Underwater Robot

Abstract

The present invention provides an underwater robot, which relates to the field of robots. The underwater robot comprises: a fuselage, a gas exhaust device and an electrolysis device placed on the fuselage, the fuselage is provided with a channel connected to an electrolyte, the electrolysis device is placed in the channel, one end of the gas exhaust device is placed above the electrolysis device, and the other end of the gas exhaust device is connected to the external water where the underwater robot is located, and the gas exhaust devices are distributed in multiple positions of the fuselage. The underwater robot provided by the present invention generates gas by electrolyzing the electrolyte through the electrolysis device, which is provided to the gas exhaust device as power, and the gas exhaust device discharges the harmless gas generated by electrolysis into the external water, and drives the underwater robot forward through the reaction force, thereby replacing the traditional mechanical driving device, reducing the driving noise, simplifying the mechanical structure, and the gas used for power propulsion is harmless gas, which will not cause harm to the water area or the organisms in the water area, and is beneficial to environmental protection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robots, and in particular to an underwater robot. Background Art

[0002] Underwater robots, also known as unmanned remote-controlled submersibles, are extreme operation robots that work underwater. The underwater environment is harsh and dangerous, and the diving depth of humans is limited, so underwater robots have become an important tool for developing the ocean.

[0003] There are mainly two types of unmanned remote-controlled submersibles: cabled remote-controlled submersibles and cable-free remote-controlled submersibles. Among them, cabled remote-controlled submersibles are divided into three types: self-propelled in water, towed, and able to crawl on seabed structures.

[0004] Traditional underwater robots are mostly driven by propellers driven by mechanical transmission mechanisms. This driving method is often accompanied by loud noise, complex structure, high cost, and even harm to marine life. These shortcomings will also limit its application in environmental monitoring, resource exploration and other fields. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention provides an underwater robot, which is used to solve the defects of the underwater robot driving device in the prior art, such as high noise, complex structure, high cost and pollution to the ocean, and reduces the noise of the driving device, simplifies the structure, reduces the cost, and does not cause any pollution to the water area during operation, and will not harm the aquatic life.

[0006] The present invention provides an underwater robot, comprising: a body, and a gas exhaust device and an electrolysis device disposed on the body,

[0007] The fuselage is provided with a channel connected to the electrolyte, the electrolysis device is placed in the channel, one end of the gas exhaust device is placed above the electrolysis device for collecting the gas generated by the electrolysis device, the other end of the gas exhaust device is connected to the external water where the underwater robot is located for exhausting the gas, and the gas exhaust devices are distributed at multiple positions of the fuselage.

[0008] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the electrolyte is the external water, and the channel is connected to the external water.

[0009] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the gas exhaust device includes a gas collecting port, a first exhaust pipe and a control valve, and the control valve connects the gas collecting port and the first exhaust pipe.

[0010] The gas collecting port is opposite to the electrolysis device and is used to collect the gas generated by the electrolysis device. The first exhaust pipe is connected to the external water.

[0011] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the gas exhaust device further includes a second exhaust pipe, and the fuselage further includes a combustion chamber.

[0012] The second exhaust pipe is connected to the gas collecting port and the first exhaust pipe through the control valve, and the second exhaust pipe is communicated with the combustion chamber to discharge the gas generated by the electrolysis device into the combustion chamber.

[0013] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the electrolysis device includes a power supply and an electrode, the power supply is placed on the body, the electrode is connected to the power supply, and the gas exhaust device is arranged above the electrode.

[0014] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the electrodes include a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and one gas exhaust device corresponds to a pair of the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

[0015] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the combustion chamber includes a bottom surface, an elastic outer wall and an igniter, the elastic outer wall and the bottom surface form a closed combustion chamber, the igniter is placed in the combustion chamber, and the second exhaust pipe is connected to the combustion chamber.

[0016] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the body further comprises a buoyancy chamber, the buoyancy chamber is arranged below the channel, and the combustion chamber is arranged above the channel.

[0017] The underwater robot provided according to the present invention further includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the control valve, the power supply and the igniter, and the power supply is electrically connected to the igniter.

[0018] According to the underwater robot provided by the present invention, the body is spherical, the buoyancy chamber is hemispherical and includes a top surface and a hollow semicircular outer wall, the top surface and the hollow semicircular outer wall form a buoyancy cavity, the combustion chamber is hemispherical, wherein the elastic outer wall is a hollow semicircular structure,

[0019] An intermediate chamber is formed between the top surface and the bottom surface, the gas exhaust device and the electrolysis device are placed in the intermediate chamber, the intermediate chamber is provided with the passage, exhaust holes are provided at multiple positions of the intermediate chamber, and the gas exhaust device is connected to the exhaust holes.

[0020] The underwater robot provided by the present invention uses an electrolysis device to electrolyze electrolyte to generate gas, which is provided to a gas discharge device as power. The gas discharge device discharges the harmless gas generated by the electrolysis into the external water, and drives the underwater robot forward through the reaction force, thereby replacing the traditional mechanical driving device, reducing the driving noise, simplifying the mechanical structure, and the gas used for power propulsion is harmless gas, which will not cause harm to the water area or the organisms in the water area, and is beneficial to environmental protection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the underwater robot provided by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the underwater robot with a spherical body provided by the present invention.

[0024] Reference numerals:

[0025] 100: fuselage; 101: passage; 102: exhaust hole;

[0026] 200: gas exhaust device; 201: gas collecting port; 202: first exhaust pipe;

[0027] 203: control valve; 204: second exhaust pipe; 300: electrolysis device;

[0028] 301: electrode; 302: power supply; 310: positive electrode;

[0029] 320: negative electrode; 400: combustion chamber; 401: bottom surface;

[0030] 402: elastic outer wall; 403: igniter; 500: buoyancy chamber;

[0031] 501: top surface; 502: hollow semicircular outer wall; 600: control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0036] Combine the following Figure 1 to Figure 2 It should be understood that the following description is only an illustrative embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the present invention.

[0037] The present invention provides an underwater robot, comprising: a body 100, and a gas exhaust device 200 and an electrolysis device 300 placed on the body 100, wherein the body 100 is provided with a channel 101 connected to an electrolyte, the electrolysis device 300 is placed in the channel 101, one end of the gas exhaust device 200 is placed above the electrolysis device 300, and is used to collect gas generated by the electrolysis device 300, and the other end of the gas exhaust device 200 is connected to external water where the underwater robot is located, and is used to exhaust gas, and the gas exhaust devices 200 are distributed at multiple positions of the body 100.

[0038] In other words, the robot body 100 is provided with a plurality of gas discharge devices 200, and the discharge ports of each gas discharge device 200 are arranged in multiple directions of the body 100. The robot is driven forward by the gas discharge devices 200 discharging gas, and the driving force of the robot underwater is provided by controlling the gas discharge time and discharge amount and other parameters of the gas discharge devices 200 in different directions, so as to realize the robot's forward, backward, turning and other movements. For example, there are at least three groups of gas discharge devices 200, so as to realize the underwater robot's two-dimensional movement forward, backward, left and right.

[0039] Furthermore, the electrolysis device 300 generates gas through the electrolyte in the electrolysis channel 101, and provides the gas to the gas discharge device 200. The electrolysis device 300 can control the time, speed and total amount of gas generation, and provide the gas to the gas discharge device 200 at different positions according to demand. Since the robot of the present invention is an underwater robot, the gas generated by electrolysis will rise underwater, so the gas discharge device 200 is placed above the electrolysis device 300, and the gas generated by the electrolysis device 300 will directly enter the gas discharge device 200.

[0040] In another optional embodiment of the present invention, the electrolyte is external water, and the channel 101 is connected to the external water. In other words, the electrolysis device 300 electrolyzes the external water entering the fuselage 100 through the channel 101, thereby generating gas. For example, the underwater robot is placed in seawater, and the seawater itself contains many ions, and its conductivity is about 30mS / cm, which can be easily electrolyzed to generate gas. Of course, the electrolyte can also be other liquids that can be electrolyzed to generate gas and provided in a separate cavity.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the gas exhaust device 200 includes a gas collecting port 201, a first exhaust pipe 202 and a control valve 203. The control valve 203 connects the gas collecting port 201 and the first exhaust pipe 202. The gas collecting port 201 is opposite to the electrolysis device 300 and is used to collect the gas generated by the electrolysis device 300. The first exhaust pipe 202 is connected to the underwater.

[0042] In other words, a control valve 203 is provided between the gas collecting port 201 and the first exhaust pipe 202. In some embodiments of the present invention, the gas collecting port 201 may be configured to be conical to facilitate gas collection. Specifically, the control valve 203 may be electrically controlled, and the switch of the control valve 203 and the opening size of the control valve 203 may be remotely controlled, thereby adjusting the gas entering the first exhaust pipe 202. The first exhaust pipe 202 is connected between the electrolysis device 300 and an external water source, and discharges the gas generated by the electrolysis device 300 into the water.

[0043] Continue to refer Figure 1In another optional embodiment of the present invention, the gas exhaust device 200 further includes a second exhaust pipe 204, and the fuselage 100 further includes a combustion chamber 400. The second exhaust pipe 204 is connected to the gas collecting port 201 and the first exhaust pipe 202 through a control valve 203, and the second exhaust pipe 204 is communicated with the combustion chamber 400, and is used to discharge the gas generated by the electrolysis device 300 into the combustion chamber 400.

[0044] In other words, the control valve 203 controls the gas entering the first exhaust pipe 202 and the second exhaust pipe 204, and the gas collected by the gas collecting port 201 reaches the first exhaust pipe 202 and / or the second exhaust pipe 204 through the control valve 203. For example, in the first state of the control valve 203, the gas enters both the first exhaust pipe 202 and the second exhaust pipe 204; in the second state of the control valve 203, the gas only enters the first exhaust pipe 202 and does not enter the second exhaust pipe 204; in the third state of the exhaust valve, the gas only enters the second exhaust pipe 204 and does not enter the first exhaust pipe 202; in the fourth state of the control valve 203, the gas neither enters the first exhaust pipe 202 nor the second exhaust pipe 204. Of course, the control valve 203 can have other control states through control. The control valves 203 on each gas exhaust device 200 are controlled separately and do not affect each other.

[0045] Furthermore, the gas is allowed to enter the second exhaust pipe 204 by controlling the control valve 203, and then enter the combustion chamber 400 through the second exhaust pipe 204, and can be burned in the combustion chamber 400, thereby generating a huge power, which can enable the underwater robot of the present invention to move quickly. In an emergency, the gas in the combustion chamber 400 can be triggered to burn, and the underwater robot can move quickly, avoid danger in an emergency, or track a target object that moves quickly.

[0046] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the combustion chamber 400 includes a bottom surface 401, an elastic outer wall 402 and an igniter 403. The elastic outer wall 402 and the bottom surface 401 form a closed combustion chamber, the igniter 403 is placed in the combustion chamber, and the second exhaust pipe 204 is connected to the combustion chamber. The bottom surface 401 is used to connect with the fuselage 100. The elastic outer wall 402 is directly in contact with the external water, so that there is a telescopic space when the explosion occurs, providing a driving force.

[0047] The gas discharged into the combustion chamber has a certain buoyancy, which can reduce the weight of the underwater robot to a certain extent. At the same time, the combustion chamber 400 is set as an elastic outer wall 402, and when the gas reaches a certain pressure and concentration, the gas can be ignited by controlling the igniter 403 to trigger an explosion in the combustion chamber. The energy released by the explosion is converted into the elastic potential energy of the elastic outer wall 402, thereby driving the underwater robot to move quickly.

[0048] In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, a direction control system can be embedded in the combustion chamber 400 to achieve direction control at the moment of explosion. Alternatively, a drainage system can be embedded in the combustion chamber 400 to discharge the water generated by the explosion in the combustion chamber in a timely manner when the water reaches a certain level.

[0049] Furthermore, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the electrolysis device 300 includes a power supply 302 and an electrode 301 , the power supply 302 is placed on the fuselage 100 , the electrode 301 is connected to the power supply 302 , and the gas exhaust device 200 is arranged above the electrode 301 .

[0050] That is, the power source 302 provides electricity to the electrode 301, and the electrode 301 electrolyzes water to produce oxygen and hydrogen. The speed of the generated oxygen and hydrogen can be adjusted according to the current size of the power source 302. The first exhaust pipe 202 is used to discharge oxygen and hydrogen into the external water environment as a driving force; the second exhaust pipe 204 discharges oxygen and hydrogen into the combustion chamber 400. When the oxygen and hydrogen in the combustion chamber 400 reach a certain pressure and concentration, they will explode after ignition, providing instantaneous and huge power.

[0051] The electrode 301 is placed in the channel 101 connected to the external water and is not directly exposed to the external water, thereby avoiding damage to underwater organisms during discharge. In addition, the hydrogen and oxygen discharged into the external water environment are not harmful gases, so they will not cause harm to underwater organisms, which is beneficial to environmental protection.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, the electrode 301 includes a positive electrode 310 and a negative electrode 320, and one gas discharge device 200 corresponds to a pair of positive electrodes 310 and negative electrodes 320. When the electrode 301 electrolyzes water, the positive electrode 310 electrolyzes water to produce oxygen, and the negative electrode 320 electrolyzes water to produce hydrogen, and the volume ratio of oxygen to hydrogen is 1:2. In order to keep the maximum gas volume collected by each gas discharge device 200 consistent and facilitate regulation, the electrodes 301 corresponding to the gas discharge device 200 are all in pairs, that is, one gas discharge device 200 corresponds to a pair of positive electrodes 310 and negative electrodes 320.

[0053] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2In another embodiment of the present invention, the fuselage 100 further includes a buoyancy chamber 500, which is placed below the passage 101, and the combustion chamber 400 is placed above the passage 101. The buoyancy chamber 500 can control the overall density of the underwater robot, so that the underwater robot can drift with the help of buoyancy in the water. In this embodiment, the power supply 302 can be placed in the buoyancy chamber 500. The buoyancy of the buoyancy chamber 500 can be adjusted by adjusting the buoyancy by entering and exiting water, and a water inlet and outlet are correspondingly provided on the buoyancy chamber 500; or the buoyancy chamber 500 can also adjust the volume by gas expansion.

[0054] Further, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the underwater robot further includes a control device 600, the control device 600 is electrically connected to the control valve 203, the power supply 302 and the igniter 403, and the power supply 302 is electrically connected to the igniter 403. In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device 600 is mounted on the fuselage 100, and is used to control the adjustable control valve 203, the power supply 302 and the igniter 403. For example, the travel speed of the underwater robot is controlled by adjusting the electrolysis rate of the electrolysis device 300. The control device 600 can control each module individually, or the modules can cooperate with each other.

[0055] In addition, in another optional embodiment of the present invention, the combustion chamber 400 further includes a pressure sensor, which is connected to the control device 600. The pressure sensor senses the pressure in the combustion chamber 400, and the sensed signal is returned to the control device 600 to control the igniter 403 to ignite and cause the gas in the combustion chamber 400 to burn and explode.

[0056] Specifically, the control device 600 transmits the voltage generated by the power supply 302 to the electrode 301, and the electrode 301 electrolyzes the water in the space where it is located, and the generated gas is collected by the gas exhaust device 200. The control device 600 controls the exhaust direction of the gas exhaust device 200 according to the required speed. When the required speed is relatively small, the gas is discharged to the water environment through the first exhaust pipe 202, and the underwater robot is pushed to move in the opposite direction by the effect of the environment.

[0057] In addition, when the required speed is relatively high, the collected gas is discharged into the combustion chamber 400 through the second exhaust pipe 204. The combustion chamber 400 has a pressure sensor, which transmits the pressure signal to the control device 600. When the pressure reaches the preset value, the control device 600 controls the igniter 403 to ignite, so that the gas in the combustion chamber 400 can burn and explode quickly. The elastic outer wall 402 of the combustion chamber 400 is made of elastic material, which can be deformed under a huge impact and transmit the force to the fluid in the environment. The reaction force generated by the fluid pushes the underwater robot to move in the opposite direction.

[0058] Continue to refer Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuselage 100 is spherical, the buoyancy chamber 500 is hemispherical and includes a top surface 501 and a hollow semicircular outer wall 502, the top surface 501 and the hollow semicircular outer wall 502 form a buoyancy cavity, the combustion chamber 400 is hemispherical, wherein the elastic outer wall 402 is a hollow semicircular structure. The second exhaust pipe 204 passes through the bottom surface 401 and communicates with the combustion chamber 400.

[0059] Among them, an intermediate chamber is formed between the top surface 501 and the bottom surface 401, the gas exhaust device 200 and the electrolysis device 300 are placed in the intermediate chamber, the intermediate chamber is provided with a channel 101, the electrode 301 of the electrolysis device 300 is placed in the channel 101, and the water connected to the channel 101 is electrolyzed, and exhaust holes 102 are opened in multiple directions of the intermediate chamber, and the gas exhaust device 200 is connected to the exhaust holes 102. The control device 600 can be arranged in the intermediate chamber, the electrode 301 is arranged on the top surface 501 of the buoyancy chamber 500, the power supply 302 is arranged in the buoyancy chamber 500, and the wiring of the power supply 302 and the electrode 301 can be inside the top surface 501.

[0060] In other words, the first exhaust pipe 202 is connected to the external water environment through the exhaust hole 102, so that the gas is discharged into the external water environment. The top surface 501 and the bottom surface 401 are both circular. The first exhaust pipe 202 can be distributed around the middle chamber at equal angles. In addition, the igniter 403 can be set on the bottom surface 401 of the combustion chamber 400. The underwater robot can carry different equipment to achieve different underwater tasks.

[0061] The underwater robot provided by the present invention uses an electrolysis device to electrolyze electrolyte to generate gas, which is provided to a gas discharge device as power. The gas discharge device discharges the harmless gas generated by the electrolysis into the external water, and drives the underwater robot forward through the reaction force, thereby replacing the traditional mechanical driving device, reducing the driving noise, simplifying the mechanical structure, and the gas used for power propulsion is harmless gas, which will not cause harm to the water area or the organisms in the water area, and is beneficial to environmental protection.

[0062] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater robot, characterized in that: include: a fuselage and a gas exhaust device and an electrolysis device placed on the fuselage, The fuselage is provided with a channel connected to the electrolyte, the electrolysis device is placed in the channel, one end of the gas discharge device is placed above the electrolysis device, and is used to collect the gas generated by the electrolysis device, and the other end of the gas discharge device is connected to the external water where the underwater robot is located, and is used to discharge the gas, and the gas discharge devices are distributed in multiple positions of the fuselage; The gas exhaust device comprises a gas collecting port, a first exhaust pipe and a control valve, wherein the control valve connects the gas collecting port and the first exhaust pipe, the gas collecting port is opposite to the electrolysis device and is used to collect the gas generated by the electrolysis device, and the first exhaust pipe is connected to the external water; The gas exhaust device further includes a second exhaust pipe, the fuselage further includes a combustion chamber, the second exhaust pipe is connected to the gas collecting port and the first exhaust pipe through the control valve, the second exhaust pipe is communicated with the combustion chamber, and is used to discharge the gas generated by the electrolysis device into the combustion chamber; The electrolyte is the external water, and the channel is connected to the external water.

2. The underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrolysis device comprises a power source and an electrode. The power source is placed on the body, the electrode is connected to the power source, and the gas exhaust device is arranged above the electrode.

3. The underwater robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electrodes include a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and one gas exhaust device corresponds to a pair of the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

4. The underwater robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The combustion chamber comprises a bottom surface, an elastic outer wall and an igniter. The elastic outer wall and the bottom surface form a closed combustion chamber. The igniter is placed in the combustion chamber. The second exhaust pipe is connected to the combustion chamber.

5. The underwater robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fuselage further comprises a buoyancy chamber, wherein the buoyancy chamber is disposed below the passage, and the combustion chamber is disposed above the passage.

6. The underwater robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the control valve, the power supply and the igniter, and the power supply is electrically connected to the igniter.

7. The underwater robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fuselage is spherical, the buoyancy chamber is hemispherical and includes a top surface and a hollow semicircular outer wall, the top surface and the hollow semicircular outer wall form a buoyancy cavity, the combustion chamber is hemispherical, wherein the elastic outer wall is a hollow semicircular structure, An intermediate chamber is formed between the top surface and the bottom surface, the gas exhaust device and the electrolysis device are placed in the intermediate chamber, the intermediate chamber is provided with the passage, exhaust holes are provided at multiple positions of the intermediate chamber, and the gas exhaust device is connected to the exhaust holes.

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