Pipe-inspection device propelled by an Archimedes screw

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10371306-B2
Application number	US-201515570778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A robotic device for inspecting a pipe includes at least one pair of propulsion elements each including a rotary drum, an outer surface of which has a screw thread. The device also includes a body associated with at least one pair of propulsion elements and in which are inserted sensor, at least one pair of electric motors each capable of rotating a rotary drum, and at least one pair of electric power sources each capable of powering an electric motor. The body is shaped such that a ventral portion and a dorsal portion of the device are symmetrical with one another relative to a median frontal plane of the device, thus allowing the device to move indistinctly on the belly or on the back.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robotic device for inspecting a pipe, comprising:
at least one pair of propulsion elements each including a rotary drum, an outer surface of each rotary drum having an Archimedes screw thread, the propulsion elements of a pair extending in a longitudinal direction such that they are symmetrical with one another relative to a median sagittal plane of the device,
wherein the robotic device further comprises a body associated with the at least one pair of propulsion elements and in which are inserted at least one sensor, at least one pair of electric motors, each capable of rotating a rotary drum, and at least one pair of electric power sources, each capable of powering an electric motor, the body being shaped such that a ventral portion and a dorsal portion of the robotic device are symmetrical with one another relative to a median frontal plane of the robotic device, thus allowing the robotic device to be displaced indifferently on its front or on its back by the at least one pair of propulsion elements.

2. The robotic device according to claim 1 , wherein the propulsion elements are floats.

3. The robotic device according to claim 1 , wherein the Archimedes screw thread present on the outer surface of a rotary drum comprises angular portions of a zero height at angular intervals of 360°.

4. The robotic device according to claim 1 , wherein the Archimedes screw thread present on the outer surface of a rotary drum is mounted thereon in a removable manner.

5. The robotic device according to claim 4 , wherein said Archimedes screw thread comprises a plurality of thread portions, each thread portion being mounted in a removable manner on the outer surface of the rotary drum.

6. The robotic device according to claim 5 , wherein the removable mounting includes an interlocking step.

7. The robotic device according to claim 1 , wherein wheels are incorporated into the Archimedes screw thread present on the outer surface of a rotary drum so as to be driven in rotation by a contact with the ground during the rotation of the rotary drum.

8. The robotic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first and a second pair of propulsion elements arranged such that they are symmetrical with one another relative to a median transverse plane of the device.

9. The robotic device according to claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one pair of cylindrical portions having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the rotary drums, the cylindrical portions of a pair extending in the longitudinal direction and being connected to one another by a transverse junction portion that has a height in the median sagittal plane that is less than the diameter of the rotary drums, and wherein the body further comprises a compartment in which is housed the at least one sensor, the compartment extending from the transverse junction portion in the longitudinal direction between the propulsion elements.

10. The robotic device according to claim 9 , wherein each cylindrical portion forms a longitudinal recess mounted inside a rotary drum and designed to receive an electric motor capable of rotating the corresponding rotary drum and an electric power source capable of powering the electric motor.

11. The robotic device according to claim 10 , wherein the electric power source comprises a plurality of batteries, and wherein each longitudinal recess comprises a space for receiving an electric motor and a space for receiving each of the batteries, the spaces for receiving the batteries being arranged such that they are evenly distributed along a circumference encircling the space for receiving the electric motor.

12. The robotic device according to claim 9 , wherein the transverse junction portion comprises a pair of transverse recesses, each designed to receive an electric motor, and wherein at least one electric power source is housed in the compartment.

13. The robotic device according to claim 12 , further comprising a first and a second pair of propulsion elements arranged such that they are symmetrical with one another relative to a median transverse plane of the device and a pair of shafts, each coupled to the propulsion elements located on the same side of the median sagittal plane, each shaft being driven in rotation by one of the electric motors.

14. A process for inspecting a pipe, comprising:
displacing the robotic device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Souvestre Florent

Classifications

• G21C17/017

  Inspection or maintenance of pipe-lines or tubes in nuclear installations · CPC title

• F16L2101/30

  Inspecting, measuring or testing · CPC title

• F16L55/40

  of the body · CPC title

• F16L55/32 Primary

  being self-contained · CPC title

• B63H2001/125

  with helicoidal foils projecting from outside surfaces of floating rotatable bodies, e.g. rotatable, cylindrical bodies · CPC title