A single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism
By designing a single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism and utilizing the folding and unfolding movement of the nested rod, the adaptability and stability problems of the underwater vehicle capture mechanism in the underwater environment are solved, and the efficient capture of small and medium-sized submersibles is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202310984153.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-08-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing underwater vehicle capture mechanisms are not adaptable enough to underwater environments, lack stability, and have insufficient capture power; there is a lack of dedicated capture mechanisms.
A single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism was designed, which included a nesting mechanism, a closing and clamping mechanism, and a central drive mechanism. The folding and unfolding movements of the nesting rod were used to capture underwater vehicles of different shapes and sizes, and synchronous linkage was achieved through the sliding movement of the central drive mechanism.
It achieves stable capture of small and medium-sized underwater submersibles, has high rigidity and synchronization, reduces motion interference, improves the adaptability and capture range of the capture mechanism, has a simple structure and is easy to operate.
Smart Images
Figure CN117021152B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to underwater vehicle capture mechanisms, and more particularly to a single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism. Background Technology
[0002] In recent years, high-end marine engineering equipment, represented by various types of ships and underwater vehicles, has developed rapidly. Underwater vehicles are characterized by their large detection depth, high autonomy, and wide detection range, playing a vital role in areas such as marine resource observation and military security. However, underwater vehicle deployment and retrieval systems still suffer from problems such as insufficient adaptability, low efficiency, and low positioning accuracy, urgently requiring improvements in the automation level of underwater vehicle deployment and retrieval equipment.
[0003] Most current capture mechanisms are designed for space environments, lacking specialized mechanisms for underwater vehicles. For example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN112518795A discloses a space capture robot and its capture mechanism, which includes a support component, a capture component, a spring, and a locking / releasing component. It effectively secures and releases the target by hooking its claws into the target's surface. Another example is Chinese Patent Publication No. CN108422411A, which discloses a foldable and bendable space truss capture mechanism. This truss mechanism includes N sequentially connected folding mechanisms. A bending drive device brings the truss mechanisms together, and a folding drive device unfolds and folds them. These capture mechanisms are relatively complex and large, exhibiting poor adaptability and stability, and insufficient capture force, especially when capturing underwater vehicles. Summary of the Invention
[0004] Purpose of the invention: The present invention provides a single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism with good stability, strong capture adaptability, and simple and efficient capture operation, so as to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.
[0005] Technical Solution: The present invention provides a single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism, comprising several nested mechanisms, a clamping mechanism, and a central drive mechanism; the nested mechanisms include inner nested rods and outer nested rods; the central drive mechanism includes a central sliding rod, an upper converging connecting disk slidably connected to the central sliding rod, and a lower converging connecting disk fixedly connected to the central sliding rod; the upper end of the inner nested rod is hinged to the upper converging connecting disk, and the upper end of the outer nested rod is hinged to the lower converging connecting disk; the clamping mechanism includes a foldable connecting rod for connecting adjacent nested mechanisms, and the foldable connecting rod, the inner nested rod, and the outer nested rod are respectively hinged to a rotating connector.
[0006] Furthermore, the foldable link includes a grooved synchronous folding link, a limiting buckle, and a lug synchronous folding link. The grooved synchronous folding link includes grooves and grooved gears at both ends. The lug synchronous folding link includes lugs and lug gears at both ends. The grooved gear meshes with the lug gear of the same group of closing clamping mechanisms in the inner cavity of the limiting buckle. The lug is embedded in the groove of the adjacent closing clamping mechanism and is rotatably hinged to the rotating connector.
[0007] Furthermore, the outer side of the limiting buckle is provided with hollow elongated spokes on both sides to ensure that the closing clamping mechanism can retract and expand in the same direction.
[0008] Furthermore, the rotating connector includes a first through hole and a second through hole, the lower end of the inner nested rod is rotatably hinged to the first through hole, and the lower end of the outer nested rod is rotatably hinged to the second through hole.
[0009] Furthermore, the upper end of the inner nested rod is an inner nested rod lug, and the lower end is an inner nested rod groove; the upper end of the outer nested rod is an inner nested rod lug, and the lower end is an inner nested rod groove.
[0010] Furthermore, the upper confluence connecting disc is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged upper confluence connecting disc grooves that match the lugs of the outer nested rod; the lower confluence connecting disc is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged lower confluence connecting disc grooves that match the lugs of the inner nested rod.
[0011] Furthermore, the inner nested rod lug is rotatably hinged to the lower confluence connecting disk groove, and the inner nested rod groove is rotatably hinged to the first through hole; the outer nested rod lug is rotatably hinged to the upper confluence connecting disk groove, and the inner nested rod groove is rotatably hinged to the second through hole.
[0012] Furthermore, the transmission ratio of the grooved gear and the lug gear is 1, which ensures that the grooved synchronous folding link and the lug synchronous folding link can maintain synchronous unfolding and retracting movements.
[0013] Furthermore, the nesting mechanism is provided in four groups, and the nesting mechanisms are evenly arranged in a circular array around the central drive mechanism. The closing clamping mechanism is located in the lower part of each pair of adjacent nesting mechanisms, and there are four groups, which are connected end to end to form a spatial closed loop structure.
[0014] Furthermore, the angles formed by the adjacent nested mechanisms and the central drive mechanism are distributed at 90°.
[0015] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages:
[0016] (1) The present invention provides a single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism. The nested mechanism and the closing clamping mechanism are designed to achieve folding and unfolding. The underwater vehicle capture mechanism uses folding and unfolding deformation to capture and lock the target. It does not require the installation of a specific docking mechanism and can capture small and medium-sized underwater vehicles of different shapes and sizes. It has the characteristics of strong versatility.
[0017] (2) The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism of the present invention has high overall structural rigidity and good stability because the structure of the mechanism is symmetrical, there is no interference during the movement, and the components are connected end to end to form a spatial closed loop. At the same time, the capture mechanism can be linked by the single-degree-of-freedom sliding motion of the central drive mechanism, which can reduce the risk of motion failure caused by multiple drives and has a good improvement in reliability and deployment synchronization.
[0018] (3) The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism of the present invention gradually gathers and approaches the inner and outer nested rods during the process from the unfolded state to the folded state, and finally can be completely gathered around the central drive mechanism, and the capture mechanism has a large capture range ratio. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;
[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the nested mechanism and the central drive mechanism of the present invention;
[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the nesting mechanism and the closing clamping mechanism of the present invention;
[0022] Figure 4 This is a detailed view of the clamping mechanism of the present invention;
[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded state of the present invention;
[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the folded state of the present invention;
[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the capture state of a target object with a larger diameter according to the present invention;
[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the capture state of the present invention for targets with smaller diameters;
[0027] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the maximum capture range of the present invention;
[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the minimum capture range of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0029] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0030] A single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a nesting mechanism, a central drive mechanism, and a closing clamping mechanism. The nesting mechanism includes an inner nesting rod 1, an outer nesting rod 2, and a rotating connector 6. The central drive mechanism includes a central sliding rod 3, an upper converging connecting disc 4, and a lower converging connecting disc 5. The closing clamping mechanism includes a grooved synchronous folding link 7, a limiting buckle 8, and a lug-type synchronous folding link 9. There are four sets of nesting mechanisms, evenly arranged in a circular array around the central drive mechanism. The angles formed by each pair of adjacent nesting mechanisms and the central drive mechanism are distributed. The closing clamping mechanism is located in the lower part of each pair of adjacent nesting mechanisms and is used to connect adjacent nesting mechanisms. There are also four sets of closing clamping mechanisms, connected sequentially end-to-end to form a spatial closed-loop structure.
[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the inner nesting rod lug 11 at one end of the inner nesting rod 1 is rotatably hinged to the groove 51 of the lower connecting disk 5 arranged circumferentially, and the inner nesting rod groove 12 at the other end of the inner nesting rod 1 is rotatably hinged to the first through hole 61 of the rotating connector 6; the outer nesting rod lug 21 at one end of the outer nesting rod 2 is rotatably hinged to the groove 41 of the upper connecting disk 4 arranged circumferentially, and the outer nesting rod groove 22 at the other end of the outer nesting rod 2 is rotatably hinged to the second through hole 62 of the rotating connector 6.
[0032] like Figure 3 As shown, the rotating connector 6 is an important component connecting the nesting mechanism and the closing clamping mechanism. The lug 91 at one end of the lug synchronous folding link 9 is embedded in the groove 71 at one end of the groove synchronous folding link 7. The lug 91 and the groove 71 can rotate around the central axis of the rotating connector 6.
[0033] like Figure 4 As shown, a grooved gear 72 is provided at one end of the grooved synchronous folding link 7, and a lug gear 92 is provided at one end of the lug synchronous folding link 9. The grooved gear 72 and the lug gear 92 mesh with each other in the hollow inner cavity of the limiting buckle 8, and the transmission ratio is 1, so as to ensure that the grooved synchronous folding link 7 and the lug synchronous folding link 9 can maintain synchronous unfolding and retracting movements. A long strip-shaped spoke 81 is provided on the outer side of the limiting buckle 8. Both sides of the long strip-shaped spoke 81 are hollow to ensure that the closing clamping mechanism can unfold and retract in the same direction.
[0034] like Figure 1 , 5As shown in Figure 6, the transition from the unfolded to the folded state of the capture mechanism is achieved through a central drive mechanism. The central sliding rod 3 passes through the upper connecting disk 4 and the lower connecting disk 5. The bottom of the central sliding rod 3 is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the lower connecting disk 5. Under the sliding action of the central sliding rod 3, the distance between the upper connecting disk 4 and the lower connecting disk 5 changes. Simultaneously, due to the connection between the nesting mechanism and the central drive mechanism, as the central sliding rod 3 drives the lower connecting disk 5 to move closer to the upper connecting disk 4, the inner nesting rod 1 and the outer nesting rod 2 move closer and tighter. The axis distribution of the inner nesting rod 1 and the outer nesting rod 2 changes from intersecting to parallel, with the outer nesting rod 2 nesting and wrapping the inner nesting rod 1 inside. In terms of spatial structure, the central sliding rod 3 can fold the nesting mechanism and the central drive mechanism into a vertical state. Simultaneously, because the capture mechanism forms a closed loop, the clamping mechanism, due to the linkage effect, transitions from the straightened unfolded state to the bent folded state.
[0035] like Figure 7-8 As shown, when the capture mechanism performs the capture operation, it adjusts its own posture in real time and continuously approaches the target to be captured. When the target to be captured is within the capture range, the central drive mechanism performs an action to drive the nested mechanism to gradually move towards the center. At the same time, the closing clamping mechanism performs a folding and unfolding movement. The target is enveloped and locked by the contact force between the closing clamping mechanism and the target to be captured. The capture mechanism has two extreme states: unfolding and folding. Therefore, it has strong adaptability to targets of different sizes.
[0036] like Figure 9-10 As shown, the retractable clamping mechanism is the gateway for underwater vehicles to enter the capture mechanism and is an important component of the capture mechanism. The size of its opening determines whether the capture mechanism can capture and lock onto underwater vehicles of various calibers. In both the extended and folded extreme states, the allowable inner circle diameters of the retractable clamping mechanism are D and d, respectively. In this implementation example, D = 59.38 cm and d = 7.21 cm, enabling stable capture and clamping operations for small and medium-sized underwater vehicles with diameters between d and D. The ratio of its inner circle capture range is a key indicator for evaluating the capture mechanism; in this implementation example, λ = Dd = 8.24.
Claims
1. A single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism, characterized in that, It includes several nesting mechanisms, a closing clamping mechanism, and a central drive mechanism; the nesting mechanism includes an inner nesting rod (1) and an outer nesting rod (2); the central drive mechanism includes a central sliding rod (3) and an upper converging connecting disk (4) slidably connected to the central sliding rod (3) and a lower converging connecting disk (5) fixedly connected to the central sliding rod (3); the upper end of the inner nesting rod (1) is hinged to the upper converging connecting disk (4), and the upper end of the outer nesting rod (2) is hinged to the lower converging connecting disk (5); the closing clamping mechanism includes a foldable connecting rod for connecting adjacent nesting mechanisms, and the foldable connecting rod is hinged to the inner nesting rod (1) and the outer nesting rod (2) respectively to a rotating connecting piece (6); The foldable link includes a groove synchronous folding link (7), a limiting buckle (8), and a lug synchronous folding link (9). The groove synchronous folding link (7) includes grooves (71) and groove gears (72) at both ends. The lug synchronous folding link (9) includes lugs (91) and lug gears (92) at both ends. The groove gears (72) mesh with the lug gears (92) of the same group of closing clamping mechanisms in the inner cavity of the limiting buckle (8). The lugs (91) are embedded in the grooves (71) of the adjacent closing clamping mechanisms and are rotatably hinged to the rotating connector (6). The transmission ratio of the grooved gear (72) and the lug gear (92) is 1.
2. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting buckle (8) has hollow, elongated spokes (81) on both sides on its outer side.
3. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating connector (6) includes a first through hole (61) and a second through hole (62). The lower end of the inner nested rod (1) is rotatably hinged to the first through hole (61), and the lower end of the outer nested rod (2) is rotatably hinged to the second through hole (62).
4. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner nested rod (1) has an inner nested rod lug (11) at the upper end and an inner nested rod groove (12) at the lower end. The outer nested rod (2) has an outer nested rod lug (21) at the upper end and an outer nested rod groove (22) at the lower end.
5. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper confluence connecting disc (4) is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged upper confluence connecting disc grooves (41) that match the outer nested rod lugs (21); the lower confluence connecting disc (5) is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged lower confluence connecting disc grooves (51) that match the inner nested rod lugs (11).
6. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inner nested rod lug (11) is rotatably hinged to the lower confluence connecting disc groove (51), and the inner nested rod groove (12) is rotatably hinged to the first through hole (61); the outer nested rod lug (21) is rotatably hinged to the upper confluence connecting disc groove (41), and the outer nested rod groove (22) is rotatably hinged to the second through hole (62).
7. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The nesting mechanism consists of four sets, which are evenly arranged in a circular array around the central drive mechanism. The closing clamping mechanism is located in the lower part of each pair of adjacent nesting mechanisms, and consists of four sets, which are connected end to end to form a spatial closed loop structure.
8. The single-degree-of-freedom nested underwater vehicle capture mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The adjacent nested mechanisms and the central drive mechanism form an angle of 90°.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Space truss catching mechanism having foldable and bent functions
CN108422411A
Space capture robot and capture mechanism thereof
CN112518795A
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CN110447582A
Triangular prism unit modular planar antenna deployable mechanism
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