Cutting path determination for remote cutter
AssigneeINA Acquisition Corp.
InventorsRyan Goss, Haidong Wang, Kiran Bharwani, Robert Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for using a remote cutter to make cuts, for example in a pipe liner. An automated cutting path is computed for a cutting tool as a function of shape and position data relating to an opening of the branch conduit into the main pipe. The cutting tool is moved along the computed cutting path to cut the liner for reestablishing fluid communication between a branch conduit extending from a host pipe and the lined main pipe.
Claims19
A method for determining a cutting path to re-establish fluid communication between a main pipe and a branch conduit extending from the main pipe following lining of the main pipe with a liner, the method comprising computing an automated cutting path for a cutting tool as a function of shape and position data relating to an opening of the branch conduit into the main pipe, moving the cutting tool along the computed cutting path to cut the liner for reestablishing fluid communication between the branch conduit and the main pipe.
A method for scanning and cutting a liner in a pipe, the method comprising, creating a digital map of an environment using a plurality of sensors, identifying a first location of a service based on a scan frame of reference, navigating a robot to the first location utilizing the digital map and based on a robot frame of reference, computing a cutting path based upon the digital map;
- and executing a cut at the first location.
A system for cutting an opening in a liner lining a host pipe for fluid communication with a branch conduit, the system comprising a robot including a cutting tool extendable from the robot for cutting the liner, the robot being sized to be received in and move along the host pipe after liner is received in the host pipe, the robot being operatively connected to a controller configured to compute a cutting path for the cutting tool using data regarding the shape and position of an opening of the branch conduit into the main pipe, and to move the cutting tool along the computed cutting path to cut the liner for reestablishing fluid communication between the branch conduit and the host pipe.
A system for scanning and cutting a liner in a pipe, the system comprising a robot having a cutting tool operable to cut through the liner, and a controller for controlling operation of the robot, the controller being configured to reference a digital map of an environment using a plurality of sensors made in a scan of the pipe prior to lining the pipe with the liner, the controller being configured to identify a first location of a service based on a scan frame of reference, and navigating the robot to the first location utilizing the digital map and based on a robot frame of reference, the controller being programmed to compute a cutting path based upon the digital map;
- and control the cutting tool to execute a cut of the liner at the first location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.