Magnetic omni-wheel

1. A multidirectional wheel for traversing a surface, comprising:

at least one hub, the at least one hub defining a first axial direction of rotation;

a plurality of rollers disposed around an outer periphery of the at least one hub, the rollers being mounted for rotation in a second axial direction that is at an angle to the first axial direction; and

at least one magnet, the at least one magnet being mounted to the at least one hub,

wherein the hub is made of a magnetically inducible material that concentrates a flux of the at least one magnet toward the surface being traversed,

wherein a plurality of magnets are each connected to a respective spoke, wherein the spokes are mounted for free rotation with respect to an axle that is disposed along the first axial direction.

2. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is mounted for free rotation with respect to the hub.

3. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the number, size, and spacing of the rollers is such that the wheel approximates a perfect circular rotation as it traverses the surface.

4. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein each roller includes three segmented pieces and wherein the segmented pieces are sized and shaped such that the wheel approximates a perfect circular rotation as it traverses the surface.

5. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one hub includes a first part and a second part that are removably connected and wherein the first and second parts define a recess for receiving the rollers.

6. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped mounts for connecting the rollers to the at least one hub.

7. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is a high temperature magnet.

8. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is a permanent magnet.

9. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is an electromagnet.

10. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the rollers are made of magnetic inducible material to aid in flux concentration.

11. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 1 , wherein the rollers are modified to increase friction.

12. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 10 , wherein the magnet is covered by a non-magnetically inducible ring.

13. A multidirectional wheel for traversing a surface, comprising:

at least two magnetically inducible bodies mounted for rotation about a first axial direction along a first axis;

one or more magnets concentrically disposed about the first axis, the magnets having poles and the magnets being oriented such that their poles are oriented along the first axial direction and facing in the same direction, the one or more magnets being mounted between the at least two magnetically inducible bodies; and

a plurality of rollers disposed around an outer periphery of each of the magnetically inducible bodies, the rollers being mounted for rotation in a second axial direction that is at an angle to the first axial direction,

wherein the magnetically inducible bodies concentrate a flux of the one or more magnets toward the surface being traversed,

wherein the at least two magnetically inducible bodies are sized and shaped and the rollers are disposed thereon such that the distance between the two magnetically inducible bodies and the traveling surface is minimized without crossing a contact circle between the roller and the traveling surface.

14. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets are circular disk shaped.

15. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets are ring shaped.

16. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets are concentrically arranged about the first axis and radially spaced therefrom.

17. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets mounted for rotation with respect to the at least two magnetically inducible bodies.

18. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the at least two magnetically inducible bodies are removably connected and wherein the at least two magnetically inducible bodies define a recess for receiving the rollers.

19. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped mounts for connecting the rollers to the at least two magnetically inducible bodies and wherein the wedge-shaped mounts are magnetically inducible.

20. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , further including one or more concentrator members of magnetically inducible material that further concentrate the flux of the one or more magnets toward the surface being traversed.

21. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets are high temperature magnets.

22. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets are permanent magnets.

23. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the one or more magnets are electromagnets.

24. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the number, size, and spacing of the rollers is such that the wheel approximates a perfect circular rotation as it traverses the surface.

25. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein each roller includes three segmented pieces and wherein the segmented pieces are sized and shaped such that the wheel approximates a perfect circular rotation as it traverses the surface.

26. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the rollers are made of magnetic inducible material to aid in flux concentration.

27. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the rollers are modified to increase friction.

28. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the magnet is covered by a non-magnetically inducible ring.

29. The multidirectional wheel as in claim 13 , wherein the two bodies have at least one threaded hole to be used to detach the magnet from the bodies during disassembly of the multidirectional wheel.

30. A multidirectional wheel for traversing a surface, comprising:

at least one hub, the at least one hub defining a first axial direction of rotation;

a plurality of rollers disposed around an outer periphery of the at least one hub, the rollers being mounted for rotation in a second axial direction that is at an angle to the first axial direction; and

at least one magnet, the at least one magnet being mounted to the at least one hub,

wherein the hub is made of a magnetically inducible material that concentrates a flux of the at least one magnet toward the surface being traversed,

wherein each roller includes three segmented pieces and wherein the segmented pieces are sized and shaped such that the wheel approximates a perfect circular rotation as it traverses the surface.

31. A multidirectional wheel for traversing a surface, comprising:

at least two magnetically inducible bodies mounted for rotation about a first axial direction along a first axis;

one or more magnets concentrically disposed about the first axis, the magnets having poles and the magnets being oriented such that their poles are oriented along the first axial direction and facing in the same direction, the one or more magnets being mounted between the at least two magnetically inducible bodies; and

a plurality of rollers disposed around an outer periphery of each of the magnetically inducible bodies, the rollers being mounted for rotation in a second axial direction that is at an angle to the first axial direction,

wherein the magnetically inducible bodies concentrate a flux of the one or more magnets toward the surface being traversed,

wherein the at least two magnetically inducible bodies are removably connected and wherein the at least two magnetically inducible bodies define a recess for receiving the rollers.