Suction type traveling carriage

#The present invention relates to a suction type traveling carriage capable of traveling over walls and ceilings.

#Well-known in the art is a carriage with magnetic wheels which is attracted to walls and ceilings by magnetic forces of the magnetic wheels and travels thereover. Apparently, such carriage with magnetic wheels can be used only when the walls and ceilings are made of magnetic materials. Therefore, there has been a strong demand for traveling carriages capable of traveling over walls and ceilings even when the latter are not made of magnetic materials.

#To overcome the above problem, there has been devised and demonstrated a traveling carriage with a plurality of movable arms each having at its end a suction cup adapted to be attracted to walls and ceilings when it is evacuated and adapted to be released therefrom when its internal pressure is restored to a normal level. With such suction type traveling carriages, first all the suction cups are evacuated for attraction of the carriage to the wall or ceiling. Next the suction cups are grouped into a suitable number of groups and while internal pressures of the suction cups in one group are restored to a normal level, they are displaced in a direction of travel. After the displacement, they are evacuated again and are maintained at the positions. Then, the suction cups of another group are actuated in like manner and the arms are retracted to drag the carriage in the direction of travel. These steps are sequentially repeated so that the suction cups are displaced in a walking manner and consequently the carriage is moved over the wall or ceiling while being attracted thereto.

#FIG. 1 is a sectional view used to explain a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view used to explain a carriage equipped with suction cups of the type shown in FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof looking in the direction indicated by the arrows III of FIG. 2;

#FIG. 1 is a view used to explain a preferred embodiment of suction cup means in accordance with the present invention.

#A rigid, disc-shaped suction-cup main body 1 has a downward, circumferential projection 2 extending from the whole periphery of one surface of the main body 1 in coaxial and integral relationship therewith so that a desired disc-shaped space is defined by the main body 1 and the projection 2. Alternatively, the projection 2 may be separately fabricated from material different from that of the rigid main body 1. An axially entending throuth hole 3 is formed at the center of the main body 1 and an annular groove 6 is formed on the cylindrical inner wall surface of the main body 1 defining the through hole 3.

#A flexible cylindrical body 7 is fitted over the projection 2 extending downwardly from the outher periphery of the main body 1 such that the lower end of the cylindrical body 7 extends beyond the lower end of the projection 2. A hoop or band 8 is hooped around the cylindrical body 7 to secure the latter to the main body 1.