Instrument carrier and method for the inspection of a dynamoelectric machine in a gap between a stator and a rotor

• US 5,563,357 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Longree, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/363,285
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 73/865.8, 73/865.9, 73/866.5
• US Class Current: 73/866.5
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2101/30 Inspecting, measuring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/26 Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/34 Testing dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines

Abstract

A dynamoelectric machine includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is approximately circularly cylindrically disposed relative to a main axis, is rotatable about the main axis and leaves a gap in a recess of the stator which is approximately circularly cylindrical relative to the main axis. An instrument carrier for inspecting the dynamoelectric machine can be inserted along the main axis into the gap and moved there. The instrument carrier includes a frame part which approximately annularly surrounds the main axis and on which a device for carrying out the inspection can be mounted. A multiplicity of rollers are mutually offset, as seen in a plane perpendicular to the main axis, and each is mounted on the frame part so as to be rotatable about an associated axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is aligned essentially perpendicular to the main axis. The instrument carrier can be inserted into the gap without prior removal of the rotor, and can be equipped as desired with instruments and auxiliary devices for carrying out the inspection. The instrument carrier can be moved in the gap without the risk of tilting and jamming, since it is directly supported on the stator.

Claims

1. In a dynamoelectric machine including a stator having a main axis and having a recess formed therein being approximately circular cylindrical relative to the main axis, and a rotor being approximately circularly cylindrically disposed relative to the main axis and being rotatable about the main axis in the recess, defining a gap in the recess between the stator and the rotor,

an instrument carrier for inspecting the dynamoelectric machine, comprising:

an instrument carrier axis being brought into coincidence with the main axis during inspection;

a frame part annularly surrounding the instrument carrier axis;

inspecting means being mounted on said frame part; and

a multiplicity of rollers being mounted on said frame part, being mutually offset as seen in a plane perpendicular to the instrument carrier axis, and being rotatable about axes of rotation aligned substantially perpendicular to the instrument carrier axis.

2. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, wherein said frame part has means for radially elastically expanding relative to the main axis.

3. The instrument carrier according to claim 2, wherein said expanding means include at least one spring element being elastic in tangential direction relative to the main axis.

4. The instrument carrier according to claim 3, wherein said at least one spring element is at least two but no more than three spring elements.

5. The instrument carrier according to claim 2, wherein said expanding means include at least one expansion device for radially expanding said frame part, said at least one expansion device having connecting leads for operating said at least one expansion device from outside the dynamoelectric machine.

6. The instrument carrier according to claim 5, wherein said expansion device is a pneumatic sliding device acting in an approximately tangential direction relative to the main axis.

7. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, wherein said frame part includes:

a) a multiplicity of roller frames each carrying a plurality of said rollers one behind another relative to the main axis; and

b) a multiplicity of bent rods interconnecting said roller frames.

8. The instrument carrier according to claim 7, wherein said multiplicity of roller frames are between four and eight roller frames.

9. The instrument carrier according to claim 7, wherein said multiplicity of roller frames are six roller frames.

10. The instrument carrier according to claim 7, wherein each two of said roller frames are interconnected by two respective approximately mutually parallel rods of said multiplicity of bent rods.

11. The instrument carrier according to claim 7, wherein each of said rods is formed of an elastically flexible material.

12. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, wherein each of said rollers has ends and a middle being bulged outwards relative to said ends.

13. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, wherein each two of said rollers are disposed one behind another relative to the main axis and are tightly adjacent one another.

14. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, including a motor, power-transmitting devices for driving at least one of said rollers with said motor, and a connecting lead for operating said motor from outside the dynamoelectric machine.

15. The instrument carrier according to claim 14, wherein said frame part includes a roller frame having a plurality of said rollers disposed one behind another relative to the main axis, said motor being installed in said roller frame for driving said rollers.

16. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, including an instrument platform being held on said frame part, being movable along said frame part about the main axis, and carrying said inspecting means.

17. The instrument carrier according to claim 16, wherein said frame part has at least one guide rail on which said instrument platform is held.

18. The instrument carrier according to claim 17, wherein said instrument platform has a motor being force-lockingly connected to said at least one guide rail for moving said instrument platform, said motor having a connecting lead for operating said motor from outside the dynamoelectric machine.

19. The instrument carrier according to claim 16, wherein said instrument platform has a motor being force-lockingly connected to said frame part for moving said instrument platform, said motor having a connecting lead for operating said motor from outside the dynamoelectric machine.

20. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, wherein the instrument carrier has a maximum thickness being smaller than 10 cm as measured relative to the main axis in a radial direction.

21. The instrument carrier according to claim 1, wherein the instrument carrier has a maximum thickness being smaller than 5 cm as measured relative to the main axis in a radial direction.

22. In a method for inspecting a dynamoelectric machine including a stator having a main axis and having a recess formed therein being approximately circular cylindrical relative to the main axis, and a rotor being approximately circularly cylindrically disposed relative to the main axis and being rotatable about the main axis in the recess, defining a gap in the recess between the stator and the rotor, the improvement which comprises:

mounting inspecting means on a frame part of an instrument carrier having an axis being annularly surrounded by the frame part;

mounting a multiplicity of rollers on the frame part, with a mutual offset as seen in a plane perpendicular to the instrument carrier axis;

inserting the instrument carrier into the gap between the stator and the rotor while surrounding the rotor with the frame part;

bringing the instrument carrier axis into coincidence with the main axis during inspection; and

rolling the rollers over the stator in the recess while rotating the rollers about axes of rotation aligned substantially perpendicular to the instrument carrier axis.

23. The method according to claim 22, which comprises driving the instrument carrier along the main axis with a motor of the instrument carrier being operable from outside the dynamoelectric machine through an associated connecting lead.

24. The method according to claim 22, which comprises mounting the inspecting means on an instrument platform of the instrument carrier, and driving the instrument platform about the main axis with a motor being operated from outside the dynamoelectric machine through an associated connecting lead.

25. The method according to claim 23, which comprises mounting the inspecting means on an instrument platform of the instrument carrier, and driving the instrument platform about the main axis with another motor being operated from outside the dynamoelectric machine through an associated connecting lead.

26. An instrument carrier for inspecting a dynamoelectric machine including a stator having a main axis and having a recess formed therein being approximately circular cylindrical relative to the main axis, and a rotor being approximately circularly cylindrically disposed relative to the main axis and being rotatable about the main axis in the recess, defining a gap in the recess between the stator and the rotor, the instrument carrier comprising:

an instrument carrier axis being brought into coincidence with the main axis during inspection;

a frame part annularly surrounding the instrument carrier axis;

inspecting means being mounted on said frame part; and

a multiplicity of rollers being mounted on said frame part, being mutually offset as seen in a plane perpendicular to the instrument carrier axis, and being rotatable about axes of rotation aligned substantially perpendicular to the instrument carrier axis.