Inspection robots and methods for inspection of curved surfaces are described. An example inspection robot may include a housing, and at least one drive module operative linked to the housing and including a wheel and motor. An example inspection robot may further include two sleds, each with a sensor, the sled connectable to a payload. An example payload may include multiple rail components with intervening connectors, the connectors are able to connect two rail components at a plurality of discrete engagement positions.

The present invention relates generally to the inspection of pipes, and the like, and more particularly to the remote inspection of ferromagnetic pipes. The invention teaches apparatus comprising, in combination: a vehicle equipped with a plurality of wheels capable of propelling the vehicle within a predetermined ferromagnetic environment to be inspected; means for remotely applying drive forces to said wheels; said wheels including a plurality of passive non-driven rollers; said passive rollers including magnetized means; means for acquiring visual images of the condition of said pipes; and means for remotely accessing said visual images; thereby enabling remote inspection of said pipes. An immediate environment in which the use of the present invention is contemplated is in inspection of ferromagnetic pipes which are located above and/or below ground.

A magnetic adhesive force monitoring system, magnetic wheeled robot and related method are disclosed. The system includes a magnetic field sensor measuring a stray field portion of a total magnetic field emitted by a magnetic wheel that is magnetically adhered to a ferromagnetic structure, the stray field portion including a portion of the total magnetic field redirected by the ferromagnetic structure. A controller determines a change in a magnetic adhesion force of the magnetic wheel to the ferromagnetic structure based on a change in the measured stray field portion of the total magnetic field. Embodiments also provide for determination of a contact point of the wheel with a ferromagnetic structure.

Magnetic wheels, steel-climbing robots, and methods and systems for inspection of steel structures are disclosed, along with variations, alternatives, and modifications. A disclosed magnetic wheel has radially oriented rare-earth magnets disposed in an elastomeric wheel body. The magnets are disposed in circumferential rings about the wheel's axis. Neighboring rings have azimuthally staggered patterns. A steel-climbing robot employing such magnetic wheels is capable of traversing steel structures including obstacles, discontinuities, 90 joints, and rough surfaces.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) a fixed frame and a rotating arm pivotably coupled to the fixed frame at a central axis. The fixed frame includes peripheral propellers and corresponding motors for flying the UAV, and a central electronics enclosure for housing electronics used to control the UAV. The rotating arm is between the propellers and configured to rotate with respect to the fixed frame about the central axis. The rotating arm includes magnetic feet at a first end of the rotating arm and configured to perch and magnetically attach the UAV to a ferromagnetic surface, a docking station at the first end and configured to release and dock a releasable crawler, and a battery at a second end of the rotating arm opposite the first end and configured to supply power to the motors and the housed electronics, and to counterbalance the first end about the central axis.

A magnetic frame mechanism including an outer frame, first drop center wheels, first brackets, a permanent magnet block. The outer frame includes a face plate, a first side plate, and a second side plate. The first side plate and the second side plate are vertically fixed on two ends of the face plate, respectively. The permanent magnet block is sandwiched between the first side plate and the second side plate. The first side plate and the second side plate include guide structures, and the guide structures include first guide rails. The first drop center wheels are fixed on the inner side of the face plate via the first brackets, respectively. The platform mechanism includes a platform plate, four magnetic travelling wheels, four second brackets, a second guide rail disposed on the surface of the platform plate, and a tension spring.

A robotic vehicle for traversing surfaces is provided. The vehicle is comprised of a front chassis section including a magnetic drive wheel for driving and steering the vehicle and a front support point configured to contact the surface. The vehicle also includes a rear chassis section supporting a follower wheel. The front and rear chassis sections are connected by joints including a hinge joint and a four-bar linkage. The hinge is configured to allow the trailing assembly to move side-to-side while the four-bar linkage allows the trailing assembly to move up and down relative to the front chassis. Collectively, the rear facing mechanism is configured to maintain the follower wheel in contact with and normal to the surface and also maintains the front support in contact with the surface and provides stability and maneuverability to the vehicle while traversing surfaces regardless of surface curvature and vehicle orientation.

A motorized apparatus includes an articulated body assembly, a plurality of wheels coupled to the articulated body assembly, and at least one maintenance device coupled to the articulated body assembly. The articulated body assembly includes a first body and a second body. The articulated body assembly includes a joint coupling the first body to the second body. The first body is pivotable relative to the second body about a pivot axis extending through the joint. At least one wheel is transitionable between a first position and a second position. The motorized apparatus also includes a motor drivingly coupled to the plurality of wheels and configured to move the articulated body assembly relative to a surface. The motorized apparatus further includes at least one magnet coupled to the at least one wheel.

A robotic vehicle for traversing surfaces is provided. The vehicle is comprised of a front chassis section including a magnetic drive wheel for driving and steering the vehicle and a front support point configured to contact the surface. The vehicle also includes a rear chassis section supporting a follower wheel. The front and rear chassis sections are connected by joints including a hinge joint and a four-bar linkage. The hinge is configured to allow the trailing assembly to move side-to-side while the four-bar linkage allows the trailing assembly to move up and down relative to the front chassis. Collectively, the rear facing mechanism is configured to maintain the follower wheel in contact with and normal to the surface and also maintains the front support in contact with the surface and provides stability and maneuverability to the vehicle while traversing surfaces regardless of surface curvature and vehicle orientation.

A method for traversing a magnetically inducible surface using a multidirectional wheel is provided. The method includes providing a vehicle having the multidirectional wheel, rotating a hub of the wheel along a first axial direction of rotation, continuing rotation of the hub of the wheel so as to cause a first roller disposed about a periphery of the hub to move out of contact with a first portion of the magnetically inducible surface and to cause a second roller disposed about the periphery of the hub in a plurality of rollers to contact a second portion of the magnetically inducible surface, wherein at least one roller among the plurality of rollers is in contact with the magnetically inducible surface throughout rotation of the wheel, and wherein the flux of the at least one magnet is concentrated toward portions of the surface being traversed adjacent to one or more of the plurality of rollers throughout rotation of the wheel.