Robotic ball device with improved robustness and a multitude of interactive and sensing capabilities

• US 8,910,734 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 7312903 Canada, Inc., Tamie Salter
• Original Assignee: 7312903 Canada, Inc.
• Inventors: Salter, Tamie, Caron, Serge, Ferland, Franois, Tanguay, Matthieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US13/823,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20130233630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 180/21, 280/3, 280/7.15, 701/99, 440/4, 440/6, 440/12.57, 440/21, 464/159, 901/1
• US Class Current: 180/21
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0055 with non-spherical insert(s)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/04 with an eccentric centre of gravity; with mechanism for changing the centre of gravity solid balls A63B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/00 Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; convertible into other toys A63H33/003; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor traffic games with figures moved by players A63F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/14 Ball-type wheels B60B19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/048 the rim being rotatably mounted to the wheel disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/00 Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel roller-skate driving mechanisms A63C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A robotic ball device having a center point and an axis of rotation passing through the center point around which the robotic ball device rotates during motion in a forward linear direction includes a housing and a defined pathway located on an inner face of the housing that forms a closed loop around the axis of rotation. A rolling member is contained in the housing and movably disposed on the defined pathway. An actuator is coupled to the rolling member for actuating rotation of the rolling member. A weighted component is operationally coupled to the rolling member, and the weighted component is sufficiently heavy to maintain the rolling member, during a motion in the forward linear direction, at a substantially constant angular position in a forward vertical plane, which dissects the rolling member, relative to an origin in a moving frame of reference that moves with the robotic ball device.

Claims

1. A robotic ball device having a center point and a first axis of rotation passing through the center point around which the robotic ball device rotates during motion in a forward linear direction, the robotic ball device comprising:

a housing;

a defined pathway located on an inner face of the housing that forms a closed loop around the first axis of rotation;

a rolling member contained in the housing and movably disposed on the defined pathway;

an actuator coupled to the rolling member for actuating rotation of the rolling member;

a weighted component operationally coupled to the rolling member, the weighted component being sufficiently heavy to maintain the rolling member, during a motion in the forward linear direction, at a substantially constant angular position in a forward vertical plane dissecting the rolling member, relative to an origin in a moving frame of reference that moves with the robotic ball device; and

one or more capacitive sensors disposed inside the housing;

wherein the rolling member is vertically unaligned with the first axis of rotation.

2. The robotic ball device of claim 1, further comprising a support structure contained in the housing, wherein the support structure is coupled to the rolling member and the weighted component.

3. The robotic ball device of claim 2, further comprising one or more coupling pieces, and further wherein the support structure comprises a horizontal portion that is rotatably coupled to the housing by the one or more coupling pieces, the one or more coupling pieces being circumferentially aligned along the first axis of rotation.

4. The robotic ball device of claim 2, further comprising one or more compartments coupled to the support structure for containing one or more energy sources.

5. The robotic ball device of claim 1, further comprising one or more compartments disposed in or fixedly coupled to the housing for containing one or more energy sources.

6. The robotic ball device of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional defined pathways each formed on the inner face of the housing and each forming an additional closed loop around the first axis of rotation, and further comprising one or more additional rolling members rotatably disposed on the one or more additional defined pathways.

7. The robotic ball device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least a portion forming a screen for displaying a projected display.

8. The robotic ball device of claim 1, further comprising a display system disposed inside the housing.

9. The robotic ball device of claim 8, wherein the display system comprises any one or more of the following:

a projection unit, a flat display, and a lens.

10. The robotic ball device of claim 1, further comprising one or more cameras disposed inside the housing.

19. The robotic ball device of claim 1, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are supplied by a voltage source having a voltage level sufficient to cause the one or more capacitive sensors to detect human contact with the housing.

20. The robotic ball device of claim 1, further comprising a support structure coupled to an inner face of the housing, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are coupled to the support structure.

11. A robotic ball device, comprising:

a housing;

a car movably disposed on an inner face of the housing, the car comprising a body and one or more rolling members; and

one or more capacitive sensors coupled to the car;

the device further comprising a voltage source, a processor, and a communications device.

12. The robotic ball device of claim 11, further comprising a machine readable storage medium.

13. The robotic ball device of claim 12, further comprising instructions stored on the machine readable storage medium, the instructions causing a change in a sensitivity of at least one of the one or more capacitive sensors when executed by the processor.

14. The robotic ball device of claim 11, wherein the communications device is coupled to the processor, and further wherein the communications device is configured to receive one or more signals that cause the processor to change a sensitivity of at least one of the one or more capacitive sensors.

15. The robotic ball device of claim 11, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are supplied by the voltage source having a voltage level sufficient to cause the one or more capacitive sensors to detect human contact with the housing.

16. A robotic ball device, comprising:

a housing;

one or more capacitive sensors; and

a voltage source coupled to the one or more capacitive sensors;

wherein the voltage source is configured to supply a voltage level sufficient to cause the one or more capacitive sensors to detect human contact with the housing.

17. The robotic ball device of claim 16, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are coupled to the housing.

18. The robotic ball device of claim 16, further comprising a support structure coupled to an inner face of the housing, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are coupled to the support structure.