US-12623336-B2 - Wheel device and mobile robot device comprising same

US12623336B2US 12623336 B2US12623336 B2US 12623336B2US-12623336-B2

Abstract

A wheel device includes: a plurality of wing members configured to rotate around a central axis, wherein each wing member of the plurality of wing members may include an outer circumferential surface and each wing member of the plurality of wing members is configured to be movable to a first position in which the respective outer circumferential surfaces combine to form a circle, and to a second position in which an end of each outer circumferential surface is rotated away from the central axis of the wheel device; a deforming device configured to move each wing member of the plurality of wing members to the first position or the second position; a plurality of rollers provided on the respective outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of wing members, wherein each roller of the plurality of rollers has a rotation axis that is not parallel to the central axis; and a braking device including a brake pad configured to contact one or more rollers of the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the second position and to separate from the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the first position.

Inventors

Kyunglyong HAN

Assignees

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230414
Priority Date: 20201125

Claims (15)

1 . A wheel device comprising: a plurality of wing members configured to rotate around a central axis, wherein each wing member of the plurality of wing members comprises an outer circumferential surface and each wing member of the plurality of wing members is configured to be movable to a first position in which the respective outer circumferential surfaces combine to form a circle, and to a second position in which each outer circumferential surface is rotated away from the central axis of the wheel device; a deforming device configured to move each wing member of the plurality of wing members to the first position or the second position; a plurality of rollers provided on the respective outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of wing members, wherein each roller of the plurality of rollers has a rotation axis that is not parallel to the central axis; and a braking device comprising a brake pad configured to contact one or more rollers of the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the second position and to separate from the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the first position.
2 . The wheel device of claim 1 , wherein the braking device further comprises a support link configured to rotatably connect the brake pad to a wing member from among the plurality of wing members.
3 . The wheel device of claim 2 , wherein the braking device further comprises a first torsion spring connecting the support link with the wing member.
4 . The wheel device of claim 2 , wherein the braking device further comprises a braking motor configured to rotate the support link.
5 . The wheel device of claim 1 , wherein the brake pad is disposed parallel to the outer circumferential surface of a wing member from among the plurality of wing members.
6 . The wheel device of claim 1 , wherein the brake pad comprises a rubber material.
7 . The wheel device of claim 1 , wherein each wing member of the plurality of wing members further comprises a first point positioned at an innermost end thereof, a second point positioned between one end of the outer circumferential surface and the first point, and a third point positioned at another end of the outer circumferential surface, and wherein the deforming device comprises: a first spoke connecting the respective first points of the plurality of wing members with each other; a plurality of links each connecting the respective second point of a first wing member among the plurality of wing members and the third point of a second wing member among the plurality of wing members that is adjacent to the first wing member; and a second spoke connecting respective intermediate regions of the plurality of links with one another.
8 . The wheel device of claim 7 , wherein the deforming device further comprises: a first drive motor configured to rotate the first spoke; and a second drive motor configured to rotate the second spoke.
9 . The wheel device of claim 7 , wherein the braking device further comprises: a first braking link integrally formed with the first spoke; and a second braking link having a first end rotatably connected to a wing member among the plurality of wing members and disposed on a rotational path of the first braking link, and wherein a second end of the second braking link is configured to press the brake pad into contact with one or more of the plurality of rollers when the second braking link is pressed and rotated by the first braking link.
10 . The wheel device of claim 9 , wherein the first braking link extends from the first spoke away from the central axis.
11 . The wheel device of claim 9 , wherein the braking device further comprises a torsion spring connecting the wing member among the plurality of wing members to the first end of the second braking link.
12 . A mobile robot device comprising: a base; and a plurality of wheel devices installed on a lower portion of the base, wherein each wheel device of the plurality of wheel devices comprises: a plurality of wing members configured to rotate around a central axis, wherein each wing member of the plurality of wing members comprises an outer circumferential surface and each wing member of the plurality of wing members is configured to be movable to a first position in which the respective outer circumferential surfaces combine to form a circle, and in a second position in which each outer circumferential surface is rotated away from the central axis of the wheel device; a deforming device configured to move each wing member of the plurality of wing members to the first position or the second position; a plurality of rollers provided on the respective outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of wing members, wherein each roller of the plurality of rollers has a rotation axis that is not parallel to the central axis; and a braking device comprising a brake pad configured to contact one or more rollers of the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the second position and to separate from the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the first position.
13 . The mobile robot device of claim 12 , further comprising: an obstacle detection sensor; and at least one processor configured to: identify, based on a sensing value obtained via the obstacle detection sensor, a presence of an obstacle in front of the mobile robot device, and based on identifying the presence of the obstacle in front of the mobile robot device, cause each respective deforming device to move the plurality of wing members of each wheel device of the plurality of wheel devices to the second position.
14 . The mobile robot device of claim 13 , wherein for each respective wheel device among the plurality of wheel devices, the braking device further comprises a support link configured to rotatably connect the brake pad to a wing member from among the plurality of wing members.
15 . The mobile robot device of claim 14 , wherein for each respective wheel device among the plurality of wheel devices, the braking device further comprises a braking motor configured to rotate the support link, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, for each respective wheel device among the plurality of wheel devices, cause the braking motor to rotate the support link away from the central axis based on the identifying the presence of the obstacle in front of the mobile robot device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a by-pass continuation of International Application No. PCT/KR2021/014685, filed on Oct. 20, 2021, which is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0160265, filed on Nov. 25, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. BACKGROUND 1. Field The present disclosure relates to a wheel device and a mobile robot device including the same, and more particularly, to a wheel device that may be moved in all directions and easily pass an obstacle simultaneously, and a mobile robot device including the same. 2. Description of Related Art A general wheel device may have a limitation in its movement direction or rotation direction, is unable to be easily moved to a desired position in a narrow space, and thus has a restriction on its drivability. In addition, the wheel device may climb a stepped obstacle such as stairs through a structural change for dividing or combining the wheel device. However, sufficient frictional force may not be applied to the wheel device, and the wheel device may thus slip to have difficulty in climbing over the obstacle. SUMMARY Provided are a wheel device that may be moved in all directions and easily pass an obstacle simultaneously, and a mobile robot device including the same. According to an aspect of the disclosure, a wheel device includes: a plurality of wing members configured to rotate around a central axis, wherein each wing member of the plurality of wing members may include an outer circumferential surface and each wing member of the plurality of wing members is configured to be movable to a first position in which the respective outer circumferential surfaces combine to form a circle, and to a second position in which an end of each outer circumferential surface is rotated away from the central axis of the wheel device; a deforming device configured to move each wing member of the plurality of wing members to the first position or the second position; a plurality of rollers provided on the respective outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of wing members, wherein each roller of the plurality of rollers has a rotation axis that is not parallel to the central axis; and a braking device including a brake pad configured to contact one or more rollers of the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the second position and to separate from the plurality of rollers when the plurality of wing members are in the first position. The braking device may further include a support link configured to rotatably connect the brake pad to a wing member from among the plurality of wing members. The braking device may further include a first torsion spring connecting the support link with the wing member. The braking device may further include a braking motor configured to rotate the support link. The brake pad may be disposed parallel to the outer circumferential surface of a wing member from among the plurality of wing members. The brake pad may include a rubber material. Each wing member of the plurality of wing members may further include a first point positioned at an innermost end thereof, a second point positioned between the one end of the outer circumferential surface and the first point, and a third point positioned at the other end of the outer circumferential surface, and the deforming device may include: a first spoke connecting the respective first points of the plurality of wing members with each other, a plurality of links each connecting a respective second point of a first wing member among the plurality of wing members and a third point of a second wing member among the plurality of wing member that is adjacent to the first wing member, and a second spoke connecting respective intermediate regions of the plurality of links with one another. The deforming device may further include: a first drive motor configured to rotate the first spoke, and a second drive motor configured to rotate the second spoke. The braking device may further include: a first braking link integrally formed with the first spoke, and a second braking link having a first end rotatably connected to a wing member among the plurality of wing members and disposed on a rotational path of the first braking link, and a second end of the second braking link is configured to press the brake pad into contact with one or more of the plurality of rollers when the second braking link is pressed and rotated by the first braking link. The first braking link may extend from the first spoke away from the central axis. The braking device may further include a torsion spring connecting the wing member to the first end of the second braking link. According to an aspect of the disclosure, a mobile robot device includes: a base; and a plurality of wheel devices installed on a lower portion of the base, wherein each wheel device of