Cog-augmented wheel for obstacle negotiation

• US 4,919,489 A
• Filed: 04/20/1988
• Issued: 04/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Kopsco, M. Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hill, Mitchell J.
• Application Number:
  US07/183,953
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 180/8.2, 180/8.7, 180/9.1, 180/9, 180/7.1, 180/10, 180/65.6, 280/5.2, 280/5.22, 280/5.26, 280/5.28, 305/5, 305/6, 305/7, 305/1, 305/11, 301/1, 301/5 R, 301/7, 301/41 R, 301/44 R, 301/44 T, 301/47, 301/48, 301/95, 152/418, 152/416, 152/331.1, 152/155, 152/157, 152/158, 152/519
• US Class Current: 301/44.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/04 expansible
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/302 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/318 by adhesive bonding, e.g. glueing
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 9/22 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/48 Stair-climbing vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10405 Sponge rubber

Abstract

A vehicle for overcoming obstacles includes a wheel having an elastomeric flexible annulus upon which the wheel normally rides. Parallel spaced sprockets receive the annulus and include individual cogs which extend less radially outwardly than the annulus. When an obstacle is encountered, the flexible annulus yields, thereby enabling a protruding cog to engage the obstacle and pivot around it thereby lifting the vehicle over the obstacle.

Claims

1. A wheel adapted for overcoming obstacles and comprising:

a hub;

a foam annulus means circumferentially mounted to the hub for normally rolling over a contacted surface and yielding in areas encountered by obstacles; and

cog means coaxially located on both sides of the annulus means and normally extending less radially outwardly than the annulus means for engaging the obstacle and rolling the wheel thereover.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the cog means comprises first and second axially spaced, parallel sprocket means connected to the hub for receiving the annulus therebetween.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 together with a selectively inflatable tube located radially inwardly of the annulus means.