US 12,139,191 B2
Autonomous omnidirectional drive unit
Luis Cascajar Ordonez, Burgos (ES)
Assigned to ASTI MOBILE ROBOTICS, S.A.U., Madrigalejo del Monte (ES)
Appl. No. 17/441,119
Filed by ASTI MOBILE ROBOTICS, S.A.U., Madrigalejo del Monte (ES)
PCT Filed Jan. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/050275
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/187457, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19382200 (EP), filed on Mar. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161848 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 11/00 (2006.01); B60K 1/02 (2006.01); B60K 1/04 (2019.01); B60L 15/20 (2006.01); B66F 9/06 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01)
CPC B62D 11/003 (2013.01) [B60K 1/02 (2013.01); B60K 1/04 (2013.01); B60L 15/20 (2013.01); G05D 1/0231 (2013.01); B66F 9/063 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous omnidirectional drive unit comprising:
a single drive chassis supported on two independent parallel drive wheels which are coaxial with a horizontal axis, each drive wheel being actuated by a drive motor included in said single drive chassis;
a transport chassis having a central area is superimposed on and connected to the single drive chassis through a rotary joint which is coaxial with a vertical axis, the vertical axis intersecting the mentioned horizontal axis between the two drive wheels, said transport chassis extending around the single drive chassis in a peripheral area, the transport chassis being supported on multiple caster wheels distributed around the single drive chassis;
a rotating device concentric with the vertical axis and integrated in the rotary joint between the transport chassis and the single drive chassis, the rotating device comprising a gear ring integrally attached to the single drive chassis and connected to a gear actuated by a rotary motor supported in the transport chassis which determines the angular position of the single drive chassis with respect to the transport chassis about the vertical axis,
a control device configured for adjusting at least the two drive motors and the rotary motor in a coordinated manner to obtain omnidirectional movement of the transport chassis;
two rechargeable electric batteries supported in the transport chassis in connection with the drive motors through a rotary electrical contact concentric with the vertical axis integrated in the rotary joint, the two rechargeable electric batteries being disposed symmetrically on opposed sides of the transport chassis with the single drive chassis interposed between the two rechargeable electric batteries, achieving a uniform weight distribution in the transport chassis, and a center of inertia concentric with the vertical axis.