Multi-segmented underwater inspection robot and operation method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot and an operation method thereof, wherein the robot comprises a carrier, a motion module, a control module, a detection module, a cleaning module and a spraying module, wherein the carrier comprises a multi-section arm, and the motion module comprises a plurality of servo motors, wherein the plurality of servo motors are respectively arranged between each two adjacent sections of the arm, and each two adjacent sections of the arm are hinged by the output shaft of the servo motor, so that each two adjacent sections of the arm can rotate relative to each other to form a folded motion mode and an embracing operation state. The present invention solves the contradiction between the maneuverability and versatility of the existing underwater robots; in addition, when performing the operation and maintenance of the marine pile column structure, the present invention can realize the autonomous obstacle crossing of the complex truss nodes and the autonomous transfer of the adjacent trusses, which greatly improves the movement flexibility of the robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of underwater robots, in particular to a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot and an operation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Due to its stable structural characteristics, offshore platforms are generally used in offshore waters tens to hundreds of meters deep. However, affected by external environmental factors such as water currents, waves, and microorganisms in the water, a large number of marine organisms will attach to the underwater structures of offshore platforms, and they will suffer varying degrees of corrosion and damage. In addition, due to the limitations of current underwater anti-corrosion technology, the anti-corrosion technology level of existing offshore platforms is relatively low, and long-term immersion in seawater greatly weakens the anti-corrosion effect. The above two factors together pose a serious threat to the safe operation of offshore platforms. Therefore, it is of great significance to regularly clean, inspect, and prevent corrosion of the underwater structures of offshore platforms.

[0003] Traditional underwater operation and maintenance operations mainly rely on divers holding cleaning tools to dive into the seabed for operations. There are problems such as high labor intensity, high operating costs, low efficiency, and great influence by weather, poor results, and no long-term effectiveness. In response to this technical problem, technicians in this field have successively developed various underwater robots that can replace manual labor. At present, robots used for cleaning and inspection of underwater structures of jacket-type offshore platforms are mainly divided into two types: embracing type and ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). For example, the "cleaning device" disclosed in the Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN215878879U and the "reverse propeller cleaning robot" disclosed in the Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN219406060U. However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the embracing underwater robot is large in size to meet the embracing needs, too bulky, and cannot move freely underwater, requiring a certain degree of manual assistance; while the ROV underwater robot is too small, with a small projection area, poor stability, and low operating efficiency. Therefore, in view of the shortcomings of the above two types of underwater robots, the present invention proposes a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot and an operation method thereof, which can realize all-round cleaning, inspection and anti-corrosion spraying operations on marine pile structures. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art and to propose a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot and its operating method, so as to solve the technical problems that the existing embracing robots are difficult to move freely underwater and require a certain degree of manual assistance, and the ROV-type robots have poor stability and low operating efficiency.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above technical problems is:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot, comprising:

[0007] A carrier, comprising a plurality of segment arms;

[0008] A motion module, comprising a plurality of servo motors, wherein the plurality of servo motors are respectively arranged between each two adjacent sections of the section arms, and each two adjacent sections of the section arms are hinged through the output shafts of the servo motors, so that each two adjacent sections of the section arms can rotate relative to each other to form a folded motion mode and an embracing operating state;

[0009] A control module, a detection module, a cleaning module and a spraying module, wherein the control module, the detection module, the cleaning module and the spraying module are respectively fixed on each of the section arms, and the control module is respectively electrically connected to the detection module, the cleaning module, the spraying module and the servo motor.

[0010] Furthermore, the motion module also includes a plurality of vector thrusters and a limiting mechanism, wherein the plurality of vector thrusters are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower surfaces of the plurality of sections of the joint arms, and the plurality of limiting mechanisms are fixedly mounted on the inner surfaces of the plurality of sections of the joint arms, and the vector thrusters and the limiting mechanisms are respectively connected to the control module signals.

[0011] Furthermore, the limiting mechanism includes a limiting wheel and a laser rangefinder, the limiting wheel is distributed in a circular shape on the inner side of the multiple sections of the joint arm, the laser rangefinder is installed on the multiple sections of the joint arm, and the laser rangefinder is connected to the control module signal.

[0012] Further, the servo motor includes a single-drive servo motor and a dual-drive servo motor;

[0013] The carrier comprises a central joint arm, an inner joint arm and an outer joint arm, the two ends of the central joint arm are respectively hinged to one end of the two inner joint arms through the output shafts of the two single-drive servo motors, and the other ends of the two inner joint arms are respectively hinged to the two outer joint arms through the two double-drive servo motors;

[0014] Wherein, the control module and the detection module are arranged on the central segment arm, the two cleaning modules are symmetrically arranged on the two inner segment arms, and the two spraying modules are symmetrically arranged on the two outer segment arms.

[0015] Furthermore, the control module includes a control cabin, a cable mechanism, a transmission box, an energy storage box and a support frame, the support frame is fixed on the central arm, the transmission box and the energy storage box are arranged side by side in the support frame, the control cabin is arranged on the top of the support frame, and the cable mechanism is arranged on the side of the support frame, and the transmission box is electrically connected to the control cabin and the energy storage box respectively, and the energy storage box is connected to the shore power equipment through the cable mechanism.

[0016] Furthermore, the control cabin includes a pressure-resistant cabin, a waterproof cover, an underwater camera, an underwater searchlight and a main control board. The pressure-resistant cabin is fixedly installed on the top of the supporting frame, and the main control board is arranged inside the pressure-resistant cabin. The waterproof cover, the underwater camera and the underwater searchlight are all arranged at the front end of the pressure-resistant cabin, and the underwater camera and the underwater searchlight are located in the waterproof cover. The main control board is electrically connected to the underwater camera and the underwater searchlight, respectively, and the main control board is signal-connected to the detection module, the cleaning module, the spray module and the motion module, respectively.

[0017] Furthermore, the detection module includes an inspection cabin, which is arranged on the top of the support frame and side by side with the control cabin. The inspection cabin is equipped with an underwater high-definition optical detector for capturing and recording surface defects of the underwater pile structure.

[0018] Furthermore, the cleaning module includes a high-pressure water gun, a cavitation jet spray gun, a micro-mechanical arm, a cleaning brush and a cleaning shovel, the high-pressure water gun, the cavitation jet spray gun and the micro-mechanical arm are respectively arranged on the inner segment arm, the cleaning brush and the cleaning shovel are arranged at the execution end of the micro-mechanical arm, and the high-pressure water gun, the cavitation jet spray gun and the micro-mechanical arm are respectively connected to the control module signal.

[0019] Furthermore, the spraying module includes a spraying gun and a paint storage tank, the paint storage tank is arranged on the outer section arm, the spraying gun is connected to the outlet end of the paint storage tank, and the spraying gun is connected to the control module signal.

[0020] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an operation method of the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided in the first aspect of the present invention, comprising the following steps:

[0021] S1, putting the multi-segment underwater inspection robot into water, and controlling the servo motor through the control module so that each two adjacent segments of the arm rotate relative to each other to enter the motion mode;

[0022] S2, controlling the motion module through the control module to make the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot move freely to the underwater pile column structure position;

[0023] S3, controlling the servo motor through the control module so that each two adjacent boom sections rotate relative to each other and enter the operation mode;

[0024] S4, controlling the cleaning module and the detection module to clean the underwater pile structure and detect whether it is qualified through the control module;

[0025] S5, if the cleaning is qualified, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot sinks one layer section along the length direction of the underwater pile structure, and repeats step S4 until the underwater inspection robot reaches the contact surface between the underwater pile structure and the seabed; if the cleaning is not qualified, the cleaning is repeated until it is qualified;

[0026] S6, controlling the spraying module to spray the underwater pile structure through the control module;

[0027] S7, under the drive of the motion module, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot rises one layer along the length direction of the underwater pile structure, and repeats step S6 until the underwater inspection robot reaches the water surface position of the underwater pile structure to complete the underwater operation.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention mainly include:

[0029] The present invention provides a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot and an operating method thereof. The robot adopts a modular design, and modules such as cleaning, detection and spraying are integrated on a carrier. The robot can realize all-round cleaning, detection and anti-corrosion spraying operations on underwater pile structures through control of a control module, thereby greatly improving the operating efficiency of the underwater robot. At the same time, the modular design also facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the device. At the same time, the underwater robot provided by the present invention uses the output shafts of multiple servo motors to hinge each section arm in sequence, so that each two adjacent sections of the section arm can rotate relative to each other to form a folded motion mode and an embracing operation mode. In conjunction with the motion module, the movement flexibility of the underwater robot is greatly improved, so that the underwater robot provided by the present invention can move freely in water, solving the contradiction between the maneuverability and versatility of existing underwater robots. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 is an overall structural diagram of the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot in motion mode described in this embodiment;

[0031] Figure 2 is an overall structural diagram of the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot in the present embodiment in the operating mode;

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top view of

[0033] Figure 4is another overall structural diagram of the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot in the working mode described in this embodiment;

[0034] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the control module described in this embodiment;

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the control cabin described in this embodiment;

[0036] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the detection module described in this embodiment;

[0037] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning module described in this embodiment;

[0038] Fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the spraying module described in this embodiment;

[0039] Fig.10 is a schematic structural diagram of the universal propeller described in this embodiment;

[0040] Fig.11 is a schematic structural diagram of the single-drive servo motor described in this embodiment;

[0041] Fig.12 is a schematic structural diagram of the dual-drive servo motor described in this embodiment;

[0042] Fig.13 It is an operation flow chart of the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot described in this embodiment.

[0043] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0044] 100, carrier, 110, central segment arm, 111, base plate, 120, inner segment arm, 121, semicircular plate, 122, connecting plate, 123, triangular plate, 130, outer segment arm, 131, meniscus, 132, outer arm support plate, 133, support column;

[0045] 200, motion module, 210, servo motor, 211, single-drive servo motor, 212, dual-drive servo motor, 220, vector thruster, 221, universal propeller, 222, rotating propeller, 230, limit mechanism, 231, limit wheel, 232, laser rangefinder;

[0046] 300, control module, 310, control cabin, 311, pressure-resistant cabin, 312, waterproof cover, 313, underwater camera, 314, underwater searchlight, 315, main control board, 320, cable mechanism, 330, transmission box, 340, energy storage box, 350, support frame;

[0047] 400. Detection module;

[0048] 500, cleaning module, 510, high pressure water gun, 520, cavitation jet spray gun, 530, micro-mechanical arm;

[0049] 600. Spraying module, 610. Spraying gun, 620. Spray paint storage tank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0051] In order to solve the technical problem of the contradiction between the maneuverability and versatility of existing underwater robots, the present invention provides a multi-section arm underwater inspection robot and an operating method thereof, which can not only solve the shortcomings of the embracing robot being bulky and difficult to move freely underwater, but also make up for the disadvantages of the ROV robot being poor in stability and low operating efficiency; at the same time, it can realize the autonomous crossing and transfer of complex truss nodes in the underwater pile column structure, and complete the all-round cleaning, inspection and anti-corrosion spraying of the underwater pile column structure; in addition, the present invention can be applied to structures such as the conductor frame, truss, steel piles, columns and steel buoys of various types of marine platforms.

[0052] Figures 1 to 12 A structural diagram of a multi-segment underwater inspection robot provided by the first aspect of the present invention is given, such as Figures 1 to 12 As shown, the multi-section arm inspection robot includes a carrier 100 , a motion module 200 , a control module 300 , a detection module 400 , a cleaning module 500 and a spraying module 600 .

[0053] Among them, the carrier 100 includes multiple sections of arms; the motion module 200 includes multiple servo motors, and the multiple servo motors are respectively arranged between each two adjacent sections of the arms, and each two adjacent sections of the arms are hinged through the output shaft of the servo motor, so that each two adjacent sections of the arms can rotate relative to each other to form a folded motion mode and an embracing working state; the control module 300, the detection module 400, the cleaning module 500 and the spray module 600 are respectively fixed on each of the arms, and the control module 300 is electrically connected to the detection module 400, the cleaning module 500, the spray module 600 and the servo motor.

[0054] The present invention controls the servo motor through the control module 300 to drive the relative rotation of each segment arm, so that the multi-segment arm underwater robot can form a folded movement mode and an embracing operation mode. In this way, with the cooperation of the movement module, it can realize free movement underwater, which greatly improves the movement flexibility of the underwater robot. At the same time, the present invention adopts a modular design, integrates cleaning, detection, spraying and other modules on the carrier, and can realize all-round cleaning, detection and anti-corrosion spraying operations on the underwater pile structure through the control module, which greatly improves the operation efficiency of the underwater robot. Therefore, the present invention well solves the technical problems of the existing underwater robots in terms of maneuverability and versatility.

[0055] In addition, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided by the present invention realizes autonomous obstacle crossing of complex truss nodes and autonomous transfer of adjacent trusses; the multi-section arm design can be adapted to underwater pile structures of different interface sizes by changing the angle between adjacent section arms, breaking the limitations of existing underwater robot operating objects.

[0056] The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided by the present invention is described in detail below through specific embodiments.

[0057] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided in this embodiment includes a carrier 100, a motion module 200, a control module 300, a detection module 400, a cleaning module 500 and a spraying module 600.

[0058] The carrier 100 includes a central segment arm 110, two inner segment arms 120 and two outer segment arms 130. The two inner segment arms 120 are hinged at both ends of the central segment arm 110 and can rotate relative to the central segment arm 110. The two outer segment arms 130 are respectively hinged at one end of the two inner segment arms 120 and can rotate relative to the inner segment arms 120. The control module 300 and the detection module 400 are arranged on the central segment arm 110. The two cleaning modules 500 are symmetrically arranged on the two inner segment arms 120. The two spray modules 600 are symmetrically arranged on the two outer segment arms 130. Further, as Figure 7 As shown, the central segment arm 110 is composed of two base plates 111 arranged up and down; Figure 8 As shown, the inner section arm 120 includes two semicircular plates 121, a connecting plate 122 and a triangular plate 123. The two semicircular plates 121 are fixed at both ends of the connecting plate 122. The triangular plate 123 is arranged at the connection between the semicircular plates 121 and the connecting plate 122 to strengthen the connection; and Fig. 9As shown, the outer segment arm 130 includes two menisci 131, an outer arm support plate 132 and a support column 133. The two menisci 131 are arranged at both ends of the outer arm support plate 132, and the support column 133 is arranged between the two menisci 131 to strengthen the connection between the two.

[0059] The motion module 200 includes a servo motor 210, wherein the servo motor 210 includes a single-drive servo motor 211 (such as Fig.11 ) and a dual-drive servo motor 212 (as shown Fig.12 As shown in the figure), there are two single-drive servo motors 211, whose output shafts are respectively connected to the two ends of the base plate 111, and the other end of the single-drive servo motor 211 is fixed on two semicircular plates 121, so that the two inner section arms 120 can make a one-way rotation relative to the central section arm 110; there are also two dual-drive servo motors 212, and the output shafts on both sides are respectively connected to the semicircular plates 121 and the meniscus 131, so that the two outer section arms 130 can make a two-way rotation relative to the two inner section arms 120. The above structural design enables the underwater robot of this embodiment to have a foldable motion mode. The robot can be switched between the two states through the control module 300 according to actual needs. When the robot is in motion, the segmented arms can be folded to reduce the size of the robot, which is beneficial to the movement of the robot in the water and improves the flexibility of the underwater robot. When operation is required, the segmented arms can be unfolded into an embracing state to embrace the underwater pile structure for operation, and the unfolding angle between the segmented arms can be adjusted, which is suitable for underwater pile structures with different interface sizes, breaking the limitations of existing underwater robot operation objects and completing all-round operation and maintenance operations on various types of underwater pile structures such as jacket-type offshore platforms, trusses, steel columns, and columns.

[0060] It should be noted that the material of the carrier 100 is polypropylene, and a floating material is laid on its surface, which can increase the overall buoyancy of the underwater robot while also enhancing the structural strength of the robot.

[0061] Furthermore, the motion module 200 also includes a plurality of vector thrusters 220 and a limiting mechanism 230. The plurality of vector thrusters 220 are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower surfaces of the plurality of sections of the arm. The vector posture is configured by the vector thrusters 220 to realize the free movement of the underwater robot. The plurality of limiting mechanisms 230 are fixedly mounted on the inner surfaces of the plurality of sections of the arm, and the vector thrusters and limiting mechanisms are respectively connected to the control module signal.

[0062] Furthermore, the vector propeller 220 includes a plurality of sets of universal propellers 221 (such as Fig.10As shown) and multiple sets of rotating propellers 222, multiple sets of universal propellers 221 are arranged on the outer surface of the substrate 111 and the meniscus 131, and multiple sets of rotating propellers 222 are arranged at the rear end of the control module 300. The universal propellers 221 and the rotating propellers 222 are controlled by the control module 300 so that the underwater robot can move freely in the water; further, the limiting mechanism 230 includes a limiting wheel 231 and a laser rangefinder 232, the limiting wheel 231 is distributed in a circular shape on the inner side of the multiple sections of the joint arm, the laser rangefinder 232 is installed on the multiple sections of the joint arm, and the laser rangefinder 232 is connected to the control module 300 by signal, combined with the pressure sensor and the clamping compensation algorithm, to achieve a close fit between the limiting wheel 231 and the pile structure.

[0063] like Figure 5 As shown, the control module 300 includes a control cabin 310, a cable mechanism 320, a transmission box 330, an energy storage box 340 and a support frame 350, wherein the support frame 350 is fixed to the central arm 110, the transmission box 330 and the energy storage box 340 are arranged side by side in the support frame 350, the control cabin 310 is arranged on the top of the support frame 350, and the cable mechanism 320 is arranged on the side of the support frame 350, and the transmission box 330 is electrically connected to the control cabin 310 and the energy storage box 340 respectively, and the energy storage box 340 is connected to the shore power equipment through the cable mechanism 320.

[0064] Furthermore, if Figure 6 As shown, the control cabin 310 includes a pressure-resistant cabin 311, a waterproof cover 312, an underwater camera 313, an underwater searchlight 314 and a main control board 315. The pressure-resistant cabin 311 is fixedly mounted on the top of the support frame 350, the main control board 315 is arranged inside the pressure-resistant cabin 311, the waterproof cover 312, the underwater camera 313 and the underwater searchlight 314 are all arranged at the front end of the pressure-resistant cabin 311, and the underwater camera 313 and The underwater searchlight 314 is located in the waterproof cover 312. The waterproof cover 312 is made of transparent material so that the underwater camera 313 can clearly capture the surrounding environment. The underwater searchlight 314 is set on both sides of the underwater camera 313. The main control board 315 is electrically connected to the underwater camera 313 and the underwater searchlight 314 respectively, and the main control board 315 is signal-connected to the detection module 400, the cleaning module 500, the spray module 600 and the motion module 200 respectively.

[0065] In the above scheme, the entire control cabin 310 needs to be sealed and waterproofed, and the robot's field of view is captured in real time through the underwater camera 313. The main control board 315 includes an information interaction system, a control feedback system, and a navigation and positioning system. It is the core of the robot's motion control and is used to receive, transmit, process, and feedback operation information.

[0066] In the above scheme, a motor control board and an operation drive board are provided in the transmission box 330, which is adjacent to the energy storage box 340, receives energy from the energy storage box 340, adopts block control, distributes and transmits electricity through the transmission box 330, and realizes the normal operation of the motor and the operation equipment. The transmission box 330 is respectively connected to the detection module 400, the cleaning module 500, the spray module 600 and the motion module 200 by signal.

[0067] like Figure 7 As shown, the detection module 400 includes a detection cabin, which is arranged on the top of the support frame 350 and is arranged side by side with the control cabin 310. The structure of the detection cabin is similar to that of the control cabin 310, and also includes a pressure-resistant cabin, a waterproof cover and an underwater searchlight. The difference is that the detection cabin is also provided with an underwater high-definition optical detector and a data transmission module for capturing and recording the surface disease conditions of the underwater pile column structure. The pressure-resistant cabin is installed on the support frame 350, and the waterproof cover is arranged at the front end of the pressure-resistant cabin. The underwater high-definition optical detector and the underwater searchlight are both arranged in a transparent waterproof cover. The data transmission module is installed inside the pressure-resistant cabin, and the underwater high-definition optical detector is connected to the data transmission module. The underwater high-definition optical detector is used to capture and record the surface disease conditions of the underwater pile column structure, and transmit the detection image back to the shore control terminal in real time through the data transmission module, which is convenient for observation and analysis by operators.

[0068] like Figure 8 As shown, the cleaning module 500 includes a high-pressure water gun 510, a cavitation jet spray gun 520, a micro-mechanical arm 530, a cleaning brush and a cleaning shovel, and the high-pressure water gun 510, the cavitation jet spray gun 520 and the micro-mechanical arm 530 are respectively arranged on the inner segment arm 120, and the cleaning brush and the cleaning shovel are arranged at the execution end of the micro-mechanical arm 530, and the high-pressure water gun 510, the cavitation jet spray gun 520, and the micro-mechanical arm 530 are respectively connected to the control module 300 signal.

[0069] In the above scheme, a group of cleaning modules 500 are installed at the upper and lower ends of the same inner arm 120, and the control module 300 controls the high-pressure water gun 510 and the cavitation jet spray gun 520 to spray the underwater pile column structure, and the control module 300 controls the micro-mechanical arm 530 to drive the cleaning brush and the cleaning shovel to clean the underwater pile column structure.

[0070] like Fig. 9 As shown, the spraying module 600 includes a spraying gun 610 and a paint storage tank 620 , wherein the paint storage tank 620 is disposed on the outer section arm 130 , the spraying gun 610 is connected to the outlet end of the paint storage tank 620 , and the spraying gun 610 is signal-connected to the control module 300 .

[0071] It should be emphasized that the multi-segmented underwater inspection robot provided by the present invention has two working modes, namely, motion mode and operation mode: in motion mode, each segmented arm is folded and curled backward symmetrically, that is, the inner segmented arm 120 is folded backward to be approximately perpendicular to the central segmented arm 110, and the outer segmented arm 130 is folded backward to be parallel to the inner segmented arm 120 (such as Figure 1 As shown in the figure); in the operation mode, each arm is unfolded to form an embrace shape, which is used to hold the underwater pile structure tightly (such as Figure 2 As shown). In the operation mode, the outer section arm 130 rotates and contracts to be parallel and side by side with the inner section arm 120, and the inner section arms 120 on both sides are in a "bow" shape with the central section arm 110. Under the control of the control module 300 and the drive of the vector thruster 220, the obstacle crossing of the truss node and the transfer of adjacent trusses are creatively realized; in addition, the opened multi-section arm embraces the underwater pile column structure, and under the drive of the servo motor 210, the pile column structure with different cross-sectional sizes can be tightly embraced by changing the angle between adjacent sections; the present invention adopts a multi-section arm split design, so that different operation modules do not interfere with each other; the modular design is adopted to facilitate the disassembly and replacement of the operation equipment, and multiple underwater operation and maintenance operations such as marine organism cleaning, structure detection, facility inspection and anti-corrosion spraying can be carried out, which increases the functionality of the underwater robot, and the 360° all-round rotation operation mode ensures the smooth progress of multiple underwater operations and significant operation effects.

[0072] The working process of the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided in this embodiment is described below by taking the underwater truss structure of a jacket-type offshore platform as an example:

[0073] The operation team takes a small operation boat, carrying the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided in this embodiment, sinks the robot into the water after approaching the jacket platform, transmits power through the energy storage box 340, and after the control module 300 of the robot is started, the robot can be remotely controlled by using a control terminal on the shore.

[0074] Under the control of the control module 300, the energy storage box 340 provides power for the universal propeller 221, so that the robot is in a hovering state in the water. Further, the transmission box 330 drives the dual-drive servo motor 212 to complete the folding of the outer section arm 130 and the inner section arm 120, and the two are arranged in parallel and side by side; further, the single-drive servo motor 211 drives the central section arm 110 to rotate, and the non-drive end drives the inner section arm 120 to fold, and finally the inner section arms 120 on both sides are parallel and side by side and are arranged vertically at the rear end of the central section arm 110.

[0075] After the multi-section arm of the underwater robot is retracted, it looks like a square box, combining the flexibility of the ROV robot with the stability of the embracing robot, reducing the resistance and possibility of collision damage when the robot moves freely underwater. Afterwards, the underwater camera 313 and the underwater searchlight 314 in the control cabin 310 are turned on. The underwater camera 313 serves as the robot's eyes and transmits the underwater images it captures in real time for the operator at the control terminal to view; the universal propeller 221 and the rotary propeller 222 drive the robot to move in multiple degrees of freedom in the water to find the underwater truss structure of the jacket platform to be operated and maintained.

[0076] After searching for the target, the front end of the central arm 110 gradually approaches the catheter frame structure, and the water jet motor decelerates during the movement, finally achieving a close fit between the limiting wheel 231 and the catheter frame structure, and by adjusting the thrust direction of the rotating propeller 222, the thrust adsorption of the robot is achieved, and the relative fixation of the catheter frame structure and the central arm 110 is achieved, and then the robot starts the operation mode.

[0077] First, the single-drive servo motor 211 drives the inner arm 120 to initially unfold, forming a "one" arrangement with the central arm 110; further, the dual-drive servo motor 212 drives the outer arm 130 to unfold, so that the five-section split structure of the robot is arranged in a "one" shape. Since the size of the jacket structure is unknown, the servo motors 210 continue to drive and reduce the angle between adjacent arms; finally, the laser rangefinder 232 combines the pressure sensor and the clamping compensation algorithm to control the underwater robot to completely clamp the jacket underwater pile structure.

[0078] Furthermore, the rotating propeller 222 adjusts its direction, and with the assistance of the limiting wheel 231, it pushes the underwater robot to rotate horizontally, and officially conducts underwater operations. First, the robot rotates 360° clockwise, and the high-pressure water gun 510 and the universal propeller 221 are started. While overcoming the reaction force of the high-pressure water flow, the thrust adsorption is ensured. Under the joint action of the high-pressure water gun 510, the cavitation jet spray gun 520, the micro-mechanical arm 530 and the cleaning brush and cleaning shovel controlled by it, various marine organisms attached to the surface of the conductor frame are cleaned and removed to ensure high-quality cleaning effects. Furthermore, the robot rotates 360° counterclockwise, and the underwater high-definition optical detector and underwater searchlight in the detection module 400 are turned on to record the health status of the surface of the structure within 360° circumference, and retain the data information of this operation and maintenance operation for the convenience of subsequent health assessment work.

[0079] After completing two circumferential operations, the servo motor 210 rotates in the opposite direction to a certain extent, releases the clamping state, and freely sinks a certain distance along the jacket structure under the drive of the universal propeller 221; further, the clamping is repeated, and the previous operation is repeated to carry out the operation and maintenance of the next layer until the underwater robot reaches the bottom of the jacket.

[0080] After the robot sinks to the bottom, the spraying module 600 and the universal propeller 221 are started to perform anti-corrosion spraying work on the surface of the jacket structure at close range to reduce previous biological corrosion and slow down the chemical erosion of seawater.

[0081] Furthermore, the robot releases the clamping state, increases the thrust, repeats the clamping, and repeats the operation. When carrying out anti-corrosion painting work on adjacent layers, the rotation direction is adjusted once in the opposite direction until it surfaces to complete all underwater operation and maintenance operations.

[0082] The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot provided in this embodiment needs to overcome obstacles at truss nodes and transfer adjacent trusses when freely sinking for cleaning and inspection operations. At this time, the underwater robot first releases the clamping state, and the dual-drive servo motor 212 drives the outer section arm 130 to fold and rotate to be parallel and side by side with the inner section arm 120; further, the inner section arm 120 and the center section arm 110 are arranged in a "bow" shape. Further, under the control of the control module 300, free movement is performed within a small range to achieve autonomous obstacle crossing of truss nodes and autonomous transfer of adjacent trusses.

[0083] After the operation is completed, by adjusting the thrust direction of the rotating propeller 222, the front end of the central section arm 110 gradually approaches the catheter frame structure, so that the limiting wheel 231 is fitted with the catheter frame structure, and the relative fixation of the position of the catheter frame structure and the central section arm 110 is achieved, and the thrust adsorption is completed. Furthermore, the dual-drive servo motor 212 drives the outer section arm 130 to unfold, return to the clamped state, and continue to complete cleaning, inspection, spraying and other operation and maintenance operations.

[0084] Second, as Fig.13 As shown, the present invention also provides an operation method based on the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to the first aspect, comprising the following steps:

[0085] S1, putting the multi-segment arm underwater inspection robot into water, and controlling the servo motor 210 through the control module 300 so that each two adjacent arm segments rotate relative to each other and enter the motion mode;

[0086] S2, controlling the motion module 200 through the control module 300 to allow the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot to freely move to the underwater pile column structure position;

[0087] S3, controlling the servo motor 210 through the control module 300 so that each two adjacent sections of the boom rotate relative to each other and enter the operation mode, so that each section of the boom is in an embracing shape, and the pile column structure is fully embraced through the limit mechanism 230;

[0088] S4, the control module 300 controls the cleaning module 500 and the detection module 400 to clean the underwater pile structure and detect whether it is qualified; the universal propeller 221 realizes the 360° clockwise rotation of the robot around the pile structure;

[0089] S5, if the cleaning is qualified, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot sinks one layer section along the length direction of the underwater pile structure, and repeats step S4 until the underwater inspection robot reaches the contact surface between the underwater pile structure and the seabed; if the cleaning is not qualified, the cleaning is repeated until it is qualified;

[0090] S6, controlling the spraying module 600 to spray the underwater pile structure through the control module 300;

[0091] S7, under the drive of the motion module 200, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot rises one layer along the length direction of the underwater pile structure, and repeats step S6 until the underwater inspection robot reaches the water surface position of the underwater pile structure, completing the underwater operation.

[0092] Furthermore, the specific process of achieving complete clamping of the pile column structure by the limiting mechanism 230 in step S3 is as follows:

[0093] S31, the underwater robot controls the multi-section arm to unfold and enter the operation mode through the servo motor 210, so that the carrier forms an embracing shape;

[0094] S32, using a plurality of laser rangefinders 232 of each boom section, measuring the distance between the limiting wheel 231 of each boom section and the pile column structure;

[0095] S33, controlling each arm section through the servo motor 210 to further tighten the arm section so that the distance measured by the laser rangefinder 232 of each arm section is less than a set value 1;

[0096] S34, adjusting the clamping angle and clamping force between adjacent boom segment frames again, so that the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor of each boom segment is greater than the set value 2;

[0097] S35, repeat steps S33-S34, repeatedly adjust the clamping angle and clamping force between the arms of the underwater robot, until the underwater robot completely clamps the underwater pile structure, and then end.

[0098] The specific implementation of the present invention described above does not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present invention. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made based on the technical concept of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-section arm underwater inspection robot, characterized in that: include: A carrier, comprising a plurality of segment arms; A motion module, comprising a plurality of servo motors, wherein the plurality of servo motors are respectively arranged between each two adjacent sections of the section arms, and each two adjacent sections of the section arms are hinged through the output shafts of the servo motors, so that each two adjacent sections of the section arms can rotate relative to each other to form a folded motion mode and an embracing operating state; A control module, a detection module, a cleaning module and a spraying module, wherein the control module, the detection module, the cleaning module and the spraying module are respectively fixed on each of the section arms, and the control module is respectively electrically connected to the detection module, the cleaning module, the spraying module and the servo motor; The servo motor includes a single-drive servo motor and a double-drive servo motor; The carrier comprises a central joint arm, an inner joint arm and an outer joint arm, the two ends of the central joint arm are respectively hinged to one end of the two inner joint arms through the output shafts of the two single-drive servo motors, and the other ends of the two inner joint arms are respectively hinged to the two outer joint arms through the two double-drive servo motors; Wherein, the control module and the detection module are arranged on the central section arm, the two cleaning modules are symmetrically arranged on the two inner section arms, and the two spraying modules are symmetrically arranged on the two outer section arms; The motion module also includes multiple vector thrusters and limiting mechanisms. The multiple vector thrusters are fixedly installed on the upper and lower surfaces of the multiple sections of the joint arms. The multiple limiting mechanisms are fixedly installed on the inner surfaces of the multiple sections of the joint arms. The vector thrusters and limiting mechanisms are respectively connected to the control module signals.

2. The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting mechanism includes a limiting wheel and a laser rangefinder. The limiting wheel is distributed in a circular shape on the inner side of the multiple sections of the joint arm. The laser rangefinder is installed on the multiple sections of the joint arm, and the laser rangefinder is connected to the control module signal.

3. The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control module includes a control cabin, a cable mechanism, a transmission box, an energy storage box and a support frame, the support frame is fixed on the central arm, the transmission box and the energy storage box are arranged side by side in the support frame, the control cabin is arranged on the top of the support frame, and the cable mechanism is arranged on the side of the support frame, and the transmission box is electrically connected to the control cabin and the energy storage box respectively, and the energy storage box is connected to the shore power equipment through the cable mechanism.

4. The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control cabin includes a pressure-resistant cabin, a waterproof cover, an underwater camera, an underwater searchlight and a main control board. The pressure-resistant cabin is fixedly installed on the top of the supporting frame. The main control board is arranged inside the pressure-resistant cabin. The waterproof cover, the underwater camera and the underwater searchlight are all arranged at the front end of the pressure-resistant cabin, and the underwater camera and the underwater searchlight are located in the waterproof cover. The main control board is electrically connected to the underwater camera and the underwater searchlight respectively, and the main control board is signal-connected to the detection module, the cleaning module, the spray module and the motion module respectively.

5. The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The detection module includes a detection cabin, which is arranged on the top of the support frame and arranged side by side with the control cabin. The detection cabin is equipped with an underwater high-definition optical detector for capturing and recording surface defects of underwater pile structures.

6. The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cleaning module includes a high-pressure water gun, a cavitation jet spray gun, a micro-mechanical arm, a cleaning brush and a cleaning shovel. The high-pressure water gun, the cavitation jet spray gun and the micro-mechanical arm are respectively arranged on the inner segment arm, the cleaning brush and the cleaning shovel are arranged at the execution end of the micro-mechanical arm, and the high-pressure water gun, the cavitation jet spray gun and the micro-mechanical arm are respectively connected to the control module signal.

7. The multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The spraying module comprises a spraying gun and a spray paint storage tank, wherein the spray paint storage tank is arranged on the outer section arm, the spraying gun is connected to the outlet end of the spray paint storage tank, and the spraying gun is connected to the control module signal.

8. An operation method based on the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The operation method comprises the following steps: S1, putting the multi-segment underwater inspection robot into water, and controlling the servo motor through the control module so that each two adjacent segments of the arm rotate relative to each other to enter the motion mode; S2, controlling the motion module through the control module to make the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot move freely to the underwater pile column structure position; S3, controlling the servo motor through the control module so that each two adjacent boom sections rotate relative to each other and enter the operation mode; S4, controlling the cleaning module and the detection module to clean the underwater pile structure and detect whether it is qualified through the control module; S5, if the cleaning is qualified, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot sinks one layer section along the length direction of the underwater pile structure, and repeats step S4 until the underwater inspection robot reaches the contact surface between the underwater pile structure and the seabed; if the cleaning is not qualified, the cleaning is repeated until it is qualified; S6, controlling the spraying module to spray the underwater pile structure through the control module; S7, under the drive of the motion module, the multi-section arm underwater inspection robot rises one layer along the length direction of the underwater pile structure, and repeats step S6 until the underwater inspection robot reaches the water surface position of the underwater pile structure to complete the underwater operation.

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