Spherical electro-magnetically initiated traveling excursor

• US 9,933,788 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2017
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Government Of The United States As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Thielman, Gerhard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ingram, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/661,389
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• 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: F03G 3/00 Other motors, e.g. gravity or inertia motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 3/08 using flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 3/083 deviating the flywheel axis, e.g. using gyroscopic effects like precession or nutation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A spherical modular autonomous robotic traveler (SMART) is provided for rolling along a surface from a first position to a second position. The SMART includes an outer spherical shell; an inner spherical chamber disposed within the outer shell; a plurality of weight-shifters arranged within the inner chamber; and a controller therein. The chamber maintains its orientation relative to the surface by a gyroscopically homing stabilizer. Each weight-shifter includes a mass disposed in a default position, and movable to an active position in response to activation. The controller selectively activates a weight-shifter among the plurality to shift the mass from the default position to the active position. The outer shell rolls in a direction that corresponds to the weight-shifter activated by the controller. For the spherical electromagnetically initiated traveling excursor (SEMITE), each weight-shifter includes a channel containing an armature and an electromagnet activated by the controller. For the symmetrical configuration, the channel is oriented from bottom periphery to lateral radial periphery of the inner chamber. The electromagnet is disposed proximal to the channel at the lateral radial periphery. The armature travels from the bottom periphery within the channel to the lateral radial periphery upon activation of the electromagnet.

Claims

1. A spherical modular autonomous robotic traveler (SMART) for rolling along a surface from a first position to a second position as a spherical electro-magnetically initiated traveling excursor (SEMITE), said SEMITE comprising:

an outer spherical shell for rolling along the surface;

an inner spherical chamber disposed within said outer shell, said chamber maintaining its orientation relative to the surface by a gyroscopically homing stabilizer (GHoSt);

a plurality of weight-shifters arranged within said inner chamber, each weight-shifter including a mass disposed in a default position, and locatable to an active position in response to activation; and

a controller within said inner chamber for selectively activating a weight-shifter among said plurality to shift said mass from said default position to said active position, wherein said outer shell rolls in a direction that corresponds to said weight-shifter activated by said controller, wherein each said weight-shifter includes;

a channel containing an armature, said channel extending from said default position to said active position, and

an electromagnet activated by said controller, wherein said armature travels from said default position within said channel to said active position upon activation of said electromagnet.

2. The SEMITE according to claim 1, further comprising a lubrication layer interposed between said outer shell and said inner chamber.

3. The SEMITE according to claim 1, wherein said controller responds to an initiation signal from at least one of a receiver, an accelerometer and a timer.

4. The SEMITE according to claim 3, wherein said controller switches activation from a first weight-shifter to a second weight-shifter in response to said initiation signal.

5. The SEMITE according to claim 4, wherein said controller responds to an accelerometer within said chamber to shift from said first weight-shifter to said second weight-shifter.

6. The SEMITE according to claim 3, wherein said controller switches activation to several weight-shifters of said plurality in response to said initiation signal, such as upon reaching said active position.

7. The SEMITE according to claim 1, wherein said GHoSt includes counter-rotating flywheels to provide torque for counterbalancing tilt from activation of said weight-shifter.

8. The SMART according to claim 1, wherein said inner chamber comprises a lower dome that includes said plurality of weight-shifters and said controller, and an upper dome that includes a payload, said lower and upper domes being attachable together.

9. The SEMITE according to claim 8, wherein said lower and upper domes include honeycomb cells to structurally support said weight-shifters, controller and payload.

10. The SEMITE according to claim 1, wherein said armature is a tungsten carbide ball bearing coated with a ferromagnetic material.

11. The SEMITE according to claim 1, wherein said chamber further includes a power supply for energizing said electromagnet that is activated by said controller.

12. The SEMITE according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of weight-shifters is symmetrical about a vertical centerline arranged in a cruciform pattern,

said channel is oriented from bottom periphery of said inner chamber for said default position to lateral radial periphery of said inner chamber for said active position, and

said electromagnet is disposed proximal to said channel at said lateral radial periphery.

13. The SEMITE according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of weight-shifters is asymmetrical about a vertical centerline, and said default position for each said armature in corresponding said channel is adjacent a radial periphery of said inner chamber, said plurality of weight-shifters comprises:

a peripheral weight-shifter including a peripheral channel containing a first armature, said peripheral channel being oriented from a forward periphery of said inner chamber toward a circumferential periphery of said inner chamber along a peripheral incline;

a radial weight-shifter including a radial channel containing a second armature, said radial channel being oriented from said forward periphery toward an interior location of said inner chamber along a radial incline; and

first and second electromagnets activated by said controller, said first electromagnet being disposed adjacent said circumferential periphery, and said second electromagnet being disposed adjacent said interior location, wherein

said first armature travels from said forward periphery within said peripheral channel to said circumferential periphery upon activation of said first electromagnet, and

said second armature travels from said forward periphery within said radial channel to said interior location upon activation of said second electromagnet.

14. The SEMITE according to claim 13, wherein

said peripheral weight-shifter further includes port and starboard peripheral weight-shifters,

said circumferential channel corresponds to port and starboard leading channels, and

said first electromagnet respectively corresponds to port and starboard electromagnets.

15. The SEMITE according to claim 13, wherein said interior location includes a repository for at least one armature.