Articulated Wheeled Robot Chassis With Adjustable Stance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) face challenges in balancing mobility, agility, and payload capacity, as they either excel in one aspect at the expense of the others, such as wheeled platforms offering endurance and payload but poor mobility on obstacles, or legged platforms providing mobility but poor endurance and payload.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid limbed and wheeled mobility platform design with articulating limbs and a chassis that allows for adjustable stance and whole-body movement, enabling obstacle climbing and stable off-road driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a conventional wheeled platform is used, then payload capacity and endurance are improved, but mobility on obstacles and irregular terrain deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis is divided into multiple body parts (front body part, rear body part, intermediary body part) that can rotate relative to each other, allowing the platform to segment its structure to adapt to obstacles while maintaining wheeled mobility for endurance tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The platform employs dynamic stance adjustment through mechanical joints that allow limbs to move toward or away from the platform centerline, enabling the chassis to dynamically adapt its configuration for obstacle climbing while maintaining stable wheeled operation for endurance
2Adaptability or versatility
If the platform narrows its stance to fit into tight areas, then adaptability to confined spaces is improved, but stability on uneven terrain deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The platform dynamically adjusts its stance width by actuating mechanical joints at the points of articulation between the chassis and upper limb members, allowing the limbs to move closer together for confined spaces or wider apart for stability on uneven terrain
Solution Approach 2:
The platform changes the geometric parameter of stance width by rotating body parts relative to each other and actuating mechanical joints, enabling transition between narrow configuration for doorways and wide configuration for obstacle stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If the platform widens its stance for stable off-road driving, then stability on uneven terrain is improved, but ability to fit into tight areas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The platform employs dynamic stance adjustment through mechanical joints that allow limbs to move toward or away from the platform centerline, enabling the chassis to dynamically adapt its configuration for obstacle climbing while maintaining stable wheeled operation for endurance
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile platform (MP) and method for operating same. The MP comprising: a chassis which extends in a longitudinal direction from a back end to a front end and extends in lateral directions from a platform centerline to two opposing lateral sides (wherein the chassis comprises body parts configured to rotate relative to each other); limbs coupled to the chassis; and wheels connected to the limbs. Each limb is movable in a first direction towards the platform centerline and a second direction away from the platform centerline such that a stance of a front or rear pair of limbs can be selectively narrowed and widened.