Integrated bumper

• US 10,843,734 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2018
• Issued: 11/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alex Powers, Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Shahin Fathi Djalali
• Original Assignee: Alex Powers, Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Shahin Fathi Djalali
• Inventors: Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Ali, Powers, Alex, Fathi Djalali, Shahin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyjak, Lori L
• Application Number:
  US16/212,463
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 24/04 Vehicle body mounted on resilient suspension for movement relative to the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/04 resilient
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles

Abstract

Provided is an integrated bumper system including, a suspension assembly including, a suspension plate coupled with a robotic device chassis, a plurality of springs positioned along at least a portion of a perimeter of the suspension plate and coupled with the suspension plate, and a plurality of cutouts positioned along at least a portion of the perimeter of the suspension plate; and a bumper coupled with the suspension assembly including, a plurality of spring anchors coupled with the plurality of springs, and a plurality of tabs aligned with the plurality of cutouts configured to limit movement of the suspension plate; and wherein the bumper is configured to move when impacted.

Claims

1. An integrated bumper system comprising:

a suspension assembly comprising,

a suspension plate coupled with a robotic device chassis,

a plurality of springs positioned along at least a portion of a perimeter of the suspension plate and coupled with the suspension plate, and

a plurality of cutouts positioned along at least a portion of the perimeter of the suspension plate; and

a bumper coupled with the suspension assembly comprising,

a plurality of spring anchors coupled with the plurality of springs, and

a plurality of tabs aligned with the plurality of cutouts configured to limit movement of the suspension plate; and

wherein the bumper is configured to move when impacted.

2. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, further comprising two impact sensors configured to detect movement of the bumper.

3. The integrated bumper system of claim 2, wherein each of the two impact sensors is attached to the bumper on a first end and interfaces with the suspension plate on a second end.

4. The integrated bumper system of claim 3, wherein the two impact sensors are configured to detect one of three conditions upon impact of the bumper with an object, wherein the three conditions indicate a front impact, a first side impact local to a first of the two impact sensors, and a second side impact local to a second of the two impact sensors.

5. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, wherein the bumper at least partially encloses the robotic device chassis and the suspension assembly.

6. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, wherein the bumper further comprises a cover and a user interface opening disposed along a top surface of the cover.

7. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, wherein the bumper further comprises a plurality of side ports corresponding with a plurality of sensors.

8. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of springs comprise a spring tension.

9. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, wherein the suspension plate is coupled to a top surface of the robotic device chassis.

10. The integrated bumper system of claim 1, further comprising a cover, wherein the bumper and at least a portion of the cover are a unitary component.

11. A robotic device comprising:

a robotic device chassis;

an integrated bumper system comprising,

a suspension assembly comprising,

a suspension plate coupled with a robotic device chassis,

a plurality of springs positioned along at least a portion of a perimeter of the suspension plate and coupled with the suspension plate, and

a plurality of cutouts positioned along at least a portion of the perimeter of the suspension plate; and

a bumper coupled with the suspension assembly, the bumper comprising,

a plurality of anchors coupled with the plurality of springs, and

a plurality of tabs aligned with the plurality of cutouts configured to limit movement of the suspension plate; and

wherein the bumper is configured to move when impacted.

12. The robotic device of claim 11, wherein the bumper further comprises a cover.

13. The robotic device of claim 12, further comprising:

a user interface opening disposed along a top surface of the cover;

a user interface positioned along the user interface opening; and

a bridging element positioned around the user interface to close a gap between the user interface and the cover.

14. The robotic device of claim 12, wherein the bumper and at least a portion of the cover of the robotic device are a unitary component and the unitary component moves separately from the user interface upon an impact.

15. The robotic device of claim 12, wherein the bridging element and cover are a unitary element such that the bridging element is level with or raised above the top surface of the cover, and wherein the unitary element moves separately from the user interface upon an impact.

16. The robotic device of claim 12, wherein the bridging element and the user interface are a unitary element or mechanically coupled such that the bridging element is level with the user interface, and wherein the cover moves separately from the bridging element and the user interface upon an impact.

17. The robotic device of claim 11, further comprising:

two impact sensors attached to the bumper on a first end and interfacing with the suspension plate on a second end configured to detect a front impact, a first side impact local to a first of the two impact sensors, and a second side impact local to a second of the two impact sensors.

18. The robotic device of claim 11, wherein the bumper at least partially encloses the robotic device chassis and the suspension assembly.

19. The robotic device of claim 11, wherein the bumper comprises a plurality of side ports corresponding with a plurality of sensors.

20. The robotic device of claim 11, wherein the suspension plate is coupled to a top surface of the robotic device chassis.