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US 8,571,781 B2Granted
Self-propelled device with actively engaged drive system
AssigneeOrbotix, Inc.
InventorsIan H. Bernstein, Adam Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-propelled device is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.
Claims17
A self-propelled device comprising:
- a drive system comprising one or more motors;
- a spherical housing that contains the drive system;
- a biasing mechanism including a spring, the spring being positioned to bias the drive system;
- wherein the spring is coupled to the drive system at a first end, and includes a spring end that extends in a direction that is opposite to the first end to contact an inner surface of the spherical housing;
- wherein the biasing mechanism biases the spring end against the inner surface of the spherical housing to actively force the drive system to continuously engage the inner surface of the spherical housing and cause the spherical housing to move.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.