Self propelling subterranean vehicle

Abstract

A self propelling vehicle capable of propagating through a solid medium, comprising two or more rotors, arranged in tandem, and means for rotating the rotors, each rotor being formed as a hollow rotational body with an external helicoidal flighting, configured to engage surrounding solid medium, wherein the flightings of any pair of adjacent rotors follow helicoids of mutually opposite senses and the means for rotating are operative to rotate the adjacent rotors in mutually opposite senses.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The field of the invention is subterranean vehicles, i.e. vehicles that can travel underground and burrow through soil or other media.BACKGROUND ART[0002]There is a widespread and increasing need for inexpensive means to access underground sites, or to reach remote sites by traveling underground, and to perform any of a variety of operations at, or enroute to, such a site. The need may arise, for example, in civilian and military applications such as:[0003]Rescue missions,[0004]Geological, hydrological or archaeological research and exploration,[0005]Mining and underground construction,[0006]Laying pipes and cables[0007]Seismic monitoring,[0008]Intelligence operations,[0009]Destroying underground spaces and structures,[0010]There is likewise a need for means to access sites within other solid media, such as industrial waste, trash heaps or even organic and biological matter. In the sequel, all references to ground and soil should be understood to possibly also m...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a self-propelling subterranean vehicle that is efficient and controllable. The vehicle has a capsule with a core and there may be more than one motor to drive the rotors. The steering assembly at the tail of the capsule includes tiltable rudder-like elements that can be controlled to affect the pitch and yaw angles of the vehicle and to maintain its forward motion. The rotational speed of each rotor is controlled to maintain economic use of power and to ensure the vehicle performs well in different soil conditions. Overall, the invention allows for better and more efficient control of the vehicle's movement.

Problems solved by technology

Certain configurations of a vehicle to meet the needs have been suggested, but are deemed inadvantageous or ineffective.

A major disadvantage or this configuration is the drag that the soil exerts on the main body, resulting in energy loss, and lack of attitude constancy, due to possible rotational slippage of the body.

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