High velocity microbot

• US 8,210,289 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Lu, Ryan P., Ramirez, Ayax D., Russell, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arce, Marlon
• Application Number:
  US12/685,808
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 180/7.1, 180/10, 180/21
• US Class Current: 180/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/02 with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members

Abstract

A microbot includes a spherical housing, first and second servomotors that are located internal to the housing and oriented horizontally and orthogonal to each other, and a plunger within the housing that selectively extends in the vertical direction. Castors are attached to each servomotor; and traction balls corresponding to each castor are placed so that each ball frictionally engages both a respective castor and the interior of the housing at the same time. As the servomotors rotate, the attached castors also rotate, which causes rotation of the traction balls and rolling of the housing, and results in translation of the microbot in the horizontal plane. As the plunger rapidly extends, it strikes the interior surface of the housing with sufficient force to cause a hopping motion of the microbot in the vertical direction.

Claims

1. A high velocity microbot comprising:

a spherical housing, said spherical housing defining an interior surface;

a first motor, and a second motor oriented orthogonally to said first motor;

a first castor attached to said first motor, and a second castor attached to said second motor;

a first traction ball frictionally engaged with said first castor and said interior surface;

a second traction ball frictionally engaged with said second castor and said interior surface;

and,

a plunger oriented to selectively extend in the vertical direction.

2. The microbot of claim 1, wherein selective extension of said plunger causes said plunger to strike said interior surface to cause motion of said microbot in the vertical direction.

3. The microbot of claim 1, wherein said spherical housing defines an exterior surface for said microbot, and further wherein said plunger has a retracted position and an extended position, and still further wherein said plunger extends past said exterior surface, when said plunger is in said extended position.

4. The microbot of claim 1, further comprising a payload located within said housing.

5. The microbot of claim 4, wherein said payload is selected from the group consisting of biological sensors, chemical sensors, nuclear radiation sensors, or explosive sensors.

6. The microbot of claim 5 wherein said spherical housing has a plurality of holes formed therein to establish a path of fluid communication between the surrounding environment and said payload to facilitate operation of said sensors.

7. The microbot of claim 1, wherein said spherical housing is made of a material selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene (HDPE), polycarbonates, stainless steel or aluminum.

8. A high velocity robot comprising:

a plurality of networked nodes;

each node further including a spherical housing, said spherical housing defining an interior surface;

a first motor, and a second motor oriented orthogonally to said first motor;

a first castor attached to said first motor, and a second castor attached to said second motor;

a first traction ball frictionally engaged with said first castor and said interior surface;

a second traction ball frictionally engaged with said second castor and said interior surface; and

,

each node further including a plunger oriented to selectively extend in the vertical direction.

9. The robot of claim 8, wherein selective extension of said plunger causes said plunger to strike said interior surface to cause motion of said node in said vertical direction.

10. The robot of claim 8, wherein housing defines an exterior surface for said node, and further wherein said plunger has a retracted position and an extended position, and still further wherein said plunger extends past said exterior surface, when said plunger is in said extended position.

11. The robot of claim 8, further comprising at least one of said payloads located within at least one of said housings.

12. The robot of claim 11, wherein said payload is selected from the group consisting of biological sensors, chemical sensors, nuclear sensors, or explosive sensors.

13. The robot of claim 11 wherein said spherical housing has a plurality of holes formed therein to establish a path of fluid communication between the surrounding environment and said payload to facilitate operation of said sensors.

14. The robot of claim 8, wherein said spherical housing is made of a material selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene (HDPE), polycarbonates, stainless steel or aluminum.

15. A method for propelling a robot at high velocity, said method comprising the steps of:

A) providing a spherical housing, said spherical housing defining an interior surface;

B)

B1) orienting two motors orthogonal to each other in a horizontal plane;

B2) attaching a respective castor to each motor;

B3) frictionally engaging each said castor and said interior surface with a corresponding traction ball; and

,

C) selectively extending a plunger to propel said robot in the vertical direction.