JP2001287502A - Magnet wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase attracting force by using plural magnets, to prevent an increase in the size and weight, and to prevent a change in the attracting force by a pipe diameter. SOLUTION: Almost disk-shaped wheel body parts 11 are formed of a ferromagnetic substance material, and are arranged on the axial directional both ends of a wheel shaft part 12 so as to make a pair. The wheel shaft part 12 is formed of a ferromagnetic substance material being wholly a magnet or including a magnet in at least a part. Almost disk-shaped magnets 13 are respectively arranged outside the wheel body parts 11 to be magnetized so that polarity of magnetic pole surfaces sandwiching the wheel body parts 11 becomes the same as polarity of a magnetic pole surface of an end part of the wheel shaft part 12. A taper having an inclination changing in plural stages is arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the wheel body parts 11 to cope with a wide range curved surface as a traveling road surface.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnet wheel attached to a surface of a ferromagnetic material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, an in-pipe multi-robot or a spherical gas holder robot having a magnet wheel has been used for a conduit or a spherical gas holder installed in a supply path of city gas. These robots generate a magnetic adhesive force with a magnet wheel and can move on a ferromagnetic plane or curved surface made of a material such as iron. As a prior art regarding a magnet wheel related to a device moving in a pipe, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
No. 293688, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 07-323701 and 10-01-1 as shown in FIG.
6504.

[0005] In FIG. 5A, a pair of wheel bodies 1 are connected by an axle part 2 at least partially composed of a magnet. The magnet of the axle 2 is magnetized so that the pair of wheel bodies 1 have different magnetic poles. The axle portion 2 between the pair of wheel portions 1 supports the robot body 3 with the bearing portion 4 and can travel and move. In FIG. 5B, a plurality of magnets are used to improve the adhesion of the magnets. That is, FIG.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the magnets 5 are mounted outside the ring portions 1 on both sides, and the ring portions 6 are further provided outside. The magnet 5 is magnetized so as to have the same magnetic pole as the end face of the axle 2 facing the wheel 1. That is, JP-A-07-32
3701 and JP-A-10-016504 propose a configuration in which a plurality of magnets are installed so that the same polarity is adjacent to each other.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a state in which the magnet wheel shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B is adapted to correspond to a plurality of pipe diameters, respectively. In FIG. 6, each of the ring bodies 1 has a flat contact portion 1a, a 300A contact portion 1b, and a 200A contact portion 1c, and the shape of the outer peripheral surface is adapted to a flat surface, a 300A curved surface, and a 200A curved surface. . Note that the 300A curved surface and the 200A curved surface are
The curved surfaces on the inner peripheral side of the steel pipes having a nominal diameter of 300 mm and 200 mm are shown, respectively. In FIG. 7, the inner ring portion 1 is
The outer ring portion 6 can be a 200A contact portion while the 0A contact portion can be used.

[0005]

However, when a plurality of magnets are used, the size and weight of the magnet wheels tend to increase, which may hinder movement in a limited space such as a pipe. . Further, as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to correspond to a plurality of tube diameters even with a configuration in which a plurality of magnets are installed so that the same polarity is adjacent to each other. The ring portion 6, which is a 200A contact portion having a large influence, comes into contact. If the diameter is large, the wheel portion 1, which is a 300A contact portion, which is greatly affected by an axle portion 2, which is a large inner magnet, comes into contact. For this reason, if the pipe diameter is reduced, the adhesive force is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnet wheel which can increase the adhesive force by using a plurality of magnets, can prevent an increase in size and weight, and can prevent the adhesive force from being changed by a pipe diameter. To provide.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a magnet wheel, which is magnetized on a road surface made of a ferromagnetic material by a magnetic force and includes a magnet at least in part, is substantially cylindrical, and is magnetized in an axial direction. An axle portion, and a pair of ring portions formed of a ferromagnetic material, each of which has a substantially disk shape, an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the axle portion, and is provided at each of both ends in the axial direction of the axle portion; At both ends in the axial direction, each is provided outside the pair of ring portions, and is substantially disk-shaped, the outer diameter is smaller than the diameter of the ring portion, and in the axial direction of the axle portion, The magnet wheel includes a magnet that is magnetized so that the polarity of the magnetic pole surface on the side of the wheel body is the same as the magnetic pole surface at the end of the axle portion that faces the wheel body.

According to the present invention, a pair of ferromagnetic ring portions are provided at both ends of the axle portion magnetized in the axial direction, and the magnetic flux generated from the axle portion is applied to the traveling road surface made of the ferromagnetic material. Guides and generates magnetic adhesion. Magnets are also provided outside the pair of wheel bodies, and the polarity of the magnetic pole surface is the same as the polarity of the magnetic pole surface at the end of the axle that opposes the wheel body,
The magnetic flux generated from the magnetic pole surface of the magnet on the wheel body side and the magnetic flux generated from the magnetic pole surface at the end of the axle repel each other, are guided through the wheel body to the traveling road surface, and reduce the adhesive force. Can be strengthened. Since only the magnet is provided outside the ring portion, increase in size and weight can be avoided.

In the present invention, the outer peripheral surface of the wheel body is provided with a taper whose inclination angle changes in the axial direction of the axle,
The inclination angle is larger on the outside than on the inside in the axial direction with reference to the center of the axle.

According to the present invention, since the outer peripheral surface of the ring body has a small inclination angle on the inner side and a large taper on the outer side, it contacts a curved surface corresponding to a wide range of pipe diameters under almost the same conditions. However, it is possible to obtain a magnetic adhesive force with little change due to the tube diameter.

Further, the wheel body of the present invention has a recess in which at least a magnetic pole surface of the axle portion or a magnetic pole surface of the magnet on the wheel body side fits, and the axle portion fits in the recess. The magnetic pole surface of the magnet or the magnetic pole surface on the side of the ring body of the magnet is inserted into the recess.

According to the present invention, at least one of the axle portion and the magnetic pole surface of the magnet is inserted into the recess formed in the ring portion, so that the pair of magnets, the ring portion and the axle portion are connected. The overall shape of the combination can be reduced. Further, the axle portion and the magnet can be made larger than the wheel portion, and the magnetic adhesion can be increased.

[0013]

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of a magnet wheel 10 as one embodiment of the present invention. Ring part 11
Is generally disk-shaped and is formed of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. The wheel portions 11 are provided at opposite ends of the axle portion 12 in the axial direction so as to form a pair. The axle portion 12 is substantially cylindrical, and is entirely formed of a magnet or formed of a ferromagnetic material including a magnet at least partially. A substantially disk-shaped magnet 13 made of neodymium iron or the like is provided outside the wheel body 11 in the axial direction of the axle portion 12. The magnetization of the magnet 13 is performed in accordance with the axial direction of the axle portion 12 so that the polarity of the magnetic pole surface sandwiching the wheel portion 11 is the same as the polarity of the magnetic pole surface at the end of the axle portion 12. That is, the polarity of the magnetic pole surface sandwiching the left wheel portion 11 in the figure is N, and the right is S, and the magnet 13 and the axle portion 12 are the same.

In this configuration, an outer magnet 5 as shown in FIG. 5B is added to the configuration shown in FIG. 5A, and the outer ring portion 6 shown in FIG. It can be considered that the configuration has been removed. Therefore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
The prior art configuration of 293688 can also be interpreted as mounting a small magnet so that the same polarity is adjacent to the side of the hoop to increase the magnetic adhesion. In addition, JP-A-07-323701 and JP-A-10-0165.
It can also be interpreted that the outer ring portion is removed from the prior art configuration of No. 04 to reduce the axial width and reduce the weight.

The outer peripheral surface of the wheel body 11 is provided with a taper whose inclination angle changes in a plurality of steps, so that it can correspond to a wide range of curved surfaces as a traveling road surface. That is, on the outer peripheral surface of each wheel body portion 11, along the axial direction of the axle portion 12,
The innermost plane contact portion 20 is provided, then the 300A contact portion 21 is provided, and the outermost 200A contact portion 22 is provided. Although the flat contact portion 20 is flat,
Each of the 00A contact portion 21 and the 200A contact portion 22 is provided with a taper which is inclined so as to approach in the axial direction as it goes outward in the axial direction, and the inclination angle of the outer 200A contact portion 22 is 300A inward. It is larger than the contact part 21. Due to the shape of the outer peripheral surface having such a stepwise inclination, the flat surface indicated by the broken line, the 300A curved surface indicated by the one-dot chain line, the 200A curved surface indicated by the two-dot chain line,
Regarding the presence of both the axle portion 12 and the magnet 13 on both sides of the wheel body portion 11, the outer peripheral surface of the wheel body portion 11 can be brought into contact under the same conditions.

FIG. 2 shows a basic configuration of a magnet wheel 30 as another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, FIG.
The same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to the above-described embodiment, and redundant description will be omitted. It should be noted in this embodiment that the recesses 32 and 33 are formed on both sides of the wheel body portion 31 and the axle portion 1 is formed.
2 and the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnet 13 are fitted respectively. With such a configuration, even if the overall size is the same as the configuration of FIG. Further, if the magnet 15 and the axle portion 12 are the same as in FIG. 1, the width of the magnet wheel 30 in the axial direction can be smaller than that of the magnet wheel 10 in FIG. In addition, the ring part 3
The outer peripheral surface 1 is provided with a taper that is inclined in a plurality of steps, similarly to the ring body portion 11 in FIG.

The following Table 1 shows that the traveling road surface is flat, 15
An example of a measurement result of an adhesive force when a 0A curved surface, a 200A curved surface, and a 300A curved surface are used, and a cast iron tube and a steel tube are used as tube materials is shown. Note that the 150A curved surface corresponds to the inner peripheral surface of a tube having a nominal outer diameter of 150 mm. Table 1 shows that the adhesive force is uniform in the present embodiment.

[0018]

[Table 1]

FIG. 3 shows a magnet wheel of a construction based on FIG. A recess is formed in the wheel body portion 1 and the magnetic pole surface portion of the axle portion 2 is fitted. Table 2 below shows an example of the measurement results of the adhesive force for this configuration. Overall low adhesion.

[0020]

[Table 2]

FIG. 4 shows a magnet wheel of a construction based on FIG. Concave portions are formed in the wheel portions 1 and 6, and the magnetic pole surface portion of the axle portion 2 and the magnetic pole surface portions on both sides of the magnet 5 are fitted. An example of the measurement results of the adhesive force for this configuration is shown in Table 3 below. It can be seen that the smaller the pipe diameter, the lower the adhesive force.

[0022]

[Table 3]

The measurement results in Tables 1, 2 and 3 are obtained using the same axle and magnet. Therefore, it is possible to compare the differences between the respective configurations under a condition close to the same condition.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the wheel portion is sandwiched between the axle portion and the magnet, and the magnetic flux guided from the wheel portion to the traveling road surface can be increased to increase the adhesive force. Since only the magnet is provided outside the ring portion, increase in size and weight can be avoided.

Further, according to the present invention, the outer peripheral surface of the wheel body has a small inclination angle on the inner side and a large taper on the outer side. Therefore, when the inner peripheral surface of a wide range of pipe diameters is used as the traveling road surface, Contact is made under almost the same conditions, and a magnetic adhesive force with little change due to the tube diameter can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, at least one of the axle portion and the magnetic pole surface of the magnet can be inserted into a recess formed in the wheel body portion to reduce the overall shape.
Further, the axle portion and the magnet can be made larger than the wheel portion, and the magnetic adhesion can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified front view showing a schematic configuration of a magnet wheel 10 as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a magnet wheel 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a simplified front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a simplified front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a magnet wheel according to the prior art.

FIG. 4 is a simplified front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a magnet wheel according to the prior art.

FIG. 5 is a simplified front view showing the configuration of the prior art.

FIG. 6 is a simplified front view showing a shape in a case where a plurality of pipe diameters can be handled in the prior art.

FIG. 7 is a simplified front view showing a shape in a case where a plurality of pipe diameters can be handled in the prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 30 magnet wheel 11, 31 wheel body part 12 axle part 13 magnet 20 plane contact part 21 300A contact part 22 200A contact part 32, 33 recess

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A magnet wheel attached to a traveling road surface made of a ferromagnetic material by a magnetic force, comprising: a substantially axle-shaped axle portion which includes a magnet at least in part and is magnetized in an axial direction; A pair of ring bodies made of a ferromagnetic material, each having a substantially disk shape, an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the axle part, and two ends in the axial direction of the axle part, Each of the pair of ring portions is provided outside thereof, and is substantially disk-shaped, the outer diameter is smaller than the diameter of the ring portion, and in the axial direction of the axle portion, the magnetic pole surface on the ring portion side is formed. A magnet wheel comprising a magnet that is magnetized so that the polarity is the same as the magnetic pole surface at the end of the axle facing the wheel body. 2. An outer peripheral surface of the wheel body portion is provided with a taper whose inclination angle changes in the axial direction of the axle portion, and the inclination angle is outside the inner side in the axial direction with respect to the center of the axle portion. 2. The magnet wheel according to claim 1, wherein the width is larger. 3. The wheel body has a recess in which at least the magnetic pole surface of the axle or the magnetic pole surface of the magnet on the wheel body side fits, and the magnetic pole of the axle fits in the recess. The magnet wheel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface or the magnetic pole surface of the magnet on the side of the wheel body is inserted into the recess.