Decoupled synchro-drive robot base

• US 7,634,327 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanool Robotics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hanool Robotics Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Byung Soo, Jung, Ui-Jung, Choi, Goon Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMPLE, JONATHAN L
• Application Number:
  US10/559,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 180/12, 180/23, 180/252, 180/6.48
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/102 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears gearings in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/02 vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/026 characterised by comprising more than one bogie, e.g. situated in more than one plane transversal to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a synchro-drive mobile robot base which allows a robot to accomplish a 360° endless rotation through a triple shaft mechanism, while a turret, a steering unit and a drive unit are decoupled from each other. The mobile robot base includes the turret (34) having thereon a turret motor (33), a drive motor (29) and a steering motor (19); the steering unit (10) which has a differential gear unit and transmits an actuating force generated from the steering motor (29) to a wheel case (41); a drive unit (20) which has a differential gear unit and transmits an actuating force generated from the drive motor (29) to the wheel (42); and a turret rotating unit (30) which transmits an actuating force generated from the turret motor (33) to the turret (34). A part of the differential gear unit of the drive unit (20) is coupled to the steering unit (10), while a part of the differential gear unit of the steering unit (10) is coupled to the turret rotating unit (30), so that the drive motor (29), the steering motor (19) and the turret motor (33) are decoupled from each other.

Claims

1. A decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base, comprising:

a turret having thereon a turret motor to actuate the turret, a drive motor to actuate a wheel, and a steering motor to control a direction of movement of the wheel;

a steering unit comprising a differential gear unit and transmitting an actuating force generated from the steering motor to a wheel case of a wheel unit;

a drive unit comprising another differential gear unit and transmitting an actuating force generated from the drive motor to the wheel of the wheel unit; and

a turret rotating unit to transmit an actuating force generated from the turret motor to the turret, wherein a part of the differential gear unit of the drive unit is coupled to the steering unit, while a part of the differential gear unit of the steering unit is coupled to the turret rotating unit, so that the drive motor, the steering motor and the turret motor are decoupled from each other,

wherein the wheel unit comprises an actuating bevel gear coupled to the drive unit and supported by a bearing on a rotating wheel shaft having wheels on both ends thereof, and an actuating differential gear unit integrally operated in conjunction with the actuating bevel gear;

with both the actuating bevel gear and the actuating differential gear unit being provided in the wheel case, the rotating wheel shaft passing through the wheel case, and a steering gear of the steering unit being integrated with the wheel case.

2. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to claim 1, wherein the steering unit comprises a first steering gear coupled to an output shaft of the steering motor;

a second steering gear to engage with the first steering gear;

a first differential gear unit coupled to a rotating shaft of the second steering gear;

a third steering gear provided on a first gear box of the first differential gear unit;

a turret connection gear coupled to the first differential gear unit;

a fourth steering gear to engage with the third steering gear;

a fifth steering gear provided on a rotating shaft of the fourth steering gear; and

a sixth steering gear provided on an outer surface of the wheel case to engage with the fifth steering gear.

3. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to claim 2, wherein the first differential gear unit comprises a steering input gear coupled to the rotating shaft of the second steering gear;

a steering output gear supported on the first gear box by a bearing while engaging with the steering input gear; and

a turret output gear provided on a rotating shaft of the turret connection gear while engaging with the steering output gear.

4. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises a first drive gear coupled to an output shaft of the drive motor;

a second drive gear to engage with the first drive gear;

a second differential gear unit coupled to a rotating shaft of the second drive gear;

a third drive gear provided on a second gear box of the second differential gear unit;

a steering connection gear coupled to the second differential gear unit while engaging with a fourth steering gear;

a fourth drive gear to engage with the third drive gear;

a fifth drive gear provided on a rotating shaft of the fourth drive gear; and

a sixth drive gear provided on an outer surface of the wheel unit to engage with the fifth drive gear.

5. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to claim 4, wherein the second differential gear unit comprises a drive input gear coupled to the rotating shaft of the second drive gear;

a drive output gear supported on the second gear box by a bearing while engaging with the drive input gear; and

a steering output gear provided on a rotating shaft of the steering connection gear while engaging with the drive output gear.

6. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to claim 1, wherein the turret rotating unit comprises a first turret gear provided on an output shaft of the turret motor;

and a second turret gear provided on a central portion of an upper base plate while engaging with both the first turret gear and the turret connection gear.

7. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a gear ratio between the fifth steering gear and the sixth steering gear is equal to that of the fifth drive gear and the sixth drive gear.

8. The decoupled synchro-drive mobile robot base according to any one of claims 2, 4 and 6, wherein, on the supposition that the number of teeth of the first turret gear/the number of teeth of the turret connection gear is designated as n₁, the number of teeth of the third steering gear/the number of teeth of fourth the steering gear is designated as n₂, the number of teeth of the fourth steering gear/the number of teeth of the steering connection gear is designated as n₃, and the number of teeth of the third drive gear/the number of teeth of the fourth drive gear is designated as n₄, each gear ratio is set as n₁n₂=2, and n₃n₄=2, so that the drive motor, the steering motor and the turret motor are decoupled from each other.