Low profile omnidirectional vehicle

• US 8,540,038 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Ullman, Stuart G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boehler, Anne Marie
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MAURICE L
• Application Number:
  US12/319,917
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 301/5.23, 180/9.1, 180/9.21, 180/6.7, 305/52, 280/28.5
• US Class Current: 180/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/003 Multidirectional wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/351 versatility, e.g. usable for different purposes or different arrangements

Abstract

A track assembly and vehicle for omnidirectional travel. The track assembly includes a driving arrangement and two or more closed loop linking members connected to the driving arrangement. The track assembly also includes freely rotatable rollers for contacting a surface, the rollers supported on the closed loop linking members. The rollers travel a roller path defined by the motion of the closed loop linking members. An omnidirectional vehicle includes two or more track assemblies.

Claims

1. A track assembly for providing omnidirectional maneuverability in a vehicle along a substantially planar surface, the track assembly comprising:

a driving arrangement;

a first closed loop linking member connected to the driving arrangement, the driving arrangement driving the first closed loop linking member in a first closed loop path;

a second closed loop linking member connected to the driving arrangement, the driving arrangement driving the second closed loop linking member in a second closed loop path, wherein the first loop path and the second loop path are substantially identical and substantially parallel, and wherein each of the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member travel the respective first and second looped paths at substantially identical velocities;

a roller arrangement comprising;

a plurality of rollers for contacting the substantially planar surface, wherein each of the plurality of rollers is a cylinder;

a plurality of roller axles, each roller axle comprising a first end and a second end, wherein each roller axle rotatably supports one of the plurality of rollers, each roller being freely rotatable, and wherein each first end of each roller axle is connected to the first closed loop linking member, and each second end of each roller axle is connected to the second closed loop linking member, so each roller is supported substantially parallel to the substantially planar surface between the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member and each roller translates a looped roller path via the motion of the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member, wherein the plurality of rollers are supported on the plurality of axles so that each roller maintains an orientation substantially identical to an orientation of every other roller along the looped roller path, and wherein each of the first closed loop path and the second closed loop path comprises;

an upper elongated path;

a lower elongated path along which the plurality of rollers contact the substantially planar surface,

a first end path; and

a second end path, wherein the upper and the lower elongated paths are connected by the first and second end paths, and wherein the first closed loop path and closed first loop linking member, and the second closed loop path and second closed loop linking member, are offset from each other by a distance X₀ in a direction parallel to a main axis direction, so that each roller axle of the plurality of roller axles forms an angle α

with the main axis direction of the track assembly, the main axis direction being substantially parallel to the direction of elongation of each closed loop linking member.

2. The track assembly of claim 1, wherein the roller arrangement further comprises:

a plurality of first end joints; and

a plurality of second end joints, wherein each first end of the plurality of roller axles is connected to the first closed loop linking member via a first end joint, and wherein each second end of the plurality of roller axles is connected to the second closed loop linking member via a second end joint, and wherein each roller of the roller arrangement has a substantially cylindrical shape, so that from end-to-end, the outer circumference of each roller contacts the substantially planar surface as each roller translates and rotates along the respective lower elongated path.

3. The track assembly of claim 2, wherein the lower elongated path has a length so that when the driving arrangement drives the first and second closed loop linking members, two or more rollers of the plurality of rollers are located in the lower elongated path, so that the two or more rollers contact the substantially planar surface simultaneously.

4. The track assembly of claim 3, wherein the omnidirectional track assembly has a height of about 15 inches, and wherein each roller of the roller assembly has a diameter of about 6 inches, and wherein the angle α

is between about 60 degrees and about 30 degrees.

5. A vehicle for omnidirectional travel on a substantially planar surface, the vehicle comprising:

a main vehicle chassis having a plurality of track attachment locations;

two or more track assemblies, each of the two or more track assemblies are attached to one of the plurality of track attachment locations, each track assembly comprising;

a driving arrangement;

a first closed loop linking member connected to the driving arrangement, the driving arrangement driving the first closed loop linking member in a first closed loop path;

a second closed loop linking member connected to the driving arrangement, the driving arrangement driving the second closed loop linking member in a second closed loop path, wherein the first loop path and the second loop path are substantially identical and substantially parallel, and wherein each of the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member travel the respective first and second looped paths at substantially identical velocities;

a roller arrangement comprising;

a plurality of rollers for contacting the substantially planar surface, wherein each of the plurality of rollers is a cylinder; and

a plurality of roller axles, each roller axle comprising a first end and a second end, wherein each roller axle rotatably supports one of the plurality of rollers, each roller being freely rotatable, and wherein each first end of each roller axle is connected to the first closed loop linking member, and each second end of each roller axle is connected to the second closed loop linking member, so each roller is supported substantially parallel to the substantially planar surface between the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member and each roller translates a looped roller path via the motion of the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member, wherein the plurality of rollers are supported on the plurality of axles so that each roller maintains an orientation substantially identical to an orientation of every other roller along the looped roller path, and

wherein in each track assembly each of the first closed loop path, second closed loop path, and looped roller path comprises;

an upper elongated path;

a lower elongated path along which the plurality of rollers contact the substantially planar surface,

a first end path; and

a second end path, wherein the upper and the lower elongated paths are connected by the first and second end paths; and

wherein the first closed loop path and first closed loop linking member, and the second closed loop path and second closed loop linking member, are offset from each other by a distance X₀ in a direction parallel to a main axis direction, so that each roller axle of the plurality of roller axles forms an angle α

with the main axis direction of the track assembly, the main axis direction being substantially parallel to the direction of elongation of each closed loop linking member.

6. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one power source on the main chassis;

a transmission assembly on the main chassis, the transmission assembly attached to the at least one power source, the transmission assembly connected to each driving arrangement of each track assembly; and

a controller on the main chassis, the controller electronically connected to the at least one power source, the transmission, and the two or more omnidirectional track assemblies, for controlling the operation of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 6, wherein in each track assembly the roller arrangement further comprises:

a plurality of first end joints; and

a plurality of second end joints, wherein each first end of the plurality of roller axles is connected to the first closed loop linking member via a first end joint, and wherein each second end of the plurality of roller axles is connected to the second closed loop linking member via a second end joint, and wherein each roller of the roller arrangement has a substantially cylindrical shape, so that from end-to-end the outer circumference of each roller contacts the substantially planar surface as each roller translates and rotates along the respective lower elongated path.

8. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 7, wherein in each track assembly the lower elongated path has a length so that when the driving arrangement drives the first and second closed loop linking members, two or more rollers of the plurality of rollers are located in the lower elongated path, so that the two or more rollers contact the substantially planar surface simultaneously.

9. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 7, wherein the two or more track assemblies comprises four track assemblies.

10. A vehicle for omnidirectional travel on a substantially planar surface, the vehicle comprising:

a main vehicle chassis having a plurality of track attachment locations;

two or more track assemblies, each of the two or more track assemblies are attached to one of the plurality of track attachment locations, each track assembly comprising;

a driving arrangement;

two or more closed loop linking members, each of the two or more closed loop linking members connected to the driving arrangement, the driving arrangement driving each closed loop linking member in a closed loop path, wherein each closed loop path is substantially identical and substantially parallel to the other, and wherein each closed loop linking member travels the respective closed loop path at substantially identical velocities;

one or more roller arrangements, each of the one or more roller arrangements comprising;

a plurality of rollers for contacting the substantially planar surface, wherein each of the plurality of rollers is a cylinder; and

a plurality of roller axles, each roller axle comprising a first end and a second end, wherein each roller axle rotatably supports one of the plurality of rollers, and wherein each first end of each roller axle is connected to a closed loop linking member and each second end of each roller axle is connected to another closed loop linking member so each roller translates a looped roller path via the motion of the closed loop linking members to which the first and second axle ends are attached, wherein the plurality of rollers are supported on the plurality of axles so that each roller maintains an orientation substantially identical to an orientation of every other roller along the looped roller path, and

wherein in each track assembly each of the closed loop paths comprises;

an upper elongated path;

a lower elongated path along which the plurality of rollers contact the substantially planar surface,

a first end path; and

a second end path, wherein the upper and the lower elongated paths are connected by the first and second end paths, and

wherein in each track assembly the two or more closed loop linking members comprise;

a first closed loop linking member; and

a second closed loop linking member, and wherein the one or more roller arrangements comprise a first roller arrangement, wherein in said first roller arrangement the first end of each roller axle is connected to the first closed loop linking member and the second end of each roller axle is connected to the second closed loop linking member, forming a first row of rollers between the first closed loop linking member and the second closed loop linking member, wherein the first closed loop linking member and respective closed loop path, and the second closed loop linking member and respective closed loop path, are offset from each other by a distance X₀ in a direction parallel to a main axis direction, so that each roller axle of the at least a portion of the plurality of roller axles forms a first row angle α

with a main axis direction of the track assembly, the main axis direction being substantially to the direction of elongation of each closed loop linking member.

11. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 10 further comprising:

at least one power source on the main chassis;

a transmission assembly on the main chassis, the transmission assembly attached to the at least one power source, the transmission assembly connected to each driving arrangement of each track assembly; and

a controller on the main chassis, the controller electronically connected to the at least one power source, the transmission, and the two or more omnidirectional track assemblies, for controlling the operation of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 11, wherein in each track assembly the two or more closed loop linking members further comprise:

a third closed loop linking member, and wherein the one or more roller arrangements further comprise a second roller arrangement, wherein in each second roller arrangement the first end of each roller axle is connected to the second closed loop linking member and the second end of each roller axle is connected to the third closed loop linking member, forming a second row of rollers between the second closed loop linking member and the third closed loop linking member, the second row of rollers adjacent to the first row of rollers, wherein the second closed loop linking member and respective closed loop path and the third closed loop linking member and respective closed loop path are offset from each other by a distance X₀ in a direction parallel to a main axis direction, so that each roller axle of the remaining portion of the plurality of roller axles forms a second row angle α

with a main axis direction of the track assembly, the main axis direction being substantially parallel to the direction of elongation of each closed loop linking member.

13. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 12, wherein the transmission assembly on the main chassis comprises:

a plurality of reversible motors, each of the reversible motors connected to one of the track assemblies, for independently driving each track assembly.

14. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 13, wherein each roller of the one or more roller arrangements has a substantially cylindrical shape, so that from end to end the outer circumference of each roller contacts the substantially planar surface as each roller translates and rotates along the respective lower elongated path.

15. The vehicle for omnidirectional travel of claim 14, wherein the two or more track assemblies comprise four track assemblies.