Self propelled device with magnetic coupling
AssigneeSphero, Inc.
InventorsIan H. Bernstein, Adam Wilson, Chun Kong, Ross MacGregor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system including one or more motors. The internal drive system acts to provide power to an interior surface of the spherical housing, thereby causing the self-propelled device to move. A biasing assembly can be included to enable the internal drive system to continuously engage an inner surface of the spherical housing. An external accessory magnetically interacts with interior magnetic components through the spherical housing such that as the self-propelled device rotates and maneuvers, the accessory component maintains a positional relationship to a top portion of the self-propelled device.
Claims1
A self-propelled device comprising:
- a spherical housing enclosing a first set of one or more magnetically interactive elements and an internal drive system to cause the self-propelled device to roll;
- and
- an external accessory comprising a second set of one or more magnetically interactive elements to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set of magnetically interactive elements as the self-propelled device rolls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.