Trackless scanner

• US 4,655,085 A
• Filed: 07/26/1985
• Issued: 04/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsuchita, Kenji, Sugiyama, Sakae, Tomizawa, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kreitman, Stephen A.
• Application Number:
  US06/759,288
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 73/638, 73/637, 73/640, 73/622, 324/261, 376/245, 376/249, 376/252
• US Class Current: 73/638
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/26 Arrangements for orientation or scanning by relative movement of the head and the sensor mechanical steering of sound transducers or their beams G10K11/35

Abstract

A trackless scanner for examination of pipings comprises an annular base removably mountable to a plant pipe to be examined, and a plurality of drive wheels for running supported on the base and being in contact with the plant pipe. Each of the drive wheels is associated with a sensor for detecting an angle which the annular base makes when it turns circumferentially of the pipe, a mechanism responsive to a detection signal from the sensor to control the axial running of the drive wheel for running, and a sensor for detecting a curvature of the pipe.

Claims

1. A trackless scanner for examination of pipings comprising:

an annular base removably mountable to a pipe to be examined;

a plurality of drive wheels for running supported on said base and being in contact with said pipe;

a sensor, associated with each drive wheel, for detecting a circumferential turning of said base relative to said pipe;

a circumferential posture control mechanism, associted with each drive wheel, responsive to a detection signal from said sensor so as to control an axial running of said drive wheel; and

a sensor, associated with each drive wheel, for detecting a curvature of said pipe.

2. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 1 further comprising an annular circumferential rotor rotatably mounted to said base concentrically therewith;

rotation drive means for rotating said annular circumferential rotor relative to said base; and

a sensor for piping examination mounted on said circumferential rotor.

3. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 2 wherein said sensor for detection of the circumferential turning comprises:

a ball member being in slidable contact with said pipe and free to rotate; and

means for detecting a rotation amount of said ball member in terms of components on two orthogonal axes.

4. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 2 wherein said sensor for detection of the circumferential turning comprises:

a wheel rotatably supported on a shaft extending in parallel with a center axis of said annular base and being in slidable contact with said pipe to be examined; and

means for detecting a rotation amount of said wheel.

5. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 2 wherein said curvature sensor comprises a plurality of sub-sensors, each sub-sensor including:

a rotatably supported arm;

a wheel rotatably mounted to one end of said arm and being in slidable contact with said pipe near said drive wheel; and

means, provided on the other end of said arm, for detecting a rotation angle of said arm.

6. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 1 wherein said circumferential posture control mechanism comprises:

means for rotatably supporting a mount plate member of said drive wheel relative to said base; and

means for rotating said mount plate member relative to said base.

7. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 6 wherein said sensor for detection of the circumferential turning comprises:

a ball member being in slidable contact with said pipe and free to rotate; and

means for detecting a rotation amount of said ball member in terms of components on two orthogonal axes.

8. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 6 wherein said sensor for detection of the the circumferential turning comprises:

a wheel rotatably supported on a shaft extending in parallel with a center axis of said annular base and being in slidable contact with said pipe to be examined; and

means for detecting a rotation amount of said wheel.

9. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 6 wherein said curvature sensor comprises a plurality of sub-sensors, each sub-sensor including:

a rotatably supported arm;

a wheel rotatably mounted to one end of said arm and being in slidable contact with said pipe near said drive wheel; and

means, provided on the other end of said arm, for detecting a rotation angle of said arm.

10. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 6 wherein said circumferential posture control mechanism uses a gravity sensor for detecting the direction of the force of gravity.

11. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 1 wherein said sensor for detection of the circumferential turning comprises:

a ball member being in slidable contact with said pipe and free to rotate; and

means for detecting a rotation amount of said ball member in terms of components on two orthogonal axes.

12. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 1 wherein said sensor for detection of the circumferential turning comprises:

a wheel rotatably supported on a shaft extending in parallel with a center axis of said annular base and being in slidable contact with said pipe to be examined; and

means for detecting a rotation amount of said wheel.

13. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 1 wherein said curvature sensor comprises a plurality of sub-sensors, each sub-sensor including:

a rotatably supported arm;

a wheel rotatably mounted to one end of said arm and being in slidable contact with said pipe near said drive wheel; and

means, provided on the other end of said arm, for detecting a rotation angle of said arm.

14. A trackless scanner for piping examination according to claim 1 wherein said circumferential posture control mechanism uses a gravity sensor for detecting the direction of the force of gravity.