Hybrid robotic vehicle
First Claim
1. A hybrid robotic vehicle comprising:
- a main body;
a plurality of legs, each of said plurality of legs (1) comprising a strut assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being pivotable about a first horizontal axis independently of rotation of a wheel, and wherein a track assembly on each of said legs is pivotably connected to said distal end of said strut assembly, and (2) being operatively connected to said main body and being pivotable about a vertical axis with respect to said main body;
means for selectively operating said vehicle in a wheeled mode, in a tracked mode, or in a legged mode, wherein each of said plurality of legs further comprises a wheel assembly and a track assembly, and wherein said wheel assembly on each of said plurality of legs has driven means for rotating said wheel about said first horizontal axis; and
said track assembly on each of said plurality of legs has drive means for driving said track, said track assembly further being pivotable about a second horizontal axis spaced apart at a predetermined distance from said first horizontal axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid robotic vehicle is provided for use in environments which are hazardous to humans, the vehicle being adapted to carry a payload for use in viewing the area or acquiring other types of sensory data. The hybrid robotic vehicle has a main body and four appendages or legs, each of which has a wheel assembly and a track assembly, and is configured to operate having three degrees-of-freedom about one vertical and two horizontal axes, the three degrees-of-freedom permitting improved capability to cross obstacle-strewn terrain, as well as to traverse inclined surfaces while maintaining the main body and its payload in an upright and level attitude. The vehicle may operate in any of wheeled, tracked, or legged modes, with actuators controlling each of the three joint angles on each leg, and having separate motors for driving the wheels and the tracks, the control being effected by a human operator through a control panel computer interface, and a computer relaying commands through a cable tether connected to the vehicle.
292 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A hybrid robotic vehicle comprising:
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a main body; a plurality of legs, each of said plurality of legs (1) comprising a strut assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being pivotable about a first horizontal axis independently of rotation of a wheel, and wherein a track assembly on each of said legs is pivotably connected to said distal end of said strut assembly, and (2) being operatively connected to said main body and being pivotable about a vertical axis with respect to said main body; means for selectively operating said vehicle in a wheeled mode, in a tracked mode, or in a legged mode, wherein each of said plurality of legs further comprises a wheel assembly and a track assembly, and wherein said wheel assembly on each of said plurality of legs has driven means for rotating said wheel about said first horizontal axis; and said track assembly on each of said plurality of legs has drive means for driving said track, said track assembly further being pivotable about a second horizontal axis spaced apart at a predetermined distance from said first horizontal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A hybrid robotic vehicle comprising:
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a main body; a plurality of appendages, each of said plurality of appendages being connected to said main body, each of said plurality of appendages being pivotable about a vertical axis with respect to said main body;
wherein each of said plurality of appendages further comprises a strut assembly having a proximal end and a distal end with respect to said vertical axis, each of said strut assemblies being pivotable about a first horizontal axis at said proximal end;each of said appendages further having a wheel assembly and a track assembly, said wheel assembly being disposed at said proximal end of said strut assembly, said wheel assembly being rotatable independently of the strut assembly about a horizontal axis, said track assembly being connected to said strut assembly near said distal end of said strut assembly, said track assembly being pivotable about a second horizontal axis with respect to said strut assembly; means for selectively positioning said plurality of appendages into a plurality of predetermined locomotion configurations; and locomotion means for moving said vehicle across a surface, said locomotion means being operatively connected to said wheel assembly and said track assembly. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification