JPH10111381A - Robot device for inspecting small tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small tube inspecting robot which is compact in body, and improved clamp performance and stably walks without increasing the weight and outer shape. SOLUTION: A clamp cylinder which is installed at the bottom ends of three each of clamp shafts 2, 3 in the X and Y directions, respectively, and clamps and unclamps a tube 20 by moving the clamp shafts 3, 2 up and down, is produced in a double elliptic cylinder consisting of an outer elliptic cylinder 14 and an inner elliptic cylinder 15. By arranging cylinders 13, 8 moving in the X and Y directions which move the clamp shafts 3, 2 in parallel with slide tables 23, 24 in the form of two stages of up and down, right side and wrong side of the board 1 are set orthogonal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection robot apparatus used for inspection of a thin tube such as a steam generator used in a nuclear power plant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of inspection robot apparatus, there is one as shown in FIGS. They are,
3 shows a clamp shaft and a moving cylinder of the capillary inspection robot device.

FIG. 5A shows a clamp shaft 2.
7 shows an unclamped state, and FIG. 7B shows a clamped state.

In FIG. 5A, a clamp shaft 27 is composed of an outer cylinder 29, an inner cylinder 30, first to third pistons 31 to 33, a taper shaft 28, and a stabilizer 34. First of outer cylinder 29
The piston also serves as a piston 31. The tip of the piston 31 is hollow and a stabilizer 34 is connected thereto.

[0005] A tapered shaft 28 is connected to the tip of the shaft of the second piston 32 and penetrates to the stabilizer 34. The stabilizer 34 is opened and closed (expanded / deformed) by the movement of the taper shaft 28, and clamped and unclamped in the thin tube 20.

The procedure for clamping the tube sheet 21 into the thin tube 20 will be described below. The first piston 31 is raised by ventilating through the vent hole a, and the stabilizer 34 is inserted into the thin tube 20. Vent to the vent b to act on the third piston 33,
The second piston 32 and the tapered shaft 28 are raised, and the stabilizer 34 is opened, pressed against the inner surface of the thin tube 20 and clamped. When ventilating through the vent port c, the first piston 31 is fixed, so that the outer cylinder 29 is lifted, and the robot apparatus main body is brought into close contact with the surface of the tube sheet 21.

On the other hand, in the case of the unclamping, when the taper shaft 28 is pulled out by ventilating the vent hole d, the clamp to the thin tube 20 is released, and the first piston 31 descends and FIG. State.

In FIG. 6, the X-direction moving cylinder 35 is fixed to the lower surface of the substrate 40, and the Y-direction moving cylinder 38 is fixed to be orthogonal to the upper surface.

The piston shaft 36 of the X-direction moving cylinder 35
Is fixed to a slide table (X direction) 37,
The X-direction clamp shaft 27 is provided at both ends of the slide table 37.
Is fixed, and the movement of the piston shaft 36 causes the two X-direction clamp shafts 27 to move in parallel.

The Y-direction moving cylinder 38 has the same configuration as that of the X-direction moving cylinder 35.
8 is a slide table (Y
Direction) 39, and a Y-direction clamp shaft (not shown) is fixed to both ends of the slide table 39. The movement of the piston shaft (not shown) causes the two Y-direction clamp shafts to move in parallel.

[0011]

In recent years, in order to eliminate walking instability due to an eccentric load, an inspection robot apparatus having three X and Y clamp axes has been developed. If the structure of the clamp cylinder at the lower end of the clamp shaft in the X and Y directions and the structure of the movable cylinder in the X and Y directions in the above-described conventional inspection robot is used as it is in the inspection robot, there are the following problems. Was.

Since the capillary inspection robot apparatus is carried through a manhole such as a steam generator, the maximum outer diameter is limited, and the outer diameter of the current clamp cylinder cannot be accommodated in the robot body. Since two sets of clamp shafts each equipped with three clamp cylinders are moved in parallel in the X and Y directions, the outer shapes of the current moving cylinder and slide table cannot be accommodated in the robot body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a thin-tube inspection robot device which can make the main body of the device compact, improve the clamping performance without increasing the weight and outer shape, and obtain a stable walking.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A capillary inspection robot apparatus according to the present invention is a capillary inspection robot apparatus which walks a group of small tubes and inspects the small tubes. Provided at the lower end of more than one clamp shaft,
The clamp cylinder for clamping and unclamping the thin tube by moving the clamp shaft up and down is formed of a double elliptical cylinder. According to this, it is possible to increase the number of clamp shafts and increase the tube sheet pressing force of the clamp shaft and the clamp force in the narrow tube without increasing the cylinder outer shape more than necessary.

A thin tube inspection robot apparatus for inspecting a thin tube while walking through a thin tube group, comprising a plurality of tubes in the X and Y directions which penetrate a substrate and are moved up and down by a clamp cylinder to clamp and unclamp the thin tube. Are supported on slide tables in the X and Y directions, respectively.
An X-direction and Y-direction moving cylinder for horizontally and horizontally moving the X-direction and Y-direction clamping shafts via these slide tables is provided. It is characterized by having. According to this, the moving cylinder can be formed compact while sufficiently retaining the driving force.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a capillary inspection robot apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a capillary inspection robot apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a clamp cylinder section, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a moving cylinder section. 4 is a view on arrow P in FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a board, 2 denotes a Y-direction clamp shaft which is combined with a set of two and supported by the board 1, and 3 denotes a set which is combined by a set of two and supported by the board 1. X-direction clamp shaft, 4 is a turntable for rotating the outer periphery of the substrate 1, 5 is a tube sheet pressing roller, and 6 is a tube sheet pressing roller 5.
A proximity switch 7 for determining the turning position of the turntable 4; a vertical Y-direction moving cylinder 8 connecting a set of two and one Y-direction clamp shaft 2;
Reference numeral 9 denotes a quadruple probe guide for passing an inspection probe (not shown), 10 denotes a motor with a folding speed reducer, and 11 denotes a fixing cylinder for fixing the quadruple probe guide 9 horizontally.

In FIG. 1, a rotary table 4 is provided on the outer periphery of the substrate 1, and a four-stage probe guide 9 which can be folded by a motor 10 with a speed reducer is attached to the rotary table 4 so that the entire apparatus can be carried in from a manhole. ing. After being carried in, it is returned to a horizontal position, and the rod portion of the fixing cylinder 11 on the turntable 4 is set by engaging with the quadruple probe guide 9. The rotary table 4 can be set at a specific position by engaging a rod portion of a positioning cylinder 7 on the substrate 1.

Next, the X-direction clamp shaft 3 and the Y-direction clamp shaft 2 are provided at their lower ends with double elliptical cylinders (FIGS. 2 and 4).
Are provided, and the respective clamp shafts 3 and 2 can be moved up and down and clamped and unclamped. The X-axis and Y-direction clamp shafts 3 and 2 are vertically movable cylinders 13 and 8 (see FIG. 2) perpendicular to the back surface and the front surface of the substrate 1, and each of them has three Can be moved in parallel in the horizontal direction.

Further, a proximity switch 6 is provided on the substrate 1, and there is a tube sheet pressing roller 5 projecting from the substrate 1 in all directions. The pressing roller 5 detects contact with the tube sheet 21.

The robot provided with the above mechanism is a thin tube detection robot apparatus. The embodiment according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIG.

In FIG. 2, Y-direction clamp shafts 2 and X
Since the direction clamp shaft 3 has the same structure, the X direction clamp shaft 3 will be described.

The X-direction clamp shaft 3 is the outer elliptical cylinder 1
4, an inner elliptical cylinder 15, a taper shaft 18, and a stabilizer 19. The tip of the inner elliptical cylinder 15 also serves as the second piston 17 of the outer elliptical cylinder 14, and the tip of the tip is the hollow X-direction clamp shaft 3, which is connected to the stabilizer 19. A tapered shaft 18 is connected to the tip of the first piston 16, and penetrates to the stabilizer 19. This stabilizer 19
Are opened and closed by the movement of the taper shaft 18. The outer elliptical cylinder 14 is integrally formed with a frame-shaped slide table 23 described later.

The procedure of moving up and down the tube sheet 21 and clamping and unclamping will be described below. The X-direction clamp shaft 3 integral with the second piston 17 is ventilated through the vent hole a to raise the stabilizer 19 into the thin tube 2.
Insert into 0. The taper shaft 18 integral with the first piston 16 is raised by ventilating through the vent port b, and the stabilizer 19 is opened to open the thin tube 2.
0 Press against the inner surface and clamp. When ventilating through the vent c, the outer elliptical cylinder 14 is lifted because the second piston 17 is fixed, and the integral robot apparatus main body is raised via the outer elliptical cylinder 14 and a slide table 23 described later, and FIG. The tube sheet pressing roller 5 is adhered to the lower surface of the tube sheet 21. When the air flows into the ventilation port d, the taper shaft 18 is pulled out and the clamp to the thin tube 20 is released, so that the second piston 17 descends, and the taper shaft 18 also descends.

In FIG. 3, two sets of X-direction moving cylinders 13 and two sets of Y-direction moving cylinders 8 are provided and mounted so as to be orthogonal to the back and front surfaces of the substrate 1, respectively. The tip of the piston shaft 22 is fixed to a frame-shaped slide table 23, and X-direction clamp shafts 3 are respectively supported at both ends of the slide table 23 so as to be vertically movable. The table 23 moves so that each of the three X-direction clamp shafts 3 can move in parallel.

The two Y-direction moving cylinders 8 have the same mechanism as the two X-direction moving cylinders 13. The frame-shaped slide table 24 is orthogonal to the X-direction slide table 23, respectively. The three Y-direction clamp shafts 2 are moved in parallel.

In FIG. 4, a pair of two X-direction elliptical cylinders (see the outer elliptical cylinder 14) and one X-direction elliptic cylinder are connected by two vertically movable X-direction moving cylinders 13, and the above-described X-direction clamp is provided. The translation is performed in the X direction as described with reference to the axis 3. On the other hand, a pair of two Y-direction elliptic cylinders (see the outer elliptical cylinder 25) and one Y-direction elliptic cylinder are connected by two vertically movable Y-direction moving cylinders 8 (see FIG. 3). It moves in parallel.

Therefore, the X-direction elliptic cylinder and the Y-direction elliptic cylinder are operated to alternately clamp and unclamp the X-direction clamp shaft 3 and the Y-direction clamp shaft 2 and to move the X-direction moving cylinder 13 and the Y-direction moving cylinder 8. By moving the robot apparatus in the X and Y directions, the robot apparatus main body walks like a so-called scale insect, and the inspection of the thin tube group is performed by the inspection probe supported by the quadruple probe guide.

As described above, the turntable 4 is
The board 1 is turned around the outer periphery of the board 1 by a motor 26 with a speed reducer for turning the turntable and an internal gear mechanism H via a ball bearing. Further, a remote mounting tool fitting hole 12 is provided symmetrically on the outer periphery of the turntable 4, and is carried in from the manhole of the steam generator using a remote control rod or the like, lifted to the lower surface of the tube sheet, and set.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0032]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the X direction and the Y direction
The clamp cylinder at the lower end of each of three or more clamp shafts in each direction is formed as a double elliptical cylinder. The clamping force can be improved, so that stable walking can be obtained, and the apparatus main body can be made compact to improve the efficiency of the capillary tube inspection work.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the moving cylinders in the X and Y directions for moving the clamp shaft in parallel are formed in two rows vertically and are orthogonal to each other, the moving cylinders can be held while sufficiently retaining the driving force. It can be made compact, and the device body can be made compact.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a capillary inspection robot apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a clamp cylinder part.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a moving cylinder unit.

FIG. 4 is a view as seen from the arrow P in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a clamp cylinder portion of a conventional capillary inspection robot device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a moving cylinder unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 substrate 2 Y-direction clamp shaft 3 X-direction clamp shaft 4 turntable 5 Tube sheet pressing roller 8 Y-direction moving cylinder 13 X-direction moving cylinder 14 Outer elliptical cylinder (X direction) 15 Inner elliptical cylinder (X direction) 16 First piston 17 2nd piston 18 taper shaft 20 thin tube 21 tube sheet 23 slide table (X direction) 24 slide table (Y direction) 25 outer elliptical cylinder (Y direction)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thin tube inspection robot apparatus for inspecting a thin tube while walking through a thin tube group, provided at lower ends of three or more clamp shafts in X and Y directions penetrating a substrate,
A thin tube inspection robot device wherein a clamp cylinder for clamping and unclamping a thin tube by vertically moving the clamp shaft is formed of a double elliptical cylinder. 2. A thin tube inspection robot apparatus for inspecting a thin tube while walking through a thin tube group, wherein a plurality of tubes in an X direction and a Y direction which penetrate a substrate and are vertically moved by a clamp cylinder to clamp and unclaminate the thin tube. Are supported by slide tables in the X and Y directions, respectively, and are provided with moving cylinders in the X and Y directions for horizontally and horizontally moving the clamp shafts in the X and Y directions via these slide tables. A thin-tube inspection robot device, wherein cylinders are formed in two rows vertically and the front and back surfaces of the substrate are orthogonal to each other.