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US 4,919,489 AGranted
Cog-augmented wheel for obstacle negotiation
AssigneeGrumman Aerospace Corporation
InventorM. Alan Kopsco
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle for overcoming obstacles includes a wheel having an elastomeric flexible annulus upon which the wheel normally rides. Parallel spaced sprockets receive the annulus and include individual cogs which extend less radially outwardly than the annulus. When an obstacle is encountered, the flexible annulus yields, thereby enabling a protruding cog to engage the obstacle and pivot around it thereby lifting the vehicle over the obstacle.
Claims3
A wheel adapted for overcoming obstacles and comprising:
- a hub;
- a foam annulus means circumferentially mounted to the hub for normally rolling over a contacted surface and yielding in areas encountered by obstacles;
- and
- cog means coaxially located on both sides of the annulus means and normally extending less radially outwardly than the annulus means for engaging the obstacle and rolling the wheel thereover.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.