Apparatus and method for traversing compound curved and other surfaces
AssigneeSkywalker Robotics, Inc.
InventorsWilliam W. Jeswine, Frank Dailey, Eric Olsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A traction unit capable of traversing and turning on surfaces that include compound curves like the surface of a sphere or are inverted like a ceiling. The traction unit includes a plurality of trucks operable to propel the unit across a surface and a plurality of adherence members operable to releasably secure the unit to the surface. In operation, the adherence members cyclically attach to and release from the surface as the trucks propel the unit across the surface. Within each cycle, after the unit has traveled a predetermined distance relative to an attached member, the member releases the surface and reattaches to the surface at a different point.
Claims27
A traction unit, comprising:
- a frame including a plurality of translation zones;
- a plurality of drive wheels attached to the frame and operable to propel the frame across a surface;
- a plurality of adherence members attached to the frame, each movable relative to the frame in more than two directions within a respective translation zone and operable to releasably secure the frame to the surface as the frame moves across the surface, each adherence member including an adherence foot attached to a body that is operable to extend the adherence foot toward the surface and retract the adherence foot from the surface;
- and
- a plurality of return mechanisms attached to the frame and each operable to move a respective adherence member to a respective return position when the body retracts the adherence foot from the surface.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of traction units attached to each other, each traction unit comprising:
- a frame including a plurality of translation zones;
- a plurality of drive wheels attached to the frame and operable to propel the frame across a surface;
- a plurality of adherence members attached to the frame, each movable relative to the frame in more than two directions within a respective translation zone and operable to releasably secure the frame to the surface as the frame moves across the surface, each adherence member including an adherence foot attached to a body that is operable to extend the adherence foot toward the surface and retract the adherence foot from the surface;
- and
- a plurality of return mechanisms attached to the frame and each operable to move a respective adherence member to a respective return position when the body retracts the adherence foot from the surface.
A traction unit comprising:
- a frame;
- a plurality of drive wheels attached to the frame and operable to propel the frame across a surface;
- a plurality of adherence members attached to the frame and operable to suspend the frame and drive wheels above the surface;
- and
- a steering mechanism attached to the drive wheels and operable to turn the drive wheels while the adherence members suspend the drive wheels above the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.