A system for underwater inspection including an inspection crawler are provided. The inspection crawler includes a housing having first and second sides, a power source, a controller, an inspection tool, at least two driving wheels, and a moveable center of gravity. A method for traversing a weld joint with the inspection crawler having a moving mass is also provided. In the method, the crawler is parked proximate to the joint, and the mass is slid along a slide rail to the second end of the crawler distal to the joint. The first end of the crawler is then propelled over the joint and the mass is slid to the center of the crawler. A center portion of the crawler is then propelled over the joint and the mass is slid to the first end of the crawler. The second end of the crawler is then propelled over the joint.

An inspection crawler, and systems and methods for inspecting underwater pipelines are provided. The system includes the inspection crawler having a housing with a first side, an opposing second side, a power source, and a controller. The crawler includes an inspection tool, at least two pairs of latching arms, each latching arm including a rolling element, and at least two pairs of driving wheels. The system also includes at least one communication unit configured to communicate with the inspection crawler and to communicate aerially with one or more remote devices and, and at one sea surface unit. The inspection crawler can further include a connecting structure connecting the front and back portions of the crawler, and configured to elongate and shorten the inspection crawler.

A return device for retracting an attachment device of an aircraft. The attachment device is movable between a retracted storage position and a deployed working position, the return device tending to place the attachment device in the retracted storage position in the absence of an external load, while allowing the attachment device to move towards the deployed working position in the presence of an external load. The return device comprises resilient return means for exerting a traction return force on the attachment device and automatically bringing the attachment device into the retracted storage position; a force-reduction member for reducing the traction return force exerted by the resilient return means on the attachment device; and a line element having a first free end secured to the attachment device and a second free end secured to the force-reduction member.

A landing gear actuation system is disclosed herein. The landing gear actuation system includes a trunnion sprocket coupled to a movable member, a drive motor, and a flexible drive member extending between and to the motor and the trunnion sprocket. The motor is configured to move the flexible drive member, wherein the movement of the flexible drive member moves the trunnion sprocket and the movable member. The flexible drive member may be a belt or a chain.

In the present invention, dislodging of a belt is prevented even when there is slack in a fastening member that secures a movement-side pulley for adjusting an inter-axial distance. An adjustment mechanism that adjusts an inter-axial distance between a first pulley and a second pulley is provided with a support member to which the first pulley is provided, first and second long holes provided in an arm part body, first bolts that are inserted into the first long holes and that fasten the support member to the arm part body, and second bolts that are inserted into the second long holes and that fasten the support member to the arm part body. The first long holes have a first length that enables the support member to move toward the second pulley until the inter-axial distance reaches a distance at which the belt can be wound between the first and second pulleys. The second long holes have a second length that retains the inter-axial distance at a distance such that the state in which the belt is wound between the first and second pulleys is not dislodged.

A buoyancy module for use with a water environment robotic system of the type having an underwater robotic vehicle having a winch has a buoyancy configuration which can be selectively altered. The system includes a module that is configured to be repeatedly, selectively buoyantly engaged and buoyantly disengaged with the underwater robotic vehicle. A tether is connected to the module and is extendable and retractable in response to operation of the winch. Extending and retracting the module can buoyantly engage or buoyantly disengage the buoyancy module with the underwater robotic vehicle according to the operation of a state controller. By engaging and disengaging the buoyancy module, the buoyancy of the underwater robot can be selectively altered. A method is also disclosed.

Gear arrangement (14, 14a) with the following features: a drive body (16, 16a) with at least one drive-side drum (20, 22) arranged rotatably about a drive axis (18, 18a), a drive output body (24, 24a) with at least one output-side drum (28, 30) arranged rotatably about a drive output axis (26, 26a), at least one cable (32, 38), which can be wound on the at least one drive-side drum (20, 22) as well as on the at least one output-side drum (28, 30), and has a drive-side cable end (34, 40) as well as an output-side cable end (36, 42),
wherein the drive-side cable end (34, 40) is arranged on the at least one drive-side drum (20, 22) and the output-side cable end (36, 42) is arranged on the at least one output-side drum (28, 30), as well as robot (12) with a gear arrangement (14, 14a).

A two-part, selectively dockable robotic system having counterbalanced stabilization during performance of an operation on an underwater target structure is provided. The robotic system includes a first underwater robotic vehicle that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the underwater target structure. A second underwater robotic vehicle is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the underwater target structure and selectively dock with the first underwater robotic vehicle. The first and second robotic vehicles include complimentary docking mechanisms that permit the vehicles to selectively couple to each other with the underwater target structure disposed at least partially therebetween. One robot includes a tool that can act upon the target structure and the other robot includes a stabilization module that can act upon the target structure in an opposite manner in order to counterbalance the force of the tool.

A water environment robotic system and method has a buoyancy configuration which can be selectively altered. The system includes an underwater robotic vehicle and a buoyancy module that is configured to be repeatedly, selectively buoyantly engaged and buoyantly disengaged with the underwater robotic vehicle. A tether is connected to the buoyancy module and a motor is operatively connected to the tether and is configured to extend and retract the tether and buoyancy module. The tether can be extended and retracted to extend and retract the buoyancy module. Extending and retracting the buoyancy module can buoyantly engage or buoyantly disengage the buoyancy module with the underwater robotic vehicle according to the arrangement of the system. By engaging and disengaging the buoyancy module, the buoyancy of the underwater robot can be selectively altered.

An example robot actuator utilizing a differential pulley transmission is provided. As an example, a differential pulley actuator includes input drive gears for coupling to a motor and timing pulleys coupled together through the input drive gears. Rotation of the input drive gears causes rotation of a first timing pulley in a first direction and rotation of a second timing pulley in a second direction opposite the first direction. The actuator also includes multiple idler pulleys suspended between the timing pulleys and the output pulley, and the multiple idler pulleys are held in tension between the timing pulleys via a first tension-bearing element and the output pulley via a second tension-bearing element. The first tension-bearing element loops around the timing pulleys and the multiple idler pulleys. The output pulley couple to a load, and is configured to apply motion of the multiple idler pulleys to the load.