Independently pivotable drivewheel for a wheeled chassis
First Claim
1. In a wheeled chassis having a frame and a drive wheel for powered rotation to operatively move the fame and chassis in a user-controllable direction along an underlying supporting surface, the improvement comprising a drive wheel assembly connecting the frame and drive wheel and comprising:
- a motor connected to the drive wheel and selectively operable for rotating the drive wheel about a central axis of the drive wheel to cause movement of the drive wheel on and relative to the underlying supporting surface, the drive wheel defining a plane of rotation substantially perpendicular to the central axis;
means mounting said motor to the frame for pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame about an orienting axis extending substantially perpendicular to the drive wheel central axis and offset from the plane of rotation so that said pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame effects reorientation of the drive wheel for changing the direction in which the frame and chassis is movable along the underlying supporting surface when the drive wheel is operatively rotated about said central axis; and
mode control means connected to one of the frame and said motor mounting means and selectively operable in a first mode positionally fixing said motor to the frame so as to prevent said pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis and thereby maintain a current orientation of the drive wheel such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in said first mode of the mode control means causes movement of the frame and chassis along the underlying ground surface in a direction determined by said current orientation of the drive wheel, and in a second mode permitting freewheeling pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in the plane of rotation in said second mode of the mode control means causes concurrent pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis so as to reorient the drive wheel as a result of an response to the operation of the motor and thereby change the direction in which the frame and chassis are movable along the underlying ground surface through operation of the motor in said second mode of the mode control means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drivewheel assembly is connectable between a frame of a wheeled chassis and a drivewheel, and provides powered rotation for operatively moving the frame and chassis in a user-controllable direction along an underlying supporting surface and for selectively reorienting the drivewheel to change the direction of movement of the frame and chassis along the supporting surface. A motor connected to the drivewheel and operable to rotate the drivewheel is mounted to the frame for pivotal rotation relative to the frame about an orienting axis substantially perpendicular to the drivewheel axis of rotation. In a first operating mode of the drivewheel assembly the motor is coupled to the frame so as to prevent pivotal rotation of the motor about the orienting axis and maintain the current orientation of the drivewheel, whereby operation of the motor to rotate the drivewheel causes the frame and chassis to move along the supporting surface in a direction determined by the current orientation of the drivewheel. In a second operating mode of the drivewheel assembly the motor is decoupled from the frame so as to permit pivotal rotation of the motor about the orienting axis, whereby operation of the motor to rotate the drivewheel causes the motor to pivotally rotate about the orienting axis and thereby effects reorientation of the drivewheel for movement of the frame and chassis in a different direction determined by the reoriented drivewheel.
103 Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a wheeled chassis having a frame and a drive wheel for powered rotation to operatively move the fame and chassis in a user-controllable direction along an underlying supporting surface, the improvement comprising a drive wheel assembly connecting the frame and drive wheel and comprising:
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a motor connected to the drive wheel and selectively operable for rotating the drive wheel about a central axis of the drive wheel to cause movement of the drive wheel on and relative to the underlying supporting surface, the drive wheel defining a plane of rotation substantially perpendicular to the central axis; means mounting said motor to the frame for pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame about an orienting axis extending substantially perpendicular to the drive wheel central axis and offset from the plane of rotation so that said pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame effects reorientation of the drive wheel for changing the direction in which the frame and chassis is movable along the underlying supporting surface when the drive wheel is operatively rotated about said central axis; and mode control means connected to one of the frame and said motor mounting means and selectively operable in a first mode positionally fixing said motor to the frame so as to prevent said pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis and thereby maintain a current orientation of the drive wheel such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in said first mode of the mode control means causes movement of the frame and chassis along the underlying ground surface in a direction determined by said current orientation of the drive wheel, and in a second mode permitting freewheeling pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in the plane of rotation in said second mode of the mode control means causes concurrent pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis so as to reorient the drive wheel as a result of an response to the operation of the motor and thereby change the direction in which the frame and chassis are movable along the underlying ground surface through operation of the motor in said second mode of the mode control means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A drive wheel assembly for connecting a frame of a wheeled chassis to a drive wheel having a central axis and operable for applying rotative forces to the drive wheel to operatively move the frame and chassis in a user-controllable direction along an underlying supporting surface and for selectively reorienting the drive wheel to vary the direction of movement of the frame and chassis along the supporting surface, said drive wheel assembly comprising:
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a motor connectable to the drive wheel and selectively operable for rotating the drive wheel about the central axis of the drive wheel to cause movement of the drive wheel on and relative to the underlying supporting surface, the drive wheel defining a plane of rotation substantially perpendicular to the central axis; means for mounting said motor to the frame for pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame about an orienting axis extending substantially perpendicular to the drive wheel central axis and offset from the plane of rotation so that said pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame effects reorientation of the drive wheel for changing the direction in which the frame and chassis is movable along the underlying supporting surface when the drive wheel is operatively rotated by the motor about the central axis of the drive wheel; and mode control means for connection to one of the frame and said motor mounting means and selectively operable in a first mode positionally fixing said motor to the frame so as to prevent said pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis and thereby maintain a current orientation of the drive wheel such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in said first mode of the mode control means causes movement of the frame and chassis along the underlying ground surface in a direction determined by said current orientation of the drive wheel, and in a second mode permitting freewheeling pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in the plane of rotation in said second mode of the mode control means causes concurrent pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis so as to reorient the drive wheel as a result of and in response to the operation of the motor and thereby change the direction in which the frame and chassis are movable along the underlying ground surface through operation of the motor in said second mode of the mode control means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A drive wheel assembly for connection to a frame of a wheeled chassis supported for movement on and along an underlying supporting surface, comprising:
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a drive wheel having a central axis and being rotatable in a plane of rotation substantially perpendicular to the central axis; a motor connected to the drive wheel and selectively operable for rotating the drive wheel about said central axis to cause movement of the frame and chassis in a user-controllable direction along the underlying supporting surface and for selectively reorienting the drive wheel to vary the direction of movement of the frame and chassis along the supporting surface; means for mounting said motor to the frame for pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the fame about an orienting axis extending substantially perpendicular to the drive wheel central axis and offset from the plane of rotation so that said pivotal rotation of the motor relative to the frame effects reorientation of the drive wheel for changing the direction in which the frame and chassis is movable along the underlying supporting surface when the drive wheel is operatively rotated by the motor about the central axis of the drive wheel; and mode control means for connection to one of the frame and said motor mounting means and selectively operable in a first mode positionally fixing said motor to the frame so as to prevent said pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis and thereby maintain a current orientation of the drive wheel such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in said first mode of the mode control means causes movement of the frame and chassis along the underlying ground surface in a direction determined by said current orientation of the drive wheel, and in a second mode permitting freewheeling pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis such that operation of said motor to rotate the drive wheel in the plane of rotation in said second mode of the mode control means causes concurrent pivotal rotation of the motor about said orienting axis so as to reorient the drive wheel as a result of and in response to the operation of the motor and thereby change the direction in which the frame and chassis are movable along the underlying ground surface through the operation of the motor in said second mode of the mode control means.
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Specification