Self-Propelled Pipe Cleaner With Centralized Air Motor
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe cleaning apparatuses struggle to effectively clean large diameter pipes with varying diameters, as they often require adjustments in rotational speed and advance movement of nozzles, which can lead to inconsistent cleaning results and potential wheel slippage.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a single main air motor with a worm gear, driving a central hollow shaft with a sprocket, and identical off-the-shelf worm gears for driving wheels, ensuring simultaneous advance movement and maintaining constant speed ratios, regardless of pipe diameter. This setup includes a pressure wheel to prevent wheel slippage and anti-tilt guiding wheels for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual air motors are used for each driving wheel to enable expansion to different pipe diameters, then adaptability to various pipe diameters is improved, but synchronization of wheel speed and nozzle rotational speed becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual air motors into a single centralized air motor. This single motor drives both the nozzle rotation and all driving wheels through a unified mechanical transmission system, ensuring synchronized operation while maintaining adaptability to different pipe diameters through the expandable boom structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The single air motor serves multiple functions simultaneously: it powers the nozzle rotation and drives all driving wheels through the transmission system. This multi-functional design ensures consistent rotational speed for nozzles and synchronized wheel movement across various pipe diameters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the apparatus is enlarged to larger pipe diameters with elongated nozzle arms, then adaptability to larger pipes is improved, but the circumferential speed of nozzles increases causing cleaning quality to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic transmission system where the rotational speed of the nozzle is mechanically linked to the advance speed of the apparatus. As the apparatus expands to larger diameters, the transmission ratio automatically adjusts to maintain optimal circumferential speed of the nozzles, preventing excessive speed that would compromise cleaning quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission system allows parameter changes in rotational speed based on the operational configuration. When the apparatus is enlarged for larger pipes, the mechanical transmission adjusts the nozzle rotational speed parameter to maintain appropriate circumferential speed, ensuring consistent cleaning performance across different pipe diameters.
3Manufacturing precision
If rotational speed and advance speed are lowered for larger pipe diameters to maintain cleaning quality, then cleaning quality is preserved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic adjustment mechanisms that allow the apparatus to operate at optimized speeds for each specific pipe diameter. The expandable boom and adjustable transmission system enable periodic reconfiguration to match operational conditions, maintaining high cleaning quality while maximizing productivity for each diameter scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission system dynamically changes operational parameters based on the configured pipe diameter. For larger diameters, it adjusts rotational and advance speeds to maintain cleaning quality, while for smaller diameters, it allows higher speeds to maximize productivity. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between quality and speed.
4Device complexity
If a single main air motor with worm gear is used to drive all components, then synchronization and mechanical simplicity are improved, but torque requirements and bearing forces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex individual motor systems with a single air motor coupled with a worm gear mechanism. The worm gear provides mechanical advantage, reducing the torque requirements on the air motor while distributing forces through the transmission system to drive multiple components simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The worm gear acts as an intermediary mechanism between the single air motor and the multiple driven components. It transforms the air motor's rotational output into synchronized rotational and linear motion for the nozzles and driving wheels, managing torque and force distribution efficiently across the system.
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
This configuration allows for consistent and precise cleaning across various pipe diameters, maintaining the same spiral pitch on the pipe wall and ensuring effective debris removal without wheel slippage, even at larger diameters.
Implementation Method 1
one main air motor (42) which is attached to a worm gear (43), with the air motor (42) driving a hollow shaft (61)
Implementation Method 2
one main air motor (42) which is attached to a worm gear (43), with the air motor (42) driving a hollow shaft (61)
Implementation Method 3
Cleaning jets exiting rotating nozzles should remove deposits from the pipeline wall
Implementation Method 4
a pressure wheel situated between the forward and the rear driving wheels on the top of the apparatus, enough pressure is achieved at the driving wheels to prevent their slipping
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe cleaning apparatus can be used to clean and service an interior surface of a pipe. The apparatus has cleaning nozzle that spray the interior surface of the pipe as they rotate around a central axis. Drive wheels allow the apparatus to traverse the pipe in a longitudinal direction. Further, guide wheels keep the apparatus positioned within the pipe. Adjustable mechanisms allow the wheels to adapt to different size pipes. A drive shaft, air motor, and worm gears coordinate the movement of the apparatus to the speed of the cleaning nozzles, which varies depending on the diameter of the pipe.