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Title: Robotic vehicle

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Oak Ridge, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870816
Patent Number(s):
5601025
Assignee:
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16L - PIPES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
robotic; vehicle; travel; conduit; forward; rear; housings; hub; portion; provided; surface; engaging; mechanisms; selectively; walls; held; stationary; positions; housing; plurality; extendable; appendages; radially; relative; operatively; associated; retracted; position; extended; extending; changing; distance; effect; movement; rear housing; surface engaging; stationary position; selectively engaging; retracted position; extended position; robotic vehicle; rear housings; operatively associated; selectively held; selectively extendable; effect movement; hub portion; engaging mechanisms; engaging mechanism; /104/

Citation Formats

Box, W Donald. Robotic vehicle. United States: N. p., 1997. Web.
Box, W Donald. Robotic vehicle. United States.
Box, W Donald. Wed . "Robotic vehicle". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870816.
@article{osti_870816,
title = {Robotic vehicle},
author = {Box, W Donald},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1997},
month = {1}
}