Omnidirectional vehicle with passive revolute joints

An omnidirectional vehicle (100), comprising:

• a main body (101);
• a plurality of arms (102a-d) extending radially from the main body (101) and coupled thereto;
• and
• a plurality of orientable propulsion modules (103a-d),
• each orientable propulsion module (103a-d) being coupled to a respective arm (102a-d) and comprising:
• a frame (106), and
• at least three propulsion units (105) are rigidly attached to the frame (106) at a respective fixed positions and orientations;
• wherein each one of the plurality of orientable propulsion modules (103a-d) is coupled to the respective arm (102a-d) by interposition of a rotary junction (107), the rotary junction being formed by a first passive revolute joint coupled to the arm (102a-d) and a second passive revolute joint coupled to the orientable propulsion module (103a-d) wherein a rotation axis of the second revolute joint is perpendicular and coplanar to a rotation axis of the first revolute joint;
• wherein the first revolute joint is configured to allow the orientable propulsion module (103a-d) to rotate around the arm (102a-d) and the second revolute joint is configured to allow the orientable propulsion module (103a-d) to rotate around a rotary shaft (117) which is perpendicular to the arm (102a-d) such that the orientable propulsion module (103a-d) is provided with two degrees of freedom with respect to the main body (101);
• and
• comprising a rotary encoder (115) located in proximity to each revolute joint that is configured to monitor the orientation of each orientable propulsion module (103a-d) relative to the main body (101);
• wherein each rotary junction (107) comprises a body having a first orifice 123) through which the corresponding arm (102a-d) is inserted and around which the rotary junction (107) is to rotate and a second orifice (125) perpendicular to the first orifice (123) through which a rotary shaft (117) coupled to the respective orientable propulsion module (103a-d) is inserted and inside which the rotary shaft (117) is to rotate;
• and wherein the rotary junction is a single body in which both consecutive and perpendicular revolute joints are integrated.