Crawler robot for in situ gap inspection

• US 10,427,290 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Akin, Selim, Batzinger, Thomas James, da Silva, Airton Rosa, Icli, Selami Haydar, Markman, Christopher Paul, Debenest, Paulo Cesar, Guarnieri, Michele, Hirose, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jenkins, Jermaine L
• Application Number:
  US15/652,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20190022848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/00 Endless track vehicles steering aspects B62D11/00; characterised by the driver not being seated B62D51/007
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/02 with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/00 Testing of machine parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0075 by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems G01M5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light G01N3/00 - G01N19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/34 Testing dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/346 Testing of armature or field windings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/44 inspection

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems and methods for in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine. A robotic crawler includes an expandable body, multidirectional traction modules, and sensor modules. The expandable body is movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state. The multidirectional traction modules are removably connected to and positioned by the expandable body and configured to engage opposed surfaces within an annular gap of the machine. The sensor modules are removably connected to and supported by the expandable body and include a plurality of sensor types to inspect the annular gap of the machine.

Claims

1. A robotic crawler comprising:

an expandable body movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state;

a plurality of multidirectional traction modules removably connected to the expandable body, the multidirectional traction modules configured to engage opposed surfaces within an annular gap of a machine; and

a plurality of sensor modules removably connected to the expandable body and positioned by the plurality of multidirectional traction modules, the plurality of sensor modules including a plurality of sensor types to inspect the annular gap of the machine.

2. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of multidirectional traction modules include a traction roller disposed within a rotatable frame, wherein the rotatable frame is controllably moved between a first position for axial movement and a second position for circumferential movement.

3. The robotic crawler of claim 2, wherein the rotatable frame is controllably oriented along a 360 degree arc for travel in any direction between the first position for axial movement and the second position for circumferential movement.

4. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of multidirectional traction modules are rotatable around at least a 90 degree arc and include a position encoder for controllably positioning a travel orientation of the plurality of multidirectional traction modules in a plurality of positions along the 90 degree arc.

5. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of multidirectional traction modules each include a set of positionable traction drive components movable between a flat mode and obstacle clearance mode, wherein each of the set of positionable traction drive components has an axis of rotation, and the flat mode aligns each axis of rotation of the set of positionable traction drive components in a first plane, and the clearance mode aligns each axis of rotation of the set of positionable traction drive components in at least two distinct planes.

6. The robotic crawler of claim 5, wherein the set of positionable traction drive components for each of the plurality of multidirectional traction modules support a traction belt and the clearance mode defines a traction belt path around the set of positionable traction drive components, the traction belt path positioning the traction belt with a primary traction surface, at least one climbing traction surface angled from the primary traction surface, and a return surface.

7. The robotic crawler of claim 5, wherein the set of positionable traction drive components for each of the plurality of multidirectional traction modules includes at least one manual emergency release that moves the set of positionable traction drive components from the clearance mode to the flat mode without a control signal from the robotic crawler.

8. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of multidirectional traction modules includes a plurality of sensor interfaces disposed on at least one of the plurality of multidirectional traction modules and each of the plurality of sensor interfaces provides a mounting interface and a sensor data channel for at least one of the plurality of sensor modules.

9. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the collapsed state positions the robotic crawler with a first thickness less than an entrance gap width for the annular gap of the machine and the expanded state positions the robotic crawler with a second thickness greater that the entrance gap width and not more than a working gap width for the annular gap of the machine, the machine selected from a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine.

10. The robotic crawler of claim 1, further comprising at least one manual emergency release configured to move the robotic crawler from the expanded state to the collapsed state without a control signal from the robotic crawler.

11. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of multidirectional traction modules includes a first traction module, a second traction module, and a third traction module between the first and second traction modules, and wherein the expandable body comprises:

at least one linear actuator for moving the firs traction module relative to the second traction module in a selected direction; and

at least one articulated link member between the first traction module and the third traction module and the third traction module and the second traction module, the at least one articulated link member for moving the third traction module perpendicularly to the selected direction when the at least one linear actuator moves the first traction module relative to the second traction module.

12. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the expandable body positions the plurality of multidirectional traction modules in a plane in the collapsed state and the expandable body has an arcuate shape complementary to a curvature of the annular gap.

13. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the expandable body includes at least one link member between the plurality of multidirectional traction modules for adjusting a robotic crawler width between the collapsed state and the expanded state and the at least one link member includes a shock absorber.

14. The robotic crawler of claim 13, wherein the at least one link member includes a displacement transducer for measuring a displacement of the shock absorber from a reference position, and the robotic crawler width in the expanded state is adjusted in response to the measured displacement.

15. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor types are selected from a navigation sensor, a visual inspection sensor, a structural test sensor, or an electrical test sensor.

16. The robotic crawler of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor modules include a first sensor module having a first sensor type and a second sensor module having a second sensor type different from the first sensor type, the first sensor module having a first mounting interface connected to a first sensor interface on the robotic crawler and a second sensor interface connected to a second mounting interface on the second sensor module.

17. The robotic crawler of claim 1, further comprising a communication channel for receiving a control signal from a control system positioned outside the machine during inspection within the machine.

18. A method comprising:

configuring a plurality of multidirectional traction modules within an expandable body of a robotic crawler, the robotic crawler including a plurality of sensor interfaces;

selecting a plurality of sensor modules from a plurality of sensor types;

attaching the plurality of sensor modules to the plurality of sensor interfaces;

inserting the robotic crawler into an annular gap of a machine;

expanding the expandable body of the robotic crawler such that the plurality of multidirectional traction modules on the robotic crawler engage opposed surfaces in the annular gap; and

performing a plurality of inspection tests along an inspection path using the plurality of sensor modules.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising traversing the inspection path within the annular gap using axial movements and circumferential movements of the robotic crawler by rotating an orientation of a plurality of traction drive components disposed within the plurality of multidirectional traction modules.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of traction drive components are disposed within a rotatable frame and the rotatable frame is controllably moved around at least a 90 degree arc between a first position for axial movement and a second position for radial movement and locked in position when the robotic crawler is moving.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising adjusting a set of positionable traction drive components for each of the plurality of multidirectional traction modules between a flat mode and an obstacle mode, wherein each of the set of positionable traction drive components has an axis of rotation and the flat mode aligns each axis of rotation of the set of positionable traction drive components in a plane and the obstacle mode aligns each axis of rotation of the set of positionable traction drive components in at least two distinct planes.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of multidirectional traction modules include a first traction module, a second traction module, and a third traction module, and expanding the expandable body includes moving the first traction module relative to the second traction module in a selected direction while moving the third traction module perpendicularly to the selected direction such that the first traction module and the second traction module engage the other opposed surface in the annular gap and the third traction module engages the other opposed surface in the annular gap.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

collapsing the expandable body of the robotic crawler to disengage the plurality of multidirectional traction modules on the robotic crawler from one of the opposed surface in the annular gap;

removing the robotic crawler from the annular gap of the machine through an entrance gap, wherein the entrance gap has a width less than a width of the annular gap;

removing at least a first sensor module of a first sensor type from the plurality of sensor modules coupled to the plurality of multidirectional traction modules; and

attaching at least a second sensor module of a second sensor type different from the first sensor type one of the plurality of multidirectional traction modules.

24. A robot system comprising:

a plurality of multidirectional traction modules configured to engage opposed surfaces within an annular gap of a machine, the machine selected from a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine;

an expandable body connected to the plurality of multidirectional traction modules configured to position the plurality of multidirectional traction modules, wherein the expandable body is movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state;

a plurality of sensor interfaces, each of the plurality of sensor interfaces providing a mounting interface connected to the expandable body and configured to receive at least one sensor module; and

a plurality of sensor modules including a plurality of sensor types to inspect the annular gap of the machine, the plurality of sensor modules configured to removably attach to the plurality of sensor interfaces.

25. The modular robot system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of sensor modules includes a first sensor module having a first sensor type and a second sensor module having a second sensor type different from the first sensor type, the first sensor module having a first mounting interface connected to a first sensor interface and a second sensor interface connected to a second mounting interface on the second sensor module.