A scalable spherical robot

Abstract

The application provides a telescopic spherical robot, relates to the technical field of pipeline robots, and comprises multiple sub-shells, a telescopic driving device, a walking mechanism and a detection mechanism; the multiple sub-shells are divided from a spherical shell; the walking mechanism is connected to the sub-shells and is used for walking in a pipeline; the telescopic driving device can at least drive the left and right sub-shells to move along the radial direction of the spherical shell; the detection mechanism is used for detecting environmental parameters of a front pipeline, and the environmental parameters at least include the diameter of the front pipeline; and the telescopic driving device controls the movement of the sub-shells according to the diameter parameter of the front pipeline. The multiple sub-shells of the telescopic spherical robot provided by the application can be telescoped according to the change of the pipeline environment, so that different pipeline environments can be adapted, and the applicability of the spherical robot is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline robot technology, and in particular to a retractable spherical robot. Background Technology

[0002] Miniature spherical pipe robots are proposed for applications involving confined spaces and difficult-to-detect environments. These environments are characterized by narrow pipes and narrow, hard-to-detect gaps, where they perform basic tasks such as detection and maintenance. Because the working environment inside pipes differs significantly from conventional conditions, their internal structure and movement also differ. Therefore, scaling down traditional robots proportionally is not feasible. Consequently, the development of miniature spherical pipe robots requires a completely new approach. In recent years, the rapid development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and piezoelectric crystal technologies has made novel miniature spherical actuators possible.

[0003] Traditional wheeled and tracked mobile robots have been developed for a longer period and are currently technologically mature and widely used. As the application fields of robots continue to expand, new types of mobile robots are gradually emerging, becoming a valuable supplement to traditional mobile robots. Spherical robots are a relatively new type of mobile robot that appeared only about twenty years ago. However, the size of existing spherical robots is fixed after they leave the factory and cannot be adjusted to adapt to changes in the environment. This results in the robots being only suitable for use in pipes of a specific diameter, leading to poor applicability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a retractable spherical robot to solve the problems existing in the prior art, and it has good applicability.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0006] This invention provides a retractable spherical robot, comprising multiple sub-shells, a telescopic drive device, a walking mechanism, and a detection mechanism; the multiple sub-shells are divided by a spherical shell; the walking mechanism is connected to the sub-shells and used for walking in a pipe; the telescopic drive device is capable of driving at least the left and right sub-shells to move along the radial direction of the spherical shell; the detection mechanism is used to detect environmental parameters of the pipe in front, the environmental parameters including at least the diameter of the pipe in front, and the telescopic drive device controls the movement of the sub-shells according to the diameter parameter of the pipe in front.

[0007] Preferably, the environmental parameters also include whether there is an object approaching the pipe ahead. If the speed at which the object approaches the retractable spherical robot is greater than the speed at which the retractable spherical robot moves, the sub-shell is controlled to move outward to adjust the pressure between the sub-shell and the inner wall of the pipe to prevent the retractable spherical robot from being hit and rolling over.

[0008] Preferably, the sub-shell is divided into an active sub-shell, a driven sub-shell, a supporting shell, and a follower shell; the active sub-shell is a circular shell and is provided in two parts, which are respectively separated from the top left and top right sides of the spherical shell; the driven sub-shell is separated from the part of the spherical shell near the active sub-shell; the supporting shell and the follower shell are separated from the annular shell in the middle of the spherical shell, and the supporting shell is circular and located between the two follower shells;

[0009] The telescopic drive device includes an active drive device and a driven drive pair. The active drive device drives the active sub-shell to move and drives the driven sub-shell to move through the driven drive pair. The walking mechanism is a triangular track, which is connected to the follower shell. The triangular track is an elastic triangular track, which drives the follower shell to move when it undergoes elastic deformation. The supporting shell is fixedly installed and used to support the detection mechanism. The supporting shell is located at the head end of the telescopic spherical robot.

[0010] Preferably, the active drive device includes a drive motor, a gear, and a rack. The drive motor drives the gear to rotate, the rack meshes with the gear, and the end of the rack is fixedly connected to the active sub-housing. The gear drives the rack to move, thereby driving the active sub-housing to move.

[0011] The driven drive pair includes a pulley, a drive rope, a spring, and a driven telescopic rod. The pulley is driven to rotate by the gear. The drive rope is wound around the pulley. One end of the driven telescopic rod is fixedly mounted on a fixed structure at the center of the housing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the driven sub-housing. The spring is located inside the driven telescopic rod and is always in a compressed state. The end of the drive rope is fastened to the end of the driven telescopic rod. The driven telescopic rod tends to extend under the rebound force of the spring. The drive rope tightens the driven telescopic rod to inhibit its extension. The extension and retraction of the driven telescopic rod are achieved by the rotation of the gear driving the pulley to rotate, thereby tightening or loosening the drive rope.

[0012] Preferably, two triangular tracks are provided, one at the top and one at the bottom, for contacting the bottom and top walls of the pipe. Each triangular track includes two support wheels, a drive wheel, a track, and multiple elastic support shafts. A strip-shaped through hole is provided on the follower housing, through which the triangular track passes. The two support wheels and the drive wheel are respectively located at the three vertices of the triangle, and each pair of the two support wheels and the drive wheel is connected by the elastic support shaft.

[0013] Preferably, the system further includes a control system, in which an initial diameter value for the retractable spherical robot is set, the initial diameter value being not less than the minimum diameter of the retractable spherical robot; after the detection mechanism detects the diameter of the pipe in front, the control system subtracts the pipe diameter value from the initial diameter value of the retractable spherical robot; if the result is positive, an output signal is output to control the sub-shell to extend outward; conversely, if the result is negative, an output signal is output to control the sub-shell to retract inward; the value of either retraction or extension is the absolute value of the difference between the pipe diameter and the initial diameter value.

[0014] Preferably, the detection mechanism includes an ultrasonic detection device and a phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging device. The ultrasonic detection device is used to detect objects inside the pipe ahead and the speed at which the objects approach. The phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging device is used to detect the diameter of the pipe ahead.

[0015] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art:

[0016] The retractable spherical robot provided by this invention has multiple sub-shells that can expand and contract according to changes in the pipeline environment to adapt to different pipeline environments, thereby improving the applicability of the spherical robot. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 An exploded view of the retractable spherical robot provided by the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the telescopic drive device;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the walking mechanism;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the supporting shell;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the retractable spherical robot provided by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A view from another direction;

[0024] In the diagram: 1-Active telescopic column; 2-Driven telescopic rod; 3-Drive motor; 4-Traveling mechanism; 5-Fixed connecting rod; 6-Rack; 7-Driven sub-housing; 8-Track; 9-Drive wheel; 10-Elastic support shaft; 11-Support wheel; 12-Short rod; 13-Spring; 14-Fixed structure; 15-Active sub-housing; 16-Bearing housing; 17-Follower housing; 18-Telescopic drive device. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] The purpose of this invention is to provide a retractable spherical robot to solve the problems existing in the prior art, and it has good applicability.

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] This invention provides a retractable spherical robot, hereinafter referred to as a spherical robot, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the spherical robot includes multiple sub-shells, a telescopic drive device 18, a walking mechanism 4, and a detection mechanism; the multiple sub-shells are divided by a spherical shell; the walking mechanism 4 is connected to the sub-shells and used to walk in the pipe; the telescopic drive device 18 can drive at least the left and right sub-shells to move along the radial direction of the spherical shell; the detection mechanism is used to detect the environmental parameters of the pipe in front, the environmental parameters including at least the diameter of the pipe in front, and the telescopic drive device 18 controls the movement of the sub-shells according to the diameter parameter of the pipe in front.

[0029] The spherical robot provided by this invention has multiple sub-shells that can expand and contract according to changes in the pipeline environment to adapt to different pipeline environments, thereby improving the applicability of the spherical robot.

[0030] Specifically, when the detection mechanism detects that the inner diameter of the pipe at a specific distance ahead decreases, it can control the sub-shell to move inward to reduce the outer diameter of the spherical robot, thus making it easier for the spherical robot to pass through pipes with smaller diameters; when the detection mechanism detects that the inner diameter of the pipe at a specific distance ahead increases, it can control the sub-shell to move outward to increase the outer diameter of the spherical robot, thus making the outer wall of the spherical robot contact the inner wall of the pipe, creating an initial pressure to prevent the spherical robot from tipping over during movement.

[0031] In some embodiments, to further improve the stability of the spherical robot, the environmental parameters provided in this embodiment also include whether there is an object approaching the pipe in front. If the speed at which the object approaches the retractable spherical robot is greater than the speed at which the retractable spherical robot moves itself, the sub-shell is controlled to move outward so as to avoid the retractable spherical robot from rolling over due to a collision by adjusting the pressure between the sub-shell and the inner wall of the pipe.

[0032] Specifically, the detection mechanism includes an ultrasonic detection device and a phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging device. The ultrasonic detection device is used to detect objects in the pipe ahead and the speed at which the objects approach; the phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging device is used to detect the diameter of the pipe ahead.

[0033] The ultrasonic detection device works by setting a specific sound wave frequency, emitting ultrasonic waves, which are then reflected by the outside world. The time difference between emission and reflection is multiplied by the speed of sound, and the calculation is performed by the robot's internal control system.

[0034] Phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging devices typically use gallium arsenide light-emitting diodes (GaAs) as the carrier source, with a center wavelength generally between 0.72 and 0.94 micrometers. The intensity of the emitted infrared radiation varies with the strength of the injected electrical signal. By measuring the phase shift of a continuous modulated light wave as it travels back and forth over the distance to be measured, the propagation time of the modulated wave is indirectly determined, thereby calculating the distance to be measured.

[0035] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the sub-shell is divided into an active sub-shell 15, a driven sub-shell 7, a supporting shell 16, and a follower shell 17. The active sub-shell 15 is a circular shell and is provided in two parts. The two active sub-shells 15 are separated from the top left and top right sides of the spherical shell, respectively. The driven sub-shell 7 is separated from the part of the spherical shell near the active sub-shell 15. The supporting shell 16 and the follower shell 17 are separated from the annular shell in the middle of the spherical shell. The supporting shell 16 is circular and located between the two follower shells 17.

[0036] Specifically, the sub-shell is divided as follows: First, the overall spherical shell is divided into four equal parts. The carrier shell of the detection device is selected from the position that can contact the four parts. The circular active sub-shell 15 is selected with the highest point of each two parts as the center. The part close to the active sub-shell 15 is the driven sub-shell 7. The parts between the driven sub-shells 7 are the carrier shell 16 and the follower shell 17. In total, there are 9 sub-shells, including two active sub-shells 15, four driven sub-shells 7, two follower shells 17 and one carrier shell 16.

[0037] like Figure 2As shown, the telescopic drive device 18 includes an active drive device and a driven drive pair. The active drive device drives the active sub-housing 15 to move and drives the driven sub-housing 7 to move through the driven drive pair. The active drive device includes a drive motor 3, a gear, and a rack 6. The drive motor 3 drives the gear to rotate, and the rack 6 meshes with the gear. The end of the rack 6 is fixedly connected to the active sub-housing 15. The gear drives the rack 6 to move, thereby driving the active sub-housing 15 to move. The driven drive pair includes a pulley, a drive rope, a spring 13, and a driven telescopic rod 2. The pulley is driven to rotate by the gear. The drive rope is wound around the rope wheel. One end of the driven telescopic rod 2 is fixedly set on the fixed structure 14 at the center of the housing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the driven sub-housing 7. The spring 13 is located inside the driven telescopic rod 2 and is always in a compressed state. The end of the drive rope is fastened to the end of the driven telescopic rod 2. The driven telescopic rod 2 has a tendency to extend under the rebound force of the spring 13. The drive rope tightens the driven telescopic rod 2 to inhibit its extension. The extension and retraction of the driven telescopic rod 2 are achieved by rotating the gear to drive the rope wheel to rotate, thereby tightening or loosening the drive rope. The drive rope passes through the middle of the spring 13.

[0038] Specifically, the two ends of the rack 6 can be respectively set in two hollow short rods 12. The inner short rods 12 can guide the rack 6. For example, a slide rail can be set in the inner short rods 12 to cooperate with the rack 6, or a gear can be set in the inner short rods 12. The two short rods 12 and the rack 6 form an active telescopic column 1.

[0039] like Figure 4 As shown, the support housing 16 is fixedly installed and used to support the detection mechanism. The support housing 16 is located at the head end of the retractable spherical robot.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, the walking mechanism 4 is a triangular track, which is connected to the follower housing 17. The triangular track is an elastic triangular track, which drives the follower housing 17 to move when it undergoes elastic deformation. The triangular track includes two support wheels 11, a drive wheel 9, a track 8, and multiple elastic support shafts 10. A strip-shaped through hole is provided on the follower housing 17, and the triangular track passes through the through hole. The two support wheels 11 and the drive wheel 9 are respectively located at the three vertices of the triangle. The two support wheels 11 and the drive wheel 9 are connected to each other through the elastic support shafts 10. There are two triangular tracks, which are respectively located at the top and bottom and are used to contact the bottom and top walls of the pipeline.

[0041] In use, the track 8 is parallel to the axis of the pipeline, and the upper and lower triangular tracks abut against the upper and lower walls respectively. When the pipe diameter changes, the triangular tracks undergo elastic deformation and drive the follower housing 17 to move to adapt to the change in the pipeline.

[0042] The driving method of the drive wheel 9 can be any of the existing technologies, such as belt drive or direct micro motor drive.

[0043] The triangular track is connected to the fixed structure 14 inside the robot via a fixed connecting rod 5.

[0044] In some embodiments, the spherical robot provided in this embodiment also includes a control system. The control system sets an initial diameter value for the retractable spherical robot, which is not less than the minimum diameter of the retractable spherical robot. After the detection mechanism detects the diameter of the pipe in front, the control system subtracts the pipe diameter value from the initial diameter value of the retractable spherical robot. If the result is positive, the control system outputs a signal to control the sub-shell to extend outward; otherwise, if the result is negative, the control system outputs a signal to control the sub-shell to retract inward. The value of either retraction or extension is the absolute value of the difference between the pipe diameter and the initial diameter value.

[0045] In some embodiments, all sub-shells can be driven to extend and retract by a single active telescopic rod, and multiple active telescopic rods are uniformly controlled by the control system. The walking mechanism 4 is disposed on the sub-shells at the upper and lower ends. When the sub-shells at the upper and lower ends extend and retract, the walking mechanism 4 is driven to move. The walking mechanism 4 is preferably a tracked walking mechanism.

[0046] The materials required for this invention are mostly steel, which are inexpensive. The structure is robust and does not require frequent replacement of parts or maintenance, thus saving on operating costs. The power source is a high-capacity battery that can be recharged multiple times, allowing for extended use and saving time for users.

[0047] If necessary, this invention can also be equipped with a camera device or a simple robotic arm to adapt to more situations and meet different application requirements, such as pipeline monitoring, reconnaissance, obstacle removal, and rescue.

[0048] Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A retractable spherical robot, characterized in that: The system includes multiple sub-shells, a telescopic drive device, a walking mechanism, and a detection mechanism. The multiple sub-shells are divided by a spherical shell. The walking mechanism is connected to the sub-shells and used for movement within a pipe. The telescopic drive device can drive at least the left and right sub-shells to move radially along the spherical shell. The detection mechanism detects environmental parameters of the pipe ahead, including at least the diameter of the pipe. The telescopic drive device controls the movement of the sub-shells based on the pipe diameter. The environmental parameters also include whether an object is approaching the pipe. If the object approaches the retractable spherical robot at a speed greater than the robot's own movement speed, the sub-shells are controlled to move outwards to adjust the pressure between the sub-shells and the inner wall of the pipe, thus preventing the robot from colliding and rolling over.

2. The retractable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sub-shell is divided into an active sub-shell, a driven sub-shell, a supporting shell, and a follower shell; the active sub-shell is a circular shell and consists of two parts, which are respectively separated from the top left and top right sides of the spherical shell; the driven sub-shell is separated from the part of the spherical shell near the active sub-shell; the supporting shell and the follower shell are separated from the annular shell in the middle of the spherical shell, and the supporting shell is circular and located between the two follower shells; The telescopic drive device includes an active drive device and a driven drive pair. The active drive device drives the active sub-shell to move and drives the driven sub-shell to move through the driven drive pair. The walking mechanism is a triangular track, which is connected to the follower shell. The triangular track is an elastic triangular track, which drives the follower shell to move when it undergoes elastic deformation. The supporting shell is fixedly installed and used to support the detection mechanism. The supporting shell is located at the head end of the telescopic spherical robot.

3. The retractable spherical robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The active drive device includes a drive motor, a gear, and a rack. The drive motor drives the gear to rotate. The rack meshes with the gear. The end of the rack is fixedly connected to the active sub-housing. The gear drives the rack to move, thereby driving the active sub-housing to move. The driven drive pair includes a pulley, a drive rope, a spring, and a driven telescopic rod. The pulley is driven to rotate by the gear. The drive rope is wound around the pulley. One end of the driven telescopic rod is fixedly mounted on a fixed structure at the center of the housing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the driven sub-housing. The spring is located inside the driven telescopic rod and is always in a compressed state. The end of the drive rope is fastened to the end of the driven telescopic rod. The driven telescopic rod tends to extend under the rebound force of the spring. The drive rope tightens the driven telescopic rod to inhibit its extension. The extension and retraction of the driven telescopic rod are achieved by the rotation of the gear driving the pulley to rotate, thereby tightening or loosening the drive rope.

4. The retractable spherical robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: Two triangular tracks are provided, one at the top and one at the bottom, for contacting the bottom and top walls of the pipe. Each triangular track includes two support wheels, a drive wheel, a track, and multiple elastic support shafts. A strip-shaped through hole is provided on the follower housing, through which the triangular track passes. The two support wheels and the drive wheel are respectively located at the three vertices of the triangle, and each pair of the two support wheels and the drive wheel is connected by the elastic support shaft.

5. The retractable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system also includes a control system in which an initial diameter value for the retractable spherical robot is set, and the initial diameter value is not less than the minimum diameter of the retractable spherical robot. After the diameter of the pipe in front is detected by the detection mechanism, the control system subtracts the pipe diameter value from the initial diameter value of the retractable spherical robot. If the result is positive, the system outputs a signal to control the sub-shell to extend outward; otherwise, if the result is negative, the system outputs a signal to control the sub-shell to retract inward. The value of either retraction or extension is the absolute value of the difference between the pipe diameter and the initial diameter value.

6. The retractable spherical robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection mechanism includes an ultrasonic detection device and a phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging device. The ultrasonic detection device is used to detect objects in the pipe ahead and the speed at which the objects approach. The phase-type infrared photoelectric ranging device is used to detect the diameter of the pipe ahead.

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