The omnidirectional wheel includes a first support portion which rotates around a rotation axis line, a second support portion which rotates together with the first plate-like member, a number of support shafts respectively supporting a number of rollers, and a number of support plates fixed to the first and the second support portions and which support one or more of the support shafts between the first and second support portions.

An omni-track system for mounting onto a wheel may include a plurality of track segments. Each of the plurality of track segments may include a male connector, a female connector, a roller mount, and at least one roller. The female connector may be arranged opposite the male connector. The roller mount may be fixedly secured to the track segment. The at least one roller may be rotatably secured to the roller mount. The plurality of track segments may be linked together to fully encompass an outer circumference of the wheel.

A vehicle equipped with a plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a grounding part that supports the vehicle by grounding to a ground surface, a moving mechanism to protrude the grounding part from the bottom of the vehicle toward the ground surface, and a controller for controlling the moving mechanism so as to ground said grounding part to the ground surface. The controller is configured to control the moving mechanism so as to ground the grounding part to the ground surface when the vehicle is detected to have stopped.

A movable body of an embodiment includes drive wheels, one or more rotational velocity detection units, a movement velocity detection unit, an object detection unit, a movement control unit, a stopping unit, and a changing unit. The drive wheels are three or more drive wheels to be driven independently from each other. The one or more rotational velocity detection units detect rotational velocities of the three or more drive wheels. The movement velocity detection unit detects a movement velocity of the movable body using the respective rotational velocities detected by the one or more rotational velocity detection units. The object detection unit detects an object within a monitoring area around the movable body. The movement control unit moves the movable body in accordance with a movement plan. The stopping unit stops the movable body when the movement velocity detected by the movement velocity detection unit reaches a threshold value of velocity. The changing unit changes a range of the monitoring area and the threshold value of velocity on the basis of an operation signal output from the movement control unit.

A mobile body, a control device, a surrounding object detector, and a monitoring device capable of controlling a safety system of a mobile body having an omnidirectional movement mechanism with a simple configuration are provided. A mobile body according to an embodiment includes drive wheels, a rotational velocity detector, an object detector, a controller, and a changer. The drive wheels are three or more drive wheels that allows the mobile body to move in all directions, and the respective drive wheels are driven independently. The rotational velocity detector detects respective rotational velocities of the drive wheels. The object detector detects an object around the mobile body. The controller decelerates or stops the mobile body when an object is detected in a monitoring area by the object detector. The changer changes a range of the monitoring area on the basis of the respective rotational velocities of the drive wheels detected by the rotational velocity detector.

A mobile welding system that does not rely exclusively on a track to define the path of the welder. One embodiment includes a mobile welder adapted to move along a work piece. The mobile welder includes a chassis, including a welding implement, and a travel assembly configured to support the chassis over a portion of the work piece. The mobile welder also includes a motor assembly configured to selectively cause the chassis to move relative to the work piece. The mobile welder further includes a chassis holder, having a magnet assembly, configured to provide a force holding the chassis a selected distance from the work piece. The magnet assembly includes a magnet rotatably mounted between a ferrous material and a non-ferrous material to selectively control application of a magnetic field toward the work piece.

The present disclosure generally relates to an omni-direction wheel system and methods for controlling the omni-direction wheel system. The omni-direction wheel system includes a plurality of suspension systems that operate independently of one another. Each suspension system may include an electromagnetic steering hub configured to rotate a wheel 360 degrees about a vertical axis based on a polarity of an electromagnetic signal applied to the electromagnetic steering hub. The suspension system may further include an in-wheel motor configured to rotate with the wheel and drive the wheel about a horizontal axis.

A trailer includes a set of removable castor wheels attached to a rear portion thereof, wherein the castor wheels are oriented to face rearwardly when the trailer is oriented in the traditional horizontal position. This arrangement allows the trailer to be tilted upwardly into a vertical orientation so that it rests on the castor wheels, thus providing an apparatus and method for easily moving and storing trailers more efficiently due to the reduced footprint required for such trailer storage. The castor wheels, in one embodiment, include mounting brackets that may be attached to the trailer using a securing rod, similarly to the mounting mechanisms commonly used for removably attaching trailer hitches into trailer hitch sleeves, thus rendering the castor wheels removable from the trailer when they are not in use for storage purposes.

An omnidirectional wheel includes a plurality of first and second rollers, a plurality of roller support parts, a wheel hub, and a fixing member. The wheel hub has a shaft portion and an extension. The fixing member and an elastic body are disposed to surround the shaft portion. Spaces are provided between the elastic body and the shaft portion, or between the elastic body and the roller support parts. A plurality of first pins and second pins are formed to protrude from the extension and the fixing member, respectively. The elastic body has a plurality of first holes and second holes. The first holes and the second holes are shifted from each other in a circumferential direction of the elastic body.

An omnidirectional moving device is provided with a vehicle chassis, a vehicle body, a universal coupling, and an attitude stabilizing system. In the vehicle chassis, a plurality of wheels that are capable of moving omnidirectionally are provided. The vehicle body is mounted on the vehicle chassis. The universal coupling connects the vehicle chassis to the vehicle body, and the attitude of the vehicle body relative to the vehicle chassis can be changed via this universal coupling. The attitude stabilizing system causes the vehicle chassis to move in a direction that corresponds to a change in the attitude of the vehicle body, and maintains the attitude stability of the vehicle body.