Electro-permanent magnetic attachment of a vehicle to an object

摘要

An apparatus and method for attaching a crawler vehicle to the surface of an object. The crawler vehicle may comprise a frame, a number of moveable surface-engaging components attached to the frame, a number of actuators, and an electro-permanent magnet. The number of actuators is operable to move the frame with respect to the object when the number of moveable surface-engaging components is in contact with the surface of the object. The electro-permanent magnet is operable to hold the number of moveable surface-engaging components in contact with the surface of the object by a magnetic force between the electro-permanent magnet and the object when the electro-permanent magnet is activated and to remove the magnetic force when the electro-permanent magnet is deactivated to release the number of moveable surface-engaging components from the surface of the object.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a frame; a capacitor on the frame; a number of moveable surface-engaging components attached to the frame; a number of actuators operable to move the frame with respect to an object when the number of moveable surface-engaging components is in contact with a surface of the object; an electro-permanent magnet operable to hold the number of moveable surface-engaging components in contact with the surface of the object by a magnetic force between the electro-permanent magnet and the object when the electro-permanent magnet is activated to generate the magnetic force and to remove the magnetic force when the electro-permanent magnet is deactivated to release the number of moveable surface-engaging components from the surface of the object; and a switching device connected to the electro-permanent magnet and configured to provide electrical power to the electro-permanent magnet, wherein application of the electrical power causes the electro-permanent magnet to selectively change a state of the electro-permanent magnet from activated to deactivated, and wherein the switching device is connected between the capacitor and the electro-permanent magnet and operable to provide the electrical power from the capacitor to the electro-permanent magnet selectively to change the state of the electro-permanent magnet.