The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 03, 2018
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2015
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran, SA;
Hibot Corporation, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, JP;
Pablo Carrasco Zanini, Thuwal, SA;
Fadl Abdellatif, Thuwal, SA;
Sahejad Patel, Thuwal, SA;
Shigeo Hirose, Tokyo, JP;
Michele Guarnieri, Tokyo, JP;
Paulo Debenest, Tokyo, JP;
SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran, SA;
HIBOT CORPORATION, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present apparatus is configured to carry an instrument or probe and optionally deploy it against a surface, such as a metal pipeline or storage tank. The apparatus can include a sensor probe for inspecting the integrity of the surface and a first linkage that is operatively coupled to the sensor probe and configured to move the sensor probe according to a first path (in a first direction/first degree of freedom). An actuator can be operatively connected to the first linkage for moving the first linkage so as to move the sensor probe along the first path. A second linkage is operatively connected to the sensor probe and configured to passively move the sensor probe according to a second degree of freedom to cause the sensor probe to become normal to the surface when at least a portion of the apparatus contacts the surface.