OUTER SURFACE INSPECTING ROBOT WITH FLIPPING OVER FLANGE MECHANISM

• US 20140146161A1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Sibai, Fadi
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/84
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/028 having wheels and mechanical legs B62D57/024 takes precedence; ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part B60S9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/95 characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined G01N21/89 - G01N21/91, G01N21/94 take precedence

Abstract

A pipe inspecting robot for traveling along the surface of a pipeline, the robot having a body, first and second independently articulating legs attached to the body, and first and second leg motors in controlling communication with the first and second articulating legs, respectively. The robot also has first and second pairs of wheels attached to the first and second articulating legs at an opposite end of the legs from the body. The first and second leg motors are configured so that when the first pair of wheels encounters an obstacle, the second leg motor rotates the second leg upward away from the surface of the pipeline and radially around the body until the second pair of wheels contacts the surface of the pipeline on an opposite side of the obstacle, after which the first leg motor rotates the first leg upward away from the surface of the pipeline and radially around the body until the first pair of wheels contacts the surface of the pipeline, thereby causing the robot to pass over the obstacle.

Claims

1. A pipe inspecting robot for traveling along the surface of a pipeline, the robot comprising:

a body;

first and second independently articulating legs attached to the body;

first and second leg motors in controlling communication with the first and second articulating legs, respectively; and

first and second pairs of wheels attached to the first and second articulating legs, respectively, at an opposite end of the legs from the body;

the first and second leg motors configured so that when the first pair of wheels encounters an obstacle, the second leg motor rotates the second leg upward away from the surface of the pipeline and radially around the body until the second pair of wheels contacts the surface of the pipeline on an opposite side of the obstacle, after which the first leg motor rotates the first leg upward away from the surface of the pipeline and radially around the body until the first pair of wheels contacts the surface of the pipeline, thereby causing the robot to pass over the obstacle.

2. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, wherein the first and second pairs of wheels are attached to the first and second articulating legs by first and second wheel hubs, respectively, and wherein the wheel hubs contain at least one wheel motor to power the wheels.

3. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 2, wherein each wheel is powered by a separate wheel motor, and wherein the course of the robot can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the speed. of each wheel with its corresponding wheel motor.

4. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, wherein the body contains at least one device selected from the group consisting of a control circuit, a communication circuit, a global positioning system (GPS) circuit, a GPS antenna, a camera, a camera circuit, and a battery pack.

5. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, further comprising:

a downward facing camera attached to the body for collecting data about the surface condition of the pipeline and for guiding the robot.

6. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, wherein the robot is autonomous.

7. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, wherein the robot is remote controlled.

8. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, further comprising:

pins attached to the body and having an extended and a retracted position, wherein when in the extended position the pins lock the position of the legs relative to the body, and when in the retracted position the pins allow the legs to articulate relative to the body.

9. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 1, further comprising:

a radial arm attached to the body and extending outward from the body around a portion of the circumference of the pipe, the radial arm having a camera for inspecting the surface of the pipe.

10. The pipe inspecting robot of claim 9, further comprising:

a radial arm extension slidably attached to the radial arm and configured to extend still further around the circumference of the pipe.

11. A pipeline inspection robot, comprising:

a body;

first and second legs attached to the body;

first and second wheels attached to the first and second legs, respectively, at an opposite end of the legs from the body; and

a radial arm attached to the body and extending outward from the body around a portion of the circumference of the pipeline, the radial arm having a camera for inspecting the surface of the pipeline.

12. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, further comprising:

a radial arm extension slidably attached to the radial arm and configured to extend further around the circumference of the pipeline than the radial arm.

13. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, further comprising:

first and second leg motors in controlling communication with the first and second legs, respectively, the first and second leg motors configured so that when the first wheels encounters an obstacle the second leg motor rotates the second leg upward away from the surface of the pipeline and radially around the body until the second wheels contacts the surface of the pipeline on an opposite side of the obstacle, after which the first leg motor rotates the first leg upward away from the surface of the pipeline and radially around the body until the first pair of wheels contacts the surface of the pipeline, thereby causing the robot to pass over the obstacle.

14. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, wherein the first and second wheels are attached to the first and second legs by first and second wheel hubs, respectively, wherein the wheel hubs contain a separate wheel motor for each wheel, and wherein the course of the robot can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the speed of each wheel with its corresponding wheel motor.

15. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, further comprising:

a downward facing camera attached to the body for collecting data about the surface condition of the pipeline and for guiding the robot.

16. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, wherein the robot is autonomous.

17. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, wherein the robot is remote controlled.

18. The pipeline inspection robot of claim 11, further comprising:

pins attached to the body and having an extended and a retracted position, wherein when in the extended position the pins lock the position of the legs relative to the body, and when in the retracted position the pins allow the legs to articulate relative to the body.

19. A method of inspecting a pipeline, the method comprising:

providing a robot inspection device comprising;

a body;

first and second wheel assemblies that articulate fully around a circumference of the body and have wheels on an end distal from the body;

urging the device along the pipeline and adjacent to an obstacle on the pipeline so that one of the wheel assemblies is proximate the obstacle;

articulating the body with respect to the proximate wheel assembly and articulating a wheel assembly distal from the obstacle with respect to the body so that wheels on the distal wheel assembly orbit over the pipeline and land onto the pipeline on a side of the obstacle opposite the proximate wheel assembly; and

articulating the body with respect to the distal wheel assembly and articulating the proximate when assembly with respect to the body so that wheels on the proximate wheel assembly land on the pipeline on a side of the distal wheel assembly distal from the obstacle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting the obstacle using a device attached to the robot body and selected from the group consisting of a camera, a global positioning system (GPS), and a proximity sensor.