JPS6190052A - Profiling device for run in pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect an acute different diameter automatically and to attain alignment by providing a lever which detects the different diameter part of the internal surface of a pipe and a changeover valve which switches liquid according to the motion of the lever, and expanding and contracting a probe with the force of the liquid. CONSTITUTION:The profiling device consists of pilot levers 73 and 83 with rollers which detect a different diameter or step, change-over valves 50 and 60 which switch the liquid of a driving source according to the motions of the levers, a liquid cylinder 20, a lever 13 for alignment, the ultrasonic probe 10 mounted atop of it, etc. Then when the tip 72 of the profiling device enters a small-diameter pipe 2 and both-end rollers 70 of the lever 73 contact the internal wall surface, the lever 73 slants to the position of a roller 70B and the slider 51 of a slider 51 moves left to allow the liquid to enter the liquid cylinder 20 through a flow passage 501 and a tube 22, thereby contracting a spring 17. Consequently, the lever 13 contracts and the probe 10 is aligned while profiling the small-diameter pipe 2.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a device that conducts ultrasonic flaw detection by traveling on the inner surface of a heat exchanger tube, etc., and in particular, an ultrasonic probe that follows different diameters of the tube. The present invention relates to a tube surface copying device that can press a specimen against a subject.

[Background of the invention]

The movement to inspect heat exchanger tubes from the inside is gaining momentum as part of efforts to improve the reliability of plant operation. However, the inner diameter of the heat exchanger tube is long and thin, and there are bends, making it difficult to insert a sensor for inspection inside the tube. For example, in the case of heat transfer pipes with an inner diameter of φ25 mm and a length of several tens of mm, the insertion method using a motor would be mechanically large or the required driving torque could not be obtained, so the mainstream method is the pressure feeding method using a fluid. It is. In this case, an alignment device that follows the inner surface of the object is provided as in JP-A No. 56-49957, but it is only able to overcome the level difference in the Uranami of the welded part, and cannot be aligned with larger levels. I couldn't follow it.

[Purpose of the invention]

The purpose of the present invention is to automatically detect even if there is an acute different diameter on the inner surface of a tube, and to detect flaws by extending and contracting an ultrasonic probe, etc., following and aligning this different diameter. It is to provide small size equipment.

[Summary of the invention]

A lever that detects a different diameter part on the inner surface of the tube and a switching valve that switches the fluid of the drive source according to the movement of this lever are arranged in front and rear pairs, and this fluid is supplied to a two-stage fluid cylinder. A copying device with a probe is expanded and contracted by force. That is, when the pipe inner diameter is small, the copying device is retracted, and when the pipe inner diameter is large, the copying device is extended in an aligned state, so that the two-travel operation can be performed even with pipes of different diameters.

[Embodiments of the invention]

When the present invention is applied to an automatic ultrasonic flaw detection device, 1
This will be explained in detail.

The device of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a pilot lever 73° 83 with a roller for detecting a difference in diameter or a difference in level, and in response to this movement, supplies a driving source fluid.

A switching valve 50.60 that stops or opens, a fluid cylinder 20 that expands and contracts with the force of this fluid and a spring 17.14, and an alignment valve that converts the axial movement of the fluid cylinder 20 into a movement in the thickness direction of the pipe. It consists of a lever 13 and an ultrasonic probe 10 attached to the tip of the lever 13, and these are connected by a flexible shaft 23.16. In this way, the pilot lever according to the level difference73.83
The lever 13 to which the probe 10 is attached is contracted or extended by changing the angle of the lever 13 by the movement of Let it be,
Its unique feature is that it can also pass through small-diameter pipes.

The detailed operation from the structure of each component will be explained below. 6 First, Figure 1 shows an axially long one cut off at the shaft 23, but whichever pilot lever 73.84 on the front or rear is When it is in a standing position (approximately perpendicular to the axial length of the tube), that is, the pilot lever 7
When the roller 70.80 of 3.83 is not in contact with the pipe surface, the tube 21 supplying the compressed fluid is connected to the flow path 5 provided in the slider 51.61 of the switching valve 50.60.
Since none of the tubes 01, 502, 503, 801, 602, 603 are in communication with each other, the compressed fluid that drives the fluid cylinder 20 is not supplied to the tubes 22, 26. As a result, the slider 27 of the fluid cylinder 20 is moved by the spring 17.
．． The angle of the lever 13 is increased by the force of 14, and the lever 13 moves in the direction of extension. In this case, the ring 29 is fixed to the shaft 16. Further, since the levers 13 are rotatably connected to another ring 28, each lever 13 moves in alignment in the thickness direction of the tube. Further, the tip of the lever 13 can be rotated around the hinge 12 in order to press the probe 10 against the tube surface, and is always kept in the shape shown by the solid line by a spring (not shown). That is, roller 11. The probe 10B can be brought into close contact with the tube surface even if the angle of the lever 13 changes due to the hinge 12 and spring. Note that the compressed fluid in the space 18.19 within the fluid cylinder 20 is moved by the movement of the spring 17.14 into the tubes 22.26. It passes through channels 502 and 602 and is discharged from exhaust ports 52 and 62. Further, the other exhaust ports 53, 57, 63, and 67 are provided for the purpose of facilitating the movement of the sliders 51 and 61, respectively.

When the tip 72 in FIG. 1 moves leftward and comes into contact with the lever 73 on the inner surface of the small diameter tube 2, the lever 73 falls down and the roller 70B
position. The levers 73 are provided on three sides in the circumferential direction and are arranged at equal angles, and are moved in synchronization by a ring 75. As the shaft 74 also moves to the left as the angle of the lever 73 changes, the slider 51 of the switching valve 50 that is integrated with this also moves to the left. As a result, the compressed fluid passes from the tube 21 through the flow path 501. It enters the space 19 of the fluid cylinder 20 from the tube 22 and pushes the slider 27, causing the spring 17 to contract. As a result, the angle of the lever 13 also changes and contracts. In this case, the exhaust port 52 of the switching valve 50 no longer communicates with the tube 22 because the slider 51 moves.

Next, a case where the front and rear pilot levers 83 move to the small diameter pipe 2 will be described. When the roller 80B is at the position, the slider 61 of the switching valve 60 moves, the tube 21B and the tube 26 pass together through the flow path 603, and the compressed fluid flows into the space 18 within the fluid cylinder 20. Since the slider 27 of the fluid cylinder 20 has already been moved by the compressed fluid through the tube 22, the angle of the lever 13 remains small and retracted.

A similar operation is performed when the pilot lever 73 is tilted to the opposite angle (70G). That is, when the pilot lever 73 reaches the position of the roller 70C, the shaft 74 is moved to the right, so the slider 51 is also moved to the right, allowing the tubes 21 and 22 to pass through the flow path 503, and the compressed fluid to the fluid cylinder 20. Let it flow. In this case, the flow path 501, tubes 21, 22, and exhaust port 52
and the flow path 502 do not communicate with each other. These operations are exactly the same even if another pilot lever 83 is at the angle of the roller 80G. Therefore, even if the device of the present invention moves forward or backward, it operates in exactly the same way, so troubles such as the probe 10 getting caught on steps do not occur.

The above operation will be systematically explained from the movement according to the pipe diameter.

First, FIG. 2 shows the case where the vehicle is traveling inside the small diameter pipe 2, and since both pilot levers 73 and 83 are tilted down, the angle of the lever 13 is contracted to a small extent by the fluid cylinder 20. Figure 3 shows the front pilot lever 7.
3 advances to the large diameter pipe 1, so it is in a standing state, but the rear pilot lever 83 is still in the small diameter pipe 2, and is in a fallen state. For this reason, compressed fluid flows into the fluid cylinder 20 via the switching valve 60.
The angle of the lever 13 remains small and contracted. When the front and rear pilot levers 73, 83 enter the large-diameter pipe 1 as shown in FIG. The angle of will increase and it will elongate. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the front pilot lever 73 is
If the
The fluid cylinder 20 is operated by the compressed fluid from the side, and the angle of the lever 13 is reduced to contract.

This embodiment has the following effects.

(a) It is possible to detect a different diameter portion on the inner surface of a tube and automatically make the probe follow the inner diameter of the tube.

(b) The small force and stroke of the pilot lever can be amplified using compressed fluid, so large pressing forces and long strokes can be obtained.

(c) Since one system of compressed fluid is used in parallel, only one driving source tube is required to be inserted into the pipe. Therefore, it can be downsized and can be applied to small-diameter piping.

(d) Since each unit can be arranged in a dispersed manner and connected by a flexible shaft or other flexible material, it can be fed into curved pipes.

(E) Since compressed fluid and a spring are combined, it is only necessary to drive the compressed fluid in one direction, and □ miniaturization and simplification of mechanism can be achieved.

(f) This device can be applied regardless of whether moving forward or backward.

(g) The probe can be pressed smoothly against the inner surface of the tube.

In the case of the above embodiment, flaw detection was limited to large-diameter pipes, but depending on the purpose, it may be advantageous to be able to detect both large-diameter pipes and small-diameter pipes, excluding the one-step difference. . Therefore, this application example will be explained with reference to FIG. The operating principle is that when either the front or rear pilot lever falls down, the lever with the probe is retracted, and when both the front and rear pilot levers are upright or both fall down, the lever angle is It is made larger and extended so that the probe can be pressed against the tube surface for flaw detection. Although FIG. 6 shows the flexible shaft 23 cut away, these parts are connected and integrated. First, a case where both pilot levers 73 and 83 are in the upright position will be described. The slider 51.61 of the switching valve 50.60, which is integrated with the pilot lever 73.83, is balanced with the spring 54.64 and stopped in the middle.

Therefore, the flow path 501°5 provided in the slider 51.61
02.503,601,602,603 tube 21.
21B and tubes 24, 25, respectively, no compressed fluid is supplied to the fluid cylinder 20. Due to the spring 17 . 14 , the lever 13 is therefore at an extended angle and presses the probe against the tube surface 1 .

Next, if both the front and rear pilot levers 73.83 fall down, the flow path 5 provided in the slider 51 in the switching valve 50
Either one of the channels 501 and 503 circulates between the tube 21 and the tube 24 6 (Which channel 501 or 503 circulates depends on the direction in which the pilot lever 73 is tilted) This causes the compressed fluid to pass through the tube 24. Then press the slider 41 of the telescopic switching valve 40, and the tube! 25 and the tube 26 are closed. As a result, the compressed fluid from the switching valve 60 cannot be supplied to the fluid cylinder 20, and the flow path connecting the tube 26 and the exhaust port 42 is circulated.
Evacuate the compressed fluid in tube 26. When the other pilot lever 83 falls, the flow path 6o3 (or 601) of the slider 61 causes the tube 21B and the tube 25 to circulate. As a result, the compressed fluid is supplied to the telescopic switching valve 30 via the tube 25, and the slider 31 is moved to close the flow path of the tube 22.

Further, the compressed fluid in the fluid cylinder 20 is discharged by circulating the tube 22 and the exhaust port 32. As a result, the slider 27 of the fluid cylinder 20 is moved by the force of the spring 17.14, increasing the angle of the lever 13 and moving the probe 10.
Press it against the inner surface of the small diameter pipe.

Next, if the front pilot lever 73 falls down and the rear pilot lever 83 is in an upright position, the pilot lever 73
The slider 51 of the switching valve 50 moves in conjunction with the movement of 3, and either of the flow paths 501 and 503 circulates between the tube 21 and the tube 24, so that the compressed fluid is transferred to the tube 24.
．． Telescopic switching valve 30. Fluid cylinder 20 can be supplied via tube 22 . This compressed fluid causes the slider 27 of the fluid cylinder 20 to overcome the force of the spring 17° 14 and reduce the angle of the lever 13.

The probe 10 is brought into a contracted state. In this case, compressed fluid from the switching valve 60 is not supplied to the tube 25, so the slider 31 of the telescopic switching valve 30
3, the tubes 22 and 24 are brought into circulation. Further, although compressed fluid is not supplied to the fluid cylinder 20 from the tube 26, the angle of the lever 13 becomes smaller due to the compressed fluid in the tube 22, and the lever 13 becomes contracted.6 When the front pilot lever 73 stands up and the rear pilot lever 83 falls down is also similar to that described above, and the compressed fluid flows from either of the channels 501 and 503 provided in the slider 61 of the switching valve 60 to the telescopic switching valve 40. tube 2
6 to the fluid cylinder 20, which reduces the angle of the lever 13 to bring it into a retracted state.

In this way, there is an effect that not only large diameter pipes but also small diameter pipes can be detected.

Furthermore, when the gas is fed into such a long and narrow pipe, it is also necessary to ensure that the device can be recovered even if some trouble should occur. As one measure against this, if the lever used to press the probe is brought into a contracted state by cutting off the source pressure of the compressed fluid, recovery will be facilitated. An example of an application that achieves this is the device shown in FIG. Both this figure and the length show the connected devices cut at the flexible shaft 23. Figure 7 shows the front pilot lever 7.
Fig. 7 shows a state in which the pilot lever 83 is in the upright position and the latter pilot lever 83 is in a fallen position. When compressed fluid is not supplied to the tube 21, the fluid cylinder 20 moves the slider 27 to the left in the figure by the force of the spring 19.degree. 14, reducing the angle of the lever 13 and bringing it into a contracted state.

If this compressed fluid is not supplied, the pilot lever 73,
No matter what direction 83 moves, the lever will be in the retracted state.

Next, when compressed fluid is supplied with the front and rear pilot levers 73. Therefore, compressed fluid is not supplied from the tube 25 and the spring 33
Since compressed fluid is not supplied from the tube 25 to the telescopic switching valve 30 (in Fig. 7, the pilot lever 83 is in the same position), the slider 32 is moved to the left by the spring 33 so that the tube 22 and the tube 25 are in the same position. and supplies compressed fluid to the fluid cylinder 20. On the other hand, the slider 61 of the rear switching valve 60 is connected to the tube 21B.
Since the tube 65 and the telescopic switching valve 40. Compressed fluid is supplied to fluid cylinder 20 via tube 26 . This causes the slider 27 of the fluid cylinder 20 to move in the direction of contracting the spring 17.14, changing the angle of the lever 13 and pressing the probe 10 against the large diameter tube surface 1.

Next, a state in which the front pilot lever 73 is in an upright position and the rear pilot lever 83 is in a fallen position as shown in FIG. 7 will be described. The slider 61 of the switching valve 60 moves to align the tube 21B and the tube 25, and by pushing the slider 31 of the telescopic switching valve 30, the tube 54 and the tube 22 are disconnected. Further, the compressed fluid on the tube 22 side is discharged from the exhaust port 32. Furthermore, since the compressed fluid is not supplied to the tube 65 from the switching valve 6o and passes along the same path as the exhaust port 62, the compressed fluid is not supplied to the fluid cylinder 20 via the tube 26 and the tube 25 through the flow path of the telescopic switching valve 40. The compressed fluid is discharged. As a result, the lever 13 is at an angle at which it is retracted by the spring 17.14.

Even if the front pilot lever 73 falls down and the rear pilot lever is in the upright position, the same operation will occur 6. In other words, the switching valve 50 will stop the yarn path of the tube 54, so the telescopic switching valve 30 will switch between the tube 54 and the tube. Compressed fluid is not supplied to the fluid cylinder 20 even when the tubes 22 and 22 are in the same path, and since the tubes 24 and 21 are in the same path by the slider 51, the flow path of the slider 42 of the telescopic switching valve 40 is closed, and the switching valve 60
There is also no supply of compressed fluid from the side, so that in this case too the lever 13 is at a retracted angle.

Even when both the front and rear pilot levers 73, 83 are down, the angle of the lever 13 becomes small, and the probe 10
can be brought into a contracted state.

As described above, even if some kind of trouble occurs, according to this application example, the probe can be brought into a contracted state by turning the supplied compressed fluid into a point, so it can be easily recovered. There is an effect that can be done.

The device of the present invention can be used for pressure feeding using fluids such as water, and can also be applied to self-propelled drive devices. Therefore, the compressed fluid can be a liquid such as water, or in the case of a self-propelled type, a gas such as compressed air.

It is also possible to create a device that can detect flaws in both large-diameter pipes and small-diameter pipes, and in which the tracking mechanism of the probe section is in a contracted state when the supply of compressed fluid is stopped. For example, the 7th [i! A new flow path is provided in the slider 31.41 of the telescoping switching valve 30.40 of I when the pilot lever 73.83 falls down. The tube 24 is connected to one end of the newly provided flow path of the telescoping switching valve 30, the other end is connected to one end of the newly provided flow path of the telescoping switching valve 40, and the other end is connected to the fluid cylinder 20. The fluid cylinder in this case is 2
The stage is increased to 3 stages, and tube 2 is added to this third stage slider.
Supply compressed fluid from 4. A similar operation can be achieved by connecting a tube 25 instead of the tube 24. As a result, compressed fluid can be supplied to the third-stage fluid cylinder even if the front and rear pilot levers fall down, so the probe can be pressed against the inner surface of the small-diameter pipe.

As another example of application, it can also be applied to a pressure receiving element in the case of pressure feeding by fluid. Since the pressure sensor moves along with the fluid, the larger the pipe diameter, the weaker the propulsive force will be. In this case, by increasing the pressure receiving area using the method of the present invention, the required propulsive force can be obtained.

Although a method for supplying compressed fluid to a plurality of fluid cylinders has been described, if the compressed fluid is supplied in only one direction, only one set of pilot lever and switching valve is required, and only one supply port of the fluid cylinder is required.

In the embodiment, the movement of the fluid cylinder in the axial direction is changed in the direction of the thickness of the tube by means of a link mechanism, but a multi-stage fluid cylinder that moves directly in the direction of the thickness of the tube may also be used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, there is a feature that the probe can be expanded and contracted following the steps on the inner surface of the tube. In addition, since the device can be downsized by arranging a simple mechanism, it can be applied to small-diameter pipes with bends.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are side views of each state;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are partial sectional views showing other embodiments. 10... Probe, 13... Aligning lever, 14.1
7...Spring, 16.23...Flexible shaft, 20...Fluid cylinder, 50.60...Switching pulse failure 1 Lower 8/#4I! 1 Section 4 Ra [Kome'7 figure? 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a device that travels inside a pipe to perform inspection or other work, means for displacing it by contacting with a different diameter portion in the pipe, and means for supplying, stopping, and releasing fluid according to the amount of displacement. What is claimed is: 1. A profiling device for traveling inside a pipe, comprising at least one set of the following: and means for expanding and contracting a traveling body in the plate thickness direction by a supplied supply fluid or an elastic body. 2. A fluid cylinder having a plurality of supply ports, a link mechanism that expands and contracts in the thickness direction of the tube by the fluid cylinder, and a lever that is displaced by contacting a different diameter portion in the tube in front and back in the axial direction of these tubes; A patent claim characterized in that a valve A that is moved by the lever and a valve B that opens and closes a flow path from the valve A are arranged, and fluid from the front and rear valves B is supplied to a plurality of supply ports of a fluid cylinder. A copying device for traveling inside a pipe according to item 1.