Claims
- 1. An apparatus for climbing objects such as trees, poles, pipes and the like, comprising:
not less than one actuator; not less than two clamps operatively attached to said actuator, said not less than two clamps having an opening not less than the cross-sectional measurement of the object to be engaged; not less than two links operatively attached to said not less than two clamps; and a controller.
- 2. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than two clamps are C-shaped.
- 3. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than two clamps are curvilinear in shape.
- 4. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than two clamps are rectilinear in shape.
- 5. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than two clamps are characterized by both rectilinear and curvilinear features.
- 6. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for sensing engagement, disengagement, or obstacles.
- 7. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 6, wherein said not less than one sensor comprises touch sensors.
- 8. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 6, wherein said not less than one sensor comprises force sensors.
- 9. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 6, wherein said not less than one sensor comprises contact sensors.
- 10. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises an on-board controller.
- 11. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a remote controlling device.
- 12. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than two clamps comprises two clamps.
- 13. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than two links comprises two links.
- 14. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, wherein said not less than one actuator comprises one actuator.
- 15. The apparatus for climbing objects according to claim 1, further comprising software directing movement of the climbing apparatus.
- 16. A method for operating a climbing device, said climbing device including not less than one actuator, not less than two clamps operatively connected to not less than two links, and a controller, the method comprising:
engaging a structure to be climbed in not less than two locations with said clamps; bringing a first clamp into perpendicular relationship with said structure at a first position; disengaging said first clamp from said structure; moving said first clamp to a second position along said structure that is closer to a second clamp engaged with said structure; re-engaging said structure at said second position with said first clamp; bringing said second clamp into perpendicular relationship with said structure at a third position; disengaging said second clamp from said structure; moving said second clamp to a fourth position along said structure that is more removed from the position of said first clamp; re-engaging said structure at said fourth position with said second clamp; repeating the sequence of bringing a clamp into perpendicular relationship with said structure, disengaging a clamp, moving the disengaged clamp to a new position and re-engaging the structure with the clamp until the desired location is reached on said structure.
- 17. The method for operating a climbing device according to claim 16, wherein moving said first clamp to a second position along said structure that is closer to a second clamp further comprises bringing the links to an angular position relative to each other.
- 18. The method for operating a climbing device according to claim 16, wherein moving said second clamp to a fourth position along said structure that is more removed from the position of said first clamp further comprises bringing the links to an extended position relative to each other.
- 19. The method for operating a climbing device according to claim 16, wherein the controller directs the movement of the clamps and links.
Government Interests
[0001] This work was funded in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contract #MDA972-98-c-0009. The U.S. Government may have certain rights in this invention.