A pipeline inner wall cleaning device

Abstract

This invention provides a pipe inner wall cleaning device, including a central shaft, a traveling mechanism, and a cleaning mechanism. The traveling mechanism is located at both ends of the central shaft, and the cleaning mechanism is located in the middle of the central shaft. The traveling mechanism includes support legs, an angle adjustment component, a rotating component, and a tracked traveling component. Multiple support legs are arranged circumferentially along the central shaft, with one end of each leg hinged to the side wall of the central shaft. The angle adjustment component is located on the central shaft and connected to the support legs, used to adjust the angle between the support legs and the central shaft. The rotating component is located at the other end of each support leg. The tracked traveling component is mounted on the rotating component. The rotating component changes the traveling direction of the tracked traveling component, allowing the cleaning device to travel spirally within the pipe. The direction of movement of the tracked traveling component relative to the pipe wall is the resultant direction of its axial and circumferential movements. This oblique movement allows the track pattern to grip the microscopic unevenness of the pipe wall at a more optimized angle, greatly increasing the anti-slip effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline cleaning technology, and more specifically, to a pipeline inner wall cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous growth of urban water demand, long-distance water transmission has become a key measure to ensure water supply security. However, the problems of biofouling and scaling on the inner walls of water pipelines can significantly reduce the flow area, increase energy consumption, and damage water quality. Existing cleaning technologies, such as chemical methods, pose a risk of pollution, while large-scale machine treatment methods are costly and complex to operate.

[0003] In the field of physical cleaning devices, especially those relying on cleaning robots or pipe cleaners that travel inside pipes, a long-standing but unresolved issue is the stability and reliability of their movement within pipes. Currently, most such devices are designed or naturally move along the central axis of the pipe. The inner wall of the pipe, especially after prolonged use, becomes slippery due to the accumulation of biofilm or deposits. When the cleaning device relies on wheels, tracks, or other mechanisms to contact and drive the area near the central axis of the pipe wall, slippage and idle spinning are highly likely. This prevents the driving force from being converted into effective cleaning force, meaning that even with high-performance cleaning heads, slippage prevents the effective scraping of deposits, significantly reducing cleaning efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention proposes a pipe inner wall cleaning device to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a pipe inner wall cleaning device, comprising a central shaft, a traveling mechanism, and a cleaning mechanism; The walking mechanism is located at both ends of the central shaft, and the cleaning mechanism is located in the middle of the central shaft; The walking mechanism includes outriggers, angle adjustment components, rotating components, and track walking components; The support legs are provided in multiple ways and are arranged circumferentially along the central axis, and one end of the support leg is hinged to the side wall of the central axis. The angle adjustment component is disposed on the central axis and connected to the support leg, and is used to adjust the angle between the support leg and the central axis; The rotating component is located at the other end of the support leg; The tracked walking assembly is mounted on the rotating component; The rotating component is used to change the direction of travel of the tracked walking assembly so that the cleaning device can travel in a spiral motion inside the pipe.

[0006] In one embodiment, the rotating component includes a motor, the output shaft of which is directly or indirectly connected to the tracked traveling assembly.

[0007] In one embodiment, the tracked walking assembly includes a connecting plate, a track frame, track wheels, and tracks; The two ends of the connecting plate are respectively fixedly connected to the track frame and the rotating end of the rotating component; The track wheels are rotatably mounted on both sides of the track frame; The track is fitted onto the track wheel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the angle adjustment assembly includes a push rod, a slider, a slide rail, and a lead screw motor; The central shaft has a mounting groove, and the slide rail is fixedly installed in the mounting groove. The extension direction of the slide rail is the same as the axial direction of the central shaft. The slider is slidably connected to the slide rail. The lead screw motor is fixedly installed in the mounting groove, and the lead screw of the lead screw motor is threadedly connected to the slider. The two ends of the push rod are respectively hinged to the middle of the support leg and the slider.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism includes a rotation drive mechanism, at least one turntable, and a cleaning part mounted on the arcuate sidewall of the turntable; The center of the turntable is rotatably connected to the central shaft, and the rotation drive mechanism is connected to the turntable to drive the turntable to rotate. The cleaning unit includes any one or more of a nozzle, a scraper, and a brush.

[0010] In one embodiment, the cleaning unit and the turntable are connected by a first telescopic rod.

[0011] In one embodiment, the rotation drive mechanism includes a first motor, a gear, and a gear ring; The turntable has a hollow structure; The first motor is fixedly connected to the side wall of the central shaft, and the first motor is disposed inside the turntable; The gear is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the first motor; The gear ring is fixedly mounted on the arc-shaped inner wall of the turntable and meshes with the gear.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cleaning device further includes a waste collection assembly mounted on the turntable, the turntable being a hollow structure; A partition is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the turntable, and the middle part of the partition is sealed to the central shaft. The partition and one end of the turntable form a collection cavity. The waste collection assembly includes a second telescopic rod, a suction hood, a suction pipe, and a negative pressure pump; The fixed end of the second telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the arc-shaped sidewall of the turntable, and the movable end of the second telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the suction pipe; One end of the suction tube is connected to the collection chamber, and the other end of the suction tube is fixedly connected to the suction hood; The negative pressure pump is installed on the side wall of the turntable and is in communication with the collection chamber.

[0013] In one embodiment, the front end of the central shaft is provided with a drill bit, a first rod, a second rod, a rotating sleeve, and a second motor; The rotating sleeve is rotatably connected to the front end of the central shaft; The second motor is disposed inside the central shaft and is used to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate; The drill bit is fixedly mounted on the rotating sleeve; One end of the second rod is fixedly connected to the edge of the rotating sleeve; One end of the first rod is fixedly connected to the drill bit, and the other end of the first rod is fixedly connected to the other end of the second rod.

[0014] In one embodiment, the rear end of the central shaft is provided with an end cap, which is a hemispherical structure.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effect of the present invention is that multiple circumferentially distributed outriggers and angle adjustment components constitute an adaptive support system. This system can not only adapt to pipes of different diameters, but also ensure that all tracked walking components remain in close contact with the pipe wall and that the driving force is evenly distributed when the pipe has local deformation, deposits, or a non-circular cross-section.

[0016] The rotating component changes the direction of travel of the tracked walking assembly, allowing the cleaning device to move in a spiral motion within the pipe. The direction of movement of the tracked walking assembly relative to the pipe wall is the resultant direction of its axial and circumferential movements. This oblique movement allows the track treads to engage with the microscopic unevenness of the pipe wall at a more optimized angle, greatly increasing the anti-slip effect. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pipe inner wall cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 1 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the waste collection component in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Reference numerals: 1. Central shaft; 21. Outrigger; 22. Push rod; 23. Rotating component; 24. Connecting plate; 25. Track frame; 26. Track wheel; 27. Track; 31. Slider; 32. Mounting slot; 33. Slide rail; 34. Screw motor; 41. Drill bit; 42. First rod; 43. Second rod; 44. Rotating sleeve; 45. Second motor; 46. End cap; 51. First turntable; 52. Second turntable; 53. Third turntable; 54. First telescopic rod; 55. Nozzle; 56. Scraper; 57. Brush; 61. First motor; 62. Gear; 63. Gear ring; 64. Partition; 65. Second telescopic rod; 66. Suction hood; 67. Suction pipe; 68. Negative pressure pump. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] Reference Figure 1 This embodiment proposes a pipe inner wall cleaning device, including a central shaft 1, a traveling mechanism, and a cleaning mechanism. The traveling mechanism is located at both ends of the central shaft 1, and the cleaning mechanism is located in the middle of the central shaft 1. The traveling mechanism includes outriggers 21, an angle adjustment assembly, a rotating component 23, and a tracked traveling assembly. The angle adjustment assembly controls the opening angle of multiple outriggers 21, enabling all tracked traveling assemblies to be firmly pressed against the inner wall of the pipe with a certain preload. The tracked traveling assembly itself has a large contact area and strong adhesion with the pipe wall, which provides the device with a stable and reliable driving force, ensuring that the cleaning mechanism can obtain sufficient propulsion to scrape off stubborn deposits.

[0021] Multiple outriggers 21 are provided and arranged circumferentially along the central axis 1. The outriggers 21 can be arranged at equal intervals, and the number can be selected as 3 or 4. Figure 1Only two are shown in the diagram. One end of the outrigger 21 is hinged to the side wall of the central shaft 1; the angle adjustment assembly is mounted on the central shaft 1 and connected to the outrigger 21, used to adjust the angle between the outrigger 21 and the central shaft 1; the rotating component 23 is mounted on the other end of the outrigger 21; the tracked walking assembly is mounted on the rotating component 23; multiple circumferentially distributed outriggers 21 and the angle adjustment assembly constitute an adaptive support system. This system can not only adapt to pipes of different diameters, but also, when the pipe has local deformation, deposits, or a non-circular cross-section, it can independently adjust the angle of each outrigger to ensure that all tracked walking assemblies are always in close contact with the pipe wall, guaranteeing a uniform distribution of driving force.

[0022] The rotating component 23 is used to change the direction of travel of the tracked walking assembly, so that the cleaning device can move in a spiral motion inside the pipe. When a conventional device moves in a straight line, the force exerted on the pipe wall by its walking mechanism (such as wheels) is a purely circumferential tangential force. On a wet and slippery wall surface, this force can easily exceed the static friction limit, causing the walking mechanism to spin in place and the device to be unable to move forward.

[0023] The spiral motion decomposes the single forward direction into two motion components: axial forward movement and circumferential rotation. At this point, the direction of motion of the track travel assembly relative to the tube wall is the resultant direction of its axial and circumferential movements. This oblique motion allows the track treads to engage with the microscopic unevenness of the tube wall at a more optimized angle, greatly increasing the anti-slip effect.

[0024] All tracks can drive the device forward independently, forming a driving relay along the trajectory. When the adhesion of one track temporarily decreases due to local wall abnormalities, other tracks located in different axial and circumferential positions immediately take over, becoming the main driving force output point. This spatial redundancy of driving force ensures that even under conditions of uneven adhesion on the pipe wall, the entire machine can obtain continuous and stable propulsion, preventing global paralysis due to local slippage.

[0025] In some embodiments, the rotating component 23 includes a motor, the output shaft of which is directly or indirectly connected to the tracked walking assembly. By controlling the rotation angle of the motor, the orientation of the tracked walking assembly can be precisely set, thereby directly determining the direction angle of the device's movement on the pipe wall. A central controller and attitude sensors can also be added to monitor the device's attitude and trajectory in real time.

[0026] In some embodiments, the tracked traveling assembly includes a connecting plate 24, a track frame 25, track wheels 26, and a track 27; both ends of the connecting plate 24 are fixedly connected to the track frame 25 and the rotating end of the rotating component 23, respectively; the track wheels 26 are rotatably disposed on both sides of the track frame 25; and the track 27 is sleeved on the track wheels 26. The tracked traveling assembly can use a structure from the prior art, and its specific structure may differ from that in this embodiment, as long as track drive is achieved. It should be noted that each tracked traveling assembly has a power unit to drive its normal movement.

[0027] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 The angle adjustment assembly includes a push rod 22, a slider 31, a slide rail 33, and a lead screw motor 34; the central shaft 1 has a mounting groove 32, the slide rail 33 is fixedly installed in the mounting groove 32, and the extension direction of the slide rail 33 is the same as the axial direction of the central shaft 1; the slider 31 is slidably connected to the slide rail 33; the lead screw motor 34 is fixedly installed in the mounting groove 32, and the lead screw of the lead screw motor 34 is threadedly connected to the slider 31; the two ends of the push rod 22 are respectively hinged to the middle of the support leg 21 and the slider 31.

[0028] In the above embodiment, the lead screw motor 34 serves as the drive source, precisely converting rotational motion into linear motion of the slider 31 along the slide rail 33. Since one end of all the push rods 22 is hinged to the same slider 31, all outriggers are forced to move synchronously when the slider moves, ensuring the device remains centered within the pipe and preventing jamming or instability due to asynchronous outrigger opening. The outriggers 21 and the tracked walking assembly provide stronger support reaction force without causing overall device instability, exhibiting excellent passive adaptability.

[0029] In some embodiments, the cleaning mechanism includes a rotary drive mechanism, at least one turntable, and a cleaning part mounted on the arc-shaped sidewall of the turntable; the center of the turntable is rotatably connected to the central shaft 1, and the rotary drive mechanism is connected to the turntable to drive the turntable to rotate. The overall spiral motion of this device is the main motion, driving the cleaning mechanism to move spirally along the pipe wall. At the same time, the rotary drive mechanism drives the turntable to rotate at high speed, causing the cleaning part on it to rotate. The combination of these two motions makes the movement trajectory of the cleaning part relative to the inner wall of the pipe extremely complex and dense. This is equivalent to superimposing high-frequency local grinding or scraping actions on the spiral cleaning trajectory, which can instantly crush and peel off stubborn deposits (such as hard scale and dense shellfish), achieving a doubling of cleaning efficiency, far superior to traditional devices with only a single propulsion motion.

[0030] The cleaning unit includes one or more of the following: nozzles 55, scrapers 56, and brushes 57. For soft biofilm and sludge, brushes 57 can be primarily used for cleaning to avoid damaging the pipe walls. For hard scale and shellfish, the more rigid scrapers 56 can be used for powerful removal. Nozzles 55 can simultaneously spray high-pressure water during cleaning, assisting in breaking up the deposits and promptly flushing away the scraped-off debris to prevent accumulation and blockage in front of the cleaning mechanism, while also providing dust suppression and cooling.

[0031] In one specific embodiment, the turntable is provided with three turntables, namely a first turntable 51, a second turntable 52, and a third turntable 53, and a nozzle 55, a scraper 56, and a brush 57 are respectively installed on the three turntables.

[0032] In some embodiments, the cleaning section and the turntable are connected by a first telescopic rod 54. The first telescopic rod is used to adjust the height of the cleaning section to accommodate pipes of different diameters.

[0033] In some embodiments, the rotation drive mechanism includes a first motor 61, a gear 62, and a gear ring 63; the turntable is a hollow structure; the first motor 61 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the central shaft 1, and the first motor 61 is disposed inside the turntable; the gear 62 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the first motor 61; the gear ring 63 is fixedly disposed on the arc-shaped inner wall of the turntable and meshes with the gear 62.

[0034] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3 The cleaning device also includes a waste collection assembly, which is mounted on a turntable, which is a hollow structure. A partition 64 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the turntable, and the middle part of the partition 64 is sealed to the central shaft 1. The partition 64 and one end of the turntable form a collection chamber. The waste collection assembly includes a second telescopic rod 65, a suction hood 66, a suction pipe 67, and a negative pressure pump 68. The fixed end of the second telescopic rod 65 is fixedly connected to the arc-shaped side wall of the turntable, and the movable end of the second telescopic rod 65 is fixedly connected to the suction pipe 67. One end of the suction pipe 67 communicates with the collection chamber, and the other end of the suction pipe 67 is fixedly connected to the suction hood 66. The negative pressure pump 68 is mounted on the side wall of the turntable and communicates with the collection chamber.

[0035] In the above embodiment, after the scraper 56 and brush 57 peel the attached material from the pipe wall, the negative pressure pump 68 immediately starts, directly sucking the loose debris into the collection chamber inside the turntable through the suction hood 66 and suction pipe 67. The second telescopic rod 65 can drive the suction hood 66 to extend actively, so that its inlet is close to the working area behind the cleaning section (scraper 56 / brush 57). The sucked-in debris is thrown towards the far peripheral wall of the collection chamber under centrifugal force, thereby achieving gas-solid separation. Solid debris is compressed and temporarily stored in the collection chamber, while air is discharged by the negative pressure pump 68. This self-cleaning mechanism avoids rapid blockage of the suction pipe 67 and the collection chamber, ensuring a continuous and smooth collection process. The turntable has a gate for the discharge of waste.

[0036] In some embodiments, the front end of the central shaft 1 is provided with a drill bit 41, a first rod 42, a second rod 43, a rotating sleeve 44, and a second motor 45; the rotating sleeve 44 is rotatably connected to the front end of the central shaft 1; the second motor 45 is disposed inside the central shaft 1 to drive the rotating sleeve 44 to rotate; the drill bit 41 is fixedly disposed on the rotating sleeve 44; one end of the second rod 43 is fixedly connected to the edge of the rotating sleeve 44; one end of the first rod 42 is fixedly connected to the drill bit 41, and the other end of the first rod 42 is fixedly connected to the other end of the second rod 43. The first rod 42 and the second rod 43 have cutting edges. The fixed connection between the first rod 42 and the second rod 43 forms a conical or cage-like front protective frame behind the drill bit 41. When encountering flexible obstacles (such as flocculent material or plastic bags), this protective frame can guide them to both sides, preventing them from directly wrapping around the drill bit 41 or the central shaft 1.

[0037] In pipelines, especially in old or poorly maintained networks, one often encounters hard or massive obstacles such as tree roots, large cement blocks, and solidified sediment. Traditional cleaning devices are prone to jamming when faced with such obstacles. This design enables the device to actively break down or drill through these obstacles, rather than passively stopping, greatly expanding its application range and ability to handle complex working conditions. The second motor 45 provides the rotational force for drilling, while the traveling mechanism provides a constant axial thrust. Together, they allow the device to continuously and stably advance forward, maintaining movement even in obstacle zones and avoiding the risk of downtime.

[0038] In some embodiments, the rear end of the central shaft 1 is provided with an end cap 46, which is a hemispherical structure.

[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the specific implementation of the present invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pipe inner wall cleaning device, characterized in that, Includes a central shaft (1), a traveling mechanism, and a cleaning mechanism; The walking mechanism is located at both ends of the central shaft (1), and the cleaning mechanism is located in the middle of the central shaft (1); The walking mechanism includes outriggers (21), angle adjustment components, rotating components (23), and track walking components; The support legs (21) are provided in multiple ways and are arranged circumferentially along the central axis (1), and one end of the support leg (21) is hinged to the side wall of the central axis (1). The angle adjustment component is disposed on the central axis (1) and connected to the support leg (21), and is used to adjust the angle between the support leg (21) and the central axis (1); The rotating component (23) is disposed at the other end of the support leg (21); The tracked walking assembly is mounted on the rotating component (23); The rotating component (23) is used to change the direction of travel of the tracked walking assembly so that the cleaning device can travel in a spiral manner inside the pipe.

2. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating component (23) includes a motor, the output shaft of which is directly or indirectly connected to the tracked walking assembly.

3. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tracked walking assembly includes a connecting plate (24), a track frame (25), track wheels (26), and tracks (27). The two ends of the connecting plate (24) are fixedly connected to the track frame (25) and the rotating end of the rotating component (23), respectively; The track wheels (26) are rotatably mounted on both sides of the track frame (25); The track (27) is fitted onto the track wheel (26).

4. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle adjustment assembly includes a push rod (22), a slider (31), a slide rail (33), and a lead screw motor (34). The central shaft (1) has a mounting groove (32), and the slide rail (33) is fixedly installed in the mounting groove (32). The extension direction of the slide rail (33) is the same as the axial direction of the central shaft (1). The slider (31) is slidably connected to the slide rail (33). The lead screw motor (34) is fixedly installed in the mounting groove (32), and the lead screw of the lead screw motor (34) is threadedly connected to the slider (31). The two ends of the push rod (22) are respectively hinged to the middle of the support leg (21) and the slider (31).

5. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning mechanism includes a rotation drive mechanism, at least one turntable, and a cleaning part installed on the arc-shaped sidewall of the turntable; The middle part of the turntable is rotatably connected to the central shaft (1), and the rotation drive mechanism is connected to the turntable to drive the turntable to rotate; The cleaning unit includes any one or more of a nozzle (55), a scraper (56), and a brush (57).

6. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cleaning unit and the turntable are connected by a first telescopic rod (54).

7. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rotation drive mechanism includes a first motor (61), a gear (62), and a gear ring (63). The turntable has a hollow structure; The first motor (61) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the central shaft (1), and the first motor (61) is disposed inside the turntable; The gear (62) is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the first motor (61); The gear ring (63) is fixedly disposed on the arc-shaped inner wall of the turntable and meshes with the gear (62).

8. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cleaning device also includes a waste collection component, which is mounted on the turntable, and the turntable has a hollow structure. A partition (64) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the turntable. The middle part of the partition (64) is sealed to the central shaft (1). The partition (64) and one end of the turntable form a collection cavity. The waste collection assembly includes a second telescopic rod (65), a suction hood (66), a suction pipe (67), and a negative pressure pump (68). The fixed end of the second telescopic rod (65) is fixedly connected to the arc-shaped sidewall of the turntable, and the movable end of the second telescopic rod (65) is fixedly connected to the suction pipe (67). One end of the suction tube (67) is connected to the collection chamber, and the other end of the suction tube (67) is fixedly connected to the suction hood (66); The negative pressure pump (68) is installed on the side wall of the turntable and communicates with the collection chamber.

9. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the central shaft (1) is provided with a drill bit (41), a first rod (42), a second rod (43), a rotating sleeve (44), and a second motor (45). The rotating sleeve (44) is rotatably connected to the front end of the central shaft (1); The second motor (45) is disposed inside the central shaft (1) for driving the rotating sleeve (44) to rotate; The drill bit (41) is fixedly mounted on the rotating sleeve (44); One end of the second rod (43) is fixedly connected to the edge of the rotating sleeve (44); One end of the first rod (42) is fixedly connected to the drill bit (41), and the other end of the first rod (42) is fixedly connected to the other end of the second rod (43).

10. The pipe inner wall cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear end of the central shaft (1) is provided with an end cap (46), which is a hemispherical structure.

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