Resilient Bristle Head Cleaning Tool for Pipe Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe cleaning brushes face challenges in navigating different pipe sizes, obstacles like seam weld lines and debris, and require complex disassembly for maintenance, leading to potential jamming and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning tool with resiliently outwardly biasing bristle heads that can move between extended and inward positions, a central axial bore for fluid flow, and helically arranged bypass channels to facilitate passage through pipes of varying diameters and around corners, allowing for easy maintenance and debris removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaning device is sized to form a desired fit with a desired pipe internal diameter, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the device cannot adapt to different pipe sizes or pass around corners
Solution Approach 1:
The bristle heads are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position. Each bristle head can extend outward to contact pipe walls for cleaning, then retract inward to navigate corners and pass over obstacles. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by maintaining cleaning effectiveness when needed while enabling adaptability when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state/position parameter of the bristle heads between extended and retracted positions. By controlling the extension/retraction of bristle heads, the device can optimize its cleaning contact with pipe walls or minimize its profile for navigation, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the body is sprung along its axial end to allow resilient movement, then the device can pass around corners, but friction increases and jamming risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the resilient function into individual bristle heads rather than making the entire body sprung. Each bristle head can independently retract to navigate obstacles and corners, reducing overall friction and jamming risk while maintaining the ability to pass around corners. This segmented approach resolves the contradiction by localizing flexibility where needed without increasing overall friction.
3Ease of repair
If modular sections are used to replace damaged bristles, then maintenance is enabled, but complex disassembly is required
Solution Approach 1:
The bristle heads are designed as individual replaceable segments rather than requiring modular section disassembly. Each bristle head can be independently removed and replaced without affecting other parts of the device, enabling easy maintenance while minimizing device complexity. This segmented replacement approach resolves the contradiction by simplifying maintenance procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the bristle heads as separate, independently replaceable components from the main body structure. This allows bristle heads to be taken out and replaced without complex disassembly of the device, resolving the contradiction between maintenance capability and device complexity by making the cleaning elements easily separable.
4Productivity
If a central axial bore is provided for fluid flow, then fluid passage is maintained, but the bore may become obstructed by debris
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass channels act as intermediary pathways that allow debris to be diverted away from the central axial bore. By providing alternative routes for debris-laden fluid to flow through, the central bore remains clear while maintaining overall fluid flow capability. This intermediary pathway resolves the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
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 tool adapts to different pipe sizes, navigates obstacles without jamming, maintains fluid flow, and enables easy maintenance and debris entrapment, ensuring efficient cleaning and reduced downtime.
Implementation Method 1
resilient biasing means bias the bristle heads in the direction of the extended position
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning tool (100) for a pipe is provided comprising a substantially cylindrical body (102) and a plurality of holes within the body section (102) for receiving resilient biasing means. A plurality of bristle heads (104) extend radially from the body. Each bristle head (104) is movable between an extended position and an inward position and the biasing means bias the bristle heads in the direction of the extended position. A housing may be provided for each resilient biasing means that is received in each of the plurality of the holes in the body.