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:
Sep. 17, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2000
Edward Grant, Raleigh, NC (US);
John F. Muth, Cary, NC (US);
John Steven Cottle, Raleigh, NC (US);
Brian Ellery Dessent, Oakland, CA (US);
Jason Alan Cox, Raleigh, NC (US);
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (US);
Abstract
A robotic apparatus adapted for locomotion in an enclosed space such as a pipe includes a combination of articulated gripping and locomotive modules. Each gripping module includes an actuator mechanically linked to gripping members such that axial forces produced by the actuator are translated to radial forces in the gripping members, whereby the gripping members are caused to alternately hold and release the engagement of the robotic apparatus with surfaces of the enclosed space. Each locomotive module includes one or more actuators adapted to alternatively expand and contract the length of the locomotive module. The sequence of operations of the gripping and locomotive modules can be controlled such that the robotic apparatus can crawl through the enclosed space in an inchworm-like fashion and is capable of navigating turns and traversing inclines.