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, the wheels rotatable in a forward direction by the at least one drive motor, thereby moving the surveillance robot in a forward direction, and a video camera connected to the transmitter; and   a tail coupled to the housing intermediate the wheels;   wherein each of the wheels comprise a hub portion, the hub portion having a plurality of paddles extending radially outward from the hub portion and each of the paddles includes a distal section and proximal section, each distal section disposed at an angle with respect to the respective proximal section and having a tip that curves toward the forward direction of rotation when the surveillance robot moves forward.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The surveillance robot of  claim 1 , 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 1 , 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 intervals along the circumference. 
     
     
         8 . The surveillance robot of  claim 1 , wherein 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 rear tail extending from the housing, the tail including a floor engaging end portion;   wherein each of the wheels have a hub portion having a radius and a plurality of paddles extending from the hub portion, a plurality of open space crush zones defined in the hub portion by open spaces, the radius of each of the hub portions being less than 65% the maximum radius of each of the wheels, each of the paddles includes a distal section and proximal section, each distal section disposed at an angle with respect to the respective proximal section and having a tip that curves toward the forward direction of rotation when the surveillance robot moves forward.   
     
     
         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 an inner hub portion having a diameter and a plurality of elastomeric paddles extending from the inner hub portion, an outer circular hub portion spanning between each adjacent pair of elastomeric paddles, wherein the inner hub portion, the outer circular hub portion and each adjacent pair of elastomeric paddles defining one of the plurality of open air crush zones. 
     
     
         13 . The surveillance robot of  claim 10 , wherein the rear tail includes a floor engaging portion formed of an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         14 . A surveillance robot comprising:
 only a pair of axially aligned drive wheels, each wheel having a maximum radius and a plurality of arcuate paddles extending radially outward therefrom, the arcuate paddles having a tip pointing in the direction of the forward rotation of the wheels whereby when the wheels rotate forwardly the surveillance robot moves forwardly,   a drive system including at least one drive motor connecting to the wheels, and a video camera connected to the transmitter;   a rear tail extending from the housing, the tail including a floor engaging end portion.   
     
     
         15 . The surveillance robot of  claim 14 , wherein each of the wheels have an elastomeric hub portion and the radius of each of the hub portions being less than 65% the maximum radius of each of the wheels. 
     
     
         16 - 19 . (canceled)