive the leg in rotation about its axis and/or activating the pedestal in a wheel-driven and/or track-laying mode of operation.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

A. a load supporting frame;

B. a plurality of legs extended from said frame, each leg being coupled at its base to said frame and supported for pivotal displacement about a first axis of rotation transversely related to the frame;

an;

C. a propulsion system for propelling said frame including a plurality of pedestals coupled to the distal ends of said legs and supported for pivotal displacement about a second axis of rotation angularly related to said first axis of rotation, and a terminal component mounted on each of said pedestals in supporting relation therewith including, 1. a rotatable hub and a plurality of angularly related arms radially extended from the hub and terminating at equidistances from a third axis of rotation angularly related to said first axis of rotation, 2. a plurality of sprockets, each being rotatably supported at the distal end of one of said arms, 3. an endless rim including a flexible chain operatively meshed with said sprockets and a resilient body formed of An expanded mesh circumscribing the periphery of the component and supported for advancement along an endless path circumscribing said second axis of rotation, and 4. a selectively operable power train comprising a plurality of electrically energizable motors, each being supported within one of said pedestals, and a selectively engageable clutch and brake system including means for selectively coupling each of the motors with one of said legs for driving the leg in rotation about said first axis of rotation, means for selectively coupling each of said motors to one of said pedestals for driving the pedestal in rotation about said second axis of rotation, means for selectively coupling each of the motors with one of the terminal components for driving the hub in rotation about the third axis of rotation, means for selectively coupling each of said motors with one of said rims, and for advancing the rim along said path.

2. a terminal component of a substantially triangular configuration supported for rotation about a third axis of rotation, Paid third axis being angularly related to said second axis of rotation;

and

3. an endless rim circumscribing said terminal component and mounted for advancement along an endless path transversing the dIstal ends of said spokes;

and D. a selectively operable, common drive means coupled with the leg, the terminal component, and the pedestal for selectively imparting thereto rotational displacement.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein each of said legs is restrained against displacement as the pedestal coupled therewith is driven in rotational displacement about said second axis of rotation.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the terminal components of each pedestal include a circumscribing rim and means for advancing the rim about the periphery thereof.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the means for advancing the rim includes a chain-and-sprocket coupling.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein said means for advancing the rim further includes additional clutch means for releasably coupling said chain-and-sprocket with said drive means.

8. In a propulsion system for a vehicle, the improvement comprising:

A. a segmented leg including,

9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein the common drive includes:

A. an electrically energizable motor, supported in said pedestal, a pair of output shafts operatively aSsociated with said motor;

B. a segmented power train extending from said pedestal, through said leg to said frame, and clutch means for releasably coupling the segmented power train with one output shaft of said pair of output shafts;

C. a bifurcated power train, including a first and a second power train segment, operatively associated with the other output shaft of said pair of output shafts; and

D. clutch means for releasably coupling a first power train segment with the other output shaft of said pair, and clutch means for releasably coupling the second power train segment with the other output shaft.