Deformable Wheel Structure for Stable Obstacle Crossing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional deformable wheels for service robots struggle with maintaining stable driving performance on flat ground and efficiently overcoming obstacles without vertical surfaces, leading to significant shaking and instability, especially when encountering various obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A deformable wheel design featuring multiple lobes and wheel spokes that can pivotally connect via hinges, allowing for two-degree-of-freedom motion to control wheel radius and lobe angle, enabling the wheel to transition between circular and deformed shapes to smoothly navigate obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional wheel structure is used for service robots, then the robot can drive stably on flat ground, but it cannot overcome obstacles such as stairs or raised spots
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel structure is made dynamically deformable through a mechanism comprising multiple lobes, wheel spokes, and hinges. The wheel can change its shape from a standard circular form to a deformed configuration when encountering obstacles, allowing it to climb over obstacles while maintaining stability on flat ground through controlled deformation
2Adaptability or versatility
If a deformable wheel is designed to overcome high obstacles, then obstacle overcoming ability is improved, but the structure requires a vertical surface and friction to function
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is segmented into multiple independent lobes connected by hinges to the wheel spokes. This segmentation allows each lobe to move independently and deform the wheel shape without requiring a vertical surface or friction, enabling the wheel to overcome obstacles through shape change alone
3Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional deformable wheel deforms to overcome obstacles, then obstacle overcoming is achieved, but the trajectory inclination changes discontinuously causing large shaking
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous deformation capability of the wheel, enabled by the hinged lobe structure, allows for smooth transitions in trajectory inclination. The wheel can gradually adjust its shape during the obstacle crossing process, maintaining continuous and smooth motion of the robot body without abrupt changes that cause shaking
4Adaptability or versatility
If a deformable wheel structure is implemented to overcome various obstacles, then adaptability is improved, but the structure and control become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is divided into multiple lobes connected by simple hinge mechanisms, allowing complex deformation patterns to be achieved through relatively simple structural elements. This segmentation enables the wheel to adapt to various obstacle types while keeping the individual component structures simple and easy to control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The deformable wheel maintains stable driving on flat ground and efficiently overcomes obstacles of varying heights by deforming into optimal shapes, reducing friction and ensuring smooth navigation without vertical surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
hinges configured to pivotally connecting the wheel spokes to the lobes
Data Source
AI summary
A deformable wheel includes: a plurality of lobes; wheel spokes connected to the plurality of lobes, respectively; and hinges pivotably connecting the wheel spokes to the lobes, wherein the wheel spokes are capable of two degree-of-freedom motion, and the plurality of lobes either form a circular shape due to the two degree-of-freedom motion of the wheel spokes, or separate from each other to form a deformed shape.