Conduit Robot Bearing Module for Compact Stable Pipe Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conduit-exploring robots face challenges in compactness, stability, and adaptability within varying conduit diameters, leading to inefficiencies in mapping and inspecting water supply networks, which are exacerbated by harsh conditions and heterogeneity of pipes.
Innovation Solution
The design of a conduit-exploring robot with a bearing module featuring articulated arms that rotate perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, allowing for compactness and increased elongation, and a drive mechanism that includes ring gears and a motor block to enhance stability and adaptability, enabling efficient navigation and inspection of conduits with varying diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If articulated arms are deployed in extension to engage the frame with the conduit wall, then the robot achieves stability and bearing capability, but the overall dimensions of the robot increase, reducing compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The robot body is divided into first and second frames that can move independently relative to each other along the longitudinal axis. Each frame has its own bearing module with articulated arms, allowing the robot to segment its bearing function across multiple modular units, improving compactness while maintaining stability through distributed contact points
Solution Approach 2:
The articulated arms are configured to move in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the robot, rather than extending along the longitudinal axis. This dimensional change allows the arms to deploy radially outward to engage the conduit wall while keeping the longitudinal profile compact, resolving the contradiction between stability and overall dimensions
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot is designed to adapt to varying conduit diameters through deployable bearing modules, then versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing modules incorporate articulated arms with rotational joints that can dynamically adjust their position and orientation. The arms can rotate about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, allowing the robot to adapt to different conduit diameters and irregularities through dynamic reconfiguration rather than static design, achieving versatility without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The articulated arms serve multiple functions: they provide bearing contact with the conduit wall for stability, enable the robot to adapt to varying diameters through deployment and retraction, and can be used for both pushing and pulling the robot along the conduit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, managing device complexity while improving adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A robot for exploring a conduit including a first frame and a second frame. The first frame and the second frame each including a bearing module provided with a plurality of articulated arms. Each articulated arm including a bearing portion that can be applied against a wall of the conduit. Each bearing module is further configured to alternately switch from a bearing portion engaged configuration into a bearing portion disengaged configuration. The articulated arms are disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis x of the robot, and the articulated arms are capable of at least partially moving between said engaged configuration and said disengaged configuration, via a rotational motion about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis x.