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Title: Robotic vehicle

Abstract

A robotic vehicle is described 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 extendible appendages, each of which is radially extendible 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 extendible 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. 20 figs.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
672670
Patent Number(s):
5791255
Application Number:
PAN: 8-796,262
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 11 Aug 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; ROBOTS; DESIGN; PIPES; OPERATION; MOTION

Citation Formats

Box, W D. Robotic vehicle. United States: N. p., 1998. Web.
Box, W D. Robotic vehicle. United States.
Box, W D. Tue . "Robotic vehicle". United States.
@article{osti_672670,
title = {Robotic vehicle},
author = {Box, W D},
abstractNote = {A robotic vehicle is described 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 extendible appendages, each of which is radially extendible 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 extendible 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. 20 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1998},
month = {8}
}

Patent:
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