Deployable Track Propulsion for Robotic Mower Traction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic devices, such as robotized vegetation mowers, face challenges with traction on sub-optimal surfaces, leading to potential stalling and increased energy consumption, wear on propulsion components, and the need for extensive land grading to ensure navigation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a deployable vehicle propulsion system, such as a continuous track, that can be actuated between retracted and deployed states to enhance traction, reducing the load on primary drive wheels and allowing operation on slopes and surfaces with poor traction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robotic device uses a propulsion system always employed to ensure adequate traction, then traction reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The propulsion system transitions from a static always-employed configuration to a dynamic deployable configuration. The continuous track is deployed only when additional traction is detected or required, and retracted when operating on surfaces with adequate traction, optimizing the balance between reliability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic device applies different propulsion configurations to different operating conditions. Instead of uniformly employing the full propulsion system always, the system adapts its traction provision locally to match the actual terrain requirements, using the continuous track only where and when needed.
2Reliability
If a robotic device uses a propulsion system always employed to ensure adequate traction, then traction reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic deployment control to manage complexity. Rather than permanently engaging all propulsion components, the system selectively deploys the continuous track based on terrain assessment, reducing the operational complexity while maintaining reliability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The propulsion system is segmented into primary drive wheels and a deployable continuous track. This segmentation allows the system to use the simpler primary wheels for normal operation and only engage the more complex continuous track when additional traction is required, managing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If primary drive wheels are made larger or more aggressive to improve traction, then traction capability is improved, but device complexity increases and wear on components increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using permanently large or aggressive drive wheels that会增加 complexity and wear, the system dynamically deploys a continuous track when additional traction is needed. This allows the primary drive wheels to remain simpler in design while still achieving high traction capability when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The aggressive traction function is extracted from the primary drive wheels and placed in the deployable continuous track. This allows the primary wheels to maintain simpler, less-wearing designs while the track provides the aggressive traction capability only when needed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the robotic device operates on surfaces with poor traction, then adaptability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its propulsion configuration to terrain conditions. When poor traction surfaces are detected, the continuous track is deployed to provide the necessary traction. When operating on surfaces with adequate traction, the track is retracted, reducing energy consumption while maintaining the ability to handle difficult terrain when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in a robotic mowing device that includes a main body, a left-side driving wheel, a right-side driving wheel, and one or more motors to drive the left-side driving wheel and the right-side driving wheel to cause the left-side driving wheel and the right-side driving wheel to turn. The robotic mowing device also includes a deployable propulsion device that includes a rolling member and that is adapted to actuate the rolling member between a deployed state in which the rolling member is adapted to contact the ground surface, and a retracted state in which the rolling member is held apart from the ground surface.