Omni-wheel brake devices and methods for braking an omni-wheel
AssigneeToyota Motor North America, Inc.
InventorDouglas A. Moore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An omni-wheel may include a shaft, a plurality of rollers, and a braking device. The plurality of rollers may be circumferentially arranged about the shaft and arranged radially outward from the shaft. The braking device may include a fluid-filled bladder and a plurality of braking pads. The fluid-filled bladder may be circumferentially arranged about the shaft. The plurality of braking pads may be arranged between the fluid-filled bladder and the plurality of rollers. The fluid-filled bladder may expand radially outward when pressurized, displacing the plurality of braking pads radially outward to contact the plurality of rollers, preventing rotation of the rollers.
Claims15
An omni-wheel, comprising:
- a shaft;
- a plurality of rollers circumferentially arranged about the shaft and arranged radially outward from the shaft;
- a braking device, comprising:
- a fluid-filled bladder circumferentially arranged about the shaft;
- and
- a plurality of braking pads arranged between the fluid-filled bladder and the plurality of rollers;
- wherein the fluid-filled bladder expands radially outward when pressurized, displacing the plurality of braking pads radially outward to contact the plurality of rollers, thereby preventing rotation of the rollers, and the fluid-filled bladder is rotatably coupled to the plurality of brake pads, such that the fluid-filled bladder remains stationary as the plurality of brake pads rotate about the shaft.
An omni-wheel, comprising:
- a shaft;
- a plurality of rollers circumferentially arranged about the shaft and arranged radially outward from the shaft;
- a braking system, comprising:
- a plurality of braking devices arranged about the shaft, each braking device comprising:
- a fluid-filled bladder, wherein the fluid-filled bladder is radially aligned with an individual roller of the plurality of rollers;
- and
- a braking pad arranged between the fluid-filled bladder and an individual roller of the plurality of rollers;
- wherein the fluid-filled bladder of the plurality of fluid-filled bladders is individually pressurized and expands radially outward when pressurized, displacing a braking pad of the plurality of braking pads radially outward to contact a roller of the plurality of rollers, thereby preventing rotation of the roller, and the fluid-filled bladder is rotatably coupled to the plurality of brake pads, such that the fluid-filled bladder remains stationary as the plurality of brake pads rotate about the shaft.
A method of braking an omni-wheel, the method comprising:
- pressurizing a fluid-filled bladder arranged about a shaft of the omni-wheel;
- and
- expanding the fluid-filled bladder radially outward to displace a brake pad arranged about the shaft radially outward, such that the brake pad contacts at least one roller of the omni-wheel, thereby preventing rotation of the roller, and wherein the fluid-filled bladder is rotatably coupled to the plurality of brake pads, such that the fluid-filled bladder remains stationary as the plurality of brake pads rotate about the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.