In-pipe mobile robot

Abstract

This invention provides a mobile robot for inspecting pipes, enabling long-distance inspections even when there are multiple bends in the pipe. [Solution] A pipe-in-pipe mobile robot comprising a mobile body 10 that moves inside the pipe Z by energy supplied from outside the pipe Z via wiring, and a control device provided outside the pipe Z that controls the movement of the mobile body 10 inside the pipe Z, wherein the robot is equipped with a feeding mechanism 60 that feeds the wiring (pipe 21) into the pipe Z, and the feeding mechanism 60 is configured to give slack to the wiring before the mobile body 10 moves.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-pipe moving robot, and particularly to an in-pipe moving robot capable of long-distance movement in a pipe.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in factories, small-diameter pipes are complexly laid out and used for long-distance transportation of fluids and the like. When these pipes are used for a long period of time, corrosion occurs on the inner wall, which may lead to a deterioration in the quality of the fluid being transported, so regular inspections are required. For example, for inspections inside pipes, push-in endoscopes are often used. An operator holds the wiring of the camera provided at the tip and pushes it into the pipe to perform a visual inspection inside the pipe. However, as the camera at the tip advances deeper into the pipe, the friction between the wiring and the inner wall of the pipe increases, and the force applied by the operator to push the wiring is not transmitted to the tip of the endoscope, making it impossible to push the camera at the tip deeper into the pipe and making it difficult to perform long-distance inspections of pipes using endoscopes. Therefore, as one inspection method alternative to the push-in endoscope, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a pipe internal inspection device has been proposed in which an exploration unit corresponding to the camera of an endoscope is attached to the head of a tubular moving body (hereinafter simply referred to as a moving body) configured to be self-propelled inside a pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the mobile device described in Patent Document 1, multiple telescopic units that expand and contract in the axial direction within a pipe are alternately connected by a unit connector, and propulsion within the pipe is obtained by expanding and contracting the telescopic units in a predetermined order in the axial direction to mimic the peristaltic movement of an earthworm. Since the expansion and contraction of the telescopic units are configured to operate using air pressure, when the mobile device moves within a pipe, it moves while pulling on air pipes that supply air to each telescopic unit from outside the pipe, or on wiring such as electric wires extending from the exploration unit. However, the wiring, which is pulled along with the movement of the mobile device, is dragged along the inner wall of the pipe, just as it is with an endoscope. As a result, the friction increases the deeper the mobile device goes into the pipe. This friction eventually becomes a load that hinders the movement of the mobile device. The friction between wiring and piping is primarily caused by two factors: rubbing against the inner wall of the straight section of the pipe, and pressing against the inner wall of the curved section. Friction in straight sections can be considered constant per unit length of piping, even as the inspection distance increases. However, friction in curved sections increases as the inspection distance increases due to the increased tension acting on the wiring. Therefore, when inspecting complex piping with multiple curves over long distances, the friction generated in the curves becomes dominant, and it is necessary to reduce the tension that causes friction.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a mobile robot for inspecting pipes that can perform long-distance inspections even when there are multiple curved sections in the pipe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the configuration of the in-pipe mobile robot comprises a mobile body that moves inside the pipe using energy supplied from outside the pipe via wiring, and a control device provided outside the pipe that controls the movement of the mobile body inside the pipe, wherein the robot is equipped with a feeding mechanism that feeds the wiring into the pipe, and the feeding mechanism is configured to give slack to the wiring before the mobile body moves. With this configuration, the feeding mechanism reduces the tension on the moving object as it moves through the pipe by feeding the pipe into the pipe in such a way that slack is created in the pipe. As a result, it becomes possible to move the moving object over long distances even in pipes that have multiple curves. Furthermore, as another configuration of the pipe-mobilizing robot, the feeding mechanism comprises two lower rollers that support the wiring from below, and an upper roller located above the two lower rollers that grips the pipe from above. The two lower rollers are arranged side by side in the direction of wiring feeding, and the wiring is gripped between the upper roller and the lower roller on the rear side in the feeding direction. The wiring is then fed into the pipe by rotating the lower roller on the rear side in the feeding direction with a motor. In this configuration, the front roller of the lower rollers guides the wiring, which has been fed by the rear roller and upper roller, toward the pipe, thereby preventing it from being fed downward toward the pipe and allowing the wiring to be fed smoothly without causing blockages in the pipe. Furthermore, as another configuration for the in-pipe mobile robot, the upper roller is attached via a suspension mechanism that allows for vertical displacement relative to the roller on the rear side in the feeding direction. In this configuration, the upper roller can be displaced vertically relative to the lower roller on the rear side in the feeding direction by a suspension mechanism. This allows the system to follow changes in the external shape of the wiring, such as how multiple wires overlap or at joints, and to stably feed the wiring towards the piping. The system is configured to include a buffer space for storing the wiring before it is fed into the piping by the aforementioned feeding mechanism. This configuration ensures sufficient slack in the wiring. Furthermore, as another configuration of the pipe-mobile robot, the mobile body is provided inside the pipe and is configured to expand when fluid is supplied to it, making it tightly contact with the inner surface of the pipe, and to contract when the supplied fluid is discharged. The control device is provided outside the pipe and includes a mobile body driving means that controls the supply of fluid to the mobile body and the discharge of the fluid supplied to the mobile body, causing the mobile body to expand and contract; an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes an opening through which the wiring enters the pipe from outside; a pressurizing means that, when the mobile body is expanded and the opening / closing mechanism is closed, supplies fluid to the space between the mobile body and the opening / closing mechanism, increasing the internal pressure of the space; a feeding control means that controls the operation of the feeding mechanism that feeds the wiring into the pipe when the opening / closing mechanism is open; and a controller that controls the operation of the mobile body driving means, the opening / closing mechanism, the pressurizing means, and the feeding control means. The wiring is flexible, with one end connected to the mobile body and the other end connected to the mobile body driving means, and is configured to allow fluid to flow through which the mobile body expands and contracts. Furthermore, as another configuration for the in-pipe mobile robot, a buffer space for storing the wiring sent by the feeding mechanism is provided between the opening and the opening / closing means. This configuration ensures sufficient slack in the wiring. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a pipe-operated mobile robot. [Figure 2] This is an axial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the moving body. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the relationship between the expansion and contraction of a moving object and the piping. [Figure 4] This is an axial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the opening and closing mechanism. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of the feed mechanism. [Figure 6] Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the controller. [Figure 7]This is a functional block diagram of the controller. [Figure 8] This is an example of a flowchart for controlling the movement of a moving object. [Figure 9] Figure 8 shows the operation of the pipe-in-pipe mobile robot in the flowchart. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the in-pipe mobile robot.

[0008] The present invention will be described in detail below through embodiments of the invention. However, these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the solution of the invention; rather, they include configurations that can be selectively adopted. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Overview of In-Pipe Mobile Robot] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the pipe-in-pipe mobile robot 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the in-pipe moving robot 1 according to the present embodiment is provided in a pipe Z, expands by being supplied with a fluid, closely contacts the inner peripheral surface of the pipe Z, and contracts by discharging the supplied fluid. A moving body 10, provided outside the pipe Z, controls the supply of the fluid to the moving body 10 and the discharge of the fluid supplied to the moving body 10, and a moving body driving means 20 that expands and contracts the moving body 10, one end is connected to the moving body 10, the other end is connected to the moving body driving means 20, and a flexible wiring (hereinafter referred to as a pipe 21) through which a fluid for expanding and contracting the moving body 10 flows, an opening and closing body 30 that opens and closes an opening through which the pipe 21 enters the pipe Z from outside the pipe Z, an opening and closing body driving means 50 for controlling the operation of the opening and closing body 30, and when the moving body 10 expands in the pipe Z and the opening and closing body 30 closes the opening of the pipe Z in a state where the pipe Z is blocked, a pressurizing means 90 that supplies a fluid to a closed space C between the moving body 10 and the opening and closing body 30 and raises the internal pressure of this closed space C, a feeding mechanism 60 that feeds the pipe 21 into the pipe Z when the opening and closing body 30 is in a state of opening the opening, and a controller 100 that controls the operations of the moving body driving means 20, the opening and closing body driving means 50, the pressurizing means 90, and the feeding mechanism 60. The aforementioned moving body driving means 20, opening and closing body 30, opening and closing body driving means 50, pressurizing means 90, feeding mechanism 60, and moving body driving means 20, opening and closing body driving means 50, pressurizing means 90, and controller 100 function as a control device for controlling the progress of the moving body 10 in the pipe Z.

[0010] [Moving body] Fig. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the moving body 10. Fig. 2(a) shows the state where the moving body 10 is contracted, and Fig. 2(b) shows the state where the moving body 10 is expanded. As shown in Fig. 2(a), the moving body 10 includes an inner cylinder 12, an outer cylinder 14, and a pair of end members 16; 16, and has a substantially cylindrical shape in a contracted state. The inner cylinder 12 and the outer cylinder 14 are arranged to form a double pipe, and dimensions such as the inner diameter and outer diameter are set so that a predetermined space is obtained between the outer periphery of the inner cylinder 12 and the inner periphery of the outer cylinder 14.

[0011] The inner cylinder 12 is formed of an elastic material having airtightness and stretchability, and is formed as a cylindrical body that can expand and contract in the axial and circumferential directions. As the material constituting the inner cylinder 12, for example, synthetic rubber such as silicone rubber, or natural rubber such as natural latex rubber can be used.

[0012] The outer cylinder 14 is configured such that, for example, a plurality of fibers are inserted inside a cylindrical tube body configured as an elastic body. The tube body is formed of an elastic material having airtightness and stretchability, for example. As the material constituting the tube body, for example, synthetic rubber such as silicone rubber, or natural rubber such as natural latex rubber can be used.

[0013] The plurality of fibers inserted into the outer cylinder 14 are defined such that, for example, in the tube body, the extending direction of each fiber is along the axis of the tube body forming the outer cylinder 14, and are inserted so as to be continuous from one end side to the other end side. Note that the fibers extending along the axial direction of the tube body allows for some inclination (intersection) with respect to the axial direction.

[0014] The end member 16 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided at both ends of the inner cylinder 12 and the outer cylinder 14. The inner cylinder 12 and the outer cylinder 14 are fixed in an airtight state so as to make the space between the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 12 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 14 a closed space. Hereinafter, this closed space is referred to as the fluid chamber S10.

[0015] One of the end members 16 is provided with a hole 18 that allows the compressed air to flow into the fluid chamber S10. The hole 18 is provided such that one end opens to the outer peripheral surface of the end member 16 (hereinafter referred to as the inner opening 18A), and the other end opens to the outer end surface of the end member 16 (hereinafter referred to as the outer opening 18B). Needless to say, the inner opening 18A only needs to be in a position communicating with the fluid chamber S10 in a state where the inner cylinder 12 and the outer cylinder 14 are fixed to the end member 16.

[0016] One end of a pipe 21 extending from the mobile body driving means 20 is connected to the outer opening 18B, and compressed air is supplied to the fluid chamber S10 and the compressed air supplied to the fluid chamber S10 is discharged via the pipe 21.

[0017] The mobile unit 10 with the above configuration operates as follows: As shown in Figure 2(a), when air is supplied to the fluid chamber S10 from a contracted state, the moving body 10 expands, with the outer cylinder 14 expanding radially outward and the inner cylinder 12 expanding radially inward, as shown in Figure 2(b), and its axial length is shortened. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(b), when the movable body 10 discharges the air supplied to the fluid chamber S10 from its expanded state, the outer cylinder 14 contracts radially inward and the inner cylinder 12 contracts radially outward due to the elasticity of the outer cylinder 14 and inner cylinder 12, while the axial length extends, restoring it to the state shown in Figure 2(a).

[0018] Figure 3 shows the relationship between the movable body 10 and the pipe Z when the movable body 10 is expanded and contracted inside the pipe Z. As shown in Figure 3(a), the movable body 10 is configured such that when it is in its retracted state, its outer diameter has a gap between the outer surface of the outer cylinder 14 and the inner surface Za of the pipe Z. That is, in the retracted state, the outer diameter D1 of the movable body 10 is set to be smaller than the inner diameter Dz of the pipe Z. The axial length dimension of the movable body 10 in this retracted state is shown as L1. Furthermore, when the movable body 10 is in a contracted state, it is configured to have a hollow space on the inner circumference side of the inner cylinder 12 that communicates with the internal space of the pipe Z. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the pipe 21 connected to the movable body 10 in the forward direction of travel via the hollow space on the inner circumference side of the movable body 10 in the rear direction of travel is freely movable relative to the movable body 10 in the rear direction of travel and the pipe Z when the movable body 10 in the rear direction of travel is in a contracted state.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3(b), the movable body 10 is configured such that when it expands, the outer surface of the outer cylinder 14 can come into close contact with the inner surface Za of the pipe Z. That is, when the movable body 10 is expanded outside the pipe Z, the outer diameter D2 of the movable body 10 is configured to be larger than the inner diameter Dz of the pipe Z. When the movable body 10 is in its expanded state, its outer diameter D2 is larger than the inner diameter Dz of the pipe Z, and its axial length L2 is shorter than the axial length L1 of the movable body 10 when it is in its contracted state. Also, when the movable body 10 is in its expanded state, the inner surfaces of the inner cylinder 12 are in close contact with each other, and together with the outer cylinder 14 which is in close contact with the inner surface Za of the pipe Z, it divides the space inside the pipe Z into front and rear sections. Here, "dividing into front and rear sections" means that the far side in the direction of travel is the front and the opening side is the rear.

[0020] In the following explanation, expansion or the expanded state refers to the state in which the movable body 10 divides the space inside the pipe Z into front and rear sections. Contraction or the contracted state refers to the state in which the movable body 10 forms a gap with the pipe Z, and the closure on the inner circumference is released.

[0021] [Moving mechanism 20] The mobile body driving means 20 is a device for expanding and contracting the mobile body 10 by supplying compressed air to the fluid chamber S10 of the mobile body 10 and discharging the compressed air supplied to the fluid chamber S10 from the fluid chamber S10.

[0022] The mobile body driving means 20 can consist of, for example, a compressor 22 that generates air (compressed air) to be supplied to the fluid chamber S10, a regulator 24 that reduces the pressure of the compressed air generated by the compressor 22 to a predetermined pressure, a valve (mobile body supply valve) 26 that controls the supply of compressed air to the fluid chamber S10, a valve (mobile body discharge valve) 28 that controls the discharge of compressed air supplied to the fluid chamber S10, and a mobile body state detection means 29 for detecting the expansion state of the mobile body 10 (inner cylinder 12 and outer cylinder 14). In the following description, the mobile body supply valve 26 will be referred to as the expansion valve 26, and the mobile body discharge valve 28 will be referred to as the contraction valve 28.

[0023] In the case of the movable body driving means 20, for example, when two-way valves are used for the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28, a flow path for controlling the expansion and contraction of the movable body 10 is formed by connecting the compressor 22, the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28 as follows.

[0024] The expansion valve 26 and contraction valve 28 are provided in sets corresponding to the number of movable bodies 10 when there are multiple movable bodies 10. For example, as shown in Figure 1, when two movable bodies 10 are used, an expansion valve 26 and a contraction valve 28 are provided for each movable body 10.

[0025] The flow path for controlling the expansion and contraction of the mobile body 10 can be configured as follows: for example, a supply flow path formed by directly or via a pipe connecting the compressor 22 and the regulator 24, directly or via a pipe connecting the regulator 24 and the expansion valve 26, and connecting the other end of a pipe 21, one end of which is connected to the mobile body 10, to the expansion valve 26; or a discharge flow path formed by providing a branch pipe 21J in the middle of the pipe 21 connecting the expansion valve 26 and the mobile body 10, and connecting a contraction valve 28 to the pipe 21 via the branch pipe 21J. Note that pipe 21 refers collectively to pipe 21A, which extends to mobile body 10A, and pipe 21B, which extends to mobile body 10B.

[0026] The regulator 24 may be connected directly to the compressor 32 or via a pipe. The expansion valve 26 may also be connected directly to the regulator 24 or via a pipe.

[0027] When the mobile body driving means 20 inflates the mobile body 10, it closes the contraction valve 28 and opens the expansion valve 26, thereby supplying compressed air from the compressor 22 to the fluid chamber S10, and inflating the mobile body 10. The mobile body driving means 20 can maintain the mobile body 10 in the desired expanded state by keeping the contraction valve 28 closed and closing the expansion valve 26 to stop the supply of compressed air from the compressor 22 to the fluid chamber S10 when the mobile body 10 has reached the desired expanded state. Furthermore, when the mobile body driving means 20 wants to deflate the mobile body 10 from an expanded state, it maintains the closed state of the expansion valve 26 and opens the contraction valve 28 to discharge compressed air from the fluid chamber S10, thereby causing the mobile body 10 to deflate.

[0028] Solenoid valves that operate based on electrical signals are used for the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28. In this embodiment, two-way valves are used for the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28. Furthermore, the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28 are connected to a controller 100, which will be described later, and the valves are opened when a signal is input from the controller 100 and closed when the input signal stops.

[0029] In this embodiment, two-way valves are used for the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28, but the invention is not limited to this configuration. Any valve configuration is acceptable as long as it can control the expansion and contraction of the movable body 10. For example, instead of two expansion valves 26 and two contraction valves 28, one three-way valve may be used to control the expansion and contraction of the movable body 10.

[0030] The mobile body state detection means 29 is a means for detecting the expansion and contraction state of the mobile body 10. For example, the expansion state can be detected by detecting the flow rate supplied to the mobile body 10 from the expansion valve 26, or by detecting pressure such as the internal pressure or fluctuations of the internal pressure of the mobile body 10. The mobile body state detection means 29 can also detect the contraction state by detecting pressure such as the flow rate discharged from the contraction valve 28, or by detecting pressure such as the internal pressure or fluctuations of the internal pressure of the mobile body 10. In the following description, the mobile body state detection means 29 will be described as detecting pressure.

[0031] [Opening and closing mechanism] Figure 4 is an axial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the opening and closing mechanism 8. The opening / closing mechanism 8 is a device for opening and closing an entrance (opening) into the pipe Z through which a pipe 21, connected to a movable body 10 located inside the pipe Z and a movable body driving means 20 located outside the pipe Z, enters the pipe Z. The opening / closing mechanism 8 allows the pipe 21 to enter and exit the piping Z, and also allows the opening provided in the piping Z to be closed and opened. The opening / closing mechanism 8 comprises an opening / closing body 30 and an opening / closing body driving means 50 for operating the opening / closing body 30.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the opening / closing body 30 comprises an inner cylinder 32, an outer cylinder 34 arranged to form a double tube coaxial with the central axis of the inner cylinder 32, and a pair of end members 36;36 that close the space formed between the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 32 and the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 34.

[0033] The opening / closing body 30 is configured to close both ends of the inner cylinder 32 and outer cylinder 34, which are arranged to form a double pipe, with end members 36;36, and to supply fluid (working medium) to the space formed between the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 32 and the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 34, thereby causing the inner cylinder 32 to expand radially inward.

[0034] [About the inner cylinder] The inner cylinder 32 is constructed as a cylindrical body that is airtight and elastic. The material used to construct the inner cylinder 32 can be, for example, rubber such as natural latex rubber or silicone rubber, or elastic materials such as elastomers.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the inner cylinder 32 is provided with a cylindrical tube portion 32A and flange portions 32B at both ends. The flange portions 32B are integrally formed with the tube portion 32A and are formed as hollow discs that extend concentrically outward in the radial direction at the ends of the tube portion 32A. At the tip (outer circumference) of the flange portion 32B, a projection 33 is formed around its entire circumference, projecting toward the tube portion 32A side (inward in the axial direction).

[0036] [About the outer casing] The outer cylinder 34 is a cylindrical body made of a material that is substantially non-deformable (non-expandable in the axial and radial directions). For example, the outer cylinder 34 can be made of resins such as polyvinyl chloride or acrylic, or metals such as aluminum.

[0037] Furthermore, the outer cylinder 34 extends from the opening / closing mechanism 50 and includes a pipe joint 35 for connecting a pipe 51 through which compressed air flows. The pipe joint 35 penetrates the outer cylinder 34 in the thickness direction, enabling the compressed air supplied through the pipe 51 to be supplied to the space on the inner circumference side of the outer cylinder 34.

[0038] [Regarding end members] The end members 36;36 are positioned at both ends of the inner cylinder 32 and the outer cylinder 34. The end member 36 is formed as a flat, annular plate having a hollow portion 37. The hollow portion 37 is provided as a circular hole large enough for the cylindrical portion 32A of the inner cylinder 32 to pass through.

[0039] The end member 36 is provided with an annular groove 38 on its axially outer end face 36a. The annular groove 38 is formed concentrically with the hollow portion 37 and is designed to fit into a projection 33 formed at the tip of the flange portion 32B of the inner cylinder 32. This annular groove 38 is formed with a groove depth such that, for example, when the projection 33 is fitted, the flange portion 32B of the inner cylinder 32 protrudes further outward than the outer end face 36a.

[0040] Furthermore, the end member 36 is provided with an outer cylinder mounting portion 39 on the axially inward end face 36b side. The outer cylinder mounting portion 39 is composed of an inner cylindrical wall 40 that extends cylindrically inward in the axial direction to support the outer cylinder 34 from the inner circumference, and an outer cylindrical wall 41 that extends cylindrically outward in the axial direction to support the outer cylinder 34 from the outer circumference. The inner cylindrical wall 40 and the outer cylindrical wall 41 are provided to form a concentric double pipe, and the outer cylinder 34 is fixed to the end member 36 by inserting the outer cylinder 34 between the inner cylindrical wall 40 and the outer cylindrical wall 41.

[0041] On the axially outer side of each of these end members 36, there is an intermediate member 42 that, together with the end member 36, sandwiches the flange portion 32B of the inner cylinder 32, and further outside of that, there is a pressing member 44. Together with the end members 36, intermediate member 42, and pressing member 44, the end structure of the opening / closing body 30 is formed.

[0042] The intermediate member 42 and the retaining member 44 are each formed as a flat, annular plate with a circular hollow portion 43 and 45 in the center, and are integrated with the end member 36 using fixing means (not shown), such as bolts and nuts. The hollow portion 45 of the retaining member 44 is formed to be larger in diameter than the hollow portion 43 of the intermediate member 42. The hollow portion 43 of the intermediate member 42 and the hollow portion 45 of the retaining member 44 form a continuous space with the space on the inner circumference side of the cylindrical portion 32a of the inner cylinder 32.

[0043] One of the intermediate members 42 is provided with a pipe connecting portion 46 for connecting the opening / closing body 30 to the pipe Z. The pipe connecting portion 46 is cylindrical in shape, passing through the hollow portion 45 of the retaining member 44 and protruding to one side. The inner circumferential surface 46a is formed to a size that is integral with the circumferential surface 43a that forms the hollow portion 43 of the intermediate member 42.

[0044] Furthermore, the pipe connection section 46 extends from the pressurizing means 90 (described later) and includes a pipe joint 48 for connecting a pipe 91 through which compressed air flows. The pipe joint 48 penetrates the pipe connection section 46 in the thickness direction, enabling the compressed air supplied through the pipe 91 to be supplied to the space on the inner circumference side of the pipe connection section 46.

[0045] Therefore, the opening / closing mechanism 8 supplies compressed air to the fluid chamber S30 of the opening / closing body 30, causing the inner cylinder 32 to expand radially inward, as shown in Figure 4(b), and the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 32 to come into close contact, thereby closing the space on the inner circumferential side of the inner cylinder 32. Furthermore, the opening / closing mechanism 8 discharges compressed air from the fluid chamber S30 of the opening / closing body 30, causing the inner cylinder 32 to contract radially outward, as shown in Figure 4(a), and opening the space on the inner circumference side of the inner cylinder 32.

[0046] [Opening / closing mechanism driving means 50] The opening / closing body driving means 50 is a device that supplies compressed air to the fluid chamber S30 of the opening / closing body 30 to expand the inner cylinder 32 radially inward to close the opening / closing body 30 of the inner cylinder 32, or discharges the compressed air supplied to the fluid chamber S30 to contract the inner cylinder 32 radially outward due to the restoring force of the elasticity of the inner cylinder 32 to open the opening / closing body 30.

[0047] The opening / closing body driving means 50 can consist of, for example, a compressor 52 that generates compressed air to be supplied to the fluid chamber S30, a regulator 54 that reduces the pressure of the compressed air generated by the compressor 52 to a predetermined pressure (pressure regulating), a valve (supply valve for opening / closing body) 56 that controls the supply of compressed air to the fluid chamber S30, a valve (discharge valve for opening / closing body) 58 that controls the discharge of compressed air supplied to the fluid chamber S30, and an opening / closing state detection means 59 for detecting the expansion state of the opening / closing body 30. In the following explanation, the supply valve 56 for the opening / closing body will be referred to as the closing valve 56, and the discharge valve 58 for the opening / closing body will be referred to as the opening valve 58.

[0048] When closing the opening / closing body 30, the opening valve 58 of the opening mechanism 50 is closed, and the closing valve 56 is opened to supply compressed air from the compressor 52 to the fluid chamber S30, thereby expanding the fluid chamber S30. By expanding the fluid chamber S30 in this way and bringing the inner cylinders 32 into close contact, the opening of the piping Z is closed. The opening / closing body driving means 50 can maintain the closed state of the opening valve 58 and close the closing valve 56 to stop the supply of compressed air from the compressor 52 to the fluid chamber S30 when the opening / closing body 30 is in the closed state. Furthermore, when opening the opening / closing body 30, the opening / closing body driving means 50 maintains the closed state of the shut-off valve 56 and opens the opening valve 58 to discharge compressed air from the fluid chamber S30, thereby contracting the fluid chamber S30. By contracting the fluid chamber S30 in this way and releasing the tight contact between the inner cylinders 32, the opening of the piping Z is opened.

[0049] [Method of delivery] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the feed mechanism 60. As shown in Figure 5, the feeding mechanism 60 is a device for feeding the pipe 21 connected to the movable body 10 into the piping Z. The feeding mechanism 60 comprises two rollers 61;62 that support the pipe 21 from below, and a roller 63 that grips the pipe 21 supported by the two rollers 61;62 from above. In this embodiment, the three rollers 61;62;63 are described as having the same outer diameter. In the following description, the roller 61 on the piping Z side is referred to as the front roller 61, the rollers 62 arranged in front of and behind it are referred to as the rear rollers 62, and the roller 63 is referred to as the upper roller 63.

[0050] [Explanation of Roller Positioning] As shown in Figure 5, the front roller 61 and rear roller 62 that support the pipe 21 from below are attached to support members 66 and 67 that extend upward from the lower frame 65 forming the feeding mechanism 60, respectively. The front roller 61 and rear roller 62 are positioned such that the highest point of the outer circumference of the front roller 61 is lower than the highest point of the rear roller 62. A motor M is connected to the rear roller 62, and it rotates when driven by the motor M. The amount of material fed into the pipe 21 can be controlled, for example, by the driving time of the motor M.

[0051] The upper roller 63 is positioned above the front roller 61 and the rear roller 62, and is arranged to sandwich the pipe 21 between it and the rear roller 62. The upper roller 63 is attached to the rear roller 62 via a suspension mechanism that allows for vertical displacement.

[0052] The suspension mechanism is provided by bridging column members 68;69 that extend upward at the front and rear ends of the lower frame 65, respectively, and utilizing beam members 70 that extend in the longitudinal direction. The suspension mechanism comprises a base member 73 fixed to a beam member 70, guide rods 71;71 that penetrate the base member 73 vertically and are provided to be movable vertically relative to the base member 73, a displacement member 72 fixed to the lower end of the guide rods 71;71 and moving up and down together with the guide rods 71; and a coil spring 74 provided between the base member 73 and the displacement member 72, with the guide rods 71 ​​passing through it.

[0053] In this suspension mechanism, the displacement member 72, which is biased downward by the coil spring 74, can be displaced upward along the guide rods 71;71 when an upward force is applied from below, and can also be displaced downward by the restoring force of the coil spring 74 when the upward force is removed.

[0054] The upper roller 63 is rotatably attached to the displacement member 72 of this suspension mechanism, and its position (height) can be displaced vertically together with the displacement member 72. The upper roller 63 is attached to the displacement member 72 such that, for example, when the displacement member 72 is in its lowest position, the outer circumference of the upper roller 63 contacts the outer circumference of the rear roller 62.

[0055] The outer circumferences of the upper roller 63 and the rear roller 62 are provided with anti-slip means to prevent the pipe 21 from slipping when feeding the pipe 21. In this embodiment, the outer circumferences of the upper roller 63 and the rear roller 62 are covered with rubber as anti-slip means. However, the anti-slip means is not limited to rubber and may be made of other materials. Furthermore, the anti-slip means may also be directly applied to the outer circumferences of the upper roller 63 and the rear roller 62, for example, by creating irregularities on the surface.

[0056] According to the above feeding mechanism 60, the pipe 21 can be fed toward the opening / closing body 30 by pressing the pipe 21 against the rear roller 62, which rotates due to the drive of the motor M, with the upper roller 63. Furthermore, the front roller 61 guides the pipe 21, which has been fed by the rear roller 62 and the upper roller 63, toward the opening / closing body 30, thereby preventing it from being fed downward toward the opening / closing body 30. This allows the pipe 21 to be fed smoothly without getting stuck inside the opening / closing body 30. Furthermore, the upper roller 63 is made capable of vertical displacement relative to the rear roller 62 by a suspension mechanism, so that even if there are changes in the external shape of the pipes 21, such as how multiple pipes 21 (pipe 21A and pipe 21B) overlap or at joints, it can follow these changes and stably feed the pipes 21 toward the opening / closing body 30. Furthermore, since the height of the upper roller 63 is adjustable, the pipe 21 sandwiched between the upper roller 63 and the rear roller 62 can be easily removed from the piping Z.

[0057] The pressurizing means 90 is a device that moves the movable body 10 to the back of the pipe Z by supplying compressed air into the pipe Z. The pressurizing means 90 is connected to a pipe joint 48 provided at the pipe connection portion 46 of the opening / closing body 30 using a pipe 91. The pipe 91 forms part of the pressurizing means 90. The pressurizing means 90 consists of, for example, a compressor 92 that generates air (compressed air) to push the movable body 10 further into the pipe Z, a regulator 94 that adjusts the compressed air generated by the compressor 92 to a predetermined pressure, and a pressurizing control valve 96 that controls the supply and cessation of compressed air from the regulator 94 into the pipe Z.

[0058] The pressure control valve 96 uses, for example, a two-way valve that opens and closes the valve based on an electrical signal. The pressure control valve 96 is electrically connected to the controller 100 and opens and closes the valve based on a signal input from the controller 100. In this embodiment, the pressure control valve 96 is described as operating in such a way that it closes the valve when no signal is input and opens the valve when a signal is input.

[0059] Therefore, the pressurizing means 90 opens the pressurizing control valve 96, which allows the compressed air generated by the compressor 92 to be regulated by the regulator 94 and supplied to the piping Z via the pipe 91.

[0060] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of controller 100. The controller 100 is a device for controlling changes in the state of the mobile body 10, such as expansion of the mobile body 10, maintenance of the expanded state, contraction, maintenance of the contracted state, etc., as well as the closing and opening of the opening / closing body 30 and the pressurizing operation inside the piping Z by the pressurizing means 90, and can be configured as a so-called computer.

[0061] The controller 100 includes storage means 102 such as ROM and RAM provided as hardware resources, arithmetic processing means 104 such as a CPU, communication means 106 such as a network interface that enables connection to the Internet, input means 108 such as a keyboard, mouse, and touch panel, display means 110 such as a monitor, and an external input / output interface (external IF) 112 that enables the output of signals to the expansion valve 26, contraction valve 28, shut-off valve 56, open valve 58, and pressurization control valve 96, and the input of signals from the moving body state detection means 29, open / closed state detection means 59, and pressurization state detection means 99. Note that the controller 100 is not limited to the above configuration and may be modified as appropriate.

[0062] The term "computer" here refers to any form, including tablets, laptops, desktops, and single-board microcomputers specifically designed to propel the mobile unit 10 forward.

[0063] The storage means 102 stores, for example, a control program for moving the mobile body 10 forward, control values ​​for controlling the expansion and contraction of the mobile body 10, the closing and opening of the opening of the pipe Z by the opening / closing body 30, the pressurization inside the pipe Z by the pressurizing means 90, and the feeding operation of the pipe 21 into the pipe Z by the feeding mechanism 60.

[0064] The arithmetic processing means 104 sequentially executes the control program stored in the storage means 102, thereby causing the controller 100 to function as one of the means described later.

[0065] The controller 100 includes a mobile body control means 180 for controlling the movement of the mobile body 10, an opening / closing body control means 182 for controlling the movement of the opening / closing body 30, a feed control means 184 for controlling the feeding of the pipe 21, and a pressurization control means 186 for controlling the propulsion of the mobile body 10.

[0066] The mobile body control means 180 controls the expansion, maintenance of the expanded state, contraction, maintenance of the contracted state, etc., of the mobile body 10 based on information (signals) input from the mobile body state detection means 29.

[0067] [Inflation control of the mobile body 10] When the mobile body control means 180 expands the mobile body 10 from a contracted state, it outputs a signal only to the expansion valve 26 and maintains a state where the signal output to the contraction valve 28 is stopped. As a result, compressed air flows into the fluid chamber S10 of the mobile body 10, and the outer cylinder 14 expands radially outward, while the inner cylinder 12 expands radially inward (centripetal direction). Then, the mobile body control means 180 stops outputting a signal to the expansion valve 26 when, for example, the information input from the mobile body state detection means 29 after it has started outputting a signal to the expansion valve 26 reaches a "predetermined pressure". The “predetermined pressure” referred to here should be set to the pressure at which the expanded moving body 10 contacts the inner wall of the pipe Z and a predetermined frictional force is obtained. This “predetermined pressure” related to expansion can be obtained, for example, through experiments beforehand, and the results can be used. Hereinafter, the state in which the expanded moving body 10 contacts the inner wall of the pipe Z and a predetermined frictional force is obtained will be referred to as the expanded state. Furthermore, when the mobile body control means 180 maintains the expanded state of the mobile body 10, it supplies compressed air to the mobile body 10 and then maintains a state in which the output of signals to the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28 is stopped.

[0068] Furthermore, when the mobile body control means 180 is to contract the mobile body 10 from an expanded state, it outputs a signal only to the contraction valve 28 and maintains a state where the signal output to the expansion valve 26 is stopped. As a result, the compressed air in the fluid chamber S10 is discharged from the mobile body 10, and the outer cylinder 14 contracts radially inward, while the inner cylinder 12 contracts radially outward. Then, the mobile body control means 180 stops outputting a signal to the retractable valve 28 when, for example, the information input from the mobile body state detection means 29 after it has started outputting a signal to the retractable valve 28 reaches a "predetermined pressure". The “predetermined pressure” referred to here may be set to a pressure such as when the mobile body 10 is in its most contracted state, as shown in Figure 2(a), that is, when the pressure inside the fluid chamber S10 is the same as the outside air, or when the outer cylinder 14 of the contracted mobile body 10 separates from the inner wall of the pipe Z and the tight contact between the inner cylinders 12 is released. This “predetermined pressure” related to the contraction from the expanded state can be obtained in advance through experiments, for example, and the results can be used. The following should be set to a time when the movable body 10 is in its most contracted state, that is, when the pressure inside the fluid chamber S10 becomes the same as the outside air, or when the outer cylinder 14 of the contracted movable body 10 separates from the inner wall of the pipe Z and the tight contact between the inner cylinders 12 is released. This expansion-to-contraction state is called the contracted state. Furthermore, when the mobile body control means 180 maintains the contracted state of the mobile body 10, it maintains the state in which it stops outputting signals to the expansion valve 26 and the contraction valve 28.

[0069] The opening / closing control means 182 controls the closing, maintenance of the closed state, opening, and maintenance of the open state of the opening of the pipe Z by the opening / closing body 30. The opening / closing control means 182 outputs a signal to the closing valve 56 and maintains a stopped signal output state for the opening valve 58 when the opening / closing body 30 closes the opening of the piping Z from an open state. As a result, compressed air flows into the fluid chamber S30 of the opening / closing body 30, and the inner cylinder 32 expands radially inward (centripetal direction). Then, the opening / closing control means 182 stops outputting a signal to the closing valve 56 after a "determined time" has elapsed since it started outputting a signal to the closing valve 56. In other words, the opening / closing control means 182 controls the closing of the opening by the opening / closing body 30 using time as a control value. When the opening / closing control means 182 maintains the closed state of the opening by the opening / closing body 30, it maintains the state in which the output of signals to the closing valve 56 and the opening valve 58 is stopped. Furthermore, when the opening / closing control means 182 opens the opening of the piping Z from the closed state, it outputs a signal to the opening valve 58 and maintains a state where the signal output to the closing valve 56 is stopped. As a result, the compressed air in the fluid chamber S30 is discharged from the opening / closing body 30, and the inner cylinder 32 contracts radially outward. When the opening / closing control means 182 maintains the open state of the opening of the piping Z, it maintains the state in which it stops outputting signals to the closing valve 56 and the opening valve 58.

[0070] The feed control means 184 controls the feeding of the pipe 21. The feed control means 184 outputs a signal (e.g., voltage) required to drive the motor M for a predetermined time. The duration for which a signal is output to motor M should be set to achieve the required slack.

[0071] The pressurization control means 186 controls the supply and cessation of compressed air from the pipe Z, whose opening is closed by the opening / closing body 30, to the closed space C partitioned by the expanded movable body 10. The pressurization control means 186 outputs a signal to the pressurization control valve 96 when pressurizing the closed space C. As a result, compressed air flows into the closed space C, pressurizing the inside of the closed space C. Then, the pressurization control means 186 stops outputting a signal to the pressurization control valve 96 after a "determined time" has elapsed since it started outputting a signal to the pressurization control valve 96. When the pressurization control means 186 wants to maintain the pressurized state of the closed space C, it opens the pressurization control valve 96, then stops outputting a signal to the pressurization control valve 96, and maintains that state.

[0072] Figure 8 is an example of a flowchart for controlling the movement of the mobile body 10. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the operation of the in-pipe mobile robot following the flowchart shown in Figure 8. In the following explanation, the leading moving object will be referred to as moving object 10A, and the (last) trailing moving object as moving object 10B. Furthermore, elements related to the operation of the leading moving object (moving object 10A) and the (last) trailing moving object (moving object 10B) will be described using the aforementioned symbols followed by "A", "B", etc.

[0073] First, as shown in Figure 9(a), the pipe-in-robot robot 1 is positioned relative to the pipe Z. The mobile bodies 10A, 10B, and opening / closing body 30 that constitute the pipe-in-robot robot 1 are initially in a retracted state and an open state, respectively. After the mobile body 10 is placed inside the piping Z, the operator operates the input means to input a start command to the controller 100, causing the controller 100 to start controlling the two mobile bodies 10A and 10B to move forward. S101: The controller 100 starts outputting a signal to the motor M of the feed mechanism 60, and stops outputting the signal to the motor M after a predetermined time has elapsed. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(b), pipe 21 is forcibly fed toward pipe Z, and slack is created in pipe 21 between it and the second mobile body 10B. S102: Next, the controller 100 starts outputting a signal to the shut-off valve 56 and stops outputting the signal to the shut-off valve 56 after the pressure value detected by the open / closed state detection means 59 reaches the pressure value indicating closure. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(c), compressed air is supplied to the fluid chamber S30 of the opening / closing body 30, causing the inner cylinder 32 of the opening / closing body 30 to expand in a centripetal direction. The inner surfaces of the inner cylinder 32 come into close contact with each other, sandwiching the pipe 21, thereby closing the opening side of the piping Z. S103: Next, after closing the opening of the piping Z, the controller 100 starts outputting signals to the expansion valves 26A and 26B, and stops outputting signals to the expansion valves 26A and 26B after the pressure value detected by the moving body state detection means 29 reaches the pressure value indicating the expansion state. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(d), compressed air is supplied to the fluid chamber S10A of the first mobile body 10A and the fluid chamber S10B of the second mobile body 10B, causing the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B to expand. The outer cylinders 14 of the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B reach the inner wall of the piping Z, and the inner circumferential surfaces of the inner cylinder 12 of the first mobile body 10A and the inner circumferential surfaces of the inner cylinder 12 of the second mobile body 10B come into close contact. As this expanded state is maintained, a closed space C1 is formed within the piping Z, partitioned by the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B, and a closed space C2 is formed within the piping Z, partitioned by the second mobile body 10B and the opening / closing body 30. Furthermore, the pipe 21A connected to the first mobile body 10A is sandwiched between the inner cylinder 12 of the second mobile body 10B due to the expansion of the inner cylinder 12. S104: Next, the controller 100 starts outputting a signal to the pressurizing control valve 96 while maintaining the expanded state of the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B, and stops outputting the signal to the pressurizing control valve 96 after a predetermined time has elapsed. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(e), compressed air is supplied to the closed space C2 partitioned by the second moving body 10B and the opening / closing body 30, causing the pressure inside the closed space C2 to rise and move the second moving body 10B forward in the direction of travel while pulling the pipe 21. For example, compressed air is supplied to the closed space C2 until there is no more slack in the pipe 21 behind the second moving body 10B. At this time, the pipe 21A extending forward from the second mobile body 10B in the direction of travel will be pushed forward, causing it to sag. S105: After moving the second mobile body 10B, the controller 100 starts outputting a signal to the retraction valve 28B, and stops outputting the signal to the retraction valve 28B after the pressure value detected by the mobile body state detection means 29 reaches the pressure value indicating the retracted state. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(f), the second mobile body 10B contracts, and the closed space C2 partitioned by the second mobile body 10B and the opening / closing body 30 becomes integrated with the closed space C1 partitioned by the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B, expanding into the closed space C partitioned by the first mobile body 10A and the opening / closing body 30. S106: The controller 100 starts outputting a signal to the pressurizing control valve 96, and stops outputting the signal to the pressurizing control valve 96 after a predetermined time has elapsed. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(g), compressed air is supplied to the closed space C partitioned by the first moving body 10A and the opening / closing body 30, causing the pressure inside the closed space C to rise and move the first moving body 10A forward in the direction of travel while pulling the pipe 21A. For example, compressed air is supplied to the enclosed space C until there is no slack in the pipe 21A behind the first mobile body 10A. S107: The controller 100 starts outputting a signal to the retract valve 28A of the first mobile body 10A, and stops outputting a signal to the retract valve 28B after the pressure value detected by the mobile body state detection means 29 reaches a pressure value indicating the retracted state. As a result, as shown in Figure 9(h), the first mobile body 10A contracts, and the pressure inside the closed space C is released. S108: The signal output to the release valve 58, which controls the operation of the opening / closing body 30, is started, and the signal output to the release valve 58 is stopped after the pressure value detected by the opening / closing state detection means 59 reaches the pressure value indicating the open state. As a result, the closed state of the pipe Z by the opening / closing body 30 is released, as shown in Figure 9(i). By repeating steps S101 to S108, the two moving bodies 10A and 10B will move further into the pipe Z.

[0074] As described above, the pipe-mounted mobile robot 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a feeding mechanism 60 that pre-causes slack in the pipe 21 through which compressed air, which is the driving source for the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B, flows. This reduces the load generated by the pipe 21 when the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B move, making it possible to move over long distances even if there are multiple curved sections in the piping Z.

[0075] In the above embodiment, two movable bodies 10 were described as being placed inside the piping Z, but the embodiment is not limited to this; there may be one, or two or more. If the number of movable bodies 10 is two or more, the movable bodies 10 should be moved forward in the direction of travel, starting from the last movable body 10, so that the slack in the pipes 21 extending to each movable body 10, which is applied by the feeding mechanism 60, is tightened.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the forwardmost moving body 10 in the direction of travel is contracted, but it is not necessary for the moving body 10 to necessarily contract during its movement.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the operation of the feeding mechanism 60 and the pressurizing means 90 was described as being controlled based on time, but the invention is not limited to this, and the operation of the feeding mechanism 60 and the pressurizing means 90 may be controlled using sensors or the like as appropriate.

[0078] Figure 10 shows another form of the pipe-in-pipe mobile robot 1. Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described as directly connecting the opening / closing body 30 to the piping Z, it is preferable to provide a buffer space 9 between the opening / closing body 30 and the piping Z to store the pipe 21 sent out from the feeding mechanism 60, for example, as shown in Figure 10. The buffer space 9 may be formed, for example, to connect the inner space of the piping Z and the opening / closing body 30 as a single space. In addition, by forming the buffer space 9 to be wider than the inner diameter of the opening / closing body 30, for example, sufficient slack in the pipe 21 can be stored.

[0079] Therefore, by attaching an inspection unit equipped with a camera and lighting to the leading mobile body 10A described above, the in-pipe mobile robot 1 can be configured as an in-pipe inspection device. Furthermore, the wiring for power supply lines that provide power to the cameras and lighting installed in the inspection unit, and signal lines that output images captured by the cameras, can be routed through the space on the inner circumference of the mobile bodies 10A and 10B and extended outside the piping Z together with the pipe 21. The wiring can then be sent towards the piping Z by the feeding mechanism 60 along with the pipe 21. By configuring the in-pipe inspection device in this way, the piping Z to be inspected can be inspected over a longer distance than in conventional methods. In this way, if the leading mobile unit 10A is equipped with a camera or the like, the distance traveled by the mobile unit 10A may be estimated from the image obtained by the camera, and the time for outputting a signal to the motor M of the feed mechanism 60 may be set.

[0080] In the pipe-mounted mobile robot described above, the mobile body 10 is inflated from outside the pipe Z via the pipe 21, the opening of the pipe Z where the mobile body 10 is located is closed by the opening / closing body 30, and compressed air is supplied to the closed space between the mobile body 10 and the opening / closing body 30 to pressurize the closed space and move the mobile body 10. However, the form of the pipe-mounted mobile robot is not limited to this. For example, as with the aforementioned mobile body 10, multiple (three or more) mobile bodies are connected together, which expand radially while contracting axially when compressed air is supplied, and expand radially while extending axially when the supplied compressed air is discharged. These multiple mobile bodies 10 expand and contract to mimic peristaltic motion and move through the pipe Z. In this case as well, the connected number of wires (pipes) will be pulled as the unit moves. The feeding mechanism 60 pre-feeds the connected number of wires toward the piping Z, creating slack between the last moving unit 10 and the feeding mechanism 60. This reduces friction between the piping Z and the wires, as well as tension on the wires, when multiple moving units move, enabling long-distance movement even with complex piping Z. Furthermore, even with a pipe-mobilizing robot configured in this way, it is preferable to provide the aforementioned buffer space (buffer container) between the opening of the pipe Z and the feeding mechanism 60. In cases where a pipe-moving robot, such as the one described in the above embodiment, or a pipe-moving robot that moves through the pipe Z based on peristaltic motion, intermittently moves through the pipe Z using compressed air as an energy source, the mobile body can be efficiently advanced by creating slack in the wiring with the feed mechanism 60 when the movement is stopped (including cases where it appears to be stopped).

[0081] Furthermore, the in-pipe mobile robot is not limited to those that intermittently move within the pipe Z using compressed air as an energy source, such as the in-pipe mobile robot described in the above embodiment or the in-pipe mobile robot that moves within the pipe Z based on peristaltic motion. For example, even a pipe-moving robot that moves through a pipe Z on wheels or the like will move while pulling the wiring that supplies power (energy) to the motors that drive the wheels. By using the feeding mechanism 60 to pre-feed the wiring that supplies power towards the pipe Z and create slack, friction with the wiring and tension on the wiring can be reduced, making it possible to move over long distances even in complex pipes Z. Furthermore, even with a pipe-mobilizing robot configured in this way, it is preferable to provide the aforementioned buffer space (buffer container) between the opening of the pipe Z and the feeding mechanism 60. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1 In-pipe mobile robot, 8 Opening / closing mechanism, 9 Buffer space, 10 Mobile body, 20 Moving body drive means, 21 Pipe, 26 Expansion valve, 28 Contraction valve, 29 Moving body state detection means, 30 Opening / closing body, 50 Opening / closing body driving means, 56 Shut-off valve, 58 Open valve, 59 Open / closed state detection means, 60 Feed mechanism, 90 Pressurizing means, 99 Pressurizing state detection means, 100 Controller, C Closed space, Z Piping.

Claims

1. A moving object that moves inside the pipe by energy supplied from outside the pipe via wiring, A pipe-mobile robot comprising a control device provided outside the pipe for controlling the movement of the mobile body within the pipe, The system includes a feeding mechanism for feeding the aforementioned wiring into the piping, The feeding mechanism is characterized by applying slack to the wiring before the moving body moves forward, making it a pipe-moving robot.

2. The aforementioned feeding mechanism is Two lower rollers support the wiring from below, It comprises an upper roller located above two lower rollers, which grips the pipe from above, The two lower rollers are arranged side by side in the direction of wiring feed. The pipe-in-pipe mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the wiring is sandwiched between the upper roller and the lower roller on the rear side in the feeding direction, and the wiring is fed into the pipe by rotating the lower roller on the rear side in the feeding direction with a motor.

3. The pipe-moving robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper roller is attached via a suspension mechanism that allows for vertical displacement relative to the roller on the rear side in the feeding direction.

4. The pipe-in-pipe mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is provided with a buffer space for storing wiring before the wiring is fed into the pipe by the aforementioned feeding mechanism.

5. The aforementioned moving body is It is installed inside a pipe, expands when fluid is supplied to it to closely adhere to the inner surface of the pipe, and is configured to be able to contract when the supplied fluid is discharged. The control device is A mobile body driving means is provided outside the piping to control the supply of fluid to the mobile body and the discharge of the fluid supplied to the mobile body, and to expand and contract the mobile body. An opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes an opening through which the aforementioned wiring enters the pipe from outside the pipe, When the movable body is inflated and blocking the inside of the piping, and the opening / closing body is in a state of closing the opening, a pressurizing means supplies fluid to the space between the movable body and the opening / closing body, thereby increasing the internal pressure of the space; When the opening / closing body is in the open position, a feeding mechanism feeds the wiring into the piping. A feed control means for controlling the movement, The system comprises a controller that controls the operation of the moving body driving means, the opening / closing mechanism, the pressurizing means, and the feed control means, The pipe-in-robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the wiring is flexible, one end is connected to a mobile body, the other end is connected to a mobile body driving means, and a fluid that expands and contracts the mobile body flows through it.

6. The pipe-in-robot according to claim 5, further comprising a buffer space for storing wiring sent by the feeding mechanism between the opening and the opening / closing means.

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