Chain-like self-moving robot and control system therefor
AssigneesHitachi, Ltd., Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
InventorsAtsushi Takagi, Shigeru Izumi, Fuminobu Takahashi, Chikara Sato, Shinji Naitoh, Shinji Sonoda
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Abstract
A chain-like self-moving robot includes three or more capsule units connected to one another in a string by means of couplers. By expanding and contracting intercapsule spaces in a predetermined sequence so that a smaller number of the capsules are moved while a larger number of capsules remain stationary, the chain-like robot can move forwardly or backwardly.
Claims37
A chain-like self-moving robot crawling on an object, comprising:
- at least three capsule units;
- coupling means for interconnecting said capsule units serially in a chain-like manner;
- a plurality of expanding and contracting means each provided between said coupling means and said capsule unit and capable of being in an expanding state and a contracting state, for stretching and diminishing a space between said interconnected capsules by expanding and contracting only in a direction of movement of said robot;
- and
- control means for controlling the expanding and contracting means in a predetermined sequence on the basis of predetermined expansion/contraction control signals, said predetermined sequence being such that a changing operation between the expanding state and contracting state is propagated through said plurality of expanding and contracting means in said direction of movement of said robot to provide a motion with less than a half of said capsule units being moved while the remaining capsule units are held stationary is repeated sequentially to move said robot as a whole.
A method of moving a chain-like self-moving robot composed of at least three capsule units and coupling means for interconnecting said capsule units, comprising steps of:
- leaving at least more than a half of said capsule units in stationary state while moving the remaining number of said capsule units by selectively expanding and contracting inter-capsule spaces in a direction of movement of the robot without substantially changing the lateral dimensions of the inter-capsule spaces, wherein the capsule units to be moved are sequentially changed over to thereby move said robot as a whole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.