A robot has a robot body on a frame structure, the robot body having at least one enclosed space to hold at least one delivery item. At least one sensing device detects objects along a direction of motion of said robot. The robot has six wheels, where at least two wheels on a side of the frame are connected to each other. The axis of rotation of each wheel is substantially fixed with respect to the robot during forward, rearward, and turning motion of the robot. During transition, via a substantially vertical obstacle, from a first substantially horizontally surface to a second substantially horizontally surface higher than the first substantially horizontally surface, one of the connected wheels causes an upward or a downward force to be applied to the other connected wheel.

A mobile robot adapted to traverse vertical obstacles. The robot comprises a frame and at least one wheel positioned in a front section of the robot, at least one middle wheel positioned in a middle section of the robot, at least one back wheel positioned in a back section of the robot, and at least one further wheel in the front, middle or back of the robot. The robot also comprises at least one motor-driven device for exerting a downward and/or upward force on the middle wheel and at least two motors for driving the wheels and the motor-driven device. Also disclosed is a method of climbing using a mobile robot as disclosed.

In a method for controlling an active chassis of a vehicle, an obstacle is identified on a travel route located in front of a wheel of a front axle. A spring-shock absorber force of the spring-shock absorber system of the corresponding wheel is adjusted depending on the geometry of the obstacle such that the vehicle body experiences the lowest possible vertical acceleration when driving over the obstacle. Data from the front axle driving over the obstacle is then evaluated and adjustments are made for balancing the rear axle as it drives over the obstacle. When the rear axle drives over the obstacle, adjustments are made to at least one wheel of the rear axle, taking into account the adjustments due to the front axle driving over the obstacle, such that the vehicle body does not experience any vertical acceleration when the rear axle drives over the obstacle.

Disclosed is a mobile robot adapted to traverse vertical obstacles. The robot comprises a frame and at least one wheel positioned in a front section of the robot, at least one middle wheel positioned in a middle section of the robot, at least one back wheel positioned in a back section of the robot, and at least one further wheel in the front, middle or back of the robot. The robot also comprises at least one motor-driven device for exerting a downward and/or upward force on the middle wheel and at least two motors for driving the wheels and the motor-driven device. Also disclosed is a method of climbing using a mobile robot as disclosed.

A robot has a robot body on a frame structure, the robot body having at least one enclosed space to hold at least one delivery item. At least one sensing device detects objects along a direction of motion of said robot. The robot has six wheels, where at least two wheels on a side of the frame are connected to each other. The axis of rotation of each wheel is substantially fixed with respect to the robot during forward, rearward, and turning motion of the robot. During transition, via a substantially vertical obstacle, from a first substantially horizontally surface to a second substantially horizontally surface higher than the first substantially horizontally surface, one of the connected wheels causes an upward or a downward force to be applied to the other connected wheel.

A stabilizer (105) for the anti-roll stabilization of a vehicle (100). The stabilizer (105) has a first stabilizer element (110) and a second stabilizer element (115). The first stabilizer element (110) is, or can be, coupled to a first wheel suspension element (120) of the vehicle (100) and the second stabilizer element (115) is, or can be, coupled to a second wheel suspension element (125) of the vehicle (100). Furthermore, the stabilizer (105) is provided with an electric motor (135) designed to rotate the first stabilizer element (110), relative to the second stabilizer element (115) in response to a control signal, so as to decouple the first wheel suspension element (120) from the second wheel suspension element (125). In this case the control signal represents a signal determined on the basis of a field-orientated control system.

Disclosed in the present disclosure are a lift axle control method for a vehicle and a lift axle control system for a vehicle, wherein the method comprises the following steps: step 1) acquiring a load M of the vehicle; step 2) judging whether it needs to lower the lift axle according to the load, and if so, controlling the vehicle to lower the lift axle, and entering into step 3); otherwise, returning to step 1); step 3) calculating an optimal position of lifting the lift axle, controlling the vehicle to lift the lift axle at the optimal position, and entering into step 4); step 4) calculating an optimal position to lower the lift axle, controlling the vehicle to lower the lift axle at the optimal position, and then returning to step 3). The method of the present disclosure can reduce the damage to the road surface and achieve the economy of fuel consumption during running of the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus to identify ride height sensor discrepancies are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes machine readable instructions and programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to compare a first sensor output of a first ride height sensor of a vehicle to a second sensor output of a second ride height sensor of the vehicle, increment a discrepancy counter based on the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output, and generate an indication to service at least one of the first ride height sensor or the second ride height sensor after the discrepancy counter satisfies a threshold.

A stabilizer (105) for the anti-roll stabilization of a vehicle (100). The stabilizer (105) has a first stabilizer element (110) and a second stabilizer element (115). The first stabilizer element (110) is, or can be, coupled to a first wheel suspension element (120) of the vehicle (100) and the second stabilizer element (115) is, or can be, coupled to a second wheel suspension element (125) of the vehicle (100). Furthermore, the stabilizer (105) is provided with an electric motor (135) designed to rotate the first stabilizer element (110), relative to the second stabilizer element (115) in response to a control signal, so as to decouple the first wheel suspension element (120) from the second wheel suspension element (125). In this case the control signal represents a signal determined on the basis of a field-orientated control system.

A preview road surface detector capable of discontinuing predictive control is provided, which suppresses the energy consumption required to determine whether predictive control should be discontinued. The preview road surface detector includes: a distance sensor provided on a vehicle body member, the distance sensor detecting a value related to a distance between the vehicle body member and a measurement point on a road surface ahead of a vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least part of a road surface contact portion of a wheel; and a distance calculator that calculates a road surface distance as the distance from the vehicle body member to the measurement point, based on a detection value detected by the distance sensor, in which the distance sensor is deactivated under a predetermined condition.