A two-axis spherical wheel or ball-wheel is provided wherein hemispheres (or spherical caps) rotate independently about a transverse or spherical axis and rotate dependently about an axial or longitudinal axis. In this way, a ball-wheel supports a vehicle chassis and drives (e.g., translates or rotates) the vehicle in any direction. Systems of ball-wheels are also disclosed. Two, three, four, or more ball-wheels can be joined in a system to support, translate, and/or rotate a vehicle without requiring the vehicle to turn. The ball-wheels include protective features to prevent debris from entering a drive system. Protective features may include springs and/or dampers to absorb impact forces on the vehicle chassis. Orienting the ball-wheels about a center point of the vehicle chassis enhances support and control of the vehicle.
Spherical Drive Wheel
2021-01-07
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
Double-power four-wheel-drive five-omnidirectional-wheel heavy-load spherical robot
European Patent Office | 2020
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