Bimodal conveyance mechanism
AssigneeApplied Minds, LLC
InventorsMark Setrakian, W. Hillis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A virtual wheel provides a leg pair as a conveyance mechanism for a land vehicle. The virtual wheel propels the vehicle across a surface using a repetitive motion of the legs that contact the ground as would a wheel, due to their geometry. Vehicle embodiments include at least two-, three-, four- and six-wheeled vehicles, both transverse and in-line. Additionally, the invention provides a bipedal walking robot. One embodiment provides a robotic mule—a payload-carrying vehicle. The invention combines the flexible mobility of bipedal vehicles with the stability and functionality of very large-wheeled vehicles. Additionally, a bimodal conveyance mechanism readily converts between walking and rolling modes
Claims34
A conveyance mechanism comprising:
- a plurality of radial members, each member having attached to a distal end a curved foot, each member attached to a common axle at a proximal end;
- wherein said members pivot freely about said axle so that said feet rotate in parallel planes to each other in a walking mode;
- and
- wherein at least two of said feet are attachable to each other in a common plane to form a circle in a rolling mode.
A method of conveying a vehicle bimodally, comprising:
- providing said vehicle with a plurality of bimodal conveyance mechanisms, each mechanism including:
- a plurality of radial members, each member having attached to a distal end a curved foot, each member attached to a common axle at a proximal end;
- allowing said members to pivot freely about said axle with said feet in parallel planes to each other so that said feet move relative to each other in a walking motion in a first mode;
- and
- forming a circle by attaching said feet to each other in a common plane to provide rolling motion in a second mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.