A magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot and a method of using the same

Abstract

The application discloses a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot and a use method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of robots. The transmission mechanism comprises two sets of power assemblies, a magnetic gear transmission assembly and a speed reducer assembly which are symmetrically arranged, wherein the magnetic gear transmission assembly adopts a radial arrangement of a magnetic adjusting ring output scheme, and the air gap between an outer rotor and a shell is eliminated to reduce the machining difficulty. By switching the assembly to drive the motors of the two sets of subsystems and synchronously moving the inner rotors in the reverse direction, non-contact gear shifting of high / low transmission ratio is realized, and mechanical wear is avoided. An independent oil path system prevents the metal chips of the speed reducer from polluting the magnetic gear oil path. By controlling the differential speed or reverse rotation of the two motors, differential speed operation of the output end is realized to reduce the turning radius or make a U-turn in place, and a mechanical differential is omitted. The application has high torque output, non-wear gear shifting and high reliability, and is suitable for deep-sea heavy-load operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of operating robots, and in particular relates to a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot and a method of using the same. Background Art

[0002] The driving system of deep-sea heavy-duty operation robots mainly adopts three technical routes: hydraulic drive, electric drive and magnetic drive, as follows:

[0003] Hydraulic drive system: It can provide high driving torque to meet the needs of high-load operations. However, it has a complex structure, difficult maintenance, large energy loss, and low system efficiency.

[0004] Electric drive systems offer high efficiency, fast response, flexible control, and low noise. However, their output torque is limited, making them difficult to support heavy-load deep-sea operations.

[0005] Current Status of Magnetic Gear Technology: Magnetic gears are an innovative transmission solution that achieves contactless torque transmission through a rotating magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. Their core structure consists of two permanent magnet rotors and a magnetic tuning ring. This technology offers significant advantages: complete elimination of mechanical contact and contamination from metal debris; low energy loss; and high transmission efficiency.

[0006] However, existing magnetic gear solutions have serious bottlenecks. For example, the permanent magnetic gear transmission device for rail vehicles proposed in patent application CN117141526A (applied to rail vehicles) has the following technical drawbacks:

[0007] Magnetic leakage problem: Axial layout causes magnetic field leakage, reducing torque density and transmission performance;

[0008] Processing difficulty: The axial assembly precision of the permanent magnet is extremely high, which greatly increases the manufacturing cost;

[0009] Structural limitations: Unable to adapt to the needs of deep-sea heavy-duty robots that require both high torque output and flexible gear shifting.

[0010] The traditional shift mechanism has the following common defects:

[0011] Existing gear shifting technology relies on mechanical contact transmission, which results in: gear wear generating metal debris and contaminating the lubrication system; large gear shift shock and reduced system reliability; and the need for an additional mechanical differential to achieve steering function, which increases system complexity.

[0012] In summary, there is an urgent need for a new transmission solution that takes into account high torque output, contactless transmission, low processing difficulty and integrated steering control to break through the technical limitations of deep-sea heavy-duty operation robots. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The purpose of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot, which is based on a radially arranged magnetic gear design and adopts a magnetic ring output method to effectively reduce one layer of air gap; through such an optimized design, the processing difficulty is reduced, and the purpose of easy processing is successfully achieved, thereby solving at least one technical problem involved in the background technology.

[0014] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is achieved as follows:

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention provides a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot, comprising:

[0016] A powertrain comprising two symmetrically arranged drive motors;

[0017] The magnetic gear transmission assembly includes two sets of high-gear ratio magnetic gear units and low-gear ratio magnetic gear units respectively connected to the output end of the drive motor, wherein the high-gear ratio unit and the low-gear ratio unit are arranged diagonally;

[0018] A switching assembly is used to synchronously drive the two drive motors to translate in opposite directions, so that the transmission mode is switched between a high transmission ratio and a low transmission ratio;

[0019] The reducer assembly receives power from the magnetic gear transmission assembly through a high transmission ratio magnetic ring;

[0020] The independent oil circuit system physically isolates the lubrication circuit of the reducer assembly from the lubrication circuit of the drive motor and the magnetic gear transmission assembly.

[0021] Optionally, the drive motor includes a traction motor housing, a traction motor stator fixed in the traction motor housing, a traction motor rotor assembled in the traction motor stator, and a rotating shaft assembled with the traction motor rotor.

[0022] Optionally, the high transmission ratio magnetic gear unit includes a high transmission ratio inner rotor assembled at one end of the rotating shaft, a high transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring matched with the high transmission ratio inner rotor, and a high transmission ratio outer stator sleeved on the high transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring.

[0023] Optionally, the low transmission ratio magnetic gear unit includes a low transmission ratio inner rotor assembled at the other end of the rotating shaft, a low transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring matched with the low transmission ratio inner rotor, and a low transmission ratio outer stator sleeved on the low transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring.

[0024] Optionally, the switching assembly includes:

[0025] Motor support frame, switching drive motor, switching transmission gear, worm mechanism, slider and slide;

[0026] There are two motor support frames, each of which is used to fix and support the two drive motors;

[0027] The worm mechanism includes two worms with opposite rotation directions and two worm guide blocks respectively assembled on the two worms; the two worm guide blocks are respectively fixedly connected to the two motor support frames to drive the two drive motors to move repeatedly along the length direction of the worms;

[0028] The number of the switching transmission gears is three and they are fixed to the ends of the two worms;

[0029] The switching drive motor drives the two switching transmission gears to rotate in the same direction or in opposite directions to achieve opposite rotation directions of the two worms;

[0030] The rotary motion of the switching drive motor is converted into the linear translation of the drive motor through the worm mechanism.

[0031] Optionally, the reducer assembly includes two parallel small gears fixedly connected to the magnetic regulating ring, a large gear arranged between the two small gears and meshing with the two small gears, and an output shaft connected to the large gear.

[0032] Optionally, by independently controlling the speed and steering difference of the two drive motors, differential movement or reverse rotation of the output shaft can be achieved, thereby reducing the vehicle's turning radius or achieving a U-turn on the spot.

[0033] The present invention also provides a method for using the magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot, the method comprising the following steps:

[0034] Step S1, shifting gears: switching the drive motors to drive the two drive motors to translate in opposite directions, so that the magnetic gear transmission assembly switches from a high transmission ratio to a low transmission ratio, or vice versa;

[0035] Step S2, differential speed control: by adjusting the speed difference between the two drive motors, differential speed operation of the output end is achieved to reduce the turning radius;

[0036] Step S3, turning around in place: controlling the two driving motors to rotate in the opposite direction so that the output end rotates in the opposite direction.

[0037] Optionally, during differential control, the speed difference between the two drive motors is proportional to the vehicle steering demand.

[0038] Optionally, when making a U-turn on the spot, the rotational speeds of the two drive motors are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0040] 1. This invention achieves contactless power transmission through permanent magnetic coupling of magnetic gears, completely eliminating the mechanical wear, impact loss, and metal debris problems associated with traditional gear transmissions. The innovative design of a mobile inner rotor (translationally driven by a shifting assembly driven motor) enables contactless shifting, eliminating the wear and failure risks associated with mechanical meshing in traditional shifting mechanisms.

[0041] 2. This invention combines high and low ratio magnetic gears to ensure high torque output while maintaining high efficiency (magnetic gears inherently exhibit low losses). Separate oil circuits separate the reducer assembly and the magnetic gear / motor, isolating metal debris generated by friction in the reducer gears and ensuring long-term stable operation of the magnetic transmission components.

[0042] 3. This invention utilizes radially arranged magnetic gears (compared to axially arranged solutions), eliminating the air gap between the outer rotor and the housing, reducing magnetic leakage and lowering the demanding requirements for machining accuracy. By reducing the air gap by one level through the output of the magnetic ring, torque density is increased while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.

[0043] 4. This invention directly achieves wheel differential steering by independently controlling the speed difference between the two motors, eliminating the traditional mechanical differential, simplifying the structure, and reducing weight. Controlling the dual motors to rotate in opposite directions enables the output terminals to rotate in opposite directions, significantly reducing the turning radius (even enabling U-turns on the spot), and improving the maneuverability of deep-sea robots in confined spaces.

[0044] 5. The counter-threaded worms in the shift assembly drive the dual motors to move synchronously in opposite directions, ensuring synchronized and impact-free shifting, improving the system's dynamic stability. This optimizes the force transmission path, ensures balanced torque on the output shafts, and avoids the risk of failure due to unbalanced loading.

[0045] In general, this invention solves the three major pain points of deep-sea heavy-duty operation robots through the core architecture of magnetic gear contactless transmission + mobile shifting + dual-motor coordinated control:

[0046] ① Traditional hydraulic / electric drive systems cannot achieve both high torque and high efficiency;

[0047] ② The mechanical shift mechanism is severely worn and has low reliability;

[0048] ③ The steering system is bulky and lacks flexibility.

[0049] Ultimately, it will achieve the combined advantages of high reliability, large torque output, flexible steering, and low maintenance costs, significantly improving the deep-sea robot's ability to operate in complex environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive work, among which:

[0051] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 2 1 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a drive motor provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a low transmission ratio magnetic gear unit provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a partial exploded structure of a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of the present invention are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein, and that the objects distinguished by "first," "second," and the like are generally of the same type, and do not limit the number of objects. For example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, the term "and / or" in the specification and claims refers to at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects connected are in an "or" relationship.

[0059] SeeFigure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the embodiment of the present application provides a magnetic gear motor system for deep-sea robots, which comprises a power assembly, a magnetic gear transmission assembly, a switching assembly, a reducer assembly and an independent oil circuit system.

[0060] The power assembly comprises two symmetrically arranged driving motors, and differential motion or reverse rotation of the output shaft is realized by independently controlling the rotating speed and rotating direction difference of the two driving motors, so as to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle or realize the U-turn.

[0061] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the driving motor comprises a traction motor shell 24, a traction motor stator 7 fixedly arranged in the traction motor shell 24, a traction motor rotor 6 assembled in the traction motor stator 7, and a rotating shaft 5 assembled with the traction motor rotor 6. Figure 3 The magnetic gear transmission assembly comprises two groups of high-ratio magnetic gear units and low-ratio magnetic gear units respectively connected to the output ends of the driving motors, wherein the high-ratio magnetic gear units and the low-ratio magnetic gear units are diagonally arranged, and specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the high-ratio magnetic gear units are arranged at the upper left corner and the lower right corner, and the low-ratio magnetic gear units are arranged at the upper right corner and the lower left corner, forming a spatial diagonal symmetrical layout.

[0062] Figure 2 The high-ratio magnetic gear unit comprises a high-ratio inner rotor 11 assembled at one end of the rotating shaft 5, a high-ratio magnetic adjusting ring 9 matched with the high-ratio inner rotor 11, and a high-ratio outer stator 10 sleeved on the high-ratio magnetic adjusting ring 9.

[0063] Further, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the low-ratio magnetic gear unit comprises a low-ratio inner rotor 13 assembled at the other end of the rotating shaft 5, a low-ratio magnetic adjusting ring 15 matched with the low-ratio inner rotor 13, and a low-ratio outer stator 14 sleeved on the low-ratio magnetic adjusting ring 15.

[0064] Further, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the low-ratio magnetic gear unit comprises a low-ratio inner rotor 13 assembled at the other end of the rotating shaft 5, a low-ratio magnetic adjusting ring 15 matched with the low-ratio inner rotor 13, and a low-ratio outer stator 14 sleeved on the low-ratio magnetic adjusting ring 15. Figure 4 Further, the magnetic gear transmission assembly is designed based on the radial arrangement of the magnetic gear, and adopts the output mode of the magnetic adjusting ring, effectively reducing one layer of air gap; through such optimization design, the machining difficulty is reduced, and the purpose of easy machining is successfully achieved.

[0065] The novel transmission mechanism further comprises a magnetic switching system shell 23, and the magnetic gear transmission assembly and the driving motor are accommodated in the magnetic switching system shell 23.

[0066] The switching assembly is used for synchronously driving the two driving motors to translate in opposite directions, so as to switch the transmission mode between the high-ratio and the low-ratio.

[0067] The switching assembly is used for synchronously driving the two driving motors to translate in opposite directions, so as to switch the transmission mode between the high-ratio and the low-ratio.​

[0068] Recombination Figure 5 As shown, the switching assembly includes a motor support frame 8, a switching drive motor 16, a switching transmission gear 17, a worm mechanism, a slider 20 and a slide groove 21.

[0069] There are two motor support frames 8 , each of which fixedly supports two driving motors.

[0070] The worm mechanism includes two worms 18 with opposite rotation directions and two worm guide blocks 19 respectively assembled on the two worms 18.

[0071] The two worm guide blocks 19 are respectively fixedly connected to the two motor support frames 8 to drive the two drive motors to move repeatedly along the length direction of the worm 18 .

[0072] There are three switching transmission gears 17 and they are fixed to the ends of the two worm gears 18 .

[0073] The switching drive motor 16 drives the two switching transmission gears 17 to rotate in the same direction or in opposite directions so that the two worms 18 rotate in opposite directions.

[0074] The slider 20 is slidably matched with the slide groove 21 , and the slider 20 is fixedly connected to the motor support frame 8 .

[0075] The switching assembly converts the rotational motion of the switching drive motor into linear translation of the drive motor through a worm mechanism.

[0076] The novel transmission mechanism further includes a magnetic gear support frame 12 , the slide slot 21 is fixedly mounted on the magnetic gear support frame 12 , and both ends of the worm 18 are rotatably connected to the magnetic gear support frame 12 .

[0077] The reducer assembly includes two parallel small gears 3 fixedly connected to the magnetic regulating ring, a large gear 2 arranged between the two small gears 3 and meshing with the two small gears 3, and an output shaft 1 connected to the large gear 2.

[0078] A bearing 4 is further provided between the pinion 3 and the magnetic tuning ring.

[0079] Furthermore, the reducer assembly further includes a reducer housing 22 , in which the large gear 2 and the small gear 3 are housed.

[0080] The independent oil circuit system physically isolates the lubrication circuit of the reducer assembly from the lubrication circuits of the drive motor and the magnetic gear transmission assembly.

[0081] The present invention also provides a method for using the magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot, the method comprising the following steps:

[0082] Step S1, shifting gears: switching the drive motor 16 to drive the two drive motors to translate in opposite directions, so that the magnetic gear transmission assembly switches from a high gear ratio to a low gear ratio, or vice versa;

[0083] Step S2, differential speed control: by adjusting the speed difference between the two drive motors, differential speed operation of the output end is achieved to reduce the turning radius;

[0084] Step S3, turning around in place: controlling the two driving motors to rotate in the opposite direction so that the output end rotates in the opposite direction.

[0085] It should be further explained that in step S1, the moving speeds of the two drive motors remain consistent during the gear shifting process to ensure smooth switching; in step S2, during differential control, the speed difference between the two drive motors is proportional to the vehicle steering requirements; in step S3, when turning around on the spot, the speeds of the two drive motors are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

[0086] The working principle of the magnetic gear motor system for deep-sea robots provided by the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 6 As shown:

[0087] The drive motors, high-gear ratio inner rotors in the magnetic gears, and low-gear ratio inner rotors in subsystems A and B are all driven to move left and right by the switching assembly. During this movement, the drive motors, high-gear ratio inner rotors in subsystems A and B, respectively, remain relatively stationary. The two worm gears in the switching assembly have opposite thread rotations, ensuring that the drive motors in subsystems A and B run in opposite directions.

[0088] When the drive motor of subsystem A is in the upper left corner, the drive motor of subsystem B is in the lower right corner. At this time, the entire system is driven by two pairs of high-transmission-ratio magnetic gears, and the transmission ratios in the two reducer assemblies remain consistent, ensuring consistency in output at both ends.

[0089] When a gear shift is required, the switching drive motor located between the two magnetic gear support brackets provides the corresponding shifting power, causing the drive motors of subsystems A and B to move simultaneously in opposite directions. During this process, the transmission mode changes from a high-ratio magnetic gear transmission to a low-ratio magnetic gear transmission, completing the shift smoothly. Moreover, throughout the shift process, the drive motors of subsystems A and B maintain the same movement speed, effectively ensuring a smooth shift process and improving the stability and reliability of the system operation.

[0090] When the vehicle needs to turn or U-turn, the drive motors in subsystems A and B are precisely controlled to achieve differential speeds or completely opposite rotational directions. This sophisticated control strategy enables the vehicle's wheels to rotate at different speeds, or in completely different directions. This allows the vehicle to easily achieve a smaller turning radius and even perform a U-turn on the spot, significantly improving its handling and flexibility in complex road conditions.

[0091] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or system comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or system. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or system comprising the element.

[0092] Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and systems of the present invention is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the methods described may be performed in an order different from that described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Furthermore, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0093] The embodiments of the present invention are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention and the claims, all of which are protected by the present invention.

Claims

1. A magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot, characterized in that: include: A powertrain comprising two symmetrically arranged drive motors; The magnetic gear transmission assembly includes two sets of high-gear ratio magnetic gear units and low-gear ratio magnetic gear units respectively connected to the output end of the drive motor, wherein the high-gear ratio magnetic gear units of one set are arranged diagonally with the high-gear ratio magnetic gear units of the other set, and the low-gear ratio magnetic gear units of one set are arranged diagonally with the low-gear ratio magnetic gear units of the other set; The switching assembly is used to synchronously drive the two drive motors to translate in opposite directions to switch the transmission mode between a high transmission ratio and a low transmission ratio; the switching assembly includes: A motor support frame (8), a switching drive motor (16), a switching transmission gear (17), a worm mechanism, a slider (20) and a slide groove (21); There are two motor support frames (8), each of which is used to fixedly support the two drive motors; The worm mechanism comprises two worms (18) with opposite rotation directions and two worm guide blocks (19) respectively assembled on the two worms (18); the two worm guide blocks (19) are respectively fixedly connected to the two motor support frames (8) to drive the two drive motors to move repeatedly along the length direction of the worms (18); The number of the switching transmission gears (17) is three and they are fixed to the ends of the two worms (18); The switching drive motor (16) drives the two switching transmission gears (17) to rotate in the same direction or in opposite directions to achieve opposite rotation directions of the two worms (18); The rotary motion of the switching drive motor is converted into the linear translation of the drive motor through the worm mechanism; The speed reducer assembly receives power from the magnetic gear transmission assembly through a high transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring (9); The independent oil circuit system physically isolates the lubrication circuit of the reducer assembly from the lubrication circuit of the drive motor and the magnetic gear transmission assembly.

2. The magnetic gear motor system for deep-sea robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive motor comprises a traction motor housing (24), a traction motor stator (7) fixed in the traction motor housing (24), a traction motor rotor (6) assembled in the traction motor stator (7), and a rotating shaft (5) assembled with the traction motor rotor (6).

3. The magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The high transmission ratio magnetic gear unit comprises a high transmission ratio inner rotor (11) assembled at one end of the rotating shaft (5), a high transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring (9) matched with the high transmission ratio inner rotor (11), and a high transmission ratio outer stator (10) sleeved on the high transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring (9).

4. The magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The low transmission ratio magnetic gear unit comprises a low transmission ratio inner rotor (13) assembled on the other end of the rotating shaft (5), a low transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring (15) matched with the low transmission ratio inner rotor (13), and a low transmission ratio outer stator (14) sleeved on the low transmission ratio magnetic adjustment ring (15).

5. The magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The speed reducer assembly comprises two small gears (3) arranged in parallel and fixedly connected to a magnetic regulating ring, a large gear (2) arranged between the two small gears (3) and meshing with the two small gears (3), and an output shaft (1) connected to the large gear (2).

6. The magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: By independently controlling the speed and steering difference of the two drive motors, differential movement or reverse rotation of the output shaft is achieved, thereby reducing the vehicle's turning radius or achieving a U-turn on the spot.

7. A method for using the magnetic gear motor system for a deep-sea robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: Step S1, shifting gears: by switching the drive motor (16) to drive the two drive motors to translate in opposite directions, the magnetic gear transmission assembly switches from a high transmission ratio to a low transmission ratio, or vice versa; Step S2, differential speed control: by adjusting the speed difference between the two drive motors, differential speed operation of the output end is achieved to reduce the turning radius; Step S3, turning around in place: controlling the two driving motors to rotate in the opposite direction so that the output end rotates in the opposite direction.

8. The method of use according to claim 7, characterized in that: During differential control, the speed difference between the two drive motors is proportional to the vehicle's steering requirements.

9. The method of use according to claim 7, characterized in that: When turning around on the spot, the speeds of the two drive motors are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

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