System and method for traversing vertical obstacles
AssigneeStarship Technologies Oü
InventorsIvo Liivik, Märt Liivik, Tiit Liivik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a mobile robot adapted to traverse vertical obstacles. The robot comprises a frame and at least one wheel positioned in a front section of the robot, at least one middle wheel positioned in a middle section of the robot, at least one back wheel positioned in a back section of the robot, and at least one further wheel in the front, middle or back of the robot. The robot also comprises at least one motor-driven device for exerting a downward and/or upward force on the middle wheel and at least two motors for driving the wheels and the motor-driven device. Also disclosed is a method of climbing using a mobile robot as disclosed.
Claims25
A mobile robot adapted to traverse at least vertical obstacles, the robot comprising a frame structure having a front end and a back end, and further having a front section, a middle section and a back section, the robot further comprising:
- (a) at least one front wheel positioned in the front section of the robot and extending beyond it in the front, at least one back wheel positioned in the back section of the robot, and at least one middle wheel positioned in the middle section of the robot;
- (b) at least one further wheel positioned either in the front section, middle section and/or back section of the structure;
- (c) a motor-driven device constructed and adapted to exert a downward and/or upward force with respect to the ground, selectively on the at least one middle wheel;
- and
- (d) at least two motors, each of which being adapted to drive the wheels and/or the motor-driven device,
- wherein the wheels have the same radius and wherein a maximum distance d between the at least one front wheel and the at least one middle wheel or between the at least one middle wheel and the at least one back wheel measured from a rear-most facing point of the at least one middle wheel is defined by
- d=(6r2−3h·r)/2(h−r),
- where d is the said maximum distance, r is a radius of the wheels and h is a maximum traversable height of the obstacle.
A climbing method of a mobile robot, said method comprising:
- (a) approaching a vertical obstacle with said mobile robot, said robot comprising:
- (i) a frame structure having a front end and a back end, (ii) at least one front wheel positioned in proximity of the front end of the structure, (iii) at least one back wheel positioned in proximity of the back end of the structure, (iv) at least one middle wheel positioned in between the at least one front wheel and the at least one back wheel, and (v) at least one further wheel either in a front, middle and/or back position;
- wherein the at least one front wheel, the at least one back wheel and the at least one middle wheel are arranged on the frame structure such that the robot is supported by said wheels during normal travel along a surface;
- the robot further comprising (vi) at least two motors adapted to drive the wheels, and (vii) a motor-driven device for exerting a downward force with respect to the ground, selectively on at least the at least one middle wheel;
- (b) sensing the vertical obstacle with one or more sensing devices disposed on the robot;
- (c) actuating the one or more front wheels with one or more motors to permit the one or more front wheels to start climbing the vertical obstacle;
- (d) actuating the one or more middle and/or back wheels with one or more motors to provide a forward momentum of the robot and thereby increase friction between the one or more front wheels and the vertical obstacle;
- (e) exerting a downward force on the one or more middle wheels with the motor-driven device so as to provide a counteracting vertical force on the one or more front wheels and increase traction of the middle wheels, thereby facilitating the climbing of the front wheels;
- (f) ceasing applying the downward force on the one or more middle wheels after the front wheels have reached the top of the obstacle;
- and
- (g) completing climbing of the obstacle through the forward momentum of the robot generated by actuating the middle and/or back wheels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.