Method and a device for cleaning an area located inside a restriction

Abstract

A method and a device for cleaning an area (48) located inside a restriction (46) by means of a mechanical cleaning tool (1). The restriction (46) having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the area (48) to be cleaned. The method includes the steps of moving the cleaning tool (1) into or through the restriction (46); moving a mechanical cleaning body (18) radially out into abutment against the area (48) to be cleaned; rotating the cleaning body (18) relative to the area (48) to be cleaned; moving the mechanical cleaning body (18) radially in from the area (48) which has been cleaned; and moving the cleaning tool (1) out from the restriction (46).

Claims

1. A cleaning tool (1) comprising: a tool housing with a leading end portion; an attachment, said attachment forms an internal side facing a centre axis of the cleaning tool and an opposite external side, said attachment is formed with an elongated resilient portion and an opposite end portion, said attachment comprises on the internal side an internal first inclined plane and on the external side at the end portion an external second inclined plane; a mechanical cleaning body being arranged on the external side of the attachment; third internal inclined planes at the leading end portion of the tool housing, said third internal inclined planes facing the centre axis; at least a part of the attachment holding the cleaning body being radially movable between a retracted, idle position and a radially extended, active position; and the external second inclined plane is arranged to abut against an internal third inclined plane, an axial displacement of the attachment in a direction of a leading end portion of the tool housing bringing about an inward radial displacement of the cleaning body.

2. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein a pushrod is connected to a cone which abuts against the first inclined plane, an axial displacement of the cone from an initial, passive position in a direction of the leading end portion of the tool housing to an active position brings the attachment with the cleaning body to be moved radially outwards.

3. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 2, wherein a compression spring is connected between the cone and the tool housing, said compression spring moves the cone axially from the leading end portion and into the initial passive position.

4. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 2, wherein the tool housing is connected to a rotary adapter which is provided with an actuator, the actuator being connected to the pushrod.

5. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 4, wherein the rotary adapter is connected to a wireline tractor.

6. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the attachment is further formed with an elongated resilient portion which at an end portion opposite to the cleaning body is attached to the tool housing by means of a rupture body.

7. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 6, wherein a guide ring surrounds a portion of the resilient portion and the rupture body.

Description

(1) In what follows, an example of a preferred method and embodiment is described, which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, a cleaning tool according to the invention, the cleaning tool being connected to a rotary adapter;

(3) FIG. 2 shows, in section, the cleaning tool of FIG. 1, the cleaning bodies being in their passive positions;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the same as FIG. 2, but he cleaning tools are in their active positions; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows the same as FIG. 2, but after the cleaning bodies have been retracted after having been stuck in their active positions.

(6) In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a cleaning tool which is connected to a rotary adapter 2 and inserted into a pipe 4 in the ground.

(7) The cleaning tool 1 includes a tool housing 6 which is connected to the rotary axle 8 of the rotary adapter 2 and which has been given a rounded conical shape at its opposite leading end portion 10.

(8) The tool housing 6 is formed with four longitudinal cut-outs 12, there being, arranged in each of the cut-outs 12, an attachment 16 for a respective cleaning body 18, here in the form of relatively stiff-bristled brushes.

(9) A pushrod 20, stopping against an actuator 22 in the rotary adapter 2, extends in part within a bore 24 in the tool housing 6, see FIG. 2. The pushrod 20 is connected to a cone 26 which abuts against a first inclined plane 28 on the inside of the attachments 16. A compression spring 30 is arranged between the cone 26 on the opposite side relative to the pushrod 20 and the tool housing 6 near the leading end portion 10.

(10) Each of the attachments 16 is formed with an elongated resilient portion 32 which is attached to the tool housing 6 by means of a rupture body 34. In its opposite end portion, the attachment 16 is provided with an external second inclined plane 36 which is arranged to cooperate with an internal third inclined plane 38 in the tool housing 6.

(11) The cleaning bodies 18 are attached to the attachment 16 by means of a clamp 40 and clamping bolt 42.

(12) A guide ring 44 has been slipped over the tool housing 6 and the resilient portion 32 at the rupture bodies 34.

(13) The cleaning tool 1 with the rotary adapter 2 is moved into a pipe 4 in which there is a restriction 46, here in the form of a narrowing of the pipe 4.

(14) In FIG. 2, the cleaning tool 1 has partly been moved through the restriction 46, the cleaning bodies 18 being at an area 48 which is to be cleaned.

(15) When energy is supplied to the rotary adapter 2, the rotary axle 8 and the cleaning tool 1 are rotated about their longitudinal axis 50 while, at the same time, the actuator 22 moves the pushrod 20 and cone 26 in the direction of the leading end portion 10.

(16) The displacement of the cone 26 has the effect of tightening the compression spring 30 while, at the same time, the cone 26 is being moved along the first inclined planes 28, whereby, the attachments 16 with their respective cleaning bodies 18 are moved radially from an idle position into an active position, see FIG. 3.

(17) The bearing force and rotation against the area 48 to be cleaned has the effect of a reliable cleaning operation being performed.

(18) When the cleaning operation has been carried out, the rotary adapter 2 is stopped. The compression spring 30 moves the cone 26 towards its initial position, whereby the resilient portion 32 turns the respective cleaning bodies 18 into their passive positions.

(19) If one or more of the attachments 16 with cleaning bodies 18 should have got stuck in its/their active position(s), the rupture body 34 may be ruptured by moving the tool housing 6 in the direction of the rotary adapter 2. The second inclined planes 36 of the attachments 16 are thereby moved against the third inclined planes 38 in the tool housing 6. This has the effect of enabling the attachments 16 and the cleaning bodies 18 to be pushed radially inwards at relatively great force. The guide ring 44 prevents the attachments 16 from falling out of the tool housing 6, see FIG. 4.

(20) While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.