High temperature wheels for inspection robots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420585-B2
Application number	US-202217740561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2022
Priority date	Apr 20, 2021
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

High temperature wheels for inspection robots are described. An example wheel may have a plurality of wheel enclosures with a plurality of inter-covers interposed between the plurality of wheel enclosures. The example wheel may have a magnetic hub including a high temperature magnet, the magnetic hub being interposed between a first wheel enclosure of the plurality of wheel enclosures and a second wheel enclosure of the plurality of wheel enclosures. Each of the plurality of inter-covers is structured to guide a magnetic field of the magnetic hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel for a drive module of an inspection robot, comprising:
a plurality of wheel enclosures;
a plurality of inter-covers each axially interposed between at least one of the plurality of wheel enclosures and a magnetic hub; and
the magnetic hub including a high temperature magnet, the magnetic hub being interposed between a first wheel enclosure of the plurality of wheel enclosures and a second wheel enclosure of the plurality of wheel enclosures,
wherein the plurality of inter-covers is structured to guide a magnetic field of the magnetic hub.

2. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wheel enclosures each comprise a non-ferrous material.

3. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the non-ferrous material comprises a metallic material.

4. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the non-ferrous material comprises aluminum.

5. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the non-ferrous material comprises zinc or bronze.

6. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the non-ferrous material comprises plastic.

7. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the non-ferrous material comprises a fluoroelastomer.

8. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the non-ferrous material comprises at least one of Poly Urethane (PU) or ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM).

9. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic hub comprises a rare earth metal.

10. The wheel of claim 5 , wherein the magnetic hub comprises a neodymium magnet.

11. The wheel of claim 1 , where the plurality of inter-covers each comprise a carbon steel plate.

12. The wheel of claim 11 , wherein each carbon steel plate comprises an anti-corrosion coating.

13. The wheel of claim 12 , wherein the anti-corrosion coating comprises a zinc coating.

14. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the high temperature magnet comprises a temperature threshold greater than 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

15. The wheel of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of diffusion barriers each axially interposed between at least one of the plurality of inter-covers and the magnetic hub, each of the plurality of diffusion barriers comprising at least one of a coating, a surface hardening, or a non-metallic cover.

16. A wheel for a drive module of an inspection robot, comprising:
a plurality of wheel enclosures;
a plurality of inter-covers each interposed between at least one of the plurality of wheel enclosures and a magnetic hub;
a plurality of diffusion barriers each axially interposed between at least one of the plurality of inter-covers and the magnetic hub; and
the magnetic hub including a high temperature magnet, the magnetic hub being interposed between a first wheel enclosure of the plurality of wheel enclosures and a second wheel enclosure of the plurality of wheel enclosures,
wherein the plurality of inter-covers is structured to guide a magnetic field of the magnetic hub.

17. The wheel of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of diffusion barriers comprises at least one of a coating, a surface hardening, or a non-metallic cover.

18. The wheel of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of wheel enclosures each comprises a non-ferrous material.

19. The wheel of claim 16 , wherein the magnetic hub comprises a rare earth metal.

20. The wheel of claim 16 , where the plurality of inter-covers each comprises a carbon steel plate.

21. The wheel of claim 16 , wherein the high temperature magnet comprises a temperature threshold greater than 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Assignees

• Gecko Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Bryner Edward A
• Jourde Dillon R
• Binger Michael A
• Auda Michael Stephen
• Low Kevin Y

Classifications

• H05K2201/10151

  Sensor · CPC title

• H05K1/18

  structurally associated with non-printed electric components (H05K1/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• G01N2291/2698

  Other discrete objects, e.g. bricks · CPC title