Crawler Vehicle Suspension Elements for Ceiling Travel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles designed for suspended travel, especially along ceiling structures, face challenges in providing reliable and accurate motion while maintaining a secure suspension and establishing a stable electrical connection.
Innovation Solution
A crawler type vehicle equipped with a plurality of suspension elements that can decouple and re-couple with a structure, allowing for movement along the structure while maintaining an electrical connection through strategically positioned electrical contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple suspension elements are used to securely suspend the vehicle, then suspension reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system is divided into multiple independent suspension elements (at least two) that can be selectively coupled and decoupled. Each suspension element functions as an independent unit, allowing the system to achieve reliable suspension through redundancy while maintaining manageable complexity by standardizing individual element design.
Solution Approach 2:
Each suspension element is designed to perform multiple functions: mechanical suspension, electrical connection, and controlled coupling/decoupling. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby managing device complexity while achieving reliable suspension through the coordinated action of multiple elements.
2Reliability
If electrical contacts are integrated into suspension elements for establishing electrical connection, then electrical connectivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Electrical contacts are integrated directly into the suspension elements, merging the mechanical suspension function with the electrical connection function. This integration ensures that whenever a suspension element is coupled to the structure, electrical connectivity is automatically established, improving reliability while avoiding the complexity of separate electrical connection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension elements serve dual purposes: providing mechanical support and establishing electrical connections. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated electrical connection devices, thereby managing device complexity while ensuring reliable electrical connectivity through the same components that provide suspension.
3Ease of operation
If the vehicle can move by decoupling subset of suspension elements, then mobility is improved, but suspension stability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system transitions from a static fully-coupled state to a dynamic configuration where subsets of elements can be selectively decoupled and recoupled. This dynamic capability enables mobility while maintaining suspension stability through the coordinated action of remaining coupled elements, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements.
4Reliability
If multiple electrical contacts per suspension element are used, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each suspension element incorporates multiple electrical contacts as integrated components, segmenting the electrical connection function across multiple contact points within each element. This segmentation approach improves electrical connection reliability through redundancy while managing manufacturing complexity by incorporating contacts as standardized features during suspension element fabrication.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 1D~1E
AI summary
The invention relates to crawler type vehicles exhibiting a plurality of suspension elements (13, 13b, 13c, 13d) configured for suspending and coupling the vehicle (10) to a structure (1), wherein the vehicle (10) is configured for moving along the structure (1) by decoupling a subset of the plurality of suspension elements (13, 13b, 13c, 13d) from respectively coupling them into the structure (1), wherein a first electrical contact (13.4) of a first suspension element (13c) for establishing an electrical connection is electrically connected to a first pole/phase/line of an electrical bus (1.3) and the first electrical contact (13.4) of a second suspension element (13d) for establishing an electrical connection is electrically connected to a second pole/phase/line of the electrical bus (1.3) in the structure (1) when the vehicle (10) is coupled to the structure (1) via the second suspension element (13d), wherein the second electrical contacts (13.7) of the suspension elements (13c, 13d) are each connected to a respective pole/phase/line of an internal bus (10.5) of the vehicle (10) at least when the vehicle (10) is coupled to the structure (1) via the suspension elements (13c, 13d) for establishing an electrical connection.