PT Journal
AU Ivanco, V
   Dovica, M
   Gorzas, M
TI In-pipe Minimachine and Principles of its Motion and Control
SO Acta Mechanica Slovaca
PY 2010
BP 66
EP 71
VL 14
IS 2
DE minimachine; in-pipe movement; bristle; adhesive force; control
AB The paper deals with the minimachine designed to move within the pipes with inner diameter less than 25 mm. The minimachine consists of two modules connected by a link of variable length enabling to change their mutual distance. Motion is based on inchworm principle known from biology. In motion sequence one of the modules is anchored to the inner surface of the pipe, while the second is released and moved forward by change of the link length. The principle of the link length change consists in transformation of the actuator rotary movement to the linear motion. Problem of anchoring the modules by flexible metal bristles is analyzed in the paper.
ER