초록 ▼

A machine configuration which permits readily maneuvering a vehicle away from a wall or line of objects that the vehicle has been traveling close to, or closely following the walls around an inside corner. The vehicle has a frame carrying two rear drive wheels and one or more front caster wheels. Th

A machine configuration which permits readily maneuvering a vehicle away from a wall or line of objects that the vehicle has been traveling close to, or closely following the walls around an inside corner. The vehicle has a frame carrying two rear drive wheels and one or more front caster wheels. The drive wheels are individually driven by separate motors. The drive wheels are inset from the sides of the machine so that turning maneuvers can be made adjacent a wall without the wheels contacting the wall. The rear frame or structure of the machine is disposed within an envelope defined such that turning maneuvers adjacent a wall unit will not bring the rear structure into contact with the wall. With the steering geometry and frame construction set up in this manner, the vehicle can be turned away from the wall by operating the drive motors at differential rates, and no part of the vehicle will touch the wall. The vehicle can also follow closely along an inside corner of two walls.

대표청구항 ▼

A vehicle capable of maneuvering away from a wall without hitting the wall when the vehicle is initially traveling parallel to the wall and as close as possible to the wall, comprising: a frame defining a longitudinal axis and including first and second side members connected by front and rear membe

A vehicle capable of maneuvering away from a wall without hitting the wall when the vehicle is initially traveling parallel to the wall and as close as possible to the wall, comprising: a frame defining a longitudinal axis and including first and second side members connected by front and rear members; first and second drive wheels mounted on the frame near the rear member, the rotational axes of the first and second drive wheels being fixed in perpendicular relation to said longitudinal axis, the first and second drive wheels being positioned such that each has an inset line at least as long as the long radius of the drive wheel from the center of which the inset line is measured; at least one forward caster wheel mounted on the frame near the front member; first and second drive means individually driving the first and second drive wheels respectively; the rear member of the frame being disposed within an envelope defined by a first arc described by swinging a radius equal to the inset line of the first drive wheel outwardly and rearwardly about a vertical axis through the center of said first drive wheel, by a second arc described by swinging a radius equal to the inset line of the second drive wheel outwardly and rearwardly about a vertical axis through the center of said second drive wheel, and by a rear vertical plane tangent to the two arcs.