United States Patent

US007011171B1

(12) (10) Patent N0.: US 7,011,171 B1 Poulter (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 14, 2006

(54) RUGGED TERRAIN ROBOT 5,193,632 A 3/1993 Clar et 211. 5,350,033 A 9/1994 Kraft

(76) Inventor: Andrew R. Poulter, 7467 W. Nichols 5,378,969 A 1/1995 Haikawa

Pl., Littleton, CO (US) 80128 (Continued)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(1)) by 216 days. JP 5950872 3/1984

OTHER PUBLICATIONS (21) Appl. N0.: 10/680,446 _ _

http://WWW.1robot.com/hom/default.asp, (iRobot Corpora ' - tion , PackBot/Romba Robotic FloorVac, 1 a e from inter (22) Filed. Oct. 7, 2003 P 8

net.

Related US. Application Data (Continued)

(60) 8Pro2\(I)1312onal application No. 60/416,973, ?led on Oct. Primary Examiner_ Christopher Ellis ’ ' Assistant Examiner—Brian SWenson

(51) Int CL (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Rick Martin; Patent LaW

Of?CCS Of Martin, (52) US. Cl. .................... .. 180/82; 180/651; 280/532 5 7 ABSTRACT

(58) Field of Classi?cation Search ............... .. 180/8.1, ( )

180/82’ 8'3’ 8'4’ 8'5’ 8'6’ 65'1’ 908; 2_80/5'2’ A rugged terrain robot (RTR) apparatus can function as a 280/526’ 5'32’ DIG‘ 10’ 763'1’ 7644’ 901/1 reconnaissance robot to optimiZe safety of search or rescue

See apphcanon ?le for Complete Search hlstory' personnel. Remote control places the RTR in either a rolling

(56) References Cited mode or in a stair-climbing mode. Remote feedback is

US. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,283,839 A * 11/1966 Brown et a1. .............. .. 180/82

3,550,709 A 12/1970 Hottel 4,421,189 A 12/1983 Watkins et al. 4,483,407 A 11/1984 Iwamoto et 211. 4,709,265 A 11/1987 Silverman et 211. 4,709,773 A 12/1987 Clement et 211. 4,815,011 A 3/1989 MiZuno et 211. 4,915,184 A 4/1990 Watkins 4,932,831 A 6/1990 White et al. 4,977,971 A 12/1990 Crane, III et al. 4,993,912 A 2/1991 King et al. 5,021,878 A 6/1991 Lang 5,022,812 A 6/1991 Coughlan et 211. 5,186,270 A * 2/1993 West ....................... .. 180/662

provided by an on-board RTR camera and microphone. The RTR consists of tWo clamshell sections and a tail boom section. The RTR uses polymorphic locomotion of the clamshells for ef?cient maneuverability in traversing rugged terrain When in a “rolling” mode and is sWitched remotely into a stair-climbing mode (or extreme terrain) using end over-end clamshell motion With a tail boom assist to climb stairWays. The RTR can carry various communication devices, sensors and payloads for use by police, ?remen, soldiers, rescue or other applications to optimiZe safety When direct entry by a human may not desirable until an area is reconnoitered. The RTR is remote controllable and easily transported to a reconnaissance area.

29 Claims, 22 Drawing Sheets

US 7,011,171 B1 Page 2

5,461,292 5,465,525 5,515,934 5,672,044 5,737,217 6,021,363 6,046,565 6,062,600 6,113,343 6,144,180 6,164,398 6,256,556 6,267,196 6,336,642 6,341,784 6,397,960 6,507,773 6,584,376 6,662,889

US. PATENT DOCUMENTS

10/1995 11/1995 5/1996 9/1997 4/1998 2/2000 4/2000

* 5/2000

9/2000 11/2000 12/2000

B1 7/2001 B1 7/2001 B1 1/2002 B1* 1/2002 B1 6/2002 B1 1/2003 B1 6/2003 B1* 12/2003

Zondlo Mifune et al. Davis Lemelson Nishikawa et al. Nishikawa et al. Thorne Kamen et al. ............ .. 280/755

Goldenberg et al. Chen et al. Alber Zenke Wilcox et al. Carstens Carstens ................... .. 280/5.2

Alber Parker et al. Van Kommer De FaZio et al. ........... .. 180/22

2003/0060679 A1

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

http://WWW.irobot.com/rd/p15iSTRIDE.asp, ( iRobot Cor poration), Stride, System Tasking and Recon Information Display Equipment, 1 page from internet. Science Fiction NeWs Web page printout from WWW. technovelgy.com regarding “ThroWbot-Pocket-SiZed Recon Robot”, printed Oct. 14, 2005, attached hereto. SPIE International Symposium on LaW Enforcement Technologies, Boston, MA, Abstract and Article doWnload from WWW.hosc.mil/robots/pubs/SPIE4232A-69.pdf, entitled “Robotics for LaW Enforcement: Applications beyond explosive ordinance [sic] disposal”, by Hoa G. Nguyen and John P. Bott, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Sand Diego, CA 92152 USA, attached hereto.

3/2003 Murata et al.

* cited by examiner

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 1 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

9.8 Big m: PSwE

9.6 SE: A“: Emmi

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 2 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 3 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 4 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

v 2:?

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 5 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

m as?

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 6 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 7 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

26 48

22

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 8 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

Figure 8a

Figure 8b

Figure 8c

Figure 8d

Figure 8e

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 9 0122 US 7,011,171 B1

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 10 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

103

48

22

Figure 10

U.S. Patent Mar. 14,2006 Sheet 11 0f 22

Figure 11

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 12 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 14 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

800

\

63

800

Figure 14B

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 15 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

67

68

4/ 89

73

74

Figure 15

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 16 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

63

81

46

Figure 16

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 17 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

85

83

100 v /

Figure 17

U.S. Patent Mar. 14, 2006 Sheet 18 0f 22 US 7,011,171 B1

Figure 18