System and method for robotic inspection and locomotion

Abstract

A robotic device for inspecting structures includes: a body extending longitudinally in one of the robotic devices, the body having a front end, a rear end, and opposite sides extending between the front end and the rear end; a plurality of legs disposed on each of the opposite sides of the body, each leg including one or more joints; and a plurality of carriers, each carrier connecting a leg to the body and configured to allow each leg to translate relative to the sides of the body in one longitudinal direction, wherein each of the carriers is configured to be movable independently of each of the other carriers such that a leg distance can be changed, the leg distance being the distance between any two adjacent legs on one side of the body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Field of Invention

[0002] This patent specification relates to a system and method for the movement of a robot, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a robot device assembled to be structurally movable for inspection and / or maintenance operations. [Previous Technology]

[0003] Background of the Invention

[0004] Several types of robots are known to be assembled to traverse large structures, such as wind turbines, skyscrapers, bridges, and nuclear power plant cooling towers. An embodiment of such a robot is disclosed in International Patent PCT / GB2019 / 050363.

[0005] Offshore turbines operate in harsh and extreme environments, such as the North Sea. As wind turbine blades continue to grow larger, their tip velocities can exceed 100 m / s. At these speeds, any particles in the air, such as rainwater, dust, salt, insects, etc., can abrade the surface of the blade's leading edge, a phenomenon commonly known as leading-edge erosion (LEE). This, in turn, alters the aerodynamic shape of the blade, affecting efficiency and potentially causing further, more severe damage, thus reducing the blade's lifespan.

[0006] For other reasons, LEE is also a critical issue for the operation and maintenance of the offshore wind power industry. The subsequent loss of energy generated by wind turbines, coupled with the cost of unplanned maintenance downtime when erosion becomes more severe, directly affects the cost of the electricity generated, the emissions savings that could be achieved by reducing fossil fuel consumption for power generation elsewhere, and the security of the supply to customers.

[0007] Therefore, wind turbines require regular inspections to check for damage such as bird strikes or impacts from other objects, and to monitor for erosion such as LEE, which can be caused by particles such as sand or gravel, as well as particles from rainwater or salt water. In fact, this is becoming a critical issue for the offshore wind industry. Since wind turbine blades are generally made of composite materials, excessive erosion can cause the core to crack, allowing moisture to potentially penetrate and subsequently peel off.

[0008] In addition, although the mechanisms that cause LEE are not fully understood, it can be said that at some point, all wind turbine blades will suffer some form or degree of LEE during their lifespan, which is a problem that needs to be addressed.

[0009] In addition, wind turbines are often located in remote areas where there may be large populations of insects. Therefore, debris from dirt, particles, and insects may accumulate, which can affect the efficiency of the wind turbine over time. Regular cleaning helps reduce this buildup and maintain blade efficiency.

[0010] Other structures also have similar problems to LEE on wind turbines because they require regular maintenance and the structures need to be inspected and repaired in places that are difficult for human operators to reach and dangerous.

[0011] As shown in the embodiment of Figure 1, wind turbines 1 are becoming a familiar sight in the landscape. They can be onshore wind turbines or offshore-based ones, such as as part of floating wind farms used for power generation. It is projected that by 2030, floating wind farms with significantly larger turbines producing more than 15MW of energy will become the norm, compared to today's 7MW drive systems. As increasingly larger blades 2 are used in wind turbines, there is an increasing reliance on lighter materials. The properties of these materials and the higher relative blade tip speeds increase the sensitivity of their leading edges to damage.

[0012] Traditionally, the inspection, repair, and maintenance of wind turbine blades have been responsive. For example, ground photography can be taken, and subsequent actions can be performed using ropes-equipped technicians to examine the photographs for identified defects. These technicians then carry out the necessary remedial work via ropes or a newly installed work platform near the blades. Recently, drones have begun to replace ground photography in capturing initial inspection images, proving to be a step towards regularly inspecting blades to ensure they are in the right direction.

[0013] A prior art robotic device 10 from BladeBUG is illustrated in Figure 2. This robotic device can be used to proactively inspect wind turbine blades 2 during other service downtime. This robotic device 10 is depicted in Figure 2 as being movable along the leading edge 3 of the wind turbine blade 2.

[0014] Offshore remedial work still incurs costs and significantly increases the exposure risk to rope technicians. It is best to leverage advancements in robotics to allow for follow-up actions with reduced human intervention. In this way, it is possible to utilize a limited number of skilled technicians more effectively, allowing for the maintenance of more wind turbine blades2.

[0015] The robotic device 10 allows for the recording of detailed information about any LEE or other defects detected on the blade 2. The collected data can be transmitted to onshore engineers for processing (along with data from many other subsequent inspections) and to determine any necessary remedial work. Early detection and treatment may be cheaper and faster, and can minimize additional damage to the blade 2.

[0016] Various other solutions exist for structural inspection. Currently, for wind turbines, existing systems use drones equipped with cameras or other detectors to identify damage to blades and supporting structures such as masts. As mentioned above, for inspection and maintenance, there have recently been attempts to enable robots to climb wind turbine masts. Some of these use electromagnets or suction devices to allow the robot to attach to the mast. Similarly, similar solutions exist for other large structures.

[0017] However, the currently available robotic devices and their methods of movement may have limited ability to handle certain non-planar surfaces or edges in thin sections. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improved robotic devices and methods of movement, for example, to allow such robotic devices to reach parts of the structure that were previously unreliable for inspection and maintenance. [Summary of the Invention]

[0018] Summary of the Invention

[0019] From a first aspect, the present invention provides a robotic device for inspecting and / or maintaining a structure, comprising: a body extending in a longitudinal direction of the robotic device, the body having a front end, a rear end, and opposite sides extending between the front end and the rear end; a plurality of legs disposed on each of the opposite sides of the body, each leg comprising one or more joints; and a plurality of carriers, each carrier connecting a leg to the body and configured to allow each leg to translate relative to the sides of the body in a longitudinal direction, wherein each of the carriers is configured to be movable independently of each of the other carriers such that a leg distance can be changed, the leg distance being the distance between any two adjacent legs on one side of the body (measured close to the body).

[0020] One advantage of the first aspect is that each leg of the robotic device has additional linear degrees of freedom because the use of a frame that allows each leg to translate longitudinally along one side of the body makes it possible to change the leg distance relative to adjacent legs on the same side of the body. Compared to existing robotic devices, this allows the robotic device to move faster and handle non-planar surfaces better.

[0021] It has been found that this additional degree of freedom makes it possible to improve the range of motion and practicality, especially when the legs of the robot device are positioned on a surface by foot (e.g., by suction) and the surface involves a high degree of convex curvature or the surface structure contains parallel or substantially parallel surfaces with a width similar to that of the robot device, such as beams or beam edges, the edge contours of base plates or plates, columns, or any combination thereof.

[0022] In these cases, one or more lower limb segments (limb segments closest to the feet) on one side of the robotic device can be bent at an angle of 90 to 180 degrees relative to the corresponding lower limb segments of the legs on the opposite side of the main body. Therefore, when straddling the aforementioned thin segment, the upper limb segments can extend downward at a relatively steep angle relative to the main body to link the hip joint, which extends from its generally horizontal side away from the main body to the lower limb segments of the legs.

[0023] Regarding the ability of each carrier to translate longitudinally relative to the side of the main body, this means that each of the carriers can move back and forth along the side of the robot device. This movement is independent of the shape of the robot device and whether the side is flat or curved. Therefore, the principal component of the carrier translation direction is in the longitudinal direction of the robot device (e.g., when the carrier follows any curvature of the main body). One or more of the carriers can be configured to move in a direction that has a component in the vertical direction relative to the main body of the robot device, as well as in the longitudinal direction.

[0024] The term "leg distance" can refer to the distance between any two adjacent legs or adjacent carriers on the same side of the body. That is, the physical distance between adjacent legs or carriers can change. "Leg distance" can be measured at the location where the legs connect to the carriers, for example at the hip joint, so as to be measured at a location close to the body of the robot device.

[0025] The following describes several desired features that can be combined with the robotic device of the first aspect.

[0026] The robotic device can be configured to operate on wind turbines, and more particularly, on wind turbine blades. Specifically, the robotic device can be configured to walk / crawl along the leading edge of the wind turbine blade to perform inspection and / or maintenance of the leading edge. For example, the configuration of the legs (which may include their outline and dimensions) should be suitable to allow the robotic device to walk / crawl along the leading edge. Furthermore, the robotic device can be programmed to automatically identify the leading edge of the wind turbine blade and then autonomously control the movement of its legs, causing it to walk / crawl along the leading edge towards the tip or root to perform inspection and / or maintenance actions.

[0027] The robotic device may be a multi-legged robot (in particular, a hexapod robot, as shown below) and resemble a robotic organism by comprising a body and a plurality of legs extending from each side.

[0028] The body may be defined along a longitudinal axis of its length and may include the body length. In addition to a front end, rear end, left side, and right side, the body may include a top surface and a bottom surface to define a substantially box-shaped body, where the left side and right side are opposite to each other. The left and right sides may define flat sides of the body. However, the invention is not limited to this box-shaped body. The body of the robotic device may also include curved sides and / or an arcuate front or rear end and / or an arcuate top or bottom surface, or any combination thereof.

[0029] The robotic device includes one or more pairs of legs, wherein one leg of a pair is disposed on the opposite side of the other body in the transverse direction. This leg can move independently of the leg on the other side of the body. Each leg may include two or more articulated limb segments. Articulations provide pivots at the hip and knee of each leg. Each leg may include one or more rotational degrees of freedom, and up to three rotational degrees of freedom as needed. These rotational degrees of freedom may be provided by one or more of the articulations between the limb segments.

[0030] Each leg may also include a foot, wherein the foot of each leg may be hinged, for example, at an ankle joint. In this way, the foot can be assembled so that it can rest on the surface of a wind turbine blade or other structure in a manner substantially perpendicular to the surface of the structure.

[0031] The hip joints of each leg may (at least partially) be provided by one of the carriers, enabling each hip joint to translate along the side of the robot device. The carrier can be guided by interaction with guides mounted on the main body.

[0032] Each carrier may include a sliding interface configured to couple the leg to the guide, and the carrier may further include a hinge configured to provide a portion of a hip joint and to connect the carrier to the upper limb segment of the leg via the hip joint.

[0033] The surface can be any surface that the robotic device can access after assembly. Taking a wind turbine as an example, this can include any external portion and / or any internal surface of the wind turbine, including the inner surface of the turbine blades. More specifically, the surface can comprise two surface areas, where these surface areas are typically opposite each other on opposite sides of the structure, for example, where the robotic device may need to walk by straddling the surface areas with one row of feet on one area and another row of feet on the other area.

[0034] The robot device can be configured to walk automatically and adapt to constantly changing surface shapes. Taking a wind turbine blade as an example, the blade shape can change from a large cylinder at the blade root to an aerofoil, and its shape can change along the blade length to the blade tip. When the robot device walks to the trailing edge, the curvature can change from a highly convex curvature at the leading edge of the wind turbine blade to a lower curvature.

[0035] Regarding other types of structures, the underlying surface on which the robotic device must walk may have more angularity or contain several flat surfaces. For example, the structure may contain the edges of beams or the edges of base plates or slabs, where the opposite surface on which the robotic device can grip (using suction) is a parallel flat surface (or substantially parallel, or substantially flat). Such surfaces may be spaced apart by a distance roughly corresponding to the width of the robotic device (e.g., roughly corresponding to the width between the relative hip / hip joints of the robotic device, for example, ±50%). Similar environments may be encountered when walking up or down columns, or working on structural ribs on the bottom surface of a structure. The ability to walk on such terrain opens up possibilities for the robotic device to engage in other types of structures that were previously impossible.

[0036] As described above, the distal end of each leg of the robotic device may include a foot, which in some specific embodiments may be a segment or a flat, curved or pointed end of a limb, or more preferably, may include a tool having a certain form to help the robotic device grip or attach itself to a structural surface.

[0037] The feet of each leg (e.g., end effectors) may include suction devices for securing the robotic device to the surface of a wind turbine blade or other structure. For example, the feet of each leg may include suction cups. The suction cups may be, for example, concave suction cups with a radius-to-height ratio greater than one. Alternatively, these suction cups may include a structure with a bellows. This structure can better adapt to the curvature of the wind turbine blades. These suction cups should be made of a relatively flexible material, such as a polymer-based material.

[0038] The legs are preferably assembled (and the controller of the programmable robot device) such that, in use, the feet approach the surface on which the robot device walks at an angle of 90°. That is, the feet approach the surface in a direction perpendicular to the surface (or as close to perpendicular as possible). In the case of a curved surface, this vertical direction can be defined from a plane tangent to the surface directly beneath the feet.

[0039] Each leg may include a suction generating device that generates suction within a suction cup. For example, this may be a device that includes a piston to increase the internal volume of the suction cup and thereby reduce the internal pressure to generate suction on a surface. The suction generating device may be located in the foot or mounted in or on the lower limb segment or other part of the leg. The device may include a servo motor, a hydraulic actuator, and / or a pneumatic actuator.

[0040] In an alternative configuration, the suction cup can be connected to a pneumatic or hydraulic power supply via tubing. The pneumatic or hydraulic unit can be located within or on the body of the robot device, or, if needed, at a remote location within the robot device. That is, pneumatic or hydraulic power can be supplied to the robot device via an umbilical cord. The advantage of using an umbilical cord to provide, for example, electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic power, or any other remotely available supply, is that the robot device itself can be lighter and can have a more compact design. Additional details regarding the use of an umbilical cord in robot device configurations are provided below.

[0041] In order to apply positive pressure that helps the foot to loosen from the surface, the foot may also include an air blowing device or function.

[0042] The feet of each leg can also be spring-supported in such a way that, when not attached to a surface, the vacuum suction cup remains substantially perpendicular to the robot's lower limb. In other words, when the robot is walking, the ankle joint will not move under its own weight or due to acceleration / deceleration forces (or external forces, such as wind loads), so that the vacuum suction cup can be positioned relatively perpendicular to the blade surface with each step. The spring force can be provided by the compliance of the suction cup, a metal or composite helical spring, or by a Belleville washer / conical spring configuration. The spring force can also be provided by a rubber or elastic polymer compression disc and / or tubing configuration, which is assembled to allow the foot to return to substantially perpendicular alignment with the lower part of the leg.

[0043] Each leg may comprise an upper limb segment (femur) and a lower limb segment (tibia). The upper limb segment may be connected to the lower limb segment by a lower hinge (knee) joint, and the upper limb segment may be connected to the body by an upper hinge (hip or hip) joint. The upper hinge joint may provide one or two degrees of freedom to allow the leg to move forward and backward and upward and downward at this joint. Similarly, the lower hinge joint or another hinge joint may provide one or two degrees of freedom to allow the leg to move in other ways.

[0044] The individual articulated limb segments of these legs can be connected to adjacent limb segments or the main body by individually actuated articulated joints. For example, each leg may include two articulated joints with axes arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body (e.g., when viewed from above, the limb is configured to extend vertically from the main body), and another articulated joint arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main body. The articulated joints described herein may be the aforementioned upper and lower articulated joints.

[0045] The feet of each leg may include ankle joints that connect the feet to the lower limb segment. The ankle joints may be hinged to allow for at least two dimensions of movement, or three as needed. The ankle joints may be hinged to allow several quasi-degrees of freedom, meaning that the joint may contain elastic material to allow for a small amount of additional rotational movement or include mechanisms that allow for a small amount of movement in the linear direction. These measures help the robotic device adapt to surface inhomogeneities when placing the feet of the legs.

[0046] In addition to pivoting motion or alternatively, the ankle joint allows axial and rotational movement of the foot relative to the rest of the leg. This enables the foot to allow torsional movement of the leg relative to the plane of the blade surface. In addition to rotational movement, the advantage of providing axial movement of the foot relative to the leg is that the foot can rest substantially vertically on the surface of the wind turbine blade (and be firmly fixed to the surface) and allows rotation to enable the robot's leg and body to move when necessary while the foot remains stationary and fixed to the blade.

[0047] The robotic device may be a hexapod robot. That is, the robotic device may include three pairs of legs, i.e., three legs on each of the left and right sides of the main body. Alternatively, the robotic device may be a quadruped robot, an octagonal robot, or may include any number of legs (including an odd number of legs) suitable for the application of the robotic device. These legs do not necessarily all have the same length and / or be connected to the main body at the same height. The sides of the robotic device may not be parallel and the position and / or geometry of these legs may be adjusted accordingly.

[0048] When viewed from the side, the positions of the carriers define a straight line. In other words, all of the carriers are capable of translating along one side of the main body at a constant height. When viewed from the side, the carriers can be seen translating linearly.

[0049] When viewed from above, the carriers on each side can be seen to translate linearly. The sides of the main body can be flat to facilitate this. For example, the carriers can translate along tracks provided on the straight sides of the main body.

[0050] In several alternative embodiments, the sides of the body may be curved and the translation of such carriers may follow a curved path in the longitudinal or generally longitudinal direction.

[0051] Guides may be provided on various sides of the body. Each guide may be in the form of a rail or a pair of rails, for example, upper and lower rails. By providing upper and lower rails, the legs can be mounted at vertically spaced points, for example via a sliding interface, which provides better load transfer from the body to the legs and a more stable configuration. The sliding interface may include a pair of linear bearings for engaging with the rails of one of the guides.

[0052] The body may include a left guide associated with the left side of the body and a right guide associated with the right side of the body. Each guide may include at least one track extending longitudinally along the body, including, if necessary, an upper track and a lower track, as described above. These tracks may extend longitudinally in a parallel manner and may be provided by the same structural elements. In several embodiments, the body may have a curved shape, meaning that the tracks may be curved to follow the shape of the body. A plurality of carriers on a given side of the body may be connected to the track or the track to guide the movement of the carriers as they translate along one side of the body.

[0053] The tracks or tracks on each side of the main body may be linear tracks. These tracks or tracks may substantially extend the entire length of the robot device's main body, from a point immediately adjacent to the front end of the main body to a point immediately adjacent to the rear end of the main body. Each track may include protrusions or recesses that can engage with a sliding interface to guide the translational movement of the carrier.

[0054] The left and right sides can be flat, and the left and right guides can each be installed and extended along the flat left and right sides of the main body. In this way, the configuration of the sliding interface can remain relatively simple and other components can be freely installed on the top and bottom surfaces.

[0055] In other specific embodiments, the carrier of each leg may include a U-shaped bracket that provides a sliding interface extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the body near the left or right side of the body, so as to be guided by tracks on the top and bottom surfaces when the leg translates along one side of the body. The carrier of each leg may also include an L-shaped bracket extending from one of the top and bottom surfaces to the left or right side of the body, so as to be guided by tracks on the top or bottom surface and on the left or right side surface when the leg translates along one side of the body. The robotic device may also include combinations of such mounting and guiding configurations, wherein some legs use one configuration and other legs use another.

[0056] The left and right sides of the main body may each be provided with a mechanism or part of a mechanism to drive each leg to translate along one side of the main body of the robot device. For example, the main body may include a mechanism in the form of an actuator, which is configured to move a given leg along the main body. More preferably, each leg is provided with an actuator that interacts with a part of the main body to move the leg along the main body to generate translational motion and provide an additional linear motion dimension. Thus, each carrier is in the form of a self-powered electric carrier with its own power supply and drive.

[0057] The left and right sides of the main body may each include a rack, for example, a linear rack, extending along the length of the robotic device. The rack may be oriented such that its gear teeth are in a substantially vertical direction relative to the main body, for example, as seen when the robotic device stands on a horizontal surface. The gear teeth may face upwards or downwards on the rack. The rack may also include recesses or holes for engaging sprocket teeth, rather than gear teeth. Preferably, the racks on each side of the main body face the same direction. Each side may include two racks, one disposed above the other.

[0058] Other configurations for providing linear movement of one or more of the legs may include the use of a belt drive or a lead screw.

[0059] With this configuration, it can be seen that the entire frame extends in a plane (a generally horizontal plane), and the gear teeth of the rack can extend at approximately right angles to the plane (and / or perpendicular to the axis of the body).

[0060] One or more of these carriers may include a motor and a gear. The gear may be mounted on the motor shaft of the motor and directly driven by the motor. Alternatively, the gear may be provided by a portion of the rotor of a hub motor. The gear may include a spur gear. The gear may be configured to engage the rack, for example, the plane of the gear may be substantially perpendicular and the teeth of the gear may interlock with the teeth of the rack. The motor may be configured to rotate the gear such that, in use, the gear translates linearly along the rack, and thus linearly along one of the left or right sides of the body. In this way, the carrier can translate (linearly) along the length of the body of the robot device, or at least within the range allowed by the rack. The rack preferably extends beyond 75% of the length of the body of the robot device, and more preferably beyond 90% of the length of the body. Even with the presence of other legs and carriers, a given carrier can still translate up to 60% of the length of the body of the robot device.

[0061] To determine the position of the leg or carrier relative to the length of the main body, the motor may include a position control, such as an encoder. The motor for translating the carrier may be housed within the carrier.

[0062] In the case of a hexapod robot device, each of the six legs is connected to a corresponding carrier, and each carrier may have a motor and the aforementioned gear configuration. Each of the six carriers can be connected to the main body and guided by guides disposed above and below the rack, for example, a track, preferably two tracks. Each of the six carriers can be assembled so that they can move independently of each other. That is, each carrier can move independently along the length of the rack when there is space. Other leg and carrier configurations are also conceivable, in particular, robot devices comprising more than six legs and carriers.

[0063] The main body may include racks and / or rails for each carrier, enabling each carrier to move along the full length of its corresponding rack, and, as needed, carriers on one side of the main body may share a common rack and common rail or rail assembly. When there are four or more legs and carriers, that is, when each side has two or more legs and carriers, some carriers on a given side may use one rail and / or rack while other carriers may use another.

[0064] The main body or one of the carriers may include one or more limit switches configured to prevent any two carriers from colliding on a common rack. One or more of these limit switches may be configured to determine the position of each carrier along one side of the main body. The position of the carrier relative to the main body or relative to adjacent carriers or both can be estimated.

[0065] The upper hinge joint can be configured to have two degrees of freedom, such that the leg can be configured to rotate in a vertical plane to raise off the surface or lower onto the surface and can be configured to rotate in a horizontal plane, such that the leg rotates to swing the leg of the robot device, for example, during walking or turning.

[0066] The advantage of allowing the carrier to translate along one side of the main body as described above is that the translational movement of the legs, especially linear translational movement, allows for a more suitable gait pattern when moving along curved surfaces, particularly convex curved surfaces, such as the leading edge of a wind turbine blade, where the movement can occur in the radial direction of the wind turbine blade and the legs engage on the opposite side of the blade. This results in the robot device moving faster and more steadily along such surfaces. This method of movement also facilitates the robot device walking along the edge of a base plate, plate, or beam or other similar relatively narrow structure, where the legs of the robot device engage on opposite parallel or substantially parallel surfaces.

[0067] Some walking / crawling patterns may be suited to flatter surfaces while others may be better suited to surfaces with greater curvature or when the robotic device must grip the opposite side of a structure, for example, due to the high curvature of the underlying structure, such as the leading edge of a wind turbine blade, or due to the thickness of the structure creating two parallel flat sides that require the robotic device to walk / crawle along, for example, the edges of beams, plates, or base plates, or up / down columns. The advantage of providing additional dimensions of movement by offering a carrier for such legs is that it provides flexibility to optimize the walking pattern of the robotic device according to the available conditions. It also allows the robotic device to exert better suction, and thus better grip, to anchor itself to the surface of the structure while walking or performing certain other actions.

[0068] Another advantage of this configuration is that, with the feet of the legs fixed to the surface, the body of the robotic device can move back and forth relative to the legs and / or feet. This is particularly advantageous in situations where the surface is slippery or the weather conditions are dangerous, because, for example, to scan the surface, it allows the feet to be anchored more securely to the underlying surface while allowing sensors on the body to scan several parts of the surface or underlying structure without having to move the legs; thus reducing the risk that the robotic device may slip off the surface. Another possibility is that the robotic device can use the translation of the legs along the body to extend its body into spaces that are too small for it to walk into, thereby allowing the inspection of areas that were previously inaccessible to other robotic configurations.

[0069] To achieve the same result of forward movement on a highly curved surface and to enable it to walk in the same manner on a flat surface, this translational motion can be achieved in many other ways with the aforementioned gear and rack system. Other methods include: using a driven lead screw instead of a rack; a push rod or bowden cable; a pneumatically or hydraulically driven linear track and / or actuator; and a belt-driven carrier instead of a rack. Other configurations will be conceived by those skilled in the art.

[0070] The guide can be any physical feature that guides the movement of the carriers when translating along the body. It can be a feature that protrudes from or is recessed into the side of the body. Preferably, it is a feature that can be used in conjunction with a linear bearing to guide the translation of the carriers. The guide may also include a rack and provide the dual function of guiding and allowing translation.

[0071] Each leg can be an independent unit. That is, each leg can contain its own power unit and can be detached from the main body. Any hydraulic or pneumatic components required by the leg can also be contained within the leg or can have connection points for connecting hydraulic or pneumatic lines to a supply from the main body. Similarly, the leg can include a power line connected to the main body for supplying power to the leg.

[0072] The legs are modular and include the same components used on the same row of legs or on opposite sides of the body.

[0073] The advantage of modular leg design is improved ease of maintenance for the robot device. With detachable legs, engineers can individually maintain each leg and the main body. An additional advantage of modular configuration is that if any leg or main body is damaged, only that part needs to be replaced or sent for replacement, and it may allow the use of spare main body or leg parts. This will have additional economic benefits, enabling users to purchase and store spare parts and perform relatively simple unit replacements themselves, for example, when all legs are identical.

[0074] The advantage of housing the power units in each leg is that it enables the legs to function even when the main power is cut off. This then enables the robot to move to a safe position when it detects that the main power has been cut off. In addition, if any of the legs loses power or other malfunctions are observed in the leg, the robot continues to function with the power of the remaining legs.

[0075] The leg may be hollow. That is, the leg may have several internal cavities within each of its upper and lower limbs, through which electrical wiring and / or hydraulic or pneumatic wiring can be housed within each limb of the leg. The advantage of this feature is that it provides protection for the wiring within the leg while reducing the risk of cables snagging on structures traversed by the robotic device. It also helps to reduce the angle of cable bending during walking movements.

[0076] The robotic device may further include a battery housed within the main body. The battery pack may be configured to supply primary power to the robotic device and / or serve as a backup power source in a configuration where the robotic device receives power via an umbilical cord and the power supply is cut off. The legs may include internal power sources to power facilities within the legs.

[0077] The robotic device may include one or more cameras. Several cameras may be configured on the front, top, or side areas of the main body, the bottom surface of the main body, or any of its legs. One or more of these cameras may be inspection cameras, for example, high-resolution cameras whose primary function is to acquire data indicating the surface condition of wind turbine blades or other structures. Alternatively or concurrently, the same camera or another camera may be a navigation camera to assist the robotic device in its movement on the surface of a wind turbine blade, particularly along the leading edge of the wind turbine blade. One or more of these cameras may be thermal imaging sensors, laser scanners, visible light cameras, hyperspectral cameras for night vision, and / or LiDAR sensors.

[0078] The robotic device may include a sensor array. The sensor array may be mounted on the main body. The robot may include multiple sensor arrays mounted at different points on the main body, such as the top, bottom, front, back, left, or right side of the main body, or even on its legs. The sensor array may include an ultrasonic scanner for imaging the internal condition of the structure. The one or more sensor arrays may be configured to scan the surface of the structure. Providing one or more sensor arrays may have the advantage of improving surface mapping around the robotic device, allowing the user to navigate the robotic device on the structure with greater certainty. The sensor array may also provide an improved level of information and detail about the structure, including surface condition, defects, and information about the environment of the robotic device, to enhance the robotic device's ability to navigate specific areas of the structure or surface.

[0079] The robotic device may include equipment for repairing damage found on wind turbine blades or any other composite structures. For example, the robotic device may include a resin chamber and means for applying a resin coating to the damaged area of ​​the wind turbine blade. The resin may comprise two components, and the robotic device may include two chambers, one for containing the first component and the other for containing a second component different from the first, wherein the mixed resin is allowed to harden when the components are mixed together during the coating process. The resin may be, for example, epoxy resin or polyester-based resin or any other suitable resin. Alternatively, the resin may be a UV-curable resin. The robotic device may further include a UV lamp that can be configured into a curable resin.

[0080] As an alternative to or supplement to the resin tank, the robotic device may contain tank-carrying material suitable for repairing the structure it is traversing. One embodiment of the repair material may be plaster or concrete for repairing buildings with plaster or concrete exterior walls. The robotic device may also be used to transport and deploy coating materials, such as hydrophobic coatings, sacrificial coatings, paints, varnishes, and other such materials.

[0081] For applying resin, plaster, or other repair materials, the robotic device may include a nozzle. The nozzle may extend from the main body and may be guided by a computer program or a remote user to apply the repair material to the structure.

[0082] Alternatively or concurrently, the robotic device may include equipment for cleaning structures. For example, in the case of wind turbines, the accumulation of insect debris, for instance, is a problem with the operating efficiency of the wind turbine blades, particularly along the leading edge of the wind turbine. The robotic device may be equipped with a chamber cleaning fluid and nozzles for spraying the cleaning fluid onto the affected portions of the surface. The robotic device may further include brushes or scrapers for removing debris from the surface of the wind turbine blades.

[0083] The robot device may not have any auxiliary equipment. Alternatively, as described above, an umbilical cord can be used to connect necessary components such as power, pneumatic, hydraulic, data, or other wiring to the robot device. Therefore, the umbilical cord connection can be located on the body of the robot device, and this connection includes contacts or ports for supplying power, pneumatic lines, data, and / or hydraulic fluid to the robot device. If present, the pneumatic line can provide a suction source for the feet and / or supply high-pressure air. The data connection can transmit operating commands to the robot device and transmit test data back to the controller for transmission to a remote workstation capable of analyzing the data.

[0084] In addition to or in place of the other lines mentioned above, the umbilical cord may also be configured to provide cleaning fluid or repair materials. There may be more than one umbilical cord.

[0085] To minimize any rotational effects on the body due to weight or wind load, this umbilical cord may be connected to the body at a position aligned with the body's longitudinal axis. If necessary, the umbilical cord may be connected to the lower or underside of the robot device body. The umbilical cord may include a flexible or pivotable connection to minimize the transmission of adverse lateral forces on the robot device.

[0086] The advantage of having an umbilical cord is that the robotic device itself can be lighter and have a more compact design if it does not need to carry resin tanks, batteries, hydraulic or pneumatic units or other containers for items that can be supplied from an external storage unit via the umbilical cord.

[0087] The robot device may further include a controller configured to control the position of the body relative to the stationary feet, thereby providing a stable platform that enables it to perform inspection and / or maintenance actions accurately. The controller and actuators may provide the capability of five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) of the body relative to the blade surface.

[0088] Several tools can be attached to the body, such as a grinding machine that allows for the precise removal of damaged material into a predefined shape and profile. This type of repair facilitates the work of rope technicians, minimizing exposure time on the surface of wind turbine blades. The robotic device can perform inspection of underlying surfaces and / or underlying blocks, for example, using visual inspection techniques and ultrasonic inspection. The robotic device can also perform routine maintenance, such as cleaning, coating, sealing, and / or painting surfaces. The robotic device itself can also perform repairs, such as repairing cracks and / or surface damage, restoring the leading edge profile to its designed and manufactured profile after leading edge erosion, etc.

[0089] The robot device can be deployed by placing it from the turbine nacelle onto the root of the blade by a person or a small crane. It can then be moved to any part of the wind turbine blade to areas of interest or areas identified by drone as likely to be damaged. It can also be airdropped onto the structure using a drone.

[0090] This robotic device can be used to crawl inside wind turbine blades to perform inspections and repairs in the enclosed spaces within the blade structure. The robotic device can also perform lightning continuity and resistance tests to ensure the proper functioning of the lightning protection system.

[0091] The robotic device can also be sprayed onto surface coatings, such as superhydrophobic coatings, to protect the blade surface and minimize the adhesion of dirt or water. Applying superhydrophobic coatings may be a method to reduce icing on turbine blades in cold climates.

[0092] The robotic device can also inject / spray / apply resin to prevent additional environmental intrusion into the blade structure.

[0093] From a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for moving a robot device for a first aspect, comprising: raising and lowering several legs away from a surface in a progressive manner to move the main body of the robot device relative to the structure, wherein the method further comprises: translating each leg along one side of the main body in a longitudinal direction when each leg is in a raised position.

[0094] The second advantage is that the robotic device using this method of mobile motion system can walk more controllably and better on surfaces with high convex curvature than existing systems, and the system also makes it possible to improve the range of motion and practicality.

[0095] The movement method may include translating each carrier a distance of 60% or more of the main body length of the robot device when the leg is in a raised position.

[0096] In one specific embodiment, the movement method includes: raising a first set of legs from a surface to an up position, the first set of legs including a left leg of a first pair of legs and a right leg of a second pair of legs, wherein the first pair of legs is adjacent to the second pair of legs; translating the first set of legs in the longitudinal direction; translating the body together with the first set of legs in the longitudinal direction; lowering the first set of legs to a down position on the surface; raising a second set of legs from the surface to the up position, the second set of legs including a right leg of the first pair of legs and a left leg of the second pair of legs; translating the second set of legs in the longitudinal direction; translating the body together with the second set of legs in the longitudinal direction; and lowering the second set of legs to a down position on the surface.

[0097] The translation of the legs can be achieved by linear (or near-linear) translation of the respective carriers to which the legs are attached. The translation can follow a straight path or a curved path.

[0098] In another specific embodiment, the movement method includes: raising a first pair of legs from a surface to an upper position; translating the first pair of legs in the longitudinal direction; lowering the first pair of legs to a lower position on the surface; raising a second pair of legs from the surface to the upper position, wherein the second pair of legs is adjacent to the first pair of legs; translating the second pair of legs in the longitudinal direction; lowering the second pair of legs to a lower position on the surface; and moving the body in the longitudinal direction.

[0099] The method may include generating suction at the point of contact between one of the robot's feet and the surface of the wind turbine blade. The suction may be applied to two or more feet of the robot that are in contact with a surface.

[0100] The method may include manipulating the legs of the robotic device to cause the robotic device to walk (crawl) along the leading edge of a wind turbine blade. The robotic device may walk from the root (or near the root) of the wind turbine blade along the leading edge toward the tip of the wind turbine blade. It may even walk around the tip of the wind turbine blade and on the remaining surface of the wind turbine blade.

[0101] The method may include walking along the edge of a beam or one of the beams. The method may include walking along the edge of a slab or base plate. The method may include walking up or down on such edges or columns.

Implementation Method

[0103] The following description relates to the use of the robotic device of the present invention for inspecting wind turbines. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the following disclosure can also be applied to other structures, such as skyscrapers, bridges, nuclear power and other cooling towers, as well as other structures in areas that are difficult or dangerous for human workers to access, or areas that are generally considered inaccessible to human workers. Therefore, the robotic device described herein is applicable to any structure that requires inspection or maintenance.

[0104] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the robot device 300. The robot device 300 straddles the leading edge of a wind turbine blade 350. The robot device 300 has a longitudinally extending body 302. The body has a front end 304, a rear end 306, a top surface 308, a bottom surface 310, a left side surface 312, and a right side surface 314. The left side surface 312 and the right side surface 314 are opposite to each other. The body 302 may have a rectangular box shape, as shown in the figure.

[0105] Unless otherwise stated, any reference to a particular direction and relative position herein shall be understood to refer to the robot device 300 as seen when its legs are standing on a horizontal surface. Of course, in use, the robot device 300 is unlikely to walk, inspect, or maintain on a horizontal surface and should accordingly refer to references; in fact, many advantages of this new robot device 300 are that it can handle uneven, highly curved, or sharp contours better than previous robot devices. Furthermore, the robot device 300 is not directionally limited; depending on the task at hand and the direction of travel, the front end can be the rear end and the rear end can be the front end.

[0106] The main body 302 extends longitudinally in the robot device 300 to define the length of the main body. In the configuration in which the main body 302 includes a substantially rectangular box-shaped main body as shown in the figure, the length of the main body is represented by the length of each of the flat longitudinally extending left and right sides 312, 314.

[0107] The illustrated robot device 300 is a hexapod robot and includes three carriers 315 mounted on the left side 312 and three carriers 315 mounted on the right side 314. Each carrier 315 is attached with one leg. Other leg and carrier configurations are possible. As shown, the size and format of these legs 316 and carriers 315 can be the same, the only difference being that the left leg 316 is a mirror image of the right leg 316.

[0108] Each of the carriers 315 of the robot device 300 provides additional linear degrees of freedom to allow each leg 315 to translate along one side of the body 302 of the robot device 300. This allows the carriers 315 to translate independently longitudinally along one of the sides 312, 314 of the body 302. In this way, the leg spacing relative to adjacent legs 316 or carriers 315 on the same side 312, 314 of the body 302 can be changed. This enables the robot device 300 to walk in a manner different from conventional hexapods or other similar multi-legged robots, by means of the carriers 315 translating independently longitudinally along the sides 312, 314 of the body 302 in a direction toward or away from the ends 304, 306 of the body 302. In this way, the translation of the carriers 315 thus allows the legs 316 attached to the carriers 315 to translate along the length of the body 302.

[0109] In the configuration of FIG3, each leg 316 includes a hip joint 326 (or a portion thereof), where each leg is connected to its respective carrier 315. Each carrier 315 is configured to translate along the sides 312, 314 of the robot device 300 mounted thereon, and is guided to the front end 304 or rear end 306 of the body 302 by interaction with guides provided on the body 302, such as tracks or a pair of tracks 322.

[0110] Depending on the configuration of the robot device 300, the track or the pair of tracks 322 is configured to extend from the front end 304 to the rear end 306 along each of the left and right sides 312, 314 of the body 302. They preferably extend the entire length of the robot device 300, or provide as much stride as possible for the legs 316. If necessary, the mounting of the legs 316 may also include two or more tracks 322 on each side, for example, a third or fourth track.

[0111] The track or several tracks 322 are preferably located on each of the left and right sides 312, 314 (e.g., mounted on or formed as part of them), leaving the top surface 308 and bottom surface 310 without other components. However, it is also possible to mount the left or right track 322 on the top surface 308 or bottom surface 310 of the body 302 (e.g., on both sides of the longitudinal centerline) to guide the carrier 315 as it translates along one side of the body 302. For example, the carrier 315 may include a U-shaped bracket that extends from the top surface 308 to the bottom surface 310 near the left or right sides 312, 314 of the body 302 to be guided by the track on the top surface 308 and bottom surface 310 as the carrier 316 translates along one side 312, 314 of the body 302. The carrier 315 may also include an L-shaped bracket extending from one of the top surface 308 and the bottom surface 310 to the left or right side surface 312, 314 of the body 302, to be guided by tracks on the top surface 308 or the bottom surface 310 and the left or right side surface 312, 314 as the carrier 315 translates along one of the sides 312, 314 of the body 302. The robotic device 300 may include combinations of such mounting and guiding configurations.

[0112] The guide, preferably in the form of a track or several tracks 322, extends more than 50% of the body length, preferably more than 75% of the body length, and more than 85% of the body length is even more preferred. In a configuration similar to the illustrated configuration, in order to allow as much translational movement as possible, such guides substantially extend the total length of the body of the robot device 302 (i.e., between 90% and 100% of the body length).

[0113] Each carrier 315 includes a sliding interface at one end of the carrier closest to the body 302 for coupling the carrier 315 to a guide (e.g., a track), and a hinge at the other end of the carrier 315, which is configured to provide a hip joint 326 and connect the carrier 315 to the upper limb segment 328 of the leg via the hip joint 326.

[0114] Therefore, each leg 316 is connected to the main body 302 via a carrier 315, thereby allowing the movement of each leg 316 and the carrier 315 to be guided when the carrier 315 translates to one side of the main body 302. Each carrier 315 may also include some form of actuator for translating the carrier 315 relative to the main body 302.

[0115] In Figure 3, the left side 312 and right side 314 of the main body 302 each include a rack 318. Each carrier 315 includes a gear (e.g., a spur gear not shown in Figure 3) whose teeth interlock with the teeth of the rack 318. Each carrier 315 also includes a motor 320 configured to drive the gear. Rotation of the gear causes the gear to travel along the rack 318, thereby causing linear translation of the carrier 315 and its respective legs 316.

[0116] Therefore, this configuration provides linear degrees of freedom to each leg 316, where each leg 316 itself can translate independently along the side of the body 302 via the carrier 315.

[0117] Legs 316 that are directly adjacent on the same side are considered to be adjacent.

[0118] The left and right sides 312, 314 include guides in the form of linear tracks 322, which are mounted on linear bearings 324 (e.g., wheel bearings, ball bearings, etc.) at the ends of the carriers 315 closest to the main body 302. These linear bearings 324 guide and support each carrier 315 and allow each carrier 315 to translate smoothly longitudinally along the length of the main body 302 independently from each other carrier 315.

[0119] Each carrier 315 or leg 316 may include a positioner. In FIG. 3, the motor 320 includes a positioner in the form of an encoder to know and control the position of each carrier 315 or leg 316 along the length of the body 302. The robot device 300 also includes limit switches to prevent adjacent carriers 315 or legs 316 from colliding with each other during linear movement. These limit switches may also be configured to determine the position of each of the carriers 315 or legs 316 relative to the body 302 and / or relative to other carriers 315 or legs 316.

[0120] Each leg 316 may include at least an upper hinge joint 326 (hip or hip joint), an upper hinge limb 328 (upper limb segment), a lower hinge joint 330 (knee), a lower hinge limb 332 (lower limb segment), an ankle joint 334, and a foot 336. The foot 336 is connected to the lower hinge limb 332 via the ankle joint 334, and the lower hinge limb 332 is connected to the upper hinge limb 328 via the lower hinge joint 330. The upper hinge limb 328 is connected to the carrier 315 via the upper hinge joint 326. The upper hinge joint 326 may also house a motor 320 and a linear bearing 324 that couples each leg 316 to the main body 302.

[0121] The main body 302 of Figure 3 further includes four sensors 338, two of which are located on the edge where the front end 304 meets the top surface 308 (e.g., at the upper corner of the main body 302 when viewed from the front) and two of which are located on the edge where the rear end 306 meets the top surface 308 (e.g., at other upper corners of the main body 302 when viewed from the rear). These sensors 338 include cameras and other sensors and are configured to provide navigation equipment to the robot device 300. The sensors 338 are also configured to scan structural surfaces on which the robot device 300 moves. The sensors 338 can provide information to the controller to assist in the placement of the feet 336 of each leg 316.

[0122] The side view of Figure 4 illustrates the robot device 300. The left side 312 and the right side 314 are arranged substantially symmetrically.

[0123] Each leg 316 has a foot 336 that includes a suction device for securing the robot device 300 to the surface of the wind turbine blade 350. Each leg 316 has a foot 336 that includes a suction cup 340. The suction cup 340 depicted in FIG4 is, for example, a concave suction cup 340 with a radius-to-height ratio greater than one. The suction cup 340 may be made of a polymer-based material to provide flexibility.

[0124] Each leg 316 includes a suction generating device to generate suction within the suction cup 340. This suction generating device may include a piston to increase the internal volume of the suction cup 340, thereby reducing internal pressure to generate suction on the surface. The suction generating device may include a servo motor, as well as a hydraulic actuator or a pneumatic actuator. These components may be housed within a frame (skeleton) forming the outer surface of the lower limb segment 332.

[0125] Each of the legs 316 has three rotational degrees of freedom. For the robotic device 300 depicted herein, the upper hinge joint 326 (hip joint) can be configured to provide three rotational degrees of freedom to the rest of the legs 316. The lower hinge joint 330 (knee joint) is configured to provide at least one rotational degree of freedom of the lower hinge limb 332 relative to the upper hinge limb 328.

[0126] The ankle joint 334 can be configured to provide three-dimensional movement of the foot 336 relative to the lower articulated limb 332. That is, the ankle joint provides axial and rotational movement of the foot 336 relative to the rest of the leg 316. This enables the foot 336 to allow torsional movement of the leg 316 relative to the plane of the surface. The advantage of providing axial movement of the foot relative to the leg is that the foot can rest substantially vertically on the surface of the wind turbine blade (and be firmly fixed to the surface) and helps to allow rotation so that the robot's leg and body can move when necessary while the foot remains stationary and fixed to the blade.

[0127] Each of the legs 316 includes a power unit for supplying power to the components in the leg 316. The leg 316 also includes wiring that passes through the cavities of the respective articulated limbs 328, 332 and through the upper and lower articulated joints 326, 330.

[0128] The legs 316 may be modular, independent units that can be detached from the main body 302. This may be advantageous given that the robot device 300 can still move and perform actions using the remaining legs 316 even in situations with operational problems. It also allows for easier maintenance or replacement.

[0129] Figure 5, in a front view, illustrates a robotic device 400 with legs 402 raised to an upper position. The robotic device 400 straddles the leading edge of a wind turbine blade 450. The robotic device 400 shares many features with the robotic device 300 described above, and therefore the discussion of these features also applies to this specific embodiment. The height convexity curvature of the wind turbine blade leading edge, the relative proportion of the robotic device to the width of the wind turbine blade, and the proportion of the width of the robotic device to the width of the wind turbine blade (which is similar to the proportion of the width of the straddling robotic device 300 obtained between corresponding hip joints) mean that the feet of the robotic device 300 can be positioned face-to-face or substantially face-to-face (e.g., between 90 and 180 degrees). A similar situation would occur if it were not a wind turbine blade, with the robotic device 300 straddling the edge of a crossbeam, base plate or plate, or column. In this scenario, the feet rest on two parallel flat surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the structure. Other scenarios are possible where the two surfaces are not parallel (e.g., one surface is not parallel to the other by ±30 degrees) or flat (such surfaces may include a reference surface that is somewhat rough or undulating, such as up to 10 mm).

[0130] Figures 6 to 22 illustrate key steps of the movement method used for the above-described robot devices 300 and 400. As described above, robot devices 300 and 400 are assembled to traverse various surfaces and surface shapes. Linear degrees of freedom provide additional options for the method of traversing surfaces.

[0131] Figures 6 to 14 illustrate a movement method related to the tripod method of movement of the robot device 500. The movement tripod method for the robot device 500 includes many steps.

[0132] The first step, illustrated in FIG6, includes raising the first set of legs 502 from the surface 550 to an upper position. That is, the first set of legs 502 is raised such that the feet 504 of the first set of legs 502 are no longer in contact with the surface 550. The legs not in the first set of legs 502 remain in the lower position and their feet are attached to the surface 550 to provide stability for the robot device 500.

[0133] The first pair of legs 502 includes the left leg 506 of the first pair of legs 508, the right leg 510 of the second pair of legs 512, and the left leg 514 of the third pair of legs 516. The first pair of legs 508 is adjacent to the second pair of legs 512, and the third pair of legs 516 is also adjacent to the second pair of legs 512, but the first pair of legs 508 is not adjacent to the third pair of legs 516. Therefore, the second pair of legs 512 is located between the first pair of legs 508 and the third pair of legs 516.

[0134] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the second step of moving the first set of legs 502 longitudinally by translating the carrier of each leg of the first set of legs 502. In this step, the main body 518 is also assembled to move together with the first set of legs 502 in the same longitudinal direction as the first set of legs 502.

[0135] In order to move the body 518 relative to the legs, the legs fixed to the surface 550 are each assembled with a gear that allows the body 518 to move in a linear direction relative to the fixed legs.

[0136] It is preferable that each of the carriers 315 can be translated by more than 50% of the main body length, and more than 60% of the main body length. It is even more preferable that each carrier 315 can be moved by more than 70% of the main body length.

[0137] The first set of legs 502 is assembled such that while the main body 518 moves linearly relative to the fixed legs, it can also move linearly relative to the main body 518. In this way, the robot device 500 can cover a long distance along a portion of the surface 550.

[0138] The third step, not shown, is to lower the first set of legs 502 to a lower position on the surface 550. That is, once the first set of legs 502 and the main body 518 have completed the movement of the second step, the first set of legs 502 lowers their feet 504 to the surface 550 so that the first set of legs 502 is fixed to the surface 550.

[0139] Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the fourth step of raising the second set of legs 520 from the surface 550 to the upper position. The second set of legs 520 includes legs that are not in the first set of legs 502. That is, the second set of legs 520 is raised such that the feet 522 of the second set of legs 520 are no longer in contact with the surface 550. The first set of legs 502 remains in the lower position and the feet 504 are attached to the surface 550 to provide stability to the robotic device 500.

[0140] The second pair of legs 520 includes the right leg 524 of the first pair of legs 508, the left leg 526 of the second pair of legs 512, and the right leg 528 of the third pair of legs 516.

[0141] Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the fifth step of moving the second set of legs 520 longitudinally by translating the carrier of each leg of the first set of legs 520. In this step, the main body 518 is also assembled so that it can move together with the second set of legs 520 in the same longitudinal direction as the second set of legs 520.

[0142] The sixth step, not shown, causes the second set of legs 520 to descend to a lower position on the surface 550. That is, once the second set of legs 520 and the main body 518 have completed the movement of the second step, the second set of legs 520 lowers the feet 522 to the surface 550, thereby fixing the second set of legs 520 to the surface 550.

[0143] Repeat the above steps to traverse the surface. The robot device 500 is assembled into a shape that can fit the surface it traverses, and the legs are moved at appropriate angles to ensure that the robot device 500 is safe during such movement.

[0144] Figure 12 depicts a variation of the fifth step described above. In this figure, the second set of legs 520 can also be configured to be rotatable at the upper hinge joints of each leg. That is, each leg of the second set 520 is configured to be rotatable relative to the body 518. In addition to lateral movement, this rotation provides additional reach to the legs, thereby allowing the robotic device 500 to travel further on the surface 550.

[0145] To provide additional extension to the robot device 500, the first set of legs 502 can also rotate in the second step. The rotation of the hinge joints above the first set of legs 502 or the second set of legs 520 is not limited to the second and fifth steps. That is, these legs can rotate during any movement step.

[0146] Figures 13 and 14 depict a robot device 500 configured to traverse a substantially flat surface using the tripod method described above.

[0147] Figures 15 to 22 illustrate the steps of a ripple method of movement related to a microwave movement method. The microwave movement method of the robot device 500 includes many steps. The component symbols used for these features may refer to the same features as described above.

[0148] The first step illustrated in Figure 15 includes raising the first pair of legs 508 from the surface 550 to the upper position.

[0149] Figure 16 illustrates the second step of moving the first pair of legs 508 longitudinally by translating the carrier of each leg in the first pair of legs 508.

[0150] The third step includes: lowering the first pair of legs 508 to the lower position on the surface 550.

[0151] The fourth step illustrated in Figure 17 includes raising the second pair of legs 512 from the surface 550 to the upper position.

[0152] Figure 18 illustrates the fifth step of moving the second pair of legs 512 longitudinally toward the first pair of legs 508 by translating the carrier of each leg in the second pair of legs 512.

[0153] Step 6 includes: lowering the second pair of legs 512 to the lower position on the surface 550.

[0154] Step 7 includes: raising the third pair of legs 516 from the surface 550 to the upper position.

[0155] Figure 19 illustrates the eighth step of moving the third pair of legs 516 longitudinally toward the second group of legs 512 by translating the carrier of each leg in the third pair of legs 516.

[0156] The ninth step depicted in Figure 20 includes: lowering the third pair of legs 516 to a lower position on the surface 550.

[0157] Step 10, illustrated in Figure 21, involves moving the main body 518 longitudinally. In this way, the robot device 500 reaches the position illustrated in Figure 22, which is the same as its initial position.

[0158] Therefore, as shown in the above exemplary embodiments, the present invention can also provide a multi-legged robotic device, wherein the robotic device is adapted to provide additional linear degrees of freedom to each leg to allow each leg to translate independently of other legs in the longitudinal direction relative to the side of the robotic device body to change the leg distance relative to adjacent legs on the same side of the body. These legs may include hip joints, and the change in leg distance may be a result of translating the hip joint of one leg relative to an adjacent leg. The translation of the hip joint can be achieved by translating a carrier relative to the robotic device body, the carrier being configured to carry the hip joint and the leg as it translates along one side of the body. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0102] At this point, some specific embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG1 schematically illustrates a wind turbine embodiment comprising wind turbine blades raised high on a mast; FIG2 enlarged view illustrates a demonstration robot device crawling along one of the wind turbine blades toward the blade tip; FIG3 perspective view illustrates a robot device straddling the leading edge of a wind turbine; FIG4 side view illustrates a robot device; FIG5 front view illustrates a robot device with some legs raised to an upper position; FIG6 perspective view illustrates a robot device with some legs raised to an upper position; FIG7 top view illustrates a robot device moving longitudinally; FIG8 illustrates a perspective view of the robot device of FIG7; FIG9 top view illustrates a robot device with some legs in an upper position; FIG10 top view illustrates a robot device moving longitudinally; FIG11 illustrates a perspective view of the robot device of FIG10; FIG12 top view illustrates a robot device moving longitudinally; FIG13 perspective view illustrates a robot device moving on a flat surface. Figure 14 is a top view of the robot device in Figure 13; Figure 15 is a perspective view of the robot device with the first pair of legs raised to the upper position; Figure 16 is a top view of the robot device with the first pair of legs moving longitudinally; Figure 17 is a perspective view of the robot device with the second pair of legs raised to the upper position; Figure 18 is a top view of the robot device with the second pair of legs moving longitudinally; Figure 19 is a top view of the robot device with the third pair of legs moving longitudinally; Figure 20 is a perspective view of the robot device after the third pair of legs have completed their movement; Figure 21 is a top view of the main body of the robot device moving longitudinally; and Figure 22 is a perspective view of the robot device after the movement steps shown in Figure 21.

Claims

1. A robotic device for inspecting structures, comprising: a body extending longitudinally in one of the robotic devices, the body having a front end, a rear end, opposite sides extending between the front end and the rear end, and a body length; a plurality of legs disposed on each of the opposite sides of the body, each leg comprising one or more joints, wherein the plurality of legs are configured as one or more pairs of legs, wherein one leg of one pair of legs is disposed on the opposite side of the other body in a transverse direction; and a plurality of carriers, each carrier connecting a leg to the body and configured to allow each leg to translate relative to the sides of the body in one longitudinal direction, wherein any one of the plurality of carriers is configured to translate 60% or more of the body length of the robotic device, and wherein, Each of these carriers is configured to move independently of each of the other carriers, thereby changing a leg distance, which is the distance between any two adjacent legs on one side of the body, and the carrier of one of a pair of legs is configured to move independently of the carrier of that leg on the other side of the body.

2. The robot device as described in claim 1, wherein, Each leg contains one or more rotational degrees of freedom, and may contain three degrees of freedom as needed.

3. The robotic device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each of these legs includes a first part of a hip joint, wherein each leg is connected to a respective carrier, and wherein, The main body further includes a guide, to which each of the plurality of carriers is connected, such that the carriers are configured to translate along the side of the robot device and be guided to the front or rear end of the main body through interaction with the guide.

4. The robot device as described in claim 3, wherein, Each carrier includes a sliding interface configured to couple the carrier to the guide, and wherein the carrier further includes a hinge configured to provide a second portion of the hip joint and to connect the carrier via the hip joint to an upper limb segment of the leg.

5. The robot device as described in claim 3, wherein, The body includes a left guide associated with a left side of one of the bodies and a right guide associated with a right side of one of the bodies, wherein each guide includes a track extending along the longitudinal direction of the body, and optionally includes an upper track and a lower track, wherein a plurality of legs on a given side of one of the bodies are connected to the track or the track to guide the movement of the legs as they translate along the side of one of the bodies.

6. The robot device as described in claim 5, wherein, The tracks or such tracks on each side of the body are linear or approximately linear tracks, extending from near the front end of the body to near the rear end of the body as needed.

7. The robot device as described in claim 5, wherein, The left and right sides are flat, and the guides are disposed on the flat left and right sides of the main body and extend along the left and right sides.

8. The robot device as described in claim 5, wherein, The left and right sides are curved sides, and the guides are disposed on the curved left and right sides of the body and extend along the curved left and right sides.

9. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The main body includes a rack on each side, and each carrier includes a motor and a gear driven by the motor, the gear being configured to interlock with the rack, such that, in use, rotation of the gear causes its corresponding leg to translate longitudinally.

10. The robot device as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The motor or gear in each carrier includes a position control sensor, which may be an encoder if necessary.

11. The robot device as claimed in claim 9, wherein, Each rack is a linear rack and / or each of the plurality of carriers on a given side of the main body is fitted with a common rack.

12. The robotic device as described in claim 4, wherein, Each leg further includes a lower limb segment, wherein the lower limb segment is connected to the upper limb segment by a lower joint.

13. The robotic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein, One foot is connected to the lower limb segment of the leg by an ankle joint that allows rotational movement of the foot relative to the lower limb segment and, if necessary, linear movement of the foot relative to the lower limb segment.

14. The robotic device of claim 13, further comprising a controller configured to control the position of the body relative to the feet when the feet are on a surface, wherein, as needed, The controller is configured to provide five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) of the body relative to the surface.

15. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The robotic device further includes several limit switches configured to prevent collisions with adjacent carriers and / or legs, wherein, if necessary, one or more of the limit switches are configured to determine the position of each of the carriers along one side of the main body.

16. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The body includes a screw on each side of the body, and each carrier includes a nut, wherein a motor is configured to drive the other relative to the screw or the nut, and the interaction between the nut and the screw causes a corresponding leg to translate in the longitudinal direction of the body.

17. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The robotic device includes several push rods that are assembled to allow each leg to slide slidably in the longitudinal direction by the translation of its carrier.

18. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The main body includes several fluid-driven linear tracks and / or actuators, which are assembled to allow each leg to move longitudinally via translation of a carrier, wherein, if necessary, the fluid-driven linear tracks and / or actuators are pneumatically or hydraulically driven.

19. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, These carriers are belt-driven to move the legs in the longitudinal direction.

20. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The robotic device includes a hexapod robot, wherein each leg is capable of translational relative to the body of the robotic device in the longitudinal direction of the body at a hip joint.

21. The robotic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each leg includes several facilities for controlling and operating the leg, wherein such facilities include electrical, pneumatic and / or hydraulic facilities, and, if necessary, each leg includes a suction generating device and / or a power source for generating suction in a suction cup.

22. The robotic device of claim 21, wherein the wiring for such facilities is housed in one or more cavities within the leg.

23. A method of movement for a robotic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, the method comprising: progressively raising and lowering a plurality of legs away from and onto a surface to move the body of the robotic device relative to a structure, wherein, The movement method further includes: when each leg is in an elevated position, translating each leg along one side of the body in a longitudinal direction, wherein the robotic device includes a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs, wherein each pair of legs includes a left leg and a right leg that are opposite each other across the body, and wherein the first pair of legs is adjacent to the second pair of legs in the longitudinal direction.

24. The method of movement as claimed in claim 23, comprising: raising a first set of legs from the surface to an upper position, the first set of legs comprising a left leg of a first pair of legs and a right leg of a second pair of legs; translating the first set of legs in the longitudinal direction; translating the body together with the first set of legs in the longitudinal direction; lowering the first set of legs to a lower position on the surface; raising a second set of legs from the surface to the upper position, the second set of legs comprising a right leg of the first pair of legs and a left leg of the second pair of legs; translating the second set of legs in the longitudinal direction; translating the body together with the second set of legs in the longitudinal direction; and lowering the second set of legs to the lower position on the surface.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: rotating at least one of the first or second set of legs relative to the body.

26. The method of movement as claimed in claim 23, comprising: raising the first pair of legs from the surface to an upper position; moving the first pair of legs in the longitudinal direction; lowering the first pair of legs to a lower position on the surface; raising the second pair of legs from the surface to the upper position; moving the second pair of legs in the longitudinal direction; lowering the second pair of legs to the lower position on the surface; and moving the body in the longitudinal direction.

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