Pipe cleaning robot

Abstract

To provide an in-pipe cleaning robot capable of cleaning dirt inside a pipe which cannot be cleaned by a conventional in-pipe cleaning robot. [Solution] The in-pipe cleaning robot 1 has a robot body 10 equipped with at least three telescopic units, and a cleaning body 20 provided on the outer periphery of the robot body 10 protruding radially outward, and is configured so that the telescopic units perform peristaltic motion in a predetermined pattern, causing the robot body 10 to move inside the pipe 2 and clean the inside of the pipe 2 with the cleaning body 20, wherein the in-pipe cleaning robot 1 is configured so that a first reaction force generated when the outer periphery end 20a of the cleaning body 20 is subjected to an external force toward one axial side is greater than a second reaction force generated when the outer periphery end 20a of the cleaning body 20 is subjected to an external force toward the other axial side.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pipe cleaning robot for cleaning the inside of a pipe. [Background technology]

[0002] In office buildings, factories, detached houses, etc., there are thin, winding pipes such as air ducts for air conditioners. In order to clean the inside of such pipes, pipe cleaning robots that are configured to move inside the pipes and clean them have been developed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an in-pipe cleaning robot having a robot body with six telescopic units that expand radially and contract axially when fluid is supplied to them, and a brush-like cleaning body that protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the robot body, and is configured so that the six telescopic units perform peristaltic motion in a predetermined pattern, causing the robot body to move inside the pipe and clean the inside of the pipe with the cleaning body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-69125 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, there are cases where the conventional pipe cleaning robots described above are unable to thoroughly clean the dirt inside the pipes.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and its object is to provide an internal pipe cleaning robot capable of cleaning dirt inside pipes that cannot be cleaned by conventional internal pipe cleaning robots. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The pipe cleaning robot of the present invention has a robot body with at least three telescopic units that expand radially and contract axially when fluid is supplied thereto, and a cleaning body that is provided on the outer periphery of the robot body and protrudes radially outward, and is configured so that the robot body moves inside the pipe by the telescopic units performing peristaltic motion in a predetermined pattern, and the inside of the pipe is cleaned by the cleaning body, and a first reaction force generated when the outer periphery end of the cleaning body receives an external force toward one side in the axial direction is larger than a second reaction force generated when the outer periphery end of the cleaning body receives an external force toward the other side in the axial direction. the cleaning body is constituted by a brush, and a regulating body is attached to the robot body, which is disposed on one side of the cleaning body in the axial direction and comes into contact with the cleaning body when an external force is applied to an outer peripheral end of the cleaning body toward the one side in the axial direction with the cleaning body in contact with the inner surface of the pipe, thereby regulating the inclination of the cleaning body toward the one side in the axial direction. It is characterized by:

[0011] In the pipe cleaning robot of the present invention having the above configuration, it is preferable that a plurality of the cleaning bodies are provided on the robot body at intervals in the axial direction.

[0012] In the pipe cleaning robot of the present invention, in the above configuration, of the pair of cleaning bodies adjacent in the axial direction, The above The outer peripheral end of the cleaning body on one side is The above The first reaction force generated when an external force is applied to one side is the axial direction The above The outer peripheral end of the cleaning body on the other side is The above It is preferable that the force is configured to be greater than the first reaction force generated when an external force toward one side is applied. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inside-pipe cleaning robot capable of cleaning dirt inside pipes that cannot be cleaned by conventional inside-pipe cleaning robots. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a pipe cleaning robot according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2]13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating the operation pattern of the telescopic unit during the peristaltic movement of the robot body. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1(a) is an oblique view showing a schematic view of a part of the pipe cleaning robot according to the first embodiment where the cleaning body is provided, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view in a direction along the axis of the part of the pipe cleaning robot according to the first embodiment where the cleaning body is provided (the cross-section of the robot body is omitted). [Figure 4] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a pipe cleaning robot according to a first embodiment, showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward one axial side, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward the other axial side. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of three cleaning elements of a pipe cleaning robot according to a modified example in which the reaction forces of the three cleaning elements are made different when the robot moves inside the pipe toward the other axial direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a pipe cleaning robot according to a modified example, showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward one axial side, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward the other axial side. [Figure 7] FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a pipe cleaning robot according to another modified example, showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward one axial side, and FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward the other axial side. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of a portion where a cleaning body of a pipe cleaning robot according to a second embodiment of the present invention is provided. [Figure 9] FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view of a pipe cleaning robot according to a second embodiment, showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward one axial side, and FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward the other axial side. [Figure 10]FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view of a pipe cleaning robot according to a third embodiment of the present invention, showing the state of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward one axial side, and FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning body when it moves inside the pipe toward the other axial side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the pipe cleaning robot of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0016] The pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 moves and cleans the inside of thin, winding pipes, such as air ducts for air conditioners installed in office buildings, factories, detached houses, etc.

[0017] The pipe cleaning robot 1 has a robot body 10 and a cleaning body 20.

[0018] The robot body 10 is also called an earthworm-type robot, a peristaltic robot, or the like, and has an elongated shape extending along an axis O. The robot body 10 can move inside a pipe to one side and the other side in the axial direction. That is, the robot body 10 can advance and retreat inside the pipe. The axial direction is the direction along the axis O of the robot body 10, that is, the longitudinal direction.

[0019] The robot body 10 is provided with at least three telescopic units 11 as a driving source for moving inside the pipe. In this embodiment, the robot body 10 is provided with seven telescopic units 11 (only four telescopic units 11 are shown in FIG. 1). Note that the number of telescopic units 11 can be changed as appropriate as long as the robot body 10 is provided with at least three telescopic units 11.

[0020] The telescopic unit 11 is also called an artificial muscle. The telescopic unit 11 includes a tubular portion 11a formed of an elastic material such as various rubbers in a cylindrical shape centered on an axis O. Both axial ends of the tubular portion 11a are closed. Inside the tubular portion 11a, a plurality of fiber bundles (not shown) having high tensile strength are arranged along the axial direction. As a result, the tubular portion 11a can elastically deform so as to expand in the radial direction, but elastic deformation in the axial direction is restricted. Therefore, when a fluid such as compressed air is supplied to the inside of the tubular portion 11a, the telescopic unit 11 operates to expand in the radial direction while contracting in the axial direction. In addition, when the fluid is discharged from the inside of the tubular portion 11a, the telescopic unit 11 contracts in the radial direction due to the elastic force of the tubular portion 11a and extends in the axial direction to return to its original shape. Each telescopic unit 11 can operate individually in a predetermined pattern.

[0021] In addition, the telescopic unit 11 may have various configurations, such as a so-called McKibben type in which the outside of a cylindrical elastic body is covered with woven fibers in a sleeve shape, as long as it is configured to expand radially and contract axially when fluid is supplied thereto.

[0022] Adjacent telescopic units 11 are axially connected to each other by connecting parts 12. In this embodiment, connecting parts 12 are universal joints. This allows the robot body 10 to bend at the connecting parts 12. Therefore, when the pipe cleaning robot 1 moves inside a pipe, even if the pipe is bent, the robot body 10 can bend at the connecting parts 12 and move along the curved pipe.

[0023] In this embodiment, a universal joint is used as the connecting portion 12, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as it can connect adjacent extension units 11.

[0024] A control unit 14 is connected to the robot body 10 via piping 13. The control unit 14 can supply fluid individually in a predetermined pattern to the inside of the cylindrical portion 11a of each of the extension units 11 via the piping 13. By supplying fluid in a predetermined pattern from the control unit 14 to the inside of the cylindrical portion 11a of each of the extension units 11, the multiple extension units 11 perform peristaltic motion in a predetermined pattern, and the robot body 10 can move inside the tube.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an example of a pattern of peristaltic movement of the multiple telescopic units 11 when the robot body 10 moves inside the pipe 2 to one side in the axial direction, that is, when moving forward toward the left side in FIG.

[0026] First, as shown in Fig. 2(a), the leftmost (front) telescopic unit 11 and the second leftmost telescopic unit 11 in Fig. 2 are expanded in the radial direction while contracting in the axial direction. The two telescopic units 11 expanded in the radial direction each come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 over the entire circumference. As a result, the robot body 10 is held in the axial direction by the two telescopic units 11 expanded in the radial direction.

[0027] Next, from the state shown in FIG. 2(a), as shown in FIG. 2(b), the leftmost telescopic unit 11 is returned to its original shape, and the third telescopic unit 11 from the left is expanded in the radial direction while contracting in the axial direction. At this time, since the second telescopic unit 11 from the left abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 2 and maintains its axial position, the leftmost telescopic unit 11 contracts in the radial direction and extends in the axial direction to return to its original shape, and the left end (front end) of the robot body 10 moves leftward from the position shown in FIG. 2(a). In addition, since the third telescopic unit 11 from the left expands in the radial direction while contracting in the axial direction while the second telescopic unit 11 abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 2 and maintains its axial position, the right end (rear end) of the robot body 10 also moves leftward from the position shown in FIG. 2(a).

[0028] Next, from the state shown in FIG. 2(b), as shown in FIG. 2(c), the second telescopic unit 11 from the left returns to its original shape, and the fourth telescopic unit 11 from the left expands in the radial direction while contracting in the axial direction. At this time, since the third telescopic unit 11 from the left abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 2 and maintains its axial position, the second telescopic unit 11 from the left contracts in the radial direction and extends in the axial direction to return to its original shape, and the left end (front end) of the robot body 10 moves further leftward from the position shown in FIG. 2(b). In addition, since the fourth telescopic unit 11 from the left expands in the radial direction while contracting in the axial direction while the third telescopic unit 11 abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 2 and maintains its axial position, the right end (rear end) of the robot body 10 also moves further leftward from the position shown in FIG. 2(b).

[0029] Thereafter, the same procedure is followed to operate the extension units 11 in the above pattern until it reaches the rightmost extension unit 11. Then, when the pattern reaches the rightmost extension unit 11, as shown in FIG. 2(d), it returns to the beginning and operates the extension units 11 in the above pattern.

[0030] In this way, by causing the multiple telescopic units 11 to perform peristaltic motion in the above-mentioned pattern, the robot body 10 can advance inside the pipe 2 toward the left side in Fig. 2. Also, by operating the multiple telescopic units 11 in a pattern that is the left-right reverse of the pattern shown in Fig. 2, the robot body 10 can retreat inside the pipe 2 toward the right side in Fig. 2.

[0031] The pattern of the peristaltic movement of the multiple extension units 11 in the robot body 10 is not limited to the above, and other patterns may be used as long as the robot body 10 can be moved forward and backward.

[0032] The robot body 10 may be provided with a transparent cover 15 at its tip (front end), and a camera (not shown) for capturing an image of the inside of the pipe 2 may be provided inside the cover 15 .

[0033] Next, the cleaning body 20 provided on the robot body 10 will be described.

[0034] The cleaning body 20 is for collecting foreign matter (dirt) 3 such as dust adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 and cleaning the inside of the pipe 2 when the robot body 10 moves inside the pipe 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the cleaning body 20 is provided on the outer periphery of the robot body 10 so as to protrude radially outward.

[0035] 1, in this embodiment, the robot body 10 is provided with a plurality of cleaning bodies 20 spaced apart in the axial direction of the robot body 10. More specifically, a cleaning body 20 is provided at each of both ends in the axial direction of each of the extendable units 11. Note that, although the robot body 10 is provided with a plurality of cleaning bodies 20 in this embodiment, it is sufficient that the robot body 10 is provided with at least one cleaning body 20.

[0036] The cleaning body 20 has a substantially annular shape centered on the axis O of the robot body 10. The outer diameter of the cleaning body 20 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the pipe 2 that is to be cleaned by the intra-pipe cleaning robot 1. The outer diameter of the cleaning body 20 is preferably the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pipe 2 that is to be cleaned by the intra-pipe cleaning robot 1. When the intra-pipe cleaning robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2, the cleaning body 20 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 at its outer circumferential end 20a. Therefore, an external force is applied to the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 in the opposite direction to the direction in which the intra-pipe cleaning robot 1 moves.

[0037] Here, the pipe cleaning robot 1 is configured so that a first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one side in the axial direction is greater than a second reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other side in the axial direction. That is, the cleaning body 20 protrudes radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the robot main body 10 in a natural state, and is configured so that the tipping reaction force is anisotropic so that when the outer peripheral end 20a receives an external force in the axial direction from that state, the cleaning body 20 is more easily toppled toward the other side in the axial direction than toward one side in the axial direction.

[0038] More specifically, in the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the cleaning body 20 is composed of a brush. That is, the cleaning body 20 is configured such that a large number of bristles protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the robot body 10, centered on the axis O, are arranged over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction centered on the axis O. The large number of bristles constituting the brush are flexible, for example, made of synthetic resin. Therefore, when an external force in the axial direction is applied to the outer circumferential end 20a that is the radially outer end of the brush, the brush constituting the cleaning body 20 can bend and fall toward the axial direction in which the external force is applied.

[0039] A regulating body 21 is attached to the robot body 10, located on one side of the cleaning body 20 in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the regulating body 21 is an annular member having a smaller diameter than the cleaning body 20. More specifically, the regulating body 21 is a thin sheet made of a synthetic resin having a smaller diameter than the cleaning body 20. The regulating body 21 is disposed with a gap therebetween in the axial direction relative to the cleaning body 20.

[0040] The regulating body 21 may have various configurations, for example, a thin rubber sheet, a block-like body having a predetermined rigidity, etc. The regulating body 21 may be disposed so as to be in contact with the cleaning body 20 without any space therebetween.

[0041] The regulating body 21 regulates the inclination of the cleaning body 20 to one side in the axial direction (the left side in FIG. 3). More specifically, the regulating body 21 comes into contact with a radially intermediate portion of the cleaning body 20 when the cleaning body 20 is inclined to one side in the axial direction. As a result, when an external force in the axial direction is applied to the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20, the cleaning body 20 tries to incline to one side in the axial direction at a portion protruding radially outward from the regulating body 21. Therefore, when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one side in the axial direction, the first reaction force generated by the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 against the external force is larger than that in the case where the regulating body 21 is not provided. On the other hand, since the regulating body 21 is not provided on the other side in the axial direction of the cleaning body 20, when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other side in the axial direction, the second reaction force generated by the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 against the external force is smaller than the first reaction force.

[0042] In this way, the pipe cleaning robot 1 of the first embodiment is configured such that, by providing the regulating body 21 on one axial side of the cleaning body 20, a first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one axial side is greater than a second reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other axial side.

[0043] The first reaction force or the difference between the first reaction force and the second reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 is subjected to an external force toward one side in the axial direction can be adjusted to a desired value by changing the outer diameter of the regulating body 21, the axial distance between the cleaning body 20 and the regulating body 21, the rigidity of the regulating body 21 (ease of deformation in the axial direction), etc.

[0044] According to the pipe cleaning robot 1 of the first embodiment having the above configuration, the brush constituting the cleaning body 20 is flexible enough to easily collapse so as to overcome foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2, so that it is possible to select whether the cleaning body 20 will sweep (scrape) the foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 to one side or the other side in the axial direction when moving inside the pipe 2. As a result, for example, when cleaning a pipe 2 with only one end open and the other end closed, the foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 can be swept out from the opening of the pipe 2 to the outside by the cleaning body 20 without being left inside the pipe 2.

[0045] That is, when cleaning a pipe 2 that is open at only one end and closed at the other end, in a conventional pipe cleaning robot that simply has a cleaning body attached to the outer periphery of the robot body, as the pipe cleaning robot moves forward from the opening of the pipe 2 toward the closed other end of the pipe 2, foreign matter 3 attached to the inner periphery of the pipe 2 is pushed by the cleaning body and pushed into the closed other end of the pipe 2. Then, when the pipe cleaning robot moves backward from the closed other end of the pipe 2 toward the end with the opening and returns to the opening, the foreign matter 3 pushed into the closed other end of the pipe 2 during the forward movement is left inside the pipe 2. Therefore, the inside of the pipe 2 cannot be effectively cleaned.

[0046] In contrast, in the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(a), when moving forward from the opening of the pipe 2 toward the closed other end of the pipe 2 (left side in FIG. 4), the cleaning body 20 is not restricted by the regulating body 21 and can easily fall toward the other side in the axial direction so as to climb over the foreign object 3 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2. Therefore, the foreign object 3 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 is left attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 without being pushed into the closed other end of the pipe 2 by the cleaning body 20. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4(b), when the pipe cleaning robot 1 moves backward from the closed other end of the pipe 2 toward the end with the opening (right side in FIG. 4) and returns to the opening, the tilt of the cleaning body 20 toward one side in the axial direction is restricted by the regulating body 21 and it becomes difficult to tilt. Therefore, the foreign object 3 left attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 is pushed toward the opening of the pipe 2 while being scraped off by the cleaning body 20 when the pipe cleaning robot 1 moves backward. Therefore, with the pipe cleaning robot 1 of this embodiment, when cleaning a pipe 2 which is open at only one end and closed at the other end, the cleaning body 20 can sweep out foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner surface of the pipe 2 from the opening of the pipe 2 to the outside without leaving any foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2.

[0047] In this way, the pipe cleaning robot 1 is configured so that the first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 is subjected to an external force toward one side in the axial direction is greater than the second reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 is subjected to an external force toward the other side in the axial direction. Therefore, for example, when cleaning a pipe 2 which is open at only one end and closed at the other end, foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2 can be swept out of the pipe 2 without remaining inside the pipe 2.

[0048] Furthermore, when the pipe cleaning robot 1 is configured with a plurality of cleaning bodies 20 spaced apart in the axial direction on the robot body 10, each cleaning body 20 can sweep foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2 out of the pipe 2 without leaving any inside the pipe 2.

[0049] Furthermore, when the pipe cleaning robot 1 is configured such that multiple cleaning bodies 20 are provided axially spaced apart on the robot body 10, as shown in Figure 5, it can be configured such that the first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 on one axial side (left side in Figure 5) of a pair of axially adjacent cleaning bodies 20 is subjected to an external force toward one axial side is greater than the first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 on the other axial side (right side in Figure 5) is subjected to an external force toward one axial side.

[0050] In the case shown in Figure 5, of a pair of cleaning bodies 20 adjacent in the axial direction, the outer diameter of the regulating body 21 arranged on one axial side (left side in Figure 5) of the cleaning body 20 on one axial side (left side in Figure 5) is made larger than the outer diameter of the regulating body 21 arranged on one axial side (left side in Figure 5) of the cleaning body 20 on the other axial side (right side in Figure 5), so that the cleaning body 20 on one axial side (left side in Figure 5) has a larger first reaction force generated when its outer peripheral end 20a is subjected to an external force directed toward one axial side.

[0051] With this configuration, when the pipe cleaning robot 1 retreats from the closed end of the pipe 2 toward the end with an opening (the right side in FIG. 5) and returns to the opening, the foreign objects 3 remaining on the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 are scraped off little by little by the cleaning body 20 furthest forward in the direction of travel of the retreating pipe cleaning robot 1 (the rightmost in FIG. 5) to the rearmost cleaning body 20, so that the foreign objects 3 can be swept out toward the opening evenly from each part in the longitudinal direction of the pipe cleaning robot 1. This allows the foreign objects 3 inside the pipe 2 to be swept out of the pipe 2 without being left inside the pipe 2.

[0052] In addition, without being limited to the method of making the outer diameter of the regulating body 21 different as described above, the axial distance between the cleaning body 20 and the regulating body 21, the rigidity of the regulating body 21 (ease of deformation in the axial direction), etc. may be made different for each cleaning body 20, so that the cleaning body 20 on one axial side (left side in Figure 5) generates a larger first reaction force when its outer peripheral end 20a is subjected to an external force directed toward one axial side.

[0053] As shown as a modified example in Fig. 6, the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment can also be configured such that a sub-regulator 22 is attached to the robot body 10 on the opposite side of the cleaning body 20 to the regulating body 21. In this case, the sub-regulator 22 is configured such that the second reaction force acting on the cleaning body 20 is not greater than the first reaction force. In the case shown in Fig. 6, the sub-regulator 22 has a smaller outer diameter than the regulating body 21, and the axial distance between the sub-regulator 22 and the cleaning body 20 is greater than the axial distance between the cleaning body 20 and the regulating body 21.

[0054] In addition, the sub-regulatory body 22 may be configured so that the second reaction force is not greater than the first reaction force acting on the cleaning body 20 by either or both of having a smaller outer diameter than the regulating body 21 and having a larger axial distance from the cleaning body 20.

[0055] By providing the sub-regulator 22, the pipe cleaning robot 1 can set a desired value to the first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one axial side by the regulator 21, and set a desired value to the second reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other axial side by the regulator 21. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(a), when the pipe cleaning robot 1 advances inside the pipe 2 toward one axial side (the left side in FIG. 6), the sub-regulator 22 can appropriately suppress the inclination of the cleaning body 20, so that the cleaning body 20 overcomes the foreign matter 3 attached inside the pipe 2, and the substantially entire outer peripheral end 20a of the cleaning body 20 can contact the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 in the portion of the pipe 2 where the foreign matter 3 is not attached. Therefore, when the pipe cleaning robot 1 advances inside the pipe 2, the robot body 10 is held (centered) more precisely by the cleaning body 20 in the center of the pipe 2, and the pipe cleaning robot 1 can be moved inside the pipe 2 more efficiently. As shown in Figure 6(b), when the pipe cleaning robot 1 retreats inside the pipe 2 toward the other axial side (the right side in Figure 6), the cleaning body 20 can push the foreign object 3 out of the pipe 2, as in the case shown in Figure 4(b), and sweep the foreign object 3 out of the pipe 2 without leaving it inside the pipe 2.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 7 as another modified example, the regulating body 21 and the sub-regulating body 22 may be configured as annular block bodies having the same outer diameter. In this case, the chamfered portion 21a formed between the surface of the regulating body 21 facing the cleaning body 20 and the surface facing radially outward may be made smaller than the chamfered portion 22a formed between the surface of the sub-regulating body 22 facing the cleaning body 20 and the surface facing radially outward, so that the second reaction force acting on the cleaning body 20 is not greater than the first reaction force. Note that the chamfered portions 21a and 22a are not limited to the shapes that are linear in cross section as shown in FIG. 7, and may each be a shape that is a convex curve in cross section. With such a configuration, the same effect as that of the pipe cleaning robot 1 shown in FIG. 6 can be obtained. That is, as shown in Fig. 7(a), when the pipe-cleaning robot 1 advances inside the pipe 2 toward one axial side (left side in Fig. 7), the inclination of the cleaning body 20 is moderately suppressed by the secondary regulating body 22, so that the cleaning body 20 overcomes the foreign matter 3 attached inside the pipe 2, and substantially the entire outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 in the portion of the pipe 2 where the foreign matter 3 is not attached. Therefore, when the pipe-cleaning robot 1 advances inside the pipe 2, the robot main body 10 is held (centered) more accurately in the center of the pipe 2 by the cleaning body 20, so that the pipe-cleaning robot 1 can be moved inside the pipe 2 more efficiently. Also, as shown in Fig. 7(b), when the pipe-cleaning robot 1 retreats inside the pipe 2 toward the other axial side (right side in Fig. 7), the cleaning body 20 pushes out the foreign matter 3 from the pipe 2, and the foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2 can be swept out of the pipe 2 without remaining inside the pipe 2.

[0057] Next, a pipe cleaning robot 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. In Figures 8 and 9, members and parts corresponding to those described above are given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment, the configuration of the robot body 10 is the same as the configuration of the robot body 10 of the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0058] The pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment is different from the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the cleaning body 20. Note that the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment is not provided with the regulating body 21 and the sub-regulating body 22.

[0059] In the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment, the cleaning body 20 is configured as an umbrella-shaped elastic body in which the inner peripheral end 20b fixed to the robot body 10 is shifted to one side in the axial direction (the left side in FIG. 8) relative to the outer peripheral end 20a. As the elastic body constituting the cleaning body 20, various kinds of rubber and elastomers can be used. The part between the outer peripheral end 20a and the inner peripheral end 20b of the cleaning body 20 is in a truncated cone shape. The truncated cone-shaped part is gradually thicker from the radial center toward the inner peripheral end 20b. Note that the part between the outer peripheral end 20a and the inner peripheral end 20b of the cleaning body 20 is not limited to a truncated cone shape, and may be, for example, a dome-shaped, as long as the cleaning body 20 as a whole has an umbrella shape.

[0060] With this configuration, the cleaning body 20 is less likely to tilt to one axial side (the left side in Fig. 8) and is more likely to tilt to the other axial side (the right side in Fig. 8). That is, the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment is also configured so that a first reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one axial side is greater than a second reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other axial side.

[0061] According to the pipe cleaning robot 1 of the second embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, the cleaning body 20 is flexible enough to easily collapse so as to overcome foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner surface of the pipe 2. Therefore, when cleaning a pipe 2 which is open at only one end and closed at the other end, the cleaning body 20 can sweep the foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner surface of the pipe 2 out to the outside through the opening of the pipe 2 without leaving any foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2.

[0062] That is, in the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9(a), when moving forward from the opening of the pipe 2 toward the closed other end of the pipe 2 (left side in FIG. 9), the cleaning body 20 easily deforms like a closing umbrella and can climb over the foreign object 3 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2. As a result, the foreign object 3 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 is left attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 without being pushed into the closed other end of the pipe 2 by the cleaning body 20. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9(b), when the pipe cleaning robot 100 moves backward from the closed other end of the pipe 2 toward the end with the opening (right side in FIG. 9) and returns to the opening, the cleaning body 20 is unlikely to tilt to one side in the axial direction, so that the foreign object 3 left attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 is pushed toward the opening of the pipe 2 while being scraped off by the cleaning body 20. In this way, when cleaning a pipe 2 that is open at only one end and closed at the other end, the pipe cleaning robot 100 of the second embodiment can sweep foreign matter 3 attached to the inner surface of the pipe 2 out to the outside from the opening of the pipe 2 by the cleaning body 20 without leaving any foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2.

[0063] In the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment, the umbrella-shaped cleaning body 20 may be divided radially around the axis O. That is, the umbrella-shaped cleaning body 20 may be divided into a plurality of parts arranged in the circumferential direction. This configuration makes it easier for the cleaning body 20 to tilt when the pipe cleaning robot 100 moves forward.

[0064] Next, a pipe cleaning robot 200 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 10. In Figure 10, members and parts corresponding to those described above are given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the third embodiment, the configuration of the robot body 10 is the same as the configuration of the robot body 10 of the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0065] The pipe cleaning robot 200 according to the third embodiment is different from the pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the cleaning body 20. Note that the pipe cleaning robot 200 according to the third embodiment is not provided with the regulating body 21 and the sub-regulating body 22.

[0066] In a pipe cleaning robot 200 according to the third embodiment, the cleaning body 20 is made of a plate-like member supported on the robot body 10 so as to be able to tilt freely around a rotation axis 23. A plurality of cleaning bodies 20 made of plate-like members are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the robot body 10, lined up in the circumferential direction centered on axis O. In other words, a plurality of cleaning bodies 20, each made of a plate-like member, are radially arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the robot body 10.

[0067] The plate-like member constituting the cleaning body 20 may be made of various materials, such as a metal plate material that is a rigid body that does not substantially deform elastically, such as an aluminum alloy or steel material, or an elastically deformable plate material, such as a synthetic resin plate material. Moreover, the plate-like member constituting the cleaning body 20 may be made of a rigid body for the most part, with the outer peripheral edge 20a being made of an elastic body.

[0068] The rotating shaft 23 is attached to the robot body 10 in a position along the tangent direction of the outer circumferential surface of the robot body 10 at the portion of the robot body 10 where the cleaning body 20 is provided. The cleaning body 20 is supported on the inner circumferential end 20b side so as to be freely rotatable by the rotating shaft 23. Therefore, the cleaning body 20 can tilt around the rotating shaft 23 in a direction approaching or moving away from the outer circumferential surface of the robot body 10 while the outer circumferential end 20a moves in the axial direction.

[0069] A stopper body 24 is attached to the robot body 10. The stopper body 24 is an annular block body extending in the circumferential direction, and is fixed to one axial side of the cleaning body 20 (the left side in FIG. 10). The stopper body 24 can prevent the cleaning body 20 from tilting to one axial side from an upright position along the radial direction. In other words, the cleaning body 20 cannot tilt to one axial side from an upright position along the radial direction by abutting against the stopper body 24.

[0070] In addition, the stopper body 24 is not limited to the above configuration, and can have various configurations, such as one that restricts the rotation range of the rotating shaft 23, as long as it can prevent the cleaning body 20 from tilting to one side in the axial direction from the upright position along the radial direction.

[0071] An elastic member 25 is further attached to the robot body 10. The elastic member 25 is disposed on the other axial side of the cleaning body 20 (the right side in FIG. 10) and is configured to apply an elastic force to the cleaning body 20 toward one axial side. In the illustrated case, the elastic member 25 is a torsion spring and is disposed between the cleaning body 20 and the outer circumferential surface of the robot body 10. Note that the elastic member 25 is not limited to a torsion spring, and various members can be used, such as other types of springs and those made of an elastic body such as rubber, as long as they can apply an elastic force to the cleaning body 20 toward one axial side.

[0072] With this configuration, the cleaning body 20 cannot tilt to one side in the axial direction (the left side in Fig. 10), but can easily tilt to the other side in the axial direction (the right side in Fig. 10). That is, the pipe cleaning robot 200 according to the third embodiment is also configured so that a first reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one side in the axial direction is greater than a second reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other side in the axial direction.

[0073] According to the pipe cleaning robot 1 of the third embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, the elastic member 25 is designed to generate an elastic force sufficient to enable the cleaning body 20 to easily collapse so as to overcome foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner surface of the pipe 2. Therefore, when cleaning a pipe 2 which is open at only one end and closed at the other end, the foreign matter 3 adhering to the inner surface of the pipe 2 can be swept out from the opening of the pipe 2 to the outside by the cleaning body 20 without being left inside the pipe 2.

[0074] That is, in the pipe cleaning robot 200 according to the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10(a), when moving forward from the opening of the pipe 2 toward the closed other end of the pipe 2 (left side in FIG. 10), the cleaning body 20 can climb over the foreign object 3 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 by elastically deforming the elastic member 25 and tilting. As a result, the foreign object 3 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 is left attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 without being pushed into the closed other end of the pipe 2 by the cleaning body 20. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10(b), when the pipe cleaning robot 200 moves backward from the closed other end of the pipe 2 toward the end with the opening (right side in FIG. 10) and returns to the opening, the cleaning body 20 cannot tilt to one side in the axial direction, so that the foreign object 3 left attached to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 is pushed toward the opening of the pipe 2 while being scraped off by the cleaning body 20. In this way, when cleaning a pipe 2 that is open at only one end and closed at the other end, the pipe cleaning robot 200 of the third embodiment can sweep foreign matter 3 attached to the inner surface of the pipe 2 out from the opening of the pipe 2 to the outside using the cleaning body 20 without leaving any foreign matter 3 inside the pipe 2.

[0075] The pipe cleaning robot 1 according to the first embodiment, the pipe cleaning robot 100 according to the second embodiment, and the pipe cleaning robot 200 according to the third embodiment described above can all be used to clean pipes with open ends. In this case, the pipe cleaning robot 1, 100, 200 is configured so that the cleaning body 20 generates a first reaction force when inserted from one end of the pipe and advances inside the pipe, and generates a second reaction force when retreating inside the pipe. This allows the cleaning body 20 to reliably sweep out and remove foreign matter adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe from the other end of the pipe when advancing inside the pipe, and reduces the resistance generated between the cleaning body 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the pipe when the pipe cleaning robot 1, 100, 200 retreats inside the pipe after cleaning, thereby increasing the speed at which the pipe cleaning robot 1, 100, 200 retreats inside the pipe. This allows the pipe cleaning robot 1, 100, 200 to be quickly retrieved from one end of the pipe after cleaning.

[0076] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0077] For example, in the first embodiment, the regulating body 21 is arranged on one axial side of the cleaning body 20 which is made of a brush, in the second embodiment, the cleaning body 20 is configured of an umbrella-shaped elastic body in which the inner circumferential end 20b fixed to the robot body 10 is shifted to one axial side relative to the outer circumferential end 20a, and in the third embodiment, a stopper body 24 is arranged on one axial side of the cleaning body 20 which is made of a plate-shaped member supported so as to be freely tiltable on the rotating shaft 23, and an elastic member 25 is arranged on the other axial side, so that the first reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one axial side is larger than the second reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other axial side, but without being limited to this, other configurations other than the above may be used to make the first reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward one axial side larger than the second reaction force generated when the outer circumferential end 20a of the cleaning body 20 receives an external force toward the other axial side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Pipe cleaning robot 2 tubes 3 Foreign object 10 Robot body 11 Telescopic unit 11a Cylindrical part 12 Connecting part 13 Piping 14 Control section 15 Cover 20 Cleaning Body 20a Outer edge 20b Inner edge 21 Regulatory Body 21a Chamfered part 22 Sub-regulatory Body 22a Chamfered part 23 Rotating shaft 24 Stopper body 25 Elastic member 100 Pipe Cleaning Robot 200 Pipe Cleaning Robot O axis

Claims

1. A pipe cleaning robot comprising: a robot body having at least three telescopic units each of which expands in a radial direction and contracts in an axial direction when a fluid is supplied thereto; and a cleaning body provided on an outer periphery of the robot body so as to protrude radially outward, the telescopic units performing a peristaltic motion in a predetermined pattern, so that the robot body moves inside a pipe and the cleaning body cleans the inside of the pipe, a first reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end of the cleaning body is subjected to an external force toward one side in the axial direction is larger than a second reaction force generated when the outer peripheral end of the cleaning body is subjected to an external force toward the other side in the axial direction, The cleaning body is composed of a brush, a regulating body is attached to the robot body, the regulating body being disposed on one side of the cleaning body in the axial direction and contacting the cleaning body when an external force is applied toward the one side in the axial direction to an outer peripheral end of the cleaning body with the cleaning body in contact with the inner surface of the pipe, thereby regulating the inclination of the cleaning body to the one side in the axial direction.

2. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the cleaning bodies are provided on the robot body at intervals in the axial direction.

3. 3. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein, of a pair of cleaning bodies adjacent in the axial direction, a first reaction force generated when an outer peripheral end of the cleaning body on one side in the axial direction is subjected to an external force toward the one side in the axial direction is configured to be larger than a first reaction force generated when an outer peripheral end of the cleaning body on the other side in the axial direction is subjected to an external force toward the one side in the axial direction.

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