Wastewater pipe inspection device

Abstract

A wastewater pipe inspection device (1) comprising two suspension members (11, 11') rotatably mounted on opposite sides of the main body, each suspension member (11, 11') carrying at least one front wheel (10a, 10c) and one rear wheel (10b, 10d) on the same side of said device (1), and said suspension members (11, 11') being coupled such that the rotation of one suspension member (11) in one direction of rotation causes the other suspension member (11') to rotate in the opposite direction. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Wastewater pipe inspection device

[0001] The present invention relates to a wastewater pipe inspection device.

[0002] In particular, the invention falls within the field of maintenance and inspection of urban infrastructure, and more specifically relates to a robotic system for the inspection of wastewater pipes.

[0003] Context of the invention

[0004] Sewer pipes, essential for the treatment and disposal of wastewater, are critical components of urban infrastructure. They are generally made of robust materials such as concrete, PVC or ceramic, and vary in diameter from a few centimeters to several meters, thus allowing the passage of residential and / or industrial wastewater to treatment facilities.

[0005] Usually these pipelines are buried, at depths depending on local topography and construction requirements, but often going several meters below the surface of the ground, which complicates their monitoring and maintenance.

[0006] Inspecting these pipes is crucial to preventing failures, such as blockages or ruptures, which can lead to flooding and environmental damage. Inspections not only ensure the proper functioning and safety of the sewage network but also allow for the planning of preventive maintenance, thus avoiding costly and complex interventions. State of the art

[0007] Prior art methods of sewage pipe inspection include in particular a visual inspection including the implementation of manually operated cameras for visual inspections, the capabilities of which are limited by the physical reach of the operator.

[0008] Other methods include, in particular, cameras towed through pipes by cables, allowing a greater range but remaining dependent on manual handling of the cable and often hampered by tight bends or accumulated deposits.

[0009] These prior art solutions show their limitations, particularly in terms of range, effectiveness in complex conditions, and the need for human intervention, so that there is a need for a pipeline inspection device that solves these different problems.

[0010] For this purpose the invention relates to a wastewater pipeline inspection device comprising a main body extending in a main direction of longitudinal elongation and having two lateral edges, said device further comprising at least four independent electric wheels and an inertial unit.

[0011] Said device comprises two suspension members mounted for rotation on each side of the main body, each suspension member carrying at least one front wheel and one rear wheel on the same side of said device, and said suspension members being coupled so that the rotation of one suspension member in one direction of rotation causes the rotation in the opposite direction of the other suspension member.

[0012] Thus, the device exhibits better mobility and increased stability, allowing it to circulate more reliably in a wastewater pipe.

[0013] Advantageously, for each wheel, the wheel is mounted to its associated suspension member by a suspension rod, said wheel being free to rotate about the elongation axis of the suspension rod. Thus, the device exhibits increased maneuverability and agility.

[0014] Advantageously, said device comprises at least one end at least one piece of equipment from among: headlamps, a telemetry system, such as a lidar, a radar or any other suitable system, a panoramic camera or a 360° camera. Thus, the device is capable of providing effective inspection.

[0015] Advantageously, the device comprises, on at least one attachment point on the upper part of the main body, a pole including lighting means and at least one camera, such as a 360° camera. Thus, the device makes it possible to obtain a particularly reliable visual representation of driving.

[0016] In a first embodiment, said device includes radio frequency communication means, said wheels being controlled by radio communication.

[0017] According to an alternative implementation, said device is an autonomously moving device.

[0018] The invention also relates to a method for controlling a device as described above, comprising: - A step of acquiring a lateral inclination value for the main body of said device; and - A stabilization stage based on said acquired lateral inclination value, during which each wheel is controlled so as to restore said main body in a substantially horizontal plane.

[0019] Advantageously, said stabilization step includes a closed-loop control, such as a Proportional-Integral-Derivative control.

[0020] The invention also relates to a method for controlling a device as described above when said wheels are controlled by radio communication, intended to move in a main inspection direction, further comprising: - A step of acquiring a remote control signal value; and - When the said signal can no longer be acquired or when it presents a ratio signal / noise exceeding a predetermined limit, said process implements a return step 112 of said device, causing said device 1 to move in a direction opposite to said main inspection direction. Detailed description

[0021] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description of several embodiments of the invention, with reference to the following figures:

[0022] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of the device according to the main embodiment of the invention;

[0023] [Fig.2] is another view of the device of [Fig.1]; and

[0024] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of a method for controlling the device of the invention.

[0025] With reference to figures 1 and 2, the inspection device 1 comprises a main body 12 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped extending in a main elongation direction X.

[0026] The main body 12 incorporates a battery of electric accumulators capable of powering the wheels and all the equipment of said device 1.

[0027] This main body 12 has at a front end 121 two lights 13, 13', a telemetry system 15, here a lidar 15 and a camera 14.

[0028] The front camera 14 is notably used by the pilot of the device 1 when it is remotely controlled, via transmission of images to the pilot's control unit.

[0029] The invention is not limited to lidar alone as a telemetry system 15, and any other suitable system may be implemented, in particular a radar.

[0030] In this embodiment, the elements present on the front end 121 are duplicated on the rear end 122, so that the rear end 122 also includes a telemetry system and a camera (not shown). However, the invention is not limited to the presence of these elements on the rear part.

[0031] This main body 12 further includes 2 fixing zones 201, 202 on its upper part 122, which can accommodate various removable modules, in particular modules composed of a pole 161, including lighting means 162 mounted along the pole, at the free end of which is fixed a camera 16 capable of filming in 360° in a plane substantially formed by the axes (Y, Z).

[0032] This camera 16 is particularly useful for making a 360° inspection film of the inspected pipe, and is stored in an internal memory, not shown, installed in said device 1, or alternatively can be teletransmitted via radio frequency means to a remote server.

[0033] The main body 12 of the device 1 has a symmetrical shape with respect to a transverse axis S. In other words, the front and the rear of the device are identical.

[0034] Thus, although the figures do not depict it, the principal embodiment of the invention comprises, also mounted at the rear, on the attachment area 202, a symmetrical pole 161 as described above. However, the invention is not limited to the presence of a pole 161 on the rear part.

[0035] Two suspension members 11 and 11' are mounted freely in rotation each on one longitudinal side of the main body 12.

[0036] These suspension members 11, 11' each comprise a pair of wheels on the same side of the device 10a, 10b and 10c, lOd; each wheel being independent of the other wheels and comprising an independent electric machine, respectively 101a, 101b, 101c, lOd. In other words, the suspension members 11, 11' pair the front wheels 10a, 10c and the rear wheels 10b, lOd respectively on each side of the device. Thus, the first suspension member 11 pairs the front left wheel 10a with the rear left wheel 10b, and the second suspension member pairs the front right wheel 10c with the rear right wheel lOd.

[0037] In the embodiment of the invention, each wheel is motorized by a stepper motor, but the invention is not limited to this type of motor.

[0038] Each wheel 10a-lOd can be controlled by a control element, not shown, mounted in the main body 12, in a direction of rotation and at a speed of rotation independent of the other wheels.

[0039] The wheels 10a-10d are each mounted on a suspension arm 102a-102c (102d not visible in the figures), extending substantially vertically under each suspension member 11, 11'.

[0040] In this principal embodiment of the invention, each wheel 10a-102d is free to rotate about the axis of said suspension arm 102a-102c to which it is mounted. This allows for improved control of each wheel independently of the others and enables better stabilization of said device 1.

[0041] The suspension members 11, 11' are articulated in reverse coupling with respect to the main body.

[0042] Thus, for example, when the suspension member 11 forms an angle of 15° with respect to the main body 12, which forms, with respect to the plane in which the main body 12, a lifting of the front wheel 10a relative to the associated rear wheel 10b; the other suspension member 11' then forms an angle of -15°, so that the front wheel 10c is lowered relative to the rear wheel 10d

[0043] Conversely, when the suspension member 11 forms an angle of -15° with respect to the main body 12, which forms, with respect to the plane in which the main body 12 is located, a lowering of the front wheel 10a with respect to the associated rear wheel 10b; the other suspension member 11' then forms an angle of +15°, so that the front wheel 10c is raised with respect to the wheel 10d.

[0044] Thus, the wheels lOa-lOd are coupled via the suspension components 11, 11' so that the raising of the front left wheel 10a is coupled to the raising of the rear right wheel lOd, this coupling also being made between the front right wheel 10c and the rear left wheel 10b.

[0045] At rest, the axis of rotation of the four wheels lOa-d extend in the same plane substantially parallel to the elongation plane (xy) of the main body 12.

[0046] However, in a particular embodiment of the invention, an angle between -15° and +15° when the device rests on a flat surface, between the plane in which the four wheels lOa-d are located and the main body 12, which can result in particular from a parameterization of the center of gravity of the device 1 and / or the adjustment of the measuring instruments.

[0047] Device 1 also includes an inertial measurement unit, mounted in the main body 12 and adapted to measure the accelerations and inclinations of device 1.

[0048] Furthermore, in the main embodiment of the invention, the device 1 is remotely controlled by a remote operator using a remote device, generally a remote control or any electrical device, capable of receiving at least one position information from the device 1, for example, a distance value or an image acquired by a camera. Therefore, in the main embodiment of the invention, said device 1 includes a radio frequency receiver adapted to allow control of the wheels and / or all or part of the other equipment of said device 1. In addition, these radio frequency means can be adapted to transmit to the operator supplementary data such as a temperature value of the device, an external temperature, or, for example, the battery charge level.

[0049] However, the invention is not limited to a remote-controlled implementation of said device 1 and the invention can be carried out with an autonomously moving device.

[0050] The device 1 includes a control element, here a processor, or any other suitable digital control device.

[0051] With reference to [Fig. 3], this control element implements a control method 100 for the device 1 comprising an acquisition step 121 of a value lateral tilt of the device, and a stabilization step 122 of the device, during which each wheel 10a-lOd is controlled according to the measured tilt value, so as to bring the device 1 back into a substantially horizontal plane.

[0052] Here, the control method 100 allows each wheel to be controlled in terms of torque and / or speed as well as angular rotation value relative to the axis of the associated suspension rod, as explained previously. Thus, precise and efficient control of said device 1 can be obtained.

[0053] In other words, the control method 100 makes it possible to correct the guiding dynamics of the device 1 by ensuring that it is maintained in a substantially horizontal plane.

[0054] Indeed, since the device 1 is intended to move in pipes with a circular cross-section, maintaining the device in a horizontal plane ensures a straight movement of the device in the pipe without needing to guide it by image acquisition.

[0055] This straight-line guidance is improved by the inverse coupling of the wheels as previously described, preventing in particular the device from overturning as a result of encountering blocking elements in the inspected conduit.

[0056] In the main embodiment of the invention, the control step is implemented by a closed-loop control system, such as a negative feedback control system for the measured tilt value of the device. This can be implemented, by way of non-limiting example, by a Proportional-Integral-Derivative type control system.

[0057] However, any suitable control method can be implemented. In particular, machine learning methods can be considered to control each wheel according to the inclination of device 1.

[0058] Moreover, although it is capable of maintaining itself in a substantially horizontal plane, the device 1 is generally remotely controlled by an operator via a radio frequency control device.

[0059] In the context of this classic operation, by remote guidance, the stabilization process 100 is implemented in addition to the control by the operator, to correct guidance fluctuations related to the difficulty for the operator to correctly maintain the device 1 in a horizontal plane, which is in particular related to the fact that the operator does not see the device but only the image of the front camera 16 of the device 1.

[0060] However, the invention is not limited to this mode of guidance, and the device 1 can also move autonomously or pre-programmed on an established path.

[0061] In a particular embodiment of the control of the device 1 during remote guidance, a step of acquiring remote control signals 110 is also implemented repeatedly.

[0062] When a loss of the remote control signal is detected 111, or a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio greater than a threshold value, a return step 112 of the device 1 is then implemented, returning in the opposite direction to the inspection movement, said device 1 moving autonomously in this reverse direction until the remote control signal is recovered.

[0063] Thus, as long as the remote control signal is not found or remains too noisy, the device 1 performs the reverse path to the inspection path.

[0064] To prevent the device from traveling an excessive distance in the opposite direction, particularly in the event of a failure of the operator's remote control, the device 1 may include a timed stop command, based on a time or distance setting. It may also travel back along the outward path and stop at the beginning of the inspection, for example by implementing an odometer, so that when the return distance traveled equals the distance traveled since the start of the inspection, the device 1 stops.

[0065] The steps enabling the stabilization 121-122 and enabling the return 110-112 of the device 1 are carried out preferably, but not necessarily, in parallel.

[0066] This method 100 allows for better guidance comfort for the operator, who can simply decide on the longitudinal guidance of the device 1, because the device remains in a horizontal plane, and therefore in a curved pipe, in a straight line, and this also allows the operator not to fear losing the device in an inspection that is too far away, because the device will automatically return to a communication distance.

[0067] In other words, this method 100 allows for greater reliability and a simplification of the guiding conditions of the device 1 according to the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A wastewater pipeline inspection device (1) comprising a main body (12) extending in a main longitudinal elongation direction (x) and having two lateral edges, said device (1) further comprising at least four independent electric wheels (10a-10d) and an inertial unit, characterized in that it comprises two suspension members (11, 11') mounted for rotation on each side of the main body, each suspension member (11, 11') each carrying at least one front wheel (10a, 10c) and one rear wheel (10b, 10d) on the same side of said device (1), and said suspension members (11, 11') being coupled so that the rotation of one suspension member (11) in one direction of rotation causes the rotation in the opposite direction of the other suspension member (11').

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that for each wheel (10a-10d), the wheel is mounted to its associated suspension member (11, 11') by a suspension rod (102a-102d), said wheel (10a-10d) being mobile in rotation about the elongation axis of the suspension rod (102a-102d).

3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises at at least one end (121, 123) at least one piece of equipment among: headlamps, a telemetry system, a panoramic camera or a 360° camera.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises on at least one attachment area (201, 202) on the upper part (122) of the main body (12) a pole comprising lighting means (162) and at least one camera (16).

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises radio frequency communication means, said wheels (lOa-lOd) being controlled by radio communication.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said device is a self-propelled device.

7. A method for controlling a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises:

8.

9. - An acquisition step (121) of a lateral inclination value of the main body (12) of said device (1); and - A stabilization step (122) based on said acquired lateral inclination value, during which each wheel is controlled so as to restore said main body (12) in a substantially horizontal plane (xy). Method according to claim 7, characterized in that said stabilization step comprises a closed loop control, such as a Proportional-Integral-Derivative control. Method of controlling a device (1) according to claim 5, intended to move in a principal inspection direction, characterized in that it further comprises: - An acquisition step (110) of a remote control signal value; and - When said signal can no longer be acquired or when it has a signal / noise ratio greater than a predetermined limit, said process implements a return step 112 of said device, causing said device 1 to move in a direction opposite to said main inspection direction.

Images