Puffer: pop-up flat folding explorer robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10106214-B2
Application number	US-201615272239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A repeatably reconfigurable robot, comprising at least two printed circuit board (PCB) rigid sections, at least one PCB flexible section coupled to the at least two PCB rigid sections, at least one wheel, hybrid wheel propeller, wheel and propeller, or hybrid wheel screw propeller rotatably coupled to at least one of the at least two PCB rigid sections and at least one actuator coupled to the at least two PCB rigid sections, wherein the at least one actuator folds and unfolds the repeatably reconfigurable robot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A repeatably reconfigurable robot, comprising:
at least two printed circuit board (PCB) rigid sections;
at least one PCB flexible section coupled to the at least two PCB rigid sections;
at least one wheel rotatably coupled to at least one of the at least two PCB rigid sections; and
at least one actuator coupled to the at least two PCB rigid sections, wherein the at least one actuator folds and unfolds the repeatably reconfigurable robot.

2. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 wherein the repeatably reconfigurable robot partially folds to a low profile state.

3. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 wherein the repeatably reconfigurable robot partially unfolds to a low profile state.

4. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 wherein the repeatably reconfigurable robot is stackable.

5. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor coupled to at least one of the at least two PCB rigid sections.

6. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator is an electromechanical winch.

7. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator is spring loaded.

8. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator is a direct electromechanical actuator.

9. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 further comprising at least one motor coupled to the at least one wheel.

10. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 , wherein the at least one PCB flexible section comprises a bifurcated hinge.

11. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 10 , wherein the bifurcated hinge comprises a mechanical section of a first radius and an electrical section of a second radius, longer than the first radius.

12. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 11 , wherein the mechanical section comprises a woven textile.

13. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 comprising two wheels.

14. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 , wherein one of the at least one actuator folds the repeatably reconfigurable robot and another one of the at least one actuator unfolds the repeatably reconfigurable robot.

15. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 , wherein a winch actuator folds the repeatably reconfigurable robot and a spring actuator unfolds the repeatably reconfigurable robot.

16. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 15 , wherein the winch actuator and the spring actuator are located within the at least one wheel.

17. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel comprises four wheels.

18. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 1 further comprising at least one propeller rotatably coupled to at least one of the at least two PCB rigid sections.

19. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 18 further comprising at least one first motor coupled to the at least one propeller and at least one second motor coupled to the at least one wheel.

20. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 18 , wherein the at least one propeller is a hybrid wheel propeller.

21. The repeatably reconfigurable robot of claim 18 , wherein the at least one propeller is a hybrid wheel screw propeller.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Karras Jaakko T
• Fuller Christine
• Carpenter Kalind C
• Buscicchio Alessandro
• Parcheta Carolyn E

Classifications

• B64U50/14

  ducted or shrouded · CPC title

• B62D57/02 Primary

  with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64C2201/162

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C27/08

  with two or more rotors · CPC title