# US 2014/0196969 A1 · Robotic vehicle for holiday testing of coating on storage tank base plates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196969 A1 - Document ID: US20140196969A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/740,951 - Filed: 2013-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Kma M. JAFFARULLAH; Fahad A. AL-WEHEBI; Mohammed Ahmed BAAGEEL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196969A1 ## CPC - B08B 5/04: Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action - B08B 1/14: Wipes; Absorbent members, e.g. swabs or sponges (with integrated means for dispensing fluids B08B1/40) - B08B 3/024: {Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned} - G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) - G01N 33/00: Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00 - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A robotic holiday testing apparatus for detecting and marking holidays in the protective coating atop a metal base plate of a storage tank, including: a. a vehicle, b. a power drive unit selectively coupled to a first set of wheels to move the vehicle in the forward or backward direction, and to a second set of wheels to move the vehicle and the right or left direction, c. a holiday detection apparatus having a wettable sponge electrical contact element for establishing an electric circuit with the base plate through each of the holidays, d. a tank for containing an electrolytic fluid supplied into the wettable sponge, and e. a controller which selectively operates the power drive unit to: move the vehicle in the forward direction for selected distance, and f. to move the vehicle in the left or right direction for selected distance, the vehicle thus being movable along a path while the holiday testing apparatus thereon detects and marks holidays for subsequent repair. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic holiday testing apparatus for detecting and marking holidays in the protective coating atop a metal base plate of a storage tank, comprising: a. a vehicle having front, rear, left and right parts, b. a first set of wheels mounted to said vehicle such that the bottoms of said first set of wheels lie at a first elevation below said vehicle for enabling said vehicle to roll in the forward and rearward directions, c. a second set of wheels mounted to said vehicle such that the bottoms of said second set of wheels lie at a start elevation higher than said first elevation for enabling said vehicle to roll in the left and right directions, d. a power drive unit selectively coupled: i. to said first set of wheels to move said vehicle in the forward or backward direction, and ii. to said second set of wheels to move said vehicle and the right or left direction, c. an elevator unit for selectively: i. lowering said second set of wheels so that the bottoms of said second set of wheels lie at a third elevation lower than said first elevation, whereby said first set of wheels is elevated off the base plate, and said second set wheels will engage said base plate and said vehicle is movable in said left and right directions, and ii. subsequently elevating said second set of wheels at least until said first set of wheels re-engages said base plate, f. a holiday detection apparatus having a wettable sponge electrical contact element for establishing an electric circuit with the base plate through each of said holidays, g. a tank for containing an electrolytic fluid supplied into said wettable sponge, and h. a controller which selectively operates said power drive unit to: i. move said carriage on said first set of wheels in the forward direction for selected distance, and ii. lower said second set of wheels to contact said base plate and elevate said first set of wheels out of contact with said base plate, and iii. move said vehicle in the left or right direction for selected distance, and iv. elevate said second set of wheels out of contact with said base plate, until said first set of wheels regains contact with said base plate, said vehicle thus being movable along a path while said holiday testing apparatus thereon detects and marks holidays for subsequent repair. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a cleaning unit carried by said vehicle for cleaning said base plate ahead of movement of said vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said cleaning unit comprises an air suction device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor for detecting obstacles in the path of movement of said vehicle and sending an alert signal to set controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4 where said sensor is a proximity sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a cleaning unit carried by said vehicle for cleaning said base plate ahead of movement of said vehicle, and at least one sensor for detecting obstacles in the path of movement of said vehicle and sending an alert signal to said controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one wettable sponge of said holiday testing apparatus comprises a plurality of said sponges electrically insulated from each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7 where said plurality of sponges are spaced apart from each other but situated to define an uninterrupted path extending transversely of the forward or backward motion of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 A robotic holiday testing apparatus for detecting and marking holidays in the protective coating atop a metal base plate of a storage tank, comprising: a. a vehicle having front, rear, left and right parts, b. a first set of wheels mounted to said vehicle such that the bottoms of said first set of wheels lie at a first elevation below said vehicle for enabling said vehicle to roll in the forward and rearward directions, c. a second set of wheels mounted to said carriage such that the bottoms of said second set of wheels lie at a start elevation higher than said first elevation for enabling said vehicle to roll in the left and right directions, d. a power drive unit selectively coupled: i. to said first set of wheels to move said vehicle in the forward or backward direction, and ii. to said second set of wheels to move said vehicle and the right or left direction, c. an elevator unit for selectively: i. lowering said second set of wheels so that the bottoms of said second set of wheels lie at a third elevation lower than said first elevation, whereby said first set of wheels is elevated off the base plate, and said second set of wheels will engage said base plate and said vehicle is movable in said left and right directions, and ii. subsequently elevating said second set of wheels at least until said first set of wheels re-engages said base plate, d. a holiday detection apparatus having a wettable sponge electrical contact element for establishing an electric circuit with the base plate through each of said holidays, e. a controller which will selectively operate said power drive unit to: i. move said vehicle on said first set of wheels in the forward direction for selected distance, ii. lower said second set of wheels to contact the base plate and elevate said first set of wheels out of contact with said base plate, iii. move said vehicle in the left or right direction for a selected distance, and iv. elevate said second set of wheels out of contact with said base plate, until said first of wheels regains contact with said base plate, said vehicle thus being movable along a path while said holiday testing apparatus thereon detects and marks holidays for subsequent repair. ### Claim 10 A robotic holiday testing apparatus for detecting and marking holidays in the protective coating atop the metal base plate of a storage tank, comprising: a. a vehicle having front, rear, left and right parts, b. a power drive unit selectively adapted to move said vehicle in the forward or backward direction, and to move said vehicle and the right or left direction, c. a holiday detection apparatus having a wettable sponge electrical contact element for establishing electric circuit with the base plate through each of said holidays, d. and a controller which selectively operates said power drive unit to: i. move said vehicle and the forward direction for a selected distance, ii. move said vehicle in the left or right direction for selected distance, said carriage thus being movable along a path while said holiday testing apparatus thereon detects of marks holidays for subsequent repair. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a cleaning unit carried by said vehicle for cleaning said base plate ahead of movement of said vehicle and at least one sensor for detecting obstacles in the path of movement of said carriage and sending an alert signal to said controller.