Remote control robot vehicle

• US 4,621,562 A
• Filed: 05/31/1983
• Issued: 11/11/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monitor Engineers Limited Monitor House Coast Road Wallsend TYNE and Wear England
• Original Assignee: Monitor Engineers Limited
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Brian, Winn, deceased, Russell E., Carr, Michael J. R., Sennett, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Paperner, L. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US06/499,257
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 294/86 R, 414/729, 414/735, 414/739, 901/21, 901/36, 901/37, 901/38, 901/1, 180/6.5, 180/22, 180/65.5, 180/6.48, 280/104, 280/111, 89/41 TV, 89/40 B, 89/36 M, 89/39, 89/41 R, 89/37 R, 86/1 B
• US Class Current: 89/41.05
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0025 handling explosives, bombs or hazardous objects
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/00 Gripping heads and other end effectors grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H01L21/68707; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/046 Revolute coordinate type
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/28 using brushing or sweeping means or dozers to push mines lying on a surface aside; using means for removing mines intact from a surface

Abstract

A remote control robot vehicle which includes at least two pairs of wheels, at least one pair of which is driven, said pairs of wheels being mounted on a support secured to the vehicle which supports are each mounted for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle, those wheels on the same side of the vehicle being capable of being driven synchronously.

Claims

1. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle which includes a chassis, two pairs of driving wheels, each said pair of wheels being mounted on a support secured to the chassis of the vehicle which supports are each mounted for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis entending longitudinally of the vehicle and a third pair of driving wheels mounted on the chassis is intermediate of said two pairs of driving wheels, means being provided for driving those wheels on the same side of the vehicle synchronously with each other.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the functions of the vehicle are electrically powered, from a source selected from a group consisting of a remote source and from on-board electric batteries.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1, which further includes a turntable, a robot arm mounted upon the turntable and gripping means at an end of the robot arm, together with means for independently rotating the turntable, for activating the arm and for operating the gripping means, and which is provided with a plurality of closed-circuit television cameras, one mounted for sighting along said robot arm, one mounted adjacent the gripping means and one mounted at a front area of the vehicle between said pair of driving wheels.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, which further includes a turntable;

a robot arm mounted upon the turntable, gripping means at an end of the robot arm;

a shotgun provided on the robot arm;

together with means for independently rotating the turntable, for activating the arm, for operating the gripping means, and means provided on said arm for firing a shotgun.

5. A vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the gripping means includes jaws provided with electrical contacts for making an electrical circuit with a device gripped by said jaws.

6. A vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a pair of screwjacks is connected at one end respectively to an end of a first section of the robot arm and an intermediate position of a second section of the robot arm and at the other end respectively to means for rotating the screwjacks thereby to form an articulation mechanism for articulating the robot arm.

7. A vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said gripping means is controllable under the influence of chain drive means from motor means located on the turntable.

8. A vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a control console for providing operating signals and a cable for controlling movement of the turntable, arm and gripping means from a distance.

9. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle comprising:

a chassis having first and second ends;

a first subframe pivotally mounted about the longitudinal axis of said first end of said chassis;

a second subframe pivotally mounted about the longitudinal axis of said second end of said chassis;

a first pair of driving wheels rotatably disposed at the distal ends of said first subframe;

a second pair of driving wheels rotatably disposed at the distal ends of said second subframe;

a third pair of driving wheels rotatably disposed on each side of said chassis between said first and second pairs of driving wheels;

a plurality of drive motor means mounted on said chassis wherein each of said drive motor means is coupled to a corresponding individual driving wheel;

transmission means for transmitting rotational energy between each of said drive motor means and its associated driving wheel;

a lifting apparatus pivotally connected to said front subframe;

a turret assembly rotatably connected to said chassis;

means for rotating said turret assembly;

a first arm, having first and second ends, wherein said first end of said first arm is pivotally connected to said turret assembly;

a second arm, having first and second ends, wherein said first end of said second arm is pivotally connected to said second end of said first arm;

a first jackscrew means pivotally disposed between said turret assembly and said first arm;

means for rotating said first jackscrew;

a second jackscrew means pivotally disposed between said turret assembly and said second arm;

means for rotating said second jackscrew;

a claw, comprising first and second claw fingers, disposed at the distal end of said second arm;

motor means for operating said claw device;

a pair of electrical contacts disposed on the distal ends of each of said claw fingers for energizing devices placed in electrical contact therewith;

shotgun means disposed on said second arm wherein said shotgun is remotely activated, wherein the longitudinal axis of the barrel of said shotgun means is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second arm and wherein the muzzle of said shotgun means is pointed in the direction of the distal end of said second arm;

a closed circuit TV camera disposed on said second arm wherein the image of said camera is aligned with the sight of said shotgun means;

a remote control console further comprising means for individually controlling each of said electrically operated devices; and

wire means electrically connecting said console to said electrically operated devices.

10. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9 wherein said lifting apparatus further comprises

a scoop pivotally connected to said first subframe by fixed top link means and jackscrew bottom link means wherein said scoop is pivoted by the rotation of said jackscrew means.

11. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9 wherein said means for rotating said turret assembly further comprises an electric motor.

12. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9 further comprising a second closed circuit TV camera disposed between said first pair of driving wheels on said first subframe.

13. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9 further comprising a plurality of rechargeable batteries and charging means therefor.

14. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9, further comprising means for connecting said on board vehicle mounted electrically operated devices to a remote source of electrical power.

15. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9, further comprising a closed circuit TV camera disposed on the distal end of said second arm portion wherein said camera provides an image of the operation of said claw device.

16. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9 wherein said means for operating said claw device further comprises a chain drive mechanism.

17. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9, further comprising electrical interlock means permitting said shotgun means to operate only when the shotgun sighting camera has been selected.

18. An unmanned remote control robot vehicle as recited in claim 9 further comprising a third closed circuit TV camera focussed upon said claw device.