Moving device in pipe lines

• US 7,441,507 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hi-Lex Corp.
• Original Assignee: Hi-Lex Corp.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuhiro, Teraura, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano; S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCarry, Jr.; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/167,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20050284233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 104/138.1, 104/138.2, 104/139, 104/281, 104/282, 104/284
• US Class Current: 104/138.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/049 having self-contained propelling means for moving the cleaning devices along the pipes , i.e. self-propelled
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/14 for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/28 Constructional aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/34 the pig or mole being moved step by step
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 99/20 Motors

Abstract

A moving device in pipe lines is provided, which allows easy switching of moving/stopping and remote control of the switching by only electric wires enabling easy operation in the inside of small diameter pipe lines.

The moving device 10 in pipe lines comprises a guide frame 11 in which a line of three or more coils 15, 16, 17 is interconnected flexibly in the direction of magnet flux, ring-shaped permanent magnets 19, 20, 21 provided around the periphery of the guide frame slidably in the direction of the shaft, and a control means such as computers etc. to control by a preset program selecting the direction of turning on of the coils.

Claims

1. A moving device in pipe lines, comprising:

an inside magnet line in which three or more magnet elements are interconnected in the direction of magnet flux;

an outside magnet element line which is provided slidably on the outside of the magnet elements of the inside magnet line;

a switching means which switches the magnet poles of the inside magnet elements and the corresponding pair of the outside magnet elements in-phase or reversed phase; and

a control means for controlling the each switching means by a preset program;

wherein said preset program instructs said switching means to switch the magnet poles of the inside magnet elements and/or the corresponding pair of the outside magnet elements to move the outside magnet elements via the attractive force and repelling force of the magnet poles; and

wherein the movement of the outside magnet elements is a driving force for the movement of the moving device.

2. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 1, wherein the inside magnet elements are interconnected flexibly each other.

3. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 1, wherein the switching means comprises an electromagnet provided at least on one side of the corresponding pair of the magnet elements and a distributor for selecting the magnetic pole of the electromagnet.

7. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the control means comprises a controlling part which is located in the each switching means and a controller which gives instructions to move to the controlling part of the end magnet element pairs;

the controlling part of the above pair of the magnet elements comprises a receiving part for receiving instructions to move, an operation part which performs an arithmetic operation of the magnets by the program in which the instructions to move obtained from the receiving part and the information of the object magnet pole of the magnet element are used as an argument, and a transmitting part which transmits the instructions to move to the next pair of the magnet elements after the switching part switches the magnet poles according to the operation part;

the receiving part and the transmitting part transmits the instructions to move from the end pair of the magnet element to the front pair or from the front pair of the magnet element to the end pair in sequence.

4. A moving device in pipe lines, comprising:

a magnet line in which three or more electromagnets are interconnected;

a guide member which guides the magnet lines slidably; and

a distributor for controlling the magnet poles of said electromagnets by a preset program;

wherein said preset program instructs said distributor to switch the magnet poles of said electromagnets to move the electromagnets via the attractive force and repelling force of the magnet poles; and

wherein the movement of the electromagnets is a driving force for the movement of the moving device.

5. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 4, wherein the guide member is a linear body let through the center of the magnets slidably and any of the electromagnets is fixed to the linear body.

6. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 5, wherein the linear body is flexible.

8. A moving device in pipe lines, comprising:

a magnet line in which three or more electromagnets are interconnected;

a guide member which guides the magnet lines slidably; and

a distributor for controlling the magnet poles of said electromagnets by a preset program,

wherein the distributor is located in each electromagnet and comprises the controlling part to control the poles of the electromagnet by a preset program and the controller which gives instructions to the controlling part of the end distributor;

the controlling part of the electromagnet is provided with the receiver which receives the instructions to move, the operation part which performs an arithmetic operation of the magnets and controls the magnets by the program in which the instructions to move obtained from the receiving part and the information of the object magnet pole of the magnet element are used as an argument, and is provided with the transmitter which transmits the instructions to move to the controlling part of the electromagnet after the control of the pole by the operation parts;

the receiving part and the transmitting part transmit the instructions to move from the end electromagnets to front electromagnets or from the front electromagnets to the end electromagnets.

21. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 8, wherein the guide member is a linear body let through the center of the magnets slidably and any of the electromagnets is fixed to the linear body.

22. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 8, wherein the linear body is flexible.

9. A moving device in pipe lines, comprising:

three or more segments;

an interconnecting means which interconnects these segments;

a driving means which drives the interconnecting means so as to move these segments to the remaining segments relatively; and

a control means to control the driving means,

wherein the controlling means comprises a controlling parts provided in each segment and a controller which gives instructions to move to the end controlling part;

the controlling part comprises a receiving part which receives instructions to move, an operation part which drives the driving means by computing the conditions of the object driving means using the information of the instructions to move obtained from the receiving part and the conditions of the object driving means as an argument, and a transmitting part which transmits the instructions to move to the controlling part of the other driving means after the control of the driving means by the operation part;

the each receiving part and the transmitting part transmits the instructions to move from the end driving means to the front driving means or from the front driving means to the end driving means in sequence;

the engaging force with the inside of pipe lines of the moved segments are smaller than that of the remaining segments.

10. A moving device in pipe lines, comprising:

three or more segments;

an extendable interconnecting means which interconnects these segments in a straight line retractably; and

an extendable driving means for driving the extendable interconnecting means so as to move these segments selectively to the remaining segments relatively,

wherein the engaging force with the inside of pipe lines of the moved segments are smaller than that of the remaining segments,

wherein the extendable driving means drive the extendable interconnecting means by switching magnet poles of said segments to move these segments via the attractive force and repelling force of the magnet poles; and

wherein the movement of these segments is a driving force for the movement of the moving device.

11. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 10, wherein each force of engaging with the inside of pipe lines of the segments is equal.

12. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the extendable driving means in means for moving the each segment forward or backward selectively to the remaining segments.

13. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 10, wherein the extendable driving means moves the segments from one edge to another edge in sequence.

14. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 10, wherein an arm for moving forward whose engaging force inside the pipe lines for moving forward is larger than that for moving backward is provided.

15. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 14, wherein an arm for moving backward whose engaging force inside the pipe lines for moving backward is larger than that for moving forward is provided for at least one of the segments, and a direction selecting mean for selectively moving the arms for moving forward and backward is provided.

16. A moving device in pipe lines, comprising;

an edge segment of the head side;

an edge segment of the tale side;

an extendable interconnecting means which interconnects these segments mately retractably and

an extendable driving means which drives the extendable interconnecting means,

wherein the arm for forward moving is provided, the engaging force with the inside of pipe lines of which being larger than backward,

wherein the extendable driving means drive the extendable interconnecting means by switching magnet poles of said segments to move these segments via the attractive force and repelling force of the magnet poles; and

wherein the movement of these segments is a driving force for the movement of the moving device.

17. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 16, wherein the arm for moving backward is provided on each segment, the engaging force with the inside of pipe lines of which being larger than backward.

18. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 16, wherein an edge segment is swing-freely and retractably interconnected to the back of the tale side segment, an extendable driving means provided between the edge segment and the tale side segment.

19. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 17, wherein an edge segment is swing-freely and retractably interconnected to the front of the head side segment, an extendable driving means provided between the edge segment and the head side segment.

20. A moving device in pipe lines according to claim 16, wherein a storage in which movement patterns of the segment and a controlling part which controls the movement of segments according to movement patterns of segments are provided.