MAGNETIC ROLLER

• US 20160325794A1
• Filed: 03/07/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: BAUR, Walter, WIESENDANGER, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 11,059,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 15/00 Wheels or wheel attachments designed for increasing traction vehicle tires B60C; non-skid devices temporarily attachable to resilient tires or resiliently-tired wheels B60C
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/006 Magnetic wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/351 versatility, e.g. usable for different purposes or different arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/551 Handling of obstacles or difficult terrains
• 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: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/44 inspection

Abstract

A magnetic roller for being rotatable on a ferromagnetic surface is provided. The magnetic roller includes a roller wheel having an inner space, a magnetic array arrangement and at least one first drive mechanism. Further, the magnetic array arrangement is adapted to be swivelably disposed within the inner space of the roller wheel. The magnetic array arrangement includes a strong adhesion force side and a weak adhesion force side. Furthermore, the first drive mechanism is configured to swivelably drive the magnetic array arrangement. The first drive mechanism swivelably drive the magnetic array arrangement to direct the strong adhesion force side towards the oncoming ferromagnetic surface, and, to direct the weak adhesion force side towards the foregoing ferromagnetic surface to enable the roller wheel to move forward on the ferromagnetic surface.

Claims

1. A magnetic roller for being rotatable on a ferromagnetic surface ‘

F’

, the magnetic roller, comprising;

a roller wheel having an inner space;

a magnetic array arrangement swivelably disposed within the inner space of the roller wheel, the magnetic array arrangement having a strong adhesion force side and a weak adhesion force side; and

at least one first drive mechanism configured to swivelably drive the magnetic array arrangement to direct;

the strong adhesion force side towards the oncoming ferromagnetic surface, and,

the weak adhesion force side towards the foregoing ferromagnetic surface to enable the roller wheel to move forward on the ferromagnetic surface.

2. The magnetic roller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one second drive mechanism configured to drive the roller wheel.

3. The magnetic roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic array arrangement comprises permanent magnets arranged in Halbach array arrangement.

4. An inspection robot for independent inspection of boiler walls, which are bounded by a ferromagnetic surface, comprising at least one magnetic roller as claimed in claim 1 for enabling the inspection robot to move on the boiler wall.