# US 2021/0276641 A1 · Tethered Mobile Climbing Robot for Inspecting Tanks in Confined Environments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276641 A1 - Document ID: US20210276641A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/191,629 - Filed: 2021-03-03 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04 - Inventors: James Walter Beard, III; David Andrew Bryant; Stephen Lee Canfield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276641A1 ## CPC - B62D 57/024: specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces (endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02) - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 19/023: {including video camera means} - B60B 19/006: {Magnetic wheels} - B62D 55/265: having magnetic or pneumatic adhesion - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION ## Abstract A Mobile Climbing Robot (MCR) with wheel or endless-track type propulsion using magnetic attraction for generating adhering forces is adapted to climbing non-planar surfaces such as intersecting walls, pipes or other structural members. A tether is connected to the MCR through a tether linkage that causes the tether to bend with a radius that keeps it from protruding outside of the MCR wheels. The purpose of this is to increase the mobility when passing over variations of the climbing surface such as edges or corners. The purpose is to further protect the tether from wear caused by rubbing with the climbing surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 1) A magnetic-based climbing robot for traversing a climbing surface and can accommodate variations in geometry of the climbing surface such as edges and corners comprising, a chassis at least one propulsion wheel attached to the chassis a permanent magnet a tether linkage a tether. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 2) The climbing robot of claim 1 wherein the tether linkage includes an elastic tether holder ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 3) The climbing robot of claim 1 wherein the tether linkage contains an emergency recovery cord that is directly attached to the chassis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 4) The climbing robot of claim 1 wherein the tether linkage contains a camera that can view along the tether. ### Claim 5 5) A suction-based climbing robot for traversing a climbing surface and can accommodate variations in geometry of the climbing surface such as edges and corners comprising, a chassis at least one propulsion wheel attached to the chassis a suction chamber a tether linkage wherein the tether linkage creates a port that can rotate by 90 degrees or more about one axis with sliding baffles that restrict air flow to maintain pressure or vacuum in air transferred to the suction-based climbing robot. a tether that includes a tube that transmits air flow under pressure or vacuum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) 6) The climbing robot of claim 5 wherein the tether linkage includes an elastic tether holder ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) 7) The climbing robot of claim 5 wherein the tether linkage contains an emergency recovery cord that is directly attached to the chassis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) 8) The climbing robot of claim 5 wherein the tether linkage contains a camera that can view along the tether.