Convex Tape Based Telescopic Roof Snow Removal Robot for Life Support in Heavy Snowfall Regions

The most common life-threatening issue in heavy snowfall regions is human casualties caused by snow damage, particularly accidents during snow-removal operations, such as roof snow clearing. This study aims to develop a telescopic convex tape expansion mechanism to prevent such accidents. We constructed and evaluated a prototype telescopic mechanism (Makijaku-Ude Type-Super K) featuring a reduced number of parts and eliminating springs. The results confirm its ability to withstand stronger snow loads during operation. The robot system, named Setsu-ichi, equipped with two Type-SK units, successfully completed snow-removal operations over a distance of approximately 7 meters.