Omni-directional Wheel Stability via Guide Rollers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frictional propulsion devices for omni-directional vehicles tend to tilt or wobble when the drive rollers do not maintain firm contact with the main wheel, especially when the diameter of the drive disks is reduced, leading to instability in vehicle movement.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of guide rollers that engage driven rollers not contacted by drive rollers, positioned to maintain stable contact and prevent tilting, with a configuration that allows rotation without obstruction, ensuring the main wheel remains upright and stable by engaging at specific angles and points on the main wheel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If the diameter of drive disks is reduced, then the device size and weight are reduced, but the drive rollers cannot maintain firm contact with the main wheel, causing tilting and wobble
Solution Approach 1:
Guide rollers are introduced as intermediary elements between the main wheel and the drive system. These guide rollers engage with driven rollers on the main wheel to provide lateral support and prevent tilting, while the drive rollers focus on providing propulsive force. This mediation allows the drive disks to be smaller while maintaining main wheel stability through the additional support function of the guide rollers.
2Quantity of substance
If drive rollers are arranged to engage only lower part driven rollers, then the number of drive rollers is reduced, but the main wheel tilts sideways and wobbles
Solution Approach 1:
The roller support system is segmented into two distinct functional groups: drive rollers that engage with lower part driven rollers to provide propulsive force, and guide rollers that engage with upper part driven rollers to provide lateral support and prevent tilting. This segmentation allows each type of roller to specialize in its specific function, maintaining stability while optimizing the number of rollers needed for each purpose.
3Device complexity
If drive rollers are not firmly pushed against the main wheel, then the device complexity is reduced, but the main wheel tilts and wobbles during operation
Solution Approach 1:
Guide rollers serve as intermediary support elements that engage with the main wheel at a different location than the drive rollers. By positioning guide rollers to engage with upper part driven rollers while drive rollers engage with lower part driven rollers, the system achieves lateral stability without requiring the drive rollers to provide both propulsion and support functions, thereby reducing drive mechanism complexity while maintaining stability.
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
This configuration prevents sideways tilting and wobbling of the main wheel, ensuring stable propulsion and reducing the number of drive rollers and disk size, enhancing power efficiency and minimizing weight and component count.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of drive rollers (76) supported along an outer periphery of each drive disk so as to be each rotatable around a rotational center line extending in a skewed relationship to a rotational center line of the corresponding drive disk, an outer circumferential surface of each drive roller being in engagement with an outer circumferential surface of the driven rollers
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of guide rollers (104) rotatably supported by the body frame and engaging at least one of the driven rollers not engaged by any of the drive rollers from either side
Data Source
AI summary
In a propulsion device including a main wheel having a plurality of driven rollers fitted on and arranged circumferentially along an annular core member so as to be rotatable around tangential lines of the annular core member at respective positions thereof on the annular core member, a pair of drive disks positioned on either side of the main wheel in an individually rotatable manner, a plurality of drive rollers supported along an outer periphery of each drive disk so as to be each rotatable around a rotational center line extending in a skewed relationship to a rotational center line of the corresponding drive disk, and a drive unit for individually rotatively driving the drive disks, a plurality of guide rollers are rotatably supported by a body frame and engage at least one driven roller not engaged by any of the drive rollers from either side.