An electrical brake mechanism for a caster can reliably brake a caster. A switch is mounted on a target to which a caster is attached and outputting an instruction signal to a brake device, a detector is provided on a rotating shaft of the cam and arranged in correspondence with each of positions of a plurality of cam surfaces, a sensor is provided for detecting abutment between each of the cam surfaces and an operation shaft by the detector, a motor is provided for rotating by an input of the switch and for stopping if the sensor detects the position of the predetermined cam surface, and a gear train is provided for transmitting rotation of the motor to the rotating shaft of the cam.

A vehicle may include a flutter resistant caster. The vehicle may include a frame, a drive wheel coupled to the frame, a caster housing coupled to the frame, a caster, a locking element, a first bearing, and a biasing element. The caster housing may include an opening. The caster may include a caster wheel and a caster stem extending through the opening in the caster housing. The caster stem may be configured to rotate relative to the caster housing. The locking element may be coupled to the caster stem. The first bearing may be coupled to the caster stem. The biasing element may be coupled to the caster stem. The biasing element may be configured to exert a force on the first bearing.

A walking frame (100) comprising a walking frame body (110) configured to provide support to a user as they walk across a surface, at least one swivel castor (120a. 120b) coupled to the walking frame body (110) and comprising a wheel (122) configured to contact the surface and rotate and a wheel mount (124) rotatable with respect to the walking frame body (110) to change the orientation of the wheel (122) relative to the walking frame body (110) and allow the user to steer the walking frame (100). The walking frame (100) also comprises an alignment mechanism (130) configured to apply a biasing force to the wheel mount (124) on rotation thereof to bias the wheel (122) into a predetermined orientation relative to the walking frame body (110), wherein the biasing force applied to the wheel mount (124) decreases as the wheel mount (124) rotates away from the predetermined orientation.

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

A mobile cart such as a jogging stroller includes a frame and a swivel caster coupled to the frame. The swivel caster is arranged to swivel relative to the frame about a swivel axis.

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

A support arrangement having an activation mechanism to control the movement of wheels is provided. The support arrangement includes a platform, a chassis attached to the platform, a pair of wheel assemblies movably coupled to the chassis, and the activation mechanism. The pair of wheel assemblies are operable between a first state and a second state. The activation mechanism includes a track having a first stable position and a second stable position spaced along a length of the track, and a pin configured to travel along the track. Wheels are in the first state when the pin is in the first stable position and are in the second state when the pin is in the second stable position.

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

An electrical brake mechanism for a caster can reliably brake a caster. A switch is mounted on a target to which a caster is attached and outputting an instruction signal to a brake device, a detector is provided on a rotating shaft of the cam and arranged in correspondence with each of positions of a plurality of cam surfaces, a sensor is provided for detecting abutment between each of the cam surfaces and an operation shaft by the detector, a motor is provided for rotating by an input of the switch and for stopping if the sensor detects the position of the predetermined cam surface, and a gear train is provided for transmitting rotation of the motor to the rotating shaft of the cam.

A material vehicle, a traction apparatus and system, a method for controlling the bidirectional traveling of a material vehicle, and a storage medium. A material vehicle (10) comprises a vehicle body (101), an unlocking assembly (102), a plurality of front universal wheels (103) and a plurality of rear universal wheels (104), wherein the plurality of front universal wheels (103) and the plurality of rear universal wheels (104) are all in a locked state; the vehicle body (101) is used for placing a target article; the unlocking assembly (102) is used for releasing the plurality of front universal wheels (103) from the locked state when same are in a horizontal rotation direction, and controlling the material vehicle (10) to travel in a first direction by means of the plurality of front universal wheels (103); and the unlocking assembly (102) is further used for releasing the plurality of rear universal wheels (104) from the locked state when same are in the horizontal rotation direction, and controlling the material vehicle (10) to travel in a second direction by means of the plurality of rear universal wheels (104), the first direction and the second direction being opposite to each other. By means of the unlocking assembly, the plurality of front universal wheels or the plurality of rear universal wheels can be released from the locked state thereof, such that the material vehicle can change the positions of driving wheels, and bidirectional traveling can be realized without needing to turn the material vehicle around.