Title:
SURFACE ADHERING TOOL CARRYING ROBOT
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003022532
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A surface clinging robot device. The device includes a supporting structure or base, on which is mounted (a) a lead pivoting support surface, such as a pivoting wheel, and (b) two or more traction drives, such as drive wheels. A plurality of vacuum cups are mounted on the bottom of the base (Fig. 1, 202,44,20). The vacuum cups each have a low friction foot designed for movement over a surface with minimal friction while vacuum is maintained. The low friction foot portion is provided by a generally surface direction oriented C-shaped Teflon skin. The robotic device can move over gaps or obstructions in the surface without losing vacuum in all of the vacuum cups, using a fluid limiting valve at each vacuum cup to interrupt flow in the event of loss of vacuum in that vacuum cup.
Inventors:
SEEMANN HENRY R
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/028626
Publication Date:
December 11, 2003
Filing Date:
September 09, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
ADVANCED ROBOTIC VEHICLES INC (US)
International Classes:
B62D55/00; B62D55/075; B62D55/265; B62D57/00; B62D57/024; B63B59/10; B64D45/00; B64F5/00; E04G23/00; G05D1/02; (IPC1-7): B62D55/265
Foreign References:
US5633707A | 1997-05-27 | |||
US5429009A | 1995-07-04 | |||
US5506682A | 1996-04-09 | |||
US5890250A | 1999-04-06 |
Other References:
SIEGEL M.W.: "Automation for NonDestructive inspection of Aircraft", SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST, THE ROBOTICS INSTITUTE, SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, 1994, CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY PITTSBURGH, pages 1 - 11, XP002961142
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