Inspection robot climbing vertical cross piping using magnetic adhesive mechanism

A new robot is presented which is able to climb on a perpendicular piping with branches and moves on the ceiling in the piping. The robot is a crawler type whose crawler has made of magnetic tips. The magnetic tips of the robot adhere to the piping made of iron due to magnetic forces. When the adhesive force is larger than the gravity force of the robot, a connection between the robot and the ceiling can be maintained. That is, the inspection robot in piping can move freely in solid piping of all shape such as in the vertical T character piping and the vertical crossing piping. The robot has a camera so as to inspect inside of piping. To validate it, a compact crawler type robot is made, and its fundamental characteristics are investigated.