Abstract: A navigation apparatus for use in navigating a pipe includes a body, a movable core coupled to the body by a sacrificial connector, and a drive assembly configured to engage an interior wall of the pipe to propel the navigation apparatus through the pipe. The drive assembly including a first arm, a second arm, and a wheel, wherein the first arm is pivotably coupled to the core and the wheel, and the second arm is pivotably coupled to the body and the wheel.

Abstract: A spray nozzle includes a first conduit that provides a first flow path for a first type of fluid, a second conduit that provides a second flow path for a second fluid that is different from the first fluid, a first dispensing aperture that ejects therefrom a spray that includes the first type of fluid and/or the second type of fluid, and at least one balancing outlet in fluid communication with the second conduit. The at least one balancing outlet permit the second type of fluid to exit therefrom to balance a force of ejection of the spray from the first dispensing aperture.

Abstract: A system for use in servicing a machine. The system includes a tubular body including a longitudinal axis, a tip end, a dispensing nozzle defined at the tip end, and an interior channel in flow communication with the dispensing nozzle. The tubular body is configured to be flexible. An actuator is configured to selectively modify an orientation of the tubular body, and a reservoir is in flow communication with the interior channel. The reservoir is configured to supply a maintenance fluid to the tubular body for discharge from the dispensing nozzle.

Abstract: A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity is provided. The motorized apparatus includes a body assembly extending along a longitudinal axis, at least one maintenance device coupled to the body assembly, and a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly. The motorized apparatus also includes a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies. The plurality of drive mechanisms are configured to interact with the sidewall. The plurality of drive mechanisms include at least two wheels. The plurality of drive mechanisms are arranged to move the body assembly in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, move the body assembly in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and rotate the body assembly around the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A system for use in maintaining a structure includes a maintenance apparatus including a maintenance drive system and a maintenance device. The system includes a support apparatus configured to travel in proximity to the structure. The support apparatus includes a body including a first end and a second end and a tether support device coupled to the body. The tether support device includes a housing. The support apparatus also includes a support drive system coupled to the body. The support drive system is configured to propel the support apparatus. The system also includes a tether including a first tether end, a second tether end, and a tether body extending between the first tether end and the second tether end. The maintenance apparatus is operably coupled to the first tether end. The tether support device is coupled to the tether between the first tether end and the second tether end.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are described for maintaining the interior cavities of pipes. In one aspect, a motorized apparatus includes a main body having a length extending along a longitudinal axis of the main body, where the main body comprises a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The motorized apparatus further includes at least one drive assembly coupled to at least one of the first end and the second end of the main body, where the at least one drive assembly comprises driven members that engage with an inner surface of the pipe and move the motorized apparatus through an interior cavity of the pipe. The motorized apparatus further includes a maintenance head movably coupled to the main body that moves along the length of the main body and rotates about the longitudinal axis of the main body, where the maintenance head comprises at least one tool configured to perform an action on the inner surface of the pipe.

Abstract: An insertion tool is provided for an engine defining an access opening and including a component defining at least in part a cavity. The insertion tool includes: an insertion tool arm having a plurality of segments, the insertion tool arm configured for insertion through the access opening into the cavity and the plurality of segments configured to be in a fixed position relative to one another within the cavity; and a base coupled to the insertion tool arm and configured to be positioned outside the cavity and to move the insertion tool arm along at least two degrees of freedom.

Abstract: An insertion tool is provided for an engine defining an access opening and including a component defining at least in part a cavity. The insertion tool includes: an insertion tool arm having a plurality of segments, the insertion tool arm configured for insertion through the access opening into the cavity and the plurality of segments configured to be in a fixed position relative to one another within the cavity; and a base coupled to the insertion tool arm and configured to be positioned outside the cavity and to move the insertion tool arm along at least two degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A system for use in maintaining a pipe includes a motorized apparatus including a body assembly and at least one maintenance device. The at least one maintenance device includes a sprayer, a heater, and an infrared sensor. The system includes at least one controller configured to apply the at least one coating material to the interior surface of the pipe at a work location using the sprayer, heat the interior surface of the pipe at the work location using the heater to begin a cure of the at least one coating material, generate one or more infrared images of the work location using the infrared sensor while using the heater to cure the at least one coating material, and perform a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of the work location based on the one or more infrared images.

Abstract: A servicing tool for a turbine engine and a method for using thereof are provided. A method includes inserting the tool into an access opening of the turbine engine, contacting a blade of the turbine engine, and removing material from the blade. The tool may comprise a wiper mount and a wiper, including a wiper surface, configured to contact and remove material from the blades. The tool may further comprise a body, an actuator, and fluid flowpaths for deploying the wiper and providing fluid locally to the blades of the turbine engine.

Abstract: A spray nozzle includes a first conduit that provides a first flow path for a first type of fluid, a second conduit that provides a second flow path for a second fluid that is different from the first fluid, a first dispensing aperture that ejects therefrom a spray that includes the first type of fluid and/or the second type of fluid, and at least one balancing outlet in fluid communication with the second conduit. The at least one balancing outlet permit the second type of fluid to exit therefrom to balance a force of ejection of the spray from the first dispensing aperture.

Abstract: A tool system for inserting into a cavity, the tool system including a first continuum having a flexible body defining a connection interface; and a second continuum having a flexible body defining a connection interface; and an engagement mechanism configured to couple the connection interfaces of the first and second continua together to form the tool.

Abstract: A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity is provided. The motorized apparatus includes a body assembly extending along a longitudinal axis, at least one maintenance device coupled to the body assembly, and a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly. The motorized apparatus also includes a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies. The plurality of drive mechanisms are configured to interact with the sidewall. The plurality of drive mechanisms include at least two wheels. The plurality of drive mechanisms are arranged to move the body assembly in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, move the body assembly in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and rotate the body assembly around the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall defining an interior cavity is provided. The motorized apparatus includes a body assembly extending along a longitudinal axis, at least one maintenance device coupled to the body assembly, and a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly. The motorized apparatus also includes a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies. The plurality of drive mechanisms are configured to interact with the sidewall. The plurality of drive mechanisms include at least two wheels. The plurality of drive mechanisms are arranged to move the body assembly in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, move the body assembly in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and rotate the body assembly around the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A motorized apparatus includes a body assembly and a maintenance device mounted to the body assembly. The maintenance device is configured to perform a service operation on a surface. The maintenance device extends from the body assembly at an angle. The motorized apparatus also includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled to the body assembly and configured to support the body assembly and the maintenance device at a distance from the surface. The motorized apparatus further includes at least one actuator assembly coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly of the plurality of leg assemblies. The at least one actuator assembly is configured to receive instructions related to a position of the maintenance device and actuate the plurality of leg assemblies to adjust an orientation of the body assembly and the maintenance device relative to the surface.

Abstract: A maintenance tool and alignment system are provided having a first optical device and a second optical device. The tool includes the at least two optical devices such that they do not occupy the same space or interfere with the tool's function. In some embodiments, the first and second optical devices define or project a first viewing plane and a second viewing plane. The first viewing plane and second viewing plane are transverse to one another and intersect within a field of view of the first optical device creating an intersection. The intersection of the first and second viewing planes allows for the tool, via a processor or a control device, to alignment the tool within a workspace without a dependence on an estimation of a distance of the tool relative to the workspace.

Abstract: A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The system includes a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the pipe and configured to travel along the pipe through an interior cavity. The motorized apparatus includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around a body assembly. The body assembly includes an actuator assembly coupled to each leg assembly and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly to adjust a position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes at least one sensor configured to collect information associated with the position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the motorized apparatus and configured to receive the information from the sensor, and to determine at least one of a pipe diameter and a pitch of the motorized apparatus based on the information from the at least one sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a tool having a first portion and a second portion that are separated by at least a first area of articulation. A first inertial measurement unit is affixed with respect to that first portion and a second inertial measurement unit is affixed with respect to that second portion. A control circuit operably couples to those inertial measurement units and receives corresponding information regarding those portions of the tool. The control circuit can then process that received information to generate positional proprioception information as regards those monitored tool portions. By one approach, the control circuit generates that positional proprioception information by first determining an absolute orientation of each of the tool portions independent of one another and then calculating a differential pose as a function of the determined absolute orientation of those tool portions.

Abstract: A servicing tool for a turbine engine and a method for using thereof are provided. A method includes inserting the tool into an access opening of the turbine engine, contacting a blade of the turbine engine, and removing material from the blade. The tool may comprise a wiper mount and a wiper, including a wiper surface, configured to contact and remove material from the blades. The tool may further comprise a body, an actuator, and fluid flowpaths for deploying the wiper and providing fluid locally to the blades of the turbine engine.

Abstract: A method for inspecting and repairing a surface of a component of a gas turbine engine, the method including: inserting an inspection and repair tool into an interior of the gas turbine engine; inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool; performing a repair of the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool from within the interior of the gas turbine engine, the inspection and repair tool remaining within the interior of the gas turbine engine between inspecting the component and performing the repair of the surface of the component.