JPH048060Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Field of Application> The present invention relates to an in-pipe traveling device for inspecting conditions in a pipe or performing repairs in a pipe.

<Prior art> Fig. 5 shows the structure of an example of a conventional pipe running device developed for the purpose of grasping the situation inside a pipe with a circular cross section or repairing the inside of the pipe, and its left side shape. As shown in FIG. 6, in the conventional pipe running device, a plurality of wheels b arranged radially in the front-rear direction of the main body a are in contact with the inner circumferential surface d of the pipe c. Accordingly, the main body a moves along the pipe c while being supported by the plurality of wheels b during running. The wheel b is attached to the main body a by a pantograph mechanism e, and the pantograph mechanism e is extended and contracted by a pressing drive mechanism f, whereby the wheel b is applied to the inner circumferential surface d of the pipe c with a predetermined pressure. Being pushed. Inner peripheral surface d of tube c
The wheels b pressed against the main body a are driven by receiving a driving force from the drive mechanism g, so that the main body a moves by itself within the pipe c at a predetermined speed. At the front end of the main body a
It is equipped with an inspection equipment unit h such as an ITV camera, and inspects the conditions inside the pipe using the inspection equipment unit h.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> In the conventional pipe running device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the wheels b do not have a steering mechanism, so they cannot be used in straight pipe sections or curves with a large radius of curvature. There was no problem in traveling through the pipe section, but it was impossible to pass through parts where the pipe was bent and the direction of travel suddenly changed. In addition, since the traveling device is designed specifically for pipes with a circular cross section, it is fundamentally difficult to travel on, for example, a flat road, resulting in lack of versatility.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances of conventional pipe running devices, and is capable of running freely even in pipes or flat roads where the running direction changes rapidly. The purpose is to provide

<Means for solving the problem> The in-pipe traveling device according to the present invention has four support legs that protrude radially from the main body so that their tips are located at the vertices of a regular tetrahedron, and these support legs. A running wheel attached to the tip of each leg, a wheel pressing mechanism for pressing each of these running wheels against a running surface, and a steering direction provided between the supporting leg and these wheel pressing mechanisms to control the steering direction of the running wheel. The vehicle is equipped with a wheel steering mechanism that can change the direction of the vehicle, and a wheel drive mechanism that is provided between the supporting legs and the running wheels and drives and rotates the running wheels.

<Operation> By steering and pressing each wheel using the wheel running mechanism and the wheel pressing mechanism, trajectory correction and attitude change can be arbitrarily performed.

<Example> As shown in FIG. 1 showing the appearance of an embodiment of the pipe running device according to the present invention and FIG. 2 showing the left side shape thereof, the pipe running device of this embodiment has the following features: The main body 1 has a radial arm structure that is shortened in the running direction. The main body 1 is arranged such that the tips thereof are located at the vertices of the regular tetrahedron.
It has four cylindrical support legs 2 projecting radially from the frame structure, and an inspection device 3 such as an ITV camera is mounted at a predetermined position of the frame structure. A running wheel 6 that contacts the inner circumferential surface 5 of the tube 4 at a predetermined pressure is attached to each support leg 2 via a wheel drive mechanism 7, a wheel steering mechanism 8, and a wheel pressing mechanism 9, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3 showing the internal structure of each support leg 2, the wheel drive mechanism 7 includes a drive motor 10, a drive shaft 13 to which the rotational force of the drive motor 10 is transmitted via gears 11 and 12. The rotating force of the drive shaft 13 is transmitted through bevel gears 14 and 15, and the driving wheel 16 is configured by frictionally contacting the outer peripheral surface of the running wheel 6 to transmit the rotational power to the running wheel 6. There is. Further, the wheel steering mechanism 8 is driven by a drive motor 1.
7, and the rotational force of the drive motor 17 is transmitted to gears 18 and 1.
9, and a cylindrical steering shaft 20 that is transmitted through the steering shaft 9. Further, the wheel pressing mechanism 9 includes a drive motor 21, a cylindrical ball screw shaft 24 to which the rotational power of the drive motor 21 is transmitted via gears 22 and 23, and a ball nut 25 screwed onto the ball screw shaft 24. The cylindrical pressing shaft 26 has a cylindrical shape. The drive shaft 13 of the wheel drive mechanism 7 is spline-coupled to a main shaft 29 rotatably fitted into a ball screw shaft 24 of the wheel pressing mechanism 9 via bearings 27 and 28, and a cylindrical portion 30 of the main shaft 29. and a driven shaft 31. Further, the steering shaft 20 of the wheel steering mechanism 8 has a bearing 32 on the support leg 2 on which the drive motor 17 is mounted.
The steering shaft 20 is rotatably fitted through a shaft 33, and the gear 19 is integrally formed on the upper part of the steering shaft 20. A cylindrical support stand 34 is coupled and fixed to the upper end of the steering shaft 20, and the drive motors 10, 21 are mounted on the support stand 34. The upper part of the ball screw shaft 24 is rotatably fitted into the support base 34 via bearings 35 and 36. Furthermore, the pressing shaft 26 of the wheel pressing mechanism 9
is a pressing cylinder 37 into which the ball nut 25 is fitted;
and a driven cylinder 39 which is telescopically connected to the pressing cylinder 37 with a compression coil spring 38 interposed between them. is fitted with a spline. The pressing cylinder 37 and the driven cylinder 39 are connected to a stopper 40,
41, and they are engaged by the elastic action of the compression coil spring 38, making it possible to absorb minute spatial changes when pressed.

A wheel case 42 is integrally formed on the outer end side of the driven tube 39 of the pressing shaft 26. The shaft 43 of the running wheel 6 is mounted on the bearing 4 at the bottom of the wheel case 42.
4 and 45, and a shaft 46 of the drive wheel 16 is rotatably mounted at the intermediate portion via bearings 47 and 48. The shaft 43 and the shaft 46 are arranged parallel to each other, and the shaft 46 is connected to the gear 15.
is installed. Also, the case 42 of the driven tube 39
A bearing box 50 is integrally formed in the partition wall 49 between the bearing box 50 and the drive shaft, which is disposed perpendicular to the shaft 46, through bearings 51 and 52 installed in the bearing box 50. Thirteen driven shafts 31 are rotatably supported. A gear 14 that meshes with the gear 15 is attached to the outer end of the driven shaft 31.

Therefore, when the drive motor 10 of the wheel drive mechanism 7 is driven, its rotational force is transmitted to the drive shaft 13 via the gears 11 and 12, and further transmitted to the drive wheel 16 via the gears 14 and 15. The main body 1 is propelled in a predetermined direction within the pipe 4 by driving the running wheels 6 by the main body 16. Furthermore, when the drive motor 17 of the wheel steering mechanism 8 is driven, its rotational force is transmitted to the gears 18,1.
9 to the steering shaft 20 and the driven cylinder 39,
Steering is performed by rotational displacement of the driven cylinder 39.
By performing this operation, it is possible to reliably set the orbital attitude from the basic attitude shown in the figure to a corresponding orbital attitude, even if, for example, the pipe line is sharply bent. Furthermore, when the drive motor 21 of the wheel pressing mechanism 9 is driven, its rotational force is transferred to the gear 2.
2 and 23 to the ball screw shaft 24, and the ball screw shaft 24 rotates. As a result, the pressing cylinder 37 having the ball nut 25 rotates and is displaced along the ball screw shaft 24, compressing the compression coil spring 38 and protruding the driven cylinder 39 outside the steering shaft 20. The pressing force of the running wheels 6 against the inner circumferential surface 5 of the tube 4 is set accordingly.

In this embodiment, the device is first set in the tube 4 by operating the wheel pressing mechanism 9 as described above, and then propelled through the tube 4 while operating the wheel drive mechanism 7 and the wheel steering mechanism 8. The wheel pressing mechanism 9, the wheel drive mechanism 7, and the wheel steering mechanism 8 are operated by controlling their drive motors 10, 17, and 21 by a control panel (not shown). Further, by setting the three running wheels 6 as shown in FIG. 5 by operating the wheel pressing mechanism 9, it becomes possible to run even on a flat road.

<Effects of the invention> According to the in-pipe traveling device of the present invention, four supporting legs each having a traveling wheel attached to their tips are radially projected from the main body so that their tips are located at the vertices of a regular tetrahedron. By operating the wheel steering mechanism to change the trajectory, it is possible to move freely through conduits with sharp bends, and by operating the wheel pressing mechanism, it is possible to change the posture. By changing this, it is also possible to travel on flat roads outside the pipeline, significantly improving versatility.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of the in-pipe traveling device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a left side view thereof, Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the support leg portion thereof, and Fig. 4 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an external view showing an example of a conventional pipe running device, and FIG. 6 is a left side view thereof. Also, in the drawings, 1 is the main body, 2 is the support leg,
4 is a tube, 5 is an inner peripheral surface of the tube, 6 is a traveling wheel, 7 is a wheel drive mechanism, 8 is a wheel steering mechanism, 9 is a wheel pressing mechanism, and 13 is a drive shaft.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Four support legs protrude radially from the main body so that their tips are located at the vertices of a regular tetrahedron,
Running wheels attached to the tips of these supporting legs, wheel pressing mechanisms for pressing these running wheels onto the running surface, and wheel pressing mechanisms provided between the supporting legs and these wheel pressing mechanisms to operate the running wheels. a wheel steering mechanism that can change the direction of travel; and a wheel drive mechanism that is provided between the supporting legs and the traveling wheels and drives and rotates the traveling wheels. Device.