Mobile mechanism, member for mobile mechanism and control method for mobile mechanism

• US 8,271,157 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaguchi, Hiroaki
• Original Assignee: Yamaguchi, Hiroaki
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Application Number:
  US11/421,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20060269387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 700/245, 414/729, 744/90
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/045 the cleaning devices being rotated while moved , e.g. flexible rotating shaft or "snake"B08B9/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/065 Snake robots
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1625 Truss-manipulator for snake-like motion
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/00 Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40234 Snake arm, flexi-digit robotic manipulator, a hand at each end

Abstract

A steering mechanism is provided on an equilateral triangular base of a mobile mechanism, and three joints are attached to the base at the three vertexes thereof. Links are attached to the three joints respectively. On each link is provided a steering mechanism. The equilateral triangular base of the mobile mechanism is moved or rotated by periodically driving the three joints while steering the four steering mechanisms.

Claims

1. A mobile mechanism comprising:

a base;

first wheels configured to support said base and being passively rotatable, wherein turning directions of said first wheels are operable by a first driving mechanism;

a plurality of joints attached to said base;

a plurality of members, each of which is attached to a corresponding joint of said plurality of joints, rotatably around said corresponding joint;

a second driving mechanism which rotates said plurality of members around said plurality of joints, respectively;

second wheels, each of which is attached to a corresponding member of said plurality of members and passively rotatable, wherein turning directions of said second wheels are operable by a third driving mechanism so that each of said plurality of members is operable; and

a controller configured to effect a translational movement of said base for performing a feedback control by controlling of steerage of directions of said plurality of members in which each of said plurality of members is rotated around the corresponding joint of said plurality of joints by driving said second driving mechanism, steerage of a turning direction of each of said first wheels by driving said first driving mechanism, and/or steerage of a turning direction of each of said second wheels by driving the third driving mechanism,

wherein the feedback control in said controller, on a basis of a definition in which an x-axis and a y-axis are perpendicular to each other on a surface on which the mobile mechanism moves, includes controls of the driving of the first, second and third driving mechanisms so that;

a ratio of a velocity in the x-axis direction to a velocity in the y-axis direction of a portion to which each of said first wheels is attached corresponds to a ratio of a cosine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of said base with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of said first wheels with regard to the orientation of said base to a sine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of said base with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of said first wheels with regard to the orientation of said base, and

for each of said plurality of members, a ratio of a velocity in the x-axis direction to a velocity in the y-axis direction of a portion to which each of the corresponding second wheels is attached, corresponds to a ratio of a cosine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of the member with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of the corresponding second wheels with regard to the orientation of said base to a sine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of the member with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of the corresponding second wheels with regard to the orientation of the member.

2. A control method of controlling a mobile mechanism, said mobile mechanism comprising:

a base;

first wheels configured to support said base and being passively rotatable, wherein turning directions of said first wheels are operable by a first driving mechanism;

a plurality of joints attached to said base;

a plurality of members, each of which is attached to a corresponding joint of said plurality of joints rotatably around said corresponding joint;

a second driving mechanism which rotates said plurality of members around said plurality of joints, respectively; and

second wheels, each of which is attached to a corresponding member of said plurality of members and passively rotatable, wherein turning directions of said second wheels are operable by a third driving mechanism so that each of said plurality of members is operable,

wherein on a basis of a definition in which an x-axis and a y-axis are perpendicular to each other on a surface on which the mobile mechanism moves, said method comprises;

controlling steerage of directions of said plurality of members in which each of said plurality of members is rotated around the corresponding joint of said plurality of joints by driving said second driving mechanism, steerage of a turning direction of said first wheels by driving said first driving mechanism, and/or steerage of a turning direction of each of said second wheels by driving the third driving mechanism so as to effect a translational movement of said base, so that;

a ratio of a velocity in the x-axis direction to a velocity in the y-axis direction of a portion to which each of said first wheels is attached corresponds to a ratio of a cosine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of said base with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of said first wheels with regard to the orientation of said base to a sine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of said base with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of said first wheels with regard to the orientation of said base, and

for each of said plurality of members, a ratio of a velocity in the x-axis direction to a velocity in the y-axis direction of a portion to which the corresponding second wheels is attached, corresponds to a ratio of a cosine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of the member with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of the corresponding second wheels with regard to the orientation of said base to a sine value of a sum of an angle of an orientation of the member with regard to the x-axis and an angle of a turning direction of each of the corresponding second wheels with regard to the orientation of the member.