Throwable Robot Drive Clutch for Shock-Resistant Torque Limiting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Throwable robots used in military and policing operations face challenges in surviving rugged conditions, including water exposure and vertical drops, requiring improvements in reliability and performance.
Innovation Solution
A throwable surveillance robot design featuring axially aligned drive wheels, a lightweight housing with motors, and a torque limiting mechanism using spring-biased rollers to facilitate consistent torque and withstand contaminants, ensuring reliable operation under harsh conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the robot uses a traditional drive system with direct motor-to-wheel connection, then the structure is simple, but the system cannot withstand shock loads from impacts and vertical drops
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is segmented into multiple independent components: motor, torque limiting mechanism, and drive wheel. The torque limiting mechanism itself is segmented into rollers, springs, and housing elements. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates maintenance or replacement of individual parts without affecting the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The torque limiting mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the motor and the drive wheel. It includes intermediate components such as rollers, springs, and housing elements that mediate the force transmission. This intermediary structure protects the motor from direct exposure to shock loads while still enabling effective torque transmission during normal operation.
2Reliability
If the robot housing is made completely waterproof and sealed, then protection against water exposure is improved, but ventilation for motor cooling and operator access to internal components becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple accessable sections with removable covers. The key holding portion is integrated into the housing structure, allowing the key to serve dual purposes: securing the housing and providing access to internal components. This segmentation maintains waterproof integrity while enabling easy access when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The key mechanism provides self-service functionality where the same key used to lock or secure the housing can also be used to unlock or access internal components. The design integrates the locking and access functions into a single unified system, eliminating the need for separate locking mechanisms and keys.
3Weight of moving object
If the robot weight is reduced to facilitate throwing, then ease of throwing is improved, but structural strength and component protection may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The housing exhibits local quality variations with thicker walls and reinforced sections in areas subjected to higher stresses, such as around the drive wheels and motor mounting points. The key holding portion and access covers are designed with appropriate local reinforcement to maintain strength while keeping overall weight low. This localized reinforcement strategy provides structural strength only where needed rather than uniformly throughout the entire housing.
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 design provides a reliable and consistent torque limiting function, maintaining performance in rugged conditions and allowing for lubrication without interference, enhancing the robot's ability to survive impacts and exposure to water, grease, and oil.
Implementation Method 1
The surveillance robot may also comprise a starboard spring element that provides a spring force. In embodiments, the spring force provided by the starboard spring element acts to bias each of the rollers toward the starboard driven flange of the starboard driven member.
Data Source
AI summary
A two wheeled throwable robot comprises an elongate chassis with two ends, a motor at each end, drive wheels connected to the motors, and a tail extending from the elongate chassis. The throwable robot includes a pair of torque limiting mechanisms, each torque limiting mechanism being operatively coupled between a motor and a drive wheel. Each torque limiting mechanism comprises a drive flange portion, a driven flange portion and a plurality of rollers. A spring element provides a ring force that biases the rollers toward the driven flange portion.