UAV Docking Hook With Passive Latches For Magnetic Crawler Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The periodic inspection of elevated assets in the oil and gas industry, such as high-elevation pipes and structures, is challenging due to difficulty in access, requiring expensive scaffolding and posing safety hazards.

Innovation Solution

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a docking mechanism that secures and deploys a magnetic crawler onto ferromagnetic surfaces, allowing for inspection and retrieval, enabling continuous ultrasonic thickness scans without scaffolding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If scaffolding is used to access elevated assets for inspection, then inspection capability is improved, but cost and safety hazards worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection capabilityVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical scaffolding system with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that uses aerodynamic lift and magnetic attachment to access and inspect elevated assets. The UAV flies to the target asset and uses magnetic crawlers to attach to and inspect the surface, eliminating the need for mechanical scaffolding structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a magnetic crawler as an intermediary between the UAV and the ferromagnetic asset surface. The crawler acts as a mediator that enables the UAV to attach to and inspect the asset without direct mechanical contact, allowing the main body to remain airborne while the crawler performs surface inspection tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If scaffolding is erected for inspection access, then inspection capability is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection capabilityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the expensive mechanical scaffolding system with an unmanned aerial vehicle that uses aerodynamic lift and magnetic attachment to access and inspect elevated assets. The UAV flies to the target asset and uses magnetic crawlers to attach to and inspect the surface, eliminating the need for costly scaffolding structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If a magnetic crawler is deployed for inspection, then inspection capability is improved, but device complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection capabilityVSAvoiddocking mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The docking mechanism uses passive latches that automatically engage and disengage based on the relative motion between the UAV and magnetic crawler. During approach, the latches passively open to allow crawler entry; during normal operation, they passively close to secure the crawler; during departure, they passively open again. This eliminates the need for active actuators or complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The docking mechanism transitions from a static locked state during flight to a dynamic passive opening state during deployment and retrieval. The passive latches are designed to respond to motion forces, automatically transitioning between locked and unlocked states based on the operational phase without requiring active control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Facilitates safe and cost-effective inspection of hard-to-reach assets by allowing the UAV to securely attach and detach a magnetic crawler for autonomous inspection and measurement on ferromagnetic surfaces, reducing the need for scaffolding and enhancing safety.

Implementation Method 1

magnetic crawler to the body during flight of the UAV and during landing of the UAV on a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetism: Magnetism

Implementation Method 2

the linear actuator is further configured to lower the docking hook and coupled magnetic crawler by magnetically attaching the magnetic crawler to the cylindrical surface, and to raise the docking hook and received magnetic crawler by magnetically detaching the magnetic crawler from the cylindrical surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic attachment: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentUS11679875B2Mechanism for docking a magnetic crawler into a UAV

Publication Date: 2023.06.20 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

An unmanned aerial vehicle including a body and a docking mechanism coupled to the body is provided. The docking mechanism secures a magnetic crawler to the body during flight and during landing on a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface. The docking mechanism includes a docking hook that couples to the magnetic crawler and a linear actuator coupling the docking hook to the body. The docking hook includes passive latches that passively release the magnetic crawler from the docking hook onto the cylindrical surface after the landing, receive the magnetic crawler into the docking hook from the cylindrical surface after the releasing, and secure the magnetic crawler to the body during takeoff from the cylindrical surface after the receiving. The linear actuator lowers the docking hook and coupled magnetic crawler from the body to the cylindrical surface, and raises the docking hook and received magnetic crawler from the cylindrical surface to the body.