JP2023018719A - Wheel and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a wheel and a vehicle that are of a simple structure and capable of getting over a step while maintaining stability when traveling on a flat surface.SOLUTION: A wheel 1 includes: a wheel body 10 rotatable around an axle Aw; an arm member 20 rotatable around an arm rotary shaft Aa parallel to the axle Aw, between a position at which it is housed on a radially inner side of an outer periphery of the wheel body 10 and a position at which a portion of the arm member projects to a radially outer side of the outer periphery of the wheel body 10; and an arm operation mechanism 30 capable of switching between a state where the arm member 20 is rotated integrally with the wheel body 10 and a state where it is relatively rotated. The arm operation mechanism 30 includes: a direct-moving shaft member 31 which rotates around the axle Aw so as to be directly movable along the axle Aw and integrally with the wheel body 10; a rotation transmission member 32 for rotating the arm member 20 around the arm rotary shaft Aa along with direct movement of the direct-moving shaft member 31; and a direct moving operation mechanism 33 capable of switching between a state in which the direct-moving shaft member 31 directly moves with respect to the wheel body 10 and a state in which it does not, while the wheel body 10 is rotating.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to wheels and vehicles.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMR), auto guided vehicles (AGV), carts for transportation, electric wheelchairs, cleaning robots, partner robots, and other self-propelled vehicles are equipped with driving wheels. There is a demand for technology for overcoming and ascending obstacles such as steps, unevenness, slopes, and stairs present on roads. In Patent Document 1, a plurality of divided portions, which are divided in the circumferential direction of the running wheel and supported on the radially outer side of the running wheel so as to be retractable and openable, are selectively protruded and deployed to engage with a step, A structure of a wheel that climbs over a step is disclosed. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a wheel provided with a plurality of rolling pawls provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, which forms a rolling peripheral surface at the closed rotational position and protrudes outside the rolling peripheral surface at the unfolded rotational position. A structure is disclosed.

JP 2010-155520 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-031796

However, in the wheel disclosed in Patent Document 1, the actuators for deformation of the respective divided portions are arranged on the wheel side, so the mechanism of the transmission portion from the drive source to the rotating actuators is complicated. Moreover, since the wheel disclosed in Patent Document 2 deforms the outer ring itself, the outer ring does not form a perfect circle, which poses a problem of stability during running.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheel and a vehicle that have a simple structure and that are capable of overcoming bumps while maintaining stability when traveling on flat ground.

A wheel according to one aspect of the present invention includes a wheel body rotatable around an axle, a housing position housed radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body, and a portion radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body. an arm member rotatable about an arm rotation axis parallel to the axle with respect to the wheel body between the protruding protruding position, a state in which the arm member is rotated integrally with the wheel body, and the wheel an arm actuating mechanism capable of switching between a state in which it is rotated relative to the main body, the arm actuating mechanism being capable of moving linearly along the axle with respect to the wheel body and integrally with the wheel body. a linear motion shaft member that rotates about the axle; a rotation transmission member that rotates the arm member about the arm rotation shaft with the linear motion of the linear motion shaft member; and a wheel body that rotates about the axle. A linear motion capable of switching between a state in which the linear motion shaft member linearly moves with respect to the wheel body and a state in which the linear motion shaft member does not move with respect to the wheel body in a rotating state. a mechanism;

When running on flat ground, the wheel maintains stability when running on flat ground because the outer periphery of the wheel body constitutes a rolling peripheral surface over the entire circumference by accommodating the arm members radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body. can do. In addition, when the wheel travels on a step, the arm member can catch the step and run over the step by protruding a part of the arm member radially outward from the outer circumference of the wheel body. The arm member can be protruded and accommodated with a simple structure in which the linear motion shaft member is linearly moved in the axle direction.

In the wheel according to one aspect of the present invention, the rotation transmission member rotates relative to the wheel body about the axle as the linear motion shaft member moves linearly, and rotates in one direction with respect to the wheel body. rotates the arm member in a projecting direction in which a part of the arm member projects radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body, and rotates the arm member in the other direction opposite to the one direction with respect to the wheel body. When the arm member is rotated in an accommodation direction in which the arm member is accommodated radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body when rotated, and when the arm member is not rotated relative to the wheel body, the arm member is in a protruded state or is accommodated. maintained.

When the direct-acting shaft member moves along the axle with respect to the wheel body, the rotation transmission member rotates in any direction around the axle by a predetermined amount according to the direction and amount of movement. Then, when the rotation transmission member rotates about the axle with respect to the wheel body, the arm member rotates in any direction about the arm rotation axis by a predetermined amount depending on the direction and amount of rotation. That is, when the direct-acting shaft member moves along the axle with respect to the wheel body, the arm member rotates about the arm rotation axis by a predetermined amount depending on the direction and amount of movement. Therefore, depending on how to control the direction and amount of movement of the direct-acting shaft member, it is possible to transform the arm member to rotate in the protruding direction, transform the arm member to rotate in the housing direction, and maintain each state. . In addition, since the arm members can be maintained in a retracted state or in a state in which a portion of the arm members protrudes, unintended deformation of the wheels can be suppressed, and stable running on level ground and running on steps is possible.

In the wheel according to one aspect of the present invention, the linear motion shaft member has a male threaded portion on an outer peripheral surface, and the rotation transmission member has a female threaded portion on an inner peripheral surface that is screwed with the male threaded portion of the linear motion shaft member. and a toothed portion on an outer peripheral surface, and the arm member has a transmitted gear whose axis coincides with the arm rotation shaft and meshes with the toothed portion of the rotation transmission member.

As a result, the structure of the transmission path can be simplified while suppressing the loss of force when the linear motion of the linear motion shaft member along the axle is transmitted to the rotation of the arm member about the arm rotation axis.

In a wheel according to an aspect of the present invention, the linear motion mechanism includes a screw shaft whose axis coincides with the axle and is rotatable around the axle, and fixed to the linear motion shaft member, and a feed screw nut screwed onto the threaded shaft; and an operating brake capable of braking rotation of the threaded shaft about the axle, wherein the threaded shaft is in a state where the operating brake is not operating. , the direct-acting shaft member and the feed screw nut rotate as they rotate about the axle, and the direct-acting shaft member and the feed screw nut rotate about the axle in a state in which the operating brake is actuated; , the linear motion shaft member and the feed screw nut are linearly moved along the axle.

The direct-acting shaft member always rotates integrally with the wheel body together with the feed screw nut. When the screw shaft is braked by the operating brake in this state, the feed screw nut rotates around the axle with respect to the screw shaft, and the screw thread of the feed screw nut is guided to the screw thread of the screw shaft. move straight along. Along with this, the direct-acting shaft member linearly moves along the axle together with the feed screw nut, so that the direct-acting shaft member rotates the rotation transmission member relative to the wheel body. That is, in a state in which the wheel body is rotating, by actuating the operating brake, depending on the rotation direction of the wheel body, the arm member is rotated in the protruding direction, or the arm member is rotated in the retracted direction. It can be performed. Moreover, since the linear motion of the linear motion shaft member is controlled by an inexpensive brake, an increase in cost can be suppressed. In addition, the braking force required for the operating brake is sufficient to suppress the rotation of the screw shaft. Further, the arm member is deformed and maintained by actuating and releasing the operating brake, and since the direction of deformation of the arm member is determined by the direction of rotation of the wheel body, simple control is possible.

In the wheel according to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the arm members are provided rotationally symmetrically around the axle at equal intervals.

As a result, the wheels become even in the circumferential direction, so stability during running can be improved. Further, when the wheel reaches a step with part of the arm member protruding radially outward from the outer circumference of the wheel body, it is possible to suppress the amount of idle rotation before the arm member is caught on the step.

A vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention includes the wheel and a vehicle body that supports the wheel such that the wheel body is rotatable about the axle.

When the vehicle is traveling on flat ground, the arm member of the wheel is accommodated radially inward of the outer circumference of the wheel body, so that the outer circumference of the wheel body constitutes the rolling peripheral surface over the entire circumference. can be maintained. In addition, when the vehicle travels over a step, the arm member of the wheel projects partly radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body, so that the arm member can catch the step and run over the step. The arm member can be protruded and accommodated with a simple structure in which the linear motion shaft member is linearly moved in the axle direction.

A vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention further includes an elevating mechanism capable of lifting the wheels contacting the ground from the ground and holding the vehicle body.

In the vehicle, when the arm members are protruded or retracted with the wheels in contact with the ground, the vehicle body swings back and forth and up and down while the arm members are in contact with the ground as fulcrums during deformation. By providing the lifting mechanism, the vehicle can protrude and retract the arm members while the wheels are lifted from the ground. By protruding and housing the arm members in a state in which the wheels are lifted from the ground, the arm members do not touch the ground and shake the vehicle body, so that the arm members can be stably deformed.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the wheel and vehicle which can get over a level|step difference can be provided by a simple structure, maintaining stability at the time of a flat ground run.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of the wheel according to the embodiment when traveling on flat ground. FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the wheel shown in FIG. 1 during running on flat ground. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of the wheels of FIG. 1 when running on a step. FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the wheel during running on the step shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of an arm actuation mechanism for a wheel during running on flat ground shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the arm operating mechanism of FIG. 5 when running on a step. FIG. 7 is a side view schematically showing a configuration example of a vehicle as an application example on which wheels according to the embodiment are mounted. FIG. 8 is a side view showing one state of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 when the wheels are deformed. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump. FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7 to climb over a bump.

A form (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. In addition, the components described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate.

[Embodiment]
First, the configuration of the wheel 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a wheel 1 according to the embodiment when traveling on flat ground. FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the wheel 1 shown in FIG. 1 during running on flat ground. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of the wheel 1 of FIG. 1 when running on a step. FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the wheel 1 during running on the step shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the arm actuating mechanism 30 of the wheel 1 during running on flat ground shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the arm operating mechanism 30 of FIG. 5 when running on a step.

In the following description, the direction of rotation in which the wheels 1 can run over a step is referred to as forward rotation direction R1, and the direction of rotation opposite to forward rotation direction R1 is referred to as reverse rotation direction R2. When the wheel 1 rotates in a direction in which it is possible to run over a step, the traveling direction is leftward in FIGS. 1 and 3 . The forward rotation direction R1 is the counterclockwise direction in FIGS. The reverse rotation direction R2 is clockwise in FIGS. In addition, the front means the surface on the traveling direction side when the wheel 1 rotates in the direction in which the wheel 1 can run over a step, and the side surface means the outside or inside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. Show the near side. In FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6, the outer side is the front right direction of the paper surface, and the inner side is the rear left direction of the paper surface.

The wheel 1 of the embodiment is a driving wheel mounted on a self-propelled vehicle such as an autonomous mobile carrier robot, an unmanned carrier, a carrier cart, an electric wheelchair, a cleaning robot, and a partner robot. The self-propelled vehicle is assumed to be, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle in which the wheels 1 are arranged symmetrically (for example, see FIG. 7, etc., which will be described later), but the present invention is not limited to this. The wheel 1 includes a wheel body 10 , an arm member 20 , an arm actuation mechanism 30 , a body drive mechanism 40 and a support portion 50 .

The wheel body 10 is supported by a support portion 50 which will be described later. The wheel body 10 is provided rotatably around the axle Aw of the wheel 1 . The wheel body 10 is provided closer to the outer side than the plate-like portion 51 of the support portion 50 which will be described later. The outer side faces the outside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. The wheel main body 10 includes a tubular portion 11, a first disk-shaped portion 12, an outer ring portion 13, a second disk-shaped portion 14, a cover portion 15, a linear guide portion 16, and a restricting portion 17. , and a transmitted gear 18 .

The tubular portion 11 is a cylindrical body whose axis coincides with the axle Aw and whose both ends in the axle Aw direction are open. A bearing B<b>1 is provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the tubular portion 11 . Bearing B1 comprises a rolling bearing in the embodiment. The bearing B<b>1 has an outer ring fixed to the inner peripheral surface side of the tubular portion 11 . The inner ring of the bearing B1 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface side of the tubular portion 52 of the support portion 50, which will be described later. As a result, the wheel body 10 is supported by the tubular portion 11 via the bearing B1 with respect to the support portion 50 so as to be rotatable about the axle Aw.

The first disc-shaped portion 12 is a hollow disc whose axis coincides with the axle Aw. The first disk-shaped portion 12 is provided radially outside of the cylindrical portion 11 with respect to the axle Aw. The inner peripheral edge of the first disk-shaped portion 12 is connected to the end portion of the outer peripheral side of the tubular portion 11 on the outer side surface side of the wheel 1 . The outer peripheral edge of the first disk-shaped portion 12 is connected to the inner peripheral side of the outer ring portion 13 . The thickness of the first disk-shaped portion 12 in the direction of the axle Aw is smaller than the length of the tubular portion 11 in the direction of the axle Aw. In addition, the thickness of the first disk-shaped portion 12 in the direction of the axle Aw is smaller than the length of the outer ring portion 13 in the direction of the axle Aw.

An arm shaft support hole 12a is formed in the first disk-shaped portion 12 along the arm rotation axis Aa parallel to the axle Aw. A bearing B2 is provided in the arm shaft support hole 12a. Bearing B2 comprises a plain bearing in the embodiment. The outer ring of the bearing B2 is fixed to the arm shaft support hole 12a. The inner ring of the bearing B2 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the arm support shaft portion 21 of the arm member 20, which will be described later. Thereby, the wheel main body 10 supports the arm support shaft portion 21 in the first disk-shaped portion 12 via the bearing B2 so as to be rotatable about the arm rotation axis Aa.

Three arm rotation axes Aa are provided for one wheel 1 in the embodiment. All the three arm rotation axes Aa have the same distance from the axle Aw. Also, the three arm rotation axes Aa are provided rotationally symmetrically and at equal intervals around the axle Aw. Arm shaft support holes 12a are formed in the first disk-shaped portion 12 along the respective arm rotation axes Aa. That is, three arm shaft support holes 12a are provided in the first disk-shaped portion 12 in the embodiment. Each arm shaft support hole 12a supports the arm support shaft portion 21 rotatably around the arm rotation axis Aa via a bearing B2.

Although three arm rotation axes Aa are provided in the embodiment, one, two, or four or more may be provided. One arm rotation axis Aa is provided for each arm member 20 corresponding to the number of arm members 20 to be described later.

The outer ring portion 13 is a cylindrical body whose axis coincides with the axle Aw. The outer ring portion 13 is provided radially outside of the first disk-shaped portion 12 with respect to the axle Aw. The outer ring portion 13 is provided along the outer peripheral edge of the wheel body 10 . That is, the outer ring portion 13 constitutes the radially outermost portion of the wheel body 10 . The thickness of the outer ring portion 13 in the direction of the axle Aw is greater than the thickness of the first disk-shaped portion 12 in the direction of the axle Aw. An outer peripheral surface of the outer ring portion 13 constitutes a rolling peripheral surface of the wheel 1 over the entire circumference. The outer ring portion 13 may have an annular tire portion attached along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface. The tire portion is made of, for example, rubber, and absorbs the impact on the wheel body 10 received from the ground surface during running.

The second disc-shaped portion 14 is a hollow disc whose axis coincides with the axle Aw. The second disk-shaped portion 14 is provided at a position separated from the first disk-shaped portion 12 toward the outer surface side of the wheel 1 . The outer peripheral edge of the second disk-shaped portion 14 is connected to the inner peripheral side of the outer ring portion 13 . The second disk-shaped portion 14 is fixed to the first disk-shaped portion 12 and the tubular portion 11 via the outer ring portion 13 .

An arm shaft insertion hole 14a is formed in the second disk-shaped portion 14 along the arm rotation axis Aa. An arm support shaft portion 21 of an arm member 20, which will be described later, is inserted into the arm shaft insertion hole 14a so as to be rotatable about the arm rotation axis Aa. Further, a direct-acting shaft member 31 of an arm operating mechanism 30, which will be described later, is inserted through the opening including the axial center of the second disc-shaped portion 14 so as to be linearly movable in the direction of the axle Aw.

The cover portion 15 is positioned closest to the outer side surface of the wheel 1 . In the embodiment, the cover part 15 is a hollow disk body whose axis coincides with the axle Aw. The diameter of the cover portion 15 is smaller than the diameter of the wheel body 10 . The cover portion 15 is fixed to the second disk-shaped portion 14 via a later-described restricting portion 17 . A linear guide portion 16 is provided in an opening including the axis of the cover portion 15 .

An arm shaft support hole 15a is formed in the cover portion 15 along the arm rotation axis Aa. A bearing B3 is provided in the arm shaft support hole 15a. Bearing B3 comprises a plain bearing in the embodiment. The outer ring of the bearing B3 is fixed to the arm shaft support hole 15a. The inner ring of the bearing B3 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the arm support shaft portion 21 of the arm member 20, which will be described later. As a result, the wheel body 10 supports the arm support shaft portion 21 in the cover portion 15 via the bearing B3 so as to be rotatable about the arm rotation axis Aa. That is, the wheel body 10 rotates the arm support shaft portion 21 through the bearings B2 and B3 by means of the arm shaft support hole 12a of the first disk-shaped portion 12 and the arm shaft support hole 15a of the cover portion 15. It is supported so as to be rotatable around the axis Aa.

The direct-acting guide portion 16 is fixedly provided at the central portion of the cover portion 15 . A linear motion guide hole 16 a is formed in the linear motion guide portion 16 along the axle Aw. A direct-acting shaft member 31 of an arm operating mechanism 30, which will be described later, is inserted through the direct-acting shaft guide hole 16a. The linear motion shaft guide hole 16a supports the linear motion shaft member 31 so as to be linearly movable along the axle Aw. The direct-acting shaft guide hole 16 a does not allow the direct-acting shaft member 31 to rotate about the axle Aw with respect to the wheel body 10 . The linear motion shaft guide hole 16a has, for example, substantially the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the linear motion shaft member 31 when viewed in the direction of the axle Aw.

The restricting portion 17 is a stopper member that restricts the rotation range of the arm member 20 in one direction around the arm rotation axis Aa, which will be described later. Each restricting portion 17 is fixed to the outer side surface of the second disk-shaped portion 14 . The outer side faces the outside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. The restriction part 17 restricts the rotation range of the arm member 20 in one direction by contacting the arm member 20 . The one direction is a projecting direction Rp, which will be described later.

Three restricting portions 17 are provided for one wheel 1 in the embodiment. The three restricting portions 17 are provided rotationally symmetrically and at regular intervals around the axle Aw. That is, the three restricting portions 17 restrict the corresponding arm members 20, which will be described later, at the same rotation angle. Note that the restricting portion 17 may be formed integrally with the second disk-shaped portion 14 . Although three restriction portions 17 are provided in the embodiment, one restriction portion 17 is provided for each arm member 20 corresponding to the number of arm members 20 to be described later.

The transmitted gear 18 is an external gear whose axis coincides with the axle Aw. In the embodiment, the transmission gear 18 is fixedly provided on the inner side surface of the first disk-shaped portion 12 . The inner side faces the inner side of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. The toothed portion of the transmission gear 18 meshes with the toothed portion of a first transmission gear 43 of a gear train that constitutes a speed reducer 42 of a main body drive mechanism 40, which will be described later. Rotational torque output from an output shaft 41a of an actuator 41, which will be described later, is reduced by the third transmission gear 45, the second transmission gear 44, and the first transmission gear 43 of the speed reducer 42, and the torque is transmitted to the transmitted gear 18. is increased and transmitted.

Three arm members 20 are provided for one wheel 1 in the embodiment. Each arm member 20 is supported by the wheel body 10 so as to be rotatable about the corresponding arm rotation axis Aa. Each arm member 20 includes an arm support shaft portion 21 , an arm body 22 and a transmission gear 23 .

The arm support shaft portion 21 is a cylindrical shaft portion formed along the arm rotation axis Aa. The arm support shaft portion 21 is supported by the arm shaft support hole 12a of the first disk-shaped portion 12 via the bearing B2 so as to be rotatable about the arm rotation axis Aa. The arm support shaft portion 21 is inserted through the arm shaft insertion hole 14 a of the second disk-shaped portion 14 . The arm support shaft portion 21 is supported by the arm shaft support hole 15a of the cover portion 15 via the bearing B3 so as to be rotatable about the arm rotation axis Aa.

The arm body 22 is fixed to the arm support shaft portion 21 between the second disk-shaped portion 14 and the cover portion 15 in the direction of the axle Aw. The arm body 22 has a substantially crescent shape that curves in the forward rotation direction R1 from one longitudinal end side to the other longitudinal end side when viewed in the direction of the axle Aw. The arm main body 22 is fixed to the arm support shaft portion 21 at one end in the substantially crescent-shaped longitudinal direction.

The arm body 22 rotates about the arm rotation axis Aa with respect to the wheel body 10 as the arm support shaft portion 21 rotates about the arm rotation axis Aa. The range in which the arm body 22 can rotate about the arm rotation axis Aa is defined by a position where the arm body 22 is accommodated radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 and a substantially crescent shape of the arm body 22 when viewed in the direction of the axle Aw. and a position where a part including the other end in the longitudinal direction of the shape protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 . The arm main body 22 includes a convex arcuate wall portion 22a, a concave arcuate wall portion 22b, a regulated wall portion 22c, and a tip portion 22d on its outer peripheral surface.

The convex arcuate wall portion 22a is a part of the outer peripheral surface of the arm body 22, and is a convex arcuate surface when viewed in the direction of the axle Aw. The distal end portion 22d of the arm main body 22 is the distal end portion of the convex arcuate wall portion 22a with respect to the arm rotation axis Aa. The convex arcuate wall portion 22a faces radially outward with respect to the axle Aw in a state in which the arm body 22 is housed radially inward from the outer circumference of the wheel body 10 as shown in FIG. The convex arcuate wall portion 22a faces the reverse rotation direction R2 of the arm body 22 in a state in which a portion of the arm body 22 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the convex arcuate wall portion 22a of the embodiment extends from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 as viewed in the direction of the axle Aw in a state in which the arm body 22 is housed radially inward of the outer periphery of the wheel body 10. The radius of curvature and the center of curvature may be the same as those of the wheel body 10, although they are located radially inwardly offset. In this case, the convex arcuate wall portion 22a constitutes part of the rolling peripheral surface of the wheel 1 .

The concave arcuate wall portion 22b is a part of the outer peripheral surface of the arm member 20 and is a concave arcuate surface when viewed in the direction of the axle Aw. The distal end portion 22d of the arm main body 22 is the distal end portion of the concave arcuate wall portion 22b with respect to the arm rotation axis Aa. The concave arcuate wall portion 22b extends along the arm rotation axis Aa of the arm member 20 adjacent to the forward rotation direction R1 side when the arm body 22 is housed radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 as shown in FIG. turn to the side The recessed arcuate wall portion 22b faces the forward rotation direction R1 of the arm body 22 in a state in which a portion of the arm body 22 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 as shown in FIG.

The restricted wall portion 22c is a part of the outer peripheral surface of the arm member 20 and is a surface located on the side of the arm rotation axis Aa opposite to the tip portion 22d of the convex arcuate wall portion 22a. The regulated wall portion 22c faces the regulating portion 17 of the wheel body 10 when the arm member 20 is at the projecting position. The regulated wall portion 22c faces the reverse rotation direction R2 of the arm body 22 in a state in which a part of the arm body 22 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 as shown in FIG. The restricted wall portion 22c functions as a stopper that restricts the range of rotation of the arm member 20 in one direction about the arm rotation axis Aa. The restricted wall portion 22c restricts the rotation range of the arm member 20 in one direction by contacting the arm of the restricting portion 17 . One direction is a projecting direction Rp, which will be described later.

The distal end portion 22d is a surface located on the end portion side opposite to the arm rotation axis Aa side in the longitudinal direction of the substantially crescent shape of the arm body 22 . As shown in FIG. 3, the tip portion 22d is a portion that is hooked on the upper surface of the step in a state in which a portion of the arm body 22 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10. As shown in FIG. The tip portion 22d preferably has a rounded shape.

The transmission target gear 23 is a hollow external gear having a shaft hole formed along the axis and teeth formed on the outer peripheral surface. The transmission gear 23 has an inner peripheral surface of a shaft hole so that the axis thereof coincides with the arm rotation axis Aa between the first disk-shaped portion 12 and the second disk-shaped portion 14 in the direction of the axle Aw. It is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the arm support shaft portion 21 . The transmission gear 23 meshes with an external toothed portion 32b formed on the outer peripheral surface of a rotation transmission member 32 of an arm operating mechanism 30, which will be described later.

The arm support shaft portion 21, the arm main body 22, and the transmission gear 23 of the arm member 20 are arranged at a position where the arm main body 22 is accommodated radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel main body 10 (see FIGS. 1 and 2, etc.; and a position where a portion of the arm body 22 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 (refer to FIGS. 3 and 4, etc.; hereinafter referred to as a "protruding position"). , the arm is rotatable around the arm rotation axis Aa.

The arm member 20 rotates about the arm rotation axis Aa by transmitting rotational torque relative to the wheel body 10 from a rotation transmission member 32 of the arm actuation mechanism 30, which will be described later, to the transmitted gear 23. . The arm member 20 moves relative to the wheel body 10 from the housed position to the projecting position by rotating in the projecting direction Rp. The projecting direction Rp is a rotating direction around the arm rotation axis Aa and in the same direction as the reverse rotating direction R2. The projecting direction Rp is clockwise around the arm rotation axis Aa in FIGS. When the arm member 20 is at the protruding position, a portion of the arm member 20 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 .

The arm member 20 moves relative to the wheel body 10 from the protruded position to the accommodated position by rotating in the accommodated direction Rs. The accommodation direction Rs is a rotation direction around the arm rotation axis Aa and in the same direction as the forward rotation direction R1. The accommodating direction Rs is the counterclockwise direction around the arm rotation axis Aa in FIGS. 1 and 3 . The arm member 20 is housed radially inward from the outer circumference of the wheel body 10 when it is in the housed position.

In addition, in the embodiment, partial protrusion is also included in "protrusion". More specifically, when the arm member 20 moves relative to the wheel body 10 in the direction from the housed position to the protruded position and protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 even a little, the arm member 20 completely reaches the protruded position. It is assumed that the arm member 20 has protruded even if it does not protrude to. In addition, in the embodiments, partial accommodation is also included in "accommodation". More specifically, when the arm member 20 moves relatively to the wheel body 10 in the direction from the projecting position to the housing position and the projecting portion is housed even a little, it is not completely housed to the housing position. However, it is assumed that the arm member 20 is accommodated.

The arm operating mechanism 30 is a mechanism capable of switching between a state in which the arm member 20 is rotated integrally with the wheel body 10 and a state in which the arm member 20 is rotated with respect to the wheel body 10 . The arm operating mechanism 30 includes a linear motion shaft member 31 , a rotation transmission member 32 and a linear motion mechanism 33 .

The direct-acting shaft member 31 is a columnar shaft member provided along the axle Aw. A portion of the direct-acting shaft member 31 is positioned inside a tubular portion 52 of the support portion 50 described later. The linear motion shaft member 31 is linearly movable with respect to the wheel body 10 along the axle Aw and rotates integrally with the wheel body 10 around the axle Aw. The direct-acting shaft member 31 includes a guided portion 31a, a male threaded portion 31b, a shaft insertion hole 31c, and a nut fixing portion 31d.

The guided portion 31a is a portion that is inserted into the direct-acting shaft guide hole 16a of the direct-acting guide portion 16 of the wheel body 10, and is supported so as to be able to move linearly relative to the wheel body 10 along the axle Aw. The guided portion 31a of the embodiment is positioned closest to the outer end surface in the direction of the axle Aw of the linear motion shaft member 31 . The outer end surface is an end surface that faces the outside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. In the guided portion 31a of the embodiment, the shape of the cross section perpendicular to the direction of the axle Aw is a partial circular shape obtained by subtracting a pair of arcuate shapes from a circular shape. The shapes of the guided portion 31a and the linear motion shaft guide hole 16a are not particularly limited as long as they are supported in such a manner.

The male threaded portion 31b is a portion that is inserted into a female threaded portion 32a of a rotation transmission member 32, which will be described later, and a male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the male threaded portion 31b is screwed into the female threaded portion 32a. The male threaded portion 31b of the embodiment is positioned closer to the inner end surface than the guided portion 31a in the direction of the axle Aw of the linear motion shaft member 31 . The inner end surface is an end surface opposite to the outer end surface and faces toward the inside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. The male threaded portion 31b rotates the rotation transmission member 32 around the axle Aw via the female threaded portion 32a when the direct acting shaft member 31 moves in the direction of the axle Aw.

The shaft insertion hole 31c is a concave portion formed from the inner end surface side toward the outer end surface side of the rotation transmission member 32 so that the axis thereof coincides with the axle Aw. A screw shaft 35 of a linear motion mechanism 33, which will be described later, is inserted through the shaft insertion hole 31c. The inner diameter of the shaft insertion hole 31 c is larger than the outer diameter of the screw shaft 35 .

The nut fixing portion 31d is a portion for fixing a feed screw nut 34 of a linear motion mechanism 33, which will be described later. The nut fixing portion 31d of the embodiment is positioned closest to the inner end surface in the direction of the axle Aw of the direct-acting shaft member 31 . The nut fixing portion 31d of the embodiment includes a portion of the shaft insertion hole 31c closer to the inner end surface of the direct-acting shaft member 31 in the direction of the axle Aw.

The rotation transmission member 32 is a hollow rotating body provided so that its axis coincides with the axle Aw between the first disk-shaped part 12 and the second disk-shaped part 14 in the direction of the axle Aw. In the embodiment, the rotation transmission member 32 is provided rotatably about the axle Aw with respect to the first disk-shaped portion 12 via the bearing B4. In the embodiment, the rotation transmission member 32 is provided rotatably about the axle Aw with respect to the second disk-shaped portion 14 via the bearing B4. Bearing B4 includes a thrust bearing in the embodiment. The rotation transmission member 32 includes a female threaded portion 32a and an external toothed portion 32b.

The female threaded portion 32 a includes a female thread formed on the inner peripheral surface of the rotation transmission member 32 and is screwed with the male threaded portion 31 b of the direct-acting shaft member 31 . When the linear motion shaft member 31 linearly moves in the direction of the axle Aw and the thread of the male threaded portion 31b pushes the thread of the female threaded portion 32a in the direction of the axle Aw, the linear motion in the direction of the axle Aw causes the male threaded portion 31b and the female threaded portion 32a. is converted into rotation about the axle Aw by . That is, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates relative to the wheel body 10 around the axle Aw as the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves linearly. In the embodiment, when the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves toward the outer side of the wheel 1, the rotation transmission member 32 relatively rotates in the positive rotation direction R1, and the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves toward the inner side of the wheel 1. In this case, the rotation transmission member 32 relatively rotates in the reverse rotation direction R2.

The external toothed portion 32b includes teeth formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotation transmitting member 32 and meshes with the transmitted gear 23 of the arm member 20 . That is, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates the arm member 20 about the arm rotation axis Aa by rotating relative to the wheel body 10 about the axle Aw. When the rotation transmission member 32 rotates relative to the wheel body 10 in one direction (forward rotation direction R1 in the embodiment), a portion of the arm member 20 projects radially outward from the outer circumference of the wheel body 10. Rotate the arm member 20 to Rp. When the rotation transmission member 32 rotates relative to the wheel body 10 in the other direction opposite to the one direction (in the embodiment, the reverse rotation direction R2), the arm member 20 is housed radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10. The arm member 20 is rotated in the accommodation direction Rs to allow the arm member 20 to move.

The linear motion mechanism 33 has a state in which the linear motion shaft member 31 linearly moves in the direction of the axle Aw with respect to the wheel body 10 in a state in which the wheel body 10 is rotating around the axle Aw, and a state in which the linear motion shaft member 31 is not moved with respect to the wheel body 10 . Linear motion mechanism 33 includes a lead screw nut 34 , a threaded shaft 35 and an actuation brake 36 in the embodiment.

The feed screw nut 34 is fixed to the nut fixing portion 31d of the direct-acting shaft member 31 so that the center of the feed screw nut 34 coincides with the axle Aw. That is, the feed screw nut 34 can move linearly along the axle Aw with respect to the wheel body 10 and rotate integrally with the wheel body 10 around the axle Aw. The feed screw nut 34 is provided on the outer periphery of a threaded shaft 35 to be described later, and a female threaded portion 34 a formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof is screwed with the male threaded portion 35 a of the threaded shaft 35 . The feed screw nut 34 relatively moves in the direction of the axle Aw by rotating relative to the screw shaft 35 around the axle Aw.

That is, the direct-acting shaft member 31 to which the feed screw nut 34 is fixed relatively moves in the direction of the axle Aw by rotating relative to the screw shaft 35 around the axle Aw. The linear motion shaft member 31 that rotates integrally with the wheel body 10 rotates in the direction of the axle Aw when the screw shaft 35 rotates integrally with the wheel body 10, the linear motion shaft member 31, and the feed screw nut 34. When the wheel main body 10, the linear motion shaft member 31, and the feed screw nut 34 are rotating relative to the screw shaft 35, they are relatively moving in the direction of the axle Aw.

The screw shaft 35 is a cylindrical shaft member supported by a support portion 50 which will be described later. The threaded shaft 35 is, in an embodiment, a trapezoidal threaded shaft. The threaded shaft 35 is rotatably provided around the axle Aw so that its axis coincides with the axle Aw. The screw shaft 35 is braked against rotation about the axle Aw by an operation brake 36, which will be described later. The threaded shaft 35 includes a male threaded portion 35a, a supported portion 35b, and a braked portion 35c.

The male threaded portion 35 a is a portion that is inserted into the shaft insertion hole 31 c of the linear motion shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34 , and the male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface is screwed with the feed screw nut 34 . The male threaded portion 35a of the embodiment is positioned closest to the outer end surface of the screw shaft 35 in the direction of the axle Aw. The outer end surface is an end surface that faces the outside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle.

The supported portion 35b is a portion that is inserted through an opening of a lid-shaped portion 53 of the support portion 50 described later and supported so as to be rotatable about the axle Aw with respect to the wheel body 10 . The supported portion 35b of the embodiment is positioned closer to the inner end surface than the male threaded portion 35a in the direction of the axle Aw of the screw shaft 35 . The inner end surface is an end surface opposite to the outer end surface and faces toward the inside of the vehicle body when the wheel 1 is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle.

The supported portion 35b is provided with a bearing B5 on the outer peripheral surface side. Bearing B5 comprises a rolling bearing in the embodiment. The bearing B5 has an outer ring fixed to the inner peripheral surface side of the opening of the lid-shaped portion 53, and an inner ring fixed to the outer peripheral surface side of the supported portion 35b. As a result, the screw shaft 35 is supported by the supported portion 35b via the bearing B5 so as to be rotatable about the axle Aw with respect to the supporting portion 50. As shown in FIG.

The braked portion 35c is a portion that is inserted into an operating brake 36, which will be described later, and whose rotation about the axle Aw is braked by the operating brake 36. As shown in FIG. The braked portion 35c of the embodiment is positioned closest to the inner end surface of the screw shaft 35 in the direction of the axle Aw.

The operating brake 36 brakes the rotation of the screw shaft 35 around the axle Aw. The operating brake 36 is, for example, a drum brake. Electric power is supplied to the operating brake 36 from a power source (not shown) provided on the vehicle body side of the self-propelled vehicle on which the wheel 1 is mounted. The operating brake 36 brakes the rotation of the screw shaft 35 about the axle Aw by being supplied with electric power. The operating brake 36 is controlled by, for example, a control section provided on the vehicle body side of the self-propelled vehicle on which the wheels 1 are mounted.

When the wheel 1 is running, i.e., when the wheel body 10 is rotating around the axle Aw, and the operating brake 36 is not actuated, the threaded shaft 35 moves through the direct-acting shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34. , and rotate integrally with the wheel body 10 . When the wheel 1 is running, that is, in a state where the wheel body 10 is rotating around the axle Aw, when the operating brake 36 is actuated, the rotation of the screw shaft 35 around the axle Aw is braked. It rotates relative to the wheel body 10 , the linear motion shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34 .

The main body drive mechanism 40 rotates the wheel main body 10 around the axle Aw with respect to a support portion 50 which will be described later. The body drive mechanism 40 includes an actuator 41 and a speed reducer 42 including a gear train. Reduction gear 42 includes a first transmission gear 43 , a second transmission gear 44 and a third transmission gear 45 in the embodiment.

The actuator 41 is a rotational drive source for the wheel body 10 . The actuator 41 is, for example, an inner rotor type motor. The actuator 41 includes, for example, a stator, a rotor that rotates relative to the stator when electric power is supplied, and an output shaft 41a that rotates together with the rotor. A housing of the actuator 41 including the stator is fixed to a support section 50 described later. In the embodiment, the housing of the actuator 41 is attached to the outer surface side of the plate-like portion 51 of the support portion 50 which will be described later.

The actuator 41 is supplied with electric power from a power source (not shown) provided on the vehicle body side of the self-propelled vehicle on which the wheels 1 are mounted. The output shaft 41a of the actuator 41 rotates when electric power is supplied. Rotational torque output from the output shaft 41 a is transmitted to the wheel body 10 after being reduced in speed and increased in torque via the speed reducer 42 . The rotation direction and rotation speed of the output shaft 41a of the actuator 41 are controlled by a control section provided on the vehicle body side of the self-propelled vehicle on which the wheels 1 are mounted.

The first transmission gear 43 is provided rotatably around an axis parallel to the axle Aw. The first transmission gear 43 includes an external gear having teeth meshing with the transmission gear 18 of the wheel body 10 at a portion in the direction of the axle Aw. The number of teeth of the first transmission gear 43 is smaller than the number of teeth of the transmission gear 18 . The first transmission gear 43 is rotatably supported by a support portion 50 (to be described later) about its axis.

A bearing B6 is provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the first transmission gear 43 . Bearing B6 comprises a rolling bearing in the embodiment. The bearing B<b>6 has an outer ring fixed to a support hole 51 a formed in a plate-like portion 51 of the support section 50 described later, and an inner ring fixed to the outer peripheral surface side of the first transmission gear 43 . As a result, the first transmission gear 43 is rotatably supported on the support portion 50 via the bearing B6.

The second transmission gear 44 is fixed to the first transmission gear 43 so that its axis coincides with the axis of the first transmission gear 43 . The second transmission gear 44 includes an external gear having teeth that mesh with the third transmission gear 45 . The number of teeth of the second transmission gear 44 is greater than the number of teeth of the first transmission gear 43 . The second transmission gear 44 is supported via the first transmission gear 43 so as to be rotatable about the axis with respect to a support portion 50 which will be described later.

The third transmission gear 45 is provided fixed to the output shaft 41 a of the actuator 41 so that its axis coincides with the output shaft 41 a of the actuator 41 . The third transmission gear 45 includes an external gear having teeth that mesh with the second transmission gear 44 . The number of teeth of the third transmission gear 45 is smaller than the number of teeth of the second transmission gear 44 . The third transmission gear 45 transmits the rotational torque output from the output shaft 41 a of the actuator 41 to the second transmission gear 44 .

The support portion 50 supports the wheel body 10 , the arm actuation mechanism 30 and the body drive mechanism 40 . In the embodiment, the support portion 50 includes a plate-like portion 51 having a thickness in the direction of the axle Aw, a tubular portion 52 whose axis coincides with the axle Aw, and a lid-like portion provided on the inner end side of the tubular portion 52. a portion 53;

The plate-like portion 51 is a portion attached to the vehicle body of the self-propelled vehicle on which the wheel 1 is mounted. In the embodiment, the wheel body 10 , the arm member 20 , and the housing of the actuator 41 are provided on the outer surface side of the plate-like portion 51 . In the embodiment, the operating brake 36 , the second transmission gear 44 and the third transmission gear 45 are provided on the inner surface side of the plate-like portion 51 . A support hole 51 a and an insertion hole 51 b are formed in the plate-like portion 51 .

The support hole 51 a is provided so that its axis coincides with the axis of the first transmission gear 43 . The first transmission gear 43 is inserted through the support hole 51a. The support hole 51a supports the first transmission gear 43 through a bearing B6 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The insertion hole 51 b is provided at the mounting position of the actuator 41 . The output shaft 41a of the actuator 41 is inserted through the insertion hole 51b.

The cylindrical portion 52 is fixed to the plate-like portion 51 so as to pass through the plate-like portion 51 in the direction of the axle Aw so that its axis coincides with the axle Aw. A portion of the tubular portion 52 on the outer side of the plate-shaped portion 51 supports the tubular portion 11 of the wheel body 10 so as to be rotatable around the axle Aw via a bearing B1 provided on the outer peripheral surface side. do. An end portion of the cylindrical portion 52 closer to the inner side than the plate-like portion 51 is partially closed by a lid-like portion 53 .

The lid-shaped portion 53 is provided so as to cover the end of the tubular portion 52 closer to the inner side than the plate-shaped portion 51 . The lid-shaped portion 53 has an opening whose axis coincides with the axle Aw. The lid-shaped portion 53 supports the screw shaft 35 so as to be rotatable around the axle Aw via a bearing B5 provided inside the opening.

The support part 50 is fixed to a vehicle body 110 of a self-propelled vehicle (vehicle 100) on which the wheels 1 are mounted, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, which will be described later. By fixing the support portion 50 to the vehicle body 110 , the axle Aw of the wheel 1 is fixed to the vehicle body 110 . Note that the support portion 50 may be provided integrally with the vehicle body 110 .

Next, the deformation operation of the arm member 20 of the wheel 1 between the retracted position (the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) and the projecting position (the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) will be described. In the wheel 1 of the embodiment, the arm support shaft portion 21 of the arm member 20 is supported by the wheel body 10 so as to be rotatable around the arm rotation axis Aa, which is the axis. Rotate around Aw.

When the wheel 1 is controlled to operate the operating brake 36 while the wheel body 10 is rotating in the forward rotation direction R1, the rotation of the screw shaft 35 is braked. The feed screw nut 34 and the linear motion shaft member 31 that rotate together with the wheel body 10 move toward the outer side surface of the wheel 1 along the axle Aw while rotating in the forward rotation direction R1 with respect to the screw shaft 35 . As the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves toward the outer side surface of the wheel 1, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates in the forward rotation direction R1 relative to the wheel body 10, and the arm member 20 is rotated via the transmission gear 23. Rotate in the projecting direction Rp. That is, when the actuator 41 is controlled so that the wheel body 10 rotates in the forward rotation direction R1 and the operating brake 36 is controlled so as to brake the screw shaft 35, the arm member 20 rotates in the projecting direction Rp. rotate to

When the wheel 1 is controlled to operate the operating brake 36 while the wheel body 10 is rotating in the reverse rotation direction R2, the rotation of the screw shaft 35 is restricted. The feed screw nut 34 and the linear motion shaft member 31 that rotate together with the wheel body 10 move toward the inner surface side of the wheel 1 along the axle Aw while rotating in the reverse rotation direction R2 with respect to the screw shaft 35 . As the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves toward the inner side surface of the wheel 1, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates in the reverse rotation direction R2 relative to the wheel body 10, and the arm member 20 is rotated via the transmission gear 23. Rotate in the accommodation direction Rs. That is, when the actuator 41 is controlled to rotate the wheel body 10 in the reverse rotation direction R2 and the operating brake 36 is controlled to brake the screw shaft 35, the arm member 20 is rotated in the housing direction Rs. rotate to

When the brake 36 for operation of the wheel 1 is not operated, the screw shaft 35 rotates integrally with the wheel body 10 via the direct-acting shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34 . That is, when the actuator 41 of the main body drive mechanism 40 is controlled to rotate the wheel main body 10 in a state in which the operating brake 36 is not operated, the direct-acting shaft member 31, the feed screw nut 34, and the threaded shaft 35 are It rotates in the same direction as the wheel body 10 at the same speed. In this case, the screw shaft 35 does not rotate relative to the direct-acting shaft member 31 and the direct-acting shaft member 31 does not move linearly in the direction of the axle Aw. relative to the axle Aw. Therefore, since the rotation transmitting member 32 does not rotate the transmitted gear 18 around the arm rotation axis Aa, the arm member 20 maintains its relative position with respect to the wheel body 10 .

The wheel 1 maintains its circular shape when the arm member 20 is maintained in the housed position, and can run in the same manner as a normal wheel. That is, when traveling on flat ground, the arm member 20 is maintained in the retracted position by driving only the actuator 41 and not operating the operating brake 36 when the arm member 20 is in the retracted position.

In the state where the arm member 20 maintains the protruding position and rotates in the forward rotation direction R1, the wheel 1 hooks the tip portion 22d and the concave arc wall portion 22b of the arm body 22 of the arm member 20 to the step. is possible. That is, when the vehicle is running on a step, the protruding position of the arm member 20 is maintained by driving only the actuator 41 while the arm member 20 is in the protruding position and controlling the operating brake 36 not to operate.

As described above, the wheel 1 of the embodiment includes the wheel body 10, the arm member 20, and the arm actuating mechanism 30. The wheel body 10 is rotatable around the axle Aw. The arm member 20 extends from the wheel body 10 between a housed position radially inward of the outer circumference of the wheel body 10 and a projecting position partially projected radially outward of the wheel body 10. It is rotatable around the arm rotation axis Aa parallel to the axle Aw. The arm operating mechanism 30 can switch between a state in which the arm member 20 is rotated integrally with the wheel body 10 and a state in which the arm member 20 is rotated relative to the wheel body 10 . The arm operating mechanism 30 includes a linear motion shaft member 31 , a rotation transmission member 32 and a linear motion mechanism 33 . The linear motion shaft member 31 is linearly movable with respect to the wheel body 10 along the axle Aw and rotates integrally with the wheel body 10 around the axle Aw. The rotation transmission member 32 rotates the arm member 20 around the arm rotation axis Aa as the linear motion shaft member 31 moves linearly. The linear motion mechanism 33 includes a state in which the linear motion shaft member 31 linearly moves with respect to the wheel body 10 in a state in which the wheel body 10 rotates about the axle Aw, and a state in which the linear motion shaft member 31 moves in a linear motion with respect to the wheel body 10 . It is possible to switch between a state where it does not move with respect to

When the wheel 1 runs on a flat ground, the arm member 20 is housed radially inward of the outer periphery of the wheel body 10, so that the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 forms a rolling peripheral surface over the entire circumference. Stability can be maintained. Further, when the wheel 1 runs on a step, the arm member 20 can catch the step and run the whole distance by protruding part of the arm member 20 radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 . The arm member 20 can be protruded and accommodated with a simple structure in which the linear motion shaft member 31 is linearly moved in the direction of the axle Aw.

In addition, in the wheel 1 of the embodiment, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates relative to the wheel body 10 around the axle Aw as the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves linearly. When the rotation transmission member 32 rotates relative to the wheel body 10 in one direction (in the embodiment, the forward rotation direction R1), a part of the arm member 20 (including the distal end portion 22d of the arm body 22) is transferred to the wheel body 10. The arm member 20 is rotated in a projecting direction Rp in which it projects radially outward from the outer circumference of the arm member 20 . When the rotation transmission member 32 rotates relative to the wheel body 10 in the other direction opposite to the one direction (in the embodiment, the reverse rotation direction R2), the arm member 20 is housed radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10. The arm member 20 is rotated in the accommodation direction Rs to allow the arm member 20 to move. When the rotation transmission member 32 does not rotate relative to the wheel body 10 , the arm member 20 maintains the protruding state or the housed state.

When the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves relative to the wheel body 10 along the axle Aw, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates about the axle Aw by a predetermined amount depending on the direction and amount of movement. When the rotation transmission member 32 rotates about the axle Aw with respect to the wheel body 10, the arm member 20 rotates about the arm rotation axis Aa by a predetermined amount depending on the direction and amount of rotation. That is, when the linear motion shaft member 31 moves relative to the wheel body 10 along the axle Aw, the arm member 20 rotates about the arm rotation axis Aa by a predetermined amount depending on the direction and amount of movement. do. Therefore, depending on how to control the movement direction and movement amount of the direct-acting shaft member 31, the arm member 20 can be deformed to rotate in the protruding direction Rp, deformed to rotate the arm member 20 in the housing direction Rs, and maintain each state. It can be performed. In addition, since the state in which the arm members 20 are accommodated or the state in which a portion of the arm members 20 protrudes can be maintained, unintended deformation of the wheel 1 can be suppressed, and stable running on level ground and running on steps is possible. be.

Further, in the wheel 1 of the embodiment, the direct-acting shaft member 31 has a male threaded portion 31b on its outer peripheral surface. In the wheel 1, the rotation transmission member 32 has a female threaded portion 32a that screws together with the male threaded portion 31b of the linear motion shaft member 31 on its inner peripheral surface, and has a toothed portion (externally toothed portion 32b) on its outer peripheral surface. In the wheel 1 , an arm member 20 has a transmission target gear 18 whose axis coincides with the arm rotation axis Aa and meshes with the teeth of the rotation transmission member 32 .

As a result, the structure of the transmission path can be simplified while suppressing the loss of force when the linear motion of the linear motion shaft member 31 along the axle Aw is transmitted to the rotation of the arm member 20 about the arm rotation axis Aa. .

Further, in the wheel 1 of the embodiment, the linear motion mechanism 33 includes a screw shaft 35, a feed screw nut 34, and an operating brake 36. The screw shaft 35 has an axis aligned with the axle Aw and is rotatable around the axle Aw. The feed screw nut 34 is fixedly provided on the direct-acting shaft member 31 and screwed onto the screw shaft 35 . The operating brake 36 can brake the rotation of the screw shaft 35 around the axle Aw. The threaded shaft 35 rotates with the rotation of the direct-acting shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34 around the axle Aw when the operating brake 36 is not operated. When the direct-acting shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34 rotate about the axle Aw while the actuation brake 36 is operating, the threaded shaft 35 rotates the direct-acting shaft member 31 and the feed screw nut 34 around the axle Aw. move straight along

The direct-acting shaft member 31 always rotates integrally with the wheel body 10 together with the feed screw nut 34 . When the screw shaft 35 is braked by the operating brake 36 in this state, the feed screw nut 34 rotates about the axle Aw with respect to the screw shaft 35, and the thread (female screw portion 34a) of the feed screw nut 34 Guided by the thread (male screw portion 35a) of the screw shaft 35, it linearly moves along the axle Aw. Along with this, the linear motion shaft member 31 linearly moves along the axle Aw together with the feed screw nut 34 , thereby rotating the rotation transmission member 32 relative to the wheel body 10 . That is, in a state where the wheel body 10 is rotating, by operating the operating brake 36, depending on the rotation direction of the wheel body 10, the arm member 20 is deformed to rotate in the projecting direction Rp, or the arm member 20 is deformed. A deformation that rotates in the accommodation direction Rs can be performed. Moreover, since the linear motion of the linear motion shaft member 31 is controlled by an inexpensive brake, an increase in cost can be suppressed. In addition, since the braking force required for the operating brake 36 is sufficient to suppress the rotation of the screw shaft 35, a small brake is sufficient, which contributes to the size reduction of the wheel 1 as a whole. Further, the arm member 20 is deformed and maintained by actuating and releasing the operating brake 36, and the direction of deformation of the arm member 20 is determined by the rotating direction of the wheel body 10, so simple control can be achieved.

Further, in the wheel 1 of the embodiment, a plurality of arm members 20 are provided rotationally symmetrically around the axle Aw at equal intervals.

As a result, the wheel 1 becomes even in the circumferential direction, so stability during running can be improved. Further, when the wheel 1 reaches a step with part of the arm member 20 protruding radially outward from the outer circumference of the wheel body 10, the amount of idle rotation before the arm member 20 is caught on the step is suppressed. can be done.

[Applicable form]
Next, a configuration of a vehicle 100 as an application example of the wheel 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration example of a vehicle 100 as an application example on which the wheel 1 according to the embodiment is mounted. FIG. 8 is a side view showing one state of the vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 7 when the wheel 1 is deformed. 7 and 8, the forward direction of the vehicle 100 is the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 when the wheel 1 rotates in the direction in which it is possible to run over a step. 7 and 8, the front of the vehicle 100 is the left. 7 and 8 are side views of the vehicle 100 viewed from the left.

The vehicle 100 of the application form includes a vehicle body 110 of the vehicle 100, four wheels 1 (the wheel 1 arranged on the right side is not shown), a lifting mechanism 120 for lifting the vehicle body 110 and the four wheels 1 from the ground, It is a trolley with The vehicle body 110 includes, for example, a power supply for supplying electric power to the actuator 41 and the operating brake 36 (see FIGS. 2 and 4), a control for controlling the rotation direction and rotation speed of the actuator 41, and the braking operation of the operating brake 36. , a detection device for detecting a step in the traveling direction, etc. are mounted. The detection device may include, for example, a sensor such as an infrared sensor that detects the distance to the step. The detection device may include, for example, an imaging unit that captures an image of a step, and may detect the step based on the captured image.

The four wheels 1 are fixed to the vehicle body 110 via the support portions 50 . The four wheels 1 are arranged on the left, right, front and rear sides of the vehicle body 110 . As a result, the axle Aw of the wheel 1 is fixed to the vehicle body 110 . In the application form of the wheel 1 , the plate-like portion 51 of the support portion 50 is attached to the side surface of the vehicle body 110 . In the application form, the vehicle 100 has four wheels 1 arranged on the left, right, front and back. Turning of the vehicle 100 in the left-right direction uses the rotational speed difference between the right wheel 1 and the left wheel 1 instead of using a steering device for steering.

The lifting mechanism 120 has a vertically extendable support. The bottom surface of the support portion, when extended, is located below the lowest end of the track around the axle Aw when the arm member 20 is in the projecting state. The bottom surface of the support portion, when contracted, is located above the lower end of the wheel body 10 when the arm member 20 is in the accommodated state. When the supporting portion is extended and grounded on the ground, it can hold the vehicle body 110 in a state in which the four wheels 1 are lifted from the ground.

Next, the operation of vehicle 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 20. FIG. FIGS. 9 to 20 are explanatory diagrams for explaining the step-over operation by the vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 7. FIG. It is assumed that the vehicle 100 is moving in a direction in which the wheels 1 rotate in the forward rotation direction R1, and that there is a step in the traveling direction. Also, it is assumed that one level difference is higher than the radius of the wheel 1 and lower than the diameter of the wheel 1 .

At step S1 in FIG. 9, the vehicle 100 does not reach a step and is traveling on a level ground. In this case, when the arm member 20 is in the housed position, the wheel 1 rotates only the actuator 41 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) so that the wheel body 10 and the rotation transmission member 32 rotate in the same rotation direction and at the same rotation speed. is driven, and the operating brake 36 (see FIGS. 2 and 4, etc.) is controlled not to operate. As a result, the arm member 20 maintains the housed position, that is, the wheel 1 maintains its circular shape, so that the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring portion 13 (see FIG. 1) of the wheel body 10 forms the rolling peripheral surface over the entire circumference. Configure.

At step S2 in FIG. 10, the vehicle 100 starts to deform the wheels 1 as it approaches the step. Vehicle 100 first controls lift mechanism 120 to extend the support portion. As a result, the bottom surface of the supporting portion is in contact with the ground, and the vehicle body 110 and the wheels 1 are raised from the ground. It is preferable to stop or decelerate the vehicle 100 before operating the lifting mechanism 120 to start the deformation of the wheels 1 .

At step S3 in FIG. 11, the vehicle 100 deforms the arm member 20 to the projecting position. More specifically, the wheel 1 rotates the arm member 20 in the projecting direction Rp via the transmission gear 23 by rotating the rotation transmitting member 32 relative to the wheel body 10 in the forward rotation direction R1. Specifically, the wheel 1 controls the drive of the actuator 41 so as to rotate the wheel body 10 in the forward rotation direction R1, and brakes the rotation of the screw shaft 35 (see FIGS. 2 and 4). Controls the actuation of the actuation brake 36 .

When the rotation of the threaded shaft 35 is braked, the feed screw nut 34 and the direct-acting shaft member 31 that rotate together with the wheel body 10 rotate along the axle Aw while rotating in the forward rotation direction R1 with respect to the threaded shaft 35. Move to the outer side of 1. As the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves toward the outer side surface of the wheel 1, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates in the forward rotation direction R1 relative to the wheel body 10, and the arm member 20 is rotated via the transmission gear 23. Rotate in the projecting direction Rp. As a result, the wheel 1 is deformed by a portion of the arm member 20 (the distal end portion 22 d of the arm body 22 ) protruding radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 .

When the arm member 20 reaches the protruded position, the wheel 1 controls to release the drive of the actuator 41 and the operation of the operating brake 36, thereby completing the deformation operation of rotating the arm member 20 from the housed position to the protruded position. do. The wheel 1 continues to drive the actuator 41 so that the wheel body 10 continues to rotate in the forward rotation direction R1, and controls to release the operation of the brake 36 for operation. may be maintained.

In step S4 of FIG. 12, the elevating mechanism 120 is controlled to contract the supporting portion. As a result, the support part separates the bottom surface from the ground and lowers the vehicle body 110 and the wheels 1 to the ground. In step S3, when the rotation of the wheel body 10 is stopped, the wheel 1 drives only the actuator 41 so that the wheel body 10 and the rotation transmission member 32 rotate in the same rotation direction and at the same rotation speed. Control not to operate the brake 36. As a result, while the arm member 20 maintains the projecting position, the vehicle starts running again.

In step S5 of FIG. 13, vehicle 100 rotates wheel 1 in forward rotation direction R1, and front wheel 1 reaches a step. Specifically, in the wheel 1 on the front wheel side, the wheel body 10 collides with the front surface of the step, and the distal end portion 22d of the arm member 20 located in front contacts the upper surface of the step.

Depending on the position of the arm member 20 with respect to the axle Aw, the distal end portion 22d of the arm member 20 may not be caught on the step. In such a case, the front end 22d of the arm member 20 adjacent to the reverse rotation direction R2 gets caught on the step because the wheel 1 idles in the forward rotation direction R1 before the step.

In step S6 of FIG. 14, when the wheel 1 further rotates in the forward rotation direction R1, the wheel 1 on the front wheel side contacts the tip 22d of the arm member 20 hooked on the step while maintaining the projecting position of the arm member 20. With the point as a fulcrum, the wheel body 10 is lifted from the running surface under the step. At this time, the vehicle body 110 tilts rearward because the wheel 1 on the rear wheel side is on the ground under the step.

In step S7 of FIG. 15, when the wheel 1 further rotates in the forward rotation direction R1, the wheel 1 on the front wheel side rides on the step while the arm member 20 contacting the upper surface of the step maintains the projecting position. At this time, the wheel 1 on the rear wheel side approaches the step.

In step S8 of FIG. 16, when the wheel 1 further rotates in the forward rotation direction R1, the arm member 20 located in front of the wheel 1 on the rear wheel side collides with the front surface of the step, and after spinning for a predetermined amount, the wheel body 10 collides with the front surface of the step, and the tip 22d of the arm member 20 adjacent in the reverse rotation direction R2 contacts the upper surface of the step.

After that, while the arm member 20 maintains the projecting position, the wheel 1 on the rear wheel side moves the wheel main body around the contact point of the tip 22d of the arm member 20 hooked on the step as a fulcrum. 10 is lifted from the running surface under the step, and in step S9 of FIG. 17, it rides on the step. As a result, the wheels 1 on the front wheel side and the wheels 1 on the rear wheel side both ride on the step, so that the leaning of the vehicle body 110 is eliminated.

When the wheel 1 on the front wheel side and the wheel 1 on the rear wheel side run over the step, the vehicle 100 starts deformation of the wheel 1 in step S10 of FIG. Vehicle 100 first controls actuator 41 to stop rotation of wheel body 10 in forward rotation direction R1. Vehicle 100 then controls lift mechanism 120 to extend the support. As a result, the bottom surface of the supporting portion is in contact with the ground, and the vehicle body 110 and the wheels 1 are raised from the ground.

In step S11 of FIG. 19, the vehicle 100 deforms the arm member 20 to the accommodation position. More specifically, the wheel 1 rotates the arm member 20 in the accommodation direction Rs via the transmission gear 23 by rotating the rotation transmission member 32 relative to the wheel body 10 in the reverse rotation direction R2. Specifically, the wheel 1 controls the driving of the actuator 41 so as to rotate the wheel body 10 in the reverse rotation direction R2, and controls the operation of the operating brake 36 so as to brake the rotation of the screw shaft 35. .

When the rotation of the threaded shaft 35 is braked, the feed screw nut 34 and the direct-acting shaft member 31 that rotate together with the wheel body 10 rotate in the reverse rotation direction R2 with respect to the threaded shaft 35 while moving the wheel along the axle Aw. Move to the inner side of 1. As the direct-acting shaft member 31 moves toward the inner side surface of the wheel 1, the rotation transmission member 32 rotates in the reverse rotation direction R2 relative to the wheel body 10, and the arm member 20 is rotated via the transmission gear 23. Rotate in the housing direction Rs. As a result, the wheel 1 is deformed by accommodating the arm member 20 radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 .

When the arm member 20 reaches the retracted position, the wheel 1 controls to release the driving of the actuator 41 and the operation of the operating brake 36, thereby completing the deformation operation of rotating the arm member 20 from the projecting position to the retracted position. do. As a result, the arm member 20 maintains the housed position, that is, the wheel 1 maintains its circular shape again, so that the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring portion 13 of the wheel body 10 constitutes the rolling peripheral surface over the entire circumference.

In step S12 of FIG. 20, the elevating mechanism 120 is controlled to contract the supporting portion. As a result, the support part separates the bottom surface from the ground and lowers the vehicle body 110 and the wheels 1 to the ground. The wheel 1 drives only the actuator 41 and controls the operation brake 36 so that the wheel main body 10 and the rotation transmission member 32 rotate in the same rotation direction and at the same rotation speed. As a result, the vehicle starts running again while the arm member 20 is maintained at the housed position.

As described above, the vehicle 100 of the application form includes the wheel 1 and the vehicle body 110 supporting the wheel 1 so that the wheel body 10 can rotate about the axle Aw.

When the vehicle 100 travels on flat ground, the arm member 20 of the wheel 1 is housed radially inward of the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 so that the outer periphery of the wheel body 10 forms a rolling peripheral surface over the entire circumference. Stability during running can be maintained. When the vehicle 100 runs on a step, the arm member 20 of the wheel 1 protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body 10, so that the arm member 20 can catch the step and run. The arm member 20 can be protruded and accommodated with a simple structure in which the linear motion shaft member 31 is linearly moved in the direction of the axle Aw.

In addition, the vehicle 100 of the application mode further includes an elevating mechanism 120 capable of holding the vehicle body 110 by raising the wheels 1 contacting the ground from the ground.

In the vehicle 100, when the arm member 20 is protruded or retracted while the wheel 1 is in contact with the ground, the vehicle body 110 swings in the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction with the contact point of the arm member 20 with the ground as the fulcrum during deformation. By providing the lifting mechanism 120, the vehicle 100 can protrude and store the arm member 20 in a state in which the wheel 1 is lifted from the ground. By protruding and housing the arm member 20 in a state in which the wheel 1 is lifted from the ground, the arm member 20 does not touch the ground and shake the vehicle body 110, so that the arm member 20 can be stably deformed. can.

It should be noted that the wheel 1 and the vehicle 100 of the embodiment may have their configurations partially changed as appropriate. For example, the number and shape of arm members 20 are not limited to the embodiment. Further, although the amount of rotation of the arm member 20 in the projecting direction Rp side is limited by the restricting portion 17 of the wheel body 10, a separately provided limiter component may be used.

Further, the wheel main body 10 is provided on the outer surface side of the support portion 50 in the embodiment, but is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment, and may be provided on the inner surface side. In the embodiment, the arm member 20 is provided on the outer surface side of the wheel body 10, but is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment, and may be provided on the inner surface side. In the embodiment, the linear motion mechanism 33 includes a feed screw nut 34 fixed to the linear motion shaft member 31, a screw shaft 35, and an operating brake 36, but is limited to the configuration of the embodiment. However, any mechanism may be used as long as it switches between linear movement and stop of the linear movement shaft member 31 .

Further, the speed reducer 42 is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment, and may be changed as appropriate according to the application of the wheel 1 .

Reference Signs List 1 wheel 10 wheel main body 11 cylindrical portion 12 first disk-shaped portion 12a arm shaft support hole 13 outer ring portion 14 second disk-shaped portion 14a arm shaft insertion hole 15 cover portion 15a arm shaft support hole 16 linear motion guide portion 16a Linear motion shaft guide hole 17 Regulating portion 18 Gear to be transmitted 20 Arm member 21 Arm support shaft 22 Arm main body 22a Convex arc wall portion 22b Concave arc wall portion 22c Wall portion to be regulated 22d Tip 23 Gear to be transmitted 30 Arm operating mechanism 31 Linear motion shaft member 31a Guided portion 31b Male threaded portion 31c Shaft insertion hole 31d Nut fixing portion 32 Rotation transmission member 32a Female threaded portion 32b External tooth portion 33 Linear motion mechanism 34 Feed screw nut 34a Female threaded portion 35 Screw shaft 35a Male threaded portion 35b Supported portion 35c Braked portion 36 Actuation brake 40 Main body drive mechanism 41 Actuator 41a Output shaft 42 Reduction gear 43 First transmission gear 44 Second transmission gear 45 Third transmission gear 50 Support portion 51 Plate-like portion 51a Support hole 51b Insertion Hole 52 Cylindrical part 53 Lid-shaped part 100 Vehicle 110 Car body 120 Elevating mechanism B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 Bearing Aw Axle Aa Arm rotation axis R1 Forward rotation direction R2 Reverse rotation direction Rp Projection direction Rs Accommodation direction S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S11, S12 Step

Claims (7)

a wheel body rotatable around an axle;
The arm rotates parallel to the axle with respect to the wheel body between a housed position housed radially inward from the outer periphery of the wheel body and a projecting position partially protruding radially outward from the outer periphery of the wheel body. an arm member rotatable about an axis;
an arm actuation mechanism capable of switching between a state in which the arm member is rotated integrally with the wheel body and a state in which the arm member is rotated relative to the wheel body;
with
The arm actuation mechanism is
a linear motion shaft member that can move linearly along the axle with respect to the wheel body and rotate around the axle integrally with the wheel body;
a rotation transmission member that rotates the arm member around the arm rotation shaft in accordance with the linear motion of the linear motion shaft member;
A state in which the linear motion shaft member linearly moves with respect to the wheel body and a state in which the linear motion shaft member does not move with respect to the wheel body while the wheel body is rotating about the axle. , a linear motion mechanism capable of switching between
with wheels. The rotation transmission member is
rotates relative to the wheel body around the axle as the linear motion shaft member moves linearly;
rotating the arm member in a protruding direction in which a portion of the arm member protrudes radially outward from the outer circumference of the wheel main body when the arm member rotates in one direction relative to the wheel main body;
rotating the arm member in a housing direction in which the arm member is housed radially inward from the outer circumference of the wheel body when the arm member is rotated in the other direction opposite to the one direction with respect to the wheel body;
When the arm member does not rotate relative to the wheel body, the arm member maintains a protruding state or a retracted state;
A wheel according to claim 1 . The linear motion shaft member has a male threaded portion on its outer peripheral surface,
the rotation transmitting member has a female threaded portion on its inner peripheral surface that engages with the male threaded portion of the linear motion shaft member, and has a toothed portion on its outer peripheral surface;
The arm member has a transmission target gear whose axis coincides with the arm rotation axis and meshes with the tooth portion of the rotation transmission member,
A wheel according to claim 1 or 2. The linear motion mechanism is
a threaded shaft whose axis coincides with the axle and is rotatable around the axle;
a feed screw nut fixed to the linear motion shaft member and screwed onto the screw shaft;
an operating brake capable of braking rotation of the screw shaft around the axle;
including
The screw shaft is
When the operating brake is not in operation, it rotates as the linear motion shaft member and the feed screw nut rotate around the axle,
When the linear motion shaft member and the feed screw nut rotate about the axle while the operating brake is operating, the linear motion shaft member and the feed screw nut are linearly moved along the axle. ,
A wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A plurality of the arm members are provided rotationally symmetrically about the axle and at equal intervals.
A wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 5;
a vehicle body that supports the wheel so that the wheel body is rotatable about the axle;
a vehicle. Further comprising a lifting mechanism capable of holding the vehicle body by lifting the wheels contacting the ground from the ground,
A vehicle according to claim 6.

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