Testing environment for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10656052-B2
Application number	US-201715689196-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Aug 29, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A trolley assembly for overhead track testing is provided. In one example embodiment, a trolley assembly includes an idle roller that rotates about a first axis, a first top roller coupled to a first end of the idle roller via a first trolley upright support, and a second top roller coupled to a second end of the idle roller via a second trolley upright support. The trolley assembly includes a cantilever coupled to the idle roller. The trolley assembly includes a driveshaft coupled to a first end of the cantilever. The trolley assembly includes at least one motor coupled to the drive shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trolley assembly comprising:
an idle roller that rotates about a first axis;
a first top roller coupled to a first end of the idle roller via a first trolley upright support, wherein the first top roller rotates about a second axis, the second axis offset at a first angle with respect to the first axis;
a second top roller coupled to a second end of the idle roller via a second trolley upright support, wherein the second top roller rotates about a third axis, the third axis offset at a second angle with respect to the first axis;
a cantilever coupled to the idle roller, wherein the cantilever rotates about the first axis;
a driveshaft coupled to a second end of the cantilever, wherein the driveshaft rotates about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis, and the fourth axis rotates about the first axis; and
at least one motor coupled to the driveshaft, wherein the motor causes the driveshaft to rotate about the fourth axis, wherein the fourth axis rotates about the first axis between a first cantilever position and a second cantilever position, wherein a distance between the driveshaft and the overhead track changes when the fourth axis rotates about the first axis, wherein when the fourth axis is at the second cantilever position, the driveshaft is in contact with the overhead track, and wherein when the fourth axis is at the second cantilever position, a rotation of the driveshaft about the fourth axis causes the trolley assembly to traverse the overhead track.

2. The trolley assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second axis and the third axis intersect.

3. The trolley assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first, second, and third axes form a triangle in a first plane.

4. The trolley assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idle roller, first top roller, and second top roller are in contact with an overhead track.

5. The trolley assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first end of the first top roller is coupled to the first end of the idle roller, a first end of the second top roller is coupled to the second end of the idle roller, and the first and second top rollers are positioned to define a spacing in between a second end of the first top roller and a second end of the second top roller such that overhead track supports can be avoided by passing through the spacing while the trolley assembly traverses an overhead track.

6. The trolley assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idle roller comprises a cylindrical body having at least a portion of which is formed with a concave shape.

7. The trolley assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first motor is coupled to a first end of the driveshaft and a second motor is coupled to a second end of the driveshaft.

8. The trolley assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever comprises a first trolley side support coupled to the first end of the idle roller, and a second trolley side support that is parallel to the first trolley side support and coupled to the second end of the idle roller.

9. A method of traversing an overhead track with a trolley assembly, the method comprising:
affixing a trolley assembly to an overhead track, the trolley assembly including a cantilever, a driveshaft coupled to a second end of the cantilever, and an idle roller that rotates about a first axis, the cantilever coupled to the idle roller;
adding a force to a first end of the cantilever so that the cantilever rotates about the first axis to a second position, causing the driveshaft coupled to the second end of the cantilever to contact the overhead track, wherein the first axis is positioned between the first and second ends of the cantilever, and the first axis is orthogonal to a traversing direction of the trolley assembly along the overhead track;
rotating the driveshaft about a second axis parallel to the first axis, wherein rotating the driveshaft while the driveshaft is in contact with the overhead track causes the trolley assembly to traverse the overhead track;
removing the force to the first end of the cantilever so that the cantilever rotates about the first axis from the first position, causing the driveshaft to lose contact with the overhead track; and
adjusting a position of the trolley assembly on the overhead track by a manual operation.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the trolley assembly is removably affixed to the overhead track.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the driveshaft is in contact with the overhead track if the cantilever is in a second position.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
avoiding one or more supports of the overhead track while traversing the overhead track.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
driving a motor to rotate the driveshaft about the second axis.

14. A trolley assembly, comprising:
an idle roller comprising a generally cylindrical body and configured to contact an overhead track at a first point on an underside of the overhead track to affix the trolley assembly to the overhead track;
a first top roller comprising a generally cylindrical body and configured to contact the overhead track at a second point on a topside of the overhead track to affix the trolley assembly to the overhead track;
a second top roller comprising a generally cylindrical body and configured to contact the overhead track at a third point on the topside of the overhead track to affix the trolley assembly to the overhead track,
wherein the first and second top rollers are configured to define a spacing in between the first and second top rollers on the topside of the overhead track through which one or more supports of the overhead track pass as the trolley assembly traverses the overhead track,
a cantilever coupled to the idle roller, wherein the cantilever is rotatable about the first axis; and
a driveshaft coupled to a second end of the cantilever, wherein the driveshaft is rotatable about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis, and the fourth axis rotates about the first axis, wherein the fourth axis rotates about the first axis between a first cantilever position and a second cantilever position, wherein a distance between the driveshaft and the overhead track changes when the fourth axis rotates about the first axis, wherein when the fourth axis is at the second cantilever position, the driveshaft is in contact with the overhead track, and wherein when the fourth axis is at the second cantilever position, a rotation of the driveshaft about the fourth axis causes the trolley assembly to traverse the overhead track.

Assignees

• Uatc Llc

Inventors

• Watson Adam
• Rearick Johnathan
• Bembic Anthony

Classifications

• B61B13/06

  Saddle or like balanced type · CPC title

• B65G41/00

  Supporting frames or bases for conveyors as a whole, e.g. transportable conveyor frames · CPC title

• B65G1/02

  Storage devices (furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F) · CPC title

• G01R31/006 Primary

  on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks (testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00) · CPC title

• B61B13/04

  Monorail systems · CPC title