Magnetic attraction wheel control method, vehicle control method, magnetic attraction wheel and vehicle

Abstract

To provide a magnetic attraction wheel and a vehicle which can suitably travel on a wall surface.SOLUTION: A magnetic attraction wheel includes a spherical shell wheel whose outer peripheral surface in contact with a magnetic attraction surface has a spherical shape, a permanent magnet holding part which is arranged inside the spherical shell wheel and holds a permanent magnet, a first shaft capable of rotating the permanent magnet holding part in a first rotation direction, a second shaft which is rotated together with the first shaft in the first rotation direction, has a shaft perpendicular to the first shaft and swingably suspends the permanent magnet holding part on the shaft, a wheel driving part for rotationally driving the spherical shell wheel, and a magnet driving part for rotationally driving the first shaft, and thereby rotating the permanent magnet, wherein the wheel driving part has a motor for wheel driving, and a first power transmission part for transmitting rotation power of the motor for wheel driving to the spherical shell wheel, and the magnet driving part has a motor for magnet driving, and a second power transmission part for transmitting rotation power of the motor for magnet driving to the first shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a magnetic attraction wheel. 、 Vehicle Control Method , magnetic attraction wheel and vehicle Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] In shipbuilding and manufacturing sites such as those for large cranes, there are vehicles known that have magnetically attracted wheels that run on the surfaces of large curved steel components and perform tasks such as welding, painting, and appearance inspection.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an adhesive wheel with a built-in magnet, which is characterized in that a magnet with an outer arc shape that can swing around the axis as the center of rotation is provided in part of the space between the axle and the wheel flange, separated from the wheel flange, and the magnet is arranged so that the direction of the magnet's maximum magnetic force always faces the steel wall surface, generating a strong wheel pressing force between the axle and the steel wall surface.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a rolling element in which a permanent magnet is embedded in a sphere made of a non-ferromagnetic material, the sphere is supported in a spherical shell so as to be rotatable in all directions, and the spherical shell rolls on a base that can be attracted by magnetic force. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2639895 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5650224 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Incidentally, in the attraction wheel disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the rolling element disclosed in Patent Document 2, the rotation of the magnet is passive. Therefore, in the attraction wheel disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the rolling element disclosed in Patent Document 2, the direction of the magnet cannot be adjusted when no magnetic attraction force is being generated.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a method for controlling a magnetic attraction wheel that can suitably run on a wall surface. 、 Vehicle Control Method , magnetic attraction wheel and vehicle to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, according to one embodiment, the outer peripheral surface that contacts the magnetic attraction surface is spherical. of a first shaft arranged coaxially with a rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel, rotating independently of the spherical shell wheel and capable of rotating the permanent magnet holder in a first rotation direction; a second shaft arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel, rotating in the first rotation direction together with the first shaft, having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the first shaft and suspending the permanent magnet holder so as to be swingable about the axis; a wheel drive unit that rotationally drives the spherical shell wheel; and a magnet drive unit that rotationally drives the first shaft to rotate the permanent magnet, the method comprising the steps of: bringing the spherical shell wheel into contact with a magnetic attraction surface that can be attracted by the permanent magnet; Magnet Drive Unit is set to a driving state in which the first shaft is rotationally driven, Magnet Drive Unit a step of rotating the first shaft by rotating the first shaft so as to orient the permanent magnet holder in the direction of the magnetic attraction surface; a step of swinging the permanent magnet holder about the second shaft as an axis of swing by a magnetic attraction force between the permanent magnet and the magnetic attraction surface so as to orient the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet in the normal direction to the magnetic attraction surface; Magnet Drive Unit and a step of placing the first shaft in a passive state in which the first shaft passively rotates. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to one aspect, a magnetic attraction wheel capable of running on a wall surface is provided. A method for controlling vehicle Control method, magnetic attraction wheel and vehicle can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the magnetic attraction wheel according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic attraction wheel according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the magnetic attraction wheel according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 6 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the rotation angle about the first shaft and the rotational torque acting on the permanent magnet holder by the permanent magnet. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a wheel drive unit and a magnet drive unit. [Figure 9] 4A to 4C are diagrams showing examples of the arrangement of permanent magnets when the vehicle according to the embodiment is attracted to wall surfaces of various curved shapes. [Figure 10] 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when a vehicle moves from a floor surface to a wall surface. [Figure 11] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams showing the state of a vehicle at each point in time when moving from a floor surface to a wall surface. [Figure 12] 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of a vehicle when moving from one wall surface to another wall surface (or a ceiling surface). [Figure 13] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams showing the state of a vehicle at each point in time when moving from a first wall surface to a second wall surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted.

[0012] <Vehicle> A vehicle 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a front view of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a side view of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. In the following description, the forward and backward direction of the vehicle 1 is defined as the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1, the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 1 is defined as the left-right direction of the vehicle 1, and the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is defined as the up-down direction of the vehicle 1.

[0013] The vehicle 1 includes a body 2, rocker links 3L, 3R, shafts 4L, 4R, magnetically attracted wheels 5 (5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR), and a differential gear 6.

[0014] The vehicle 1 can move remotely or unmanned on any object that can be attracted by the magnets (permanent magnets 52 described later) of the magnetic attraction wheels 5, regardless of its location or danger level, even if it is at a high place or in a narrow space. The body 2 may have a fixing part (not shown) for fixing a work attachment (not shown) for performing work such as welding, painting, and appearance inspection, and the work attachment may be mounted on the fixing part. This allows the vehicle 1 to perform a desired work using the work attachment at the destination. The body 2 is also provided with a control part (not shown) for controlling the operation of the magnetic attraction wheels 5 (wheel drive part 56 and magnet drive part 57 described later). The vehicle 1 may have a controller (not shown) that accepts an operation by an operator. The controller is connected to the control part so as to be able to communicate with the control part by wire or wirelessly. The control part may control the magnetic attraction wheels 5 based on the operation of the controller by the operator. The control part may control the magnetic attraction wheels 5 based on a program input in advance. This allows the vehicle 1 to be operated unmanned or remotely in a scene where an operator is not nearby.

[0015] The left and right rocker links 3L, 3R are disposed with the central body 2 in between.

[0016] The rocker link 3L is provided with magnetic attraction wheels 5 (5FL, 5RL) at both front and rear ends, and is a member supported rotatably around the shaft 4L as a rotation axis. Specifically, the rocker link 3L is a member formed in a substantially inverted V shape in side view, and has a central portion 31, a front portion 32 extending downward and forward from the central portion 31, and a rear portion 33 extending downward and rearward from the central portion 31. The shaft 4L, which is a cylindrical shaft member, is fixed to the central portion 31. The shaft 4L is rotatably supported by a bearing 21 of the body 2. The front portion 32 of the rocker link 3L is provided with magnetic attraction wheels 5FL, and the rear portion 33 is provided with magnetic attraction wheels 5RL. The rocker link 3L can rotate around the shaft 4L rotatably supported by the bearing 21 as a rotation axis, so that both the magnetic attraction wheels 5FL and the magnetic attraction wheels 5RL can be brought into contact (grounded) with a magnetic attraction surface (a surface to be attracted).

[0017] Similarly, the rocker link 3R is provided with magnetic attraction wheels 5 (5FR, 5RR) at both front and rear ends, and is a member supported rotatably around the shaft 4R as a rotation axis. Specifically, the rocker link 3R is a member formed in a substantially inverted V shape in side view, and has a central portion 34, a front portion 35 extending downward and forward from the central portion 34, and a rear portion 36 extending downward and rearward from the central portion 34. The shaft 4R, which is a cylindrical shaft member, is fixed to the central portion 34. The shaft 4R is rotatably supported by a bearing 22 of the body 2. The front portion 35 of the rocker link 3R is provided with a magnetic attraction wheel 5FR, and the rear portion 36 is provided with a magnetic attraction wheel 5RR. The rocker link 3R can rotate around the shaft 4R rotatably supported by the bearing 22 as a rotation axis, so that both the magnetic attraction wheel 5FR and the magnetic attraction wheel 5RR can be brought into contact (grounded) with a magnetic attraction surface.

[0018] The shaft 4L and the shaft 4R are arranged coaxially. The shaft 4L and the shaft 4R are provided so as to be rotatable independently. One end (outside in the vehicle width direction) of the shaft 4L is fixed to the center portion 31 of the rocker link 3L. One end (outside in the vehicle width direction) of the shaft 4R is fixed to the center portion 34 of the rocker link 3R. The shaft portion of the shaft 4L is rotatably supported by a bearing 21. The shaft portion of the shaft 4R is rotatably supported by a bearing 22. The other end (inside in the vehicle width direction) of the shaft 4L and the other end (inside in the vehicle width direction) of the shaft 4R are connected via a differential gear 6.

[0019] The differential gear (rotation mechanism) 6 is a device that connects the shaft 4L and the shaft 4R so that they can rotate independently. The differential gear 6 is also a device that determines the tilt angle (pitch angle) in the front-rear direction of the body 2 based on the differential between the rotation of the shaft 4L and the rotation of the shaft 4R.

[0020] The differential gear 6 has, for example, a first bevel gear, a second bevel gear, a third bevel gear, and a frame portion (none of which are shown). The first bevel gear is fixed to an end of a shaft 4L, and the first bevel gear also rotates as the shaft 4L rotates. The second bevel gear is fixed to an end of a shaft 4R, and the second bevel gear also rotates as the shaft 4R rotates. The first bevel gear and the second bevel gear are arranged coaxially. The third bevel gear is arranged on a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axes of the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear, and is meshed with the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear, respectively. The frame portion rotatably supports the first bevel gear, the second bevel gear, and the third bevel gear. The frame portion is also fixed to the body 2.

[0021] Here, when shaft 4L is rotated relative to shaft 4R, the first bevel gear rotates due to the rotation of shaft 4L, and the third bevel gear rotates according to the differential rotation between the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear. In addition, the rotation of the third bevel gear relative to the second bevel gear causes the frame to rotate around the rotation axis of the second bevel gear (the rotation axis of the first bevel gear). At this time, the rotation angle of the frame is half the rotation angle of shaft 4L. The same is true when shaft 4R is rotated relative to shaft 4L.

[0022] In this way, the vehicle 1 can rotate (swing) the rocker link 3L and the rocker link 3R individually around the coaxially arranged shafts 4L and 4R as a rotation axis (swing axis). Therefore, the rocker link 3L can bring both the magnetically attractive wheels 5FL and 5RL into contact (ground) with the magnetically attractive surface by rotating around the shaft 4L rotatably supported by the bearing 21 as a rotation axis. In addition, the rocker link 3R can bring both the magnetically attractive wheels 5FR and 5RR into contact (ground) with the magnetically attractive surface by rotating around the shaft 4R rotatably supported by the bearing 22 as a rotation axis. In other words, the vehicle 1 can bring all the four magnetically attractive wheels 5 (5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) into contact (ground) with the magnetically attractive surface even if the magnetically attractive surface is curved or has irregularities.

[0023] Furthermore, the longitudinal inclination angle (pitch angle) of the body 2 is intermediate between the longitudinal inclination angle of the rocker link 3L and the longitudinal inclination angle of the rocker link 3R. This makes it possible to make the fluctuation in the longitudinal inclination angle (pitch angle) of the body 2 smaller than the fluctuation in the longitudinal inclination angle of the rocker link 3L and the fluctuation in the longitudinal inclination angle of the rocker link 3R. This makes it possible to suppress vibration of the body 2 even when the vehicle 1 runs on a magnetically attracted surface with significant changes in unevenness.

[0024] In order to bring all four magnetically attractive wheels 5 into contact with the magnetically attractive surface, it is sufficient that the rocker link 3L and the rocker link 3R can be oscillated individually, and instead of the differential gear 6, the rocker link 3L and the rocker link 3R may be connected by a rotation mechanism.

[0025] <Magnetic Adsorption Wheel> Next, the magnetically attractive wheels 5 (5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) equipped on the vehicle 1 will be further described with reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 8. Here, the four magnetically attractive wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR equipped on the vehicle 1 have the same configuration. For this reason, in the following description, the magnetically attractive wheel 5FR will be used as an example, and a description of the magnetically attractive wheels 5FL, 5RL, 5RR will be omitted.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the magnetic attraction wheel 5FR according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic attraction wheel 5FR according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the magnetic attraction wheel 5FR according to this embodiment. In FIG. 4, a part of the spherical shell wheel 51 is cut (removed) so that the internal structure of the spherical shell wheel 51 can be seen. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view cut along a vertical plane passing through the axial center of the first shaft 54. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view cut along a plane perpendicular to the first shaft 54.

[0027] The magnetic attraction wheel 5 includes a spherical shell wheel 51, a permanent magnet 52, a permanent magnet holder 53, a first shaft 54, a second shaft 55, a wheel drive unit 56, a magnet drive unit 57, and bearings 58-60.

[0028] The front portion 35 of the rocker link 3R is formed with supporting portions 351 and 352 that are bifurcated to support the magnetic attraction wheel 5, and a connecting portion 353 that connects the supporting portion 351 and the supporting portion 352 together.

[0029] The spherical shell wheel 51 has a hollow shape having a spherical surface portion 511. Specifically, the spherical shell wheel 51 has the spherical surface portion 511 and flat surfaces 512, 513. The spherical surface portion 511 is a surface that contacts (grounds) the magnetic attraction surface, and the outer peripheral surface has a spherical shape. This allows the spherical shell wheel 51 to contact (ground) the magnetic attraction surface even if the magnetic attraction surface is inclined in the vehicle width direction. The flat surfaces 512, 513 are surfaces perpendicular to the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51. In other words, the outer shape of the spherical shell wheel 51 has a shape in which the left and right sides are partially cut off from a spherical shape. By providing the flat surfaces 512, 513 on the spherical shell wheel 51, the dimension in the vehicle width direction can be shortened. The spherical shell wheel 51 is formed of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum. This allows a magnetic attraction force to be generated between the permanent magnet 52 arranged inside the spherical shell wheel 51 and the magnetic attraction surface. The material of the spherical shell wheel 51 is not limited to aluminum, and may be any material capable of generating a magnetic attraction force between the permanent magnet 52 and the magnetic attraction surface. The spherical shell wheel 51 is disposed between the support portion 351 and the support portion 352.

[0030] The wheel drive unit 56 is provided on the support unit 351 side. The output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 penetrates the through-hole 351a of the support unit 351 and is fixed to the flat surface portion 512 of the spherical shell wheel 51. Specifically, a shaft holder 514 is provided on the outside of the flat surface portion 512 of the spherical shell wheel 51. The shaft holder 514 is fixed to the spherical shell wheel 51 by bolts, nuts, etc. (not shown). The shaft holder 514 is a member that connects the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 and the spherical shell wheel 51. The output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 is inserted into the shaft holder 514. The inner peripheral surface of the shaft holder 514 into which the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 is inserted has a key groove. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 inserted into the shaft holder 514 has a key groove. A key 562 is disposed in the key groove of the shaft holder 514 and the key groove of the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56. The key 562 is a mechanical element for transmitting the rotational power of the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 to the shaft holder 514. As a result, the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56, the shaft holder 514, and the spherical shell wheel 51 rotate together.

[0031] The first shaft 54 ​​is disposed coaxially with the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51 (the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 ), and is rotatably supported by bearings 58 , 59 attached to both ends of the spherical shell wheel 51 .

[0032] Specifically, a bearing support member 515 and a pressing member 516 are provided on the inner surface side (the inner space side of the spherical shell wheel 51) of the flat surface portion 512 of the spherical shell wheel 51. The bearing support member 515 is a plate-shaped (annular) member having a hole into which the outer ring of the bearing 58 can be inserted. The pressing member 516 is a plate-shaped (annular) member having a hole with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the bearing 58 and larger than the diameter of the first shaft 54. The bearing support member 515 and the pressing member 516 are fixed to the spherical shell wheel 51 by bolts, nuts, etc. (not shown). The bearing support member 515 is fixed to the inner surface side of the flat surface portion 512 so that the axis of the hole of the bearing support member 515 coincides with the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51. The pressing member 516 is fixed to the bearing support member 515 so that the axis of the hole of the pressing member 516 coincides with the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51. The outer ring of the bearing 58 is disposed in a hole in the bearing support member 515, and is prevented from coming off by a retaining member 516. The inner ring of the bearing 58 supports one end of the first shaft .

[0033] In addition, a through hole 517 through which the first shaft 54 ​​passes is formed in the flat surface portion 513 of the spherical shell wheel 51. A pressing member 518 is provided on the inside of the flat surface portion 513 of the spherical shell wheel 51. A pressing member 519 is provided on the outside of the flat surface portion 513 of the spherical shell wheel 51. The pressing members 518 and 519 are plate-shaped (annular) members having a hole with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the bearing 59 and larger than the diameter of the first shaft 54. The pressing members 518 and 519 are fixed to the spherical shell wheel 51 by bolts, nuts, etc. (not shown). The pressing member 518 is fixed to the inner surface side of the flat surface portion 513 so that the axis of the hole of the pressing member 518 coincides with the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51. The pressing member 519 is fixed to the outer surface side of the flat surface portion 513 so that the axis of the hole of the pressing member 518 coincides with the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51. The outer ring of bearing 59 is disposed in through hole 517, and is prevented from coming off by retaining members 518, 519. The inner ring of bearing 59 supports first shaft 54 ​​which passes through through hole 517.

[0034] The support portion 352 is formed with a through hole 352a through which the first shaft 54 ​​passes. The outer ring of the bearing 60 is disposed in the through hole 352a. The inner ring of the bearing 60 supports the first shaft 54 ​​passing through the through hole 352a. The outer ring of the bearing 60 contacts the support portion 352 on the side facing the spherical shell wheel 51, and the inner ring of the bearing 60 contacts the coupler 572 on the other side, thereby positioning the bearing 60.

[0035] The magnet driving unit 57 is provided on the side of the support unit 352. The magnet driving unit 57 is fixed to the support unit 352 via a bracket 352b. A coupler 572 is fixed to an output shaft 571 of the magnet driving unit 57. The coupler 572 is a member that connects the output shaft 571 of the magnet driving unit 57 and the first shaft 54. The other end of the first shaft 54 ​​is inserted into the coupler 572. The inner circumferential surface of the coupler 572 into which the other end of the first shaft 54 ​​is inserted has a key groove. In addition, the outer circumferential surface of the other end of the first shaft 54 ​​inserted into the coupler 572 has a key groove. The coupler 572 is fixed to the coupler 572 via a key 541. Note that the magnet driving unit 57 is preferably, for example, a servo motor having a servo function, and is capable of controlling the rotation angle, torque, and the like of the first shaft 54. The output shaft 561 of the wheel driving unit 56 is inserted into the shaft holder 514. The shaft holder 514, into which the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56 is inserted, has a key groove on its inner peripheral surface. Also, the output shaft 561 of the wheel drive unit 56, which is inserted into the shaft holder 514, has a key groove on its outer peripheral surface. A key 541 is disposed in the key groove of the coupler 572 and the key groove of the first shaft 54. The key 541 is a mechanical element for transmitting the rotational power of the coupler 572 (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57) to the first shaft 54. As a result, the output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, the coupler 572, and the first shaft 54 ​​rotate together.

[0036] With this configuration, the spherical shell wheel 51 is rotatably supported on the support portions 351, 352 by the wheel drive portion 56 (output shaft 561) and the first shaft 54. In addition, the wheel drive portion 56 can drive the spherical shell wheel 51 to rotate.

[0037] In addition, the first shaft 54 ​​can rotate independently of the spherical shell wheel 51. In addition, the magnet driving unit 57 can drive the first shaft 54 ​​to rotate.

[0038] A second shaft 55 that rotates together with the first shaft 54 ​​is provided inside the spherical shell wheel 51. The second shaft 55 has a base 551 and shaft portions 552 and 553. The base 551 has a through hole 551a through which the first shaft 54 ​​is inserted. The inner peripheral surface of the through hole 551a has a key groove. The outer peripheral surface of the first shaft 54 ​​that is inserted into the through hole 551a has a key groove. A key 542 is disposed in the key groove of the through hole 551a and the key groove of the first shaft 54. The key 542 is a mechanical element for transmitting the rotational power of the first shaft 54 ​​to the base 551 (second shaft 55). As a result, the first shaft 54 ​​and the base 551 (second shaft 55) rotate together. The shaft portions 552 and 553 are disposed coaxially and perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first shaft 54.

[0039] Cylindrical collars 543, 544 are disposed on the first shaft 54. One end of the collar 543 contacts the inner ring of the bearing 58, and the other end contacts the base 551 of the second shaft 55. One end of the collar 544 contacts the inner ring of the bearing 59, and the other end contacts the base 551 of the second shaft 55. This positions the base 551 of the second shaft 55 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the axis of the shaft portions 552, 553 is positioned so as to pass through the center of the spherical shell wheel 51 (spherical portion 511).

[0040] The permanent magnet holder 53 is suspended on shaft portions 552, 553 of the second shaft 55. That is, the permanent magnet holder 53 is adapted to be able to swing about the shaft portions 552, 553 of the second shaft 55 as a rotation axis. In addition, the permanent magnet holder 53 is adapted to be able to rotate about the first shaft 54 ​​as an axis.

[0041] The permanent magnet 52 is embedded in the permanent magnet holder 53 and is disposed inside the outer diameter of the spherical shell wheel 51. For example, the permanent magnet 52 is housed in a recess provided in the permanent magnet holder 53 and is prevented from falling out by a pressing member 531. The permanent magnet holder 53 has a fan-shaped shape that fits along the inner surface of the spherical shell wheel 51. This allows the permanent magnet 52 to be as close as possible to the magnetic attraction surface. The permanent magnet 52 is, for example, five neodymium magnets arranged in an arc shape as shown in FIG. 6. In addition, by forming a Halbach array with five neodymium magnets, a strong magnetic force can be obtained with a small magnet volume. The permanent magnet holder 53 has a fan-shaped shape that fits along the inner surface of the spherical shell wheel 51. The outer diameter of the permanent magnet holder 53 is formed to be equal to or smaller than the inner diameter of the spherical shell wheel 51. The outer surface of the permanent magnet holder 53 may be in contact with the inner surface of the spherical shell wheel 51 or may be separated from it. In addition, in a configuration in which the outer surface of the permanent magnet holding portion 53 and the inner surface of the spherical shell wheel 51 are in contact with each other, a lubricant may be applied between the two.

[0042] As described above, the permanent magnet 52 held by the permanent magnet holding portion 53 is disposed within the spherical shell wheel 51 and is configured to be capable of actively or passively rotating around the first shaft 54 ​​(first rotation direction, indicated by the open arrow in FIG. 4) and to be passively rotatable (oscillating) around the second shaft 55 (second rotation direction, indicated by the filled arrow in FIG. 4).

[0043] FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the rotation angle θ around the first shaft 54 ​​and the rotation torque acting on the permanent magnet holding part 53 by the permanent magnet 52. In the graph shown in FIG. 7, the horizontal axis indicates the rotation angle θ, where the angle θ=0° is the state in which the permanent magnet 52 faces the wall surface (magnetically attractive surface) W, and the vertical axis indicates the torque at that rotation angle. The torque acting on the permanent magnet holding part 53 was obtained from the magnetic attraction force calculated by three-dimensional magnetic field analysis. In this example, the maximum value of the torque is 2.4 Nm. Therefore, for example, by using a magnet driving part 57 with a stall torque of 6 Nm, the permanent magnet holding part 53 can be rotated against the magnetic attraction force and moved away from the wall surface W. In other words, the magnetic attraction of the magnetic attraction wheel 5 to the wall surface W can be released.

[0044] Here, the wheel drive unit 56 and the magnet drive unit 57 will be further described. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configurations of the wheel drive unit 56 and the magnet drive unit 57. Fig. 8(a) shows an example of the magnetic attraction wheel 5 according to this embodiment. Fig. 8(b) shows an example of the magnetic attraction wheel 5X according to a reference example.

[0045] 8(a), the wheel drive unit 56 of this embodiment includes a wheel drive motor 71 and a power transmission unit 72. The wheel drive motor 71 is provided inside the connection unit 353. In other words, the output shaft of the wheel drive motor 71 and the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel 51 are disposed at different positions.

[0046] The power transmission unit 72 transmits the rotational power of the wheel drive motor 71 to the spherical shell wheel 51 (output shaft 561). The power transmission unit 72 includes a first pulley 73, a second pulley 74, a timing belt 75, and bearings 76-78. The first pulley 73 is connected to the output shaft of the wheel drive motor 71. The first pulley 73 is rotatably supported by the bearing 76. The second pulley 74 is connected to the output shaft 561. The second pulley 74 is rotatably supported by bearings 77 and 78. The timing belt 75 is stretched between the first pulley 73 and the second pulley 74.

[0047] 8(a), the magnet driving unit 57 of this embodiment includes a magnet driving motor 81 and a power transmission unit 82. The magnet driving motor 81 is provided inside the connection unit 353. In other words, the output shaft of the magnet driving motor 81 and the rotation shaft of the first shaft 54 ​​are disposed at different positions.

[0048] The power transmission unit 82 transmits the rotational power of the magnet drive motor 81 to the permanent magnet holding unit 53 (first shaft 54). The power transmission unit 82 includes a first pulley 83, a second pulley 84, a timing belt 85, and bearings 86-88. The first pulley 83 is connected to the output shaft of the magnet drive motor 81. The first pulley 83 is rotatably supported by the bearing 86. The second pulley 84 is connected to the output shaft 561. The second pulley 84 is rotatably supported by bearings 87 and 88. The timing belt 85 is stretched between the first pulley 83 and the second pulley 84.

[0049] Here, the magnetically attractive wheel 5X according to the reference example will be described. The magnetically attractive wheel 5X according to the reference example includes a wheel drive unit 56X and a magnet drive unit 57X. In the wheel drive unit 56X of the reference example, the wheel drive motor is provided outside the support unit 351. In the magnet drive unit 57X of the reference example, the magnet drive motor is provided outside the support unit 352. With this configuration, in the magnetically attractive wheel 5X according to the reference example, when the inclination angle of the wall surface W in the vehicle width direction becomes θ2, the wheel drive unit 56X interferes with the wall surface W. This limits the magnetically attractive area of ​​the magnetically attractive wheel 5X.

[0050] In contrast, in the magnetically attractive wheel 5 according to this embodiment, the wheel drive motor 71 and the magnet drive motor 81 are disposed in a position that does not interfere with the wall surface W. Specifically, they are disposed at the connection portion 353 as shown in FIG. 8(a). This allows the inclination angle θ1 of the wall surface to which the magnetically attractive wheel 5 can be attracted to be greater than the inclination angle θ2. In other words, the magnetically attractive region in the magnetically attractive wheel 5 according to this embodiment can be made wider than the magnetically attractive region in the magnetically attractive wheel 5X according to the reference example.

[0051] 9 shows an example of the arrangement of the permanent magnets 52 when the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is attracted to wall surfaces of various curved shapes. In FIG. 9, the direction of the magnetic attraction force is indicated by a solid black arrow.

[0052] FIG. 9(a) shows the orientation of the permanent magnet 52 when the vehicle 1 is attracted to a surface curved along the traveling direction of the vehicle 1. Here, the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 is cut off, and the output shaft of the magnet drive motor 81 (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, first shaft 54) is in a back drive state in which it can be passively rotated by an external torque. The magnetic force of the permanent magnet 52 causes the permanent magnet holder 53 to passively rotate around the first shaft 54, and the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 can be directed to the normal direction of the magnetic attraction surface. This automatically achieves the permanent magnet holder 53 to face the direction of the wall surface W at any angle, and the vehicle 1 can be attracted to the wall surface W.

[0053] 9(b) shows the orientation of the permanent magnet 52 when the vehicle 1 is attracted to a curved surface that is concavely curved along the width direction of the vehicle body of the vehicle 1. The permanent magnet holder 53 swings around the second shaft 55 as the swing axis, so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 can be oriented in the normal direction of the magnetic attraction surface.

[0054] 9(c) shows the orientation of the permanent magnet 52 when the vehicle 1 is attracted to a curved surface that is convexly curved along the width direction of the vehicle body of the vehicle 1. The permanent magnet holder 53 swings around the second shaft 55 as the swing axis, so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 can be oriented in the normal direction to the magnetic attraction surface.

[0055] Fig. 9(d) shows a case where the positions and normal directions of the contact surfaces (indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 9(d)) of all four wheels are different. Vehicle 1 has a rocker mechanism, which allows all four wheels to be attracted to the magnetic attraction surface.

[0056] <Suction operation flow> Next, the operation of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 moves from a floor surface to a wall surface will be described with reference to Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 moves from a floor surface W1 to a wall surface W2. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the vehicle 1 at each point in time. Fig. 11 is a diagram of the vehicle 1 as viewed from the horizontal direction.

[0057] In step S101, the control unit controls the magnet drive motor 81 to orient the permanent magnet holders 53 of the front and rear wheels (magnetically adsorbed wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) toward the body 2 (see FIG. 11(a)). Then, the control unit controls the magnet drive motor 81 to maintain the orientation of the permanent magnet holders 53. The control unit also controls the wheel drive motor 71 to drive the spherical shell wheels 51 (see the white arrow in FIG. 11(a)). This makes it possible to suppress an increase in drive torque due to magnetic adsorption force when the vehicle 1 travels on the floor surface W1. It also makes it possible to suppress the adsorption of magnetic foreign matter such as iron sand on the floor surface W1. When the front wheels (magnetically adsorbed wheels 5FL, 5FR) reach the wall surface W2, the control unit stops the wheel drive motor 71 and proceeds to step S102.

[0058] In step S102, the control unit orients the permanent magnets 52 of the front wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5FL, 5FR) toward the wall surface W2 (see the black arrows in FIG. 11(b)). That is, the control unit controls the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 to orient the permanent magnet holding unit 53 toward the wall surface W2. This causes the permanent magnet 52 to attract the magnetic attraction surface (wall surface W2). Thereafter, by cutting off the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 and putting the output shaft (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, first shaft 54) of the magnet drive motor 81 into a backdrive state, the permanent magnet holding unit 53 rotates due to the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet 52 so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 faces the wall surface W2.

[0059] In step S103, the control unit controls the magnet drive motor 81 to drive the spherical shell wheels 51 while keeping the permanent magnet holders 53 of the rear wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5RL, 5RR) facing the body 2 (see FIG. 11(c)). As a result, the front wheels magnetically attracted to the wall surface W2 climb up the wall surface W2 (see the hollow arrow in FIG. 11(c)). The rear wheels on the floor surface W1 move further forward toward the wall surface W2 (see the hollow arrow in FIG. 11(c)). When the rear wheels reach the wall surface W2 (see FIG. 11(d)), the control unit stops the wheel drive motor 71 and proceeds to step S104.

[0060] In step S104, the control unit orients the permanent magnets 52 of the rear wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5RL, 5RR) toward the wall surface W2 (see FIG. 11(e)). That is, the control unit controls the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 to orient the permanent magnet holding unit 53 toward the wall surface W2. This causes the permanent magnet 52 to attract the magnetic attraction surface (wall surface W2). Thereafter, by cutting off the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 and putting the output shaft (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, first shaft 54) of the magnet drive motor 81 into a back drive state, the permanent magnet holding unit 53 rotates due to the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet 52 so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 faces the wall surface W2.

[0061] In step S105, the control unit controls the wheel drive motor 71 to drive the spherical shell wheels 51 (see FIG. 11(f)). As a result, the front and rear wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) of the vehicle 1 magnetically attracted to the wall surface W2 climb up the wall surface W2 (see the white arrows in FIG. 11(f)).

[0062] As described above, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment can move up the wall surface W2 from a state where it is in contact with the floor surface W1. This makes it easy to set up the vehicle 1.

[0063] <Suction operation flow> Next, the operation of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 moves from a wall surface to another wall surface will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 moves from the first wall surface W3 to the second wall surface W4. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the vehicle 1 at each point in time. Note that Fig. 13 is a view of the vehicle 1 viewed from the vertical direction.

[0064] At the start, the vehicle 1 is attracted to the first wall surface W3. That is, the permanent magnet holders 53 of the front and rear wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) of the vehicle 1 face the first wall surface.

[0065] In step S201, the control unit controls the wheel drive motor 71 to drive the spherical shell wheel 51 with the permanent magnet holders 53 of the front and rear wheels (magnetically adsorbed wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) facing the first wall surface W3 (see the outline arrow in FIG. 13(a)). Here, the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 is cut off to put the output shaft (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, first shaft 54) of the magnet drive motor 81 into a back drive state, so that the permanent magnet holder 53 rotates by the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet 52 so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 faces the first wall surface W3. This allows the vehicle 1 to run while being attracted to the first wall surface W3. When the front wheels (magnetically adsorbed wheels 5FL, 5FR) reach the second wall surface W4, the control unit stops the wheel drive motor 71 and proceeds to step S202.

[0066] In step S202, the control unit orients the permanent magnets 52 of the front wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5FL, 5FR) toward the second wall surface W4 (see the black arrows in FIG. 13(b)). That is, the control unit controls the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 to orient the permanent magnet holding unit 53 toward the second wall surface W4. This causes the permanent magnet 52 to attract the magnetic attraction surface (second wall surface W4). Thereafter, by cutting off the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 and putting the output shaft (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, first shaft 54) of the magnet drive motor 81 into a backdrive state, the permanent magnet holding unit 53 rotates due to the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet 52 so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 faces the second wall surface W4.

[0067] Here, the control unit orients one of the permanent magnets 52 of the front wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5FL, 5FR) from the normal direction of the first wall surface W3 to the normal direction of the second wall surface W4. Next, the control unit orients the other of the permanent magnets 52 of the front wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5FL, 5FR) from the normal direction of the first wall surface W3 to the normal direction of the second wall surface W4. That is, the vehicle 1 rotates the permanent magnet holder 53 of one wheel in a state in which at least three of the four wheels are attracted to the wall surfaces W3, W4. This allows the vehicle 1 to be attracted to the wall surfaces W3, W4 by at least three or more magnetically attractive wheels 5, so that the vehicle 1 can be prevented from falling off the wall surfaces W3, W4.

[0068] In step S203, the control unit controls the wheel drive motor 71 to drive the spherical shell wheel 51 with the permanent magnet holder 53 of the front wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5FL, 5FRR) facing the second wall surface W4 and the permanent magnet holder 53 of the rear wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5RL, 5RR) facing the first wall surface W3 (see FIG. 13(c)). As a result, the front wheels magnetically attracted to the second wall surface W4 move forward along the second wall surface W4 (see the hollow arrow in FIG. 13(c)). The rear wheels on the first wall surface W3 move forward further toward the second wall surface W4 (see the hollow arrow in FIG. 13(c)). When the rear wheels reach the second wall surface W4 (see FIG. 13(d)), the control unit stops the wheel drive motor 71 and proceeds to step S204.

[0069] In step S204, the control unit orients the permanent magnets 52 of the rear wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5RL, 5RR) toward the second wall surface W4 (see FIG. 13(e)). That is, the control unit controls the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 to orient the permanent magnet holding unit 53 toward the second wall surface W4. This causes the permanent magnet 52 to attract the magnetic attraction surface (second wall surface W4). Thereafter, by cutting off the power supply to the magnet drive motor 81 and putting the output shaft (output shaft 571 of the magnet drive unit 57, first shaft 54) of the magnet drive motor 81 into a back drive state, the permanent magnet holding unit 53 rotates due to the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet 52 so that the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet 52 faces the second wall surface W4.

[0070] Here, the control unit orients one of the permanent magnets 52 of the rear wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5RL, 5RR) from the normal direction of the first wall surface W3 to the normal direction of the second wall surface W4. Next, the control unit orients the other of the permanent magnets 52 of the rear wheels (magnetically attractive wheels 5RL, 5RR) from the normal direction of the first wall surface W3 to the normal direction of the second wall surface W4. That is, the vehicle 1 rotates the permanent magnet holder 53 of one wheel in a state in which at least three of the four wheels are attracted to the wall surfaces W3, W4. This allows the vehicle 1 to be attracted to the wall surfaces W3, W4 by at least three or more magnetically attractive wheels 5, so that the vehicle 1 can be prevented from falling off the wall surfaces W3, W4.

[0071] In step S205, the control unit controls the wheel drive motor 71 to drive the spherical shell wheel 51 with the permanent magnet holders 53 of the front and rear wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) facing the second wall surface W4 (see the hollow arrows in FIG. 13(f)). As a result, the front and rear wheels (magnetically attracted wheels 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) of the vehicle 1 magnetically attracted to the second wall surface W4 move along the second wall surface W4 (see the hollow arrows in FIG. 13(f)).

[0072] 12 and 13, the vehicle 1 can move from a wall surface to a ceiling surface and vice versa by a similar operation. The vehicle 1 can also move from a wall surface to a floor surface.

[0073] The above describes a vehicle 1 having a magnetic adsorption wheel 5 according to this embodiment, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure described in the claims.

[0074] Although the power transmission units 72 and 82 have been described as being configured to transmit rotational power by a belt / pulley, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the power transmission units 72 and 82 may be configured to transmit rotational power by a chain / sprocket, or may be configured to transmit rotational power by gears. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1,1A Vehicle 2. Body 21 Bearings 22 Bearings 3L, 3R rocker link 351,352 Support part 4L, 4R shaft 5,5FL,5FR,5RL,5RR Magnetic attraction wheels 6 Differential gear (rotating mechanism) 351 Support part 351a Penetration 51 Spherical wheel 52 Permanent Magnets 53 Permanent magnet holding part 54 1st Shaft 55 Second Shaft 56 Wheel drive unit 561 Output shaft 57 Magnet drive unit 571 Output shaft 572 Coupler 58~60 Bearing 71 Wheel drive motor 72 Power transmission section 73 No. 1 pulley 74 No. 2 pulley 75 Timing belt 76~78 Bearing 81 Magnet drive motor 82 Power transmission section 83 No. 1 pulley 84 No. 2 pulley 85 Timing belt 86~88 Bearing

Claims

1. a spherical shell wheel having an outer circumferential surface that contacts the magnetic attraction surface and has a spherical shape; A permanent magnet holder that is disposed inside the spherical shell wheel and holds a permanent magnet; A first shaft is arranged coaxially with a rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel, rotates independently of the spherical shell wheel, and can rotate the permanent magnet holder in a first rotation direction; a second shaft that rotates together with the first shaft in the first rotational direction, has an axis perpendicular to the axis of the first shaft, and suspends the permanent magnet holder so as to be swingable about the axis; A wheel drive unit that drives and rotates the spherical shell wheel; a magnet driving unit that rotates the permanent magnet by driving the first shaft to rotate, bringing the spherical shell wheel into contact with a magnetic attraction surface that can be attracted by the permanent magnet; a step of putting the magnet driving unit into a driving state in which the magnet driving unit rotates the first shaft, rotating the first shaft with the magnet driving unit, and orienting the permanent magnet holding unit in a direction toward the magnetic attraction surface; a step of swinging the permanent magnet holder around the second shaft as a swing axis by a magnetic attraction force between the permanent magnet and the magnetic attraction surface, thereby orienting the magnetic force direction of the permanent magnet in a normal direction to the magnetic attraction surface; and placing the magnet drive unit in a passive state in which the first shaft passively rotates. A method for controlling magnetic attraction wheels.

2. When the magnetic attraction wheel runs on the floor surface, the magnet driving unit is put into a driving state for rotating and driving the first shaft, the first shaft is rotated by the magnet driving unit, and the permanent magnet holding unit is oriented toward a body supporting the magnetic attraction wheel; The method for controlling a magnetic attraction wheel according to claim 1.

3. a spherical shell wheel having an outer circumferential surface that contacts the magnetic attraction surface and has a spherical shape; A permanent magnet holder that is disposed inside the spherical shell wheel and holds a permanent magnet; A first shaft is arranged coaxially with a rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel, rotates independently of the spherical shell wheel, and can rotate the permanent magnet holder in a first rotation direction; a second shaft that rotates together with the first shaft in the first rotational direction, has an axis perpendicular to the axis of the first shaft, and suspends the permanent magnet holder so as to be swingable about the axis; A wheel drive unit that drives and rotates the spherical shell wheel; a magnet driving unit that rotates the permanent magnet by rotating the first shaft, The plurality of magnetic attraction wheels include a first magnetic attraction wheel and a second magnetic attraction wheel, running the first magnetic attraction wheel and the second magnetic attraction wheel along a first wall surface; bringing the first magnetically attractive wheel into contact with a second wall surface that is a magnetically attractive surface that is discontinuous with the first wall surface and can be attracted by the permanent magnet; orienting the permanent magnet holder of the first magnetic attraction wheel toward the second wall surface; a step of running on the second wall surface with the first magnetic attraction wheel and running on the first wall surface with the second magnetic attraction wheel; contacting the second magnetic attraction wheel with the second wall surface; orienting the permanent magnet holder of the second magnetic attraction wheel toward the second wall surface; and running the first magnetic attraction wheel and the second magnetic attraction wheel on the second wall surface. How to control a vehicle.

4. In the step of orienting the permanent magnet holder of the second magnetic attraction wheel toward the second wall surface, the permanent magnet holder of the second magnetic attraction wheel is oriented toward the second wall surface. The vehicle control method according to claim 3.

5. The first wall surface is a floor surface, The permanent magnet holders of the first magnetic attraction wheel and the second magnetic attraction wheel running on the first wall surface are oriented toward a body supporting the magnetic attraction wheel. The vehicle control method according to claim 4.

6. The first wall surface is a magnetic attraction surface that can be attracted by the permanent magnet, In the step of orienting the permanent magnet holder of the first magnetic attraction wheel toward the second wall surface, the permanent magnet holder of the second magnetic attraction wheel is oriented toward the first wall surface. The vehicle control method according to claim 4.

7. A spherical shell wheel having an outer circumferential surface that contacts the magnetic attraction surface and has a spherical shape; A permanent magnet holder that is disposed inside the spherical shell wheel and holds a permanent magnet; A first shaft is arranged coaxially with a rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel, rotates independently of the spherical shell wheel, and can rotate the permanent magnet holder in a first rotation direction; a second shaft that rotates together with the first shaft in the first rotational direction, has an axis perpendicular to the axis of the first shaft, and suspends the permanent magnet holder so as to be swingable about the axis; A wheel drive unit that drives and rotates the spherical shell wheel; a magnet driving unit that rotates the permanent magnet by driving the first shaft to rotate, the wheel drive unit includes a wheel drive motor and a first power transmission unit that transmits rotational power of the wheel drive motor to the spherical shell wheel; The magnet driving unit has a magnet driving motor and a second power transmission unit that transmits rotational power of the magnet driving motor to the first shaft. Magnetic attraction wheels.

8. The wheel drive motor and / or the magnet drive motor are arranged at a position different from the rotation axis of the spherical shell wheel. The magnetically attractive wheel according to claim 7.

9. The first power transmission unit and / or the second power transmission unit have a belt pulley mechanism.

9. The magnetic attraction wheel according to claim 7 or 8.

10. A body, a pair of members for mounting the magnetic attraction wheel according to any one of claims 7 to 9 at the front and rear of the member, the pair of members being disposed with the body therebetween; a rotation mechanism that connects the pair of members so that they can rotate independently with the left-right direction as a rotation axis and is fixed to the body.

11. When the vehicle runs on a floor surface, the permanent magnet holding portion of the magnetic attraction wheel that contacts the floor surface faces the direction of the body in the first rotation direction.

11. The vehicle of claim 10.

Images