US 12,264,051 B2
Compact autonomous omnidirectional drive unit
Juan Jose Canuto Gil, Cornella de Llobregat (ES); and Carlos Domenech Mestres, Barcelona (ES)
Appl. No. 17/599,622
Filed by UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA, Barcelona (ES)
PCT Filed Mar. 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/056858
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 29, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/200697, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19382227 (EP), filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194763 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B66F 9/06 (2006.01); B60W 10/08 (2006.01); B60W 10/12 (2012.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B66F 11/04 (2006.01); B60K 6/26 (2007.10); B60K 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC B66F 9/063 (2013.01) [B60W 10/08 (2013.01); B60W 10/12 (2013.01); B65G 1/1375 (2013.01); B66F 11/04 (2013.01); B60G 2204/182 (2013.01); B60K 2006/266 (2013.01); B60K 2007/0092 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A compact autonomous omnidirectional drive unit comprising:
a first drive assembly formed by a first drive wheel coaxial with a horizontal geometric axis, connected to a first motor, parallel to the horizontal geometric axis, through a first gearbox;
a second drive assembly formed by a second drive wheel coaxial with the horizontal geometric axis, connected to a second motor, parallel to the horizontal geometric axis, through a second gearbox;
a battery connected to the first and second motors;
a chassis defining a front third, an intermediate third, and a rear third of the autonomous omnidirectional drive unit and a vertical geometric axis in a central position of the chassis, the chassis supporting the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly spaced from one another in the direction of the horizontal geometric axis, and supporting one or more caster wheels;
a horizontal transport platform located on the chassis for transporting loads;
a vertical housing, concentric with the vertical geometric axis and configured for allowing the passage of wiring from the drive unit to the transport platform and/or for containing a load lifting device configured for raising the transport platform or for lifting loads located on the transport platform in the direction of the vertical geometric axis;
a control device configured for controlling the first motor and the second motor by means of control commands generated by means of a calculation to produce a planned translation of the autonomous drive unit about the vertical geometric axis;
the one or more caster wheels are located in the rear third;
the first motor and the second motor are located in the central third, with the vertical housing being located between them;
the first and second drive wheels are located in the front third, with the battery being housed between them, and with the horizontal geometric axis being spaced from the vertical geometric axis by a distance;
the control device is configured for performing the calculation directly or indirectly comprising the distance as a calculation parameter.