IP Library Granted Patent US 11,673,464
Granted Patent B2
US 11,673,464 · App. 16/902,929 · Granted Jun 13, 2023

Throw able robot with clamshell body

Inventors: Matthew M. Sellner (San Jose, CA); Alex J. Kossett (Minnetonka, MN); Jade Moreau (San Francisco, CA); Andrew Drenner (Savage, MN); Steve Gigi (Crystal, MN)
Assignee: ReconRobotics, Inc.
B60K1/04B60K1/02B60K7/0007B60K17/043B62D57/00B62D57/02B62D57/022B62D61/00B60K2007/0046B60K2007/0061
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,673,464
App. No.
16/902,929
Granted
Jun 13, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A two wheeled throwable robot comprises an elongate chassis with two ends, a motor at each end, drive wheels connected to the motors, and a tail extending from the elongate chassis. A rear portion having a deep recess securing the pair of motors with brackets, and batteries with brackets. The forward part having a shallow recess with a printed circuit board secured therein having control circuitry. The wheels are less than six inches in diameter and the robot weighs less than five pounds.

Claims (22)

1. A throwable robot comprising: an elongate chassis having an outwardly exposed surface extending around the chassis, the chassis split lengthwise and having an interior, a pair of drive motors positioned and secured in place in the interior, one on each of two opposing ends, a battery secured in the interior; a pair of motor driven drive wheels attached to each end of the chassis, each of the pair of motor driven wheels having a diameter of less than 6 inches; and a tail extending from a rearward face of the elongate chassis, the throwable robot weighing less than 5 lbs, and

a circuit board positioned internally forward of the pair of motors, the circuit board having a camera secured thereto, the camera directed forwardly though an opening in the chassis, wherein the circuit board with camera spans a recess portion of the chassis in the interior.

2. The throwable robot of claim 1 , wherein the chassis has a deep recess portion that is rearwardly positioned and to which the tail is connected.

3. The throwable robot of claim 1 wherein the chassis has a camera lens secured to the chassis at the opening.

4. The throwable robot of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board having a microphone, a camera, and illumination LED's attached thereto at a forward face of the chassis and exposed outwardly of the chassis.

5. The throwable robot of claim 1 wherein each of the wheels is less than 5 inches in diameter.

6. The throwable robot of claim 5 wherein each wheel has a shaft extending through an aperture in the deep recess portion, each shaft sealed with a shaft seal.

7. The throwable robot of claim 1 wherein a light sensor, and a plurality of illumination LED's are attached to the printed circuit board.

8. A throwable robot comprising:

an elongate body supporting a pair of drive wheels, one drive wheel on each of two ends of the body, a tail centrally positioned on the elongate body intermediate the pair of drive wheels and extending rearwardly from the body;

the elongate body comprising an elongate chassis with an elongate deep recess, a pair or drive motors secured to the chassis in the deep recess, and a battery positioned in the deep recess, a printed circuit board with control circuitry secured within the chassis, and a camera in the chassis and directed forwardly; the pair of drive wheels attached at each end of the chassis, each of the pair of wheels being gear driven by a respective motor,

wherein the printed circuit board has a microphone and a photovoltaic sensor attached thereto end and each positioned at openings in a forward portion of the chassis.

9. The throwable robot of claim 8 wherein the printed circuit board has the camera attached thereto and positioned at an opening in a forward portion of the chassis, the opening having a lens secured thereto.

10. The throwable robot of claim 9 , wherein the printed circuit board has a microphone and a photovoltaic sensor attached thereto end and each positioned at openings in a forward portion of the chassis.

11. The throwable robot of claim 9 , wherein each of the pair of wheels is less than 6 inches in diameter.

12. The throwable robot of claim 11 , wherein the robot weighs less than 5 pounds.

13. The throwable robot of claim 8 wherein the chassis has flattened portions on a forward side, a top side and a bottom side of the chassis.

14. The throwable robot of claim 8 wherein a shallow component of the chassis is forwardly positioned and has a central region projecting forwardly and further having flattened forward facing end portions on each lateral side of the central region.

15. The throwable robot of claim 8 wherein an actuation member for actuating the robot is positioned at a forward face of the chassis.

16. A throwable robot weight less than five pounds comprising:

an elongate body supporting a pair of drive wheels, one drive wheel on each of two ends of the body, a tail centrally positioned on the elongate body intermediate the pair of drive wheels and extending rearwardly from the body;

the elongate body comprising an elongate chassis with an elongate deep recess, the chassis having a flattened portion on a top side, a flattened portion on a bottom side, and a flattened portion on a forward side, the robot further comprising a pair or drive motors secured to the chassis in the deep recess, a battery in the deep recess, a printed circuit board with control circuitry secured within the chassis, and a camera in the chassis and directed forwardly the pair of drive wheels attached at each end of the chassis, each of the pair of wheels being gear driven by a respective motor, wherein a light sensor, and a plurality of illumination LED's are integrated with the printed circuit board.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2020
From: SELLNER, MATTHEW M.; KOSSETT, ALEX J.; DRENNER, ANDREW; MOREAU, JADE; GIGL, STEVE
To: RECONROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 054603/0014 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16103851 · Aug 14, 2018
Continuation 14747817 · Jun 23, 2015
Provisional Application 62015889 · Jun 23, 2014
Related Publication 20210070160A1 · Mar 11, 2021