Continuous rotation rover suspension with constant vertical steering axis

A rover configured to advance over a surface, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a plurality of wheels;
• and
• a plurality of linkage assemblies, each wheel having a linkage assembly of the plurality of linkage assemblies to couple the plurality of wheel to the chassis, each of the plurality of linkage assemblies configured to adjust a height of a wheel independently of others of the linkage assemblies relative to the chassis, and each of the plurality of linkage assemblies configured to rotate in continuous 360° circles, the linkage assembly associated with each of the plurality of wheels comprising:
• a first link having a first end mounted at a first point on the chassis, and a second end mounted to one of an actuator and a strut at a wheel of the plurality of wheels;
• a second link having a third end mounted at a second point on the chassis vertically below the first point, and a fourth end mounted to the one of the actuator and the strut at the wheel of the plurality of wheels.

A rover configured to advance over a surface, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a plurality of wheels;
• and
• a plurality of linkage assemblies, each wheel having a linkage assembly of the plurality of linkage assemblies to couple the plurality of wheels to the chassis, the linkage assembly associated with each of the plurality of wheels comprising:
• a first link having a first end mounted at a first point on the chassis and a second point adjacent a wheel of the plurality of wheels;
• a second link having a third end mounted at a third point on the chassis vertically below the first point, and a fourth end mounted to a fourth point adjacent the wheel of the plurality of wheels;
• wherein the plurality of linkage assemblies are configured to operate in a plurality of modes, comprising:
• a first mode where the plurality of wheels are driven to propel the rover over the surface, the plurality of linkage assemblies configured to adjust a height of each wheel independently relative to the chassis to account for uneven terrain on the surface in the first mode;
• and
• a second mode where the plurality of wheels walk over the surface, the plurality of linkage assemblies configured to rotate the wheels through 360° in the second mode.

A suspension configured to attach to a chassis of a rover to advance the rover in a space defined by orthogonal x, y and z axes, the suspension comprising:

• a plurality of wheels configured to rotate about the y-axis in a plane comprising the x-axis and z-axis;
• and a first link having a first end affixed at a first point on a wheel of the plurality of wheels, and the first link having a second end configured to attach at a second point on the chassis, the first and second points offset from each other along the y-axis, and the first link configured to rotate about the y-axis at the second point to trace a first conical path as the first link rotates;
• and a second link having a third end affixed at a third point on the wheel, and the second link having a fourth end configured to attach at a fourth point on the chassis, the third and fourth points offset from each other along the y-axis, and the second link configured to rotate about the y-axis at the fourth point to trace a second conical path as the second link rotates, the first and second links remaining parallel to each other as the first and second links rotate and trace out the first and second conical paths;
• wherein the first and second conical paths intersect each other;
• and wherein the first and second links are configured to rotate about the chassis through 360 degrees without collision with each other.

A suspension configured to attach to a chassis of a rover to advance the rover over a surface, the suspension comprising:

• a plurality of wheels;
• and a linkage assembly associated with each of the plurality of wheels configured to couple the plurality of wheel to the chassis, the linkage assembly associated with each of the plurality of wheels comprising a four-bar linkage comprising:
• a first link having a first end configured to mount at a first point on the chassis, and a second end mounted to one of an actuator and a strut adjacent a wheel of the plurality of wheels;
• a second link having a third end configured to mount at a second point on the chassis vertically below the first point, and a fourth end mounted to the one of the actuator and the strut adjacent the wheel of the plurality of wheels, wherein the first and second mounting points on the chassis are fixed with respect to the chassis and each other, and wherein the first and second links are configured to rotate through 360° without collision with each other.