Mobile Robot Bogie Arm Traction Weight Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile robots face challenges in achieving optimal traction and braking performance on uneven surfaces without compromising safety and energy efficiency, as they rely on additional weight that can lead to increased energy consumption and tipping risks.
Innovation Solution
The mobile robot design incorporates a bogie arm connecting the drive wheels and caster wheels, along with modular traction weight blocks that can be attached to the bogie arm extensions, allowing for adjustable gravitational forces on the drive wheels while minimizing the impact on caster wheels, thus optimizing traction without compromising safety or efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If extra weight is added on top of the robot to increase friction between drive wheels and support, then traction performance is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates and safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the additional weight specifically on the drive wheels through the bogie arm mechanism, rather than uniformly distributing it across the entire robot. The weight blocks are positioned on the bogie arm extensions to locally increase the normal force on drive wheels, thereby improving traction only where needed without unnecessarily increasing the robot's overall mass and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning weight blocks on the bogie arm extensions above the drive wheels. This vertical arrangement allows the weight to be effectively transferred to the drive wheels through gravity, creating additional normal force without increasing the robot's horizontal footprint or overall mass significantly.
2Force
If extra weight is added on top of the robot to increase friction between drive wheels and support, then traction performance is improved, but safety deteriorates due to increased tipping risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the additional weight specifically on the drive wheels through the bogie arm mechanism, rather than uniformly distributing it across the entire robot. The weight blocks are positioned on the bogie arm extensions to locally increase the normal force on drive wheels, thereby improving traction only where needed without unnecessarily increasing the robot's overall mass and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning weight blocks on the bogie arm extensions above the drive wheels. This vertical arrangement allows the weight to be effectively transferred to the drive wheels through gravity, creating additional normal force without increasing the robot's horizontal footprint or overall mass significantly.
3Force
If weight is added to increase friction between drive wheels and support, then braking performance is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the additional weight specifically on the drive wheels through the bogie arm mechanism, rather than uniformly distributing it across the entire robot. The weight blocks are positioned on the bogie arm extensions to locally increase the normal force on drive wheels, thereby improving traction only where needed without unnecessarily increasing the robot's overall mass and energy consumption.
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 design enables easy optimization of traction, navigation, braking performance, and safety for mobile robots, while maintaining minimal impact on overall energy efficiency and reducing the risk of tilting during braking or turning.
Implementation Method 1
The gravitation forces acting on the drive wheels can be increased by attaching one or more weight modules to the bogie arm extensions
Implementation Method 2
The friction between drive wheels and the support can be increased by adding extra weight on top of the robot
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a basic mobile robot (1) where the weight on the drive wheels (6) can be adjusted in order to achieve the optimal traction and braking performance of the mobile robot (1) for the relevant application. With the inventive design of the bogie arm (4) and the modular traction weights (9), the gravitation forces and resulting friction acting on the drive wheels (6) can be increased by attaching one or more traction weight modules (13) to the bogie arm extensions (12), while due to the cantilever effect, the resulting gravitation forces acting on the (front) caster wheels (7) are decreased. Thus, making it relatively easy to achieve just enough traction on the drive wheels (6) for the intended application, without compromising safety and with a minimum impact on the overall energy efficiency of the mobile robot (1). The mobile robot (1) is configurable for different applications including transportation of goods loaded on top of the mobile robot (1), cart pulling or automated hauling of materials indoors.