System and method for moving on sloping surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic devices face challenges in servicing sloped surfaces with gaps or uneven panels, as existing adhesion methods fail to maintain contact over horizontal or vertical gaps, leading to loss of suction or magnetic force, which hinders smooth motion and effective service.
Innovation Solution
A mobile service device equipped with at least two movable pull chambers and obstacle overcoming elements, such as rims with sloped edges and springs, allows the device to vault over obstacles and maintain contact by adjusting its position and pressure, enabling continuous motion across uneven surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pull chambers are used to maintain adhesion on sloped surfaces, then the robot can counteract gravity and maintain contact with the panel, but the robot loses adhesion when encountering gaps or uneven surfaces between panels
Solution Approach 1:
The robot divides its adhesion system into multiple independent pull chambers distributed across its body. When one chamber encounters a gap or uneven surface and loses adhesion, other chambers can maintain contact and provide continued adhesion force. This segmentation allows the robot to tolerate surface irregularities while maintaining overall adhesion on sloped surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The pull chambers are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their positions and maintain contact with the panel surface despite gaps, unevenness, or angular differences between adjacent panels. This dynamic adaptation enables continuous adhesion maintenance across irregular surfaces.
2Device complexity
If the robot uses a fixed adhesion system, then the structure is simple, but the robot cannot accommodate vertical or horizontal gaps between panels
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesion system is segmented into multiple independent pull chambers that can operate autonomously. This segmentation allows the system to accommodate gaps between panels without requiring a complex overall structure, as each chamber independently adapts to local surface conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pull chambers can change their operational parameters (position, pressure, activation state) to adapt to varying surface conditions including gaps and unevenness. This parameter flexibility allows the system to maintain adhesion across irregular surfaces without fundamentally changing the basic chamber structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pull chambers are spaced apart to cover gaps, then the robot can maintain adhesion across uneven surfaces, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs multiple spaced pull chambers that segment the adhesion function across different locations on its body. This segmentation enables coverage of larger surface areas and tolerance of gaps without requiring an excessively complex control system, as each chamber operates relatively independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Each pull chamber is designed to perform multiple functions: providing adhesion force, detecting surface conditions, and accommodating local variations in panel geometry. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device can effectively service sloped surfaces with gaps or uneven panels by maintaining contact and adhering to the surface, allowing for smooth and efficient movement, even in dirty or uneven conditions, without the need for constant re-establishment of adhesion points.
Implementation Method 1
the robot may have one or more pressure chambers (also referred to as vacuum or suction chambers) that maintain lower pressure which pulls the robot towards the panel
Implementation Method 2
each rim is connected to a spring, configured to direct the rim toward the service surface
Data Source
AI summary
A device, system and method for servicing sloped surfaces are disclosed. A mobile service device for servicing surfaces, may include: at least two movable pull chambers spaced apart from each other, and at least one obstacle overcoming element connected to each movable pull chamber, such that, the movable pull chambers are capable of moving in a direction normal to a service surface.