Tracked Robot Drive Layout for Obstacle Climbing With Low Slippage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wheeled mobile robots, such as robotic vacuum cleaners, face limitations in navigating over obstacles and maintaining traction on uneven surfaces, leading to slippage and navigation inaccuracies, while tracked systems offer improved grip but are prone to increased slippage due to larger contact patches.
Innovation Solution
A drive arrangement featuring traction units with a surface-engaging track constrained around a leading wheel and a trailing wheel, where the track presents an inclined climbing surface, providing improved climbing ability and reduced contact patch for enhanced maneuverability and traction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tracked drive arrangement is used, then grip and ability to negotiate obstacles is improved, but slippage increases due to larger contact patch
Solution Approach 1:
The track is segmented into multiple sections, each with its own drive wheel (sprocket and pulley arrangement), allowing independent control of each segment. This segmentation enables the robot to maintain smaller effective contact patches while still benefiting from tracked drive obstacle negotiation capabilities, thereby reducing slippage and improving navigation accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If a wheeled drive system is used, then maneuverability is improved with small contact patch, but ability to climb obstacles and rugs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the advantages of wheeled and tracked systems by combining a wheel-based propulsion mechanism with a track-based surface engagement system. The track wraps around the wheel, providing the climbing ability of tracked systems while maintaining the maneuverability of wheeled systems through controlled contact patch size.
3Reliability
If traditional tank-track configuration is used, then climbing ability is improved, but turning performance deteriorates on carpeted surfaces due to slippage
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system employs dynamic control of the track engagement, allowing the contact patch size and pressure distribution to be adjusted in real-time based on operational requirements. During turning maneuvers on carpeted surfaces, the system dynamically reduces contact patch size to minimize slippage, while maintaining climbing ability when traversing obstacles.
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 solution enhances the robot's ability to climb over obstacles and maintain traction on various surfaces, including carpets and rugs, while minimizing slippage and navigation inaccuracies, offering the benefits of both wheeled and tracked systems.
Implementation Method 1
the track presents an inclined driving surface
Implementation Method 2
improves grip due to the larger contact patch inherent with a track
Data Source
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AI summary
An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a chassis having a drive arrangement and a control system interfaced to the drive arrangement so as enable control of the appliance across a surface to be treated, wherein the drive arrangement comprises at least one traction unit, each traction unit comprising a surface - engaging track (98) constrained around a leading wheel (94) and a trailing wheel (96), the leading wheel and the trailing wheel being arranged so that a track portion opposing the floor surface and extending between the leading and trailing wheels defines a ramped climbing surface.