Remote controlled robot for cleaning inner-walls of duct and remote control system using same

• US 8,347,445 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IBS Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: IBS Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Byung Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/449,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 151/040.5, 151/040.9, 151/041.2, 151/043.1
• US Class Current: 15/104.09
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0006 with a controlling brush technique device, e.g. stroke movement measuring device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/049 having self-contained propelling means for moving the cleaning devices along the pipes , i.e. self-propelled
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0492 Heavy-type cleaning devices, e.g. crawlers with plural cleaning members B08B9/051 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote controlled robot for cleaning inner walls of a duct, more specifically, to a remote controlled robot comprising: a cart movable in the duct by remote control; at least one first link pivotally connected to the cart, which is relatively rotatable to the cart; a first driving unit to drive the first link to relatively rotate to the cart; at least one second link pivotally connected to the first link, which is relatively rotatable to the first link; a second driving unit to drive the second link to relatively rotate to the first link; and a cleaning means installed at the second link for separating dusts from the inner walls of the duct, thereby enabling to clean the upper inner-walls and the bottom inner-wall of the duct simultaneously, and to continuously proceed with the cleaning in case of the height change of the duct to reduce cleaning time thereof.

Claims

1. A remote controlled robot for cleaning the inner walls of a duct, which comprises:

a cart movable in the duct by remote control;

at least one first link pivotally connected to the cart, which is rotatable relative to the cart;

a first driving unit to drive the first link to rotate relative to the cart;

a pair of second links pivotally connected to the first link, which are rotatable relative to the first link the pair of second links being spaced-apart from each other;

a second driving unit to drive the second link to rotate relative to the first link;

a plurality of cleaning brushes for separating dusts from the inner walls of the duct, the cleaning brushes including bottom brushes rotatably installed at one end of and between the pair of second links, ceiling brushes rotatably installed at the other end of and between the pair of second links, and a plurality of side brushes rotatably arrayed along the outside of each of the pair of the second links; and

a plurality of spur gears engaged with one another and arrayed along each of the second links so that the plurality of cleaning brushes are driven to rotate;

wherein the cleaning brushes can simultaneously be in contact with the ceiling wall, the bottom wall and the side wall of the duct by rotating the first link and the second links, while the cart moves a path including upward/downward sloping region along the duct.

2. The remote controlled robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one front camera facing forwards from the cart through the space between the pair of the second links; and

at least one illuminator to face the front region of the cart.

3. The remote controlled robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second links are formed by combining at least two separable links in longitudinal direction, whereby the length of each second link is controlled by the number of the separable links or by the length of the separable links.