An underwater robot

CN116198696BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-04BEIJING MECHANICAL EQUIP INST
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202111445629.3
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2021-11-30
Publication Date
2026-09-04
Estimated Expiration
2041-11-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0005]基于上述的分析,本发明旨在提供一种水下机器人,解决了现有技术中密封结构空间大、重量高且不能进行有效漏水监控的问题

Benefits of technology

[0029] (1) Existing AUVs use an unsealed tail section equipped with waterproof servos and waterproof thrusters. Since the servos and thrusters need to be waterproof themselves, achieving waterproofing requires a specially designed independent waterproof structure or the selection of underwater working components. Furthermore, the electrical components that enable control and drive functions also need to be waterproofed, resulting in a large structural space and high weight. This invention does not waterproof the servos and thrusters individually, but achieves sealing and waterproofing of the entire section through the matching of dynamic and static sealing components. By selecting sealing components specifically for the characteristics of different locations, the number of sealing parts is reduced, thereby reducing the overall weight of the underwater robot.

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Abstract

The application relates to an underwater robot and belongs to the technical field of underwater vehicles of ocean engineering, and solves the problems that the sealing structure is large in space, high in weight and cannot effectively monitor water leakage in the prior art. The underwater robot comprises a tail section device, the tail section device comprises a watertight tail cabin section, the watertight tail cabin section is internally provided with a water leakage detection module and a control driving module; the water leakage detection module comprises a first printed circuit board, the first printed circuit board is arranged at the lowest point in the watertight tail cabin section and is electrically connected with the control driving module; two conductive test points are arranged on the first printed circuit board, and the electric levels of the two conductive test points are different. The application realizes real-time detection of water leakage under the premise of effectively ensuring the sealing of the watertight tail cabin section, and guarantees reliable operation of the underwater robot.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of underwater vehicle technology in marine engineering, and more specifically, to an underwater robot. Background Technology

[0002] An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is an underwater robot that integrates artificial intelligence, system integration, detection and identification technologies. It completes predetermined underwater tasks through autonomous decision-making and control systems. AUVs offer advantages such as small size, low noise, and low cost. In military applications, they can perform tasks such as mine clearance, intelligence gathering, and target designation. In civilian applications, they can be used for marine environmental measurement, observation, and data collection. AUVs have pointed the way for the development of underwater robots and possess broad prospects for future growth.

[0003] The tail section serves two purposes: first, it drives the wing surface to deflect via servo motor rotation, thereby controlling the AUV's yaw or pitch attitude; second, it drives the propeller to rotate at high speed via the thruster, providing the AUV with forward propulsion power and realizing the AUV's attitude control and propulsion functions.

[0004] Currently, there are two main approaches to the technology of traditional AUV tail sections. One approach is to use an unsealed section equipped with waterproof servos and propulsion systems. Since the servos and propulsion systems themselves need to be waterproof, achieving this requires a specially designed independent waterproof structure or the selection of underwater working components. Furthermore, the electrical components that enable control and drive functions also need to be waterproofed, resulting in a large structural space and high weight. The other approach is to use a fishtail-like biomimetic structure. This approach utilizes fishtail-like oscillations to achieve attitude and propulsion functions, requiring relative motion between the tail section and the AUV's forward section. This can easily transmit motion to the forward section, which is detrimental to attitude stability. In particular, the forward section contains equipment with detection or reconnaissance functions, affecting the AUV's mission completion capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above analysis, the present invention aims to provide an underwater robot that solves the problems of large space, high weight, and inability to effectively monitor water leakage in the existing sealed structure.

[0006] The objective of this invention is mainly achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] An underwater robot includes a tail section, which includes a watertight tail section. The watertight tail section has a leakage detection module and a control drive module inside. The leakage detection module includes a first printed circuit board, which is located at the lowest point inside the watertight tail section and is electrically connected to the control drive module. The first printed circuit board has two conductive test points with different electrical voltage levels.

[0008] Optionally, there may be multiple first printed circuit boards, which are circumferentially distributed within the watertight stern section.

[0009] Optionally, the first printed circuit board is flexible.

[0010] Optionally, the substrate of the first printed circuit board is a polyester film.

[0011] Optionally, the leakage detection module further includes a second printed circuit board; the second printed circuit board is electrically connected to the control drive module.

[0012] Optionally, at least one of the two sides of the first printed circuit board is provided with the second printed circuit board.

[0013] Optionally, the second printed circuit board is provided on both sides of the first printed circuit board.

[0014] Optionally, the second printed circuit board is provided with multiple pairs of conductive test points.

[0015] Optionally, the conductivity test point is a pin.

[0016] Optionally, each pair of pins may be at a different vertical distance from the first printed circuit board.

[0017] Optionally, the watertight tail section is further provided with a servo motor, a thruster, and a control drive module; the servo motor and the thruster are electrically connected to the control drive module; the watertight tail section also includes a sealing assembly for sealing the watertight tail section to prevent water from the external environment from entering the interior of the watertight tail section.

[0018] Based on the further improvement of the tail section device described above, the sealing assembly includes a dynamic sealing assembly, which includes a first sealing assembly disposed at the connection between the watertight tail section and the servo output shaft.

[0019] Based on the further improvement of the above-mentioned tail section device, the tail section of the watertight tail section is connected to an anti-entanglement cover, the inside of the anti-entanglement cover is provided with a thruster blade, and the thruster blade is located on the thruster output shaft between the watertight tail section and the anti-entanglement cover.

[0020] Based on the further improvements to the aforementioned tail section device, the dynamic sealing assembly also includes a second sealing assembly disposed at the connection between the watertight tail section and the anti-entanglement cover.

[0021] Based on the further improvements to the tail section device described above, the sealing assembly also includes a static sealing assembly, which is disposed between the sealing end cap and the watertight tail section.

[0022] Based on the further improvement of the tail section device, the servo includes multiple servo motors, each of which is connected to a servo motor output shaft, and the outer ends of the servo motor output shafts all extend out of the watertight tail section.

[0023] Based on the further improvement of the above-mentioned tail section device, the control drive module is located at the front end of the watertight tail section, and the watertight tail section is provided with a sealing end cap for sealing its internal chamber.

[0024] Based on the further improvement of the tail section device described above, a thrust bearing is provided on the output shaft of the thruster.

[0025] Based on the further improvement of the tail section device, the first sealing component has 4 locations.

[0026] Based on the further improvement of the above-mentioned tail section device, the second sealing component is 1.

[0027] Based on the further improvements to the tail section device described above, the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are arranged around the inner wall of the tail section compartment.

[0028] This invention can achieve at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0029] (1) Existing AUVs use an unsealed tail section equipped with waterproof servos and waterproof thrusters. Since the servos and thrusters need to be waterproof themselves, achieving waterproofing requires a specially designed independent waterproof structure or the selection of underwater working components. Furthermore, the electrical components that enable control and drive functions also need to be waterproofed, resulting in a large structural space and high weight. This invention does not waterproof the servos and thrusters individually, but achieves sealing and waterproofing of the entire section through the matching of dynamic and static sealing components. By selecting sealing components specifically for the characteristics of different locations, the number of sealing parts is reduced, thereby reducing the overall weight of the underwater robot.

[0030] (2) Existing leak detection modules are typically hygrometers, which detect leaks by measuring the humidity inside the compartment. This method has the following drawbacks: first, it cannot detect leaks in a timely manner because it takes time for humidity to increase after a leak occurs; second, the compartment is in an underwater environment, where humidity is high even when there is no leak, thus increasing the risk of false alarms. The leak detection module of this invention is a flexible printed circuit board. It utilizes the conductivity of water to make the copper wires of the flexible printed circuit board conductive, and sends an electrical signal to the control drive module to trigger a leak alarm. This allows for real-time monitoring of the watertightness of the watertight tail compartment, enabling timely damage mitigation and ensuring the reliability of the underwater robot's operation.

[0031] (3) By providing flexible printed circuit boards on both sides of the flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board) located at the lowest point, the present invention can not only monitor whether there is water leakage, but also monitor the specific depth of water leakage, thereby effectively guiding the operator to perform the corresponding operation.

[0032] (4) Multiple first flexible printed circuit boards and multiple second flexible printed circuit boards are arranged exactly around the inner wall of the tail section compartment. If water accumulates at a location other than the location of the first flexible printed circuit board (i.e., the lowest point as commonly believed) after a leak occurs, the second flexible printed circuit boards located on both sides of the first flexible printed circuit board can also successfully detect the leak, further improving the success rate of leak detection.

[0033] (5) According to specific service conditions, the present invention provides a thrust bearing and a deep groove ball bearing on the outside of the propeller output shaft. By providing a thrust bearing, axial thrust is avoided from acting inside the propeller, thereby preventing the reducer from jamming; by providing a deep groove ball bearing, the cantilever beam type propeller output shaft is transformed into a simply supported beam, eliminating the skew effect at the outer end of the propeller output shaft, optimizing the coaxiality of the propeller output shaft rotation, and improving the sealing effect.

[0034] (6) The present invention realizes the integrated design of the servo motor, the propeller and the control drive module in the watertight tail section, and ensures the overall sealing effect.

[0035] In this invention, the above-described technical solutions can be combined with each other to achieve more preferred combinations. Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the following description, and some advantages may become apparent from the description or be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained through the embodiments described and the accompanying drawings, which are particularly pointed out. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the underwater robot tail section device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the underwater robot tail section device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of the water leakage detection module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the working principle of the thruster in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the working principle of the servo motor in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second flexible printed circuit board structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first flexible printed circuit board and the second flexible printed circuit board in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure label:

[0045] 1-Watertight stern section; 11-Sealed end cap;

[0046] 2-Servo motor; 21-Servo motor output shaft;

[0047] 3-Thruster; 31-Thruster output shaft; 32-Thruster blade;

[0048] 4-Control drive module;

[0049] 5-Anti-tangling cover;

[0050] 6-Static sealing assembly;

[0051] 7-Servo motor sealing assembly;

[0052] 8-Thruster sealing assembly;

[0053] 9-Leakage detection module; 91-First flexible printed circuit board; 92-Conductivity test point;

[0054] 10 - Thrust bearing;

[0055] 11-Deep groove ball bearing;

[0056] 12 - Second flexible printed circuit board. Detailed Implementation

[0057] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this application and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0058] See Figures 1-2 A specific embodiment of the present invention discloses an underwater robot tail section device, including: a watertight tail section 1, wherein a servo motor 2, a thruster 3, a control drive module 4, a sealing assembly, and a leakage detection module 9 are installed inside the watertight tail section 1; the servo motor 2, the thruster 3, and the leakage detection module 9 are electrically connected to the control drive module 4 respectively.

[0059] The underwater robot tail section device of this invention is mainly used in untethered underwater robots. Through the electrical connection between the control drive module 4 and the servo motor 2 and the thruster 3, the movement attitude of the AUV can be controlled and forward power can be provided. The sealing components can form an effective seal for the internal cavity of the watertight tail section 1. Compared with the traditional waterproof servo motor, waterproof thruster 3 and electrical waterproof design, the distributed sealing components can effectively reduce the number of parts and reduce the overall weight.

[0060] Based on the design of the sealing components, by installing a leakage detection module 9 inside the watertight tail section 1 and electrically connecting it to the control drive module 4, the real-time leakage detection function inside the watertight tail section 1 is realized. This enables real-time monitoring of the sealing status of the watertight tail section 1, ensuring the reliable operation of the underwater robot.

[0061] Servo motor 2, thruster 3, and water leakage detection module 9 are connected to control drive module 4 via cables to realize signal transmission and reception and power supply.

[0062] The servo motor 2 in this invention includes multiple servo motors 2 installed at the front of the watertight stern section 1. Specifically, the servo motors 2 are high-precision servo motors 2, and the multiple high-precision servo motors 2 are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the watertight stern section 1. Each high-precision servo motor 2 is connected to a servo motor 2 output shaft, and the outer end of the servo motor 2 output shaft extends out of the shell of the watertight stern section 1 and is connected to a control surface.

[0063] The high-precision servo motor 2 can receive PWM signals and motor commutation signals, and simultaneously collect sensor feedback signals to drive the control surface to deflect and control the AUV's motion attitude.

[0064] An anti-entanglement shield 5 is connected to the stern of the watertight tail section 1, mainly used to install the thruster blades 32. The thruster blades 32 are located radially inside the anti-entanglement shield 5, which can prevent underwater debris from getting entangled on the thruster blades 32. The thruster blades 32 are mounted on the thruster output shaft 31 between the watertight tail section 1 and the anti-entanglement shield 5. In this embodiment, the thruster 3 is installed inside the watertight tail section 1, and the output shaft of the thruster 3 is connected to the thruster 3 and extends from inside the watertight tail section 1 to the anti-entanglement shield 5, mounting the thruster blades 32 on the thruster output shaft 31. The thruster 3 in this embodiment is a high-power-density thruster 3, which directly uses DC voltage to control the speed of the thruster 3, and simultaneously calculates the speed of the thruster 3 by collecting Hall signals to achieve closed-loop control of the thruster 3's speed.

[0065] In this embodiment, both the servo motor 2 and the thruster 3 adopt digital control, and the position and speed are controlled by the control drive module 4 in a closed loop. The control drive module 4 receives signals from the AUV host computer, provides feedback on the working status of the underwater robot's tail section, sends position and speed commands to the servo motor 2 and the thruster 3, and provides power voltage.

[0066] By employing high-precision servo motor 2 and high-power-density thruster 3 in the tail section of the AUV, the servo motor 2 and thruster 3 utilize brushless DC servo motors and drive technology to achieve rapid speed adjustment and commutation, which can greatly improve the dynamic response capability of the AUV.

[0067] The control drive module 4 is installed at the front end of the watertight stern section 1, and the watertight stern section 1 is provided with a sealing end cap 11 for sealing its internal chamber. By installing the sealing end cap 11 at the end of the watertight stern section 1, a sealed internal chamber of the stern section can be formed, ensuring the normal installation of components such as the control drive module 4, the servo motor 2, and the thruster 3.

[0068] The working principle of the control drive module is as follows:

[0069] The system adopts an overall circular layout. The control and drive sections are designed as separate zones to prevent heat from the drive section from affecting the information processing circuitry. The drive section can directly conduct its heat away through the housing surface, facilitating heat dissipation for the power devices. The cover plate is fixed to the outer surface of the housing with countersunk screws, facilitating assembly, disassembly, and maintenance. Considering the location of the temperature sensor, it can be placed on the circuit board close to the structure, away from heat sources.

[0070] The structure of the control section fully considers the circuit division, connector layout, and structural space requirements, and is optimized to meet the circuit space requirements. At the same time, it provides a good shielding environment for the control circuit, effectively preventing electromagnetic interference with external equipment and improving the electromagnetic compatibility of the system.

[0071] The control section integrates a control board and a drive board. The control board processes the instructions from the integrated control computer and generates motor control signals, while the drive board amplifies the power of the motor control signals.

[0072] The main functions of the control drive module include:

[0073] 1) Receive servo control command signals and thruster speed control command signals from the integrated control unit via the CAN interface, and send the collected servo shaft position feedback signals and thruster speed feedback signals to the integrated control unit;

[0074] 2) The received servo position control command signal is compared with the servo shaft position feedback signal. Through calculation, the speed and steering control quantity of the servo motor are obtained and sent to the drive circuit to control the position of the servo.

[0075] 3) The received speed control command signal from the thruster is converted to obtain the control quantities of rotational speed and steering, which are then sent to the thruster drive circuit to perform speed control.

[0076] The working principle of the thruster is as follows:

[0077] The control drive module receives instructions from the integrated control computer in the underwater AUV. The driver uses a combination of a drive module and a drive board. The drive module directly controls the thruster speed using DC voltage and controls the thruster's rotation direction via the F / R direction control I / O port. Thruster speed control is achieved through the PWM signal output from the control drive module, while the F / R direction control signal is output from the GPIO port of the control drive module. The module also monitors the thruster's Hall effect signals in real time to calculate the thruster speed. Its working principle block diagram is shown below. Figure 4 As shown.

[0078] The servo motor of this invention adopts a digital control method, and its main working principle is as follows:

[0079] During each control cycle, the controller acquires control command signals from the underwater AUV's integrated control computer and simultaneously acquires sensor position feedback signals. The control drive module, through its control software, compares and calculates the command signals and position feedback signals, then sends the required PWM and commutation signals to the servo motor. This causes the motor to move at the corresponding speed and direction. After deceleration by the reducer, it drives the control surface to deflect, ensuring that the control surface approaches the given commanded deflection angle within the specified response time. The servo motor's working principle is as follows: Figure 5 As shown.

[0080] The sealing assembly in this invention specifically includes a dynamic sealing assembly and a static sealing assembly 6. The static sealing assembly 6 is set on the sealing end cover 11 at the front end of the control drive module 4 and includes a rubber O-ring. The sealing end cover 11 is used to press the rubber O-ring to achieve a static seal at the front end of the watertight tail section 1.

[0081] The dynamic sealing assembly is specifically installed on the servo output shaft 21 and the thruster output shaft 31. Specifically, in this embodiment, the dynamic sealing assembly is installed at the junction of the watertight tail section 1 and the servo output shaft 21, and at the junction of the anti-entanglement cover 5 and the watertight tail section 1.

[0082] By using dynamic sealing components installed at the aforementioned junctions, the dynamic sealing of the propeller output shaft 31 and the servo motor output shaft 21 during rotation can be effectively achieved, keeping the watertight tail section 1 watertight.

[0083] Specifically, the dynamic sealing assembly includes different forms depending on the different characteristics of the working states of the servo motor output shaft 21 and the thruster output shaft 31.

[0084] The servo motor sealing assembly 7 at the junction of the servo motor output shaft 21 and the watertight tail section 1 is designed with a combination of nylon retaining rings and rubber O-rings to achieve dynamic sealing, taking into account the low speed, small load and short-term intermittent operation.

[0085] The thruster sealing assembly 8 at the junction of the anti-entanglement cover 5 and the watertight stern section 1, considering long continuous working time, high speed, and simultaneous bearing of axial thrust, radial force, and torque, is equipped with a thrust bearing 10 to bear the axial thrust and prevent the axial thrust from acting inside the thruster 3, thus avoiding gearbox jamming; a deep groove ball bearing 11 is installed to bear the radial force, transforming the cantilever beam type thruster output shaft 31 into a simply supported beam, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the skew effect at the outer end of the thruster output shaft 31 is eliminated, the coaxiality of the thruster output shaft 31 is optimized, and the sealing effect is improved.

[0086] The thruster 3 sealing assembly located at the junction of the watertight tail section 1 and the anti-entanglement shield 5 includes an O-ring. The dynamic sealing of the thruster output shaft 31 at the junction of the watertight tail section 1 and the anti-entanglement shield 5 is achieved by setting the O-ring. The O-ring is an integrated combination of a rubber O-ring and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) ring. The PTFE sealing ring with a certain strength can ensure the sealing effect on the thruster output shaft 31.

[0087] By using the dynamic sealing assembly provided on the servo output shaft 21 and the thruster output shaft 31, and the static sealing assembly 6 provided on the sealing end cover 11, the overall sealing of the watertight tail section 1 can be achieved without the need for separate watertight design for the servo 2 and the thruster 3. This reduces the number of parts and achieves the effect of overall weight reduction.

[0088] In addition to the sealing components described above, to further prevent water leakage in the watertight tail section 1, the underwater robot tail section device of this invention also includes a water leakage detection module 9 installed inside the watertight tail section 1. The water leakage detection module 9 includes multiple flexible printed circuit boards (first flexible printed circuit board 91) to perform real-time monitoring of the sealing status of the section. After a water leakage fault is detected, the AUV can be quickly recovered to reduce losses.

[0089] In this embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) includes four boards evenly distributed circumferentially on the watertight tail section 1. The four flexible printed circuit boards (first flexible printed circuit boards 91) are located at the lowest point in the watertight tail section 1, that is, the position where water first accumulates in the section after leakage. They are all electrically connected to the control drive module 4. Any flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) can transmit a leakage signal to the control drive module 4 after detecting leakage.

[0090] Combination Figure 3 The flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) is made of polyester film as substrate. There are two conductive test points 92 on the circuit board. When water enters the watertight tail section 1, the two conductive test points 92 are immersed in water. Due to the conductivity of water, the test points change from open circuit to short circuit, which causes the pin level of the flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) to change. The control drive module 4 monitors the pin level change in real time to achieve real-time water leakage detection.

[0091] During the testing process, each flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) includes a conductive test point 92 consisting of two pins. One pin is set to a high level and the other pin is set to a low level. The input level of the high-level pin is continuously and cyclically tested. If the input level signal becomes low, a water leakage fault occurs, and the water leakage fault information is transmitted to the central control computer.

[0092] By controlling the drive module 4 to monitor the status of the leakage detection module 9 in real time, the leakage status inside the watertight tail section 1 can be sensed in a timely manner. Four flexible printed circuit boards (first flexible printed circuit board 91) are arranged at the lowest point in the section. After a leakage fault occurs, the copper wires of the flexible printed circuit board are made conductive by the conductivity of water, and an electrical signal is sent to the control drive module 4 to trigger a leakage alarm, which greatly improves the reliability of operation.

[0093] In another possible implementation, flexible printed circuit boards (second flexible printed circuit boards 12) are also provided on both sides of the flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) located at the lowest point, such as... Figure 6 As shown.

[0094] The second flexible printed circuit board 12 is electrically connected to the control and drive module 4, and can transmit the leakage signal to the control and drive module 4 after detecting water leakage.

[0095] The second flexible printed circuit board 12 has multiple pairs of pins, which are arranged on both sides of the flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) located at the lowest point, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the height of each pair of pins on the second flexible printed circuit board 12 from the lowest point is different. Through the above design (that is, in addition to setting a flexible printed circuit board at the lowest point, flexible printed circuit boards are also set on both sides of the lowest point), it is possible not only to monitor whether there is water leakage, but also to monitor the specific depth of the leakage, thereby effectively guiding operators to perform corresponding operations.

[0096] Another advantage of the above design is that even if the flexible printed circuit board (first flexible printed circuit board 91) at the lowest point and the second flexible printed circuit board 12 on one side of it both fail and cannot detect water leakage, the second flexible printed circuit board 12 on the other side can still detect water leakage normally, which increases the probability of successfully detecting water leakage.

[0097] In one possible implementation, a plurality of first flexible printed circuit boards 91 and a plurality of second flexible printed circuit boards 12 are arranged exactly around the inner wall of the stern section compartment. If a leak occurs and the water accumulates not at the location of the first flexible printed circuit board 91 (i.e., the generally considered lowest point), the second flexible printed circuit boards 12 located on both sides of the first flexible printed circuit board 91 can also successfully detect the leak, further improving the success rate of leak detection.

[0098] The underwater robot tail section device of this invention integrates and seals the high-precision servo motor 2 and the high-power density thruster 3 in the watertight tail section 1 through the static sealing component 6 and the dynamic sealing component, providing attitude control and power for the AUV and realizing an integrated design; based on the sealing component, the real-time leakage detection function can be set to recover the AUV in time after abnormal failure is detected, so as to avoid further losses.

[0099] The present invention also provides an underwater robot including the above-mentioned underwater robot tail section device. Through the sealing component, the servo motor 2, the thruster 3 and the control drive module 4 can be integrated into a single design to control the movement attitude of the AUV, provide forward power, and monitor the underwater sealing status of the tail section in real time through the leakage detection module 9 to ensure the reliable operation of the underwater robot.

[0100] Example 2

[0101] Another specific embodiment of the present invention discloses an underwater robot operation method, comprising the following steps:

[0102] Step 1: Before launching the robot into the water, test the performance of each component of the robot, including whether the servo motor, thruster, control drive module, leakage detection module, and watertight tail section are working properly.

[0103] Since the tail section of this invention is a watertight tail section, unlike the traditional separate waterproofing of the servo motor and propeller, it is necessary to focus on checking the sealing performance of the watertight tail section before launching. Specifically, this includes checking the waterproof performance of the static sealing components and the waterproof performance of the dynamic sealing components.

[0104] Checking the waterproof performance of static sealing components includes checking the sealing performance of the sealing end caps and rubber O-rings.

[0105] Checking the waterproof performance of the dynamic sealing components includes checking the sealing performance of the sealing components at the junction of the watertight stern section 1 and the servo output shaft 21, as well as checking the sealing performance of the sealing components at the junction of the anti-entanglement cover 5 and the watertight stern section 1.

[0106] Specifically, checking the sealing performance of the sealing assembly at the junction of the watertight stern section 1 and the servo output shaft 21 includes checking the sealing performance of the combination of nylon retaining rings and rubber O-rings. Checking the sealing performance of the sealing assembly at the junction of the anti-entanglement cover 5 and the watertight stern section 1 includes checking whether the O-rings have a self-tightening effect as the rotational speed changes or surface wears.

[0107] Step 2: The robot is launched into the water, and the movement posture of the AUV is adjusted.

[0108] The high-precision servo motor 2 receives PWM signals and motor commutation signals, and simultaneously collects sensor feedback signals to drive the control surface to deflect, thereby adjusting the pitch and yaw attitude of the AUV. It can quickly and accurately execute the control deflection commands issued by the integrated control computer based on the path planning, improve the AUV's anti-interference and obstacle avoidance dynamic characteristics, and enhance the detection and reconnaissance accuracy of the AUV equipped with sonar and sensors for specific targets.

[0109] Step 3: The robot performs the underwater task;

[0110] Step 4: If a water leak occurs, control the AUV to return to port. If no water leak occurs, the robot continues to perform the underwater mission until it is completed and returns to port.

[0111] If a leak occurs during underwater operation of the tail section of the AUV, the leak detection module on the flexible plate can quickly detect it, and the controller will report the leak to the integrated control computer. The AUV operator can then determine the location of the leak detection module and the extent of the leak based on the leak report from the integrated control computer.

[0112] Specifically, if the leak detection module located at the lowest point detects a leak, while other leak detection modules located at non-lowest points do not detect a leak, it can be determined that a leak has just occurred. If not only the leak detection module located at the lowest point detects a leak, but other leak detection modules located at non-lowest points also detect a leak, the specific depth of the leak can be determined based on the location of the pin that detected the leak.

[0113] AUV operators will assess the leakage situation and determine the appropriate actions to take. For example, they may quickly return the AUV to its near-shore anchorage or to the vicinity of the working vessel for recovery operations, minimizing equipment damage caused by the leakage or even preventing the AUV from being lost.

[0114] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater robot, characterized in that, The device includes a tail section, which includes a watertight tail section. The watertight tail section is equipped with a leakage detection module and a control drive module. The leakage detection module includes a first printed circuit board, which is located at the lowest point in the watertight tail section and is electrically connected to the control drive module. The first printed circuit board has two conductive test points with different voltage levels. The watertight tail section is also equipped with a servo motor, a thruster, and a control drive module; the servo motor and the thruster are electrically connected to the control drive module; the watertight tail section also includes a sealing assembly, which is used to seal the watertight tail section to prevent water from the external environment from entering the interior of the watertight tail section. The sealing assembly includes a dynamic sealing assembly, which includes a first sealing assembly disposed at the connection between the watertight stern section and the servo motor output shaft. The watertight stern section is connected to an anti-entanglement cover at its stern. The anti-entanglement cover has a propeller blade inside its inner side. The propeller blade is located on the propeller output shaft between the watertight stern section and the anti-entanglement cover. The dynamic sealing assembly also includes a second sealing assembly disposed at the connection between the watertight stern section and the anti-entanglement cover; The sealing assembly also includes a static sealing assembly, which is disposed between the sealing end cap and the watertight tail section; The leakage detection module further includes a second printed circuit board; the second printed circuit board is electrically connected to the control and drive module. The first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are arranged around the inner wall of the tail section compartment.

2. The underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are multiple first printed circuit boards, which are evenly distributed circumferentially within the watertight stern section.

3. The underwater robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first printed circuit board is flexible.

4. The underwater robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The substrate of the first printed circuit board is a polyester film.

5. The underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second printed circuit board is provided on at least one of the two sides of the first printed circuit board.

6. The underwater robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second printed circuit board is provided on both sides of the first printed circuit board.

7. The underwater robot according to claim 1, 5, or 6, characterized in that, The second printed circuit board has multiple pairs of conductive test points.

8. The underwater robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The conductivity test point is a pin.

9. The underwater robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, Each pair of pins is at a different vertical distance from the first printed circuit board.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Underwater sealed cabin leakage detecting device

    CN103808470A

  • Water leakage detection device

    CN110763405A