Development of bundled-tube locomotive devices for pipe inspection

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25420213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Intelligent mechanics/Mechanical systems
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Takayama Toshio 東京工業大学, 総合理工学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80376954)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OMATA Toru 東京工業大学, 総合理工学研究科, 教授 (10262312) ; TANAKA Naofumi 東京医科歯科大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (90280982)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Soft sobotics / In-pipe robot / Endoscope

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our proposing bundled-tube locomotive devices are composed of a few bound elastic tubes, and it can travel in pipes only by inflating them in turns. The device is strongly resistant to the environment and very flexible, thus it does not scratch the inner wall of the pipe and can pass through an elbow-pipe without requiring complicated control. In this study we established a mass production manner of the helical type bundled-tube locomotive device by an extruder that can rotate its die. On the other hand, if the device becomes long the operating frequency and travel velocity become slow. Therefore, we developed self-oscillated air flow passage changer. The dimensions of the device are enough small to use it in a standard 25A water pipe. We challenged to downsize the mechanism, aimed to utilize the device in the small pipe such as a blood vessel. Moreover, we developed a new bundled-tube locomotive device with 6 tubes. It can control traveling and rotating motion independently.

Free Research Field

Mechatronics