Wheel assembly structure for preventing wheel slip and mobile robot using the same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile robots experience wheel slip issues on uneven or high-resistance surfaces, leading to unstable movement and safety risks due to inadequate grip force, especially when traveling on bumpy or carpeted environments.

Innovation Solution

A wheel assembly with a hinge structure that includes a main wheel, driving motor, and gear system generating hinge torque, coupled with a hinge shaft and upper cover, which increases grip force and normal force to prevent wheel slip by allowing the main wheel to rotate within a predetermined range, ensuring stable travel on various surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wheel is fixed to rotate on a flat surface, then the structure is simple and stable, but wheel slip occurs on uneven or high-resistance surfaces due to insufficient grip force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewheel grip stabilityVSAvoidwheel assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wheel assembly is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamic one by introducing a hinge unit that allows the wheel gear box assembly to rotate relative to the robot body. This dynamic adjustment enables the wheel to adapt its angle when encountering uneven surfaces or obstacles, maintaining grip force and preventing wheel slip while navigating varied terrains

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the wheel assembly uses a fixed rotation structure, then the manufacturing is simple, but the mobile robot cannot adapt to uneven surfaces or obstacles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface adaptation capabilityVSAvoidhinge structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge unit introduces rotational freedom between the wheel gear box assembly and the robot body, allowing the assembly to dynamically adjust its orientation. This enables the mobile robot to adapt to uneven surfaces, door sills, and other obstacles by rotating the wheel assembly to an optimal angle for maintaining contact and grip force

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The wheel assembly is divided into separable components: the robot body, the hinge unit, and the wheel gear box assembly. This segmentation allows independent rotation of the wheel assembly relative to the body, providing adaptability to various surfaces while keeping the overall structure manageable and maintainable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Force

If the wheel operates on high-resistance surfaces like carpet, then the gripping force increases, but wheel slip occurs due to excessive resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrip forceVSAvoidtraveling consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge unit enables dynamic rotation of the wheel gear box assembly when encountering high-resistance surfaces. By adjusting the rotation angle, the wheel assembly optimizes the contact angle and distribution of force, preventing wheel slip on carpets and other high-resistance surfaces while maintaining consistent forward and backward movement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 hinge structure effectively prevents wheel slip and ensures consistent forward and backward movement on high-resistance surfaces, enhancing the stability and safety of mobile robots by increasing grip force and normal force, thus improving their operational performance.

Implementation Method 1

a gear which rotates the main wheel and generates a hinge torque to a first hinge axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGear mechanism: Gear

Implementation Method 2

when a grip force of the wheel of the mobile robot is smaller than a traveling resistance... wheel slip may be caused

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

a hinge structure that includes a main wheel, driving motor, and gear system generating hinge torque... increases grip force and normal force to prevent wheel slip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNormal force: Force

Data Source

PatentEP3878339B1Wheel assembly structure for preventing wheel slip and mobile robot using the same
Publication Date: 2023.06.28 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP3878339B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3878339B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3878339B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Disclosed are a wheel assembly structure for preventing wheel slip and a mobile robot using the same. A wheel assembly of the mobile robot according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a wheel gear box assembly which includes a main wheel to move a mobile robot, a driving motor and a gear which rotate the main wheel and generates a hinge torque to a first hinge axis equipped at one side by the rotation of the main wheel to be rotatable within a predetermined range; and a wheel lower cover which is coupled to the wheel gear box assembly to protect a lower portion and includes a first hinge axis mounting unit coupled to the first hinge axis at one side end.