Systems and methods for maintaining pipes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11598474-B2
Application number	US-202016751722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2020
Priority date	Jul 23, 2019
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe includes at least one drive portion including a body assembly, a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly, a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies, and a drive portion coupling mechanism. The motorized apparatus also includes at least one maintenance portion including a body, at least one maintenance device coupled to the body, and a maintenance portion coupling mechanism configured to engage the drive portion coupling mechanism. The at least one drive portion is releasably coupled to the at least one maintenance portion by engaging the drive portion coupling mechanism with the maintenance portion coupling mechanism. The drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are each configured to engage another coupling mechanism when the drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are uncoupled from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity, said motorized apparatus comprising:
at least one drive portion comprising:
a body assembly;
a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around said body assembly;
a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to said plurality of leg assemblies, wherein said plurality of drive mechanisms are configured to interact with the sidewall; and
a drive portion coupling mechanism coupled to said body assembly; and

at least one maintenance portion comprising:
a body comprising a first end, a second end, and an axial track extending between said first end and said second end of said body;
at least one maintenance device coupled to said body;
a maintenance portion coupling mechanism coupled to one of said first end and said second end of said body, wherein said maintenance portion coupling mechanism is configured to engage said drive portion coupling mechanism; and
an actuator assembly configured to move said at least one maintenance device along said axial track and to rotate said at least one maintenance device around said axial track:

wherein said at least one drive portion is releasably coupled to said at least one maintenance portion by engaging said drive portion coupling mechanism with said maintenance portion coupling mechanism, and wherein said drive portion coupling mechanism and said maintenance portion coupling mechanism are each configured to engage another coupling mechanism when said drive portion coupling mechanism and said maintenance portion coupling mechanism are uncoupled from each other.

2. The motorized apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said drive portion is a first drive portion and said maintenance portion coupling mechanism is a first maintenance portion coupling mechanism, and wherein said maintenance portion further includes a second maintenance portion coupling mechanism, said motorized apparatus further comprising a second drive portion releasably coupled to said second maintenance portion coupling mechanism of said maintenance portion, wherein said maintenance portion is positioned between said first drive portion and said second drive portion.

3. The motorized apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said maintenance portion coupling mechanism and said drive portion coupling mechanism include clips that are engaged when said at least one drive portion and said at least one maintenance portion are coupled together.

4. The motorized apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one maintenance device comprises a plurality of maintenance devices distributed radially around said body.

5. The motorized apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one maintenance device comprises at least one of a repair tool and an inspection tool, said repair tool selected from the group comprising an ablation laser, a forming gas nozzle, a laser processing head, and a suction nozzle.

6. A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity, said system comprising:
a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the interior cavity and configured to travel along the pipe through the interior cavity, said motorized apparatus comprising:
at least one drive portion comprising:
a body assembly;
a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around said body assembly;
a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to said plurality of leg assemblies and configured to interact with the sidewall when said motorized apparatus travels along the pipe; and
a drive portion coupling mechanism; and

at least one maintenance portion comprising:
an axial track;
at least one maintenance device coupled to said axial track;
a maintenance portion coupling mechanism configured to engage said drive portion coupling mechanism; and
a maintenance actuator assembly;

wherein said at least one drive portion is releasably coupled to said at least one maintenance portion by engaging said drive portion coupling mechanism with said maintenance portion coupling mechanism, and wherein said drive portion coupling mechanism and said maintenance portion coupling mechanism are each configured to engage another coupling mechanism when said drive portion coupling mechanism and said maintenance portion coupling mechanism are uncoupled from each other; and

a controller communicatively coupled to said motorized apparatus, said controller configured to send instructions to said motorized apparatus to operate said at least one drive portion and said at least one maintenance portion, wherein said maintenance actuator assembly is configured to receive instructions from said controller and, based on the instructions, move said at least one maintenance device along said axial track, and rotate said at least one maintenance device around said axial track.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said drive portion is a first drive portion, said motorized apparatus further comprising a second drive portion releasably coupled to said maintenance portion, wherein said maintenance portion is positioned between said first drive portion and said second drive portion.

8. The system in accordance with claim 6 further comprising a tether extending between said motorized apparatus and said controller, wherein said tether comprises a casing configured to reduce contact between the sidewall and said tether as said motorized apparatus travels through the interior cavity.

9. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said controller comprises a mapping interface configured to generate a map of the interior cavity of the pipe around said motorized apparatus based on information received from said at least one maintenance device.

10. The system in accordance with claim 6 further comprising a fluid transport system configured to transport fluid for cooling at least one electronic component of said motorized apparatus and configured to exhaust the fluid into the interior cavity.

11. A method for maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity, said method comprising:
positioning a motorized apparatus within the interior cavity, the motorized apparatus including a drive portion and a maintenance portion, the drive portion including:
a body assembly extending along a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of leg assemblies spaced circumferentially around the body assembly; and
a drive portion coupling mechanism,

the maintenance portion including:
an axial track;
at least one maintenance device coupled to the axial track;
a maintenance portion coupling mechanism configured to releasably couple to the drive portion coupling mechanism; and
an actuator assembly configured to move the at least one maintenance device along the axial track and to rotate the at least one maintenance device around the axial track;

coupling the drive portion to the maintenance portion by engaging the drive portion coupling mechanism with the maintenance portion coupling mechanism, wherein the drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are each configured to engage another coupling mechanism when the drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are uncoupled from each other; and
moving the motorized apparatus through the interior cavity using the drive portion.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein maintenance portion is a first maintenance portion and the at least one maintenance device is a first maintenance device, the method further comprising decoupling the maintenance portion from the drive portion and coupling

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Duncan Alexander Kyle
• Danko Todd William
• Foehner Justin
• Polishchuk Yakov
• Forman Douglas R

Classifications

• F16L2101/12

  Cleaning · CPC title

• F16L55/44 Primary

  expandable · CPC title

• F16L55/30

  of the propulsion means, e.g. towed by cables · CPC title

• B08B7/0042

  by laser · CPC title

• F16L55/32 Primary

  being self-contained · CPC title