VEHICLE WITH AERIAL AND GROUND MOBILITY

摘要

A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.

主权项

1. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising:
a rotor arm adapted to be movably attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body such that the rotor arm extends laterally from the vehicle body and can move up and down with respect to the vehicle body; a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the rotor arm, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm; an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor; a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor.