A large-scale, high-mobility all-terrain vehicle is equipped with at least two articulated front legs and at least two articulated rear legs. Each articulated leg is connected to the vehicle structure about two mutually orthogonal axes to allow a variation of the track width distance between each pair of track assemblies and a variation of the height of the vehicle structure with respect to each track assembly. Each track assembly is connected to the respective leg about a horizontal transverse axis and about a vertical axis, and about a longitudinal axis. The vehicle structure has a front module and a rear module articulated about a longitudinal axis and a driving cabin that can be rotated downwards to allow ample visibility of the ground in front. The track assemblies are connected to the respective articulated legs by quick coupling devices.

A robotic vehicle is provided with a novel wheel design and a virtual differential transmission. The novel wheels are generally rounded with scallops along the outer periphery permitting secure engagement of irregular terrain structures, such as the rungs of an inclined ladder. The virtual differential transmission employs rotational sensors in independently driven wheels to maintain information on the relative rotational position of left- and right-side wheels. When necessary, the relative rotational position information is used to selectively drive the left- or right-side wheel until the scallops in a left-side wheel are horizontally aligned with the scallops in a right-side wheel. Thus, the virtual differential transmission can realign the scallops in left- and right-side wheels to facilitate their mutual engagement with a terrain structure, such as a ladder rung.

A frame structure for an all-terrain vehicle includes left and right upper main frame members and left and right lower main frame members, each upper and lower main frame member extended in a longitudinal direction of the frame structure. The left and right upper main frame members are horizontally disposed and have upper mounting surfaces. The left and right lower main frame members have forward and rearward portions mounted to the left and right upper main frame members and central portions extended in a lateral direction of the frame structure outward of the left and right upper main frame members. Left and right first sub-frame members are mounted to the forward and rearward portions of the left and right lower main frame members, and are laterally aligned with the left and right upper main frame members in a top view of the frame structure.

A large-scale, high-mobility all-terrain vehicle is equipped with at least two articulated front legs and at least two articulated rear legs. Each articulated leg is connected to the vehicle structure about two mutually orthogonal axes to allow a variation of the track width distance between each pair of track assemblies and a variation of the height of the vehicle structure with respect to each track assembly. Each track assembly is connected to the respective leg about a horizontal transverse axis and about a vertical axis, and about a longitudinal axis. The vehicle structure has a front module and a rear module articulated about a longitudinal axis and a driving cabin that can be rotated downwards to allow ample visibility of the ground in front. The track assemblies are connected to the respective articulated legs by quick coupling devices.

The present invention relates to electric drivetrain kits for converting all-terrain vehicles into hybrid or electric vehicles. In exemplary embodiments, a conversion kit replaces an existing standard single motor and transmission drive system with a dual set-up including a motor for each rear wheel and a split transmission that houses two sets of gear reduction components in a single housing or an all-wheel configuration with two transmission sets (front and rear). Dual output shafts in each transmission set drive the wheels independently to provide the torque needed as required and demanded by each wheel.

A drill rig with a steering system may include a substructure having a wheelhouse, a drill floor arranged atop the substructure, a mast extending upwardly and above the drill floor, and a steering system arranged within the wheelhouse. The steering system may include a wheel assembly comprising an electric motor configured for driving rotational motion of a wheel, a deployment device configuring for deploying the wheel assembly to carry the drill rig, and a steering mechanism configured for selective engagement with the wheel assembly and rotating the wheel assembly.

An enclosed volume is provided for performing operations in space, or on any astronomical object, in a manner separated from aspects of the external environment. The enclosed volume can be a flexible container for a satellite. The enclosed volume can include a membrane having a fluid barrier layer and being configured to contain a propellant gas or fluid; and an expulsion device configured to expel material from the membrane. In a stowed configuration, the flexible container is contained within the satellite, and in a deployed configuration, the flexible container extends away from the satellite. The flexible container can inflate from one shape, in the undeployed configuration, to another shape, in a deployed configuration. The other shape can be toroidal or other appropriate shapes. The flexible container can provide bipropellant, blowdown, and gas/fluid metering functionality. Entertainment and game play can be enabled by the enclosed volume involving robots and other devices.

An enclosed volume is provided for performing operations in space, or on any astronomical object, in a manner separated from aspects of the external environment. The enclosed volume can be a flexible container for a satellite. The enclosed volume can include a membrane having a fluid barrier layer and being configured to contain a propellant gas or fluid; and an expulsion device configured to expel material from the membrane. In a stowed configuration, the flexible container is contained within the satellite, and in a deployed configuration, the flexible container extends away from the satellite. The flexible container can inflate from one shape, in the undeployed configuration, to another shape, in a deployed configuration. The other shape can be toroidal or other appropriate shapes. The flexible container can provide bipropellant, blowdown, and gas/fluid metering functionality. Entertainment and game play can be enabled by the enclosed volume involving robots and other devices.

A frame structure for an all-terrain vehicle includes left and right upper main frame members and left and right lower main frame members, each upper and lower main frame member extended in a longitudinal direction of the frame structure. The left and right upper main frame members are horizontally disposed and have upper mounting surfaces. The left and right lower main frame members have forward and rearward portions mounted to the left and right upper main frame members and central portions extended in a lateral direction of the frame structure outward of the left and right upper main frame members. Left and right first sub-frame members are mounted to the forward and rearward portions of the left and right lower main frame members, and are laterally aligned with the left and right upper main frame members in a top view of the frame structure.

A drill rig with a steering system may include a substructure having a wheelhouse, a drill floor arranged atop the substructure, a mast extending upwardly and above the drill floor, and a steering system arranged within the wheelhouse. The steering system may include a wheel assembly comprising an electric motor configured for driving rotational motion of a wheel, a deployment device configuring for deploying the wheel assembly to carry the drill rig, and a steering mechanism configured for selective engagement with the wheel assembly and rotating the wheel assembly.