Omni traction wheel system and methods of operating the same
First Claim
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1. An omni traction wheel, comprising:
- first and second gears centrally aligned along a first axis;
a plurality of peripheral wheel assemblies, each having;
a wheel member centrally aligned along a second axis, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis, anda connecting gear having a distal end for engaging the first and second gears and a proximal end for engaging the wheel member, the distal end and the proximal end defining a radial axis, the radial axis parallel to a common radius of the first and second gears and orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis; and
a rotary device for rotating the first gear about the first axis at a first angular velocity and for rotating the second gear about the first axis at a second angular velocity,whereby the connecting gear of each peripheral wheel assembly is configured to rotate its respective wheel member about the respective second axis when the first angular velocity is different from the second angular velocity.
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Abstract
The present invention is an omni traction wheel system, which adopts an integrated differential mechanism to generate longitudinal and lateral traction forces. The omni traction wheel system may include a rotary device that delivers two individually controllable rotational forces, the differential output of which may drive a plurality of peripheral wheels to rotate laterally, and the common output of which may drive a pair of longitudinal plates to rotate longitudinally. Accordingly, the omni traction wheel system may travel in all directions.
115 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An omni traction wheel, comprising:
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first and second gears centrally aligned along a first axis; a plurality of peripheral wheel assemblies, each having; a wheel member centrally aligned along a second axis, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a connecting gear having a distal end for engaging the first and second gears and a proximal end for engaging the wheel member, the distal end and the proximal end defining a radial axis, the radial axis parallel to a common radius of the first and second gears and orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis; and a rotary device for rotating the first gear about the first axis at a first angular velocity and for rotating the second gear about the first axis at a second angular velocity, whereby the connecting gear of each peripheral wheel assembly is configured to rotate its respective wheel member about the respective second axis when the first angular velocity is different from the second angular velocity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A transportation system having an omni traction wheel, comprising:
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left and right gears centrally aligned along a first axis, the left and right gears defining a cylindrical space therebetween, the cylindrical space having a circumferential region; a plurality of peripheral wheel assemblies distributed along the circumferential region of the cylindrical space, each having; a pair of wheels centrally aligned along a second axis, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a connecting gear having a distal end for engaging the left and right gears and a proximal end for engaging the pair of wheels, the distal end and the proximal end defining a radial axis, the radial axis parallel to a common radius of the left and right gears and orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis; and a rotary device for rotating the left gear about the first axis at a left angular velocity and for rotating the right gear about the first axis at a right angular velocity, whereby the connecting gear of each peripheral wheel assembly is configured to rotate its respective pair of wheels about the respective second axis at a lateral angular velocity defined by a differential angular velocity between the left angular velocity and the right angular velocity, and whereby the connecting gear of each peripheral wheel assembly is configured to revolve along the circumferential region at a common angular velocity of the left angular velocity and the right angular velocity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An omni traction wheel, comprising:
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first and second plates centrally aligned along a first axis; a plurality of peripheral wheel assemblies, each having; a wheel member centrally aligned along a second axis, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a connecting member having a distal end for engaging the first and second plates and a proximal end for engaging the wheel member, the distal end and the proximal end defining a radial axis, the radial axis parallel to a common radius of the first and second plates and orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis; and a rotary device for rotating the first plate about the first axis at a first angular velocity and for rotating the second plate about the first axis at a second angular velocity, whereby the connecting member of each peripheral wheel assembly is configured to rotate its respective wheel member about the respective second axis when the first angular velocity is different from the second angular velocity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification