Expandable Tunneling Body Assembly for Adaptive Underground Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tunneling devices face challenges in navigating through underground locations with varying conditions and obstacles due to limited ability to detect and adapt to environmental characteristics, affecting their operation and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A tunneling device with a body assembly comprising expandable sections and sensors that adjust size and shape based on environmental parameters, using a controller to determine and adapt to environmental characteristics for efficient navigation and tunnel formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the tunneling device uses a fixed configuration body assembly, then the device structure is simple, but the device cannot adapt to varying environmental conditions and obstacles in underground locations
Solution Approach 1:
The body assembly is designed with expandable and contractable sections that can dynamically change their size and configuration in response to environmental conditions. The sections are actuated by pressurized fluid delivered through fluid lines, allowing the body assembly to adapt its shape and dimensions to navigate through varying underground conditions and obstacles.
Solution Approach 2:
The body assembly is divided into multiple sections that can independently expand and contract. Each section can be controlled separately, allowing localized adaptation to environmental conditions while maintaining overall structural integrity. This segmentation enables the device to navigate complex underground environments by adjusting individual sections as needed.
2Loss of information
If the tunneling device has limited sensor capability, then the device complexity is reduced, but the device cannot detect environmental characteristics to optimize operation
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors are integrated into the body assembly to detect environmental characteristics such as soil type, density, and moisture content. The collected data is fed back to a controller that adjusts the expansion and contraction of body assembly sections in real-time, optimizing the tunneling operation based on actual environmental conditions encountered during travel.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the body assembly sections are made rigid for structural strength, then the device can withstand high forces, but the device cannot dynamically adjust size to navigate obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The body assembly sections utilize flexible yet strong materials that can withstand high forces while allowing dynamic expansion and contraction. The flexible shell structure maintains structural integrity during forceful operations while enabling the sections to change size for navigating obstacles and adapting to environmental conditions.
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 efficient tunneling through challenging underground environments by dynamically adjusting the device's configuration and operation based on real-time environmental data, enhancing navigation and tunnel formation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
when a pressurized fluid is delivered to the body assembly through the fluid line
Implementation Method 2
The body assembly includes a first section and a second section coupled to the first section that are configured to selectively adjust their size and move the body assembly through an underground location when a pressurized fluid is delivered to the body assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A system for use in navigating and/or forming a tunnel includes a tunneling device including a body assembly and a fluid line coupled to the body assembly. The body assembly includes a first section and a second section that are configured to selectively adjust their size and move the body assembly through an underground location when a pressurized fluid is delivered to the body assembly through the fluid line. The system further includes at least one sensor coupled to the body assembly and/or the fluid line. The at least one sensor is configured to provide information related to an operating parameter of at least one of the first section of the body assembly or the second section of the body assembly. The system also includes a controller configured to determine an environmental characteristic of the tunnel based on the information provided by the at least one sensor.