JPH06206538A - Self-propelling device in pipe line - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To reliably drive an opening where the drive wheels may fall off without steering. [Structure] The upper frame 7 and the lower frame 8 are provided with drive wheels 2A, 2B, 2C having a sideslip mechanism adapted to cope with a change in the inner diameter of a pipe having a different diameter due to a reducer or the like in the pipe, and such self-driving Connect the cars 10A and 10B. As a result, it is not necessary to perform a skillful steering operation of the in-pipe self-propelled device 1. Further, since the self-propelled drive vehicles 10A and 10B are connected, each drive wheel 2
Even when A, 2B, and 2C travel through the opening in the pipeline where there is a risk of derailing, it is possible to perform stable traveling without derailing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an in-pipe self-propelled device, and more particularly to an in-pipe self-propelled device that travels in pipes used in various plants such as nuclear power generation and chemical plants for work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Most nuclear power plants, petroleum, chemical, power generation and other plants have a pipe structure (pipe line structure). The number of these various types of plants is increasing year by year, and along with this, the number of measures for periodical inspection and life extension measures such as cracks and damages in pipelines and deterioration of materials is also increasing.

However, when inspecting a pipe structure or a pipeline for pipes from the outside of the pipeline, it is often the case that heat insulation work is performed around the pipeline or it is buried underground or in concrete. Pretreatment for this purpose requires a great deal of expense and time, and in some cases, it was impossible to inspect especially small and medium diameter pipes. Therefore, it is very difficult to judge the condition inside the pipeline by the inspection performed from the outside of the pipeline, and the inspection accuracy often deteriorates.

In order to solve such a problem, an in-pipe self-propelled device has been developed which makes an easy-to-use and economical inspection device and various working devices self-propelled in the pipe. The self-propelled device in the pipeline is
It has been developed so as to be able to respond to the change in the pipe inner diameter of a different-diameter pipe due to a bent pipe whose pipe inner diameter slightly changes or a reducer provided in the middle of the pipe. A conventional in-pipe self-propelled device 51 shown in FIG. 10 includes a drive wheel 53 having a steering mechanism for controlling a traveling direction, and a roller that rotates in a pipe circumferential direction to freely travel in a pipe 57. It has drive wheels 54A and 54B that it has, and a machine frame 52 that fixes the drive wheels 53 and the drive wheels 54A and 54B.

The machine frame 52 has a so-called pantograph structure in which a housing 56 and four link frames 52a, 52b, 52c and 52d are rotatably connected to each other by pins or the like. Further, the connecting portions of the link frames 52a and 52d and the connecting portions of the link frames 52b and 52c are
An air cylinder 55 for opening and closing the link frame is mounted on the shaft.
Two sets of such machine frames 52 are installed at symmetrical positions with respect to the housing 56.

As a result, the in-pipe self-propelled device 51 has the link frame 5 and the connecting portion of the link frames 52a and 52d.
The machine frame 52 is opened by the urging force of the link frame opening / closing air cylinder 55 centering on the connecting portion of 2b and 52c,
Always connect the drive wheels 53 and the drive wheels 54A and 54B to the conduit 5
The inner wall of 7 is brought into contact with the inside of the pipe 57 to enable traveling. When the in-pipe self-propelled device 51 travels through an opening such as a branch pipe or a drain hole in the pipe of the pipe 57,
The steering wheel and the drive mechanism provided in the in-pipe self-propelled device 51 operate the drive wheels 53 to control the posture in the pipeline and avoid the opening to prevent wheel removal.

However, the drive wheels 54A, 5
Even if 4B or even one drive wheel 53 is dismounted, the machine frame 52 constantly presses the drive wheel 54A and the like against the inner wall, which may cause a situation where traveling is impossible. Further, in order to learn the steering operation of the in-pipe self-propelled device 51, the driver needs a considerable amount of training, and in particular, he / she learns and executes the steering technique which avoids various openings in the pipeline. It took a lot of time before I could do it.

[0008]

An object of the present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and to reliably pass through an opening where a driving wheel may be derailed in a pipeline without steering operation. An object is to provide a self-propelled device in a pipeline.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve such an object, the conventional means of steering operation so as not to drop the drive wheel into the opening is not taken, and the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle is not increased. The driving wheels are self-propelled in the left-right direction, and the wheel removal can occur while traveling,
The in-pipe self-propelled device of the present invention adopting a means of releasing the tension force of the self-propelled vehicle that has been derailed and pulling or pushing this self-propelled vehicle by another self-propelled vehicle is an upper frame. And a lower frame, the driving wheels for self-propelling in the pipeline are configured by connecting a plurality of self-driving vehicles provided in each of the upper frame and the lower frame, Each of the drive wheels is provided with a skid mechanism that responds to a change in the inner diameter of the different diameter pipe due to a reducer or the like in the pipe.

[0010]

The upper frame and the lower frame are provided with drive wheels each having a sideslip mechanism adapted to cope with a change in the inner diameter of the different diameter pipe due to a reducer or the like in the conduit. This allows
It is not necessary to perform the steering operation of the in-pipe self-propelled device which requires skill. In addition, a plurality of self-propelled vehicles each having drive wheels each having a skid mechanism on the upper frame and the lower frame are connected. As a result, even if one of the drive wheels provided on the lower frame derails, the other self-propelled vehicle can drive the vehicle so that the drive wheel travels through an opening where the wheel may derail. Even in the case of running, stable running can be performed without being hindered by running the wheels.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A self-propelled vehicle 10, which is a self-propelled device in a pipeline according to the present invention, has an upper frame that is opened and closed by air cylinders 5A and 5B as shown in FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b), 1 (c) and 1 (d). 7 and a lower frame 8. The upper frame 7 and the lower frame 8 have omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, and 2C that are drive wheels that slide sideways in the pipe circumferential direction in response to changes in the pipe inner diameter in the pipe line 21.

A gear box 4A for axially mounting the omnidirectional wheel 2A is fixed to the upper frame 7 with bolts or the like so that the omnidirectional wheel 2A is located at the center of the upper frame 7. A drive motor 3A for driving the directional wheel 2A is fixed. Further, an air cylinder 5 for moving the upper frame 7 and a lower frame 8 described later in parallel.
The axes A of the upper frame 7 are arranged so that the air cylinder shafts 5a and 5b provided on the air cylinders 5A and 5B protrude in a direction opposite to the position of the omnidirectional wheel 2A around the upper frame 7. It is fixed with bolts at both ends in the direction.

The lower frame 8 has omnidirectional wheels 2B,
A gear box 4 to which omnidirectional wheels 2B are axially mounted in order to position 2C at both ends of the lower frame 8 in the axis X direction.
B and a driving motor 3B for driving the omnidirectional wheel 2B
Is fixed, and a gear box 4C to which the omnidirectional wheel 2C is attached and a drive motor 3C for driving the omnidirectional wheel 2C are fixed.

The omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B and 2C are
A branch pipe in the pipe line 21, a drain hole, and a roller that is covered with rubber and rotates in the circumferential direction of the pipe are provided at a predetermined angular pitch in order to slide sideways in the circumferential direction of the pipe in response to a predetermined change in pipe diameter. There is. As a result, the omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, 2
While advancing by the rotation of C, the roller can freely slide in the left-right direction with respect to the traveling direction by the rotation of the roller. For example, when the vehicle travels in a curved pipe, the three omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, and 2C rotate sideways in the pipe in the pipe circumferential direction at the same time, or separately in steps. The traveling drive vehicle 10 can always be oriented in the axial direction of the conduit 21 and can be held at the center position of the diameter.

The air cylinder shafts 5a and 5b of the air cylinders 5A and 5B fixed to the upper frame 7 are also provided.
Is fixed to a predetermined position of the lower frame 8 corresponding to the upper frame 7. Air cylinder 5A of the upper frame 7,
Two slide shafts 6A and 6B are fixed in parallel between 5B in the direction of the axis X. And on the lower frame 8,
A bush or the like is provided at a predetermined position of the lower frame 8 corresponding to the upper frame 7 so that the slide shafts 6A and 6B can slide.

As a result, the upper shaft 7 and the lower frame 8 can be smoothly opened and closed by the air cylinders 5A and 5B while the parallelism between the upper frame 7 and the lower frame 8 is maintained by the slide shafts 6A and 6B. You can
Moreover, the omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, and 2C can always be brought into contact with the inner wall of the conduit 21. It is preferable that the self-propelled vehicle 10 configured in this manner has two connections or three or more connections.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a self-propelled vehicle 10A which is the first car and a self-propelled vehicle 10B which is the second car are
Connect with an Oldham coupling or the like that can be bent vertically and horizontally. The in-pipe self-propelled device 1 including such self-propelled driving vehicles 10A and 10B is operated by a controller installed outside the pipe. The cable drawn from this controller into the pipeline is the self-propelled vehicle 10 that is the second car.
Connected to the rear part of B.

The operation of the in-pipe self-propelled device 1 thus constructed in the pipeline will be described below. Self-propelled vehicle 10
In the case where the in-pipe self-propelled device 1 including A and 10B derails or derails in the opening 22a in the conduit 22 as shown in FIG. 3, the air cylinder 5A of the self-propelled vehicle 10A, 5
Operate B to retract the omnidirectional wheels 2B, 2C. As a result, the omnidirectional wheels 2B, 2C of the self-propelled vehicle 10A
Are omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2 apart from the inner wall of the conduit 22.
The frictional force of the inner walls of B and 2C becomes small, and the traction force becomes weak or becomes zero. Therefore, the self-propelled vehicle 10A
As the frictional force of the self-propelled vehicle becomes weaker, the self-propelled vehicle 10B is pushed forward as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, so that the self-propelled vehicle 10A contacting the inner wall can be easily moved from the opening 22a in the conduit 22. Can be escaped to. After confirming that the omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, 2C of the self-propelled vehicle 10A have all passed through the opening 22a in the pipe line 22, the air cylinder of the self-propelled vehicle 10A as shown in FIG. Operate 5A and 5B until the pressure reaches a predetermined level.
B and 2C are extruded to give a frictional force to cause the in-pipe self-propelled device 1 to travel forward.

After the self-propelled drive vehicle 10A passes through the opening 22a, the self-propelled drive vehicle 10B may derail or derail the opening 22a. Therefore, as in the case of the self-propelled drive vehicle 10A, as shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 8, the omnidirectional wheels 2B, 2C are retracted by operating the air cylinders 5A, 5B of the self-propelled vehicle 10B. As a result, the frictional force of the omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, 2C of the self-propelled vehicle 10B on the inner wall of the conduit 22 is reduced, so that the self-propelled vehicle 10A can easily pull the self-propelled vehicle 10B. . After confirming that all three omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, 2C of the self-propelled vehicle 10B have passed through the opening 22a in the conduit 22, the air cylinder of the self-propelled vehicle 10B is shown in FIG. Operate 5A, 5B until the predetermined pressure is reached, and the omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B,
2C is extruded to give a frictional force to cause the in-pipe self-propelled device 1 to travel forward.

Further, even if the pipe diameter changes at the position of the opening 22a in the pipe line 22, the omnidirectional wheel 2
Rollers provided in A, 2B, and 2C that rotate in the pipe circumferential direction cause the pipes to slide sideways in the pipe circumferential direction simultaneously or separately in accordance with the rotation of the omnidirectional wheels 2A, 2B, and 2C. Therefore, the self-propelled device 1 in the pipeline is always connected to the pipeline 2
It can be held at the center position of the diameter of 1.

In the above embodiment, the omnidirectional wheel 2 and the upper frame 7 provided with the omnidirectional wheel 2A are provided.
Opening and closing operations with the lower frame 8 provided with B and 2C,
Air cylinders 5A, 5B and slide shafts 6A, 6
Although the in-pipe self-propelled device 10 described in B has been described, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to an in-pipe self-propelled device configured by a so-called pandagraph mechanism.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above-described embodiments, the in-pipe self-propelled device of the present invention has the drive wheels having the side-sliding mechanism adapted to the change of the pipe inner diameter of the different-diameter pipe in the upper frame and the lower frame. In addition, by connecting a plurality of such self-propelled vehicles, the steering operation of the self-propelled device in the pipeline, which requires skill, becomes unnecessary, so that the self-propelled device in the conduit is economical and simpler. Can be operated, and even if one of the drive wheels provided on the lower frame of one of the self-propelled vehicles derails, the other self-propelled vehicle can be driven, Even when the vehicle travels through the opening where the wheels may be derailed, the traveling can be performed stably without being hindered by the derailment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in a pipeline of a self-propelled vehicle that constitutes the pipeline self-propelled device of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view,
(B) is a front view, (c) is a top view, and (d) is a bottom view.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a self-propelled device in a pipeline according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an operation in the pipeline of the self-propelled device in a pipeline of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the self-propelled device in a pipeline of the present invention in the pipeline.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an operation in the pipeline of the self-propelled device in the pipeline of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an operation in the pipeline of the self-propelled device in the pipeline of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the self-propelled device in a pipeline of the present invention in a pipeline.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the self-propelled device in a pipeline of the present invention in the pipeline.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the self-propelled device in a pipeline of the present invention in the pipeline.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional in-pipe self-propelled device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... In-pipe self-propelled device 2A, 2B, 2C ... Omnidirectional type wheel (driving wheel) 3A, 3B, 3C ... Drive motor 4A, 4B, 4C ... Gear box 5A, 5B ... Air cylinder 5a, 5b ... Air Cylinder shaft 6A, 6B ... Slide shaft 7 ... Upper frame 8 ... Lower frame 10 (10A, 10B) ... Self-propelled vehicle

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Tokuni Shiraishi 2-4-10 Sanjo Sanjo, Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture (72) Inventor Tokuji Okada 3-926-21 Igarashi, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A drive wheel having an upper frame and a lower frame, wherein a drive wheel for self-propelling in a pipeline comprises a self-driving vehicle provided on each of the upper frame and the lower frame. Is a self-propelled device in a pipe, each of which is provided with a side-sliding mechanism that responds to a change in the pipe inner diameter of a different-diameter pipe due to a reducer in the pipe. 2. The in-pipe self-propelled device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said self-propelled vehicles are connected.