# US 9,751,207 B2 · Structural assessment, maintenance, and repair apparatuses and methods

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- Number: US 9,751,207 B2
- Document ID: US9751207B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/930,305
- Filed: 2015-11-02
- Published: 2016-02-25
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-26
- Assignees: Elwha LLC
- Applicants: Elwha LLC
- Inventors: Hon Wah Chin; William D. Duncan; Roderick A. Hyde; Jordin T. Kare; Tony S. Pan; David B. Tuckerman; Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751207B2

## CPC

- B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels}
- A47L 11/4083: {Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices}
- B05D 1/02: performed by spraying
- B08B 1/165: {Scrapers}
- B24C 1/086: {Descaling; Removing coating films}
- B25J 5/00: Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages (B25J1/00 takes precedence; program-controlled manipulators B25J9/00)
- B25J 13/006: {by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators}
- 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)
- B63B 59/10: using trolleys or the like driven along the surface
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means}
- A47L 2201/06: Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
- B63G 2008/005: {remotely controlled}
- Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot
- 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})
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B24C: ABRASIVE OR RELATED BLASTING WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL
- 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)
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Systems for cleaning a structure via a robot are described. The robot includes a body. The robot further includes a tool coupled to the body and configured to hold a structural maintenance tool. The robot includes a sensor coupled to the body. The robot includes a drive system configured to allow positioning of the body along the structure, including inverted positioning and vertical positioning. The robot further includes a communication interface coupled to the body. The robot includes a controller coupled to the body. The controller is in communication with the tool, the sensor, and the drive system. The controller is configured to receive an operating instruction through the communication interface. The controller is configured to autonomously position the body via the drive system and to perform a task with at least one of the tool and the sensor according to the operating instruction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for maintaining a structure, comprising:
a first robot, the first robot including a first robot body, a first robot tool arm coupled to the first robot body, a first robot sensor coupled to the first robot body, a first robot drive system configured to allow positioning of the first robot along the structure, including inverted positioning and vertical positioning, a first robot transceiver coupled to the first robot body, and a first robot controller coupled to the first robot body;
a second robot, the second robot including a second robot body, a second robot drive system configured to allow positioning of the second robot along the structure, a second robot transceiver coupled to the second robot body, and a second robot controller coupled to the second robot body; and
a base station in communication with at least one of the first robot via the first robot transceiver or the second robot via the second robot transceiver;
wherein the first robot is configured to autonomously perform a maintenance task on the structure;
wherein the second robot is configured to autonomously provide a support service to the first robot during the maintenance task; and
wherein the first robot is configured to electronically communicate with the second robot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second robot further includes a second robot tool arm coupled to the second robot body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second robot drive system is configured to allow inverted positioning and vertical positioning of the second robot.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to send signals to the second robot via the first robot.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second robot is configured to send signals to the base station via the first robot.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second robot includes a storage compartment housing a supply necessary for completion of the maintenance task.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the supply is a tool.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the second robot is configured to mount the tool on a first tool arm of the first robot.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the supply is a consumable fluid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the consumable fluid is paint or cleaner.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first robot and the second robot are coupled to each other via an optical fiber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second robot includes a supplemental power source and a charging port.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the second robot is configured to provide a charge to a power source of the first robot through the charging port.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the support service includes locating an area of the structure to be repaired, and the maintenance task is repairing the area of the structure.