Modular Pipe Crawler Clamping for Slip-Free Pipe Traversal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe crawling apparatuses are limited in their ability to traverse horizontal and vertical pipes, navigate around obstacles, and operate without relying on magnets, vacuum, or aerodynamic forces. They often experience slippage due to uneven wheel contact with the pipe surface.
Innovation Solution
A robotic apparatus designed to traverse the outer surface of pipes, featuring a configuration of wheels with rollers that allow for uniform contact and navigation around obstacles. The apparatus includes a clamping assembly to secure itself to the pipe and is capable of adjusting its wheel positions and clamping force to accommodate different pipe sizes and orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnets are used to attach the robot to the pipe, then the robot can remain securely attached to the pipe surface, but the robot's weight increases significantly and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the magnetic attachment system with a mechanical clamping system. The robot uses clamps that can be actuated to grip the pipe surface mechanically, eliminating the need for magnets and their associated weight and power consumption requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the magnetic attachment components entirely from the robot design. By extracting the magnet system and replacing it with a mechanical clamping mechanism, the robot achieves attachment functionality without the weight and power penalties of magnetic systems.
2Reliability
If magnets are used to attach the robot to the pipe, then the robot can remain securely attached, but the robot requires more powerful motors and batteries which add even more weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the magnetic attachment components entirely from the robot design. By extracting the magnet system and replacing it with a mechanical clamping mechanism, the robot achieves attachment functionality without the weight and power penalties of magnetic systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the magnetic attachment system with a mechanical clamping system. The robot uses clamps that can be actuated to grip the pipe surface mechanically, eliminating the need for magnets and their associated weight and power consumption requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If magnets are used for attachment, then the robot can secure to metal pipes, but magnets do not work well on insulated pipes since insulation creates a gap between the magnet and metal pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a mechanical clamping system that can attach to various pipe types including metal and insulated pipes. The clamps are configured to grip the outer surface of the pipe regardless of material composition, making the robot universally applicable to different pipe configurations without relying on magnetic properties.
4Device complexity
If wheels are configured to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel, then the wheel structure is simple, but the wheels ride on their inside edges rather than contacting the pipe across the width, causing slippage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent configures the wheels with their rotation axes parallel to the pipe's longitudinal axis, causing the wheels to contact the pipe surface across their entire width rather than just the inside edge. This curvature-aligned configuration maximizes the contact area between wheel and pipe, improving traction and eliminating slippage.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic apparatus having first and second wheels with rollers coupled by a frame, third and fourth wheels with rollers circumferentially offset from the first and second wheels, and a clamping assembly coupled to the frame and configured to apply a force for urging the third and fourth wheels towards the pipe to secure the robotic apparatus thereon. Another robotic apparatus having first and second wheels with rollers on a first side of a pipe, third and fourth wheels with rollers on a second, opposing side of the pipe, and a clamping member coupling the first and second wheels to the third and fourth wheels and configured to apply a force for urging the wheels towards the pipe to secure the robotic apparatus thereon. The robotic apparatuses may have a modular design in which different sized clamping members/assemblies can be swapped out to accommodate pipes of different diameters.