Apparatus and methods for providing gravity compensation to a cable-suspended, vacuum-adhered, tool-equipped crawler vehicle traveling along and following the contour of a non-level surface during the execution of an automated maintenance operation. One technical feature shared by multiple embodiments of the gravity-compensating systems is that a cable spool is operated to wind a portion of the cable from which the vacuum-adhered crawler vehicle is suspended to generate a tensile force that counteracts a gravitational force being exerted on the crawler vehicle during movement. Rotation of the cable spool may be driven by a motor or by a tensioning spring.
Gravity Compensation for Self-Propelled Robotic Vehicles Crawling on Non-Level Surfaces
2020-01-30
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B25J Manipulatoren , MANIPULATORS / B08B Reinigen allgemein , CLEANING IN GENERAL / B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge / B64F GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT , Boden- oder Flugzeugträgerdeckeinrichtungen besonders ausgebildet für die Verwendung in Verbindung mit Luftfahrzeugen |
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