Underwater obstacle clearing robot for submarine cable maintenance

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater obstacle clearing robot for submarine cable maintenance and belongs to the technical field of submarine cable maintenance equipment. At present, the obstacle clearing device has the problems of easy damage to submarine cables, difficulty in removing large stones and unstable operation. The robot comprises two walking units, carries a rear rake frame assembly, a front rake frame assembly and a suction and discharge assembly, the pushing rake angle and depth of the front rake frame assembly are adjusted through the rotation and extension of two rotating extension arms and the extension of the other four extension arms in the process of advancing, large stones can be pushed to one side in the process of pushing the rake, and the silt or sand mud is cut at the same time, the pushing rake angle and depth of the rear rake frame assembly are synchronously controlled by the front rake frame assembly, the silt or sand mud is cut again by the rear rake frame assembly, small stones in the silt or sand mud are screened out at the same time, the silt or sand mud cut again and screened from the stones is sucked and discharged by the suction and discharge assembly, the cleaning work of the silt and sand mud covering on the submarine cable is completed, and the operation stability is good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of submarine cable maintenance equipment technology, and in particular to an underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance. Background Technology

[0002] When a submarine cable breaks, the break point needs to be located and repaired. This includes opening the seabed protective layer, stripping the fiber optic cable sheath, removing impurities from the optical fiber, re-bonding the fiber optic cable, and resealing the sheath. Before performing these operations, the submarine cable is often covered with silt and sand, which must be removed beforehand. Silt and sand can damage the cable's protective layer and connectors, affecting signal transmission quality and even causing a break. Therefore, removing silt and sand is a necessary step during submarine cable maintenance. A dredging vessel can be used to remove silt and sand.

[0003] The specific steps are as follows: The cable trajectory is pre-marked, and then a suction nozzle is lowered to remove the silt and gravel covering the submarine cable. For example, the novel silt suction vessel proposed in CN201410845169.7 includes a hull, gantry, first pulley block, second pulley block, third pulley block, winch, suction pipe, interface valve, and tank. The silt is removed by rotating the suction pipe onto the silt. However, this method has low suction efficiency and is prone to clogging the suction port when dealing with silt with high hardness or large stones. To improve suction efficiency, as proposed in application number CN20201090187... The dredging vessel proposed in 3.5 has two mud-breaking mechanisms at the end of the suction pipe, with at least part of the mud-breaking mechanism located below the suction nozzle. This is to break up silt or sand to improve suction and discharge efficiency. However, in actual application, the rotating crushing structure included in the mud-breaking mechanism is prone to damaging the submarine cable if the depth is not accurately controlled during high-speed rotation. At the same time, when facing large rocks mixed in with silt or sand, it is difficult to remove the large rocks. Furthermore, once the rotating crushing mechanism touches a rock, the suction pipe is prone to shaking under the reaction force of the rock, affecting the stability of the structure and requiring frequent inspection and maintenance.

[0004] Based on the above problems, this invention proposes an underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems of traditional sludge removal vessels in pumping out sludge and sand covering cables, such as the rotary crushing mechanism easily damaging the submarine cable, difficulty in removing large stones, and poor structural stability. The proposed underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance aims to separate and push away large and small stones along the cable laying trajectory, while simultaneously rolling up silt and sand for easy suction and discharge. The suction and discharge depth is precisely controllable, making it less likely to get stuck, achieving stable operation without damaging the submarine cable or silt.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance includes: two sets of walking units, each including a seat, three telescopic arms mounted on the seat, wheel assemblies connected to the telescopic arms, and tracks fitted onto the three wheel assemblies. Two of the telescopic arms are arranged horizontally in opposite directions, while the third telescopic arm can rotate vertically towards the front of the vehicle; a rear rake frame assembly mounted between the two seats, and a front rake frame assembly mounted between the two wheel assemblies and the rotatable wheel assembly at the front of the vehicle. The front rake frame assembly can adjust its rake angle and depth by rotating and extending the two rotating telescopic arms and by coordinating the extension and retraction of the other four telescopic arms. Simultaneously, the front rake frame assembly uses elastic ribs to synchronously control the rake angle and depth of the rear rake frame assembly; a suction and discharge assembly located behind the rear rake frame assembly, which is connected to a shipborne pumping and discharge device; and a gantry frame connecting the two seats. A monitoring component is mounted on the gantry frame via an equipment box. The monitoring component is connected to a terminal, and both the monitoring component and the terminal are existing technologies.

[0008] Compared to existing mud-clearing mechanisms, this invention proposes an underwater obstacle-clearing robot for submarine cable maintenance, equipped with a rear rake frame assembly, a front rake frame assembly, and a suction and discharge assembly. During its movement, the robot adjusts the pushing angle and depth of the front rake frame assembly through the rotation and extension of two rotating telescopic arms and the coordinated extension and retraction of four other telescopic arms. During the rakeing process, it can push large rocks to one side and simultaneously cut through silt or sand. The front rake frame assembly, during its rotation and extension, uses elastic ribs to synchronously control the pushing angle of the rear rake frame assembly. The rear rake assembly further cuts through the silt or sand, removing small stones. The suction and discharge assembly located behind the rear rake assembly then suctions and discharges the silt or sand that has been cut and sieved to remove stones. This allows for precise cleaning of the silt and sand covering the submarine cable, while avoiding the suction of stones and preventing damage to the cable. In addition, the triangular track design not only accommodates the angle changes brought about by the above-mentioned linkage functions, but also provides a stable foundation for the robot to move forward and overcome obstacles, enabling it to adapt to the complex underwater environment.

[0009] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0010] The wheel assembly includes a wheel seat connected to the end of the telescopic boom and a wheel rotatably mounted on the wheel seat. A drive motor is installed on one side of the rotating telescopic boom and the wheel seat connected to the telescopic boom located at the rear end of the vehicle. A swing arm motor that controls the rotation of the telescopic boom is installed on one side of the wheel seat. Tracks are fitted onto the three wheel seats.

[0011] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0012] The rear rake frame assembly includes a connecting plate connecting the rear sides of the two seats. The rear side of the connecting plate is concave inward to the front side in an arc shape, and is connected to a vertically upward arc plate. The rear side of the arc plate is provided with a mounting seat and a sleeve to install the suction and discharge assembly. The front side of the connecting plate is provided with a transition groove to rotatably install the elastic rake bar assembly.

[0013] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0014] The suction and discharge assembly includes an arc-shaped suction and discharge box with its bottom opening angled forward and upward. The top of the suction and discharge box is connected to a suction and discharge pipe that slides through a sleeve. A telescopic cylinder for controlling the lifting and lowering of the suction and discharge box is installed on the mounting base.

[0015] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0016] The elastic rake assembly includes a transfer seat located in the transfer groove and several elastic rakes connected to the transfer seat. The elastic rakes are arc-shaped and extend downwards and forwards from the vehicle seat.

[0017] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0018] The front rake frame assembly includes a frame plate. One end of the frame plate is connected to two rotatable wheel seats via two rotating joints. The other end of the frame plate is connected to several rake teeth. The rake teeth located in the middle are inner rake teeth, and the rake teeth located on both sides are outer rake teeth. The length of the outer rake teeth is greater than that of the inner rake teeth. The rake teeth pass through several guide grooves provided on the guide rod. The two ends of the guide rod are connected to two wheel seats located at the front end via two rotating joints.

[0019] As a further description of the above technical solution: pins are installed on the outer side of the ends of the two outer rake teeth and the outer side of the ends of the two outer elastic rake bars, and the pins on the same side are connected by elastic ribs.

[0020] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0021] Both the rake teeth and the ends of the elastic rake bar have arc-shaped heads.

[0022] As a further description of the above technical solution: the two ends of the gantry frame are clamped onto two seats, and the monitoring components include a power control module, a communication module, a data processing module, and a submarine cable induction detection module.

[0023] As a further description of the above technical solution: the top of the equipment box is connected to the ship-mounted elevator via ropes, and the communication module is connected to the terminal via cables.

[0024] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] This invention involves symmetrically installing six telescopic arms on two vehicle seats. Each seat has three telescopic arms, two of which are fixed horizontally in opposite directions, and one which is rotatable vertically towards the front of the vehicle. Wheel assemblies are installed at the ends of the telescopic arms, and tracks are fitted onto the three wheel assemblies. The two vehicle seats are connected to a gantry frame via a rear rake frame assembly. A front rake frame assembly is also installed between the two front wheel assemblies and the rotatable wheel assemblies. The pushing angle and depth of the front rake frame assembly are adjusted by the rotation and extension of the two rotating telescopic arms and the coordinated extension and retraction of the other four telescopic arms. During the rakeing process, large rocks can be pushed to one side, while simultaneously cutting through silt or sand. The front rake frame assembly rotates or extends... During the process, the angle and depth of the rear rake frame assembly are synchronously controlled by elastic ribs. The rear rake frame assembly cuts the silt or sand a second time and removes small stones from the silt or sand. The suction and discharge assembly located behind the rear rake frame assembly sucks up the silt or sand that has been cut and the stones removed. This allows for precise cleaning of the silt and sand covering the submarine cable. Compared with the existing mud-cutting mechanism, it can remove large stones that are obstructing the view and avoid the suction of stones, without damaging the submarine cable. It also makes it easy to accurately control the cutting depth. In addition, the triangular track design not only meets the angle changes brought about by the above linkage function, but also provides a stable foundation for the robot to move forward and overcome obstacles, and can adapt to the complex seabed environment. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 A robot stereoscopic model provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 ;

[0027] Figure 2 A robot stereoscopic model provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 3 A robot stereoscopic model provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 ;

[0029] Figure 4 A partially separated front view according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 5 A perspective view of a suction and discharge assembly provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0031] Figure 6 A perspective view showing the walking unit and the front and rear rake frames separated according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 7 A perspective view of the rear rake frame assembly and the front rake frame assembly provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 8A partial perspective view of the front rake frame assembly provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0034] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the telescopic boom control principle provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] Legend:

[0036] 10. Walking unit; 11. Seat; 12. Telescopic boom; 13. Wheel base; 14. Wheel; 15. Drive motor; 16. Swing arm motor; 17. Track;

[0037] 20. Rear rake frame assembly; 21. Connecting plate; 211. Adapter groove; 22. Arc plate; 221. Mounting base; 222. Pipe sleeve; 23. Adapter base; 24. Elastic rake bar;

[0038] 30. Front rake frame assembly; 31. Frame plate; 32. Rotary joint one; 33. Outer rake teeth; 34. Inner rake teeth; 35. Guide rod; 351. Guide groove; 36. Rotary joint two;

[0039] 40. Elastic ribs; 41. Pins;

[0040] 50. Suction and discharge assembly; 51. Suction and discharge box; 52. Suction and discharge pipe; 53. Telescopic cylinder;

[0041] 60. Portal frame;

[0042] 70. Equipment box; 71. Rope; 72. Cable. Detailed Implementation

[0043] 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.

[0044] Compared to the existing mud suction pipes and the mud-removing mechanism installed at their bottom, the underwater obstacle removal robot proposed in this invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0045] like Figure 1-8As shown, the system includes two sets of walking units 10, a rear rake frame assembly 20, a front rake frame assembly 30, elastic ribs 40, a suction and discharge assembly 50 connected to the shipborne pumping equipment, a gantry frame 60, an equipment box 70, and a monitoring component installed in the equipment box 70. The rear rake frame assembly 20, the front rake frame assembly 30, and the gantry frame 60 connect the two sets of walking units 10 into one unit, forming a walking robot. The monitoring component is connected to a terminal, which can be a shipborne mobile control terminal. The monitoring component and the terminal are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figure 1-4 As shown, the traveling unit 10 includes a seat 11, three telescopic arms 12, three wheel assemblies, and tracks 17. Two telescopic arms 12 are horizontally and symmetrically mounted on both sides of the seat 11, while the other telescopic arm 12 is vertically mounted on the seat 11 and can rotate to one side. The rotation is controlled by a swing arm motor 16 mounted on one side of the seat 11. The telescopic ends of the telescopic arms 12 are connected to the wheel assemblies, which include wheel seats 13 and wheels 14 rotatably mounted on the wheel seats 13. The tracks are fitted onto the three telescopic arms 11. On wheel 14, the side facing which the rotatable telescopic arm 12 rotates is the front side of the vehicle. A drive motor 15 is installed on one side of the wheel seat 13 connected to the rotatable telescopic arm 12, which is located at the rear of the vehicle. The drive motor 15 controls the rotation of the wheel 14 on the wheel seat 13, thereby driving the track 17 to rotate, achieving the purpose of moving forward or backward. In addition, the design of the triangular track 17 not only satisfies the angle changes brought about by the above-mentioned linkage function, but also provides a stable foundation for the robot to move forward and overcome obstacles, and can adapt to the complex environment of the seabed.

[0047] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the two ends of the gantry frame 60 are mounted on two seats 11. The top of the equipment box 70 is connected to the ship-mounted elevator via rope 71. The ship-mounted elevator controls the robot's descent and ascent. The communication module is connected to the terminal via cable 72. The monitoring components include a power control module, a communication module, a data processing module, and a submarine cable sensing and detection module, etc.

[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 1 , 6As shown in Figure 9, the front rake frame assembly 30 includes a frame plate 31, two rotating joints 32, multiple rake tooth guide rods 35, and two rotating joints 36. One end of the frame plate 31 is connected to two rotatable wheel seats 13 via the two rotating joints 32. The other end of the frame plate 31 is connected to several rake teeth, which are divided into inner rake teeth 34 and outer rake teeth 33. The rake teeth located in the middle are inner rake teeth 34, and the rake teeth located on both sides are outer rake teeth 33. The length of the outer rake teeth 33 is greater than that of the inner rake teeth 34. The purpose of this design is to cut through the compacted silt or mud on both sides of the submarine cable radially, making it easier to expose the outline of the submarine cable. Once the outline is exposed, the divers can easily... Its detachment, the rake teeth are inserted into several guide grooves 351 provided on the guide rod 35. The two ends of the guide rod 35 are connected to two wheel seats 13 located at the front end through two rotating joints 36. The guide rod 35 can stabilize and limit the sliding of the rake teeth while rotating, and provide support force for the squeezing of silt, mud and stones. In actual operation, the tilt angle of the frame plate 31 and the depth of the rake teeth inserted into the silt or mud are controlled by controlling the angle and extension of the vertical telescopic arm 12 to the front telescopic arm 12. In conjunction with the robot's movement, it can squeeze and push large stones in the silt or mud to one side, and at the same time cut the silt or mud.

[0049] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , 6 As shown in Figure -8, the rear rake frame assembly includes a connecting plate 21, an arc-shaped plate 22, and an elastic rake bar assembly. The connecting plate 21 is horizontally positioned and fixedly connected to the rear side of the two vehicle seats 11 via connectors. The rear side of the connecting plate 21 is concave towards the front of the vehicle. The arc-shaped plate 22 is fixedly connected to its rear side. The front side of the connecting plate is provided with an adapter groove 211 for mounting the elastic rake bar assembly. The elastic rake bar assembly includes an adapter seat 23 and several elastic rake bars 24. Both ends of the adapter seat 23 are rotatably mounted in the adapter groove 211 via rotating shafts. Several elastic rake bars 24 are connected to one side of the adapter seat 23. The elastic rake bars 24 are arc-shaped and face the vehicle. Extending downwards from the front of seat 11, pins 41 are installed on the outer sides of the ends of the two outer rake teeth 33 and the outer sides of the ends of the two outer elastic rake bars 24. The pins 41 on the same side are connected by elastic ribs 40. The elastic ribs 40 are set to link the elastic rake bar assembly. The purpose is that when the silt or mud is cut more deeply, the end of the elastic rake bar assembly can rotate downwards. Several elastic rake bars 24 perform secondary cutting of silt or mud. The small stones screened out are divided into two parts by the impact of water flow and the guidance of several elastic rake bars 24, and finally discharged between the arc plate 22 and the two side seats 11.

[0050] Specifically, the rear side of the arc-shaped plate 22 is equipped with a mounting base 221 and a sleeve 222 to install the suction and discharge assembly 50. More specifically, the suction and discharge assembly 50 includes a generally arc-shaped suction and discharge box 51. The bottom of the suction and discharge box 51 has a suction port, and the bottom of the suction port is inclined to the front and upper part of the seat 11. This angle difference of the suction port facilitates the suction of silt or sand cut by the elastic rake bar 24 at the bottom during the vehicle's forward movement. The top of the suction and discharge box 51 is connected to a telescopic cylinder 53, which is mounted on the mounting base 221. The top of the suction and discharge box 51 is also connected to the ship's pumping equipment through a suction and discharge pipe 52. The monitoring component controls the height of the suction and discharge box 51 through the telescopic cylinder 53, thereby controlling the distance between the bottom suction port and the silt or sand, and improving the suction and discharge efficiency of the silt or sand.

[0051] like Figure 7 As shown, the ends of both the rake teeth and the elastic rake bar 24 are arc-shaped to avoid scratching the insulation layer of the submarine cable.

[0052] The telescopic boom 12 mentioned in this technical solution is either a hydraulic telescopic boom or an underwater servo electric cylinder, both of which are existing technologies. The drive motor 15 and the swing arm motor 16 are both underwater motors, with different specifications depending on the diving depth. When using a conventional motor, appropriate isolation and waterproofing measures should be taken. The telescopic cylinder 53 is an underwater servo electric cylinder with different specifications depending on the diving depth.

[0053] 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 equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A submarine cable maintenance underwater obstacle clearing robot, characterized in that, include: Two sets of walking units (10) are provided. Each walking unit (10) includes a seat (11), three telescopic arms (12) mounted on the seat (11), wheel assemblies connected to the telescopic arms (12), and tracks (17) fitted on the three wheel assemblies. Two of the telescopic arms (12) are arranged horizontally in opposite directions, and the other telescopic arm can rotate from the vertical direction to the front end of the vehicle. The rear rake frame assembly (20) installed between the two seats (11), and the front rake frame assembly (30) installed between the two wheel assemblies at the front of the vehicle and the two rotatable wheel assemblies, can adjust the rake pushing angle and depth of the front rake frame assembly (30) by the rotation and extension of the two rotating telescopic arms (12) and the extension and extension of the other four telescopic arms (12). At the same time, the front rake frame assembly (30) synchronously controls the rake pushing angle and depth of the rear rake frame assembly (20) through the elastic ribs (40). The suction and discharge assembly (50) is located on the rear side of the rear rake frame assembly (20) and is connected to the shipborne pumping equipment. And a gantry (60) connecting the two seats (11), on which monitoring components are mounted by mounting an equipment box (70).

2. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel assembly includes a wheel seat (13) connected to the end of the telescopic arm (12) and a wheel (14) rotatably mounted on the wheel seat (13). A drive motor (15) is installed on one side of the rotating telescopic arm (12) and the wheel seat (13) connected to the telescopic arm (12) located at the rear end of the vehicle. A swing arm motor (16) for controlling the rotation of the telescopic arm (12) is installed on one side of the vehicle seat (11). Tracks (17) are fitted on the three wheel seats (13).

3. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rear rake frame assembly (20) includes a connecting plate (21) connecting the rear sides of the two seats (11). The rear side of the connecting plate (21) is concave inward to the front side in an arc shape, and is connected to a vertically upward arc plate (22). The rear side of the arc plate (22) is provided with a mounting seat (221) and a sleeve (222) to install the suction and discharge assembly (50). The front side of the connecting plate (21) is provided with a transition groove (211) to rotatably install the elastic rake bar assembly.

4. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 3, characterized in that, The suction and discharge assembly (50) includes an arc-shaped suction and discharge box (51), with the bottom opening of the suction and discharge box (51) angled forward and upward. The top of the suction and discharge box (51) is connected to a suction and discharge pipe (52) that slides through the sleeve (222). At the same time, a telescopic cylinder (53) for controlling the lifting and lowering of the suction and discharge box (51) is installed on the mounting base (221).

5. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic rake assembly includes a transfer seat (23) located in the transfer groove (211) and a plurality of elastic rakes (24) connected to the transfer seat (23). The elastic rakes (24) are arc-shaped and extend downward in front of the seat (11).

6. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 5, characterized in that, The front rake frame assembly (30) includes a frame plate (31). One end of the frame plate (31) is connected to two rotatable wheel seats (13) via two rotating joints (32). The other end of the frame plate (31) is connected to several rake teeth. The rake teeth in the middle are inner rake teeth (34), and the rake teeth on both sides are outer rake teeth (33). The length of the outer rake teeth (33) is greater than that of the inner rake teeth (34). The rake teeth are inserted into several guide grooves (351) provided on the guide rod (35). The two ends of the guide rod (35) are connected to the two wheel seats (13) at the front end via two rotating joints (36).

7. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 6, characterized in that, Pins (41) are installed on the outer sides of the ends of the two outer rake teeth (33) and the outer sides of the ends of the two outer elastic rake bars (24). The pins (41) on the same side are connected by elastic ribs (40).

8. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the rake teeth and the ends of the elastic rake bar (24) are arc-shaped.

9. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two ends of the gantry frame (60) are mounted on two seats (11). The monitoring components include a power control module, a communication module, a data processing module, and a submarine cable induction detection module.

10. The underwater obstacle removal robot for submarine cable maintenance according to claim 9, characterized in that, The top of the equipment box (70) is connected to the ship's elevator via a rope (71), and the communication module is connected to the terminal via a cable (72).

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