SMALL UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE

• US 20140110183A1
• Filed: 12/31/2011
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Defense Holdings, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Meaney, Todd M., Rudakevych, Pavlo E., Gossage, Garron M., Morey, Christopher Lyunne, Ohm, Timothy R., Wozniak, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,522,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/9.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/043 Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0046 the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0061 the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 : responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/25 : Track vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 : with tracks without ground wheels
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 : Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 : characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 : by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The present teachings relate generally to a small remote vehicle having rotatable flippers and a weight of less than about 10 pounds and that can climb a conventional-sized stairs. The present teachings also relate to a small remote vehicle can be thrown or dropped fifteen feet onto a hard/inelastic surface without incurring structural damage that may impede its mission. The present teachings further relate to a small remote vehicle having a weight of less than about 10 pounds and a power source supporting missions of at least 6 hours.

Claims

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a housing;

driven tracks disposed on the housing;

right and left flippers disposed on corresponding right and left sides of the housing, each flipper rotatable with respect to the housing, the flippers and tracks arranged to allow the robot to climb stairs; and

an antenna disposed on the housing, the antenna having a communication range of between about 200 meters and about 300 meters;

wherein a combined weight of the flippers and the antenna is sufficient to move a center-of-gravity of the robot far enough to tilt the housing with respect to a surface supporting the robot; and

wherein a total weight of the robot is less than about five pounds.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the antenna is located on a forward end of the housing and the flippers are located on a rear end of the housing, the antenna assisting in stair climbing by moving a center-of-gravity of the robot forward, helping the front end of the robot tip forward as it surmounts a stair riser.

3. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the robot is less than about 10 percent of the weight of the mobile robot.

4. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the robot is less than about 5 percent of the weight of the mobile robot.

5. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of the antenna.

27. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the antenna is disposed on a top surface of the housing with respect to the supporting surface.

28. The mobile robot of claim 27, wherein the top surface of the housing is lower than a height of the tracks with respect to the supporting surface, forming a gap volume between the top surface of the housing and the tracks.

29. The mobile robot of claim 28, wherein the antenna is bendable or foldable and moves between a stowed state and a deployed state, the antenna folded and positioned in the gap volume during the stowed state, the antenna erect and extending out of the gap volume during the deployed state.

30. The mobile robot of claim 29, wherein the antenna is confined entirely within the gap volume and entirely within a boundary of the top surface of the housing during the stowed state.

31. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the flippers and tracks are arranged to allow the robot to climb stairs having a riser height of between about 7.5 inches and about 8 inches.

6. A tracked mobile robot comprising:

a housing having a housing volume; and

a battery housed within the housing and having a battery volume, the battery being configured to support intended missions of the mobile robot for at least 6 hours, the intended missions including at least driving the mobile robot and powering processor and a radio thereon,

wherein the mobile robot weighs less than about 5 pounds and the battery volume is at least about 10 percent of the total volume of the housing.

7. The mobile robot of claim 6, wherein the battery weight is at least 16 percent of the total weight of the mobile robot without a payload.

8. A mobile robot configured to drive along the ground, the mobile robot comprising:

a housing having a forward end, a rearward end, and a center of gravity;

an antenna mounted on a top surface of the housing or in a recess of a top surface of the housing;

a driven support surface movably connected to each side of the housing and configured to propel the housing in at least a forward direction, each driven support surface comprising a flexible track trained about a pair of wheels;

a flipper rotatably connected to each side of the housing rearward of the center of gravity of the housing, the flippers being configured to rotate in a first direction to raise the rearward end of the robot and to rotate in a second and opposite direction to raise the forward end of the robot housing;

wherein the mobile robot is configured such that it can be thrown or dropped fifteen feet onto a hard/inelastic surface without incurring structural damage that may impede its mission.

9. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the mobile robot weighs less than about 5 pounds.

10. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of the antenna.

11. The mobile robot of claim 8, further comprising a camera, a wall sensor, and an IR sensor.

12. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the mobile robot can climb conventional-sized stairs.

13. A mobile robot comprising:

a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, side surfaces, a front surface and a rear surface;

a battery housed within the housing and including two or more cylindrical cells, the battery resting on a bottom surface of the housing;

a driven support surface movably connected to each side of the housing and configured to propel the housing in at least a forward direction, each driven support surface comprising a flexible track trained about a pair of wheels;

a flipper rotatably connected to each side of the housing rearward of the center of gravity of the housing, the flippers being configured to rotate in a first direction to raise the rearward end of the robot and to rotate in a second and opposite direction to raise the forward end of the robot housing,

wherein the bottom surface of the housing is contoured to accommodate a shape of the battery cells and is configured to conduct heat away from the battery by providing additional surface area for heat dissipation.

14. The mobile robot of claim 13, further comprising a sound exciter, wherein a portion of the housing top surface can be acted on by the sound exciter to emit sound.

15. The mobile robot of claim 13, wherein the mobile robot weighs less than about 5 pounds.

16. The mobile robot of claim 13, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of an antenna.

17. The mobile robot of claim 13, further comprising a magnetic flipper position encoder on a rear axle of the mobile robot and a flipper printed circuit board (PCB) with a sensor located adjacent to the magnetic flipper position encoder to track a rotational position of the flippers.

18. The mobile robot of claim 13, further comprising a magnetic odometry encoder on a front axle of the mobile robot and a mobility PCB with a sensor located adjacent to the magnetic odometry encoder to track odometry of the mobile robot.

19. The mobile robot of claim 13, further comprising at least one drive motor and an H-Bridge to control the drive motors, the H-bridge reducing an audible component of the drive motor sound by randomly varying a pitch wave modulation (PWM) frequency.

20. A mobile robot, comprising:

a housing having a forward end, a rearward end, and a center of gravity;

a driven support surface movably connected to each side of the housing and configured to propel the housing in at least a forward direction, each driven support surface comprising a flexible track trained about a pair of wheels, each longitudinal support surface having a front end and a rear end, a longitudinal length from the front end to the rear end;

a flipper rotatably connected to each side of the housing rearward of the center of gravity of the housing, the flippers being configured to rotate in a first direction to raise the rearward end of the robot and to rotate in a second and opposite direction to raise the forward end of the robot housing;

a flipper motor, to provide a rotational force to rotate the flipper; and

a flipper drive gear configured to translate a rotational force from the flipper motor to the flipper via a slip clutch.

21. The mobile robot of claim 20, wherein the slip clutch comprises:

a slotted cylindrical protrusion configured to surround an axle that drives the flipper;

a collar surrounding the slotted cylindrical protrusion to clamp the slotted cylindrical protrusion to the axle at a predetermined torque corresponding to a slip torque.

22. A mobile robot system having a weight of less than about 10 pounds, the mobile robot system comprising:

a mobile robot having rotating flippers and a weight of less than about 5 pounds;

an operator control unit configured to communicate with the mobile robot and comprising;

a housing;

an antenna supported by the housing and configured to transmit to and receive signals from the mobile robot;

a display configured to provide information regarding the operation of the mobile robot; and

an input device coupled to the display and configured to receive operator input.

23. The mobile robot system of claim 22, wherein the housing of the operator control unit comprises a recess in a portion of the housing to accommodate a substantially cylindrical object such as an operator'"'"'s forearm to support the housing during operation of the robot system.

24. The mobile robot system of claim 23, wherein the operator control unit further comprises an attachment portion configured secure the operator control unit to the substantially cylindrical object such as an operator'"'"'s forearm.

25. The mobile robot system of claim 22, further comprising a docking station configured to accommodate the mobile robot and the operator control unit.

26. The mobile robot system of claim 25, wherein the mobile robot system can fit within and assault pack.