# US 10,245,945 B2 · Driving device and wheeled robot having the same

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- Number: US 10,245,945 B2
- Document ID: US10245945B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/644,808
- Filed: 2017-07-09
- Published: 2018-11-22
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-19
- Assignees: Ubtech Robotics Corp Ltd
- Applicants: UBTECH Robotics Corp.
- Inventors: Youjun Xiong; Libing Zhou; Youpeng Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245945B2

## CPC

- B60K 17/24: Arrangement of mountings for shafting
- B60B 19/003: {Multidirectional wheels}
- B62D 61/06: with only three wheels
- B60Y 2200/40: Special vehicles
- B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles
- B60Y 2304/07: Facilitating assembling or mounting
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

A driving device of a robot includes at least one driving assembly and a fixing assembly that are arranged outside a base of the robot. The at least one driving assembly includes a motor, an omnidirectional wheel, a connection shaft used to connect an output shaft of the motor to the omnidirectional wheel, and a connection assembly used to connect the connection shaft to the motor and the omnidirectional wheel. The motor, the connection shaft and the omnidirectional wheel are arranged along a radial direction of the base, and the fixing assembly is used to fix the motor to the base of the robot.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A driving device of a robot comprising at least one driving assembly and a fixing assembly that are arranged outside a base of the robot, wherein the at least one driving assembly comprises a motor, an omnidirectional wheel, a connection shaft configured to connect an output shaft of the motor to the omnidirectional wheel, and a connection assembly configured to connect the connection shaft to the motor and the omnidirectional wheel, the motor, the connection shaft and the omnidirectional wheel are arranged along a radial direction of the base, and the fixing assembly is configured to fix the motor to the base of the robot, wherein a lateral surface of the output shaft of the motor comprises a first external planar surface that defines a positioning hole, a hub of the omnidirectional wheel defines a mounting hole having an inner side surface that comprises a first inner planar surface, the connection shaft comprises a first end and a second end, the first end defines a receiving hole that allows the output shaft to be inserted thereinto and has an inner surface comprising a second inner planar surface, the second inner planar surface comprises a protrusion matching the positioning hole, and the second end has a lateral surface comprising a second external planar surface matching the first inner planar surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The driving device structure of claim 1, wherein the first external planar surface defines a first limiting hole, the omnidirectional wheel comprises a side plate defining a through hole, the connection shaft defines in a lateral surface thereof a second limiting hole and a first threaded hole intersecting with the receiving hole, an end surface of the second end defines a second threaded hole, the connection assembly comprises a pin, a first screw and a second screw, the pin is inserted in to the first limiting hole and the second limiting hole, the first screw is engaged with the first threaded hole, and the second screw passes through the through hole and is engaged with the second threaded hole.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The driving device of claim 1, wherein the at least one driving assembly comprises a bearing device fixed to the base of the robot and providing a support to the output shaft of the motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The driving device of claim 3, wherein the bearing device comprises an inner case, an outer case and a bearing arranged between the inner case and the outer case, the inner case is fixed to the motor, the bearing defines a bearing hole that allows an end of output shaft to pass therethrough, and the outer case is fixed to base of the robot.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The driving device of claim 4, wherein the base of the robot defines in a lower surface a motor receiving space for receiving the motor, a bearing receiving space for receiving the bearing device and a wheel receiving space for receiving the omnidirectional wheel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The driving device of claim 5, wherein the fixing assembly comprises a first lock member, a second lock member and a plurality of screws, the first lock member is received in the motor receiving space and defines a plurality of threaded holes, the second lock member defines a plurality of through holes corresponding to the threaded holes of the first lock member, the screws respectively pass through the through holes of the second lock member and are engaged with the threaded holes of the first lock member, and the first lock member and the second lock member corporately define a through hole for bolding the motor in position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The driving device of claim 6, wherein the fixing assembly further comprises a soft ring that is arranged around a lateral surface of the motor and received in the through hole defined by the first lock member and the second lock member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The driving device of claim 5 further comprising a protecting structure, wherein the protecting structures comprises a cover connected to the lower surface of the base of the robot, and the cover and the lower surface define corporately an accommodating space for receiving the motor and the bearing device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The driving device of claim 1, wherein a number of the at least one driving assembly is three and are evenly arranged at the base of the robot.

### Claim 10

A wheeled robot comprising a base and a driving device comprising at least one driving assembly and a fixing assembly that are arranged outside the base, wherein the at least one driving assembly comprises a motor, an omnidirectional wheel, a connection shaft configured to connect an output shat of the motor to the omnidirectional wheel, and a connection assembly configured to connect the connection shat to the motor and the omnidirectional wheel, the motor, the connection shaft and the omnidirectional wheel are arranged along a radial direction of the base, and the fixing assembly is configured to fix the motor to the base, wherein a lateral surface of the output shaft of the motor comprises a first external planar surface that defines a positioning hole, a hub of the omnidirectional wheel defines a mounting hole having an inner side surface that comprises a first inner planar surface, the connection shaft comprises a first end and a second end, the first end defines a receiving hole that allows the output shaft to be inserted thereinto and has an inner surface comprising a second inner planar surface, the second inner planar surface comprises a protrusion matching the positioning hole, and the second end has a lateral surface comprising a second external planar surface matching the first inner planar surface.

### Claim 11

A driving device of a robot comprising at least one driving assembly and a fixing assembly that are arranged outside a base of the robot, wherein the at least one driving assembly comprises a motor, an omnidirectional wheel, a connection shaft configured to connect an output shaft of the motor to the omnidirectional wheel, and a connection assembly configured to connect the connection shaft to the motor and the omnidirectional wheel, the motor, the connection shaft and the omnidirectional wheel are arranged along a radial direction of the base, and the fixing assembly is configured to fix the motor to the base of the robot, wherein the at least one driving assembly further comprises a bearing device fixed to the base of the robot, the bearing device comprises a bearing hole configured to receive and support the connection shaft and the output shaft, the bearing hole has a radial inner surface arranged to surround a periphery of the connection shaft.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The driving device of claim 11, wherein a lateral surface of the output shaft of the motor comprises a first external planar surface that defines a positioning hole, a hub of the omnidirectional wheel defines a mounting hole having an inner side surface that comprises a first inner planar surface, the connection shaft comprises a first end and a second end, the first end defines a receiving hole that allows the output shaft to be inserted thereinto and has an inner surface comprising a second inner planar surface, the second inner planar surface comprises a protrusion matching the positioning hole, and the second end has a lateral surface comprising a second external planar surface matching the first inner planar surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The driving device structure of claim 12, wherein the first external planar surface defines a first limiting hole, the omnidirectional wheel comprises a side plate defining a through hole, the connection shaft defines in a lateral surface thereof a second limiting hole and a first threaded hole intersecting with the receiving hole, an end surface of the second end defines a second threaded hole, the connection assembly comprises a pin, a first screw and a second screw, the pin is inserted in to the first limiting hole and the second limiting hole, the first screw is engaged with the first threaded hole, and the second screw passes through the through hole and is engaged with the second threaded hole.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The driving device of claim 11, wherein the bearing device comprises an inner case, an outer case and a bearing arranged between the inner case and the outer case, the inner case is fixed to the motor, the bearing hole is arranged in the bearing, and the outer case is fixed to base of the robot.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The driving device of claim 14, wherein the base of the robot defines in a lower surface a motor receiving space for receiving the motor, a bearing receiving space for receiving the bearing device and a wheel receiving space for receiving the omnidirectional wheel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The driving device of claim 15, wherein the fixing assembly comprises a first lock member, a second lock member and a plurality of screws, the first lock member is received in the motor receiving space and defines a plurality of threaded holes, the second lock member defines a plurality of through holes corresponding to the threaded holes of the first lock member, the screws respectively pass through the through holes of the second lock member and are engaged with the threaded holes of the first lock member, and the first lock member and the second lock member corporately define a through hole for holding the motor in position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The driving device of claim 16, wherein the fixing assembly further comprises a soft ring that is arranged around a lateral surface of the motor and received in the through hole defined by the first lock member and the second lock member.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The driving device of claim 15 further comprising a protecting structure, wherein the protecting structurer comprises a cover connected to the lower surface of the base of the robot, and the cover and the lower surface define corporately an accommodating space for receiving the motor and the bearing device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The driving device of claim 11, wherein a number of the at least one driving assembly is three and are evenly arranged at the base of the robot.