Stair climbing tread hardware for a robot

• US 20090266628A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Automatika, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Automatika, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Graham, Todd, Fuchs, Robert, Schempf, Hagen, Crowley, William Abraham
• Application Number:
  US12/383,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/9.100
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/04 with tracks and alternative ground wheels, e.g. changeable from endless track vehicle into wheeled vehicle and vice versa for multi-purpose tractors B62D49/0635
• 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 55/075 Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, steep slopes or vertical surfacesmagnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00

Abstract

An easily and quickly reconfigurable robot chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts. A wheel is attachable to and removable from each drive shaft. A sprocket is also attachable to and removable from each shaft. A first pair of tracks each extend around opposing forward sprockets and rearward sprockets. A pair of forward track extenders are each removeably attachable to the chassis and each include a forward idler sprocket. A second pair of longer tracks each extend around opposing rearward sprockets, the forward sprockets, and forward idler sprockets. A pair of rearward track extenders are each removeably attachable to the chassis and each include a rearward idler sprocket. A third pair of still longer tracks each extend around opposing rearward idler sprockets, rearward sprockets, forward sprockets, and forward idler sprockets.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable robot comprising:

a chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts;

a wheel attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a wheel attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a forward sprocket attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a rearward sprocket attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a first pair of tracks each configured to extend around a forward sprocket and a rearward sprocket;

a pair of forward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a forward idler sprocket;

a second pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket;

a pair of rearward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a rearward idler sprocket; and

a third pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward idler sprocket, a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

2. The robot of claim 1 further including a forward pair of removable sprocket adapters and a rearward pair of removable sprocket adapters.

3. The robot of claim 2 in which sprocket adapters include male members and the track extenders include corresponding female members for locking the angle of the track extenders.

4. The robot of claim 3 in which each sprocket adapter includes a threaded portion and the robot further including a threaded nut securing a track extender to the threaded portion of the sprocket adapter.

5. The robot of claim 1 in which the forward track extenders extend at an angle upwardly or downwardly from the chassis.

6. The robot of claim 1 in which the forward and rearward track extenders extend substantially beyond the robot chassis.

7. The robot of claim 1 in which the extenders include a track tensioning mechanism.

8. The robot of claim 1 in which the forward and rearward drive shafts are driven.

9. The robot of claim 1 further including means for removeably locking a wheel and a sprocket with respect to a drive shaft.

10. The robot of claim 9 in which said means includes an orifice through the shaft, a clip secured through the orifice, a hex portion on the drive shaft, and a hex orifice in the wheels and sprockets.

11. A reconfigurable robot comprising:

a chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts;

a wheel attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a wheel attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a forward sprocket attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a rearward sprocket attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft; and

a first pair of tracks each configured to extend around a forward sprocket and a rearward sprocket.

12. The robot of claim 11 further including a pair of forward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a forward idler sprocket.

13. The robot of claim 12 further including a second pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

14. The robot of claim 11 further including a pair of rearward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a rearward idler sprocket.

15. The robot of claim 14 further including a third pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward idler sprocket, a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

16. A reconfigurable robot comprising:

a chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts;

a forward sprocket attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a rearward sprocket attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a first pair of tracks each configured to extend around a forward sprocket and a rearward sprocket;

a pair of forward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a forward idler sprocket; and

a second pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

17. The reconfigurable robot of claim 16 further including a wheel attachable to and removable from each shaft.

18. The robot of claim 16 further including a pair of rearward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a rearward idler sprocket.

19. The robot of claim 18 further including a third pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward idler sprocket, a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

20. A reconfigurable robot comprising:

a chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts;

a forward sprocket attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a rearward sprocket attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a first pair of tracks each configured to extend around a forward and a rearward sprocket;

a pair of forward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a forward idler sprocket;

a pair of rearward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a rearward idler sprocket; and

a second pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward idler sprocket, a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

21. The robot of claim 20 further including a wheel attachable to and removable from each shaft.

22. The robot of claim 20 further including a third pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

23. A reconfigurable robot comprising:

a chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts;

a forward sprocket attachable to and removable from each forward shaft;

a rearward sprocket is attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a pair of forward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a forward idler sprocket; and

a pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

24. The robot of claim 23 further including a wheel attachable to and removable from each shaft.

25. A reconfigurable robot comprising:

a chassis with at least a pair of forward shafts and a pair of rearward shafts;

a forward sprocket attachable to and removable from each forward drive shaft;

a rearward sprocket attachable to and removable from each rearward shaft;

a pair of forward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a forward idler sprocket;

a pair of rearward track extenders each removeably attachable to the chassis and each including a rearward idler sprocket; and

a pair of tracks each configured to extend around a rearward idler sprocket, a rearward sprocket, a forward sprocket, and a forward idler sprocket.

26. The robot of claim 25 further including a wheel attachable to and removable from each shaft.