pic: my more specific design
 

Re: pic: my more specific design
 

I don't get it. Wouldn't it just spin in place? The little wheels should spin in the opposite direction from the main wheel. ALso, four small wheels would make the robot or whatever bouce up and down, it needs to be more like a circle. Looks good but I dont think it will work.

Re: pic: my more specific design
 

i didnt start the post but its my picture so let me explain the little wheels are omni wheels and would rotate (by turning outer axle which is conected by chain to the wheels) during normal driving the whole thing rotates be turning the inner axle and is used to over come obstacles like stairs. the rotation between the outer and inner axles is changed by a gear box

Re: pic: my more specific design
 

I think his vision is that under normal circumstances there will be two omni wheels on the floor and two in the air. The big X structure will remain stationary. However when an obstacle such as a stair is encountered, the big X will become the wheel and that whole thing will rotate then. I think it would certainly work.

Re: pic: my more specific design
 

Definitely. There was a team at L.A. in 2004 that had a three-wheeled, non-omni wheel version. It worked pretty well.

Re: pic: my more specific design
 

I sort of remember that. Did it have something to engage the large spoke structure to turn it?

I don't know if this is correct but don't they make these things so when you lock a wheel (such as against an obstacle like a stair) the torque isn't used by the small wheels so the whole thing is forced to turn? I don't really know how they do all the chain hookups and stuff since I haven't really studied these things much.

Re: pic: my more specific design
 

Oh! I didn't realize the little wheels would be connected with chain. That is actually a really cool idea. Props to the designer.