Patent · US Expired

Energy supply system to robot within pipe

US5304899A · kind A · utility

103Cited by
12References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 28, 1992
Grant dateApr 19, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 28, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02J50/402
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system for supplying energy to a microrobot disposed within a piping system for inspection or repair. The system comprises a microwave transmission section for transmitting as energy a microwave to the robot within the piping system. The microwave transmission section is arranged to transmit the microwave having a frequency equal to or higher than a frequency determined in correspondence with an inner diameter of a pipe of the piping system in which the microrobot is disposed. The microrobot receives the transmitted microwave to convert it into an electric power for operation. This arrangement can ensure a smooth operation of the microrobot within a small-sized pipe because the microrobot is not connected to the transmission section through an electric connection.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.