IP Library Granted Patent US 12,363,415
Granted Patent B2
US 12,363,415 · App. 17/052,511 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Moving object and method for using same

Inventors: Kenji Kuroiwa (Osaka, JP); Shosuke Inoue (Tokyo, JP); Yusuke Inagaki (Suita, JP); Takeshi Aikawa (Ryugasaki, JP)
Assignees: ACSL Ltd.; NJS Co., Ltd.
H04N23/57F16L55/18F17D5/00H04N23/45H04N23/555
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,363,415
App. No.
17/052,511
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a moving object comprising a configuration suitable for miniaturization in a view from at least one direction, and to provide a method for using the same. Provided is a moving object comprising: two or more rotors positioned at the front side and at the rear side in the traveling direction; and a driving device that drives the two or more rotors and rotates at least two of the two or more rotors in mutually different directions.

Claims (25)

1. A moving object, the moving object comprising:

a first rotor including a first motor and a second rotor including a second motor aligned along an axis defined in a traveling direction; and

a driver for driving the first and second motors and rotating the first and second rotors in different directions,

a cover having a hollow structure elongating along the axis defined in the traveling direction, the cover connected to and carried by the first and second rotors arranged within the hollow structure along the axis and configured to partially cover the first and second rotors with a side surface, with respect to the axis defined in the traveling direction, of the cover, wherein the cover further includes:

a plurality of gas exhaust holes arranged along the axis defined in the traveling direction in the side surface of the cover at an underside with respect to the traveling direction, and

wherein each of the gas exhaust holes diagonally extends through a side wall of the cover at the underside from the inside of the cover to the outside of the cover and from a front side to a back side with respect to the traveling direction.

2. The moving object according to claim 1 , wherein the driver includes at least two motors for providing the respective rotors with powers, and at least two of the at least two motors are configured to rotate the rotors powered by them in different directions.

3. The moving object according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an attitude information sensor for measuring attitude information on an attitude of the moving object; and

an attitude controller for controlling the driver such that the attitude of the moving object is controlled by controlling a rotation speed of at least one of the at least two rotors according to the attitude information measured by the attitude information sensor.

4. The moving object according to claim 1 , further comprising a traveling-direction shooting camera and a traveling-direction captured-image data transmitter,

wherein the moving object is configured to capture an image in the traveling direction by means of the traveling-direction shooting camera and move while transmitting obtained traveling-direction captured-image data from the traveling-direction captured-image data transmitter to outside.

5. The moving object according to claim 1 , further comprising a rear-direction shooting camera.

6. The moving object according to claim 5 , wherein the rear-direction shooting camera is positioned on a rear side of the at least two rotors in the traveling direction and at least a part of the rotors is not interrupted by the rear-direction shooting camera when viewed from the rear side.

7. The moving object according to claim 1 , wherein the moving object is connected to a line.

8. The moving object according to claim 7 , wherein the line include a power supply line, and

the moving object is configured to move while receiving power supply from an external power supply through the power supply line.

9. A method comprising:

deploying, within a pipeline, a moving object for inspection within the pipeline;

moving the moving object in a traveling direction corresponding to a first direction extending along the pipeline, the moving object including:

at least two rotors arranged back and forth in the traveling direction;

a driver for driving the at least two rotors and rotating at least two of the at least two rotors in different directions; and

a rear-direction shooting camera, wherein the moving object is connected to a line; and

moving, using the line, the moving object in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite to the traveling direction;

capturing images inside the pipeline by means of the rear-direction shooting camera as the moving object moves in the second direction.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 21, 2021
From: AUTONOMOUS CONTROL SYSTEMS LABORATORY LTD.
To: ACSL LTD.
Reel/Frame 057556/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: KUROIWA, KENJI; INOUE, SHOSUKE; INAGAKI, YUSUKE; AIKAWA, TAKESHI
To: AUTONOMOUS CONTROL SYSTEMS LABORATORY LTD.; NJS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054298/0370 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210237709A1 · Aug 5, 2021
References Cited (36)
US 480533A · Walker · 1892 [cited by examiner]
US 6880195B1 · Bahari · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7510142B2 · Johnson · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 9328577B2 · Hallundbæk · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9714020B1 · Bennett · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20040129833A1 · Perlo et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20070034738A1 · Sanders · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070200027A1 · Johnson · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20100044496A1 · Gosling · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120256043A1 · Gosling · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120305714A1 · Gosling · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20170307126A1 · Cheatham, III · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180022454A1 · Zhang · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180059665A1 · Shin · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200277050A1 · Bryzik · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 101234665A · 2008 [cited by examiner]
CN 101693469A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
CN 101888948A · 2010 [cited by examiner]
CN 104843176A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 106442570A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 106864739A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP H08080842A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 8258703A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010524765A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016199144A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017087917A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 6186666B1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017226259A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018001967A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 100927699B1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
KR 201836512A · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO 2011132817A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016121008A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019093913A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report mailed on Jun. 5, 2018, issued in connection with International Application No. PCT/JP2018/017916, filed on May 9, 2018, 2 pages. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion mailed on Jun. 5, 2018, issued in connection with International Application No. PCT/JP2018/017916, filed on May 9, 2018, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]