Wheeled platforms
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wheeled structure, comprising:
- a body having at least first and second side portions;
first and second sets of wheel elements rotatably attached to the first and second side portions, respectively;
a flipper element pivotally coupled to a portion of the body, said flipper element having wheels elements of said first and second sets of wheels elements rotatably coupled thereto; and
a drive module integrated in combination with the flipper element to control the movement of the flipper element between a stowed position and a forward position wherein said wheel elements of said flipper element can make selective contact with a ground plane;
wherein each wheel element of said first and second sets of wheel elements has a defined radius, and a portion of at least one wheel element in each of the first and second sets of wheel elements overlaps a respective adjacent wheel element of said first and second sets of wheel elements with the flipper element in the forward position.
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Abstract
A wheeled platform 100 is disclosed, which is characterized by high mobility and reliability, and which can be used in a wide range of applications including transport and robotic devices. The wheeled platform 100 has fore and aft body portions 130, 132, each body portion 130, 132 having first and second sides 106, 108. Overlapping wheels 112, 114, 116, 118 are rotatably attached to the first side 106 and overlapping wheels 120, 122, 124, 126 are rotatably attached to the second side 108. The fore body portion 130 can be connected to the aft body portion 132 via an articulation element 133.
205 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A wheeled structure, comprising:
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a body having at least first and second side portions;
first and second sets of wheel elements rotatably attached to the first and second side portions, respectively;
a flipper element pivotally coupled to a portion of the body, said flipper element having wheels elements of said first and second sets of wheels elements rotatably coupled thereto; and
a drive module integrated in combination with the flipper element to control the movement of the flipper element between a stowed position and a forward position wherein said wheel elements of said flipper element can make selective contact with a ground plane;
wherein each wheel element of said first and second sets of wheel elements has a defined radius, and a portion of at least one wheel element in each of the first and second sets of wheel elements overlaps a respective adjacent wheel element of said first and second sets of wheel elements with the flipper element in the forward position.
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2. A wheeled structure comprising:
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front and back body portions;
an articulation element coupling the front body portion to the back body portion;
first and second sets of wheel elements rotatably attached to respective sides of the front and back body portions of the wheeled structure, wherein a forward wheel element in the first and second sets of wheel elements is attached to the front body portion, and a rear wheel element in the first and second sets of wheel elements is attached to the back body portion;
a drive module including a motion control element and a drive motor coupled to the articulation element for controlling the movement of the articulation element between a stowed position and a forward position where the wheel elements of the front body portion can make selective contact with a ground planet;
wherein the distance between one wheel element on the front body portion and an adjacent wheel element on the back body portion is such that the one wheel element and the adjacent wheel element overlap with the front body portion in the forward position. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification