Spherical tractor operating mobile platform

• US 9,481,414 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of the Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Thielman, Benjamin-Fausto S., Thielman, Gerhard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J
• Application Number:
  US14/841,246
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/00 Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/28 Wheeled-gun mountings; Endless-track gun mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/34 on wheeled or endless-track vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/02 Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D ; vehicles for placing portable or sectional bridges E01D15/127; vehicles carrying floating bridges E01D15/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/03 Air-pressurised compartments for crew; Means for preventing admission of noxious substances, e.g. combustion gas from gun barrels, in crew compartments; Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A spherical tractor operating mobile platform (STOMP) is provided for internally propelling and steering along an external surface. The STOMP includes a spherical shell having interior and exterior surfaces, an internal chassis containing an electrical power supply and a propulsion controller; a tractor drive system and an overhead wheel assembly. The tractor drive system provides propulsion and steering of the shell along the surface. The drive system includes a frame that connects to the chassis from below and contains a motor unit. The frame includes port and starboard sides that support respective wheel sets surrounded by corresponding continuous tracks. These tracks engage the shell'"'"'s interior surface. Each wheel set includes a drive wheel, an idler wheel and a tension wheel for engaging a corresponding track. The overhead wheel assembly connects to the chassis from above to maintain the chassis and the drive system in compression with the shell. To propel the shell, the propulsion controller commands the motor unit to provide torque to both the port and starboard drive wheels. For steering the shell towards starboard, the motor provides torque to the port drive wheel. For steering the shell towards port, the motor provides torque to the starboard drive wheel.

Claims

1. A spherical tractor operating mobile platform (STOMP) for internally propelling and steering along an external surface, said STOMP comprising:

a spherical shell having interior and exterior surfaces, said exterior surface being disposable on the external surface,

an internal chassis containing an electrical power supply and a propulsion controller;

a tractor drive system for propelling and steering said shell along the external surface, said drive system including a frame that connects to said chassis from below and containing a motor unit, said frame having port and starboard sides that support respective wheel sets surrounded by corresponding continuous tracks that engage said interior surface of said shell, each wheel set including a drive wheel, an idler wheel and a tension wheel for engaging a corresponding track; and

an overhead wheel assembly that connects to said chassis from above to maintain said chassis and said drive system in compression with said shell,

wherein said propulsion controller commands said motor unit provide torque to at least one of both said port and starboard drive wheels for propulsion of said shell, said port drive wheel for steering said shell towards starboard, and said starboard drive wheel for steering said shell towards port.

2. The STOMP according to claim 1, wherein said motor unit includes starboard and port motors for providing torque to respective said port and starboard drive wheels, said propulsion controller providing independent commands to said motors.

3. The STOMP according to claim 1, wherein said motor unit includes a motor and a distributed differential gear system for selectively providing torque to said port and starboard drive wheels.

4. The STOMP according to claim 1, wherein said tension wheel in said each set comprises a truck that connects to said frame and a bogie wheel that connects to said truck.

5. The STOMP according to claim 1, wherein each continuous track includes plates having corresponding external and internal faces, each plate connects at corners of one end to an adjacent plate by pivotable links with a gap therebetween.

6. The STOMP according to claim 5, wherein said each plate includes a chine that extends substantially normal from said internal face, and each said wheel includes an annular groove into which said chine passes through.

7. The STOMP according to claim 5, wherein said port and starboard drive wheels include radially extending sprocket teeth for engaging gaps between adjacent links of said corresponding track.

8. The STOMP according to claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a substantially rigid material for ground terrain locomotion.

9. The STOMP according to claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a substantially flexible material for water surface locomotion, said shell having externally protruding cilia for paddling.

10. The STOMP according to claim 9 wherein said shell is controllably inflatable and deflatable.

11. A spherical navigatable ordnance resistance tractor (SNORT) for operating on an external surface with at least one operator, said SNORT comprising:

a spherical shell having interior and exterior surfaces, with a plurality of cavities extending therethrough, said exterior surface being disposable on the external surface;

an armored cockpit that houses a seat, a guidance controller, a display console, and an electric motor connected to a power supply, said cockpit being contained within said shell, said seat able to receive the operator;

a tractor drive system for propelling and steering said shell along the external surface, said drive system including a frame that connects to said cockpit from below and containing a motor unit, said frame having port and starboard sides that support respective wheel sets surrounded by corresponding continuous tracks that engage said interior surface of said shell, each wheel set including a drive wheel, an idler wheel and a tension wheel for engaging a corresponding track; and

an overhead wheel assembly that connects to said cockpit from above to maintain said cockpit and said drive system in compression with said shell,

wherein said propulsion controller commands said motor unit provide torque to at least one of both said port and starboard drive wheels for propulsion of said shell, said port drive wheel for steering said shell towards starboard, and said starboard drive wheel for steering said shell towards port.

12. The SNORT according to claim 11, wherein said cavities are disposed within three-sided boundaries of a geodesic dome.

13. The SNORT according to claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of optical sensors disposed on said cockpit; and

a signal integrator to present temporally concatenated visual signals into a mosaic at said display console.

14. The SNORT according to claim 11, further comprising:

a gun mounted to said cockpit, said gun capable of firing a projectile; and

a trigger control to enable actuation of said gun in response to said projectile exiting said sphere at an instance that coincides with a cavity of said plurality of cavities.

15. The SNORT according to claim 11, wherein

said cockpit further includes a door that slides between first closed and open positions, and

said shell includes a hatch that hinges between a second closed position and a second open position beyond said exterior surface.

16. The SNORT according to claim 11, further comprising:

shiftable trim ballast; and

a translation mechanism for controllably moving said trim ballast, said mechanism being disposed longitudinally along said cockpit.

17. A Geodesic Rolling Operation Tractor (GRoOT) for operating on an external surface with at least one operator, said GRoOT comprising:

a spherical housing having a geodesic mesh pattern, said housing having interior and exterior surfaces, said exterior surface being disposable on the external surface;

an operation cage that houses a seat to receive the operator, an engine that provides torque, a transmission that transmits said torque, steering and drive controls, said cage being contained within said housing;

a tractor drive system for propelling and steering said housing along the external surface, said drive system including a frame that connects to said cage from below, said frame having port and starboard sides that support respective wheel sets surrounded by corresponding continuous tracks that engage said interior surface of said shell, each wheel set including a drive wheel, an idler wheel and a tension wheel for engaging a corresponding track; and

an overhead wheel assembly that connects to said cage from above to maintain said cage and said drive system in compression with said housing,

wherein said transmission delivers said torque to at least one of both said port and starboard drive wheels for propulsion of said housing, said port drive wheel for steering said housing towards starboard, and said starboard drive wheel for steering said housing towards port.

18. A spherical internal tractor excursion robot (SITER) for internally propelling and steering along an external surface, said SITER comprising:

a spherical shell having interior and exterior surfaces, said exterior surface being disposable on the external surface,

an internal chassis containing an electrical power supply, a propulsion controller, and a sensor system;

a tractor drive system for propelling and steering said shell along the external surface, said drive system including a frame that connects to said chassis from below and containing a motor unit, said frame having port and starboard sides that support respective wheel sets surrounded by corresponding continuous tracks that engage said interior surface of said shell, each wheel set including a drive wheel, an idler wheel and a tension wheel for engaging a corresponding track; and

an overhead wheel assembly that connects to said chassis from above to maintain said chassis and said drive system in compression with said shell,

wherein said propulsion controller commands said motor unit provide torque to at least one of both said port and starboard drive wheels for propulsion of said shell, said port drive wheel for steering said shell towards starboard, and said starboard drive wheel for steering said shell towards port,

said sensor system includes at least one of infrared cameras, chemical detectors, and acoustic sensors, and

said controller includes at least one of a radio remote control transceiver, a GPS receiver, an inertial navigator, and obstacle detection accelerometers.