• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
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    • 专利摘要:
    holonomic motion vehicle for traveling on uneven surfaces. The present invention relates to holonomically moving land vehicles (i.e. mobile platforms) which have the capability of controlled movement across uneven surfaces while carrying one or more non-destructive inspection sensors or other tools. the mobile platform comprises a chassis (2) which has four (or a multiple of four) mecanum wheels (4), each wheel being driven by a respective independently controlled motor (8) and which further has a plurality (by example, two) of independently controlled suction devices (10). mecanum wheels allow holonomic movement, while suction devices facilitate sufficiently precise control of movement on uneven surfaces.
    公开号:BR112014000839B1
    申请号:R112014000839-6
    申请日:2012-05-18
    公开日:2021-07-13
    发明作者:James J. Troy；Scott W. Lea；Gary E. Georgeson；Karl Edward Nelson；Charles M. Richards
    申请人:The Boeing Company；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
    [0001] The present application claims the benefit, under Title 35, United States Code, § 119(e), of provisional application in U.S. 61/509,098 filed July 18, 2011. BACKGROUND
    [0002] The present invention generally relates to systems for loading tools across surfaces, such tools including (but not limited to) sensors used in non-destructive testing (NDT). In particular, this disclosure relates to tool-carrying tracked vehicles that have the ability to operate on an uneven surface.
    [0003] Prior art systems for inspecting an uneven surface, such as the surface of an aircraft fuselage, include track-based systems, large robotic manipulator arms for tool positioning, portable scanners, and conveyor belt vehicles differential. The term "differential transmission" refers to a type of vehicle motion control that turns independently by driving the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle. On vehicles with four or more wheels, this type of motion control is sometimes called sliding steering. Such vehicles are subject to movement restriction (that is, they do not allow simultaneous translation and rotation) and are considered non-holonomic movement systems.
    [0004] It is known to use a non-holonomic motion track vehicle to position and move NDT (non-destructive testing) sweeping equipment in an aircraft fuselage. The sweeping process requires precise control of orientation and position in order to achieve the desired sweep path. Standard differential transmission vehicles will tend to slide slightly sideways when external forces are applied perpendicular to the direction of travel. In the event that a surface of an aircraft fuselage is being swept, the vehicle needs to be drawn to the surface - usually with some sort of vacuum or suction creation system. As the vehicle moves horizontally over and through the side of the fuselage, the external force of gravity pulls on the vehicle, causing it to slide to the side. Since a differential steering vehicle cannot directly control lateral movement, NDT scans acquire with that type of vehicle (ie, a non-holonomic platform) can be distorted.
    [0005] If a holonomic vehicle has been used instead, any unwanted movement can be corrected directly. The most common type of holonomic vehicle setup uses a type of wheel called a Mecanum wheel. A Mecanum wheel is a type of wheel with multiple individual rollers that, when used in pairs, allows the vehicle to move in any direction (ie, holonomic movement). While these wheels work well on level surfaces, they have difficulty creating the desired movement on sloped surfaces. This problem is due to the requirement that all wheels have enough traction on each wheel to sustain the forces required to make the desired movement. This is especially true of lateral movements.
    [0006] There is a need for a system that enables precise control of the holonomic movement of a vehicle carrying tool on an unlevelled surface. SUMMARY
    [0007] The modalities disclosed in this document are holonomically moving ground vehicles (ie, mobile platforms) that have the ability to operate in both horizontal and vertical configurations while carrying one or more sensors or other non-destructive inspection tools. The mobile platform disclosed in this document comprises a chassis having four (or a multiple of four) Mecanum wheels, each wheel being driven by a respective independently controlled motor and having a plurality (for example, two) of independently controlled suction device. Mecanum wheels enable holonomic movement, while suction devices facilitate sufficiently precise control of movement on uneven surfaces.
    [0008] A holonomic system is a system that is not subject to movement restriction. As used in this disclosure, a vehicle is considered holonomic if the controllable degrees of freedom are equal to the total degrees of freedom. This type of system can translate in any direction while simultaneously rotating. This is different from most types of land vehicles, such as car-like vehicles, tracked vehicles, or vehicles with wheel differential steering (sliding steer), which cannot roll in any direction while turning at the same time.
    [0009] There are holonomic motion vehicles that can move on horizontal surfaces and there are differential steering vehicles that can scale vertical surfaces. The vehicles disclosed in this document combine both of these capabilities. They achieve this combination of capabilities using a suction generation system that equalizes or often distributes the normal loads on the Mecanum wheels so that the lateral forces needed by the wheels can be generated. The resulting platform motion can be controlled to enable general purpose positioning for non-destructive sweeping and other precise motion control tasks.
    [00010] One aspect of the invention is a mobile platform comprising: a chassis comprising first and second openings, and first and second bottom surfaces that partially define the first and second suction zones respectively; a plurality of wheels pivotally mounted to the chassis, each wheel comprising a respective plurality of rollers having geometric axes of rotation not parallel to a geometric axis of rotation of the wheel; a plurality of motors equal in number to the number of wheels, each motor being operable to drive the rotation of a respective one of the wheels; and first and second controllable suction devices respectively mounted adjacent to the first and second openings to produce respective suction forces in the first and second suction zones when the wheels are all in contact with a surface.
    [00011] Another aspect of the invention is a system for moving a tool or sensor on an uneven surface, comprising a platform and a controller. The platform comprises: a chassis comprising first and second openings and first and second bottom surfaces that partially define the first and second suction zones respectively; a plurality of wheels pivotally mounted to the chassis, each wheel comprising a respective plurality of rollers having geometric axes of rotation not parallel to a geometric axis of rotation of the wheel; a plurality of motors equal in number to the number of wheels, each motor being operable to drive the rotation of a respective one of the wheels; and first and second controllable suction devices respectively mounted adjacent the first and second apertures to produce respective suction forces in the first and second suction zones when the wheels are all in contact with the unlevel surface. The controller is programmed to independently control the plurality of motors and the first and second suction devices.
    [00012] A further aspect of the invention is a method for sweeping a tool or sensor across an uneven surface of a structure, comprising: (a) placing the wheels of a holonomic motion vehicle carrying a sensor or tool in contact with an uneven surface to be swept; (b) produce suction forces that keep the wheels of the holonomically moving vehicle in contact with the unlevelled surface; (c) activate the tool or sensor while step (b) is being performed; and (d) controlling the rotation of the wheels to cause the vehicle to move along a trajectory relative to the unlevel surface while steps (b) and (c) are being performed. Other aspects of the invention are disclosed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    [00013] FIG. 1 is a diagram representing an isometric view of parts of a holonomically moving track vehicle that has two suction zones according to a modality. Electrical connections to supply signals to control the operation of described components and other components that are not shown.
    [00014] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing input parameters with respect to the chassis with Mecanum wheels of the assembly depicted in FIG. 1.
    [00015] FIG. 3 is a diagram representing a bottom view of a tracked vehicle having two suction zones according to the embodiment described in FIG. 1.
    [00016] FIG. 4 is a diagram representing a bottom view of a tracked vehicle having two suction zones according to an alternative embodiment.
    [00017] FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams representing a front view of portions of a tracked vehicle that have multiple operative suction zones and that additionally show the forces exerted by a horizontal surface (see FIG. 5) and an inclined surface (see FIG. 6 ) on the Mecanum wheels of the tracked vehicle.
    [00018] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a top view of a prototype Mecanum-type wheel tracked vehicle that has dual suction zones.
    [00019] FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing respective trajectories for an Ackermann-type steering vehicle in which a surface sweep can take place in any direction (see FIG. 8A) and in which a surface sweep in only one direction is allowed (see FIG. 8B).
    [00020] FIG. 8C is a diagram showing a trajectory for a holonomic motion vehicle on which a surface sweep can be performed without additional lateral maneuvers at the end of each sweep trajectory.
    [00021] FIG. 9 is a diagram representing a top view of a mecanum-type wheel chassis of a tracked vehicle that has a fixed NDT swept head attached to one end thereof.
    [00022] FIG. 10 is a diagram representing a top view of a mecanum-type wheel chassis of a tracked vehicle that has an alternate NDT swept head mounted to one end thereof.
    [00023] FIG. 11 is a diagram representing a bottom view of a tracked vehicle having four suction zones.
    [00024] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a schematic view of an image-based or laser-based system that is suitable for crawling a holonomically moving track vehicle.
    [00025] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic view of a motion capture system that is suitable for crawling a holonomic motion crawler vehicle.
    [00026] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a system for inspecting an aircraft fuselage using a holonomic motion vehicle carrying a non-destructive inspection sensor or sensor arrangement.
    [00027] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a system for controlling the movement of a holonomically moving track vehicle over an unlevelled surface in accordance with an additional embodiment.
    [00028] Hereinafter reference will be made to drawings in which similar elements in different drawings use the same reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
    [00029] Various embodiments of a tracked vehicle capable of moving on an unlevel surface will now be disclosed. Each of the vehicles revealed comprises a platform that has four Mecanum wheels and a system for creating a vacuum or suction to keep the platform with sufficient traction against a surface. However, the platform may have any number multiple of four Mecanum wheel, eg 4, 8, 12, etc. Although, certain modalities disclosed carry one or more non-destructive inspection sensors to inspect the surface on which the vehicle travels, whereas the modalities disclosed in this document may alternatively carry other types of tools, such as tools needed for maintenance or painting.
    [00030] A vehicle with a Mecanum wheel is a holonomic system, which means that it can move in any direction while simultaneously turning. This is possible due to the shape of the wheels. The default configuration for a Mecanum Wheel Vehicle has four Mecanum wheels (two type "A" and two type "B"). Mecanum wheels are arranged with the “A” pair on one diagonal and the “B” pair on the other, with each having its axis perpendicular to a line running through the center of the vehicle. The geometric axes of the rollers on the Mecanum wheels of the type “A” are at right angles to the geometric axes of the rollers on the Mecanum wheels of the type “B”
    [00031] Such a Mecanum wheel vehicle can be manufactured to move in any direction and rotate by varying the speed and direction of rotation of each wheel. For example, turning all four wheels in the same direction at the same rate causes forward or backward movement; which rotates the wheels on one side at the same rate but in the opposite direction of rotation by the wheels on the other side which causes the vehicle to rotate; and that rotates type “A” wheels at the same rate, but in the opposite direction of rotation of type “B” wheels causes lateral movement.
    [00032] FIG. 1 shows parts of a holonomically moving track vehicle that have four Mecanum wheels and two suction zones according to a modality. Electrical connections to supply signals to control operation of the described components are not shown. This holonomic movement platform comprises a chassis 2 with four Mecanum 4 wheels (two type "A" and two type "B") mounted to the chassis by means of respective axes 6 and additionally comprises four independently controlled stepper motors 8 (one per wheel). Mecanum 4 wheels are arranged with the pair of “A” on one diagonal and the pair of “B” on the other, with each having its axis 6 perpendicular to a line running through the center of the vehicle. Each stepper motor 8 controls the rotation of a respective wheel 4.
    [00033] The modality described in FIG. 1 also has two suction devices 10 arranged side by side in the middle of the chassis 2, in the middle between the front and rear wheels. In this particular embodiment, each suction device is a respective fan in an electrical duct that is mounted in a respective opening (not shown in FIG. 1) formed in the chassis. Each electric duct fan 10 comprises a fan that is rotatable about a geometric axis, a duct that surrounds the fan, and an electric motor that drives the fan to rotate in one direction so that air is pushed from a respective one. channel or space from under the chassis (hereafter "suction zone") to through the fan duct, thereby creating suction in the corresponding suction zone. Although the modalities revealed have a perpendicular fan axis, a perpendicular mount is not crucial to the project. Suction can still be generated if the fan is mounted in other ways, for example, with a curved duct to channel the air intake to the fan from below the vehicle. The current configuration where the fan axis is normal to the chassis was mainly chosen for convenience of mounting the fans. While fans in this configuration provide some thrust that helps keep the vehicle in contact with the surface, the amount of that thrust is less compared to the suction force that the fans and suction zones generate from underneath the vehicle.
    [00034] The two suction zones are connected on opposite sides by longitudinal surface low friction flexible tabs 14 which are attached to chassis 2, the middle tab forming a common boundary wall separating the two suction zones. The flaps can extend downstream so that their bottom edges make contact with the surface on which the vehicle is moving.
    [00035] Although not shown in FIG. 1, the treadmill vehicle can be connected to a support system by a cable that supplies electrical power to stepper motors 8 and electrical duct fans 10 in the vehicle. The cable also provides control signals from a controller (eg, a programmed processor) that controls the operation of stepper motors and electrical duct fans. The tracked vehicle further comprises a converter box (not shown) mounted to chassis 2. The converter box converts USB signals from the controller (not shown) into pulse width modulated signals to control the fan motors in electrical duct.
    [00036] According to an alternative modality, the treadmill vehicle can be powered by battery, instead of receiving electrical power through the safety cable. The motor controller can also be a programmed mounted microprocessor or microprocessor built into the tracked vehicle, rather than using a ground-based programmed processor to control the vehicle via control signals carried by a safety cable. Alternatively, the tracked vehicle's integrated motors can be controlled via a wireless connection to a non-integrated controller.
    [00037] The tracked vehicle shown in FIG. 1 uses four Mecanum wheels. Each Mecanum 4 wheel has a multiplicity of wedge-shaped rollers 16 rotatably mounted to its circumference, each roller being freely rotatable about its geometric axis. These rollers have a geometric axis of rotation that rests at a 45° angle to the plane of the wheel. Type “A” Mecanum wheels have rollers that rotate counterclockwise, while Type “B” Mecanum wheels have rollers that rotate clockwise. The vehicle can be made to move in any direction and rotate by checking the speed and direction of rotation of each wheel.
    [00038] From the perspective of navigation control (either by programmed processor control or human teleoperation control), the inputs to the system are a motion direction vector v (with vty and vtx components) and a rotation rate w as shown in FIG. 2. Equations (1) to (6) (see below) use variables v and w as inputs to produce the required wheel rotation rates, where vwn is the individual wheel speed (where n is an integer from 1 to 4, which indicates one of four wheels), and D and L are vehicle dimensions that define the locations of the wheel centers on the vehicle. Variables a and b are user-controlled, independent variables that can be modified at runtime to specify the center of rotation CR. (Note, in FIG. 2, the center of rotation is shown at the center of the vehicle, but it can be specified by the user to be anywhere).

    [00039] Vehicle chassis 2 requires any amount of compliance to keep all of the wheels in contact with a surface without slipping. If only three out of four wheels are in contact with the surface and can generate traction, the vehicle will not respond correctly to motion inputs. One way to address wheel contact problem is to build a chassis with low torsional stiffness. Another way is to provide suspension for one or more of the wheels. For a vehicle with a Mecanum wheel to function properly on sloped, vertical or inverted surfaces, there are additional issues that need to be addressed, specifically, in order to generate adequate vehicle movement, the forces on the wheels need to be sufficient to generate the required traction. If one or more of the wheels start to slip or stall, the forces required in that corner of the vehicle will not be produced, resulting in a totally undesirable vehicle movement.
    [00040] To solve this problem, the crawler vehicles disclosed in this document are provided with multiple vacuum creation or suction devices attached to respective openings in the chassis to create suction zones that can be independently controlled. These independently controlled suction zones allow the system to control the amount of force exerted on the wheels by the contact surface.
    [00041] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the track vehicle depicted in FIG. 1. The underside of chassis 2 is formed to provide two low pressure regions 12 (referred to herein as "suction zones"), and has low surface friction tabs (previously described and not shown in FIG. 3) that conform to non-flat surfaces. Each electrical duct fan 10 is installed in a respective opening in the chassis and is in fluid communication with a respective suction zone 12 defined by the bottom surface and the wings of the chassis. When the fans 10 are turned on, each fan pushes air upward, thereby sucking air from the formed suction zones 12. The electrical duct fans 10 can be independently controlled to apply different suction forces to the surface below. of the respective suction zones 12.
    [00042] According to an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the suction zones 12 are not side by side under the chassis, but instead one is above the other. This design provides a tracked vehicle better adapted to sweep vertically, given that the suction zone configuration shown in FIG. 3 provides a tracked vehicle better adapted to sweep horizontally.
    [00043] The ability to control the suction in the various zones below the vehicle allows the load on the wheels in a direction perpendicular to the normal surface to be controlled, which in turn provides the ability to increase the lateral force on the wheels through the F= equation μN, where F is the lateral force, μ is the coefficient of friction, and N is the normal force.
    [00044] If one were to build a tracked vehicle that has only a simple suction zone fed by a simple vacuum generating element (such as an electrical duct fan), the resulting forces exerted on the vehicle by an inclined surface may not be conductive for precisely controlled movement on that surface because lateral and normal forces on the lower wheels can be much greater than the corresponding forces on the upper wheels. The resulting problem with such a system is that it does not move properly on vertical or slanted surfaces. The fan generates enough suction to keep the vehicle on the sloped surface, but since the system has only one suction zone, it creates unequal frictional forces and unequal normal forces on the wheels respectively located on the right and left sides of the vehicle. Wheels arranged at a higher elevation on the sloped surface always have more normal traction than wheels disposed at a higher elevation.
    [00045] An important note is to recognize that unequal wheel forces cause the prior motion control problem. To solve the problem required finding a way to balance the forces. The forces can be balanced by designing the crawler vehicle to include at least two suction zones 12, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
    [00046] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the forces exerted by a horizontal surface on the Mecanum 4 wheels of the crawler vehicle depicted in FIG. 3. When the suction forces generated by the respective fans in electrical duct 10 are equal, the normal forces on the Mecanum 4 wheels on the right and left sides of the vehicle are equal, ie, N1 =N2.
    [00047] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the forces exerted by an inclined surface on the Mecanum 4 wheels of the crawler vehicle depicted in FIG. 3. The speed of the electric duct fans 10 can be controlled to produce different suction forces in their respective suction zones 12. When the suction force generated by the electric duct fan disposed at a relatively high elevation is greater by a certain amount than the suction force generated by the fan in an electrical duct disposed at a relatively low elevation, the normal and frictional forces exerted by the inclined surface on the Mecanum 4 wheels on the right and left sides of the vehicle can be equalized, ie, F'1 = F '2 and N1 = N2. In this way the suction in the upper zone can be increased relative to that in the lower zone, resulting in an increase in the normal load on the upper wheels. The respective electric duct fans 10 are controlled as a function of the tilt angle of the unlevel surface on which the vehicle is situated. The balance between zones 12 can be controlled using a sensor (not shown), such as an electronic tilt sensor, installed in chassis 2 to measure the relative angle between the chassis and the gravity vector mg. The electronic tilt gauge sensor returns tilt angle data to the controller, which uses the data to control the electrical duct fans.
    [00048] The modalities shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 have two independently controlled suction zones 12 where suction is provided by electrical duct fans 10. Other suction generating devices can also be used. Furthermore, the vehicle can be equipped with multiple pairs of right and left suction zones. For example, a rectangular or square arrangement of four suction zones 12 can also be deployed if needed. Such an arrangement is described in FIG. 11.
    [00049] FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a prototype Mecanum wheel track vehicle which has dual suction zones 12 separated by a common flap 14 which cuts the bottom surface of the chassis along a longitudinal geometric axis. In this particular construction, the top half of the bottom surface between the top and the middle flaps 14 comprises a central flat surface 36 having an opening in which the electrical duct fan fan is installed. This central flat surface 36 is flanked by forward and backward convex surfaces 38 and 40. Each convex surface 38 and 40 may be an aerodynamically efficient surface that forms a respective throat with opposite portions of the surface on which the vehicle is moving. Thus, the contoured bottom surface of the chassis, the wings and the surface on which the vehicle is moving define respective channels that allow sufficient air to be sucked into the corresponding electrical duct fan to generate a desired suction force. The portion of each channel between the lowest points of the convex surfaces 38 and 40 forms a respective suction zone 12. In the particular embodiment described in FIG. 7, the suction zones are separated by the middle flap and are in fluid communication with the respective openings in which the duct fans are installed. These openings may be substantially tapered along a lower portion thereof to facilitate airflow out of the suction zone.
    [00050] It should be appreciated that the shape of the surface below the body seen in FIG. 7 is an exemplary deployment. The surface below the body can have many different shapes that lead to airflow from the front and rear of the vehicle through the space underneath the vehicle and then through the ducts of the electrically ducted fans.
    [00051] The system disclosed in this document combines the directional control advantages of a Mecanum wheel platform with the ability to work on inclined, vertical or inverted surfaces. As compared to inspecting systems that attach to the inspection surface or systems that use a large robotic manipulator arm, a tracked vehicle has more flexibility in the types of regions that can be inspected and is safe for operators and the object being inspected . The main advantage that the system revealed in this document has over other systems is the combination of the ability to maintain the vehicle's position on any surface without slipping (due to the controlled suction system) and the ability to move in any direction (due to to the holonomic motion platform).
    [00052] With a holonomic motion system that can move on level, sloped and vertical surfaces (and potentially inverted surfaces), general purpose motion control is enabled for inspection and other types of applications. For the types of inspection applications envisioned, which have holonomic motion control, they allow the system operator to use more efficient trajectory planning as compared to standard non-holonomic vehicles that have Ackermann-type steering. Ackermann steering is a type of steering system found in vehicles such as cars for turning control, in which the vectors extending from the axis of each wheel can intersect at the same point. This type of vehicle has non-holonomic motion.
    [00053] FIG. 8A shows a trajectory for an Ackermann-type steering vehicle in which a surface sweep 20 can take place in either direction (ie, the vehicle can move either forward or reverse), while FIG. 8B shows the same vehicle when scanning in only one direction is allowed (that is, the vehicle can move in a forward direction and not a reverse direction). In both of these cases, the vehicle needs to perform additional maneuvers (indicated by dashed lines 22 and 24 in FIGS. 8A and 8B respectively) at the end of the sweep path in order to properly align to the next step. In contrast, for the situation where scanning can happen in either the forward or reverse direction, a holonomic system can move directly from the end of one scan segment 20 to the start of the next via paths 26, as shown in FIG. . 8C, moving sideways. Holonomic vehicles can maintain the orientation of the attached IND (Non-Destructive Inspection) sensor relative to the inspection surface even with its direction changes. This capability is advantageous as inspection data can continue to be collected near the structural edges; inspection time is not spent when the vehicle changes direction to a new step. Non-holonomic vehicles cannot roll laterally to make trajectory corrections, which is important to control trajectory shape.
    [00054] For the situation where only forward sweep direction is allowed, a Mecanum wheel vehicle of a type disclosed herein may make each 180 degree turn indicated in FIG. 8C controlling the vehicle to rotate 180 degrees while simultaneously translating in a downstream direction (along path 26). It is noted that for a holonomic vehicle, the directions of movement can be defined using an external reference chassis (eg "downstream"), which can then be converted to center vehicle coordinates when the vehicle position and guidance are tracked.
    [00055] While performing a rotation maneuver as described above on an inclined, vertical or inverted surface, the suction in the multiple zones under the Mecanum wheel vehicle will be automatically changed by the control software or hardware as the wheel loads on the change of direction of normal. The change in suction is carried out in order to achieve balanced wheel loads. The suction in the various zones can also change as the vehicle moves over a curved surface. In some embodiments, the amounts with respect to suction in each zone are controlled using data from a gravity vector capture device, such as a slope gauge. In other embodiments, load sensors for each wheel can be used to determine the amount of suction required.
    [00056] The tracked vehicles disclosed in this document have multiple applications. According to one application, the tracked vehicle will carry an eddy current sensor, but other types of sensors such as ultrasonic sensors can be carried. The sensor can be a simple sensing element or an array of sensing elements. Cameras, tools, painting equipment, a laser marking system, a robotic arm manipulator or other devices can also be transported across the platform. FIG. 9 shows a tracked vehicle version with a fixed ultrasonic sensor unit 28 mounted to one end of the chassis. The ultrasonic sensor unit 28 can scan an underlying surface in the direction in which the vehicle is crawling. The ultrasonic sensor can be a simple ultrasonic pickup element or an array of ultrasonic pickup elements. FIG. 10 shows another version of the tracked vehicle with an ultrasonic scanning sensor unit 30 mounted on a track 32 attached to one end of the chassis. The ultrasonic sensor unit 30 can slide back and forth along the track 32, scanning a cross-sectional area of the underlying surface while the vehicle is stationary. Again, the ultrasonic sensor can be a simple pickup element or an array of pickup elements. The vehicle can be moved forward in growth, pausing after each incremental movement to allow the ultrasonic sensor unit 30 to sweep along a transverse line. Alternatively, a controller can be programmed to control the movements of the crawler vehicle and the sweep head to provide other patterns for sweeping a surface area.
    [00057] A target application for the vehicles disclosed in this document is an airplane non-destructive inspection (IND) system that involves a tracked vehicle that moves over the aircraft fuselage. The requirement for this system is to maintain a constant speed in a straight line as the vehicle moves from front to back along the length of the fuselage (an example of such a system is described in detail in patent application No. US 13/160,238 .). The tracking system can be a non-built-in system, such as a directed beam control system, an image-based tracking system, or a motion capture system.
    [00058] In the case of a directed beam control system, a programmed processor-controlled instrument assists a beam spot (laser) on a target surface of a beam receiver to control vehicle position and orientation. A suitable directed beam control system is described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 13/206,269.
    [00059] According to another modality, the tracking system may be an image-based tracking system as described in patent application publication no. US 2010/0085437, with the use of a local positioning system of the type shown in FIG. 12.
    [00060] The local positioning system described in FIG. 12 comprises a video camera 44 which may have (remotely controlled) automated zoom capabilities. Video camera 44 may additionally include an integral crosshair generator to facilitate accurate location of a point within a video camera's optical image field display. The video camera 44 is supported on a pan-tilt mechanism 46 which is controlled by a programmed processor 48. The pan-tilt mechanism 46 is controlled to positionally adjust the video camera 44 to select the angles around a vertical, azimuth (rotate) axis and a horizontal, elevation (tilt) axis. A direction vector that describes the orientation of the camera relative to the fixed coordinate system of the tripod 45 (or other platform to which the pan-tilt unit is attached) is determined from the azimuth and elevation angles, as well as the position of the crosshair marker center in the optical field when the camera is pointed at a point of interest. This direction vector can be across as a line 43 that extends from the camera lens and intersects a location on the target object 42. The local positioning system of FIG. 12 is described in U.S. 7,859,655.
    [00061] The video camera 44 and the pan-tilt mechanism 46 can be operated by the programmed processor 48. The programmed processor 48 communicates with the video camera 44 and the pan-tilt mechanism 46 via a video cable. /control 47. Alternatively, programmed processor 48 can communicate with video camera 44 and pan-tilt mechanism 46 via a wireless communication path (not shown).
    [00062] The three-dimensional (3-D) location software can be loaded into the programmed processor 48. The (3D) location software can use multiple calibration points at a distance on the target object 42, such as a crawler vehicle, to define the location (position and orientation) of the video camera 44 in relation to the target object 42. The calibration points can be used in coordination with the azimuth and elevation angles from the rotate-tilt mechanism 46 to resolve to the camera's position and orientation with respect to the target object 42.
    [00063] A laser range meter (not shown) can be mounted on camera 44 and aligned with direction vector 43. The laser range meter is configured to measure distances to target object 42, such as an inspection vehicle . The laser range meter can have a laser and a unit configured to compute distances based on detected laser light in response to a laser beam reflected by the target object.
    [00064] Once the position and orientation of the video camera 44 in relation to the target object 42 has been determined and a camera positioning transformation matrix is generated, the camera's rotation data (video camera rotation angle) 44 around the geometric axis of azimuth) and tilt data (angle of rotation of the video camera 44 around the geometric axis of elevation) can be used in conjunction with the calculated position and orientation of the video camera 44 to determine o X, Y and Z coordinates of any point of interest on the target object 42 in the coordinate system of the target object.
    [00065] According to a further alternative, the tracking system may be a motion capture system of the type described in U.S. patent 7,643,893 and shown in FIG. 13. With the use of such a motion capture system, a holonomic motion track vehicle 50 carries an IND sensor 52 and retro reflective illuminators and markers (not shown) can be tracked using multiple non-built-in cameras 54 as per it travels over a surface being inspected, for example, a surface of an airplane wing. The modality shown in FIG. 13 has a motion capture processor 56 which collects real-time image information from all occurrences of the motion capture cameras 54, processes the data, and sends the processed data over a network or dedicated connection to a programmed crawler navigation control processor 58. The position and orientation of the crawler vehicle 50 is controlled by the programmed crawler navigation and control processor 58 via a wireless or wired control link (indicated by the dashed arrow), such control it is a function of the processed data received from the motion capture processor 56.
    [00066] FIG. 14 shows an inspection environment 60 in which a non-destructive inspection system 62 employs a holonomic motion inspection vehicle 64 to inspect the fuselage 78 of an aircraft. Vehicle 64 carries a non-destructive inspection sensor or sensor array 65. As the vehicle travels over the surface of the fuselage 78, the sensor or sensor array 65 sweeps across the fuselage surface in search of anomalies or defects in a manner conventional.
    [00067] The vehicle 64 further comprises a frame 66 which may have optical targets (not shown) attached to its surface and a connector (not shown) which holds the end of a flexible cable 82. The optical targets may be used in conjunction with position sensing systems 70 and 72 for acquiring data for use in determining vehicle position and orientation 64. Each position sensing system 70, 72 may comprise a camera, a laser range meter and a slew-tilt unit, the functionality of such a position sensing system has been previously described with reference to FIG. 12. Position sensing systems 70, 72 send the acquired data to a controller 74 via respective cables and a network switch 76. The controller 74 may comprise a programmed processor or programmed processor for determining the position and orientation of 64 inspection vehicle based on the data received from the position detection systems.
    [00068] The vehicle 64 is connected to a support system comprising a cable 82 supported by a flexible boom 80. The flexible boom 80 is attached to a movable chassis 84. The cable 82 can be selectively thrown away or wound on a spool 88, the amount of slack is maintained so that the cable will act as a rope to support the inspection vehicle 64 in the event that it releases from the fuselage surface. Cable 82 may further comprise lines for providing electrical power from a source (not shown) of electrical power on the ground to stepper motors and fans in electrical duct on inspection vehicle 64 and lines for communicating sensor data to the controller 74 (via an electrical cable 86).
    [00069] FIG. 15 shows components of a system for controlling the movement of a holonomically moving track vehicle over an unlevelled surface in accordance with a further embodiment. A vehicle position controller 90 receives data representing the position and orientation of the vehicle from a position sensing system 92 and data from sensor(s) 94. Sensor(s) 94 may (m), for example, to comprise a tilt gauge that provides data representing the vehicle's lean angle or respective sensors that provide data representing the loads on each wheel. The controller 90 processes that information to: (1) control stepper motors 8 as a function of the position/orientation data and (2) control the electrical duct fans (EDFs) 10 as a function of the sensor data .
    [00070] The tracked vehicle disclosed in this document is a general purpose motion platform that has many potential uses. Behind the IND crawler application revealed above, other tasks such as inspection, maintenance and painting can be performed with this type of system.
    [00071] Although the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made and equivalents can be replaced by elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope of the same. Therefore it is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best contemplated mode for carrying out that invention.
    [00072] Note: The following paragraphs describe aspects of the invention:
    [00073] A1. A method of sweeping a tool or sensor across an unlevel surface, comprising: (a) bringing the wheels of a holonomically moving vehicle carrying a sensor or tool into contact with an unlevel surface to be swept; (b) produce suction forces that keep the wheels of the holonomically moving vehicle in contact with the unlevel surface; (c) activate the tool or sensor while step (b) is being performed; and (d) controlling the rotation of the wheels to cause the vehicle to move along a trajectory relative to the unlevel surface while steps (b) and (c) are being performed.
    [00074] A2. The method as cited in paragraph A1 further comprises measuring the relative angle between a vehicle chassis and a gravity vector, step (b) comprising producing a first suction force in a first suction zone and a second force of suction in a second suction zone, wherein the first and second suction forces have a magnitude difference that is a function of said relative angle measurement.
    [00075] A3. The method as mentioned in paragraph A1 further comprises measuring the normal forces that are exerted on each wheel of the vehicle by the contact surface, step (b) comprising producing a first suction force in a first suction zone and a second suction force in a second suction zone, wherein the first and second suction forces have a magnitude difference that is a function of said normal force measurements.
    [00076] A4. The method as referred to in paragraph A1, wherein the holonomic motion vehicle carries a sensor or a sensor arrangement that sweeps the unlevelled surface as the holonomic motion vehicle moves and produces electrical signals indicative of the integrity of the structure on and/or below the unlevel surface.
    权利要求:
    Claims (16)
    [0001]
    1. Mobile platform characterized in that it comprises: a chassis (2) comprising first and second openings and first and second bottom surfaces that partially define first and second suction zones (12) respectively; a plurality of wheels (4) rotatably mounted to said chassis (2), each wheel comprising a respective plurality of rollers having geometric axes of rotation not parallel to a geometric axis of rotation of said wheel; a plurality of motors (8) equal in number to the number of wheels (4), each motor being operable to drive the rotation of a respective one of said wheels (4); and first and second controllable suction devices (10) respectively mounted adjacent said first and second openings to produce respective suction forces in said first and second suction zones (12) when said wheels (4) are all in contact with a surface.
    [0002]
    2. Platform, according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a controller (90) programmed to independently control said plurality of motors (8) and said first and second suction devices (10).
    [0003]
    3. Platform according to claim 2, characterized in that it additionally comprises a sensor installed in said chassis (2) to measure the relative angle between said chassis (2) and a gravity vector, in which said controller (90) is programmed to control said first and second suction devices (10) to produce respective suction forces which are a function of said relative angle.
    [0004]
    4. Platform according to claim 2, characterized in that it additionally comprises a plurality of load sensors that detect respective normal forces that are exerted on each wheel by a contact surface, wherein said controller (90) is programmed to control said first and second suction devices (10) to produce respective suction forces which are a function of emissions from said load sensors.
    [0005]
    5. Platform, according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second suction devices (10) are respective fans in electrical duct.
    [0006]
    6. Platform according to claim 1, characterized in that it additionally comprises a tool mounted to said chassis (2), wherein said tool is selected from the following group: an eddy current sensor, a ultrasonic sensor, a camera, a painting tool, a laser marking system and a robotic arm manipulator.
    [0007]
    7. Platform according to claim 1, characterized in that it additionally comprises first to third flexible flaps of low surface friction (14) that are attached and extend downstream of said chassis (2), wherein said first the suction zone is connected on opposite sides by said first and second tabs and said second suction zone is connected on opposite sides by said second and third tabs.
    [0008]
    8. Platform according to claim 1, characterized in that said chassis (2) additionally comprises third and fourth openings and third and fourth bottom surfaces that partially define third and fourth suction zones (12) respectively, in whereas said first to fourth suction zones (12) are arranged in a rectangular or square arrangement, the platform further comprises third and fourth suction devices (10) respectively mounted adjacent said third and fourth openings to produce respective suction forces in said third and fourth suction zones (12) when said wheels (4) are all in contact with a surface.
    [0009]
    9. System for moving a tool or a sensor on an uneven surface, characterized in that it comprises a platform and a controller (90), wherein said platform comprises: a chassis (2) comprising the first and second openings and first and second bottom surfaces that partially define the first and second suction zones (12) respectively; a plurality of wheels (4) rotatably mounted to said chassis (2), each wheel comprising a respective plurality of rollers having geometric axes of rotation not parallel to a geometric axis of rotation of said wheel; a plurality of motors (8) equal in number to the number of wheels (4), each motor being operable to drive the rotation of a respective one of said wheels (4); and first and second controllable suction devices (10) respectively mounted adjacent said first and second apertures to produce respective suction forces in said first and second suction zones (12) when said wheels (4) are all in contact with the unlevelled surface and wherein said controller (90) is programmed to independently control said plurality of motors (8) and said first and second suction devices (10).
    [0010]
    10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor installed in said chassis (2) to measure the relative angle between said chassis (2) and a gravity vector, in which said controller (90) is programmed to control said first and second suction devices (10) to produce respective suction forces which are a function of said relative angle.
    [0011]
    11. System according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of load sensors that detect respective normal forces that are exerted on each wheel by a contact surface, wherein said controller (90) is programmed to control said first and second suction devices (10) to produce suction forces which are a function of emission from said load sensors.
    [0012]
    12. System according to claim 9, characterized in that said first and second suction devices (10) are respective fans in electrical duct.
    [0013]
    13. System according to claim 9, characterized in that it additionally comprises a tool mounted to said chassis (2), wherein said tool is selected from the following group: an eddy current sensor, a sensor ultrasonic, a camera, a painting tool, a laser marking system and a robotic arm manipulator.
    [0014]
    14. System according to claim 9, characterized in that said chassis (2) additionally comprises the third and fourth openings and third and fourth bottom surfaces that partially define the third and fourth suction zones (12) respectively , said first to fourth suction zones (12) which are arranged in a rectangular or square arrangement, the platform further comprises third and fourth suction devices (10) respectively mounted adjacent to said third and fourth openings to produce respective forces of suction in said third and fourth suction zones (12) when said wheels (4) are all in contact with a surface.
    [0015]
    15. System according to claim 9, characterized in that it additionally comprises a cable connected to said platform, wherein said motors (8) and said suction devices (10) receive electrical power through said cable.
    [0016]
    16. System according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a cable connected to said platform, wherein said controller (90) sends control signals to said motors (8) through said cable.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    EP2734343B1|2022-02-23|
    EP2734343A1|2014-05-28|
    US20130024067A1|2013-01-24|
    CA2836290C|2015-01-27|
    US8738226B2|2014-05-27|
    WO2013019301A1|2013-02-07|
    KR101909766B1|2018-12-10|
    JP2014526994A|2014-10-09|
    CA2836290A1|2013-02-07|
    KR20140040138A|2014-04-02|
    JP5957078B2|2016-07-27|
    BR112014000839A2|2017-02-21|
    AU2012290702B2|2017-07-27|
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    法律状态:
    2018-12-11| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|
    2020-01-14| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|
    2021-03-02| B06A| Patent application procedure suspended [chapter 6.1 patent gazette]|
    2021-06-01| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|
    2021-07-13| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted [chapter 16.1 patent gazette]|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 18/05/2012, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
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    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
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