Lincoln Global, Inc.

Helical Robotics, LLC

Other

Keith L Schlee

Bruce A Schlee

William Thomas Matthews

Stephen R Cole

Patrick S Wahlen

A mobile welding system that does not rely exclusively on a track to define the path of the welder. One embodiment includes a mobile welder adapted to move along a work piece. The mobile welder includes a chassis, including a welding implement, and a travel assembly configured to support the chassis over a portion of the work piece. The mobile welder also includes a motor assembly configured to selectively cause the chassis to move relative to the work piece. The mobile welder further includes a chassis holder, having a magnet assembly, configured to provide a force holding the chassis a selected distance from the work piece. The magnet assembly includes a magnet rotatably mounted between a ferrous material and a non-ferrous material to selectively control application of a magnetic field toward the work piece.

Mobile welding system

A mobile welding system that does not rely exclusively on a track to define the path of the welder. The present invention generally provides a mobile welder adapted to move along a work piece, the mobile welder including a chassis supporting a motor assembly; a travel assembly attached to the chassis and adapted to support the chassis over a portion of the work piece, wherein the motor is coupled to the travel assembly to selectively cause the chassis to move relative to the work piece; a controller connected to the motor assembly to control movement of the chassis relative to the work piece; a chassis holder connected to the chassis, the chassis holder being adapted to provide a force holding the chassis a selected distance from the work piece; and a welder supported on the chassis, the welder including an implement adapted to perform a welding operation, wherein the implement is supported on the chassis at a location where the implement and the chassis define an uninterrupted line of sight from the implement to the work piece, wherein the chassis holder is spaced from the line of sight a distance sufficient to prevent the chassis holder from interfering with the welding operation.

A mobile robot configured to be widely versatile in its use. For example, the mobile robot can be configured for being used on a wide assortment of surfaces, regardless of the orientation and/or shape of the surfaces. Alternatively or in combination, the mobile robot can be configured for effective and efficient movement on the surfaces it traverses. In some cases, the mobile robot is configured with two or more component units. In some cases, the component units are configured with magnets and a control system for orientating the magnets. In some cases, one or more component couplings join the component units. In some cases, the mobile unit is configured with Mecanum wheels.

Mobile robot

A Mecanum wheel having a circular plate with a plurality of peripheral flanges formed thereon, the flanges having tab portions bent at an angle of less than 90&#xb0; from said plate; a roller being mounted to and cantilevering off of each of said tab portions such that the axis of rotation of each roller is at corresponding angle of less than 90&#xb0; from said plate. In some cases, the angles are approximately the same, being approximately 45&#xb0;. By cantilevering the rollers, more space is available for use by machines using this Mecanum wheel design.

Mecanum wheel

A multi-unit mobile robot comprising a plurality of separate carriages or units linked together by linkages. Each unit comprises hinged first and second segments which facilitates pitch relative motion between the segments, and accordingly the units. By controlling actuators to the hinges, one can cause the robot to coil around and compress against the exterior, or compress against the interior, of an object to be traversed. The linkage between mobile units facilitates at least one of lateral pivot or yaw relative motion between units, and optionally roll. Each hinged platform is carried by a pair of Mecanum wheels, which facilitate movement of the unit in any direction. Among other possible uses, the multi-unit mobile robot can be used to service windmill blades and towers, and carrying cargo up and down windmill towers by directing a multi-unit mobile robot to wrap around the and traverse the tower.

Growing community of inventors

Oregon, WI, United States of America

Keith L Schlee