US 11,021,197 B2 · Compact magnetic crawler vehicle with anti-rocking supports

Abstract

A robotic vehicle for traversing surfaces is provided. The vehicle is comprised of a chassis supporting a magnetic drive wheel for driving and steering the vehicle and a stabilization mechanism. The magnetic wheel comprises two flux concentrator yokes and an axially magnetized hub extending therebetween. The hub includes a central housing configured to house a sensor probe and enhance the magnetic pull force of the wheel by providing a continuous pathway of high magnetic permeability material for magnetic flux to flow axially through the drive wheel. The stabilization mechanism comprises a front and rear facing support element moveably coupled to the chassis and configured to contact the surface and move symmetrically relative to the chassis thereby maintaining the vehicle and probe normal to the surface and providing stability to the vehicle while traversing surfaces regardless of surface curvature and vehicle orientation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A magnetic robotic crawler vehicle for traversing a surface, comprising:

a chassis;
a magnetic drive wheel mounted to the chassis, wherein the drive wheel extends in a lateral direction and rotates about a rotational axis and, wherein a longitudinal axis of the vehicle extends perpendicularly to the lateral, rotational axis in a front and back direction;
and
a stabilization mechanism coupled to the chassis, the stabilization mechanism comprising:
a first and a second support element configured to contact and move along the surface during normal operation of the vehicle, the first and second support elements being positioned on opposite sides of the drive wheel relative to the rotational axis, and wherein the first and second support elements are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis;
and
a support mechanism moveably coupling the first and second support elements to the chassis, wherein the support mechanism is configured to move the first and second support elements relative to the chassis in at least an up and down direction, wherein the up and down direction is generally perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis and the rotational axis.

4 more elements

A magnetic robotic crawler vehicle for traversing a surface, comprising:

a chassis;
a magnetic drive wheel mounted to the chassis, wherein the drive wheel extends in a lateral direction and rotates about a rotational axis and is configured to drive and steer the vehicle along the surface, wherein a longitudinal axis of the vehicle extends perpendicularly to the rotational axis in a front and back direction and through a midpoint between two yokes;
and
a stabilization mechanism coupled to the chassis, the stabilization mechanism comprising:
a first and a second support element configured to contact and move along the surface during normal operation of the vehicle, the first and second support elements being positioned on opposite sides of the drive wheel relative to the rotational axis, wherein the first and second support elements are positioned symmetrically across the rotational axis of the drive wheel and are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis;
a support mechanism moveably coupling the first and second support elements to the chassis, wherein the support mechanism is configured to move the first and second support element relative to the chassis in at least an up and down direction, wherein the support mechanism is configured to move the first and second support elements in a passive manner in the up and down direction in response to a curvature of the surface thereby maintaining the support elements in contact with the surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compact magnetic crawler vehicle with anti-rocking supports

Life of this patent

Compact magnetic crawler vehicle with anti-rocking supports

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20