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:
Jun. 01, 2021
Filed:
Jul. 08, 2019
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran, SA;
Pablo Carrasco Zanini, Thuwal, SA;
Fadl Abdellatif, Thuwal, SA;
Abdullah Arab, Thuwal, SA;
Brian Parrott, Thuwal, SA;
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran, SA;
Abstract
A robotic vehicle for traversing surfaces is provided. The vehicle is comprised of a chassis supporting a magnetic drive wheel for driving and steering the vehicle and a stabilization mechanism. The magnetic wheel comprises two flux concentrator yokes and an axially magnetized hub extending therebetween. The hub includes a central housing configured to house a sensor probe and enhance the magnetic pull force of the wheel by providing a continuous pathway of high magnetic permeability material for magnetic flux to flow axially through the drive wheel. The stabilization mechanism comprises a front and rear facing support element moveably coupled to the chassis and configured to contact the surface and move symmetrically relative to the chassis thereby maintaining the vehicle and probe normal to the surface and providing stability to the vehicle while traversing surfaces regardless of surface curvature and vehicle orientation.