Vehicle and method for the independent inspection of hard-to-reach inner spaces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle for independent inspection of ferromagnetic surfaces, the vehicle comprising:
- a housing having a single common axis passing therethrough;
two wheels rotatable around the common axis arranged a distance from each other in an axial direction of the common axis adjacent opposed ends of the housing and operable to be driven independently of each other through separate common axis centered drive shafts and drives; and
two permanent magnets arranged on an underside of the housing with each of the two permanent magnets abutting a different one of the opposed ends of the housing adjacent to each of the two wheels; and
a separate adherence element enclosed within each of the two wheels to hold the wheels in engagement with the ferromagnetic surfaces,wherein the two wheels and the two permanent magnets are arranged to hold the housing stable in a fixed orientation with respect to a ferromagnetic surface upon motion of the two wheels on the ferromagnetic surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle is provided for the independent inspection of hard-to-reach inner spaces which are bounded by ferromagnetic inner walls, especially in large cast parts, such as steam chests of a steam turbine. The vehicle includes at least two wheels which are rotatable around a common axis, are at a distance from each other in the axial direction, and can be driven independently of each other. With such a vehicle, the entire inner space can be inspected if the vehicle has adherence elements which hold the vehicle against the gravity force with the wheels on the respective inner wall.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle for independent inspection of ferromagnetic surfaces, the vehicle comprising:
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a housing having a single common axis passing therethrough; two wheels rotatable around the common axis arranged a distance from each other in an axial direction of the common axis adjacent opposed ends of the housing and operable to be driven independently of each other through separate common axis centered drive shafts and drives; and two permanent magnets arranged on an underside of the housing with each of the two permanent magnets abutting a different one of the opposed ends of the housing adjacent to each of the two wheels; and a separate adherence element enclosed within each of the two wheels to hold the wheels in engagement with the ferromagnetic surfaces, wherein the two wheels and the two permanent magnets are arranged to hold the housing stable in a fixed orientation with respect to a ferromagnetic surface upon motion of the two wheels on the ferromagnetic surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 16, 17, 18)
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9. A method for independently inspecting inner spaces bound by ferromagnetic surfaces, the method comprising:
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introducing a vehicle comprising a housing having a single common axis passing therethrough, and two wheels rotatable around the common axis with the two wheels arranged a distance from each other in an axial direction of the common axis adjacent opposed ends of the housing, into an inner space; arranging two permanent magnets on an underside of the housing with each of the two permanent magnets abutting a different one of the opposed ends of the housing adjacent to each of the two wheels; providing a separate adherence element enclosed within each of the two wheels to hold the wheels in engagement with the ferromagnetic surfaces; and driving each of the wheels independently of the other through separate common axis centered drive shafts and drives for inspection of inner spaces, wherein the two wheels and the two permanent magnets are arranged to hold the housing stable in a fixed orientation with respect to a ferromagnetic surface upon motion of the two wheels on the ferromagnetic surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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Specification