Variable diameter wheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415631-B2
Application number	US-201414570166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2014
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed is a variable-diameter wheel including a wheel having a folding pattern in which a unit cell is repeated and configured to be expanded or contracted so that a wheel diameter is varied; a spoke fixedly coupled to both longitudinal ends of the wheel and configured to be expanded or contracted according to a change in a distance between both sides, such that the wheel diameter is varied; and a variable induction shaft rotatably coupled with one of the both spokes to move the spoke in at least one lengthwise direction and configured to vary a distance between one spoke and the other spoke.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable-diameter wheel comprising:
a wheel having a folding pattern in which a unit cell is repeated and configured to be expanded or contracted so that a wheel diameter is varied;
two spokes fixedly coupled respectively to both longitudinal ends of the wheel and configured to allow a distance between the two spokes to be changed for the wheel to be expanded or contracted, such that the wheel diameter is varied; and
a variable induction shaft rotatably coupled with one of the two spokes to move the one of the two spokes in at least one lengthwise direction and configured to vary a distance between the two spokes.

2. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 1 , wherein the unit cell of the wheel comprises one pair of longitudinal edge folding parts configured to extend in a lengthwise direction of the wheel, one pair of cross edge folding parts configured to extend in a circumferential direction of the wheel, a longitudinal middle edge folding part configured to extend in the lengthwise direction at a middle portion between the longitudinal edge folding parts, and an inclined edge folding part configured to extend at each intersecting point of the longitudinal edge folding parts and the cross edge folding parts to be inclined and to intersect with the longitudinal middle edge folding part.

3. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 2 , wherein the wheel comprises a wheel body having the folding pattern in which the unit cell is repeated, and spoke connection parts formed respectively at both longitudinal ends of the wheel body and in which a unit cell for spoke connection is repeated so as to form a predetermined-sized spoke coupling hole at the both longitudinal ends of the wheel body, and
wherein the unit cell for spoke connection comprises a first connection cell in which a longitudinal peripheral edge folding part configured to extend in parallel with the longitudinal edge folding part of the unit cell located at the both ends of the wheel body forms one side thereof, and a peripheral inclined edge folding part configured to extend from an end of the longitudinal peripheral edge folding part to an intersecting point of the longitudinal middle edge folding part and the cross edge folding part of the unit cell is provided, and a second connection cell formed to be connected with at least one peripheral inclined edge folding part of both first connection cells, such that the both first connection cells are connected with each other via an equilateral triangular cell.

4. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 1 , wherein the variable induction shaft comprises a sliding shaft coupled with the one of the two spokes to be rotatable and to control movement of the one of the two spokes in at least one lengthwise direction, a sliding shaft actuator configured to provide a longitudinal movement force of the sliding shaft, and a rotating shaft restrictively coupled with the other of the two spokes to rotate the other of the two spokes.

5. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 4 , wherein the variable induction shaft further comprises a fixing shaft having a hollow in which the sliding shaft is coupled to rotatable therein and which guides longitudinal movement of the sliding shaft, and of which the other end is fixed to a body of a robot or a vehicle,
the sliding shaft extends through the hollow of the fixing shaft so that one end thereof is coupled to the one of the two spokes, and
the rotating shaft has a hollow in which the fixing shaft is inserted, and the rotating shaft is coupled so as to be rotatable with respect to the fixing shaft, and a power transmitting part configured to receive a rotating force provided from a power source of the robot or the vehicle is provided at the other end of the rotating shaft.

6. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 5 , wherein the sliding shaft extends to pass through a shaft hole of the one of the two spokes, and a flange at least partly expanded in a radial direction is provided at an end of the sliding shaft located at an outer side of the shaft hole.

7. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 6 , further comprising a sliding shaft cover configured to cover the flange of the sliding shaft located at an outer side of the one of the two spokes, and coupled with the one of the two spokes.

8. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 4 , wherein the sliding shaft actuator comprises a driving motor installed at a body of the vehicle or the robot, and a wire wound on or unwound from the driving motor and of which an end is fixed to the sliding shaft.

9. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 1 , wherein an elastic member configured to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the wheel is contracted is installed in the wheel.

10. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 1 , wherein a sheet including a folding area configured to form edge folding parts which are foldable when the wheel is separated and developed, and a rigid area surrounded by the folding area is formed, and
the wheel includes first and second flexible sheets formed of a flexible material, and a rigid material disposed at a position of the rigid area between the first and second flexible sheets, and
the folding area is formed by bonding the first and second flexible sheets without the rigid material interposed therebetween, and the rigid area is formed by bonding the first and second flexible sheets with the rigid material at least partly interposed therebetween.

11. The variable-diameter wheel of claim 10 , wherein a through-hole is formed at an intersecting point of the edge folding parts, and a reinforcing member is coupled in the through-hole.

Assignees

• Snu R&Db Foundation

Inventors

• Lee Dae Young
• Kim Ji Suk
• Kim Sa Reum
• Park Jae Jun
• Cho Kyu Jin

Classifications

• B60B15/025

  with non-cylindrical shape · CPC title

• B60Y2200/20

  Off-Road Vehicles · CPC title

• B60Y2400/40

  Actuators for moving a controlled member · CPC title

• B60B2900/351

  versatility, e.g. usable for different purposes or different arrangements · CPC title

• B60B19/04 Primary

  expansible · CPC title