| abstract |
A surface clinging robot device. The device includes a supporting structure or base, on which is mounted (a) a lead pivoting support surface, such as a pivoting wheel, and (b) two or more traction drives, such as drive wheels. A plurality of vacuum cups are mounted on the bottom of the base (Fig. 1, 202,44,20). The vacuum cups each have a low friction foot designed for movement over a surface with minimal friction while vacuum is maintained. The low friction foot portion is provided by a generally surface direction oriented C-shaped Teflon skin. The robotic device can move over gaps or obstructions in the surface without losing vacuum in all of the vacuum cups, using a fluid limiting valve at each vacuum cup to interrupt flow in the event of loss of vacuum in that vacuum cup. |