All terrain mobile robot

An all terrain vehicle adapted for remote control operation in potentially hostile environments, which comprises:

• a main chassis having a forward end and a rearward end, said main chassis equipped with a pair of rotatable sprockets on each side thereof, at least one of said sprockets being driven, said pair of sprockets on each side of said main chassis having a flexible main track engaged therewith, said main track supporting said vehicle on said terrain and moving said vehicle across said terrain;
• a first auxiliary chassis pivotally mounted on said forward end of said main chassis, said first auxiliary chassis equipped with a pair of rotatable sprockets on each side thereof, at least one of said sprockets being driven, said pair of sprockets on each side of said first auxiliary chassis having a flexible first auxiliary track engaged therewith for further supporting said vehicle on said terrain and moving said vehicle across said terrain;
• a second auxiliary chassis pivotally mounted on said rearward end of said main chassis, said second auxiliary chassis equipped with a pair of rotatable sprockets on each side thereof, at least one of said sprockets being driven, said pair of sprockets on each side of said second auxiliary chassis having a flexible second auxiliary track engaged therewith for further supporting said vehicle on said terrain and moving said vehicle across said terrain;
• a first cylindrical axle substantially extending across said vehicle proximate said forward end of said main chassis, said first cylindrical axle provided with a cylindrical cavity along its length;
• a first planetary gear drive means positioned within said cavity of said first cylindrical axle for driving one sprocket on one side of said main chassis and one sprocket of said first auxiliary chassis on a corresponding side;
• a second planetary gear drive means positioned within said first cylindrical axle for pivoting said first auxiliary chassis with respect to said main chassis;
• a second cylindrical axle substantially extending across said vehicle proximate said rearward end of said main chassis, said second cylindrical axle provided with a cylindrical cavity along its length;
• a third planetary gear drive means positioned within said cavity of said second cylindrical axle for driving one sprocket on a second side of said main chassis and one sprocket of said second auxiliary chassis on a corresponding side;
• a fourth planetary gear drive means positioned within said cavity of said second cylindrical axle for pivoting said second auxiliary chassis with respect to said main chassis;
• a body member mounted upon said main chassis, said body member provided with a hermetically sealed cavity;
• table arm unit pivotally mounted on said body member, said arm unit having a shoulder joint providing for rotation about both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis relative to said main chassis member, an elbow joint providing for rotation about a horizontal axis relative to said main chassis, an upper arm joining said shoulder joint to said elbow joint, and a wrist joint releasably joined to a forearm portion joining said elbow joint with said wrist joint providing for rotation about an axis of said forearm;
• adaptive means attached to said wrist joint for releasable attachment of apparatus to carry out selected actions by said vehicle in said environment;
• drive means located in said shoulder joint, said elbow joint and said wrist joint for producing selected movements of said shoulder, elbow and wrist joints, respectively;
• cable reel means, with a cable drum, carried by said body member, said cable reel means including drive means having a clutch means, said clutch means providing for selected conditions of rotation of said cable drum by said drive means of said cable reel means;
• a cable associated with said cable drum, said cable selectively wound onto and drawn from said cable drum by said drive means of said cable reel means in cooperation with said clutch means, said cable having a first end and a distal end;
• circuit means in said cavity of said body member connected to said first end of said cable and to said drive means of said arm unit to convey signals on said cable to said drive means of said arm unit;
• first position sensitive means connected between said first and second planetary gear drive means to provide an electrical signal as to pivotal motion of said first auxiliary chassis with respect to said main chassis;
• second position sensitive means connected between said third and fourth planetary gear drive means to provide an electrical signal as to pivotal motion of said second auxiliary chassis with respect to said main chassis;
• further position sensitive means connected to each said drive means of said shoulder and elbow joints to provide an electrical signal as to pivotal motion of said shoulder and elbow joints, respectively;
• further circuit means in said cavity of said body member to receive said electrical signals from said first, second and further position sensitive means and transmit said signals thereof over said cable;
• internal connections within said first and second cylindrical axles and within said arm unit to connect said drive means and said position sensitive means within said cylindrical axles and said arm unit to said circuit means and said further circuit means;
• video means, including a video camera and illuminating devices, carried on said forearm of said arm unit;
• further video means, including video camera illuminating devices and a zoom lens, carried on said body member of said vehicle;
• adjustment means attached to said further video means to pivot said further video means around two perpendicular axes;
• and
• a remote control console connected to said distal end of said cable to transmit and receive over said cable signals between said console and said circuit means and further circuit means in said cavity of said body member.