Methods and devices for automated work in pipes based on impedance control
First Claim
1. A method, implemented at least in part with a computing device of a robot, for automatically removing a lining material covering an opening defined by a lateral pipe connected to a main pipe, the method comprising:
- at the robot, generating a three-dimensional map of a surface of the lining material while the robot is at a first position within the main pipe;
plunging a cutting tool connected to said robot through said lining material, wherein the plunging is performed while the robot is at the first position;
cutting said lining material toward an edge of said lateral pipe while monitoring impedance information related to said cutting tool, wherein the cutting is performed while the robot is at the first position;
adjusting a depth of said cutting tool into an interior of said lateral pipe a plurality of times while cutting said lining material, wherein said adjusting is based on the three-dimensional map of the lining material;
determining when said cutting tool has encountered the edge of said lateral pipe based on a change in said impedance information as determined by a processor of the computing device of the robot; and
adjusting a cutting vector of said cutting tool to approximate a shape of said edge, wherein said adjusting of the cutting vector is based on said change determined by said processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and tools for automatically performing work within a pipe or pipe network based on sensed impedance information. A robot, which may be tethered or un-tethered, includes a computer controller and a work tool for performing work within the pipe. With or without impedance-based calibration, the robot senses environmental and tool-based impedance characteristics and determines, using said software, ways in which the current work performance can be altered or improved based on the impedance information. The operation of the work tool is then altered in line with the control software. Many different types of work related to the inspection, cleaning and rehabilitation of pipes can be accomplished with the present robots including reinstating laterals after lining, cutting or clearing debris, sealing pipe joints and/or other heretofore manual pipe-based processes.
78 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method, implemented at least in part with a computing device of a robot, for automatically removing a lining material covering an opening defined by a lateral pipe connected to a main pipe, the method comprising:
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at the robot, generating a three-dimensional map of a surface of the lining material while the robot is at a first position within the main pipe; plunging a cutting tool connected to said robot through said lining material, wherein the plunging is performed while the robot is at the first position; cutting said lining material toward an edge of said lateral pipe while monitoring impedance information related to said cutting tool, wherein the cutting is performed while the robot is at the first position; adjusting a depth of said cutting tool into an interior of said lateral pipe a plurality of times while cutting said lining material, wherein said adjusting is based on the three-dimensional map of the lining material; determining when said cutting tool has encountered the edge of said lateral pipe based on a change in said impedance information as determined by a processor of the computing device of the robot; and adjusting a cutting vector of said cutting tool to approximate a shape of said edge, wherein said adjusting of the cutting vector is based on said change determined by said processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification