Design and Analysis of Modular Pipe Climber-III with a Multi-Output Differential Mechanism
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- Kumar, Vishnu; Agarwal, Saharsh; Vadapalli, Rama; Govindan, Nagamanikandan; Krishna, K Madhava
- Source
- 2021 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM) Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), 2021 IEEE/ASME International Conference on. :1021-1026 Jul, 2021
- Subject
- Components, Circuits, Devices and Systems
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics and Plasmas
Robotics and Control Systems
Mechatronics
Tracking
Complex networks
Climbing robots
Three-Output Open Differential (3-OOD)
Mechanism
Design
Pipe climber
- Language
- ISSN
- 2159-6255
This paper presents the design of an in-pipe climbing robot that operates using a novel ‘Three-output open differential’(3-OOD) mechanism to traverse complex networks of pipes. Conventional wheeled/tracked in-pipe climbing robots are prone to slip and drag while traversing in pipe bends. The 3-OOD mechanism helps in achieving the novel result of eliminating slip and drag in the robot tracks during motion. The proposed differential realizes the functional abilities of the traditional two-output differential, which is achieved the first time for a differential with three outputs. The 3-OOD mechanism mechanically modulates the track speeds of the robot based on the forces exerted on each track inside the pipe network, by eliminating the need for any active control. The simulation of the robot traversing in the pipe network in different orientations and in pipe-bends without slip shows the proposed design’s effectiveness.