US 11,951,620 B2
Climbing robot with compliant pinion drive
William J. Fosnight, Windham, NH (US); John G. Lert, Jr., Wakefield, MA (US); Michael Duquette, Candia, NH (US); Martin R. Elliott, Bedford, NH (US); Julian Warhurst, Portsmouth, RI (US); Charles W. Su, Stratham, NH (US); and Alan Grant, Nashua, NH (US)
Assigned to Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed by Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/158,890.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/966,350, filed on Jan. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0229271 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1035 (2013.01) [B25J 5/007 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mobile robot configured to travel in a vertical or inclined passage within an automated retrieval and storage system, the passage comprising a linear drive mount, the mobile robot comprising:
a compliant drive assembly for moving the mobile robot in the passage, the compliant drive assembly comprising:
a hub comprising a first plurality of spline sets;
a shaft comprising a second plurality of spline sets, the shaft configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation and the hub configured to engage the shaft by the first plurality of spline sets of the hub engaging the second plurality of spline sets of the shaft, the shaft further configured to be extended axially along the axis of rotation;
a drive gear mounted on an end of the shaft, the drive gear configured to move into engagement with the linear drive mount;
wherein the first and second pluralities of spline sets are configured for rotational play between the first and second plurality of spline sets, the rotational play allowing a degree of free rotation of the drive gear relative to the linear drive mount to prevent jamming of the drive gear against the linear drive mount when the drive gear moves into engagement with the linear drive mount upon extension of the shaft.