AU2006203774A1

AU2006203774A1 - Pipe inspection robot

Info

Publication number: AU2006203774A1
Application number: AU2006203774A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graeme Alexander; Ken Barber; Graeme Barnewall; Timothy Ebeling; Michael Fielding; James Mullins
Original assignee: Olex Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Olex Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-30
Filing date: 2006-08-30
Publication date: 2008-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-30
Also published as: AU2006203774B2

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 Cc,

\O

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD

PATENT

Invention Title: Pipe inspection robot The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 004854872 2

O

Pipe inspection robot Field of the invention This invention relates to the visual inspection of internal surfaces and in particular the visual inspection of piping for cracks, flaws or corrosion.

N 5 Background of the invention SThe visual inspection of internal surfaces such as piping is typically an integral part of a maintenance; preventative maintenance and/or trouble-shooting program. The expense involved in taking the piping off-line and visually inspecting the condition of the internal pipe work can be a deterrent, especially in a preventative maintenance program.

Many of the visual inspection devices have been modelled on endoscopes developed for medical purposes. These devices generally consisted of a remote controlled carriage developed for inspecting the internal parts of piping, with the carriage including a television camera for real-time visual inspection of the internal surfaces of the pipe.

While many of these devices have sophisticated means to manoeuvre and inspect the interior of the piping, the capital and labour resources required to carry out pipe inspections were often prohibitive.

Consequently, there remains a need for an improved apparatus and method for inspecting internal passages which is economic to construct and operate.

Summary of the invention In a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided an inspection apparatus insertable into an internal passage comprising: a visual inspection device for producing visual images of the surface of the internal passage to be inspected; 004854872 ID 3

O

a recording device for recording the visual images produced by the visual ;Z inspection device; na transportation means for transporting the inspection device through the internal passage; and a housing to protect the visual inspection device and recording device as the transportation means transports the inspection apparatus through the internal passage, wherein the visual images of the internal passage to be inspected are recorded by the recording device; the recorded visual images being available for analysis after the inspection of the internal passage has been completed.

The inspection apparatus is relatively inexpensive to produce as it does not need a visual inspection device which remotely transmits the visual signal to an external visual monitor for real-time inspection. This equipment is expensive and often unreliable due to the more elaborate construction and potential for the transmitted signal to suffer from interference. Further, the requirement for a skilled operator to manually inspect the internal passage for defects in real time can significantly increase the operational expense of real-time inspection methods.

The ability to view the recorded information after the inspection apparatus has completed inspection of the internal passage enables analysis to be 'fast-forwarded' to the areas where surface defects are observed. Similarly, the recording can be reversed or put on freeze frame similar to the functions of a VHS video or DVD recorder. This avoids the necessity for an operator to manually stop and/or reverse an inspection apparatus to visually re-examine a portion of the surface of the internal passage. By using the inspection apparatus of the present invention, the inspection of the pipe may be quickly completed to enable subsequent operations to be performed without undue delay.

The recording means may be selected from a group consisting of VHS video tape, recordable DVD, computer hard-drive device or any other suitable data storage device.

004854872 I4 N Preferably, the recording device stores at least one hour of real-time visual image recordings. For instance, recordable blu-rayTM DVD disc may record over 9 hours of high-definition (HD) video on a 50GB disc, with about 23 hours of standard-definition

O

M (SD) video recordable on a 50GB disc.

The transports means may include a variety of remotely driven mechanisms or drive devices which propel the inspection device through the internal passage. Preferably, to reduce capital costs, the inspection device may be linked to other equipment to be I propelled or dragged through the internal passage. The transport means may include a Sleast one support guide which is hingedly attached to the housing. The supports guides are preferably spring loaded to the housing such that the support guides provides a positive pressure against the internal passage as the inspection apparatus traverses along its longitudinal passage. By providing the positive pressure against the internal passage, the housing and hence the visual inspection device is less prone to vibrations which may distort the quality of the recorded image. Preferably, the visual inspection device may include a computer which has vibration compensation software, similar to that employed on video cameras.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of inspecting the surfaces of an internal passage, the method comprising: inserting an inspection apparatus into an internal passage; activating a transportation means to transport the inspection apparatus through the internal passage, the inspection device recording the visual images of the internal surface of the internal passage; and viewing the recorded visual images from the inspection apparatus.

Preferably, the method includes the further step of downloading the visual images onto another data storage device for analysis and/or storage.

The recorded visual images are preferably downloaded from the inspection apparatus after the inspection device has been retrieved from the internal passage.

004854872 INO c The step of downloading the recorded visual images may include removing a portable data recording device; such as a DVD, CD, VHS video tape or flash card. Alternatively, the downloading of the recorded visual images may include the step of connecting the Sinspection device to a computer and downloading the data relating to the visual images onto the hard disk of the computer or the like. The connection may be through a data communication cable, such as a USB cable, or via a wireless data communication Sprotocols, such as Bluetooth T M and Wi-FiTM.

INO

This method of inspecting the surfaces of an internal passage is relatively simple to C perform. Therefore, the process of recording the visual images may be performed by relatively unskilled operators, enabling the task to be carried out more conveniently and cost effectively.

Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an inspection device in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the inspection device of Figure 1 without the inspection and recording device.

Detailed description of the embodiments Referring to the drawings, the invention will be described with reference to an embodiment of apparatus through which the inspection of the internal passage is performed. The inspection apparatus 1 includes a housing 5 for protecting a visual inspection device 10 and a recording device 15. The housing is preferably constructed from a rigid, corrosion resistant material, such as coated or stainless steel. The apparatus is typically designed for operation in 150-300mm conduit, although the apparatus may be constructed to inspect smaller or larger diameter internal passages.

The visual inspection device 10 includes a high resolution camera with a 'Fisheye' lens which enables a wide perspective of the pipe internal surface to be visually inspected.

The camera in connected to the recording device 15, which is mounted on a supporting 004854872 ID 6

O

N member 20 towards the rear of the inspection apparatus. A plurality of lights 50 are S mounted behind the camera lens to illuminate the internal surfaces with a sufficient intensity of light to produce visual images which can be readily assessed for defects.

Preferably, the lighting emits a constant intensity and frequency of light so that recorded visual images of a series of inspection runs can be compared for the progression of surface wear or deterioration.

In the present example, the recording device with a video or digital image recorder with a hard disk drive (HDD) for recording the visual images captured by the visual N inspection device 10. The video recorder has a large LCD touch screen display to view the recorded images and control the recorder's functions.

The housing which protects the camera lens contains four apertures 25 for receiving lasers 30. The lasers may be used to perform surface profilometry, penetrate inspection, alignment and straightness measurement, with the data also recordable on the HDD of the recording device.

The transporting means of the inspection apparatus includes four guide supports which extend from the housing body. The guide supports include glide rollers 40 which enable the inspection apparatus to roll along the internal surface of the pipe. The guide supports are spring loaded to enable the rollers to maintain engagement with the pipe's internal surface to minimise vibration of the camera lens to ensure the visual images are not distorted or blurred.

An internal passage telemetry device, such as a centimetre resolution encoder 55 is mounted onto the periphery of one of the support guides to measure the distance travelled by the inspection apparatus. This information may be recorded with the visual images such that the location along the pipe where a defect is found may be recorded.

The inspection apparatus is transported through the pipe by attaching a line (not shown) to a mounting plate 45. The inspection apparatus may be connected or 'daisy chained' to other equipment which traverses the length of the pipe to be inspected. For instance, equipment for unblocking or cleaning the pipe may initially progress through the pipe to 004854872 7 ensure the inspection apparatus may readily traverse the pipe and record images of the internal surfaces, without sediment inhibiting the visual inspection process.

The inspection apparatus typically traverses the length of the pipe at up to metre/minute or greater, depending upon the specific conditions of the pipe and transportation equipment.

In use, the mounting plate 45 of the inspection apparatus is attached to a transportation line which extends through the pipe to be inspected. The recording and visual inspection devices are activated, along with the auxiliary equipment (eg. lights, lasers, pipe telemetry device). The inspection apparatus is then inserted into the pipe, with the lens facing away from the direction of travel of the inspection apparatus. The transport means then pulls the inspection apparatus through the length of pipe to be inspected.

Once the inspection apparatus has completed its visual inspection, the apparatus is retrieved from the pipe. The recording device may be detached from the housing, with the recorded data able to be viewed and analysed on the LCD display of the video recorder. Alternatively, the video recorded may be connected to another visual display device, such as a TV or computer display unit, for analysis. The recorded information may be downloaded from the recorder's HDD onto another data storage device (eg.

DVD or a computer's HDD) for storage and future reference.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus insertable into an internal passage comprising: a visual inspection device for producing visual images of the surface of the internal passage to be inspected; a recording device for recording the visual images produced by the visual inspection device; c a transportation means for transporting the inspection device through the internal passage; and a housing to protect the visual inspection device and recording device as the transportation means transports the inspection apparatus through the internal passage, wherein the visual images of the internal passage to be inspected are recorded by the recording device; the recorded visual images being available for analysis after the inspection of the internal passage has been completed.

2. The inspection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recording device records the visual images on a data storage means selected from the group consisting of HDD, DVD, blu-ray T M DVD, CD, VHS video tape and flash card.

3. The inspection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recording device also includes a visual display unit for viewing the recorded visual images.

4. The inspection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a least one laser for use in surface profilometry, penetrate inspection, alignment and/or straightness measurement. The inspection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an internal passage telemetry device.

004854872.. 9 6. The inspection apparatus of claims 4 or 5, wherein the recording device records information derived from the laser and/or internal passage telemetry device. 7. The inspection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transportation means transports the inspection apparatus at 20 metres/minute or greater. 8. The inspection apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recording device is detachable from the housing. 9. A method of inspecting the surfaces of an internal passage, the method comprising: inserting an inspection apparatus into an internal passage; activating a transportation means to transport the inspection apparatus through the internal passage, the inspection device recording the visual images of the internal surface of the internal passage; and viewing the recorded visual images from the inspection apparatus. 10. The method of claim 9, further including the further step of downloading the visual images onto another data storage device for analysis and/or storage. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual images are downloaded from the inspection apparatus after the inspection device has been retrieved from the internal passage. 12. The method of claims 10 or 11, wherein the downloading of the visual images uses a connection means selected from a group consisting of a USB cable and a wireless data communication protocol, such as BluetoothTM and Wi-FiTM. 13. The method of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the recorded images are viewed from a visual display unit on the recording device. 004854872.. 14. The method of any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the transportation means transports the inspection apparatus at 20 metres/minute or greater. The inspection apparatus insertable into an internal passage of claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. 16. The method of inspecting the surfaces of an internal passage of claim 9 substantially as hereinbefore described. Dated 30 August 2006 Freehills Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 0 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: Olex Australia Pty Ltd