Patent · US Active

Maneuvering robotic vehicles

US8644991B2 · kind B2 · utility

13Cited by

56References

24Claims

0Family size

Assignee

iRobot Corporation · US

Inventors

Timothy R. Ohm · Grover Beach, US
Michael Bassett · Needham, US

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 21, 2007
Grant date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Sep 28, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10S901/01
WIPO fieldControl
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Configurations are provided for vehicular robots or other vehicles to provide shifting of their centers of gravity for enhanced obstacle navigation. A robot chassis with pivotable driven flippers has a pivotable neck and sensor head mounted toward the front of the chassis. The neck is pivoted forward to shift the vehicle combined center of gravity (combined CG) forward for various climbing and navigation tasks. The flippers may also be selectively moved to reposition the center of gravity. Various weight distributions allow different CG shifting capabilities.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.