Traveling robot

• US 7,721,829 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jeong-hun, Oh, Yeon-taek, Kim, Yong-jae, Lee, Youn-baek, Yang, Soo-sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris; Lesley
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, TASHIANA R
• Application Number:
  US11/601,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20070119635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.5, 180/6.48, 180/6.28, 280/124.125, 280/124.179
• US Class Current: 180/6.48
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/12 with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels for manoeuvring purposes only B60S

Abstract

A traveling robot includes a main body frame having a front wheel supported in a front portion thereof in a traveling direction, a first traveling part having a first driving wheel to drive in the traveling direction, a first rear wheel disposed in a rear side of the first driving wheel, and a first wheel frame to support the first driving wheel and the first rear wheel, a second traveling part having a second driving wheel to drive in the traveling direction independently from the first driving wheel, a second rear wheel disposed in a rear side of the second driving wheel, and a second wheel frame to support the second driving wheel and the second rear wheel, a first interlocking hinge part to rotatably support the first wheel frame to the main body frame to have a hinge axis of a perpendicular direction with respect to the traveling direction, and a second interlocking hinge part to rotatably support the second wheel frame to the main body frame independently from the first interlocking hinge part to have a hinge axis of the same direction as the first interlocking hinge part.

Claims

1. A traveling robot comprising:

a main body frame having a front wheel supported in a front portion thereof in a traveling direction;

a first traveling part having a first driving wheel to drive the main body frame wheel driving in the traveling direction, a first rear wheel disposed in a rear side of the first driving wheel, and a first wheel frame to interlockably support the first driving wheel and the first rear wheel;

a second traveling part having a second driving wheel to drive the main body frame in the traveling direction independently from the first driving wheel, a second rear wheel disposed in a rear side of the second driving wheel, and a second wheel frame to interlockably support the second driving wheel and the second rear wheel;

a first interlocking hinge having a hinge axis of a perpendicular direction with respect to the traveling direction, to support the first wheel frame such that the first wheel frame rotates with respect to the main body frame or the main body frame rotates with respect to the first wheel frame; and

a second interlocking hinge part having a hinge axis of the same direction as the first interlocking hinge part, to support the second wheel frame such that the second wheel frame rotates with respect to the main body frame or the main body frame rotates with respect to the second wheel frame independently from the first interlocking hinge part.

2. The traveling robot according to claim 1, wherein the first interlocking hinge part and the second interlocking hinge part are disposed to the main body frame through the first and second hinge axes respectively, and the first and second axes are disposed on a same line.

3. The traveling robot according to claim 2, wherein the first traveling part and the second traveling part are symmetrical with respect to the traveling direction.

4. The traveling robot according to claim 3, wherein the first wheel frame and the second wheel frame comprise:

main frames to respectively support the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, sub frames to respectively support the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel, and linking members to respectively link the main frames with the sub frames.

5. The traveling robot according to claim 4, wherein the main frames comprise driving shaft parts to respectively support the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, frame bodies respectively extending upward and backward in the traveling direction from the driving shaft parts, and coupling parts respectively coupled with the linking members.

6. The traveling robot according to claim 3, wherein the first interlocking hinge part and the second interlocking hinge part are disposed within a predetermined distance from a weight center of the traveling robot in the traveling direction.

7. The traveling robot according to claim 6, wherein the first wheel frame and the second wheel frame comprise:

main frames to respectively support the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, sub frames to respectively support the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel, and linking members to respectively link the main frames with the sub frames.

8. The traveling robot according to claim 7, wherein the main frames comprise driving shaft parts to respectively support the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, frame bodies respectively extending upward and backward in the traveling direction from the driving shaft parts, and coupling parts respectively coupled with the linking members.

9. The traveling robot according to claim 6, wherein the first interlocking hinge part and the second interlocking hinge part are disposed backward in the traveling direction from the weight center of the traveling robot.

10. The traveling robot according to claim 9, wherein the first wheel frame and the second wheel frame comprise:

main frames to respectively support the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, sub frames to respectively support the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel, and linking members to respectively link the main frames with the sub frames.

11. The traveling robot according to claim 10, wherein the main frames comprise driving shaft parts to respectively support the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, frame bodies respectively extending upward and backward in the traveling direction from the driving shaft parts, and coupling parts respectively coupled with the linking members.

12. A traveling robot comprising:

a main body frame having a front wheel supported in a front portion thereof in a traveling direction;

a plurality of traveling parts each of which comprises a driving wheel, a rear wheel disposed in a rear side of the driving wheel, and a wheel frame to connect and support the driving wheel and the rear wheel, and which are driven independently from each other;

an interlocking hinge part to support the wheel frames of the respective traveling parts such that the wheel frames of the respective traveling parts rotates with respect to the main body frame or the main body frame rotates with respect to the wheel frames of the respective traveling parts, and

a suspension part provided between the main body frame and the wheel frame to allow the driving wheel to be elastically biased toward a traveling surface.

13. The traveling robot according to claim 12, wherein:

the wheel frame comprises a main frame to support the driving wheel, a sub frame to support the rear wheel, and a linking member to link the main frame with the sub frame;

the interlocking hinge part is provided between opposite end parts of the main frame; and

the suspension part is coupled to the main frame such that the driving wheel is disposed between the interlocking hinge part and the suspension part.

14. The traveling robot according to claim 13, wherein the main body frame comprises a bracket cover, and the suspension part comprises:

an upper holder supported by the bracket cover provided in the main body frame;

a lower holder rotatably supported by the main frame;

an elastic member interposed between the upper and lower holders; and

a guide shaft provided between the upper and lower holders along a stretching direction of the elastic member to prevent the elastic member from being bent.

15. The traveling robot according to claim 14, wherein the bracket cover protrudes from the main body frame and is spaced apart from the lower holder at a predetermined distance.

16. The traveling robot according to claim 14, wherein the main body frame comprises a wheel cover, and the bracket cover is provided in the wheel cover detachably coupled to the main body frame.