Hexapedal Rover with Segmented Mobilizing and Stabilizing Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wheeled rover platforms are limited in their ability to traverse steep and inaccessible geological areas, such as those found on the moon, due to their inability to navigate slopes greater than 30 degrees and extreme temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A walking rover system equipped with a hexapedal configuration, featuring mobilizing legs with three degrees of freedom and stabilizing legs with one degree of freedom, alternated around the rover body to provide stability and maneuverability. This system is powered by a tether connected to a base station and includes thermal management features to operate in extreme environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wheeled rover platforms are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the ability to traverse steep slopes is limited to 30 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The rover is divided into modular leg assemblies with distinct functions: three mobilizing legs with three degrees of freedom each for movement, and three stabilizing legs with one degree of freedom each for stability. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each leg type's complexity while achieving overall traversability on steep slopes
Solution Approach 2:
The leg mechanisms employ dynamic actuation with mobilizing legs having three actuators and three degrees of freedom to adapt to varying terrain angles, while stabilizing legs use one actuator and one degree of freedom to dynamically adjust contact with the ground. This dynamic capability enables traversal on slopes exceeding 30 degrees while managing mechanical complexity through controlled degrees of freedom
2Adaptability or versatility
If more actuators and degrees of freedom are added to legs, then maneuverability increases, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different leg types are assigned different levels of complexity based on their local functional requirements: mobilizing legs receive three actuators and three degrees of freedom for complex movement tasks, while stabilizing legs receive only one actuator and one degree of freedom for simple contact maintenance. This local differentiation achieves high maneuverability where needed while minimizing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizing legs serve multiple functions with their single degree of freedom: they provide ground contact stability, support the rover body during mobilizing leg transitions, and assist in terrain negotiation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional actuators while maintaining maneuverability
3Stability of the object's composition
If legs are in contact with the ground, then stability is provided, but heat conduction from the rover body increases
Solution Approach 1:
Thermal insulation elements are introduced as intermediary components between the rover body and the ground contact points of the legs. These intermediaries block heat conduction paths while allowing the legs to maintain ground contact for stability, thus resolving the contradiction between thermal isolation and mechanical support
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 walking rover system achieves enhanced stability and maneuverability, allowing it to traverse steep slopes and extreme temperature conditions, thereby accessing previously inaccessible areas on the moon and other planetary bodies.
Implementation Method 1
a base station having an electric power generator configured to convert incident sunlight into electric power
Implementation Method 2
a tether extending between the rover and the base station, wherein the tether is configured to transmit electricity from the base station to the rover
Implementation Method 3
The rover body may have a radiator configured to passively radiate heat from the rover body
Implementation Method 4
Each of the plurality of mobilizing legs and each of the plurality of stabilizing legs may be configured to minimize heat conduction from the rover body
Data Source
AI summary
A walking rover system with a rover, a base station, and a tether extending between the rover and the base station. The rover has a rover body, a plurality of mobilizing legs, and a plurality of stabilizing legs. The stabilizing legs have one degree of freedom and the mobilizing legs have three degrees of freedom. The mobilizing legs and the stabilizing legs may alternate around the rover body such that each of the mobilizing legs is separated from adjacent mobilizing legs by a stabilizing leg and each of the stabilizing legs is separated from adjacent stabilizing legs by a mobilizing leg. The tether is configured to transmit electricity from the base station to the rover, transmit data gathered by the rover back to the base station, and support a weight of the rover and act as a mechanical rappel line between the base station and the rover.