Flexible lance drive apparatus with autostroke function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12422203-B2
Application number	US-202418412888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2024
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for sensing an obstruction within a tube being cleaned and repetitively advancing and retracting a flexible high pressure fluid cleaning lance within the tube is disclosed. The apparatus monitors drive roller/belt position and actual hose position, compares the belt (expected travel) to hose position (travel) and generates a position difference, or mismatch. If the mismatch is above a predetermined level, the drive motor direction is reversed for a predetermined time interval, and forward operation restored after the predetermined time interval; and the sequence of repeating the reversing and restoring operations is continued until the position difference or mismatch no longer exceeds the predetermined difference threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic blockage sensor circuit for controlling a drive motor configured to advance and retract at least one flexible lance, the apparatus comprising:
a first pressure transducer communicatively coupled with a forward air port of the drive motor, the first pressure transducer configured to generate a first signal based on a pressure at the forward air port;
a second pressure transducer communicatively coupled with a reverse air port of the drive motor, the second pressure transducer configured to generate a second signal based on a pressure at the reverse air port;
a microcontroller connected to the first pressure transducer and the second transducer, wherein the microcontroller is configured to:
determine a pressure differential while the drive motor is conveying the at least one flexible lance in a first direction, the pressure differential based on the first signal and the second signal,
compare the pressure differential to a threshold pressure, and
selectively energize a solenoid valve based on a result of the comparison, wherein the solenoid valve is configured to reverse pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor when energized.

2. The automatic blockage sensor circuit of claim 1 , wherein the solenoid valve reverses pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor by redirecting pneumatic pressure from the forward air port to the reverse air port to convey the at least one flexible lance in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

3. The automatic blockage sensor circuit of claim 2 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to re-reverse the pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor upon expiration of a predetermined period of time.

4. The automatic blockage sensor circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a forward direction, and wherein the solenoid valve is operable only when a forward manual control is supplying pneumatic pressure to the drive motor.

5. The automatic blockage sensor circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power source coupled to the microcontroller; and
an ON/OFF switch in series with the power source, wherein the microcontroller selectively energizes the solenoid valve using the power source based on a position of the ON/OFF switch.

6. A flexible, pressurized fluid cleaning lance drive apparatus comprising:
at least one drive motor that provides a driving force for advancing and retracting one or more flexible lance hoses, wherein the at least one drive motor includes a forward air port configured to receive a forward pneumatic pressure line and a reverse air port configured to receive a reverse pneumatic pressure line;
a solenoid valve configured to be connected across the forward pneumatic pressure line and the reverse pneumatic pressure line, wherein the solenoid valve is configured to reverse pneumatic pressure connections to the at least one drive motor when energized; and
an automatic blockage sensor circuit configured to sense a pressure differential between the forward air port and the reverse air port when the drive motor is conveying the one or more flexible lance hoses in a first direction, and wherein the automatic blockage sensor is configured to energize the solenoid valve in response to a comparison of the pressure differential with a predetermined pressure threshold.

7. The flexible, pressurized fluid cleaning lance drive apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first direction is a forward direction, and wherein the solenoid valve reverses pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor by redirecting pneumatic pressure from the forward air port to the reverse air port to convey the at least one flexible lance in a reverse direction.

8. The flexible, pressurized fluid lance drive apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the automatic blockage sensor circuit is further configured to re-reverse the pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor upon expiration of a predetermined period of time.

9. The flexible, pressurized fluid lance drive apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined pressure threshold is configurable by a first potentiometer, and wherein the predetermined period of time is configurable by a second potentiometer.

10. The flexible, pressurized fluid lance drive apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a control console including a forward manual control and a reverse manual control, wherein the solenoid valve is operable only when the forward manual control is supplying pneumatic pressure to the drive motor.

11. The flexible, pressurized fluid lance drive apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the automatic blockage sensor circuit further comprises:
a power source coupled to the microcontroller; and
an ON/OFF switch in series with the power source, wherein the automatic blockage sensor circuit selectively energizes the solenoid valve using the power source based on a position of the ON/OFF switch.

12. A method of automatically clearing an obstruction using a flexible, pressurized fluid lance drive apparatus, the method comprising:
sensing a first pressure at a forward air port of a drive motor of the flexible, pressurized fluid lance drive apparatus during forward operation;
sensing a second pressure at a reverse port of the drive motor during forward operation;
determining a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure during forward operation;
comparing the difference to a predetermined difference threshold;
automatically reversing pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor for a predetermined time interval in response to determining that the difference exceeds the predetermined difference threshold;
re-reversing the pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor after the predetermined time interval.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
continuing to automatically reverse the pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor for the predetermined time interval in response to determining that the difference continues to exceed the predetermined difference threshold.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the first pressure is sensed by a first pressure transducer communicatively coupled with the forward air port of the drive motor;
sensing the first pressure further comprises generating a first signal based on the first pressure;
the second pressure is sensed by a second pressure transducer communicatively coupled with the reverse air port of the drive motor;
sensing the second pressure further comprises generating a second signal based on the second pressure; and
the difference between the first pressure and the second pressure further is determined based on the first signal and the second signal.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein automatically reversing pneumatic pressure connections further comprises:
energizing a solenoid valve based on the comparison indicating that the difference exceeds the predetermined difference threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the solenoid valve is operable only when a forward manual control is supplying pneumatic pressure to the drive motor.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein automatically reversing pneumatic pressure connections to the drive motor for a predetermined time interval further comprises redirecting pneumatic pressure from the forward air port to the reverse air port to convey the at least one flexible lance to assume reverse operation.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the determining step is performed by a microcontroller.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
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Assignees

• Stoneage Inc

Inventors

• Watkins Travis
• Barnes Jeffery R
• Szabo Daniel
• Montoya Cody R

Classifications

• B08B9/0433

  provided exclusively with fluid jets as cleaning tools · CPC title

• B65G43/04

  detecting slip between driving element and load-carrier, e.g. for interrupting the drive {(B65G43/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B08B9/043

  moved by externally powered mechanical linkage, e.g. pushed or drawn through the pipes · CPC title

• F28G15/04

  Feeding and driving arrangements, e.g. power operation · CPC title

• F28G3/163 Primary

  from internal surfaces of heat exchange conduits · CPC title