Patent classifications
B60G21/002
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING AN INSPECTION ROBOT FOR INSPECTING AN INSPECTION SURFACE
Systems and methods for configuring a robot for inspecting an inspection surface are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot having a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors and a controller. The controller may include a route profile processing circuit to interpret route profile data for the inspection robot, a configuration determining circuit to determine one or more configurations for the inspection robot in response to the route profile data; and a configuration processing circuit to provide configuration data in response to the determined one or more configurations, the configuration data defining, at least in part, one or more inspection characteristics for the inspection robot.
SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR TRACKING LOCATION OF AN INSPECTION ROBOT
Systems, methods, and apparatus for tracking location of an inspection robot are disclosed. An example apparatus for tracking inspection data may include an inspection chassis having a plurality of inspection sensors configured to interrogate an inspection surface, a first drive module and a second drive module, both coupled to the inspection chassis. The first and second drive module may each include a passive encoder wheel and a non-contact sensor positioned in proximity to the passive encoder wheel, wherein the non-contact sensor provides a movement value corresponding to the first passive encoder wheel. An inspection position circuit may determine a relative position of the inspection chassis in response to the movement values from the first and second drive modules.
INSPECTION ROBOTS WITH A MULTI-FUNCTION PISTON CONNECTING A DRIVE MODULE TO A CENTRAL CHASSIS
Inspection robots with a multi-function piston connecting a drive module to a central chassis and systems thereof are disclosed. An example inspection robot may include a center chassis coupled to a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors. The inspection robot may further include a drive module coupled to the center chassis, the drive module having a drive wheel to engage an inspection surface and a drive piston mechanically interposed between the center chassis and the drive module. The example may further include wherein the drive piston in a first position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a minimum distance between and the drive piston in a second position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a maximum distance between. The example may further include wherein the drive module is independently rotatable relative to the center chassis.
INSPECTION ROBOT
- Mark J. Loosararian ,
- Michael A. Binger ,
- Edward A. Bryner ,
- Edwin H. Cho ,
- Mark Cho ,
- Alexander R. Cuti ,
- Ignacio J. Cordova ,
- Benjamin A. Guise ,
- Dillon R. Jourde ,
- Kevin Y. Low ,
- Logan A. MacKenzie ,
- Joshua D. Moore ,
- Jeffrey J. Mrkonich ,
- William J. Pridgen ,
- Domenic P. Rodriguez ,
- Francesco H. Trogu ,
- Alex C. Watt ,
- Yizhu Gu ,
- Ian Miller ,
- Todd Joslin ,
- Katherine Virginia Denner ,
- Michael Stephen Auda ,
- Samuel Theodore Westenberg
An inspection robot includes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.
SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN INSPECTION MAP
Systems, apparatus and methods for providing an inspection map are disclosed. An apparatus for performing an inspection may include an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection data, a robot positioning circuit to interpret position data, and a processed data circuit to link the inspection data with the position data to determine position-based inspection data. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret an inspection visualization request for an inspection map and an inspection visualization circuit to determine the inspection map based on the position-based inspection data, and a provisioning circuit structured to provide the inspection map to a user device.
SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSPECTION SCHEME FOR AN INSPECTION ROBOT
Systems, methods and apparatus for rapid development of an inspection scheme for an inspection robot are disclosed. An apparatus may include an inspection definition circuit to interpret an inspection description value, and a robot configuration circuit to determine an inspection robot configuration description in response to the inspection description value. The apparatus may further include a configuration implementation circuit, communicatively coupled to a configuration interface of an inspection robot, to provide at least a portion of the inspection robot configuration description to the configuration interface.
Inspection robot having replaceable sensor sled portions
A system includes an inspection robot having a number of payloads, a number of arms mounted to the payloads, and a number of sleds mounted to the arms, where the sleds comprise an upper portion coupled to a replaceable lower portion, the replaceable lower portion having a bottom surface shaped to accommodate an inspection surface; and an inspection sensor coupled to the upper portion of the one of the plurality of sleds such that the sensor is operationally couplable to the inspection surface.
Inspection robot with couplant chamber disposed within sled for acoustic coupling
A system includes an inspection robot having a number of payloads, a number of arms mounted to the payloads, and a number of sleds mounted to the arms. The system includes a number of sensors, each mounted to a corresponding sled, such that the sensor is operationally coupleable to an inspection surface in contact with a bottom surface of the corresponding sled. A couplant chamber is provided within at least two of the sleds, the couplant chamber between a transducer of a sensor and the inspection surface. The system includes a biasing member for each of the arms, where the biasing member provides a down force on the corresponding sled.
VEHICLE
A vehicle includes a front wheel, a front wheel mounting portion, a vehicle body, and a roll mechanism. The wheels are disposed in a pair of the left and right and rotatable about the steering shaft as a rotation center. The portion is disposed in a pair of left and right, and the wheel rotatably mounted and includes a suspension. The body includes a seat on which an occupant sits. The mechanism connects the body and the portion. In the upright state, the roll axis of the mechanism is located at a position higher than the vehicle center of gravity when the occupant is not riding. When the body receives a centrifugal force at the time of turning, only the body among the body and the wheel rolls around the roll axis as the rotation center, whereby the body is inclined inward in the turning direction.
SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM A SURFACE INSPECTION USING REAL-TIME POSITION INFORMATION
A system includes an inspection robot for performing an inspection on an inspection surface with an inspection robot, the apparatus comprising a position definition circuit structured to determine an inspection robot position on the inspection surface; a data positioning circuit structured to interpret inspection data, and to correlate the inspection data to the inspection robot position on the inspection surface; and wherein the data positioning circuit is further structured to determine position informed inspection data in response to the correlating of the inspection data with the inspection robot position, wherein the position informed inspection data comprises absolute position data.