Long-mover:配管内移動を目指した柔軟チューブ型ロボット

―第5報:異径管への適応機能―

抄録

We aim to develop a flexible tube type in-pipe robot to advance and to carry wired sensors like a camera or washing hose inside narrow and curving pipelines. To fulfill this request, the ability to proceed while generating stable supporting force is required in pipes with varying pipe diameters. Then, this paper presents a novel pneumatic flexible actuator to deform to the shape of lambda, resulting in generating sufficient supporting force while responding to changes in diameter from 50 mm to 150 mm. The effectiveness of the proposed actuator is verified through experiments using a prototype and a mathematical model.