The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 09, 1991
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1988
John E Bares, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
William Whittaker, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention pertains to a robot for moving along uneven terrain. The robot comprises a body having an exterior surface and a device for defining the terrain around the body. There is also a device for moving the body. The moving device includes legs, at least one of which are capable of being independently positioned adjacent to any portion of the exterior surface of the body. The robot is also comprised of a device for controlling the moving device. The controlling device is connected to the defining device such that the body moves along the terrain in a desired path. In an alternative embodiment, the moving device includes legs, each of which can exhibit an overlapping gait with respect to another leg while moving the body. In a preferred embodiment, each leg is comprised of a shoulder that is rotatable in a angular direction. Each leg is also comprised of a pedestal which has an axis that is disposed in essentially a z direction, where the z direction is perpendicular to the angular direction. There is also a device for linking the shoulder and the pedestal such that the pedestal can be moved in an r direction to a desired r position with respect to the shoulder, where the r direction is perpendicular to the z and the angular directions. The robot moves along the terrain which it defines with the defining device by positioning each leg in a desired place determined by the controlling device and then moving the body forward to reposition itself.