Mounting a sensor module to an unmanned ground vehicle

• US 10,843,331 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2018
• Issued: 11/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mozeika, Annan Michael, Claffee, Mark Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arce, Marlon A
• Application Number:
  US15/900,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20180236654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/002 Manipulators for defensive or military tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/02 Sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/02 characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type B25J9/06 takes precedence
• 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 55/084 Endless-track units or carriages mounted separably, adjustably or extensibly on vehicles, e.g. portable track units B62D55/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/23 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/31 Gripping jaw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

An unmanned ground vehicle includes a main body, a drive system supported by the main body, a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to the main body, and a sensor module. The drive system includes right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body. The manipulator arm includes a first link coupled to the main body, an elbow coupled to the first link, and a second link coupled to the elbow. The elbow is configured to rotate independently of the first and second links. The sensor module is mounted on the elbow.

Claims

1. An unmanned ground vehicle comprising:

a main body;

a drive system supported by the main body, the drive system comprising right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body;

a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to the main body, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first link coupled to the main body, an elbow coupled to the first link, and a second link coupled to the elbow, wherein the elbow is configured to rotate independently of the first and second links; and

a sensor module mounted on the elbow.

2. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising a robot controller configured to control the drive system and the manipulator arm by supplying control signals to one or more drive system motors and one or more manipulator motors.

3. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising right and left flippers extending beyond a front end of the main body, wherein each of the right and left flippers pivots about a drive axis of drive system, and wherein each of the right and left flippers comprises a driven flipper track trained about a flipper drive wheel which is driven about the drive axis.

4. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising a communication system configured to communicate with a remote operator control unit and to transmit sensor data from the sensor module to the remote operator control unit.

5. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 4, wherein the communication system is configured to receive commands to extend or stow the manipulator arm.

6. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 4, wherein the communication system is configured to receive commands to pan/tilt the elbow using the elbow motor.

7. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 4, comprising a gripper on a distal end of the second link, wherein the communication system is configured to receive commands to cause the gripper to contract to contact an object.

8. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes a plurality of different types of sensors including at least a camera.

9. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second link is pivotally coupled to the elbow, the first link includes a first motor for rotating the elbow, and the second link comprises a second motor for pivoting the second link about the elbow, such that the first and second motors are configured to control the positions of the sensor module and the second link with respect to the first link.

10. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein the manipulator arm is coupled to the main body by a turret configured to provide yaw capability for the manipulator arm.

11. An unmanned ground vehicle comprising:

a main body;

a drive system supported by the main body, the drive system comprising right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body;

a sensor module;

a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to the main body, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first link coupled to the main body, an elbow coupled to the first link, and a second link pivotally coupled to the elbow; and

a first mount for the sensor module on the elbow and a second mount for the sensor module at a distal end of the second link.

12. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 11, comprising an elbow motor configured to rotate the elbow independently of the first and second links.

13. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first mount for the sensor module comprises one or more bolt holes and one or more straps.

14. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 11, wherein the second mount comprises a picatinny rail and the sensor module comprises a picatinny clamp.

15. The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 11, comprising a gripper at the distal end of the second link, wherein the second mount is located on top of the gripper.

16. A method for operating an unmanned ground vehicle, the method comprising:

mounting a sensor module to a first location on a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to a main body of the unmanned ground vehicle, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first link coupled to the main body, an elbow coupled to the first link, a second link coupled to the elbow, and an elbow motor configured to rotate the elbow independently of the first and second links, and wherein mounting the sensor module to the first location comprises mounting the sensor module to the elbow;

operating the robot and causing the elbow motor to pan/tilt the elbow using the elbow motor; and

mounting the sensor module to a second location on the manipulator arm.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein mounting the sensor module to the second location comprises mounting the sensor module to a distal end of the second link.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein mounting the sensor module to the distal end of the second link comprises mounting the sensor module to a top of a gripper on the manipulator arm.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein mounting the sensor module to the top of the gripper comprises mounting the sensor module using a picatinny clamp to a picatinny rail on the top of the gripper.

20. A method for controlling an unmanned ground vehicle, the method comprising:

controlling, by a robot controller, a manipulator arm of the unmanned ground vehicle to extend from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first link coupled to the main body, an elbow coupled to the first link, a second link coupled to the elbow;

controlling, by the robot controller, the elbow to rotate and pan up and down a sensor module coupled to the elbow by controlling an elbow motor configured to rotate the elbow independently of the first and second links; and

providing, by the robot controller, sensor data from the sensor module to a remote operator control unit.