An underwater operation robot equipment

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of robotics technology, specifically disclosing an underwater operation robot equipment particularly suitable for working on the bottom of ditches, reservoirs, and their slopes where moss grows or silt accumulates. The technical solution constituting this underwater operation robot equipment includes: a working chamber equipped with wheels capable of submerging underwater; a sealing ring mechanism at the bottom of the working chamber for sealing contact with the ground; a drainage mechanism on the side wall of the working chamber for draining water from the chamber; and a working mechanism within the working chamber for dismantling, installing, or replacing workpieces, including check valves. This robot equipment can submerge underwater to perform repairs or replacements of check valve components on the bottom and slopes of ditches and reservoirs, and is characterized by safety and high efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics technology, specifically relating to an underwater operation robot. This robot is particularly suitable for operation on the bottom of ditches, reservoirs, and their slopes where moss grows or silt accumulates. Background Technology

[0002] In large-scale water conveyance channels with long-term water flow, or on the bottom and banks of medium and large reservoirs, concrete panels are used for lining the channel bottom, slopes, and reservoir bottom and banks to ensure smooth water flow (reducing spoilage) and cleanliness of the reservoir. These panels have smooth, flat surfaces. Simultaneously, to reduce water seepage, a seepage-proof composite geomembrane is laid under the concrete panels. When the groundwater level is higher than the water level inside the channel, uplift pressure is generated on the lining structure. To relieve this uplift pressure, check valves are installed on the bottom and slopes of the concrete panels. After years of operation, these check valves may experience problems such as siltation within the cavity and component failure. Check valve failure can lead to lining damage, channel slope collapse, and other phenomena, seriously threatening the safety of the project. To solve this problem, the failed check valves must be repaired or replaced. Currently, repair and replacement work is often performed by divers. However, manual repair and replacement by divers is not only costly but also inefficient due to underwater operations, making it difficult to complete a large number of check valve repair and replacement tasks in a short time, thus seriously threatening the safety of the water conveyance project. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an underwater robot equipment capable of diving underwater to repair or replace check valve components on the bottom, slope, reservoir bottom, and embankment.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0005] An underwater operation robot includes a work cabin equipped with wheels capable of submerging underwater, characterized in that:

[0006] A sealing ring mechanism capable of sealing contact with the ground is provided at the bottom of the working chamber, a drainage mechanism capable of draining water from the working chamber is provided on the side wall of the working chamber, and a working mechanism capable of removing, installing or replacing workpieces including check valves is provided in the working chamber.

[0007] The additional technical features constituting the above-mentioned underwater operation robot equipment also include:

[0008] 1. The work chamber is an open-top cylindrical structure;

[0009] 2. The working chamber is composed of a working cylinder and a cover structure disposed on its upper part, and the cover structure is sealed to the working cylinder to form a sealed chamber;

[0010] 3. The walking wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the working chamber via their pivots and can be adjusted vertically; a soft cleaning mechanism that can rotate differentially with the pivot of the walking wheels is provided.

[0011] 4. The wheels on the work cab are multi-axle and multi-wheel configuration, that is, multiple parallel axles with driving wheels at both ends are provided.

[0012] 5. The sealing ring mechanism is located at the bottom or around the bottom of the working chamber;

[0013] 6. The sealing ring mechanism is bonded to the annular rubber gasket, and the outer ring and inner ring of the rubber gasket are respectively located on the inner and outer sides of the working chamber;

[0014] 7. Two to six sealing ring auxiliary mechanisms are provided around the bottom perimeter of the working chamber;

[0015] 8. The sealing ring auxiliary mechanism includes an adsorption disk structure with a flat bottom and a bladder-like upper part, as well as a high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism, that is, the high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism can realize vacuum suction and high-pressure inflation of the adsorption disk.

[0016] 9. The flat bottom of the adsorption disk structure is a convex ring around the perimeter, and inside the convex ring are several horn-shaped suction disks;

[0017] 10. The high-pressure inflation / deflation mechanism is located on the side of the working chamber and is connected to the bladder via a control mechanism and pipeline;

[0018] 11. The capsule containing the capsule is filled with at least 25-75% water by volume;

[0019] 12. A second high-pressure charging and discharging mechanism electrically connected to a pressure sensing mechanism is provided inside and on the side of the sealed chamber, that is, the second high-pressure charging and discharging mechanism can realize vacuum suction and high-pressure charging of the sealed chamber through the pressure sensing mechanism;

[0020] 13. The driving wheels are equipped with paddle blades, which can propel the robot to walk in water;

[0021] 14. The work chamber is equipped with a cable mechanism that can control its lifting and lowering. This cable mechanism is controlled by a vehicle located on the roadside by the canal via a hook. That is, the control mechanism located in the vehicle can realize the lifting of the cable. At the same time, the operation control of the work chamber's working mechanism is realized through the control mechanism and data transmission mechanism in the vehicle.

[0022] Compared with existing technologies, the underwater operation robot equipment provided by this invention has the following advantages: First, because the working chamber of the underwater operation robot equipment, which is capable of submerging underwater and equipped with wheels, is equipped with a sealing ring mechanism at the bottom that can seal against the ground and a drainage mechanism that can drain water from the working chamber, it can greatly facilitate the dismantling, installation, or operation of workpieces such as check valves on the bottom of channels, reservoirs, or slopes by operators or the working mechanism installed in the working chamber, resulting in high efficiency; Second, because the working chamber of the underwater operation robot equipment is composed of a working cylinder and a cover structure on top of it, forming a sealed chamber structure, it can realize the dismantling of workpieces including check valves on the bottom of channels, reservoirs, or slopes in deep water. In addition to the removal, installation, or operation of the robot, the robot's walking wheels are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the work chamber in pairs or two pairs of four. A soft cleaning mechanism capable of differential rotation is installed on the axle of each walking wheel, enabling the removal of sediment from the work surface, creating a smooth working surface, and facilitating a sealed contact between the bottom and the bottom surface of the work chamber, thus facilitating the drainage of water from the work chamber. Furthermore, because a pressure sensing mechanism is installed in the sealed chamber and connected to a second high-pressure inflation / deflation mechanism, the air pressure within the sealed chamber can be controlled to match the pressure of the groundwater installed on the concrete slab and connected through a check valve and the concrete slab. This greatly facilitates the replacement of the check valve connected to the groundwater. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an underwater operation robot equipment provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a top view of the underwater robot equipment.

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the second cross-sectional structure for the operating chamber of the robot;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the working chamber for an underwater robot.

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the side structure;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure that constitutes the adsorption disk.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adsorption disk during vacuuming.

[0030] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure when the adsorption plate is inflated;

[0031] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a working chamber capable of pressure adjustment for vacuum suction and high-pressure inflation;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of an underwater robot equipped with a traction mechanism. Implementation

[0033] The structure and working principle of an underwater operation robot equipment provided by the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] like Figure 1 , 2 The diagram shows a structural schematic of an underwater operation robot provided by the present invention. The underwater operation robot comprises a working chamber 2 capable of submerging underwater, equipped with two pairs of four symmetrically arranged wheels 1A and 1B. A sealing ring mechanism 4 is located at the bottom of the working chamber, capable of sealing contact with the channel bottom 3. A drainage mechanism 5 is located on the side wall of the working chamber, capable of draining water from the working chamber. A working mechanism 7 is located within the working chamber, capable of removing, installing, or replacing workpieces 6, including check valves, fixed to the channel bottom. The two pairs of four symmetrically arranged wheels 1 can be adjusted vertically via their adjustment mechanism 11, allowing the working chamber 2 to sit on the channel bottom or reservoir bottom to achieve sealed contact with the working surface.

[0035] The working principle of the above-mentioned underwater operation robot equipment is as follows: the power mechanism controls the walking wheels to enter the water channel until the work site, and puts the check valve and other parts to be repaired or replaced into the work chamber. The walking wheels are lifted by the adjustment mechanism, and the sealing ring mechanism set around the work chamber squats on the work surface of the channel bottom or reservoir bottom to seal the contact, so that the work chamber is isolated from the water channel. Then, the water in the work chamber is discharged by the drainage mechanism. Thus, the repair and replacement of various workpieces 6, including check valves, fixed on the channel bottom or reservoir bottom can be successfully completed in the work chamber by the operation mechanism 7.

[0036] In the structure constituting the above-mentioned underwater operation robot equipment:

[0037] 1. Whether it is a large water conveyance channel or a reservoir, due to long-term operation, varying degrees of siltation occur on the concrete slab surface of the channel. In order to facilitate the sealing contact between the sealing ring mechanism 4 at the bottom of the working chamber and the channel bottom and reservoir bottom 3 at the working face, the channel bottom and reservoir bottom around the check valve that needs to be repaired or replaced should be cleaned thoroughly; if Figure 2As shown, a soft cleaning mechanism 13 capable of differential rotation is provided on the axle 12 of the two pairs of four walking wheels 1A and 1B; that is, when the walking wheels are moving, the differential rotation shaft formed by their axle 12 drives the soft cleaning mechanism 13 (the rotation speed of the soft cleaning mechanism is preferably faster than the rotation speed of the walking wheels) to clean the silt and stones on the bottom of the canal and reservoir 3, and form a flat, smooth and clean working surface.

[0038] 2. Since the bottom of the channel and reservoir is made of concrete panels, its pressure resistance is limited. When the robot operates on the smooth and flat concrete panels, its own weight cannot crush or destroy the concrete panels. This requires that the pressure exerted by the underwater robot's own weight on the concrete panels be appropriate. In order to prevent the robot, which is composed of a working chamber with multiple control mechanisms inside, from cracking the concrete panels during operation, its wheels 1A and 1B can be set as a multi-wheel structure with multiple parallel axes (set according to the pressure resistance of the concrete panels).

[0039] 3. When the water surface in the ditch or reservoir is shallow (not exceeding 1.0 meter), the working chamber 2 of the underwater robot can be an open working cylinder structure. After the water in the open working chamber is drained, it is convenient to repair and replace the check valves and other workpieces 6 on the working surface of the ditch or reservoir.

[0040] 4. When the water surface in the ditch or reservoir is deep (more than 1.0 meter), the working chamber 2 of the underwater robot equipment (such as...) Figure 1 (As shown) It consists of a working cylinder 22 and a cover structure 23 set on its upper part, which are sealed together to form a sealed chamber 24. That is, the traveling wheels are controlled by the power mechanism to enter the water channel. The sealing ring mechanism set around the working chamber formed by the sealed chamber is in sealed contact with the ground, so that the working chamber 24 is isolated from the water channel. Then, the water in the working chamber is discharged through the drainage mechanism 5. The working mechanism 7 in the sealed chamber can then complete the maintenance and replacement of workpieces 6 such as check valves in the bottom of the channel and reservoir.

[0041] 5. The sealing ring mechanism 4, which enables the working chamber to form a sealed contact with the channel bottom or reservoir bottom, can be installed at the bottom of the working chamber cylinder 22 (e.g., Figure 1 (as shown); or as shown Figure 3 The perimeter of the bottom of the working chamber cylinder 22 is shown. The bottom of the working chamber is in sealed contact with the bottom of the channel or the bottom of the reservoir 3 through the sealing ring mechanism 4, which isolates the inside and outside of the working chamber and facilitates the drainage mechanism to drain the water in the working chamber.

[0042] 6. For work chambers with large spaces, when submerged to the bottom of the channel or reservoir, it is necessary to overcome not only the force of the flowing water but also the buoyancy caused by the increased volume, which affects the stability of the work chamber. Simply relying on a sealing ring mechanism 4 at the bottom is clearly insufficient to meet these requirements; for example... Figure 4, 5 As shown, 2-6, preferably 4, sealing ring auxiliary mechanisms 8 are set around the bottom perimeter of the working chamber 2; the structure of the sealing ring auxiliary mechanism (as shown) Figure 6 (As shown) It consists of an adsorption disk structure 81 with a flat bottom 811 and a capsule 812 at the top, as well as a high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism; wherein the high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism consists of a high-pressure gas cylinder 815 located on the side of the working chamber 2 and connected to the capsule 812 through a control mechanism 813 and a pipeline 814, that is, the high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism can realize vacuum suction and high-pressure inflation of the adsorption disk structure 81.

[0043] Its working principle is as follows: when the working chamber 2 is positioned on the concrete brick surface 3 at the bottom of the channel where the check valve workpiece 6 needs to be replaced or repaired, the vacuum chamber 812, which constitutes the adsorption plate structure 81, is evacuated through the pipeline via the control mechanism 813. As the working chamber 2 sinks as a whole, a central concave shape appears at the flat bottom of the chamber 812 (as shown in the image). Figure 7 As shown), this allows the adsorption plate structure 81 to firmly adhere to the concrete brick surface 3, greatly improving the adsorption strength between the working chamber and the concrete brick surface 3, and enhancing the anchoring force and stability between them. At this point, activating the drainage mechanism 5 to drain the water from the working chamber effectively ensures the working space within the chamber. After the working chamber 2 has completed the maintenance and replacement of workpieces such as check valves, the high-pressure gas cylinder 815 is used via the control mechanism 813 to inflate the bladder 812 that constitutes the adsorption plate structure 81 through a pipeline (e.g., ...). Figure 8 As shown, the flat bottom of the capsule 812 bulges outward to create a high-pressure air bladder, generating buoyancy. This effectively releases the adhesion between the adsorption plate structure 81 and the concrete brick surface 3, facilitating the underwater robot's transfer to other locations for maintenance and replacement of components such as check valves. Furthermore, by controlling the amount of high-pressure air injected into the capsule 812, the elastic diaphragm 8112 at the flat bottom of the capsule 812 can be made to either recede inward or bulge outward, enabling the underwater robot to dive, surface, and hover. Additionally, the driving wheels (especially around their circumference) are equipped with paddle blades 1A1 and 1B1, which propel the robot equipment to move backward in the water, further facilitating its operation.

[0044] 7. To further improve the adsorption force between the capsule 812 of the adsorption disk structure 81 and the concrete brick surface 3 after vacuuming, the flat bottom 811 constituting the adsorption disk structure is configured as follows: Figure 6 , 7As shown in Figure 8, the bladder 812 consists of a convex ring 8111 around its periphery and several horn-shaped elastic rubber diaphragms inside the convex ring. When the high-pressure inflation / deflation mechanism evacuates the bladder 812, the convex ring 8111 around its periphery adheres to the concrete brick surface 3, and the several horn-shaped suction cups 8112 inside the convex ring also adhere to the concrete brick surface 3. Therefore, the bladder 812 generates a large adsorption force with minimal deformation. In addition, it is preferable to fill the bladder 812 of the aforementioned auxiliary disc structure 81 with 25-75% water 813 by volume, which can effectively reduce deformation during vacuuming and increase the weight of the working chamber.

[0045] 8. For example Figure 9 As shown, after the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2 is drained by the drainage mechanism 5, the air pressure inside is either lower or higher than the pressure of the groundwater system 9 connected to the check valve (most likely lower than the groundwater system pressure). When disassembling or repairing the check valve component 6 located on the concrete slab within, groundwater will spray out through the connecting pipe 61, affecting the overall maintenance and replacement of the check valve and its components. Therefore, a pressure sensing mechanism 25 is installed inside the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2, and a second high-pressure charging / discharging mechanism 10 is installed on the side of the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2, consisting of a second high-pressure air cylinder 101 and a pipeline 103 controlled by a charging / discharging switch 102. The pressure sensing mechanism 25 is electrically connected to the second high-pressure charging / discharging mechanism 10, meaning that the second high-pressure charging / discharging mechanism can adjust the pressure of the sealed chamber through vacuum suction and high-pressure charging via the pressure sensing mechanism 25; that is, when repairing or disassembling the check valve,

[0046] When groundwater sprays outward, it indicates that the pressure inside the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2 is lower than the water pressure of the groundwater system under the concrete brick slab. The pressure sensing mechanism 25 transmits a signal to open the air filling and pumping switch to control 102 to fill it with high-pressure air from the second high-pressure air bottle 101 until it reaches equilibrium with the water pressure of the groundwater system. Then the groundwater will stop spraying outward from the connecting pipe 61. At this time, the entire check valve and its components can be easily repaired and replaced.

[0047] After the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2 is drained by the drainage mechanism 5, it is difficult to remove the check valve and its components when replacing or repairing them. The water pressure of the groundwater system under the concrete brick slab is lower than the air pressure in the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2, making replacement and repair work inconvenient. Therefore, the pressure sensing mechanism 25 transmits a signal to open the air filling and emptying switch to control 102 to evacuate the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2 (that is, to draw the air in the sealed chamber 2 into the second high-pressure air cylinder 101) until it reaches equilibrium with the water pressure of the groundwater system. Then, the groundwater will appear in the connecting pipe 61, at which point the replacement and repair of the check valve and its components can be easily achieved.

[0048] In the structure of the aforementioned sealed chamber (working chamber) 2, in order to further improve the isolation performance between its interior and exterior during drainage and / or pressurization or depressurization (vacuuming) (further improving the sealing performance of the sealing ring mechanism constituting the sealed chamber), such as Figure 3 , 7 The sealing ring mechanism 4 constituting the working chamber is bonded to the annular rubber gasket 26. The inner ring 261 and outer ring 262 constituting the rubber gasket are located on the inner and outer sides of the working chamber, respectively. That is, when the sealed chamber (working chamber) 2 is pressurized or depressurized (vacuumed) or water is discharged from the chamber, if the pressure inside the chamber is higher than the external water pressure, the inner ring 261 constituting the rubber gasket will adhere to the concrete and slab surface 3 inside the chamber to prevent high pressure leakage. If the pressure inside the chamber is lower than the external water pressure, the outer ring 262 constituting the rubber gasket will adhere to the concrete and slab surface 3 outside the chamber to prevent water from flowing into the chamber, effectively improving the sealing and isolation performance of the sealing ring mechanism.

[0049] Because the entire water conveyance project can span several regions and cross different geological structures, it is difficult to determine the groundwater level, which poses certain challenges to the maintenance and repair of the project. By utilizing methods such as... Figure 6 The sealed chamber (operating chamber) 2 shown is used for replacing and maintaining the check valve. When the operating mechanism 7 is working inside the operating chamber 2, the check valve is open. The pressure inside the operating chamber is adjusted by the second high-pressure inflation / deflation mechanism. Groundwater flows through the drain pipe to a level at the check valve port that neither rises nor falls. The pressure value displayed by the pressure sensor 25 inside the operating chamber 2 is equal to the groundwater level pressure under the concrete slab. The check valve is open, and the operating mechanism 7 operates in an environment where the pressure inside the operating chamber 2 is equal to the groundwater level pressure under the concrete slab. Pressure balance inside and outside the operating chamber is the safe basis for the operating mechanism to work under pressure. This allows for the detection and recording of groundwater level values ​​at different stages of the aforementioned water conveyance project, providing a data foundation for the overall maintenance and repair of the water conveyance project.

[0050] 9. Because components such as check valves located in ditches and at the bottom of dams require maintenance and replacement, and these replacement parts are located far apart, in order to accelerate the robot's land-based movement and transfer processes and further improve efficiency, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the structure constituting the underwater operation robot also includes a vehicle mechanism D installed on the canal-side road C and capable of relocation. This vehicle mechanism also houses a control mechanism D1 and a data transmission mechanism D2. The control mechanism D1 and data transmission mechanism D2 are electrically connected to the operation mechanism 7, drainage mechanism 5, pressure sensing mechanism 25, and second high-pressure inflation / deflation mechanism 10 in the operation chamber 2, and can control these mechanisms to perform operations. A connection is provided between the vehicle mechanism D and the operation chamber 2. controlThe cable mechanism E for lifting and lowering the work chamber 2 is used to lift and transfer the work chamber 2 after it has completed its operation.

Claims

1. An underwater operation robot equipment, comprising a working chamber equipped with wheels capable of submerging underwater, characterized in that: A sealing ring mechanism capable of sealing contact with the ground is provided at the bottom of the working chamber, a drainage mechanism capable of draining water from the working chamber is provided on the side wall of the working chamber, and a working mechanism capable of removing, installing or replacing workpieces including check valves is provided in the working chamber. The working chamber consists of a working cylinder and a cover structure located on its upper part, which is sealed to the working cylinder to form a sealed chamber. The traveling wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the working chamber via their pivots and can be adjusted vertically. A soft cleaning mechanism that can rotate differentially with the pivots of the traveling wheels is provided. The sealing ring mechanism is located at the bottom or around the bottom of the working chamber. 2-6 sealing ring auxiliary mechanisms are provided around the bottom of the working chamber. The sealing ring auxiliary mechanism includes an adsorption disk structure with a flat bottom and a bladder-like upper part, as well as a high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism. The high-pressure inflation and deflation mechanism can realize vacuum suction and high-pressure inflation of the adsorption disk. The capsule contains at least 25-75% water by volume. A second high-pressure charging and discharging mechanism electrically connected to a pressure sensing mechanism is provided inside and on the side of the sealed chamber. This second high-pressure charging and discharging mechanism can realize vacuum suction and high-pressure charging of the sealed chamber through the pressure sensing mechanism, and control the air pressure in the sealed chamber to be consistent with the groundwater pressure, so as to facilitate the replacement of the check valve connected to the groundwater.

2. The underwater operation robot equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The wheels on the work chamber are multi-axle and multi-wheel configurations, with each wheel comprising multiple parallel axles and traveling wheels at both ends of the axles.

3. The underwater operation robot equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing ring mechanism is bonded to the annular rubber pad, and the outer ring and inner ring of the rubber pad are respectively located on the inside and outside of the working chamber.

4. The underwater operation robot equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The flat bottom of the adsorption disk structure is a convex ring around the perimeter, and inside the convex ring are several horn-shaped suction cups.

5. The underwater operation robot equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The high-pressure inflation / deflation mechanism is located on the side of the operating chamber and is connected to the bladder via a control mechanism and pipelines.

6. The underwater operation robot equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The walking wheels are equipped with paddle blades, which enable the robot to walk in water.

7. The underwater operation robot equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The work chamber is equipped with a cable mechanism that can control its lifting and lowering. This cable mechanism is controlled by a vehicle located on the roadside by the canal via a hook. The control mechanism in the vehicle can realize the lifting of the cable. At the same time, the operation control of the work chamber's working mechanism is realized through the control mechanism and data transmission mechanism in the vehicle.

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