Magnetic Coupling Mobile Robot

• US 20100212983A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecnomac S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Tecnomac S.r.l.
• Inventors: Lama, Arturo
• Granted Patent: US 8,522,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/167
• 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

Abstract

A robot including a frame with wheels moves over a highly magnetically permeable support surface and at least one permanent magnet able to interact magnetically with, and couple the robot to, the surface. The permanent magnet is positioned so that one pole grazes the surface and is free to oscillate so that the pole always faces the surface and is a minimum distance from it.

Claims

1. Robot comprising a frame fitted with wheels for movement over a highly permeable magnetic resting surface, and with at least one permanent magnet able to magnetically interact with said surface for coupling the robot to the surface,

characterized in that said permanent magnet is arranged in such a way as to graze the resting surface.

2. Robot according to claim 1, wherein said at least one permanent magnet is located and held at a preset distance from the resting surface.

3. Robot according to claim 1, wherein said at least one magnet is housed in a support able to oscillate freely so that the pole of the magnet is always oriented in the position of minimum distance from the resting surface.

4. Robot according to claim 1, wherein at least one permanent magnet is located near each wheel.

5. Robot according to claim 4, in which near each wheel a support is fitted to house a plurality of permanent magnets.

6. Robot according to claim 5, in which said permanent magnets are in the form of discs or tablets with flat surfaces parallel to the resting surface.

7. Robot according to claim 4, in which close to every wheel a support is fitted for housing a parallelepiped or bar-shaped magnet arranged horizontally.

8. Robot according to claim 3, in which every support is fitted so as to oscillate on the rotation shaft of the wheels.

9. Robot according to claim 8, in which the frame is fitted with two couples of wheels fitted to respective parallel shafts, close to each wheel an oscillating support being mounted on the shaft.

10. Robot according to claim 3, in which each support is in contact with the support surface to be inspected via at least one roller.

11. Robot according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a longitudinal axle connecting two transverse axles enabling the robot to move over the surface to be inspected, said longitudinal axle being fitted with an articulated joint enabling the independent rotation of the two transverse axles in relation to the longitudinal axle.

12. Robot according to claim 8, in which each rotation shaft is free to tilt in relation to the wheels and the oscillating supports for the magnet.

13. Robot according to claim 12, in which each oscillating support of a pair of oscillating supports on the same transverse axle is fitted with a ball bearing supported by a flange extending from a respective wheel, said flange having an axial hole through it for the rotating shaft, said hole being conical in shape so as to allow the shaft to oscillate in relation to the axis of the flange.

14. Robot according to claim 13, in which the oscillating support has a slot-shaped aperture for the oscillation of the rotating shaft in relation to the support.

15. Robot according to claim 13, in which each wheel has an axial hole into which one end of the rotating shaft is inserted, said end having a rounded outer surface so as to oscillate inside the wheel hole.

16. Robot according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of supplementary permanent magnets fitted into at least one coaxial wheel couple.

17. Robot according to claim 16, in which around each wheel having supplementary magnets, a fascia made of anti-slip material guaranteeing adherence to the support surface is mounted.

18. Robot according to claim 17, in which said fascia is fitted between and held in place by two lateral discs in ferromagnetic material attracted by the supplementary magnets.

19. Robot according to claim 17, in which said supplementary magnets comprise small cylinders mounted so that their axes are parallel to the wheel axes.

20. Robot according to claim 19, in which, in every wheel, these supplementary magnets are fitted into their cylindrical housings in crown form in the wheel casing around a hole for the rotating shaft.

21. Robot according to claim 16, in which the wheels fitted with supplementary magnets are the driving wheels.

22. Robot according to claim 1, including at least one couple of driving wheels driven by a motor reduction gear powered by a continuous voltage electric battery fitted to the frame.

23. Robot according to claim 1, including a steering device connected to at least one wheel.

24. Robot according to claim 1, in which the movements of the robot are remote controlled from a handset via a CPU fitted to the frame.

25. Robot according to claim 1, in which at least one wheel couple has a casing with a multi-faceted rolling surface, i.e. a polygonal form, to prevent slippage.

26. Robot according to claim 1, including a probe to check weld lines for metal sheeting.

27. Robot according to claim 26, in which the data picked up by the probe is transmitted to a data collection system by wireless.