A two-wheel bite embracing modular climbing robot with high load

초록

To address the issues of low load capacity and limited adaptability in climbing robots, this paper proposes a modular robot with a high load ratio for various pipe sizes and shapes. First, a two-wheel bite driving module is designed, where the wheels are designed using elastomer materials to enhance friction performance and wrapping capability. Then, the connection module is developed through rigid and flexible linkages to balance the load capacity and adaptability. Next, the contraction module is designed using the C-shaped steel to regulate the clamping force. Subsequently, the dynamic model of the robot is developed, and its feasibility is verified by simulation. Finally, a prototype robot is fabricated and tested. The results demonstrate that the robot can stably climb pipes with varying roughness and diameters ranging from 50 to 250 mm. In addition, it is capable of climbing pipes with various shapes such as circular, elliptical and rectangular. Moreover, it can climb vertical pipes while carrying a load of 11.4 kg, with a load ratio of 9.16. It should be noted that the robot can climb on larger diameter pipes and carry larger loads by increasing the number of driving modules. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

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