Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Pipe travelling apparatus with alignment control

a technology of alignment control and travelling apparatus, which is applied in the direction of cleaning hollow objects, railway components, ways, etc., can solve the problems of affecting the operation or performance of certain attached accessories and equipment, etc., to achieve the effect of facilitating smooth movemen

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-04-19
HOLE SOLUTIONS AP
View PDF2 Cites 15 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a conduit travelling apparatus that can be used to move through a conduit. The apparatus includes two traveling body portions that can be moved towards and away from each other, with an extendable drive means to control the movement. The apparatus also includes a steering mechanism that allows for precise control of the direction in which the apparatus travels through the conduit. The steering mechanism includes a steerable contact portion with a conduit engaging element that can be brought into contact with the inner surface of the conduit to exert a steering force. The apparatus can also have an inclination and orientation control means to adjust the steering and changing of the inclination of the traveling body portion. The apparatus can be powered hydraulically, electrically, or pneumatically. The steering mechanism can be controlled by one or more of the following methods: hydraulic power, electrical power, and pneumatic power. The apparatus can also have a retractable steerable contact portion and a retractable conduit engaging element. The apparatus can also adjust the pressure by which the conduit engaging element bears against the inner surface of the conduit to control the steering and changing of the inclination of the traveling body portion."

Problems solved by technology

In practice it has been noted that a problem can occur during operation and travel of the apparatus along a conduit.
This problem relates to rotation of the pipe-travelling apparatus about its long axis as it travels.
The consequence of such rotation is that it can affect the operation or performance of certain attached accessories and equipment if the pipe-travelling apparatus is no longer in a preferred level position.
Rotation of the pipe travelling apparatus can therefore interfere with its operation.
Rotation can also cause other issues, such as the twisting together of cables and lines which can trail the apparatus—such lines may carry electronic information, control data, video signals, electrical power, hydraulic fluid, etc.
Twisting of the lines about each other can cause problems such as potential damage to, or constriction of, lines.
Additionally, twisting the lines about each other stiffens the bundle making it less flexible and harder for the apparatus to draw around curves and bends in the conduit.
Minor obstructions or irregularities in the conduit can bias the apparatus to rotate relative to the conduit as it travels.
Accordingly there is a real problem which can affect the performance and operation of pipe travelling apparatus, particularly of the type described above.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Pipe travelling apparatus with alignment control
  • Pipe travelling apparatus with alignment control
  • Pipe travelling apparatus with alignment control

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

second embodiment

[0075]the vehicle is illustrated in FIGS. 4-8 and like numerals are used to refer to like components. The wall-engaging arrangement 50a on the rearward body portion 3 is also arranged generally symmetrically about the central elongate axis A of the vehicle, the feet being angularly spaced at 120°. The mechanism 50a extends and retracts the feet 5a generally radially and includes control links 66 for maintaining the wall-engaging face of each foot 5a generally parallel to the wall of the pipe. The wall-engaging arrangement 50a includes three rear legs 10a angularly spaced, each of the legs 10a being fixed between a pair of control links 66 connecting each foot 5a to the rearward body portion 3.

[0076]Each leg 10a is pivotally attached to the foot 5a at an outer end by a first pivot 61 and to a mount 62 fixed to the rearward body portion 3 by a second pivot 63. A roller 64 fixed to an inner end of the leg 10a and the three rollers 64 are received between two radially-extending flanges ...

first embodiment

[0078]Hydraulic fluid supply and return hoses 75 are connected between the valve block 38 and the double-acting actuator 13. The hoses 75 pass around a wheel 76 and are tensioned by the gas spring 77. As in the first embodiment, in the extended position the force applied to the rearward body portion 3 (e.g. when the forward body portion 1 is being driven forward) provides a self-servo action increasing the frictional engagement between each foot 5 and the conduit 14.

[0079]Like the mechanism 50a, the wall-engaging arrangement 20a on the forward body portion 1 in the second embodiment of the vehicle extends and retracts the feet 5a′ generally radially while employing control links 66a for maintaining the wall-engaging face of feet 5a′ generally parallel to the wall of the pipe. The wheel bracket 19a is pivotably fixed to the mount 62a and resiliently connected to the pivoting legs 18a by means of compression spring 70 and bar 71. In this manner the wheels 17a are firmly pressed agains...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A conduit travelling apparatus is capable of crawling through a conduit for performing certain operation by a stepwise sequence of alternating sequences of expanding and contracting the length of the body while bracing each end alternately. The apparatus provides a self aligning element for correcting rotation of such apparatus due to powered operations it may perform, or any natural tendency to twist as it progresses. The self aligning element includes steering elements overseen by a control system which helps return the travelling apparatus to a preferred alignment during its forward or rearward travel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The invention relates generally to self-propelled vehicles for use in conduits, typically remote-controlled vehicles with apparatus for cleaning conduits. In particular it addresses issues of rotation of the apparatus as it travels along a conduit.BACKGROUND ART[0002]The applicant has previously filed patent applications (WO 2005 / 061944 A1—PCT / NZ2004 / 000330) for self propelled apparatus which travels along a pipe. In summary this apparatus comprises a forward section, and a rearward section, connected in a manner in which the two sections can be forced apart or drawn together. Movement along a conduit is achieved by extending clamping elements on the rearward section to engage the inner surface of the conduit. Clamps present on the forward section are released and the connection between the sections is extended so the forward section moves forward. The clamps on the forward section are then engaged against the inner surface of the conduit, whilst those of the re...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B61B13/10
CPCB08B9/049F16L55/34B08B9/051
Inventor REDPATH, MARK THOMASREDPATH, BABARANICHOLSON, COLIN BRIAN
Owner HOLE SOLUTIONS AP