Cart mover with reconfigurable drive unit and support wheels
View Patent ↗The disclosure relates to a cart mover comprising a chassis having a driven end and a hitching end, a reconfigurable drive system, and a hitching system. A first set of support wheels and a second set of support wheels are coupled to the hitching end. The reconfigurable drive system is positioned on the driven end of the chassis having a drive unit with a first and second drive wheel and drive turret. In a locked state, the drive turret locks an orientation of the drive unit. In an unlocked state, the drive unit is configured to freely rotate about a vertical axis of the drive unit. The hitching system comprises at least one hitching arm and at least one engaging member. One or both of the hitching arm and engaging member are configured to move towards one another to constrain an object therebetween.
1 . A reconfigurable drive system, comprising:
a chassis;
a drive unit comprising a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel, each configured to be independently driven about a central axis of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel; and
a drive turret rotatably coupling the drive unit and the chassis, the drive turret comprising a brake, wherein the brake, in a locked state, locks an orientation of the drive unit with respect to the chassis, wherein in an unlocked state, the drive unit is configured to freely rotate about a vertical axis of the drive unit, and wherein the vertical axis of the drive unit is centrally aligned with the central axis of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel.
2 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first set of support wheels and a second set of support wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first set of support wheels or the second set of support wheels are configured to be deployed from the chassis to contact a ground surface based on a drive mode.
3 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 2 , further comprising:
wherein the first set of support wheels comprise non-swiveling wheels oriented in a fixed direction with respect to the chassis, and
wherein the second set of support wheels comprise swiveling wheels configured to pivot about the respective vertical axis of each support wheel of the second set of support wheels.
4 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 3 , wherein:
in a tricycle steering mode, the first set of support wheels are deployed from the chassis, and the drive turret is configured in the unlocked state; and
in a differential steering mode, the second set of support wheels are deployed from the chassis, and the drive turret is configured in the locked state.
5 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 3 , the second set of wheels comprise omni-directional wheels or swivel castor wheels.
6 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 2 , wherein a first wheel of the first set of support wheels and a second wheel of the second set of support wheels are coupled to one another via a pivoting member such that a central axis of the first wheel and a central axis of the second wheel are offset from one another.
7 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 6 , wherein the first wheel is coupled to an actuator via a mounting member, the actuator being rotatably coupled to the chassis, and wherein the actuator is driven a distance to deploy the second wheel, via rotating about the pivoting member, to contact the ground surface and elevate the first wheel from the ground surface.
8 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first set of support wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first set of support wheels are configured to be constrained from swiveling about a respective axis or unconstrained from swiveling about the respective axis based on a drive mode.
9 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 1 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are each coupled to a gearbox vertically aligned with a brake and encoder.
10 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 9 , wherein each gearbox comprises an output shaft coupled to the respective first drive wheel and second drive wheel, the output shaft extending from the respective gearbox.
11 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 10 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel each comprise a driven gear centrally located within the respective first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, wherein the output shafts of the gearboxes comprise geared ends to interface with the respective driven gears, and wherein the geared ends are offset to one side of the respective driven gear.
12 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 1 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are operably coupled to a housing, wherein the housing is pivotably coupled to the drive turret, such that the drive turret is configured to rotate about a horizontal axis of the drive unit.
13 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 1 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are each independently rotated by the drive unit to rotate the drive turret about a horizontal axis of the drive unit.
14 . A reconfigurable drive system, comprising:
a chassis;
a drive unit comprising a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel, each configured to be independently driven;
a drive turret rotatably coupling the drive unit and the chassis, the drive turret comprising a brake, wherein the brake, in a locked state, locks an orientation of the drive unit with respect to the chassis, and wherein in an unlocked state, the drive unit is configured to freely rotate about a vertical axis of the drive unit; and
a first set of support wheels and a second set of support wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first set of support wheels or the second set of support wheels are configured to be deployed from the chassis to contact a ground surface based on a drive mode.
15 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 14 , further comprising:
wherein the first set of support wheels comprise non-swiveling wheels oriented in a fixed direction with respect to the chassis, and
wherein the second set of support wheels comprise swiveling wheels configured to pivot about the respective vertical axis of each support wheel of the second set of support wheels.
16 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 15 , wherein:
in a tricycle steering mode, the first set of support wheels are deployed from the chassis, and the drive turret is configured in the unlocked state; and
in a differential steering mode, the second set of support wheels are deployed from the chassis, and the drive turret is configured in the locked state.
17 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 15 , the second set of wheels comprise omni-directional wheels or swivel castor wheels.
18 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 14 , wherein a first wheel of the first set of support wheels and a second wheel of the second set of support wheels are coupled to one another via a pivoting member such that a central axis of the first wheel and a central axis of the second wheel are offset from one another.
19 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 14 , wherein the first set of support wheels are configured to be constrained from swiveling about a respective axis or unconstrained from swiveling about the respective axis based on a drive mode.
20 . The reconfigurable drive system of claim 14 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are each configured to be independently driven about a central axis of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, and wherein the vertical axis of the drive unit is centrally aligned with the central axis of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel.