Driving flipper with robotic arm

• US 9,248,875 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robo-Team Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Robo-Team Ltd.
• Inventors: Wolf, Yosi, Levy, Elad, Borowitz, Itamar, Cantor, Daniel, Asher, Yehonatan, Rotbart, Mor, Vaynberg, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): BOEHLER, ANNE MARIE M
• Application Number:
  US13/864,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20130270017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 180/9.32, 180/9.42, 180/9.1, 280/5.22, 700/245, 700/259, 901/1, 744/900.1, 744/900.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/065 Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A driving flipper with a robotic arm and a method for protecting the robotic arm. A robotic platform having a main frame and at least one obstacle climbing flipper with a robotic arm. The robotic arm has a folded mode substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the obstacle climbing flipper. The robotic arm has an operational mode protruding away from the longitudinal axis in an angle of at least 45 degrees.

Claims

1. A robotic platform comprising:

a main frame;

a plurality of obstacle climbing flippers each mounted on said main frame and having a continuous track;

a plurality of robotic arms each mounted on one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers;

a plurality of end effectors each mounted on a distal end of one of said plurality of robotic arms;

wherein each one of said plurality of robotic arms has a folded mode and an operational mode, said robotic arm is parallel to a longitudinal axis of said obstacle climbing flipper when in said folded mode and laterally protrudes away from said longitudinal axis toward another of said plurality of robotic arms when in said operational mode.

2. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of robotic arms in said folded mode is encircled by said continuous track.

3. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein said continuous track encircles said robotic arm when said robotic arm is in said folded mode.

4. The robotic platform of claim 3, wherein said continuous track encircles exactly two driving wheels.

5. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of robotic arms is laterally mounted in parallel to said main frame when said plurality of robotic arms are in said folded mode.

6. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of robotic arms is connected to one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers by a plurality of joints to allow multiple degrees of freedom for manipulations by said robotic arm.

7. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of robotic arms is rotatable about a point of attachment to one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers.

8. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers has a plurality of foramens and each one of said plurality of robotic arms occupies at least part of a respective one of said plurality of foramens when said robotic arm is in said folded mode.

9. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein said main frame has a top side and said top side is essentially flat thereby creating a surface for loading objects.

10. The robotic platform of claim 1, further comprising an image sensor wherein said main frame has a top side which is essentially flat and said image sensor is mounted on said top side.

11. The robotic platform of claim 1, further comprising a front robotic arm for controlling a center of gravity of said robotic platform wherein said main frame has a front side and said front robotic arm robotic arm is mounted on said front side.

12. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers is mounted to rotate around a common axis traversing said main frame.

13. The robotic platform of claim 1,

wherein said robotic platform further comprises an image sensor mounted on said robotic platform to image an operational space of said plurality of robotic arms.

14. The robotic platform of claim 1, further comprising an image sensor, wherein said image sensor is mounted at a joint around which one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers is tilted.

15. The robotic platform of claim 1, further comprising a front robotic arm for controlling said robotic platform'"'"'s center of gravity wherein said front robotic arm moves essentially away from and towards said robotic platform.

16. The robotic platform of claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers comprises a right obstacle climbing flipper and a left obstacle climbing flipper which are mounted to rotate around a common axis traversing said main frame, wherein a right robotic arm is mounted on said right obstacle climbing flipper and a left robotic arm is mounted on said left obstacle climbing flipper;

and

wherein a respective said robotic arm of each of said left and right obstacle climbing flippers extends toward another said robotic arm of said left and right obstacle climbing flippers.

17. A process for manufacturing of a robotic platform, comprising:

assembling a plurality of robotic arms on a plurality of obstacle climbing flippers, each one of said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers having a continuous track;

assembling a plurality of end effectors each on a distal end of one of said plurality of robotic arms;

connecting said plurality of obstacle climbing flippers to a robotic platform;

moving each one of said plurality of robotic arms from a folded mode to an operational mode, said robotic arm is parallel to a longitudinal axis of said obstacle climbing flipper when in said folded mode and protrudes away from said longitudinal axis toward another of said plurality of robotic arms when in said operational mode.