Water-chamber working apparatus and water-chamber working method

{
  "publication_number": "US9341366B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Water-chamber working apparatus and water-chamber working method",
  "abstract": "A water-chamber working apparatus according to the present invention includes a base that holds heat transfer tubes on a tube plate surface and is fixed to the tube plate surface, and a manipulator that is coupled with the base and is suspended in a water chamber. The base includes a base body that is coupled with a manipulator, a wing capable of being displaced forward and backward with respect to the base body, and clamper that are arranged on the wing and are inserted into the heat transfer tube to clamp and hold the heat transfer tube.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A water-chamber working apparatus being suspended from a tube plate surface of a water chamber in a steam generator and driven by remote control to perform a work in the water chamber, the water-chamber working apparatus comprising: a base that holds onto a heat transfer tube on the tube plate surface and is fixed to the tube plate surface; a manipulator that is coupled with the base and is suspended in the water chamber; and a coupling link that couples the base with the manipulator and that is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a height direction of the base, wherein the base includes a base body that is coupled with a manipulator and a clamper that is arranged on a wing and is inserted into the heat transfer tube to clamp the heat transfer tube, wherein the base includes four wings all being movable independently of each other with respect to the base body, two of which being disposed across the base body from each other in one direction, the other two of which being disposed across the base body from each other in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, wherein each of the two wings disposed across the base body from each other in the one direction is movable forward and reverse in the one direction by an actuator, and wherein each of the two wings disposed across the base body from each other in the direction perpendicular to the one direction is movable forward and reverse in the direction perpendicular to the one direction by the actuator.",
    "2. The water-chamber working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator is coupled with the base such that a reference axis of a basic position of the manipulator is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a rotation axis of the coupling link.",
    "3. The water-chamber working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator has a separable configuration.",
    "4. A water-chamber working method for the water-chamber working apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: providing the apparatus of claim 1; and moving the base along the tube plate surface by moving a clamping position of the base with respect to the heat transfer tube.",
    "5. The water-chamber working method according to claim 4, wherein at a time of performing a work in the water chamber, the base holds the heat transfer tube in a state where the wings are opened.",
    "6. The water-chamber working method according to claim 4, wherein at a time of moving the water-chamber working apparatus, a barycenter of the manipulator is arranged immediately below the base body in a vertical direction.",
    "7. The water-chamber working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupling link couples the base at an upper side and couples the manipulator at a lower side, and the coupling link includes a mounting surface being inclined with respect to the rotation axis, on which the manipulator is coupled."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a water-chamber working apparatus and a water-chamber working method, and more particularly to a water-chamber working apparatus and a water-chamber working method that can improve the workability of a work in a water chamber in a steam generator.\n\nA water-chamber working apparatus is carried into and installed in a water chamber in a steam generator to perform a work in the water chamber by remote control. In recent years, a water-chamber working apparatus provided with a manipulator having a tool for a work in a water chamber attached to an end thereof has been proposed. As a conventional water-chamber working apparatus employing such a configuration, a technique described in Patent Literature 1 is known.\n\nPatent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-183278\n\nAn object of the present invention is to provide a water-chamber working apparatus and a water-chamber working method that can improve the workability of a work in a water chamber in a steam generator.\n\nAccording to an aspect of the present invention, a water-chamber working apparatus being suspended from a tube plate surface of a water chamber in a steam generator and driven by remote control to perform a work in the water chamber, includes: a base that holds a heat transfer tube on the tube plate surface and is fixed to the tube plate surface; and a manipulator that is coupled with the base and is suspended in the water chamber.",
  "cpc": [
    "F22B 37/005",
    "B25J 9/0018",
    "B25J 9/06",
    "F22B 1/025",
    "G21D 1/006",
    "G21D 1/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/00",
    "B25J 9/06",
    "F22B 1/02",
    "F22B 37/00",
    "F22B 37/48",
    "G21D 1/00",
    "G21D 1/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jun Fujita",
    "Yoshifumi Isozaki",
    "Atsushi Kamiyoshi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2010-12-20",
  "publication_date": "2016-05-17",
  "grant_date": "2016-05-17",
  "priority_date": "2010-01-15",
  "application_number": "US-201013519159-A",
  "family_id": "44304107",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
    "US4018346A",
    "US4205939A",
    "US4298054A",
    "US4476368A",
    "EP0195454A2",
    "JPS61217603A",
    "JPS6261885A",
    "JPH03208586A",
    "US5355063A",
    "JPH11300665A",
    "US20090120605A1",
    "US20070153957A1",
    "JP2007183278A",
    "JP2007181909A",
    "US20080223106A1",
    "WO2009113398A1",
    "JP2009216310A"
  ]
}