Twistable Wheel Mobile Robot for Irregular Curved Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile devices struggle to efficiently navigate surfaces with irregularities while minimizing the number of irregularities encountered, particularly when traveling on curved or inclined surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device equipped with a deformation mechanism that adjusts the disposition of multiple wheels and a control unit to select a movement path based on the deformation amount, using sensors and path estimation algorithms to minimize irregularity passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mobile device uses a fixed wheel configuration, then the structure is simple, but it cannot efficiently navigate surfaces with irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a deformation mechanism that dynamically adjusts the relative disposition of wheels based on surface irregularities. The deformation amount is controlled adaptively, allowing the mobile device to change its wheel configuration from a fixed state to a deformed state that conforms to irregular surfaces, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the wheel configuration by controlling the deformation mechanism. The deformation amount serves as a controllable parameter that adjusts the relative positions and orientations of wheels, enabling the device to adapt to various surface conditions while maintaining a manageable level of complexity through parameterized control.
2Reliability
If the mobile device deforms to follow surface irregularities, then it encounters fewer irregularities, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives information about surface irregularities and the current deformation state, then adjusts the deformation amount accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the mobile device to maintain stable movement on curved surfaces by continuously adapting its wheel configuration, while the control complexity is managed through systematic feedback processing rather than complex mechanical designs.
3Productivity
If the mobile device uses multiple independently controllable wheels, then it can navigate complex paths, but the control system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the navigation task into segments by controlling each wheel's deformation contribution independently. The control unit manages the relative disposition of multiple wheels through segmented control, where each wheel's position and orientation are adjusted based on the overall deformation amount, enabling efficient navigation while managing control complexity through modular segmentation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a mobile device comprising a deformation mechanism that changes a relative disposition relationship between a plurality of wheels and a control unit that selects a movement path based on a deformation amount of the deformation mechanism. More specifically, the plurality of wheels include a first wheel and a second wheel, and the deformation mechanism changes the disposition relationship between the first wheel and the second wheel in a twist direction.