Double-disk vertical ship cleaning robot

Abstract

The application discloses a double-dish vertical cleaning robot, which comprises a movable frame, a cleaning dish, a main control cabin and an equipment cabin arranged in the frame, a plurality of propellers and buoyant materials arranged on the top and bottom of the frame and matched with the frame, and a half-automatic recovery head arranged at the middle position of the top buoyant material; the plurality of propellers are vertically arranged along the cleaning moving direction and are asymmetrically distributed, and the flow channels of the propellers do not interfere with each other; and the cleaning dish is arranged on the side of the frame. The application has strong resistance to flow and good cleaning effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a dual-disc vertical ship cleaning robot, which can be used for underwater cleaning of marine organisms attached to the surface of ships, and can be further applied to the surface cleaning of underwater structures such as dams and bridge piers. Background Technology

[0002] Corrosive saline-alkali substances and marine organisms can accumulate on the surface of ships in the ocean, increasing drag, reducing speed, and raising fuel consumption. To reduce operating costs, regular ship cleaning is necessary. Furthermore, countries and regions such as Australia and New Zealand have enacted regulations requiring foreign vessels to remove attached marine organisms before entering port to prevent invasive species invasions and protect the local marine environment.

[0003] Currently, most ship cleaning in China employs traditional dry-docking cleaning methods, which are costly, polluting, and time-consuming, causing significant time and cost losses to ship operations, thus failing to achieve timely cleaning. Another method involves underwater cleaning by divers, which does not require dry docking; however, due to the harsh underwater environment, this method suffers from drawbacks such as high labor intensity, limited working time, low efficiency, and high personal safety risks. Therefore, using underwater robots to replace divers for underwater ship cleaning operations has become a development trend.

[0004] Existing underwater cleaning robots suffer from poor resistance to current and poor cleaning performance due to issues such as interference in the propeller flow channel and unstable adhesion of the cleaning disc. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention proposes a dual-disc vertical cleaning robot. This robot possesses powerful underwater mobility, stable cleaning disc adhesion capability, and efficient desiccant removal ability, enabling underwater cleaning operations on ships without the need for docking or the safety risks associated with divers.

[0006] This invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A dual-disc vertical cleaning robot includes a movable frame, cleaning discs, a main control compartment and an equipment compartment located within the frame, several thrusters, and buoyancy materials located at the top and bottom of the frame and matched thereto. Half of the automatic recovery head is located in the middle of the top buoyancy material. The several thrusters are arranged vertically along the cleaning movement direction and are asymmetrically distributed, with their flow channels not interfering with each other. The cleaning discs are located on the side of the frame.

[0008] Furthermore, there are two cleaning trays, located on the side of the frame, and the cleaning trays are connected to the frame by four tension springs.

[0009] Furthermore, a universal joint with a flexible rotation angle is installed on the back of the cleaning tray.

[0010] Furthermore, there are nine thrusters, four of which are vertically and evenly distributed behind the cleaning disc to counteract the thrust of the cavitation jet, three of which are vertically and asymmetrically distributed in the left and right directions, and two of which are vertically and evenly arranged at the bottom of the robot, so that the bottom thrusters can still be completely submerged in water and provide maximum output when the robot is floating.

[0011] Furthermore, the semi-automatic recycling head is connected to a tension spring via screws.

[0012] Furthermore, the semi-automatic retrieval head adopts semi-automatic unhooking technology. After the robot lifts and removes the tension spring, the robot can automatically unhook after suspending in the water and retrieving the retrieval head. During retrieval, the retrieval head hooks onto the tension spring and falls along the cable to the robot connector, where it can automatically hook onto the connector and be lifted to retrieve the robot.

[0013] Furthermore, distance sensors are respectively installed on the four corners of the frame, namely the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right corners of the cleaning surface, and high-definition underwater cameras are arranged in front of and behind the cleaning direction.

[0014] Furthermore, the distance sensor measures the distance from the four corners of the robot to the hull, thereby calculating the relative position and attitude of the robot and the hull, realizing the robot's relative positioning, as well as real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment of the wall-hugging state.

[0015] Furthermore, the dynamic adjustment method is as follows: the distances between the four distance sensors and the hull are d1, d2, d3, and d4, respectively, and the thrusts of the four thrusters are T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The total wall-hull thrust is T. Then, the dynamic adjustment formulas for the thrust of the four thrusters are: T1 = T / 4 + k(d1 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T2 = T / 4 + k(d2 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T3 = T / 4 + k(d3 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T4 = T / 4 + k(d4 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, where k is a coefficient.

[0016] Furthermore, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) is installed in the main control cabin, and a Doppler log (DVL) is installed on the bottom of the robot. The data from the IMU and DVL are fused to realize the robot's position and attitude detection.

[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. The nine thrusters are arranged vertically along the direction of movement, asymmetrically distributed, and the flow channels do not interfere with each other to ensure maximum output;

[0019] 2. The cleaning disc is located on the side of the robot, so it can adhere to the ship's wall without reversing after being submerged, resulting in greater stability;

[0020] 3. The cleaning tray is connected by four tension springs and a universal joint is installed at the back to ensure structural reliability;

[0021] 4. The semi-automatic recycling head uses screws instead of spring clips without changing the material thickness, thus shortening the length of the recycling head and reducing its weight and size;

[0022] 5. Relying on the distance sensors at the four corners of the cleaning surface, the robot's adhesion to the wall can be determined in real time, and the thrust of the four pushers used for wall adhesion can be dynamically set to ensure the adhesion effect;

[0023] 6. By combining distance sensors, inertial measurement units, and Doppler logs, the robot's position and attitude can be detected, as well as the perception and modeling of the ship's hull shape. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning disc connection of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the distance sensor setup in this invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the top buoyancy material in this invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom buoyancy material in this invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the thruster layout in this invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the recovery head structure in this invention;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the recovery head in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0033] like Figure 1As shown, this ship cleaning robot includes a frame 1, a buoyancy material cover 7, a main control compartment 2, an equipment compartment 3, a cleaning tray 5, a thruster 4, a semi-automatic recovery head 8, and other detachable modules (including a distance sensor 6, an underwater light, an underwater camera, a Doppler log, etc.).

[0034] The robot's frame is made of 316L stainless steel, which minimizes the corrosion of the robot body by seawater and extends its service life. The stainless steel frame is constructed using sheet metal with numerous perforations, reducing the robot's weight and preventing seawater from remaining inside and affecting its buoyancy balance.

[0035] Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the robot uses four tension springs 9 connected to the cleaning disc 5 from four directions: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. The use of thick-diameter springs ensures the cleaning disc remains balanced when stationary. A flexible universal joint 10 at the back provides support and adjustment. During operation, the thrust of the propeller and the flexible connection of the four springs allow the cleaning disc to better conform to the ship's wall. The target distance is unaffected by the relative position of the robot and the ship, resulting in better cleaning of rough ship walls covered with marine organisms. The cleaning disc is located on the side of the robot, allowing it to directly clean the wall without flipping after entering the water, resulting in higher efficiency and greater stability. Compared to patent CN216887173U, the two cleaning discs are connected to the body by separate tension springs, with a universal joint added at the bottom, making overall rotation more flexible and adaptable to various curved surfaces. Even in the event of a spring breakage or other unexpected situation during wall-hugging cleaning, the cleaning disc can still adaptively rotate without requiring equipment recovery, repair, and re-entry for cleaning. The flexible connection made by the spring makes the cleaning disc easier to replace, and it can be replaced with various types of cleaning components as needed.

[0036] like Figure 7 As shown, the robot is driven by all thrusters, providing greater flexibility in water. It employs nine thrusters arranged vertically in all directions (up, down, left, right, forward, backward), with no interference between the flow channels, maximizing thrust conversion efficiency. Three thrusters are for left-right movement, four for forward-backward movement (used to provide thrust for wall adhesion in wall-hugging mode), and two for up-down movement. Omnidirectional wheels assist movement, and the robot maintains a stable distance from the wall after contact with the vessel, ensuring the cavitation disc remains at the optimal cleaning target distance.

[0037] The retrieval head employs a semi-automatic unhooking technology. After the robot lifts and removes the tension spring, the robot floats in the water and automatically unhooks, retrieving the retrieval head. During retrieval, the retrieval head hooks onto the tension spring, descends along the cable to the robot's connector, and automatically hooks onto the connector, allowing for lifting and retrieval of the robot. This retrieval head features a lighter structure compared to previous designs, reducing the robot's buoyancy requirements and decreasing resistance during underwater movement. Compared to patent CN212580124U, the retrieval head design of this invention is more practical, lighter, and reduces the size of the latching ears, simplifying the retrieval head design by directly using screws to fix the tension spring (e.g., ...). Figure 8 (As shown in Figure 9). While ensuring the functionality of semi-automatic recovery, the weight of the recovery head was reduced, which correspondingly reduced the amount of buoyancy material used, thus reducing the overall water resistance generated when the robot moves underwater.

[0038] like Figure 4 As shown, four distance sensors 6 are configured at the four corners of the cleaning surface: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. High-definition underwater cameras are also positioned in front of and behind the main cleaning direction. The distance sensors measure the distance from the four corners of the robot to the hull, thereby calculating the robot's relative position and attitude, enabling relative positioning of the robot, as well as real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment of its contact with the hull.

[0039] The dynamic adjustment method is as follows: The distances between the four distance sensors and the hull are d1, d2, d3, and d4, respectively, and the thrusts of the four thrusters are T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The total wall-hull thrust is T. The dynamic adjustment formulas for the thrust of the four thrusters are: T1 = T / 4 + k(d1 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T2 = T / 4 + k(d2 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T3 = T / 4 + k(d3 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T4 = T / 4 + k(d4 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, where k is a coefficient.

[0040] An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is installed in the robot's main control cabin, and a Doppler log (DVL) is installed on the robot's bottom. Data from the IMU and DVL are fused to achieve robot position and attitude detection. Further fusion with the relative position and attitude measured by distance sensors allows for the simulation of the ship's hull shape during the cleaning process, which can be used for subsequent hull modeling during cleaning.

[0041] like Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the overall fuselage adopts a 200kg / m 3The buoyancy material has a high density and its overall strength can withstand the pressure of 200M underwater. To ensure the robot's balance and that the center of buoyancy is higher than the center of gravity, the cross-section of the buoyancy material has a large number of circular holes to reduce the resistance generated when the robot moves up and down.

[0042] Robot enters water:

[0043] Hook the spring on the recovery head, use a crane to lift the robot, and after the robot is suspended in the air, remove the spring from the recovery head. The crane then lowers the robot into the water, and the recovery head automatically detaches. The crane then retrieves the recovery head.

[0044] Wall-mounting operation:

[0045] The robot's posture is adjusted by referring to the camera and the direction of the water descent, so that the robot's cavitation disk faces the ship's wall. The thrusters are activated, and the distance to the ship's wall is confirmed by referring to four distance sensors, so that the robot can be stably attached to the ship's wall. The inertial measurement unit and distance sensors are used to determine the angle of the ship's wall and the robot's posture.

[0046] Cleaning procedure:

[0047] Once the robot has stabilized against the wall, it activates the automatic cleaning mode and simultaneously turns on the cavitation jet device. The robot automatically performs a zigzag cleaning motion along the wall, using a depth sensor and Doppler speedometer to determine its position during the cleaning process. Alternatively, the operator can manually operate the robot using a handle, observing the area to be cleaned via a camera, and then manually operating the cavitation jet to begin cleaning.

[0048] Recycling operation:

[0049] First, attach the tension spring to the recovery head, then lower the recovery head along the cable. The recovery head will automatically engage with the robot connector, and the lifting robot will complete the recovery.

[0050] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dual-disc vertical cleaning robot, characterized in that, It includes a movable frame, a cleaning tray, a main control compartment and an equipment compartment located within the frame, several thrusters, and buoyancy materials located at the top and bottom of the frame and matched thereto. Half of the automatic recovery head is located in the middle of the top buoyancy material. The several thrusters are arranged vertically along the cleaning movement direction and are asymmetrically distributed, with their flow channels not interfering with each other. The cleaning tray is located on the side of the frame. There are nine thrusters, four of which are vertically and evenly distributed behind the cleaning plate to counteract the thrust of the cavitation jet, three of which are vertically and asymmetrically distributed in the left and right directions, and two of which are vertically and evenly arranged at the bottom of the robot, so that the bottom thrusters can still be completely submerged in water and provide maximum output when the robot is floating. Distance sensors are respectively installed on the four corners of the frame, namely the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right of the cleaning surface, and high-definition underwater cameras are arranged in front and behind the cleaning direction. The distance sensor measures the distance from the four corners of the robot to the hull, and then calculates the relative position and relative attitude of the robot and the hull, so as to realize the relative positioning of the robot, as well as the real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment of the wall-hugging state. The dynamic adjustment method is as follows: the distances between the four distance sensors and the hull are d1, d2, d3, and d4, respectively, and the corresponding thrusts of the four thrusters are T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The total wall-hull thrust is T. The dynamic thrust adjustment formulas for the four thrusters are: T1 = T / 4 + k(d1 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T2 = T / 4 + k(d2 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T3 = T / 4 + k(d3 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, T4 = T / 4 + k(d4 - (d1 + d2 + d3 + d4) / 4)T, where k is a coefficient.

2. The dual-disc vertical cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are two cleaning trays, which are located on the side of the frame and are connected to the frame by four tension springs.

3. The dual-disc vertical cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The back of the cleaning tray is equipped with a universal joint that can rotate flexibly.

4. The dual-disc vertical cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semi-automatic recovery head is connected to a tension spring via screws.

5. A dual-disc vertical cleaning robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The semi-automatic retrieval head uses semi-automatic unhooking technology. After the robot lifts and removes the tension spring, the robot floats in the water and can automatically unhook to retrieve the retrieval head. During retrieval, the retrieval head hooks onto the tension spring and falls along the cable to the robot's connector, where it can automatically hook onto the connector and be lifted to retrieve the robot.

6. A dual-disc vertical cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is installed in the main control cabin, and a Doppler log (DVL) is installed on the bottom of the robot. The data from the IMU and DVL are fused to realize the robot's position and attitude detection.

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