Surface adhering tool carrying robot
First Claim
1. A robotic apparatus for traversing a workpiece surface, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a base, said base having a bottom side and an upper side;
(b) a plurality of vacuum cups, each of said vacuum cups comprising (1) a foot, said foot having a low friction wear surface coating, (2) a sidewall comprising one or more resilient accordion pleats (34);
(3) an outlet port, said outlet port having an inlet portion (4) a fluid limiting valve, said fluid limiting valve located in fluid communication with and adapted to at least partially close said outlet port when said vacuum cup experiences loss of vacuum;
(c) at least three points of support for said base, said at least three points of support for said base, spacing said base apart from yet located close to the workpiece surface being traversed, so as to limit compression of said vacuum cups between said bottom side of said base and the surface being traversed, and (1) providing at least two contact points having driving traction relative to said workpiece surface being traversed;
(2) providing at least one pivotable contact point adapted to allow said robotic device to turn along a direction of travel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surface clinging robotic device. The device includes a supporting structure or base, on which is mounted (a) a lead pivoting support surface, such as a pivoting wheel, and (b) two or more traction drives, such as drive wheels. Each of the traction drives are independently driven by a separate drive motor. A plurality of vacuum cups are mounted on the bottom of the base. The vacuum cups each have a low friction foot designed for movement over a surface with minimal friction while vacuum is maintained. The low friction foot portion is provided by a generally surface direction oriented C-shaped Teflon skin. The robotic device can move over gaps or obstructions in the surface without losing vacuum in all of the vacuum cups, using a fluid limiting valve at each vacuum cup to interrupt flow in the event of loss of vacuum in that vacuum cup.
88 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A robotic apparatus for traversing a workpiece surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a base, said base having a bottom side and an upper side;
(b) a plurality of vacuum cups, each of said vacuum cups comprising (1) a foot, said foot having a low friction wear surface coating, (2) a sidewall comprising one or more resilient accordion pleats (34);
(3) an outlet port, said outlet port having an inlet portion (4) a fluid limiting valve, said fluid limiting valve located in fluid communication with and adapted to at least partially close said outlet port when said vacuum cup experiences loss of vacuum;
(c) at least three points of support for said base, said at least three points of support for said base, spacing said base apart from yet located close to the workpiece surface being traversed, so as to limit compression of said vacuum cups between said bottom side of said base and the surface being traversed, and (1) providing at least two contact points having driving traction relative to said workpiece surface being traversed;
(2) providing at least one pivotable contact point adapted to allow said robotic device to turn along a direction of travel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A robotic apparatus for traversing a workpiece surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a base, said base having a bottom side and an upper side;
(b) a plurality of vacuum cups, each of said vacuum cups comprising (1) a foot, said foot having a low friction wear surface coating, (2) a sidewall comprising one or more resilient accordion pleats (34);
(3) an outlet port, said outlet port having an inlet portion (4) a fluid limiting valve, said fluid limiting valve located in fluid communication with and adapted to at least partially close said outlet port when said vacuum cup experiences loss of vacuum;
(c) at least three points of support for said base, said at least three points of support affixed to said base and adapted to limit the distance of said base relative to the workpiece surface being traversed, so as to limit compression of said vacuum cups between said bottom side of said base and the surface being traversed, and (1) providing at least two contact points having driving traction relative to said workpiece surface being traversed;
(2) providing at least one pivotable contact point adapted to allow said robotic device to turn along a direction of travel.
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Specification