In-pipe traveling robot
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SOLARIS INC
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure JP2025031189_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
In-pipe moving robot
[0001] The present invention relates to an in-pipe moving robot that moves inside a pipe.
[0002] For example, an in-pipe moving robot configured to move inside a meandering pipe such as an air duct for an air conditioner provided in an office building, a factory, a detached house, etc. is known. Such an in-pipe moving robot is used for various purposes such as inspection inside a pipe.
[0003] Conventionally, as such an in-pipe moving robot, it includes a plurality of expansion and contraction units that expand in the radial direction and contract in the axial direction when fluid is supplied to each of them, and is configured to move inside the pipe by the plurality of expansion and contraction units performing a peristaltic motion in a predetermined pattern (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0004] Japanese Patent Translation Publication No. 2018-69125
[0005] As such an in-pipe moving robot, there is one in which a camera is attached to the tip, and when the in-pipe moving robot moves inside the pipe, the state inside the pipe can be confirmed by the captured image of the camera.
[0006] However, in such an in-pipe moving robot, when moving inside the pipe, dirt such as dust, foreign matter, and liquid inside the pipe adheres to the camera, and there is a problem that the visibility inside the pipe through the captured image of the camera may be hindered by the dirt. In this case, it is necessary to pull out the in-pipe moving robot from the pipe, clean the dirt attached to the camera, and then move the in-pipe moving robot back to the original position inside the pipe again, and the operation is complicated.
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and its object is to provide an in-pipe moving robot capable of suppressing the inhibition of the visibility inside the pipe through the captured image of the camera due to dirt during movement inside the pipe.
[0008] The pipe-moving robot of the present invention comprises a robot body equipped with at least three expandable units, each of which expands radially and contracts axially when fluid is supplied, and is configured to move inside a pipe by the peristaltic movement of the expandable units in a predetermined pattern, and is characterized in that it comprises a camera attached to the tip of the pipe-moving robot, a transparent cover body attached to the tip and covering the camera, a nozzle having a discharge port that opens toward the outer surface of the portion of the cover body that covers the tip on the side of the camera's shooting direction, and a fluid supply source connected to the nozzle via nozzle piping and supplying fluid to the nozzle, and is configured to remove dirt adhering to the outer surface of the cover body with the fluid discharged from the discharge port.
[0009] In the above configuration, the pipe-mobile robot of the present invention further comprises: an expandable pipe connecting the fluid supply source to the expandable unit; and an exhaust valve provided in the expandable pipe, which can be switched between a state in which the fluid inside the expandable pipe is discharged to the outside of the expandable pipe through an outlet and a state in which the outlet is closed. Preferably, the nozzle pipe is connected to the outlet, so that the fluid supply source is connected to the nozzle via the expandable pipe, the exhaust valve, and the nozzle pipe.
[0010] The pipe-moving robot of the present invention, in the above configuration, further comprises an elastically deformable elastic connecting part provided between the robot body and the tip and connecting the robot body and the tip, and a pair of elastic bodies, each being annular in shape with a roughly circular or regular polygonal outer circumference centered on the axis of the tip, protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the tip and spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, wherein the cover body and the nozzle are contained within the range of a virtual spherical surface in which the outer ends of each of the pair of elastic bodies are inscribed over their entire circumference.
[0011] In the pipe-mobile robot of the present invention, it is preferable that a flat surface perpendicular to the axial direction is provided on the outer surface of the cover body, and that the field of view of the camera is set within the range of the flat surface.
[0012] In the pipe-mobile robot of the present invention, it is preferable that the discharge port is directed in a direction inclined toward the flat portion at an angle of 5 to 10 degrees with respect to the direction perpendicular to the axial direction.
[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pipe-moving robot that can suppress the obstruction of visibility of the inside of a pipe through camera images caused by dirt while moving inside the pipe.
[0014] This is a perspective view of a pipe-moving robot according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a side view of the pipe-moving robot shown in Figure 1, with a portion omitted. This is a schematic diagram showing the operating pattern of the expansion / contraction unit in the peristaltic motion of the pipe-moving robot shown in Figure 1. This is a partial cross-sectional view of the pipe-moving robot shown in Figure 1, including the tip. This is a front view of the tip shown in Figure 4. This is a cross-sectional view of the tip equipped with a nozzle according to a modified example. This is a side view of the pipe-moving robot according to the second embodiment of the present invention, with a portion omitted. This is a partial side view of the pipe-moving robot according to the third embodiment of the present invention, including the tip. This is a diagram showing the state in which the tip of the pipe-moving robot according to the third embodiment is moving along the bent portion of the pipe. (a) is a cross-sectional view and (b) is a front view of the tip according to another modified example. This is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in Figure 10.
[0015] The pipe-mobile robot of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0016] The pipe-moving robot 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, shown in Figure 1, is configured to move inside winding pipes, such as air ducts for air conditioning devices installed in office buildings, factories, detached houses, etc.
[0017] The pipe-in-pipe mobile robot 1 comprises a robot body 10, an end section 20, an elastic connection section 30, a cover body 50, a nozzle 60, and a control device C.
[0018] The robot body 10 is also called a worm-type robot or peristaltic robot, and has an elongated shape that extends along the axis O. The robot body 10 can move inside the pipe in the axial direction, that is, along the axis O. In other words, the robot body 10 can move forward inside the pipe. The robot body 10 may also be configured to move both forward and backward inside the pipe.
[0019] The robot body 10 is equipped with at least three telescopic units 11 as a drive source for moving inside the pipe. In this embodiment, the robot body 10 is equipped with seven telescopic units 11 (only four telescopic units 11 are shown in Figure 1). The number of telescopic units 11 can be changed as appropriate, as long as the robot body 10 is equipped with at least three telescopic units 11.
[0020] The expandable / contractible unit 11 is also called an artificial muscle. The expandable / contractible unit 11 has a cylindrical portion 11a formed from an elastic material such as rubber, with an axis O. Both axial ends of the cylindrical portion 11a are closed. Inside the cylindrical portion 11a, multiple fiber bundles (not shown) with high tensile strength are arranged along the axial direction. As a result, the cylindrical portion 11a can be elastically deformed to expand radially, but elastic deformation in the direction of extension in the axial direction is restricted. Therefore, when a fluid such as compressed air is supplied to the inside of the cylindrical portion 11a, the expandable / contractible unit 11 operates to expand radially while contracting axially. Also, when the fluid is discharged from the inside of the cylindrical portion 11a, the expandable / contractible unit 11 contracts radially due to the elastic force of the cylindrical portion 11a and extends axially to return to its original shape. Each expandable / contractible unit 11 can be operated individually in a predetermined pattern.
[0021] The expandable / contractible unit 11 can have various configurations, such as a so-called McKibben type in which the outside of a cylindrical elastic body is covered with sleeve-shaped woven fibers, as long as it is configured to expand radially and contract axially when fluid is supplied.
[0022] Adjacent telescopic units 11 are connected to each other axially by a connecting portion 12. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 12 is a universal joint. As a result, the robot body 10 can bend at the portion of the connecting portion 12. Therefore, when the robot body 10 moves inside a pipe, even if the pipe is curved, it can move along the curved pipe because the space between adjacent telescopic units 11 bends at the connecting portion 12.
[0023] In this embodiment, a universal joint is used as the connecting portion 12, but it is not limited to this as long as it connects adjacent telescopic units 11 in a foldable manner.
[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a fluid supply source 14 is connected to the robot body 10 via an extension pipe 13. The fluid supply source 14 is equipped with, for example, an air compressor that supplies compressed air. The fluid supply source 14 can supply fluid to the inside of the cylindrical portion 11a of the extension unit 11 in a predetermined pattern via the extension pipe 13. An exhaust valve 15 is provided in the extension pipe 13. The exhaust valve 15 is configured to be switchable between a state in which the fluid inside the extension pipe 13 is discharged to the outside of the extension pipe 13 through the outlet 15a and a state in which the outlet 15a is closed. For example, a solenoid valve can be used as the exhaust valve 15. The operation of the fluid supply source 14 and the exhaust valve 15 is controlled by the control device C.
[0025] Although Figures 1 and 2 show only one expandable pipe 13 and one exhaust valve 15 provided on the expandable pipe 13, seven expandable pipes 13 corresponding to each of the seven expandable units 11 are connected to a fluid supply source 14, and each expandable pipe 13 is provided with an exhaust valve 15, allowing the fluid supply source 14 to supply fluid to each expandable unit 11 individually in a predetermined pattern.
[0026] The robot body 10 is supplied with fluid in a predetermined pattern from a fluid supply source 14 through the telescopic piping 13 to the inside of the cylindrical portion 11a of each telescopic unit 11. Simultaneously, when the fluid supply from the fluid supply source 14 is stopped and the exhaust port 15a of the exhaust valve 15 is opened, the fluid in the cylindrical portion 11a of the telescopic unit 11 is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust port 15a, allowing the multiple telescopic units 11 to move inside the pipe in a predetermined peristaltic motion.
[0027] Figure 3 shows an example of the peristaltic motion pattern of the multiple telescopic units 11 when the in-pipe mobile robot 1 moves axially in one direction inside the pipe 2, that is, when it moves forward toward the left in Figure 3.
[0028] First, as shown in Figure 3(a), the leftmost (front) telescopic unit 11 and the second telescopic unit 11 from the left in Figure 3 are expanded radially while contracting axially. The two radially expanded telescopic units 11 each come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 over their entire circumference. As a result, the robot body 10 is held axially by the two radially expanded telescopic units 11.
[0029] Next, from the state shown in Figure 3(a), as shown in Figure 3(b), the exhaust valve 15 corresponding to the leftmost telescopic unit 11 is opened to return the leftmost telescopic unit 11 to its original shape, while the third telescopic unit 11 from the left expands radially and contracts axially. At this time, the second telescopic unit 11 from the left is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2, maintaining its axial position. As the leftmost telescopic unit 11 contracts radially and expands axially to return to its original shape, the left end (front end) of the robot body 10 moves to the left from the position shown in Figure 3(a). Also, as the third telescopic unit 11 from the left expands radially and contracts axially while the second telescopic unit 11 from the left is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2, the right end (rear end) of the robot body 10 also moves to the left from the position shown in Figure 3(a).
[0030] Next, from the state shown in Figure 3(b), as shown in Figure 3(c), the exhaust valve 15 corresponding to the second telescopic unit 11 from the left is opened, returning the second telescopic unit 11 from the left to its original shape, while the fourth telescopic unit 11 from the left expands radially and contracts axially. At this time, since the third telescopic unit 11 from the left is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 and its axial position is maintained, as the second telescopic unit 11 from the left contracts radially and expands axially to return to its original shape, the left end (front end) of the robot body 10 moves further to the left from the position shown in Figure 3(b). Also, as the fourth telescopic unit 11 from the left expands radially and contracts axially while the third telescopic unit 11 from the left is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 and its axial position is maintained, the right end (rear end) of the robot body 10 also moves further to the left from the position shown in Figure 3(b).
[0031] The same procedure is then used to operate the telescopic units 11 in the above pattern until the rightmost telescopic unit 11 is reached. Once the pattern reaches the rightmost telescopic unit 11, the process returns to the beginning and the telescopic units 11 are operated in the above pattern, as shown in Figure 3(d).
[0032] In this way, by causing the multiple telescopic units 11 to perform a peristaltic motion in the pattern described above, the robot body 10 can move forward inside the pipe 2 toward the left in Figure 3. Conversely, by operating the multiple telescopic units 11 in a pattern opposite to that shown in Figure 3, the robot body 10 can move backward inside the pipe 2 toward the right in Figure 3. In other words, the pipe-mobilizing robot 1 can move forward and backward inside the pipe 2 by having the robot body 10 perform the above movements.
[0033] The peristaltic motion pattern of the multiple telescopic units 11 in the robot body 10 is not limited to the above; other patterns are also acceptable as long as they allow the robot body 10 or the pipe-mobilizing robot 1 to move forward and backward.
[0034] As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the robot body 10 is provided with a plurality of brushes 16 spaced apart in the axial direction of the robot body 10. More specifically, a brush 16 is provided at both ends in the axial direction of each extension unit 11. Each of the plurality of brushes 16 has a substantially annular shape centered on the axis O of the robot body 10. That is, each of the plurality of brushes 16 has a configuration in which 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 around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction around the axis O. The large number of bristles constituting the brush 16 are made of a flexible and elastically deformable material, such as synthetic resin. The outer diameter of the brush 16 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the pipe 2 to which the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves. Preferably, the outer diameter of the brush 16 is the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pipe 2 to which the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves. When the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2, the brush 16 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 at its outer circumferential end.
[0035] The robot body 10 is equipped with multiple brushes 16, allowing it to move along the inside of the pipe 2 while being supported approximately in the center of the pipe 2 by the multiple brushes 16. Furthermore, the robot body 10 is equipped with multiple brushes 16, allowing it to clean the inside of the pipe 2 by collecting foreign matter (dirt) such as debris attached to the inner surface of the pipe 2 with the brushes 16 as it moves inside the pipe 2.
[0036] In this embodiment, the robot body 10 is provided with multiple brushes 16, but other members such as flange-shaped or umbrella-shaped synthetic rubber members may be provided, as long as they have a substantially annular shape centered on the axis O of the robot body 10. Alternatively, the robot body 10 may be configured without multiple brushes 16 or other members having a substantially annular shape centered on the axis O of the robot body 10.
[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tip 20 is located on the side of the robot body 10 in the direction of forward movement (left side in Figures 1 and 2), and constitutes the tip (front end) portion of the pipe-mobile robot 1 in the direction of forward movement. In other words, the pipe-mobile robot 1 moves forward inside the pipe 2 with the tip 20 at the front.
[0038] In this embodiment, the tip portion 20 is cylindrical with respect to an axis O, and a brush 21 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of its front end. The brush 21 has a substantially annular shape with respect to the axis O of the tip portion 20. That is, the brush 21 is configured such that a large number of bristles protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion 20 with respect to the axis O are arranged around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. The numerous bristles constituting the brush 21 are made of a flexible and elastically deformable material, such as synthetic resin. The outer diameter of the brush 21 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the pipe 2 that the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves through. Preferably, the outer diameter of the brush 21 is the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pipe 2 that the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves through. When the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2, the brush 21 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 at its outer circumferential end.
[0039] The tip portion 20, equipped with a brush 21, can move along the inside of the pipe 2 while being supported approximately in the center of the pipe 2 by the brush 21. Furthermore, the tip portion 20, equipped with a brush 21, can clean the inside of the pipe 2 by collecting foreign matter (dirt) such as debris attached to the inner surface of the pipe 2 with the brush 21 as it moves inside the pipe 2.
[0040] In this embodiment, a brush 21 is provided on the tip portion 20, but other members such as flange-shaped or umbrella-shaped synthetic rubber may be provided, as long as they have a substantially annular shape centered on the axis O of the tip portion 20. Alternatively, the tip portion 20 may be configured without a brush 21 or other members having a substantially annular shape centered on the axis O of the tip portion 20.
[0041] In this embodiment, an elastic connecting portion 30 is provided between the robot body 10 and the tip portion 20, connecting the robot body 10 and the tip portion 20. The elastic connecting portion 30 is composed of a compression coil spring extending along the axis O. The elastic connecting portion 30 can be elastically deformed to contract along the axis O. Furthermore, the elastic connecting portion 30 can be flexibly elastically deformed to curve relative to the axis O. Therefore, when the tip portion 20 reaches a bent portion of the pipe 2, the elastic connecting portion 30 elastically deforms to curve relative to the axis O, allowing the tip portion 20 to bend in the direction along the bent portion.
[0042] Furthermore, the elastic connecting portion 30 is not limited to the compression coil spring described above, but may be any other material, such as a rubber tube, that is provided between the robot body 10 and the tip portion 20 to connect them and is elastically deformable to curve with respect to the axis O between the robot body 10 and the tip portion 20. In addition, the pipe-mobilizing robot 1 may have a configuration in which the elastic connecting portion 30 is not provided between the robot body 10 and the tip portion 20, with the tip portion 20 directly connected to the robot body 10, or a configuration in which the tip portion 20 is integrally provided at the front end of the robot body 10.
[0043] As shown in Figure 4, a camera 40 is attached to the tip portion 20. The camera 40 is, for example, a CCD camera that outputs captured images (videos) as digital information. In this embodiment, the camera 40 has a cylindrical outer shape and is positioned inside the tip portion 20 with its tip facing forward in the shooting direction and coaxial with the axis O. In this embodiment, a part of the tip of the camera 40 on the shooting direction side protrudes forward from the front end of the tip portion 20. The camera 40 is connected via wiring 41 to a display device 42, such as a monitor, installed outside the pipe 2. The camera 40 is pointed forward, so that when the pipe-in-pipe mobile robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2, it can photograph the inside of the pipe 2 on the front side of the tip portion 20. With such a camera 40 provided, when the pipe-in-pipe mobile robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2, it can check the state of the inside of the pipe 2 by looking at the image captured by the camera 40 displayed on the display device 42.
[0044] A transparent cover body 50 that covers the camera 40 is attached to the tip portion 20. More specifically, the cover body 50 is attached to the front end of the tip portion 20 and covers the tip on the imaging direction side of the camera 40. That is, the camera 40 is configured to image the inside of the tube 2 through the transparent cover body 50. In the present embodiment, the cover body 50 is formed as an integral body without joints by a transparent material or member having a transparency that does not deteriorate the resolution of the captured image of the camera 40. The cover body 50 may be an injection molded product using a transparent synthetic resin material, or may be cut out from a transparent member.
[0045] In the present embodiment, a flat planar portion 51 perpendicular to the axial direction (direction parallel to the axis O) is provided at a portion of the outer surface of the cover body 50 that covers the tip on the imaging direction side of the camera 40. The portion on the outer peripheral side of the cover body 50 rather than the planar portion 51 is a curved curved portion 52. There is no joint between the planar portion 51 and the curved portion 52, and they are smoothly continuous. As shown in FIG. 5, the planar portion 51 is circular with the axis O as the center, and its outer diameter is larger than the angular field 43 of the camera 40 at the position where the planar portion 51 is provided. That is, the angular field 43 at the position where the planar portion 51 is provided of the camera 40 is set within the range of the planar portion 51, and thus, the camera 40 is configured to image the inside of the tube 2 only through the portion of the planar portion 51 of the cover body 50. As shown in FIG. 4, the back surface 53 of the cover body 50 that faces the camera 40 on the back side of the planar portion 51 is also a flat surface parallel to the planar portion 51. Therefore, the captured image of the camera 40 is displayed on the display device 42 without being distorted as the cover body 50 acts like a lens.
[0046] Note that the cover body 50 is not limited to the above configuration as long as it is a transparent one attached to the tip portion 20 and covers the camera 40, and may have various configurations or shapes. For example, the cover body 50 may have a configuration in which a slightly curved curved surface is provided at a portion of the outer surface that covers the tip on the imaging direction side of the camera 40 instead of the planar portion 51.
[0047] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a nozzle 60 is provided at the tip portion 20. The nozzle 60 has a discharge port 61 that opens toward a flat portion 51 which is an outer surface of the cover body 50. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the nozzle 60 is connected to a fluid supply source 14 via a nozzle pipe 62, and a fluid such as compressed air is supplied from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 via the nozzle pipe 62. When the fluid is supplied from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 via the nozzle pipe 62, the fluid is discharged from the discharge port 61 toward the flat portion 51 of the cover body 50.
[0048] In this embodiment, the fluid is also supplied to the nozzle 60 using the fluid supply source 14 that supplies the fluid to the expansion and contraction unit 11. Thereby, the configuration of the in-pipe moving robot 1 can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Note that a separate fluid supply source may be provided in addition to the fluid supply source 14 that supplies the fluid to the expansion and contraction unit 11, and the fluid may be supplied from the separate fluid supply source to the nozzle 60 via the nozzle pipe 62.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the nozzle 60 is formed separately from the cover body 50 by a metal such as a steel material and is attached to the cover body 50. The nozzle 60 straddles the flat portion 51 and the curved portion 52 of the cover body 50 and has a shape that extends in an arc around the axis O, and a part of it projects axially from the flat portion 51 and the curved portion 52. The discharge port 61 is provided in a portion that projects axially from the flat portion 51 and the curved portion 52 of the nozzle 60 and opens toward the radially inner side around the axis O. By configuring the nozzle 60 as a rigid body made of metal, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 60 from colliding with the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 2 and being damaged when the in-pipe moving robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2.
[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the nozzle 60 is positioned on the side of the flat surface 51 where the aspect ratio of the camera's field of view 43 is larger. That is, the camera's field of view 43 on the flat surface 51 has a rectangular shape with a short side 43a and a long side 43b that is longer than the short side 43a, and the nozzle 60 is positioned adjacent to the long side 43b so as to be on the opposite side of the axis O with the long side 43b in between. This makes it possible to set the camera's field of view 43 on the flat surface 51 to the required size while efficiently providing the nozzle 60 in the cover body 50.
[0051] The nozzle 60 is not limited to the above configuration, as long as it has a discharge port 61 that opens toward the outer surface of the cover body 50. It may have various configurations, such as one that is integrally formed with the cover body 50.
[0052] In this embodiment, the pipe-moving robot 1 has a nozzle 60 and a fluid supply source 14. As it moves inside the pipe 2, even if dust, foreign matter, liquid, or other contaminants inside the pipe 2 adhere to the cover body 50 that covers the camera 40, the fluid supply source 14 supplies fluid to the nozzle 60 via the nozzle piping 62, and the fluid is discharged from the discharge port 61 toward the flat surface 51 of the cover body 50. The pressure (dynamic pressure) of the fluid discharged from the discharge port 61 blows away the contaminants adhering to the cover body 50, thereby removing them from the cover body 50.
[0053] The supply of fluid from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 via the nozzle piping 62 may be configured such that the control device C controls the operation of the fluid supply source 14 to continuously supply fluid from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 while the pipe-moving robot 1 is moving inside the pipe 2, or to supply fluid from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 at predetermined intervals, or to supply fluid from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 when it is detected that dirt has adhered to the cover body 50. Alternatively, a fluid supply switch may be provided, and the system may be configured so that fluid is supplied from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 by manually operating this switch.
[0054] As described above, in the pipe-moving robot 1 according to this embodiment, a camera 40 is attached to the tip 20 of the robot body 10. A transparent cover body 50 is attached to the tip 20 to cover the camera 40, a nozzle 60 has a discharge port 61 that opens toward the outer surface of the cover body 50, and a fluid supply source 14 is connected to the nozzle 60 via nozzle piping 62 to supply fluid to the nozzle 60. Therefore, even if dirt adheres to the cover body 50 while moving inside the pipe 2, this dirt can be removed by the pressure of the fluid discharged from the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60, thereby preventing the visibility of the inside of the pipe 2 through the image captured by the camera 40 from being obstructed by the dirt.
[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a flat surface 51 perpendicular to the axial direction is provided on the outer surface of the cover body 50, and the field of view 43 of the camera 40 is set within the range of the flat surface 51. This allows the fluid discharged from the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60 to effectively remove dirt from the flat surface 51. In other words, the flat surface 51 where the field of view 43 of the camera 40 is set is a flat surface without seams or grooves, and does not have parts where dirt tends to accumulate, such as grooves that cause capillary action. Therefore, the fluid discharged from the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60 can effectively remove dirt within the field of view 43 of the camera 40. This further effectively suppresses the obstruction of visibility inside the tube 2 through the image captured by the camera 40 due to dirt.
[0056] The nozzle 60 can be configured such that the discharge port 61 is directed toward the flat portion 51, that is, in a downward-sloping direction.
[0057] In this case, as shown in Figure 6 as a modified example, it is preferable that the nozzle 60 is configured such that the discharge port 61 is directed in a direction D2 that is inclined toward the planar portion 51 at an angle of 5 to 10 degrees with respect to a direction D1 perpendicular to the axial direction (the direction along the axis O). In Figure 6, direction D2 indicates a direction inclined toward the planar portion 51 at an angle of 7.5 degrees with respect to direction D1. The direction of the discharge port 61 is the direction in which the fluid is discharged from the discharge port 61, and is the direction along the central axis of the discharge port 61. With this configuration, the nozzle 60 is positioned outside the field of view 43 of the camera 40, while the fluid discharged from the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60 is more effectively sprayed onto the planar portion 51 where the field of view 43 of the camera 40 is set, thereby more effectively removing dirt within the field of view 43 of the camera 40. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively suppress the obstruction of visibility inside the pipe 2 through the image captured by the camera 40 due to dirt.
[0058] Next, a pipe-in-route robot 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 7. In Figure 7, the same reference numerals are used for members or parts corresponding to those described above.
[0059] The pipe-mounted mobile robot 100 according to the second embodiment differs from the pipe-mounted mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment in the connection structure of the nozzle piping 62 between the fluid supply source 14 and the nozzle 60. The configuration of other parts of the pipe-mounted mobile robot 100 according to the second embodiment, such as the robot body 10 and the elastic connection part 30, is basically the same as that of the pipe-mounted mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment.
[0060] As shown in Figure 7, in the pipe-moving robot 100 according to the second embodiment, the nozzle piping 62 connecting the fluid supply source 14 and the nozzle 60 is connected to the outlet 15a of the exhaust valve 15 provided in the telescopic piping 13 connecting the telescopic unit 11 and the fluid supply source 14. That is, in the pipe-moving robot 100 according to the second embodiment, the fluid supply source 14 is connected to the nozzle 60 via the telescopic piping 13, the exhaust valve 15, and the nozzle piping 62. Therefore, when the pipe-moving robot 1 is moved inside the pipe 2 by supplying fluid from the fluid supply source 14 to a plurality of telescopic units 11 of the robot body 10 via the telescopic piping 13 in a predetermined pattern, the outlet 15a of the exhaust valve 15 of the telescopic piping 13, from which the fluid supply has been stopped, is opened and the fluid inside the cylindrical part 11a of the telescopic unit 11 is exhausted to the outside through the outlet 15a, and this fluid is supplied to the nozzle 60 via the nozzle piping 62. As a result, while the in-pipe mobile robot 1 is moving inside the pipe 2, fluid from the fluid supply source 14 will be continuously supplied to the nozzle 60 intermittently each time the exhaust port 15a of the exhaust valve 15 is opened.
[0061] In Figure 7, the nozzle piping 62 is connected to the outlet 15a of one exhaust valve 15 provided on one telescopic pipe 13. However, the nozzle piping 62 may be connected in parallel to all of the outlets 15a of the seven exhaust valves 15 provided on the seven telescopic pipes 13 corresponding to the seven telescopic units 11, or the nozzle piping 62 may be connected to any one or more of the outlets 15a of the seven exhaust valves 15.
[0062] As described above, in the pipe-mounted mobile robot 100 according to the second embodiment, the nozzle piping 62 is connected to the outlet 15a, and the fluid supply source 14 is connected to the nozzle 60 via the extension piping 13, exhaust valve 15, and nozzle piping 62. Therefore, without providing dedicated piping to directly connect the fluid supply source 14 and the nozzle 60, fluid can be supplied to the nozzle 60 using the fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 14 to the extension unit 11. Furthermore, fluid can be supplied from the fluid supply source 14 to the nozzle 60 without the control device C controlling the fluid supply source 14 for supplying fluid to the nozzle 60. This simplifies the configuration of the pipe-mounted mobile robot 100 and reduces manufacturing costs.
[0063] Next, a pipe-in-pipe mobile robot 200 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described based on Figures 8 and 9. In Figures 8 and 9, the same reference numerals are used for members or parts corresponding to those described above.
[0064] The pipe-in-mobile robot 200 according to the third embodiment differs in the configuration of its tip section 20 from that of the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment. The configuration of the other parts of the pipe-in-mobile robot 100 according to the second embodiment, such as the robot body 10 and the elastic connection section 30, is basically the same as that of the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment.
[0065] In the pipe-moving robot 200 according to the third embodiment shown in Figure 8, a pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are provided at the tip 20. The pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are each configured as an annular shape with a roughly circular or polygonal outer circumference centered on the axis O, protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the tip 20 and arranged with an axial gap between them. In this embodiment, the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are each annular (annular with a circular outer circumference) centered on the axis O. The front elastic body 22 is positioned at the front end of the tip 20, and the rear elastic body 23 is positioned a predetermined distance behind the front elastic body 22. The axial gap between the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 can be appropriately set according to the size of the pipe 2 to be moved, the curvature of the bent portion of the pipe 2, etc. The pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are each elastically deformable in the axial direction and radially around the axis O.
[0066] The pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are, for example, annular brushes with the same configuration as the brush 21 provided on the tip 20 of the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment. That is, the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 each have a number of bristles that protrude radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tip 20 around the axis O, and these bristles are arranged around the entire circumference of the circumferential direction around the axis O. The number of bristles constituting the elastic bodies 22 and 23 are made of a flexible and elastically deformable material, such as synthetic resin. The outer diameter of the elastic bodies 22 and 23 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the pipe 2 that the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves through. Preferably, the outer diameter of the elastic bodies 22 and 23 is the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pipe 2 that the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves through. When the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 moves inside the pipe 2, the elastic bodies 22 and 23 come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2 at their outer circumferential ends 22a and 23a.
[0067] The tip portion 20, the cover body 50 and the nozzle 60 are configured to be contained within a virtual sphere 24 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 8) in which the outer peripheral ends 22a and 23a of a pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are inscribed over their entire circumference. The virtual sphere 24 is a sphere inscribed by the outer peripheral ends 22a and 23a of a pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23, with its center point being point 24a on the axis O at the central position between the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23, which are spaced apart along the axis O. The cover body 50 and the nozzle 60 are entirely located inside the virtual sphere 24 without protruding outside of it.
[0068] In the pipe-moving robot 200 according to the third embodiment having such a configuration, the tip portion 20 is provided with a pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 spaced apart in the axial direction, so that when moving inside the pipe 2, it can move along the pipe 2 while being supported by the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 at approximately the center of the pipe 2. Furthermore, for example as shown in Figure 9, when the tip portion 20 moves through a bent portion 2b provided between the straight portions 2a of the pipe 2, it moves forward while rotating around a point 24a which is the center of the virtual sphere 24. By ensuring that the cover body 50 and nozzle 60 are within the range of the virtual sphere 24, it is possible to make it difficult for the cover body 50 and nozzle 60 to come into contact with the inner surface of the bent portion 2b of the pipe 2 when the tip portion 20 moves through the bent portion 2b of the pipe 2. As a result, even if there is a step 2c at the connection point between the straight portion 2a and the bent portion 2b of the pipe 2, the cover body 50 and nozzle 60 will not get caught on the step 2c, and the tip portion 20 can smoothly pass through the bent portion 2b of the pipe 2. Furthermore, since the cover body 50 and nozzle 60 can be prevented from strongly contacting the inner surface of the bent portion 2b of the pipe 2, when the tip portion 20 moves along the bent portion 2b of the pipe 2, the transparent cover body 50 is prevented from being rubbed against and scratched by the inner surface of the bent portion 2b, and the camera 40 positioned inside the cover body 50 can take clearer images of the inside of the pipe 2.
[0069] In the third embodiment, the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are annular in shape with respect to the axis O, but are not limited to this. As long as the tip portion 20 can be supported approximately in the center of the pipe 2, they may be configured as a roughly annular shape, such as a D shape with a small portion of the outer circumference cut off, or as an annular shape with a regular polygonal outer circumference. Also, in the third embodiment, the pair of elastic bodies 22 and 23 are not limited to brushes. As long as they have an annular shape with respect to the axis O of the tip portion 20, they may be made of other materials or configurations, such as flange-shaped or umbrella-shaped synthetic rubber, or other annular and elastically deformable members.
[0070] Next, a pipe-in-robot 300 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described based on Figures 10 and 11. In Figures 10 and 11, the same reference numerals are used to denote the members or parts corresponding to those described above.
[0071] The pipe-in-mobile robot 300 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the tip portion 20 and the cover body 50. The configuration of other parts of the pipe-in-mobile robot 300 according to the fourth embodiment, such as the robot body 10 and the elastic connection portion 30, is basically the same as that of the pipe-in-mobile robot 1 according to the first embodiment.
[0072] As shown in Figure 10(a), in the pipe-in-robot 300 according to the fourth embodiment, a lighting device 25 is provided at the tip 20. The lighting device 25 is connected to a power source (not shown) via wiring 25a. The lighting device 25 is mounted on the tip 20 facing forward and can illuminate the inside of the pipe 2 that the camera 40 photographs. For example, an LED light can be used as the lighting device 25.
[0073] Thus, in the pipe-mobile robot 300 according to the fourth embodiment, a lighting device 25 is provided at the tip 20, so that the camera 40 can clearly photograph the inside of the dark pipe.
[0074] As shown in Figure 10(b), in this embodiment, multiple lighting devices 25 are provided around the camera 40 of the tip portion 20 at intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis O. More specifically, five lighting devices 25 and one nozzle 60 are provided around the camera 40 of the tip portion 20 at intervals of 60 degrees in the circumferential direction around the axis O. The five lighting devices 25 are covered by a cover body 50. More specifically, a portion of the tip side of the five lighting devices 25 protrudes forward from the front end of the tip portion 20, and these protruding portions are fitted into recesses provided in the cover body 50.
[0075] With this configuration, the light emitted by the multiple lighting devices 25 illuminates the inside of the tube 2 more uniformly, allowing the camera 40 to capture clearer images of the dark inside of the tube 2. Furthermore, since the nozzle 60 can be positioned to avoid the required illumination range of the multiple lighting devices 25, it is possible to ensure the cleaning performance of the cover body 50 by the nozzle 60 while arranging multiple lighting devices 25 at the tip 20.
[0076] The number and arrangement of the lighting devices 25 provided at the tip 20 are not limited to those described above and can be changed as appropriate.
[0077] As shown in Figure 11, in the pipe-mounted mobile robot 300 according to the fourth embodiment, the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60 has a shape in which the ratio of height H to width W (H:W) is in the range of 1:3 to 5. In this embodiment, the shape of the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60 has a shape in which the ratio of height H to width W is 1:4. The opening area of the discharge port 61 can be appropriately set based on the required injection pressure that allows the fluid to clean the flat surface 51 of the cover body 50.
[0078] With this configuration, the fluid can be sprayed from the discharge port 61 of the nozzle 60 toward the flat surface 51 of the cover body 50 to the required area with the required spray pressure, thereby effectively removing dirt adhering to the cover body 50.
[0079] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[0080] For example, the fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 14 to the telescopic unit 11 and nozzle 60 is not limited to compressed air, but may be other liquids such as water or cleaning solution, or other gases such as nitrogen. If nitrogen is used as the fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 14 to the telescopic unit 11 and nozzle 60, the explosion-proof performance inside the pipe 2 through which the pipe-mobile robot 1 moves can be improved.
[0081] 1 Pipe-mounted robot 2 Pipe 2a Straight section 2b Bent section 2c Step 10 Robot body 11 Telescopic unit 11a Cylindrical section 12 Connecting section 13 Telescopic piping 14 Fluid supply source 15 Exhaust valve 15a Outlet 16 Brush 20 Tip section 21 Brush 22 Elastic body 22a Outer edge 23 Elastic body 23a Outer edge 24 Virtual sphere 24a Point 25 Lighting device 25a Wiring 30 Elastic connection section 40 Camera 41 Wiring 42 Display device 43 Field of view 43a Short side 43b Long side 50 Cover body 51 Flat section 52 Curved section 53 Back side 60 Nozzle 61 Outlet 62 Nozzle piping 100 Pipe-mounted robot 200 Pipe-mounted mobile robot 300 Pipe-mounted mobile robot O Axis C Control device D1 Direction D2 Direction H Height W Width
Claims
1. A pipe-mobile robot comprising a robot body having at least three expandable units, each of which expands radially and contracts axially when fluid is supplied, and configured to move inside a pipe by the peristaltic movement of the expandable units in a predetermined pattern, wherein the pipe-mobile robot comprises: a camera attached to the tip of the pipe-mobile robot; a transparent cover body attached to the tip and covering the camera; a nozzle having a discharge port that opens toward the outer surface of the portion of the cover body that covers the tip on the side facing the camera's shooting direction; and a fluid supply source connected to the nozzle via nozzle piping and supplying fluid to the nozzle, wherein the pipe-mobile robot is configured to remove dirt adhering to the outer surface of the cover body with the fluid discharged from the discharge port.
2. The pipe-operated mobile robot according to claim 1, further comprising: an expandable pipe connecting the fluid supply source to the expandable unit; and an exhaust valve provided in the expandable pipe, which can be switched between a state in which the fluid inside the expandable pipe is discharged to the outside of the expandable pipe through an outlet and a state in which the outlet is closed, wherein the nozzle pipe is connected to the outlet, so that the fluid supply source is connected to the nozzle via the expandable pipe, the exhaust valve and the nozzle pipe.
3. The pipe-in-pipe mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: an elastically deformable elastic connecting portion provided between the robot body and the tip portion, connecting the robot body and the tip portion; and a pair of elastic bodies, each annular in shape with a roughly circular or regular polygonal outer circumference centered on the axis of the tip portion, projecting radially outward from the outer surface of the tip portion and spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, wherein the cover body and the nozzle are contained within the range of a virtual sphere in which the outer ends of each of the pair of elastic bodies are inscribed over their entire circumference.
4. The pipe-in-pipe mobile robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a flat plane portion perpendicular to the axial direction is provided on the outer surface of the cover body, and the field of view of the camera is set to be within the range of the flat plane portion.
5. The pipe-in-machine robot according to claim 4, wherein the discharge port is directed in a direction inclined toward the flat portion at an angle of 5 to 10 degrees with respect to the direction perpendicular to the axial direction.