Robotic vehicle
Abstract
A robotic vehicle is described for travel through an enclosed or partially enclosed conduit or pipe including vertical and/or horizontal conduit or pipe. The robotic vehicle comprises forward and rear housings each provided with a surface engaging mechanism for selectively engaging the walls of the conduit through which the vehicle is travelling, whereby the housings are selectively held in a stationary position within the conduit. The vehicle also includes at least three selectively extendable members, each of which defines a cavity therein. The forward end portion of each extendable member is secured to the forward housing and the rear end portion of each housing is secured to the rear housing. Each of the extendable members is independently extendable from a retracted position to an extended position upon the injection of a gas under pressure into the cavity of the extendable member such that the distance between the forward housing and the rear housing can be selectively increased. Further, each of the extendable members is independently retractable from the extended position to the retracted position upon the application of a vacuum to the cavity of the extendable member such that the distance between the forward housing and the rear housing canmore »
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5033772
- Patent Number(s):
- 5293823
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-949898
- Assignee:
- PTO; EDB-94-076628
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 23 Sep 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; MAINTENANCE FACILITIES; DESIGN; PIPELINES; MAINTENANCE; ROBOTS; NAVIGATION; OPERATION; 420205* - Engineering- Transport & Storage Facilities- (1980-)
Citation Formats
Box, W D. Robotic vehicle. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Box, W D. Robotic vehicle. United States.
Box, W D. Tue .
"Robotic vehicle". United States.
@article{osti_5033772,
title = {Robotic vehicle},
author = {Box, W D},
abstractNote = {A robotic vehicle is described for travel through an enclosed or partially enclosed conduit or pipe including vertical and/or horizontal conduit or pipe. The robotic vehicle comprises forward and rear housings each provided with a surface engaging mechanism for selectively engaging the walls of the conduit through which the vehicle is travelling, whereby the housings are selectively held in a stationary position within the conduit. The vehicle also includes at least three selectively extendable members, each of which defines a cavity therein. The forward end portion of each extendable member is secured to the forward housing and the rear end portion of each housing is secured to the rear housing. Each of the extendable members is independently extendable from a retracted position to an extended position upon the injection of a gas under pressure into the cavity of the extendable member such that the distance between the forward housing and the rear housing can be selectively increased. Further, each of the extendable members is independently retractable from the extended position to the retracted position upon the application of a vacuum to the cavity of the extendable member such that the distance between the forward housing and the rear housing can be selectively decreased. 11 figures.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1994},
month = {3}
}