IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0692693
(2012-12-03)
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등록번호 |
US-8662215
(2014-03-04)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Ohm, Timothy R.
- Bassett, Michael
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
66 |
초록
▼
Configurations are provided for vehicular robots or other vehicles to provide shifting of their centers of gravity for enhanced obstacle navigation. Various head and neck morphologies are provided to allow positioning for various poses such as a stowed pose, observation poses, and inspection poses.
Configurations are provided for vehicular robots or other vehicles to provide shifting of their centers of gravity for enhanced obstacle navigation. Various head and neck morphologies are provided to allow positioning for various poses such as a stowed pose, observation poses, and inspection poses. Neck extension and actuator module designs are provided to implement various head and neck morphologies. Robot control network circuitry is also provided.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method performed by a robot, the method comprising: assuming a stable ascending position, wherein: the robot comprises: a chassis having a chassis center of gravity;a set of driven flippers, each flipper having a proximal end, a distal end, and a flipper center of gravity therebetween, each the
1. A method performed by a robot, the method comprising: assuming a stable ascending position, wherein: the robot comprises: a chassis having a chassis center of gravity;a set of driven flippers, each flipper having a proximal end, a distal end, and a flipper center of gravity therebetween, each the proximal end of each flipper coupled to the chassis near the leading end of the chassis;a neck having a pivot end, a distal end, and a neck center of gravity therebetween, the neck pivotable about a second pivot axis substantially at the leading end of the chassis; anda sensor head at the distal end of the neck, the head having a pivot end, a distal end, and a head center of gravity therebetween, the head pivotable with respect to the neck about a third pivot axis at the distal end of the neck; andin the stable ascending position, the centers of gravity of the head, neck, and flippers are positioned to shift a vertical projection of the overall center of gravity of the robot to at least a first point in front of the rearmost main track ground contact point and at least a second point behind the foremost flipper track ground contact point; andassuming an unstable stair ascending position in which the centers of gravity of the head, neck, and flippers are positioned to shift a vertical projection of the overall center of gravity of the robot to outside the stable range. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the sensor head to point the sensor face to a right angle to the neck in an active position. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the sensor head to point the sensor face approximately parallel to the neck in a stowed position. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the neck includes an offset for receiving the head in line with a portion of the neck in a stowed position in which the head and neck are substantially within a chassis profile. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving to one or more preset positions in response to a respective single operator command. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the head houses at least part of a robot energy storage device. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein a total weight of the robot is less than about 30 pounds, the sensor head comprises about 15 percent of a total weight of the robot and the neck comprises about 5 percent of a total weight of the robot. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the neck extension comprises one or more pass-through regions therein through which one or more power cables are disposed, the one or more power cables providing power from batteries disposed on the chassis or steerable drive to a controller in the sensor head. 9. The method of claim 8, the robot further comprising a network switch disposed on the chassis, the network switch operably coupled to at least one network cable connected to the sensor head from the chassis through the one or more pass-through regions and operably coupling the network switch to the controller. 10. The method of claim 8, the robot further comprising power management circuitry disposed on the chassis and operably coupled to circuitry in the sensor head through a power management bus at least partially disposed in the pass-through regions. 11. A method for configuring a robot, the method comprising: attaching a neck connector piece to a connector base of a neck extension of the robot, the robot comprising: a chassis attached to the connector base;a drive supporting the chassis;a pan link extension having proximal and distal ends and being coupled to the neck extension at the proximal end with a first tilt axis actuator, the pan link extension having a one-axis actuator along a length thereof, the pan link extension having at least one angled bend; anda sensor head coupled to the distal end of the pan link extension with a second tilt axis actuator, the sensor head movable using the first and second tilt axis actuators and the pan one-axis actuator; andreleasing the neck connector piece from the connector base using a tool-less connector so that substantially zero backlash results. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the tool-less connector comprises a latch rotatably mounted to a latch base coupled to the chassis. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the latch comprises a plunger received by a receiving slot defined by the neck connector piece, the plunger securing the neck connector piece to the connector base. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plunger is threadably received by the latch base and adjustable to for setting a closing force position of the latch. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector base comprises electrical contacts configured to match with corresponding con electrical contacts of the neck connector. 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the neck extension comprises one or more pass-through regions therein through which one or more power cables are disposed, the one or more power cables providing power from batteries disposed on the chassis or steerable drive to a controller in the sensor head. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising a network switch disposed on the chassis, the network switch operably coupled to at least one network cable connected to the sensor head from the chassis through the one or more pass-through regions and operably coupling the network switch to the controller. 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising power management circuitry disposed on the chassis and operably coupled to circuitry in the sensor head through a power management bus at least partially disposed in the pass-through regions. 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the chassis defines a central open volume having a stowage cavity, the sensor head further comprises at least one front sensor face, the neck extension and sensor head moveable into a first upright position in which the sensor face points to substantially a right angle from the neck extension, and a second stowed position, the pan link comprising at least first and second sectional pieces disposed at an angle necessary to offset the sensor head from the neck extension such that the sensor head may move to point the sensor face to approximately parallel to the neck extension.
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