A continuum robot system for borescope inspection of an aeroengine

Abstract

Disclosed is a continuum robot system for aero-engine borescope detection, in which a driving cable is connected to a driving pulley to elongate or shorten the length of the driving cable when the driving pulley rotates, a nickel-titanium memory alloy spring is wrapped via a polyester fiber woven layer, N active continuum mechanical arms are connected to a main passive connector, the driving pulley is driven to rotate via a motor to adjust the length of the driving cable, so that the active continuum mechanical arms can be controlled to bend and move, the reaction force of the driving cable acts on the driving pulley to generate a tendency of the motor support to rotate around a second screw post, under the limitation of a force feedback device support, the tendency of rotation is converted into force data detected by a force sensing device; a rotating rubber wheel generates a friction force on the active continuum mechanical arms to feed or retreat the active continuum mechanical arms, and a gear meshes with an internal gear, so that all components on the feeding rotating mechanism except the internal gear and a borescope connector can rotate together with the gear.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of borehole inspection technology for aero-engines, and in particular to a continuous robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines. Background Technology

[0002] As the "heart" of an aircraft, the aero-engine consists of tens of thousands of parts, providing powerful kinetic energy for continuous flight. Its safe and reliable operation has always been a focus of industry attention. However, due to the convoluted internal working space and complex component composition of aero-engines, repair cycles can be as long as 3 to 6 months after a failure, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, rapid and efficient in-situ inspection and maintenance technology for key aero-engine components is crucial.

[0003] The interior of an aero-engine contains limited passageways, winding channels, and complex geometry. In such a highly constrained environment, the most advanced current inspection method involves a specialist operating a borescope, holding the control handle in one hand and the actuator in the other to feed the probe. This method is extremely inefficient. Furthermore, the borescope's limited freedom of movement and poor spatial accessibility make it difficult to reach all the necessary inspection points inside the engine. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new technologies and methods.

[0004] Continuum robots are a type of flexible robot with high degrees of freedom. Thanks to active shape control, they can perform short-range detection and intervention compared to borescopes. However, conventional continuum robots are limited in length scalability by drive technology and their flexible bodies, and longer mechanisms present control challenges due to their inherent low stiffness and spatial constraints.

[0005] The information disclosed in the background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, solving the issues of low degrees of freedom, low efficiency, large human error, and spatial limitations currently existing in the field of aero-engine borehole inspection. It achieves a dual guarantee of ultra-long working distance and control precision, meeting multiple requirements such as working length, control accuracy, and labor saving, effectively compensating for the shortcomings and defects of existing technologies in the field of aero-engine inspection.

[0007] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A continuum robotic system for borehole inspection of aero-engines includes, Robot drive mechanism, which includes, A pair of motherboards arranged at intervals, Multiple inner boards, spaced apart between a pair of main boards, Multiple force feedback device brackets are located between adjacent main boards and inner boards, as well as between inner boards. Multiple motor supports are disposed between adjacent main boards and inner boards, as well as between inner boards, and the motor supports are aligned with the force feedback device bracket. The first stud, which passes through and connects the main board, the force feedback device bracket, and the inner plate, and is locked with nuts at both ends. The second stud connects the main board, the motor bracket, and the inner plate, and is secured with nuts at both ends. Multiple motors are mounted in the motor brackets. Multiple drive pulleys are connected to the motor, and the drive pulleys are adjustablely rotated by the motor. Multiple drive cables are connected to the drive pulley, and the length of the drive cable is extended or shortened as the drive pulley rotates. The force sensing device has one end connected to the force feedback device bracket via a thread, and the other end connected to the through hole on the motor support via a threaded nut. A robotic arm support is located on one side of the robot drive mechanism; A continuous robotic arm, comprising, The robotic arm base has one end bolted to the robotic arm support, and the other end of the robotic arm base has multiple holes and multiple nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs that coaxially engage with the holes. The nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs are wrapped with a polyester fiber braided layer. The active and passive connector connects the end of the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy spring away from the base of the robotic arm. The active continuous robotic arm consists of N sections connected to the active-passive connector. The drive cable passes through the robotic arm support, robotic arm base, hole, nickel-titanium memory alloy spring, active-passive connector, and is connected to the active continuous robotic arm. The drive pulley is rotated by a motor to adjust the length of the drive cable, so that the active continuous robotic arm can bend controllably. During this process, the reaction force of the drive cable acts on the drive pulley, causing the motor support to rotate around the second stud. Under the constraint of the force feedback device bracket, the rotation trend is converted into the force data detected by the force sensing device. The feed rotary mechanism includes, A borehole connector, adapted for use with aero-engine boreholes. The internal gear is fixedly connected to the probe connector. Intermediate component, which mates with the internal gear shaft, includes, The channel tube leads into the active continuous robotic arm. A first motor drives multiple worm gears, which in turn drive a turbine and a coaxially arranged rubber wheel to rotate. The rotating rubber wheel generates friction on the active continuous robotic arm to feed or retract the active continuous robotic arm. The second motor drives the drive rod to rotate the gear, which meshes with the internal gear so that all components on the feed rotation mechanism except the internal gear and the probe connector rotate together.

[0008] The continuous robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, as described above, further includes a robot drive mechanism that includes: The rear support is located on the other side of the robot drive mechanism relative to the robotic arm support. The base plate, which is supported in the middle of the main plate and the inner plate, is connected to the rear support and the robotic arm support by bolts. Multiple steering pulleys are arranged at fixed intervals on the base plate. Two clamping mechanisms, respectively located on both sides of the base plate, are used to clamp the drive cable. The clamping mechanisms include... A pair of clamping supports, The clamping bracket is located within a pair of clamping supports. A clamping stud, through which a pair of clamping supports pass and located above the clamping bracket. Multiple clamping clips are arranged in an array on the clamping studs. The threaded knob, located at one end of the clamping stud, causes the clamping stud and the clamping clip fixed on the clamping stud to move together in the axial direction via threaded transmission, so that the drive cable is clamped between the clamping clip and the clamping bracket.

[0009] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the clamping stud is a 4mm cylinder with 15mm long threads drilled at both ends and threaded holes drilled at equal intervals. The clamping clip is fixed to the clamping stud through the threaded holes.

[0010] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the clamping clip has a U-shaped structure, which includes a concave surface that fits into the clamping bracket, a central through hole that is coaxial with the clamping stud, and a side through hole that is connected to the threaded hole via a bolt.

[0011] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the robot drive mechanism has a symmetrical structure.

[0012] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, a shim is mounted above the motor shaft by screws, and the shim consists of a circular ring and a semi-circular ring surrounding the circular ring.

[0013] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the circular ring has a radius of 6 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, the semi-circular ring has a radius of 10 mm and a thickness of 3 mm, and the circular ring has a through hole with a diameter of 4.3 mm in the middle.

[0014] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the feed rotation mechanism further includes an inner plate of a motor connected to an intermediate component via an external hexagonal bolt. A channel tube passes through the inner plate of the motor. A hollow stepped shaft protrudes from the middle of the intermediate component and has threads for threading an internal gear. The hollow stepped shaft is connected and fixed to a nut to restrict axial freedom.

[0015] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the base of the robotic arm has multiple holes of 1.2 mm in diameter cut at equal intervals on a circle with a diameter of 5.5 mm to accommodate nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs.

[0016] In the aforementioned continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the borehole connector is composed of two stacked rings. The outer ring is used to connect with the internal gear, and the inner ring is a hollow threaded rod that connects to the borehole of the aero-engine.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: This invention, employing a combined active and passive mechanism, significantly extends the working length of the continuous robotic arm. A nickel-titanium shape memory alloy spring serves as the passive segment's frame, ensuring the drive cables are kept separate and providing rigidity and self-alignment capability over short distances. A shim allows the end of the drive cable to be pressed into a groove above the drive pulley within a half-turn of the large ring; simultaneously, rotating the shim 180° to switch to a half-turn of the small ring allows for easy loading and unloading of the drive cable, saving installation time. A clamping mechanism keeps the drive cable in a fixed position when not in operation, improving efficiency. The feed rotation mechanism simulates the actions of a professional operator, greatly enhancing control precision.

[0018] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to make the technical means of the present invention clearer and more understandable, so that those skilled in the art can implement it according to the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Various other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0020] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the robot drive mechanism of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the external frame of the robot drive mechanism of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the active and passive continuous robotic arms of a continuous robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the passive segment of the continuous robotic arm of a continuous robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the feed rotation mechanism of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the motion mechanism of the feed rotation mechanism of a continuum robot system for borescope inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a gasket in a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the clamping stud of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the concave clamping clip of a continuum robot system for borescope inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 11 An exploded view of the internal gear and intermediate component assembly of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the borehole connector of a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of an aero-engine, provided in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0021] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While specific embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0023] It should be noted that certain terms are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that different terms may be used to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in terminology, but rather on differences in function. The terms "comprising" or "including" used throughout the specification and claims are open-ended and should be interpreted as "comprising but not limited to." The following descriptions are preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention; however, these descriptions are for the purpose of understanding the general principles of the specification and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of protection of this invention is determined by the appended claims.

[0024] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, further explanations and descriptions will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The accompanying drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] To better understand, such as Figures 1 to 12 As shown, a continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines includes, Robot drive mechanism 1, which includes, A pair of spaced-apart motherboards 101 Multiple inner plates 102 are spaced apart and arranged between a pair of main plates 101. Multiple force feedback device brackets 106 are disposed between adjacent main board 101 and inner board 102, and between inner boards 102. Multiple motor supports 109 are disposed between adjacent main plates 101 and inner plates 102, and between inner plates 102, with the motor supports 109 aligned with the force feedback device bracket 106. The first stud 103 passes through and connects the main board 101, the force feedback device bracket 106, and the inner plate 102, and is locked with nuts at both ends. The second stud 104 passes through and connects the main board 101, the motor support 109, and the inner plate 102, and is locked with nuts at both ends. Multiple motors 107 are mounted in the motor support 109. Multiple drive pulleys 111 are connected to the motor 107, and the drive pulleys 111 can be adjusted to rotate via the motor. Multiple drive cables are connected to the drive pulley 111, and their lengths are extended or shortened as the drive pulley 111 rotates. The force sensing device 108 has one end connected to the force feedback device bracket 106 via a thread, and the other end connected to the through hole on the motor support 109 via a threaded nut. The robotic arm support 117 is located on one side of the robot drive mechanism 1; Continuous robotic arm 2, comprising, The robotic arm base 201 has one end bolted to the robotic arm support 117, and the other end of the robotic arm base 201 has multiple holes and multiple nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs 205 that coaxially engage with the holes. The nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs 205 are wrapped with a polyester fiber braided layer 202. The active-passive connector 203 connects to the end of the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy spring 205 furthest from the robotic arm base 201. The active continuous robotic arm 204 consists of N sections and is connected to the active-passive connector 203. The drive cable passes through the robotic arm support 117, the robotic arm base 201, a hole, a nickel-titanium memory alloy spring 205, and the active-passive connector 203 in sequence and is connected to the active continuous robotic arm 204. The drive pulley 111 is rotated by a motor to adjust the length of the drive cable, so that the active continuous robotic arm 204 can bend controllably. During this process, the reaction force of the drive cable acts on the drive pulley 111, which generates the tendency of the motor support 109 to rotate around the second stud 104. Under the constraint of the force feedback device bracket 106, the rotation tendency is converted into the force data detected by the force sensing device 108. The feed rotary mechanism 3 includes, Hole probe connector 301 is adapted for use with aircraft engine hole probes. The internal gear 302 is fixedly connected to the probe connector 301. Intermediate component 303, which mates with the shaft of internal gear 302, includes, Channel tube 306 leads to the active continuous robotic arm 204. A first motor 307 drives multiple worm gears 310, which in turn drive a turbine 311 and a coaxially arranged rubber wheel 312 to rotate. The rotating rubber wheel 312 generates friction on the active continuous robotic arm 204 to feed or retract the active continuous robotic arm 204. The second motor 317 drives the drive rod 313 to rotate the gear 314. The gear meshes with the internal gear 302, causing all components on the feed rotation mechanism 3 except the internal gear 302 and the probe connector 301 to rotate together.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the robot drive mechanism 1 further includes, The rear support 118 is located on the other side of the robot drive mechanism 1 opposite to the robotic arm support 117. The base plate 119 is supported at the midpoint between the main plate 101 and the inner plate, and is bolted to the rear support 118 and the robotic arm support 117. Multiple steering pulleys 120 are arranged at fixed intervals on the base plate 119. Two clamping mechanisms are respectively disposed on both sides of the base plate 119 for clamping the drive cable. The clamping mechanisms include... A pair of clamping supports 112, A clamping bracket 114 is disposed within a pair of clamping supports 112. A clamping stud 113 is provided, through which a pair of clamping supports 112 are provided and located above the clamping bracket 114. Multiple clamping clips 115 are arranged in an array on the clamping studs 113. The threaded knob 116, located at one end of the clamping stud 113, causes the clamping stud 113 and the clamping clip 115 fixed on the clamping stud 113 to move together in the axial direction via threaded transmission, so that the drive cable is clamped between the clamping clip 115 and the clamping bracket 114.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the clamping stud 113 is a 4mm cylinder with 15mm long threads drilled at both ends and threaded holes drilled at equal intervals. The clamping clip 115 is fixed to the clamping stud 113 through the threaded holes.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the clamping clip 115 has a U-shaped structure, which includes a concave surface 1151 that fits into the clamping bracket 114, a central through hole 1152 that is coaxially engaged with the clamping stud 113, and a side through hole 1153 that is connected to the threaded hole via a bolt.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the robot drive mechanism 1 has a symmetrical structure.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the shim 105 is mounted on the motor shaft by screws, and the shim 105 is composed of a circular ring 1051 and a semi-circular ring 1052 surrounding the circular ring 1051.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the circular ring 1051 has a radius of 6 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, the semi-circular ring 1052 has a radius of 10 mm and a thickness of 3 mm, and the circular ring 1051 has a through hole 1053 with a diameter of 4.3 mm in the middle.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the continuous robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the feed rotation mechanism 3 further includes a motor inner plate 305 connected to the intermediate part 303 via an external hexagonal bolt, a channel tube 306 passing through the motor inner plate 305, and a hollow stepped shaft protruding from the middle of the intermediate part 303, which is provided with threads for passing through the internal gear 302. The hollow stepped shaft is connected and fixed to a nut to restrict axial freedom.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the robotic arm base 201 has multiple holes of 1.2 mm in diameter cut at equal intervals on a circle with a diameter of 5.5 mm to accommodate a nickel-titanium shape memory alloy spring 205.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of the continuous robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, the borehole connector 301 is formed by stacking two rings 1051. The outer ring 1051 is used to connect with the internal gear 302, and the inner ring 1051 is a hollow threaded rod connecting the borehole of the aero-engine.

[0035] In one embodiment, the continuum robotic system for borescope inspection of aero-engines includes, The robot drive mechanism 1 is used to drive the active part of the continuous robotic arm 2 through the drive cable, thereby enabling the active part of the continuous robotic arm 2 to perform bending motion, and is equipped with a force sensor 108 to detect the tension of the drive cable. The continuous robotic arm 2, which combines active and passive components, is connected to the robot drive mechanism 1 via drive cables. The continuous robotic arm 2 includes a passive part of M meters in length and an active part of N sections to adapt to the characteristics of passive deformation and the requirements of active deformation in complex environments. The feed rotation mechanism 3 is used to connect and fix with the probe of the aircraft engine. The feed rotation mechanism 3 has two degrees of freedom for feeding and rotation, which enables the continuous robotic arm 2 to extend into the engine and adjust its direction.

[0036] In one embodiment, the robot drive mechanism 1 includes a main board 101, an inner plate 102, a 6mm first stud 103 and a 4mm second stud 104 for constructing the overall frame; a force feedback device bracket 106, a force sensing device 108, a motor support 109, a motor bracket 110, a drive pulley 111, a washer 105 and a motor 107 for driving cables and detecting force feedback; a clamping mechanism for clamping drive cables, including a clamping support 112, a 4mm clamping stud 113, a clamping bracket 114, a clamping clip 115 and a threaded knob 116; and a robotic arm support 117, a rear support 118, a base plate 119 and a steering pulley 120 for driving cable layout. The main board 101 is connected by the 4mm second stud 104 and the 6mm second stud 105. The first stud 103 is sequentially connected to the force feedback device bracket 106 and the inner plate 102, and both ends are locked with nuts. One end of the force sensing device 108 is connected to the force feedback device bracket 106 by a thread, and the other end is connected to the through hole on the motor support 109 by a threaded nut. The motor support 109 is connected to the motor 107 by bolts at the bottom, and the drive pulley 111 is placed coaxially above it. The washer 105 is installed on the motor shaft by screws. The base plate 119 is placed between the main plate 101 and the inner plate 102. Six steering pulleys 120 arranged at a fixed interval are installed in the middle of the base plate 119 by bolts. The base plate 119 is connected to the robotic arm support 117 and the rear support 118 by bolts at the front and rear, respectively. Clamping mechanisms are arranged on both the left and right sides.

[0037] In one embodiment, the active-passive combined continuous robotic arm 2 includes a robotic arm base 201, a polyester fiber braided layer 202, an active-passive connector 203, an active continuous robotic arm 204, and nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs 205. The robotic arm base 201 is connected to the robotic arm support 117 by bolts. The other end of the robotic arm base 201 has 12 holes arranged to coaxially engage with 12 nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs 205. The other end of the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs 205 is connected to the active-passive connector 203. The nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs 205 are wrapped by the polyester fiber braided layer 202. The active continuous robotic arm 204 is mounted on the active-passive connector 203.

[0038] In one embodiment, the feed rotation mechanism 3 includes a probe connector 301 forming an integral outer frame, an intermediate component 303, three external hexagonal studs 304, a motor inner plate 305, and a channel tube 306; a first motor 307 and a second motor 317 for performing feed and rotation movements; three pulleys 308; a belt 309; three worm gears 310; six worm gears 311; six rubber wheels 312; a drive rod 313; a gear 314; and an internal gear 302. The probe connector 301 is connected and fixed to the internal gear 302 by four bolts. The internal gear 302 mates with the bore shaft of the intermediate component 303, and axial displacement is limited by a nut 315. The intermediate component is connected to the motor inner plate by three external hexagonal studs 304. 305 is connected and fixed. The first motor 307 is coaxially engaged with the pulley 308 through the motor shaft. The pulley 308 drives the other two pulleys 308 to rotate simultaneously through the belt 309. The three pulleys 308 are coaxially engaged with the three worm gears 310 respectively, and the rotational motion is transmitted through the through holes of the worm gears 310 by bolts. The three worm gears 310 are each engaged with two turbines 311 with a center distance of 20mm. The six turbines 311 are each coaxially engaged with a rubber wheel 312, and the motion is transmitted through bolts. The second motor 317 is coaxially engaged with the drive rod 313. The drive rod 313 is coaxially engaged with the hole of the gear 314, and the rotational motion is transmitted through the key. The gear 314 meshes with the internal gear 302.

[0039] In one embodiment, the gasket 105 consists of a circular ring 1051 and a large semicircular ring 1052, with radii of 10mm and 6mm respectively, and thicknesses of 3mm and 1mm respectively. The gasket 105 has a 4.3mm through hole 1053 in the center. The 4mm clamping stud 113 is a 4mm cylinder with 15mm long threads drilled at both ends and equally spaced threaded holes. The clamping clip 115 is U-shaped, with the concave surface 1151 fitting into the clamping bracket 114. It is coaxially engaged with the 4mm clamping stud 113 through the central through hole 1152. Bolts are used to fix it through the side through hole 1153 of the clamping clip and the threaded hole of the 4mm clamping stud 113, restricting axial movement. The robotic arm base 201 has 12 equally spaced holes of 1.2mm diameter cut into a 5.5mm diameter circle to house the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy spring 205. The intermediate component 303 has a protruding hollow stepped shaft 3031 with an M6 thread for passing through the internal gear and connecting and fixing with a nut to restrict axial freedom. The probe connector 301 is composed of two stacked rings. The outer ring 3011 is used to connect with the internal gear 302. Preferably, the inner ring 3012 is a hollow threaded rod that connects to a specific probe.

[0040] In one embodiment, one end of the force sensing device 108 is connected to the force feedback device bracket 106 via a thread, and the other end is connected to the through hole on the motor support 109 via a threaded nut. The motor support 109 is connected to the motor 107 via bolts at the bottom, and a drive pulley 111 is placed coaxially above it. The washer 105 is installed on the motor shaft with screws. The base plate 119 is placed between the main plate 101 and the inner plate 102. Six steering pulleys 120 arranged at fixed intervals are installed in the middle of the base plate 119 via bolts. The base plate 119 is connected to the robotic arm support 117 and the rear support 118 via bolts at the front and rear, respectively. Clamping mechanisms are arranged on the left and right sides to facilitate quick installation of drive cables and clamping and positioning when not in use. The robotic arm base 201 is connected to the robotic arm support 117 by bolts. At the other end of the robotic arm base 201, 12 holes are arranged to coaxially engage with 12 nickel-titanium memory alloy springs 205. The other end of each nickel-titanium memory alloy spring 205 is connected to the active-passive connector 203. The nickel-titanium memory alloy springs 205 are wrapped in a polyester fiber braided layer 202. The active continuous robotic arm 204 is mounted on the active-passive connector 203. The hole probe connector 301 is connected and fixed to the internal gear 302 by four bolts. The internal gear 302 engages with the hole shaft of the intermediate component 303, and axial displacement is limited by nuts 315. The intermediate component is connected and fixed to the motor inner plate 305 by three external hexagonal studs 304. A large space is left in the middle of the robot drive mechanism 1 to accommodate the drive ESC and control board required to control the motor. The motor 107 is a DJI M3508 motor to meet multiple requirements such as high torque, strong power, small size, and safety.

[0041] In one embodiment, the robot drive mechanism 1, the active-passive combined continuous robotic arm 2, and the feed-rotation mechanism 3 are all indispensable. The first motor 307 is a DJI M2006 motor to facilitate control standardization while meeting requirements for size and performance. The force sensing device 108 is a miniature tensile / compression sensor from Hengyuan Sensing; its stud design at both ends perfectly meets the requirements of the solution provided by this invention, and its size is suitable.

[0042] When this system is in use, the twelve motors 107 in the robot drive mechanism 1 work together to rotate, driving the twelve drive pulleys 111 to rotate, thereby adjusting the length of the twelve drive cables in the active-passive combined continuous robotic arm 2, thus achieving 360° bending of the active continuous robotic arm 204. During this process, the reaction force of the drive cables acts on the drive pulleys 111, tending to make the motor support 109 rotate around the 4mm second stud 104. However, under the constraints of the nut and the force sensing device 108, the tendency to rotate will be transformed into the force detected by the force sensing device 108. This force is related to the tension of the drive cables. The end of the active-passive coupled continuous robotic arm 2 passes through the channel tube 306 and enters the interior of the intermediate part. Then, the first motor 307 drives three pulleys 308, which in turn drive the worm gear 310 and the turbine 311 to rotate, causing the rubber wheel 312 to rotate as well. The rotation of the rubber wheel 312 will generate friction on the active-passive coupled continuous robotic arm 2 under the action of compression. This friction will cause the active-passive coupled continuous robotic arm 2 to feed or retract. The rotation of the second motor 317 will drive the gear 314 to rotate through the drive rod 313. The gear 314 meshes with the internal gear 302. The internal gear 302 is connected and fixed to the probe connector 301 and remains stationary. Therefore, the gear will drive the parts on the feed rotation mechanism to rotate together except for the internal gear 302 and the probe connector 301. The threaded knob 116 on the robot drive mechanism 1 can cause the 4mm clamping stud 113 and the clamping clip 115 fixed on the 4mm clamping stud 113 to move together in the axial direction through threaded transmission, thereby clamping the drive cable between the clamping clip 115 and the clamping bracket 114. In use, this system has six bending degrees of freedom, one rotational degree of freedom, and one feed degree of freedom, for a total of eight degrees of freedom. All eight degrees of freedom are controlled by control motors. The clamping mechanism also has a manual tightening degree of freedom, controlled by manually rotating the threaded knob 116. It features flexible movement, easy assembly and disassembly, high degrees of freedom, and high controllability, making it suitable for operation in the confined and complex space inside an aero-engine.

[0043] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not restrict the application from being implemented using the specific details described above.

[0044] The above description has been provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the forms disclosed herein. Although several embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize, through the guidance of this specification and without departing from the scope of the claims, various variations, modifications, additions, and sub-combinations thereof, all of which fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines, characterized in that, It includes, Robot drive mechanism, which includes, A pair of motherboards arranged at intervals, Multiple inner boards, spaced apart between a pair of main boards, Multiple force feedback device brackets are located between adjacent main boards and inner boards, as well as between inner boards. Multiple motor supports are disposed between adjacent main boards and inner boards, as well as between inner boards, and the motor supports are aligned with the force feedback device bracket. The first stud, which passes through and connects the main board, the force feedback device bracket, and the inner plate, and is locked with nuts at both ends. The second stud connects the main board, the motor bracket, and the inner plate, and is secured with nuts at both ends. Multiple motors are mounted in the motor brackets. Multiple drive pulleys are connected to the motor, and the drive pulleys are adjustablely rotated by the motor. Multiple drive cables are connected to the drive pulley, and the length of the drive cables increases or decreases as the drive pulley rotates. The force sensing device has one end connected to the force feedback device bracket via a thread, and the other end connected to the through hole on the motor support via a threaded nut. A robotic arm support is located on one side of the robot drive mechanism; A continuous robotic arm, comprising, The robotic arm base has one end bolted to the robotic arm support, and the other end of the robotic arm base has multiple holes and multiple nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs that coaxially engage with the holes. The nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs are wrapped with a polyester fiber braided layer. The active and passive connector connects the end of the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy spring away from the base of the robotic arm. The active continuous robotic arm consists of N sections connected to the active-passive connector. The drive cable passes through the robotic arm support, robotic arm base, hole, nickel-titanium memory alloy spring, active-passive connector, and is connected to the active continuous robotic arm. The drive pulley is rotated by a motor to adjust the length of the drive cable, so that the active continuous robotic arm can bend controllably. During this process, the reaction force of the drive cable acts on the drive pulley, causing the motor support to rotate around the second stud. Under the constraint of the force feedback device bracket, the rotation trend is converted into the force data detected by the force sensing device. The feed rotary mechanism includes, A borehole connector, adapted for use with aero-engine boreholes. The internal gear is fixedly connected to the probe connector. Intermediate component, which mates with the internal gear shaft, includes, The channel tube leads into the active continuous robotic arm. A first motor drives multiple worm gears, which in turn drive a worm wheel and a coaxially arranged rubber wheel to rotate. The rotating rubber wheel generates friction on the active continuous robotic arm to feed or retract the active continuous robotic arm. The second motor drives the drive rod to rotate the gear, which meshes with the internal gear so that all components on the feed rotation mechanism except the internal gear and the probe connector rotate together.

2. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robot drive mechanism also includes, The rear support is located on the other side of the robot drive mechanism relative to the robotic arm support. The base plate, which is supported in the middle of the main plate and the inner plate, is connected to the rear support and the robotic arm support by bolts. Multiple steering pulleys are arranged at fixed intervals on the base plate. Two clamping mechanisms, respectively located on both sides of the base plate, are used to clamp the drive cable. The clamping mechanisms include... A pair of clamping supports, The clamping bracket is located within a pair of clamping supports. A clamping stud, through which a pair of clamping supports pass and located above the clamping bracket. Multiple clamping clips are arranged in an array on the clamping studs. The threaded knob, located at one end of the clamping stud, causes the clamping stud and the clamping clip fixed on the clamping stud to move together in the axial direction via threaded transmission, so that the drive cable is clamped between the clamping clip and the clamping bracket.

3. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The clamping stud is a 4mm cylinder with 15mm long threads drilled at both ends and threaded holes drilled at equal intervals. The clamping clip is fixed to the clamping stud through the threaded holes.

4. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robot's drive mechanism has a symmetrical structure.

5. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gasket is mounted on the motor shaft with screws. The gasket consists of a circular ring and a semi-circular ring surrounding the circular ring.

6. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The circular ring has a radius of 6mm and a thickness of 1mm, the semi-circular ring has a radius of 10mm and a thickness of 3mm, and the circular ring has a through hole with a diameter of 4.3mm in the middle.

7. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm base has multiple 1.2mm diameter holes cut at equal intervals on a 5.5mm diameter circle to accommodate nickel-titanium shape memory alloy springs.

8. The continuum robot system for borehole inspection of aero-engines as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The probe connector is composed of two stacked rings. The outer ring is used to connect with the internal gear, and the inner ring is a hollow threaded rod that connects to the probe of the aero-engine.

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