NON-SCRUBBING VERTICAL DRIVE UNIT FOR A TRACKLESS OR FREE ROAMING VEHICLE WITH ZERO TURN RADIUS

Number: 20190193784
Published: 2019-06-27
Filed: 2017-12-21
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: WACH; RYAN R.
CPC: B60B33/0049; B60B33/0042; B62D7/04; B60K17/303; B60K17/16; B62D9/00; B60B33/0068; B60K17/165; B60K7/0007; B62D5/0418; B60K17/358
Verdict: High Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Non-scrubbing vertical drive unit trackless free-roaming vehicle (ride vehicle, Rise of Resistance-era).

Abstract

A driven wheel assembly to provide a zero turn radius without wheel scrubbing. The assembly includes a vertical axis motor driving a vertical drive shaft to drive first and second spaced-apart wheels that are oriented horizontally or perpendicular to the vertical drive shaft for lateral motion of the vehicle. This is combined with an off-axis vertical motor and gear, which rotates or steers, the driven wheel assembly. Instead of a right angle gear drive as found in a conventional drive unit, the driven wheel assembly employs a center differential coupled to the output end of the vertical drive shaft and a hub of each of the first and second wheels and that is positioned in the space between the two wheels. The center differential drives the first and second wheels, and each of the first and second wheels can turn at a different rotational velocity or even in opposite directions.

Background

BACKGROUND1. Field of the Description

The present invention relates, in general, to driven wheel assembly designs for vehicles, and, more particularly, to a vertical drive unit or, interchangeably, a driven wheel assembly that is adapted to avoid or limit scrubbing and also to provide a zero turn radius to a vehicle (which may include two or more of such driven wheel assemblies) such as trackless or free roaming vehicles in an amusement or theme park or other settings, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and the like.2. Relevant Background

There are many applications where it is desirable for a vehicle to be able to make very sharp turns or maneuver tight corners such as with a zero or near-zero turn radius, e.g., a 90-degree turn or moving the vehicle in an orthogonal direction to the present travel direction. In some applications including many industrial settings, it may be allowable for the wheels to scrub during such sharp turns. However, there are growing numbers of applications where scrubbing is undesirable or even unacceptable due to the noises made by the tires or wheels upon scrubbing, due to the wear on the tires that scrub, and due to marks left on the floor at each turning location.

As one useful example, free roaming or trackless ride vehicles are increasingly desirable in theme parks. One particularly sought after feature is for a ride vehicle to be able to change direction without a turn radius (i.e., a zero turn radius) without scrubbing of t

Claims

1. A driven wheel apparatus for use in a vehicle to provide a zero turn radius without wheel scrubbing, comprising: a vertical drive motor; a drive shaft driven to rotate about a vertical drive axis by the vertical drive motor; a differential coupled to an output end of the drive shaft; and a first wheel and a second wheel each coupled to the differential, wherein the differential is positioned between the first and second wheels, wherein the first and second wheels rotate about a wheel rotation axis that is orthogonal to the vertical drive axis, and wherein the differential is configured such that the first and second wheels are independently rotatable at matching or differing rotation velocities. | 11. A driven wheel apparatus for a vehicle a zero turn radius and limited wheel scrubbing, comprising: a mounting plate for attaching the driven wheel assembly to a body of the vehicle; a drive motor operable to rotate a drive shaft about a vertical drive axis, wherein the drive motor is pivotally supported upon the mounting plate; first and second wheels rotatable about a rotation axis orthogonal to the vertical drive axis; a center differential disposed between, and coupled to, the first and second wheels and mated to an output end of the drive shaft to be driven by the drive motor via the drive shaft; and a rotation gear; and a steering motor operable to drive an output gear engaging the rotation gear to rotate the rotation gear to steer the driven wheel assembly including rotating the drive motor and the first and second wheels about the vertical drive axis. | 17. A vehicle with a zero turn radius, comprising: a vehicle body; and at least on vertical drive unit comprising: a vertical drive motor; a drive shaft driven to rotate about a vertical drive axis by the vertical drive motor; a differential coupled to an output end of the drive shaft; a first wheel and a second wheel each coupled to the differential, wherein the differential is positioned between the first and second wheels, wherein the first and second wheels rotate about a wheel rotation axis that is orthogonal to the vertical drive axis, and wherein the differential is configured such that the first and second wheels are independently rotatable at matching or differing rotation velocities; a mounting plate attaching the vertical drive unit to the vehicle body; a collar pivotally coupling the vertical drive motor to the mounting plate; a rotation gear mated to the collar, wherein the collar, the vertical drive motor, and the differential rotate with the rotation gear; and a steering motor driving an output gear to rotate the rotation gear about the vertical drive axis to steer the driven wheel assembly.