Underwater cleaning robot

Abstract

The underwater cleaning robot comprises a body, the body having a chassis; track wheels, the track wheels being oppositely arranged on two sides of the chassis, lower ends of the track wheels exceeding the chassis, and the track wheels being capable of driving the cleaning robot to climb and walk on a surface of an object to be cleaned; and a telescopic magnetic attraction device, the telescopic magnetic attraction device comprising a magnet and a telescopic part, one end of the telescopic part being arranged on a bottom surface of the chassis, the other end of the telescopic part being connected with the magnet, and the magnet being capable of being driven to extend and retract from the chassis; the telescopic magnetic attraction device having a first position and a second position, in the first position, the telescopic magnetic attraction device is completely retracted to the chassis, and in the second position, the telescopic magnetic attraction device is extended, and a position of the magnet does not exceed the lower ends of the track wheels, and the track wheels are capable of being attached to the surface of the object to be cleaned. The underwater cleaning robot can be conveniently converted between a floating state and an adsorbed state, and can be conveniently climbed and walked while being adsorbed during the cleaning process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater equipment cleaning, and more specifically to underwater cleaning robots. Background Technology

[0002] In the development of my country's marine development industry, marine drilling platform supports, marine buoys, ships, and submersibles have played a vital role. However, due to prolonged exposure to seawater, these machines are susceptible to corrosion and accumulate large amounts of shellfish, algae, and other marine organisms, which not only compromises their safety but also reduces their lifespan. Manual cleaning is not only inefficient and costly but also carries significant risks.

[0003] Currently, underwater cleaning robots are commonly used to clean underwater equipment, with magnetic underwater cleaning robots primarily employed for cleaning complex surfaces (such as the stern of a ship or the surface of offshore wind turbine foundations). When a magnetic underwater cleaning robot climbs a wall, its magnetic tracks are typically equipped with permanent magnets, allowing it to adhere to the object during cleaning. However, after the cleaning operation is complete and it no longer needs to adhere to the object, the magnetic tracks have difficulty detaching and transitioning from an attached to a floating state. Furthermore, the permanent magnets on the magnetic tracks easily attract impurities, affecting the robot's movement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides an underwater cleaning robot that can easily adhere to the surface of the object to be cleaned during cleaning operations without affecting the robot's climbing and walking. After the cleaning operation is completed, it can easily descend from the surface of the object to be cleaned, completing the transition between the adsorption and floating states, thereby solving or at least alleviating one or more of the above-mentioned problems and other problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the present invention provides an underwater cleaning robot, wherein the underwater cleaning robot comprises: The body has a chassis; Tracked wheels are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the chassis, with the lower ends of the tracked wheels extending beyond the chassis. The tracked wheels enable the cleaning robot to climb and walk on the surface of the object to be cleaned. A retractable magnetic attraction device includes a magnet and a retractable part. One end of the retractable part is located on the bottom surface of the chassis, and the other end of the retractable part is connected to the magnet. The retractable part is capable of extending and retracting the magnet from the chassis. The retractable magnetic suction device has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the retractable magnetic suction device is fully retracted into the chassis. In the second position, the retractable magnetic device extends out, and the magnet is not positioned beyond the lower end of the track wheel, allowing the track wheel to adhere to the surface of the object to be cleaned.

[0006] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the retractable magnetic suction device also has a third position in which the retractable magnetic suction device is fully extended and the magnet extends beyond the lower end of the track wheel, and the magnet can be directly magnetically attracted to the surface of the object to be cleaned.

[0007] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the retractable magnetic suction device is located in the middle part of the chassis.

[0008] Optionally, in the underwater cleaning robot described above, the underwater cleaning robot has three retractable magnetic suction devices, all of which are located in the middle of the transverse direction of the chassis, and are evenly distributed longitudinally along the chassis.

[0009] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the telescopic part is a telescopic hydraulic cylinder.

[0010] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the telescopic part is a scissor mechanism, and the first end of the telescopic part is hinged to the chassis.

[0011] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the second end of the retractable part is fixedly connected to the magnet.

[0012] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the magnet is a rectangular plate structure, and the other end of the retractable part is connected to the middle part of the rectangular plate structure.

[0013] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the lateral area of ​​the magnet is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the other end of the retractable part, and the longitudinal area of ​​the magnet is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the other end of the retractable part.

[0014] In the underwater cleaning robot described above, optionally, the rectangular plate-like structure of the magnet is parallel to the chassis of the underwater cleaning robot.

[0015] The underwater cleaning robot of this invention employs a retractable magnetic suction device on its chassis. By controlling the extension or retraction of this device to different positions, the underwater cleaning robot can easily transition between an adsorbed state and a floating state. During the cleaning process, while maintaining its adsorbed state, the robot's tracks remain in contact with the surface of the object being cleaned, allowing it to climb and move. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The disclosure of this invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the third position of the retractable magnetic suction device, which is an embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a retractable magnetic suction device according to another embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a front view of the second position of the retractable magnetic suction device in an embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first position of the retractable magnetic suction device, which is an embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention.

[0017] Reference numerals: 1-chassis; 2-track wheel; 3-retractable magnetic attraction device; 31-magnet; 32-retractable part. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Referring to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, the structure, composition, features, and advantages of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention will be described below by way of example; however, all descriptions should not be construed as limiting the present invention in any way.

[0019] Furthermore, for any single technical feature described or implied in the embodiments mentioned herein, or any single technical feature shown or implied in the various figures, the present invention still allows for any combination or deletion of these technical features (or their equivalents) without any technical obstacle, and thus these further embodiments according to the present invention should also be considered within the scope of this description.

[0020] It should also be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship of the chassis of the underwater cleaning robot shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three or more, unless otherwise expressly and specifically defined.

[0021] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the third position of the retractable magnetic suction device in one embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. As can be seen from the figure, the underwater cleaning robot includes: a body having a chassis 1, tracked wheels 2 disposed opposite each other on both sides of the chassis 1 and extending beyond the chassis 1 at their lower ends, and a retractable magnetic suction device 3. The underwater cleaning robot is attached to the surface of the object to be cleaned by the retractable magnetic suction device 3 (see...). Figure 3 It is in the second position in the process and is driven by the track wheel 2 to climb and walk on the surface of the object to be cleaned.

[0023] Specifically, according to Figure 1 In one embodiment, the retractable magnetic suction device 3 is located in the middle of the chassis 1, which can concentrate the suction force and stably attach the underwater cleaning robot to the surface of the object to be cleaned. In an optional embodiment, the retractable magnetic suction device 3 can also be located near the longitudinal ends of the chassis 1, as long as it can attach the underwater cleaning robot to the surface of the object to be cleaned. The underwater cleaning robot can have three retractable magnetic suction devices 3, all of which are located in the middle of the transverse direction of the chassis 1, and are evenly distributed longitudinally in the chassis 1. These three evenly distributed retractable magnetic suction devices 3 can stably and conveniently attach the underwater cleaning robot to the surface of the object to be cleaned. In an optional embodiment, the number of retractable magnetic suction devices 3 is not limited to one or more, as long as it can attach the underwater cleaning robot to the surface of the object to be cleaned.

[0024] As can be seen from the figure, the retractable magnetic suction device 3 includes a magnet 31 and a retractable part 32. One end of the retractable part 32 is located on the bottom surface of the chassis 1, and the other end is fixedly connected to the magnet 31. According to Figure 1 In one embodiment, the magnet 31 is a rectangular plate-like structure parallel to the chassis 1 of the underwater cleaning robot, and the other end of the retractable part 32 is connected to the middle part of the rectangular plate-like structure. The rectangular plate-like structure has a large adsorption area with the object to be cleaned, enabling it to stably and firmly adhere the underwater robot to the surface of the object, and keeping the underwater cleaning robot parallel to the surface of the object, thus facilitating the cleaning operation of the underwater cleaning robot. In optional embodiments, the magnet 31 can also be other shapes, such as square or circular. In other embodiments, the lateral and longitudinal areas of the magnet 31 are greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the other end of the retractable part 32, that is, the shape of the magnet 31 is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the connection between the retractable part 32 and the magnet 31, thus facilitating the installation of the magnet 31.

[0025] exist Figure 1In this embodiment, the retractable part 32 is a retractable hydraulic cylinder. During the actual cleaning process, the retractable hydraulic cylinder can extend and retract from the chassis 1, and maintain a first position and a second position (e.g., ...) according to the cleaning requirements. Figure 3 ) or third position (such as Figure 4 In an alternative embodiment, in the first position, or in both the first and second positions, the retractable part 32 is retracted inside the chassis 1 of the underwater robot to prevent the underwater cleaning robot from being disturbed by aquatic plants or the like when it is moving in the water.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a retractable magnetic suction device, representing another embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the retractable part 32 is a scissor mechanism, one end of which is hinged to the chassis 1, and the other end is fixedly connected to the magnet 31. This scissor mechanism can flexibly extend and retract, and can maintain a first position (e.g., Figure 1 ), second position (such as Figure 3 ) or third position (such as Figure 4 The scissor mechanism facilitates the adsorption and detachment of the magnet 31. It can rotate around the hinge point, thereby flexibly adjusting the angle at which the magnet 31 adheres to the surface of the object to be cleaned, facilitating its adsorption or detachment. In an optional embodiment, the other end of the scissor mechanism can also be hinged to the magnet 31, allowing for more flexible adjustment of the magnet 31's angle. When the underwater cleaning robot approaches the object to be cleaned from any direction in a floating state, the scissor mechanism can easily adjust the angle of the magnet 31, causing it to adhere to the surface of the object. The scissor mechanism can also adjust the angle of the magnet 31, facilitating its detachment from the surface of the object, allowing the underwater cleaning robot to return to a floating state.

[0027] according to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the retractable magnetic device 3 is in the third position, with the retractable part 32 fully extended beyond the lower end of the track wheel 2. During the actual cleaning process, when the underwater cleaning robot approaches the object to be cleaned in a floating state, the retractable part 32 of the retractable device 3 fully extends to the third position and is attracted to the surface of the object by the magnet 31. Subsequently, the retractable part 32 retracts, assisting in pulling the underwater cleaning robot closer to the object until the track wheel 2 of the underwater robot adheres to the surface of the object.

[0028] Figure 3This is a front view of the second position of the retractable magnetic suction device according to an embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. As can be seen from the figure, in the second position of the retractable magnetic suction device 3, the retractable portion 32 of the retractable magnetic suction device 3 extends out, and the magnet 31 does not extend beyond the lower end of the track wheel 2. During the actual cleaning process, the track wheel 2 adheres to the surface of the object to be cleaned, and the retractable magnetic suction device 3 extends from... Figure 1 The third position shrinks to Figure 3 In the second position, the magnet 31 can continue to generate magnetic force, causing the underwater cleaning robot to adhere to the surface of the object to be cleaned, keeping the track wheel 2 in contact with the surface of the object to be cleaned while climbing and walking, thereby keeping the underwater cleaning robot in contact with the surface of the object to be cleaned for cleaning.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the first position of the retractable magnetic suction device according to an embodiment of the underwater cleaning robot of the present invention. As can be seen from the figure, in the first position of the retractable magnetic suction device 3, the retractable portion 32 of the retractable magnetic suction device 3 is fully retracted to the chassis 1, and the magnet 31 is tightly attached to the chassis 1. After cleaning is completed, the retractable magnetic suction device 3... Figure 3 The second position contracted to Figure 4 In the first position, the magnet 31 no longer has an adhesive force on the surface of the object to be cleaned, and the underwater cleaning robot detaches from the object to be cleaned, changing from an adhesive state to a floating state, thus completing the cleaning process.

[0030] It should be noted that the objects to be cleaned in this invention are underwater mechanical equipment such as ocean drilling platform supports, marine buoys, offshore wind turbine piles, ships, and submersibles.

[0031] The underwater cleaning robot of this invention can switch between adsorption and floating states by controlling the position change of the retractable magnetic suction device 3. During the actual cleaning process, the underwater cleaning robot floats near the object to be cleaned. The retractable magnetic suction device 3 extends from a first position to a third position, and the angle of the magnet 31 is adjusted so that the magnet 31 adsorbs onto the surface of the object. Subsequently, the retractable magnetic suction device 3 retracts, assisting in pulling the underwater cleaning robot closer to the object, causing the robot's track wheels 2 to adhere to the surface of the object. The retractable magnetic suction device 3 continues to retract to a second position, maintaining the underwater cleaning robot's adsorption, allowing the track wheels 2 to adhere to the surface of the object and climb and walk, thus initiating the cleaning process. After cleaning is completed, the retractable magnetic suction device 3 retracts to the first position, and the underwater cleaning robot detaches from the object and returns to the floating state. The underwater cleaning robot of this invention can conveniently complete the adsorption, cleaning, and detachment process without affecting its climbing and walking on the surface of the object to be cleaned.

[0032] The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the above specification. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the above embodiments without departing from the technical concept of this invention, and all such modifications and variations should fall within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. An underwater cleaning robot, characterized in that, The underwater cleaning robot includes: The body has a chassis (1). Tracked wheels (2) are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the chassis (1). The lower end of the tracked wheels (2) extends beyond the chassis (1). The tracked wheels (2) can drive the underwater cleaning robot to climb and walk on the surface of the object to be cleaned. A retractable magnetic suction device (3) is provided, comprising a magnet (31) and a retractable part (32). One end of the retractable part is located on the bottom surface of the chassis (1), and the other end of the retractable part is connected to the magnet (31). The retractable part (32) is capable of driving the magnet (31) to extend and retract from the chassis (1). The retractable magnetic suction device (3) has a first position, a second position, and a third position. In the first position, the retractable magnetic suction device (3) is fully retracted to the chassis (1), and the magnet (31) no longer has an adsorption force on the surface of the object to be cleaned. In the second position, the retractable magnetic suction device (3) extends and the magnet (31) is not positioned beyond the lower end of the track wheel (2), allowing the underwater cleaning robot to adhere to the surface of the object to be cleaned, thereby enabling the track wheel (2) to stick to the surface of the object to be cleaned. When the retractable magnetic device (3) is fully extended in the third position and the magnet (31) extends beyond the lower end of the track wheel (2), the underwater cleaning robot approaches the object to be cleaned in a floating state. The retractable magnetic device (3) is fully extended to the third position and is attracted to the surface of the object to be cleaned by the magnet (31). Then the retractable part (32) retracts to help pull the underwater cleaning robot closer to the object to be cleaned until the track wheel (2) is attached to the surface of the object to be cleaned.

2. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The retractable magnetic suction device (3) is located in the middle part of the chassis (1).

3. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The underwater cleaning robot has three retractable magnetic suction devices (3), all of which are located in the middle of the horizontal direction of the chassis (1) and are evenly distributed in the longitudinal direction of the chassis (1).

4. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The retractable part (32) is a retractable hydraulic cylinder.

5. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic part (32) is a scissor mechanism, and one end of the telescopic part (32) is hinged to the chassis (1).

6. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The other end of the retractable part (32) is fixedly connected to the magnet (31).

7. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The magnet (31) is a rectangular plate structure, and the other end of the retractable part (32) is connected to the middle part of the rectangular plate structure.

8. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The lateral area of ​​the magnet (31) is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the other end of the retractable part (32), and the longitudinal area of ​​the magnet (31) is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the other end of the retractable part (32).

9. The underwater cleaning robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The rectangular plate-like structure of the magnet (31) is parallel to the chassis (1) of the underwater cleaning robot.

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