Electricity: motive power systems – Positional servo systems – Program- or pattern-controlled systems
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-16
2002-07-02
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Positional servo systems
Program- or pattern-controlled systems
C180S021000, C180S006480, C901S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06414457
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years study of non-holonomic systems has been an area of active research. Non-holonomic systems are characterized by non-integratable rate constraints resulting from rolling contact or momentum conservation. Many applications fall into this category including wheeled robots, spacecrafts and underwater vehicles and some elegant solutions to motion planning have been presented using tools for differential geometry. Common non-holonomic systems are car-like or train-like robots. Mobile robots of a spherical shape have also been described.
It would be desirable to provide an effective robot which could be used for various applications such as mine clearance, surveillance and toys.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide an autonomous rolling robot which would be effective in operation.
A further object of this invention is to provide such an autonomous rolling robot which could readily be controlled in its movement for various applications.
In accordance with this invention the autonomous rolling robot is in the form of a hollow sphere containing at least two rotors mounted on radially directed shafts. The rotors are driven by a drive mechanism contained within the sphere, preferably a remote operated motor. Thus, control is achieved through a remote transmitter. The rotors and the various structure within the sphere are located so that the center of mass lies exactly at the geometrical center of the spherical ball. The result is that the center of mass of the robot always lies above its contact point. Thus, the ball does not tend to tip over.
In a preferred practice of the invention two sets of rotors with a pair of rotors in each set are mounted inside the sphere. The rotors of each set are driven by a common motor. The rotors are equally spaced around the interior of the sphere so as to provide a balanced arrangement. A transmitter having two controls or actuators is able to send pulse data to each motor and thereby control the movement of the sphere.
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Agrawal Sunil K.
Bhattacharya Shourov
Connolly Bove & Lodge & Hutz LLP
Donels Jeffrey
The University of Delaware
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