# US 12,179,242 B2 · Automatic self-cleaning drainage system for a tunnel installation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,242 B2 - Document ID: US12179242B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/754,751 - Filed: 2019-10-17 - Published: 2024-03-14 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-17 - Assignees: Drainbot GmbH - Applicants: Drainbot GmbH - Inventors: Philipp Lepold - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179242B2 ## CPC - B08B 9/02: Cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes (apparatus for cleaning metal pipes by chemical methods C23G3/04) - B08B 9/049: having self-contained propelling means for moving the cleaning devices along the pipes {, i.e. self-propelled} - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract A drainage cleaning system is provided for a tunnel system, where the drainage cleaning system includes a drainage pipe, where the drainage cleaning system includes a charging station on the drainage pipe, and where the charging station is operable to charge the battery of a self-propelled cleaning robot located in the drainage pipe and to allow measuring data recorded by the cleaning robot to be sent to a server arranged outside of the drainage cleaning system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drainage cleaning system for a tunnel system, comprising a self-propelled cleaning robot, a drainage pipe, and a charging station on the drainage pipe, wherein the charging station is operable to charge the battery of the self-propelled cleaning robot located in the drainage pipe and to enable measuring data recorded by the self-propelled cleaning robot to be sent to a server arranged outside of the drainage cleaning system, wherein the charging station is arranged outside of an inner diameter of the drainage pipe and is operable to lift the self-propelled cleaning robot out of the inner diameter in order to charge the self-propelled cleaning robot outside of the inner diameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the drainage cleaning system further includes a communication station on the drainage pipe, and the communication station is operable to receive measuring data recorded by the self-propelled cleaning robot and to send the measuring data to the above-mentioned server without charging the self-propelled cleaning robot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 1, comprising at least two of the charging stations, which are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 3, wherein the charging stations are arranged at a mutual distance of 50 m to 1000 m, preferably 450 m to 600 m. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the charging station comprises a transceiver that is operable to receive measuring data recorded by the self-propelled cleaning robot and to send the data to a server arranged outside of the drainage cleaning system, using a mobile radio connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the charging station is operable to send control data received by the server to the self-propelled cleaning robot in order to change an operating state of the self-propelled cleaning robot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the self-propelled cleaning robot comprises a drive operable to perform automated cleaning of the drainage cleaning system, a battery for the drive and at least one sensor operable to record measuring data, the self-propelled cleaning robot being operable to charge the battery using the charging station and to send measuring data recorded by the sensor to the charging station. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 7, comprising a brush which, in operation, has a diameter of 100 mm to 500 mm, with the self-propelled cleaning robot further comprising a travelling body which is located within a circumference of the brush, as seen against a direction of travel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 8, wherein the self-propelled cleaning robot comprises a transceiver which is operable to send recorded measuring data directly to the server when the self-propelled cleaning robot is in the charging station. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the recorded measuring data include slope data by way of which a lowering of the drainage pipe can be determined. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the measuring data comprise temperatures, pH values, electrical conductivities of a fluid in the drainage pipe, measurements of distances travelled and image and/or video data recorded by a camera operable to monitor a cleaning success. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the battery has a capacity of 450 m-1200 m, driving meters. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The drainage cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the self-propelled cleaning robot is operable to go to the last charging station that has been visited when an insurmountable obstacle is detected in the drainage cleaning system and to send an error message to the server upon reaching the charging station.