An underground pipeline troubleshooting device

Abstract

The application discloses an underground pipeline fault troubleshooting device and relates to the technical field of pipeline troubleshooting equipment. The device comprises a vehicle frame, driving wheels installed on the left and right sides of the vehicle frame, a power component inside the vehicle frame for driving the driving wheels to rotate, so that the underground pipeline fault troubleshooting device can move flexibly in the underground pipeline, a lifting mechanism installed on the vehicle frame, an installation block installed on the upper end of the lifting mechanism, and a camera module installed on the installation block for image collection of the underground pipeline. When the protective cover on the front side of the camera module is polluted by oil stains, silt and other pollutants and the image is blurred, the spare protective cover can be automatically pushed to the working position by the driving assembly to complete the online replacement of the dirty protective cover. The whole process does not need to be recycled to the ground for manual cleaning, and the problem that the traditional mechanical wiping method cannot clean completely and is easy to cause secondary pollution in the oil stain environment is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline inspection equipment technology, specifically to an underground pipeline fault inspection device. Background Technology

[0002] Underground pipelines, as a crucial component of urban infrastructure, are widely used in drainage, water supply, gas, electricity, and telecommunications. With increasing service life, underground pipelines are prone to blockages, ruptures, corrosion, and deformation, severely impacting their normal operation and potentially causing safety accidents such as ground subsidence and environmental pollution. Therefore, regularly conducting fault inspections and condition assessments of underground pipelines is of significant practical importance.

[0003] Currently, common methods for troubleshooting underground pipelines mainly include manual inspection, pipeline robot inspection, and video detection systems. Among these, pipeline inspection devices based on wheeled vehicles equipped with cameras are widely used due to their flexibility and adaptability. These devices typically move inside the pipeline via drive wheels, using cameras to collect image information of the pipeline's inner wall and transmitting it in real time to ground control equipment for analysis and judgment by personnel.

[0004] However, existing pipeline inspection devices still have the following shortcomings in practical use: the internal environment of underground pipelines is complex, often containing pollutants such as silt, oil, and water vapor, which easily contaminates the camera lens, resulting in blurry images and affecting the accuracy of the inspection results. Most existing devices lack automatic lens cleaning capabilities. While some devices have self-cleaning wiping structures, traditional mechanical wiping methods are insufficient in oily environments such as sewer pipes, and are prone to secondary contamination. When the lens is severely soiled, the device usually needs to be retrieved for cleaning or the lens manually replaced. This process requires the inspection trolley to return along the same route, undergo maintenance, and then be inspected again, leading to low inspection efficiency and increased labor costs. Therefore, an underground pipeline fault diagnosis device is needed to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an underground pipeline fault diagnosis device to solve the problems existing in the prior art as described in the background section.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: An underground pipeline fault diagnosis device, comprising: The vehicle frame has drive wheels mounted on its left and right sides. The power components inside the vehicle frame drive the drive wheels to rotate, allowing the underground pipeline fault diagnosis device to move flexibly within the underground pipeline. A lifting mechanism is mounted on a vehicle frame. A mounting block is installed at the upper end of the lifting mechanism, and a camera module for capturing images of underground pipelines is mounted on the mounting block. The lifting mechanism is used to adjust the height of the camera module. A lens protection and replacement mechanism is installed on a camera module. The front end of the camera module is provided with a protective cover for protecting its lens and lighting. The lens protection and replacement mechanism includes a storage box and several replacement protective covers disposed in the storage box. When the protective covers on the camera module become dirty, the lens protection and replacement mechanism is used to replace the dirty protective covers.

[0007] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a drive box, a first support rod, and a second support rod mounted on the vehicle frame, with one end of each of the first and second support rods rotatably connected to the drive box; The mounting block is mounted on the upper ends of the first and second support rods via a rotating shaft. A linear actuator is mounted on the frame, and the output end of the linear actuator is rotatably connected to the side wall of the second support rod to drive the second support rod to rotate around the connecting shaft on the drive box.

[0008] Preferably, the camera module is rotatably connected to the mounting block, and an angle adjustment motor is mounted on the mounting block. The angle adjustment motor is used to drive the camera module to rotate relative to the mounting block, thereby adjusting the shooting angle of the camera module.

[0009] Preferably, the protective cover includes a cover frame and a protective lens, the protective lens is embedded in a groove on the cover frame, an inner sealing ring is installed on the rear end face of the cover frame, and an outer sealing ring is installed on the front end face of the cover frame.

[0010] Preferably, the storage box has a disc-shaped structure, and the interior of the storage box is provided with several guide plates, which divide the middle area of ​​the interior of the storage box into a cross shape. The storage box is equipped with two replaceable protective covers, and a drive assembly is also installed on the storage box to move and replace the protective covers.

[0011] Preferably, the driving component includes a linear driver 2 mounted on the arc side of the storage box, and a push block is connected to the output end of the linear driver 2. One end face of the push block is set as an arc groove that can fit with the side of the protective cover for positioning the protective cover. The storage box is equipped with a cover plate on the front side, and the cover plate has a through hole in the middle. The diameter of the through hole is smaller than the diameter of the protective cover. The cover plate is used to press and seal the protective cover.

[0012] Preferably, the guide plate is provided with a support block for limiting the position of the protective cover, and the support block is made of a flexible material.

[0013] Preferably, auxiliary wheels are provided on both sides of the middle part of the vehicle frame.

[0014] Preferably, a crash bar is installed on the front side of the frame, and a carrying rack is installed in the middle of the frame.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention, by setting up a lens protection replacement mechanism, allows for the automatic pushing of a spare protective cover to the working position when the protective cover on the front of the camera module becomes blurred due to contaminants such as oil and silt. This completes the online replacement of the dirty protective cover. The entire process eliminates the need to manually clean the device on the ground, avoiding the problems of incomplete cleaning and secondary pollution caused by traditional mechanical wiping methods in oily environments. This ensures that the camera continuously acquires clear images, significantly improving the efficiency and reliability of pipeline inspection operations, and is especially suitable for long-distance, highly polluted underground pipeline environments.

[0016] 2. The present invention, through the design of the protective cover structure, adopts a protective cover with inner and outer double sealing rings, forming a reliable seal under the pressure of the cover plate, effectively isolating water vapor, oil and dust in the pipeline, improving the protection performance of the camera module, thereby improving the operational stability, sealing protection capability and overall durability of the device in harsh pipeline environments, and effectively extending the service life of the device. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front-view stereoscopic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a rear-view stereoscopic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the mounting block, camera module, and lens protection replacement mechanism of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the lens protection replacement mechanism of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the camera module and protective cover structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the protective cover of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Frame; 2. Drive wheel; 3. Lifting mechanism; 31. Drive box; 32. First support rod; 33. Second support rod; 34. Linear actuator one; 4. Mounting block; 5. Camera module; 51. Lens; 52. Lighting lamp; 6. Angle adjustment motor; 7. Lens protection replacement mechanism; 71. Storage box; 72. Cover plate; 73. Guide plate; 74. Support block; 75. Linear actuator two; 76. Push block; 77. Protective cover; 771. Cover frame; 772. Protective lens; 773. Inner sealing ring; 774. Outer sealing ring; 8. Auxiliary wheel; 9. Anti-collision frame; 10. Handle rack. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0025] Please see Figure 1-6 The present invention provides the following technical solutions: An underground pipeline fault diagnosis device includes: a frame 1, with drive wheels 2 mounted on the left and right sides of the frame 1. Power components (such as servo motors and reduction gears) inside the frame 1 drive the drive wheels 2 to rotate, allowing the underground pipeline fault diagnosis device to move flexibly within the underground pipeline. The drive wheels 2 are made of wear-resistant rubber with anti-slip patterns on the surface to enhance grip in wet or muddy pipelines. Auxiliary wheels 8 are located on both sides of the middle section of the frame 1. These auxiliary wheels 8 are driven wheels, installed at a height slightly higher than the drive wheels 2. When the device passes through uneven pipe sections, the auxiliary wheels 8 contact the pipe wall, providing support and balance, thereby improving the stability and obstacle-crossing ability of the trolley.

[0026] A crash shield 9 is installed on the front side of the frame 1. The crash shield 9 is used to protect the frame 1 and its components. The crash shield 9 is made of elastic material (such as polyurethane), and its front end protrudes from the frame 1. It can absorb collision energy and prevent damage to delicate components such as the camera module 5. A carrying handle 10 is installed in the middle of the frame 1. The carrying handle 10 is designed to facilitate the carrying or transfer of the device by the staff.

[0027] The lifting mechanism 3 is mounted on the frame 1. The upper end of the lifting mechanism 3 is equipped with a mounting block 4. A camera module 5 for image acquisition of underground pipelines is mounted on the mounting block 4. The lifting mechanism 3 is used to adjust the lifting of the camera module 5.

[0028] The lifting mechanism 3 includes a drive box 31, a first support rod 32, and a second support rod 33 mounted on the frame 1. One end of each of the first and second support rods 32 and 33 is rotatably connected to the drive box 31. The drive box 31 has a limiting groove inside to limit the rotation angle of the first and second support rods 32 and 33, preventing excessive rotation during lifting. The mounting block 4 is mounted on the upper end of the first and second support rods 32 and 33 via a pivot. A linear actuator 34 (preferably an electric push rod or a miniature hydraulic cylinder) is mounted on the frame 1. The output end of the linear actuator 34 is rotatably connected to the side wall of the second support rod 33 to drive the second support rod 33 to rotate around the connecting shaft on the drive box 31. When the linear actuator 34 extends, the second support rod 33 pushes the mounting block 4 upward, thereby raising the camera module 5. When the linear actuator 34 retracts, the mounting block 4 descends, causing the camera module 5 to retract to a lower position, facilitating passage through narrow pipe sections or storage devices.

[0029] The camera module 5 is rotatably connected to the mounting block 4. An angle adjustment motor 6 (preferably a stepper motor for precise angle control) is mounted on the mounting block 4. The angle adjustment motor 6 drives the camera module 5 to rotate relative to the mounting block 4, adjusting the shooting angle of the camera module 5. In practical use, the adjustable angle range of the camera module 5 is -30° to +90°, capable of covering the pipe sidewall, top, and front area, meeting the needs of different detection orientations.

[0030] Lens protection and replacement mechanism 7 is installed on camera module 5. The front end of camera module 5 is provided with a protective cover 77 for protecting its lens 51 and illumination lamp 52. Lens protection and replacement mechanism 7 includes storage box 71 and several replacement protective covers 77 provided in storage box 71. When the protective cover 77 on camera module 5 becomes dirty, lens protection and replacement mechanism 7 is used to replace the dirty protective cover 77.

[0031] The protective cover 77 includes a cover frame 771 and a protective lens 772. The protective lens 772 is embedded in a groove on the cover frame 771. An inner sealing ring 773 is installed on the rear end face of the cover frame 771, and an outer sealing ring 774 is installed on the front end face of the cover frame 771. Both the inner sealing ring 773 and the outer sealing ring 774 are made of oil-resistant and corrosion-resistant silicone material, which can maintain good sealing performance in humid and oily underground pipe environments, preventing sewage and dust from entering the camera module 5.

[0032] When the protective cover 77 is in use, the inner sealing ring 773 is attached to one end face of the lens 51 of the camera module 5, and the outer sealing ring 774 is attached to the end face of the cover plate 72. The cover plate 72 presses and seals the cover, effectively isolating external contaminants and extending the service life of the camera module 5. The front end of the outer sealing ring 774 protrudes from the surface of the protective lens 772. This design is intended to prevent dirt on the protective lens 772 from being scraped off by the cover plate 72 when the protective cover 77 is moved, thus affecting the clarity of the other protective cover 77.

[0033] The storage box 71 has a disc-shaped structure. Inside the storage box 71 are several guide plates 73, which divide the central area of ​​the storage box 71 into a cross shape. Each guide plate 73 has a support block 74 for limiting the movement of the protective cover 77. The support block 74 is made of a flexible material, such as rubber or sponge, which can shrink in volume when compressed, allowing the protective cover 77 to pass through smoothly. When the protective cover 77 is pushed into the storage area of ​​the storage box 71, the support block 74 slightly deforms and springs back, forming an elastic clamp on the protective cover 77 to prevent it from shifting or falling off during device movement.

[0034] The storage box 71 is equipped with two replaceable protective covers 77, and a drive assembly for moving and replacing the protective covers 77 is also installed on the storage box 71. In this embodiment, the storage box 71 is equipped with a total of three protective covers 77: one in the working position and two as spares. In actual use, more protective covers 77 can be provided as needed.

[0035] The drive assembly includes a linear actuator 75 (preferably a miniature electric actuator) mounted on the arc side of the storage box 71. A push block 76 is connected to the output end of the linear actuator 75. One end face of the push block 76 is set as an arc groove that can fit against the side of the protective cover 77 for positioning the protective cover 77. A flexible pad can be added to the inner wall of the arc groove of the push block 76 to reduce impact noise during the pushing process and avoid scratching the surface of the protective cover 77.

[0036] A cover plate 72 is installed on the front side of the storage box 71. The cover plate 72 has a through hole in the middle, which corresponds to the position of the lens 51 of the camera module 5 and the lighting lamp 52 to ensure that light passes through without obstruction. The diameter of the through hole is smaller than the diameter of the protective cover 77, and the cover plate 72 is used to press and seal the protective cover 77.

[0037] The working process of this invention is as follows: When this troubleshooting device is needed to troubleshoot underground pipelines, it is first placed into the pipeline through the pipeline manhole. The operator sends commands via ground-based remote control to control the drive motor inside the chassis 1, which rotates the drive wheels 2, allowing the device to move forward or backward within the pipeline. Simultaneously, the speed difference of the drive wheels 2 can be adjusted in real time to achieve turning or on-the-spot direction adjustment.

[0038] During movement, if it is necessary to inspect the top or higher parts of the pipe wall, the operator can remotely control the linear actuator 34 to extend, pushing the second support rod 33 to rotate upwards, thereby raising the camera module 5 to the target height via the mounting block 4. If it is necessary to change the shooting angle, the angle adjustment motor 6 can be controlled to rotate the camera module 5 around the mounting block 4, enabling detailed observation of the pipe's inner wall from different angles. The images and video data collected by the camera module 5 are transmitted back to the ground display terminal in real time via wired or wireless means, allowing staff to analyze and determine whether the pipe has blockages, cracks, corrosion, or other faults.

[0039] When dirt accumulates on the protective cover 77 on the front of the camera module 5, affecting image clarity, one of the linear actuators 75 is activated. The linear actuator 75 pushes the replacement protective cover 77 towards the center of the storage box 71 via the pusher block 76. When the replacement protective cover 77 is in use, it pushes the used protective cover 77 into the corresponding hollow area in the storage box 71 until the replacement protective cover 77 is located directly in front of the camera module 5. At this point, the camera module 5 can continue to capture clear images for transmission.

[0040] Because the front end of the outer sealing ring 774 protrudes from the surface of the protective lens 772, when the dirty protective cover 77 is pushed out, the dirt on its lens surface will not scratch the cover plate 72, thus avoiding contamination of the cover plate 72 or affecting other spare protective covers 77. After replacement, the new protective cover 77, under the pressure of the cover plate 72, achieves a reliable seal through the inner sealing ring 773 and the outer sealing ring 774, ensuring the normal operation of the camera module 5.

[0041] This automatic replacement function allows the device to complete maintenance without returning to the ground during long-duration, long-distance pipeline inspection tasks, greatly improving inspection efficiency. Especially in drainage pipes with a lot of silt and oil, compared with traditional wiping cleaning methods, the replaceable protective cover 77 of this invention can thoroughly remove contaminants, ensuring the clarity and accuracy of image acquisition.

[0042] After the inspection task is completed, the operator can remove the device from the pipe well opening using the carrying rack 10. If all the spare protective covers 77 in the storage box 71 have been used up, simply remove the cover plate 72, take out the dirty protective cover 77 for cleaning or replace it with a new one, and it can be put into use again.

[0043] This invention, by setting up a lens protection replacement mechanism 7, allows for the automatic pushing of a spare protective cover 77 to the working position when the protective cover 77 on the front side of the camera module 5 becomes blurred due to contaminants such as oil and silt. This completes the online replacement of the dirty protective cover 77. The entire process does not require the device to be retrieved to the ground for manual cleaning, and avoids the problems of incomplete cleaning and secondary pollution caused by traditional mechanical wiping methods in oily environments. This ensures that the camera continuously acquires clear images, significantly improving the efficiency and reliability of pipeline inspection operations, and is especially suitable for long-distance, highly polluted underground pipeline environments.

[0044] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A device for troubleshooting underground pipeline faults, characterized in that, include: The frame (1) has drive wheels (2) installed on its left and right sides. The power components inside the frame (1) drive the drive wheels (2) to rotate, so that the underground pipeline fault detection device can move flexibly in the underground pipeline. Lifting mechanism (3), the lifting mechanism (3) is mounted on the frame (1), the upper end of the lifting mechanism (3) is mounted with a mounting block (4), the mounting block (4) is mounted with a camera module (5) for image acquisition of underground pipelines, and the lifting mechanism (3) is used to adjust the lifting of the camera module (5). Lens protection replacement mechanism (7) is installed on camera module (5). The front end of camera module (5) is provided with a protective cover (77) for protecting its lens (51) and lighting lamp (52). The lens protection replacement mechanism (7) includes a storage box (71) and a number of replacement protective covers (77) provided in the storage box (71). When the protective cover (77) on camera module (5) gets dirty, the lens protection replacement mechanism (7) is used to replace the dirty protective cover (77).

2. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism (3) includes a drive box (31), a first support rod (32) and a second support rod (33) mounted on the frame (1), one end of the first support rod (32) and the second support rod (33) being rotatably connected to the drive box (31); The mounting block (4) is mounted on the upper end of the first support rod (32) and the second support rod (33) via a rotating shaft. A linear driver (34) is mounted on the frame (1). The output end of the linear driver (34) is rotatably connected to the side wall of the second support rod (33) to drive the second support rod (33) to rotate around the connecting shaft on the drive box (31).

3. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera module (5) is rotatably connected to the mounting block (4). An angle adjustment motor (6) is installed on the mounting block (4). The angle adjustment motor (6) is used to drive the camera module (5) to rotate relative to the mounting block (4) and adjust the shooting angle of the camera module (5).

4. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective cover (77) includes a cover frame (771) and a protective lens (772). The protective lens (772) is embedded in a groove on the cover frame (771). An inner sealing ring (773) is installed on the rear end face of the cover frame (771), and an outer sealing ring (774) is installed on the front end face of the cover frame (771).

5. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage box (71) has a disc-shaped structure. The storage box (71) has several guide plates (73) inside. The guide plates (73) divide the middle area inside the storage box (71) into a cross shape. The storage box (71) is provided with two replaceable protective covers (77), and the storage box (71) is also equipped with a drive assembly for moving and replacing the protective covers (77).

6. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The drive assembly includes a linear driver 2 (75) installed on the arc side of the storage box (71). A push block (76) is connected to the output end of the linear driver 2 (75). One side end face of the push block (76) is set as an arc groove that can fit with the side of the protective cover (77) for positioning the protective cover (77). The storage box (71) is equipped with a cover plate (72) on the front side. The cover plate (72) has a through hole in the middle. The diameter of the through hole is smaller than the diameter of the protective cover (77). The cover plate (72) is used to press and seal the protective cover (77).

7. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The guide plate (73) is provided with a support block (74) for limiting the protective cover (77), and the support block (74) is made of flexible material.

8. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame (1) is provided with auxiliary wheels (8) on both sides of the middle section.

9. The underground pipeline fault diagnosis device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A crash bar (9) is installed on the front side of the frame (1), and a carrying rack (10) is installed in the middle of the frame (1).

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