公开(公告)号：US11796116B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US16751790

申请日：2020-01-24

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Alexander Kyle Duncan ,  Todd William Danko ,  Justin Foehner ,  Yakov Polishchuk ,  Douglas R. Forman

IPC: B08B9/027 ,  F16L55/44 ,  B08B9/049 ,  F16L55/30 ,  F16L55/32 ,  B08B7/00 ,  B08B9/051 ,  F16L55/34 ,  F16L55/48 ,  F16L101/12 ,  F16L101/20 ,  F16L101/30

CPC classification number: F16L55/44 ,  B08B7/0042 ,  B08B9/049 ,  B08B9/051 ,  F16L55/30 ,  F16L55/32 ,  F16L55/34 ,  F16L55/48 ,  B08B2209/04 ,  F16L2101/12 ,  F16L2101/20 ,  F16L2101/30

Abstract: A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The system includes a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the pipe and configured to travel along the pipe through an interior cavity. The motorized apparatus includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around a body assembly. The body assembly includes an actuator assembly coupled to each leg assembly and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly to adjust a position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes at least one sensor configured to collect information associated with the position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the motorized apparatus and configured to receive the information from the sensor, and to determine at least one of a pipe diameter and a pitch of the motorized apparatus based on the information from the at least one sensor.

公开(公告)号：US20210025535A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-28

申请号：US16751790

申请日：2020-01-24

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Alexander Kyle Duncan ,  Todd William Danko ,  Justin Foehner ,  Yakov Polishchuk ,  Douglas R. Forman

IPC: F16L55/34 ,  F16L55/48 ,  F16L55/44 ,  B08B9/051 ,  B08B7/00

Abstract: A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The system includes a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the pipe and configured to travel along the pipe through an interior cavity. The motorized apparatus includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around a body assembly. The body assembly includes an actuator assembly coupled to each leg assembly and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly to adjust a position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes at least one sensor configured to collect information associated with the position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the motorized apparatus and configured to receive the information from the sensor, and to determine at least one of a pipe diameter and a pitch of the motorized apparatus based on the information from the at least one sensor.

公开(公告)号：US20210025534A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-28

申请号：US16751722

申请日：2020-01-24

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Alexander Kyle Duncan ,  Todd William Danko ,  Justin Foehner ,  Yakov Polishchuk ,  Douglas R. Forman

IPC: F16L55/32 ,  F16L55/44

Abstract: A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe includes at least one drive portion including a body assembly, a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly, a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies, and a drive portion coupling mechanism. The motorized apparatus also includes at least one maintenance portion including a body, at least one maintenance device coupled to the body, and a maintenance portion coupling mechanism configured to engage the drive portion coupling mechanism. The at least one drive portion is releasably coupled to the at least one maintenance portion by engaging the drive portion coupling mechanism with the maintenance portion coupling mechanism. The drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are each configured to engage another coupling mechanism when the drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are uncoupled from each other.