The welding shaft for a universal wheel includes a big wheel welding shaft and a small wheel welding shaft, wherein the big wheel welding shaft includes a big wheel welding shaft body, a big wheel welding shaft retainer ring and a big wheel welding shaft fixing head which are sequentially assembled into a whole. The small wheel welding shaft includes a small wheel welding shaft body, a small wheel welding shaft retainer ring and a small wheel welding shaft fixing head which are sequentially assembled into a whole. The wheel assembly for a universal wheel includes a wheel shaft fixing plate, the welding shaft, a big wheel, and a small wheel. The universal wheel includes an outer protection plate, an outer fixing plate, a wheel shaft drive connector, multiple wheel assemblies, an inner fixing plate, an inner protection plate, and multiple shock absorption assemblies.

An apparatus to scoop debris from a surface is described. The apparatus comprises a trolley frame, a first and second wheels coupled to a first and second gear assemblies and designed to rotate in a first direction of rotation. The first and second gear assemblies are coupled to a opposite sides of the trolley frame. The apparatus further comprises an axle coupled to the trolley frame, using the first gear assembly and the second gear assembly, wherein the axle is configured to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction of rotation of the first wheel and the second wheel. A plurality of parallel spokes is attached to the axle that rotate with the axle, wherein each of the plurality of spokes are bent at an angle at their respective ends. A detachable debris collection net is coupled to the trolley frame.

A retractable wheel assembly may include a fork that may be pivotally coupled to an object and a wheel that may be rotatably mounted on the fork. The retractable wheel assembly may further include a hollow housing that may be made up of an elongated housing portion pivotally coupled to the fork from a first end of the elongated housing portion and a curved housing portion integrally formed with an opposing second end of the elongated housing portion. The retractable wheel assembly may further include a weight disposed and moveable within the housing.

Inspection robots with configurable interface plates are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing with at least three removable interface plates, each removable interface plate having a coupling interface for an electronic component on a first side, and coupled to at least one of a plurality of electronic boards on a second side. The example inspection robot may further include a drive module configured to couple to at least one of the removable interface plates, and a payload configured to couple to at least one of the removable interface plates. The example inspection robot may further include a means for operating the inspection robot in response to the drive module coupled to one of the removable interface plates, and the payload coupled to any other one of the removable interface plates.

A wheel holding device holding a wheel including an annular-shaped core body and a plurality of free rollers rotatably supported by the core body includes a central member including an outer peripheral part capable of expanding and contracting in a radial direction. The central member holds the wheel with the outer peripheral part of the central member urging an inner peripheral part of the wheel radially outward. The central member may include a chuck, a plurality of bases which are radially movably supported by the chuck and form the outer peripheral part of the central member, and a plurality of urging members which urge the respective bases radially outward with respect to the chuck.

An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head includes a first frame and a second substantially identical frame, each frame having a hub rotating around a common axis, lower supports extending radially from the hub, risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis. Rollers coupled to the first frame and the second frame, are radially spaced from the common axis on each frame. The rollers rotate normal to the common axis to impart omni-directional movement. When the first frame and the second frame are interlocked, the risers on the first frame engage the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered arrangement around the wheel.

An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head includes a first frame and a second substantially identical frame, each frame having a hub rotating around a common axis, lower supports extending radially from the hub, risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis. Rollers coupled to the first frame and the second frame, are radially spaced from the common axis on each frame. The rollers rotate normal to the common axis to impart omni-directional movement. When the first frame and the second frame are interlocked, the risers on the first frame engage the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered arrangement around the wheel.

A robotic vehicle chassis is provided. The robotic vehicle chassis includes a first chassis section, a second chassis section, and a hinge joint connecting the first and second chassis sections such that the first and second chassis sections are capable of rotation with respect to each other in at least a first direction. The vehicle includes a drive wheel mounted to one of the first and second chassis sections and an omni-wheel mounted to the other of the first and second chassis sections. The omni-wheel is mounted at an angle orthogonal with respect to the drive wheel. The hinge joint rotates in response to the curvature of a surface the vehicle is traversing.

A robotic vehicle chassis is provided. The robotic vehicle chassis includes a first chassis section, a second chassis section, and a hinge joint connecting the first and second chassis sections such that the first and second chassis sections are capable of rotation with respect to each other in at least a first direction. The vehicle includes a drive wheel mounted to one of the first and second chassis sections and an omni-wheel mounted to the other of the first and second chassis sections. The omni-wheel is mounted at an angle orthogonal with respect to the drive wheel. The hinge joint rotates in response to the curvature of a surface the vehicle is traversing.

A multiple directional wheel including a wheel frame comprising identical component parts. Each of the wheel frame components comprise: a hub having a main axis about which the multiple directional wheel is adapted to rotate; a hub rim radially surrounding the hub; a first plurality (four shown) of peripheral roller supporting arms (“first arms”) radially extending from the hub rim and aligned in a first plane; and a second plurality of peripheral roller supporting arms (“second arms”), each member arm of the second plurality of peripheral roller supporting arms having a radially inner base and being circumferentially offset with respect to diagonally adjacent members of the first plurality of peripheral roller supporting arms. Each of the wheel frame components further comprise a plurality of beams corresponding to the number of member arms of the second plurality of peripheral roller supporting arms, each respective beam extending from the hub rim to a corresponding inner base of a member arm of the second plurality of peripheral roller supporting arms, and a plurality of spigots extending from each corresponding one of the plurality of beams or the inner bases. The second plurality of peripheral roller supporting arms lie in a second plane normal to the main axis, spaced from, and parallel to, the first plane; and each of the spigots from one of the wheel frame components is received in a recess formed in a facing surface of a complementary one of the wheel frame components to join the wheel frame components to form the wheel frame.