Design Method of Modular Units for Articulated in-Pipe Robot Inspecting System

A novel untethered autonomous motor driven in-pipe robot inspecting system has been designed in order to solve the internal defect inspection for long-distance pipeLine. Which includes motor driven traction robot and other multiple cyLindrical box modular units, the adjacent units are Linked by double hook joints and by three extended supporting wheels contacting the inner surface of pipe elastically to form the articulated multi-body system. Based on the virtual prototype technology, by means of the relations of structure and size for modular units and its connectors, to research the determine method of structure size meeting the needs of in-pipe robot inspecting system moved in elbow pipe. The method proposed this paper has been used in the design of engineering prototype, and whose structure size and mechanics performance have been proved can achieve the design indexes.