Automatic Balancing Variable Configuration Articulated Tracked Transporter

• US 20170183023A1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keystone Strategy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Keystone Strategy, LLC
• Inventors: Richards, Greg, Boyce, Ty, Goel, Akshay
• Application Number:
  US15/385,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20170183023A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• 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 2200/30 Trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/48 Stair-climbing vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/62 Conveyors, floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/256 by using endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0043 One motor drives one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0053 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0076 Remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/02 providing for travelling up or down a flight of stairs chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00

Abstract

A transporter has a chassis, a left wheel positioned at the bottom of the chassis, a right wheel positioned at the bottom of the chassis, a drive train with a left wheel motor to control the left wheel and a right wheel motor to control the right wheel, and a control system to control the left wheel motor and the right wheel motor to implement self-balancing propulsion of the transporter. The improvement is the utilization of a left primary pulley in a left pulley arm assembly forming a first belt assembly to traverse an obstacle and the utilization of a right primary pulley in a right pulley arm assembly forming a second belt assembly to traverse the obstacle.

Claims

1. A transporter has a chassis, a left wheel positioned at the bottom of the chassis, a right wheel positioned at the bottom of the chassis, a drive train with a left wheel motor to control the left wheel and a right wheel motor to control the right wheel, and a control system to control the left wheel motor and the right wheel motor to implement self-balancing propulsion of the transporter, the improvement comprising:

a left pulley arm with a first left pulley arm end and a second left pulley arm end, the first left pulley arm end supports a first rotating pulley and the second left pulley arm end supports a left primary pulley;

a first belt is attached to the first rotating pulley and the left primary pulley to form a first belt assembly;

a left pulley motor controls the orientation of the left pulley arm;

a left pulley control system controls the left pulley motor to coordinate the orientation of the left pulley arm to facilitate utilization of the first belt assembly to traverse an obstacle;

a right pulley arm with a first right pulley arm end and a second right pulley arm end, the first right pulley arm end supports a second rotating pulley and the second right pulley arm end supports a right primary pulley;

a second belt is attached to the second rotating pulley and the right primary pulley to form a second belt assembly;

a right pulley motor controls the orientation of the right pulley arm; and

a right pulley control system controls the right pulley motor to coordinate the orientation of the right pulley arm to facilitate utilization of the second belt assembly to traverse the obstacle.

2. The transporter of claim 1 wherein the left primary pulley is the left wheel and the right primary pulley is the right wheel.

3. The transporter of claim 1 wherein the first rotating pulley and the second rotating pulley freely rotate.

4. The transporter of claim 1 wherein the first rotating pulley and the second rotating pulley are each motor driven.

5. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a camera positioned on the chassis.

6. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a sonar sensor positioned on the chassis.

7. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a laser positioned on the chassis.

8. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a pulley arm torque sensor.

9. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a pulley arm position sensor.

10. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a drive wheel torque sensor.

11. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a drive wheel speed sensor.

12. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising an inertial measurement unit.

13. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a three-axis acceleration sensor.

14. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a three-axis gyroscope.

15. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a three-axis magnetometer.

16. The transporter of claim 1 configured for remote control.

17. The transporter of claim 1 configured for telepresence control.

18. The transporter of claim 1 configured for programmed control along a pre-determined path.

19. The transporter of claim 1 configured for dynamic autonomous operation responsive to the obstacle.

20. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising batteries within the chassis.

21. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a left pulley arm counterbalance weight and a right pulley arm counterbalance weight to facilitate increased dynamic stability of the transporter during self-balancing propulsion.