Hull robot drive system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hull robot comprising:
- a robot body;
at least one drive module for maneuvering the robot about a hull, wherein the drive module includes a tunnel body;
an on-board power source;
a motive subsystem for the drive module powered by the on-board power source; and
a plurality of permanent magnet elements associated with the drive module each switchable between a non-shunted state when adjacent the hull and a shunted state when not adjacent the hull, wherein each magnet element includes a carriage which maneuvers with respect to the tunnel body.
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Abstract
A hull robot includes a robot body, at least one drive module for maneuvering the robot about the hull, an on-board power source, and a motive subsystem for the drive module powered by the on-board power source. A plurality of permanent magnet elements are associated with the drive module and each are switchable between a non-shunted state when adjacent the hull and a shunted state when not adjacent the hull.
104 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A hull robot comprising:
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a robot body; at least one drive module for maneuvering the robot about a hull, wherein the drive module includes a tunnel body; an on-board power source; a motive subsystem for the drive module powered by the on-board power source; and a plurality of permanent magnet elements associated with the drive module each switchable between a non-shunted state when adjacent the hull and a shunted state when not adjacent the hull, wherein each magnet element includes a carriage which maneuvers with respect to the tunnel body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A drive module comprising:
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a plurality of magnet elements each including; a housing with non-magnetic material sandwiched between ferromagnetic material and a bore extending into the housing, a magnet rotatably disposed in the bore, and a switch assembly for rotating the magnet; a carriage for each magnet including at least one bearing and a connector; a tunnel body including at least one track for the bearings of the carriages; a drive train for the tunnel body attached to the connectors of the carriages; and at least one support for the tunnel body. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A drive module comprising:
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a plurality of permanent magnet elements each switchable between a non-shunted state and a shunted state; a switch assembly for each magnet element rotating each permanent magnet element to change the state thereof; a tunnel body constraining the permanent magnet elements; and a drive train for driving the tunnel body with respect to the permanent magnet elements. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A hull robot comprising:
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a robot body; at least one drive module for maneuvering the robot about a hull; an on-board power source; a motive subsystem for the drive module powered by the on-board power source; and a plurality of permanent magnet elements associated with the drive module, each of the magnet elements including a diametrically polarized cylindrical magnet rotatably disposed in a housing, and a switch attached to the cylindrical magnet for rotating the cylindrical magnet in the housing between a non-shunted state when adjacent the hull and a shunted state when not adjacent the hull.
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Specification