Adaptive Pipe Cleaning Chains for Variable Diameter Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe cleaning devices are inefficient for pipes with varying diameters, as they require different devices and lengths of chains, making it difficult to navigate through smaller pipes to reach larger ones due to accumulated chain length, which increases the tool's diameter.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a non-rotating forward end sleeve and a spring mechanism around a flexible shaft, allowing the forward end sleeve to move along the shaft and compress when rotated, extending the chains for larger diameters and retracting for smaller diameters, enabling adaptation to various pipe sizes through adjustable rotation speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If longer chains are used to clean larger diameter pipes, then cleaning effectiveness for large pipes is improved, but the tool diameter increases making it impossible to pass through smaller pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The chain length is made dynamic through a telescopic mechanism that allows the chains to extend to longer lengths when cleaning large diameter pipes and retract to shorter lengths when passing through smaller pipes. This enables the same tool to adapt to different pipe diameters without requiring multiple different tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic mechanism allows the chains to be nested within each other when not in use, with longer chains containing shorter chains. This nesting arrangement minimizes the tool's diameter when passing through smaller pipes while still providing the capability to extend to the necessary length for cleaning larger pipes.
2Productivity
If the cleaning device is designed for large diameter pipes, then cleaning efficiency for large pipes is improved, but it cannot be pushed through smaller diameter pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic chain mechanism allows the tool to dynamically adjust its dimensions. When passing through smaller pipes, the chains are retracted to minimize the tool's cross-sectional diameter, making insertion easy. When cleaning large diameter pipes, the chains extend to provide full contact with the pipe wall, ensuring high cleaning efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If different cleaning devices are used for different pipe diameters, then cleaning precision for each pipe size is improved, but device complexity and the need for multiple tools increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple pipe diameters. The telescopic chain mechanism allows a single device to perform the cleaning function across a range of pipe sizes, eliminating the need to maintain multiple different cleaning devices for different pipe diameters while preserving cleaning precision through proper chain extension.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective cleaning of pipes with varying diameters by minimizing the tool's diameter when not in use and expanding as needed, allowing easy insertion and removal without modifying the device, while maintaining effective contact with the pipe's inner surface.
Implementation Method 1
a spring around the flexible shaft between the rear end sleeve and the forward end sleeve
Implementation Method 2
the spring between the forward end sleeve and the rear end sleeve compresses and resists the movement of the forward end sleeve
Implementation Method 3
Rotation of the cleaning device exerts a force on the chains in a direction perpendicular to the flexible shaft thereby extending the diameter of the tool
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning the inner surface of pipes. The cleaning device (100) comprises two sleeves (20, 30) on a flexible shaft (15) and chains extending between the sleeves. A forward end sleeve (20) is not attached to the shaft (15) and is biased by a spring (40) on the shaft (15). The cleaning device can be adapted to different pipe sizes by altering rotation speed of the cleaning device. High rotation speed compresses the spring and moves the chains further away from the shaft to enable cleaning of larger diameter pipes with the cleaning device.