IP Library › Granted Patent US 12668320
Granted Patent B2
US 12668320 · App. 18/420,012 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Crawler type traveling body and traveling apparatus

Inventors: Eichi Koizumi (Kanagawa, JP); Hiroshi Shimura (Kanagawa, JP); Ryota Yamashina (Kanagawa, JP); Taku Kitahara (Tokyo, JP); Hiroshi Okamoto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
B62D55/30B62D55/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12668320
App. No.
18/420,012
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A crawler type traveling body includes a drive wheel, an in-wheel motor incorporated in the drive wheel, a plurality of rotating wheels disposed below the drive wheel, a crawler, and a tensioner. The crawler is wound around the drive wheel and the rotating wheels and configured to be rotated by the drive wheel. The tensioner is coupled to a drive shaft of the in-wheel motor and configured to press the drive wheel against the crawler and apply tension to the crawler.

Claims (41)

1 . A crawler type traveling body comprising:

a drive wheel including an in-wheel motor;

a plurality of rotating wheels disposed below the drive wheel;

a crawler wound around the drive wheel and the rotating wheels and configured to be rotated by the drive wheel; and

a tensioner coupled directly to a drive shaft of the in-wheel motor, the tensioner configured to fix the drive shaft of the in-wheel motor.

2 . The crawler type traveling body according claim 1 ,

wherein the tensioner includes an elastic body, and

wherein the elastic body is configured to deform and press the drive shaft to press the drive wheel against the crawler.

3 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the crawler type traveling body is symmetrical with respect to a vertical line passing through the drive shaft of the in-wheel motor in a side view of the crawler type traveling body.

4 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary wheel disposed between the rotating wheels and configured to be driven and rotated by the crawler.

5 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 4 ,

wherein a contact position between the auxiliary wheel and the crawler is lower than a contact position between the crawler and each of the rotating wheels.

6 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a side plate having a double-sided structure to support the drive wheel and the rotating wheels.

7 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 6 ,

wherein the side plate has a cutout portion in which a region facing a ground contact surface of the crawler that contacts ground is cut out.

8 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein at least one wheel of the rotating wheels has at least one wheel hole.

9 . A traveling apparatus comprising:

a plurality of crawler type traveling bodies, each of which is the crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ; and

a main body supporting the plurality of crawler type traveling bodies.

10 . A traveling apparatus comprising:

a plurality of crawler type traveling bodies, each of which is the crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ; and

a main body supporting the plurality of crawler type traveling bodies,

wherein the main body includes a battery configured to supply power to the in-wheel motor, and

wherein a position of a gravitational center of the battery is lower than the drive shaft of the in-wheel motor.

11 . The traveling apparatus according to claim 10 ,

wherein the drive shaft of the in-wheel motor is above an installation area of the battery in a side view of the traveling apparatus.

12 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the tensioner is configured to stop a rotation of the drive shaft of the in-wheel motor.

13 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the in-wheel motor does not include a drive chain or a gear.

14 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drive wheel is configured not to contact a road surface.

15 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein a diameter of the drive wheel is different from a diameter of each of the rotating wheels.

16 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein a diameter of the drive wheel is larger than a diameter of each of the rotating wheels.

17 . The crawler type traveling body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the tensioner includes a fastener configured to fix a motor shaft to a block to stop a rotation of the motor shaft.