Throwable robot with improved drive system
First Claim
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1. A throwable surveillance robot weighing less than six pounds comprising:
- a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, each wheel having a maximum diameter, the pair of drive wheels comprising a starboard drive wheel and a port drive wheel;
a housing extending between the wheels, the housing being disposed within a cylinder defined by the maximum diameters of the drive wheels, the housing defining a housing cavity containing a receiver, a transmitter and a video camera connected to the transmitter;
a pair of motors disposed inside the housing cavity, the pair of motors comprising a starboard motor and a port motor, each motor comprising a motor shaft;
a starboard motor gear fixed to the motor shaft of the starboard motor, the starboard motor gear comprising a plurality of gear teeth;
a starboard drive member comprising a toothed outer portion, the toothed outer portion of the starboard drive member engaging the gear teeth of the starboard motor gear, the starboard drive member comprising a driving flange portion, the driving flange portion defining a plurality apertures, the apertures being arranged in a radial pattern extending along a circular path, the starboard drive member defining a central opening;
a starboard driven member comprising a mating shaft portion extending through the central opening defined by the starboard drive member so that the a driven flange portion of the driven member is disposed opposite the driving flange of the starboard drive member, the starboard driven flange portion defining a plurality of holes, each hole being dimensioned and positioned to temporarily or permanently receive a portion of one of the plurality of rollers, each hole being dimensioned and configured such that one of the plurality of rollers cannot pass through the hole;
a starboard spring element providing a spring force, the spring force acting to bias each of the rollers toward the driven flange of the starboard driven member.
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Abstract
A two wheeled throwable robot comprises an elongate chassis with two ends, a motor at each end, drive wheels connected to the motors, and a tail extending from the elongate chassis. The throwable robot includes a pair of torque limiting mechanisms, each torque limiting mechanism being operatively coupled between a motor and a drive wheel. Each torque limiting mechanism comprises a drive flange portion, a driven flange portion and a plurality of rollers. A spring element provides a ring force that biases the rollers toward the driven flange portion.
85 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A throwable surveillance robot weighing less than six pounds comprising:
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a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, each wheel having a maximum diameter, the pair of drive wheels comprising a starboard drive wheel and a port drive wheel; a housing extending between the wheels, the housing being disposed within a cylinder defined by the maximum diameters of the drive wheels, the housing defining a housing cavity containing a receiver, a transmitter and a video camera connected to the transmitter; a pair of motors disposed inside the housing cavity, the pair of motors comprising a starboard motor and a port motor, each motor comprising a motor shaft; a starboard motor gear fixed to the motor shaft of the starboard motor, the starboard motor gear comprising a plurality of gear teeth; a starboard drive member comprising a toothed outer portion, the toothed outer portion of the starboard drive member engaging the gear teeth of the starboard motor gear, the starboard drive member comprising a driving flange portion, the driving flange portion defining a plurality apertures, the apertures being arranged in a radial pattern extending along a circular path, the starboard drive member defining a central opening; a starboard driven member comprising a mating shaft portion extending through the central opening defined by the starboard drive member so that the a driven flange portion of the driven member is disposed opposite the driving flange of the starboard drive member, the starboard driven flange portion defining a plurality of holes, each hole being dimensioned and positioned to temporarily or permanently receive a portion of one of the plurality of rollers, each hole being dimensioned and configured such that one of the plurality of rollers cannot pass through the hole; a starboard spring element providing a spring force, the spring force acting to bias each of the rollers toward the driven flange of the starboard driven member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A throwable surveillance robot weighing less than six pounds comprising:
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a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, each wheel having a maximum diameter, the pair of drive wheels comprising a starboard drive wheel and a port drive wheel; a housing extending between the wheels, the housing being disposed within a cylinder defined by the maximum diameters of the drive wheels, the housing defining a housing cavity containing a receiver, a transmitter and a video camera connected to the transmitter; a starboard drive member, the starboard drive member comprising a driving flange portion, the driving flange portion defining a plurality apertures, the apertures being arranged in a radial pattern extending along a circular path, the starboard drive member defining a central opening; a starboard driven member comprising a mating shaft portion extending through the central opening defined by the starboard drive member so that the a driven flange portion of the driven member is disposed opposite the driving flange of the starboard drive member, the starboard driven flange portion defining a plurality of holes, each hole being dimensioned and positioned to temporarily or permanently receive a portion of one of the plurality of rollers, each hole being dimensioned and configured such that one of the plurality of rollers cannot pass through the hole; a starboard spring element providing a spring force, the spring force acting to bias each of the rollers toward the driven flange of the starboard driven member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification