An inspection robot and inspection system for a roadway floor

Abstract

The application relates to the field of coal mine robots, and discloses a roadway bottom inspection robot and an inspection system, the inspection robot comprising a base, two transmission groups, two tracks and a mechanical arm. The front of the base is provided with a slot, and the slot penetrates through the base at least from the front and the bottom. The two transmission groups are distributed on the two sides of the base, and a power device is used for driving the tracks. One end of the mechanical arm is hinged to the side wall of the slot, and the other end is provided with a camera used for shooting photos of the roadway bottom. The inspection system comprises the inspection robot, a plurality of slide rails and a trailer. The inspection robot is provided with a first towing hook, the plurality of slide rails are laid on the inspection route of the inspection robot, the trailer is provided with a second towing hook, the first towing hook and the second towing hook are connected through a rope, the trailer is fixed with a three-dimensional laser scanning device, and the inspection robot drives the trailer to move when the inspection robot is used for inspection, so as to drive the three-dimensional laser scanning device to move, so that the three-dimensional laser scanning device performs three-dimensional scanning on the passing place.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of coal mine robots, and in particular to an inspection robot and inspection system for the bottom of roadways. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the demand for intelligent inspection technology in the field of coal mine safety production is becoming increasingly urgent. As a core means of preventing mine accidents, traditional inspection methods mainly rely on manual walking or vehicle-driven on-site inspections. This approach has significant technical bottlenecks: on the one hand, manual inspections are inefficient and costly, making it difficult to meet the large-scale, high-frequency inspection needs of modern mines; on the other hand, the mine environment is characterized by its confined space, darkness, dampness, and potential gas leaks, posing a serious threat to personnel's physical and mental health when they directly enter high-risk areas, and creating significant safety hazards such as water inrushes and collapses. With the deep integration of industrial internet and virtual reality technologies, intelligent inspection systems are upgrading towards informatization, automation, and transparency. Among these advancements, robots replacing manual labor in roadway inspections has become an inevitable trend in the industry's technological development.

[0003] Currently, most robots are focused on inspecting routine scenarios and cannot inspect tunnel floors or other recessed areas. How to enable robots to replace workers in tunnel operations has become a pressing technical problem to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem this application aims to solve is: how to enable robots to replace workers in entering tunnels to perform tasks.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides an inspection robot and inspection system for the bottom of tunnels.

[0006] A first aspect of this application provides an inspection robot for the bottom of a tunnel. The inspection robot includes: a base with a slot at the front, the slot penetrating the base at least at the front and bottom; two transmission groups distributed on both sides of the base, each transmission group having a power unit inside; two tracks correspondingly fitted around the two transmission groups, the power unit driving the tracks; and a robotic arm, one end of which is hinged to the side wall of the slot, the other end of which is equipped with a camera for taking pictures of the bottom of the tunnel.

[0007] In one embodiment, the robotic arm includes a connecting arm and a telescopic arm. One end of the connecting arm is hinged to the side wall of the slot, and the other end of the connecting arm is sleeved on one end of the telescopic arm. The connecting arm and the telescopic arm are slidably connected. The other end of the telescopic arm is provided with a fixing member for mounting a camera.

[0008] In one embodiment, a robotic arm housing is also mounted on the fixing member, and a drive mechanism is provided inside the robotic arm housing; the robotic arm housing is rotatably connected to several robotic claws, and the several robotic claws are respectively connected to the drive mechanism for transmission. The drive mechanism is used to drive the robotic claws to open and close in order to grasp objects.

[0009] In one embodiment, a water tank and a water pump are provided inside the base, and an opening is provided on the robotic arm chassis. A collection tube is fixed inside the opening. The length of the collection tube is greater than the length of the robotic claw. The collection tube is connected to the water pump, and the water pump is connected to the water tank.

[0010] In one embodiment, a three-axis gimbal is also mounted on the fixture, and the camera is mounted on the fixture via the three-axis gimbal.

[0011] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly includes a first transmission unit, a second transmission unit, and a stabilizer. The two ends of the stabilizer are respectively hinged to the sides of the first transmission unit and the second transmission unit. The first transmission unit is respectively provided on the two sides of the base, and the second transmission unit is provided below each first transmission unit.

[0012] In one embodiment, a gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a camera are provided at the front end of the base.

[0013] In one embodiment, an alarm light is provided above the base, which is used to illuminate when the inspection robot malfunctions.

[0014] In one embodiment, the base is provided with a storage box, and the upper surface of the base has two storage box openings that communicate with the interior of the storage box.

[0015] A second aspect of this application provides an inspection system for the bottom of a tunnel. The inspection system includes: the inspection robot provided in the first aspect of this application, the inspection robot being equipped with a first tow hook; a plurality of slide rails laid on the inspection route of the inspection robot; a trailer, the trailer being equipped with a second tow hook, the first tow hook and the second tow hook being connected by a rope, and a three-dimensional laser scanning device being fixed on the trailer. When the inspection robot is inspecting, it moves the trailer, which in turn moves the three-dimensional laser scanning device, so that the three-dimensional laser scanning device can perform a three-dimensional scan of the area traversed by the inspection robot.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the inspection robot and inspection system for the bottom of the tunnel described in this application have the following advantages:

[0017] This application discloses an inspection robot and system for the bottom of tunnels. Through a slotted base and hinged robotic arm design, the camera can penetrate deep into recessed areas of the tunnel floor to capture images, solving the problem of traditional robots being unable to cover blind spots. The tracked drive, combined with a rigid structure, adapts to uneven terrain, ensuring full coverage of the inspection path. Camera-captured images replace manual labor, reducing safety risks. Simultaneously, the robotic arm can adjust the camera angle to obtain more complete and comprehensive inspection images. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an inspection robot for the bottom of a roadway, as exemplarily shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural details of an inspection robot for the bottom of a tunnel, as exemplarily shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 3 This is another structural schematic diagram of an inspection robot for the bottom of a roadway, as exemplarily shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an inspection system for the bottom of a tunnel, as exemplarily shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure label:

[0023] 1. Tracks; 2. Transmission assembly; 2-1. First transmission unit; 2-2. Second transmission unit; 3. Stabilizer; 4. Warning light; 5. Base; 6. Storage box opening; 8. Robotic arm; 8-1. Connecting arm; 8-2. Telescopic arm; 9. Slot; 10. Camera; 11. Fixture; 12. Nut; 13. Robotic arm housing; 14. Robotic claw; 15. First tow hook; 16. Second tow hook; 100. Inspection robot; 200. Slide rail; 300. Trailer; 400. 3D laser scanning equipment; 1000. Inspection system. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The specific embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate this application, but are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0025] Currently, the demand for intelligent inspection technology in the field of coal mine safety production is becoming increasingly urgent. As a core means of preventing mine accidents, the traditional inspection mode mainly relies on manual walking or driving vehicles to carry out on-site inspections. This method has significant technical bottlenecks: on the one hand, manual inspection is inefficient and costly, making it difficult to meet the needs of modern mines for large-scale and high-frequency inspections; on the other hand, the mine environment has dangerous characteristics such as narrow space, darkness and dampness, and potential gas leaks. Personnel directly entering high-risk areas not only seriously threaten their physical and mental health, but also pose significant safety hazards such as water inrush and collapse.

[0026] With the deep integration of industrial internet and virtual reality technology, intelligent inspection systems are upgrading towards informatization, automation, and transparency. Among these, robots replacing manual labor in performing roadway inspection tasks has become an inevitable trend in the industry's technological development.

[0027] Currently, most robots are focused on inspecting routine scenarios and cannot inspect tunnel floors or other recessed areas. How to enable robots to replace workers in tunnel operations has become a pressing technical problem to be solved.

[0028] Based on this, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the preferred embodiment of this application, an inspection robot 100 for the bottom of a tunnel is provided. The inspection robot 100 includes: a base 5, two transmission groups 2, two tracks 1, and a robotic arm 8.

[0029] The base 5 has a slot 9 at its front, which penetrates the base 5 at least from the front and bottom. Two transmission groups 2 are distributed on both sides of the base 5, and each transmission group 2 has a power unit inside. Two tracks 1 are correspondingly fitted onto the outside of the two transmission groups 2, and the power unit is used to drive the tracks 1. One end of the robotic arm 8 is hinged to the side wall of the slot 9, and the other end of the robotic arm 8 is equipped with a camera 10, which is used to take pictures of the bottom of the tunnel.

[0030] Through the above technical solution, the through slot 9 in front of the base 5 and the articulated robotic arm 8 form a collaborative structure, which allows the robotic arm 8 to be flipped down and extended into the recessed area of ​​the tunnel floor (such as a ditch or crack), thus overcoming the problem of blind spots on the floor caused by the height limitation of traditional robots.

[0031] For example, when the robotic arm 8 extends from the slot 9 to below the base 5, the camera 10 can take close-up pictures of details such as deformation of the base plate and water accumulation, filling the technical gap of conventional inspection robots 100 that "can only look straight ahead and cannot go down".

[0032] Both side tracks 1 are driven by independent power units. With the rigid track 1 plate design, they can walk stably in complex terrains such as uneven floor, mud and water accumulation. Compared with wheeled robots, they are more adaptable to the unstructured environment of the tunnel floor, ensuring full coverage of the inspection path.

[0033] In addition to manually adjusting the angle of the robotic arm 8, electric drive can also be used to rotate the robotic arm 8 in this application. For example, in one embodiment, the end of the robotic arm 8 is hinged to a motor, and the motor is fixed in the slot 9, which can achieve the effect of electric drive to adjust the angle.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, an exemplary structure of the hinge is given, and splines can be set on the rotation axis of the hinge to increase friction and reduce slippage.

[0035] In one embodiment, the robotic arm 8 includes a connecting arm 8-1 and a telescopic arm 8-2. One end of the connecting arm 8-1 is hinged to the side wall of the slot 9, and the other end of the connecting arm 8-1 is sleeved on one end of the telescopic arm 8-2. The connecting arm 8-1 and the telescopic arm 8-2 are slidably connected. The other end of the telescopic arm 8-2 is provided with a fixing member 11, which is used to install the camera 10.

[0036] The robotic arm 8 employs a sliding sleeve structure connecting the connecting arm 8-1 and the telescopic arm 8-2. The detection distance and angle can be adjusted through extension and retraction, satisfying both the need for close-range, detailed imaging of floor cracks and the ability to remotely observe large areas of the tunnel. The coordination between the hinge point and the sliding structure enables a composite motion of "up-and-down swinging + forward-and-backward extension." For example, when inspecting a water ditch in the tunnel, the robotic arm 8 can first swing downwards to below the base 5, and then use the telescopic arm 8-2 to penetrate deep into the ditch for imaging, solving the problem of blind spots in deep ditch detection caused by the fixed length of traditional robotic arms 8.

[0037] The end effector 11 of the robotic arm 8 is compatible with a variety of detection devices (such as gas sensors and laser rangefinders). In addition to the camera 10, a robotic claw 14 can be added to realize functions such as grasping foreign objects on the bottom plate and collecting samples, so that the robot can be upgraded from a single image detection to an integrated "perception-operation" platform.

[0038] In one embodiment, a robotic arm 8 housing may also be installed on the fixing member 11. The robotic arm 8 housing is equipped with a drive mechanism. The robotic arm 8 housing is rotatably connected to a plurality of robotic claws 14. The plurality of robotic claws 14 are respectively connected to the drive mechanism for transmission. The drive mechanism is used to drive the robotic claws 14 to open and close in order to grasp objects.

[0039] In one embodiment, the base 5 is provided with a water storage tank and a water pump, the robotic arm 8 has an opening on its chassis, a collection tube is fixed in the opening, the length of the collection tube is greater than the length of the robotic claw 14, the collection tube is connected to the water pump, and the water pump is connected to the water storage tank.

[0040] This embodiment achieves automated collection and transportation of liquid samples from the tunnel floor through an integrated structural design of the base 5 (water tank), water pump, and robotic arm 8 (collection tube). The collection tube is deeper than the robotic claw 14, allowing it to reach narrow areas (such as recesses in the floor or deep parts of ditches) that the claw 14 cannot reach, thus avoiding sampling blind spots caused by the limitations of the claw 14. The conductive design of the water pump and water tank forms a closed sampling circuit, achieving automatic extraction and storage of liquid samples through negative pressure adsorption by the water pump. Compared with manual sampling, this reduces operational steps and improves sample collection efficiency and safety. The integrated layout of the collection tube and the robotic arm 8 chassis allows the sampling device to adjust its angle and extend synchronously with the robotic arm 8, adapting to the liquid sample collection needs at different locations in the tunnel and expanding the detection range. The water tank inside the base 5 enables temporary storage and transportation of samples, avoiding frequent changes of storage containers after sampling, improving the continuity of inspection operations. The overall structure is compact and does not affect the original robotic arm 8's movements or the track 1's movement function, ensuring the stability of inspection operations.

[0041] Furthermore, a check valve can be installed on the connecting pipeline between the water pump and the water tank to prevent liquid sample backflow from damaging the water pump or contaminating the sample, thus ensuring the reliability of the sampling system. At the same time, it can prevent liquid in the water tank from flowing back into the collection tube when the robot moves bumpily, ensuring the accuracy and safety of liquid sample collection from the tunnel floor.

[0042] In another embodiment, a three-axis gimbal is also installed on the fixing member 11, and the camera 10 is mounted on the fixing member 11 via the three-axis gimbal.

[0043] The installation of the three-axis gimbal enables the camera 10 to have multi-degree-of-freedom stable adjustment capabilities. By compensating for the vibrations caused by the movement of the robotic arm 8 in real time, it ensures the stability of the images captured by the camera 10 during inspections in complex terrain, and improves the recognition accuracy of details such as cracks and deformations in the tunnel floor. The three-axis rotation function of the gimbal allows the camera 10 to quickly switch shooting angles (such as horizontal, vertical, and tilt) without relying on the overall swing of the robotic arm 8, shortening the switching time of detection points and improving inspection efficiency.

[0044] In this application, the transmission assembly 2 may include a first transmission unit 2-1, a second transmission unit 2-2 and a stabilizer 3. The two ends of the stabilizer 3 are respectively hinged to the sides of the first transmission unit 2-1 and the second transmission unit 2-2. The two sides of the base 5 are respectively provided with the first transmission unit 2-1, and the second transmission unit 2-2 is provided below each first transmission unit 2-1.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, multiple sensors 7 can be provided at the front end of the base 5. Specifically, the front end of the base 5 can be provided with a gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a camera.

[0046] The multi-sensor integrated design significantly enhances the roadway environment monitoring capabilities. Gas sensors detect the concentration of hazardous gases such as methane and carbon monoxide in real time, and together with temperature and humidity sensors, they form a multi-dimensional environmental parameter acquisition system to provide data support for disaster early warning. The front-end camera and the camera 10 on the robotic arm 8 form a complementary perspective, which can simultaneously monitor the overall scene in front of the roadway and the details of the floor. For example, during the inspection, it can simultaneously identify hidden dangers such as dripping water on the roof and bulging on the floor, realize multi-dimensional safety hazard investigation, and enhance the comprehensive inspection efficiency of the robot in complex roadway environments.

[0047] In any embodiment of this application, an alarm light 4 is provided above the base 5, which is used to illuminate when the inspection robot 100 malfunctions.

[0048] In one embodiment, the base 5 is provided with a storage box, and the upper surface of the base 5 has two storage box openings 6, which are connected to the interior of the storage box.

[0049] The base 5 features an internal storage box with a dual-opening design on its upper surface, allowing for the categorized storage of inspection equipment and samples. The two openings correspond to different storage spaces, facilitating quick access to testing tools (such as spare sensors) and collected solid samples, preventing inconvenience caused by mixed storage. The integrated structure of the storage box and base 5 does not occupy additional space, and the ergonomic design of the upper opening allows ground personnel to efficiently load and unload items when the robot returns, improving the efficiency and continuity of material management during inspection operations.

[0050] Correspondingly, such as Figure 4 As shown, this application also provides an inspection system 1000 for the bottom of a tunnel. The inspection system 1000 may include: an inspection robot 100, several slide rails 200, and a trailer 300. The inspection robot 100 is equipped with a first hook 15, and several slide rails 200 are laid on the inspection route of the inspection robot 100. The trailer 300 is equipped with a second hook 16. The first hook 15 and the second hook 16 are connected by ropes. A three-dimensional laser scanning device 400 is fixed on the trailer 300. When the inspection robot 100 is inspecting, it moves the trailer 300, which in turn moves the three-dimensional laser scanning device 400, so that the three-dimensional laser scanning device 400 can perform a three-dimensional scan of the area traversed by the inspection robot 100.

[0051] The inspection system 1000 achieves high-precision 3D modeling of the tunnel floor through the collaborative design of the inspection robot 100, slide rail 200, and trailer 300: the robot pulls the 3D laser scanning device 400 on the trailer 300 to move along the slide rail 200, which can perform millimeter-level precision 3D scanning of the entire inspection path, filling the gaps in spatial information such as floor undulation and crack depth in traditional 2D images; the slide rail 200 is laid on the inspection route to ensure the straightness and repeatability of the scanning trajectory, and together with the uniform traction of the robot, the 3D point cloud data is more complete, providing quantitative data support for tunnel deformation monitoring.

[0052] This application provides an inspection robot and system for the bottom of a tunnel. The robot has a through slot at the front of its base, and the tracks are driven by transmission groups on both sides. The robotic arm is hinged to the side wall of the slot and a camera is mounted on a three-axis gimbal via a telescopic arm. The base integrates a water tank, a water pump, and multiple sensors (gas, temperature, humidity), and has an internal storage box. The supporting inspection system consists of a robot, a slide rail, and a trailer. The robot pulls the trailer through a hook, which drives the three-dimensional laser scanning equipment to move along the slide rail to realize the inspection of the tunnel floor and three-dimensional modeling.

[0053] This solution integrates robotic mechanical structures with multiple sensors to address the blind spots and safety risks associated with traditional inspections. The extension and retraction of the robotic arm and the three-axis gimbal enhance detection accuracy, while the water tank and collection tube enable automated collection of liquid samples. The storage box optimizes material management. In the inspection system, the robot-traction trailer works in conjunction with the slide rails to complete high-precision modeling of the tunnel floor using 3D laser scanning. The overall solution improves the intelligence, unmanned operation, and data integrity of coal mine inspections.

[0054] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of this application, and these improvements and substitutions should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An inspection robot (100) for the bottom of a tunnel, characterized in that, The inspection robot (100) includes: A base (5) having a slot (9) at the front, the slot (9) penetrating the base (5) at least at the front and bottom; Two transmission groups (2) are distributed on both sides of the base (5), and a power device is provided inside each of the transmission groups (2); Two tracks (1) are fitted onto the outside of the two transmission groups (2), and the power unit is used to drive the tracks (1); A robotic arm (8) is provided, one end of which is hinged to the side wall of the slot (9), and the other end of which is equipped with a camera (10) for taking pictures of the bottom of the tunnel.

2. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm (8) includes a connecting arm (8-1) and a telescopic arm (8-2). One end of the connecting arm (8-1) is hinged to the side wall of the slot (9). The other end of the connecting arm (8-1) is sleeved on one end of the telescopic arm (8-2), and the connecting arm (8-1) and the telescopic arm (8-2) are slidably connected. The other end of the telescopic arm (8-2) is provided with a fixing member (11), which is used to install the camera (10).

3. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing member (11) is also equipped with a mechanical arm (8) housing, and the mechanical arm (8) housing is provided with a drive mechanism; the mechanical arm (8) housing is rotatably connected to a number of mechanical claws (14), and the number of mechanical claws (14) are respectively connected to the drive mechanism for transmission. The drive mechanism is used to drive the mechanical claws (14) to open and close in order to grasp objects.

4. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base (5) is equipped with a water tank and a water pump. The mechanical arm (8) has an opening on its chassis. A collection tube is fixed in the opening. The length of the collection tube is greater than the length of the mechanical claw (14). The collection tube is connected to the water pump, and the water pump is connected to the water tank.

5. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, A three-axis gimbal is also installed on the fixing member (11), and the camera (10) is mounted on the fixing member (11) via the three-axis gimbal.

6. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (2) includes a first transmission unit (2-1), a second transmission unit (2-2), and a stabilizer (3). The two ends of the stabilizer (3) are respectively hinged to the sides of the first transmission unit (2-1) and the second transmission unit (2-2). The two sides of the base (5) are respectively provided with the first transmission unit (2-1), and the second transmission unit (2-2) is provided below each first transmission unit (2-1).

7. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the base (5) is equipped with a gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a camera.

8. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, An alarm light (4) is provided above the base (5), which is used to illuminate when the inspection robot (100) malfunctions.

9. The inspection robot (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (5) is provided with a storage box, and two storage box openings (6) are opened on the upper surface of the base (5), and the storage box openings (6) are connected to the interior of the storage box.

10. An inspection system (1000) for the bottom of a tunnel, characterized in that, The inspection system (1000) includes: The inspection robot (100) as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the inspection robot (100) is provided with a first tow hook (15); A plurality of slide rails (200) are laid on the inspection route of the inspection robot (100); A trailer (300) is provided with a second tow hook (16). The first tow hook (15) and the second tow hook (16) are connected by a rope. A three-dimensional laser scanning device (400) is fixed on the trailer (300). When the inspection robot (100) is inspecting, it drives the trailer (300) to move, which in turn drives the three-dimensional laser scanning device (400) to move, so that the three-dimensional laser scanning device (400) can perform three-dimensional scanning on the places that the inspection robot (100) passes through.

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