JP2008201279A - Connection device of plurality of trucks, and inspection device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a connection device to pass through an elbow part of a small-diameter tube by minimizing the distance between trucks so as not to be caught by a projecting part inside the tube. <P>SOLUTION: A bar-shaped connection device has two inflection points. A universal joint having a joint cross is used for each inflection point. When one of the universal joints is fixed, the other can be inflexed in any direction. The rotational force is generated in the universal joint according to the inflection angle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention passes through a plurality of carriages that are connected to the inside of a pipe (particularly a pipe having a 90-degree elbow portion, which is a small-diameter pipe having an outer diameter of about 3 to 8 inches, such as a buried pipe). Therefore, it relates to the structure of the connecting device.

For elbow pipes with a relatively large diameter (bend: JIS B 0151-1995) and straight pipes, or straight pipes with small diameter pipes for the bogie structure, various bogie connection methods are used. Yes. In particular, when pulling a carriage, there is a method using a rope or a wire. However, there are very few examples of elbow parts of small-diameter pipes that are difficult to pass through, and those that are connected with wires as shown in FIG. 5 and those that are connected with springs as shown in Patent Document 1 are used. there were. Moreover, although what connects the trolley | bogies using the universal joint as shown to patent document 2 is shown, the passage of a 90 degree elbow pipe is not considered. Furthermore, as shown in Patent Document 3, a universal joint is used as a connecting member that can be bent. In this case as well, an elbow pipe (bend: JIS B 0151-1995) having a relatively large diameter is used. It is a specification and is not considered due to the so-called cardan error that occurs in the refraction of the universal joint when passing through a 90 ° elbow. However, in the case of small-diameter pipes, the ends of the 90 ° elbow pipe are often welded when connecting the joints, and there are convex parts due to welding on the inner surface as shown in FIG. There were occasions when it was impossible to pass. When the connected cart as shown in FIG. 5 reaches the elbow portion of FIG. 4, the situation shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, when trolleys are connected by a spring, a large traction force is required, and a structure that can withstand a large amount of tension is required for the trolley, a traction device, and the like, and it has been impossible to implement.
JP 2001-349844 JP-A-8-198103 JP 2002-318293 A

  In the method according to the prior art, since it is not possible to implement a connecting cart that passes through the elbow portion of the small-diameter pipe, it is necessary to create a new connecting mechanism between the vehicles. In particular, in the bogie connection method using a spring, the distance between the bogies fluctuates and becomes long, and it becomes easy to be caught by the convex portion inside the pipe, and therefore, it is necessary to minimize the distance between the bogies.

  The coupling device is a rod-shaped coupling device having two refraction points, and a universal joint using a cross-axis joint is used at the refraction point. As shown in FIG. 8, when one of the universal joints is fixed, the other can be refracted in either direction. However, a rotational force is generated by the angle at which the universal joint is refracted. This is commonly called a cardan error, and the error is expressed by equation (1).

  The universal joint is used as a means for transmitting the rotational force of one shaft to the other shaft having a crossing angle, and as a general example, is used for a crankshaft of an automobile as shown in FIG. In this method of use, when two universal joints are connected in parallel with the shaft 1 and the shaft 3, as shown in FIG. Since it occurs in the opposite direction between the shafts 3, they are canceled out, and no rotation error occurs between the shaft 1 and the shaft 3. When used in the coupling device of the present invention, since the bending directions of the two universal joints are the same direction, the cancellation effect does not occur, and the rotation error due to the crossing angle A and the crossing angle B is added as shown in FIG. And rotational force is also added. On the other hand, when considering the structure of the bogie, the wheel with the suspension mechanism (Fig. 2) or the sled (Fig. 3) is pressed against the inner wall of the pipe, so a large contact resistance occurs in the circumferential rotation. . Therefore, it was found that the rotational force generated by the cardan error becomes a large load. Therefore, the rotational force generated by refraction by providing a mechanism that allows the shaft to freely rotate between the two universal joints as shown in FIG. It has been found that there is no transmission, and it is easy to pass through the elbow pipes of a plurality of connected carts.

  The free rotation mechanism is used so that the rotational force generated by the stranded wire is not transmitted to the suspended load when the wire is suspended by a crane or the like. The free rotation part of FIG. 1 has connected the universal joint (1) and the universal joint (2) in FIG. 15 by the joint rod (3). (7) and (8) of FIG. 15 are the universal refraction parts of the universal joint (1) and the universal joint (2). The joint (1) side of the joint rod (3) is connected by insertion or a screw and fixed by one or more screws (4) to prevent rotation or separation. On the other hand, the side inserted into the universal joint (2) has a groove on the entire circumference of the connecting rod (3) in order to ensure free rotation and prevent separation, and this groove has one location from the universal joint (2). The bolt (5) is inserted above. As a result, the joint rod (3) can be prevented from coming off and the joint rod (3) and the universal joint (2) can be freely rotated.

  In addition, a freely rotatable top (6) is fitted to the tip of the bolt (5) in order to make free rotation smooth.

  In addition, the pulling direction when the connecting cart passes through the elbow pipe of FIG. 4 is most preferably the direction indicated by A in FIG. 9, but the actual pulling direction of the connected cart is the direction B shown in FIG. . Accordingly, since it is desirable to make the direction of B shown in FIG. 9 closer to the direction of A, it is necessary to connect the distance between the carriages as short as possible. The present invention shortens the distance between carriages and uses a universal joint to change the direction as a method that can withstand a large traction force, and the rotational force generated by a rotational angle error called a cardan error caused by the universal joint is caused by a free rotation mechanism. It is a cart coupling device that prevents transmission.

  By this invention, it became possible to let the system by the cart connected as a device which inspects the long distance buried pipe installed in the canal and the road pass.

  FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which inspection is performed from the inner surface of the pipe by passing a carriage connected to the long-distance buried pipe. FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a carriage connected as an inspection apparatus that passes through the inside of the long-distance buried pipe shown in FIG. There are various ways to pass the inspection device even if it is a short buried pipe, but the long-distance buried pipe shown in FIG. There are things and multiple elbow pipes are connected. In order not to damage such a buried pipe, it is necessary to inspect the situation (thickness reduction due to corrosion), but it is impossible to push the connecting cart, and there is nothing other than towing.

The inspection apparatus shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 will be described. The cart configuration as an inspection device is a car equipped with a rotating motor battery at the top, an ultrasonic wall thickness measuring car at the middle, and a car equipped with a signal amplifier at the end. Furthermore, since a unit of only wheels is connected before and after the connecting cart for guiding when passing through the elbow pipe section, it is composed of five units as a whole. That is, there are five units: a wheel-only guide unit, a battery-equipped vehicle, a measurement vehicle, a signal amplifier-equipped vehicle, and a wheel-only guide unit. Since the cart coupling device according to the present invention is used for coupling between the units, a total of four cart coupling devices are used. As shown in Fig. 10, the coupling device consists of a cross-shaped universal joint with two shafts, and a free rotation mechanism provided in the middle of the universal joint, which is composed of a joint rod and a rotary top, and the distance between the bending points is 30 to 40 mm. Will be produced. The measurement system shown in FIG. 11 is configured by a measurement carriage connected to a rope traction machine installed on the pull-out side and an ultrasonic measurement device installed on the apparatus insertion side. The rope traction machine consists of a rotating drum, a motor and a motor controller. On the measuring device side, a rotating drum and a ultrasonic measuring device (TC-5700) for winding a signal line are provided. In the ultrasonic measuring vehicle, an ultrasonic probe is installed on the central axis, and a wall thickness can be measured from the inner surface of the long-distance buried pipe by an ultrasonic reflector rotated by a motor. Since long-distance buried pipes are inspected, it is necessary to install a signal amplifier to prevent the ultrasonic signal from being attenuated due to the long distance between the ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic measuring instrument and to prevent noise caused by long-distance signal transmission. A car with an amplifier was required.
By using such a truck connecting device, it is possible to inspect from the inner surface of a long-distance buried pipe with many elbows installed on a canal or road.

  As for the towing method, there is also a towing method in which a pig is arranged in front of the guide wheel as shown in FIG.

  By using the cart connecting apparatus according to the present invention, the inspection apparatus can be used not only for the maintenance of buried pipes installed in canals and roads, but also for buried pipes in large-scale factories and cooling pipes for blast furnaces.

Conceptual diagram of connecting device configuration between trucks The figure which shows the contact method of a bogie and a pipe inner surface with a wheel The figure which shows the contact method of a bogie and a pipe inner surface with a sled Illustration explaining the elbow of the tube Conventional cart connection method using rope Conventional cart connection method using springs Passage explanatory diagram of the carriage connected with the elbow rope Illustration of universal joint The figure explaining the direction of tractive force at the time of passing a curved part Linked cart illustration Example of use of trolley for long distance buried pipe Diagram explaining a general use example of a universal joint Explanatory drawing when used to connect a universal joint truck Illustration of pig method Detailed view of universal joint

Explanation of symbols

1 universal joint 2 universal joint 3 joint rod 4 screw 5 bolt 6 free to rotate top 7 free refraction part 8 free refraction part

Claims (2)

  A plurality of carts connected through a pipe, wherein the carts are constituted by a universal joint using a plurality of cross-shaft joints and a free rotation mechanism provided between the universal joints.   An inspection apparatus comprising a plurality of carts using the coupling device according to claim 1.

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