An inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes

Abstract

The present invention discloses an inspection and patrol robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes, which includes an omnidirectional view camera, a sealing inspection module, and a main body traveling mechanism; the main body traveling mechanism is composed of a number of single-section robots connected in series. The omnidirectional view camera is installed in front of the frontmost single-section robot, and the sealing inspection module is installed on the single-section robot to form a closed space in the pump pipe and check the sealing performance in the closed space by using air pressure intensity. The present invention can reliably and intelligently pre-check the safety of the inner wall of the pump pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robots, and particularly to an inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes. Background Art

[0002] At present, the domestic demand for concrete is huge, and the concrete conveying pump pipeline can quickly transport concrete to the place where pouring is required. The blockage of the concrete pump pipe will cause huge losses. The existing research methods for pump pipe blockage are all for in-process monitoring and post-fault troubleshooting, and it is impossible to prevent risks in advance. Therefore, it has important practical value to prevent and pre-inspect foreign objects and cracks inside the concrete pump pipe.

[0003] However, due to various factors, it is difficult to pre-inspect the inside of the pump pipe. First of all, the inner diameter of the pump pipe is generally divided into three types: 150mm, 125mm and 80mm. There are situations where the inner diameter is small, the internal environment is complex (there may be a risk of foreign objects inside, the pipe wall is wet and slippery, and there are elbows and variable-diameter pipelines in the pipeline), and the pipeline is long and there are a large number of vertical pipelines. Secondly, the pump pipe is generally made of metal, which will shield and isolate the signal reception and transmission inside and outside, increasing the difficulty of obtaining internal situation data. Thirdly, the pump pipe is generally spliced by several sections, and there is a risk of cracks at the splicing part after a period of time. Finally, the inner wall of the pump pipe is in high-pressure friction with the concrete for a long time, which will also cause the pipe wall to become thinner and have a risk of cracking, and a closed pre-inspection is required.

[0004] At present, there are various pipeline inspection robots on the market, but none of them can fully meet the complex use conditions of the pump pipe. Chinese Patent CN201811475235.0 discloses a pipeline robot, and the invention provides a robot mechanism with strong pipeline adaptability and three crawler wheels that can be independently telescoped. Although this robot can fit the pipe wall and move freely in a common pipeline, firstly, this robot lacks the functions of endoscopy and airtightness inspection and cannot perform a closed pre-inspection on cracks. Secondly, the structure of this robot is cumbersome and the volume is large, and it cannot be applied inside the national standard pumping pipeline. Thirdly, the self-weight of this robot is large and it cannot lock and move in a vertical pipeline. Chinese Patent CN202011218368.7 discloses a balloon-type pipeline robot, which mainly detects whether the pipeline is damaged and calculates the damaged area through the magnetic flux leakage phenomenon generated by the magnetic field at the damaged part of the pipeline. This robot solves the problem of detecting internal cracks in the pipeline, but this robot cannot meet the requirement of long-distance vertical climbing inside the pump pipe. Secondly, the structure of this robot is fixed and it cannot solve the difficulties of variable diameter and obstacle climbing inside the pump pipe.

[0005] Therefore, how to quickly, reliably and intelligently pre-inspect the safety of the inner wall of the pump pipe is a technical problem to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention provides an inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes, which can reliably and intelligently pre-check the safety of the inner wall of the pump pipes.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] An inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes includes an omnidirectional viewing camera, a sealing inspection module, and a main body traveling mechanism;

[0009] The main body traveling mechanism is composed of several single-section robots connected in series. The omnidirectional viewing camera is installed in front of the single-section robot at the front end, and the sealing inspection module is installed on the single-section robot to form a closed space in the pump pipe and check the sealing performance in the closed space using air pressure intensity.

[0010] Further, the omnidirectional viewing camera is a camera with a steering device or a wide-angle fish-eye camera, and the steering device can endow the camera with three rotational degrees of freedom.

[0011] Further, the sealing inspection module includes a closing device, an air pump, and a air pressure detection device;

[0012] The closing device includes two pipeline air bags that can be inflated to form a sealed space, which are respectively installed at the front and rear ends of the single-section robot for forming the closed space; the air pump is used to inflate the closing device and the closed space; the air pressure detection device is installed on the single-section robot located in the closed space for detecting and recording the air pressure intensity.

[0013] Further, the pipeline air bags are installed at the front and rear ends of the single-section robot at the front end, and the air pump is installed on the second single-section robot.

[0014] Further, the air pressure detection device adopts a pressure sensor.

[0015] Further, the single-section robot includes a main body, a suspension module, a locking module, and a driving module;

[0016] The suspension module is arranged on the main body, the driving module is arranged at the end of the suspension module, and the locking module is arranged between the suspension module and the main body;

[0017] The suspension module is used to provide a static friction force greater than the self-weight of the single-section robot and can change the working radius of the single-section robot to adapt to the inner diameter of the pipeline; the locking module is used to lock the single-section robot; the driving module is used to provide the traveling power.

[0018] Further, the suspension module includes a motor push rod and a damper; the motor push rod and the damper are coaxially connected in series, and the motor can adjust the damping of the damper.

[0019] Furthermore, the damper is composed of one or more combinations of a spring, a hydraulic damper, and an air damper.

[0020] Furthermore, the endoscopic inspection and patrol robot further includes a positioning module;

[0021] The positioning module includes an acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, a power wheel rotation speed counting codec, and a data line length counter, which are integrated in multiple printed circuit boards and connected to each other.

[0022] Furthermore, the endoscopic inspection and patrol robot further includes a remote control device; a display screen is installed on the remote control device, and data communication is carried out with the main body traveling mechanism in a wired or wireless manner.

[0023] Beneficial effects:

[0024] 1. The omnidirectional view camera of the present invention enables the robot to have an endoscopic function; secondly, the sealing inspection module forms a closed space in the pump pipe and can use the air pressure intensity to check the sealing performance in the closed space, and can perform a sealing inspection on cracks, reliably and intelligently pre-check the safety of the inner wall of the pump pipe.

[0025] 2. The omnidirectional view camera of the present invention can perform an all-round inspection, has a wide viewing angle range, and obtains more comprehensive information.

[0026] 3. The suspension module and the locking module of the present invention can provide sufficient pressure to lock and move the robot in a vertical pipe; secondly, since the suspension module of the present invention can change the working radius of the robot, it can adapt to the change of the inner diameter of the pipeline, and has the ability to climb over, with a simple structure, and can meet the needs of moving in the complex environment inside the pump pipe.

[0027] 4. The positioning module of the present invention combines an acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, a power wheel rotation speed counting codec, and a data line length counter to construct a three-in-one space positioning system, and accurately locates and cross-verifies the fault warning parts inside the pump pipe from the aspects of travel, spatial position, and elevation.

[0028] 5. The present invention further includes a remote control device, a display screen is installed on the remote control device, and data communication is carried out with the main body traveling mechanism in a wired or wireless manner. Wired can avoid signal isolation in the working environment with thick pipe walls and long distances to obtain the internal situation, and wireless is more flexible and convenient to use in the working environment with thin pipe walls and short distances.

[0029] 6. The air pump of the sealing inspection module of the present invention is installed on the second single-section robot, so the air delivery pipeline is the shortest, the mechanism is safer, and the reliability is high. Description of the drawings

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention inside the pumping pipeline.

[0031] Among them, 1 - pump pipe, 2 - omnidirectional view camera, 3 - pipeline airbag, 4 - positioning module, 5 - pressure sensor, 6 - air delivery pipeline, 7 - air pump, 8 - suspension module, 9 - power control line, 10 - remote control device. Specific embodiments

[0032] The following combines the accompanying drawings and gives examples to describe the present invention in detail.

[0033] The present invention provides a concrete pump pipe endoscopic inspection and patrol robot, including an omnidirectional view camera 2, a sealing inspection module, and a main body traveling mechanism.

[0034] The main body traveling mechanism is composed of several single - section robots connected in series through a power control line 9. The omnidirectional view camera 2 is installed in front of the front - most single - section robot, and the sealing inspection module is installed on the single - section robot to form a closed space inside the pump pipe 1 and check the sealing performance inside the closed space using air pressure intensity.

[0035] The omnidirectional view camera 2 is a camera with a steering device or a wide - angle fish - eye camera, and the steering device can endow the camera with three rotational degrees of freedom.

[0036] The sealing inspection module includes a closing device, an air pump 7, and a air pressure detection device; the closing device includes two pipeline airbags 3 that can be inflated to form a closed space, which are respectively installed at the front and rear ends of the front - most single - section robot (in a contracted state in the figure) and are used to expand and block the pump pipe 1 to form the closed space; the air pump 7 is installed in the center of the second single - section robot and inflates the pipeline airbag 3 through the air delivery pipeline 6, and inflates the closed space formed after the pipeline airbag 3 completes the space closing; the air pressure detection device is installed on the single - section robot located inside the closed space, that is, the front - most single - section robot, and is used to detect and record the air pressure intensity. The air pressure detection device uses a pressure sensor 5.

[0037] The single - section robot includes a main body, a suspension module 8, a locking module, and a driving module; the suspension module 8 is arranged on the main body, the driving module is arranged at the end of the suspension module 8, and the locking module is arranged between the suspension module 8 and the main body; the suspension module 8 is used to provide a static friction force greater than the self - weight of the single - section robot and can change the working radius of the single - section robot to adapt to the inner diameter of the pipeline; the locking module is used to lock the single - section robot; the driving module is used to provide the traveling power.

[0038] Preferably, the suspension module 8 includes a motor push rod and a damper; the motor push rod and the damper are coaxially connected in series and fixedly connected to the body; the motor can adjust the damping of the damper, and the damper is composed of one or more combinations of a spring, a hydraulic damper, and an air damper.

[0039] The endoscope inspection and patrol robot further includes a positioning module 4; the positioning module 4 includes an acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, a power wheel rotation speed counting codec, and a data line length counter, which are integrated in multiple printed circuit boards and connected to each other.

[0040] The endoscope inspection and patrol robot further includes a remote control device 10; a display screen is installed on the remote control device 10 and performs data communication with the main body traveling mechanism in a wired manner.

[0041] As Figure 1 shown, in this embodiment, there are three single-section robots. The first one is the detection section, which is responsible for all detection work of the robot. The omnidirectional view camera 2, the pipeline airbag 3 of the airtightness inspection module, and the pressure sensor 5 for detecting air pressure are all arranged in the detection section; the second section is the air pump section, which carries the air pump alone, and the air pump 7 of the airtightness inspection module is arranged in the air pump section; the third section is the power section, which provides power alone. Preferably, the number of power sections can be increased according to requirements to provide additional power. The more the number of single-section robots, the longer the traveling distance of the endoscope inspection and patrol robot in the pump pipe 1.

[0042] In summary, the above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. 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. An endoscope inspection and patrol robot for concrete pump pipes, characterized in that, It includes an omnidirectional view camera, a sealing inspection module, and a main body traveling mechanism; The main body traveling mechanism is composed of several single-section robots connected in series. The omnidirectional view camera is installed in front of the frontmost single-section robot, and the sealing inspection module is installed on the single-section robot to form a closed space in the pump pipe and check the sealing performance in the closed space by using air pressure intensity; The sealing inspection module includes a closing device, an air pump, and a air pressure detection device; the closing device includes two pipeline airbags that can be inflated to form a sealed space, which are respectively installed at the front and rear ends of the single-section robot for forming the closed space; the air pump is used to inflate the closing device and the closed space; the air pressure detection device is installed on the single-section robot located in the closed space for detecting and recording the air pressure intensity; the pipeline airbags are installed at the front and rear ends of the frontmost single-section robot, and the air pump is installed on the second single-section robot; The single-section robot includes a main body, a suspension module, a locking module, and a driving module; the suspension module is arranged on the main body, the driving module is arranged at the end of the suspension module, and the locking module is arranged between the suspension module and the main body; the suspension module is used to provide a static friction force greater than the self-weight of the single-section robot and can change the working radius of the single-section robot to adapt to the inner diameter of the pipeline; the locking module is used to lock the single-section robot; the driving module is used to provide the traveling power; The suspension module includes a motor push rod and a damper; the motor push rod and the damper are connected in series coaxially, and the motor can adjust the damping of the damper.

2. The inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes according to claim 1, wherein The omnidirectional view camera is a camera with a steering device or a wide-angle fisheye camera, and the steering device can endow the camera with three rotational degrees of freedom.

3. The inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air pressure detection device uses a pressure sensor.

4. The inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes according to claim 1, wherein The damper is composed of one or more combinations of a spring, a hydraulic damper, and an air damper.

5. The inspection robot for endoscopy of concrete pump pipes according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The endoscopic inspection and patrol robot further includes a positioning module; The positioning module includes an acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, a power wheel rotation counting encoder, and a data line length counter, which are integrated in multiple printed circuit boards and connected to each other.

6. The endoscopic inspection and patrol robot for concrete pump pipes according to claim 5, wherein, The endoscopic inspection and patrol robot further includes a remote control device; a display screen is installed on the remote control device, and data communication is carried out with the main body traveling mechanism by wired or wireless means.

Images