US 11,940,237 B2
Automated gun barrel cleaning system and method thereof
Amit Anil Mahajan, Cumming, GA (US); and Samir Shriram Bagalkote, Pune (IN)
Assigned to Griffyn Robotech Pvt. Ltd., Maharashtra (IN)
Filed by Griffyn Robotech Pvt. Ltd., Flower Mound, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/947,486.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358497 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. F41A 29/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); F41A 29/04 (2006.01)
CPC F41A 29/02 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 11/0085 (2013.01); F41A 29/04 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated system for inspection and cleaning of straight hollow cylindrical objects, the system consisting of: a robotic inspection and cleaning device connected to a main controller unit; the robotic inspection and cleaning device comprising:
a drive wheel assembly located at a rear end of the cleaning device and fitted within a casing, the drive wheel assembly driven by an electrical motor controlled and operated by the main controller unit, the drive wheel assembly having at least one wheel angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cleaning device with the outer rim of the wheel in contact with the inner wall of the cylindrical object, for driving the cleaning device linearly along the length of the cylindrical object while rotating spirally along the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device;
a driven wheel assembly located at the towards front of the cleaning device and fitted within the casing, the driven wheel assembly having at least one wheel angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device with outer rim thereof in contact with inner wall of the cylindrical object;
a spray nozzle assembly attached next to the driven wheel assembly and operably connected to the main controller unit; the spray nozzle assembly having a plurality of outlet spray nozzles mounted radially on a spray nozzle manifold and fitted with an inlet connector for receiving a cleaning liquid and a lubricating oil respectively, from an externally fitted cleaning liquid reservoir and a lubricating oil reservoir;
a vision system attached to the front end of the cleaning device and operably connected to the main controller unit, to capture images and real time video footage of the inner wall of the cylindrical object; and
a cleaning assembly, the cleaning assembly comprising:
a scrubbing unit and a mopping unit loosely coupled on a slider unit and mounted coaxially with respect to the cleaning device q on a mounting bracket and respectively, wherein the scrubbing unit is operably connected to a jagging subassembly for a controlled reciprocating action thereof; and
a wiping unit located towards the front end of the cleaning device and attached next to the spray nozzle assembly, wherein mopping brush heads and wiping brush heads are covered by a detachable cloth cap; and
each of the scrubbing unit, the mopping unit and the wiping unit having:
a brush unit mounting bracket mounted on a hollow shaft having a sliding element and a slotted disk cam and attached to either side thereof;
a plurality of brush units, each brush unit from the plurality of brush units mounted on the sliding element by using a slider pin and a guiding socket; and
a brush actuation motor and a reduction gear train mounted on a mounting bracket on the other side of the brush unit,
wherein the brush unit corresponding to a specific operation selected from the operations of scrubbing, mopping and wiping is radially opened and closed with respect to the axis of the cleaning device by a sliding motion of the brush unit with respect to the direction of rotation of the slotted disk cam and.