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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Robotic vehicle

Patent ·
OSTI ID:871763

A robotic vehicle for travel through a conduit. The robotic vehicle includes forward and rear housings each having a hub portion, and each being provided with surface engaging mechanisms for selectively engaging the walls of the conduit such that the housings can be selectively held in stationary positions within the conduit. The surface engaging mechanisms of each housing includes a plurality of extendable appendages, each of which is radially extendable relative to the operatively associated hub portion between a retracted position and a radially extended position. The robotic vehicle also includes at least three selectively extendable members extending between the forward and rear housings, for selectively changing the distance between the forward and rear housings to effect movement of the robotic vehicle.

Research Organization:
LOCKHEED MARTIN ENRGY SYST INC
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Number(s):
US 5791255
OSTI ID:
871763
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English