Internal conduit vehicle
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorLeon J. Bodzin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An internal conduit vehicle comprises two coaxially aligned dual-vector wheels mounted to each end of a chassis. The wheels include multiple, elongated rollers each positioned at an angle around a hub assembly. Two motors mounted to opposite ends of the chassis are rotationally coupled to a hub assembly. A motor control system mounted to the chassis drives the motors so that the wheels counter-rotate with equal, but opposite torque, thereby driving the vehicle axially through a conduit.
Claims5
An internal conduit vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis;
- coaxially aligned first and second dual-vector wheels mounted to said chassis, each said dual-vector wheel comprising:
- a hub assembly having multiple bores;
- multiple rollers pivotally mounted about said hub assembly, each said roller having a prolate spheroid-like shape;
- multiple pairs of pin support brackets, each said pair of pin support brackets pivotably supporting one of said rollers, and each pin support bracket mounted to slide within one of said bores of said hub assembly;
- and
- motor means mounted to said chassis for rotating said first and second dual-vector wheels.
An internal conduit vehicle system, comprising:
- a conduit having an inside surface;
- an internal conduit vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis;
- coaxially aligned first and second dual-vector wheels mounted to said chassis, each said dual-vector wheel comprising:
- a hub assembly having multiple bores;
- multiple rollers pivotally mounted about said hub assembly, each said roller having a prolate spheroid-like shape;
- multiple pairs of pin support brackets, each said pair of pin support brackets pivotally supporting one of said rollers, and each pin support bracket mounted to slide within one of said bores of said hub assembly;
- and
- motor means mounted to said chassis for rotating said first and second dual-vector wheels.
A dual-vector wheel, comprising:
- a hub having multiple bores;
- multiple rollers pivotally mounted about said hub, each said roller having a prolate spheroid-like shape;
- multiple pairs of pin support brackets, each said pair of pin support brackets pivotally supporting one of said rollers, and each pin support bracket mounted to slide within one of said bores of said hub;
- and
- motor means mounted to said hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.