An omnidirectional wheel and its assembly method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of omnidirectional wheel technology, and discloses an omnidirectional wheel and its assembly method, including several single wheel assemblies, an assembly bracket, spacers, and end caps. This application uses flexible spacers, which eliminate assembly gaps and provide a buffering effect, effectively reducing abnormal noise caused by assembly gaps during wheel movement. Furthermore, it provides a certain amount of movement allowance to the wheel assembly during assembly, facilitating assembly and solving the problem in existing technologies where omnidirectional wheels have many components, making their fit complex and the assembly process intricate. Accumulated assembly gaps or dimensional deviations are easily generated during assembly, leading to the omnidirectional wheel failing to assemble properly, or even if it does assemble, excessive internal stress may result in easy breakage of the assembled parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of omnidirectional wheel technology, and more specifically to an omnidirectional wheel and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] An omnidirectional wheel is a type of wheel capable of omnidirectional movement, allowing equipment or robots to move in any direction on a horizontal plane, including forward, backward, left, right, and rotation. The structure of an omnidirectional wheel typically includes a central hub and multiple driven wheels mounted perpendicular to the hub, enabling the omnidirectional wheel to provide power in multiple directions. The design of omnidirectional wheels makes them ideal for use in space-constrained environments or situations requiring precise control of movement direction, such as automated warehouses, service robots, and medical equipment. They offer extremely high flexibility and maneuverability, allowing robots or other equipment to move in any direction without changing their own orientation.

[0003] However, due to the large number of parts in the omnidirectional wheel, its fit is quite complicated and its assembly process is complex. During assembly, it is very easy to generate cumulative assembly gaps or dimensional deviations. The existence of cumulative dimensional deviations may cause the omnidirectional wheel to fail to be assembled in the end. Even if it is assembled, there may be excessive internal stress, which may lead to the problem of the parts being prone to breakage after assembly.

[0004] Content of this invention

[0005] The technical problem solved by this invention is: how to add side extension legs and middle extension legs to increase the force-bearing area of ​​the pallet body, improve the stability of the pallet body, and prevent the pallet body from tilting or tipping over.

[0006] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] An omnidirectional wheel, including

[0008] A plurality of single-wheel assemblies, each single-wheel assembly including a wheel core, the outer surface of which is coated with a rubber layer, one end of the single-wheel assembly being larger than the other end, the larger end forming an arc-shaped cavity, wherein a through hole is provided on the side of some of the single-wheel assemblies for mounting a single wheel, and a mounting hole is coaxially provided in the direction of the central axis of the single-wheel assembly, and the outer contour shape of the single-wheel assembly is circular in every cross section perpendicular to the axis of the single-wheel assembly;

[0009] An assembly bracket includes a bracket body. Two spaced-apart connectors are provided at one end of the bracket body. Each connector has a connecting hole along the width of the bracket body. The dimensions of the two connectors along the width of the bracket body are half the width of the bracket body, and the two connectors are respectively located on opposite sides of the width of the bracket body. A bent portion is fixedly provided at the other end of the bracket body, forming an angle with the bracket body. A mounting post one is fixedly provided at the end of the bracket body near the bent portion. The direction of mounting post one and the bending direction of the bent portion are located on opposite sides of the bracket body. A mounting post two is fixedly provided at the end of the bent portion away from the bracket body, located on the side where the bending direction of the bent portion is located. The mounting post one and mounting post two form an angle.

[0010] The spacer is a flexible member with a columnar structure and a shaft hole in its axial direction. The spacer has grooves at both ends, which are coaxially arranged with the shaft hole. The inner diameter of the groove is the same as the outer diameter of the mounting column.

[0011] The end cap has several assembly holes circumferentially provided. These assembly holes are used to engage with the connecting holes on the connector head of the assembly bracket during the assembly process and are locked by bolts.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention: a threaded hole is formed in the first mounting post, and a through hole is formed in the second mounting post through the bent portion.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention: the wheel core is made of aluminum alloy, and the rubber coating layer is made of rubber.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector and the bending portion are integrally formed with the main body of the bracket.

[0015] This application also provides a method for assembling an omnidirectional wheel, comprising the following steps:

[0016] Step 1: Install the spacer and bearing into the assembly hole of the single wheel assembly;

[0017] Step 2: Divide the omnidirectional wheels into multiple wheel sets and assemble each wheel set; the specific process is as follows:

[0018] First, a single assembled wheel is selected as the starting point;

[0019] A screw is inserted into the mounting post 2 of an assembly bracket as a pre-embedded screw, and then the mounting post 1 of the assembly bracket is inserted into the corresponding bearing hole from the rear end of the single wheel assembly.

[0020] Take another assembly bracket and insert the second mounting post of this assembly bracket into the inner hole of the bearing at the front end of the single wheel assembly. Then, take a screw and pass it through the second mounting post, the first bearing, the spacer post, and the second bearing in sequence. Insert the other end of the screw into the threaded hole of the first mounting post of the previous assembly bracket and tighten the screw to complete the assembly and fixation of the second single wheel assembly. Then repeat this process until the assembly of the last single wheel assembly of the wheel set is completed. At this time, the last single wheel assembly can be inserted into the front end of the previous single wheel assembly through the second mounting post or into the rear end of the assembly single wheel that serves as the starting end through the first mounting post.

[0021] Step 3: Combine the assembled wheel sets and lock the screws at the corresponding positions through the pre-drilled holes of the individual wheels to complete the full circle assembly of the omnidirectional wheel;

[0022] Step 4: Place the two end caps on both sides of the complete omnidirectional wheel assembly and lock them with bolts to complete the assembly of the entire omnidirectional wheel.

[0023] In one aspect of the present invention: in step two, the omnidirectional wheel is divided into two groups for assembly.

[0024] In one aspect of the invention: each wheel set uses only one assembled single wheel as the starting end.

[0025] In one aspect of the present invention: when tightening the screws to assemble and fix the single wheel assembly in step two, it is necessary to ensure that the spacer column in the single wheel assembly is fully compressed and that sufficient pressure is generated on the inner and outer sides of the bearing.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0027] This application employs flexible spacers, which eliminate assembly gaps and act as a buffer, effectively reducing abnormal noise caused by assembly gaps during wheel movement. Furthermore, it provides a certain amount of slack in the wheel assembly, facilitating assembly and addressing the problems in existing technologies where omnidirectional wheels have numerous components, complex fits, and complicated assembly processes. These issues easily lead to accumulated assembly gaps or dimensional deviations during assembly, which can prevent the omnidirectional wheel from being properly assembled. Even if it is assembled, excessive internal stress may result in parts prone to breakage after assembly.

[0028] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is the present invention. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure from the front view;

[0032] Figure 3 This is the present invention. Figure 1 A cross-sectional structural diagram;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the assembly bracket of the present invention with pre-installed screws;

[0034] Figure 5 This is the present invention. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the mid-section structure;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the cross-section of the spacer column of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a single-wheel assembly during the assembly process of this invention;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly process of the single wheel assembly and the assembly bracket of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 9 This is the present invention. Figure 8 A cross-sectional structural diagram;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the two single-wheel components during the assembly process of this invention;

[0040] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly process of a wheel assembly according to the present invention;

[0041] Figure 12 This is a 3D structural diagram of the docking of two wheel sets during the assembly process of this invention;

[0042] Figure 13 This is a 3D structural schematic diagram of the end cap assembly of the present invention.

[0043] The reference numerals in the figure are: 1. Single wheel assembly; 2. Assembly bracket; 3. Spacer post; 4. End cap; 5. Connector; 6. Bending part; 7. Mounting post one; 8. Mounting post two. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0046] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0047] Please see Figure 1-13 This invention relates to an omnidirectional wheel, comprising several single-wheel assemblies 1, mounting brackets 2, spacers 3, and end caps 4. Each single-wheel assembly 1 includes a wheel core, which may be made of aluminum alloy, and an outer coating layer, which may be made of rubber. One end of each single-wheel assembly 1 (the larger end being the rear end) is larger than the other end (the smaller end being the front end), and the larger end forms an arc-shaped cavity for subsequent assembly. A through hole is provided on the side of some of the single-wheel assemblies 1, serving as a mounting wheel. Each single-wheel assembly 1 has a mounting hole coaxially formed along its central axis for inserting the spacers 3, and bearings are inserted at both ends of the spacers 3. The outer contour of each single-wheel assembly 1 is circular in every cross-section perpendicular to its axis.

[0048] Please see Figure 4-5In one embodiment of the present invention, the assembly bracket 2 includes a bracket body. Two spaced-apart connectors 5 are integrally formed at one end of the bracket body. Each connector 5 has a connecting hole along the width direction of the bracket body. The dimensions of the two connectors 5 along the width direction of the bracket body are half the width of the bracket body, and the two connectors 5 are respectively located on both sides of the width direction of the bracket body, thereby respectively cooperating with a connector 5 on another assembly bracket 2. A bent portion 6 is fixedly formed at the other end of the bracket body. The bent portion 6 can be integrally formed with the bracket body. The bent portion 6 is angled with the bracket body to support the rotation space of the single-wheel assembly 1 after subsequent assembly. A mounting post 7 (with a threaded hole) is fixedly formed at one end of the bracket body near the bent portion 6. The direction of the mounting post 7 and the bending direction of the bent portion 6 are respectively located on both sides of the bracket body. A mounting post 2 8 (with a through hole penetrating the bending portion 6) is fixedly provided at the end of the bent portion 6 away from the main body of the bracket. The mounting post 2 8 is located on the side where the bending direction of the bent portion 6 is. The included angle between the mounting post 1 7 and the mounting post 2 8 is set so that the shaft of the single wheel assembly 1 is formed in the inner hole of the bearing in the assembly hole of the single wheel assembly 1 during subsequent assembly. In the overall omnidirectional wheel, the mounting post 1 7 on one assembly bracket 2 and the mounting post 2 8 on another assembly bracket 2 are respectively located at the two ends of the assembly hole of a single wheel assembly 1, together forming the rotation support center of the corresponding single wheel assembly 1.

[0049] Please see Figure 6 In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacer post 3 has a cylindrical structure with a shaft hole along its axial direction. The size of the shaft hole is consistent with the outer diameter of the bolt structure used for subsequent assembly and connection. A countersunk groove is formed at each end of the spacer post 3, coaxially arranged with the shaft hole. The inner diameter of the countersunk groove is consistent with the outer diameter of the mounting post, so that the end of the mounting post can extend into the countersunk groove during assembly. The spacer post 3 is a flexible element, made of a material that deforms under external force and cannot automatically return to its original state after the force is removed. The spacer post 3 is used for the installation between the mounting bracket 2 (the mounting post) and the single-wheel assembly 1, providing both support rigidity and a certain amount of deformation.

[0050] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 4 has a plurality of assembly holes circumferentially provided. These assembly holes are used to mate with the connecting holes on the connector 5 on the assembly bracket 2 during assembly and are locked by bolts. The end cap 4 has a through hole in its center for subsequent assembly of bearings, etc.

[0051] Please see Figure 7-13In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for assembling an omnidirectional wheel includes the following steps:

[0052] Step 1: Install the spacer 3 and the bearing into the assembly hole of the single wheel assembly 1; the spacer 3 is located in the middle, and the two bearings are located at both ends of the spacer 3 respectively. The three are coaxially arranged, and steps can be set at both ends of the assembly hole for bearing assembly.

[0053] Step 2: Divide the omnidirectional wheel into multiple wheel groups and complete the assembly of each wheel group; in the attached figure, the omnidirectional wheel includes 12 single wheel components 1 as an example. The entire omnidirectional wheel is divided into two wheel groups for assembly as an example. Each wheel group only needs to use one assembly single wheel as the starting end.

[0054] First, a single assembled wheel is selected as the starting point;

[0055] A screw is inserted into the mounting post 28 of an assembly bracket 2 as a pre-embedded screw (e.g., Figure 4 Then, the mounting post 7 of the mounting bracket 2 is inserted from the rear end (larger end) of the single wheel assembly 1 (initially the single wheel is assembled) into the corresponding bearing hole (e.g. Figure 7 );

[0056] Take another assembly bracket 2, insert the second mounting post 8 of this assembly bracket 2 into the inner hole of the bearing at the front end of the single wheel assembly 1, and then take a screw and pass it through the second mounting post 8, bearing 1, spacer 3, and bearing 2 of the assembly bracket 2 in sequence. Insert the other end of the screw into the threaded hole of the first mounting post 7 of the previous assembly bracket 2, and tighten the screw to complete the assembly and fixation of the second single wheel assembly 1 (e.g., Figure 8 , 9 (Because the installation location involves the inner, middle, and outer dimensional chains, the tolerances of the inner, outer, and middle dimensional chains will cause gaps on the inner, outer, and middle sides. When gaps occur, the internal parts of the omnidirectional wheel will wobble within a certain range of motion, causing vibration and abnormal noise during wheel movement. Therefore, when tightening the screw, it is necessary to ensure that the spacer 3 in the single wheel assembly 1 is fully compressed, and that a certain pressure is generated on the inner and outer sides of the bearing. By using a flexible spacer 3, which combines support rigidity and a certain amount of deformation, the gaps in the dimensional chain fit can be eliminated through the deformation of the spacer 3, thereby reducing vibration and eliminating abnormal noise.) Then repeat this process (10, 11) until the assembly of the last single wheel assembly 1 of the wheel set is completed. At this point, the last single wheel assembly 1 can be inserted into the front end of the previous single wheel assembly 1 through the mounting post 8 (e.g., Figure 11 Alternatively, the single wheel assembly 1 can be inserted into the rear end of the assembly single wheel, which serves as the starting end, via mounting post 7;

[0057] Step 3: Combine the assembled wheel sets and lock the screws at the corresponding positions through the pre-drilled holes for each individual wheel to complete the full circular assembly of the omnidirectional wheel (e.g., Figure 12 );

[0058] Step 4: Place the two end caps 4 on both sides of the complete omnidirectional wheel assembly and lock them with bolts to complete the assembly of the entire omnidirectional wheel (e.g., Figure 13 ).

[0059] Working principle of the invention:

[0060] This application employs a flexible spacer post 3, which eliminates assembly gaps and acts as a buffer, effectively reducing abnormal noise caused by assembly gaps during wheel movement. Furthermore, it provides a certain amount of slack in the wheel assembly, facilitating assembly and addressing the problems in existing technologies where omnidirectional wheels have numerous components, complex fits, and complicated assembly processes. Accumulated assembly gaps or dimensional deviations are easily generated during assembly, leading to the omnidirectional wheel failing to assemble properly, or even if it does assemble, excessive internal stress may result in easily broken parts after assembly.

[0061] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention, but this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. All equivalent variations and modifications made within the scope of the claims of this invention should still fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional wheel, characterized in that, include: A plurality of single-wheel assemblies, each single-wheel assembly including a wheel core, the outer surface of which is coated with a rubber layer, one end of the single-wheel assembly being larger than the other end, the larger end forming an arc-shaped cavity, wherein a through hole is provided on the side of some of the single-wheel assemblies for mounting a single wheel, and a mounting hole is coaxially provided in the direction of the central axis of the single-wheel assembly, and the outer contour shape of the single-wheel assembly is circular in every cross section perpendicular to the axis of the single-wheel assembly; An assembly bracket includes a bracket body. Two spaced-apart connectors are provided at one end of the bracket body. Each connector has a connecting hole along the width of the bracket body. The dimensions of the two connectors along the width of the bracket body are half the width of the bracket body, and the two connectors are respectively located on opposite sides of the width of the bracket body. A bent portion is fixedly provided at the other end of the bracket body, forming an angle with the bracket body. A mounting post one is fixedly provided at the end of the bracket body near the bent portion, with the direction of mounting post one and the bending direction of the bent portion located on opposite sides of the bracket body. A mounting post two is fixedly provided at the end of the bent portion away from the bracket body, located on the side where the bending direction of the bent portion is located. The mounting post one and mounting post two form an angle. The spacer is a flexible member with a columnar structure and a shaft hole in its axial direction. The spacer has grooves at both ends, which are coaxially arranged with the shaft hole. The inner diameter of the groove is the same as the outer diameter of the mounting post. The end cap has several assembly holes circumferentially provided. These assembly holes are used to engage with the connecting holes on the connector head of the assembly bracket during the assembly process and are locked by bolts.

2. An omnidirectional wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first mounting post has a threaded hole, and the second mounting post has a through hole that penetrates the bend.

3. An omnidirectional wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel core is made of aluminum alloy, and the rubber coating is made of rubber.

4. An omnidirectional wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector and the bending part are integrally formed with the main body of the bracket.

5. A method for assembling an omnidirectional wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Install the spacer and bearing into the assembly hole of the single wheel assembly; Step 2: Divide the omnidirectional wheels into several wheel sets and assemble each wheel set; the specific process is as follows: First, a single assembled wheel is selected as the starting point; A screw is inserted into the mounting post 2 of an assembly bracket as a pre-embedded screw, and then the mounting post 1 of the assembly bracket is inserted into the corresponding bearing hole from the rear end of the single wheel assembly. Take another assembly bracket and insert the second mounting post of this assembly bracket into the inner hole of the bearing at the front end of the single wheel assembly. Then, take a screw and pass it through the second mounting post, the first bearing, the spacer post, and the second bearing in sequence. Insert the other end of the screw into the threaded hole of the first mounting post of the previous assembly bracket and tighten the screw to complete the assembly and fixation of the second single wheel assembly. Then repeat the process until the assembly of the last single wheel assembly of the wheel set is completed. At this time, insert the last single wheel assembly into the front end of the previous single wheel assembly through the second mounting post or insert the single wheel assembly into the rear end of the assembly single wheel that serves as the starting end through the first mounting post. Step 3: Combine the assembled wheel sets and lock the screws at the corresponding positions through the pre-drilled holes of the individual wheels to complete the full circle assembly of the omnidirectional wheel; Step 4: Place the two end caps on both sides of the complete omnidirectional wheel assembly and lock them with bolts to complete the assembly of the entire omnidirectional wheel.

6. The assembly method of an omnidirectional wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step two, the omnidirectional wheels are divided into two groups for assembly.

7. The assembly method of an omnidirectional wheel according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each wheelset uses only one assembled single wheel as the starting point.

8. The assembly method of an omnidirectional wheel according to claim 7, characterized in that, When tightening the screws to assemble and fix the single wheel assembly in step two, it is necessary to ensure that the spacer column in the single wheel assembly is fully compressed and that sufficient pressure is generated on the inner and outer sides of the bearing.

Images