# US 11,077,558 B2 · Unmanned ground vehicle with compact manipulator stowing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,558 B2 - Document ID: US11077558B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/323,417 - Filed: 2017-08-07 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-05 - Assignees: FLIR Detection, Inc. - Applicants: Flir Detection, Inc. - Inventors: Timothy R. Ohm; Annan Michael Mozeika; Richard Therrien; James Lindsay - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077558B2 ## CPC - B25J 11/002: {Manipulators for defensive or military tasks} - B25J 5/005: {mounted on endless tracks or belts} - B25J 13/006: {by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators} - B25J 15/0028: {with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces} - B25J 19/02: Sensing devices - B25J 19/023: {including video camera means} - G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)} - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract Unmanned ground vehicles configured for compact manipulator stowing are disclosed. In some examples, an unmanned ground vehicle includes a main body and a drive system supported by the main body. The drive system includes right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body. A manipulator arm is pivotally coupled to the main body and configured to extend from a stowed position to an extended position, and the manipulator arm in the stowed position is contained entirely within a geometric volume of the right and left driven track assemblies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An unmanned ground vehicle comprising: a main body; a drive system supported by the main body, the drive system comprising right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body; and a manipulator arm pivotally coupled to the main body and configured to extend from a stowed position to an extended position, wherein the manipulator arm in the stowed position is contained entirely within a geometric volume of the right and left driven track assemblies; wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first section pivotally coupled to the main body at a pivot end and a second section pivotally coupled to the first section at an end opposite the pivot end; wherein the manipulator arm comprises a sensor suite mounted on a bridge between the first section and the second section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a gripper coupled to the second section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising control electronics housed within one of the right and left driven track assemblies. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 3, wherein the control electronics comprises a robot controllerconfigured to control the drive system and the manipulator arm by supplying control signals to one or more drive system motors and one or more manipulator motors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 3, wherein the control electronics are housed within a sideplate of one of the right and left driven track assemblies, resulting in an open chassis tub spanning the right and left driven track assemblies, and wherein the manipulator arm is configured to fold, by pivoting first and second sections of the manipulator arm, into the open chassis tub. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 5, wherein the sideplate is formed of molded plastic, and wherein the sideplate includes one or more machined aluminum heatsinks bonded to the sideplate to dissipate heat from the control electronics. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising a radio antenna coupled to the main body next to a sideplate of one of the right and left driven track assemblies. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising right and left flippers extending beyond a front end of the main body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 8, wherein each of the right and left flippers pivots about a drive axis of drive system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of the right and left flippers comprises a driven flipper track trained about a flipper drive wheel which is driven about the drive axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, comprising a communication system configured to communicate with a remote operator control unit to receive commands to extend or stow the manipulator arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein in the stowed position the manipulator arm is contained entirely within a geometric envelope of the main body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sensor suit comprises a camera. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The unmanned ground vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sensor suit comprises at least one of an ultrasound sensor and a radar. ### Claim 15 A method for controlling an unmanned ground vehicle, the method comprising: controlling, by a robot controller, a manipulator arm of the unmanned ground vehicle to stow the manipulator arm in a stowed position entirely within a geometric volume of right and left driven track assemblies of the unmanned ground vehicle; controlling, by the robot controller, the manipulator arm to extend from the stowed position to as extended position outside of the geometric volume of the right and left drive track assemblies; and controlling, by the robot controller, the unmanned ground vehicle to interact with an object using the manipulator arm; wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first section pivotally coupled to the main body at a pivot end and a second section pivotally coupled to the first section at an end opposite the pivot end; wherein the manipulator arm comprises a sensor suite mounted on a bridge between the first section and the second section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein in the stowed position the manipulator arm is contained entirely within a geometric envelope of the main body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a gripper coupled to the second section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the unmanned ground vehicle comprises control electronics housed within one of the right and left driven track assemblies; wherein the control electronics comprises a robot controller configured to control the drive system and the manipulator arm by supplying control signals to one or more drive system motors and one or more manipulator motors; wherein the control electronics are housed within a sideplate of one of the right and left driven track assemblies, resulting in an open chassis tub spanning the right and left driven track assemblies, and wherein the manipulator arm is configured to fold, by pivoting first and second sections of the manipulator arm, into the open chassis tub. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the sideplate is formed of molded plastic, and wherein the sideplate includes one or more machined aluminum heatsinks bonded to the sideplate to dissipate heat from the control electronics. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the unmanned ground vehicle comprises a radio antenna coupled to the main body next to a sideplate of one of the right and left driven track assemblies.