Compact Manipulator Stowing Within UGV Track Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned ground robots require time-consuming and coordinated assembly of modular systems for missions, as the manipulator and mobility chassis are often carried separately, necessitating multiple personnel and complex preparation processes.
Innovation Solution
The design of an unmanned ground vehicle with a compact manipulator arm that can be stowed entirely within the geometric volume of the drive track assemblies, allowing for a single-person carry and rapid deployment, featuring a pivotally coupled arm with a sensor suite and integrated control systems for autonomous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the manipulator is carried separately from the mobility chassis in modular systems, then the robot can be assembled for different missions, but the assembly process takes time and requires coordination amongst multiple personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator is permanently integrated into the mobility chassis as a unified system rather than being carried separately. The manipulator arm is mounted on the chassis with its stowed position contained within the geometric volume of the drive track assemblies, creating a single deployable unit that eliminates assembly requirements while maintaining mission adaptability through software configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator arm features dynamic positioning capabilities with multiple degrees of freedom, allowing it to be precisely positioned and locked in various configurations. The arm can be extended from a compact stowed position to operational extended positions, enabling the system to adapt to different mission requirements without physical reconfiguration or assembly.
2Device complexity
If the manipulator is integrated into the mobility chassis, then assembly is simplified, but the manipulator may interfere with the drive track assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator arm is designed to nest within the geometric volume of the drive track assemblies when in the stowed position. The arm's retracted configuration fits inside the space occupied by the tracks, allowing both systems to coexist without interference. This nested arrangement enables the manipulator to be integrated into the chassis while maintaining clearance for track operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator arm utilizes vertical space and three-dimensional positioning to avoid interference with the horizontal track assemblies. By positioning the arm's pivot points and articulation joints in specific spatial locations, the system allows the manipulator to extend and operate without contacting the drive tracks, resolving the spatial conflict between the two subsystems.
3Weight of moving object
If the manipulator is designed to extend from a compact stowed position, then the robot can be carried by a single person, but the manipulator structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator arm is divided into multiple segmented sections or links that can articulate relative to each other. This segmentation allows the arm to achieve extended reach and dexterity while maintaining a compact stowed profile. Each segment can be independently positioned and locked, enabling the structure to fold into a space-efficient configuration that fits within the chassis volume for single-person portability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Unmanned ground vehicles configured for compact manipulator stowing are disclosed. In some examples, an unmanned ground vehicle includes a main body and a drive system supported by the main body. The drive system includes right and left driven track assemblies mounted on right and left sides of the main body. A manipulator arm is pivotally coupled to the main body and configured to extend from a stowed position to an extended position, and the manipulator arm in the stowed position is contained entirely within a geometric volume of the right and left driven track assemblies.