JP3024127B2 - Exploration vehicle - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an exploration vehicle,
In particular, it relates to an exploration vehicle that can run over a wide groove.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional exploration vehicle, a lunar rover used for lunar exploration activities is known, and there are two types of conventional lunar rover, one having a function of moving the center of gravity and the other not having the function. is there. The vehicle shown in FIG. 4 is of a type having a function of moving the center of gravity. The vehicle in FIG. 5 shows a type that does not move the center of gravity.

[0003]

The conventional exploration vehicle shown in FIG. 4 cannot travel when the front wheel falls into the groove, and therefore has a function of moving the center of gravity. Cannot get over a groove wider than the diameter of the wheel.

Further, even the type shown in FIG. 4 has a problem that a groove larger than the distance between adjacent vehicles cannot be exceeded.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an exploration vehicle having excellent ability to get over a groove.

[0006]

According to the present invention, at least three rows of wheels are provided.
The center of gravity of the vehicle body can be moved from the position near the wheels in the last row to the position near the wheels in the front row.

As described above, as shown in FIG.
The position of the center of gravity of the vehicle body 11 is first shifted toward the rear wheel and straddles the groove, and then the center of gravity is shifted toward the front wheel and the rear wheel portion crosses the groove.

Further, the exploration vehicle of the present invention has a mechanism (3, 4 in FIG. 1) capable of sliding the vehicle body (1 in FIG. 1) back and forth in a stopped state, and an arm holding the wheels in the forward and backward directions. And a slidable mechanism (6, 7 in FIG. 1).

When the vehicle crosses the groove, the vehicle body is moved rearward by a mechanism for sliding the vehicle body, and the center of gravity (10 in FIG. 2) of the entire vehicle is moved rearward (FIG. 2C). In this state, the arm that holds the wheels is moved forward by the mechanism that slides the arms, and the wheels in the front row are brought into contact with the front of the groove (FIG. 2D). When sliding the arm, even if the two rows of wheels at both ends of the sliding arm are completely hung in the air (Fig. 2 (c)), the two rows of wheels whose whole center of gravity is in contact with the ground before the groove Because it is between, there is no fall. After the front row wheels touch the ground beyond the groove, the vehicle body is moved forward by a mechanism for sliding the vehicle body, and the center of gravity of the entire vehicle is moved forward of the groove (FIG. 2 (f)). In order to move forward in that state, the last row of wheels can safely cross the groove.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, a lunar rover body 1 is connected to a screw shaft 4 via a slide mechanism 3 by a connecting tool 2. Inside the slide mechanism 3, there is a female thread that engages with the screw shaft 4. By rotating the female thread, the slide mechanism 3 can be moved while being connected on the screw shaft 4.

The two ends of the screw shaft 4 are connected,
A screw arm 7 is connected to both ends of the shaft 5 via a slide mechanism 6. Wheels 9 are connected to both ends of each of the four screw arms 7 via a drive motor 8. Each of the eight wheels 9 can be independently driven by a drive motor 8. Further, inside the slide mechanism 6, there is a female screw portion that engages with the screw arm 7. By rotating the female screw portion, the slide mechanism 6 can move on the screw arm 7.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the operation of moving the lunar rover in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 to cross the groove G will be described (the direction of the arrow is forward).

In FIG. 2A, when traveling on level ground, the center of gravity 10 of the entire lunar rover is located in the middle between the front wheel and the rear wheel. As shown in FIG. 2B, when the wheels in the front row cross the groove G, the vehicle temporarily stops, and as shown in FIG. The entire center of gravity 10 is moved between the third row of wheels and the last row of wheels, and moves forward in that state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), the front row of screw arms 7 is slid forward by the front row slide mechanism 6, and the front wheel is grounded in front of the groove G. In this state, the vehicle advances as shown in FIG. 2 (e), and temporarily stops immediately before the last row of wheels crosses the groove G. In the stopped state, the vehicle body 1 is moved forward by the slide mechanism 3 as shown in FIG. 2 (f), and the entire center of gravity 10 of the lunar rover is brought into contact with the second row of wheels already grounded in front of the groove G. Move between the front row wheels. In this state, the vehicle moves forward, and when the last row of wheels touches the groove beyond the groove as shown in FIG. 2G, the front screw arm 7 and the vehicle body 1 are moved by the slide mechanism 3 and the slide mechanism 6 as shown in FIG. (FIG. 2 (h)).

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a second embodiment. This example shows a vehicle provided with three pairs of wheels 91. The vehicle body 11 is movable, and the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle is moved by the movement. Normally, the position of the vehicle body 11 is as shown in FIG.
Is located at the center as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the vehicle body 11 moves toward the rear wheels, and the center of gravity of the vehicle moves toward the rear wheels. In this state, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), when the front wheel arrives at the opposite side of the groove, the vehicle body 11 is then moved toward the front wheel (FIG. 3 (d)), and moves forward to get over the groove G. (FIG. 3 (e)
(F)). When the vehicle is over the groove, as shown in FIG.
Return 1 to the center position and move forward.

[0016]

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect that the exploration vehicle can run over a wide groove. In particular, an effect is obtained that the vehicle can run safely over a groove having a width equal to or larger than the wheel interval. The reason is,
The slide mechanism moves the entire center of gravity sufficiently rearward, and the slide mechanism also moves the entire center of gravity between the rows of grounded wheels in front of the groove, so that the last row of wheels crosses the groove in a stable state. This is because it has a mechanism and a sequence.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lunar rover that is an example of an exploration vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a lunar rover.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional lunar rover (moving center of gravity).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional lunar rover (fixed center of gravity).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,11 Body 2 Connecting tool 3,6 Slide mechanism 4 Screw shaft 5 Shaft 7 Screw arm 8 Drive motor 9,91 Wheel 10 Center of gravity

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 61/10 B64G 1/16 B62D 57/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An exploration vehicle comprising at least three rows of wheels, wherein a center of gravity of a vehicle body can be moved from a position closer to the rearmost wheel to a position closer to the frontmost wheel. 2. An exploration vehicle having at least three rows of wheels, wherein the center of gravity of the vehicle body is moved from a position closer to the rearmost wheel to a position closer to the frontmost wheel so as to get over the groove. . 3. The exploration vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the frontmost wheel is movable back and forth.