Wire-Traversing Robot Gear Switching for Branch Navigation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robotics technologies face challenges in efficiently and safely traversing complex terrains for long-term monitoring applications, particularly when encountering impassable terrain or navigating branching wires, which increases the risk of failure and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A wire-traversing robot equipped with a body, processor, and memory that engages and disengages wires using a gear system with a circumferential gap and actuated gears to switch between wires, ensuring efficient and fail-safe navigation through a mesh of wires.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the robot traverses on a wire and encounters a branching wire, then the robot can navigate complex wire meshes, but the robot must disengage from the current wire which drastically increases the risk of failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to navigate branching wiresVSAvoidrisk of failure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The robot performs preliminary engagement of the second wire while still engaged with the first wire, before disengaging from the first wire. This ensures continuous support and eliminates the failure risk associated with disengagement. The gear system is positioned in advance to facilitate smooth transition between wires.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the robot flies above terrain to avoid obstacles, then the robot can traverse impassable terrain, but flight requires lots of energy and is high risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to traverse impassable terrainVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the flight-based mechanical system with a wire-traversing system. Instead of using aerodynamic lift and propulsion to fly above terrain, the robot uses a simplified mechanical system that rolls along wires, dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining the ability to traverse difficult terrain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the robot engages a second wire while still engaged with the first wire, then the robot can switch wires safely, but the gear system requires precise positioning to accommodate wire branching

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafe wire switchingVSAvoidgear system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gear system is segmented into distinct functional components: a circumferential gap for wire engagement/disengagement, gear teeth for controlled rotation, and a structured arrangement that separates the functions of wire capture, holding, and release. This segmentation simplifies the overall system while enabling reliable wire switching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11866079B2Wire-traversing robot and method of operation

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 GEORGIA TECH RES CORP

AI summary

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a robot comprising a body, a processor, and a memory. The memory further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the body to engage a first wire to support the robot from the first wire, traverse the first wire, engage a second wire simultaneously while engaging the first wire, the second wire branching from the first wire, then after engaging the second wire, disengage the first wire and traverse the second wire.