Modular mobile robot

Abstract

A mobile robot has a predetermined size of large, medium, small or back-packable. The mobile robot includes a chassis, drive system components, power components, a main processor, a communication system and a power and data distribution system. The chassis has a predetermined size of large, medium, small or back-packable. Drive system components are operably attached to the chassis and power components are operably connected to the drive system components and the power and data distribution system. Each drive system component has a predetermined size that is compatible with the chassis. The main processor, the communication system and the power and data distribution system are all operably connected together and operably connected to the traction components and the power components. The main processor, the communication system, and the power and data distribution system are all compatible with the predetermined size of the chassis and at least one other size.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile robot having a predetermined size that is one of large, medium, small and back-packable and the robot for use with a control unit comprising:
 a chassis having a predetermined size that is one of large, medium small and back-packable;   drive system components operably attached to the chassis and having a predetermined size that is compatible with the predetermined size of the chassis;   a power and data distribution system operably connected to the drive system components;   power components operably connected to the power and data distribution system and operably connected to the drive system components, the power components having a predetermined size that is compatible with the drive system components;   a main processor operably connected to the drive system components, the power and data distribution system and the power components;   a communication system operably connected to the drive system components, the power components and the main processor, the communication system is for communicating with the control unit; and   the main processor, the communication system, and the power and data distribution system are all compatible with the predetermined size of the chassis and at least one other size.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the main processor, the communication system and the power and data distribution system are interchangeably useable in the large, medium, small and back-packable mobile robots. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the drive system components include drive traction modules operably connected to drive transmission modules. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the drive system components further include flipper modules operably connected to flipper transmission modules. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the traction modules are one of long track traction modules, short track traction modules, or wheel traction modules. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 1  further including a core module and the main processor and communication system are part of the core module. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 6  further including a head module and the power and data distribution system is part of the head module. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the core module and the head module are each interchangeably useable in the large, medium, small and the back-packable mobile robots. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 7  further includes one of a large gripper arm module, a small gripper arm module and a tooling arm. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 8  further includes a PTZ arm module. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 10  further including a camera and the camera is interchangeably attachable to the PTZ arm module, the large gripper arm module and the small gripper arm module. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 9  further including a turret attachable to one of the large gripper arm and the small gripper arm. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 10  further including a turret attachable to the PTZ arm module. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 1  further including weaponry that is interchangeably useable in the large, medium, small and back-packable mobile robots. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the control unit is interchangeably useable in the large, medium, small and back-packable mobile robots. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the power component is interchangeable useable with predetermined sized chassis smaller than the predetermined size chassis of the compatible power component. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the control unit is one of an operator controlled unit and an autonomously controlled unit. 
     
     
         18 . A modular mobile robot for use in association with a control unit comprising:
 a chassis;   drive traction module operably attached to the chassis;   drive transmission modules operably connected to the drive traction module;   a self-contained head module including a power and data distribution system, the self-contained head module operably connected to the drive transmission module   a self-contained power module operably connected to the head module; and   a self-contained core module including a main processor and communication system, the self-contained core module operably connected to the self-contained head module and self-contained power module whereby the core module manages the communication with the control unit.   
     
     
         19 . The modular mobile robot as claimed in  claim 18  further including flipper module operably connected to flipper transmission modules. 
     
     
         20 . The modular mobile robot as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the drive traction modules are one of long track traction modules, short track traction modules, or wheel traction modules. 
     
     
         21 . The modular mobile robot as claimed in  claim 18  further includes one of a large gripper arm module, a small gripper arm module and tooling arm. 
     
     
         22 . The modular mobile robot as claimed in  claim 21  further includes a PTZ arm module. 
     
     
         23 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the control unit is one of an operator controlled unit and an autonomously controlled unit. 
     
     
         24 . A tooling arm comprising:
 a housing;   a drive system;   a lead screw and a nut assembly, the lead screw operably connected to the drive system such that rotation of the nut drives the lead screw upwardly and downwardly relative to the housing; the lead screw is rotatably connected to the nut which is driven by a motor via a pair of meshing spur gears. The rotation of the nut drives the lead screw upwardly and downwardly relative to the housing; and   a scoop assembly connected to the lead screw, the scoop assembly having an open position and a closed position and movement of the lead screw downwardly responsively moves the scoop assembly from the open position to the closed position.   
     
     
         25 . An endless track, comprising:
 a belt having an inner surface and an outer surface;   a plurality of chamfered cleats each having a contact surface, the chamfered cleats being attached to the outer surface defining an attachment area, and the contact surface shaped such that when the track is laid on a flat solid surface, each chamfered cleat contacts the flat solid surface with less area than the attachment area;   a plurality of holes in the track, disposed between the chamfered cleats and shaped to allow teeth of a drive sprocket to pass through and to engage the belt for transmitting force from the sprocket to the belt; and   a dual v-guide comprising two elongate, parallel protrusions which are spaced laterally from each other, and are attached to the inner surface.   
     
     
         26 . A mobile robot comprising
 a deployment mechanism; and   a flexible tail attached to the deployment mechanism and extending outwardly from the mobile robot in a deployment direction;   wherein actuation of the deployment mechanism moves the flexible tail and changes the deployment direction of the flexible tail.   
     
     
         27 . The mobile robot as claimed in  claim 26  further comprising an endless track, comprising:
 a belt having an inner surface and an outer surface; and 
 a plurality of chamfered cleats each having a contact surface, the chamfered cleats being attached to the outer surface defining an attachment area, and the contact surface shaped such that when the track is laid on a flat solid surface, each chamfered cleat contacts the flat solid surface with less area than the attachment area.