Spherical mobile robot with pivoting head

• US 10,399,616 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spin Master Limited (Spin Master Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Spin Master Limited (Spin Master Corp.)
• Inventors: Ellerman, Mark, Hardouin, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Boehler, Anne Marie M
• Application Number:
  US15/235,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 446456, 446458, 446460, 446462, 180 71, 180 21, 180 10
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 39/00 Vehicle bodies not otherwise provided for , e.g. safety vehicles safety equipment B60R21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A mobile, spherical robot includes a spheroid shell, an internal assembly secured to the shell, and a head disposed atop the shell. The internal assembly is disposed within the shell for propelling the mobile robot. The internal assembly includes a base, a flywheel assembly rotatably secured to the base, a drive assembly rotatably secured to the spheroid shell and configured to propel the mobile robot by rotating the spheroid shell about the base a pivoting arm pivotably secured to the base, and the pivoting arm. The head is secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm through the spheroid shell. The head is configured to move relative to the spheroid shell and relative to the base by the pivoting of the pivoting arm.

Claims

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a spheroid shell;

an internal assembly disposed within the spheroid shell for propelling the mobile robot,

including—

a base;

a drive assembly;

a pivoting arm pivotably secured to the base,

wherein the pivoting arm presents a magnetized end configured to be in a first position and a second position,

a switch configured to detect whether the magnetized end is in the first position or the second position; and

a head secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm through the spheroid shell,

wherein the head is configured to move relative to the base by the pivoting of the pivoting arm,

wherein the magnetized end is in the first position while the head is magnetically secured to the pivoting arm,

wherein the magnetized end is in the second position while the head is not magnetically secured to the pivoting arm.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1,

wherein the internal assembly is configured to move the mobile robot in the direction of an x-axis by rotating the spheroid shell about a y-axis that is generally perpendicular to the x-axis,

wherein a z-axis is defined as perpendicular to both the x-axis and the y-axis and oriented generally upward.

3. The mobile robot of claim 2,

wherein the pivoting arm includes an x-pivot device configured to pivot the magnetized end of the pivoting arm about the x-axis relative to the base,

wherein the x-pivot device is further configured to laterally move the head secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm along an outer surface of the spheroid shell.

4. The mobile robot of claim 2,

wherein the pivoting arm includes a y-pivot device configured to pivot the magnetized end of the pivoting arm about the y-axis relative to the base,

wherein the y-pivot device is further configured to laterally move the head secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm along an outer surface of the spheroid shell.

5. The mobile robot of claim 2,

wherein the pivoting arm includes a z-pivot device configured to pivot the magnetized end of the pivoting arm about the z-axis relative to the base,

wherein the z-pivot device is further configured to rotate the head secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm.

6. The mobile robot of claim 2, wherein the magnetized end of the pivoting arm comprises:

a support plate configured to be in the first position while the head is magnetically secured to the pivoting arm and configured to be in the second position while the head is not magnetically secured to the pivoting arm; and

a set of magnetic protrusions protruding substantially upward from the support plate,

wherein the internal assembly is configured to allow movement upon a detection that the support plate is in the first position and configured to cease movement upon a detection that the support plate is in the second position.

7. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the head comprises:

a head housing presenting an interfacing side configured to be magnetically secured against the spheroid shell;

a set of magnetic receptors disposed on the interfacing side and configured to magnetically secure to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm,

wherein the set of magnetic receptors is disposed in a first orientation and the magnetized end is disposed in a corresponding first orientation such that the set of magnetic receptors remains aligned with the magnetized end of the pivoting arm; and

a set of wheels disposed on the interfacing side and configured to allow for traveling in the x-axis direction along the spheroid shell.

8. The mobile robot of claim 7, wherein the head housing further comprises a sensor disposed in the head housing for detecting a condition selected from a group consisting of an obstacle in proximity to the mobile robot, a voice command from a user, and a digital command from a user device.

9. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the head further comprises:

a head communications element communicatively coupled to an internal communications element associated with the internal assembly,

wherein the head communications element is configured to send a condition indication to the internal communications element based upon said detected condition by the sensor.

10. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the mobile robot further comprises:

a processor configured to perform a task based upon the detected condition,

wherein the task is selected from a group consisting of avoiding the obstacle, performing the voice command, and performing the digital command.

11. The mobile robot of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the internal assembly to move toward a transmitter associated with a user device and to cease movement toward the transmitter upon a signal strength from the transmitter reaching a certain threshold.

12. A mobile robot comprising:

a spheroid shell;

an internal assembly disposed within the spheroid shell for propelling the mobile robot,

including—

a base;

a drive assembly configured to propel the mobile robot by rotating the spheroid shell about the base,

a pivoting arm pivotably secured to the base,

wherein the pivoting arm presents a magnetized end; and

a head secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm through the spheroid shell,

wherein the head is configured to move relative to the base by the pivoting of the pivoting arm,

wherein the head comprises;

a head housing presenting an interfacing side configured to be magnetically secured against the spheroid shell;

a set of magnetic receptors disposed on the interfacing side and configured to magnetically secure to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm,

wherein the set of magnetic receptors is disposed in a first orientation and the magnetized end is disposed in a corresponding first orientation such that the set of magnetic receptors remains aligned with the magnetized end of the pivoting arm; and

a set of single-axis wheels disposed on the interfacing side and configured to allow for traveling in the x-axis direction along the spheroid shell.

13. The mobile robot of claim 12,

wherein the internal assembly is configured to move the mobile robot in the direction of an x-axis by rotating the spheroid shell about a y-axis that is generally perpendicular to the x-axis,

wherein a z-axis is defined as perpendicular to both the x-axis and the y-axis and oriented generally upward,

wherein the spheroid shell is rotatably fixed to the drive assembly along the y-axis,

wherein the pivoting arm is configured to pivot about the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis relative to the base.