Pipeline Inspection Imaging With Radial Lighting for Remote Pipe Surveys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Human inspection of utility pipes is costly and time-consuming due to limited access points, need for fluid drainage, and steep inclinations, making it inefficient for regular maintenance and leak detection.
Innovation Solution
A pipeline inspection system comprising a body with cameras, support members, and light sources that can be inserted into pipes to capture interior images and facilitate movement, allowing for electronic recording and remote viewing of pipe conditions without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human inspection is used to examine pipe interiors, then detailed visual assessment can be obtained, but inspection cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cameras to create visual copies (images and videos) of the pipe interior, replacing the need for human inspectors to physically examine the pipe. The imaging system captures the pipe condition and transmits it to remote locations for analysis, eliminating time-consuming human presence while maintaining assessment quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human physical inspection with an automated imaging system. Cameras, light sources, and transmission equipment substitute for human senses and manual examination processes, enabling rapid data collection without human time investment
2Measurement precision
If human inspection is used to examine pipe interiors, then direct observation is possible, but inspection cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system creates visual replicas of the pipe interior that can be analyzed remotely, eliminating the need for expensive human inspection services. The one-time investment in imaging equipment provides reusable capability for multiple inspections
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service inspection where the pipe inspection process becomes autonomous. The imaging system operates independently without requiring human inspectors, reducing labor costs and making the inspection process more economically efficient
3Reliability
If access points are limited for human inspection, then pipe security is maintained, but inspection accessibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inspection function from the physical pipe environment. Instead of requiring human access through limited openings, the imaging system is introduced into the pipe and transmits data back through the same limited access points, maintaining security while enabling comprehensive inspection
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system acts as an intermediary between the pipe interior and external inspectors. It bridges the gap by capturing images inside the pipe and transmitting them externally, allowing inspection without physical human access to the pipe interior
4Illumination intensity
If fluid drainage is required for inspection, then visibility improves, but inspection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing illumination directly at the inspection location within the pipe. Light sources are positioned with the cameras to illuminate specific areas of interest, enabling visibility without requiring complete drainage of the pipe system
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system serves as an intermediary that enables visibility in fluid environments. Cameras and light sources work together to penetrate and illuminate through or alongside fluids, eliminating the need for drainage while maintaining inspection capability
Data Source
AI summary
A pipeline inspection system is described. The system comprises a body, cameras, support members, and light sources. The cameras are coupled to the body and configured to obtain image information related to an interior surface of the pipe. The support members extend away from the body in a radial direction to contact the interior surface of the pipe and support the body. An individual support member has a first end coupled to the body, and a second end configured to contact the interior surface of the pipe. The light sources are configured to light the interior surface of the pipe. They are coupled to the support members at or near the second end such that the light sources are located in one or more radial positions near the interior surface of the pipe, separated from the one or more cameras and the body by the one or more support members.