Resilient wheel structure

Claim 2

A wheel structure comprising: a continuous, annular rim; a hub; and a plurality of spokes interconnecting said rim and said hub; each of said spokes possessing a first spoke portion integrally connected to the hub at a hub origin point, a second spoke portion integrally connected to said rim at a rim origin point, and a third spoke portion integrally connected to said first spoke portion and integrally connected to said second spoke portion; said third spoke portion extending in generally different direction than said first spoke portion; the rim further comprising an outer annular rim, an inner annular rim, rib interconnecting said outer rim to said inner rim, the inner annular rim and the outer annular rim being more rigid than at least one of the plurality spokes.

Claim 3

The wheel structure of claim 1 in which said rim further comprises a plurality of ribs interconnecting said outer rim to said inner rim.

Claim 4

The wheel structure of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of ribs are substantially equispaced.

Claim 5

The wheel structure of claim 2 in which said rim further comprises a center wall connecting said outer rim to said inner rim, said center wall substantially perpendicular to said inner rim and to said outer rim, wherein said center wall is integrally connected to the plurality of ribs.

Claim 6

The wheel structure of claim 4 wherein said third spoke portion extends in a generally different direction than said second spoke portion.

Claim 7

The wheel structure of claim 5 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with the rim origin point.

Claim 8

The wheel structure of claim 6 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with a rib.

Claim 9

The wheel structure of claim 7 comprising an equivalent number of spokes and ribs.

Claim 10

The wheel structure of claim 8 comprising from 10 to 25 spokes.

Claim 11

The wheel structure of claim 5 wherein the plurality of spokes are spaced such that the spokes cannot come into contact with one another during compression.

Claim 12

The wheel structure of claim 7 , wherein the outer rim comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, and said outer surface further comprises cleats for engaging cogs on a track.

Claim 13

The wheel structure of claim 11 wherein the wheel structure is constructed from a polymeric material.

Claim 14

The wheel structure of claim 12 wherein the wheel structure is constructed from cast polyurethane.

Claim 15

The wheel structure of claim 12 wherein the wheel structure is constructed from Nylon.

Claim 16

The wheel structure of claim 11 , wherein said rim is constructed from metal and said spokes are constructed from a polymeric material.

Claim 17

The wheel structure of claim 5 , further comprising a filler material positioned between any two of said spokes.

Claim 18

The wheel structure of claim 16 , wherein the filler material is polyurethane.

Claim 19

The wheel structure of claim 16 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with the rim origin point.

Claim 20

The wheel structure of claim 18 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with a rib.

Claim 21

The wheel structure of claim 19 comprising an equivalent number of spokes and ribs.

Claim 22

The wheel structure of claim 20 comprising from 10 to 25 spokes.

Claim 23

The wheel structure of claim 21 , wherein said outer rim comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, and said outer surface further comprises cleats for engaging cogs on a track.

Claim 24

The wheel structure of claim 5 , wherein said third spoke portion is at least three times as long as said first spoke portion.

Claim 25

The wheel structure of claim 5 , wherein said third spoke portion is at least four times as long as said second spoke portion.

Claim 26

A wheel structure for a mobile robot, comprising: a continuous, annular rim; a hub; and a plurality of spokes interconnecting said rim and said hub; each of said spokes possessing a first spoke portion integrally connected to the hub at a hub origin point, a second spoke portion integrally connected to said rim at a rim origin point, and a third spoke portion integrally connected to said first spoke portion and integrally connected to said second spoke portion; said third spoke portion extending in generally different direction than said first spoke portion; the rim further comprising an outer annular rim, an inner annular rim, and a rib interconnecting said outer rim to said inner rim, the inner annular rim and the outer annular rim being more rigid than at least one of the plurality spokes; wherein said rim further comprises a plurality of ribs interconnecting said outer rim to said inner rim; wherein said wheel structure is mounted to a mobile robot.

Claim 27

A wheel structure for a mobile robot, comprising: a continuous, annular rim; a hub; and a plurality of spokes interconnecting said rim and said hub; each of said spokes possessing a first spoke portion integrally connected to the hub at a hub origin point, a second spoke portion integrally connected to said rim at a rim origin point, and a third spoke portion integrally connected to said first spoke portion and integrally connected to said second spoke portion; said third spoke portion extending in generally different direction than said first spoke portion; the rim further comprising an outer annular rim, an inner annular rim, and a rib interconnecting said outer rim to said inner rim, the inner annular rim and the outer annular rim being more rigid than at least one of the plurality spokes; wherein said rim further comprises a plurality of ribs interconnecting said outer rim to said inner rim; wherein said wheel structure is mounted to a mobile robot.

Claim 28

A wheel structure comprising: a hub; a continuous, annular rim comprising an outer annular rim, an inner annular rim, and ribs interconnecting the outer annular rim to the inner annular rim; and spokes interconnecting the rim and the hub; each of the spokes comprising a first spoke portion integrally connected to the hub at a hub origin point, a second spoke portion integrally connected to the rim at a rim origin point, and a third spoke portion integrally connected to the first spoke portion and integrally connected to the second spoke portion, the third spoke portion extending in generally different direction than the first spoke portion, locations of the spokes along a circumference of the inner annular rim rim corresponding to locations of the ribs along the circumference.

Claim 29

A wheel structure comprising: a hub; a continuous, annular rim comprising an outer annular rim, an inner annular rim, and ribs interconnecting the outer annular rim to the inner annular rim; and spokes interconnecting the rim and the hub; each of the spokes comprising a first spoke portion integrally connected to the hub at a hub origin point, a second spoke portion integrally connected to the rim at a rim origin point, and a third spoke portion integrally connected to the first spoke portion and integrally connected to the second spoke portion, the third spoke portion extending in generally different direction than the first spoke portion, locations of the spokes along a circumference of the inner annular rim rim corresponding to locations of the ribs along the circumference.

Claim 30

The wheel structure of claim 26 , wherein the ribs are substantially equispaced.

Claim 31

The wheel structure of claim 26 , wherein the rim further comprises a center wall connecting the outer annular rim to the inner annular rim, the center wall being substantially perpendicular to the inner annular rim and to the outer annular rim, the center wall being integrally connected to the ribs.

Claim 32

The wheel structure of claim 28 , wherein the third spoke portion extends in a generally different direction than the second spoke portion.

Claim 33

The wheel structure of claim 29 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with the rim origin point.

Claim 34

The wheel structure of, claim 30 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with a rib.

Claim 35

The wheel structure of claim 31 , wherein there are an equivalent number of spokes and ribs.

Claim 36

The wheel structure of claim 32 , wherein there are from 10 to 25 spokes.

Claim 37

The wheel structure of claim 27 , wherein the spokes are spaced such that the spokes cannot come into contact with one another during compression.

Claim 38

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the outer annular rim comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, and the outer surface further comprises cleats for engaging cogs on a track.

Claim 39

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the wheel structure is constructed from a polymeric material.

Claim 40

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the wheel structure is constructed from cast polyurethane.

Claim 41

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the wheel structure is constructed from Nylon.

Claim 42

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the rim is constructed from metal and the spokes are constructed from a polymeric material.

Claim 43

The wheel structure of claim 25 , further comprising a filler material positioned between any two of the spokes.

Claim 44

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the filler material comprises polyurethane.

Claim 45

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with the rim origin point.

Claim 46

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the hub origin point is co-radial with a rib.

Claim 47

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein there are an equivalent number of spokes and ribs.

Claim 48

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein there area from 10 to 25 spokes.

Claim 49

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the outer annular rim comprises all outer surface and an inner surface, and the outer surface further comprises cleats for engaging cogs on a track.

Claim 50

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the third spoke portion is at least three times as long as the first spoke portion.

Claim 51

The wheel structure of claim 25 , wherein the third spoke portion is at least four times as long as the second spoke portion.