Moving device in a pipe line

• US 7,748,327 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hi-Lex Corp.
• Original Assignee: Hi-Lex Corp.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano; S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith; Jason C
• Application Number:
  US11/780,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 104/138.2, 741/11
• US Class Current: 104/138.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• 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: Y10T 74/15 Intermittent grip type mechanical movement

Abstract

A moving device in a pipeline, including: more than three segments, including a front segment, arranged in series; an extendable interconnecting element to connect adjacent segments; and an engaging force changing component to change engaging force of a segment that is to be moved with the inside of the pipeline to a smaller force, smaller than the engaging force of a remaining segment with the inside of the pipeline. The front segment has a head part, a body part, a joint part to turn the head part centering around the body part, and a drive unit to move the head part around the body part. The drive unit have a magnet provided in the head part and an electromagnet provided in the body part.

Claims

1. A moving device in a pipe line, comprising;

more than three segments including a front segment arranged in serial;

an extendable interconnecting means to connect adjacent segments; and

an engaging force changing means to change an engaging force of the segment which is to be moved with an inside of the pipe line to a smaller force, smaller than the engaging force of the remaining segment with the inside of the pipe line;

wherein the moving device moves back and forth by extending or retracting the extendable interconnecting means,

wherein the front segment has a head part, a body part, a joint part to turn the head part centering around the body part, and a drive unit to move the head part around the body part,

wherein the drive unit has a magnet provided in the head part and an electromagnet provided in the body part, and

wherein the head part moves around the body part by attracting or repelling the magnet of the head part by the magnetic force of the electromagnet.

2. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 1,

wherein the joint part is a universal joint,

wherein at least three magnets are provided around an axis of a moving direction of the head part at equal intervals, and plural of the electromagnet is provided around the axis of the moving direction of the body part at equal intervals,

wherein numbers of the magnet and the electromagnet are same.

3. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 2, wherein the head part is formed spherically, and a plurality of recessed portions are formed on the rear spherical surface of the head part, and

wherein a detent ball, which is energized toward the head part and which is engaged with the recessed part, is provided in a front of the body part.

4. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 1, wherein more than four segments are arranged in serial,

wherein an engagement member bridging adjacent segments is provided between at least more than two adjacent segments, and when the extendable interconnecting means interconnecting the adjacent segments bridged by the engagement member retracts, the engagement member bends and a bended part of the engagement member protrude outwardly engaging with the inside of the pipe line.

5. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 4, wherein the front segment, a second segment a third segment, and a fourth segment are arranged in serial,

wherein the engagement member bridging the adjacent segments is provided between the front segment and the second segment, and the third segment and the fourth segment.

6. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 1, wherein the head part of the front segment is mounted with a camera, a cleaning nozzle, or a touch switch.

7. A moving device in a pipe line comprising;

more than three segments including a front segment arranged in serial;

an extendable interconnecting means to connect adjacent segments; and

an engaging force changing means to change an engaging force of the segment which is to be moved with an inside of the pipe line to smaller force, smaller than the engaging force of the remaining segment with the inside of the pipe line;

wherein the moving device moves back and forth by extending or retracting the extendable interconnecting means,

wherein the front segment has a head part, a body part, a joint part to turn the head part centering around the body part, and a drive unit to move the head part around the body part,

wherein the drive unit has an inner cable interconnecting the head part and the body part, an inner cable locking portion provided in the head part, a motor portion provided in the body part, and

wherein the head part is turned around the body part by pulling in or sending out the inner cable by the motor portion.

8. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 7,

wherein the inner cable, the inner cable locking portion of the head part, and the motor portion of the body part as a set are arranged respectively around an axis of a moving direction and more than three sets are arranged respectively at equal intervals in the axis of the moving direction.

9. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 8, wherein the front segment, a second segment a third segment, and a fourth segment are arranged in serial,

wherein the engagement member bridging the adjacent segments is provided between the front segment and the second segment, and the third segment and the fourth segment.

10. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 7 wherein more than four segments are arranged serially,

wherein an engagement member bridging adjacent segments is provided between at least more than two adjacent segments, and when the extendable interconnecting means interconnecting the adjacent segments bridged by the engagement member retracts, the engagement member bends and a bended part of the engagement member protrude outwardly engaging with the inside of the pipe line.

11. A moving device in a pipe line according to claim 7, wherein the head pert of the front segment presents a rough spherical shape, and is mounted with a camera, a cleaning nozzle, or a touch switch,

wherein the joint part is extended from the body part to hold the head part, the joint part is a sliding member which covers the periphery of the head part, the head part is arranged to slide an inside surface of the sliding member.