JPH01284706A - Method and device for inspecting pipe line - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lay a pipe line without entering the pipe line by installing and moving a pressure sensor which detects a vertical shift in position in the pipe line to be inspected and recording its output on a recorder provided on the ground. CONSTITUTION:A fluid tank 20 is provided above the pipe line 18 to be inspected, the pressure sensor 30 which detects the pressure in the tank 20 is provided in the pipe line 18, and this pressure sensor 30 is mounted on a movable body 32 and made movable in the pipe line 18. The pressure signal outputted by the sensor 30 is different according to the difference between the height position of the liquid surface in the tank 20 and the height position of the sensor 30, so this pressure signal is recorded on the recorder 42 through a signal processing circuit 36 to inspect whether or not the pipe line 18 deviates vertically about a laying planned line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for inspecting whether or not a pipe line is laid out along its laying line.

(Prior Art) For new or existing pipes, such as sewage pipes, which are made up of a plurality of pipes buried underground and connected to each other, it is necessary to check whether or not they are laid out along the construction drawing line. It is necessary to perform inspection work to inspect multiple locations along the length of the pipe. This inspection work can be carried out by the leveling method.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, the leveling method can only be applied to inspecting large-diameter pipes that workers can enter; It cannot be applied to the inspection of small diameter pipes such as.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for inspecting a pipeline, which allows an operator to inspect whether or not the pipeline is laid out along its laying design line without having to enter the pipeline. With the goal.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The pipe line inspection method of the present invention receives a fluid whose liquid level is above the height of the pipe line to be inspected, and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the pressure of the fluid. The method further includes arranging a pressure sensor within the conduit, and processing the electrical signal output from the sensor in order to check whether the conduit is correctly arranged.

- Measuring the moving distance of the sensor while moving the sensor continuously or intermittently along the conduit, and measuring the electric signal output from the sensor when the sensor moves or stops; It is preferable to process in accordance with the moving distance.

The pipe line inspection device of the present invention includes a tank containing a fluid, which is disposed above the height of the pipe line, and a tank containing the fluid, which is communicated with the tank so as to receive the fluid in the tank. A pressure sensor that outputs an electrical signal corresponding to pressure,
A moving body that supports the sensor and is movably disposed within the conduit, and a circuit that processes the electrical signal output from the sensor in order to inspect whether the conduit is correctly arranged. It is characterized by including.

The signal processing circuit further includes a distance meter that generates an electric signal corresponding to the amount of movement of the moving body within the conduit, and the signal processing circuit converts the electric signal output from the sensor into the electric signal output from the distance meter. It is preferable that the circuit performs processing in accordance with the above.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes a television camera supported by the movable body so as to be able to take an image of the inside of the conduit.

(Operations and Effects of the Invention) The electrical signal output from the sensor varies depending on the difference between the height position of the fluid level in the tank and the height position of the sensor. Therefore, if the conduit deviates upward or downward with respect to the laying design drawing line, the sensor outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of deviation of the conduit with respect to the laying design drawing line. This electrical signal is subjected to processing such as amplification and calculation in a signal processing circuit, and then displayed on a meter, recorded by a recorder, or stored in a memory for later use.

According to the inspection method and device of the present invention, it is possible to know whether or not the pipeline is laid out along the laying design line based on the electrical signal output from the sensor, so that the operator can There is no need to enter the road.

According to the inspection method of claim (2) and the inspection device of claim (4), inspection can be performed at a plurality of locations in the length direction of the pipe.

According to the inspection device of claim (5), the movable body can be moved while observing the inside of the pipe, and the work of moving the movable body is facilitated.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below.

The inspection device 10 shown in FIG.
It is used as a device for inspecting a conduit 18 that interconnects two manholes 14, 16.

The cross-sectional shape of the conduit 18 is circular.

Inspection device 10 includes a tank 20 installed on the ground.

Tank 20 contains a fluid 22, such as water. At the bottom of the tank 20, one end of the port 24 is connected to the fluid 22.
connected to receive. The hose 24 extends from one manhole 14 into the conduit 18 via a hose reel 26 and a distance meter 28 installed in the manhole.

A pressure sensor 30 is connected to the other end of the hose 24. Pressure sensor 30 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of fluid 22. Such a pressure sensor 30 is commercially available under the names of piezoelectric level meters, pressure gauges, level meters, and the like. The pressure sensor 30 is placed on a self-propelled movable body 32 that is disposed in the conduit 18 so as to be movable along the conduit. The body 32 may be moved using a robe or the like.

The output signal of the pressure sensor 30 is supplied to a signal processing circuit 36 via a signal line 34 such as a coaxial cable. The signal line 34 extends from the pressure sensor 30 together with the hose 24 through the distance meter 28 and the hose reel 26 to the manhole 14, and further extends from the manhole 14 to the ground.

During the inspection, the movable body 32, with the sensor 30 mounted thereon, is moved continuously or intermittently within the conduit 18 from the manhole 14 side to the manhole 16 side. Mobile object 3
2, an electric signal corresponding to the height difference H between the liquid level of the fluid 22 and the sensor 30 is continuously output from the sensor 30, and the hose 24 and signal line 34 from the hose reel 26 are connected to the edge. An electrical signal corresponding to the moving distance of the moving object 32 and eventually the sensor 30 is sent from the distance meter 28 to the signal processing circuit 3 via a signal line 38 such as a coaxial cable.
6.

The signal processing circuit 36 calculates the amount of eccentricity of the conduit 18 with respect to the laying design line based on the electrical signal supplied from the sensor 30, and calculates the moving distance of the sensor 30 based on the electrical signal supplied from the distance meter 28. The calculated eccentricity amount is stored in the memory 40 for each calculated movement distance.

When the sensor 30 is moved to the manhole 16, the signal processing circuit 36 reads the information stored in the memory 40 and supplies the information to the recorder 42. As a result, the recorder 42
prints a graph showing the height position of the conduit 18 with respect to the floor plan drawing line.

Examples of the moving body 32 are shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.

The moving body 32 includes a self-propelled trolley 50. The trolley 50 supports a rotation mechanism 54 that rotates a plurality of wheels 52 attached thereto, a camera unit 56 that images the inside of the conduit 18, a pressure sensor 30, and a pressure gauge 58. A sensor 30 is installed on the truck 50 to measure the pressure of the fluid 22.
A composite cable 60 including a fluid hose for acting on a fluid, a power cable for each device, a sensor 30 cable, a camera unit 56 cable, a rotating mechanism cable, etc. is connected. Composite cable 60 extends through rangefinder 28 to reel 26, as shown in FIG.

The rotation mechanism 54 includes a rotation source 62 such as a motor, and a reducer 64 connected to the rotation source, and also connects a composite cable 60 via a connector 66 attached to the trolley 50 and a cable 68. Connected to the internal rotation mechanism cable.

The camera unit 56 includes a television camera 70 and a plurality of lights 72 for illumination, and also includes a rotating arm 7
4, it is supported by a truck 50 so as to be rotatable around the axis of the conduit 18 and around an axis perpendicular thereto. The camera unit 56 is connected to a camera unit cable in the composite cable via a cable 76 and a plurality of connectors 78 fixed to the trolley 50.

The sensor 30 is connected to a sensor cable in the composite cable. Further, one end of the sensor 30 is connected to a hose 80.
It is connected to a hose in the composite cable via a connector 82 attached to the trolley 50. sensor 30
The other end has a pressure gauge 5 days and an air vent valve 84.
is connected to.

The sensor 30 and the valve 84 are supported by a platform 86 attached to the trolley 50 so that the height of the sensor 30 can be adjusted so that the center of the sensor 30 coincides with the central axis of the conduit 18 . On the other hand, the pressure gauge 58 is attached to a stand 88 fixed to the truck.

Prior to use of the inspection device 10, the valve 84 is connected to the tank 2.
0 is released to fill the sensor 30 and the pressure gauge 58 with the fluid 22 in the sensor 30 and the pressure gauge 58.
When it reaches 8, it is closed. Also, prior to the inspection,
The level of fluid 22 in tank 20 is adjusted such that pressure gauge 58 indicates zero.

During inspection, the rotating mechanism 54 is driven to rotate the trolley 5.
0 runs on its own within the conduit 18. At this time, the operator can reproduce the image corresponding to the video signal output from the television camera 70 on a monitor installed on the ground, and control the movement of the trolley 50 while monitoring the reproduced image. . While the trolley 50 moves within the conduit 18, the sensor 30 sends an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of the fluid to the signal processing circuit 3 of FIG.
Output to 6.

Examples of the distance meter 28 are shown in FIGS. 6 to 8.

The distance meter 28 is mounted on a mounting base 9 made of a rectangular plate.
Contains 0. A measuring roller 92 and a pressing roller 94 that presses the composite cable 60 against the roller 92 are supported on the base 90 .

The measuring roller 92 has a shaft 98 that rotatably passes through a bracket 96 fixed to the support plate 90 and the support plate 90.
Fixed. Shaft 98 is connected to a rotating shaft of rotary encoder 100. The rotary encoder 100 generates an electrical pulse signal every time its rotating shaft rotates by a predetermined angle.

The presser roller 94 is rotatably supported by a shaft 104 attached to one end of the arm 102, and the other end of the arm 102 is fixed to one end of a shaft 106 that rotatably passes through the base 90. One end of an arm 108 is fixed to the other end of the shaft 106. The arm 108 is provided with a rotational force such that the presser roller 94 presses the composite cable 60 against the measuring roller 92 by a rectangular coil spring 110 . The spring 110 is locked to the other end of the arm 108 and to a pin 112 fixed to the base 90. A collar 114 is disposed on the shaft 106 to maintain a constant distance between the base 90 and the arm 102.

In use, the base 90 is attached by a plurality of bolts or the like to a wall defining the manhole so that the composite cable 60 extends along the conduit. When the composite cable 60 is moved forward as the moving object moves, the measurement 6-ra 92
is rotated, so that the rotary encoder 100 outputs a number of pulse signals corresponding to the number of rotations of the measuring roller 92. This pulse signal is transmitted to the first
The signal is supplied to the signal processing circuit 36 shown in the figure as a signal indicating the moving distance of the moving body.

An embodiment of the hose reel 26 is shown in FIG.

Hose reel 26 includes a rotating drum 120 around which composite cable 60 is wound. The drum 120 is a rotating shaft 1 of the drum 120.
22 is rotatably supported by supports 124 at both ends thereof. One end of the rotating shaft 122 is a hollow universal joint 12
6 , and the end of the hollow portion opposite to the universal joint 126 is connected to one end of a fluid hose in the composite cable 60 .

A plurality of slip rings 12 are provided at the other end of the rotating shaft 124.
8 is installed. Each slip ring 128 is
Individually connected to cables in a composite cable.

Hose reel 26 also includes a plurality of brushes 130 positioned in electrical contact with slip ring 128 .

In use, the fluid hose 24 is connected to the flexible fiber 126, and the cables 132, such as power lines and signal lines, respectively corresponding to the cables in the composite cable 60, are connected to a predetermined brush 130. . As the moving body moves forward, the drum 120 is rotated, and the composite cable 60 is let out from the drum 120.

The fluid 22 in the tank 20 shown in FIG.
6. The fluid is supplied to the pressure sensor through the hollow part of the rotating shaft 122 and the fluid hose in the composite cable 60. In addition, power and control signals to each device placed on the moving body are transmitted through a cable 132, a brush 130, and a slip ring 12.
8 to the cables in the composite cable 60.

Further, signals from sensors and television cameras placed on the moving body are transmitted to the cable 13 through the cable in the composite cable 60, the slip ring 18, and the brush 130.
2.

If a composite cable including a fluid hose, a power cable, and a signal cable is used, the hose and various cables can be simultaneously extended the same distance as the moving distance of the moving object increases.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the inspection method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of a moving body used in the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an end view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the movable body in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is an end view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 7 is a right side view of the distance meter shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a left side view of the distance meter shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing one embodiment of the hose reel. 10: Inspection equipment, 14.16: Manhole, 18
: pipe line, 20: tank, 22: fluid, 24: hose, 26: hose reel, 28: distance meter, 30: pressure sensor, 32: moving object, 36: signal processing circuit, 70: television camera. Agent Patent Attorney Nobuyuki Matsunaga Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 2, Figure 9

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A method for inspecting whether or not a pipeline is arranged along its laying design line, which receives a fluid having a liquid level above the height of the pipeline, and the pressure of the fluid is , disposing a pressure sensor in the conduit that outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure sensor, and processing the electric signal output from the sensor to check whether the conduit is correctly arranged. , pipe inspection method. (2) Claim (1): measuring the moving distance of the sensor while moving the sensor along the conduit, and processing the electrical signal output from the sensor in correspondence with the moving distance of the sensor. ) The pipe line inspection method described in ). (3) A device for inspecting whether or not a conduit is arranged along the laying design line of the conduit, comprising: a tank containing a fluid, which is disposed above the height of the conduit; a pressure sensor communicating with the tank to receive the fluid in the tank and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of the fluid; and a movable movable member within the conduit supporting the sensor. A conduit inspection device, comprising: a body; and a circuit for processing the electrical signal output from the sensor in order to inspect whether the conduit is correctly arranged. (4) The signal processing circuit further includes a distance meter that generates an electric signal corresponding to the amount of movement of the moving object within the conduit, and the signal processing circuit converts the electric signal output from the sensor into a distance meter that generates an electric signal corresponding to the amount of movement of the moving object within the conduit. The pipe line inspection device according to claim 3, which is a circuit that processes the electric signal in response to the electric signal. (5) The pipe line inspection device according to claim (4), further comprising a television camera supported by the movable body so as to be able to image the inside of the pipe line.