Soft body robot for in-pipe missions
First Claim
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1. A passive robot for traveling inside water pipes comprising:
- at least one soft body, wherein the at least one soft body is connected to sensors or instruments that require particular positions or orientations in the pipe to function;
an end cap on each at least one soft body;
wherein each at least one soft body has a tapering configuration with a neck portion, wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the at least one soft body to bend, permitting the passive robot to pass through a sharp bend, andwherein the at least one soft body has a curved profile that tapers along the soft body length to the neck portion, the neck portion being located past a mid-point of the soft body length.
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Abstract
Passive robot for transporting sensors and instruments such as leak sensors into water pipes. The robot includes a leak sensor having a diameter to fit closely within a water pipe. A leak sensor is flanked by, and bonded to, substantially symmetrical first and second soft bodies. End caps are provided on each of the first and second soft bodies. Each of the soft bodies has a tapering configuration with a neck portion wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the soft bodies to bend permitting the passive robot to pass through sharp bends and T junctions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A passive robot for traveling inside water pipes comprising:
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at least one soft body, wherein the at least one soft body is connected to sensors or instruments that require particular positions or orientations in the pipe to function; an end cap on each at least one soft body; wherein each at least one soft body has a tapering configuration with a neck portion, wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the at least one soft body to bend, permitting the passive robot to pass through a sharp bend, and wherein the at least one soft body has a curved profile that tapers along the soft body length to the neck portion, the neck portion being located past a mid-point of the soft body length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A passive robot for traveling inside water pipes comprising:
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at least one soft body, wherein the at least one soft body is connected to sensors or instruments that require particular positions or orientations in the pipe to function; an end cap on each at least one soft body; wherein each at least one soft body has a tapering configuration with a neck portion, wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the at least one soft body to bend, permitting the passive robot to pass through a sharp bend, and wherein the at least one soft body has a curved profile that tapers along the soft body length to the neck portion and the soft body length to neck width ratio is approximately two.
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20. A passive robot for traveling inside water pipes comprising:
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at least one soft body having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being on opposite sides of the at least one soft body, wherein the at least one soft body is connected to sensors that require particular positions or orientations in the pipe to function; an end cap on each at least one soft body; wherein each at least one soft body has a tapering configuration with a neck portion, wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the at least one soft body to bend, permitting the passive robot to pass through a sharp bend, wherein the at least one soft body has a curved profile that tapers along the soft body length to the neck portion, and wherein the end cap is disposed on the first end of the at least one soft body and the sensors are disposed at the second end of the at least one soft body.
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Specification