Coupled Wall-Climbing Robot Modules for Uneven Surface Adhesion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum adhesion methods for robots moving on wall surfaces are ineffective due to gaps and irregularities, leading to unstable adhesion and movement.
Innovation Solution
A moving device comprising multiple vehicles with rotatable main wheels and an adhesion mechanism, connected by a coupler to enhance stability and adaptability on uneven wall surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum adhesion is used to move robots on wall surfaces, then adhesion force can be generated through pressure difference, but adhesion becomes unstable when wall surfaces have gaps and irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The robot body is divided into multiple vehicles (first vehicle, second vehicle, third vehicle) that can adhere to the wall surface independently. Each vehicle has its own adhesion mechanism, allowing the system to maintain adhesion stability even when some vehicles encounter gaps or irregularities on the wall surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension (depth) by connecting vehicles in series along the traveling direction. This dimensional extension allows the robot to bridge gaps and irregularities by distributing contact points across multiple vehicles, thereby adapting to uneven surfaces while maintaining overall adhesion.
2Reliability
If multiple vehicles are connected to move on wall surfaces, then adhesion probability increases and stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is segmented into multiple independent vehicles connected in series. Each vehicle contains essential components (main wheels, adhesion mechanism, control unit), allowing the system to achieve movement stability through distributed adhesion while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple vehicles are merged into a single integrated moving device through couplers. The vehicles share common control and coordination mechanisms, allowing them to function as a unified system that improves stability without proportionally increasing overall 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 achieves stable movement on wall surfaces by increasing the probability of adhesion and allowing for smooth transitions between angled or separated surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum adhesion using a vacuum pump or a fan is particularly effective among the above-mentioned adhesion methods. In vacuum adhesion, the air in the space between the robot and the surface to be adhered to is exhausted to depressurize the space, and the robot is adhered to the surface by the difference of pressure between the space and the atmosphere.
Data Source
AI summary
A moving device for moving on a wall surface that includes at least two or more vehicles each having a body, two main wheels each disposed on the body and rotatable around a shaft for moving on a wall surface, two rotation drivers which rotate each of the two main wheels respectively, and an adhesion mechanism disposed on the body to adhere onto the wall surface; and a coupler that connects vehicles located adjacent to each other among the at least two or more vehicles in the traveling direction of each of the vehicles.