Underwater Snake Robot Using Passive Joints for Long-Range Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater robots for subsea operations face limitations due to complex and expensive active motorized joints, which lead to increased maintenance needs, reduced agility, and limited operational range and power endurance, making them cumbersome and inefficient for tasks like inspecting subsea pipelines.
Innovation Solution
An underwater snake robot design utilizing passive joint modules connected by thrust devices for propulsion and orientation control, allowing for a flexible and robust structure with reduced complexity, lower maintenance, and enhanced operational capabilities, including a high length-to-diameter ratio for improved range and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If active motorized joints are used for propulsion, then the robot can achieve controlled movement, but the complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex active motorized joints from the system and extracts only the essential propulsion function, implementing it through a simpler thrust device that applies force directly to the robot body, eliminating the need for complex joint mechanisms while maintaining controlled movement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical active motorized joint system with a thrust-based propulsion system that uses direct force application rather than complex mechanical articulation, substituting a simpler mechanical approach for the previously complex joint mechanism
2Ease of operation
If active motorized joints are used, then propulsion control is achieved, but maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a simpler thrust device design that is easier to replace and maintain compared to complex motorized joints, treating the propulsion component as a more easily replaceable element that reduces overall maintenance burden and repair complexity
Solution Approach 2:
By removing the complex motorized joint system and keeping only the essential thrust generation capability, the patent eliminates the maintenance-intensive components while preserving propulsion control functionality
3Duration of action of moving object
If the robot size is increased to accommodate more power, then operational range extends, but mobility and agility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a flexible, dynamically configurable robot body composed of multiple modular segments that can change configuration adaptively, allowing the robot to maintain agility while accommodating extended battery capacity for increased operational range
Solution Approach 2:
The robot is divided into modular segments including battery modules, joint modules, and thrust devices that can be independently configured and arranged, allowing optimization of power capacity without compromising mobility through flexible segmentation
4Ease of operation
If the robot is made compact for mobility, then agility improves, but power capacity and operational endurance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the robot into modular components including separate battery modules that can be independently sized and configured, allowing the power capacity to be increased without proportionally increasing the overall robot volume, thus maintaining agility while expanding energy storage
Solution Approach 2:
The modular segments including batteries, joints, and thrust devices are arranged in a nested or compact configuration that maximizes power density while maintaining the robot's agile and flexible form factor
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 design simplifies the robot's structure, reduces maintenance, and enhances operational efficiency and range by using passive joint modules and thrust devices, enabling effective subsea operations with reduced drag and increased power endurance, allowing for longer inspections and easier handling.
Implementation Method 1
one or more thrust devices for applying thrust to the robot for propulsion
Implementation Method 2
a series of links that are connected to one another by one or more passive joint modules for allowing a flexural motion of the robot
Data Source
AI summary
An underwater snake robot 400 for performing subsea operations, the robot 400 comprising: a series of links 401, 402 that are connected to one another by one or more joint modules 404 for allowing a flexural motion of the robot; and one or more thrust devices for applying thrust to the robot 400 for propulsion and/or guidance; wherein the flexural motion and/or thrust device(s) enable movement of the robot 400 and control of the orientation and/or location of the links 401, 402, and wherein the robot 400 has a length to diameter ratio of at least 25:1.