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(11) | EP 3 012 036 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | DEVICE FOR CLEANING OF PIPES |
| (57) The invention relates to a device for cleaning of pipes (1) with a substantially
circular cross section, where the device (2) comprises a cleaning head (4), where
the cleaning head (4) during rotation of the same about its longitudinal axis (X)
is arranged to be fed inside the pipe (1) at least in a forward cleaning direction
(F) parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the pipe (1) and with the longitudinal
axis (X) of the cleaning head (4) substantially aligned parallel to and concentrically
to the centre axis (C) of the pipe (1), where the cleaning head (4) comprises a resilient
body (6) with a tapered forward facing end, the cleaning head (4) further comprising
multiple rigid cutting devices (10, 12, 14, 16) that are arranged to protrude from
the tapered forward facing end of the resilient body (6).
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Technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to a device for cleaning of pipes according to the preamble of claim 1.
Background
[0002] When pipes such as water pipes and sewage pipes etc. age, problems often arise with time, e.g. , deposits may accumulate at the bottom of the pipe, the pipe wall may break due to roots penetrating there through, etc.
[0003] One way of taking care of problems of the above kind is to remove the old pipe and to thereafter replace it with a new pipe. This is however usually very costly and time consuming, such as for example when replacing waste pipe systems in housings, and in some cases also very difficult, e.g. if the pipe which needs to be taken care of lies below a later above the pipe erected building.
[0004] A more modern alternative to the complete replacement of an old pipe with a new in places where this is difficult and costly is to instead clean out deposits etc. from the old pipe in order to thereafter recondition the old pipe by inserting a new pipe inside the old. In this way, an even and impermeable inner pipe wall is obtained without having to remove the old pipe. Instead of inserting a new pipe in the old, one may after the cleaning of the inner volume of the old pipe provide the old pipe with an inner lining, i.e. to build up a new inner wall in the pipe by coating the inner wall of the old pipe with a layer of material, also called "relining".
[0005] GB 842,332 shows a tool for radially directed grinding working of inner walls of hollow tubular bodies.
Summary of the invention
[0006] The problem of removing obstacles inside a pipe is solved according to the invention by a device for cleaning of pipes according to the characterizing portion of claim 1.
[0007] By that the device for cleaning of pipes comprising a cleaning head also comprises the features that the cleaning head comprises a resilient body with a tapered forward facing end, the cleaning head further comprising multiple rigid cutting devices that are arranged to protrude from the tapered forward facing end of the resilient body, the advantage is obtained that when the cleaning head is loaded with a feed force in the forward direction inside the pipe in order to remove deposits in the pipe, the resilient body allows for flexible movement of the rigid cutting devices in case these come into contact with the inner wall of the pipe e.g. in a pipe bend, thus decreasing the wear on the pipe wall from the cleaning head which is particularly important when cleaning pipes with already damaged pipe walls, and at the same time allowing for cleaning of the pipe both fast and efficient with a large feed force and relatively fast feed movement even if something in the pipe obstructs the forward movement.
[0008] Further is achieved, by that the cleaning head further comprises multiple rigid cutting devices arranged to protrude from a tapered rearward facing end of the resilient body, the advantage that the risk that the cleaning head gets caught inside the pipe is minimized when being fed in a reverse cleaning direction.
[0009] A further advantage is, that the multiple rigid cutting devices are preferably arranged serially forming groups arranged at an angle separated from the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cleaning head, whereby, when rotating the cleaning head inside the pipe, the series of multiple rigid cutting devices are arranged to feed possible water and/or pulverized material past the cleaning head between the inner surface of the pipe and the outer surface of the resilient body when the cleaning head moves along the inside of the pipe to be cleaned thus facilitating the feeding of the cleaning head in the pipe.
Brief description of drawings
[0010] The invention will be described closer with reference to the attached drawings, where:
Figure 1 shows schematically a section of a device for cleaning of pipes according to a first embodiment of the invention, and
Figure 2 shows schematically a front view of a device for cleaning of pipes according to figure 1.
Description of preferred embodiments
[0012] Figure 1 shows schematically a partial section of a device for cleaning of pipes according to a first embodiment of the invention, where the device 2 is shown inside a pipe 1.
[0013] The device 2 for cleaning of pipes 1 is intended for pipes 1 with a substantially circular cross section. The device 2 comprises a cleaning head 4, where the cleaning head 4 during rotation of the same about its longitudinal axis X is arranged to be fed inside the pipe 1 at least in a forward cleaning direction F parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the pipe 1 and with the longitudinal axis X of the cleaning head 4 substantially aligned parallel to and concentrically to the centre axis C of the pipe 1. The cleaning head 4 comprises a resilient body 6 with a tapered forward facing end 8, the cleaning head 4 further comprising multiple rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16 that are arranged to protrude from the tapered forward facing end 8 of the resilient body 6. In order to align the cleaning head 4 substantially concentrically to the centre axis C of the pipe 1, the radial r dimensions of the cleaning head 4 are adapted to the inner diameter d of the pipe 1 to be cleaned, preferably by that a small gap is left between the outer radial surface of the resilient body 6 and the inside of the wall 3 of the pipe 1. The maximum diameter of the cleaning head 4 in the radial r direction can for example be limited to some or a few mm less than the inner diameter d of the pipe 1. This alignment is further preferably facilitated by a water film as will be discussed in more detail below.
[0014] According to this embodiment, the cleaning head 4 is further during rotation of the same about its longitudinal axis X arranged to be fed also in a reverse cleaning direction R parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the pipe 1 and with the longitudinal axis X of the cleaning head 4 substantially aligned parallel to and concentrically to the centre axis C of the pipe 1. In this embodiment, the resilient body 6 further comprises a tapered rearward facing end 18 and multiple rigid cutting devices 20, 22, 24, 26 that are arranged to protrude from the tapered rearward facing end 18 of the resilient body 6.
[0015] By arranging a cleaning head 4 having forward and rearward facing tapered ends 8; 18 with multiple rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16; 20, 22, 24, 26, it is possible to clean a pipe 1 by feeding the cleaning head 4 in the forward cleaning direction F from the pipe orifice into the pipe 1 to be cleaned thus grinding up any obstructing material in the pipe 1 into fine particles using the rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16 arranged to protrude from the tapered forward facing end 8 of the resilient body 6. On the respective ends 8, 18 of the resilient body 6, the multiple rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16; 20, 22, 24, 26, are preferably arranged serially forming groups 10, 12; 14, 16; 20, 22; 24, 26 arranged at an angle separated from the radial direction r of the cleaning head 4 (see figure 2), whereby the series multiple rigid cutting devices when rotating the cleaning head 4 inside the pipe 1 are arranged to feed possible water V and/or pulverized material past the cleaning head 4 between the inner surface 3 of the pipe 1 and the outer surface of the resilient body 6 from the forward facing end 8 to the rearward facing end 18 when feeding the cleaning head 4 in the forward cleaning direction F, and vice versa when feeding the cleaning head 4 in the reverse cleaning direction R, when the cleaning head 4 moves along the inside of the pipe 1 to be cleaned. The series may be "left-hand threaded" or "right-hand threaded" depending on the direction of rotation of the cleaning head 4. Preferably, the direction of rotation of the cleaning head 4 is not altered when changing between forward cleaning direction F and the reverse cleaning direction R as this allows for fast cleaning direction changes of the cleaning head 4.
[0016] In order to remove the cleaning head 4 from the pipe 1, it is fed the reverse cleaning direction R, the cleaning head 4 thus working its way through the possible particles remaining between the cleaning head and the pipe orifice in a similar manner. When the cleaning head 4 has been removed from the pipe, the particles remaining in the pipe 1 can be flushed out using e.g. pressurized water.
[0017] In figure 1, the respective tapered ends 8, 18 are shown as being shaped as truncated cones, but other tapered shapes, i.e. shapes that narrow down towards the respective end of the resilient body 6, as e.g. half-spheres, cones, etc. are also possible to use.
[0018] According to this embodiment, the cleaning head 4 further comprises multiple rigid cutting devices 28, 30, 32, 34 arranged to protrude from the surface of the resilient body 6 in a radial direction r, thus further facilitating the cleaning of the inner side of the pipe wall. These possible multiple rigid cutting devices 28, 30, 32, 34 are preferably arranged symmetrically around the periphery of the central part of the cleaning head 4, in order to decrease the risk for that the cleaning head 4 is tilted in the pipe 1 during operation.
[0019] The device preferably comprises a drive member 36 with which the cleaning head 4 is arranged to be fed at least forward inside the pipe 1 in a forward cleaning direction F, and preferably also rearward in a reverse cleaning direction R, and with which the cleaning head 4 is arranged to be able to be rotated about its longitudinal axis X, where the drive member 36 further is arranged to be able to take up press force in its axial direction A along the longitudinal direction L of the pipe, whereby a feed force FM can be applied on the cleaning head 4 in the longitudinal direction L of the pipe. The cleaning head 4 may in operation be rotated with for example a speed of about 1000-3000 rotations per minute.
[0020] The drive member 36 is preferably a wire or a rod. If wire is used, there exists specially twisted wire that manages large press forces without that the wire is bent in its longitudinal direction. The drive member 36 is in turn driven preferably by hydraulics. E.g., a hydraulic pump with variable pressure from 0 up to 180 bars can be used for the drive, which in turn for example can be driven with a combustion engine or an electrical plant.
[0021] Preferably, the device 2 further comprises a hose 38 for water V arranged about the drive member 36 with which hose 38 water V can be conveyed to the cleaning head 4 for cooling of the same during operation and to decrease the friction forces between the cleaning head 4 and the inner wall 3 of the pipe 1 during operation by that a lubricating film of water V positions itself between the resilient body 6 and the inner wall 3 of the pipe 1. If the drive member 36 has a diameter of e.g. 12 mm, the surrounding hose may e.g. have a diameter of 20 mm. Water V can optionally be used also to drive the rotation of the cleaning head 4, e.g. by fastening a turbine device on the drive member 36 which is then driven by water V from the hose 38 (not shown).
[0022] The rigid cutting devices may e.g. be cutter teeth made of Coromant ® or be devices having a hard core of e.g. titanium with a tough sleeve arranged around the hard core.
[0023] The cleaning head 4 further preferably comprises a fastening device 40 to which the drive member 36 is arranged to be connected during operation of the device. The fastening device 40 may preferably comprise a forward washer 42 and a rear washer 44 that are arranged to be connected by a threaded rod 46 is to be arranged in a narrower part 48 of a through hole 50 in the resilient body 6, where the washers 42, 44 have outer diameters larger than the inner diameter of said narrower part 48 of said through hole 50, and where the rear washer is to be arranged in a wider part 52 of said through hole 50 having an inner diameter exceeding the outer diameter of the rear washer 44, preferably by that the rear washer 44 comprises inner threads corresponding to and arranged to be engaging outer threads on the threaded rod 46 when the fastening device 40 is in the assembled state as shown in the figure, and where a nut or a milling body 54 comprising an inner thread is arranged to be threaded on the threaded rod 46 in a similar way in said assembled state. In order to prevent rotation of the washers 42, 44, they preferably comprise respective protruding pins 56, 58 that are arranged to be pressed into the resilient body 6 in said assembled state, thus locking the washers 42, 44 in place. The drive member 36 may in turn comprise an inner thread at the end which in a similar way engages outer threads on the threaded rod 46 in said assembled state. In order to prevent relative rotation between the threaded rod 46 and the drive member 36 in said assembled state, a sleeve 60 may be fixed, e.g. welded, to the rear washer 44, which sleeve 60 has an outer diameter somewhat smaller than the inner diameter of the wider part 52 of the through hole 50 thus being able to fit therein, the sleeve 60 also being able to receive the end of the drive member 36 by that the sleeve 60 has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the drive member 36, and where locking members 62, 64 such as screws are arranged to pass through threaded holes in the sleeve 50 and into the drive member 36 in said assembled state to prevent relative rotation therebetween.
[0024] Figure 2 shows schematically a front view of a device 2 for cleaning of pipes according to figure 1, showing the front end 8 of the resilient body 6, where the multiple rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16 preferably arranged serially forming groups 10, 12; 14, 16; 20, 22; 24, 26 arranged at an angle separated from the radial direction r of the cleaning head 4 can be seen.
[0025] The embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2 can be developed into a number of other embodiments comprising only some of the preferred features shown in figure 1. E.g., it is possible to omit the rigid cutting devices from the rearward facing end 8 of the resilient body 6 for an embodiment of the cleaning head 4 which is intended to clean a pipe 1 by only feeding the cleaning head 4 in the forward cleaning direction F from the pipe orifice into the pipe 1 to be cleaned thus grinding up any material in the pipe 1 into fine particles using the rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16 that are arranged to protrude from the tapered forward facing end 8 of the resilient body 6 when at the same time using e.g. pressurized water to flush out the fine particles in the reverse direction R through said orifice of the pipe 1.
[0026] In the figure is indicated the direction of rotation ω for the cleaning head 4. In the figure is assumed that the direction of rotation is to the right seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis X of the cleaning head 4, but the direction of rotation can as mentioned above also be to the left in which case the positioning of the rigid cutting devices 10, 12, 14, 16 is adapted corresponding to this.
1. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) with a substantially circular cross section, where
the device (2) comprises a cleaning head (4), where the cleaning head (4) during rotation
of the same about its longitudinal axis (X) is arranged to be fed inside the pipe
(1) at least in a forward cleaning direction (F) parallel to the longitudinal direction
(L) of the pipe (1) and with the longitudinal axis (X) of the cleaning head (4) substantially
aligned parallel to and concentrically to the centre axis (C) of the pipe (1), characterized in, that the cleaning head (4) comprises a resilient body (6) with a tapered forward facing
end (8), the cleaning head (4) further comprising multiple rigid cutting devices (10,
12, 14, 16) that are arranged to protrude from the tapered forward facing end (8)
of the resilient body (6).
2. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 1, characterized in, that the cleaning head (4) during rotation of the same about its longitudinal axis (X)
is arranged to be fed also in a reverse cleaning direction (R) parallel to the longitudinal
direction (L) of the pipe (1) and with the longitudinal axis (X) of the cleaning head
(4) substantially aligned parallel to and concentrically to the centre axis (C) of
the pipe (1), where the resilient body (6) further comprises a tapered rearward facing
end (18), the cleaning head (4) further comprising multiple rigid cutting devices
(20, 22, 24, 26) that are arranged to protrude from the tapered rearward facing end
(18) of the resilient body (6).
3. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in, that the cleaning head (4) further comprises multiple rigid cutting devices (28, 30, 32,
34) arranged to protrude from the surface of the resilient body (6) in a radial direction
(r).
4. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 2, characterized in, that the multiple rigid cutting devices (10, 12, 14, 16; 20, 22, 24, 26) on the respective
ends (8, 18) of the resilient body (6) are arranged serially forming groups (10, 12;
14, 16; 20, 22; 24, 26) arranged at an angle separated from the radial direction (r)
of the cleaning head (4).
5. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 2, characterized in, that the respective tapered ends (8, 18) are shaped as truncated cones.
6. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to any one of the above claims, characterized in, that the device (2) comprises a drive member (36) with which the cleaning head (4) is
arranged to be able to be fed at least forward inside the pipe (1) in a forward cleaning
direction (F) and with which the cleaning head (4) is arranged to be able to be rotated
about its longitudinal axis (X), where the drive member (36) further is arranged to
take up press force in its axial direction (A) along the longitudinal direction (L)
of the pipe (1), whereby a feed force (FM) can be applied on the cleaning head (4) in the longitudinal direction (L) of the
pipe (1).
7. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 6, characterized in, that the drive member (36) is a wire or a rod.
8. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in, that the drive member (36) is driven by hydraulics in turn.
9. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to any one of claims 6-8, characterized in, that the device (2) comprises a hose (38) for water (V) arranged about the drive member
(36) with which hose (38) water (V) can be conveyed to the cleaning head (4) for cooling
of the same during operation and to decrease friction forces between the cleaning
head (4) and the inner wall (3) of the pipe (1) during operation.
10. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to any one of the above claims, characterized in, that the cleaning head (4) further comprises a fastening device (40) to which the drive
member (36) is connected during operation of the device, the fastening device (40)
comprising a forward washer (42) and a rear washer (44) that are arranged to be connected
by a threaded rod (46) arranged in a narrower part (48) of a through hole (50) in
the resilient body (6), where the washers (42, 44) have outer diameters larger than
the inner diameter of said narrower part (48) of said through hole (50), and where
the rear washer is to be arranged in a wider part (52) of said through hole (50) having
an inner diameter exceeding the outer diameter of the rear washer (44).
11. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 10, characterized in, that the rear washer (44) comprises inner threads corresponding to and engaging outer
threads on the threaded rod (46) when the fastening device (40) is in the assembled
state, and where a nut or a milling body (54) comprising an inner thread is arranged
to be threaded on the threaded rod (46) in a similar way in said assembled state.
12. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in, that the washers (42, 44) comprise respective protruding pins (56, 58) that are arranged
to be pressed into the resilient body (6) in said assembled state.
13. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in, that the drive member (36) comprises an inner thread at the end which engages outer threads
on the threaded rod (46) in said assembled state.
14. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in, that a sleeve (60) is fixed to the rear washer (44), which sleeve (60) has an outer diameter
somewhat smaller than the inner diameter of the wider part (52) of the through hole
(50) and an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the drive member (36)
and that locking members (62, 64) are arranged to pass through threaded holes in the
sleeve (50) and into the drive member (36) in said assembled state.
15. Device for cleaning of pipes (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 14, characterized in, that the respective rigid cutting devices (10, 12, 14, 16, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34)
comprise an inner hard core and an outer tough surface.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description