(19)
(11) EP 0 911 452 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
01.03.2000 Bulletin 2000/09

(43) Date of publication A2:
28.04.1999 Bulletin 1999/17

(21) Application number: 98308671.1

(22) Date of filing: 23.10.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: E03F 7/12, E03F 9/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 24.10.1997 JP 29234497
24.10.1997 JP 29240497

(71) Applicants:
  • SHONAN GOSEI - JUSHI SEISAKUSHO K.K.
    Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken (JP)
  • YOKOSHIMA & COMPANY
    Yuki-gun, Ibaraki-ken (JP)
  • Get Inc.
    Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Kamiyama, Takao
    Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken (JP)
  • Yokoshima, Yasuhiro
    Yuki-gun, Ibaraki-ken (JP)
  • Endoh, Shigeru
    Niihari-gun, Ibaraki-ken (JP)

(74) Representative: Whalley, Kevin 
MARKS & CLERK, 57-60 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3LS
London WC2A 3LS (GB)

   


(54) Driving device, branch pipe inspecting/cleaning method, and branch pipe inspecting/cleaning device


(57) A driving device enables an elastic hose (1) having a tip portion to which a TV camera (6) and/or a reverse jet nozzle (5) are attached, to be smoothly introduced into a branch pipe (51), so that the inside of the branch pipe can be positively and easily inspected and cleaned from the side of a main pipe (50). In one embodiment, a driving device (10) for moving the elastic hose (1) backward and forward by the action of fluid pressure is constituted by a pressure hose/cylinder unit (11) in which the elastic hose is inserted, a pig/piston unit (13) attached to the outer circumference of the elastic hose (1) and sliding in the pressure hose (11), and a compressor (pressure fluid supplying unit) for alternately supplying compressed air (pressure fluid) into airtight spaces (S1, S2) formed with the pig (13) in the pressure hose (11). The driving device (10) moves the elastic hose (1) backward and forward always positively by a large constant driving force of not a conventional frictional force but the fluid pressure, so that even if the branch pipe has a plurality of curves, the elastic hose (1) can be always smoothly introduced into the branch pipe.






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