Title:
【発明の名称】コンジット移動車両
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JP2003510212
Kind Code:
A
Abstract:
A vehicle (1) for travelling along a conduit (2) having fluid flowing therein is described. The vehicle comprises a forward set of resilient bristles (12) and a rear set of bristles (18) which are adapted to move towards and away from the forward bristles (12). The forward bristles (12) engage the surface of the conduit (2) and apply a greater gripping force when they are moving towards the mar bristles (18) than when they are moving away from the rear bristles (18). Similarly, the rear bristles (18) apply a larger gripping force to the surface of the conduit (2) when they are moving away from the forward bristles (12) than when they are moving towards the forward bristles (12). A drive means (4) has a shaft (9) which is rotated by fluid flow, and a reverse traverse screw (14) is connected to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft (9) causes a thread follower (16) to move along the reverse traverse screw (14) first in one direction, and then the other, to move the forward (12) and rear (18) bristles towards and then away from each other. This causes the vehicle (1) to move along the conduit (2).
Inventors:
Appleton, Ernest
Stouchbury, Nail, William
Stouchbury, Nail, William
Application Number:
JP2001526388A
Publication Date:
March 18, 2003
Filing Date:
September 21, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
University of Durham
International Classes:
B61B13/10; B62D57/024; F16L55/34; (IPC1-7): B61B13/10; B62D57/024
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Ken Hashizume