US 12,111,006 B2
Motorized apparatus for pipe inspection and repair
Todd William Danko, Niskayuna, NY (US); Alexander Kyle Duncan, Niskayuna, NY (US); Marshall G. Jones, Scotia, NY (US); Guanghua Wang, Clifton Park, NY (US); Venkata Vijayaraghava Nalladega, Watervliet, NY (US); Viktor Holovashchenko, Clifton Park, NY (US); John M. Lizzi, Gansevoort, NY (US); and Arpit Jain, Hayword, CA (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/577,894.
Prior Publication US 2023/0228360 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. F16L 55/30 (2006.01); B23K 26/08 (2014.01); B23K 26/14 (2014.01); B23K 26/16 (2006.01); B23K 26/34 (2014.01); B23K 26/362 (2014.01); B23K 37/02 (2006.01); B23K 101/10 (2006.01); F16L 55/18 (2006.01); F16L 101/30 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 55/30 (2013.01) [F16L 55/18 (2013.01); B23K 26/0869 (2013.01); B23K 26/14 (2013.01); B23K 26/16 (2013.01); B23K 26/34 (2013.01); B23K 26/362 (2013.01); B23K 37/0282 (2013.01); B23K 37/0294 (2013.01); B23K 2101/10 (2018.08); F16L 2101/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity and having an inner surface, said system comprising:
a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the interior cavity of the pipe, said motorized apparatus comprising:
a main body having a length extending along a longitudinal axis of said main body, said main body comprising a first end and a second end opposite said first end;
at least one drive assembly coupled to at least one of said first end and said second end of said main body, said at least one drive assembly including driven members configured to engage with the inner surface of the pipe and move said motorized apparatus through the interior cavity of the pipe;
a maintenance head comprising at least one tool configured to perform an action on the inner surface of the pipe;
a carriage movably coupling said maintenance head to said main body; and
at least one actuator configured to move said maintenance head along an entirety of the length of said main body between said first end and said second end and rotate said maintenance head about the longitudinal axis of said main body; and
at least one controller communicatively coupled to said motorized apparatus and configured to:
move said motorized apparatus through the pipe utilizing said at least one drive assembly until a work location on the inner surface of the pipe is positioned between said first end and said second end of said main body;
move said maintenance head along the length of said main body and rotate said maintenance head about the longitudinal axis of said main body until said at least one tool is proximate to the work location; and
perform the action at the work location using said at least one tool.