Four-swing-arm six-crawler-type cable trench inspection robot and obstacle crossing control method thereof

Abstract

According to the four-swing-arm six-crawler-type cable trench inspection robot and the obstacle crossing control method thereof, the use of motors and corresponding structures can be reduced, and therefore the robot is compact in structure, good in reliability and particularly suitable for being used in limited environments such as cable trenches. The robot structurally comprises a main vehicle body, front swing arm assemblies and rear swing arm assemblies, the swing arm assemblies are connected with power shafts, the power shafts comprise solid shafts and hollow shafts, steering engines control the corresponding front swing arm assemblies or the corresponding rear swing arm assemblies to swing through the corresponding solid shafts, and the hollow shafts are installed outside the solid shafts coaxial with the hollow shafts and can rotate relative to the solid shafts. The driven crawler wheels can drive the hollow shafts on the corresponding sides of the front portion of the main vehicle body to rotate and drive the crawler belts of the front swing arm assemblies on the corresponding sides to move through the hollow shafts, and the hollow shafts on the front portion of the main vehicle body are further connected with the hollow shafts on the corresponding sides of the rear portion of the main vehicle body through transmission synchronous belts. And the hollow shaft at the rear part of the main vehicle body can drive the crawler belt of the rear swing arm assembly at the corresponding side to move.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inspection robot technology, specifically to a four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot and its obstacle-crossing control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, in complex and confined environments such as cable trench inspection and underground pipeline maintenance, the obstacle-crossing capability of robots has become crucial for efficient and safe operations. Traditional wheeled or tracked robots often suffer from limited mobility in cable trenches due to uneven ground, pipe obstacles, and accumulated water and mud. Especially in enclosed, slippery, or sloping cable trenches, the robot's obstacle-crossing stability directly affects the success or failure of the task, and may even lead to equipment damage or inspection interruption due to overturning.

[0003] Currently, the main challenge for obstacle-crossing robots in cable trenches lies in balancing stability and obstacle-crossing ability within confined spaces, while adapting to complex and varied ground conditions. Wheeled robots have simple mechanical structures but poor terrain adaptability, only able to operate on flat surfaces. Tracked robots offer high stability and accuracy, but require pre-laid tracks, resulting in higher costs. Tracked robots, on the other hand, are more adaptable to complex terrain environments and are less expensive, making them more suitable for cable trench inspection applications.

[0004] Existing tracked robots, such as four-arm six-track robots, require different motors to control the main track, the rotation of the swing arms, and the movement of the swing arms and tracks. This not only makes the robot structure complex and increases its size and weight, making it unsuitable for cable trench inspection in narrow spaces, but also increases the risk of track asynchrony due to motor asynchrony or transmission failure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot, along with its obstacle-crossing control method. This method reduces the use of motors and related structures, resulting in a compact robot structure with high reliability, making it particularly suitable for use in confined environments such as cable trenches.

[0006] The technical solution is as follows: A four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot includes a main body, a front swing arm assembly, and a rear swing arm assembly. Tracks are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the main body. The front and rear swing arm assemblies are located on the left and right sides of the main body. The main body is equipped with a hub motor, a driving track wheel, a driven track wheel, a servo motor, and a drive shaft. The main body tracks are mounted on the driving and driven track wheels and driven by the hub motor. The front and rear swing arm assemblies are respectively connected to the drive shaft. The robot is characterized in that: The power shaft includes a solid shaft and a hollow shaft. The servo motor controls the swing of the corresponding front swing arm assembly or the rear swing arm assembly through the corresponding solid shaft. The hollow shaft is installed outside the solid shaft coaxial with it and can rotate relative to the solid shaft. The driven track wheel can drive the hollow shaft on the corresponding side of the front of the main body to rotate, and drive the track movement of the corresponding front swing arm assembly through the hollow shaft. The hollow shaft at the front of the main body is also connected to the hollow shaft on the corresponding side of the rear of the main body through a transmission synchronous belt. The hollow shaft at the rear of the main body can drive the track movement of the corresponding rear swing arm assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the hub motor is mounted on the chassis of the main vehicle body via a mounting bracket. The mounting bracket has a rectangular hole in the middle, and a tensioning block that can move back and forth is installed in the rectangular hole. The tensioning block is connected to the hub motor and can drive the hub motor to move back and forth.

[0008] Furthermore, the power shaft includes a front power shaft located at the front of the main vehicle body and a rear power shaft located at the rear of the main vehicle body, with the front power shaft and the rear power shaft respectively passing through the main vehicle body.

[0009] Furthermore, hollow shafts are installed on both the left and right sides of the front and rear power shafts. The hollow shafts are mounted on the solid shafts via bearings. The driven track pulley is mounted on the hollow shaft of the front power shaft and can drive the hollow shaft to rotate coaxially. A driving synchronous pulley is also coaxially mounted on the hollow shaft of the front power shaft, and a driven synchronous pulley is mounted on the hollow shaft of the rear power shaft. The driving synchronous pulley and the driven synchronous pulley are connected and transmit power through the transmission synchronous belt.

[0010] Furthermore, the front swing arm assembly and the rear swing arm assembly each include a driving wheel segment, a driven wheel segment, and an intermediate connecting segment. The driving wheel segment is connected to the power shaft, and the driving wheel of the driving wheel segment and the driven wheel of the driven wheel segment are connected by tracks.

[0011] A robot obstacle crossing control method is characterized in that it is used to control the above-mentioned four-arm six-track cable trench inspection robot to cross obstacles.

[0012] Furthermore, when the four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot needs to cross a trench, the specific steps are as follows:

[0013] S1.1 Control the robot to move forward. When the robot's overall center of mass crosses the rear edge line of the ditch, control the robot's front swing arm assembly to rest on the ground in front of the ditch to provide support.

[0014] S1.2 Before the robot's overall center of mass crosses the front edge line of the trench, the rear swing arm assembly of the robot is placed on the ground behind the trench to provide support.

[0015] Furthermore, when the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss is less than the radius of the track wheels on the robot's main body, the specific steps are as follows:

[0016] S2.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss, it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the middle section of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss, and at the same time lowers the rear swing arm assembly while keeping the track of the rear swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions.

[0017] S2.2 The robot starts to move forward until the track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss and then stops moving forward. The front swing arm assembly is pressed down and the end of the front swing arm assembly is kept in contact with the ground in subsequent actions, thereby mitigating the impact of falling caused by the robot's overall center of mass crossing the vertical plane of the boss.

[0018] S2.3 The robot continues to move forward until its center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss and then stops. The front swing arm assembly is raised to flatten the main body until the main body track of the main body is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted.

[0019] S2.4 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

[0020] Furthermore, when the height at which the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot traverses the boss is between the radius of the robot's main body track wheels and half of its maximum climbable height, the specific steps are as follows:

[0021] S3.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss, it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the end of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss. At the same time, it lowers the rear swing arm assembly and keeps the track of the rear swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions. Then, it continues to press down the front swing arm assembly so that the main body is raised until the main body is flush with the lower edge of the track of the front swing arm assembly.

[0022] S3.2 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward when the front track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss. It presses down the front swing arm assembly and keeps the end of the front swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions, thereby mitigating the impact of falling caused by the robot's overall center of mass crossing the vertical plane of the boss.

[0023] S3.3 The robot continues to move forward until its center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss and then stops. The front swing arm assembly is raised to flatten the main body until the main body track is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted.

[0024] S3.4 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

[0025] Furthermore, when the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss exceeds half of the robot's maximum climbing height, the specific steps are as follows:

[0026] S4.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss, it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the end of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss. At the same time, it lowers the rear swing arm assembly and keeps the rear swing arm assembly track in contact with the ground in subsequent actions. Then it continues to press down the front swing arm assembly so that the main body is raised until the main body is flush with the lower edge of the front swing arm assembly track.

[0027] S4.2 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward when the front track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss. It presses down the front swing arm assembly and keeps the end of the front swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions, thereby mitigating the impact of falling caused by the robot's overall center of mass crossing the vertical surface of the boss.

[0028] S4.3 The robot continues to move forward until it can no longer move forward due to the excessive tilt angle of the main body. It then presses down the rear swing arm assembly to lift the main body and keeps the rear swing arm assembly perpendicular to the ground in subsequent actions, thereby achieving a greater climbing height.

[0029] S4.4 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward after the overall center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss. The front swing arm assembly is raised to make the main body flat until the main body track is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted.

[0030] S4.5 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

[0031] Beneficial effects: The inspection robot in this solution uses the same hub motor to control the main body track, the front swing arm assembly track, and the rear swing arm assembly track on one side. Simultaneously, the swinging of the front and rear swing arms is controlled by the same servo motor, achieving mechanical synchronous movement. This results in: a lighter and more compact robot structure, effectively reducing system weight and volume, perfectly adapting to the narrow space characteristics of cable trenches; eliminating the complex mechanical coupling of multi-motor transmission systems, fundamentally avoiding the risk of track asynchrony caused by motor asynchronousity or transmission failure; the mechanical synchronization mechanism does not rely on closed-loop electronic control, avoiding track slippage caused by sensor delays or control algorithm errors, ensuring safe movement in cable trenches; and for common low obstacles such as cable joints and supports, the swing arm tracks and the main body achieve synchronous lifting through rigid linkage, requiring no additional control commands and significantly simplifying the obstacle-crossing process. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the robot of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main body structure of the robot of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting structure of the hub motor;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the power shaft;

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the main vehicle body track drive route;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the swing arm structure;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission route for the front swing arm assembly;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the track drive route for the front swing arm assembly;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the track drive route for the rear swing arm assembly;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a layout diagram of the parts on the servo motor output shaft;

[0042] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the arrangement of parts on the shaft of the driven wheel section;

[0043] Figure 12 A schematic diagram illustrating the robot's movement as it crosses obstacle one.

[0044] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the robot's movement as it crosses obstacle two.

[0045] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the robot's movement as it crosses obstacle three.

[0046] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the robot's movement as it crosses obstacle four. Detailed Implementation

[0047] like Figure 1 The illustrated four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot adopts a modular symmetrical structure design, consisting of a central main body and four sets of swing arms symmetrically distributed front and rear. Specifically, it includes a main body 2, a front swing arm assembly 3, and a rear swing arm assembly 1. Main body tracks 2-1 are located on the left and right sides of the main body 2, respectively. The front swing arm assembly 3 and the rear swing arm assembly 1 are both located on the left and right sides of the main body 2 and respectively include a front swing arm track 3-1 and a rear swing arm track 1-1. Figure 2 , Figure 5 The main vehicle body 2 is equipped with a chassis 2-2, hub motor assembly 2-3, servo motor assembly 2-4, drive shaft 2-5, active track wheel 2-6, and driven track wheel 2-7. The chassis 2-2 of the main vehicle body 2 is a single piece of base plate. Bearings, hub motors 2-31, servo motors, and other parts are connected to the chassis 2-2 through bearing seats, motor mounting brackets, and other fixing methods. For the bearing seats and motor brackets, which are subject to greater stress, multiple bolts are used to ensure strength and assembly accuracy. When the hub motor 2-31 rotates, it drives the active track wheel 2-6 of the main vehicle body 2 to rotate, which in turn drives the track of the main vehicle body 2 to move, ultimately causing the driven track wheel 2-7 of the main vehicle body 2 to rotate, thereby driving the track 2-1 of the main vehicle body to rotate. The robot can perform forward and backward operations.

[0048] The front swing arm assembly 3 and the rear swing arm assembly 1 are respectively connected to the drive shafts 2-5, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the power shaft 2-5 includes a solid shaft 2-51 and a hollow shaft 2-52. Figure 4 (transparent part), combined Figure 7 The servo motor 2-41 controls the swing of the corresponding front swing arm assembly 3 or rear swing arm assembly 1 via the corresponding solid shaft 2-51. The hollow shaft 2-52 is mounted outside the solid shaft 2-51 coaxial with it and can rotate relative to the solid shaft 2-51. Figure 8 The driven track wheel 2-7 can drive the hollow shaft 2-52 on the corresponding side of the front of the main body 2 to rotate, and through the hollow shaft 2-52, drive the front swing arm track 3-1 on the corresponding side to move, combined with Figure 9The hollow shaft 2-52 at the front of the main body 2 is also connected to the hollow shaft 2-52 on the corresponding side at the rear of the main body 2 via a transmission synchronous belt 2-53. The hollow shaft 2-52 at the rear of the main body 2 can drive the rear swing arm track 1-1 on the corresponding side to move, thereby driving all tracks on one side to rotate through a hub motor 2-31.

[0049] Its specific structure is as follows: In order to facilitate the adjustment of the tension of the main body track 2-1, such as Figure 3 As shown, the hub motor 2-31 is mounted on the chassis 2-2 of the main vehicle body 2 via a mounting bracket 2-32. The mounting bracket has a rectangular hole 2-33 in the center. A square tensioning block, capable of moving back and forth, is installed within the rectangular hole 2-33 via a tensioning bolt 2-34. This block is fitted onto the mounting shaft of the hub motor 2-31 and drives the hub motor 2-31 to move back and forth. This design ensures that the tensioning block can only slide back and forth within the rectangular hole 2-33 and will not rotate. By adjusting the fastening nut 2-35 and the tensioning bolt 2-34, the tension of the main vehicle body track 2-1 can be precisely controlled. This tensioning mechanism effectively reduces slippage caused by insufficient meshing teeth between the main vehicle body track 2-1 and the track wheel, while simultaneously improving the vehicle's obstacle-crossing ability.

[0050] like Figure 4 , Figure 9 As shown, the power shaft 2-5 includes a front power shaft located at the front of the main body 2 and a rear power shaft located at the rear of the main body 2. The front power shaft and the rear power shaft are respectively installed through the main body 2. Hollow shafts 2-52 are installed on the left and right sides of the front power shaft and the rear power shaft. The hollow shafts 2-52 are mounted on solid shafts 2-51 through bearings. The driven track wheel 2-7 is mounted on the hollow shaft 2-52 of the front power shaft and can drive the hollow shaft 2-52 to rotate coaxially. The driving synchronous pulley 2-54 is also coaxially mounted on the hollow shaft 2-52 of the front power shaft. The driven synchronous pulley 2-55 is mounted on the hollow shaft 2-52 of the rear power shaft. The driving synchronous pulley 2-54 and the driven synchronous pulley 2-55 are connected and transmit power through the transmission synchronous belt 2-53. The power shaft 2-5 adopts a stepped shaft layout, with the solid shaft 2-51 being a double-sided stepped shaft and the hollow shaft 2-52 being a single-sided stepped shaft, optimizing the positioning and assembly process of the parts on the shaft. The hollow shaft 2-52 and the solid shaft 2-51 are connected by two sets of deep groove ball bearings, ensuring that the hollow shaft 2-52 can rotate freely around the solid shaft 2-51. In terms of structural design, the inner and outer diameters of both shafts exhibit consistent trends to ensure uniform shaft wall thickness while balancing strength and lightweight requirements.

[0051] like Figure 6As shown, the front swing arm assembly 3 and the rear swing arm assembly 1 each include a drive wheel segment 1-2, a driven wheel segment 1-4, and an intermediate connecting segment 1-3 (taking the rear swing arm assembly 1 as an example). The drive wheel segment 1-2 is connected to the drive shaft. The drive wheel 1-21 of the drive wheel segment 1-2 and the driven wheel 1-41 of the driven wheel segment 1-4 are connected by tracks, adopting a three-section design: the drive wheel segment 1-2 and the driven wheel segment 1-4 are single-layer plate structures to reduce width, while the intermediate connecting segment 1-3 is a double-layer plate structure to enhance bending stiffness. The three sections are connected by swing arm tension bolts 1-5 and swing arm fastening bolts 1-6 to ensure track reliability. This design balances compactness and structural strength. The swing arm adopts a layout of two sets of four track wheels clamping the main body, which reduces the overall width while ensuring track width and optimizing stress distribution. Furthermore, combined with... Figure 11 The driven wheels 1-41 adopt a symmetrical double bearing support structure, that is, each driven wheel 1-41 achieves free rotation relative to the axle through a pair of deep groove ball bearings. The main body of the swing arm and the axle are connected by a flat key to prevent relative rotational wear. This design improves the system reliability while ensuring the degree of freedom of movement.

[0052] Additionally, regarding servo components 2-4, such as Figure 7 , Figure 10 As shown, the servo assembly 2-4 has two servo motors located at the front and rear of the main body 2, respectively, for driving the rotation of the solid shaft 2-51. When the servo motor 2-41 rotates, it drives the pinion 2-42 to rotate, which in turn drives the large gear 2-43 to rotate, causing the front and rear solid shafts 2-51 to rotate accordingly, ultimately pushing the front and rear swing arms to complete the swinging motion. The swing arm mechanism drives the gear transmission system through the servo motor output shaft to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom lifting and lowering motion control. The servo motor output shaft has a D-shaped hole inside for connecting with the servo motor D-shaped shaft. The middle section is fixed with a flat key for the pinion 2-42, and the two sides are axially positioned by elastic retaining rings. Deep groove ball bearings 2-44 are installed at both ends. The inner ring of the bearing is positioned by the shaft shoulder, and the outer ring is positioned by the bearing hole boss of the servo motor fixing plate.

[0053] A robot obstacle crossing control method is provided for controlling the above-mentioned four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot to cross the following four types of obstacles.

[0054] Combination Figure 12 When a four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot needs to cross a trench, the specific steps are as follows (the area below point G in the figure is the position of the robot's center of mass; (a), (b), and (c) in the figure represent the center of mass before crossing the trench, the center of mass during crossing the trench, and the center of mass after crossing the trench, respectively):

[0055] S1.1 Control the robot to move forward. When the robot's overall center of mass crosses the rear edge line of the ditch, control the robot's front swing arm assembly to rest on the ground in front of the ditch to provide support.

[0056] S1.2 Before the robot's overall center of mass crosses the front edge line of the trench, the rear swing arm assembly of the robot is placed on the ground behind the trench to provide support.

[0057] Combination Figure 13 When the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss is less than the radius of the track wheels on the robot's main body, the specific steps are as follows:

[0058] S2.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss (a), it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the middle section of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss, and at the same time lowers the rear swing arm assembly and keeps the track of the rear swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions (b).

[0059] S2.2 The robot starts to move forward until the track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss and then stops moving forward. The front swing arm assembly is pressed down and the end of the front swing arm assembly is kept in contact with the ground in subsequent actions (c), thereby mitigating the impact of the robot falling due to the overall center of mass crossing the vertical surface of the boss.

[0060] S2.3 The robot continues to move forward until the overall center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss and then stops moving forward (d). The front swing arm assembly is raised to make the main body flat until the main body track of the main body is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted.

[0061] S2.4 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly (e), thus ending the climbing action.

[0062] Combination Figure 14 When the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss is between the radius of the robot's main body track wheels and half of the maximum climbable height, the specific steps are as follows:

[0063] S3.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss (a), it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the end of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss, and at the same time lowers the rear swing arm assembly while keeping the track of the rear swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions (b). Then, it continues to press down the front swing arm assembly so that the main body is raised until the main body is flush with the lower edge of the track of the front swing arm assembly (c).

[0064] S3.2 The robot begins to move forward (d), and stops moving forward after the front track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss (e). The robot presses down the front swing arm assembly and keeps the end of the front swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions (f), thereby mitigating the impact of the robot falling due to the overall center of mass crossing the vertical surface of the boss.

[0065] S3.3 The robot continues to move forward until its overall center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss and then stops moving forward (g). The front swing arm assembly is raised to make the main body flat until the main body track is in complete contact with the ground, and the rear swing arm assembly is retracted (h).

[0066] S3.4 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

[0067] Combination Figure 15 When the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss exceeds half of the robot's maximum climbing height, the specific steps are as follows:

[0068] S4.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss (a), it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the end of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss, and at the same time lowers the rear swing arm assembly and keeps the rear swing arm assembly track in contact with the ground in subsequent actions (b). Then it continues to press down the front swing arm assembly so that the main body is raised until the main body is flush with the lower edge of the front swing arm assembly track (c).

[0069] S4.2 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward when the front track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss (d). It presses down the front swing arm assembly and keeps the end of the front swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions (e), thereby mitigating the impact of the robot falling due to the overall center of mass crossing the vertical surface of the boss.

[0070] S4.3 The robot continues to move forward until it can no longer move forward due to the excessive tilt angle of the main body. It then presses down the rear swing arm assembly to lift the main body and keeps the rear swing arm assembly perpendicular to the ground in subsequent actions (f), thereby achieving a greater climbing height.

[0071] S4.4 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward after the overall center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss (g). The front swing arm assembly is raised to make the main body flat until the main body track is in complete contact with the ground (h). At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted.

[0072] S4.5 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly (i), thus ending the climbing action.

[0073] The cable trench inspection robot in this solution also includes the following control components:

[0074] Autonomous state perception and environmental detection module: The sensor system, consisting of LiDAR, integrated camera, gas sensor, temperature and humidity sensor, etc., enables the robot to fully perceive the environment, improve the monitoring and detection efficiency of the environment in the cable trench, and ensure the accuracy and safety of the work.

[0075] Wireless remote communication module: The combination of Wi-Fi technology and bridge relay provides a powerful communication solution for cable trench inspection and remote mobile communication scenarios;

[0076] Control host module: integrates a high-performance control host, responsible for the real-time calculation of motion control algorithms, and establishes two-way data interaction with the host computer through a wireless communication module;

[0077] The underlying drive module adopts a distributed underlying drive architecture and is equipped with a multi-channel motor driver to achieve precise control of various actuator motors (including hub motor 2-31, servo motor 2-41, etc.).

[0078] Power Management and Distribution Module: Integrates an intelligent power distribution unit, provides multi-voltage power output, and has load monitoring and power distribution functions to ensure stable power supply to each functional module;

[0079] Remote control system module: It integrates wireless remote control and SPI serial communication technology to realize remote control operation and data exchange between internal components. Through the regulation of PWM signal, it realizes the control of motor speed and servo angle, ensuring the robot's response speed and control accuracy.

[0080] Human-computer interaction system module: Displays robot status and surrounding environment information in real time, while supporting direct input of commands by the operator, realizing intuitive and convenient interactive control, enhancing the robot's operability and task execution flexibility.

[0081] The aforementioned control system innovatively employs multi-sensor fusion technology to achieve real-time, accurate identification and intelligent assessment of obstacle features, effectively overcoming the technical bottlenecks of insufficient environmental perception accuracy and sluggish response in traditional robots. Through intelligent control algorithms, the system can autonomously adjust the arm's motion parameters based on the physical characteristics of obstacles, ensuring rapid response and smooth execution of obstacle-crossing actions while significantly enhancing the robot's adaptability and operational efficiency in complex terrains. This technological breakthrough enables the robot to demonstrate excellent maneuverability, safety, and work efficiency in unstructured environments, showcasing outstanding technological innovation and practical value.

[0082] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot, comprising a main body, a front swing arm assembly, and a rear swing arm assembly, wherein main body tracks are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the main body, the front swing arm assembly and the rear swing arm assembly are both located on the left and right sides of the main body, the main body is equipped with a hub motor, a driving track wheel, a driven track wheel, a servo motor, and a drive shaft, the main body tracks are mounted on the driving track wheel and the driven track wheel and are driven to rotate by the hub motor, and the front swing arm assembly and the rear swing arm assembly are respectively connected to the drive shaft, characterized in that: The power shaft includes a solid shaft and a hollow shaft. The servo motor controls the swing of the corresponding front swing arm assembly or the rear swing arm assembly through the corresponding solid shaft. The hollow shaft is installed outside the solid shaft coaxial with it and can rotate relative to the solid shaft. The driven track wheel can drive the hollow shaft on the corresponding side of the front of the main body to rotate, and drive the track movement of the corresponding front swing arm assembly through the hollow shaft. The hollow shaft at the front of the main body is also connected to the hollow shaft on the corresponding side of the rear of the main body through a transmission synchronous belt. The hollow shaft at the rear of the main body can drive the track movement of the corresponding rear swing arm assembly.

2. The four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hub motor is mounted on the chassis of the main vehicle body via a mounting bracket. The mounting bracket has a rectangular hole in the middle, and a tensioning block that can move back and forth is installed in the rectangular hole. The tensioning block is connected to the hub motor and can drive the hub motor to move back and forth.

3. The four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power shaft includes a front power shaft located at the front of the main body and a rear power shaft located at the rear of the main body, with the front power shaft and the rear power shaft respectively passing through the main body.

4. The four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: Hollow shafts are installed on both the left and right sides of the front and rear power shafts. The hollow shafts are mounted on the solid shafts via bearings. The driven track wheel is mounted on the hollow shaft of the front power shaft and can drive the hollow shaft to rotate coaxially. A driving synchronous pulley is also coaxially mounted on the hollow shaft of the front power shaft. A driven synchronous pulley is mounted on the hollow shaft of the rear power shaft. The driving synchronous pulley and the driven synchronous pulley are connected and transmit power through the transmission synchronous belt.

5. The four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front swing arm assembly and the rear swing arm assembly each include a driving wheel segment, a driven wheel segment, and an intermediate connecting segment. The driving wheel segment is connected to the power shaft, and the driving wheel of the driving wheel segment and the driven wheel of the driven wheel segment are connected by tracks.

6. A robot obstacle crossing control method, characterized in that: It is used to control the four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot as described in any one of claims 1-5 to cross obstacles.

7. The robot obstacle crossing control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the four-arm, six-track cable trench inspection robot needs to cross a trench, the specific steps are as follows: S1.1 Control the robot to move forward. When the robot's overall center of mass crosses the rear edge line of the ditch, control the robot's front swing arm assembly to rest on the ground in front of the ditch to provide support. S1.2 Before the robot's overall center of mass crosses the front edge line of the trench, the rear swing arm assembly of the robot is placed on the ground behind the trench to provide support.

8. A robot obstacle crossing control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss is less than the radius of the track wheels on the robot's main body, the specific steps are as follows: S2.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss, it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the middle section of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss, and at the same time lowers the rear swing arm assembly while keeping the track of the rear swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions. S2.2 The robot starts to move forward until the track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss and then stops moving forward. The front swing arm assembly is pressed down and the end of the front swing arm assembly is kept in contact with the ground in subsequent actions, thereby mitigating the impact of falling caused by the robot's overall center of mass crossing the vertical plane of the boss. S2.3 The robot continues to move forward until its center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss and then stops. The front swing arm assembly is raised to flatten the main body until the main body track of the main body is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted. S2.4 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

9. A robot obstacle crossing control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss is between the radius of the robot's main track wheels and half of its maximum climbing height, the specific steps are as follows: S3.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss, it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the end of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss. At the same time, it lowers the rear swing arm assembly and keeps the track of the rear swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions. Then, it continues to press down the front swing arm assembly so that the main body is raised until the main body is flush with the lower edge of the track of the front swing arm assembly. S3.2 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward when the front track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss. It presses down the front swing arm assembly and keeps the end of the front swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions, thereby mitigating the impact of falling caused by the robot's overall center of mass crossing the vertical plane of the boss. S3.3 The robot continues to move forward until its center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss and then stops. The front swing arm assembly is raised to flatten the main body until the main body track is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted. S3.4 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

10. A robot obstacle crossing control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the height of the four-arm, six-track cable trench robot crossing the boss exceeds half of the robot's maximum climbing height, the specific steps are as follows: S4.1 When the robot stops moving forward at an appropriate distance from the vertical surface of the boss, it lowers the front swing arm assembly until the end of the front swing arm assembly rests on the edge of the boss. At the same time, it lowers the rear swing arm assembly and keeps the rear swing arm assembly track in contact with the ground in subsequent actions. Then it continues to press down the front swing arm assembly so that the main body is raised until the main body is flush with the lower edge of the front swing arm assembly track. S4.2 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward when the front track wheel of the main body touches the edge of the boss. It presses down the front swing arm assembly and keeps the end of the front swing arm assembly in contact with the ground in subsequent actions, thereby mitigating the impact of falling caused by the robot's overall center of mass crossing the vertical surface of the boss. S4.3 The robot continues to move forward until it can no longer move forward due to the excessive tilt angle of the main body. It then presses down the rear swing arm assembly to lift the main body and keeps the rear swing arm assembly perpendicular to the ground in subsequent actions, thereby achieving a greater climbing height. S4.4 The robot begins to move forward and stops moving forward after the overall center of mass passes the vertical plane of the boss. The front swing arm assembly is raised to make the main body flat until the main body track is in complete contact with the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm assembly is retracted. S4.5 The robot continues to move forward until the main body is no longer suspended in the air, and at the same time retracts the front swing arm assembly, thus ending the climbing action.

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