Two wheeled robot with enhanced climbing features

Abstract

A robot has an electronic surveillance system embedded within a chassis disposed between two wheels. The wheels include a main body and a plurality of treads. The treads are generally disposed radially around the main body and extend distally from outer portion of the main body. The main body generally defines a plurality of compression cells and may present a substantially frustoconical outer surface.

1 . A surveillance robot comprising:
 a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, the wheels having a maximum radius;   a housing extending between the wheels, the housing having a radius that is less than the maximum radius of the wheels and containing a transmitter, a receiver, a power supply, a drive system including at least one drive motor connecting to the wheels, and a video camera connected to the transmitter;   wherein each of the wheels have a elastomeric hub portion having a diameter and a plurality of elastomeric paddles extending from the hub portion, the radius of each of the hub portions being less than 65% the maximum radius of each of the wheels.   
   
   
       2 . The surveillance robot of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the paddles includes a distal section and proximal section, distal section disposed at an angle with respect to the proximal section. 
   
   
       3 . The surveillance robot of  claim 2 , wherein the angle is between approximately forty-five and one-hundred fifteen degrees. 
   
   
       4 . The surveillance robot of  claim 3 , wherein the angle is approximately ninety degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The surveillance robot of  claim 1 , wherein the paddles are adapted are resiliently flexible so as to deflect upon engaging a surface. 
   
   
       6 . The surveillance robot of  claim 2 , wherein the paddle further includes a transition section intermediate the proximal and distal sections, the transition section having a radius of curvature 
   
   
       7 . The surveillance robot of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric hub portion defines a circumference, each of the paddles being disposed to an outer surface of the elastomeric hub portion at approximately forty-five degree interval along the circumference. 
   
   
       8 . The surveillance robot of  claim 1 , further comprising a tail coupled to the housing intermediate the wheels, the tail being substantially rigid in a first direction and substantially flexible in a second direction transverse to the first direction. 
   
   
       9 . The surveillance robot of  claim 8 , wherein the tail has a tail length and a tail weight and includes a main portion and a distal portion, the distal portion having a length less than fifteen percent of the tail length and a weight at least thirty percent of the tail weight. 
   
   
       10 . A surveillance robot comprising:
 a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, each wheel having a maximum radius;   a housing extending between the wheels, the housing having a radius that is less than the maximum radius of the wheels; the housing containing a transmitter and receiver, a power supply, a drive system including at least one drive motor connecting to the wheels, and a video camera connected to the transmitter; and   a rigid rear tail extending from the housing, the tail including a floor engaging end portion formed of an elastomeric material;   wherein each of the wheels have a elastomeric hub portion having a diameter and a plurality of elastomeric paddles extending from the hub, the radius of each of the hubs being less than 65% the maximum radius of each of the wheels.   
   
   
       11 . The surveillance robot of  claim 10  further comprising a tether attachment portion positioned on the tail and having an aperture therethrough. 
   
   
       12 . The surveillance robot of  claim 10  wherein each of the wheels have a elastomeric hub portion having a diameter and a plurality of elastomeric paddles extending from the hub, the radius of each of the hubs being less than 65% the maximum radius of each of the wheels. 
   
   
       13 . The surveillance robot of  claim 10 , wherein the rigid rear tail defines an aperture configured to receive a tether. 
   
   
       14 . A surveillance robot comprising:
 a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, each wheel having a maximum radius and a plurality of arcuate spikes extending radially outward therefrom,   a housing extending between the wheels, the housing having a radius that is less than the maximum radius of the wheels; the housing containing a transmitter and receiver, a power supply, a drive system including at least one drive motor connecting to the wheels, and a video camera connected to the transmitter;   a rigid rear tail extending from the housing, the tail including a floor engaging end portion formed of an elastomeric material and an aperture with a tether attached thereto.   
   
   
       15 . The surveillance robot of  claim 14 , wherein each of the wheels have a elastomeric hub portion having a diameter and a plurality of elastomeric paddles extending from the hub, the radius of each of the hubs being less than 65% the maximum radius of each of the wheels. 
   
   
       16 . A tire for a two-wheeled surveillance robot having a housing disposed intermediate a pair of the tires, the tire comprising:
 a hub presenting a outer circumferential surface, an inner axial surface and an outer axial surface and defining a hub radius, the outer surface having substantially frustoconical shape; and   a plurality of elastomeric paddles disposed to the outer circumferential surface of the hub, each of the elastomeric paddles extending radially from the outer circumferential surface a distance equal to at least forty percent of the hub radius.   
   
   
       17 . The tire of  claim 16 , wherein the tire further comprises means for absorbing an impact force. 
   
   
       18 . The tire of  claim 16 , wherein the two-wheeled surveillance robot includes a weighted tail, the weighted tail and shape of the outer axial surface substantially preventing the two-wheeled surveillance robot from statically resting on the outer axial surface of the tire. 
   
   
       19 . The surveillance robot of  claim 8 , a distal portion of the tail defines an aperture configured to receive a tether.