A moving unit of a track robot and a track robot

Abstract

The application relates to a moving unit of a track robot and the track robot, which is suitable for cooperating with a walking track, the walking track comprising a walking part and a guide rail body arranged on the lower surface of the walking part, the moving unit of the track robot comprising at least two power wheels for walking along the walking part, a driving assembly for driving the power wheels to rotate, and a guide structure for cooperating with the guide rail body to guide the walking of the power wheels, and the moving unit of the track robot is provided with a magnetic attraction force for magnetically attracting the moving unit to the lower surface of the walking part. The application has the effects of improving the problem that the track robot cannot normally work in a harsh working environment and improving the moving performance of the track robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of track robots, and more particularly to a mobile unit for a track robot and a track robot. Background Technology

[0002] Track-based robots generally refer to robots that move along pre-laid tracks to perform inspections. Explosion-proof track-based robots are a type of track-based robot. These robots are used in Class II explosive environments such as open-air installations in petrochemical plants. Based on track-based movement and detection, they closely observe potential leak points in open-air installations. Once a leak of high-temperature substances is detected, an automatic alarm can be triggered, which is of great significance for improving production safety.

[0003] Reference Figure 1 The explosion-proof tracked robot includes a frame unit 03 and a walking structure 04 mounted on top of the frame unit 03 for moving on a track. Currently, the most common track is an I-beam track 05. The walking structure 04 typically includes at least two sets of walking wheels 041, several sets of guide and clamping wheels 042 for guiding the robot's movement, and a power assembly 043 that drives the two sets of walking wheels 041 to rotate. The two sets of walking wheels 041 are located on both sides of the waist plate 051 and move along the upper surface of the lower flange 052 of the I-beam track 05 under power drive. There are typically four sets of guide and clamping wheels 042, one set in front of and one set behind each set of walking wheels, with each guide and clamping wheel 042 clamping the upper and lower sides of the flange of the lower flange 052. Each power assembly 043 includes a motor 0431, a main drive component 0432 connected to the output shaft of the motor 0431, and a driven component 0433 coaxially connected to the main drive component 0432. The main drive component 0432 and the driven component 0433 are respectively connected to two walking wheels 041.

[0004] In this design, the traveling wheels travel on the upper surface of the lower flange of the I-beam track. When the working environment of the track robot is poor, debris easily accumulates on the upper surface of the lower flange of the I-beam track. When the debris adheres to the upper surface of the lower flange, causing a local bulge and increasing the thickness of the lower flange, the traveling wheels cannot travel along the locally bulging upper surface due to the upper and lower clamping limits of the guide gripping wheels of the track robot, thus causing the track robot to jam. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to improve the problem that existing track robots are prone to malfunction in harsh working environments, this application provides a mobile unit for a track robot and a track robot.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a mobile unit for a tracked robot that adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A mobile unit for a track robot is adapted to cooperate with a walking track, the walking track including a walking part and a guide rail body disposed on the lower surface of the walking part. The mobile unit of the track robot includes at least two drive wheels for walking along the walking part, a drive assembly for driving the drive wheels to rotate, and a guide structure for cooperating with the guide rail body to guide the walking of the drive wheels. The mobile unit of the track robot has a magnetic attraction force that magnetically attracts the mobile unit to the lower surface of the walking part.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the entire mobile unit is magnetically attached to the lower surface of the walking track. The power wheels travel along the lower surface of the walking part. Due to the shielding effect of the upper surface of the walking part and the effect of the gravity of the debris itself, the lower surface of the walking part is not prone to accumulating debris. In addition, since the guiding structure of this application cooperates with the guide rail on the lower surface of the walking part to guide the movement of the mobile unit, it will not create upper or lower limits on the position of the track robot. Even if some debris accumulates on the lower surface of the walking part, the walking wheels of the track robot of this application can still walk on the local protrusions caused by the debris. Therefore, the track robot of this application can better adapt to harsh working environments.

[0009] Preferably, the guiding structure is a guide wheel, and a guide groove is formed on the circumferential sidewall of the guide wheel for cooperating with the guide rail body. The power wheel and the guide wheel are coaxially arranged via a transmission shaft.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the guiding structure is set as a guide wheel coaxially inserted with the power wheel, and a guide groove is formed on the circumferential side wall of the guide wheel for cooperating with the guide rail. During movement, the guide wheel, coaxially set on the transmission shaft, rotates synchronously with the power wheel. This not only reduces the frictional resistance between the guide wheel and the guide rail, but also eliminates the need for a separate support structure for the guide wheel, making the design of the walking unit more compact. When turning, the guide wheel is squeezed by the guide rail, causing the transmission shaft to deflect and thus causing the entire moving unit to rotate, realizing the turning of the track robot. Furthermore, due to the coaxial setting of the power wheel and the guide wheel, when designing the drive component, only one transmission component needs to be set at one end of the transmission shaft, eliminating the need for two transmission components of the same structure and the need for secondary transmission between the two transmission components via the transmission shaft. By reducing the number of transmission components, the structure of the drive component is simplified, the volume of the drive component is reduced, and the volume and weight of the moving unit are greatly reduced, achieving lightweighting and miniaturization of the track robot. This makes the movement of the track robot more flexible and easier to pass through narrow spaces and small-radius curves.

[0011] Preferably, the moving unit of the track robot further includes a magnetic structure, which provides the magnetic attraction force;

[0012] or

[0013] The drive wheel is a magnetic adsorption wheel, and the drive wheel provides the magnetic attraction force;

[0014] or

[0015] The moving unit of the track robot also includes a magnetic attraction structure, and the power wheel is a magnetic attraction wheel. The magnetic attraction structure and the power wheel together provide the magnetic attraction force.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solutions, three methods are set up to provide magnetic force for the moving unit: a magnetic structure can be set on the moving unit alone; a magnetic structure can be set up but the power wheel can be designed as a magnetic adsorption wheel to provide magnetic force for the moving unit; or a magnetic structure and a magnetic wheel can be used together to provide magnetic force for the moving unit. Among them, the second method, which designs only the power wheel as a magnetic adsorption wheel, can greatly reduce the weight and volume of the whole machine while ensuring sufficient magnetic force and light overall weight, making the movement of the track robot more flexible. The method of combining the magnetic structure and the magnetic adsorption wheel to provide magnetic force for the moving unit can better ensure the operational safety of the track robot and greatly reduce the probability of the track robot falling due to the loss of magnetic force.

[0017] Preferably, the magnetic attraction structure includes at least two magnetic attraction units, which are coaxially arranged on the transmission shaft and do not rotate with the transmission shaft.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the magnetic attraction unit does not move synchronously with the drive shaft when the drive shaft rotates, so as to ensure that the magnetic attraction unit always maintains magnetic attraction with the lower surface of the walking part.

[0019] Preferably, the drive shaft is provided with at least two first bearings, and the magnetic attraction unit includes a support body whose bottom is connected to the corresponding first bearing and a permanent magnet made of permanent magnet material installed on the top of the support body, the top surface of the permanent magnet being arc-shaped.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, the permanent magnet material has an ultra-high magnetic adsorption capacity, which greatly reduces the probability of the track robot falling off the walking track when it is vertically suspended. Setting the top surface of the permanent magnet to be arc-shaped can, on the one hand, reduce the number of magnets that do not provide adsorption force for the movement of the track robot, improve the utilization rate of the magnet, and reduce the weight of the vehicle body; on the other hand, it facilitates the wall-mounted installation and wall detachment of the track robot.

[0021] Preferably, there is a gap between the top surface of the permanent magnet and the lower surface of the traveling part.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the magnetic attraction structure and the lower surface of the walking part are non-contact. By finely adjusting the fixed position of the permanent magnet on the support, the gap between the magnetic attraction structure and the walking part is adjusted, so that the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet is adjustable.

[0023] Preferably, the guide wheel and the permanent magnet are covered with a protective shell made of non-metallic material. The top surface of the protective shell has a clearance hole for the guide rail to extend into, and the two side walls of the protective shell have through holes for the drive shaft to pass through. There is a gap between the top surface of the protective shell and the lower surface of the traveling part.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, based on the requirements of explosion-proof inspection, the track robot cannot have any exposed metal. Therefore, a non-metallic protective shell needs to be installed on the outside of the guide wheel and permanent magnet. There is a gap between the top surface of the protective shell and the lower surface of the walking part to avoid friction between the top surface of the protective shell and the lower surface of the walking part when the track robot moves, thereby reducing frictional resistance.

[0025] Preferably, the moving unit further includes an installation fixture, on which both the drive shaft and the drive assembly are integrated.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, the drive shaft and drive components are installed on the installation fixture, and the power wheel, guide wheel and magnetic structure are coaxially set on the drive shaft. At the same time, the protective shell is also installed on the installation fixture, realizing the modular design of the mobile unit, which is more convenient for installation and disassembly, and makes the design of the mobile unit system simpler, more compact and smaller in size.

[0027] Preferably, the mounting fixture is equipped with at least one anti-fall component, the anti-fall component including an anti-fall wheel for abutting against the upper surface of the walking part, the anti-fall wheel moving along the upper surface of the walking part with the power wheel.

[0028] By adopting the above technical solution, since the anti-fall wheel abuts against the upper surface of the walking part, in the event of an unexpected situation where the magnetic force of the permanent magnet disappears, the track robot can be suspended on the walking track by the anti-fall wheel, reducing the probability of the track robot falling off the walking track.

[0029] On the other hand, this application provides a track robot with the following technical solution:

[0030] A track robot includes a frame and at least one mobile unit of the track robot, the mobile unit being rotatably connected to the frame.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, the mobile unit is rotatably connected to the frame, which facilitates horizontal or vertical cornering.

[0032] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0033] 1. In this application, the entire mobile unit is magnetically attached to the lower surface of the walking part. Due to the obstruction of the upper surface of the walking part and the effect of the gravity of the debris itself, the lower surface of the walking part is not prone to accumulating debris. Moreover, the guiding structure cooperates with the guide rail on the lower surface of the walking part to guide the movement of the mobile unit, and will not create upper or lower limits on the position of the track robot. Even if some debris accumulates on the lower surface of the walking part, the walking wheels of the track robot of this application can still move over the local protrusions caused by the debris, so that the track robot of this application can better adapt to harsh working environments.

[0034] 2. By designing the guide structure as a guide wheel that passes through the drive wheel coaxially, and forming a guide groove on the circumferential side wall of the guide wheel for cooperating with the guide rail, the structure of the moving unit is simplified and the volume of the moving unit is reduced. When moving, the guide wheel rotates synchronously with the drive shaft, which can effectively reduce the friction between the guide wheel and the guide rail. When turning, the guide wheel is squeezed by the bending shape of the guide rail, which in turn squeezes the drive shaft to rotate, thereby driving the installation fixture and the moving unit to rotate as a whole, thus realizing turning.

[0035] 3. By designing the top surface of the permanent magnet to have a gap with the lower surface of the traveling part, the fixed position of the permanent magnet can be finely adjusted around the drive shaft, and the gap between the permanent magnet and the traveling part can be adjusted, so that the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet is adjustable. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is an accompanying drawing in the background section of this application.

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the mobile unit of this application when it is connected to the vehicle frame.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a side view of the moving unit in conjunction with the traveling track.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the moving unit.

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after the protective cover of the mobile unit is hidden.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the guide wheel.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the drive wheel.

[0043] Figure 8 This is a force analysis diagram of a track-mounted robot walking horizontally.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a force analysis diagram of a track-guided robot walking vertically.

[0045] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic attraction structure on the drive shaft.

[0046] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the anti-fall component.

[0047] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 01, moving unit; 1, drive wheel; 11, wheel body; 12, rubber layer; 2, drive assembly; 21, drive motor; 22, transmission component; 221, active reducer; 222, driven reducer; 223, synchronous belt; 3, guide wheel; 31, guide groove; 4, magnetic structure; 41, magnetic unit; 411, support body; 412, permanent magnet; 42, first bearing; 5, drive shaft; 6, mounting fixture; 61, base; 62, ear plate; 63, second bearing; 7, anti-fall device. Components; 71. Anti-fall wheel; 72. Connecting rod; 73. Hinge rod; 74. Hinge plate; 8. Protective cover; 9. Protective shell; 91. Clearance hole; 10. Traveling track; 101. Traveling part; 102. Guide rail body; 02. Frame; 03. Frame unit; 04. Traveling structure; 041. Traveling wheel; 042. Guide clamping wheel; 043. Power component; 0431. Motor; 0432. Main transmission component; 0433. Slave transmission component; 05. I-beam rail; 051. Waist plate; 052. Lower wing plate. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 2-11 This application will be described in further detail.

[0049] Example 1

[0050] This application discloses a mobile unit for a tracked robot. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 It is suitable for use with the travel track 10, which includes a travel part 101 and a guide rail 102 disposed on the lower surface of the travel part 101.

[0051] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The moving unit of the track robot includes two moving units 01 that are suitable for rotating connection with the frame 02. Of course, the number of moving units 01 in the moving unit of the track robot can be selected according to actual needs. One or more can be set. Considering the flexibility and stability of the movement of the moving unit of the track robot, it is preferable to set two moving units 01.

[0052] Each moving unit 01 includes at least two drive wheels 1 for moving along the walking section 101, a drive assembly 2 for driving the drive wheels 1, and a guide structure for cooperating with the guide rail 102 to guide the movement of the drive wheels 1. The moving unit 01 of the track robot has a magnetic attraction force that magnetically attracts the moving unit 01 to the lower surface of the walking section 101.

[0053] By magnetically attaching the mobile unit 01 to the lower surface of the walking track 10, the power wheel 1 moves along the lower surface of the walking part 101. Due to the shielding effect of the upper surface of the walking part 101 and the effect of the gravity of the debris itself, debris does not easily accumulate on the lower surface of the walking part 101. Since the guiding structure of this application cooperates with the guide rail 102 on the lower surface of the walking part 101 to guide the movement of the mobile unit 01, it does not create upper or lower limits on the position of the track robot. Even if some debris accumulates on the lower surface of the walking part 101, the walking wheel 1 of the track robot of this application can move over the local protrusions caused by the debris, thereby enabling the track robot of this application to better adapt to harsh working environments.

[0054] When designing the magnetic attraction system for a track-mounted robot, its mobility must be considered, as this directly affects its inspection performance. The mobility of a track-mounted robot is primarily influenced by its overall weight and center of gravity, drive method, drive force, and friction between the drive wheel 1 and the walking mechanism 101. The weight and size of the track-mounted robot play a crucial role in its mobility. The following details several methods for reducing the weight of a track-mounted robot:

[0055] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The traveling part 101 is a plate made of magnetic metal material and is laid out in the inspection area according to the prescribed inspection route. The guide rail 102 is welded and fixed to the lower surface of the traveling part 101 and is set along the entire length of the traveling part 101's route. To reduce the frictional resistance of the guide wheel 3 during travel and facilitate steering, the guide structure is a guide wheel 3. The power wheel 1 and the guide wheel 3 are coaxially arranged via the transmission shaft 5, and a guide groove 31 is formed on the circumferential side wall of the guide wheel 3 for cooperating with the guide rail 102. When the drive assembly 2 drives the transmission shaft 5 to rotate, the guide wheel 3 rotating with the transmission shaft 5 becomes a rolling friction with the guide rail 102. This not only reduces the friction between the two, but also makes the contact surface less prone to wear, reducing the energy consumption of the moving unit 01. In addition, there is no need to set up a separate support structure to support the guide wheel 3, making the structure of the moving unit 01 lightweight, compact, and lower in cost.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 6When the moving unit 01 turns, the guide wheel 3 is squeezed by the guide rail 102, which drives the transmission shaft 5 to rotate, thereby causing the moving unit 01 to rotate as a whole, realizing the turning of the track robot. The guide rail 102 can be a square tube, a round tube, or other irregularly shaped tube, and the longitudinal section of the guide groove 31 is also designed to match the longitudinal section of the guide rail 102. In order to further reduce the friction between the guide wheel 3 and the guide rail 102, increase the fit between the guide wheel 3 and the guide rail 102, and make the turning of the track robot more flexible, the guide rail 102 is preferably a round tube fixed to the lower surface of the walking part 101, and the longitudinal section of the guide groove 31 is a U-shape that fits the shape of the lower surface of the guide rail 102.

[0057] During movement, as long as the magnetic force does not disappear, the moving unit 01 will not fall off. Therefore, the guide wheel 3 in this application only serves a guiding function and does not need to serve an anti-fall function. The structure of the guide wheel 3 can be simplified to the maximum extent while ensuring guidance of the track robot, so that the number of guide wheels 3 in the moving unit 01 can be reduced to a minimum of one, reducing the size and weight of the moving unit 01. The track robot is smaller, moves more flexibly, and is easier to pass through narrow spaces and small-radius curves.

[0058] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 Preferably, to minimize the size and weight of the mobile unit 01 and improve the flexibility of the track robot, making it easier for the track robot to pass through narrow spaces and small-radius curves, the mobile unit 01 of this application has two drive wheels 1, and only one guide wheel 3 is provided on the drive shaft 5. Furthermore, to maintain force balance when the track robot turns, the guide wheel 3 is located in the middle of the track robot, that is, the two drive wheels 1 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the guide wheel 3. This not only makes the design of the mobile unit 01 more compact and smaller in size.

[0059] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 Since the two drive wheels 1 and the guide wheel 3 are coaxially arranged, the structure of the drive assembly 2 can be simplified as much as possible. The drive assembly 2 of this application includes a drive motor 21 and a transmission component 22 connected between the drive motor 21 and either end of the transmission shaft 5. That is, only one set of transmission components 22 is needed to drive the drive wheels 1 and the guide wheel 3 to rotate synchronously. Compared with the traditional I-beam rail, which requires a main transmission component and a slave transmission component with the same structure and secondary transmission, the number of transmission components 22 is reduced to one set. This greatly reduces the size and weight of the moving unit 01, realizing the lightweighting and miniaturization of the track robot.

[0060] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5The transmission component 22 includes a drive reducer 221 fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor 21, a driven reducer 222 fixed on any end of the transmission shaft 5, and a synchronous belt 223 installed between the drive reducer 221 and the driven reducer 222.

[0061] In summary, this application significantly reduces the weight and size of the entire machine by coaxially arranging the drive wheel 1 and guide wheel 3, reducing the number of guide wheels 3 and transmission components 22, and simplifying the structure of the moving unit 01. Furthermore, by converting the gimbal mounted on the frame 02 for real-time monitoring into five cameras, the overall weight of the track robot is further reduced, making the overall weight of the track robot of this application ≤35 kg.

[0062] Reference Figure 2 To facilitate turning, the two moving units 01 of this application adopt a two-wheel, two-drive active steering mode. That is, when turning, the guide wheels 3 and guide rails 102 in each moving unit 01 cooperate to guide the track robot, making it easier for the track robot to pass through the curve.

[0063] In terms of drive method, it is necessary to ensure balanced power output and high-precision position control during movement. This application adopts a two-wheel drive, two-wheel independent drive form. In order to accurately control the speed of the drive motor 21 when turning, an encoder is installed on the output shaft of each drive motor 21 to facilitate real-time feedback of the speed and position information of the wheels. By adjusting the speed of each set of drive motors 21 when turning, the moving unit 01 can achieve high-precision speed and position control of the power wheel 1.

[0064] To facilitate higher precision and power matching of the drive motor 21, a DC servo motor is used. Both the active reducer 221 and the driven reducer 222 employ high-precision, high-torque single-stage planetary reducers. This allows for a single-wheel drive torque of up to 30 Nm, a maximum drive wheel speed of 61 rpm, and a maximum vehicle speed of 11.5 m / min. Based on force-position hybrid control, the drive wheels of the automatic electronically regulated system are driven independently, ensuring balanced power output and high-precision position control during movement.

[0065] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 7To ensure the track robot has sufficient friction under different working conditions, thus adapting to different environments and obstacles, the drive wheel 1 includes a wheel body 11 and a rubber layer 12 covering the outside of the wheel body 11 for friction reduction. The rubber layer 12 covering the outside of the wheel body 11 can ensure that a large friction force is generated under the same magnetic attraction force, giving the drive wheel 1 advantages such as good grip and anti-slip performance. Preferably, the wheel body 11 is made of permanent magnet material to cooperate with the magnetic attraction structure 4, providing a greater magnetic attraction force for the moving unit 01 and reducing the probability of the track robot falling off.

[0066] The working conditions at inspection sites vary. When the inspection conditions are complex, the inspection robot not only needs to navigate horizontal curves but also needs to be able to move vertically and pass through vertical curves. The force analysis of the track robot during horizontal and vertical movement is as follows:

[0067] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The diagrams show the forces acting on the robot during horizontal and vertical movement. During horizontal movement, the sum of gravity and the supporting force, along with the magnetic attraction force, form a balanced force. During vertical movement, the supporting force and the magnetic attraction force form a balanced force, as do gravity and friction. The diagrams show that for horizontal movement, the magnetic force only needs to be greater than gravity, making the force distribution relatively clear and easy to achieve. For vertical movement, the supporting force and the magnetic attraction force form a balanced force, and the friction force must be greater than gravity. The friction force equals the product of the supporting force and the coefficient of friction. Considering a minimum safety factor, this design tentatively sets the safety factor at 1.6. The coefficient of friction is generally taken as 0.5. The robot's weight is 35 kg, therefore the supporting force is calculated as (35 / 0.5) * 1.6 = 112 kg. This supporting force is the magnetic attraction force, which in this design is 120 kg, greater than 112 kg. The force analysis indicates that this design is safe and reliable.

[0068] Considering the friction coefficient, equipment weight, and different working speed requirements for rust removal and painting under different conditions for the track robot, the output power of drive motor 21 is calculated as follows:

[0069] Motor power: 2 x 200W; Motor speed: 3000 RPM-3500 RPM

[0070] Reduction ratio: 1:49

[0071] Wheel diameter: 60mm

[0072] Magnetic force: 1200N

[0073] Coefficient of friction: 0.5

[0074] Walking speed V = 3000 / 49 x 60 x 3.14 = 11540 mm / min = 11.54 m / min

[0075] Motor traction force: F = 9550 x 0.4 / (3000 / 49) / 0.03 = 2079 N = 207.9 kg

[0076] Friction force: 120 x 0.5 = 60 kg > load weight 35 kg. Therefore, drive motor 21 meets the usage requirements.

[0077] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 10 The magnetic attraction structure 4 includes at least two magnetic attraction units 41, and at least two first bearings 42 are provided on the drive shaft 5. Each magnetic attraction unit 41 is coaxially mounted on the drive shaft 5 through the first bearings 42. When the drive shaft 5 rotates, the magnetic attraction structure 4 does not rotate synchronously with the drive shaft 5 but remains perpendicularly attracted to the lower surface of the walking part 101. Specifically, each magnetic attraction unit 41 includes a support body 411 whose bottom is connected to the first bearing 42 and a permanent magnet 412 made of permanent magnet material mounted on top of the support body 411. To ensure the force balance of the track robot, two magnetic attraction units 41 are provided. Each magnetic attraction unit 41 is located between the guide wheel 3 and the power wheel 1, and is located at the end closer to the power wheel 1 with a gap between it and the power wheel 1.

[0078] Permanent magnet materials possess extremely high magnetic adsorption capabilities, significantly reducing the probability of the track robot falling off the walking track 10 when vertically suspended. Furthermore, the top surface of the permanent magnet 412 in this application is designed to be arc-shaped. This design not only reduces the number of magnets that do not provide adsorption force for the track robot's movement, improving magnet utilization and further reducing the weight of the track robot, but also facilitates the wall-mounted installation and detachment of the track robot from the wall.

[0079] Reference Figure 3 Furthermore, a gap exists between the top surface of the permanent magnet 412 and the lower surface of the traveling part 101. Since the permanent magnet material and the magnetic metal material of the traveling part 101 have a strong magnetic attraction, the permanent magnet 412 and the lower surface of the traveling part 101 are designed to be non-contact. This avoids friction between the permanent magnet 412 and the traveling part 101. Furthermore, while ensuring the magnetic attraction force, the gap between the permanent magnet 412 and the traveling part 101 can be adjusted by fine-tuning the position of the permanent magnet 412 on the support 411, thereby regulating the magnetic attraction force between them. To ensure the attraction force between the permanent magnet 412 and the traveling part 101, the distance between the top surface of the permanent magnet 412 and the traveling part 101 is 6-8 mm. Preferably, the distance between the top surface of the permanent magnet 412 and the traveling part 101 is designed to be 7 mm.

[0080] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 Because exposed metal structures are not permitted during explosion-proof inspections, a protective cover 8 is installed on the outside of the transmission component 22. A non-metallic protective shell 9 is installed on the outside of the guide wheel 3 and the permanent magnet 42, and the protective shell 9 is fixedly mounted on the base 61. A clearance hole 91 is provided on the top surface of the protective shell 9 for the guide rail 102 to extend into. Through holes (not shown in the figure) are provided on both side walls of the protective shell 9 for the transmission shaft 5 to pass through.

[0081] A gap exists between the top surface of the protective shell 9 and the lower surface of the walking part 101. This prevents friction between the top surface of the protective shell 9 and the lower surface of the walking part 101 when the track robot is moving, thus reducing frictional resistance. To reduce interference between the protective shell 9 and the walking part when turning, the top surface of the protective shell 9 is preferably designed as an arch shape that fits against the top surface of the permanent magnet 412.

[0082] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 To simplify the structure of the mobile unit 01 and facilitate its installation and disassembly from the frame 02, a modular design for the mobile unit 01 was implemented. The mobile unit 01 also includes an installation fixture 6. The drive motor 21, transmission component 22, transmission shaft 5, and protective housing 9 are all integrated on the installation fixture 6.

[0083] Reference Figure 5 Specifically, the mounting fixture 6 includes a base 61 for mounting the drive motor 21 and two ear plates 62 mounted on both sides of the base 61. The drive shaft 5 passes between the two ear plates 62, and the transmission component 22 is located on the outside of either ear plate 62. The base 61 is provided with a second bearing 63, and the second bearing 63 is provided with a rotating shaft (not shown in the figure). The base 61 is rotatably connected to the frame 02 through the rotating shaft. When making a horizontal or vertical turn, the guide wheel 3, which was originally in a straight-line walking state, is squeezed by the bend of the guide rail 102. Since the base of the moving unit 01 is rotatably connected to the frame 02 through the rotating shaft, when the guide wheel 3 is squeezed by the bend, the guide wheel 3 will drive the drive shaft 5, the mounting fixture 6, and then drive the moving unit 01 to rotate around the rotating shaft, thereby realizing the smooth turning of the moving unit 01 on the travel rail.

[0084] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 11Meanwhile, to ensure the movement of the track robot, an anti-fall component 7 is also installed on the mounting fixture 6 to reduce the probability of the track robot falling off the walking track 10 when the magnetic force of the magnetic attraction structure 4 disappears. The anti-fall component 7 includes anti-fall wheels 71 for abutting against the upper surface of the walking part 101. The anti-fall wheels 71 move along the upper surface of the walking part 101 with the power wheel 1. In the event of an unexpected situation where the magnetic force of the magnetic attraction structure 4 disappears, the track robot can be suspended on the walking track 10 by the anti-fall wheels 71, reducing the probability of the track robot falling off the walking track 10.

[0085] Reference Figure 11 To adapt the anti-fall wheel 71 to the shape of the walking unit 101 and facilitate its following of the moving unit 01 through curves, the anti-fall assembly 7 also includes a connecting rod 72 fixedly mounted on the axis of the anti-fall wheel 71, and a hinge rod 73 fixed to the other end of the connecting rod 72. The end of the hinge rod 73 away from the connecting rod 72 is hinged to a hinge plate 74 fixedly mounted on the ear plate 62 (which does not have a transmission component 22). When the track robot moves, the hinge rod 73 can rotate around the hinge axis with the hinge plate 74, thereby adaptively adjusting the movement of the anti-fall wheel 71.

[0086] Reference Figure 2 Since each moving unit 01 is equipped with an anti-fall wheel 71 on only one ear plate 62, in order to ensure the overall stability of the track robot, the two moving units 01 are installed symmetrically. This reduces the weight and volume of the moving unit 01 while ensuring the stability of the track robot's movement. At the same time, the transmission component 22 and the anti-fall component 7 on the outside of the ear plate 62 can balance the forces on the left and right sides of the moving unit 01, ensuring that the track robot moves smoothly.

[0087] Since the anti-fall wheel 71 also provides auxiliary adsorption and support for the drive wheel 1, the anti-fall wheel 71 is manufactured with an outer rubber coating to increase its friction. When only one anti-fall component 7 is provided on each moving unit 01, it is preferable that the anti-fall components 7 on two adjacent moving units 01 are located on opposite sides, which makes the anti-fall more reliable.

[0088] The implementation principle of the moving unit of the track robot in this embodiment is as follows: Before walking, the track robot is combined with the walking track 10. That is, the magnetic attraction structure 4 magnetically attracts the moving unit 01 to the lower surface of the walking part 101. The guide groove 31 of the guide wheel 3 cooperates with the guide rail body 102, and the two power wheels 1 are in contact with the lower surface of the walking track 10 and can walk along the lower surface of the walking track 10. Then, the drive motor 21 is started, which drives the transmission shaft 5 to rotate through the transmission component 22. When the transmission shaft 5 rotates, it drives the power wheel 1 and the guide wheel 3 to rotate synchronously. Under the guidance of the guide wheel 3, the power wheel 1 and the guide wheel 3 walk along the walking track 10. When there is a horizontal turn or a vertical turn, the guide wheel 3 of each moving unit 01 is squeezed by the guide rail body 102 in turn, so that the two moving units 01 in front and behind rotate relative to the frame 02 in turn, and smoothly pass through the curve. By improving the structure of the walking track 10, the power wheel 1 and the guide wheel 3 are both set on the lower surface of the walking part 101, which makes it easier for the track robot to pass through small radius curves. By reducing the number of guide wheels 3, reducing the number of transmission components 22, simplifying the structure of the moving unit 01, and replacing the monitoring gimbal with a camera, the size and weight of the track robot are greatly reduced, achieving lightweighting and miniaturization of the track robot. This makes it easier to pass through narrow spaces and small-radius curves, and the movement of the track robot is more flexible.

[0089] Example 2

[0090] The only difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the main body 11 of the power wheel 1 in Embodiment 2 is made of ordinary metal, and the magnetic attraction force of the moving unit 01 is provided only by the magnetic attraction unit 41 disposed between the power wheel 1 and the guide wheel 3.

[0091] Example 3

[0092] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that a magnetic attraction unit 41 made of permanent magnet material is not added to the moving unit 01. Instead, the power wheel 1 is made of permanent magnet material, and the magnetic attraction force of the moving unit 01 is provided by the power wheel 1. Because permanent magnet material has super strong magnetic attraction properties, ideally, when the overall weight of the track robot is small, the track robot can be attracted to the lower surface of the walking track 10 by the magnetic attraction properties of the wheel body 11 alone, which greatly reduces the overall weight of the track robot and makes the movement of the track robot more flexible.

[0093] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A mobile unit for a tracked robot, adapted to cooperate with a walking track (10), the walking track (10) comprising a walking part (101) and a guide rail (102) disposed on the lower surface of the walking part (101), characterized in that: The moving unit (01) of the track robot includes at least two drive wheels (1) for walking along the walking part (101), a drive assembly (2) for driving the drive wheels (1) to rotate, and a guide structure for cooperating with the guide rail (102) to guide the walking of the drive wheels (1). The moving unit (01) of the track robot has a magnetic attraction force that magnetically attracts the moving unit (01) to the lower surface of the walking part (101). The guiding structure is a guide wheel (3), and a guide groove (31) is formed on the circumferential side wall of the guide wheel (3) for cooperating with the guide rail body (102). The power wheel (1) and the guide wheel (3) are coaxially arranged through the transmission shaft (5). There is a gap between the lower surface of the walking part (101) and the top surface of the permanent magnet (412).

2. The mobile unit of the track robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving unit (01) of the track robot further includes a magnetic structure (4) that provides the magnetic attraction force; or the power wheel (1) is a magnetic adsorption wheel that provides the magnetic attraction force; or the moving unit (01) of the track robot further includes a magnetic structure (4) that provides the magnetic attraction force together with the power wheel (1).

3. The mobile unit of the tracked robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The magnetic attraction structure (4) includes at least two magnetic attraction units (41), which are coaxially arranged on the transmission shaft (5) and do not rotate with the transmission shaft (5).

4. The moving unit of the track robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The drive shaft (5) is provided with at least two first bearings (42), and the magnetic suction unit (41) includes a support body (411) whose bottom is connected to the corresponding first bearing (42) and a permanent magnet (412) made of permanent magnet material installed on the top of the support body (411). The top surface of the permanent magnet (412) is arc-shaped.

5. The mobile unit of the tracked robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The guide wheel (3) and the permanent magnet (412) are covered with a non-metallic protective shell (9). The top surface of the protective shell (9) is provided with a clearance hole (91) for the guide rail body (102) to extend into, corresponding to the position of the guide wheel (3). There is a gap between the top surface of the protective shell (9) and the lower surface of the walking part (101).

6. The mobile unit of the tracked robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes an installation fixture (6), on which both the drive shaft (5) and the drive assembly (2) are integrated.

7. The mobile unit of the tracked robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: At least one anti-fall component (7) is installed on the installation fixture (6). The anti-fall component (7) includes an anti-fall wheel (71) for abutting against the upper surface of the walking part (101). The anti-fall wheel (71) moves along the upper surface of the walking part (101) with the power wheel (1).

8. A track-based robot, characterized in that: It includes a frame (02) and at least one moving unit (01) of a track robot as claimed in any one of claims 1-7, the moving unit (01) being rotatably connected to the frame (02).

Images