Adhesion and braking system for a magnetic shipping container crawling apparatus

• US 20110050374A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Leroy Dvorak
• Original Assignee: Edward Leroy Dvorak
• Inventors: Dvorak, Edward Leroy
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/219
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/42 Automatic stopping or braking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/16 Control of vehicle drives by interaction between vehicle and track; Control of track elements by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2018/165 Means to improve adhesion of the vehicles on the track, e.g. using magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/00 Wheels not otherwise provided for or having characteristics specified in one of the subgroups of this group
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/006 Magnetic wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/348 Resins
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/24 Military vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/40 Special vehicles
• 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: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence

Abstract

A magnetic adhesive and braking system for a remote controlled vehicle adapted for traversing across ferromagnetic surfaces of a steel shipping container including the vertical walls and ceiling. The magnetic wheel system allows the vehicle to traverse vertical grades. The magnetic braking system both securely holds the vehicle when stopped on a vertical surface, and exerts enough attractive force between the vehicle and the shipping container to allow a vehicle mounted drill to operate. The magnetic brake design uses mechanical advantage such that the force required to roll the vehicle vertically downward is heightened to the force required to detach the vehicle in a perpendicular vector from the container'"'"'s surface.

Claims

1. A magnetic system for allowing the movement and braking of a remote controlled, scale sized vehicle onto vertical ferromagnetic surfaces comprising:

at least one magnetic wheel assembly; and

at least one remote controlled magnetic brake assembly.

2. The magnetic system of claim 1 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly further comprises:

a housing mechanically affixed to said vehicle;

a remote controlled motor residing in said housing and coupled to a drive shaft with a drive gear affixed thereto;

a driven gear enmeshed with said drive gear for rotational communication;

a thrust arm having a distal and proximate end wherein said distal end is coupled to said driven gear;

a brake arm rotationally connected at a first end to said driven gear and having a brake magnet outer housing affixed at a second end;

a cylindrical walled inner brake magnet housing rotationally housed in said brake magnet outer housing and rotationally coupled to said proximate end of said thrust arm;

a magnet residing within a recess in said cylindrical wall of said inner brake magnet housing;

wherein rotation of said motor turns said enmeshed gears to sequentially move said thrust shaft to rotate said inner brake magnet housing inside said outer brake magnet housing and to rotate said brake arm away from said vehicle and toward said ferromagnetic surface.

3. The magnetic system of claim 2 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly further comprises a drive post extending normally from said driven gear that extends through an arced slot formed through said first end of said brake arm and which connects to said distal end of said thrust arm.

4. The magnetic system of claim 3 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly further comprises an upper travel stop limiter and a lower travel stop limiter formed as protrusions on said first end of said brake arm that contact said housing to limit the rotational travel of said brake arm.

5. The magnetic system of claim 4 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly is limited in its rotation away from said vehicle and toward said ferromagnetic surface such that the included angle between a linear axis of said brake arm and a linear axis of said vehicle is an acute angle.

6. The magnetic system of claim 5 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly further comprises a pivot shaft that connects to an end plate in said inner brake magnet housing and to a pivot plate coupled to said proximate end of the thrust shaft by an off centered peg, so as to translate linear movement of said thrust shaft into rotational movement of said inner brake magnet housing.

7. The magnetic system of claim 6 wherein said arced slot formed through said first end of said brake arm allows said driven gear to rotate approximately 45 degrees freely before said drive post contacts a side of said arced slot.

8. The magnetic system of claim 7 wherein said lower travel stop limiter allows said brake arm to rotate only approximately 45 degrees after said drive post contacts a side of said arced slot.

9. The magnetic system of claim 1 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly comprises a remote controlled DC motor driven brake arm assembly that pivotally lowers a brake magnet housed in a rotating brake magnet assembly that rotates said magnet toward said ferromagnetic surface.

10. The magnetic system of claim 9 wherein said remote controlled magnetic brake assembly has a lower travel limiter on said brake arm assembly that prevents said brake arm assembly from lowering to a position where an included angle formed between a linear axis of said vehicle and a linear axis of said brake arm assembly is greater than acute.

11. The magnetic system of claim 1 wherein said magnetic wheel assembly comprises:

at least one wheel;

at least one magnetic retention ring;

at least one magnet; and

at least one flexible, resilient tire;

wherein said magnetic retention ring houses a uniform series of identical permanent magnets arranged at a fixed angular distance about the retention ring'"'"'s exterior surface, and wherein said tire is affixed about an inner periphery to said wheel and houses said magnet retention ring therein, and wherein said wheel 12 is journaled for rotation about a shaft or axle coupled to a vehicle'"'"'s frame and drive system.

12. The magnetic system of claim 11 wherein said magnetic wheel assembly further comprises a foam ring positioned between said wheel and said magnet retention ring so as to lend support to said magnet retention ring.

13. The magnetic system of claim 12 wherein said fixed angular distance is approximately 20 degrees.

14. The magnetic system of claim 12 wherein said fixed angular distance is approximately 10 degrees.

15. The magnetic system of claim 13 wherein said magnetic retention ring has recesses formed on said exterior surface that are matingly conformed to frictionally constrain said magnets and further comprises a flexible adhesive that bonds said magnets in said recesses to said outer surface of said magnetic retention ring.

16. The magnetic system of claim 15 wherein said tire and said magnetic retention ring are formed from an elastomeric material.

17. The magnetic system of claim 11 wherein said magnetic wheel assembly comprises:

at least one wheel;

a magnetic retention ring;

at least one magnet; and

a flexible, resilient tire;

wherein said magnetic retention ring houses a uniform series of identical permanent magnets arranged at a fixed angular distance about the retention ring'"'"'s exterior surface, and wherein said tire is affixed about an inner periphery to said wheel and houses said magnet retention ring therein, and wherein said wheel 12 is journaled for rotation about a shaft or axle coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s frame and drive system

18. The magnetic system of claim 17 wherein said magnetic wheel assembly further comprises a foam ring positioned between said wheel and said magnet retention ring so as to lend support to said magnet retention ring.

19. The magnetic system of claim 18 wherein said fixed angular distance is approximately 20 degrees.

20. The magnetic system of claim 19 wherein said magnetic retention ring has recesses formed on said exterior surface that are matingly conformed to frictionally constrain said magnets and further comprises a flexible adhesive that bonds said magnets in said recesses to said outer surface of said magnetic retention ring.