Automatic walking for a load transporting apparatus
AssigneeEntro Industries, Inc.
InventorBrian Unger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system retracts lifting devices to a stored reset height during a reset operation to raise support feet off of a base surface. The control device raises a load to a stored moving height above the base surface during a moving operation. The control system automatically repeats the reset and moving operations using the stored reset and stored moving heights. The control device may receive an adjustment signal identifying anew height of the support feet or load bearing frame above the base surface and uses the new height during subsequent reset or moving operations. The control device may default to a minimum reset height or a minimum moving height when the new height would cause the support feet or load bearing frame to drag on the base surface.
Claims12
A control system for controlling a walking apparatus to move a load in a commanded travel direction, the control system comprising:
- a computer configured to:
- store a reset height;
- store a moving height;
- perform reset operations that move support feet of the walking apparatus vertically and away from a base surface to the stored reset height and move the support feet horizontally while raised above the base surface;
- perform moving operations that move the load vertically and away from the base surface to the stored moving height and move the load horizontally in the commanded travel direction while raised above the base surface;
- and
- repeat the reset operations at the stored reset height and repeat the moving operations at the stored moving height.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a memory storing a computer program for controlling stepping operations for a walking apparatus to move a load bearing frame in a commanded travel direction, the computer program comprising a set of instructions operable to:
- perform reset operations that move support feet of the walking apparatus vertically and away from a base surface and move the support feet horizontally while raised above the base surface;
- perform moving operations that lower the support feet to move the load bearing frame vertically away from the base surface, and move the load bearing frame horizontally in the commanded travel direction while raised above the base surface;
- repeat the reset operations and the moving operations in response to receiving a walking signal from a remote control device;
- stop the reset and moving operations, raise the support feet, and lower the load bearing frame back onto the base surface when the walking signal is no longer received;
- adjust the walking apparatus to steer the load bearing frame in a different direction based on a steering signal received from the remote control device;
- and
- restart and repeat the reset operations and the moving operations in response to receiving the walking signal from the remote control device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.