Self propelled device with magnetic coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429940-B2
Application number	US-201514691349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2015
Priority date	Jan 5, 2011
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system including one or more motors. The internal drive system acts to provide power to an interior surface of the spherical housing, thereby causing the self-propelled device to move. A biasing assembly can be included to enable the internal drive system to continuously engage an inner surface of the spherical housing. An external accessory magnetically interacts with interior magnetic components through the spherical housing such that as the self-propelled device rotates and maneuvers, the accessory component maintains a positional relationship to a top portion of the self-propelled device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-propelled device comprising:
a spherical housing;
an internal drive system enclosed within the spherical housing and operable to cause the self-propelled device to roll;
an internal structure enclosed within the spherical housing and coupled to the internal drive system, the internal structure including a magnet holder which holds a first set of magnetically interactive elements, wherein the magnet holder comprises a pivot mechanism that pivots the magnet holder relative to an axis of rotation of the internal drive system;
an external accessory comprising a second set of magnetically interactive elements;
a wireless interface to receive control commands from a controller device; and
a control mechanism to implement the control commands, wherein implementing the control commands (i) causes the internal drive system to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device, and (ii) causes the pivot mechanism to pivot the external accessory relative to the spherical housing to coincide with a directional input of a control command;
wherein the first set of magnetically interactive elements and the second set of magnetically interactive elements maintain a magnetic interaction through the spherical housing when the spherical housing rolls and when the pivot mechanism pivots the magnetic holder, the magnetic interaction causing the external accessory to pivot when the magnet holder pivots.

2. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a first and a second magnet oriented to have opposite polarity, and wherein the second set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a first and a second magnet also oriented to have opposite polarity in order to magnetically couple with the first and the second magnets of the magnet holder respectively.

3. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a biasing subassembly coupled to the internal drive system to cause the internal drive system to continuously engage an interior surface of the spherical housing.

4. The self-propelled device of claim 3 , wherein the biasing subassembly comprises a plurality of portal axles each including a bias spring to engage the interior surface of the spherical housing at a plurality of contact points.

5. The self-propelled device of claim 3 , wherein the biasing subassembly and the magnet holder comprise a single internal assembly within the spherical housing.

6. The self-propelled device of claim 5 , wherein the single internal assembly is coupled to the internal drive system by one or more springs.

7. The self-propelled device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more springs, coupling the single internal assembly to the internal drive system, comprise a vertical tilt spring to dampen an impact force on the single internal assembly when the self-propelled device experiences a collision event.

8. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , wherein the external accessory includes a housing structure and a contact portion, the contact portion to engage an exterior surface of the spherical housing.

9. The self-propelled device of claim 8 , wherein the contact portion of the external accessory comprises a slider bearing to engage the exterior surface of the spherical housing.

10. The self-propelled device of claim 9 , wherein the slider bearing includes the second set of magnetically interactive elements.

11. The self-propelled device of claim 8 , wherein the housing structure includes the second set of magnetically interactive elements.

12. The self-propelled device of claim 8 , wherein the external accessory includes one or more springs coupling the housing structure and the contact portion.

13. The self-propelled device of claim 8 , wherein the contact portion of the external accessory comprises a pair of wheels coupled by an axle assembly, the pair of wheels to engage the exterior surface of the spherical housing.

14. The self-propelled device of claim 13 , wherein the external accessory includes one or more springs coupling the housing structure to the axle assembly of the contact portion.

15. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , wherein the first and the second set of magnetically interactive elements each comprises one or more ferromagnetic elements, one or more magnets, or one or more electromagnetic elements.

16. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , wherein the internal drive system comprises a first motor to operate a first wheel, and a second motor to operate a second wheel, the first and the second wheels to engage an interior surface of the spherical housing.

17. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , wherein the pivot mechanism comprises one or more actuators to enable the magnet holder to pivot within the spherical housing in response to a pivot command received from the controller device.

18. The self-propelled device of claim 17 , wherein the control commands include the pivot command, and wherein the pivot command engages the one or more actuators to cause the pivot mechanism to pivot the external accessory relative to the spherical housing.

19. The self-propelled device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power source coupled to the internal drive system; and
an inductive charge port to enable inductive charging of the power source.

Assignees

• Sphero Inc

Inventors

• Bernstein Ian H
• Wilson Adam
• Kong Chun
• Macgregor Ross
• Arniotes Damon

Classifications

• A63H33/26

  Magnetic or electric toys (electric drives A63H29/22 {; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068}) · CPC title

• B62D39/00

  Vehicle bodies not otherwise provided for {, e.g. safety vehicles (safety equipment B60R21/00)} · CPC title

• A63H30/04 Primary

  using wireless transmission · CPC title

• A63H33/005

  Motorised rolling toys · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title