Step Climbing of In-pipe Mobile Robot with Wheel Drive Mechanism using Planetary Gear Drive

Abstract

This paper describes the step climbing analysis of an in-pipe mobile robot using a wheel drive mechanism for a step existing between pipes with different diameters. The wheel mechanism can drive the wheels and also press them against the pipe wall using only a single actuator and a planetary gear drive mechanisms. The step climbing process is analyzed with the systematically calculating forward dynamics of planar mechanisms that considers the elasticity of the wheel. The calculated results were in agreement with the experimental data of the prototype robot, which is 45mm in diameter and 130mm length. The wheel mechanism can climb up steps when the contact positions of the sun gears and the planetary gears are before the contact position of the wheel and the steps.