11679 results about "Wheel drive" patented technology

A mobile robot system for performing a plurality of separate operations, and including at least one autonomous wheeled mobile robot having at least one wheel-driving motor, an on-board computer, a system for navigation, orientation, and maneuvering in an environment with moving obstacles, a sensor system, a wireless communication system operative to receive and send signals, and a plurality of dockable operation modules and operative to be selectively coupled to the autonomous mobile robot to form an operation unit, wherein the autonomous wheeled mobile robot autonomously docks to the dockable operation modules.

A self-propelled robot is disclosed for movement over a surface to be treated. The robot has a power supply and a pair of wheels driven by motors for moving the robot over the surface. A mechanism is provided for controllably depositing a fluent material on to the surface. Navigation sensors provide signals for enabling the robot to navigate over the surface and one or more detectors detect the presence of the material on the surface and provide signals indicative of its presence. A control system receives the signals from the sensors and detectors and controls the motors and the depositing mechanism in dependence upon the signals received from the sensors and detectors.

A four-wheel pool cleaner (20) motivated by water flow to move along a pool surface, and having: a body (24); the four wheels rotatably mounted thereon and including two sets of two wheels (22) each, one wheel of each set on each side; a drive mechanism (36) in position to be moved by water flow and having a rotatable drive member (76); a drive train extending to the first wheel set (22a, b) and to the second wheel set (22c, d), to drive all four wheels. Preferred embodiments include: wheel-to-wheel drive links (88) along the side; a turbine (36) as drive mechanism; a pair of spaced wheelgears (32, 34), preferably integrally formed with the wheel, facilitating drive linkages and steering; a pair of end-to-end drive shafts (80, 82) joined by a coupler (84c), one shaft end (80a) being a ball joint allowing fore-and-aft movement of a drive-shaft distal end; a spring (102) and cam (100) for alternately moving that distal end between a driving position engaging one of the spaced wheelgears (32), and a steering position engaging the other of the spaced wheelgears (34); wheel treads (108) with radial fingers (110), some (110a-c) of longer length; and a segmented articulated skirt (56) to help enclose a plenum beneath the pool cleaner.

This invention is directed to a method of operating a wormgear drive at high energy efficiency comprising filling an oil reservoir with a wormgear lubricant comprising an isomerized Fischer-Tropsch derived distillate fraction having a low traction coefficient and operating the wormgear drive with the filled oil reservoir at an equilibrium temperature between 20 and 225 degrees C. This invention is also directed to a process for reducing the traction coefficient of a higher-traction coefficient lubricating base oil by blending it with an isomerized Fischer-Tropsch derived distillate fraction. This invention is also directed to a wormgear lubricant comprising an isomerized Fischer-Tropsch distillate fraction and between 2 and 50 weight percent thickener.

The invention provides a wheel driving robot finger device, belonging to a robot technical field which comprises a base, a motor, a reducer, a first gear, a second gear, a close joint shaft, a middle part finger, a far joint shaft and a terminal finger section as well as a driver, a transmission part, a driven wheel, a spring part. The middle part finger is sleeved on the close joint shaft. Two terminals of the spring part are respectively connected with the middle and the terminal finger sections. The device uses a pair of wheel mechanisms to sleeve a plurality of active middle part fingers with the decoupling effect of the spring part comprehensively to realize the special effect that the double joints drive the finger to bend so as to catch the objects. With simple structure, reliability, low cost, convenient installation and maintenance, small volume and light weight, the wheel driving robot finger device similar to human fingers is especially suitable for being used as a thumb of the hand of the humanoid robot or a part of other fingers that uses fewer drivers to drive more rotation joints to automatically adjust to catch the objects of different shapes and sizes.

The invention provides a blind window with built-in single-control double-layer hollow glass, and belongs to the technical field of sunshade hollow glass products. The blind window with the built-in single-control double-layer hollow glass comprises a window body and venetian blind blade overturning devices, wherein the window body comprises inner glass, outer glass, an upper transverse frame strip, a lower transverse frame strip, a left longitudinal frame strip and a right longitudinal frame strip; and the venetian blind blade overturning devices are arranged on connectors of corners of a frame of the window body. The blind window with the built-in single-control double-layer hollow glass is characterized in that each venetian blind blade overturning device comprises a supporting mechanism, a blade overturning wheel, a clutch mechanism, a blade overturning shaft and a clutch shielding mechanism; each supporting mechanism is arranged on the connector of the corresponding corner of the frame of the window body; each blade overturning wheel is fixed on a corresponding blade overturning wheel shaft; each clutch mechanism is arranged on the corresponding supporting mechanism; each blade overturning shaft is connected with the right end of a corresponding blade overturning shaft sleeve; and each clutch shielding mechanism is matched with the corresponding supporting mechanism. When each clutch mechanism is connected with the right end of the corresponding blade overturning wheel shaft, each blade overturning wheel drives the corresponding blade overturning wheel shaft; and when blades of a venetian blind are overturned to be closed, the blade overturning wheels rotate independently, movement resistance of a blade overturning traction rope is reduced obviously, the blade overturning traction rope is prevented from being rubbed and damaged, and the blade overturning wheels are prevented from being damaged.

A vehicle brake device is provided with a hydraulic brake device for boosting by a booster device a braking manipulation force generated upon a braking manipulation, for applying a base fluid pressure generated in dependence on the boosted brake manipulation force, to wheel cylinders of wheels so that a base hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels, and for driving a pump to generate and apply a controlled fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders so that a controlled hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels; braking manipulation state detecting means for detecting the braking manipulation state; a regenerative brake device for causing an electric motor to generate a regenerative brake force corresponding to the braking manipulation state on the wheels driven by the electric motor; variation detecting means for detecting the variation of an actual regenerative brake force actually generated by the regeneration braking device; and brake force compensating means for generating the controlled fluid pressure by driving the pump of the hydraulic brake device so that a controlled hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels to compensate for the lack of the regenerative brake force due to the variation which is detected by the variation detecting means.

A hybrid drive arrangement for a motor vehicle including an internal combustion engine (1), which is connected or can be connected in a wheel-driving manner, via a first torque transmission path (11, 13), to a driving wheel (15) of the motor vehicle. An electric machine (19), which is operable at least as a motor, is fed from an electrical energy source (7, 29) of the motor vehicle and is connected or can be connected in a wheel-driving manner, via a second torque transmission path (21, 23, 13), to the driving wheel (15). Arranged in the first and / or the second torque transmission path are coupling elements (11, 23) which, in a first operating state, permit the driving of the motor vehicle by the wheel-driving torque of the electric machine (19), operated as a motor, without mechanical torque support from the internal combustion engine (1), and which, in a second operating state, permit the driving of the motor vehicle by the internal combustion engine (1), without mechanical torque support from the electric machine (19). Depending on the driving speed of the motor vehicle, an electronic driving control system (31) activates the first operating state, at least in a first range of driving speeds including standstill of the vehicle, if the driving speed is less than a predetermined speed limit, and activates the second operating state, at least in a second range including the maximum speed of the vehicle, if the driving speed is greater.

A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.

The invention discloses an intelligent trolley and belongs to the field of embedded type application and automatic control. Most trolleys used in the supermarkets at present are traditional manual trolley, and only certain additional functions are added at most. The intelligent trolley is hereinafter referred to as the trolley; the trolley comprises a main controller, a wireless module, a power supply, at least two anticollision sensors, a motor, a touch screen, an electronic label card reader and a camera, wherein the wireless module, the power supply, the at least two anticollision sensors, the motor, the touch screen, the electronic label card reader and the camera are respectively connected with the main controller; the main controller adopts one or the combination of two of an ARM (Advanced RISC Machines) processor, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chip and a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) chip; the position of a handle of the trolley is defined to be at the rear end; the bottom part of a basket of the trolley is provided with the main controller, the wireless module and the power supply; the power supply is a pluggable or wireless charging battery module; and two wheels at the rear end of the trolley are directional wheels driven by the motor, and two wheels at the front end of the trolley are universal wheels. The intelligent trolley is a trolley with functions of intelligent sensing and automatic tracking.

A throw-lever releasable mounting system for mounting a device in quick-release relation to a support member has a mounting base having a configuration fitting opposed angulated rail surfaces and having a locator key engaging a positioning slot of the rail. Each mounting base provides for mounting and stabilization of optics mounting rings. A locking platform projects from the mounting base and defines a locking opening having a circular hard metal insert therein that defines a receptacle receiving a resilient member and providing for location of the spline / spindle shaft of a rotatable locking plate. A locking plate of a throw-lever that is rotatable between locking and unlocking positions has angulated and curved cam surfaces for forcibly engaging correspondingly angulated surfaces of the rail to achieve cam energized precision locating and locking engagement with the rail. A non-circular section of a spline / spindle shaft of the throw-lever is receives a drive member in non-rotatable and linearly moveable relation. Resilient members are interposed between the drive member and the hardened insert and prevent free throw-lever movement at the release position thereof.

A wheel assembly for a small-scale machine includes a pair of opposing, individually-driven wheels, associated motors and possibly one or more gear assemblies. The motors receive separate drive signals from a control electronics subsystem of the wheel assembly. The motors can be connected to the wheels via the gear assemblies. Because the wheels are separately driven, driving the two wheel assemblies at similar or different speeds drives the wheel assembly over straight or curved paths. An orientation assembly allows the orientation of the wheels to the machine to be controllably altered. A height adjusting assembly allows the distance between the wheels and a point on the machine where the wheel assembly is attached to be adjusted. The rotational axis that the wheel assembly rotates about when re-oriented need not pass through either wheel of the wheel assembly. The wheels can be driven by control signals generated by on-board control electronics.

A hybrid drive mechanism for a wheel-driven vehicle. The drive mechanism has an electromotor with a rotor and a stator as a first drive source, with a first speed and a first torque, and a pedal drive as a second drive source, with a second speed and a second torque. The stator of the electromotor is positioned on an axle or shaft of the drive train between the pedal crank and the drive wheel, preferably on a wheel axis, in such a way that it can rotate. The stator can be coupled mechanically with the second drive source so that the stator is driven by the second drive source, and the rotor of the electromotor has a speed which corresponds to the sum of the first speed of the first drive and the second speed of the second drive.

An autonomous wheeled mobile robot (1) comprising at least one wheel-driving motor, an on-board computer, means for navigation, orientation, and maneuvering in an environment with moving obstacles; a sensor system; and a wireless communication system for receiving and sending.

A three-wheeled vehicle having two parts that can be tilted around a longitudinal axis. A rear part has a chassis for two-track wheels and the front part, which can be tilted relative to the rear part, accommodates a driver seat. Connected to a front end of the front part is a tiltable front wheel suspension to which a front wheel and an engine and gears for the front-wheel drive are attached. The two vehicle parts that can be tilted relative to each other each support or form a body which can also be designed for the front part as a monocoque and forms a closed and heatable driver cabin.

The invention discloses a built-in and suspension integrated hub motor drive electric wheel. The electric wheel comprises a hub motor, a brake, a wheel, a damping mechanism and a speed reduction mechanism, wherein the speed reduction mechanism comprises a sun wheel, a planet wheel, a planet carrier and a gear ring; the damping mechanism comprises a first elastic element and a second elastic element; and the hub motor is connected with a vehicle through the first elastic element, and is connected with a supporting shaft of the wheel through the second elastic element. Compared with the prior art, the electric wheel has the advantages that the electric wheel has a compact structure, is light in mass and high in power density and can be easily distributed on the wheel; the dynamic properties and the safety of the vehicle are remarkably improved; and simultaneously, the dynamic characteristics of an electric wheel driving system are effectively improved, the grounding performance of the wheel is improved, and the service life of parts is prolonged.

A power split hybrid wheel drive system of the present invention comprises a planetary gear train (16) coupled to the output shaft of a driving engine (12). A primary motor or generator (18) is coupled to an output shaft of the planetary gear train (16) for receiving power therefrom, and a secondary motor or generator (30, 32) is associated with each driven vehicle wheel (14) to provide an electrical power pathway. A mechanical differential gear train (20) is coupled between the output shaft of the planetary gear train (16) and each driven vehicle wheel; (14) to provide a mechanical power pathway, while a mechanical clutch (22) and brake system (24) is configured to regulate the mechanical power routed to the differential gear train (20). A control system (48) is included to regulate the flow of electrical power between the primary motor (18) and secondary motors or generators (30, 32).

A coaxial two-wheel vehicle with which a rider stably travels without the upper body being swayed left and right in a riding state of the center of gravity being positioned high is provided. The coaxial two-wheel vehicle includes: a step plate for a driver to ride; a vehicle body that supports the step plate to be capable of changing a posture in a roll direction of rotating around a roll axis as the center, when a traveling direction is made the roll axis; a pair of wheels disposed on both sides on the same axis in the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the vehicle body and rotatably supported by the vehicle body; a pair of wheel drive means to drive and rotate the pair of wheels independently; and a handle for directly changing a posture of the step plate or indirectly changing the posture through the vehicle body.

There is provided herein a support surface such as a bed or chair which contains a network of inelastic straps, the tension in each of which can be independently sensed and adjusted under control of an electronic monitor. Preferably, each strap will contain a plurality of sensors to allow an attached electronic monitor (preferably one with a microprocessor) to determine in real time the amount of pressure (or the duration of the pressure) applied to each strap. Based on that information, the attached monitor will periodically loosen or tighten the straps as needed to move support for the patient's body away from current pressure points. In one preferred arrangement, each strap will preferably be loosened or tightened through the use of a worm gear drive or similar mechanical motor.

A mid-wheel drive power wheelchair for use by handicapped and disabled persons is provided having a frame, a seat supported by the frame, a pair of drive wheels supported on the frame under the seat, drive means for causing rotation of the drive wheels, power means for supplying power to the drive means, a rearward idler wheel, a forward anti-tip device and a resilient suspension supporting the forward anti-tip device, the suspension being attached to the drive means rearward of the front portion of the frame.

A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.

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.

The invention provides a composite transformation mobile robot combining an elastic foot and a wheel type motion mechanism, which comprises a space machine body frame unit of a foot-wheel composite mobile transformation robot, driving wheel drive units, driven wheel driven units, four modular leg units, a control sensing system unit, a hermetical casing and a power source. The robot used elastic foot replaces the traditional rigid foot to increase the kinetic stability of the robot and reduce the vibratility and impact force of the robot, and is combined with a wheel type moving method, so that the quick mobility and high efficiency of the wheel type movement on a flat ground can be guaranteed, and the excellent maneuverability and strong obstacle crossing function of the foot type moving, creeping and climbing motion under complex terrains such as complex mountain environment and city terrain can be taken into account; as the foot type composite transformation mobile robot adopts modular design, the foot and wheel cannot interfere each other, the maintenance and replacement are convenient, and the motion pattern is flexible and variable; and the athletic ability of the robot is improved in virtue of the mutual transformation, coordination and combination of the foot type motion and the wheel type motion.

An inverted pendulum type moving body subject to a traveling control in response to a traveling instruction based on an intention of a rider while keeping a balance, a manipulation mode is performed based on the intention of the rider and an automatic operation mode is performed without being based on the intention of the rider.The inverted pendulum type moving body includes a center-of-gravity position adjusting unit for adjusting a center-of-gravity position of the rider in accordance with a manipulation signal outputted from a control device. When an instruction for switching a control mode to an automatic operation mode, where a predetermined traveling control is performed without being based on intention of the rider, is generated, and controls a wheel drive unit in accordance with a traveling instruction based on the center-of-gravity position.

A surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt installed to be wrapped around a case from end to end, traveling on a surface by the rotation of wheels driven by a power source is provided. The surface traveling mobile apparatus includes vacuum chambers installed to be attached to the sides of the wheels, a vacuum tube for connecting the vacuum chambers to each other, a vacuum pump formed in part of the vacuum tube, the vacuum pump for inhaling and exhausting air, and suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by the vacuum pump inhaling and exhausting air. Also, a cleaning apparatus including a spray unit for spraying water or wash liquid to the surface when the surface traveling mobile apparatus moves, and a rotating brush for washing the surface using the sprayed liquid, are provided. Accordingly, the surface traveling apparatus and the cleaning apparatus using the same can freely travel a plane, an inclined plane, a vertical plane, and a ceiling and thus, can clean areas which are not easily cleaned by people, such as windows or high buildings and high ceilings.

An adjustable length bar to replace the rigid bar, the one connecting the two outboards or the two outdrives of a boat, for steering purposes, said adjustable bar being electricly operated through a switch on the boat's dashboard, said switch having two operating positions, one to keep propellers creating two parallel thrusts (cruising mode), and a second to shift the propellers to create a vee configuration (maneuvering mode), by which the boat's maneuverability will be enhanced.

A walking rehabilitation and exercise machine in the form of an elliptical style machine closely replicates the mechanical foot motions of walking, while incorporating hand motion to help a disabled or injured person retrain muscles in a proper walking gait and improve physical fitness. The device includes an electrically adjustable seat, independent left or right electrically adjustable stride and an electric flywheel drive to assist the operator.

A self-propelled crawler / tractor apparatus is disclosed for traveling through a tubular pipeline while conducting pipeline wall inspection operations and / or towing gear for cleaning, maintenance and the like. The crawler / tractor apparatus is propelled by a plurality of radially positioned motorized traction wheels. Each motorized traction wheel includes a brushless DC electric motor along with clutch, gearbox and other mechanical drive components integrated into a compact self-contained motorized wheel assembly which is sealed and filled with an electrically non-conductive lubricating / cooling oil. The seal integrity at each wheel assembly is maintained against oil leakage and debris ingress by a pressure-balancing mechanism which matches internal oil pressure to the exterior ambient pressure present in the pipeline. The electric motor drive for each traction wheel is individually controlled via an onboard computer to provide a wide range of torque and wheel speeds.

A two-wheel-drive sport all-terrain vehicle (ATV) has a front drive geometry in which the scrub radius is zero or negative combined with a low king pin axis angle, which desirably reduces both steering kickback and lateral pull during braking. The scrub radius less than or equal to zero can be achieved by outwardly displacing the king pin axis, which is defined by the upper and lower pivotal joints of the upper and lower A-arms of the front suspension. To displace the king pin axis outwardly, the disk brake and associated caliper are inverted. The disk brake is supported by support arms extending inwardly from the wheel hub. The disk brake includes an aperture to accommodate both the lower pivotal joint, which protrudes through the plane of the disk, and the inverted caliper. The front suspension further includes a knuckle pivotally connected to the A-arms and an integral aluminum spindle. For further compactness, the wheel hub includes angular-contact bearings.

A chassis structure for a mid-wheel drive power wheelchair includes a pair of restricting racks each having a first restricting plate and a second restricting plate. Each restricting plate has a slot at a central portion thereof. A first fixing member is inserted through one end of the first restricting plate and the slot of the second restricting plate, and a second fixing member is inserted through one end of the second restricting plate and the slot of the first restricting plate, so that the two restricting plates overlap to extend and restrict with each other for maintaining a steady and balancing ride.