Omnidirectional wheels, Continuous tracks and Screw drives

[Angeltxilon]

So I came back, and I bring an idea from two years ago, but improved:  Omnidirectional wheels. In addition of other two new: Continuous tracks and Screw drives

 

Omnidirectional wheels:

Omnidirectional wheels are wheels and systems that gives the ability of move omnidirectionally without spin to the land vehicle.

My idea is basically add these three types of wheel (and variants by company or size, of course):

- Omni wheel (little).

- Mecanum wheel (small and medium).

- Liddiard wheel (medium and big).

 

Omni wheel:

Omni wheels are basically primitive omnidirectional wheels. They are common wheels with added little wheels to the edge, in perpendicular to the main wheels.

These wheels would be slightly hard to use, possibly would need the use of action groups. However, with this you can make functional omnidirectional vehicles with octagonal, triangular, etc shapes.

 

 

Mecanum wheels:

This type of wheel is a multi-wheel that contains small wheels aligned 45º over the extreme of multi-wheel, and aligned 45º degrees over de radius of multi-wheel.

How it works? Small wheels deviate the multi-wheels when these multi-wheels spin each in different direction, this causes a lateral or spin movement of vehicle, much more useful.

These wheels would be easier to use than omni wheels, using like controls AWSD, and also Q and E for move to left and right without spin. 

Basically, vehicles with this type of wheels would have a better maneuverability and bigger left-right speed than the other two types, but it would have a big lack of friction.

 

 

Liddiard wheels:

Liddiard wheels are basically toroidal wheels which inside has rollers and tires has an special rolling system. This type of wheel move like common wheels, but its toroidal tires can spin from inside to outside for move right or left.

These wheels, like mecanum wheels, use AWSDQE controls. 

Basically, vehicles with this type of wheels would have a big friction and traction, however the left-right speed is the lowest of the three types of omnidirectional wheels.

 

Continuous tracks:

This is the drive system of tanks and several types of tractors.

This drive type would have sizes from small to big. additionally, these could have an special modular building (ie, you can adjust the length of the continous track, longer will cost more expensive and shorter cheaper, obviously).

 

Screw drive:

This would have an extremelly big friction, plus the ability of move left and right without spin. Controls are, again, AWSDQE.

The problem of the screw drive is its big size and mass.

Screw drive in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJ18eJeNgU

 

What do you think?

[EnderKid2]

Seems cool!

Also, a screw drive is amphibious.

[Shadowmage]

Seems relevant:

Has tracks, screw drives (though they don't move sideways), and a few other novel concept parts.  Feel free to use that work as a starting point.  The existing tracks are not adjustable/dynamic, but I don't see any technical problems stopping someone from making something like that; would only need a fair bit of modeling work, and quite a bit of plugin code to make it functional (please don't ask me to do it, I'm about 2 years behind on request work already, but could offer advice/assistance if needed).

Mecanum wheels (and other wheel-in-wheel concepts) -- doable with some extra plugin work to handle the strange steering.  For the most part they can be handled as a standard wheel at a 45' offset from the visible wheel mesh, but would still need a bit of extra work for the steering mechanics, and for having distinct left-handed/right-handed versions (which is what gives the ability to move in any direction).

 

Also, you will be needing:

in order to create most of your wheel concepts, as they are not workable using the stock wheel system.  As stated above, you may need additional plugin code to handle the steering setup for some of those concepts.  Feel free to reach out to me if/when you get to that point.

Hope that helps

[qzgy]

I'm not sure the use for these systems, or the practicality, or in the case of omni wheels, how they would be used....

Edited August 3, 2017 by qzgy

[fourfa]

Lining up a rover under a mothership docking port, trying to move left and right by endless backing and filling... I can see a use