Tethered Mobile Climbing Robot for Inspecting Tanks in Confined Environments

摘要

A Mobile Climbing Robot (MCR) with wheel or endless-track type propulsion using magnetic attraction for generating adhering forces is adapted to climbing non-planar surfaces such as intersecting walls, pipes or other structural members. A tether is connected to the MCR through a tether linkage that causes the tether to bend with a radius that keeps it from protruding outside of the MCR wheels. The purpose of this is to increase the mobility when passing over variations of the climbing surface such as edges or corners. The purpose is to further protect the tether from wear caused by rubbing with the climbing surface.