Abstract
This study proposes a novel active screw-drive in-pipe robot that can adapt the circular-type and square-type pipe structure. The pipe robot is composed of four driving units and a wall-pressing suspension mechanism. Each driving unit contains a motor, a transmission train, and an electromagnetic brake, which is for switching the motion transmission route. DC motors drive the helical wheels, and the incline angle of the helical wheels can be adjusted by using the electromagnetic brake. The wheels of the driving unit exhibit rolling and steering motion. Thus, the robot is capable of translation movements, rotation movements, and screw motions with respect to the axis of the pipe according to the different positions of the helical wheels. The robot can avoid obstacles by using the rotation and screw modes. Moreover, the wall-pressing mechanism is analyzed and modified, and a criteria for entering a reduction pipe reducer are derived for the double scissor-like suspension mechanism. We also analyze the robot motion in curved pipes in two typical postures. The simulation experiments reveal the relationship between the translation and rotation motion of the robot and indicates that the steering angle of the wheels can be regarded as a regulator to adjust the movement speed of the robot aside from tuning the posture of the robot. Elbow experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the motion strategy. The robot can be adapted for both circular and square tube pipes without any change in its structure due to the special configuration.
Highlights
Pipes are widely used to transport many types of fluid in modern societies, and they provide convenience for daily life and mass industrial production
We aim to design a robot that can move in circular tube pipes and in the square tube pipes to extend the adaptability of the robot
These results show that steering angle vs can be used for the posture change of the robot and as a regulator that adjusts the velocities of the robot
Summary
Pipes are widely used to transport many types of fluid in modern societies, and they provide convenience for daily life and mass industrial production. Aging pipes are prone to internal corrosion, leakages, and cracks due to chemical elements or high pressures. Pipes must be checked periodically to prolong their lifecycle, reduce maintenance expenses, and prevent severe accidents. Several pipelines are public facilities and buried underneath the ground. They have limited space and are very difficult to access. To send inspection tools into pipes, researchers have developed many kinds of robots that can enter the confined space of pipelines
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