FLANGELESS CANISTER FOR IN-LINE INSPECTION TOOL

• US 20090199662A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Technologies Limited (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electromechanical Technologies, Inc. (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoyt, Philip M., Fox, Arthur K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,733,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/865.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/005 using pigs or moles G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence

Abstract

An in-line inspection tool comprising a sensor suite, a processor processing the signal generated by at least one sensor of the sensor suite, and a canister housing the processor is disclosed. The canister may comprise a canister body formed as a hollow cylinder extending along a central axis from a first end to a second end. The canister may further comprise a canister lid inserted within the first end of the canister body. An alignment mechanism may prevent rotation of the canister lid with respect to the canister body about the central axis. A retaining ring may threadedly engage the first end of the canister body to maintain the canister lid within the first end of the canister body.

Claims

1. An in-line inspection tool for inspecting a pipeline while traveling therethrough, the in-line inspection tool comprising:

a sensor suite comprising a plurality of sensors, each sensor of the plurality of sensors generating a signal;

a processor processing the signal generated by at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors to produce a processed signal;

a memory device storing the signal generated by at least one sensor and the processed signal; and

a canister housing the processor and memory device and comprising

a canister body formed as a hollow cylinder extending along a central axis from a first end to a second end opposite the first end,

a canister lid inserted within the first end of the canister body,

an alignment mechanism preventing rotation of the canister lid with respect to the canister body about the central axis, and

a retaining ring engaging via threads the first end of the canister body to maintain the canister lid within the first end of the canister body.

2. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein the canister body comprises a shoulder formed in the interior thereof proximate the first end.

3. The in-line inspection tool of claim 2, wherein the canister lid is held against the shoulder by the retaining ring.

4. The in-line inspection tool of claim 3, further comprising a locking ring bolted to both the retaining ring and the canister lid.

5. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, further comprising a frame contained within the canister body, the frame having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the frame bolted to the canister lid.

6. The in-line inspection tool of claim 5, wherein the processor and memory device are supported by the frame.

7. The in-line inspection tool of claim 6, further comprises a thermally conductive member supported by the frame, the thermally conductive member contacting the processor.

8. The in-line inspection tool of claim 7, wherein the thermally conductive member comprises a taper formed proximate the second end.

9. The in-line inspection tool of claim 8, wherein the canister body further comprises a corresponding surface shaped to contact the taper.

10. The in-line inspection tool of claim 9, wherein the thermally conductive member thermally connects the processor to the canister body.

11. The in-line inspection tool of claim 10, further comprising one or more extensions extending within the canister body, the frame further comprising one or more apertures, each aperture of the one or more apertures configured to engage a corresponding extension of the one or more extensions.

12. The in-line inspection tool of claim 5, wherein the canister further comprises a second lid, a second retaining ring, and a second locking ring and the processor and memory device are supported by the frame.

13. The in-line inspection tool of claim 5, further comprising one or more extensions extending within the canister body, the frame further comprising one or more apertures, each aperture of the one or more apertures configured to engage a corresponding extension of the one or more extensions.

14. A method comprising:

obtaining parts for an in-line inspection tool configured to inspect a pipeline while traveling therethrough; and

assembling the parts to form the in-line inspection tool, the assembling comprising selecting from within the parts a canister body, a canister lid, and a retaining ring, the canister body forming a hollow cylinder extending along a central axis from a first end to a second end opposite the first end, aligning the canister lid with the first end of the canister body, inserting, after the aligning, the canister lid within the first end of the canister body using exclusively linear translation of the canister lid with respect to the canister body, and threading, after the inserting, the retaining ring within the first end of the canister body to maintain the canister lid within the first end of the canister body.