Flexible Pipe Cleaning Element with Elastic Wire Coils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe cleaning tools are not optimized for removing deposits inside pipes and penetrating corrosion cavities, often leading to fatigue and breakage due to excessive flexibility, and fail to perform in-depth cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A pipe cleaning element with flexible cleaning members made of metal wire, featuring a unique winding configuration and acute angle design, allowing for optimal elastic deformation and reduced fatigue zones, along with a hollow cylinder support with orifices for fixing cleaning members, enabling effective scraping and elimination of deposits within and beyond the pipe's nominal diameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cleaning members are made more flexible to adapt to pipe internal diameter, then adaptability to varying pipe diameters is improved, but fatigue and breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the flexibility characteristics of cleaning members through controlled elongation (10-50%) and specific geometric parameters (diameter 1-5mm, length 10-50mm). These parameter optimizations allow the cleaning members to adapt to different pipe diameters while maintaining sufficient strength to avoid fatigue and breakage, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
2Productivity
If cleaning members are made more rigid to improve deposit removal capacity, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but ability to penetrate corrosion cavities and adapt to pipe shape is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating cleaning members with non-uniform structural characteristics - specifically with elongated portions and varying cross-sections along their length. This allows different zones of the cleaning member to have different flexibility characteristics, enabling the tip to penetrate corrosion cavities while maintaining sufficient rigidity in other portions for effective deposit removal, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cleaning members have high flexibility to follow pipe contours, then adaptability to pipe shape is improved, but cleaning effectiveness on surface deposits is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing cleaning members that can dynamically adjust their flexibility characteristics during operation. The elongated cleaning members with specific geometric parameters can bend and conform to pipe contours while maintaining sufficient stiffness to effectively scrape surface deposits, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability to pipe shape and cleaning effectiveness.
4Reliability
If cleaning tools use traditional cup design for sealing, then sealing function is improved, but ability to perform in-depth cleaning of corrosion cavities is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by replacing the traditional single-cup design with multiple distributed cleaning members attached to the support structure. This segmentation allows the cleaning system to simultaneously maintain sealing function through the cups while enabling in-depth cleaning of corrosion cavities through the elongated, flexible cleaning members that can reach into cavities, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing function and in-depth cleaning capability.
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
The cleaning element efficiently removes deposits inside pipes, including those in cavities, with improved adaptability to varying pipe diameters and shapes, reducing the risk of fatigue and maintaining cleaning effectiveness, while allowing for easy maintenance and replacement of wear parts.
Implementation Method 1
The flexibility of the cleaning members is such that it allows them to adapt to the internal diameter of the pipe so as to perform the function of scraping the internal wall of said pipe
Implementation Method 2
The cleaning members have an articulated end mounted on the support and a free end elastically constrained on the inner wall of the pipe by means of a separate spring articulated on the support
Implementation Method 3
The fluid pressure differential between the upstream and downstream of the module comprising the circular cup, makes it possible to advance said cleaning tool in the pipe
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
AI summary
The element has a support (1) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) and possessing dimensions to allow insertion of the element into a conduit. Cleaning units (5) are fixed on the support, where the units remove deposits covering an interior wall of the conduit by mechanical action. The units are flexible, and include a fixing end (7) and a free end (8). The fixing end is fixed on the support, and the free end is elastically stressed on the deposits/on the wall. Each cleaning unit has a coil (11) in vicinity of the fixing end, where the coil possesses elastic deformation properties.