7453results about "Endless track vehicles" patented technology

The present invention provides a micro-robot for use inside the body during minimally-invasive surgery. The micro-robot includes an imaging devices, a manipulator, and in some embodiments a sensor.

An automatic steering system and method are provided for a vehicle including an hydraulic primary steering system. The automatic steering system includes a guidance module with a GPS receiver and a microprocessor adapted to process and store GPS data defining travel paths, which can be associated with a cultivated field in an agricultural vehicle application. An automatic steering module is connected to the guidance module and to a steering valve control block, which provides pressurized hydraulic fluid in parallel with the vehicle's primary hydrostatic steering system. The automatic steering system utilizes a constant factor, such as steering rate, for predictability and simplicity in the operation of the automatic steering system. A feedback loop from the vehicle hydrostatic steering system uses the vehicle's actual turning rate for comparison with a desired turning rate. The system is adapted for original equipment installation and retrofitting on vehicles, such as farm tractors, with various primary hydrostatic steering system configurations. An automatic steering method includes the steps of: initializing the system; adjusting the steering with an hydraulic valve to provide a constant steering rate; providing feedback corresponding to the vehicle's actual turning rate and combining the feedback with other input signals to provide automatic steering.

Configurations are provided for vehicular robots or other vehicles to provide shifting of their centers of gravity for enhanced obstacle navigation. Various head and neck morphologies are provided to allow positioning for various poses such as a stowed pose, observation poses, and inspection poses. Neck extension and actuator module designs are provided to implement various head and neck morphologies. Robot control network circuitry is also provided.

Robotic systems according to the invention include a frame or body with two or more wheels rotatably mounted on the frame or body and a motor for independently driving each wheel. A system controller generates a signal for actuating each motor based on information provided by one or more sensors in communication with the system controller for generating feedback signals for providing reactive actuation of the motors for generating one or more functions selected from the group consisting of forward motion, backward motion, climbing, hopping, balancing, throwing and catching. A power source is included for providing power to operate the drive motors, system controller and the one or more sensors.

A mobile articulated robot platform is provided where the platform comprises a payload base hip section for attaching a torso, the platform having two opposing sides, where the platform includes a right leg assembly and a left leg assembly, with each leg assembly having an upper leg and a lower leg section, where the right and left leg assemblies each comprise a right upper leg being pivotally coupled on one side of said payload base hip section and a left upper leg being pivotally coupled to the other side of the payload base hip section, and a right lower leg being independently and pivotally connected to the right upper leg, and a left lower leg being independently and pivotally connected to the left upper leg, allowing rotation of each of the lower legs about each of the upper legs.

Configurations are provided for vehicular robots or other vehicles to provide shifting of their centers of gravity for enhanced obstacle navigation. Various head and neck morphologies are provided to allow positioning for various poses such as a stowed pose, observation poses, and inspection poses. Neck extension and actuator module designs are provided to implement various head and neck morphologies. Robot control network circuitry is also provided.

An embodiment of a high-mobility vehicle comprises a vehicle body, a track assembly attached to the vehicle body, arms pivotally attached to the vehicle body, and trackless drive wheels mounted on distal ends of the arms. Another embodiment of a high-mobility vehicle comprises a vehicle chassis, right and left drive motors attached to the vehicle chassis, right and left power transmission mechanisms having high torque and low torque sets of gears, track assemblies coupled to the high torque sets of gears, and trackless drive wheels coupled to the low torque sets of gears.

The present invention provides a micro-robot for use inside the body during minimally-invasive surgery. The micro-robot includes an imaging devices, a manipulator, and in some embodiments a sensor.

A track assembly for providing traction to a vehicle, such as an agricultural vehicle, a construction vehicle, or another work vehicle The track assembly is mountable to an axle of the vehicle The track assembly comprises a plurality of wheels comprising a leading idler wheel and a trailing idler wheel spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the track assembly, an axis of rotation of the axle of the vehicle being located between an axis of rotation of the leading idler wheel and an axis of rotation of the trailing idler wheel in the longitudinal direction of the track assembly, and a driver wheel for rotating when the axle of the vehicle rotates The track assembly also comprises an endless track disposed around the wheels The endless track comprises an inner side facing the wheels and a ground-engaging outer side for engaging the ground The endless track engages the driver wheel such that rotation of the driver wheel imparts motion to the endless track.

A robotic mobile low-profile transport vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle can comprise a first transport module having a frame assembly, a mobility system, and a propulsion system and a second transport module having a frame assembly and a mobility system. A multi-degree of freedom coupling assemblage can join the first and second transport modules together. The vehicle can include a first platform supported about the frame assembly of the first transport module, and a second platform supported about the frame assembly of the second transport module. Each of the platforms can be configured to receive a load for transport. Additionally, the vehicle can include a control system that can operate to facilitate intra-module communication and coordination to provide a coordinated operating mode of the first and second transport modules and the coupling assemblage about a given terrain.

A mobile robot has a predetermined size of large, medium, small or back-packable. The mobile robot includes a chassis, drive system components, power components, a main processor, a communication system and a power and data distribution system. The chassis has a predetermined size of large, medium, small or back-packable. Drive system components are operably attached to the chassis and power components are operably connected to the drive system components and the power and data distribution system. Each drive system component has a predetermined size that is compatible with the chassis. The main processor, the communication system and the power and data distribution system are all operably connected together and operably connected to the traction components and the power components. The main processor, the communication system, and the power and data distribution system are all compatible with the predetermined size of the chassis and at least one other size.

An endless track assembly that mounts to a wheeled vehicle. The assembly provides 1) a track suspension having fixed or adjustable, independently biased sets of idler wheels to vary the track contour without affecting track tension, 2) an eccentric bearing housing at a drive sprocket controls track tension, 3) a contoured peripheral edge at the drive sprocket prevents ice and mud buildup, 4) rubber-coated, plastic idler wheels facilitate track movement, 5) a multi-vehicle compatible adapter mounting plate accommodates a variety of vehicles, 6) a rotation limited torsion coupler and / or rotation limiting coupler arms prevent track contact with the vehicle, 7) a locking steering arm coupler prevents loss of steering control, and 8) shaped track lugs and channels clear and direct debris away from the track suspension and drive assembly. The improved suspension particularly supports sets of idler wheels in pivotal relation to the track support frame and resiliently biases a pre-tensioned rocker arm that links adjacent suspension arms mounted to the adjoining idler wheels. Suspension arm movement induces expansion and contraction of tension springs coupled to the rocker arms to augments shape changes at the track contact surface to optimize traction and steering control.

A variable configuration articulated tracked vehicle comprises a chassis, a pair of right and left drive pulleys, a right and left planetary wheel, a right and left track, a right and left arm mechanism, and a right and left drive motor. The drive pulleys are rotatably attached to the chassis and each pair of drive pulleys is in the same plane. The planetary wheels are movable relative to the chassis such that each planetary wheel is in the same plane as its respective drive pulleys. The tracks extend around the pair of drive pulleys and the planetary wheel on the respective sides. The arm mechanisms connect the respective planetary wheel to the chassis. Each arm mechanism is rotatably attached to the chassis with a cam. The cam defines a motion path of one end of the arm whereby the motion of the planetary wheel provides a path for the planetary wheel such that the track path defined by the respective drive pulleys and the planetary wheel is a constant track length. The motors are each operably connected to the respective pair of drive pulleys for driving the track.

A semiconductor integrated circuit device is comprised a main memory portion constituted with memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of columns and a sub memory portion constituted with memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of columns, wherein at least one of address input terminals assigning rows or columns of the main memory portion and at least one of address input terminals assigning rows or columns of the sub memory portion are commonly used and a total number of address input terminals is equal to or smaller than the number of address input terminals assigning rows or columns of the main memory portion. Therefore, the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention has a main memory suitable for being accessed from a plurality of data processors.

An engine control device capable of improving engine efficiency by operating the engine in an area where fuel consumption is small (good) while allowing high responsivity of the engine to be maintained. The object can be achieved by operating to match at a point on a target torque line of a torque diagram and operating an electric motor when a matching point moves on the target torque line in a direction in which a load applied to the engine output shaft becomes large.

A chassis clings to a ship hull or other ferrous surface by a magnet that moves toward or away from the surface to adjust the magnet air gap and thus the attractive force. The magnet(s) can be the only clinging force or used with other sources such as a suction chamber or fluid jet drive. An internal magnet on a crank mechanism can pivot around a wheel rotation axis inside a wheel body having a non-ferrous traction surface or tire. The magnet gap is least at an angle perpendicular to the surface on which the wheel rests, and larger at an angle oblique to that, for varying the attractive force to two or more levels. The vehicle can be an autonomous hull maintenance device with sensors, controllers and actuators to sense, measure and clean away fouling.

The invention relates to a nuclear power plant working robot and a control system thereof, which belong to the fields of robots and automation equipment. The nuclear power plant working robot is a crawler-type mobile manipulator and is composed of a mobile platform driven by double crawlers and a four freedom degree manipulator carried on the mobile platform. The nuclear power plant working robot can move inside a nuclear power plant, has two control modes of manual remote control and autonomous control, and is remotely controlled by a wireless or wired mode. The control system of the nuclear power plant working robot includes a host monitoring and planning control system and a robot control system which are matched to control the operation of the robot. The robot operates autonomously, is safe and reliable, can complete certain dangerous tasks in high radioactivity environment; the robot has small size, stable performance, great maneuverability and low operation cost; a crawler-type chassis has strong gripping force as well as certain climbing and obstacle clearing ability, and is suitable to walking over complex terrains; and the robot has high intelligence degree and can realize autonomous control and manual remote control.

A snowmobile drive track for travelling on various surfaces including icy surfaces, hardened snow surfaces and semi-hardened surfaces comprises an endless body having, on its ground engaging outer side, projecting profiles having peaks of different height. The first highest peaks bear on icy surfaces, while, on hardened snow surfaces, the second highest peaks also engage the ground; on semi-hardened snow surfaces, all peaks engage the ground.

A crawler or tracked vehicle has a running gear with separately operable tracks, and a vehicle body pivotably connected to the running gear about a substantially horizontal pivot axis that allows the running gear to pivot relative to the vehicle body. The two tracks can pivot independently of each other and independently of the vehicle body. At least one spring arrangement preferably including a spring and a shock absorber is arranged on each side of the body, and is respectively connected between the running gear and the vehicle body. The spring may be vertically or horizontally oriented.

An apparatus for climbing and descending stairs or other obstacles has three flexibly connected sections and a pair of crawler belt systems on opposite sides of the unit. Each of the crawler belt systems comprised of three crawler belts are driven by one of a pair of motors that directly drives a pinion that engages two of the crawler belts, one of which then drives the last crawler belt through another pinion. The stair-climbing apparatus also includes a mounting platform for coupling a carrier device such as a wheelchair or a box. In order to provide cushioning and stability for movements from a horizontal surface to an inclined surface and vice versa, shock absorbers are provided between the three sections. A linear actuator is also provided to provide stabilization as well as the ability to raise and lower both the stair-climbing crawler unit as well as the wheelchair, providing three modes of operation including manually wheel driven mode, motor wheel driven mode, and motor crawler driven mode.

A stair-climbing wheelchair has a pair of track assemblies that can be placed in an operative drive mode to propel the wheelchair along ascending and descending paths of travel relative to an obstacle such as a stairway, curb, or the like. Each track assembly includes a guide member with rollers at opposite ends thereof carrying an endless cleated belt. The guide member is arched between its end sections thereby permitting the endless belt to deflect upwardly between the rollers when the endless belt engages an obstacle such as a step, curb or the like. This permits a smooth gradual transition of the wheelchair onto and / or off the top step of a staircase. Preferably, each track assembly also includes an inclined tail section having a separate endless cleated belt. The track assemblies can also be utilized in connection with remote control and / or unmanned motorized vehicles.

An apparatus for traversing obstacles having an elongated, round, flexible body that includes a plurality of segments interconnected by an integrated joint actuator assembly. The integrated joint actuator assembly includes a plurality of bellows-type actuators individually coupling adjacent segments to permit pivotal actuation of the apparatus therebetween. A controller is employed to maintain proper positional control and stiffness control while minimize air flow.

A paving machine which is configured to move in a paving direction for spreading, leveling and finishing concrete into a form having a generally upwardly exposed, finished concrete surface and terminating in lateral concrete sides. The paving machine has a main frame, including a center module, bolsters laterally movably connected to respective lateral sides of the center module for changing a spacing between the bolsters, and a crawler track associated with respective aft and forward ends of the bolsters. A bolster swing leg for each crawler track supports an upright jacking column secured to the swing leg proximate a free end thereof. A worm gear drive between the jacking column and the crawler track permits rotational movements of the crawler track and the jacking column about an upright axis. A hinge bracket is interposed between each swing leg and an associated surface of the bolsters and includes a fixed, upright pivot shaft that pivotally engages the swing leg to enable pivotal movements of the swing leg about an upright axis in a substantially horizontal plane. The hinge bracket further includes a pivot pin that is laterally spaced from and fixed in relation to the pivot shaft. A length-adjustable holder capable of being held at a fixed length has a first end pivotally engaging the pivot pin on the hinge bracket and a second end that pivotally engages the swing leg. The holder permits pivotal motions of the swing leg about the hinge pin when it is in its length-adjustable configuration and prevents substantially any motion of the swing leg when the holder is in its fixed-length configuration. A feedback loop cooperates with angular position transducers and automatically keeps the crawler tracks oriented in the paving direction of the machine when the swing legs move in a horizontal plane relative to a remainder of the paving machine. The paving machine can be reconfigured between its paving orientation and a road transport orientation by activating the crawlers to move the swing legs and the crawlers into a narrowed transport configuration.

A retrofittable lifting apparatus for use on an articulated robotically controlled device is disclosed. The lifting apparatus includes a structure for mating the apparatus to the robotic device and a mechanism for the remotely controlled lifting of an ordnance or other object. Actuation of the lifting mechanism may be provided by existing sources of motion on the robotic device, or by additional sources of motion attached to the robotic device.

The invention relates to the robot field, which provides a pedrail type movable robot with multiple arm links and consists of an arm working device and a pedrail type walking device. The invention can realize normal movable driving on a plurality of complicated road surfaces and finish a plurality of human hand bionic actions. The robot of the invention can substitute for human to work under a plurality of complicated, dangerous and abominable working environments, and has the advantages of strong adaptability, good flexibility, high intensity, etc.

The invention concerns a surface traversing apparatus that includes a frame, a seal having a seal perimeter that is mounted to the frame, and a drive configured to move the apparatus relative to the surface. The seal perimeter is adapted substantially for rolling contact with the surface to be traversed. The device is capable of suction adhering and moving along horizontal, vertical, inverted surfaces and the like, and overcoming obstacles or surface irregularities while maintaining suction adhesion to the surface. The device can be propelled along the surface with a locomoting rolling seal assembly, which provides both a seal to affect the vacuum adhesion and the locomotion to drive the device across the surface.

An all-terrain mobile robot comprising a mobile robotic platform, having either wheels or tank-treaded-like legs capable of navigating over rough terrain, wherein the robotic platform utilizes dynamic balancing behavior; a hydraulic powered anthropomorphic torso and articulated arms, wherein the hydraulic system possesses a pressure sensor for enabling the anthropomorphic torso and articulated arms to lift a payload using acute and delicate movements that reduce the chance of causing structural harm to the payload.