Articulated Pipe Inspection Robot for Bends and Branch Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe interior inspection robots face challenges in navigating through pipes with bends and branches due to issues with wheel spacing and gripping stability, particularly when the pipe diameter is smaller than the distance between wheel units, leading to difficulties in insertion and accurate positioning for inspection.
Innovation Solution
A pipe interior inspection robot with a moving mechanism featuring three sets of wheel units connected by adjustable arms and joints that allow for flexible rotation and locking, enabling the robot to grip and move within pipes of varying diameters, including those smaller than the wheel unit spacing, by using a bending force mechanism and ultrasonic sensors for condition evaluation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the distance between wheel units is increased to enable insertion from pipe base, then the device can be inserted into pipe header, but the opening angle between wheel axles becomes excessively small causing unstable traveling and gripping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the arm connecting the wheel units rotatable around a pitch shaft, allowing the opening angle between wheel axles to dynamically adjust. This enables the system to maintain both sufficient insertion capability (larger arm distance) and stable gripping (adjustable opening angle) by adapting the configuration to different pipe conditions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the device structure is simplified to achieve dustproof and waterproof properties, then ease of manufacture improves, but the ability to navigate bends and branches may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the device into modular components: wheel units, arms with joints, and inspection device. This modular structure simplifies manufacturing and assembly while maintaining the ability to navigate complex pipe geometries through the articulated joints, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulated arms with rotatable joints provide dynamic adaptability to navigate bends and branches while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The joints allow the device to conform to pipe geometry without requiring complex control systems or additional components.
3Reliability
If the wheel units are positioned closer together to improve gripping angle, then stable traveling is achieved, but the device cannot be inserted from pipe base when pipe diameter is small
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable arm connecting wheel units provides dynamic adjustment capability, allowing the system to optimize both insertion depth and gripping angle based on pipe dimensions. The arm can be positioned at different angles to accommodate various pipe diameters while maintaining stable wheel contact with the pipe wall.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a pipe interior inspection robot that has characteristics of having an extremely simple device structure to easily achieve dustproof and waterproof properties, being able to pass through a pipe bent in any direction, and enabling the selection of the advancing direction. A pipe interior inspection robot for inspecting the inside of a pipe branched from a pipe header, the robot including: 1) a moving means having a structure capable of being introduced from a pipe base, which is an inlet of the pipe header, and capable of moving in the pipe header and being fixed to a pipe wall inside the pipe header at a desired position; 2) a mechanism for specifying a position of a pipe to be inspected; and 3) a mechanism for inspecting a condition inside the pipe to be inspected.