Multi-environment flexible vehicle
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsGiulio Ricotti, Alessandro Nicolosi, Juri Giovannone, Francesco D'Angelo, Stefano Corona
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The current technique provides an unmanned vehicle that is capable of travelling in the air, on the ground and/or in the water. The driving force of the unmanned vehicle is provided by at least one propelling module that includes a motor, a shaft and a propeller. The propelling module is coupled to a chassis. The chassis includes one or more support elements that each couples to one or more aileron member. An aileron member is configured to tilt with or about the support element to change fluid flux about the aileron member and thus change a position of the propelling force.
Claims20
An unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis;
- a propelling module coupled to the chassis;
- at least one moveable member coupled to the chassis through a support element and a flexible coupling element, the at least one moveable member being moveable to change a position of the propelling module relative to a movement path of the unmanned vehicle;
- at least two wheels coupled to the chassis, each of the at least two wheels configured to freely rotate with respect to the chassis;
- and
- a controller that, when in operation, controls a movement of the at least one moveable member.
An unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis;
- a propelling module rigidly coupled to the chassis in a fixed relationship, the propelling module including a motor, a shaft and a propeller;
- at least two aileron members coupled to the chassis through a support member and a flexible coupling element, each aileron member being configured to change air flux thereabout through tilting;
- a rotatable connecting member between the chassis and the aileron members that permit the entire chassis to rotate when the air flux changes as the ailerons tilt;
- and
- a controller that in operation controls the tilting of the aileron member.
A method of operating an unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- detecting, by a sensor, an operation environment of the unmanned vehicle travelling in a first path, the unmanned vehicle including a propelling module and multiple aileron members coupled to the propelling module through a support member and a flexible coupling member;
- selecting an operation state of the unmanned vehicle based on the detected operation environment;
- and
- tilting one or more of the multiple aileron members to change a position of the propelling module relative to the first path based on the selected operation state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.