Omnidirectional Wheel With Orthogonal Inner And Outer Rolling Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional omnidirectional wheels face difficulties in navigating uneven surfaces and generate vibrations due to multiple contact points and impacts when reversing wheel direction, particularly in areas with small steps.
Innovation Solution
The design features a cylindrical body with inner and outer wheels rotating on orthogonal axes, where the inner wheels are accommodated within the body and fixed at both ends, and an outer wheel on the outside, with a power transmission unit and frames that reduce the number of contact points and stabilize movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an omnidirectional wheel uses multiple contact points with the ground to enable omnidirectional movement, then the robot can move in arbitrary directions, but vibrations and impacts are generated during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is divided into multiple independent rolling elements (first wheel, second wheel, third wheel, fourth wheel) that can rotate independently around the central axis. Each wheel contacts the ground separately, allowing the system to achieve omnidirectional movement while reducing vibrations through distributed contact points rather than a single large contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the rotational parameters of the individual wheels to control their contact with the ground. By adjusting the rotation directions and speeds of the four wheels, the system can achieve various movement patterns while minimizing impacts. Specifically, when wheels rotate in coordinated patterns, they can move smoothly over small steps without generating excessive vibrations.
2Volume of moving object
If the width of the barrel wheel is reduced to achieve compact design, then the robot size is minimized, but impact increases when the rotating direction is reversed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single wide barrel wheel, the invention segments the contact function across four narrower wheels arranged around the central axis. This segmentation allows each wheel to be narrower, reducing the overall width while distributing the impact forces across multiple points, thereby minimizing vibration and impact during direction reversal.
Solution Approach 2:
The four wheels are positioned asymmetrically around the central axis at specific angular intervals (45 degrees apart). This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the distribution of contact points and allows for smoother transition during direction reversal by staggering the contact points, reducing the peak impact forces compared to a symmetric wide-wheel configuration.
3Device complexity
If inner wheels are made smaller to fit within the cylindrical body, then the device complexity is reduced, but the number of discontinuous contact points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The four inner wheels serve multiple functions: they provide omnidirectional movement capability, maintain continuous ground contact through coordinated rotation, and support the lightweight structure. By making them smaller and lighter, the overall device complexity is reduced while their coordinated operation ensures reliable continuous contact, eliminating the trade-off between size and reliability.
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 minimizes impacts and vibrations by maintaining continuous contact with the ground and reduces the frequency of discontinuous points, allowing smoother omnidirectional movement and reduced rotational speed differences between wheels.
Implementation Method 1
inner wheels each having at least part accommodated in the body and fixed to each of the both open ends of the body so as to rotate centering on a first rotating axis, and an outer wheel provided on an outside of the body and rotating centering on a second rotating axis intersecting with the first rotating axis
Implementation Method 2
This configuration minimizes impacts and vibrations by maintaining continuous contact with the ground
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an omnidirectionally moving wheel and a robot using the same, and the omnidirectionally moving wheel comprises: a cylindrical body of which both ends are opened; inner wheels, each of which have at least a part accommodated in the body, and which are respectively fixed at the both open ends of the body so as to rotate around a first rotating axis; an outer wheel provided on the outside of the body and rotating around a second rotating axis, which intersects the first rotating axis, wherein the outermost points of the inner wheels and the outer wheel are formed at the same distance from the center of the body.