Adjustable Roller Guide for Inflatable Bladder Pipeline Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guides for inflatable bladders in pipelines are not adaptable to different pipeline sizes and irregularities, leading to difficulties in insertion and the risk of getting stuck at branches.
Innovation Solution
A guide with adjustably fixed roller units that can engage the inner wall of pipelines of various sizes, featuring a limited travel mechanism to compensate for irregularities and prevent sticking, allowing the same guide to be used across different diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed rollers are used on the guide, then the guide can support itself against the pipeline wall, but it cannot adapt to different pipeline sizes or irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure transitions from fixed rollers to dynamically adjustable rollers that can move radially along the guide body. This allows the guide to adapt its outer diameter to match different pipeline inner diameters while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide enables parameter changes by allowing the rollers to adjust their radial position, thereby changing the effective outer diameter of the guide to match different pipeline sizes. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If rollers are made rigid to support the guide, then the guide maintains structural stability, but it gets stuck at pipeline irregularities and branches
Solution Approach 1:
The rollers are designed with radial adjustability, allowing them to dynamically respond to pipeline irregularities by moving inward or outward. This dynamic capability ensures reliable support while preventing the guide from getting stuck, thus improving both insertion reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism provides self-service by automatically adjusting the roller position in response to contact with the pipeline wall or irregularities, eliminating the need for external control systems and ensuring reliable operation during insertion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the guide is designed for a specific pipeline diameter, then the structure can be simplified, but it cannot be used for pipelines of different sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The guide body incorporates a radial adjustment mechanism that allows the same guide structure to be manufactured for a base diameter while dynamically adapting to different pipeline sizes through roller positioning, rather than manufacturing multiple fixed-diameter guides.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide achieves universality by enabling a single guide design to serve multiple pipeline diameters through the adjustable roller mechanism, making the guide versatile across different applications without requiring multiple specialized designs.
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
Enables efficient insertion and alignment of inflatable bladders in pipelines of varying sizes and irregularities, reducing the risk of the guide getting stuck and improving the overall insertion process.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the rollers is provided with a limited travel and biased outwardly along said limited travel, so as to adapt to irregularities within the pipeline
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a guide (1) for guiding an inflatable bladder (2) within a pipeline (3). The guide (1) comprises roller units (6) for supporting the guide (1) against an inner wall of a pipeline (3), at least one of which roller units (6) being supported on a roller bracket (5), in turn arranged on an attachment rail (7) allowing said roller bracket (5) to be movable between different positions on the bracket rail (7), so as to accommodate for various pipeline (3) dimensions. At least one roller unit has a limited travel (T), while a biasing member (8) is configured to bias the roller unit (6) with a limited travel (T) outwardly with respect to the central axis (C) along the limited travel (T). A bladder assembly (10) is also disclosed.