# US 2021/0080337 A1 · Dual slider mechanism

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- Number: US 2021/0080337 A1
- Document ID: US20210080337A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/670,626
- Filed: 2019-10-31
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-18
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Abdoulelah Al-Hannabi; Mohamed Abdelkader; Hassane Trigui; Sahejad Patel; Fadl Abdellatif
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210080337A1

## CPC

- G01M 3/005: {using pigs or moles (G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence)}
- G01M 5/0025: {of elongated objects, e.g. pipes, masts, towers or railways (G01M5/0058 takes precedence)}
- G01M 5/0033: {by determining damage, crack or wear}
- G01M 5/0075: {by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems (G01M5/005 takes precedence)}
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An apparatus for automated inspection or maintenance is provided. The apparatus includes a dual slider mechanism for deploying a probe. The dual slider mechanism comprises: a frame; a probe slider configured to attach the probe; a probe linear guide coupled to the frame and configured to guide the probe slider and attached probe in a linear direction; a spring having one end attached to the probe slider; a spring slider attached to another end of the spring; and a spring linear guide coupled to the frame and configured to guide the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction, in order to guide the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction along the probe linear guide using the guided spring.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for automated inspection or maintenance, the apparatus comprising a dual slider mechanism configured to deploy a probe, the dual slider mechanism comprising:
a frame;
a probe slider configured to attach to the probe;
a probe linear guide coupled to the frame and configured to guide the probe slider and attached probe in a linear direction;
a spring having one end attached to the probe slider;
a spring slider attached to another end of the spring; and
a spring linear guide coupled to the frame and configured to guide the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction, in order to guide the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction along the probe linear guide using the guided spring.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dual slider mechanism further comprises a linear actuator coupled to the frame and configured to actuate the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide, in order to actuate the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction along the probe linear guide using the actuated spring.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein after actuating the probe slider and attached probe until the actuated probe contacts a target surface, the linear actuator is further configured to further actuate the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide, in order to transfer force of the further actuated spring to the probe against the target surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motor coupled to the frame and configured to rotate the dual slider mechanism about a rotation axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the linear direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a robotic arm coupled to the frame and configured to deploy the dual slider mechanism to point toward a target surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the robotic arm comprises a linear actuator coupled to the frame and configured to actuate the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide, in order to actuate the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction toward the target surface along the probe linear guide using the actuated spring.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein after actuating the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction until the actuated probe contacts the target surface, the linear actuator is further configured to further actuate the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide, in order to transfer force of the further actuated spring to the probe against the target surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a sensor, a tool, or both a sensor and a tool.

### Claim 10

A method of automated inspection or maintenance using a dual slider mechanism to deploy a probe, the method comprising:
attaching the probe to a probe slider of the dual slider mechanism; and
guiding the probe slider and attached probe in a linear direction along a probe linear guide of the dual slider mechanism, the probe linear guide being coupled to a frame of the dual slider mechanism,
wherein guiding the probe slider and attached probe comprises:
attaching one end of a spring of the dual slider mechanism to the probe slider and another end of the spring to a spring slider of the dual slider mechanism;
guiding the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along a spring linear guide of the dual slider mechanism, the spring linear guide being coupled to the frame; and
guiding the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction along the probe linear guide using the guided spring.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein:
guiding the spring slider and attached spring comprises actuating, using a linear actuator of the dual slider mechanism, the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide, the linear actuator being coupled to the frame; and
guiding the probe slider and attached probe using the guided spring comprises actuating the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction along the probe linear guide using the actuated spring.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein:
actuating the probe slider and attached probe comprises actuating the probe slider and attached probe until the actuated probe contacts a target surface; and the method further comprises:
after the actuated probe contacts the target surface, further actuating the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide using the linear actuator; and
transferring force of the further actuated spring to the probe against the target surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising rotating the dual slider mechanism about a rotation axis using a motor coupled to the frame.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the linear direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising deploying the dual slider mechanism to point toward a target surface using a robotic arm coupled to the frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein:
guiding the spring slider and attached spring comprises actuating, using a linear actuator of the robotic arm, the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide, the linear actuator being coupled to the frame; and
guiding the probe slider and attached probe using the guided spring comprises actuating the probe slider and attached probe in the linear direction toward the target surface along the probe linear guide using the actuated spring.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein:
actuating the probe slider and attached probe comprises actuating the probe slider and attached probe until the actuated probe contacts the target surface; and the method further comprises:
after the actuated probe contacts the target surface, further actuating the spring slider and attached spring in the linear direction along the spring linear guide using the linear actuator; and
transferring force of the further actuated spring to the probe against the target surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the probe comprises a sensor, a tool, or both a sensor and a tool.