Autonomous Mobile Robot Wheel Layout for Stair Climbing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous mobile robots face challenges in navigating indoor and outdoor environments without pre-defined paths, particularly in overcoming obstacles like stairs and maintaining compact design while ensuring driving performance and adaptability to various environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous mobile robot design featuring a modular structure with a cargo space, a driving module equipped with asynchronously contacting wheels, and a control unit that enables both autonomous and remote-controlled operation, allowing for obstacle avoidance and environmental adaptation through reinforcement training and remote control combination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the robot uses a conventional wheel structure for driving, then the device complexity is reduced, but the robot cannot overcome obstacles such as stairs and steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the wheel structure movable and adjustable rather than fixed. The wheel can dynamically change its contact point with the ground and adjust its orientation to accommodate different terrains and obstacles. This dynamic capability allows the robot to overcome stairs and steps while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, as the wheel itself adapts to the environment rather than requiring complex additional mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot is designed to be compact, then the device complexity is reduced, but the driving performance and obstacle overcoming capability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the wheel to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the driving element and the obstacle overcoming mechanism. The wheel can contact the ground at different points and adjust its orientation to climb stairs, steps, and other obstacles. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate, space-consuming obstacle overcoming mechanisms, allowing the robot to maintain a compact size while achieving superior driving performance and adaptability.
3Reliability
If the robot uses only autonomous driving through reinforcement training, then the extent of automation is increased, but the accuracy and reliability in various driving environments cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing remote control as a mediating element between the robot and the operator. When autonomous driving through reinforcement training is insufficient or unreliable in certain environments, the operator can intervene through remote control to guide the robot. This intermediary approach ensures high reliability and driving accuracy across various environments while maintaining a high level of automation, as the robot operates autonomously unless intervention is needed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the robot uses asynchronously contacting wheels to overcome obstacles, then the adaptability to various terrains is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the contact parameters of the wheel with the ground. The wheel can change its contact point, contact angle, and orientation to adapt to different terrains and obstacles. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the robot achieves high terrain adaptability without requiring complex additional mechanisms. The asynchronous contacting capability is achieved through parameter variation rather than through complex mechanical structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous mobile robot is provided. The autonomous mobile robot includes an upper module including a cargo space provided therein, and a cover, a lower module positioned under the upper module and providing a driving force, a driving module provided in the lower module, and a control unit that controls an operation of the driving module, in which the driving module includes a plurality of pairs of wheels capable of asynchronously contacting a road surface or ground so as to overcome a step or a stair.