Self-centering suspension for in-pipe use
US5971404A · kind A · utility
26Cited by
7References
4Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16L55/44
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A self-centering suspension for use in supporting a vehicle or vehicles intended to travel in a pipeline includes a body and two sets of three wheels spaced apart along the length of the body. Each wheel is mounted on a lever arm biased by torsion springs against the inner surface of the pipeline. Each lever arm has a stub arm which is eccentrically arranged relatively to a rotary joint in the form of a pin, and the stub arm slidingly engages a circumferential groove in a ring. Each ring slides on the body. A set of three wheels are thus constrained to move inwards and outwards together.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.