Patents by Inventor James E. DeVault

James E. DeVault has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5857534
    Abstract: A robotic assembly (20) is provided which is adapted to traverse the surface of a member (138) for inspection and/or work on or about the surface of the member (138). The preferred assembly (20) includes two or more robots (10a-10c) spaced about the body (138) with a tether assembly (140) interconnecting the robots (10a-10c) in order to hold the latter in tractive engagement with the surface of the body (138). Each of the robots (10a-10c) includes rotatable traction wheel assemblies (16) which are independently controllable through respective drive motors (86), as well as independently controllable takeup reels (98) for adjusting the tension of the tether assembly (140). Each robot (10a-10c) preferably includes an elongated body (12) having four corner-mounted wheel assemblies (16) pivotally secured thereto, and a carriage (14) pivotally coupled to the body for pivoting thereof independently of the wheel assemblies (16) and about an axis transverse to the wheel assembly pivot axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Kansas State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: James E. DeVault, William B. Hudson, Mustaque Hossain