Vehicle with aerial and ground mobility
First Claim
1. An unmanned vehicle apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body;
right and left rotor and wheel assemblies attached to and extending from corresponding right and left sides of the vehicle body, each rotor and wheel assembly comprising;
a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof the vehicle body;
a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm;
an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;
a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor;
wherein the right and left rotor and wheel assemblies are oriented such that the bottom edges of the wheels support the vehicle body for movement along a ground surface, and such that the upward lift force generated by rotating the rotors is operative to raise the vehicle body and wheels above the ground.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.
114 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An unmanned vehicle apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body;
right and left rotor and wheel assemblies attached to and extending from corresponding right and left sides of the vehicle body, each rotor and wheel assembly comprising;
a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof the vehicle body;
a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm;
an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;
a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor;
wherein the right and left rotor and wheel assemblies are oriented such that the bottom edges of the wheels support the vehicle body for movement along a ground surface, and such that the upward lift force generated by rotating the rotors is operative to raise the vehicle body and wheels above the ground. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- a vehicle body;
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10. An unmanned vehicle apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body right and left rotor arms extending from corresponding right and left sides of the vehicle body;
a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of each rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive operative to rotate each rotor such that each rotor exerts an upward lift force on the corresponding rotor arm;
a corresponding open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of each rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the corresponding rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;
a wheel drive operative to rotate each wheel independently of the corresponding rotor;
wherein the right and left rotor arms are oriented such that the bottom edges of the wheels support the vehicle body for movement along a ground surface, and such that the lift force generated by rotating the rotors is operative to raise the vehicle body and wheels above the ground. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- a vehicle body right and left rotor arms extending from corresponding right and left sides of the vehicle body;
Specification