Tracked vehicle and running device

Abstract

To provide a crawler type traveling body which enhances the traveling stability of a traveling device.SOLUTION: A crawler type traveling body 10 includes: a crawler belt 11; a drive wheel 13 which incorporates an in-wheel motor and applies driving force to the crawler belt 11; at least two rolling wheels 15a, 15b which are disposed below the drive wheel 13; and a tensioner 25 which is connected to a motor shaft (an example of a drive shaft) of the in-wheel motor and applies tension to the crawler belt 11 by pressing the drive wheel 13 against the crawler belt 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a track-type traveling body and a traveling device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, mobile robots (traveling devices) have been utilized in a variety of environments and applications to assist in tasks that were previously performed manually and to perform tasks in environments that humans cannot handle. Such traveling devices require high mobility and reliability in their traveling mechanisms so that they can travel on poor road surfaces and in limited spaces.

[0003] Furthermore, a traveling device equipped with a crawler-type traveling body is known to improve stability during traveling. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the use of a triangular crawler-type traveling unit formed by a drive wheel with a built-in in-wheel motor and two rollers to stabilize the posture and travel. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional crawler-type running bodies have a problem in that the installation position of the tensioner that applies tension to the crawler to improve stability during running is not taken into consideration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 provides a crawler belt, a drive wheel that applies a driving force to the crawler belt, at least two rollers arranged below the drive wheel, a tensioner that is connected to the drive shaft of the drive wheel and applies tension to the crawler belt by pressing the drive wheel against the crawler belt, An auxiliary wheel is provided between the two wheels, and a support body supports the auxiliary wheel, The track is wound between the drive wheel and the roller. The auxiliary wheels rotate following the crawler belt, and the height at which the auxiliary wheels are installed is adjusted by changing the height of the support. It is a tracked vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a crawler-type traveling body that improves the stability of the traveling device during traveling. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing an example of the appearance of a traveling device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a traveling device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a track-type vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a track-type vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a tensioner provided on a crawler-type traveling body according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a detailed configuration of a tensioner according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining state changes of the tensioner according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram for explaining features of a crawler-type traveling body provided with a tensioner according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an idler and a link according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 5A to 5C are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of an idler according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram for explaining a track wheel separation prevention structure of a track-type traveling body according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a crawler-type traveling body that does not include an idler. [Figure 13] 1 is a diagram for explaining features of a crawler-type traveling body provided with an idler according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a side plate provided on a track-type traveling body according to an embodiment. [Figure 15]10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining features of side plates provided on a track-type traveling body according to an embodiment. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining features of side plates provided on a track-type traveling body according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining features of a side plate provided on a track-type traveling body according to an embodiment. [Figure 18] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a wheel separation prevention member is attached to a crawler-type running body according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a side view of the main body with the track-type running body removed. [Figure 20] 3A to 3C are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a drive wheel according to an embodiment. [Figure 21] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a roller according to an embodiment. [Figure 22] 1 is a diagram for explaining features of a traveling device according to an embodiment; [Figure 23] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining features of a traveling device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0009] ●Embodiment● ●Outline of the running device 1(A) is a perspective view of the exterior of the traveling device 1. The traveling device 1 is made up of crawler-type traveling bodies 10a and 10b and a main body 50.

[0010] The tracked vehicles 10a and 10b are units that serve as the means for moving the traveling device 1. The tracked vehicles 10a and 10b are crawler-type vehicles that use metal or rubber belts. The tracked vehicles have a larger contact area than vehicles that run on tires, such as automobiles, and can travel stably, for example, even in environments with poor footing. Furthermore, whereas vehicles that run on tires require a turning space when turning, traveling devices equipped with tracked vehicles can perform so-called pivot turns, allowing for smooth turning even in limited spaces. The detailed configuration of the tracked vehicles 10a and 10b will be described later.

[0011] The main body 50 is a support that supports the track-type traveling bodies 10a, 10b in a state in which they can travel, and also a control device that controls the driving of the traveling device 1. The main body 50 is also equipped with a battery 530 (described later) that supplies power to drive the track-type traveling bodies 10a, 10b.

[0012] 1(B) is a front view (view from the arrow P) of the traveling device. The main body 50 of the traveling device 1 is equipped with an emergency stop button 31, a status indicator lamp 33, and a cover portion 35. The emergency stop button 31 is an operating means that a person near the traveling device 1 presses to stop the traveling device 1 while it is moving.

[0013] The status indicator lamp 33 is a notification means for notifying people of the status of the traveling device 1. For example, when the status of the traveling device 1 changes, such as when the remaining battery power is low, the status indicator lamp 33 lights up to notify people nearby of the change in the status of the traveling device 1. The status indicator lamp 33 also lights up when there is a risk of an abnormality occurring, such as when the presence of an obstacle that hinders the traveling device 1 from traveling is detected. Note that while FIG. 1 shows an example in which two status indicator lamps 33 are provided on the traveling device 1, the number of status indicator lamps 33 may be one, or three or more. Furthermore, the notification means may be configured to notify people of the status of the traveling device 1 not only by the status indicator lamp 33 but also by a warning sound emitted from a speaker, etc.

[0014] The lid portion 35 is provided on the top surface of the main body 50, and covers the inside of the main body 50. The lid portion 35 also has a ventilation portion 35a having a ventilation hole for ventilating the inside of the main body 50.

[0015] The two track-type vehicles 10a, 10b are installed with the main body 50 sandwiched between them, with tracks 11a and 11b (described later) arranged substantially parallel to each other, i.e., the travelling device 1 is capable of travelling. The number of track-type vehicles is not limited to two and may be three or more. For example, the travelling device 1 may be installed in a state in which the travelling device 1 is capable of travelling, such as by arranging three track-type vehicles in parallel in three rows. Furthermore, for example, the travelling device 1 may be installed with four track-type vehicles arranged front to back and left to right like automobile tires.

[0016] FIG. 1(C) is a side view (view from arrow Q) of the traveling device. The tracked traveling body 10a has a triangular shape formed by a drive wheel 13 and two rollers 15a, 15b (described later). The triangular tracked traveling body 10a can increase the ground contact area within the limited front-to-rear size, for example, when there are restrictions on the front-to-rear size of the traveling body, thereby improving stability during traveling. On the other hand, with a so-called tank-type crawler, in which the upper side (drive wheel side) is longer than the lower side (roller side), when there are restrictions on the front-to-rear size, the overall ground contact area becomes small and unstable. In this way, the tracked traveling body 10a is effective when improving the traveling performance of a relatively small traveling device 1.

[0017] ●Hardware configuration Next, the hardware configuration of the traveling device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Note that components may be added or deleted from the hardware configuration shown in Fig. 2 as needed.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a traveling device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, traveling device 1 includes a main body 50 that controls the processing or operation of traveling device 1. Main body 50 includes a radio control receiver 501, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 502, a memory 503, a communication I / F (Interface) 506, a battery 530, a traveling control motor driver 540, an attitude control motor driver 550, and attitude control motors 555a and 555b. Radio control receiver 501, CPU 502, memory 503, communication I / F 506, battery 530, traveling control motor driver 540, and attitude control motor driver 550 are connected via a system bus 510. System bus 510 is an address bus, a data bus, or the like that electrically connects the above-mentioned components and transmits address signals, data signals, various control signals, and the like.

[0019] The radio control receiver 501 receives operation instruction signals transmitted from a transmitter such as a PC used by the operator of the traveling device 1. The CPU 502 controls the entire traveling device 1. The CPU 502 is a calculation device that realizes each function of the traveling device 1 by reading out and processing various data necessary to operate the program P1 or the traveling device 1, which are stored in the memory 503.

[0020] The memory 503 stores the program P1 executed by the CPU 502 and various data required to operate the traveling device 1. The program P1 is provided in the memory 503 in advance.

[0021] The program P1 may also be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file format on a recording medium readable by the CPU 502 (computer), such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a digital versatile disc (DVD). The program P1 may also be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network, such as the Internet, and downloaded to the traveling device 1 via the network. The program P1 may also be provided or distributed via a network, such as the Internet. When the program P1 is provided externally, the CPU 502 reads the program P1 via the communication I / F 506. Instead of having the CPU 502 operate in accordance with the program P1, the traveling device 1 may operate the program P1 in hardware by implementing a dedicated ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) having the same arithmetic and control functions as the program P1.

[0022] The communication I / F 506 is a communication interface that communicates (connects) with other devices or apparatuses via a communication network. The communication I / F 506 is, for example, a communication interface such as a wired or wireless local area network (LAN). The communication I / F 506 may also include a communication interface such as 3G (3rd Generation), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark), WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), Zigbee (registered trademark), or millimeter wave wireless communication. The traveling device 1 may also include a communication circuit for short-range wireless communication such as NFC (Near Field communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0023] The battery 530 is a power supply unit that supplies power necessary for the processing or operation of the traveling device 1. The battery 530 supplies power to, for example, the in-wheel motors 14a and 14b and the attitude control motors 555a and 555b.

[0024] The driving control motor driver 540 drives the in-wheel motors 14a, 14b by supplying motor drive signals to the in-wheel motors 14a, 14b, respectively.

[0025] The in-wheel motors 14a, 14b are respectively installed inside the drive wheels 13a, 13b of the track-type traveling body 10a and 10b, and transmit rotational force to the drive wheels 13a, 13b. The in-wheel motors 14a, 14b rotate the drive wheels 13a, 13b in a positive direction to move the traveling device 1 forward, or in a negative direction to move the traveling device 1 backward. Furthermore, the in-wheel motors 14a, 14b rotate only one of the drive wheels 13a (or 13b) in the positive or negative direction and stop the other drive wheel 13b (or 13a), thereby causing the traveling device 1 to make a pivot turn. The in-wheel motors 14a, 14b rotate one of the drive wheels 13a (or 13b) in the positive direction and rotate the other drive wheel 13b (or 13a) in the negative direction, thereby causing the traveling device 1 to make a pivot turn.

[0026] The attitude control motor driver 550 drives the attitude control motors 555a, 555b by supplying motor drive signals to the attitude control motors 555a, 555b. The attitude control motors 555a, 555b adjust the height of the idlers 18a, 18b, for example, by changing the height of a link 19 (described later) up or down in response to a control signal from the attitude control motor driver 550. The attitude control motors 555a, 555b also prevent the traveling device 1 from tipping over, for example, by controlling the attitude of the main body 50.

[0027] The traveling device 1 is not limited to a configuration that travels in response to an operation instruction received by the radio control receiver 501, but may be configured to travel using technology such as autonomous traveling or line tracing. The traveling device 1 may also be configured to travel under remote control by a user at a remote location by receiving an operation instruction signal transmitted via a communication network at the communication I / F 506.

[0028] Tracked vehicle Next, the track-type vehicles 10a and 10b that make up the travelling device 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 21. First, the overall configuration of the track-type vehicles 10a and 10b will be described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. As shown in Fig. 1, the travelling device 1 includes two track-type vehicles 10a and 10b, but in the following description, these vehicles will be described as the configuration of the track-type vehicle 10 because they have the same configuration. Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a track-type vehicle according to an embodiment. Figs. 3 and 4 are side views of the track-type vehicle 10 as seen from the same direction as Fig. 1(C).

[0029] As shown in Fig. 3, the track-type vehicle 10 includes tracks 11, drive wheels 13, rollers 15a and 15b, idlers 18a and 18b, links 19, side plates 20a, and a tensioner 25. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the track-type vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 3 with the side plates 20a removed. The track-type vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 4 further includes an in-wheel motor 14, a motor shaft 141, side plates 20b, side plate supports 27a, 27b, 27c, and 27d, roller shafts 151a and 151b, idler shafts 181a and 181b, and a link shaft 191.

[0030] The track 11, also called a crawler, is made of metal or rubber. The track 11 is looped around the drive wheel 13 and the rollers 15a, 15b. The track 11 moves in the rotational direction of the drive wheel 13, and drives the rollers 15a, 15b, thereby rotating the track-type vehicle 10. The surface of the track 11 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 111a, 111b. The protrusions 111a on the outer side of the track 11 are provided for the purpose of stably running over small obstacles such as stones on the road surface. The protrusions 111b on the inner side are provided for the purpose of preventing the track 11 from coming off the drive wheel 13 or the rollers 15a, 15b.

[0031] The drive wheels 13 transmit a driving force to the crawler belts 11 to rotate the crawler-type vehicle 10. The crawler-type vehicle 10 transmits the driving force (rotational force) transmitted to the drive wheels 13 by the in-wheel motors 14 to the rollers 15a and 15b via the crawler belts 11.

[0032] The in-wheel motor 14 is built into the drive wheel 13 and transmits a rotational force to the drive wheel 13. The in-wheel motor 14 is driven to rotate around a motor shaft 141 which serves as a drive shaft. The rotation shaft (motor shaft 141) of the in-wheel motor 14 serves as the rotation shaft (drive shaft) of the drive wheel 13, and the drive wheel 13 is rotated by the rotational force of the in-wheel motor 14. The rotational force of the in-wheel motor 14 is then transmitted to the crawler 11 as a driving force. Specifically, the in-wheel motor 14 applies rotation to the drive wheel 13 in a positive direction to move the traveling device 1 forward, or in a negative direction to move the traveling device 1 backward.

[0033] Furthermore, by incorporating the in-wheel motor 14 into the drive wheel 13, the structure can be simplified, and by not using components such as a drive chain or gears, the risk of failures caused by these components can be reduced. Furthermore, by incorporating the in-wheel motor 14 into the drive wheel 13, it is possible to generate driving force near the outer periphery of the track-type vehicle 10, thereby increasing torque.

[0034] The rollers 15a and 15b are rotatably attached to the track-type running body 10. The rollers 15a and 15b rotate about the roller shafts 151a and 151b as rotation axes by the driving force (rotational force) transmitted from the driving wheel 13 via the track 11.

[0035] Here, the drive wheel 13, the roller 15a, and the roller 15b form a triangle in side view. The crawler belt 11 is looped around the drive wheel 13, the roller 15a, and the roller 15b, and the area between the roller 15a and the roller 15b comes into contact with the ground. In other words, the drive wheel 13 with the built-in in-wheel motor 14 does not come into contact with the road surface. Therefore, even if the track-type vehicle 10 travels through a puddle, for example, the in-wheel motor 14 will not become submerged in water, and therefore there is no need to provide a special waterproofing mechanism for the in-wheel motor 14.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, the diameters of the drive wheel 13 and the rollers 15a and 15b are different. The layout of the vehicle must be designed taking into account factors such as required size restrictions and driving performance. Generally, the smaller the motor diameter, the lower the torque per unit width of the motor's thickness (width). Therefore, the drive wheel with an in-wheel motor must have a diameter equal to or larger than the motor diameter to meet the required torque performance. Therefore, the tracked vehicle 10 is designed so that the diameter of the drive wheel 13 installed above is larger than the diameter of the rollers 15a and 15b, in order to satisfy the size restrictions of the running unit 1 or the tracked vehicle 10 and the required driving performance. Note that increasing the diameter of the rollers within size restrictions reduces the contact area and impairs driving stability. Therefore, there is an advantage to using rollers 15a and 15b with a relatively small diameter, taking into account the diameter of the drive wheel 13.

[0037] Idlers 18a and 18b are auxiliary wheels provided between two rollers 15a and 15b and rotate following the track belt 11. Idlers 18a and 18b rotate about idler shafts 181a and 181b, respectively. Link 19 is a support that supports idler 18a and idler 18b.

[0038] The side plates 20a and 20b support the drive wheel 13, the rollers 15a and 15b, and the idlers 18a and 18b of the track-type vehicle 10. The track-type vehicle 10 has a double-support structure using the two side plates 20a and 20b to support the drive wheel 13 and the rollers 15a and 15b. The two side plates 20a and 20b are supported by multiple side plate supports 27a, 27b, 27c, and 27d. The side plates 20a and 20b support the drive wheel 13 using a motor shaft 141. The side plates 20a and 20b also support the rollers 15a and 15b using roller shafts 151a and 151b, respectively. The side plates 20a and 20b also support the idlers 18a and 18b via link shafts 191 of the links 19 that support the idlers 18a and 18b.

[0039] The tensioner 25 is formed of an elastic member such as a spring, and is connected to the in-wheel motor 14 and the motor shaft 141, which is the rotation shaft of the drive wheel 13. The tensioner 25 is installed so that the drive wheel 13 presses against the inside of the crawler belt 11, and applies tension to the crawler belt 11. The tensioner 25 serves to adjust the tension applied from the drive wheel 13 to the crawler belt 11 during travel. The tensioner 25 serves to maintain a reference tension, for example, based on the tension when the track-type vehicle 10 is stationary, to maintain a substantially constant reference tension during travel. The track-type vehicle 10 maintains normal transmission of driving force through the crawler belt 11 by adjusting the slack in the crawler belt 11 with the tensioner 25. The track-type vehicle 10 also prevents the crawler belt 11 from coming off the track by applying tension to the crawler belt 11 with the tensioner 25.

[0040] 3 and 4, the track-type vehicle 10 has a structure that is approximately symmetrical in the front and rear directions in the traveling direction, with the drive wheels 13 at the center. More specifically, in a side view seen from the X-axis direction as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the track-type vehicle 10 has a structure that is approximately symmetrical with respect to a perpendicular line from the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14 to a line connecting the wheel axes of the two rollers 15a, 15b.

[0041] For example, a traveling device that travels in a narrow space such as an office hallway needs to frequently move forward and backward and make pivot turns. In this case, if the shape of the tracks or the arrangement of the drive wheels, rollers, tensioners, etc. of the traveling device are asymmetrical front to back, the drive characteristics may change when traveling forward and backward, or the traveling device may not be able to rotate around the center during a pivot turn. Therefore, by making the layout (structure) of the track-type traveling device 10 approximately symmetrical front to back, it is possible to improve the stability of the traveling device 1 while it is traveling and simplify control. In addition, since the track-type traveling device 10 can be installed without considering the left and right sides of the traveling device 1, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, etc.

[0042] ○Tensioner configuration○ Next, the detailed configuration of the tensioner 25 provided on the track-type vehicle 10 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 8. Figure 5(A) is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the tensioner 25 attached to the track-type vehicle 10. The tensioner 25 is connected to the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14. The tensioner 25 applies tension to the track 11 by pressing the drive wheel 13 against the track 11. Figure 5(A) shows the tensioner 25 attached to the side plate 20 covered by an exterior part 259. The tensioner 25 is connected to the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14 built into the drive wheel 13.

[0043] Figure 5(B) is a cross-sectional view (view along arrow Q) of tensioner 25 taken along line AA'. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the detailed configuration of the tensioner according to this embodiment. Tensioner 25 includes a fixed portion 251, shaft portions 253a and 253b, elastic bodies 255a and 255b, and a block 257.

[0044] The fixing portion 251 is a member for fixing the motor shaft 141, which is the rotation shaft of the drive wheel 13 and the in-wheel motor 14. The tensioner 25 prevents the motor shaft 141 from rotating by fixing the block 257 and the motor shaft 141 using the fixing portion 251.

[0045] Shafts 253a and 253b are members that guide the elastic deformation of elastic bodies 255a and 255b, respectively. Elastic bodies 255a and 255b are elastic members such as springs that are provided along shafts 253a and 253b, respectively. Elastic bodies 255a and 255b elastically deform in the up and down directions using shafts 253a and 253b as guides.

[0046] The block 257 has a role of connecting the tensioner 25 to the motor shaft 141 by passing the motor shaft 141 through it. The shafts 253a and 253b pass through the block 257 and slide axially along the shafts 253a and 253b. As a result, the tensioner 25 can move the drive wheels 13 in the up and down direction around the motor shaft 141 in conjunction with the deformation of the elastic bodies 255a and 255b. As a result, the track-type traveling vehicle 10 pushes up the motor shaft 141 by the deformation of the elastic bodies 255a and 255b, and presses the drive wheels 13 themselves against the crawler belt 11 as a tensioner, thereby applying tension to the crawler belt 11. Note that the tensioner 25 may be configured to move the drive wheels 13 in the up and down direction by providing a member or mechanism that can expand and contract in the up and down direction instead of the elastic bodies 255a and 255b.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating changes in state of the tensioner according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the elastic bodies 255a and 255b deform and expand and contract when pressure is applied to the drive wheels 13 from above. The tensioner 25 shown in the left diagram of FIG. 7 (similar to FIG. 5(B)) is in a state in which the elastic bodies 255a and 255b are expanded, and tension is being applied to the crawler belt 11. On the other hand, the right diagram of FIG. 7 shows a state of the tensioner 25 in which the elastic bodies 255a and 255b have contracted due to pressure applied from above. For example, if the crawler belt 11 is pressed against an obstacle or the like on the road surface while traveling, the crawler-type traveling vehicle 10 can reduce damage to the crawler belt 11 by reducing the tension applied to the crawler belt 11 as the elastic bodies 255a and 255b contract.

[0048] Here, the features of the track-type vehicle 10 according to this embodiment will be described using FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the features of a track-type vehicle equipped with a tensioner according to this embodiment. In a triangular track-type vehicle in which drive wheels incorporating in-wheel motors are arranged at the top, the motor diameter of the in-wheel motor needs to be increased to increase the motor torque. Increasing the motor diameter further increases the weight of the motor, which is generally heavy, and therefore raises the center of gravity of the vehicle with drive wheels arranged at the top, reducing running stability. Furthermore, as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 8 , a separate tensioner is provided on the triangular track-type vehicle to prevent the wheels from coming off the track. The tensioner needs to be located in a position where the track can move freely together with the tensioner to absorb tension fluctuations. Therefore, the tensioner is placed at the top of the triangular track-type vehicle. Therefore, the drive wheels are positioned higher to ensure space for the tensioner.

[0049] Therefore, in the track-type traveling body 10 shown in the right diagram of Fig. 8, the tensioner 25 is connected to the rotating shaft (motor shaft 141) of the drive wheel 13, so that the drive wheel 13 itself functions as a tensioner. This eliminates the installation space for the tensioner, and allows the track-type traveling body 10 to lay out the drive wheel 13 in a lower position, thereby improving traveling stability.

[0050] ○Idler peripheral configuration○ Next, a detailed configuration of the idler 18 and its surroundings provided on the track-type vehicle 10 will be described using FIGS. 9 to 13. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an idler and a link according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the track-type vehicle 10 includes two idlers 18a, 18b connected by a link 19. The link 19 is a support that supports the multiple idlers 18. The idlers 18a, 18b are connected by two link plates 19a, 19b. The two link plates 19a, 19b are also connected by a link shaft 191. The link 19 supports the idlers 18a, 18b at both ends with the two link plates 19a, 19b. As shown in FIG. 3, the idlers 18a, 18b are supported on side plates 20a, 20b using the two link plates 19a, 19b and the link shaft 191. The number of idlers 18 is not limited to this, and may be one, or three or more idlers 18 may be supported by the link 19.

[0051] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an idler according to the embodiment. Note that the idlers 18a and 18b shown in Fig. 9 have the same configuration, so Fig. 10 will explain the configuration of the idler 18a as a representative. Fig. 10(A) is an external perspective view of the idler 18a. Fig. 10(B) is a front view (view seen from the arrow P) of the idler 18a in the traveling direction. As shown in Figs. 10(A) and (B), the idler 18a is formed so as to connect a wheel 182a and a wheel 184a via an idler shaft 181a.

[0052] FIG. 10(C) is a side view (view from arrow Q) of the idler 18a in the traveling direction. As shown in FIG. 10(C), the wheels 182a of the idler 18a have multiple wheel wells 183a. If foreign matter such as mud, earth, or rubbish gets between the tracks of a track-type running vehicle, the idler may be locked from rotating or the tracks may come off. For this reason, the idler 18a has wheel wells 183a in the wheels 182a to allow foreign matter to be smoothly discharged. Note that the number or shape of the wheel wells 183a is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 10(C). The wheels 184a have the same configuration as the wheels 182a.

[0053] Here, the features of the track-type vehicle 10 provided with the idler 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a track slippage prevention structure of the track-type vehicle according to the embodiment. The track-type vehicle 10 drives the tracks 11 by the rotation of the drive wheels 13 incorporating in-wheel motors 14. The rollers 15a and 15b rotate as the rotational force of the tracks 11 is transmitted to them. The rollers 15a and 15b are guided by protrusions 111b provided on the inside of the tracks 11, and rotate in accordance with the movement of the tracks 11. In this case, if the distance between the rollers 15a and 15b is wide, the tracks 11 may slip off the rollers 15a or 15b. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a track-type vehicle not provided with an idler.

[0054] Therefore, the track-type vehicle 10 is provided with idlers 18a, 18b between the rollers 15a and 15b that come into contact with the track 11, thereby preventing the track 11 from coming off. Furthermore, by providing the idlers 18a, 18b in addition to the rollers 15a, 15b on the ground contact surface, the track-type vehicle 10 can distribute the load, thereby reducing the risk of malfunctions and the like.

[0055] Next, the contact positions of the rollers 15a, 15b and the idlers 18a, 18b with the crawler belt 11 on the ground contact surface side will be described with reference to Figure 13. As shown in Figure 13, the crawler-type running vehicle 10 can adjust the contact area of ​​the crawler belt 11 by adjusting the height at which the idlers 18a, 18b are installed.

[0056] The left diagram in Figure 13 shows a simplified example in which the idlers 18a, 18b and the rollers 15a, 15b are at the same height when they contact the crawler belt 11. In the left diagram, the ground contact area of ​​the crawler belt 11 is the area between the rollers 15a and 15b. Therefore, the crawler-type running vehicle 10 has a large ground contact area and can increase road resistance, resulting in high running stability.

[0057] On the other hand, the right diagram of Fig. 13 shows an example in which the contact positions of the idlers 18a, 18b with the crawler belt 11 are lower than the contact positions of the rollers 15a, 15b with the crawler belt 11. In the case of the right diagram, the ground contact area of ​​the crawler belt 11 is the area between the idlers 18a and 18b. Therefore, compared to the state of the left diagram, the state of the right diagram has a smaller ground contact area, which reduces road resistance, while improving turning performance during traveling, and is therefore particularly effective when performing pivot turns with the traveling device 1.

[0058] To take advantage of this feature, the track-type vehicle 10 can adjust the height of the link 19 to adjust the height of the contact position of the idlers 18a, 18b with the track 11 up or down depending on the application or environment of use. Specifically, in the track-type vehicle 10, for example, when the travelling device 1 is stopped, an operator changes the height of the statically fixed link 19, thereby raising or lowering the height of the idlers 18a, 18b. The track-type vehicle 10 may also be configured to dynamically change the height of the link 19 in response to a control signal from the attitude control motor driver 550, for example. In this case, the travelling device 1 adjusts the height of each of the links 19 of the two track-type vehicle bodies 10a, 10b by driving the attitude control motors 555a, 555b based on the control signal transmitted from the attitude control motor driver 550. The travelling device 1 controls the adjustment of the height of the link 19 in response to, for example, the road surface condition, the travelling speed, etc.

[0059] ○Side panel configuration○ Next, the detailed configuration of the side plates 20a, 20b provided on the track-type vehicle 10 will be described using Figures 14 to 19. Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the side plates provided on the track-type vehicle according to the embodiment. Of these, Figure 14(A) is an external perspective view of the track-type vehicle 10 with the track belt 11 removed. Figure 14(B) is a side view (viewed from arrow P) of the track-type vehicle 10 with the track belt 11 removed. The link 19 connecting the drive wheel 13, the rollers 15a, 15b, and the idlers 18a, 18b is connected by two side plates 20a, 20b. The two side plates 20a, 20b are also connected by a plurality of side plate supports 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d (27c, 27d are not shown). The link 19 connecting the drive wheel 13, the rollers 15a and 15b, and the idler 18a and the idler 18b is supported by two side plates 20a and 20b in a double-supported structure. However, the number of side plate supports is not limited to this.

[0060] In this way, the track-type vehicle 10 supports the axles (motor shaft 141, track wheel shafts 151a, 151b) of the drive wheel 13 and the rollers 15a, 15b in a cantilevered structure by the two side plates 20a, 20b. The in-wheel motor 14 built into the drive wheel 13 is large and heavy, and a tensioner 25 is connected to the motor shaft 141. Therefore, a structure in which the drive wheel and rollers are supported at one end requires a large arm (support). Therefore, by using a cantilevered structure for the drive wheel 13 and the rollers 15a, 15b in the track-type vehicle 10, the track-type vehicle 10 can apply stable tension to the track 11 with a compact structure by using a cantilevered structure for the drive wheel 13 and the rollers 15a, 15b at the side plates 20a, 20b. Furthermore, by using a cantilevered structure for all wheels, including the idlers 18a, 18b, by the side plates 20a, 20b, the track-type vehicle 10 can simplify and strengthen the layout (structure).

[0061] 15 to 19, the features of the side plates 20a, 20b provided on the track-type vehicle 10 will be described. Note that the side plates 20a, 20b shown in FIG. 14 have the same structure, and therefore FIGS. 15 to 19 will describe the features of the side plate 20a. As shown in FIG. 15, the side plate 20a has cutouts 201a, 203a cut out from the area on the ground contact surface side (bottom side) of the track 11. As described above, the track-type vehicle 10 has a double-supported structure with the two side plates 20a, 20b, which increases the possibility that foreign objects such as tree branches or stones may become caught between the wheels and the side plates, causing the wheels to lock. Therefore, the track-type running body 10 is provided with the cutouts 201a, 203a in the side plate 20a so that the idlers 18a, 18b are not covered by the side plate 20a, thereby preventing foreign matter from entering between the side plate 20a and the idlers 18a, 18b. Note that the shape and number of the cutouts 201a, 203a are not limited to this, and for example, cutouts may be provided so that part of the rollers 15a, 15b are not covered by the side plate 20a.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 16 , the side plate 20a has a plurality of side plate holes 205a so that foreign matter that has become lodged between each wheel and the side plate 20a can be smoothly expelled. This prevents the tracked vehicle 10 from having problems caused by foreign matter that has become lodged between each wheel and the side plate 20a. By providing the side plate holes 205a in the side plate 20a, the weight of the tracked vehicle 10 can be reduced and the user can visually check the internal condition of the tracked vehicle 10. Furthermore, by providing the side plate holes 205a in the side plate 20a, for example, various wiring in the travelling device 1 can be routed through the side plate holes 205a. The number or shape of the side plate holes 205a is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 16 .

[0063] Furthermore, Figure 17(A) shows the side plate 20a removed from the track-type vehicle 10. The side plate 20a has wheel axle connection regions 210a, 210b, which are regions connecting the wheel axles (tracking wheel axles) of the track wheels 15a, 15b, and axle holders 230a, 230b (230) provided on the wheel axle connection regions 210a, 210b, respectively. Figure 17(B) shows an example of the shape of the axle holder 230. As shown in Figure 17(B), the axle holder 230 is a member for holding the wheel axles (tracking wheel axles) of the track wheels 15a, 15b. The axle holder 230 holds the wheel axles (tracking wheel axles) at the top. This allows the track-type vehicle 10 to fix the position of the wheel axles (tracking wheel axles) using the axle holder 230. Furthermore, the track-type vehicle 10 can adjust the positions of the wheel axles (track wheel axles) of the rollers 15a, 15b within the track axle connection areas 210a, 210b. This allows the track-type vehicle 10 to adjust the tension applied to the tracks 11 from the rollers 15a, 15b. When attaching or detaching the tracks 11, the axle holder 230 can be removed and the positions of the wheel axles (track wheel axles) of the rollers 15a, 15b can be moved within the track axle connection areas 210a, 210b, making it easier to attach or detach the tracks 11.

[0064] The side plate 20a shown in FIG. 17(A) has a plurality of accessory connection holes 260a arranged along the outer edge of the side plate 20a. The accessory connection holes 260a are connection holes for connecting accessory members, such as wheel derailment prevention members 310 for preventing the crawler belt 11 from coming off, to the side plate 20a. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which wheel derailment prevention members 310a, 310b (310), which are an example of accessory members, are attached to the side plate 20a of the track-type vehicle 10. In the track-type vehicle 10, the wheel derailment prevention members 310a, 310b connected to the side plate 20a function as stoppers, preventing the crawler belt 11 from coming off. Note that the shape of the wheel derailment prevention members 310 or the method of connecting them to the side plate 20a are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 18.

[0065] 17, the side plate 20a has a plurality of screw hole regions 280a. The screw hole regions 280a are used, for example, to connect the side plate 20a and the main body 50. The plurality of screw hole regions 280a include a region where the screw holes are arranged vertically and a region where the screw holes are arranged horizontally, and the respective regions are arranged symmetrically on the side plate 20a. The side plate 20a and the main body 50 are connected using any of the screw holes among the plurality of screw hole regions 280a provided in the side plate 20a.

[0066] Here, using FIG. 19 , the state of the main body 50 connected to the track-type vehicle 10 via the side plate 20a will be described. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the state of the side of the main body from which the track-type vehicle has been removed. As shown in FIG. 19 , connecting members 580a, 580b (580) for connecting to the track-type vehicle 10 are attached to the side of the main body 50. The connecting members 580a, 580b each have a plurality of screw hole regions 585a, 585b (585) used for connecting to the track-type vehicle 10. Similar to the screw hole region 280a provided on the side plate 20a, the plurality of screw hole regions 585 have a region where the screw holes are arranged vertically and a region where the screw holes are arranged horizontally. The main body 50 and the track-type vehicle 10 are connected using the screw hole region 585 of the connecting member 580 and any of the plurality of screw holes included in the screw hole region 280a of the side plate 20a. In this way, the traveling device 1 fixes the side plate 20a to the main body 50 on a surface thereof using a plurality of screw holes provided in the connecting member 580 attached to the side plate 20a and the main body 50, thereby improving the robustness between the track-type traveling body 10 and the main body 50 compared to, for example, a case in which the side plate 20a is connected via a single screw hole. Furthermore, the traveling device 1 can change the clearance between the main body 50 and the ground contact surface of the track-type traveling body 10 by arbitrarily selecting a screw hole to be used for connection to the main body 50 (connecting member 580) from among a plurality of screw holes included in the screw hole region 280a of the side plate 20a. Note that the shape of the connecting member 580 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 19 . Furthermore, the main body 50 may be connected to the track-type traveling body 10 using a screw hole provided in the main body 50, without using the connecting member 580.

[0067] 15 to 17, the side plate 20a has a shape in which a plurality of side plate holes 205a and a plurality of screw hole regions 280a are provided symmetrically on the left and right sides. This allows the side plate 20a to maintain the same traveling characteristics between the front and rear of the track-type vehicle 10. Also, by providing a plurality of screw hole regions 280a symmetrically on the side plate 20a, the side plate 20a can be attached to either side of the track-type vehicle 10.

[0068] ○ Drive wheel and roller configuration ○ Next, the detailed configuration of the drive wheels 13 and rollers 15 provided on the track-type vehicle 10 will be described with reference to Figures 20 and 21. First, the configuration of the drive wheels 13 will be described with reference to Figure 20. Figure 20(A) is an external perspective view of the drive wheels 13, and Figure 20(B) is a front view (view seen from the arrow P) of the drive wheels 13 in the traveling direction.

[0069] The drive wheel 13 is composed of a sprocket 131 that transmits the rotation of the in-wheel motor 14 to the crawler belt 11. The in-wheel motor 14 is fixed inside the drive wheel 13. The sprocket 131 serving as the drive wheel 13 rotates with the rotation of the in-wheel motor 14, with a motor shaft 141 as its rotation axis (drive shaft). The sprocket 131 is formed to connect the wheels 132 and 134 via connecting members 136. The connecting members 136 are provided at equal intervals around the outer periphery between the wheels 132 and 134. The protrusions 111b provided on the inside of the crawler belt 11 rotate while fitting between the connecting members 136 adjacent to the sprocket 131. This allows the crawler-type vehicle 10 to achieve a more reliable power transmission effect between the crawler belt 11 and the drive wheel 13. The drive wheel 13 also has a plurality of support members 138 that support the in-wheel motor 14 on the sprocket 131. The drive wheel 13 can incorporate in-wheel motors 14 of different widths by changing the length of the support member 138.

[0070] Furthermore, the drive wheel 13 is provided with a main body cable 143 for connecting the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14 to the main body 50. The motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14 is cylindrical, and the main body cable 143 passes through the motor shaft 141 and connects the in-wheel motor 14 to the main body 50. The drive wheel 13 receives a supply of power from a battery 530 provided in the main body 50 via the main body cable 143.

[0071] FIG. 20(C) is a side view (view from arrow Q) of the drive wheel 13 in the traveling direction. As with the idler 18a, the wheel 132 of the drive wheel 13 has a plurality of wheel holes 133 to prevent foreign matter from getting in. This allows the drive wheel 13 to smoothly expel foreign matter that has gotten between the drive wheel 13 and the crawler belt 11 or into the sprocket 131. The number or shape of the wheel holes 133 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 20(C). The wheel 134 has a similar configuration to the wheel 132.

[0072] Next, the configuration of the rollers 15a and 15b will be described using Figure 21. Because the configurations of the rollers 15a and 15b are the same, only the configuration of the roller 15a will be described in Figure 21. Figure 21(A) is an external perspective view of the roller 15a, and Figure 21(B) is a front view (view seen from the arrow P) of the roller 15a in the direction of travel.

[0073] The roller 15a is formed so as to connect the wheels 152a and 154a via the roller axle 151a, which serves as the rotation axis. The roller 15a also has connecting members 156a installed at equal intervals around the outer periphery between the wheels 152a and 154a.

[0074] Figure 21(C) is a side view (view from arrow Q) of the roller 15a in the direction of travel. Similar to the idler 18a, the wheel 152a of the roller 15a has multiple wheel wells 153a to prevent foreign matter from getting inside. This allows the roller 15a to smoothly expel any foreign matter that has gotten between the roller 15a and the crawler belt 11 or inside the roller 15a. The number or shape of the wheel wells 153a is not limited to the example shown in Figure 21(C). Wheel 154a has a similar configuration to wheel 152a.

[0075] Here, the diameter of the wheel holes provided in the idler 18, the drive wheel 13, and the rollers 15a and 15b is preferably φ15 or more, for example, to smoothly discharge various foreign objects. The same applies to the side plate holes 205a and 205b provided in the side plates 20a and 20b.

[0076] ●Running device Next, the features of the traveling device 1 equipped with the track-type traveling bodies 10 will be described using Figures 22 and 23. As shown in Figure 1, the traveling device 1 has two track-type traveling bodies 10 (10a, 10b) supported on the left and right sides of the main body 50 in a traveling-ready state. Below, Figures 22 and 23 show the features of the positional relationship between the in-wheel motor 14, which is a heavy object among the members constituting the traveling device 1, and the battery 530 provided in the main body 50 in order to improve the traveling stability of the traveling device 1.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 22 , the traveling device 1 has the battery 530 inside the main body 50 located lower than the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14. More preferably, the traveling device 1 has the battery 530 installed inside the main body 50 so that the center of gravity of the battery 530 is lower than the axial center (motor shaft 141) of the in-wheel motor 14. That is, in the traveling device 1, the center of gravity of the battery 530 is lower than the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14. The drive wheel 13 incorporating the in-wheel motor 14 is heavier than the other wheels such as the rollers 15a, 15b and the side plates 20a, 20b, so the triangular track-type traveling body 10 described above has a higher center of gravity than conventional track-type traveling bodies. Therefore, the traveling device 1 has the center of gravity of the battery 530, which is a heavy object inside the device, located lower than the axial center of the in-wheel motor 14, thereby improving the stability of the traveling device 1 including the main body 50.

[0078] 23(A), the axial center (motor shaft 141) of the in-wheel motor 14 is located above and overlaps with the installation area of ​​the battery 530. More preferably, in the side view of the traveling device 1 seen from the side (X-axis direction), the position of the center of gravity of the battery 530 on the side (X-axis direction) is approximately overlapped with a perpendicular line from the position of the axial center (motor shaft 141) of the in-wheel motor 14 on the side (X-axis direction). In this way, by laying out the traveling device 1 in a direction that aligns the position of the center of gravity of the battery 530 seen from the side (X-axis direction) with the position of the perpendicular line from the axial center of the in-wheel motor 14, it is possible to make the most of the characteristics of the crawler-type traveling body 10, which has a structure that is symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction with respect to the traveling direction. Also, as shown in Figure 23(B), when the running device 1 is viewed from the front (Y-axis direction), the entire running device 1 is approximately symmetrical with respect to a line in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) passing through the center of gravity of the running device 1, and the battery 530 is installed so that it is approximately symmetrical with respect to a line in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) passing through the center of the main body 50 when viewed from the front (Y-axis direction).

[0079] ●Examples of running device applications The traveling device 1 equipped with the above-described track-type traveling body 10 can be used in a variety of applications by attaching devices or components to the main body 50 to realize functions according to the intended use. For example, the traveling device 1 is used as a work robot that takes advantage of its high turning ability to perform light work such as transporting goods in bases with narrow passages, such as factories or warehouses. In the case of such a work robot, for example, a loading platform for transport or a movable arm for light work is attached to the traveling device 1.

[0080] The traveling device 1 is also used, for example, for rescue or reconstruction support purposes at disaster sites, agricultural purposes, construction sites, etc. In such applications, for example, in environments where the road surface is rough with rubble and garbage scattered around, the traveling device 1 can reduce the risk of malfunctions occurring while traveling by taking advantage of the characteristics of the track-type traveling body 10, such as the traveling stability.

[0081] Furthermore, by equipping the traveling device 1 with a photographing device and a display device, it can also be used as a telepresence robot that realizes two-way communication (remote communication) between a user at the base of the traveling device 1 and a user at a remote location. By using a telepresence robot, it is possible to remotely manage or maintain devices at the base, or to confirm the location or movement of people at the base. Furthermore, the traveling device 1 may be configured to travel in response to remote control by a user at a remote location.

[0082] ●Summary● As described above, the track-type vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention is a track-type vehicle 10 including the tracks 11, the drive wheels 13 each incorporating an in-wheel motor 14 and applying a driving force to the tracks 11, at least two rollers 15a, 15b arranged below the drive wheels 13, and a tensioner 25 connected to the motor shaft 141 (an example of a drive shaft) of the in-wheel motor 14 and applying tension to the tracks 11 by pressing the drive wheels 13 against the tracks 11, with the tracks 11 looped between the drive wheels 13 and the rollers 15a, 15b. This allows the track-type vehicle 10 to have a low center of gravity, thereby improving running stability.

[0083] Furthermore, the track-type vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention has a structure that is approximately symmetrical with respect to a perpendicular line to the motor shaft 141 (an example of a drive shaft) of the in-wheel motor 14. As a result, the track-type vehicle 10 has an approximately symmetrical layout (structure) in the front-rear direction, which can improve stability during traveling and simplify control.

[0084] Furthermore, the track-type vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an idler 18 (an example of an auxiliary wheel) provided between the two rollers 15a, 15b, and the idler 18 rotates following the track 11. In addition, in the track-type vehicle 10, the contact position of the idler 18 with the track 11 is lower than the contact position of the rollers 15a, 15b with the track 11. This allows the track-type vehicle 10 to improve its turning performance while traveling.

[0085] The track-type vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention includes side plates 20a, 20b that support the drive wheels 13 and rollers 15a, 15b in a doubly supported structure. This allows the track-type vehicle 10 to stably apply tension to the track 11 with a compact structure. In addition, in the track-type vehicle 10, the side plates 20a (20b) have cutouts 201a, 203a (201b, 203b) on the side of the track 11 that faces the ground contact surface. This allows the track-type vehicle 10 to prevent foreign matter from getting between the side plates 20a, 20b and the wheels.

[0086] Furthermore, the traveling device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a track-type traveling body 10 and a main body 50 that supports at least two track-type traveling bodies 10 (10a, 10b) in a traveling state. In the traveling device 1, the main body 50 includes a battery 530 that supplies power to the in-wheel motors 14, and the center of gravity of the battery 530 is lower than the motor shaft 141 (an example of a drive shaft) of the in-wheel motors 14. This improves the stability of the traveling device 1, including the main body 50. Furthermore, in the traveling device 1, the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motors 14 is provided above the installation area of ​​the battery 530. This allows the traveling device 1 to take advantage of the characteristics of the track-type traveling body 10, which has a structure that is symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction with respect to the traveling direction.

[0087] ●Additional Information● So far, we have explained a track-type running body and a running device according to one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and other modifications, such as additions, changes, or deletions, can be made within the scope of what a person skilled in the art can conceive, and any aspect is within the scope of the present invention as long as it achieves the functions and effects of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 Traveling device 10 (10a, 10b) Track-type traveling body 11 Track 13 Drive wheel 14 In-wheel motor 15a, 15b Roller wheel 18a, 18b Idler (an example of an auxiliary wheel) 19 Link 20a, 20b Side plate 25 Tensioner 141 Motor shaft (an example of a drive shaft) 153a Wheel hole (an example of a cavity) 201a, 203a Notch 255a, 255b Elastic body 530 Battery [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0089] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-218105

Claims

1. Tracks and a drive wheel that applies a driving force to the crawler; At least two rollers arranged below the drive wheel; a tensioner connected to a drive shaft of the drive wheel and pressing the drive wheel against the crawler belt to apply tension to the crawler belt; An auxiliary wheel provided between the two wheels; a support body that supports the training wheels, The crawler belt is looped between the drive wheel and the roller; The auxiliary wheels rotate in accordance with the crawler belt, A crawler-type vehicle in which the height at which the auxiliary wheels are installed can be adjusted by changing the height of the support.

2. The tensioner is an elastic body for pressing the drive wheel against the crawler belt, 2. The track-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the drive wheels are pressed against the crawler belt by the drive shaft being pressed by deformation of the elastic body.

3. 3. A crawler-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the crawler-type vehicle has a structure that is substantially symmetrical with respect to a line perpendicular to the drive shaft of the drive wheel.

4. A track-type running body as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the contact position of the auxiliary wheel with the track is lower than the contact position of the roller with the track.

5. The track-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: A track-type vehicle having side plates that support the drive wheels and the rollers in a double-supported structure.

6. 6. The track-type vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the side plates have cutouts on the sides of the tracks that come into contact with the ground.

7. 7. The track-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the wheels of the rollers have at least one wheel well.

8. A track-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7; a main body supporting at least two of the track-type vehicles; A running device comprising:

9. The traveling device according to claim 8, The drive wheel has an in-wheel motor built in, the main body includes a battery that supplies power to the in-wheel motor; A traveling device in which the center of gravity of the battery is lower than the drive shaft of the in-wheel motor.

10. The traveling device according to claim 9, wherein a drive shaft of the in-wheel motor is located above an area where the battery is installed.

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