A legged wall-climbing robot

Abstract

The present invention discloses a legged wall-climbing robot. A number of mechanical legs are installed on the machine body, and an electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device or a demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end is installed on the mechanical legs; in the electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device, the machine calf is connected to a flexible connector, and the flexible connector is connected to an electromagnet; the spherical foot-end calf of the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end is connected to an obstruction unit and a driving unit, and both the obstruction unit and the driving unit are connected to a spherical unit. The two different foot-ends of the present invention are suitable for different occasions and can be combined modularly. Different foot-ends are installed on the machine according to different detection environments, so that it can better adapt to the detection scene to perform detection tasks, improving the stability and efficiency of detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of robots, and in particular, to a legged wall-climbing robot. Background Art

[0002] Industrial inspection robots are increasingly used to reduce the risk of humans in obtaining integrity information. Wall-climbing robots can not only perform various actions on the ground, but also crawl on vertical walls or ceilings by virtue of their own adsorption force and complete the expected operations. Wall-climbing robots can replace humans to engage in operations in dangerous fields such as high altitude, chemical industry, and exploration and rescue, thus greatly reducing the risk of accidental casualties of personnel. In complex cavities or structural surfaces, although there are many solutions using aerial platforms for remote visual inspection, this method is often affected by coverage gaps caused by occlusion, especially in narrow or enclosed spaces. And close-range visual inspection and many sensing detection technologies require a close-range or surface contact state, which is very challenging for aerial platforms. Climbing robots can easily achieve this. However, continuously contacting tracked or wheeled wall-climbing robots are limited by their ability to cross structural gaps and obstacles. Therefore, legged climbing robots are urgently needed. High-degree-of-freedom legged climbing robots can carry detection equipment into complex metal cavities to perform information collection and reconnaissance analysis tasks. Expand the detection range, improve the detection quality, and enable defects to be discovered and repaired in time.

[0003] The electromagnetic adsorption foot end generates a large adsorption force with the detected structural surface to ensure the reliability of the robot's climbing, but it will also pose an obstacle to the movement of the legged robot. The contact between the foot end of the legged robot and the structural surface should be a spherical pair. After adding magnetic elements, the contact becomes a surface contact. Therefore, it is necessary to design a foot end joint of the legged robot to ensure the movement stability of the robot. When the legged robot climbs a large metal wall surface, such as a vertical oil storage tank and a large wind turbine, the height of the vertical oil storage tank is between 5m and 14m. It is inefficient for the legged robot to climb step by step according to the previous method.

[0004] Chinese invention patent CN108556949A discloses a magnetic multi-legged wall-climbing robot. This wall-climbing robot adopts a combination of mechanical legs and wheeled movement, enabling the robot to perform measurement and cleaning functions on the ground and on the wall. For multi-legged wall-climbing robots, high load performance and movement flexibility are important guarantees for the robot to efficiently perform detection or cleaning tasks. However, this robot uses a servo motor as the driving method of the robot, which greatly limits the load performance of the robot. At the same time, there is no constraint on the two degrees of freedom between the magnetic adsorption foot end and the calf, which greatly limits the movement ability of the robot.

[0005] Chinese invention patent CN111591368A discloses an adaptive spherical joint with spring reset restraint, which can realize free rotation in three postures and can also make the sole of the foot return to the initial position when not under force. However, the connection between the adaptive spherical joint and the spring is complex and wears seriously. At the same time, when climbing on a vertical wall, due to the gravity of the machine, the connection device of the spherical joint will generate a large torque on the adsorption foot end, affecting the reliability of the foot end adsorption. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problems in the prior art and provide a legged wall-climbing robot. Two different foot ends are applicable to different occasions and can be modularly combined to better adapt to the detection scenario and perform detection tasks.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0008] A legged wall-climbing robot, comprising a machine main body;

[0009] A plurality of mechanical legs are installed on the machine main body, and an electromagnetic adsorption foot end flexible connection device or a demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end is installed on the mechanical legs;

[0010] In the electromagnetic adsorption foot end flexible connection device, the machine calf is connected to a flexible connecting piece, and the flexible connecting piece is connected to an electromagnet;

[0011] For the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end, the spherical foot end calf is connected to a blocking unit and a driving unit, and both the blocking unit and the driving unit are connected to the spherical unit.

[0012] Further, the machine shell of the machine main body is fixed on the machine connecting plate by screws, the mechanical legs are connected to the machine connecting plate, and the electromagnetic adsorption foot end flexible connection device and the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end are fixed on the mechanical legs by screws.

[0013] Further, a depth camera is installed at one end of the shell main body of the machine shell, a rear cover and an emergency stop switch are installed at the other end of the shell main body, a cooling fan is installed on the rear cover, and the rear cover is installed on the shell main body through a spring hinge.

[0014] Further, the flexible connecting piece includes an upper thin-walled cylinder, a plurality of elephant trunk struts and a lower thin-walled cylinder. The elephant trunk struts are of a hollow structure inside, and a plurality of the elephant trunk struts are perpendicular and evenly distributed on the surfaces of the upper thin-walled cylinder and the lower thin-walled cylinder. The material of the flexible connecting piece is rubber.

[0015] Further, the machine calf is connected to an upper pressure plate by a first screw, and the upper thin-walled cylinder of the flexible connecting piece is pressed between the machine calf and the upper pressure plate.

[0016] Further, the electromagnet is connected to the transition flange through a third screw, the transition flange is connected to the lower pressing plate through a second screw, and the lower thin-walled cylinder of the flexible connecting piece is extruded between the lower pressing plate and the transition flange.

[0017] Further, the blocking unit and the driving unit are respectively connected to the calf end of the sphere through a fourth screw, the worm and worm gear motor in the driving unit is fixedly connected to the flange coupling in the sphere unit through a fifth screw, and the worm and worm gear motor is installed on the driving bracket.

[0018] Further, the blocking wheel of the blocking unit is slidably connected to the groove of the central shaft of the sphere unit. The screw motor in the blocking unit is installed on the blocking bracket through a sixth screw. A flange nut is arranged on the screw motor. The flange nut is connected to the first transmission rod through a seventh screw. The first transmission rod is connected to the second transmission rod through a first pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring. The second transmission rod is connected to the third transmission rod through a second pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring. A second deep groove ball bearing is fixedly installed on the third transmission rod through a flat head screw. The second deep groove ball bearing is installed in the groove of the blocking wheel. A baffle is installed outside the groove. The baffle is fixed on the blocking wheel through an eighth screw. The central shaft penetrates through the blocking wheel and the first deep groove ball bearing. The teeth of the blocking wheel cooperate with the teeth of the lower housing.

[0019] Further, the central shaft of the sphere unit penetrates through the third deep groove ball bearing and the fourth deep groove ball bearing. The third deep groove ball bearing and the fourth deep groove ball bearing are respectively installed at both ends of the central shaft. The third deep groove ball bearing and the fourth deep groove ball bearing are both installed in the bearing holes of the lower housing. The central shaft is connected to the lower housing. A flange coupling is fixedly installed on the lower housing through a countersunk head screw. The lower housing is connected to the upper housing through a ninth screw.

[0020] Further, the central shaft, the central block and the armature of the sphere unit are fixedly connected through a third pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring. A permanent magnet is adsorbed on the armature.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] The present invention provides a legged wall-climbing robot. By installing an electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device or a demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end on several mechanical legs of the machine body, the two different foot-ends are suitable for different occasions and can be combined modularly. Different foot-ends are installed on the machine according to different detection environments, so that it can better adapt to the detection scenario and execute the detection task, improving the stability and efficiency of detection. A high-torque joint motor is used to drive the swing and rotation of a single leg, enabling the robot to bear a large load and carry complex and heavy detection equipment into a responsible cavity or other structural surfaces to execute the detection task.

[0023] The electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device of the present invention has a simple structure. Combining with the movement mode of the legged robot, when the flexible joint is subjected to a combined external force of pressure, tension and torque, it can deform within the allowable range to ensure the stability of the machine operation. In addition, when the machine climbs a vertical metal surface, the electromagnet foot-end adsorbs to the metal surface. Due to the large downward deformation of the fuselage and the load, the flexible joint will only have a downward pulling force on the foot-end and will not generate a large torque, requiring a lower adsorption force for the electromagnet.

[0024] The demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end of the present invention enables the legged robot to quickly crawl on a metal wall surface and can also meet the bionic gait of the machine operation to cross obstacles. The demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end is not only applicable to the legged robot but also to the wheeled detection robot, making the surface adaptability of the wheeled robot stronger and facilitating the disassembly of the wheeled robot on the adsorption surface, solving the problem of demagnetization of the wheeled wall-climbing robot.

[0025] Furthermore, the spherical unit design enables the permanent magnet to swing within an angle range of -10° to 10° left and right and rotate freely 360° front and back. When the machine climbs a circular pipe or a curved surface, the permanent magnet will freely swing to the vertical position of the tangent at the contact point with the curved surface, making the magnetic adsorption force reach the maximum value and the machine posture does not need to be adjusted, enhancing the adaptability of the machine; the 360° rotation front and back is to facilitate the drive motor to rotate the magnet 180° from two directions to separate the magnet from the adsorption surface to complete the demagnetization operation. When the machine transitions from a vertical plane to an inclined plane, the magnet automatically rotates forward by a certain angle and adsorbs to the inclined plane to avoid the risk of falling, enhancing the adaptability to the adsorption surface and ensuring the stability of adsorption, making the adaptation range of the robot wider and the detection stability stronger.

[0026] Furthermore, the blocking unit uses a single motor to drive the sphere to roll and rotate electromagnetically. The single motor selected is a worm and worm gear motor that can provide large torque. When the blocking unit connects the sphere unit and the magnet, the worm and worm gear motor drives the sphere unit and the magnet to rotate together to complete demagnetization. When the blocking unit separates the sphere unit from the electromagnet, the worm and worm gear motor drives the sphere unit to move alone, while the electromagnet is in an underdriven state and can rotate freely back and forth. The blocking unit not only makes the foot end smaller in volume and mass, but also solves the problem that the foot end with large adsorption force cannot be demagnetized, ensuring that the legged robot can lift its leg to cross an obstacle when encountering an obstacle. Moreover, the structure is simple, and the mass and volume are small, ensuring the reliability of the robot's movement.

[0027] Furthermore, the extrusion connection method of the flexible connector has a simple structure and reliable connection, enabling better connection between the rigid element and the flexible element. At the same time, it ensures uniform stress on the soft material, is not prone to tearing, and improves the load performance and movement flexibility of the robot.

[0028] Furthermore, the bionic structure of the elephant trunk strut and the curved thin-walled strut in the flexible connector can meet passive compression, tension, and rotation, ensuring the stability of the robot's movement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0030] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the robot equipped with the electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the robot equipped with the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the machine body of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the machine shell of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the flexible connector of the electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the drive unit of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the blocking unit of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the assembly of the blocking unit and the spherical foot end parts of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the assembly details of the blocking wheel and the lower housing of the blocking unit of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the spherical foot end of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the swinging effect of the permanent magnet of the detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end of the present invention.

[0043] Wherein: 1 - machine main body, 2 - electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device, 3 - detachable magnetic spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end, 4 - machine housing, 5 - machine connecting plate, 6 - machine left leg, 7 - machine right leg, 8 - housing main body, 9 - depth camera, 10 - rear cover, 11 - cooling fan, 12 - emergency stop switch, 13 - spring hinge, 14 - machine calf, 15 - first screw, 16 - upper pressure plate, 17 - flexible connecting piece, 17A - upper thin-walled cylinder, 17B - elephant trunk support, 17C - lower thin-walled cylinder, 18 - second screw, 19 - lower pressure plate, 20 - transition flange, 21 - electromagnet, 22 - third screw, 23 - spherical foot end calf, 24 - fourth screw, 25 - blocking unit, 26 - spherical unit, 27 - drive unit, 28 - fifth screw, 29 - worm and gear motor, 30 - flange coupling, 31 - blocking wheel, 32 - central shaft, 33 - drive bracket, 34 - lead screw motor, 35 - flange nut, 36 - blocking bracket, 37 - sixth screw, 38 - seventh screw, 39 - first transmission rod, 40 - first pin shaft and shaft end retaining ring, 41 - second pin shaft and shaft end retaining ring, 42 - second transmission rod, 43 - third transmission rod, 44 - first deep groove ball bearing, 45 - eighth screw, 46 - baffle plate, 47 - second deep groove ball bearing, 48 - lower housing, 49 - flat head screw, 50 - ninth screw, 51 - upper housing, 52 - central block, 53 - third pin shaft and shaft end retaining ring, 54 - third deep groove ball bearing, 55 - armature iron, 56 - permanent magnet, 57 - third deep groove ball bearing, 58 - countersunk head screw. Detailed implementation manners

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention usually described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0045] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters denote like items in the following drawings. Therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "inner", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of the present invention is usually placed during use, it is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, terms such as "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive distinction and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0048] In addition, if the term "horizontal" appears, it does not mean that the component is required to be absolutely horizontal, but it can be slightly inclined. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but it can be slightly inclined.

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should also be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if terms such as "set", "installed", "connected", "connected" are 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 directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0050] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0051] Referring to Figures 1 to 2 , the present invention provides a legged wall-climbing robot, including a machine body 1 and two types of foot ends: an electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device 2 and a demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3. The electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device 2 has a simple structure, can bear large loads, and has a small torque on the foot end, which can improve the load performance and the movement flexibility of the robot. The demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3 is used in combination with the electromagnetic type foot end flexible connection device 2. Different foot ends are installed on the machine body 1 according to different detection environments, improving the detection stability and efficiency. The demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3 is not only applicable to legged robots but also can be used for wheeled detection robots, solving the problem of demagnetization of wheeled wall-climbing robots.

[0052] When performing a detection task with multiple obstacles and a short distance, a combined device of the machine body 1 and the electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device 2 is adopted, and this device crawls in a bionic gait movement mode; when performing a detection task with small obstacles and a long distance, a combined device of the machine body 1 and the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3 is adopted. This device advances in a wheeled rolling mode of the foot end on a plane and adopts a bionic gait movement mode to cross obstacles when encountering obstacles.

[0053] As Figure 3 shown, the machine body 1 includes a machine shell 4, a machine connecting plate 5, a machine left leg 6, and a machine right leg 7. The machine shell 4 is fixed on the machine connecting plate 5 by screws. The machine left leg 6 and the machine right leg 7 are symmetrically installed on the machine body 1 and connected to the machine connecting plate 5, making the robot have a simple structure and easy to control. In addition, the electromagnetic adsorption type foot end flexible connection device 2 or the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3 is respectively fixed at the thigh synchronous belt wheels of the machine left leg 6 and the machine right leg 7 by screws. This machine is driven by a brushless reduction motor with a rated torque of 7 N*m to drive the single leg to swing and rotate, enabling the machine to have a greater load, with a maximum load capacity of 15 kg.

[0054] As Figure 4As shown in the figure, the machine housing 4 mainly includes a robot housing main body 8, a depth camera 9, a rear cover 10, a cooling fan 11, an emergency stop switch 12, and a spring hinge 13; the robot housing main body 8 is designed by imitating a spider, which not only makes the robot beautiful but also provides good heat dissipation conditions for the machine; a depth camera 9 is installed at one end of the housing main body 8. The depth camera 9 is the "eye" of the robot, which captures external images and transmits them to the main control board for image processing; a rear cover 10 and an emergency stop switch 12 are installed at the other end of the housing main body 8. The emergency stop switch 12 is the main power switch of the machine and is placed at the rear of the machine body. When preventing the robot from getting out of control, the operator can cut off the power in time to avoid damage; a cooling fan 11 is installed on the rear cover 10, and the spring hinge 13 can tightly press the rear cover 10 on the housing main body 8. Opening the rear cover 10 facilitates the inspection and debugging of the inside of the machine.

[0055] As Figure 5 shown, the electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device 2 includes a machine calf 14, an upper pressure plate 16, a flexible connecting piece 17, a lower pressure plate 19, a transition flange 20, and an electromagnet 21. The electromagnet 21 is connected to the transition flange 20 through a third screw 22. The third screw 22 is an M4 countersunk head screw. There are 4 threaded holes on the transition flange 20. Four second screws 18 pass through the round holes of the lower pressure plate 19 and the round holes of the lower thin-walled cylinder 17C of the flexible connecting piece 17 and are connected to the transition flange 20. The second screw 18 is a countersunk head screw. Therefore, the lower pressure plate 19 and the transition flange 20 squeeze the lower thin-walled cylinder 17C of the flexible connecting piece 17 in the middle. Through covering and squeezing, the flexible element is connected to the rigid element, ensuring that the flexible connecting piece is evenly stressed and not easily torn. There are 4 threaded holes on the upper pressure plate 16. Four first screws 15 pass through the round holes of the machine calf 14 and the round holes of the upper thin-walled cylinder 17A of the flexible connecting piece 17 and are connected to the upper pressure plate 16. The connection method of squeezing and covering connects the transition flange 20, the flexible connecting piece 17, and the machine calf 14 together, making the structure simple and reliable.

[0056] As Figure 6As shown in the figure, the flexible connector 17 mainly includes an upper thin-walled cylinder 17A, an elephant trunk support 17B, and a lower thin-walled cylinder 17C, and rubber is used as the manufacturing material. Four internally hollow elephant trunk supports 17B are perpendicular and evenly distributed on the surfaces of the upper thin-walled cylinder 17A and the lower thin-walled cylinder 17C. The curved thin-wall design can meet the stretching, compression, and torsion of the elephant trunk support 17B. The thickness of the curved thin wall is 3.5 mm. When under pressure, the three connected abacus hollow spheres start to squeeze downwards in sequence, and the mutual squeezing makes the curved thin wall form a thicker upright hollow cylinder, which can maximally meet the single-leg pressure of the robot of 130 N and a deformation of 3 mm. When under tension, the three connected abacus hollow cylinders start to stretch and grow downwards in sequence, and the mutual stretching makes the curved thin wall form a longer thin-wall hollow cylinder, with a maximum tensile force of 130 N and a deformation of 3 mm. When under torque, one side of the elephant trunk support 17B is under pressure and the other side is under tension, causing the upright elephant trunk to bend and complete the torque deformation.

[0057] As Figure 7 shown, the demagnetizable ball-type permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3 includes a spherical foot end calf 23, a blocking unit 25, a spherical unit 26, and a driving unit 27. The blocking unit 25 and the driving unit 27 are respectively fixed on the spherical foot end calf 23 by a fourth screw 24. The fourth screw 24 is an M4 screw. The worm and gear motor 29 in the driving unit 27 is fixedly connected to the flange coupling 30 in the spherical unit 26 by a fifth screw 28. The fifth screw 28 is a set screw. Therefore, the driving unit 27 is connected to the spherical unit 26, and the driving unit 27 provides power for the spherical unit 26 to roll. The blocking wheel 31 of the blocking unit 25 is in sliding connection with the groove of the central shaft 32 of the spherical unit 26. Therefore, the spherical unit 26, the blocking unit 25, the driving unit 27, and the spherical foot end calf 23 constitute the demagnetizable ball-type permanent magnet adsorption foot end 3.

[0058] As Figure 8 shown, the driving unit 27 includes a driving bracket 33 and a worm and gear motor 29. The worm and gear motor 29 is fixed on the driving bracket 33 by 4 M4 screws. The main work of the driving unit 27 is to provide power for the rolling and demagnetization operation of the spherical unit.

[0059] In order to achieve the demagnetization operation, a single motor can be used to connect to the central axis of the magnet to drive the electromagnet to rotate. For robots with large loads, the adsorption force at the foot end reaches 130 N. After calculation, a non-self-locking motor with a torque of 13 N·m is required to drive this device. The motor that can provide this torque not only has a large volume and mass, but also has a large reverse friction force when the motor is powered off, and cannot make the magnet rotate automatically. To solve the above problems, using a blocking unit in cooperation with the drive motor can make the permanent magnet 56 move away from the metal surface to achieve the demagnetization operation, ensuring that the legged robot can lift its leg to cross an obstacle when encountering an obstacle. The blocking unit makes the foot end structure simple, with a small mass and volume, ensuring the reliability of the robot's movement.

[0060] Such as Figures 9 to 11As shown, the blocking unit 25 includes a blocking wheel 31, a lead screw motor 34, a flange nut 35, a blocking bracket 36, a first transmission rod 39, a first pin shaft and an end shaft retaining ring 40, a second pin shaft and an end shaft retaining ring 41, a second transmission rod 42, a third transmission rod 43, a first deep groove ball bearing 44, a baffle plate 46, and a second deep groove ball bearing 47. The lead screw motor 34 is fixed to the blocking bracket 36 by a sixth screw 37. The sixth screw 37 is an M2 screw. The flange nut 35 is installed on the lead screw extending from the lead screw motor 34. The flange nut 35 is connected to the first transmission rod 39 by a seventh screw 38. The seventh screw 38 is an M2 round head screw. The first transmission rod 39 is connected to the second transmission rod 42 through the first pin shaft and the end shaft retaining ring 40. The second transmission rod 42 is connected to the third transmission rod 43 through the second pin shaft and the end shaft retaining ring 41. The end of the third transmission rod 43 passes through the second deep groove ball bearing 47, and the second deep groove ball bearing 47 is fixed to the third transmission rod 43 by a flat head screw 49. The second deep groove ball bearing 47 is a 3mm deep groove ball bearing. The connected second deep groove ball bearing 47 is installed in the groove of the blocking wheel 31. A baffle plate 46 is installed outside the groove. The second deep groove ball bearing 47 is blocked in the groove by the baffle plate 46. The baffle plate 46 is fixed to the blocking wheel 31 by two eighth screws 45. The eighth screws 45 are M2 round head screws. The purpose is to make the outer ring of the second deep groove ball bearing 47 rotate with the blocking wheel 31 during rotation, while the position of the second deep groove ball bearing 47 remains unchanged. The blocking wheel 31 and the first deep groove ball bearing 44 are penetrated by a central shaft 32. The first deep groove ball bearing 44 is a 6mm deep groove ball bearing. The protrusion in the inner hole of the blocking wheel 31 cooperates with the keyway of the central shaft 32, so that the blocking wheel 31 rotates with the central shaft 32. Therefore, the rotation of the lead screw motor 34 causes the flange nut 35 to move up and down on the lead screw extending from the lead screw motor 34. The flange nut 35 also drives the movement of the first transmission rod 39 and the second transmission rod 40. Finally, the third transmission rod 43 and the second deep groove ball bearing 47 drag the blocking wheel 31 to move axially along the central shaft 32. The forward movement of the blocking wheel 31 along the central shaft 32 causes the teeth on the blocking wheel 31 to cooperate with the teeth on the lower housing 48 of the sphere unit 26. Also, due to the connection between the blocking wheel 31 and the central shaft 32, the sphere unit 26 and the central shaft 32 form a rigid connection, and both rotate or remain stationary under the drive of the worm and worm gear motor 29. When the blocking wheel 31 is dragged backward along the central shaft 32, the teeth on the blocking wheel 31 are disengaged from the teeth on the lower housing 48, and the rigid connection between the sphere unit 26 and the central shaft 32 is cancelled. At this time, the worm and worm gear motor 29 only drives the sphere unit 26 to rotate or remain stationary, while the central shaft 32 is in an under-driven state.

[0061] As Figure 12As shown in the figure, the spherical unit 26 includes an upper housing 51, a central block 52, a third pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring 53, a central shaft 32, a third deep groove ball bearing 54, an armature 55, a permanent magnet 56, a lower housing 48, a fourth deep groove ball bearing 57 and a flange coupling 30. The left side of the central shaft 32 passes through the fourth deep groove ball bearing 57. The fourth deep groove ball bearing 57 is an 8mm left deep groove ball bearing. The right side passes through the third deep groove ball bearing 54. The third deep groove ball bearing 54 is an 8mm right deep groove ball bearing. The fourth deep groove ball bearing 57 and the third deep groove ball bearing 54 are respectively installed in the bearing holes of the lower housing 48. Therefore, the central shaft 32 is connected to the lower housing 48. The flange coupling 30 is fixed to the lower housing 48 by a countersunk head screw 58. The countersunk head screw 58 is an M3 countersunk head screw. The third pin shaft and the shaft end retaining ring 53 pass through the through holes of the armature 55, the central block 52 and the central shaft 32 to fix the three together. The third pin shaft and the shaft end retaining ring 53 are a 6mm pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring. The permanent magnet 56 is adsorbed on the armature 55 made of Q235, realizing the left - right and front - back swinging of the magnet around the third pin shaft and the shaft end retaining ring 53. The permanent magnet 56 can passively rotate left - right and front - back. The left - right swinging range angle is - 10° to 10°, and it can freely rotate 360° front - back, enhancing the adaptability to the adsorption surface and ensuring the stability of adsorption. When adsorbed on a metal curved surface, the permanent magnet 56 swings to the tangent direction perpendicular to the curved surface, making its magnetic adsorption force reach the maximum value, ensuring the stability and safety of adsorption. Rotating 360° front - back is to facilitate the drive motor to rotate the permanent magnet 56 by 180° from two directions to separate the permanent magnet 56 from the adsorption surface to complete the demagnetization operation. When the machine transitions from a vertical plane to an inclined plane, the permanent magnet 56 automatically rotates forward by a certain angle and adsorbs to the inclined plane. If the permanent magnet 56 does not rotate automatically, there will be a risk of falling. The specific effect is as Figure 13 shown. The ninth screw 50 is an M2 long screw. The upper housing 51 is connected to the lower housing 48 by the ninth screw 50 to form a sphere. Compared with the wheel - type foot end, the hemisphere and the plane are in a spherical pair contact, which makes the robot not affect the movement during the bionic gait movement and ensures the stability of the movement.

[0062] The working process of the legged wall - climbing robot of the present invention is as follows:

[0063] When the machine body 1 is combined with the electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device 2, the power part of the robot consists of six three-degree-of-freedom mechanical legs. The adaptive neural network system of the main control board Upboard generates rhythm signals, body trajectory signals, foot-end trajectory signals, and foot-end electromagnet switch signals, and transmits the signals to the PD controller to drive the six mechanical legs and the body to move along the predetermined trajectory. The robot imitates the triangular gait of six-legged insects for bionic movement. The rhythm signal and the foot-end trajectory signal divide the six mechanical legs of the robot into two groups, A and B. The two groups of A and B are alternately in the support state and the swing state. When the two groups of A and B are both in the support state, the body starts to move according to the body trajectory signal. Since the foot-end electromagnet 21 adsorbs to the metal surface, the foot-end cannot rotate or swing. At this time, the foot-end flexible connection device will start to deform accordingly due to pressure, tension, and torque, and passively cooperate with the body to complete the movement. The continuous alternation of the two groups of A and B between the swing state and the support state, plus the movement of the body, enables the robot to complete the crawling movement. The neural network system of the machine can generate various rhythm and gait signals to realize various movement forms of the robot, such as going straight, backing, turning, and crossing obstacles.

[0064] When the machine body 1 is combined with the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end 3, the power source of the robot on the plane is the rolling of the spherical unit. When it needs to cross an obstacle, the power source is the joint motor of the leg. When moving on the plane, the blocking unit 25 separates the spherical unit 26 and the central shaft 32. The permanent magnet 56 can rotate freely around the central shaft 32. The spherical unit 26 rolls under the action of the driving motor to make the machine device move. When encountering an obstacle, the blocking unit 25 connects the spherical unit 26 and the central shaft 32, and the driving motor drives the permanent magnet 56 and the foot-end spherical unit 26 to rotate simultaneously to complete the demagnetization operation, enabling the machine to lift its leg to cross the obstacle. Lifting the leg to cross the obstacle is completed successively by the six legs. First, the two frontmost legs cross the obstacle backward in turn.

[0065] The two different foot-ends, the electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device 2 and the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end 3, are suitable for different occasions and can be modularly combined to better adapt to the detection scenario and perform the detection task.

[0066] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A legged wall-climbing robot, characterized in that, Comprising a machine body (1); A number of mechanical legs are installed on the machine body (1), and an electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device (2) or a demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end (3) is installed on the mechanical legs. The electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device (2) and the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end (3) are applicable to different occasions; In the electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device (2), the machine calf (14) is connected to a flexible connecting member (17), and the flexible connecting member (17) is connected to an electromagnet (21); The spherical foot-end calf (23) of the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end (3) is connected to a blocking unit (25) and a driving unit (27), and both the blocking unit (25) and the driving unit (27) are connected to a spherical unit (26); The blocking wheel (31) of the blocking unit (25) is slidably connected to a groove of the central axis (32) of the spherical unit (26). A lead screw motor (34) in the blocking unit (25) is installed on a blocking bracket (36) through a sixth screw (37). A flange nut (35) is provided on the lead screw motor (34). The flange nut (35) is connected to a first transmission rod (39) through a seventh screw (38). The first transmission rod (39) is connected to a second transmission rod (42) through a first pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring (40). The second transmission rod (42) is connected to a third transmission rod (43) through a second pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring (41). A second deep groove ball bearing (47) is fixedly installed on the third transmission rod (43) through a flat head screw (49). The second deep groove ball bearing (47) is installed in the groove of the blocking wheel (31). A baffle (46) is installed outside the groove of the blocking wheel (31). The baffle (46) is fixed to the blocking wheel (31) through an eighth screw (45). The central axis (32) penetrates through the blocking wheel (31) and a first deep groove ball bearing (44). The teeth of the blocking wheel (31) cooperate with the teeth of the lower housing (48); The central axis (32) of the spherical unit (26) penetrates through a third deep groove ball bearing (54) and a fourth deep groove ball bearing (57). The third deep groove ball bearing (54) and the fourth deep groove ball bearing (57) are respectively installed at both ends of the central axis (32). The third deep groove ball bearing (54) and the fourth deep groove ball bearing (57) are both installed in bearing holes of the lower housing (48). The central axis (32) is connected to the lower housing (48). A flange coupling (30) is fixedly installed on the lower housing (48) through a countersunk head screw (58). The lower housing (48) is connected to an upper housing (51) through a ninth screw (50).

2. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The machine shell (4) of the machine body (1) is fixed to a machine connecting plate (5) through screws. The mechanical legs are connected to the machine connecting plate (5). The electromagnetic adsorption type foot-end flexible connection device (2) and the demagnetizable spherical permanent magnet adsorption foot-end (3) are fixed to the mechanical legs through screws.

3. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 2, wherein, A depth camera (9) is installed at one end of the housing body (8) of the machine housing (4). A rear cover (10) and an emergency stop switch (12) are installed at the other end of the housing body (8). A cooling fan (11) is installed on the rear cover (10). The rear cover (10) is installed on the housing body (8) through a spring hinge (13).

4. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The flexible connector (17) includes an upper thin-walled cylinder (17A), a plurality of elephant trunk struts (17B), and a lower thin-walled cylinder (17C). The elephant trunk struts (17B) have a hollow internal structure. A plurality of the elephant trunk struts (17B) are perpendicular and evenly distributed on the surfaces of the upper thin-walled cylinder (17A) and the lower thin-walled cylinder (17C). The material of the flexible connector (17) is rubber.

5. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, wherein The machine calf (14) is connected to the upper pressure plate (16) through a first screw (15). The upper thin-walled cylinder (17A) of the flexible connector (17) is squeezed between the machine calf (14) and the upper pressure plate (16).

6. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, wherein, The electromagnet (21) is connected to the transition flange (20) through a third screw (22). The transition flange (20) is connected to the lower pressure plate (19) through a second screw (18). The lower thin-walled cylinder (17C) of the flexible connector (17) is squeezed between the lower pressure plate (19) and the transition flange (20).

7. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The blocking unit (25) and the driving unit (27) are respectively connected to the spherical foot end calf (23) through a fourth screw (24). The worm and gear motor (29) in the driving unit (27) is fixedly connected to the flange coupling (30) in the spherical unit (26) through a fifth screw (28). The worm and gear motor (29) is installed on the driving bracket (33).

8. The legged wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central axis (32), the central block (52), and the armature (55) of the spherical unit (26) are fixedly connected through a third pin shaft and a shaft end retaining ring (53). A permanent magnet (56) is adsorbed on the armature (55).

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