JPH10221613A - In-tube inspecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable viewing an inside within an optional range over long distance from an optional direction in a tube without disturbing the inner surface of the tube by providing a casing, a camera for in-tube observation and a means for generating driving force under water in the casing so as to constitute a whole device in a neutral buoyancy state. SOLUTION: The casing 13 of a robot 12 is formed so as to passage possible in a guide cylinder and the opening port of the guide cylinder and constituted to have water proof structure resisting water pressure in a duct 1. The opening port 26 in the tip of the casing 13 is closed by a glass window 27. A TV camera 29 capable of image-picking-up an area at an outer side through the glass window 27 is provided in the center part of columnar space 28 which is formed in a part being inner than the glass window 27. Besides, a driving module 34 is provided in the rear half part of the robot 12. Then, the robot 12 is constituted so as to have space among an image module 32, the motor 35 of the driving module 34 and the periphery of an inner rotor 37 and is made to be in the neutral buoyancy state where whole specific gravity becomes one substantially.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an in-pipe inspection apparatus for inspecting the inside of a pipe in a water flowing state, and more particularly, to inspecting an inner surface of a pipe in a water flowing state in an existing water pipe by a television camera or the like. The present invention relates to an in-pipe inspection apparatus that can be used for updating an aging pipeline and maintaining and managing the pipeline.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A water channel composed of cast iron pipes is generally installed buried underground. Therefore,
In order to inspect the inside of the pipe of this water channel, excavation work must be performed from the ground and the inside of the pipe must be cut off. For this reason, there is a problem that the cost is high, the night work is mainly performed, and the inhabitants of the area where the inspection is to be performed are troublesome.

[0003] For this reason, attempts have conventionally been made to inspect the inside of such a waterway without cutting or uncut water. As a device for this purpose, a push-rod television camera and a push-type tube endoscope have been conventionally developed.

[0004] Among them, the push rod type television camera has a television camera for observing the inside of the pipe at the tip side of a push rod which can be inserted into the pipe from a branch portion of a pipe such as a fire hydrant or an air valve. is there.

[0005] The push-in type tube endoscope has a television camera connected to the end of a cable that can be pushed into the pipe from the same branch in the pipe line as described above.

[0006]

However, in the conventional push-rod type television camera, since the endoscope is limited to the endoscope with the television camera installed at the distal end side of the push-rod, the viewing range is limited to the insertion portion of the push-rod. There is a problem that it is limited to a range of about 2 to 3 meters around a branch portion such as a fire hydrant or an air valve. There is also a problem in that the direction of the endoscope is limited and only the endoscope can be performed for the side view.

In the conventional push-in type tube endoscope, it is necessary to push the television camera into the tube by a cable, and the cable must have rigidity enough to withstand the pushing force. Also, the cable is inevitably curled. For this reason, there is a limit to the length of the cable to be pushed into the pipe due to the influence of the rigidity and winding of the cable, and there is a problem that the cable can be actually pushed only about 10 to 20 meters along the pipe axis direction. . In addition, because the cable fits the bottom of the tube by pushing,
There is also a problem that red rust and the like adhering to the pipe wall are stirred in the water in the pipe, and the red water flows out to the supply destination of clean water. Furthermore, since the television camera is merely connected to the end of the cable, there is also a problem that a place to be observed in the tube cannot be freely viewed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to make it possible to view an arbitrary range over a long distance within a pipe from any direction without disturbing the inner surface of the pipe. .

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides an apparatus for inspecting the inside of a pipe in a water-permeable state, comprising: a casing; a camera provided inside the casing for observing the inside of the pipe; Means are provided in the casing to generate a propulsion force in water in the casing, and the entire apparatus is configured in a neutral buoyancy state.

[0010] With this configuration, since the water in the pipe can be propelled by itself, an arbitrary range over a long distance in the pipe can be easily viewed. Also, by adjusting the propulsion direction, the direction of the apparatus, that is, the camera, can be arbitrarily adjusted, so that the inner surface of the tube can be viewed from any direction. In addition, since the specific gravity of the entire apparatus is set to a neutral buoyancy state in which the specific gravity is substantially 1, it moves in the water in the pipe without approaching the pipe wall and rubbing the pipe wall. Stirring is prevented.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a horizontal pipeline buried underground, and a large number of cast iron pipes 2 are joined to each other and, for example, tap water is passed therethrough. It is in a state. Above the pipeline 1, manholes 3 are cut from the ground at appropriate distances. 4 is the lid. A branch pipe 5 that branches upward from the pipeline 1 in a direction perpendicular to the pipe line 1 is guided toward the manhole 3, and a short pipe 6 for height adjustment and a sub-valve 7 are provided at the upper end of the branch pipe 5. The fire hydrant 8 and an air valve not shown are attached. When the inside of the pipe is inspected by the apparatus of the present invention, the auxiliary valve 7 is closed, the fire hydrant and the air valve are removed, and the insertion / recovery device 9 is attached to the auxiliary valve 7 as shown in the figure.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a cable drum, which is provided on the ground and around which a cable 11 is wound. This cable 11
After being unwound from the drum 10, it is inserted into the pipe 1 through an insertion and recovery device 9 arranged vertically.
An in-pipe underwater diagnosis robot 12 as an in-pipe inspection apparatus according to the present invention is connected to the distal end of the cable 11. The robot 12 has a cylindrical casing 13.

The insertion / recovery device 9 includes an emergency shutoff valve 15 attached to the auxiliary valve 7 and a cylindrical portion connected to the emergency shutoff valve 15.
16, a water stopping part 17 attached to the upper end of the cylindrical part 16 on the ground, and a cable gripping / sending part 18 connected to the water stopping part 17. Further, the insertion / recovery device 9 has a guide tube 19 inside thereof. The guide tube 19 can be sent downward from the insertion / recovery device 9 through the tube portion 16 and the emergency shut-off valve 15. And the branch pipe 5 so as to be able to protrude into the pipe 1. cable
An opening 20 passes through the inside of the guide tube 19 and is formed at a lower portion of the guide tube 19 so as to face the pipe 1.
From the pipe 1 to the inside.

The cable 11 is electrically connected to a drawing line 21 from the cable drum 10, and the drawing line 21 is led to a ground controller 22. The ground controller 22 includes a manual operation unit 23 and a monitor receiver 24.
And are electrically connected.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional structure of the robot 12. The casing 13 of the robot 12 is formed to have a size capable of passing through the guide cylinder 19 and the opening 20 of the guide cylinder 19,
It has a water pressure resistant structure that can withstand the pressure of water in the pipeline 1. An opening 26 is formed at the tip of the casing 13, and the opening 26 is closed by a glass window 27. This glass window
A columnar space 28 is formed inside the space 27, and this space
At the center of 28, a television camera 29 capable of photographing an outside area through a glass window 27 is provided. TV camera
Around the 29, a plurality of halogen lamps 30 are provided along the circumferential direction for illuminating an area to be photographed by the television camera 29. 31 is a substrate, and this substrate 31
Is mounted with an electronic circuit for performing power conversion and communication control for the TV camera 29 and the halogen lamp 30.
Thus, an image module 32 is configured in the first half of the robot 12.

In the latter half of the robot 12, a propulsion module 34 is provided. That is, a motor 35 is provided inside the casing 13, and a magnet coupling 36 is connected to the motor 35. The magnet coupling 36 includes a casing inner rotor 37 that is directly rotated by the motor 36 and a casing outer rotor 38 that is rotated by the casing inner rotor 37 by the action of magnetic force.
And That is, a cylindrical outer casing rotor 38 is provided concentrically inside the bottomed inner casing rotor 37, and the two rotors 37, 38 are provided with magnets 61, 62 which attract each other. A water-blocking wall 63 is provided between the rotors 37 and 38 so as to cover the rotor 38 outside the casing, and the water-blocking wall 63 completely blocks the inside and outside of the casing 13. That is, the rotor 37 inside the casing is installed in the casing 13 in a completely water-blocking state, and the rotor 38 outside the casing is installed so as to be able to communicate with the water outside the casing 13, and then the rotational force is applied between the rotors 37 and 38. Can be transmitted.

A shaft 39 is connected to the outer casing rotor 38. At the tip of the shaft 39, an impeller 40 located on the center line of the casing 13 is provided. A suction channel 41 is formed around the shaft 39, and the casing 13 is provided with a plurality of suction ports 42 in the circumferential direction communicating with the suction channel 41. A discharge channel 43 is formed behind the impeller 40, and the discharge channel 43
A stator 49 having a fixed wing structure for canceling a reaction torque generated by the rotation of 40 is provided. A movable nozzle 44 as a discharge port is provided at the tip of the discharge channel 43.

Therefore, the water 45 is sucked from the suction port 42 by the rotation of the impeller 40, and the water 45 is jetted from the movable nozzle 44 as a jet stream 46, so that the forward propulsive force is applied to the robot 12. become. Movable nozzle 44
Is made of a magnetic material, the direction of which is controlled by the action of a solenoid 47 provided on the casing 13, thereby changing the direction of the jet stream 46, and
It is configured to control 12 propulsion directions.

The casing 13 includes a plurality of cylindrical bodies 13A, 13A.
B and 13C are screwed to each other in the axial direction by screw portions 64 formed at the respective ends. As a result, the casing 13 can be freely disassembled and assembled, and the casing 13 having a required structure, that is, the robot 12 can be formed by appropriately combining the cylindrical bodies.

The robot 12 has a space around the image module 32 and the motor 35 of the propulsion module 34 and around the inner rotor 37.
48, so that the overall specific gravity is substantially 1
It is made to be in a neutral buoyancy state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cable 11 is a robot
2 is connected to the rear end of this cable.
1 shows a cross-sectional structure. As shown in the drawing, the cable 11 has a structure in which a buoyancy body 51 having a specific gravity smaller than 1 covers the periphery of the main body 50, and the periphery of the buoyancy body 51 is further covered with a sheath 52. The main unit 50 has a positive power line
53, a minus power supply line 54, a plus video signal line 55, a minus video signal line 56, a control signal line 57, and a tensile strength string 58
Are provided. This tensile strength cord body 58 is
This is provided to receive the tension acting on the cable 11 when the cable is pulled back to the insertion / recovery device 9 side, for example, and is constituted by a strength member such as Kevlar fiber. The cable 11 also has a buoyant body 51 and is configured to be in a neutral buoyancy state in which the specific gravity of the whole becomes substantially 1 like the robot 12.

The cable 11 has internal lines 53,..., 57 and a cord body 58 exposed at the rear of the robot 12, and these lines 53,.
, 57 and the cord body 58 are connected to the casing 13. At the rear end of the casing 13, a tubular cable protection cover 59 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the movable nozzle 44 in order to prevent the wires 53,..., 57 and the cord body 58 from being caught in the jet stream 46. Have been.

In such a structure, when inspecting the inside of the pipe, the insertion and recovery device 9 is attached to the sub-valve 7 as shown in FIG. A guide cylinder by operating the sending section 18
Lower the lower part of 19 toward the inside of the pipeline 1. At this time, the robot 12 is housed inside the opening 20 of the guide cylinder 19.

When the guide cylinder 19 has dropped to a predetermined position,
The impeller 40 of the robot 12 is rotated by remote control from the operation unit 23 and the controller 22 on the ground, and the jet flow is
By ejecting 46, the robot 12 generates a propulsive force in the pipe axis direction. In this case, if the robot 12 is propelled in the direction of the water flow 60 in the pipeline 1, smooth propulsion becomes possible. The robot 12 can be moved only by the action of the water flow 60. Further, the cable 11 is fed into the pipe 1 by the cable gripping / sending unit 18 in response to the propulsion of the robot 12. As described above, since the robot 12 is propelled by itself, the inside of the pipeline 1 for water supply can be inspected over a long distance in a state of uncut and uncut water, and this inspection can be performed at low cost and in a short time. .

At this time, the robot 12 and the cable 11
Since each of them is in a neutral buoyancy state, it does not sink or float in water. Therefore, the robot 12 can be propelled without the cable 11 rubbing the pipe wall, and therefore, it is possible to prevent agitation of deposits on the inner surface of the pipe. Cable 11 with the promotion of robot 12
The tensile force acting on the wire is received by the tensile strength cord body 58, so that the tensile force is prevented from adversely affecting the conducting wire and the like.

At the place where the inspection is to be performed, the direction of the movable nozzle 44 is controlled so that the camera unit 32 of the robot 12 is connected to the pipeline 1.
To the part to be inspected on the inner wall. Then, the target portion is illuminated by the halogen lamp 30, and the situation of the target portion is photographed by the television camera 29. By controlling the direction of the movable nozzle 44, it is possible to freely observe a desired part in the tube. Image signal is cable 11
To the ground controller 22 and monitored by the receiver 24. At this time, for example, if a rotary encoder or the like is installed in the cable gripping / sending unit 18, the position of the inspection target unit along the pipe axis direction can be detected.

On the ground, the situation inside the pipeline 1 is inspected by visually checking the image of the receiver 24. Also,
By performing image processing from the obtained data, specific numerical analysis processing such as the effective water flow cross-sectional area is performed.

When the inspection is completed, the robot 12 is recovered. At this time, the robot 12 is moved by pulling the cable 11 by the cable gripping / sending unit 18 or the like.
Is drawn toward the insertion / recovery device 9. At this time, since the tensile strength cord body 58 in the cable 11 receives the tension for pulling, it is possible to prevent the tension from adversely affecting the conductors in the cable 11 and the like. At the time of this collection,
Since both the robot 12 and the cable 11 are in a neutral buoyancy state, the pipe wall is similarly prevented from being rubbed.

This pulling causes the robot 12 to open
In order to enter the inside of the guide tube 19 through 20, the robot 12 is recovered by pulling the guide tube 19 out of the pipeline 1 thereafter. The robot 12 has a cylindrical casing 13
Each part is housed inside and there are no protrusions etc.,
It is possible to easily put in and out of the guide cylinder 19 without catching on each part.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, an apparatus for inspecting the inside of a pipe in a water flowing state is provided with a casing, a camera for observing the inside of the pipe provided inside the casing, and the casing. The lever has a means for generating propulsion underwater in the casing, and the entire device is configured to be in a neutral buoyancy state. Any area over a long distance can be easily viewed, and by adjusting the direction of propulsion, the direction of the device or camera can be adjusted arbitrarily, so that the inner surface of the tube can be viewed from any direction,
In addition, since the specific gravity of the entire apparatus is substantially one, the apparatus can be moved in the water in the pipe without approaching the pipe wall and rubbing against the pipe wall. Stirring of the kimono can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an in-pipe inspection apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cable connected to the inspection device.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of inspecting the inside of a pipe using the inspection apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Casing 29 TV camera 32 Image module 34 Propulsion module 48 Space

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Ochiyama 2-26-2 Ohama-cho, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Kubota Mukogawa Works, Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuji Izuno 1-1-1, Hama, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Kubota R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Kunikazu Takeuchi 1-1-1, Hama, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Kubota R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Akio Kamada 1-1-1, Hama, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo Co., Ltd. Kubota Technology Development Laboratory

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for inspecting the inside of a pipe in a water-permeable state, comprising: a casing; a camera for observing the inside of the pipe provided inside the casing; An in-pipe inspection device, comprising: means for generating propulsion; and wherein the whole is configured in a neutral buoyancy state.