Adsorbent and transport mechanism

Abstract

This disclosure aims to provide an adsorbent that can be easily moved while preventing slipping and detachment from walls. [Solution] An adsorbent according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an adsorbent that is attached to the surface of an object by vacuum adsorption and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object, comprising: an adsorbent body having a recess; a vacuum generator for reducing the pressure in the recess; a plurality of drive wheels and a plurality of auxiliary wheels for moving the adsorbent body while in contact with the surface of the object; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels, wherein the adjustment mechanism uses the force of the adsorbent body to adsorb so that the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels becomes greater than the contact pressure of the plurality of auxiliary wheels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an adsorbent and a moving mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] Adsorbents that adsorb to the walls of these buildings and facilities for maintenance inspections and construction work in plants, factories, etc. are known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-194937).

[0003] The adsorbent includes an adsorption portion having a brush skirt in which brush hairs having a length in contact with the wall surface are densely arranged around an adsorption plate parallel to the wall surface of the work object, and an adsorption mechanism in which a bell mouth opening at the center of the adsorption plate is connected to an adsorption duct fan, and is configured to be able to adsorb to the wall surface.

[0004] The adsorbent is provided with wheels including at least one drive wheel, and by rotating this drive wheel, it is possible to move on the wall surface while maintaining the adsorption state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the above adsorbent, the ground contact pressure of the wheels is determined by the adsorption force of the adsorbent, and generally the same ground contact pressure is applied to each wheel. If this ground contact pressure is high, it becomes difficult for the adsorbent to move. On the other hand, if the ground contact pressure is low, the grip force of the drive wheel is insufficient, and there is a risk of slip and in some cases, the adsorbent may fall off the wall surface.

[0007] This disclosure is made based on the circumstances described above and aims to provide an adsorbent that can be easily moved while preventing slipping and detachment from walls. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An adsorbent according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an adsorbent that is adsorbed to the surface of an object by vacuum adsorption and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object, comprising: an adsorbent body having a recess; a vacuum generator for reducing the pressure in the recess; a plurality of drive wheels and a plurality of auxiliary wheels for moving the adsorbent body while in contact with the surface of the object; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels, wherein the adjustment mechanism uses the force of adsorption of the adsorbent body to adjust the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels to be greater than the contact pressure of the plurality of auxiliary wheels.

[0009] A different aspect of the present disclosure is a moving mechanism mounted on a moving body and moving while in contact with the surface of an object, comprising a plurality of drive wheels and a plurality of auxiliary wheels in contact with the surface of the object, and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the ground contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a support rod, the drive wheels are connected to one end of the support rod, and the auxiliary wheels are connected to the other end of the support rod, the support rod has a point of force application at a single point that is pressed in the direction of the ground contact surface, the support rod is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground contact surface with the position of the point of force application as a fulcrum, and the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheels is shorter than the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheels. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The adsorbent of this disclosure can be easily moved while preventing slipping or falling off the wall surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2]Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of the internal structure of the adsorbent shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an adsorbent according to a different embodiment than that shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of the internal structure of an adsorbent according to an embodiment different from that shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the adsorbent shown in Figure 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] (1) An adsorbent according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an adsorbent that is adsorbed to the surface of an object by vacuum adsorption and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object, comprising: an adsorbent body having a recess; a vacuum generator for reducing the pressure in the recess; a plurality of drive wheels and a plurality of auxiliary wheels for moving the adsorbent body while in contact with the surface of the object; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels, wherein the adjustment mechanism uses the force of adsorption of the adsorbent body to adjust the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels to be greater than the contact pressure of the plurality of auxiliary wheels.

[0013] The suction body uses an adjustment mechanism to make the ground pressure of the drive wheel greater than that of the auxiliary wheel. By increasing the ground pressure of the drive wheel, it is possible to prevent the drive wheel from slipping and the suction body from falling off the wall. Also, by lowering the ground pressure of the auxiliary wheel, it is possible to prevent the ground pressure of the entire wheel (drive wheel and auxiliary wheel combined) from increasing, so the suction body can be moved easily.

[0014] (2) In the suction body described in (1) above, the adjustment mechanism is provided with a support rod, the drive wheel is connected to one end of the support rod, and the auxiliary wheel is connected to the other end of the support rod, the support rod has a point of force application at which it is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the suction body, the support rod is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface with the point of force application as a fulcrum, and the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheel is shorter than the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheel. With this configuration, the suction force of the suction body can be used to make the ground surface pressure of the multiple drive wheels greater than the ground surface pressure of the multiple auxiliary wheels, in accordance with the inverse ratio of the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheel : the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheel.

[0015] (3) In the adsorbent described in (2) above, it is preferable that the number of drive wheels and auxiliary wheels be the same. By making the number of drive wheels and auxiliary wheels the same in this way, it is easy to make the contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels greater than the contact pressure of the multiple auxiliary wheels.

[0016] (4) In the adsorbent described in (3) above, the drive wheels and auxiliary wheels are paired into multiple pairs, the number of drive wheels in each pair is the same, the number of auxiliary wheels in each pair is the same, a support rod is provided for each pair of drive wheels and auxiliary wheels, and the ratio of the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheel to the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheel is equal between the support rods. By configuring it in this way, the ground pressure between the drive wheels and the ground pressure between the auxiliary wheels can be made uniform.

[0017] (5) In the adsorbent described in (3) or (4) above, the adjustment mechanism is preferably configured to include a link that spans between the support rods, and the link causes the drive wheels included in the spanned support rods to rotate in the same direction. By configuring the drive wheels included in the spanned support rods to rotate in the same direction in this manner, it is possible to prevent the posture of the adsorbent from becoming unstable.

[0018] (6) In any one of the adsorbents of (1) to (5) above, it is preferable that the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels are provided inside the concave portion. By providing the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels inside the concave portion in this way, the entire adsorbent can be made compact.

[0019] (7) In any one of the adsorbents of (1) to (5) above, it is preferable that the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels are provided outside the adsorbent main body. By providing the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels outside the adsorbent main body in this way, the adsorbent main body can be made compact.

[0020] (8) A moving mechanism according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a moving mechanism mounted on a moving body and moving while contacting the surface of an object, and includes a plurality of drive wheels and a plurality of auxiliary wheels that contact the surface of the object, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the ground contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels and the plurality of auxiliary wheels. The adjustment mechanism includes a support rod, a drive wheel is connected to one end of the support rod, an auxiliary wheel is connected to the other end of the support rod, the support rod has a force point that is pressed in the ground contact direction at one point, and the support rod is configured to be rotatable in the ground contact direction with the force point position as a fulcrum, and the distance between the force point and the drive wheel is shorter than the distance between the force point and the auxiliary wheel.

[0021] The moving mechanism increases the ground contact pressure of the drive wheels by the adjustment mechanism to be greater than the ground contact pressure of the auxiliary wheels. To increase the ground contact pressure of the drive wheels, it is possible to prevent the drive wheels from slipping and the moving force of the moving body equipped with the moving mechanism from decreasing. Also, to lower the ground contact pressure of the auxiliary wheels, it is possible to prevent the ground contact pressure of the entire wheels (the entire drive wheels and auxiliary wheels) from increasing, so the moving body can move easily.

[0022] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Hereinafter, the adsorbent according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with appropriate reference to the drawings.

[0023] [First Embodiment] The adsorbent body 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an adsorbent body that adheres to the surface of an object by vacuum suction and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object. The adsorbent body 1 comprises an adsorbent body body 10, a vacuum generator 20, a plurality of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40, and an adjustment mechanism 50.

[0024] <Adsorbent body> The adsorbent body 10 has a recess 11. The recess 11 can be, for example, columnar or dome-shaped. In this adsorbent 1, the recess 11 is cylindrical.

[0025] If the recess 11 is cylindrical, the lower limit of the diameter of the recess 11 is preferably 1 mm, more preferably 10 mm, and even more preferably 100 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the diameter of the recess 11 is preferably 100 mm, more preferably 10 m, and even more preferably 1 m. Also, the lower limit of the height of the recess 11 is preferably 0.3 mm, more preferably 3 mm, and even more preferably 30 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the height of the recess 11 is preferably 30 m, more preferably 3 m, and even more preferably 0.3 m. If the diameter or height of the recess 11 is less than the above lower limit, the work efficiency of maintenance, inspection, and construction work in plants, factories, etc. may decrease. Conversely, if the diameter or height of the recess 11 exceeds the above upper limit, its own weight may become too large, making it difficult to maintain adsorption with a practical vacuum generator 20.

[0026] The wall 12 of the recess 11 is expandable and, as shown in Figure 2, covers almost to the ground surface, but is lifted by the drive wheel 30 and auxiliary wheel 40 and does not touch the ground. The lower limit of the gap between the ground surfaces of the drive wheel 30 and auxiliary wheel 40 and the bottom surface of the wall 12 is preferably 0.01 cm, and more preferably 0.1 cm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the gap is preferably 3 cm, and more preferably 1 cm. If the gap is less than the lower limit, the bottom surface of the wall 12 may slide against the object, making it difficult to move the adsorbent 1. Conversely, if the gap exceeds the upper limit, the recess 11 may not be sufficiently depressurized, making it difficult to adsorb the adsorbent 1 to the object.

[0027] The wall 12 of the recess 11 may be covered up to the bottom surface of the wall 12 with an elastic coating 13, as shown in Figure 1 (not shown in Figure 2). Examples of materials for such an elastic coating 13 include rubber and resin.

[0028] <Vacuum Generator> The vacuum generator 20 reduces the pressure in the recess 11. The vacuum generator 20 is not particularly limited as long as it can reduce the pressure in the recess 11. In the adsorbent 1, the vacuum generator 20 consists of a tube communicating with the recess 11 and a pressure reducing device (not shown). Examples of the pressure reducing device include a vacuum pump and a vacuum blower. The type of vacuum generator 20 is not limited to the above configuration, and a centrifugal fan or the like may also be used.

[0029] <Drive wheels and auxiliary wheels> The multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40 are wheels for moving the suction body 10 while in contact with the surface of the object.

[0030] The drive wheels 30 are wheels that propel the suction body 1, and a drive mechanism is connected to them. Furthermore, some or all of the drive wheels 30 may have steering capabilities, and the drive wheels 30 with steering capabilities are connected to a steering mechanism.

[0031] The auxiliary wheels 40 are wheels for maintaining the posture of the suction body 1. For example, when the suction body 1 is placed on a horizontal surface, they are provided to keep the suction body 1 horizontal and to ensure that the load is evenly distributed to each of the multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40. The auxiliary wheels 40 are not connected to a drive mechanism and are configured to rotate together with the suction body 1 when it is moved by the drive wheels 30.

[0032] The multiple auxiliary wheels 40 and the multiple drive wheels 30, of which the drive wheels 30 are not connected to the steering mechanism, are preferably configured to be rotatable in a plane parallel to the opening surface of the recess 11. This configuration ensures that the rotation plane of each wheel is parallel to the direction in which the suction body 1 moves, thereby facilitating the movement of the suction body 1.

[0033] It is preferable that the number of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40 be the same. By having the same number of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40, it is easy to make the ground contact pressure of multiple drive wheels 30 greater than the ground contact pressure of multiple auxiliary wheels 40. In particular, as shown in Figure 2, it is preferable to have two drive wheels 30 and two auxiliary wheels 40. With two drive wheels 30 and two auxiliary wheels 40, it is easy to realize a configuration in which the suction body 1 can move while maintaining its posture. The following explanation will continue using the case where there are two drive wheels 30 and two auxiliary wheels 40 as an example, but it is not limited to the case where there are two drive wheels 30 and two auxiliary wheels 40.

[0034] <Adjustment mechanism> The adjustment mechanism 50 adjusts the ground contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40. Specifically, the adjustment mechanism 50 uses the force of the suction body 10 to adjust the ground contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels 30 to be greater than the ground contact pressure of the multiple auxiliary wheels 40.

[0035] The drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40 are paired into multiple pairs (in this case, two pairs) P1 and P2. Each pair P1 and P2 contains the same number of drive wheels 30 (one of each in this case), and each pair P1 and P2 also contains the same number of auxiliary wheels 40 (one of each in this case).

[0036] Furthermore, it is preferable that the multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40 be located inside the recess 11. By arranging the drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40 inside the recess 11 in this way, the entire suction body 1 can be made more compact.

[0037] The adjustment mechanism 50 includes two support rods 51. Specifically, a support rod 51 is provided for each pair of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40. A drive wheel 30 is connected to one end of a support rod 51, and an auxiliary wheel 40 is connected to the other end of a support rod 51.

[0038] The adjustment mechanism 50 is provided with a connecting portion 52 that connects the top plate 14 of the suction body 10 to one point on the support rod 51 for each support rod 51. With this configuration, each support rod 51 is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the suction body 10 at one point (point of force application F). Each support rod 51 is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface (perpendicular to the opening surface of the recess 11) with the position of point of force application F as the pivot point.

[0039] It is preferable that the multiple drive wheels 30 and multiple auxiliary wheels 40 are arranged such that the straight line connecting the two drive wheels 30 and the straight line connecting the two auxiliary wheels 40 are perpendicular to each other, and the intersection point of these lines lies on the central axis of the recess 11. Furthermore, the lower limit of the distance between the two drive wheels 30 and the distance between the two auxiliary wheels 40 is preferably 50% of the diameter of the recess 11, and more preferably 60%. On the other hand, the upper limit of the distance between the two drive wheels 30 and the distance between the two auxiliary wheels 40 is preferably 80% of the diameter of the recess 11, and more preferably 70%. Moreover, it is preferable that the distance between the two drive wheels 30 and the distance between the two auxiliary wheels 40 are equal. By arranging the multiple drive wheels 30 and multiple auxiliary wheels 40 in this way, the suction body 1 can be driven stably.

[0040] The distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 is shorter than the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40. By configuring it in this way, the suction force of the suction body 10 can be used to make the ground contact pressure of multiple drive wheels 30 greater than the ground contact pressure of multiple auxiliary wheels 40, in accordance with the inverse ratio of the distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40.

[0041] Furthermore, it is desirable that the ratio of the distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40 be equal between the support rods 51. By configuring it in this way, the ground pressure between the drive wheels 30 and the ground pressure between the auxiliary wheels 40 can be made uniform.

[0042] The lower limit of the ratio of the distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40 is preferably 1:1.5, and more preferably 1:2. On the other hand, the upper limit of the above ratio is preferably 1:10, and more preferably 1:5. If the above ratio is less than the above lower limit, the contact pressure of the drive wheel 30 will not be sufficiently high, which may cause slippage or other problems when the adsorbent 1 moves. Conversely, if the above ratio exceeds the above upper limit, the posture of the adsorbent 1 may easily become unstable due to an imbalance in the contact pressure between the drive wheel 30 and the auxiliary wheel 40.

[0043] In the suction body 1, the adjustment mechanism 50 includes a link 53 that spans between the support rods 51, and a link connecting part 54 that connects the top plate 14 of the suction body 10 to the midpoint of the link 53. Here, the midpoint of the link 53 means a point on the straight line connecting the positions where the link 53 is connected to each support rod 51, and which is equal in distance from the position where it is connected to each support rod 51.

[0044] Link 53 is configured to rotate in the direction of the ground surface, with the midpoint position described above as the pivot point. One end of link 53 is connected to the end of one support rod 51 to which the drive wheel 30 is connected. The other end of link 53 is connected to the other support rod 51 on the opposite side of the drive wheel 30 from the point of force F, at a distance equal to the distance L1 between the point of force F and the drive wheel 30. In other words, the drive wheel 30 included in the support rod 51 spanned by link 53 is configured to rotate in the same direction.

[0045] By configuring the drive wheels 30 included in the support rods 51, which are thus spanned, to rotate in the same direction, it is possible to prevent the posture of the suction body 1 from becoming unstable. Furthermore, as long as the distance from the point of force application F to each support rod 51 is equal, the positions at which both ends of the link 53 are connected to each support rod 51 are not limited to the positions described above.

[0046] <Advantages> The suction body 1 uses an adjustment mechanism 50 to increase the ground pressure of the drive wheel 30 compared to the ground pressure of the auxiliary wheel 40. By increasing the ground pressure of the drive wheel 30, it is possible to prevent the drive wheel 30 from slipping and the suction body 1 from falling off the wall. Also, by lowering the ground pressure of the auxiliary wheel 40, it is possible to prevent the ground pressure of the entire wheel (drive wheel 30 and auxiliary wheel 40 as a whole) from increasing, so the suction body 1 can be moved easily.

[0047] [Second Embodiment] The adsorbent body 2 shown in Figure 3 is an adsorbent body that adheres to the surface of an object by vacuum suction and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object. It comprises two adsorbent body bodies 10 having recesses, a vacuum generator 21 that reduces the pressure in the recesses, a plurality of drive wheels 30 and a plurality of auxiliary wheels 40 for moving the adsorbent body bodies 10 while in contact with the surface of the object, and an adjustment mechanism 50 for adjusting the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels 30 and the plurality of auxiliary wheels 40. The adjustment mechanism 50 uses the force of the adsorbent body bodies 10 to adjust the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels 30 to be greater than the contact pressure of the plurality of auxiliary wheels 40.

[0048] In the adsorbent 2, the vacuum generator 21 is composed of a ducted fan.

[0049] The adjustment mechanism 50 includes a support rod 51, with a drive wheel 30 connected to one end of the support rod 51 and an auxiliary wheel 40 connected to the other end of the support rod 51. The support rod 51 has a point of force application F at which it is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the suction body 10. The support rod 51 is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface with the position of the point of force application F as a fulcrum, and the distance between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 is shorter than the distance between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40.

[0050] In the suction body 2, the connecting portion 55 that connects the point of force application F of the support rod 51 to the suction body 10 spans the upper surfaces of the two suction body 10s, and each support rod 51 is attached to this one connecting portion 55. With this configuration, each support rod 51 is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the suction body 10 at a single point (point of force application F).

[0051] The number of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40 are equal. The drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40 are paired into multiple pairs P1 and P2, with the same number of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40 in each pair P1 and P2. A support rod 51 is provided for each pair of drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40, and the ratio of the distance between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40 is equal between the support rods 51.

[0052] In the adsorbent body 2, the multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40 are provided on the outside of the adsorbent body 10.

[0053] The adjustment mechanism 50 includes a link 56 that spans between the support rods 51, and this link 56 is configured to cause the drive wheels 30 included in the spanned support rods 51 to rotate in the same direction.

[0054] In the adsorbent body 2, as shown in Figure 3, the link 56 is connected to the pivot axis 51a of each support rod 51 and is connected to the ends of the arms 56a that extend in the radial direction of the rotation. The arms 56a extend in the opposite direction when viewed from the pivot axis 51a of each support rod 51.

[0055] Other than the configuration described above, the configurations are the same as those of the adsorbent 1 in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0056] <Advantages> In this adsorbent 2, by providing multiple drive wheels 30 and multiple auxiliary wheels 40 on the outside of the adsorbent body 10, the adsorbent body 10 can be made more compact.

[0057] [Third Embodiment] The adsorbent body 3 of the third embodiment, which has the same appearance as Figure 1, is an adsorbent body that is attached to the surface of an object by vacuum adsorption and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object, as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, and comprises an adsorbent body 10 having a recess 11, a vacuum generator 20 that reduces the pressure in the recess 11, a plurality of drive wheels 30 and a plurality of auxiliary wheels 40 for moving the adsorbent body 10 while in contact with the surface of the object, and an adjustment mechanism 50 for adjusting the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels 30 and a plurality of auxiliary wheels 40.

[0058] The adsorbent body 10, vacuum generator 20, drive wheel 30, and auxiliary wheel 40 can be configured in the same way as the adsorbent body 10, vacuum generator 20, drive wheel 30, and auxiliary wheel 40 of the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0059] In this suction body 3, the multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40 are located inside the recess 11, but it is also possible to configure the multiple drive wheels 30 and the multiple auxiliary wheels 40 to be located outside the suction body 10.

[0060] <Adjustment mechanism> The adjustment mechanism 50 utilizes the force exerted by the suction body 10 to adjust the ground contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels 30 to be greater than the ground contact pressure of the multiple auxiliary wheels 40.

[0061] In the adsorbent 3, the adjustment mechanism 50 is equipped with one support rod 51, to which all the drive wheels 30 are connected at one end and all the auxiliary wheels 40 are connected at the other end of the support rod 51.

[0062] Furthermore, the adjustment mechanism 50 includes a connecting portion 52 that connects the top plate 14 of the suction body 10 to one point on the support rod 51. With this configuration, the support rod 51 is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the suction body 10 at one point (point of force application F). The support rod 51 is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface with the position of point of force application F as a fulcrum.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4, the two drive wheels 30 are connected to each end of a connecting rod 57 via linear guides 58, and the connecting rod 57 is connected to one end of a support rod 51 so as to be movable at least in the direction of the ground surface, via, for example, a ball joint 59. The two auxiliary wheels 40 are connected to the other end of the support rod 51 in a similar configuration. Note that if there are three or more drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40, a similar configuration can be adopted by connecting each drive wheel 30 or each auxiliary wheel 40 to the end of a radially extending connecting rod 57, for example, so the above configuration of the suction body 3 does not mean that there are only two drive wheels 30 and auxiliary wheels 40.

[0064] The connecting rods 57 that connect multiple drive wheels 30 and the connecting rods 57 that connect multiple auxiliary wheels 40 are spaced apart so that their movements do not interfere with each other.

[0065] Regarding the connecting rod 57 that connects the drive wheels 30 and / or auxiliary wheels 40, the position where the ball joint 59 is connected does not necessarily have to be the midpoint of the connecting rod 57. Even if it is connected at a position other than the midpoint of the connecting rod 57, the force applied to the connecting rod 57 is made uniform by the linear guide 58, so that an equal force is applied to each drive wheel 30 or each auxiliary wheel 40, and the contact pressure is made uniform. If the ball joint 59 is connected at the midpoint of the connecting rod 57, the linear guide 58 can be omitted.

[0066] It is preferable that the multiple drive wheels 30 and multiple auxiliary wheels 40 be arranged such that the connecting rod 57 connecting the two drive wheels 30 and the connecting rod 57 connecting the two auxiliary wheels 40 are perpendicular to each other, and their intersection lies on the central axis of the recess 11. By arranging the multiple drive wheels 30 and multiple auxiliary wheels 40 in this way, the suction body 1 can be driven stably.

[0067] The distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 (the distance from one end of the support rod 51 to which the connecting rod 57 connecting the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 is connected) is shorter than the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40 (the distance from the other end of the support rod 51 to which the connecting rod 57 connecting the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40 is connected) (see Figure 5). By configuring it in this way, the suction force of the suction body 10 can be used to make the ground contact pressure of multiple drive wheels 30 greater than the ground contact pressure of multiple auxiliary wheels 40, in accordance with the inverse ratio of the distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40. The preferred value for the ratio of the distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40 is the same as that of the suction body 1 in the first embodiment.

[0068] <Advantages> Even with the adsorbent body 3 configured in this way, by utilizing the adsorption force of the adsorbent body 3, the ground contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels 30 can be made greater than the ground contact pressure of the multiple auxiliary wheels 40, in accordance with the inverse ratio of the distance L1 between the point of force application F and the drive wheel 30 to the distance L2 between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheel 40.

[0069] [Fourth Embodiment] Another embodiment of the moving mechanism of this disclosure is a moving mechanism mounted on a moving body that moves while in contact with the surface of an object. This moving mechanism is equivalent to, for example, a part taken out of the part necessary to move the suction body 10 of the suction body 1 shown in Figure 2 of the first embodiment. That is, describing the moving body with reference to Figure 2, the moving body comprises a plurality of drive wheels 30 and a plurality of auxiliary wheels 40 that contact the surface of the object, and an adjustment mechanism 50 that adjusts the contact pressure of the plurality of drive wheels 30 and a plurality of auxiliary wheels 40. The adjustment mechanism 50 comprises a support rod 51, to which the drive wheels 30 are connected at one end and the auxiliary wheels 40 are connected at the other end. The support rod 51 has a point of force application F that is pressed in the direction of the ground surface at a single point, and the support rod 51 is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface with the position of the point of force application F as a fulcrum, and the distance between the point of force application F and the drive wheels 30 is shorter than the distance between the point of force application F and the auxiliary wheels 40.

[0070] Since each component of the moving mechanism is the same as the corresponding component of the adsorbent 1 in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0071] The moving mechanism is not limited to the suction body 1 described in the first embodiment, but can be mounted on a vehicle body that travels on the ground, for example. In this case, the force that presses the point of application F toward the ground surface can be the weight of the vehicle body, etc.

[0072] <Advantages> By incorporating this moving mechanism, the same effect as the suction body 1 can be achieved. Specifically, the moving mechanism uses an adjustment mechanism 50 to increase the ground contact pressure of the drive wheel 30 compared to the ground contact pressure of the auxiliary wheel 40. By increasing the ground contact pressure of the drive wheel 30, it is possible to prevent the drive wheel 30 from slipping and thus reduce the moving force of the mobile body equipped with this moving mechanism. Furthermore, by lowering the ground contact pressure of the auxiliary wheel 30, it is possible to prevent an increase in the ground contact pressure of the entire wheel (drive wheel 30 and auxiliary wheel 40 as a whole), so the mobile body can be moved easily.

[0073] [Other embodiments] The embodiments described above do not limit the configuration of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the embodiments described above may omit, substitute, or add components of each part of the embodiments based on the description herein and common technical knowledge, and all such omissions should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0074] In the above-described configuration, the connecting part connects the top plate of the suction body to the point of force application of the support rod. However, other configurations can be adopted as long as the support rod is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the suction body at a single point. For example, the connecting part may connect the point of force application of the support rod to the wall surface of the suction body.

[0075] In the first and second embodiments described above, the case in which the adjustment mechanism of the adsorbent includes a link was explained, but the link is not an essential component, and an adsorbent without a link is also intended by this disclosure.

[0076] In the second embodiment described above, a case where there are two adsorbent bodies was explained, but there may be only one adsorbent body. Furthermore, the cases where there are two or more adsorbent bodies in the first embodiment, or three or more adsorbent bodies in the second embodiment, are not excluded.

[0077] In the fourth embodiment described above, the case in which the moving mechanism is the same as the configuration of the adsorbent in the first embodiment was explained, but the moving mechanism of this disclosure may be the same as the configuration of the adsorbent in the second embodiment or the adsorbent in the third embodiment. [Industrial applicability]

[0078] As described above, the adsorbent of this disclosure can be easily moved while preventing slipping and detachment from the wall surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1, 2, 3 Adsorbents 10 Adsorbent body 11 recess 12 walls 13 Coating 14 Top plate 20, 21 Vacuum generator 30 drive wheels 40 Training wheels 50 Adjustment mechanism 51 Support rod 51a Rotary shaft 52, 55 Connection part 53, 56 Links 56a Arm 54 Link connection section 57 Connecting rod 58 Linear guide 59 Ball joint P1, P2 pair F point of force L1, L2 distance

Claims

1. An adsorbent body that is adsorbed to the surface of an object by vacuum adsorption and is movable while in contact with the surface of the object, Adsorbent body having a recess, A vacuum generator that reduces the pressure in the above recess, Multiple drive wheels and multiple auxiliary wheels for moving the adsorbent body while in contact with the surface of the object, An adjustment mechanism for adjusting the ground contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels and the multiple auxiliary wheels mentioned above, Equipped with, The above adjustment mechanism utilizes the force of the adsorbent body to adjust the contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels to be greater than the contact pressure of the multiple auxiliary wheels.

2. The above adjustment mechanism includes a support rod, The drive wheel is connected to one end of the support rod, and the auxiliary wheel is connected to the other end of the support rod. The support rod has a point at which it is pressed in the direction of the ground surface by the suction of the adsorption body, The above-mentioned support rod is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface, with the above-mentioned point of force application as the pivot point. The suction body according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheel is shorter than the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheel.

3. The adsorption body according to claim 2, wherein the number of drive wheels and auxiliary wheels are the same.

4. The above drive wheels and auxiliary wheels are paired in multiple pairs. Each pair contains the same number of drive wheels. Each pair contains the same number of training wheels. A support rod is provided for each pair of the above-mentioned drive wheels and auxiliary wheels. The suction body according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheel to the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheel is equal between the support rods.

5. The above adjustment mechanism includes a link that spans between the above support rods, The adsorption body according to claim 4, wherein the drive wheel included in the support rod that is stretched across is configured to rotate in the same direction by the above link.

6. The adsorption body according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the above-mentioned drive wheel and the above-mentioned auxiliary wheel are provided inside the above-mentioned recess.

7. The adsorbent according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the above-mentioned drive wheel and the above-mentioned auxiliary wheel are provided on the outside of the adsorbent body.

8. A mobile mechanism mounted on a moving body, which moves while in contact with the surface of an object, Multiple drive wheels and multiple auxiliary wheels that come into contact with the surface of the above object, An adjustment mechanism for adjusting the ground contact pressure of the multiple drive wheels and the multiple auxiliary wheels mentioned above, Equipped with, The above adjustment mechanism includes a support rod, The drive wheel is connected to one end of the support rod, and the auxiliary wheel is connected to the other end of the support rod. The above support rod has a point of force at which pressure is applied in the direction of the ground surface, The above-mentioned support rod is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the ground surface, with the above-mentioned point of force application as the pivot point. A moving mechanism in which the distance between the point of force application and the drive wheel is shorter than the distance between the point of force application and the auxiliary wheel.

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