Serpentine robotic crawler

• US 8,393,422 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SARCOS LC (Sarcos Technology & Robotics Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Pensel, Ralph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS, TASHIANA R
• Application Number:
  US13/481,631
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 180/9.46, 180/9.1, 180/9.5, 180/9.52, 180/9.44, 180/9.4, 180/901, 280/5.2, 280/5.22, 104/138.1, 104/138.2
• US Class Current: 180/9.46
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/065 Snake robots
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/0655 Articulated endless track vehicles steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00; articulated buses B62D47/025; tractor-trailer combinations or road trains comprising a uni-axle unit and a uni-axle trailer B62D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/07 Mono-track vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/075 Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, steep slopes or vertical surfacesmagnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00

Abstract

A serpentine robotic crawler is disclosed. The robotic crawler can include a first frame having a first continuous track rotatably supported by the first frame, a second frame having a second continuous track rotatably supported by the second frame, and a linkage arm coupling the first and second frames together in tandem. The linkage arm can be movable about a first lateral axis associated with the first frame, a second lateral axis associated with the second frame, and at least two longitudinal axes. The longitudinal axes can be oriented by movement of the linkage arm about the first lateral axis and/or the second lateral axis. Movement about the first lateral axis and the second lateral axis can facilitate or provide exposure of leading and trailing ends of each continuous track.

Claims

1. A serpentine robotic crawler, comprising:

a first frame having a first continuous track rotatably supported by the first frame;

a second frame having a second continuous track rotatably supported by the second frame; and

a linkage arm coupling the first and second frames together in tandem, the linkage arm having

a first elbow-like joint formed by an interface between the first frame and a first linkage member,

a second elbow-like joint formed by an interface between the second frame and a second linkage member,

a first wrist-like actuated linkage coupled to the first linkage member, wherein the first wrist-like actuated linkage includes actuated joints that provide rotational movement about a longitudinal axis and bending movement about two different lateral axes,

a second wrist-like actuated linkage coupled to the second linkage member, wherein the second wrist-like actuated linkage includes actuated joints that provide rotational movement about a longitudinal axis and bending movement about two different lateral axes, and

an actuated third elbow-like joint formed by a coupling of the first wrist-like actuated linkage and the second wrist-like actuated linkage, wherein the third elbow-like joint provides bending movement about a lateral axis,

wherein the first linkage member, via first elbow-like joint, is positionable to allow the first wrist-like actuated linkage to be out of plane from the first frame, and

wherein the second linkage member, via the second elbow-like joint, is positionable to allow the second wrist-like actuated linkage to be out of plane from the second frame.

2. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the first linkage member is coupled to the first frame between leading and trailing ends of the first continuous track.

3. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 2, wherein movement of at least one of the first elbow-like joint and the second elbow-like joint is actuated by a dedicated drive.

4. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein movement of at least one of the first elbow-like joint and the second elbow-like joint is actuated.

5. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein movement of at least one of the first elbow-like joint and the second elbow-like joint is passive.

6. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 5, wherein the at least one of the first elbow-like joint and the second elbow-like joint is movable to a selectively fixed position.

7. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the two different lateral axes of at least one of the first wrist-like actuated linkage and the second wrist-like actuated linkage are at a substantially right angle to one another.

8. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second frames further comprises a drive coupled to the continuous track.

9. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 8, further comprising a control subsystem in communication with each drive and with each actuated joint in the linkage arm and configured to selectively actuate each drive and actuated joint to control the pose of the robotic crawler.

10. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 8, wherein each of the first elbow-like joint and the second elbow-like joint are actuatable by one of the drives to cause movement.

11. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation for the first elbow-like joint is coaxial with a drive wheel for the first continuous track.

12. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein a range of motion of the first linkage member about the first elbow-like joint is physically limited to prevent contact between at least a portion of the linkage arm and the first continuous track.

13. A serpentine robotic crawler, comprising:

a first frame having a first continuous track rotatably supported by the first frame;

a second frame having a second continuous track rotatably supported by the second frame; and

a linkage arm coupling the first and second frames together in tandem and being movable about a first lateral axis associated with the first frame, a second lateral axis associated with the second frame, and at least two longitudinal axes, which longitudinal axes are oriented by movement of the linkage arm about at least one of the first lateral axis and the second lateral axis,

wherein movement about the first lateral axis and the second lateral axis facilitates exposure of leading and trailing ends of each continuous track.

14. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 13, wherein the first lateral axis is between the leading and trailing ends of the first continuous track.

15. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 13, wherein movement about the first lateral axis and the second lateral axis is actuated.

16. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 13, wherein movement about the first lateral axis and the second lateral axis is passive.

17. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 13, wherein the first lateral axis is coaxial with a drive wheel for the first continuous track.

18. The serpentine robotic crawler of claim 13, wherein a range of motion of the first linkage member about the first lateral axis is physically limited to prevent contact between at least a portion of the linkage arm and the first continuous track.

19. A serpentine robotic crawler, comprising:

a first frame having a first continuous track rotatably supported by the first frame;

a second frame having a second continuous track rotatably supported by the second frame; and

a linkage arm coupling the first and second frames together in tandem, the linkage arm having

a first wrist-like actuated linkage coupled to the first frame, wherein the first wrist-like actuated linkage includes actuated joints that provide rotational movement about a longitudinal axis and bending movement about two different lateral axes,

a second wrist-like actuated linkage coupled to the second frame, wherein the second wrist-like actuated linkage includes actuated joints that provide rotational movement about a longitudinal axis and bending movement about two different lateral axes, and

an elbow-like actuated joint formed by a coupling of the first wrist-like actuated linkage and the second wrist-like actuated linkage, wherein the elbow-like actuated joint provides bending movement about a lateral axis,

wherein the first wrist-like actuated linkage is positioned out of plane from the first frame, and

wherein the second wrist-like actuated linkage is positioned out of plane from the second frame.

20. A method for facilitating operation of a serpentine robotic crawler, comprising:

providing a serpentine robotic crawler, comprising

a first frame having a first continuous track rotatably supported by the first frame,

a second frame having a second continuous track rotatably supported by the second frame, and

a linkage arm coupling the first and second frames together in tandem, the linkage arm having

a first elbow-like joint formed by an interface between the first frame and a first linkage member,

a second elbow-like joint formed by an interface between the second frame and a second linkage member,

a first wrist-like actuated linkage coupled to the first linkage member, wherein the first wrist-like actuated linkage includes actuated joints that provide rotational movement about a longitudinal axis and bending movement about two different lateral axes,

a second wrist-like actuated linkage coupled to the second linkage member, wherein the second wrist-like actuated linkage includes actuated joints that provide rotational movement about a longitudinal axis and bending movement about two different lateral axes, and

a third elbow-like joint formed by a coupling of the first wrist-like actuated linkage and the second wrist-like actuated linkage, wherein the elbow-like actuated joint provides bending movement about a lateral axis;

facilitating positioning of the first wrist-like actuated linkage out of plane from the first frame with the first elbow-like actuated joint, via the first linkage member; and

facilitating positioning of the second wrist-like actuated linkage out of plane from the second frame with the second elbow-like joint, via the second linkage member.