Saudi Arabian Oil Company

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Ahmed Al Brahim

Fadl Abdellatif

Abdulwahab A Halawani

Hesham A Jifri

Sahejad Patel

Hassane Trigui

Jeff S Shamma

Ali J Alrasheed

Amjad Felemban

Abdulrahman Althobaiti

A system and method control magnetic adhesion of a wheel to a surface using internal short-circuit conductors. The method includes providing the wheel having a first disc, apertures retaining magnets, and a conducting ring, and a second disc. In a first configuration, the second disc is isolated from the conducting ring to generate a first magnetic flux to increase adhesion. In a second configuration, magnetic interaction of the second disc and the conducting ring generates a second magnetic flux to decrease adhesion. The system implements the method.

System and method using internal short-circuit conductors to control magnetic wheel adhesion

An actuation system and method are actuated to control magnetic adhesion of a wheel to a surface. The actuation system is coupled to the wheel having inner and outer annular discs and the wheel is configured to adhere magnetically to a surface. The actuation system has a motor configured to rotate a first disc and to not rotate a second disc. In a first configuration, the motor rotates the first disc relative to the second disc in a first rotational direction, thereby generating a first magnetic flux to increase the adhesion of the wheel to the metallic surface. In a second configuration, the motor rotates the first disc relative to the second disc in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, thereby generating a second magnetic flux to decrease the adhesion of the wheel to the metallic surface. A method is also disclosed.

System and method for actuation to control magnetic wheel adhesion

A system and method use a magnetic cancellation loop to control magnetic wheel adhesion. The wheel has an inner annular disc composed of a non-magnetic material with apertures to retain ferromagnetic structures and magnets, and an outer annular discs composed of a ferromagnetic material and are disposed on either side of the inner annular disc. Each outer annular disc has a non-magnetic isolator ring having curves extending in a serpentine manner. In a first configuration, the curves isolate the ferromagnetic structures from the magnets, thereby generating a first magnetic flux to increase the adhesion of the wheel to the ferromagnetic surface. In a second configuration, at least one outer annular disc is rotated to dispose the curves to allow magnetic interaction between the ferromagnetic structures and magnets, thereby generating a second magnetic to decrease the adhesion of the wheel to the ferromagnetic surface. The method implements the system.

System and method using a magnetic cancellation loop to control magnetic wheel adhesion

A system and method control magnetic adhesion of a wheel to a surface using rotating air gaps. First and second discs have apertures. The first disc retains magnets in the apertures. When the apertures of the second disc are not align with the magnets, adhesion is increased. When the apertures of the second disc are aligned with the magnets, air gaps block magnetic flux to decrease the adhesion. A method implements the system.

System and method using rotating air gaps to control magnetic wheel adhesion

A system and method control magnetic adhesion of a wheel to a surface using internal cancellation magnets. An inner annular disc of the wheel comprises a non-magnetic material and has first and second apertures which retain magnets while an outer annular disc comprises a ferromagnetic material and is disposed on a side of the inner annular disc and has a non-magnetic isolator ring which extends in a serpentine manner. In one configuration, the curves of the serpentine isolator ring isolate the first magnets from the second magnets. In another configuration, the outer annular disc rotates relative to the inner annular disc to dispose the curves of the serpentine isolator ring in a second position to allow magnetic interaction between the first and second magnets to generate a second magnetic flux between the second magnets and the ferromagnetic surface to thereby decrease the adhesion of the wheel to the ferromagnetic surface.

System and method using internal cancellation magnets to control magnetic wheel adhesion

A fire blanket deployment system includes a fire blanket assembly including a foldable fire blanket that is detachably coupled to a carrier. The foldable fire blanket is initially in a folded state. The system can include a frame having a plurality of vertical supports that are spaced apart from one another and for placement about an asset to be protected. A first suspension system is coupled to the plurality of vertical supports and is configured to move the fire blanket assembly to a target location between the plurality of vertical supports. A second suspension system that is coupled to the plurality of vertical supports and is configured to controllably unfold the fire blanket once the fire blanket assembly in at the target location. The second suspension system has an automatic detachment mechanism that allows the unfolded fire blanket to move downward toward the asset to be protected.

Automated industrial firefighting blanket platform system

Modular, propelled cable-driven robotic platform systems and methods of operation are disclosed. The system includes a robotic platform suspended by a system of overhead cables, motorized cable reels and pulleys. The robotic platform is configured to be equipped with tool modules for performing respective tasks. Additionally, the tool modules each have a multirotor propulsion system. A master control computer coordinates operation of the motorized cable and propulsion systems as a function of sensor data captured by navigation sensors on-board the platform so as to maneuver the robotic platform inside an industrial plant. The system is configured to maneuver around pipings and avoid obstacles in the plant in order to maximize the effective workspace that the robotic platform can reach to perform operations including inspection or repair.

Modular, propelled cable suspended robot for industrial plants and unmanned offshore platforms

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.

Mechanism for docking a magnetic crawler into a UAV

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to land, take off, and magnetically perch on a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface is provided. The UAV includes a body and articulated magnetic legs configured to land and magnetically perch the UAV on the cylindrical surface. Each magnetic leg has a fixed portion coupled to the body and a pivoting portion pivotably coupled to the fixed portion at a pivot axis. The pivoting portion includes a switchable magnet and a single articulation joint that provides the pivoting portion with a single degree of freedom about the pivot axis to passively orient the pivoting portion inward and tangent to the cylindrical surface in response to the pivoting portion contacting the cylindrical surface during the landing, and to passively maintain the inward orientation of the pivoting portion during the takeoff.

Growing community of inventors

Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Ahmed Al Brahim