Device capable of suction-adhering to surface of object and movi

Details Device capable of suction-adhering to surface of object and movi Device capable of suction-adhering to surface of object and movi

1995-03-09

1998-05-19

Hurley, Kevin

Motor vehicles

With powered means for creating fluid force to attract...

180901, B62B 3900

Patent

active

057525773

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a device capable of suction-adhering to a surface by the pressure of an ambient fluid such as air or water, and of moving along it.


BACKGROUND ART

An example of a device capable of suction-adhering to and moving on various inclined or substantially vertical wall surfaces of a ship, a building or the like is the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 26752/85 (the specification and drawings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,378).
Such a device has a pressure reduction housing, a moving means such as wheels, a suction-adhering seal mounted on the pressure reduction housing and defining a pressure reduction space in cooperation with the pressure reduction housing and the wall surface, and a vacuum generating means for discharging a fluid from the pressure reduction space to its outside. In this device, when the vacuum generating means is energized, fluid inside the pressure reduction space is discharged to the outside. Owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and outside of the pressure reduction space, the fluid pressure acts on the pressure reduction housing, and is then transmitted to the wall surface via the wheels. Under this fluid pressure, the device suction-adheres to the wall surface. In this state of suction-adhesion, when the wheels are rotationally driven by a driving means such as an electric motor, the device moves upwards along the wall surface if the frictional force between the wheels and the wall surface, i.e., the driving force of the wheels, exceeds the sum of the frictional force between the suction-adhering seal and the wall surface and the weight of the device.
The device is equipped with a working unit such as a polishing and cleaning material ejecting means which directs a jet of a polishing and cleaning material at the surface.
The conventional device described above presents with the following problems to be solved:
Assume that the conventional device is traveling upwards while suction-adhering to a coated wall surface with a decreased friction coefficient attributed to the deterioration of the coating or to a water-wetted wall surface. Its upward travel may become difficult because the wheels slip.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A primary technical challenge for the present invention is, therefore, to provide a device capable of suction-adhering to and moving along the surface of an object, which has a stable driving force imparted by causing at least that portion of the suction-adhering seal contacting the surface of the object to vibrate, thereby decreasing the frictional force between the suction-adhering seal and the surface of the object.
A secondary technical challenge for the present invention is to provide a device capable of suction-adhering to and moving along the surface of an object, which, when applied to uses for suction-cleaning dirt, such as crud, deposited on the surface of an object mainly in a liquid, can effectively incorporate the crud on the surface of the object into the pressure reduction region by causing at least that portion of the suction-adhering seal contacting the surface of the object to vibrate.
To overcome the above primary technical challenge, the present invention provides a device capable of suction-adhering to and moving along the surface of an object, which device has a pressure reduction housing, a moving means, a suction-adhering seal mounted on the pressure reduction housing and defining a pressure reduction space in cooperation with the pressure reduction housing and the surface of the object, and a vacuum generating means for discharging a fluid from the pressure reduction space to the outside of the pressure reduction space, and which device suction-adheres to the surface of the object by the pressure of an ambient fluid acting on the pressure reduction housing owing to the difference in fluid pressure between the inside and the outside of the pressure reduction space, and moves along the surface of the object by the action of the moving means; wherein at least that port

REFERENCES:
patent: 4095378 (1978-06-01), Urakami
patent: 4560418 (1985-12-01), Raubenheimer
patent: 4926957 (1990-05-01), Urakami
patent: 4934475 (1990-06-01), Urakami
patent: 5007210 (1991-04-01), Urakami
patent: 5014803 (1991-05-01), Urakami

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