JPH08304294A - Robot running through pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a robot which can travel through a bent pipe smoothly and surely. CONSTITUTION: The robot 31 comprises forward part 32 and rearward part 34 coupled flexibly through a tube 33 while incorporating a controller 45, a communication unit 46, etc., in the interior. The forward part 32 and rearward part 34 are provided, respectively, with wheels 35a, 35b, 35c in three ways on the periphery thereof. A plurality of rollers 16 having rotary axis are provided on the outer circumference of the wheel 35a, 35b along the advancing direction thereof but the wheel 35c is not provided any roller on the outer circumference thereof and made of a material exhibiting high frictional force, e.g. rubber. With such structure, the robot 31 can advance through a bent part of the pipe 50 smoothly with two wheels thereof slipping laterally while touching the inner surface of the pipe tightly with the wheel having no roller 16. Consequently, the robot can ascend a slop surely while preventing from falling even when the wheel is directed horizontally thus preventing the robot body from touching the inner surface of the pipe.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an in-pipe traveling robot that travels in a pipe such as a gas pipe by radio control, and more particularly to an in-pipe traveling robot that can move smoothly and reliably in the pipe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Gas pipes having a considerable length are buried in the ground at present, and long pipes are complicatedly arranged in plants, etc., so that fluids such as gas can be efficiently and smoothly caused and accidents can occur. It is necessary to inspect the pipes appropriately to prevent such problems. However, excavating from the ground and inspecting all the buried pipes takes a great deal of time and effort, and it is virtually impossible to visually inspect the pipes of a plant with complicated piping one by one. . Therefore, there has been proposed an inspection method of inspecting the inside of a pipe by sending a robot equipped with a photographing device into the pipe and displaying an image of the inside of the pipe by the robot.

By the way, when a control signal or a video signal is communicated with such an inspection robot using a cable, the traveling distance of the robot is limited to the length of the connected cable, and the length of the cable is limited. There is a problem that it takes a lot of time and labor because the inspection must be performed for each area. In addition, if the cable is lengthened, it will take time and labor to store and transport it, and since the robot will run while pulling the cable into the pipe, the traveling load will be very large and it will become a large robot with strong power, resulting in a narrow pipe or bending. There was a problem that it could not be used with many tubes. Therefore, a method has been invented in which a robot is controlled by wireless control and an image captured by the robot is also transmitted by wireless communication.

As one of the conventional robots of this type, there has been invented a pipe traveling robot of a type in which a tube is provided in the middle and two traveling portions are flexibly connected by a tube. This robot has three wheels, one on the upper side and the other two wheels on the lower side, in each of the front part and the rear part connected by a tube, and the vertical intervals of these wheels are appropriately widened. When the robot was inserted into the pipe inner surface, the wheels were pressed against the pipe inner surface so that the robot could travel freely.

Further, in order to allow the robot to smoothly change the direction of the bend in the pipe, a plurality of rollers that rotate in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the wheel are provided on the outer periphery of each wheel, and the wheels are adapted to the bend of the pipe. Was skidding.

[0006]

By the way, although a robot to which a cable is connected can supply sufficient electric power through the cable, in a robot operated by radio, only the charging power of a battery mounted on the robot can be used. Since power is supplied to all devices, it is necessary to reduce power consumption as much as possible. Therefore, since a motor with a large torque consumes a large amount of electric power, a motor with a small torque is used to reduce the power consumption of the motor, and even a motor with a small torque can travel inside the pipe sufficiently. It was decided to reduce the pushing force of the wheel to the robot and to reduce the running resistance of the robot in the pipe.

However, since the rollers that rotate in the lateral direction are attached to the wheels, if the pressing force of the wheels against the inner surface of the tube is reduced, the robot rotates in the tube and the upper and lower wheels are positioned horizontally. In such a case, the weight of the robot could not be supported and the wheel spacing was compressed, causing the robot to drop below the pipe. When the robot descends in this way, the gap between the pipe and the robot narrows downward,
The robot body comes into contact with the inner surface of the pipe to increase running resistance, which increases power consumption. Also, when the robot bends, a part of the robot hits the inner surface of the pipe and a motor with low torque cannot pass through the bend. There is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide an in-pipe running robot capable of reducing the pressing force of a wheel to reduce power consumption and smoothly traveling in a pipe including a bent portion. And

[0009]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a rear part is connected to a rear part of a front part by a bendable connecting member, and drive wheels provided on the front part and the rear part are predetermined. The inside of the pipe that is pressed against the inner surface of the pipe by the urging force of the pipe, travels inside the pipe by radio control from the inspection device main body installed outside the pipe to be inspected, and wirelessly transmits the information obtained in the pipe to the inspection main body. In a traveling robot, wheels are arranged in a front surface and a rear portion in a plane passing through the longitudinal center thereof in a substantially triangular shape, and two wheels of these wheels are provided on the outer periphery of two wheels in a direction perpendicular to the rotation direction of the wheels. The in-pipe traveling robot is configured by providing a plurality of rotating rollers, and not providing such a roller on the other wheel, at least the outer periphery of which is made of a material having a large frictional force.

Further, another one wheel which is not provided with rollers is arranged at the rear of the front part and at the front of the rear part to construct the in-pipe running robot.

[0011]

Since three wheels are provided on the front and rear sides of the in-pipe running robot, and rollers are provided on the outer circumference of two of the wheels, the rollers rotate at the bent portion and the wheels move laterally. And can be bent smoothly. Then, when a driving force is required, for example, when traveling upward, a strong holding force is obtained by wheels without rollers,
It can run upward without spinning. Furthermore, even if the robot rotates in the pipe and the wheels are oriented horizontally, one of the wheels is not provided with rollers, so that the weight of the robot itself can be properly supported and lowered. Without
The required clearance with the pipe can be secured and the pipe can move smoothly.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the in-pipe traveling robot according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the robot 31 includes a front portion 32, a rear portion 34, and the front portion 32 and the rear portion 34.
It is composed of a tube 33 and the like that connect with.

The front portion 32 has three wheels 35a and the like on three sides and has a photographing camera 41 facing forward and a camera 41.
The illumination light 42 including a light emitting diode installed around the lens of No. 1, the battery 43, and the like are mounted inside.

FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of the front portion 32.

The front portion 32 has one wheel 35a upwardly.
However, two wheels 35b and 35c are installed in the same plane below, and the drive motor 11 and the reduction gear 12 are connected to each wheel 35a and the like. Further, the lower wheels 35b and 35c are attached to the ends of the stay 13, respectively, and are supported rotatably around a fulcrum 14 of the stay 13. Further, a spring 15 is attached to an intermediate portion of the stay 13, and the spring 15 urges the stay 13 in a direction of reducing the distance between the wheels 35b and 35c, that is, toward the center of the front portion 32. The urging force of the spring 15 is such that an excessive pressing force is not generated on the wheels 35a and the like when the robot 31 is inserted into the pipe 50, and the pressing force of the wheels 35a and the like is sufficient to run in the pipe 50. Is the power that can be obtained. Spring 15
The spring force of may be variable.

Further, the upper wheel 35a and the lower front wheel 35b are provided with a plurality of rollers 16 on their outer circumferences. The roller 16 is a roller made of a member having a large friction coefficient such as rubber, and is rotatably attached by a shaft (not shown) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the wheel 35a.
A circular anti-slip member 39 made of rubber or the like is provided between the rollers 16 and 16.
The outer periphery of the wheel 35 formed by the slip prevention member 39 is formed to be substantially circular. Further, the wheel 35c on the lower rear side is a wheel which is not provided with the roller 16 and to which a member having a large friction coefficient such as rubber is attached to the outer peripheral portion.

The material having a large friction coefficient is not limited to rubber, but other synthetic resin or the like may be used.

The tube 33 is a flexible tube, and various cables (not shown) connecting the front portion 32 and the rear portion 34 are passed through the inside thereof.

The rear portion 34 is the front portion 3 as shown in FIG.
2 has substantially the same structure as that of FIG. 2, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a communication device 46 including a control unit 45, a receiving device 47 and a transmitting device 48 is mounted inside, and an antenna 40 connected to the communication device 46 is installed. Be prepared for the back. Further, the lower front wheel 35c is a rubber wheel without the roller 16, and
The wheels 35a and 35b are the wheels 35a of the front portion 32.
Similar to the above, it is composed of wheels having rollers 16 and anti-slip members 39.

The control means 45 includes a motor 11 and a camera 4.
1, the light 42, the receiving device 47, etc., receives an instruction from the controller 61 shown in FIG. 3 via the receiving device 47, and controls the operation of the motor 11 etc. according to the instruction.
Also, the image from the camera 41 is transmitted via the transmission device 48.

The inspection device 60 arranged on the ground side is shown in FIG.
A transmitter 64 connected to the antenna 20 as shown in FIG.
69 and receiving devices 66 and 68, the controller 61 is connected to the transmitting device 64 via the control means 63, and the receiving device 66 is connected to the monitor 62 displaying a received image via the video processing device 65. . Further, the position detection device 6
7 connects to the receiving device 68 and the transmitting device 69, emits a radio wave for position detection and receives the radio wave, and the robot 3
The position information of No. 1 is displayed on the monitor 62.

Next, the operation of the robot 31 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the robot 31 inserted into the gas pipe 50 pushes the wheels 35b and the like against the inner wall of the pipe 50 by the spring 15, and the robot 31 is positioned substantially at the center of the pipe 50 as shown in FIG. It Then, for example, when the controller 61 is operated so as to move the robot 31 forward, a signal is sent from the control means 63 to the transmitter 64 and is transmitted as a radio wave from the antenna 20 into the tube 50. The radio wave transmitted through the pipe 50 is received by the receiving device 47 through the antenna 40, is transmitted to the control means 45 of the robot 31, and the motor 1
1 is driven in the forward direction.

When the motor 11 is driven, the wheels 35a etc. rotate and the robot 31 advances in the tube 50. At that time, the wheels 35a and 35b having the rollers 16 are mounted on the motor 11 by the non-slip member 39 on the outer periphery and the rollers 16.
The wheel 35c that does not have the roller 16 directly transmits the rotational force.

In this way, the robot 31 moves straight in the tube 50 by the rotation of the wheels 35a and the like. When the robot 31 is applied to the bent portion of the pipe 50 and the direction of the wheels 35a changes to the left or right as the robot 31 advances, the rollers 16 of the wheels 35a and 35b rotate and the wheels 35a and the like move to the robot 31. The robot 31 moves while rotating in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the robot 31 to change the orientation of the robot 31. At that time, the wheel 35c does not shift laterally, but the remaining two wheels 35a and 35b are displaced to the left and right so as to rotate about the grounding point of the wheel 35c as an axis.
The robot 31 can be bent smoothly even if c is not displaced.

Further, even when the robot 31 rotates about the axis in the traveling direction and the wheels 35a and the like are oriented in the horizontal direction, the wheels 35c are not provided with the rollers 16 and therefore their own weight can be reliably supported. It does not fall due to the rotation of the roller 16. As a result, the position of the robot 31 does not lower in the pipe 50 and is always held at the center position of the pipe 50, so that the distance between the inner wall of the pipe 50 and the robot 31 can be kept constant, and the robot 31 can move the pipe 50. Even if it does not come into contact with the inner surface of the sheet or it is applied to the bent portion, it can proceed smoothly without any trouble.

On the other hand, when the controller 61 sends a photographing instruction, the camera 41, the light 42, etc. are activated and the tube 50
An image of the inside of the tube 50 is taken, and the image signal in the tube 50 taken
8 is transmitted through the antenna 40 into the pipe 50, and the pipe 5
It is transmitted through 0 and received by the image antenna of the antenna 20 on the ground, and is displayed on the monitor 62 via the receiving device 66 and the image processing means 65.

When detecting the position of the robot 31 in the pipe, the position detecting means 67 is operated and a pulse signal (radio wave) is transmitted from the transmitter 69 into the pipe 50 through the antenna 20. Since the pulse signal transmitted in the tube 50 hits the robot 31 in the tube 50 and is reflected back, the reflected wave is received by the receiving device 68, and the robot is based on the time difference after transmitting the pulse signal. Calculate the distance to 31. Since the calculated value is displayed on the monitor 62, the position of the robot 31 in the pipe 50 can be determined.

In this way, the robot 31 can move smoothly in the tube 50, and the condition inside the tube 50 is photographed by the camera 41 and inspected by an image, so that the presence or absence of damage and the position of the tube 50 are detected. And the like can be reliably inspected through the monitor 62.

[0031]

The in-pipe traveling robot according to the present invention is a connected type in-pipe traveling robot having wheels on three sides, in addition to wheels provided with rollers rotating on the outer periphery of the wheels in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the wheels. At least one wheel without
Since the robot is equipped with two wheels, the robot can easily slide sideways through the bends by wheels equipped with rollers, and the wheels that do not have rollers can reliably hold the position in the pipe and allow the robot to slide inside the pipe. Since it can be prevented from falling, even if the robot rotates in the pipe and the wheels are oriented horizontally, the robot does not drop downward while supporting its own weight. As a result, the robot can always be held at the center position of the pipe, the robot does not come into contact with the pipe wall, it can pass through the bent portion without hindrance, and the pipe can smoothly travel.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of a robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the entire robot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Motor 12 Reduction Gear 13 Stay 15 Spring 16 Roller 20, 40 Antenna 31 Robot 32 Front Part 33 Tube 34 Rear Part 35a, 35b, 35c Wheel 39 Non-Slip Member 41 Camera 42 Light 43 Battery 45, 63 Control Means 46 Communication Device 47 , 66 Receiver 48, 64, 69 Transmitter 50 Pipe 61 Controller 62 Monitor 67 Position detector

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A rear part is connected to a rear part of the front part by a bendable connecting member, drive wheels are provided on the front part and the rear part, respectively, and the wheels are pressed against the inner surface of the pipe by a predetermined biasing force. In the in-pipe running robot that travels in the pipe by radio control from the inspection device body installed outside the inspection pipe and transmits the information obtained in the pipe to the inspection device body by radio, the front portion and the rear portion. The wheels are arranged in a substantially triangular shape in a plane passing through the longitudinal center thereof, and a plurality of rollers that rotate in a direction perpendicular to the rotation direction of the wheels are provided on the outer circumference of two wheels of the wheels, In addition, the inside traveling robot is characterized in that the roller is not provided on the other one wheel and at least the outer periphery is formed of a material having a large frictional force. 2. The in-pipe traveling robot, characterized in that another wheel without the roller is arranged behind the front portion and in front of the rear portion. 3. The in-pipe traveling robot according to claim 1, wherein a non-slip member is provided between the rollers in the wheel provided with the plurality of rollers. 4. The in-pipe traveling robot according to claim 1, wherein the other one wheel is made of rubber.