A control system for a snake-arm manipulator operated by a gasbag endoscope robot

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of aero-engine and gas turbine maintenance and support, and relates to a control system of a snake-shaped arm manipulator operated by a gas bag type endoscopic robot. The strength and execution function of the grabbing device are increased, the snake-shaped arm manipulator can clamp and lock a specific gas bag type endoscopic robot with a complex structure, ensure that the manipulator will not open after being closed due to accidental factors such as bumping, and improve safety. At the same time, the snake-shaped arm manipulator can inflate and deflate the gas bag type endoscopic robot while clamping it, assisting the robot to realize fixation and loosening in the engine. And in view of the problems of narrow space in the engine and small size of the robot, the grabbing device has a compact structure and high space utilization rate, and can realize complex actions with fewer parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of maintenance and support for aero-engines and gas turbines, and relates to a control system for a snake-arm manipulator used to operate an airbag-type endoscopic robot. Background Technology

[0002] Endoscopic technology is an important means of non-destructive testing of turbine engines. The video endoscope 5 shown in Figure 1 is a typical device in current endoscopic technology. As shown in Figure 1(a), its principle is to first send the lens and illumination 51 into the engine with the support of the wire 53, and then use the lens and illumination 51 to illuminate and acquire images in front, and transmit the acquired image data to the display screen 552 of the host 55 or the external screen 54 connected to the video interface 551 for display.

[0003] The conductor 53 consists of a multi-layered structure, as shown in Figure 1(b). The innermost layer consists of multiple guide wires 534 for controlling the bending of the bending section 52, an illumination optical fiber 535 for transmitting light, and a signal cable 536 for transmitting signals. The middle layer, a steel twisted-wire conduit 533, maintains a certain rigidity for the conductor 53. The tension of the guide wires 534 can be controlled via the control button 553 on the main unit 55, ensuring that the conductor 53 does not shrink when the bending section 52 bends in different directions. The outermost layer consists of a tungsten wire braided sheath 532 and a plastic sheath 531, which protect the internal structure of the conductor 53. Therefore, it can be seen that the conductor 53 of this type of video endoscope 5 lacks an internal structure for its own controllable bending; its position during operation can only be adjusted manually through semi-controllable twisting, pushing, and pulling operations. Therefore, although this type of endoscope can be bent as a whole, only the lens and illumination 51 can adjust their orientation within a small range, while the bending of other parts is not controlled. As a result, the reachable range is very limited when diving into the complex space inside the engine.

[0004] Figure 2 The diagram shows a snake-shaped endoscope 7. Its entry point into the engine consists of multiple units 71, joints 72, and a probe 73. The units 71 are connected by joints 72, allowing for relative rotation in multiple directions. After passing through the inner casing endoscope hole 64 on the inner casing 65, the snake-shaped endoscope 7 enters the blade cascade with the endoscope hole stator 66. Then, through the bending of the multiple joints 72, the probe 73 can be aligned with the moving blade 67 for observation. While the snake-shaped endoscope 7 offers a high degree of controllability during bending, its complex structure and difficult control process due to the large number of units 71 and joints 72 result in high cost and poor reliability.

[0005] Some existing endoscopes have a grasping device installed at the tip, such as Figure 3 As shown, these gripping devices include alligator-mouth, basket-type, snare-type, grasping, magnetic, and hook-type devices. However, their gripping force is weak and they cannot be locked after gripping, making them prone to accidental release during movement while carrying the grasped object, causing it to fall off. Most importantly, because these gripping devices are designed for general, simple objects, their functions are relatively limited; they cannot grip specialized endoscopic robots, nor can they perform other operations on them after gripping.

[0006] In summary, relying on existing technologies and their combinations, it is impossible to operate wireless endoscopic robots, and thus impossible to eliminate endoscopic blind spots, which seriously affects the effectiveness of engine maintenance and safety. Therefore, it is urgent to invent new technologies to solve this problem. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the contradiction between the controllability of existing endoscopes and their complex structure, as well as the limitation of their limited action range, a control system for a snake-arm robotic hand operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot has been invented. This device enables controllable bending of the robotic arm through a few simple joints, and can grip and place specific airbag-type endoscopic robots, locking them in place to prevent loosening. After gripping the airbag-type endoscopic robot, the snake-arm robotic hand can move along a guide rail, allowing it to carry the robot in and out of the engine. Furthermore, the snake-arm robotic hand can perform operations such as inflating and deflating the airbag-type endoscopic robot, thereby assisting in fixing or detaching the robot from the blades, enabling the airbag-type endoscopic robot to perform inspections of internal engine components.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0009] A control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot includes the snake arm, a control box, a support, and a transmission system, such as... Figure 4 As shown.

[0010] The serpentine arm can bend to a certain extent in a controlled manner using its joints under the traction of the drive rope. Its end is equipped with an actuator for gripping and releasing the inflatable endoscope robot. After delivering the inflatable endoscope robot to the moving blade cascade, it can be inflated and deflated using an inflation device. Its structure is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, it consists of a robotic arm, an execution unit, a bending unit, a rigid section, a distribution plate, and internal components such as drive ropes and air pipes.

[0011] The robotic arm described is used to grip and release an airbag-type endoscopic robot, and includes left and right grippers, actuation axes, a mounting frame, and related mounting components, as shown in the following diagram. Figure 6As shown. The fixed pin passes sequentially through the mounting bracket pin hole and the gripper pin hole on the mounting bracket, allowing the gripper to rotate around the fixed pin. The sliding pin passes sequentially through the mounting bracket sliding groove, the gripper sliding grooves on both sides, and the actuator shaft pivot hole, positioning the actuator shaft between the two grippers. The top of the robot's drive rope has a stepped cap, which can be installed in the rope mounting hole at the bottom of the actuator shaft, serving as a connection and fixation mechanism, thereby allowing the robot's drive rope to apply tension to the actuator shaft. The bottom of the mounting bracket has a mounting bracket fixing edge for fixing to the execution unit.

[0012] When the rotating shaft moves up and down, the opening and closing of the gripper can be controlled, as shown in Figure 7(a), thereby enabling the gripping and releasing of the gripper handle of the airbag-type endoscope robot. The shape of the gripper handle and the space between the grippers are both designed as quadrangular prisms, and their dimensions are matched so that the gripper handle cannot rotate when it is clamped by the gripper; and due to the obstruction of the cylindrical protrusion at the end of the gripper handle, it cannot be dislodged from the gripper. This improves the stability and tightness of the robotic arm in the operation of the airbag-type endoscope robot in this invention, as shown in Figure 7(b).

[0013] The serpentine arm's actuator, bending unit, and rigid section are connected by joints, allowing for controlled bending under the action of drive ropes. The actuator can perform operations such as gripping, releasing, locking, and inflating / deflating on specific pneumatic endoscope robots, and its components are mounted on the actuator mounting tube shown in Figure 8.

[0014] The working process of the execution unit is as follows Figure 9 As shown in (1), the snake arm moves toward the airbag-type endoscope robot. When the wired camera and LED lights observe that the robotic arm has reached the appropriate position, the robotic arm closes and clamps the gripper handle of the airbag-type endoscope robot, as shown in (2). As shown in (3), after the robotic arm closes, the anti-opening frame moves upward under the action of the anti-opening frame spring, holding the gripper of the robotic arm to prevent the robotic arm from opening accidentally. The inflation nozzle is installed at the top of the anti-opening frame air supply channel, moves upward with the anti-opening frame and inserts into the airbag connector in the air vent of the airbag-type endoscope robot handle. The bottom of the anti-opening frame air supply channel is connected to the air supply pipe, so that the air supply equipment can be used to inflate and deflate the airbag through the gas channel composed of the air supply pipe, the anti-opening frame air supply channel and the inflation nozzle.

[0015] The assembly process of the execution unit is as follows: Figure 10As shown. A wired camera and LED light are inserted into the mounting holes on the actuator unit mounting tube. These are used to observe the forward field of view and the relative position of the robotic arm and the airbag-type endoscopic robot during the movement of the serpentine arm, and to determine whether the airbag-type endoscopic robot has been transported to the designated area. A robotic arm spring is fitted onto the outside of the robotic arm's actuation shaft and inserted into the robotic arm spring mounting hole at the bottom of the actuator unit mounting tube. The fixed edge of the robotic arm's mounting bracket is inserted into the robotic arm mounting slot at the bottom of the actuator unit mounting tube. Lateral screws are screwed into the fixed edge of the robotic arm's mounting bracket from the outside of the actuator unit mounting tube, and forward screws are screwed into the forward mounting hole of the mounting bracket, thereby fixing the robotic arm and the actuator unit mounting tube. The opening and closing of the robotic arm can be controlled by the robotic arm drive rope and the robotic arm spring. When the traction force applied by the robotic arm drive rope to the actuation shaft is greater than the elastic force of the robotic arm spring, the actuation shaft moves downward, and the robotic arm closes; conversely, the robotic arm opens. The anti-opening frame springs are inserted into the anti-opening frame spring mounting holes on the actuator mounting tube and the anti-opening frame spring mounting slots at the bottom of the anti-opening frame, respectively. The anti-opening frame is equipped with an anti-opening frame drive rope, which, along with the anti-opening frame spring, controls the up-and-down movement of the anti-opening frame. When the traction force of the anti-opening frame drive rope on the anti-opening frame is greater than the elastic force of the anti-opening frame spring, the anti-opening frame moves downwards, without locking the robotic arm, ensuring it can open and close to complete the clamping action. Conversely, the anti-opening frame moves upwards, clamping the closed robotic arm and locking it, preventing the robotic arm from opening due to unforeseen factors when clamping the airbag-type endoscope robot, thus improving the reliability of the equipment. The air supply pipe passes through the air supply pipe channel at the bottom of the actuator mounting tube and connects to the anti-opening frame air supply channel inside the anti-opening frame. An inflation nozzle is also installed at the top of the anti-opening frame air supply channel for connecting to the airbag inlet of the airbag-type endoscope robot. The Wi-Fi antenna is attached to the Wi-Fi antenna mounting slot on the back of the actuator mounting tube, and the Wi-Fi antenna wire extends backward through the Wi-Fi antenna wire hole. The Wi-Fi antenna protective shell is made of non-metallic material, which is bonded to the Wi-Fi antenna mounting slot after covering the surface of the Wi-Fi antenna. It can protect the Wi-Fi antenna without shielding the Wi-Fi antenna's transmission and reception signals. The bottom of the actuator mounting tube has a jointed mounting edge for connecting to the bending unit.

[0016] The joint mounting edge at the bottom of the execution unit mounting tube and the wide joint at the top of the bending unit are connected by an annular joint and four annular joint pins, as follows: Figure 11As shown, the ring joint allows the actuator to rotate with two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the bending unit. This process is controlled by four omnidirectional bending drive ropes for the actuator. Applying traction to different drive ropes can move the ends of the different drive ropes connected to the actuator mounting tube by different distances, thereby causing the actuator to rotate about two axes relative to the bending unit. The combination of rotations enables the actuator to yaw in various directions in space, aligning it with the airbag endoscopic robot or aligning the robot with the channel between the blades.

[0017] The bending unit assembly process is as follows: Figure 12 As shown, the top and bottom wide joints have several joint rope holes, wire holes, and an air supply pipe hole along their circumference and near their center. The bending unit mounting tube has several mounting tube rope holes along its circumference, allowing the air supply pipe, drive ropes, wired camera wires, and other cables from the front to extend backward through the corresponding holes. Two unidirectional bending drive ropes for the bending unit are used to control the rotation of the bending unit, and their top driving rope caps are stepped. The upper semi-cylinder of the driving rope cap is inserted into the mounting tube rope cap hole on the bending unit mounting tube, where the depth of the mounting tube rope cap hole is equal to the height of the upper semi-cylinder of the driving rope cap. The lower semi-cylinder of the driving rope cap and the unidirectional bending drive rope pass through the joint rope hole on the bottom wide joint, allowing the unidirectional bending drive rope to continue extending backward. The diameter of the joint rope hole is smaller than the upper semi-cylinder of the bending unit drive rope cap. This allows the bending unit drive rope cap to be fixed between the bending unit mounting tube and the bottom wide joint, thus enabling the unidirectional bending drive rope of the bending unit to apply traction to the bending unit. After the top wide joint and bottom wide joint are inserted into the bending unit's internal pipe of the bending unit mounting tube, they are fixed to the bending unit mounting tube by the bending unit joint fixing pin.

[0018] The rigid section includes components such as a rigid straight pipe and a narrow joint. After the narrow joint is inserted into the pipe within the rigid section, it is fixed to the rigid straight pipe by a joint fixing pin. Figure 13As shown, the wide joint at the bottom of the bending unit and the narrow joint of the rigid section are connected by a single-degree-of-freedom joint pin. Applying traction force to the two unidirectional bending drive ropes of the bending unit allows the bending unit and the rigid section to rotate relative to each other in two directions. Compared with the connection method using a ring joint, this joint connection method allows the bending unit and the rigid section to rotate relative to each other in only one degree of freedom, that is, the serpentine arm can only bend in that direction. It is suitable for environments with relatively defined spaces. Correspondingly, only two drive ropes are needed to control the joint rotation, and the structure and control method are simpler than those of a ring joint. The Wi-Fi antenna wire, the unidirectional bending drive rope of the bending unit, the wired camera wire, the robot arm drive rope, the omnidirectional bending drive rope of the actuator, and the air supply pipe continue to extend backward in the rigid straight pipe and the pipe in the rigid section until they enter the control box.

[0019] control box such as Figure 14 As shown, this system is used to drive and control the snake-like arm, support, and transmission system, and to display important information via a screen or an external device connected to an external display interface. It mainly includes a screen, a cover, a circuit board, a dual-rope winding motor, a single-rope winding motor, a housing, an air pump module, and a control handle. The screen displays images captured by the snake-like arm's wired camera and LED lights, as well as images from the airbag-type endoscopic robot and other important information during the device's operation. A magnetic strip is mounted on the front of the screen, allowing it to be inserted into and attached to a screen mounting slot on the cover. A circuit board is fixed to the other side of the cover using screws. This circuit board connects to other electrical devices via reserved interfaces such as the handle interface, screen interface, and external device display interface, controlling the start, stop, and operation of these devices.

[0020] The actuators inside the control box mainly consist of three double-rope winding motors, two single-rope winding motors, and one air pump module, installed at the bottom of the box, with the following structure: Figure 15As shown. The dual-rope wound motor has a dual-rope swing arm mounted at its head. Each end of the swing arm's pivot can be fixed with a drive rope. The two ropes retract and expand respectively as the dual-rope swing arm rotates, creating the effect of controlling the bending of the serpentine arm. The single-rope wound motor has a similar structure to the dual-rope wound motor, but it uses a winding disc instead of a dual-rope swing arm, so one single-rope wound motor can only control one rope. When this motor rotates, the other end of the drive rope drives the connected actuator. The control box contains five wound motors: one dual-rope wound motor controls the single-degree-of-freedom joint rotation between the bending unit and the rigid section; two other dual-rope wound motors jointly control the rotation of the ring joint; and two single-rope wound motors control the opening and closing of the manipulator's gripper and the operation of the anti-opening frame and inflation nozzle in the actuator unit. The air pump module is used to inflate and deflate the airbag-type endoscopic robot. The air supply connector and pressure relief connector on the air pump are connected to the air supply pipe and the atmosphere, respectively.

[0021] The arrangement of the dual-rope wound motor, single-rope wound motor, and air pump module inside the housing is as follows: Figure 16(a) and 16(b) As shown. Dual-rope winding motors and single-rope winding motors are arranged on both sides of the central axis of the bottom surface of the housing, with the central axis of each motor forming a certain angle with the central axis of the bottom surface of the housing to ensure that the drive ropes on different motors do not interfere with each other during operation. The rigid section flange of the serpentine arm, the distribution plate, and the housing are fixed to the housing with bolts and nuts. The drive ropes of the serpentine arm, air supply pipes, wired camera cables, and other conduits pass through the distribution plate into the housing. Several holes are opened on the distribution plate to ensure that the conduits do not tangle when entering the housing. Different drive ropes are fixed to corresponding dual-rope swing arms or winding plates. The air supply pipe passes through the air supply pipe fixing groove to connect to the valve and finally to the air pump's air supply connector. The air supply pipe fixing groove ensures that the air supply pipe is close to the bottom of the housing, preventing it from interfering with the operation of the drive ropes. The control lines of the dual-rope winding motors, single-rope winding motors, and air pump, as well as the wiring from various electrical devices on the serpentine arm, are connected to designated pins on the circuit board.

[0022] The control handle is shaped like Figure 17As shown, the system includes a joystick, a lever, and control buttons. These convert the operator's input to the handle into control signals, which, after processing by the circuit board, activate the motors and other actuators within the control box, thereby controlling the entire system. The robotic arm lever, anti-split lever, and motion lever safety lever each have two states. The robotic arm lever controls the opening and closing of the robotic arm; the anti-split lever controls the locking of the robotic arm in its closed state. The joystick can be moved omnidirectionally and springs back to the center position when no force is applied, controlling the two-degree-of-freedom rotation of the ring joint. The robotic arm lever and anti-split lever are each equipped with a safety cover to prevent accidental activation during operation. The valves in the control box are closed when not in use. When the inflation nozzle is connected to the airbag inlet, and the airbag, inflation nozzle, anti-split air supply channel, air pipe, valve, and air pump form a gas passage, pressing the inflation button opens the valve, allowing the air pump to inflate the airbag. When the deflation button is pressed, the valve is connected to the atmosphere, allowing the airbag to be deflated. The motion lever has three positions: forward, backward, and stationary, used to control the movement of the support and transmission system. When not subjected to external force, the motion lever is in the stationary position. The motion lever safety lever has two position states. When in position one, all three positions of the motion lever are inactive, and the support and transmission system remain stationary. When the motion lever safety lever is in position two, the motion lever controls the support and transmission system according to the aforementioned three position states: when the operator moves the motion lever forward, the support and transmission system activates, driving the control box forward; when the operator moves the motion lever backward, the control box moves backward; when the operator does not apply any operation to the motion lever, the motion lever automatically returns to center, and the control box remains stationary in its current position.

[0023] Support and transmission systems such as Figure 18 As shown, its function is to be fixed on the endoscopic hole plug mounting bracket of the outer casing of the engine, providing a mounting platform for the control box. Simultaneously, it allows the control box, equipped with a serpentine arm, to move back and forth along the guide rail under the drive of the lead screw, thus enabling the pneumatic endoscopic robot to pass through the casing and blades to enter and exit the engine. Its structure includes components such as a flange seat, power supply box, power supply, lead screw, guide rail, slider, and track fixing plate.

[0024] The flange seat is mounted on the outer casing pylon cover mounting bracket on the engine, providing the mounting base for the entire system and ensuring the serpentine arm aligns with the outer casing pylon without bending. A power supply box is located at the bottom of the flange seat, with a power socket connected to the power interface on the circuit board inside the control box, providing power to the control box's motors, air pump, screen, circuit boards, etc. The drive motor interface on the circuit board connects to the drive motor socket on the flange seat, providing power to the drive motor and transmitting control signals. The circuit board also supplies power to the various electrical devices on the serpentine arm.

[0025] A drive gear is mounted on the drive motor shaft, meshing with a driven gear on the threaded rod. The threaded rod is fixed in the interlayer of the flange seat by a threaded rod support block. The drive motor is fixed to the motor mounting plate by bolts and nuts. The gearbox 3407 and the motor mounting plate are fixed to the flange seat by screws. Thus, the rotation of the drive motor drives the threaded rod to rotate, thereby allowing the slider to move back and forth along the guide rail. Feedback information from the drive motor can be used to obtain the cumulative rotation angle of the motor, and thus the sliding distance of the slider on the guide rail. When the initial position of the slider is known, the position of the slider at any moment during the working process can be obtained, i.e., the depth of the serpentine arm inserted into the engine can be determined. Using this value and the engine structure as input, the bending timing and amplitude of the serpentine arm can be determined. After fixing the slider to the control box with screws, the control box with the serpentine arm installed can be moved along the guide rail or fixed in a certain position by using the control handle.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention, employing the above-described technical solution, has the following technical advantages:

[0027] 1. Increased gripping strength and execution capabilities

[0028] Existing endoscope gripping devices have low gripping force and lack locking mechanisms, making them prone to accidental opening during movement while carrying the gripped object. This can lead to the object falling out and posing a safety hazard to the engine. Furthermore, traditional endoscope gripping devices can only grasp and release objects with simple structures, offering limited functionality. This snake-arm robotic hand can grip and lock specific inflatable endoscope robots with complex structures, ensuring that the robotic hand will not open due to impacts or other accidental factors after closing, thus improving safety. Simultaneously, this snake-arm robotic hand can inflate and deflate the inflatable endoscope robot while gripping it, assisting in the robot's fixation and release within the engine. Moreover, addressing the challenges of limited space within the engine and the small size of the robot, this gripping device features a compact structure, high space utilization, and the ability to perform complex movements with fewer parts.

[0029] 2. Controllable bending is achieved through a small number of joints.

[0030] Traditional endoscopes use semi-rigid bending leads, which lack joints and cannot be precisely controlled in terms of bending. After insertion into an engine, they naturally bend due to their own stiffness, gravity, and the surrounding environment. Control of this bending can only be done through rough manual adjustments, failing to accurately reach the operator's intended position. This is particularly problematic in environments with multi-layered engine casings and multiple rows of blades, making it impossible for such uncontrollable leads to pass through. While existing snake-shaped endoscopes offer high controllability, their numerous joints and complex structure lead to difficulties in control, poor reliability, and high cost. The snake arm in this invention consists of one single-degree-of-freedom joint and one two-degree-of-freedom joint. The bending amplitude and direction of the joints can be precisely controlled by a drive module. This allows the snake arm to pass through engine casings and blades, enabling the robot to be inserted and removed, while reducing structural complexity and control difficulty, improving control reliability, and lowering device cost.

[0031] 3. Enables the implementation of new endoscopic methods and eliminates blind spots in existing endoscopic methods.

[0032] When using existing endoscopes to inspect turbine engines, approximately 40% of the area requiring visualization remains unobservable. The use of an airbag-type endoscopic robot can eliminate this blind spot. This snake-arm robotic arm, employing specific actuators and a controlled bending process, can insert or remove such an airbag-type endoscopic robot from the engine interior, assisting in securing or detaching the robot from the blades. During this process, a camera at the top of the snake arm allows observation of the relative position of the airbag-type endoscopic robot to the blades, improving placement or grasping accuracy. The snake-arm system features wireless transceiver capabilities, enabling real-time reception of image data acquired during the airbag-type endoscopic robot's operation. This design makes the principle of using an airbag-type endoscopic robot for endoscopic work a reality.

[0033] 4. No damage to the engine

[0034] The snake-arm robotic arm carries an inflatable endoscope robot into and out of the engine through a pre-designed endoscope port. During this process, disassembly of engine components is limited to the vicinity of the endoscope port. After the snake-arm delivers the inflatable endoscope robot into the engine, its operation does not damage the surrounding structure. Because this snake-arm robotic arm enables 100% endoscope coverage, it avoids disassembly caused by blind spots. Therefore, the entire endoscope process only requires opening a small portion of the engine structure, without affecting the overall engine, avoiding irreversible damage that could occur with extensive disassembly, and ensuring the equipment's integrity and uptime.

[0035] 5. Simple to operate

[0036] Since the engine model and the position of the serpentine arm are known during endoscopic procedures, control mechanisms can be designed based on these known conditions. This allows the single-degree-of-freedom joints of the serpentine arm to automatically rotate at an appropriate angle according to a preset program as it enters the engine. The operator only needs to adjust the rotation of the ring joints using a control handle based on feedback from VR glasses or the screen. This allows the operator to perform all operations during the system's operation with a single hand, including moving the robotic arm in and out, bending, opening and closing, locking, and inflating / deflating, significantly reducing operational difficulty. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1(a) Schematic diagram of an existing video endoscope structure;

[0038] Figure 1(b) Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the video endoscope cable;

[0039] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the working process of a snake-shaped endoscope;

[0040] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of an endoscope tip foreign object grasping tool;

[0041] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the snake-arm robotic system;

[0042] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the serpentine arm;

[0043] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of robotic arm assembly;

[0044] Figure 7(a) Schematic diagram of the working process of the robotic arm;

[0045] Figure 7(b) Top view of the robot arm in closed state;

[0046] Figure 8(a) Front view of the execution unit mounting tube;

[0047] Figure 8(b) Cross-sectional view of the execution unit mounting pipe;

[0048] Figure 8(c) Top view of the execution unit mounting tube;

[0049] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the working process of the serpentine arm actuator;

[0050] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the assembly process of the snake-arm actuator;

[0051] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of snake arm ring joint installation;

[0052] Figure 12Schematic diagram of the assembly process of the serpentine arm bending unit;

[0053] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the assembly process of the serpentine arm bending unit and the rigid section;

[0054] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the control box assembly process;

[0055] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the control box actuator structure;

[0056] Figure 16(a) Top view of the internal structure of the control box;

[0057] Figure 16(b) Cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the control box;

[0058] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the control handle;

[0059] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the assembly process of the support and transmission system;

[0060] Figure 19(a) Schematic diagram of the working process of the snake-arm robot;

[0061] Figure 19(b) Schematic diagram of the bending process of the serpentine arm;

[0062] Figure 19(c) Schematic diagram of the working process of the airbag-type endoscopic robot;

[0063] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of a typical field of view during the operation of an airbag-type endoscopic robot.

[0064] In the diagram, 1 is the serpentine arm; 11 is the robotic arm; 1101 is the gripper; 1102 is the gripper pin hole; 1103 is the gripper sliding groove; 1104 is the actuating shaft; 1105 is the rope mounting hole; 1106 is the rope cap; 1107 is the mounting bracket sliding groove; 1108 is the fixed pin; 1109 is the sliding pin; 1110 is the robotic arm drive rope; 1111 is the mounting bracket fixed side; 1112 is the mounting bracket; 1113 is the mounting bracket front mounting hole; 1114 is the mounting bracket pin hole; 1115 is the actuating shaft pivot hole; 12 is the execution unit; 1201 is the robotic arm spring; 1202 is the wired camera and LED light; 1203 is the wired camera and LED light mounting hole; 1204 is the lateral screw; 1205 is the forward screw. ; 1206, Drive rope mounting hole; 1207, Actuator omnidirectional bending drive rope; 1208, Actuator mounting tube; 1209, Anti-split drive rope; 1210, Anti-split spring; 1211, Anti-split; 1212, Inflation nozzle; 1213, Wired camera cable; 1214, Anti-split spring mounting hole; 1215, Air supply pipe channel; 1216, Robotic arm spring mounting hole; 1217, Robotic arm mounting slot; 1218, Anti-split air supply channel; 1219, Anti-split spring mounting slot; 1220, Annular joint; 1221, Annular joint pin; 1222, Joint mounting edge; 1223, Wi-Fi antenna mounting slot; 1224, Wi-Fi antenna; 1225, Wi-Fi antenna 1226. Wi-Fi antenna cable hole; 1227. Wi-Fi antenna wire; 13. Bending unit; 1301. Top wide joint; 1302. Gas pipe hole; 1303. Bending unit joint fixing pin; 1304. Bending unit mounting tube; 1305. Bending unit internal pipe; 1306. Wire hole; 1307. Bottom wide joint; 1308. Bending unit unidirectional bending drive rope; 1309. Joint rope hole; 1310. Bending unit drive rope cap; 1311. Mounting tube rope hole; 1312. Mounting tube rope cap hole; 1313. Single degree of freedom joint pin; 14. Rigid section; 1401. Narrow joint; 1402. Rigid section joint fixing pin; 1403. Rigid section internal pipe. 1404. Rigid straight pipe; 1405. Rigid section flange; 15. Distribution plate; 16. Gas supply pipe; 2. Control box; 21. Screen; 2101. Magnetic strip; 22. Box cover; 2201. Screen fixing groove; 2202. Box cover screws; 23. Circuit board; 2301. Circuit board screws; 2302. Handle interface; 2303. Screen interface; 2304. External display device interface; 2305. Charging interface; 2306. Power interface; 2307. Drive motor interface; 24. Double rope wound motor; 2401. Motor; 2402. Swing rod shaft; 2403. Double rope swing rod; 2404. Motor base; 25. Single rope wound motor; 2501. Winding reel shaft; 2502. Winding reel; 26. Box body;2601. Gas pipe fixing slot; 27. Air pump module; 2701. Air pump; 2702. Air pump base; 2703. Gas delivery connector; 2704. Pressure relief connector; 2705. Valve; 28. Control handle; 2801. Robotic arm lever safety cover; 2802. Robotic arm lever; 2803. Rocker arm; 2804. Anti-opening lever; 2805. Inflation button; 2806. Deflator button; 2807. Movement lever safety bar; 2808. 2809. Motion lever; 3. Anti-opening lever safety cover; 4. Support and transmission system; 5. Flange seat; 6. Power supply box; 7. Power supply; 8. Lead screw; 9. Drive motor socket; 10. Drive motor; 11. Threaded rod support block; 12. Power socket; 23. Driven gear; 34. Motor mounting plate; 5. Gearbox; 6. Threaded rod; 7. Driven gear; 8. Guide rail; 9. 6. Slider; 37. Track fixing plate; 4. Airbag-type endoscopic robot; 41. Airbag; 42. Airbag nozzle; 43. Circuit system; 44. Gripping handle; 45. Handle vent; 5. Video endoscope; 51. Lens and illumination; 52. Bend; 53. Wire; 531. Plastic outer sheath; 532. Tungsten wire braided outer sheath; 533. Steel twisted single-strand conduit; 534. Guide wire; 535. Illumination fiber optic; 536. Signal cable; 54. 55. External screen; 55. Main unit; 551. Video interface; 552. Display screen; 553. Control buttons; 6. Aircraft engine; 61. Outer casing endoscopic port plug mounting base; 62. Outer casing endoscopic port; 63. Outer casing; 64. Inner casing endoscopic port; 65. Inner casing; 66. Stationary vane with endoscopic port; 67. Moving vane; 68. Front stationary vane; 69. Outer ring; 7. Snake-shaped endoscope; 71. Unit; 72. Joint; 73. Probe. Detailed Implementation

[0065] This invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be considered limited to the embodiments described in this patent. The invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0066] A control system for a snake-arm manipulator used to operate an airbag-type endoscopic robot, such as Figure 4 As shown, the system comprises three parts: a serpentine arm 1, a control box 2, and a support and transmission system 3. The serpentine arm 1 mainly consists of a robotic arm 11, an execution unit 12, a bending unit 13, a rigid section 14, a drive rope, and an air supply pipe 16. The serpentine arm 1 is connected to the control box 2, which is fixed to the slider 36, via the flange edge 1405 of the rigid section, allowing it to move back and forth with the slider 36. The bending and linear motion of the serpentine arm 1, the opening and closing of the robotic arm 11, the movement of the anti-opening frame 1211, and the inflation and deflation of the airbag 41 by the air pump 2701 can be controlled via the control handle 28.

[0067] Figure 19 illustrates a typical application process of the snake-shaped arm 1. Its purpose is to insert the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 into the engine and fix it between two adjacent moving blades, allowing the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 to rotate with the rotor and acquire images. The entire system is first assembled as follows... Figure 4 As shown in the assembly diagram, adjust slider 36 to its initial position and snake arm 1 to a straight line. Move the robotic arm lever 2802 and anti-opening lever 2804 on the control handle 28 so that the robotic arm 11 and anti-opening 1211 clamp the airbag endoscopic robot 4 and lock it in the locked state. At this time, the inflation nozzle 1212 is connected to the airbag connector 42.

[0068] As shown in Figure 19(a), the entire system is fixed to the engine's outer casing endoscopic port cover mounting base 61 via flange seat 31. The operator holds the control handle 28 and wears VR glasses connected to the external display device interface 2304 on the circuit board 23. Other personnel on site can remove the screen 21 to view the system. Opening the motion lever safety lever 2807 on the control handle 28 and pushing the motion lever 2808 forward causes the snake arm 1 to grip the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 and move it forward along the guide rail 35, thus inserting the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 into the engine.

[0069] As shown in (3) of Figure 19(b), when the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 passes through the inner casing 65, while the serpentine arm 1 moves forward, the execution unit 12 rotates longitudinally toward the moving blade 67 within the space with the endoscope aperture stationary blade 66, preventing the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 from hitting the wall and bringing it closer to the target position. As shown in (4), when the bending unit 13 completely passes through the inner casing 65, while the execution unit 12 rotates longitudinally, the bending unit 13 also rotates slightly longitudinally. When the execution unit 12 rotates close to 90°, the bending unit 13 rotates at a small angle, which allows the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 to extend out of the endoscope aperture stationary blade 66. Then, as shown in (5), the bending unit 13 gradually rotates close to 90°, while the execution unit 12 rotates longitudinally in the opposite direction to the previous one, and as shown in (6), rotates at a certain angle in the horizontal direction, so that the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 reaches the moving blade 67 and stops between two adjacent moving blades. During the movement of the snake arm 1, the forward field of view is observed through a wired camera and LED light 1202 to determine the direction of movement and whether the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 has reached the designated position. When the wired camera and LED light 1202 observe that the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 has reached the designated position, the movement lever 2808 is stopped, and the movement lever safety lever 2807 is closed, fixing the control box 2 in the current position. Since the structure of the engine is known, during the process, the joints other than the annular joint 1220 bend automatically according to the depth of the snake arm 1 inserted into the engine and the preset program. The bending of the annular joint 1220 is adjusted by the rocker arm 2803 on the control handle 28 in conjunction with the field of view observed by the wired camera and LED light 1202.

[0070] As shown in (7) of Figure 19(c), when the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 is located in the leaf 67 of the moving blade, the inflation button 2805 on the control handle 28 is pressed, causing the airbag 41 of the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 to inflate. The inflated airbag 41 compresses the moving blade 67. As the airbag 41 continues to inflate, the side of the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 without the airbag 41 also compresses the moving blade on that side, and the force between the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 and the two moving blades gradually increases. When the force is sufficient to fix the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 between the two adjacent moving blades, the inflation of the airbag 41 is stopped, and the valve 2705 is closed. Then, as shown in (8), the locking state of the anti-opening frame 1211 is released, the robot arm 11 is opened to disconnect the physical connection between the snake arm 1 and the airbag-type endoscope robot 4, and then the snake arm 1 is controlled to retreat to a safe position. Subsequently, driven by the motor on the engine or by manual rotation outside the engine, the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4 collects images as it rotates with the rotor. The collected image data is then sent to the Wi-Fi antenna 1224 inside the bending unit 13 of the snake arm 1 via the Wi-Fi module in the circuit system 43, and finally transmitted to various display devices and stored locally.

[0071] Typical field of view during image acquisition in an airbag-type endoscopic robot, such as... Figure 20 As shown. The observed areas mainly include the trailing edge and suction surface of the front stator 68, the leading edge and pressure surface of the stator 66 with the endoscope, and the lateral outer ring 69.

[0072] After the rotor rotates once, the image acquisition of the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 is completed. The snake arm 1 advances again to a position where it can grip the gripping handle 44, and then closes the manipulator 11 to grip the airbag-type endoscope robot 4, and the anti-opening frame 1211 locks the manipulator 11 in the closed state. At this time, the inflation nozzle 1212 is connected to the airbag inlet 42 again. Pressing the deflation button 2806 on the control handle 28 opens the valve 2705, deflating the airbag 41 so that it no longer compresses the blades. After observing through the wired camera and LED light 1202 that the airbag 41 of the airbag-type endoscope robot 4 has stopped inflating, the snake arm 1, carrying the airbag-type endoscope robot 4, exits in the reverse direction along the path it entered the engine to the outside of the engine. The airbag-type endoscope robot 4 is removed, and the acquired images are analyzed to determine the type and location of the fault. Typical images are shown below. Figure 20 As shown, during the image acquisition process of the airbag-type endoscopic robot 4, a notch was observed on the anterior stator 68, and ablation marks were found on the surfaces of the outer ring 69 and the stator 66 with the endoscopic aperture. After uploading the data to the database, a fault handling decision was made, and the endoscopic work was completed.

Claims

1. A control system for a snake-arm manipulator used to operate an airbag-type endoscopic robot, characterized in that, Includes a serpentine arm (1), a control box (2), and a support and transmission system (3); The support and transmission system (3) enables the control box (2) with the snake arm (1) to move back and forth along the guide rail (35) under the drive of the screw (34), thereby carrying the airbag endoscopic robot (4) through the casing and blades into and out of the engine. The end of the serpentine arm (1) is equipped with an actuator for gripping and releasing the airbag-type endoscope robot (4), and can be inflated and deflated by an inflation device after the airbag-type endoscope robot (4) is delivered to the moving blade (67) cascade; the serpentine arm (1) includes a manipulator (11), an actuator (12), a bending unit (13), a rigid section (14), a distribution plate (15), and an air supply pipe (16). The serpentine arm (1) is connected to the execution unit (12), bending unit (13) and rigid section (14) by joints, and can be bent in a controllable manner under the action of the drive rope; The robotic arm (11) is used to grip and release the airbag-type endoscope robot (4), including two grippers (1101), an actuation shaft (1104), and a mounting frame (1112). A fixed pin (1108) passes sequentially through the mounting frame pin hole (1114) and the gripper pin hole (1102) on the mounting frame (1112), allowing the gripper (1101) to rotate around the fixed pin (1108). A sliding pin (1109) passes sequentially through the mounting frame sliding groove (1107), the gripper sliding grooves (1103) on both sides, and... The actuator shaft has a rotating shaft hole (1115) and the actuator shaft (1104) is located between the two grippers (1101); the top of the manipulator drive rope (1110) is a stepped rope cap (1106), which is installed in the rope mounting hole (1105) at the bottom of the actuator shaft (1104) and serves to connect and fix it, so that the manipulator drive rope (1110) can apply tension to the actuator shaft (1104); the bottom of the mounting bracket (1112) is provided with a mounting bracket fixing edge (1111) for fixing to the execution unit (12); The splitter plate (15) has several holes. The drive rope and air supply pipe (16) of the snake arm (1) pass through the splitter plate (15) and enter the box (26). The air supply pipe (16) passes through the air supply pipe channel (1215) at the bottom of the execution unit mounting pipe (1208) of the execution unit (12) and connects to the anti-opening frame air supply channel (1218) inside the anti-opening frame (1211). An inflation nozzle (1212) is also installed on the top of the anti-opening frame air supply channel (1218) for connecting to the airbag connector (42) of the airbag endoscopic robot (4). When the airbag-type endoscope robot (4) is located on the blade of the moving blade (67), press the inflation button (2805) on the control handle (28) to inflate the airbag (41) of the airbag-type endoscope robot (4); the inflated airbag (41) squeezes the moving blade (67); as the airbag (41) continues to inflate, the side of the airbag-type endoscope robot (4) without the airbag (41) also squeezes the moving blade on that side, and the force between the airbag-type endoscope robot (4) and the two moving blades gradually increases; when the force is sufficient to fix the airbag-type endoscope robot (4) between the two adjacent moving blades, stop inflating the airbag (41), and at this time the valve (2705) is closed.

2. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wired camera and LED light (1202) of the execution unit (12) are inserted into the wired camera and LED light mounting hole (1203) on the execution unit mounting tube (1208). The manipulator spring (1201) is sleeved on the outside of the actuation shaft (1104) of the manipulator (11) and inserted into the manipulator spring mounting hole (1216) at the bottom of the execution unit mounting tube (1208). The mounting bracket fixing edge (1111) of the manipulator (11) is inserted into the manipulator mounting groove (1217) at the bottom of the execution unit mounting tube (1208). The two ends of the anti-split spring (1210) are respectively inserted into the anti-split spring mounting hole (1214) on the execution unit mounting tube (1208) and the anti-split spring mounting groove (1219) at the bottom of the anti-split frame (1211). The anti-split frame (1211) is equipped with an anti-split drive rope (1209).

3. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The top wide joint (1301) and bottom wide joint (1307) of the bending unit (13) have several joint rope holes (1309), wire holes (1306), and an air supply pipe hole (1302) around the circumference and near the center. The bending unit mounting pipe (1304) has several mounting pipe rope holes (1311) around the circumference. The air supply pipe (16) from the front, each drive rope, and the wired camera wire (1213) extend backward through the corresponding holes. Two bending unit unidirectional bending drive ropes (1308) are used to bend the bending unit (1301). 3) The rotation is controlled by the step-shaped bending unit drive rope cap (1310) at the top; the upper semi-cylinder of the bending unit drive rope cap (1310) is inserted into the mounting tube rope cap hole (1312) on the bending unit mounting tube (1304), wherein the depth of the mounting tube rope cap hole (1312) is equal to the height of the upper semi-cylinder of the bending unit drive rope cap (1310); the lower semi-cylinder of the bending unit drive rope cap (1310) and the bending unit unidirectional bending drive rope (1308) pass through the joint rope hole (1309) on the bottom wide joint (1307).

4. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rigid section (14) includes a rigid straight tube (1404) and a narrow joint (1401). After the narrow joint (1401) is inserted into the pipe (1403) inside the rigid section, it is fixed to the rigid straight tube (1404) by the rigid section joint fixing pin (1402). The bottom wide joint (1307) of the bending unit (13) and the narrow joint (1401) of the rigid section (14) are connected by a single degree of freedom joint pin (1313). Applying traction force to the two bending unit unidirectional bending drive ropes (1308) respectively enables the bending unit (13) and the rigid section (14) to rotate relative to each other in two directions.

5. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control box (2) includes a screen (21), a box cover (22), a circuit board (23), a double-rope winding motor (24), a single-rope winding motor (25), a box body (26), an air pump module (27), and a control handle (28). The screen (21) is used to display the wired camera and LED light (1202) of the snake arm (1) and the images collected by the airbag endoscopic robot (4). The front of the screen (21) is equipped with a magnetic strip (2101), which is inserted into and attracted to the screen fixing groove (2201) on the box cover (22). The other side of the box cover (22) is fixed with a circuit board (23) by a circuit board screw (2301). The circuit board (23) is connected to other electrical equipment through the handle interface (2302), screen interface (2303), and external device display interface (2304) reserved interface, and is used to control the start, stop and operation of each electrical equipment.

6. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The dual-rope winding motor (24) and single-rope winding motor (25) are arranged on both sides of the central axis of the bottom surface of the housing (26), and the central axis of each motor forms a fixed angle with the central axis of the bottom surface of the housing (26). The head of the dual-rope winding motor (24) is equipped with a dual-rope swing arm (2403), and each of the swing arm shafts (2402) at both ends is fixed with a drive rope. When the dual-rope swing arm (2403) rotates, the two ropes perform winding and unwinding actions respectively, generating control. The bending effect of the snake arm (1); the structural difference between the single-rope winding motor (25) and the double-rope winding motor (24) is that the single-rope winding motor (25) uses a winding disc (2502) instead of a double-rope swing arm (2403); the air pump module (27) is used to inflate and deflate the airbag endoscopic robot (4); the air supply connector (2703) and the pressure relief connector (2704) on the air pump (2701) are connected to the air supply pipe (16) and the atmosphere, respectively.

7. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support and transmission system (3) includes a flange seat (31), a power supply box (32), a power supply (33), a lead screw (34), a guide rail (35), a slider (36), and a track fixing plate (37). The flange seat (31) is mounted on the outer casing inner peephole cover mounting seat (61) on the engine. The bottom of the flange seat (31) is provided with a power supply box (32) for placing the power supply (33). The power socket (3404) is connected to the power interface (2306) on the circuit board (23) inside the control box (2) to provide power to the motor, air pump (2701), screen (21), and circuit board (23) of the control box (2). The drive motor interface (2307) on the circuit board (23) is connected to the drive motor socket (3401) on the flange seat (31) to provide power to the drive motor (3402) and transmit control signals. At the same time, the circuit board (23) also supplies power to the electrical equipment on the serpentine arm (1).

8. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscope robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The joint mounting edge (1222) at the bottom of the execution unit mounting tube (1208) of the execution unit (12) and the top wide joint (1301) of the bending unit (13) are connected by an annular joint (1220) and four annular joint pins (1221). The shape of the clamping handle (44) and the space between the gripper (1101) are both designed as quadrangular prisms, and their dimensions are matched so that the clamping handle (44) cannot rotate when it is clamped by the gripper (1101).

9. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The diameter of the joint rope hole (1309) is smaller than the upper semi-cylinder of the bending unit drive rope cap (1310). After the top wide joint (1301) and the bottom wide joint (1307) are inserted into the bending unit inner pipe (1305) of the bending unit mounting tube (1304), they are fixed on the bending unit mounting tube (1304) by the bending unit joint fixing pin (1303).

10. The control system for a snake-arm manipulator operating an airbag-type endoscopic robot as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The gas supply pipe (16) passes through the gas supply pipe fixing groove (2601) and connects to the valve (2705), and finally connects to the gas supply connector (2703) of the air pump (2701); the gas supply pipe fixing groove (2601) can ensure that the gas supply pipe (16) is close to the bottom of the box (26) to avoid it interfering with the operation of the drive rope.

Images