High mobility vehicle

• US 6,112,843 A
• Filed: 11/07/1997
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Wilcox, Brian H., Nasif, Annette K.
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US08/966,104
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 180/345, 180/343, 180/337, 180/347, 180/209, 180/8.3, 180/8.2, 180/251
• US Class Current: 180/345
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/342 having a longitudinal, endless element, e.g. belt or chain, for transmitting drive to wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/36 for driving tandem wheels

Abstract

A vehicle, for driving over a ground surface, has a body with a left side, a right side, a front and a back. The vehicle includes left and right drive mechanisms. Each mechanism includes first and second traction elements for engaging the ground surface and transmitting a driving force between the vehicle and ground surface. Each mechanism includes first and second arms coupled to the first and second traction elements for relative rotation about first and second axis respectively. Each mechanism includes a rotor having a third axis, the rotor coupled to the body for rotation about the third axis and coupled to the first and second arms for relative rotation about the third axis. The mechanism includes first and second drive motors for driving the first and second traction elements and first and second transmissions, driven by the first and second motors and engaging is the rotor. Driving the first and second traction elements simultaneously rotates the rotor relative to the first and second arms, respectively.

Claims

1. A movable vehicle comprising:

(a) a body having a left side, a right side, a front and a back; and

(b) left and right drive mechanisms, coupled to said body, each of said left and right drive mechanisms comprising;

a first traction element engaging a ground surface and transmitting a driving force between the vehicle and the ground surface;

a second traction element, engaging the ground surface and transmitting a driving force between the vehicle and the ground surface;

a first arm, coupled to the first traction element for relative rotation about a first axis;

a second arm, coupled to the second traction element for relative rotation about a second axis;

a rotor member having a third axis, said rotor member coupled to the body for rotation about said third axis, and coupled to said first arm and said second arm for relative rotation about the third axis;

a first drive motor coupled to drive the first traction element;

a second drive motor coupled to drive the second traction element;

a first transmission, driven by the first motor and engaging the rotor member so that driving the first traction element simultaneously rotates the rotor member relative to the first arm; and

a second transmission, driven by the second motor and engaging the rotor member so that driving the second traction element simultaneously rotates the rotor member relative to the second arm.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the third axis of the left drive mechanism and the third axis of the right drive mechanism are coincident and fixed relative to the body.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein for each of said left and right drive mechanisms the first axis is parallel to and of fixed separation from the third axis and the second axis is parallel to and of fixed separation from the third axis.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism further comprises a plurality of friction disks normally irrotatably coupled to each other and carried along the third axis, the plurality of friction disks hindering rotation of the rotor member, first arm and second arm.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism further comprises:

a splined shaft member, extending along the third axis and carrying the plurality of friction disks, the rotor member, the first arm and the second arm; and

a spring, maintaining compressive engagement between the plurality of friction disks, the rotor member, the first arm and the second arm.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism includes first, second, third and fourth friction disks in the plurality of friction disks, the first friction disk located inboard of the rotor member, the second friction disk located between the rotor member and the first arm, the third friction disk located between the first arm and the second arm, and the fourth friction disk located outboard of the second arm.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism includes first, second, third and fourth friction disks in the plurality of friction disks, the first friction disk located inboard of the first arm, the second friction disk located between the rotor member and the first arm, the third friction disk located between the rotor member and the second arm, and the fourth friction disk located outboard of the second arm.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second traction elements of the left and right drive mechanisms comprises a wheel engaging the ground surface and transmitting a driving force between the vehicle and the ground surface.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

each said rotor member comprises a pulley;

each said first transmission comprises a belt coupling the associated first motor to the pulley; and

each said second transmission comprises a belt coupling the associated second motor to the pulley.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each said rotor member comprises an externally toothed gear.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

each said rotor member comprises an externally toothed gear;

each said first transmission comprises a gear train coupling the associated first motor to the externally toothed gear; and

each said second transmission comprises a gear train coupling the associated second motor to the externally toothed gear.

12. A vehicle, for driving over a ground surface, the vehicle comprising:

(a) a body having a left side, a right side, a front and a back;

(b) a left drive mechanism; and

(c) a right drive mechanism, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism comprises;

a first wheel having a first axis;

a second wheel having a second axis;

a pulley having a third axis and coupled to the body for rotation about the third axis;

a first arm coupling the first wheel to the body, rotatable relative to the first wheel about the first axis, and rotatable relative to the pulley about the third axis;

a second arm coupling the second wheel to the body, rotatable relative to the second wheel about the second axis, and rotatable relative to the pulley about the third axis;

a first drive motor for rotating the first wheel about the first axis relative to the first arm;

a second drive motor for rotating the second wheel about the second axis relative to the second arm;

a first belt driven by the first motor and engaging the pulley; and

a second belt driven by the second motor and engaging the pulley.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism further comprises a plurality of friction disks normally irrotatably coupled to each other and carried along the third axis, the plurality of friction disks hindering relative rotation of the pulley member, first arm and second arm relative to each other.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism further comprises:

a splined shaft member extending along the third axis and carrying the plurality of friction disks, the pulley, the first arm and the second arm; and

a spring maintaining compressive engagement between the plurality of friction disks, the pulley, the first arm and the second arm.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein each of the left drive mechanism and the right drive mechanism includes first, second, third and fourth friction disks in the plurality of friction disks, the first friction disk being located inboard of the pulley, the second friction disk being located between the pulley and the first arm, the third friction disk being located between the first arm and the second arm, and the fourth disk being located outboard of the second arm.