JPS6154447A - Device and method of in-tube running device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To run the running device freely in a conduit which has a vertical part, inflection part, different-diameter part, twist part, etc., by providing one wheel having a driving device each to terminals of extension arms projecting from the main body in both directions, and controlling the speed of each wheel so that the angles between both extension arms and onward surface of the tube wall are equal. CONSTITUTION:The main body 2 is provided with extension arms 1, wheel driving devices 1a and 1b, wheels 3a and 3b, energizing force source motors whih project the extension arms 1, springs, etc. The angles thetaa and thetab between the arms 1 and tube walls Wa and Wb are detected and the wheels are so controlled that the lower wheel 3b (or 3a) when thetaa>thetab or upper wheel 3a (or 3b) when thetaa<thetab is accelerated. Consequently, even when the tube walls Wa and Wb vary in onward inclination, the body runs while holding an invariably stably attitude. Front and rear probing rods 5a are provided in front of and behind the wheels 3a and 3b so as to detect the angles thetaa and thetab respectively, and the inclinations of the walls to the arms 1 are calculated by comparing spring lengths h1 or h2 or from variations.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to an intra-pipe (including conduit) running device and its use.

Inspection of cracks, damage, wear, corrosion, dirt, adhesion of foreign matter, deterioration of materials, etc. inside pipes, understanding the condition of pipe joints, laying cables inside pipes, transporting materials inside pipes, etc. It is a great hope for the future that this work can be done by robots without relying on human hands. In particular, when working inside pipes where there is no space for manual work, or when working inside pipes related to nuclear reactors where manual work is dangerous, this is an essential requirement that goes beyond simply streamlining the work and saving labor.

(Prior Art) In the past, only a traveling method was considered that utilized the friction between the wheels and the pipe wall due to gravity. This is thought to be a direct application of the land-based travel system within the area. With this method, it is impossible to move inside pipes that are not horizontal, bent, or have an uneven diameter.

As a countermeasure to this problem, the inventor filed a patent application in 1983-2207.
17 ``Wheel'' and Japanese Patent Application 1983-220719 ``Intra-Pipe Moving Device'', Japanese Patent Application 1983-211344 ``Intra-Pipe Self-propelled Device'' were developed and a patent application is pending.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) The purpose of the above-pending invention is to solve the problem that a device running inside a pipe whose diameter and axis direction are undefined has not yet been developed. The invention of the invention also provides a further improvement for the same purpose.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The outline of the present invention is as follows: Devices A and B and their usage 0. It is D.

Person 6: A body having a pair of telescoping arms urged to protrude in opposite directions; A wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each arm; and a surface in the traveling direction of the pipe wall where the two wheels contact and the axis of the arms. and a control device that controls the speed of each drive device of the two wheels so that the detected values of these detection devices become equal. In-pipe running device.

B. A main body with a pair of telescoping arms urged to protrude in opposite directions, a wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each arm, and one or both of the telescoping arms capable of vertical movement in the same direction as the wheels. a probe rod that can be installed so that its tip points toward the lower side of the tube wall; and a detection device that detects the angle between the arm axis and the surface of the tube wall in the traveling direction that the two wheels touch, or the corresponding amount thereof. and a control device that controls the speed of each drive device of the two wheels so that the detection values of these detection devices become equal.

0. A main body having a pair of telescopic arms urged to protrude in opposite directions, a wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each arm, a mechanism for directing the wheels in the direction of the tube axis, and the two wheels contact each other. Each of the detection devices detects the angle between the moving direction surface of the tube wall and the arm axis, or the corresponding amount thereof, and the speed of each drive device of the two wheels is controlled so that the detected values of these detection devices are equal. When a pipe traveling device comprising: a control device and A method of using an in-pipe running device characterized by turning a wall surface.

96 A main body having a pair of telescoping arms urged to protrude in opposite directions; 1 A wheel with a driving device fixed to the tip of each of the arms, and a surface in the traveling direction of the pipe wall where the two wheels contact and the axis of the arm. a plurality of in-pipe traveling devices each comprising: a detection device for detecting the angle formed by the two wheels, or a corresponding amount thereof; and a control device for controlling the speed of each drive device of the two wheels so that the detection values of these detection devices are equal; Arranged in a row, each main body is connected with a connecting member that can be expanded/contracted, bent, and torsionally rotated, an expansion/contraction amount detection device is attached, and the speed of each traveling device wheel is controlled so that the detected expansion/contraction amount is within a certain range. A method of using an in-pipe running device characterized by:

(Function) In contrast to the pipe traveling devices developed by the present inventors so far, either the tripod stretched out against the pipe wall like a compass or a two-wheeled frame was attached to the ends of both arms protruding from the main body. It has one driving wheel attached to each end of a single elongated M rod, and it is also possible to use regular wheels as the driving wheels. In other words, it is a transformation similar to turning a two-wheeled vehicle on the ground into a unicycle, but it is fully functional.

The main parts of the device light #iA are a reverse telescoping arm that presses the wheels against both side wall surfaces in the tube, and a main body that supports and biases them. A wheel drive speed control device is added. If the conduit is easy to navigate, no guide is required, or a simple guide can be attached to the main body.

If this is not the case, there is a device invention B in which a probe rod for route guidance is added to this.

The probe rod detects the height of the pipe wall near the wheel (with the wheel tread as the standard), and by directing the wheel to the lowest point, in the case of a cylindrical road, it is possible to move the wheel in the direction of the pipe axis. Become. Also, if the cross section of the pipe is not a perfect circle, the wheels will choose the large diameter part to move forward.

The angle detection device and the speed control device for both wheels ensure that both telescopic arms remain essentially at right angles to the tube wall. Whether the tube tapers at the end or widens at the end, it will move stably if the angles between each arm and the tube wall are equal. Therefore, the angles that both wheels make with the surface of the tube wall in the direction of travel are constantly detected, and the wheel on the arm with the smaller angle in the direction of travel is controlled to be faster than the others so that both angles are equal.

The power source for urging the main body to protrude the extendable arm may be as simple as a coil spring as shown in the embodiment shown in Figs.
Electromagnetic force, air pressure, etc. can also be used. The wheel drive device is usually an electric motor, and in special conditions a hydraulic motor.

Usage Invention C is one in which the device moves spirally inside the tube. It is easy to do this simply by intentionally shifting the direction of the wheel, which should be directed toward the tube axis, to the side. This opened a new intratubular strategy. Usage D of the invention can be made into a traveling body suitable for transporting articles by connecting a plurality of devices of this invention and controlling the wheel drive device by the expansion/contraction value of the connecting member.

(Example) Fig. 1 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the device invention, in which / is the aforementioned telescopic arm, lα, /b is the wheel drive device, λ is the main body, 3α, J
b indicates a wheel. The tube wall is Wα, wb.

The angles formed by the direction in which the tube wall advances and the bracelet are defined as θα and θb.

The main body 2 is provided with a motor, a spring, etc. as a power source for urging the extendable arm l, but their illustrations are omitted. Furthermore, the biasing force
By making the thrusting force of the arm L toward the tube wall weaker when it extends and stronger when it contracts so that both arms are equal, the main body can always be placed in the center of the tube and the thrusting force can be kept constant. It becomes possible to

If the speeds of both wheels 3α and Jb are controlled so that the angles θα and θb between the arm and the tube wall and Wb are equal, the robot will move in the correct posture as shown in the figure.

In other words, when moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the angles θα and θb are detected as described later, and when compared, if θα>θb, the lower wheel 3b is accelerated (or 3α is decelerated), and if θα<θb, the lower wheel 3b is accelerated. This is a simple control that accelerates the upper wheel 3α (or decelerates the upper wheel 3b). This is the back of the tube wall.

Even if the inclination of the direction in which the chrysanthemums travel changes, the device of this invention always advances in a stable posture.

Two embodiments of the probe of device invention B are shown in Figures 2α and 2b. In this example, probe j is a sphere that can move in all directions,
It is attached to the tip of the probe jcz. In the case of FIG. 2α, the front and rear probes jα are slid onto the vertical cylinders 17 at both ends of the beam 76 fixed at right angles to the telescopic arm/, and are oriented in the same direction as the wheel 3, so that the rear end of the probe rod 5α The probe j at the end of the rod is pressed against the tube wall W by a fill spring S that connects the tube portion 7 and the probe j.

The probe before and after being pressed! ,! In this case, due to the pressing force, they try to roll toward the lower part of the tube wall W, but because they can only move around the arm l, they end up in a position lined up in the tube axis direction. Therefore, the wheels 3 are also oriented in the direction of the tube axis. The twisting and rotating joints attached to the arms allow for this movement. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the probe arms jα are provided at the front and rear of the wheel 3 in order to be used as a device for detecting the angle θ. This means that the tube wall W
The wheels 3 are made to follow the lowest side of the tube, thereby making it more reliable to guide the wheels in the direction of the tube axis.

To detect the angles θα and θb, use the spring length hl in Figure 2α.
From the comparison of F hl or its change, the inclination of the tube wall W with respect to the arm can be calculated.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2b is also a probe and angle θ detection device for route guidance, and its product is shown in Fig. 5.6.7. Equal length probe! α and jα are pivotally supported at one point B on the arm so that they can swing up and down in the same plane as the wheel 3, and the tube wall W is pushed by pulling them together with a spring S between the rods. Therefore, the wheels 3 can be directed in the direction of the tube axis, similar to FIG. 2α. The potentiometer P1 in FIG. 2b is one for each probe arm α, that is, two potentiometers are stacked one on top of the other. If we know the angle formed by the arm / and both probe rods 5α and yα using the potentiometer P, then 1/2 of the sum of the surface angles will be in the direction of the perpendicular to the isosceles triangle standing on the tube wall W. The angle θ between this and the arm l can be easily calculated.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.6.7, a differential gear mechanism (three bevel gears) tr is used, and the scissor angle bisector of the probe rods 5α and jα in Fig. 2b is obtained using only one potentiometer. I'm looking for direction. It goes without saying that for the angles θα and θb in FIG. 1, the corresponding amounts of the angles may be detected. For example, the probe payload in Figure 2b! α is only the front side, and this and the extendable arm l
It is also possible to detect only the angle formed by the potentiometer P and use it for comparative control.

FIG. 3 shows the running state of the embodiment device equipped with the probe rod 5α of FIG. 2b. The vehicle travels stably due to the course guiding action of the probe rod 5α, the detection of the angle θ, and the speed control of each wheel thereby.

In a device in which probe rods jα are installed before and after the wheel 3 as shown in Figures 2α and 2b, for example, in the case of a tube with a cross section as shown in Figure 4, the device of the above embodiment can detect which of the two positions drawn side by side. I don't know if it will move forward (both of them have the same point that they move in the direction of the tube axis). The one on the right is more stable than the one on the left because it travels along the large diameter part of the pipe, but in the above embodiment, the wheel 3 is mainly directed toward the axis of the pipe, so the lower one is more stable. to wheel 3
It lacks the ability to transfer. It simply moves to a lower position little by little due to the wheels 3 skidding.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-7 solves the above problem. That is, in this embodiment, the shaft of the wheel 3 is made hollow, and a U-shaped probe rod 7 is added, which is a round rod passed through the shaft and short probe rods attached at right angles to both ends of the rod. A spherical probe 5 is attached to the tip of the U-shaped probe rod 7, but in this embodiment, the probe can be used both forward and backward! In order to hit the tube wall W, spheres are attached to the top and bottom of the left and right ends of the probe rod 7, respectively. In other words, the upper and lower spheres are used differently depending on the direction of travel.

This spherical probe j! The force pushing the pipe iW is the force of the wheel 3
This is due to the friction between the shaft of the probe and the horizontal part of the U-shaped probe arm 7 inserted therein. As shown in FIG. 6, the U-shaped probe rod 7 does not produce a steering action when both probes j and r are placed on the tube wall W. If it deviates to the side from the large diameter part of the tube, the probe on one side of the flat-shaped probe rod 7!
emerges. Then, only the probe 5 on the other side pushes against the inclined surface of the tube wall W, causing the vehicle to skid to a lower position, so that the wheels 3 are also directed in that direction. Of course, wheel 3 is a probe arm for angle detection! α.

Since 5α is attached, the above effect is somewhat weakened.

The above-mentioned flat-shaped probe rod 7 is used especially to improve steering performance, and is generally a probe rod jα shown in Figures 2α and zb that also doubles as an angle detection device, allowing stable movement by simply pointing the wheels 3 in the axial direction. There are many pipes.

Pl in FIGS. 5 to 7 is the same as the potentiometer P in FIG. 2b, and the probe radius jα, ! is indicated using a differential gear mechanism.
The angle at which the bisector of α deviates from the arm axis is detected. P is for detecting the amount of wheel 30 rotations, that is, the distance traveled. Although a potentiometer was used for PltPf, it is not limited to this.

M is a wheel speed control device including a drive device, and θ in Fig. 2b or θα and θb in Fig. 1 are determined from the angles of the probe rods α and jα with respect to the arms detected by the potentiometer P, and the angles on both sides are calculated. Both axles 3α, 3bf)
Control speed. This cooperative control of the speeds of both axles allows for stable progress even with a device that has only one wheel on each side.
The situation is shown in FIG.

Fig. 8 shows a case where the position of the main body 2 does not need to be at the center of the pipe diameter, so the pair of telescopic arms /, /, which are urged to protrude in opposite directions, are symmetrically extended from the main body 2 in both directions. This is an example in which the upper arm in the figure is expanded and contracted. However, when both arms expand and contract symmetrically, the center point of the tube is always at one point on the main body, and if this is traced from behind, the center line of the tube can be continuously measured.

Figures 9α and 9b were developed earlier by the present inventor (Japanese Patent Application No. 5
No. 7-220717) Indicates a wheel that can be easily moved laterally.

A small traversing wheel 1 housed in each of the numerous outer peripheral notches of the wheel 3'
0 is held by a common axle rod l passed through an annular hole along the outer circumference of the wheel 3'. Since an annular hole cannot be machined, two wheels 3' are actually assembled, an annular U-groove is cut into each of the mating surfaces, and the wheels are integrated by gluing or tightening. The small wheel 10 has a probe rod/angle detection device 5α shown in Fig. 2b on the tread surface of the wheel 3',
Although an example is shown in which the U-shaped probe rod 7 is used in combination, the latter may be omitted.

In FIG. 10b, both axles 3, 3 are the laterally moving wheels 3' of FIGS. 9α and 9b, and the U-shaped probe rod does not require full heating. In this case, the probe rods jα and jα are used to control the tracing of the driving wheel in the direction of the tube axis and to detect the angle.

In Fig. 10c, the U-shaped probe rod 7 on the upper side of Fig. 10α is removed, and instead, the direction of the car @3 is the front and rear probe frame 5α.

A rotation angle adjustment feature is added to forcefully shift it sideways from the 5α orientation.

In FIG. 10d, the U-shaped probe arm 7 of the lower arm l in FIG. 10c is also eliminated, and in its place a laterally moving wheel 3' is used.

FIG. 11 shows a running situation of a device having a rotation angle modulation fffJ mechanism. The upper wheel 3 in the figure runs deviated from the tube axis direction according to the steering angle of the adjustment mechanism 9, and the ends of both arms spiral around the tube wall surface. Curve 0 represents the locus of the contact point between the steering wheel 3 and the tube wall W. The amount of rotation of the vehicle @ 3 on the side that is forcibly steered in this way is generally larger than that of the wheel 3' that is steered voluntarily. For this reason, the device P for detecting the distance traveled.

More accurate data can be obtained by counting the amount of rotation of the autonomously steered wheels using a probe rod. That is, the 10th
In Figures c and 10d, it is preferable to detect the amount of rotation of the lower wheels @3, 3/.

When the steering angle of the rotation angle adjustment mechanism is large, the self-steering wheels are strongly required to have the ability to move sideways. Therefore, FIG. 10c is suitable for running when the steering angle is small, and FIG. 10d is suitable for running when the steering angle is large.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the invention in which multiple units N are connected and run. The connecting member/Hiroshi is equipped with an expansion joint, an expansion/contraction amount detection device (not shown), and a rotary joint, and each traveling device main body λ
The refraction interval tfN/3 is inserted at the connection point with This allows the connecting member /μ to expand and contract, bend, and twist and rotate. This example has both extendable arms/.

A rotary joint ≠ is attached to both /3 so that this and the refraction joint /3 do not affect each other, but if the refraction M joint /J is made a universal joint, there will be only one rotary joint Hiroshi on the arm L side. That's fine.

One of the plurality of traveling devices is actively run, and the other devices are run so that the detected value of the expansion/contraction amount of the expansion joint /j falls within a certain range. For example, when the device on the right side of FIG. 12 is used as the main moving object to run to the right, when it is detected that the expansion joint IS is extended, a command is given to the wheel drive device of the device on the left side to make it run to the right. As a result, if the expansion joint 15 contracts too much, the left side device is decelerated, and so on.

In order to transport instruments, equipment, materials, etc., these may be fixed to the connecting member/l. It is also possible to perform forced steering by connecting multiple devices.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to a small number of embodiments, since the device of the present invention is simple in structure, it can be varied and applied in a variety of ways using the known techniques of mechanical engineers.

The angle θα, θb detection device and the probe radius do not necessarily have to be used together. The means for pressing these against the tube wall and the means for biasing the telescopic arms against each other may be not only springs as in the above embodiments, but also electromagnetic force, pneumatic force, or other means.

The probe rod does not need to directly touch the tube wall as long as it can determine the height, so it is also possible to use optical, electromagnetic, or aerodynamic proximity sensors to direct the wheels toward the lower side.

The same applies to the device that detects the angle between the telescopic arm and the tube wall.

-1 could provide a device that can freely run through a conduit with twists and the like.

It is simple, with the only main components being telescopic arms extending in both directions from the main body and a wheel with a drive device attached to the end of each arm. We have been able to provide a new running device that is unimaginable from the conventional concept of running objects.

Not only is it new, but because it has wheels on both sides, it is easy to measure the angle between the telescopic arm and the direction of movement of the pipe wall, and it is also easy to control the direction of the wheels.

By detecting and comparing the angles between both telescoping arms and the surface of the tube wall in the direction of travel, and controlling the speed of each wheel to make both angles equal, a traveling device like a single pike rod can be stabilized. You can now run inside the pipe.

In addition, a probe arm that can move up and down in the same direction as the wheel is attached to the telescoping arm, so it detects the height of the tube wall near the wheel tread and provides autonomous steering ability to direct the wheel toward the tube axis or the maximum diameter. Obtained.

In addition, when the device of this invention, which directs the wheels in the direction of the pipe axis, is run inside the pipe, by adjusting the direction of the wheels and shifting them laterally,
We have developed a new method for traveling inside the pipe, which allows the vehicle to travel in a spiral manner.

In addition, by connecting several devices of this invention, such as wheeled wheels, it was possible to provide a transport vehicle that smoothly moves back and forth through conduits of variable size, direction, and cross section with loads attached to them.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2α, '2
Figure b is an explanatory diagram of two embodiments of the guiding probe rod and angle detection device;
Fig. 3 is a previously described drawing of the inside running state of the pipe according to the embodiment of this invention;
The figure is also a cross-sectional view of the pipe, Figures 5, 6, and 7 are elevational, side, and cross-sectional views of the commercialized embodiment of the device of this invention, and Figure 8 is the embodiment of Figure 1. Explanatory diagram of the situation in which the pipe progresses stably through the maximum diameter part of the pipe where the dimensions change rapidly, No. 90゜9b
The figure is a plan and side view of an example of a wheel that can be easily moved in the lateral direction, Figures 10 (!, 106, 10c, and 10d) are explanatory diagrams of four embodiments of the device of the present invention, and Figure 11 is a diagram showing the device of the present invention in which the device is forcibly steered. An explanatory diagram showing how to proceed spirally in a pipe, and Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how to connect a plurality of units. /... telescopic arm, 2... main body, J, 3', Jα,
Jb...Wheel, Hiroshi...Rotary joint, 5α...Probe rod (also angle detection device).

Claims (9)

[Claims] (1) A main body with a pair of telescoping arms urged to protrude in opposite directions, a wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each arm, a surface in the traveling direction of the tube wall where the two wheels touch, and the axis of the arm. and a control device that controls the speed of each drive device of the two wheels so that the detected values of these detection devices become equal. In-pipe running device. (2) An in-pipe traveling device according to claim (1), wherein one or both of the wheels are wheels that can be easily moved laterally while facing the direction of travel. (3) A main body with a pair of telescoping arms biased to protrude in opposite directions, a wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each of the arms, and one or both of the telescoping arms being placed up and down in the same direction as the wheels. a probe rod that is movably provided and whose tip is directed toward the lower side of the tube wall; and a probe that detects the angle formed between the moving direction surface of the tube wall in contact with the two wheels and the arm axis, or the corresponding amount thereof. An in-pipe traveling device comprising: a control device that controls the speed of each drive device of the two wheels so that the detection values of these detection devices become equal. (4) An in-pipe traveling device according to claim (3), wherein the probe rods are located at the front and rear of the wheel, and direct the wheel in the direction of the tube axis. (5) An intra-pipe traveling device according to claim (3), wherein the probe rod is located in front of the wheel and directs the wheel toward a lower part of the pipe wall. (6) The in-duct traveling device according to claim (3), wherein the detection device measures the angle formed between the telescopic arm axis and the probe rod. (7) An intra-pipe traveling device according to claim (3), wherein one or both of the telescoping arms are twistably rotatable. (8) a main body having a pair of telescoping arms urged to protrude in opposite directions; a wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each arm; a mechanism for directing the wheels in the direction of the tube axis; Each of the detection devices detects the angle formed between the traveling direction surface of the adjacent pipe wall and the arm axis, or the corresponding amount thereof, and the speed of each drive device of the two wheels is controlled so that the detected values of these detection devices become equal. When an in-pipe traveling device comprising: a control device for traveling in a pipe, the direction of the wheel directed toward the pipe axis is shifted to the side by a certain amount by adjusting the angle of the rotary joint; 1. A method of using an in-pipe traveling device characterized by displacing a pipe wall surface. (9) A main body having a pair of telescoping arms urged to protrude in opposite directions, a wheel with a drive device fixed to the tip of each of the arms, a surface in the traveling direction of the pipe wall where the two wheels touch, and the axis of the arms. and a control device that controls the speed of each drive device of the two wheels so that the detection values of these detection devices are equal. A plurality of them are lined up, each main body is connected with a connecting member that can be expanded/contracted, bent, and torsionally rotated, an expansion/contraction amount detection device is attached, and the speed of each traveling device wheel is controlled so that the detected amount of expansion/contraction is within a certain range. A method of using an in-pipe running device characterized by: