Jumping for Reaching Denied Terrain

• US 20110186360A1
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Intelligence Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mobile Intelligence Corporation
• Inventors: MacKenzie, Douglas C., Brehob, Wayne M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/2.2
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/24 not vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/04 having other than ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. having propellers arrangement of jet-propulsion units B60K
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A surface vehicle capable of overcoming obstacles is disclosed in which the vehicle accelerates vertically while having a horizontal velocity. The vehicle has a frame and at least three wheels attached to the frame to which a horizontal propulsion system is coupled. Further, a vertical propulsion system is coupled to the frame and the wheels. The vertical propulsion system is capable of providing a force to such wheels normal to the surface so that the vehicle separates from the surface. The vehicle has an electronic control unit coupled to the vertical propulsion system to automatically control its operation. Further, sensors are used to evaluate the characteristics of the surface that pertain to supporting a vertical acceleration/deceleration.

Claims

1. A surface vehicle system, comprising:

a frame;

at least three members coupled to said frame;

a horizontal propulsion system coupled to said frame and at least one of said members, said horizontal propulsion system adapted to provide motive force between said member and the surface to cause the vehicle to translate along the surface;

a vertical propulsion system coupled to said frame and said members, said vertical propulsion system adapted to provide a force to said members generally normal to the surface, said force being sufficient to generate a vertical vehicle velocity to cause said members to separate from the surface; and

an electronic control unit electronically coupled to said vertical propulsion system adapted to automatically control operation of said vertical propulsion system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said members are wheels.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a steering mechanism coupled to at least one of said members.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said vertical acceleration is achieved by actuating said vertical propulsion system exactly once.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said vertical acceleration is greater than 2 gs.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein a vertical travel of said member with respect to the frame exceeds 0.2 of a characteristic dimension of the vehicle and said characteristic dimension is an average of a track width and a wheelbase of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said vertical propulsion system comprises at least one of a hydraulic cylinder and an internal combustion cylinder.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said vertical propulsion system comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder and said horizontal propulsion system comprises an energy source, including at least one of, an internal combustion engine, a solar panel, a fuel cell, or a battery, the system further comprising:

a hydraulic pump coupled to said hydraulic cylinder and to said energy source; and

a hydraulic fluid accumulator coupled to said hydraulic pump.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a valve coupled to said hydraulic cylinder and electronically coupled to said electronic control unit, whereby opening position of said valve is adjusted to control damping of the vehicle upon impact with the surface.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

Sensors are coupled to said surface vehicle system, wherein said sensor provide a signal related to a characteristic of the surface to serve as a basis of a determination of whether the surface can support additional force exerted by the members during vertical translation and said sensors operate by one of direct sampling of relevant characteristics of a surface proximate the vehicle and remote sensing of a surface over which the vehicle has recently traveled.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

a passive Electro-Optical (EO) sensor, such as a camera, and an active sensor which emits energy onto the surface and receives the reflected energy, such as a RADAR or Laser Ranging Unit (LIDAR).

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to said surface vehicle system to estimate characteristics of a portion of surface proximate said surface vehicle and in an area said members of the surface vehicle have not traveled, wherein the sensor provides a signal related to a characteristic of the surface to base a determination of whether the surface can support additional force exerted by the members to allow the vehicle to translate vertically on the surface.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

a passive Electro-Optical (EO) sensor, a camera, an active sensor which emits energy onto the surface and receives the reflected energy, such as a RADAR, and a Laser Ranging Unit (LIDAR).

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to the surface vehicle and electronically coupled to the electronic control unit wherein control of the vertical propulsion system is based at least on signal outputs from the sensors.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said vertical propulsion system is configured to allow different forces to be applied to each member in contact with the ground, the system further comprising;

at least one sensor coupled to the surface vehicle system and electronically coupled to the electronic control unit, with a signal for said sensor providing an indication of the attitude of the vehicle with respect to one of a surface normal or a gravity acceleration vector.

16. A surface vehicle system, comprising:

a frame;

at least three members coupled to said frame;

a horizontal propulsion system coupled to said frame and at least one of said members, said horizontal propulsion system adapted to provide motive force between said member and the surface to cause the vehicle to translate along the surface; and

a vertical propulsion system coupled to said frame and said members, said vertical propulsion system adapted to provide a force to said members generally normal to the surface, said force being sufficient to cause the vehicle to attain a vertical velocity greater than 1.5 m/ sec.

17. The surface vehicle system of claim 16 wherein said vertical velocity is greater than 3 m/sec.

18. A vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

at least three members coupled to the frame;

a vertical propulsion system coupled to the frame and the members, the vertical propulsion system adapted to provide a force to the members generally normal to the surface, the force being sufficient to generate a vertical vehicle velocity to cause the at least three members to separate from the surface simultaneously; and

an electronic control unit electronically coupled to the vertical propulsion system adapted to automatically control operation of said vertical propulsion system.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, further comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to the vehicle and electronically coupled to the electronic control unit, the electronic control unit basing activation of the vertical propulsion system on a signal from at least one sensor.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the electronic control unit estimates at least one characteristic of a surface proximate the vehicle.