In-pipe traveling body

Abstract

To provide an in-pipe traveling body that can travel inside a pipe to cut an object to be cut within the pipe, while maintaining a stable posture inside the pipe.SOLUTION: An in-pipe traveling body comprises cutting means for cutting an object to be cut, driving means for driving wheels to cause the in-pipe traveling body to travel, and pressing means for pressing a contact portion of the in-pipe traveling body against the inner surface of the pipe.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for cutting an object located inside a pipe that is difficult for people to enter. [Background technology]

[0002] In some nuclear power plants, spring water removal equipment 1, as shown in Figure 1, is installed below the building foundations to remove spring water. The spring water removal equipment 1 includes an underdrain collection and drainage material 2 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 1) and a collection pipe 3 (shown by a solid line in Figure 1) connected to it. The underdrain collection and drainage material 2 is, for example, a three-dimensional mesh molded product (sometimes called a "plastic three-dimensional mesh molded product" or "Loofah (registered trademark)") made by extruding polypropylene resin into a fiber shape with a diameter of approximately 2 mm. The underdrain collection and drainage material 2 is covered with a permeable sheet 6 (see Figure 2) made of nonwoven fabric or other material to prevent clogging with fine stones and sand in the soil. The spring water removal equipment 1 is installed underground, and the underdrain collection and drainage material 2 collects underground spring water and pours it into the collection pipe 3. The water flows through the collection pipe 3 to a drainage pit, where it is collected and discharged outside the spring water removal equipment 1 by a pump in the drainage pit.

[0003] The soundness of the seepage water removal equipment 1 is essential for the safe operation of a nuclear power plant equipped with the equipment. For this reason, inspection equipment must be inserted into the water collection pipe 3 through a vertical hole 4 dug to the depth of the equipment 1. However, at the connection 5 of the underdrain collection material 2 in the water collection pipe 3, as shown in Figure 2, the end of the underdrain collection material 2 protrudes into the water collection pipe 3, obstructing the passage of the inspection equipment and hindering the inspection.

[0004] Under such circumstances, Patent Document 1 discloses an in-pipe traveling body that removes unwanted materials from inside a pipe. This in-pipe traveling body has a support member that supports wheels so that they can rotate freely around their axes, and the support member has a rotation shaft that extends in the opposite direction to the inner circumferential surface of the wheels, and because it is rotatable around the rotation shaft, the direction of the wheels can be changed and the traveling body can travel inside the pipe while avoiding obstacles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-69147 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when the underdrain drainage material 2 in the water collection pipe 3 protrudes so far as to block the inside of the pipe, it may be difficult for even the in-pipe traveling body of Patent Document 1 to travel while avoiding the underdrain drainage material 2, and in that case, it is preferable to cut the object to be cut, such as the underdrain drainage material 2.

[0007] Furthermore, even if the object to be cut is cut by having a running body capable of cutting the object run through the water collection pipe 3, if the diameter of the water collection pipe 3 is small (for example, the inner diameter of some water collection pipes 3 is about 200 mm), the running body must be made small, and such a small running body is lightweight, so it will not be stable inside the pipe and may fall over, or it may be difficult to cut the object to be cut.

[0008] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an in-pipe traveling body that can cut an object to be cut inside a pipe while maintaining a stable posture inside the pipe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention has been made to achieve the above object and has the following features.

[0010] The invention described in claim 1 is an in-pipe traveling body that travels inside a pipe and cuts an object to be cut inside the pipe, characterized in that it comprises a cutting means that cuts the object to be cut, a driving means that drives wheels to make the in-pipe traveling body travel, and a pressing means that presses a contact portion that contacts the inner surface of the pipe against the inner surface of the pipe.

[0011] The invention described in claim 2 is the in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that the pressing means presses the abutment portion with a pressure that allows the in-pipe running body to run when the in-pipe running body runs.

[0012] The invention described in claim 3 is the in-pipe running body described in claim 2, characterized in that the pressing means presses the abutment portion with a pressure that allows the cutting means to cut the object when the cutting means cuts the object.

[0013] The invention described in claim 4 is the in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that the abutment portion is arc-shaped when viewed from the Z direction, where the front-to-back direction of the in-pipe running body is the X direction and the displacement direction of the abutment portion is the Y direction.

[0014] The invention described in claim 5 is an in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that the wheels include four wheels: a left front wheel, a right front wheel, a left rear wheel, and a right rear wheel, and further includes a control means for individually controlling each of the wheels based on the operation of an operator.

[0015] The invention as set forth in claim 6 is the in-pipe traveling body as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the left front wheel and the right front wheel have chamfered outer corners.

[0016] The invention described in claim 7 is an in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that the cutting means has a cutting blade extending forward of the in-pipe running body and further comprises a first displacement means for displacing the position of the cutting blade back and forth.

[0017] The invention described in claim 8 is an in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that the cutting means has a cutting blade and further includes a second displacement means for displacing the position of the cutting blade from the in-pipe running body toward the inner surface of the pipe.

[0018] The invention described in claim 9 is an in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that the cutting means has a cutting blade and further includes a rotating means for rotating the cutting blade when the in-pipe running body is viewed from the front or rear.

[0019] The invention described in claim 10 is the in-pipe running body described in claim 1, characterized in that one end of a wire whose other end extends outside the pipe is attached to the in-pipe running body.

[0020] The invention described in claim 11 is an in-pipe running body described in claim 10, characterized in that an arc-shaped cover member is attached behind the rear wheel so that it contacts the inner corner of the curved portion of the pipe when one end of the wire is pulled from outside the pipe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to this invention, the contact portion of the intra-pipe running body is pressed against the inner surface of the pipe, stabilizing the posture of the intra-pipe running body within the pipe, making it easier to cut the object to be cut.In addition, the posture while running is stable, and by transmitting the torque from the wheels to the inner surface of the piping, it is possible to pull the cable over long distances. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the spring water removal equipment 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a water collection pipe 3. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing an in-pipe working vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a side view showing an in-pipe work vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is a front view showing an in-pipe work vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] (A) is a diagram showing the wheels 32 and water collection pipe 3 of the pipe work vehicle 10 in this embodiment from the front of the pipe work vehicle 10, and (B) is a diagram showing the wheels 32 and water collection pipe 3 of the pipe work vehicle 10 in this embodiment from the back of the pipe work vehicle 10. [Figure 7] (A) is a side view showing an example of a simplified pipe working vehicle 10 during travel in this embodiment, and (B) is a side view showing an example of a simplified pipe working vehicle 10 during work (cutting) in this embodiment. [Figure 8] (A) is a front view showing an example of a simplified pipe working vehicle 10 in this embodiment when traveling, and (B) is a front view showing an example of a simplified pipe working vehicle 10 in this embodiment when working (cutting). [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of an intrapipe working vehicle 10 during work (cutting) in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the object to be cut is an underdrain drainage material 2 covered with a water-permeable sheet 6.

[0024] [1. Configuration of the in-pipe work vehicle 10] The configuration of the intrapipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment will be described using Figures 3 to 5. The intrapipe work vehicle 10 operates based on control signals and the like from an operating unit 50 connected via multiple cables. In Figures 3 to 5, a bundle of multiple signal cables and hoses for supplying power and air is referred to as cable bundle C, and illustrations of the individual signal cables and hoses are omitted. Furthermore, to reduce friction between the cable bundle C and the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 (inner diameter approximately 200 mm) while the intrapipe work vehicle 10 is traveling, the cable bundle C is protected by a duct hose D shown in Figures 3 and 4. The intrapipe work vehicle 10 may travel 100 meters or more within the water collection pipe 3, in which case the lengths of the cable bundle C and the duct hose D will also be set to correspond to that distance.

[0025] The in-pipe work vehicle 10 includes a functional unit U1 including an air saw 11 and a saw blade 12 for cutting an object to be cut, and a traveling unit U2 for transporting the functional unit U1.

[0026] [1.1. Configuration of functional unit U1] First, the functional unit U1 will be described. The functional unit U1 has a base 25 on which the following members are mounted.

[0027] The air saw 11 cuts the material to be cut by driving a saw blade 12 extending forward of the vehicle so that it reciprocates back and forth. The saw blade 12 protrudes forward of the traveling unit U2 and cuts the material to be cut in front of it. The length by which it protrudes forward depends on the diameter of the material to be cut. For example, if the diameter of the material to be cut is 100 mm, the saw blade 12 should protrude by 100 mm or more. The number of teeth on the saw blade 12 is, for example, approximately 18 teeth per inch of length. If the number of teeth is too many, it becomes difficult to cut the water-permeable sheet 6, and if the number of teeth is too few, the water-permeable sheet 6 will become tangled and make cutting difficult, so it is preferable to adjust the number of teeth according to the water-permeable sheet 6.

[0028] Although a typical saw blade is single-edged, the saw blade 12 may be made double-edged by joining two typical saw blades together through caulking, so that cutting in both directions is possible. The reason for caulking is to maintain the hardness of the hardened cutting edge.

[0029] Air saw 11 is attached to the top of air cylinder 13 for lifting and lowering the air saw, and air cylinder 13 for lifting and lowering the air saw raises and lowers the air saw 11 using air supplied from an air supply unit (not shown) based on operation of control unit 50 by the operator. Air cylinder 13 for lifting and lowering the air saw is attached to a rotating shaft 14 provided along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and rotation motor 15 rotates rotating shaft 14 based on a control signal from control unit 50, thereby rotating air cylinder 13 for lifting and lowering the air saw and air saw 11 within a predetermined range (for example, approximately 90 degrees left and right) when the vehicle is viewed from the front (see FIG. 8).

[0030] The traction air cylinder 16 expands with air supplied from an air supply unit (not shown) based on the operator's operation of the operating unit 50, thereby raising and lowering the traction pad 17. The traction air cylinder 16 displaces the traction pad 17 toward the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 and presses it against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, improving traction during travel. In other words, the traction air cylinder 16 stabilizes the posture of the intrapipe work vehicle 10 (particularly its posture during travel) within the water collection pipe 3 by displacing the traction pad 17 from the position where it abuts the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 and pressing it against the inner surface. In addition, the magnitude of traction can be controlled by adjusting the air pressure to the traction air cylinder 16. For example, excessive traction can damage the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 or place excessive load on the travel motor 30, causing malfunctions. However, adjusting the air pressure can prevent this. Here, if a sensor (not shown) detects that a load is being placed on the travel motor 30 and the current value has increased, a warning may be displayed on the operation unit 50 to prompt the operator to reduce the air pressure, or the operation unit 50 may be configured to apply feedback control to reduce the air pressure directly without going through the operator.

[0031] The traction air cylinder 16 and traction pad 17 rotate together with the air saw 11 when viewed from the front (see Figure 8), so by adjusting this rotation angle and extending the traction air cylinder 16, the angle at which traction is applied can be changed, which increases the chances of eliminating spinning if the wheels 32 spin.

[0032] When the intrapipe work vehicle 10 travels, it needs to tow a cable bundle C. When bending a pipe joint such as a 90-degree elbow or T-branch in the water collection pipe 3, the cable bundle C (or duct hose D) comes into contact with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, increasing frictional resistance. This prevents torque from the travel motor 31, described below, from being transmitted to the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 via the wheels 32, which may cause the wheels 32 to spin freely and prevent the vehicle from traveling. In response to this, the traction air cylinder 16 extends, causing the traction pads 17 to come into contact with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, allowing the torque from the travel motor 31 to be transmitted to the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 and preventing the wheels 32 from spinning freely.

[0033] The portion of the traction pad 17 that comes into contact with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 is arc-shaped when viewed in the Z direction (the vertical direction on the plane of FIG. 4 ), where the axial direction of the water collection pipe 3 (the left-right direction on the plane of FIG. 4 ) is the X direction and the displacement direction of the traction pad 17 (the up-down direction on the plane of FIG. 4 ) is the Y direction. This reduces frictional resistance when the traction pad 17 travels while pressing against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3. Furthermore, the portion of the traction pad 17 that comes into contact with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 is arc-shaped when viewed in the axial direction of the water collection pipe 3 (the vertical direction on the plane of FIG. 5 ). This reduces frictional resistance when the air saw 11 rotates while pressing the traction pad 17 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 (see FIG. 8 ). Furthermore, by making the portion of the traction pad 17 that comes into contact with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 arc-shaped, it is possible to prevent the traction pad 17 from getting caught on the holes when the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 is a perforated pipe. It is preferable that the traction pads 17 are made of a material that has low friction resistance and does not damage the water collection pipe 3 (for example, MC nylon or Teflon (registered trademark)), thereby reducing friction resistance with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3.

[0034] The intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment is provided with two sets of traction air cylinders 16 and traction pads 17 on the left and right. The number of traction air cylinders 16 and traction pads 17 is not limited to two sets, and one set or three or more sets may be provided.

[0035] The vehicle body fixing air cylinder 18 raises and lowers the vehicle body fixing pad 19 using air supplied from an air supply unit (not shown) based on operation of the operation unit 50 by the operator. As shown in Figure 9, the vehicle body fixing pad 19 is displaced toward the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 by the vehicle body fixing air cylinder 18 and pressed against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, fixing the vehicle body during cutting. In other words, the vehicle body fixing air cylinder 18 displaces the position of the vehicle body fixing pad 19 that abuts against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 to a position where it abuts against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 and presses it, thereby stabilizing the posture of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 inside the water collection pipe 3 (particularly the posture during cutting).

[0036] The front camera 20 takes pictures of the area in front of the intrapipe work vehicle 10, and the rear camera 21 takes pictures of the area behind the intrapipe work vehicle 10. The video data taken by each camera is transmitted to the operation unit 50 via a cable and displayed on a display (not shown) that can be seen by the operator.

[0037] The rear LED 22 is a light that illuminates the rear of the pipe work vehicle 10.

[0038] A slide mechanism 23 and a slide motor 24 that slide the base 25 back and forth are provided below the base 25. The slide mechanism 23 and the slide motor 24 are fixed onto the base frame F of the traveling unit U2. Based on a control signal from the operation unit 50, the slide motor 24 slides the base 25 and components such as the air saw 11 installed on the base 25 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle via the slide mechanism 23. A feed screw mechanism can be used as the slide mechanism 23.

[0039] [1.2. Configuration of the traveling unit U2] Next, the traveling unit U2 will be described. The traveling unit U2 includes a base frame F, and the various members described below are installed on the base frame F.

[0040] The travel motor 31 has four motors, and the operating unit 50 controls the individual driving of the four wheels 32: the left front wheel 32LF, the right front wheel 32RF, the left rear wheel 32LR, and the right rear wheel 32RR, based on the operator's operation. By controlling the four wheels 32 to rotate forward and backward using individual motors, it is possible to turn around 90-degree elbows and tee-junctions even within the narrow water collection pipe 3. The front wheels may or may not be steered wheels, but not using the front wheels as steering wheels allows the travel unit U2 to be made smaller, and it is possible to avoid excessive torque acting on the motors that would occur if the front wheels were steered, and the vehicle climbing up the inside of the water collection pipe 3 and tipping over.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6(A), the left front wheel 32LF and the right front wheel 32RF have a chamfered shape with the outer corners cut off at an angle when viewed from the front (when the vehicle is viewed from the front), and have a flat portion 32a and a sloped portion 32b. In other words, the front wheels are shaped like a combination of a cylinder corresponding to the flat portion 32a and a truncated cone corresponding to the sloped portion 32b. This increases the contact area of ​​the wheels 32 with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, allowing for efficient transmission of torque from the travel motor 31. Furthermore, at 90-degree elbows and tee branches, the wheels 32 can turn and overcome protrusions on the inner surface of the pipe. Leaving the flat portion 32a intact allows the wheels 32 to travel without skidding into holes (concave portions) in perforated pipes. Alternatively, the front wheels may be shaped solely as truncated cones corresponding to the sloped portions.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6(B), the left rear wheel 32LR and the right rear wheel 32RR have a chamfered shape with the outer corners beveled off. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the wheel is reduced, resulting in a small-diameter flat surface 32c, a flat surface 32d, and a sloped surface 32e. In other words, the rear wheels are shaped like a combination of a small-diameter cylinder corresponding to the small-diameter flat surface 32c, a large-diameter cylinder corresponding to the flat surface 32d, and a truncated cone corresponding to the sloped surface 32e. Like the front wheels, the chamfered shape of the rear wheels increases the contact area of ​​the wheels 32 with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, thereby efficiently transmitting the torque of the travel motor 31. Furthermore, the wheels can turn and overcome protrusions on the inner surface of a 90-degree elbow or tee branch. Leaving the small-diameter flat surface 32c and the flat surface 32d allows the wheels 32 to travel without skidding through holes (concave portions) in a perforated pipe. The rear wheel may be shaped to consist of only a truncated cone corresponding to the sloped surface.

[0043] The front LED 33 is a light that illuminates the area ahead of the inside pipe work vehicle 10.

[0044] The rear wheel tire covers 34 are attached to protect the rear of the left rear wheel 32LR and the right rear wheel 32RR. As shown in Fig. 3, the rear wheel tire covers 34 have an arc-shaped rear side in a plan view.

[0045] One end of a wire W extends outside the water collection pipe 3, and the other end of the wire W is attached to the rear side of the traveling unit U2. The wire W passes through the duct hose D together with a cable bundle C. By pulling the wire W from the outside of the water collection pipe 3 (the side facing the operation unit 50), the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 can be withdrawn from the water collection pipe 3. Note that if the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 is in a straight section of the water collection pipe 3, it is possible to remove it by simply pulling the wire W. However, at right-angle sections of the water collection pipe 3, such as 90-degree elbows and tee branches, the duct hose D and the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 may get caught when the wire W is pulled, making it impossible to withdraw the vehicle. However, by making the rear side of the rear wheel tire cover 34 arc-shaped as described above, the vehicle can be withdrawn smoothly even at right-angle sections.

[0046] [2. Operation of the pipe work vehicle 10] Next, the operation of the intrapipe work vehicle 10 will be described.

[0047] The operation of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 will be described using Figures 7-9. As described above, the saw blade 12 cuts the workpiece while protruding forward of the traveling unit U2. However, in this state, the overall length of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 becomes too long, making it difficult to make 90-degree elbow or tee turns. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7(A), when traveling, the slide mechanism 23 and slide motor 24 displace the position of the functional unit U1 including the saw blade 12 rearward of the traveling unit U2, thereby shortening the overall length of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10. On the other hand, when cutting the workpiece, as shown in Figure 7(B), the slide mechanism 23 and slide motor 24 slide the position of the functional unit U1 including the saw blade 12 forward of the traveling unit U2. This allows the workpiece to be cut and also makes it possible to make 90-degree elbow or tee turns while traveling.

[0048] The air saw 11 can be raised and lowered by an air cylinder 13 for raising and lowering the air saw, and by displacing the position of the air saw 11 closer to the intrapipe work vehicle 10 (lowering it to a lower position) when traveling, it is possible to avoid contact with obstacles at the top of the pipe, or to avoid contact with convexities at the top when climbing over convexities at the bottom when turning a 90-degree elbow or tee branch. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9, by displacing the position of the air saw 11 from the intrapipe work vehicle 10 toward the inside of the water collection pipe 3 (for example, by raising it all the way up to the inside of the water collection pipe 3) when cutting, it is possible to cut the material protruding into the water collection pipe 3 close to its inside, minimizing the amount of material left uncut.

[0049] Furthermore, the air saw 11 can rotate (approximately 90 degrees left and right) using the rotary motor 15 and rotary shaft 14. When traveling, the air saw 11 and the air cylinder 13 for lifting the air saw are positioned vertically as shown in FIG. 8(A). When cutting a workpiece, the air saw 11 is rotated as shown in FIG. 8(B). For example, by designing the size of the in-pipe work vehicle 10 so that the rotary shaft 14 is positioned at the center axis of the water collection pipe 3, the saw blade 12 can be rotated to follow the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, allowing the workpiece to be cut near the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3. The rotary motor 15 adjusts the rotation angle based on a control signal from the operation unit 50. If an obstacle is encountered above the vehicle while traveling and the vehicle would come into contact with it if the air saw 11 and the air cylinder 13 for lifting the air saw were positioned vertically (see FIG. 8(A)), the rotation angle can be adjusted to avoid the obstacle.

[0050] When traveling, the traction air cylinder 16 presses the traction pad 17 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 with a pressure that allows the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to travel. This is done to stabilize the posture of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 while traveling. However, if the pressing pressure is too strong, the friction force between the traction pad 17 and the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 increases, making it impossible to travel, so a moderate pressure is used.

[0051] The vehicle body fixing air cylinder 18 presses the vehicle body fixing pad 19 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 with a pressure that is sufficient to keep the posture of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 steady during cutting (work). The pressure at this time is higher than the pressure when the traction air cylinder 16 presses the traction pad 17 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3. This fixes the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, making it possible to suppress the reaction force during cutting.

[0052] It is also possible to use a combination of the traction pads 17 and the vehicle body fixing pads 19. For example, if the traction is insufficient when the traction pads 17 are pressed against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 while the vehicle is running, the lack of traction can be compensated for by also pressing the vehicle body fixing pads 19 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3. Furthermore, if the traction pads 19 are not pressed against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 while the vehicle is cutting, the traction pads 17 can also be pressed against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 to provide additional support.

[0053] In addition, the pipe work vehicle 10 may be equipped with only either the traction pad 17 or the vehicle body fixing pad 19 if it can stabilize its posture while driving and can also sufficiently withstand the reaction force during cutting.

[0054] As described above, the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 (an example of an "intra-pipe traveling body") of this embodiment travels inside a water collection pipe 3 (an example of a "pipe") and cuts the culvert collection material 2 (an example of an "object to be cut") covered with a permeable sheet 6 inside the water collection pipe 3, and is equipped with an air saw 11 and a saw blade 12 (an example of a "cutting means") that cut the culvert collection material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6, a travel motor 31 (an example of a "driving means") that drives the wheels 32 to travel the intra-pipe work vehicle 10, and a traction air cylinder 16 (an example of a "pressing means") and a vehicle body fixing air cylinder 18 (an example of a "pressing means") that press the traction pad 17 and the vehicle body fixing pad 19 (an example of an "abutment portion") that abut against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3.

[0055] Therefore, with the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment, at least one of the traction pads 17 or the vehicle body fixing pads 19 is pressed against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, which stabilizes the posture of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 inside the water collection pipe 3, making it easier to cut the underdrain drainage material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6, and also stabilizing the posture while traveling, reducing the risk of tipping over, etc. Furthermore, by transmitting torque from the wheels to the inner surface of the pipe, it is possible to pull a cable over long distances.

[0056] Furthermore, when the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment travels, the traction air cylinder 16 (an example of a "pressing means") presses the traction pad 17 (an example of a "contact portion") against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 at a pressure that allows the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to travel. A pressure that allows travel is, for example, a pressure that does not increase the friction between the traction pad 17 and the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3 to the point that the vehicle cannot travel, and is a pressure that allows the wheels of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to transmit traction without spinning. This allows the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to travel stably inside the water collection pipe 3.

[0057] Furthermore, the air cylinder 18 for fixing the vehicle body (an example of a "pressing means") of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment presses the vehicle body fixing pad 19 (an example of an "abutment portion") with a pressure that allows the air saw 11 and the saw blade 12 to cut the underdrain collection material 2 when cutting the underdrain collection material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6. The pressure that allows the air saw 11 and the saw blade 12 to cut the underdrain collection material 2 is, for example, a pressure that does not change the posture of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 even when it receives a reaction force generated when the saw blade 12 cuts the underdrain collection material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6. This stabilizes the posture of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 during cutting, allowing the underdrain collection material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6 to be cut efficiently.

[0058] Furthermore, the traction pads 17 (an example of "contact portions") of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment are arc-shaped when viewed from the Z direction, where the front-to-rear direction of the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 is the X direction and the displacement direction of the traction pads 17 is the Y direction. This reduces resistance when the vehicle travels while pressing the traction pads 17 against the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3.

[0059] Furthermore, the intrapipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has four wheels: a left front wheel 32LF, a right front wheel 32RF, a left rear wheel 32LR, and a right rear wheel 32RR, and an operating unit 50 (an example of a "control means") individually controls each of the wheels 32LF, 32RF, 32LR, and 32RR based on the operation of the operator. This reduces the turning radius of the intrapipe work vehicle 10, allowing it to turn in tighter circles.

[0060] Furthermore, the left front wheel 32LF and the right front wheel 32RF of the in-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment have chamfered outer corners, which increases the contact area of ​​the wheels 32 with the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3, allowing the torque of the travel motor 31 to be transmitted efficiently.

[0061] Furthermore, the intrapipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has a saw blade 12 (an example of a "cutting blade") that extends forward of the intrapipe work vehicle 10, and a slide mechanism 23 (an example of a "first displacement means") and a slide motor 24 (an example of a "first displacement means") displace the position of the saw blade 12 back and forth. As a result, by displacing the position of the saw blade 12 backward when traveling, the saw blade 12 is prevented from interfering with traveling, and on the other hand, by displacing the position of the saw blade 12 forward when cutting, it is possible for the saw blade 12 to cut the underdrain drainage material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6.

[0062] Furthermore, the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has a saw blade 12 (an example of a "cutting blade"), and an air cylinder 13 for lifting the air saw (an example of a "second displacement means") displaces the position of the saw blade 12 from the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 toward the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3. This makes it possible to cut the underdrain drainage material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6 at a position close to the inner surface of the water collection pipe 3.

[0063] Furthermore, the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has a saw blade 12 (an example of a "cutting blade"), and a rotary motor 15 (an example of a "rotating means") rotates the saw blade 12 when the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 is viewed from the front or rear. This allows the underdrain drainage material 2 covered with the permeable sheet 6 to be cut while shifting the cutting position of the saw blade 12. Furthermore, when traveling, the vehicle can travel while avoiding obstacles located above inside the water collection pipe 3.

[0064] Furthermore, one end of a wire W is attached to the other end of the wire W, the other end of which extends outside the water collection pipe 3. This allows the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to be pulled out from the water collection pipe 3. In addition, an arc-shaped rear wheel tire cover 34 (an example of a "cover member") is attached to the rear of the rear wheels 32LR, 32RR. When one end of the wire W is pulled from outside the water collection pipe 3, the rear wheel tire cover 34 comes into contact with the inside corner of the bent portion of the water collection pipe 3. This allows the intra-pipe work vehicle 10 to be pulled out smoothly by pulling the wire W without getting caught on right-angled portions of the water collection pipe 3, such as 90-degree elbows or tee branches.

[0065] In this embodiment, the functional unit U1 has a cutting mechanism such as an air saw 11 and cuts the object to be cut, but by installing a functional unit equipped with another mechanism on the traveling unit U2 instead of the functional unit U1, the pipe work vehicle 10 can also be used for various purposes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1: Spring water removal equipment 2: Underdrain drainage material 3: Water collection pipe 4: Vertical hole 5: Connection part 6: Permeable sheet 10: In-service work vehicle 11: Air saw 12: Saw blade 13: Air cylinder for lifting air saw 14: Rotating shaft 15: Rotating motor 16: Traction air cylinder 17: Traction pad 18: Air cylinder for fixing the vehicle body 19: Body fixing pad 20: Front camera 21: Rear camera 22: Rear LED 23: Slide mechanism 24: Slide motor 25: Pedestal 30: Driving motor 31: Driving motor 32 :Wheel 32LF: Left front wheel 32LR: Left rear wheel 32RF: Right front wheel 32RR: Right rear wheel 32a: Flat part 32b:Slope part 32c: Small diameter flat section 32d: Flat part 32e: Slope section 33:Front LED 34: Rear tire cover 50:Operation unit C: Cable bundle D: Duct hose F: Base frame U1: Functional unit U2: Traveling unit W: Wire

Claims

1. An in-pipe traveling body that travels inside a pipe and cuts an object to be cut inside the pipe, cutting means for cutting the object to be cut; a driving means for driving the wheels to move the in-pipe traveling body; a pressing means for pressing the contact portion, which contacts the inner surface of the pipe, against the inner surface of the pipe; An in-pipe running body comprising:

2. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, The in-pipe running body is characterized in that the pressing means presses the contact portion with a pressure that allows the in-pipe running body to run when the in-pipe running body runs.

3. The in-pipe running body according to claim 2, The in-pipe traveling body is characterized in that, when the cutting means cuts the object, the pressing means presses the contact portion with a pressure that allows the cutting means to cut the object.

4. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, The in-pipe running body is characterized in that the abutment portion is arc-shaped when viewed from the Z direction, where the front-to-back direction of the in-pipe running body is the X direction and the displacement direction of the abutment portion is the Y direction.

5. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, The wheels include four wheels: a left front wheel, a right front wheel, a left rear wheel, and a right rear wheel; a control means for individually controlling each of the wheels based on an operation by an operator; An in-pipe running body further comprising:

6. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, An in-pipe running body characterized in that the left and right front wheels have chamfered outer corners.

7. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, the cutting means has a cutting blade extending forward of the in-pipe traveling body, a first displacement means for displacing the position of the cutting blade back and forth; An in-pipe running body further comprising:

8. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, The cutting means has a cutting blade, a second displacement means for displacing the position of the cutting blade from the inner pipe running body toward the inner surface of the pipe; An in-pipe running body further comprising:

9. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, The cutting means has a cutting blade, a rotating means for rotating the cutting blade when the in-pipe traveling body is viewed from the front or rear; An in-pipe running body further comprising:

10. The in-pipe running body according to claim 1, An in-pipe running body, characterized in that one end of a wire extending outside the pipe is attached to the other end of the wire.

11. The in-pipe running body according to claim 10, An in-pipe running body characterized in that an arc-shaped cover member is attached behind the rear wheel so that it contacts the inner corner of the curved portion of the pipe when one end of the wire is pulled from outside the pipe.

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