Endless-track traveling apparatus, and movable body of generator inspection robot including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319003-B2
Application number	US-201817045504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2018
Priority date	Apr 23, 2018
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

An endless-track traveling apparatus includes a casing, pulleys having axes arranged in parallel in the casing, a motor for driving the pulleys, and an endless track wound on outer circumferential surface portions of the pulleys to rotate together with the pulleys and move on a traveling target. The endless-track traveling apparatus further includes: a plate-shaped member disposed in contact with the endless track and opposed to the traveling target in a space surrounded by the endless track, and fitted in the casing; a magnet fixed in the casing to attract the traveling target; and an elastic member having one end in contact with an inside of the casing and another end in contact with the plate-shaped member, and urging the plate-shaped member in such a direction as to press the plate-shaped member against the endless track.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An endless-track traveling apparatus comprising:
a casing;
pulleys having axes arranged in parallel in the casing;
a motor for driving the pulleys; and
an endless track wound on outer circumferential surface portions of the pulleys to rotate together with the pulleys and move on a traveling target,
the endless-track traveling apparatus further comprising:
a plate-shaped member disposed in contact with the endless track and opposed to the traveling target in a space surrounded by the endless track, and fitted in the casing;
a magnet fixed in the casing to attract the traveling target;
an elastic member having one end in contact with an inside of the casing and another end in contact with the plate-shaped member, and urging the plate-shaped member in such a direction as to press the plate-shaped member against the endless track; and
a sensor for detecting expansion and contraction of the elastic member.

2. The endless-track traveling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, together with a support member for restricting a direction in which the elastic member expands and contracts and a range of the expansion and contraction, the elastic member is fitted with a guide shaft member passing through the elastic member and the support member.

3. The endless-track traveling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the guide shaft member passes through an opening portion included in the plate-shaped member, and the guide shaft member and the plate-shaped member are coupled with a gap portion provided between a side surface of the opening portion and a side surface of the guide shaft member.

4. A movable body of a generator inspection robot, the movable body comprising the endless-track traveling apparatus according to claim 3 .

5. A movable body of a generator inspection robot, the movable body comprising the endless-track traveling apparatus according to claim 2 .

6. A movable body of a generator inspection robot, the movable body comprising the endless-track traveling apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Kadota Naoya
• YANO Kota
• Mizuno Daisuke
• Morimoto Yoshihikro

Classifications

• B62D55/06 Primary

  with tracks without ground wheels · CPC title

• B62D55/265

  having magnetic or pneumatic adhesion · CPC title

• B62D57/024 Primary

  specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces (endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02) · CPC title

• H02K7/1004

  with pulleys · CPC title