Autonomous vehicle with bumper device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054822-B2
Application number	US-201716095010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle includes a frame with a motor, a bumper connected to the frame via a connecting device, and a sensor detecting displacement of the bumper upon a collision. The sensor is connected with a propulsion system that interrupts displacing the vehicle upon detecting a displacement. The connecting device includes a ring, a first ball part, a second ball part, a shaft, and a spring. The ring is fixedly connected to the frame, and the first and second ball part rotatably tilt in the ring. The shaft extends through the ring and the first ball part, and through and beyond the second ball part to a second end, at which the shaft is connected to the bumper by a joint. At least one ball part is displaceable along the shaft. The spring extends around the shaft between the second ball part and a spring connector, and pretensionedly presses the first and second ball parts against the ring. Upon a collision with an obstacle, the bumpers shifts, and the shaft tilts with respect to the frame. This tilting pushes the two ball parts away from each other. The spring also tilts, as a whole, preventing plastic deformation. The spring now exerts a larger spring force on the ball parts, and, after taking away the obstacle, will move back and realign. This will also realign the sensor, ensuring a longer effective lifetime of the sensor and thus of the safety of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
a frame, said frame comprising:
a propulsion system for displacing said vehicle;
a bumper connected to said frame via at least one connecting device, and being elastically displaceable around a rest position; and
a sensor for detecting displacement of said bumper with respect to the frame upon collision with an object,

wherein the sensor is operably connected with said propulsion system,
wherein said propulsion system is arranged to interrupt displacing said vehicle if the sensor detects a displacement, and
wherein said at least one connecting device comprises:
a ring;
a first ball part;
a second ball part;
a shaft with a first end and a second end; and
a spring,

wherein the ring is fixedly connected to the frame,
wherein the first ball part and the second ball part are both provided rotatably tiltable with respect to the ring on opposite sides thereof,
wherein the shaft has an abutment for the first ball part towards or at the first end, and extends through the ring and the first ball part, and extends through and beyond the second ball part to the second, distal end, at or near which the shaft is connected to said bumper by a joint,
wherein at least one of the first and second ball parts is displaceable along the shaft,
wherein the spring is connected to, or presses against, a spring connector fixedly connected to the shaft at or near a first end thereof, and
wherein the spring extends around or along the shaft between the second ball part and the spring connector, and is arranged to pretensionedly press the first and second ball parts against the ring.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the ring has at least one tapering surface against which the corresponding ball part abuts/parts abut.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein at least one ball part has a spherical external surface part.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising at least three of said connecting devices between the bumper and the frame.

5. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the spring is a helical spring or elastic block.

6. The vehicle according to claim 2 , comprising a manure scraper for moving manure over a floor, or comprising a feed pusher skirt arranged to push feed aside when the vehicle moves over a floor, the bumper being provided on the vehicle above the manure scraper, or around the feed pushing skirt.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein at least one ball part has a spherical external surface part.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , further comprising at least three of said connecting devices between the bumper and the frame.

9. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the spring is a helical spring or elastic block.

10. The vehicle according to claim 7 , comprising a manure scraper for moving manure over a floor, or comprising a feed pusher skirt arranged to push feed aside when the vehicle moves over a floor, the bumper being provided on the vehicle above the manure scraper, or around the feed pushing skirt.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising at least three of said connecting devices between the bumper and the frame.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the spring is a helical spring or elastic block.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11 , comprising a manure scraper for moving manure over a floor, or comprising a feed pusher skirt arranged to push feed aside when the vehicle moves over a floor, the bumper being provided on the vehicle above the manure scraper, or around the feed pushing skirt.

14. The vehicle claim 1 , wherein the spring is a helical spring or elastic block.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14 , comprising a manure scraper for moving manure over a floor, or comprising a feed pusher skirt arranged to push feed aside when the vehicle moves over a floor, the bumper being provided on the vehicle above the manure scraper, or around the feed pushing skirt.

16. The vehicle according to claim 1 , comprising a manure scraper for moving manure over a floor, or comprising a feed pusher skirt arranged to push feed aside when the vehicle moves over a floor, the bumper being provided on the vehicle above the manure scraper, or around the feed pushing skirt.

Assignees

• Lely Patent Nv

Inventors

• Özmen Dogan

Classifications

• A47L9/009

  Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles · CPC title

• A47L11/4011

  Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor · CPC title

• A01K1/01

  Removal of dung or urine {; Removal of manure from stables}(A01K1/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A01K1/105 Primary

  Movable feed barriers · CPC title