Design of an In-Pipe Robot with Contact-Angle-Guided Kinematic Decoupling for Crosstalk-Suppressed Locomotion

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel in-pipe robot design with contact-angle-guided kinematic decoupling, enabling crosstalk suppression and reliable locomotion in complex pipeline networks.

Contribution

It proposes a joint-axis-and-wheel-separation layout with independent actuation channels and a geometric analysis for crosstalk suppression based on contact angle control.

Findings

Robot achieves nearly invariant propulsion torque during high-dynamic rolling.

100% success rate in complex pipeline configurations over multiple trials.

Decoupling mechanism effectively reduces crosstalk and improves stability.

Abstract

In-pipe inspection robots must traverse confined pipeline networks with elbows and three-dimensional fittings, requiring both reliable axial traction and rapid rolling reorientation for posture correction. In compact V-shaped platforms, these functions often rely on shared contacts or indirect actuation, which introduces strong kinematic coupling and makes performance sensitive to geometry and friction variations. This paper presents a V-shaped in-pipe robot with a joint-axis-and-wheel-separation layout that provides two physically independent actuation channels, with all-wheel-drive propulsion and motorized rolling reorientation while using only two motors. To make the decoupling mechanism explicit and designable, we formulate an actuation transmission matrix and identify the spherical-wheel contact angle as the key geometric variable governing the dominant roll-to-propulsion leakage and roll-channel efficiency. A geometric transmission analysis maps mounting parameters to the contact angle, leakage, and efficiency, yielding a structural guideline for suppressing crosstalk by driving the contact angle toward zero. A static stability model further provides a stability-domain map for selecting torsion-spring stiffness under friction uncertainty to ensure vertical-pipe stability with a margin. Experiments validate the decoupling effect, where during high-dynamic rolling in a vertical pipe, the propulsion torque remains nearly invariant. On a multi-material testbed including out-of-plane double elbows, the robot achieved a 100% success rate in more than 10 independent round-trip trials.