Autonomous robotic crawler for in-pipe inspection
First Claim
1. An autonomous robot for traversing a conduit comprising:
- a first section having a plurality of pitched wheels, said pitched wheels being oriented such that each of their axes defines a pitch angle greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conduit each of said pitched wheels being positioned at a different point along the length of the robot such that no two pitched wheels are at the same point along the length of the robot;
a second section rotatably connected to said first section, said second section having a plurality of wheels aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit; and
means for causing rotation of one of said first and second sections relative to the other of said first and second sections;
wherein said relative rotation of said first and second sections provides locomotive motion of the robot.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The specification discloses a robot for inspection adapted to travel virtually unlimited distances through small-diameter enclosed spaces such as conduits or ducts, preferably using a fluid-driven screw-drive propulsion system. The robot preferably includes a plurality of wheels inclined at an angle greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, a plurality of wheels aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and a power system for causing relative rotation of the sections bearing the pitched and non-pitched wheels. The robot may include internal fluid flow passages, notched wheels, multiple retractable wheels, and is configured so as to have an operating diameter less than six and preferably less than two inches.
129 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An autonomous robot for traversing a conduit comprising:
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a first section having a plurality of pitched wheels, said pitched wheels being oriented such that each of their axes defines a pitch angle greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conduit each of said pitched wheels being positioned at a different point along the length of the robot such that no two pitched wheels are at the same point along the length of the robot; a second section rotatably connected to said first section, said second section having a plurality of wheels aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit; and means for causing rotation of one of said first and second sections relative to the other of said first and second sections; wherein said relative rotation of said first and second sections provides locomotive motion of the robot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An autonomous robot for traversing a conduit comprising:
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a first section having a plurality of pitched wheels, said pitched wheels being oriented such that each of their axes defines a pitch angle greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conduit; a second section rotatably connected to said first section, said second section having a plurality of wheels aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit; and means for causing rotation of one of said first and second sections relative to the other of said first and second sections; wherein said relative rotation of said first and second sections provides locomotive motion of the robot; and wherein at least one wheel is moveable between a first position in which all of said wheels on the same section contact said conduit and a second position in which at least one of said of said wheels is retracted. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An autonomous robot for traversing a conduit comprising:
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a body; and a drive system capable of extracting energy from a flow of fluid through the conduit and using the energy to advance the body along the inside of the conduit, said drive system including at least one set of pitched wheels mounted on said body, each of said pitched wheels being positioned at a different point along the length of the robot such that no two pitched wheels in said set are at the same point along the length of the robot; wherein at least one component of the robot has an outer diameter that substantially corresponds to the inside surface of the conduit and the robot includes at least one internal passageway that allows fluid to flow along the length of the robot without having to pass between said at least one component and the inside surface of the conduit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An autonomous robot for traversing a conduit comprising:
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a body; and a drive system capable of extracting energy from a flow of fluid through the conduit and using the energy to advance the body along the inside of the conduit, said drive system including at least one set of pitched wheels mounted on said body; wherein at least one component of the robot has an outer diameter that substantially corresponds to the inside surface of the conduit and the robot includes at least one internal passageway that allows fluid to flow along the length of the robot without having to pass between said at least one component and the inside surface of the conduit; and wherein at least one wheel is moveable between a first position in which all of said wheels on the same section contact said conduit and a second position in which at least one of said of said wheels is retracted. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification