Stair climbing robot
First Claim
1. A robot vehicle adapted to climb stairs and similar obstacles comprising:
- an elongated chassis having a front, back, sides and top and a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted on opposite sides thereof;
a pair of beams rotatably mounted on opposite sides of said chassis each beam extending from the center toward the rear of the chassis whereby the axis of rotation of each beam is contained in a plane perpendicular to the planes containing each of said front wheels;
a first and a second pair of wheels, one rotatably mounted at each end of each beam whereby when said beams are horizontal and said six wheels rest on a horizontal surface the longitudinal axis of said chassis will be substantially horizontal;
reversible first and second front drive means coupled respectively to each of said front wheels for selectively rotating said wheels;
reversible first and second rear drive means coupled respectively for selectively rotating each pair of wheels mounted on each beam whereby each wheel in a pair is rotated in the same direction and the same rotational velocity;
reversible wheel over wheel drive means coupled to each beam for selectively causing said beams to rotate in the same direction and at the same velocity; and
control means coupled to each of said drive means for sensing and controlling the direction of rotation and rotational velocity of each wheel and for engaging the wheel over wheel drive means to rotate said beams in one direction at a first rotational velocity and to rotate each of said pairs of wheels in an opposite direction at the same rotational velocity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stair climbing robot and method of operation is described. The robot includes a chassis having powered opposed front wheels and two pairs of rear wheels each pair being rotatably mounted on a beam at opposite ends thereof, and each beam being rotatably mounted on the chassis. A drive motor is provided for driving each pair of wheels in the same direction at a predetermined rotational velocity and a drive means is provided for simultaneously rotating the beams at a predetermined rotational velocity and in a predetermined direction. The method of operation to climb stairs includes the steps of activating the rotation of the beams in a forward direction while causing each pair of rear wheels to rotate in an opposite direction at the same rotational velocity. In this way, forward movement is achieved by action of the front wheels and the rotating beams and the rotational velocity of the rear wheels relative to the terrain will be zero.
161 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A robot vehicle adapted to climb stairs and similar obstacles comprising:
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an elongated chassis having a front, back, sides and top and a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted on opposite sides thereof; a pair of beams rotatably mounted on opposite sides of said chassis each beam extending from the center toward the rear of the chassis whereby the axis of rotation of each beam is contained in a plane perpendicular to the planes containing each of said front wheels; a first and a second pair of wheels, one rotatably mounted at each end of each beam whereby when said beams are horizontal and said six wheels rest on a horizontal surface the longitudinal axis of said chassis will be substantially horizontal; reversible first and second front drive means coupled respectively to each of said front wheels for selectively rotating said wheels; reversible first and second rear drive means coupled respectively for selectively rotating each pair of wheels mounted on each beam whereby each wheel in a pair is rotated in the same direction and the same rotational velocity; reversible wheel over wheel drive means coupled to each beam for selectively causing said beams to rotate in the same direction and at the same velocity; and control means coupled to each of said drive means for sensing and controlling the direction of rotation and rotational velocity of each wheel and for engaging the wheel over wheel drive means to rotate said beams in one direction at a first rotational velocity and to rotate each of said pairs of wheels in an opposite direction at the same rotational velocity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an improved method for operating a wheel over wheel vehicle to climb a stair or similar terrain obstacle wherein the vehicle has a pair of powered front wheels and two pairs of rear wheels each wheel rotatably mounted on a beam at either end thereof and each beam rotatably mounted on said vehicle and drive means for rotating each pair of wheels in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined velocity and for rotating the beams in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined velocity the improvement comprising;
rotating said beams in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined rotational velocity and rotating said rear wheels in an opposite direction and at the same rotational velocity whereby the rotational velocity of the rear wheels resting on the terrain relative thereto will be zero and movement is achieved by action of the front wheels and rotating beams.
Specification