Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
  • E03F—SEWERS; CESSPOOLS
  • E03F7/00—Other installations or implements for operating sewer systems, e.g. for preventing or indicating stoppage; Emptying cesspools
  • E03F7/12—Installations enabling inspection personnel to drive along sewer canals
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
  • B25J18/00—Arms
  • B25J18/06—Arms flexible
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L55/00—Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems
  • F16L55/26—Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means
  • F16L55/265—Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means specially adapted for work at or near a junction between a main and a lateral pipe
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
  • G01M3/005—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures using pigs or moles
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T74/00—Machine element or mechanism
  • Y10T74/20—Control lever and linkage systems
  • Y10T74/20207—Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element
  • Y10T74/20305—Robotic arm
  • Y10T74/20323—Robotic arm including flaccid drive element

Definitions

• the subject of this invention is a tool carriage, of the kind capable of moving in a pipeline to accomplish certain tasks related to the nature of the tool.
• Some of these tasks can be carried out in branch pipes, at the entrance of which the carriage stops to project the tool in a lateral direction: the tool is then fixed to the end of a flexible rod which can be advanced under the action of a suitable mechanism and straightens up when it is in the free state; it therefore supports the tool, which it pushes to the desired depth of the branch pipe.
• a carriage becomes inoperative when the pipes are not concurrent, that is to say that the pipe in which the tool must be pushed leads with a drop in that in which the carriage, which is often found for pipes joined by manholes: today there is no system which makes it possible to reach such pipes.
• the object of the invention is precisely to overcome this defect and to make accessible to an observation or working tool carried by a carriage portions of pipes joining a main pipe, taken by the carriage, with a drop.
• the cart satisfying this object is characterized in that it comprises a drum supported by the cart, an arm supported by the drum and carrying by an articulation of a support for the tool, the arm being semi-rigid and having a free state of rigidity and a flexible state, and means of rotation of the drum around a longitudinal axis of the carriage, deployment of the arm out of the carriage and in a lateral direction of the carriage, and adjustment of the support around the articulation .
• Figure 3 is a view of the carriage in the longitudinal direction; in Figure 4 illustrates the arm flexion mechanism;
• Figure 5 illustrates an improved arm
• Figure 6 shows the end of the arm
• Figure 7 illustrates a carriage train
• Figure 1 illustrates a connection of pipes where the invention can find use: a collector 1 is provided with sumps 2 or connection boxes, one of which is shown and in which lead drains 3 of smaller diameter with a vertical drop. A trolley runs through the collector 1 and must project a tool which may consist of an observation camera in the drain 3 through an opening 4 of the collector 1 in the sump 2.
• the carriage 5 comprises, as seen in FIG. 2, a body 6 provided locomotor organs which may consist of rollers 7, some of which are driven by a motor 8 and, at the front, of a drum 9 rotating around a longitudinal axis of the body 6.
• the drum 9 carries an arm 10, better visible in other figures, and the end of which carries a tool support 11 in which the tool, here a camera 12, can be housed.
• the camera 12 can be advanced; it is then favorably attached to the end of a flexible rod 13 which continues through the carriage 5 towards the outside of the collector 1, where its end is wound on a winch not shown; rollers 14 mounted on the body 6 of the carriage 5 and which can be moved by another motor 15 make it possible to pull it to advance the camera 12 so that it engages in the drain 3.
• the flexible rod has the property of being straighten as soon as it is free and therefore supports the camera 12 well, while retaining the flexibility necessary to follow the elbows of the drain 3.
• Figure 3 shows that the arm 10 must be deployed radially relative to the axis of the manifold 1 and the carriage 5, to project from the opening 4, and that it must also be angularly orientable to approach the inlet of drain 3; a motor 16 capable of rotating the drum 9 satisfies the latter requirement. Finally, the support 11 must be oriented facing the inlet of the drain 3. To do this, it is connected to the end of the arm 10 by a hinge 17.
• Figure 4 shows that the arm 10 may be constituted by a length of a chain 18; this chain is particular although of a known kind, and it is more precisely semi-rigid, that is to say that it has both a free state, characteristic of the arm 10, where it is rigid and another state where it is flexible. This characteristic makes it possible to curve it and to have its length posterior to the arm 10 in the axial direction of the collector 1, in which it can therefore be transported without hindrance.
• the chain 18 may consist of links 19 connected to each other by pivots 20 situated on one side but which are provided with stops 21 which limit their rotational movement around the pivots 20 and therefore give the chain 18 a unilateral rigidity.
• the device also comprises a drive pinion 22, mounted on the body 6 of the carriage 5 and driven by a motor 23, a longitudinal slide 24 at the rear of the chain 18 and a radial slide 25 in front of the pinion 22.
• These slides 24 and 25 are, like the pinion 22 and its motor 23, mounted on the drum 9 and impose the directions of the chain 18 at the front and at the rear of the pinion 22, as well as a deformation at right angles.
• a remedy consists in balancing it by the thrust of the rod 13 if it is placed favorably, that is to say subjected to a bending force which tends to make it straighten in a direction where it places the links 19 in stop.
• Guide capstans 26 can subject the rod 13 to a curvature 27 in the same direction as that of the chain 18 near the pinion 22 to perform this function.
• the links 19 could also be interconnected by an elastic cable 28 running opposite the pivots 20 and stretched to bring all the free portions of the arm 10 to the straight state.
• Another solution consists in combining two chains 18 'and 18''similar to chain 18 but arranged symmetrically and driven by respective sprockets 22' and 22 '' adjacent: the anterior lengths of chains 18 'and 18''are juxtaposed to form a compound arm 10 'and their posterior lengths extend in opposite directions and substantially in extension.
• the assembly of the 18 'and 18''chains therefore has bilateral rigidity without additional means.
• the tool support 11 is described in FIG. 6. Its orientation can thus be ensured by a cable 33 attached to the support 11 with a cantilever so as to rotate it around the articulation 17.
• the angle of rotation suitable for bringing the camera 12 parallel to the drain 3 is known as a function of the inclination of the arm 10, since the rod 13 tends to exert a moment of return towards an invariable stop position, where the camera 12 is oriented in the extension of arm 10, as indicated in dotted position.
• the cable 33 which passes through the body ⁇ of the carriage 5 and extends to the outside, is pulled to counteract this return action of the springs and rotate the tool support 11 by the desired angle.
• the tool support 11 may include claws 29 gripping a surrounding structure such as the inlet 30 of the drain 3 by opening, which can be achieved by tilting axes 31 carrying these claws 29 under the action of springs.
• a conical tail 32 with which it is provided penetrates into a housing of complementary shape to the tool holder 11 and forces the claws 29 to close by pushing their axes 31 against the spring action.
• tubes of particular section, oblong with two symmetrical contours, substantially elliptical in the direction of a small axis but joining by lips substantially parallel by forming an angle acute towards a major axis are both sufficiently flexible and elastic to be crushed between rollers while having the possibility of straightening in the free state. They are characterized by significant rigidity in the free state and by an almost total flexibility when they are crushed, which allows deform them at will and in particular to wind them on winches.
• the stabilization of the carriage 5 against tilting that could produce the lateral overhang of the arm 10 can be compensated by ballast contained either at the bottom of the carriage 5, or in another carriage, which could be added to the carriage 5 and join to it by a rigid torsional connection, constituted by a bar connected at its ends to the two carriages by universal joints. More generally, the carriage 5 could be incorporated into an articulated train of carriages, which is frequently encountered for this kind of work.
• FIG. 7 shows that the main carriage 5 (carrier of the tool 12 and its support 11) is provided with skis 40, as well as an auxiliary carriage 41.
• the carriages 5 and 41 are united by a rigid bar 42 provided with cardan joints 43 at its ends, which allow unevenness and changes of direction from one of the carriages to the other.
• Other rigid bars 44 with universal joints 45 can extend this train of carriages by connecting it to other elements, not shown.
• the auxiliary carriage 41 carries the let 46.
• FIG. 8 shows that the skis 40 are three in number and regularly distributed if one wishes to avoid excessive eccentricity of the carriages 5 and 41 in all directions; otherwise two lower side skis are sufficient.
• the arrangement of the skis 40 can be the same for all the trolleys.
• the tool can be a working or intervention tool just like an examination tool: its nature is indifferent to the invention.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Robotics (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
• Investigating Materials By The Use Of Optical Means Adapted For Particular Applications (AREA)
• Load-Engaging Elements For Cranes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8863990

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (14)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2001
  • 2001-06-06 FR FR0107367A patent/FR2825655B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2002
  • 2002-06-04 US US10/478,085 patent/US20040149066A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-06-04 WO PCT/FR2002/001874 patent/WO2002099325A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2002-06-04 EP EP02740855A patent/EP1409907A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-06-04 JP JP2003502410A patent/JP2004528189A/ja not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events