Multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot

Abstract

This application provides a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot, comprising a snake head assembly, a snake body assembly, and a snake tail assembly connected in sequence. The snake head assembly includes a detection mechanism and a drive mechanism. The detection mechanism is used to detect and transmit images within a pipe, and the drive mechanism is used to drive the robot to extend and retract along the axial direction of the pipe. The snake body assembly includes a walking mechanism, which is used to drive the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe. The snake tail assembly includes a power mechanism, which is connected to the detection mechanism, drive mechanism, and walking mechanism to provide energy to them. This application provides the robot with a variety of different motion postures by using the drive mechanism of the snake head assembly to drive the robot to extend and retract axially within the pipe, and by using the walking mechanism of the snake body assembly to drive the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe. This gives the robot strong mobility to meet the needs of working in the harsh environment of a pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics technology, and in particular to a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, the coverage area of ​​underground pipeline networks in cities is constantly increasing, and the demand for pipeline maintenance equipment is also increasing dramatically. Currently, the demand for pipeline maintenance mainly relies on industrial endoscopes. Industrial endoscopes can inspect the internal condition of water supply pipelines, drainage pipelines, gas pipelines, industrial pipelines, heating pipelines, etc., to ensure the normal operation and maintenance of pipelines. However, industrial endoscopes have poor mobility inside pipelines, limited adaptability, and cannot meet the needs of working in harsh environments. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in related technologies, the purpose of this application is to provide a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot. The robot of this application has strong motion capabilities and can provide a variety of different motion postures to meet the needs of working in harsh environments.

[0004] This application provides a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot, comprising a snake head assembly, a snake body assembly, and a snake tail assembly connected in sequence; the snake head assembly includes a detection mechanism and a drive mechanism, the detection mechanism being used to detect and transmit images within a pipe, and the drive mechanism being used to drive the robot to extend and retract along the axial direction of the pipe; the snake body assembly includes a walking mechanism, the walking mechanism being used to drive the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe; the snake tail assembly includes a power mechanism, the power mechanism being connected to the detection mechanism, drive mechanism, and walking mechanism to provide energy to the detection mechanism, drive mechanism, and walking mechanism.

[0005] In one possible implementation, the drive mechanism includes an outer frame, an inner frame, a slider, a head connecting joint, a first drive motor, and a first drive component;

[0006] The first end of the head connecting joint is used to connect to the snake body assembly, and the second end of the head connecting joint is connected to the exoskeleton; the exoskeleton surrounds the outer periphery of the slider, and the exoskeleton and the slider are connected through the inner skeleton; the first drive motor is disposed inside the slider, the output end of the first drive motor is connected to the first drive member, and the first drive member is fixedly connected to the second end of the head connecting joint.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the first driving member includes a lead screw and a slider, the output end of the first driving motor is connected to the lead screw, the lead screw passes through the slider, and the slider is fixedly connected to the second end of the head connecting joint.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the slider is arranged around the first drive motor, and an opening is formed on one side of the slider; the outer frame is connected to the slider by a plurality of inner frames, the plurality of inner frames are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the slider, the first end of the inner frame is fixedly connected to the outer frame, a plurality of sliding grooves are formed on the outer circumference of the slider, and the second end of the inner frame is slidably disposed in the sliding groove.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the exoskeleton includes a plurality of supports and a plurality of first springs, with adjacent supports connected by the first springs.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the drive mechanism further includes multiple biomimetic scales, a second drive motor, multiple drive cables, a cable winch, and multiple second springs; the multiple biomimetic scales are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the exoskeleton, and the biomimetic scales are connected to the support body via connectors, the first end of the connector is fixedly connected to the support body, and the second end of the connector is hinged to the biomimetic scale; multiple second springs are respectively sleeved on the multiple connectors; the second drive motor is disposed at one end of the slider, the output end of the second drive motor is connected to the cable winch, the multiple drive cables are all connected to the cable winch, the first end of the drive cable is wound around the cable winch, and the second end of the drive cable is connected to the connector.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the detection mechanism is located at one end of the snake head assembly away from the snake body assembly. The detection mechanism includes an infrared camera, a signal transmission device, and a lighting device. The end of the detection mechanism near the drive mechanism is also provided with a plurality of first vacuum suction cups, which are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the detection mechanism.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the walking mechanism includes a plurality of first transmission joints, a plurality of second transmission joints, and a plurality of first support members. The plurality of first transmission joints and the plurality of second transmission joints are arranged alternately in sequence. The first support members are sleeved on the first transmission joints and the second transmission joints. The first support members include a first wheel and a plurality of first motion wheels. The first motion wheels are sleeved on the first wheel and the plurality of first motion wheels are spaced apart circumferentially along the first wheel. The plurality of first transmission joints are used to drive the robot to meander within the pipe, and the plurality of second transmission joints are used to drive the robot to peristalse within the pipe.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the first transmission joint is perpendicular to the adjacent second transmission joint; the first transmission joint includes a first drive servo connected to the adjacent second transmission joint, and the second transmission joint includes a second drive servo connected to the adjacent first transmission joint.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the power mechanism includes a power battery, and a second support member is provided on the outside of the power battery. The second support member includes a second disc and a plurality of second moving wheels. The second moving wheels are sleeved on the second disc, and the plurality of second moving wheels are spaced apart along the circumference of the second disc.

[0015] The snake tail assembly also includes a connecting line and a plurality of second vacuum suction cups; the first end of the connecting line is electrically connected to the power battery, and the second end of the connecting line is used to connect the detection mechanism, the drive mechanism and the walking mechanism; the second vacuum suction cups are disposed on the side of the power battery away from the snake body assembly, and the plurality of second vacuum suction cups are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the snake tail assembly.

[0016] This application provides a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot, comprising a snake head assembly, a snake body assembly, and a snake tail assembly connected in sequence. The snake head assembly includes a detection mechanism and a drive mechanism. The detection mechanism is used to detect and transmit images within a pipe, and the drive mechanism is used to drive the robot to extend and retract along the axial direction of the pipe. The snake body assembly includes a walking mechanism, which is used to drive the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe. The snake tail assembly includes a power mechanism, which is connected to the detection mechanism, drive mechanism, and walking mechanism to provide energy to them. This application provides the robot with a variety of different motion postures by using the drive mechanism of the snake head assembly to drive the robot to extend and retract axially within the pipe, and by using the walking mechanism of the snake body assembly to drive the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe. This gives the robot strong mobility to meet the needs of working in the harsh environment of a pipe. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 A simplified structural diagram of a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2A simplified structural diagram of a snake head assembly provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 A simplified diagram of a snake head assembly provided in one embodiment of this application, with some structural elements omitted;

[0021] Figure 4 A simplified structural diagram of a snake-body assembly provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a simplified structural diagram of a snake tail assembly provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure label:

[0024] 100-Snake head assembly; 110-Exoskeleton; 111-Support body; 112-First spring; 120-Inner skeleton; 130-Slider; 140-Head connecting joint; 151-First drive motor; 152-First drive component; 160-Bionic scales; 171-Second drive motor; 172-Drive cable; 173-Second spring; 180-Infrared camera device; 190-First vacuum suction cup;

[0025] 200 - Snake body assembly; 210 - First transmission joint; 211 - First drive servo; 220 - Second transmission joint; 221 - Second drive servo; 230 - First wheel; 240 - First motion wheel;

[0026] 300 - Snake tail assembly; 310 - Power battery; 320 - Second wheel; 330 - Second motion wheel; 340 - Connecting wire; 350 - Second vacuum suction cup; 360 - Tail connection joint. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of this application, but not all embodiments.

[0028] Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0029] As described in the background section, the pipeline maintenance needs in related technologies are mainly met by industrial endoscopes. However, industrial endoscopes have poor mobility and limited adaptability within pipelines, making them unsuitable for working in harsh environments.

[0030] In view of this, the embodiments of this application aim to provide a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot, which drives the robot to move axially and telescopically within the pipe through the driving mechanism of the snake head component, and drives the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe through the walking mechanism of the snake body component, thereby providing the robot with a variety of different movement postures, enabling the robot to have strong mobility to meet the needs of working in the harsh environment of the pipe.

[0031] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can gain a more detailed understanding of the contents of this application.

[0032] Figure 1 A simplified structural diagram of a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A simplified structural diagram of a snake head assembly provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A simplified diagram of a snake head assembly provided in one embodiment of this application, with some structural elements omitted; Figure 4 A simplified structural diagram of a snake-body assembly provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a simplified structural diagram of a snake tail assembly provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0033] Please refer to Figures 1-5 This embodiment provides a multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot, including a snake head assembly 100, a snake body assembly 200 and a snake tail assembly 300 connected in sequence.

[0034] The snake head assembly 100 includes a detection mechanism and a drive mechanism; the detection mechanism is used to detect and transmit images inside the pipeline to locate the location of the leak inside the pipeline; the drive mechanism is used to drive the robot to extend and retract along the axial direction of the pipeline to enable the robot to walk inside the pipeline.

[0035] The snake-body assembly 200 includes a walking mechanism that drives the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe, enabling the robot to adapt to the complex environment within the pipe.

[0036] The snake tail assembly 300 includes a power mechanism connected to a detection mechanism, a drive mechanism, and a walking mechanism to provide energy to the detection mechanism, the drive mechanism, and the walking mechanism.

[0037] In this embodiment, the drive mechanism of the snake head assembly 100 drives the robot to move axially and telescopically within the pipe, and the walking mechanism of the snake body assembly 200 drives the robot to meander or undulate within the pipe, thereby providing the robot with a variety of different movement postures and enabling the robot to have strong mobility to meet the needs of working in the harsh environment inside the pipe.

[0038] Please continue to refer to Figures 2-3In one possible implementation, the drive mechanism of this embodiment includes an outer frame 110, an inner frame 120, a slider 130, a head connecting joint 140, a first drive motor 151, and a first drive member 152.

[0039] Specifically, the first end of the head connecting joint 140 is used to connect to the snake body component 200. The specific connection structure can be configured as needed, such as a snap-fit, pin connection, or screw connection. The second end of the head connecting joint 140 is connected to the outer skeleton 110. The outer skeleton 110 can be connected and fixed to the head connecting joint 140 by welding, snap-fit, pin connection, or screw connection. Preferably, in this embodiment, the outer skeleton 110 can be welded to the head connecting joint 140 to form an integral part. The outer skeleton 110 surrounds the outer periphery of the slider 130, and the outer skeleton 110 and the slider 130 are connected by an inner skeleton 120. The slider 130 can slide relative to the outer skeleton 110. The first drive motor 151 is disposed inside the slider 130. The output end of the first drive motor 151 is connected to the first drive component 152. The first drive component 152 is fixedly connected to the second end of the head connecting joint 140. For example, the first drive component 152 and the head connecting joint 140 can be fixed by welding. The first drive motor 151 can drive the first drive component 152 to move along the axial direction of the pipe, thereby using the first drive component 152 to drive the head connecting joint 140 and the exoskeleton 110 to move along the axial direction of the pipe as a whole, so as to realize the robot walking in the pipe.

[0040] Furthermore, the first driving component 152 in this embodiment may include a lead screw and a slider. The output end of the first driving motor 151 is connected to the lead screw to drive it to rotate. The lead screw passes through the slider and is threadedly connected to it. The slider is fixedly connected to the second end of the head connecting joint 140. With the above structure, when the first driving motor 151 drives the lead screw to rotate, since the lead screw and the slider are connected by a threaded connection, the lead screw can drive the slider to move along the axial direction of the pipe. This, in turn, causes the slider to drive the head connecting joint 140 and the outer frame 110 to move along the axial direction of the pipe as a whole, thereby enabling the robot to walk inside the pipe.

[0041] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3In this embodiment, the slider 130 is arranged around the first drive motor 151, and an opening is formed on one side of the slider 130 to allow the first drive motor 151 to be inserted or removed, facilitating installation and subsequent maintenance. The outer frame 110 and the slider 130 are connected by multiple inner frames 120. The multiple inner frames 120 are arranged in an array at intervals along the circumference of the slider 130, such as three, four or five groups; each group includes several inner frames 120, for example, each group may include 4-8 inner frames 120; thereby ensuring the stability of the connection between the outer frame 110 and the slider 130. The first end of the inner skeleton 120 is fixedly connected to the outer skeleton 110, for example, by welding or threaded connection; the outer periphery of the slider 130 has multiple grooves, and the second end of the inner skeleton 120 is slidably disposed in the groove, for example, the second end of the inner skeleton 120 can be provided with a slider. The opening size of the groove is smaller than the size of the slider, so as to ensure that the slider is not easy to fall out of the groove. The slider can move along the extension direction of the groove (i.e., the axial direction of the pipe when in use), thereby realizing the axial movement of the robot in the pipe.

[0042] Furthermore, the outer frame 110 of this embodiment includes a plurality of support bodies 111 and a plurality of first springs 112. The support bodies 111 are used to connect the outer frame 110 with other parts. Two adjacent support bodies 111 are connected by the first springs 112. The setting of the first springs 112 can reduce the error when the multiple support bodies 111 travel along the axial direction of the pipe, which is beneficial to improving synchronization.

[0043] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one possible implementation, the drive mechanism of this embodiment further includes a plurality of biomimetic scales 160, a second drive motor 171, a plurality of drive cables 172, a cable winch, and a plurality of second springs 173.

[0044] Specifically, multiple biomimetic scales 160 are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the outer frame 110. Optionally, the multiple biomimetic scales 160 are divided into spaced arrays along the circumference of the outer frame 110, such as eight, nine, or ten groups. Each group includes several biomimetic scales 160, for example, each group may include 4-8 biomimetic scales 160. The biomimetic scales 160 are connected to the support body 111 by connectors, such as rods. The first end of the connector is fixedly connected to the support body 111, for example, by welding or threaded connection. The second end of the connector is hinged to the biomimetic scales 160, for example, by a hinge structure. Multiple second springs 173 are respectively sleeved on multiple connectors. A second drive motor 171 is disposed at one end of the slider 130, and the output end of the second drive motor 171 is connected to the cable winch (the cable winch is in Figure 3(The second drive motor 171 is obscured and not shown) is connected to the cable winch. Multiple drive cables 172 are connected to the cable winch. The first end of the drive cable 172 is wound around the cable winch, and the second end of the drive cable 172 is connected to the connector.

[0045] With the above structure, when the second drive motor 171 drives the cable winch to rotate, the first end of the drive cable 172 can be wound around the cable winch, so that the drive cable 172 is tensioned and pulls the second spring 173 located at one end of the slider 130, thereby driving the bionic scales 160 to change their opening and closing angle, so that the bionic scales 160 increase the contact with the inner wall of the pipe, increase the friction to achieve axial movement, and further improve the robot's motion capability to meet the needs of working in the harsh environment inside the pipe.

[0046] In one possible implementation, the detection mechanism of this embodiment is located at one end of the snake head assembly 100 away from the snake body assembly 200 (i.e., the front end in the robot's forward direction). The detection mechanism includes an infrared camera 180, a signal transmission device, and a lighting device (not shown in the figure). The infrared camera 180 is located on the surface of the snake head assembly 100 to capture images of the environment inside the pipe. The signal transmission device is located inside the snake head assembly 100 and can be, for example, a Bluetooth device, to transmit the images captured by the infrared camera 180 to the outside world. The lighting device is exposed on the surface of the snake head assembly 100 and can be, for example, an LED light, to illuminate the inside of the pipe and assist the infrared camera 180 in capturing images.

[0047] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism is provided with a plurality of first vacuum suction cups 190 at one end near the driving mechanism. The plurality of first vacuum suction cups 190 are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the detection mechanism. The plurality of first vacuum suction cups 190 can be adsorbed onto the inner wall of the pipe to fix their position.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 4 In one possible implementation, the walking mechanism of this embodiment includes a plurality of first transmission joints 210, a plurality of second transmission joints 220, and a plurality of first support members.

[0049] Specifically, multiple first transmission joints 210 and multiple second transmission joints 220 are arranged alternately in sequence, and a first support member is sleeved on the first transmission joints 210 and the second transmission joints 220. The first support member includes a first wheel 230 and multiple first motion wheels 240. The size of the first wheel 230 is adapted to the inner diameter of the pipe, and the first motion wheels 240 are sleeved on the first wheel 230. The multiple first motion wheels 240 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first wheel 230. When the snake head assembly 100 drives the robot to walk in the pipe, the multiple first motion wheels 240 can abut against the inner wall of the pipe, thereby enabling the snake body assembly 200 to slide and walk with the inner wall of the pipe. In this embodiment, multiple first transmission joints 210 are used to drive the robot to meander inside the pipe, and multiple second transmission joints 220 are used to drive the robot to undulate inside the pipe. Thus, multiple first transmission joints 210 and / or multiple second transmission joints 220 can be used to drive the snake tail assembly 300 and push the snake head assembly 100 forward, providing the robot with a variety of different motion postures, enabling the robot to have strong motion capabilities to meet the needs of working in the harsh environment inside the pipe.

[0050] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first transmission joint 210 and the adjacent second transmission joint 220 can be arranged perpendicularly to each other. The first transmission joint 210 includes a first drive servo motor 211, which is connected to the adjacent second transmission joint 220, for example, by means of snap-fit. The second transmission joint 220 includes a second drive servo motor 221, which is connected to the adjacent first transmission joint 210, for example, by means of snap-fit.

[0051] When multiple first transmission joints 210 work together, multiple first drive servo motors 211 can drive the robot to make meandering movements inside the pipe; when multiple second transmission joints 220 work together, multiple second drive servo motors 221 can drive the robot to make peristaltic movements inside the pipe.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 5In one possible implementation, the power mechanism of this embodiment includes a power battery 310. A second support member is provided on the outside of the power battery 310. The second support member includes a second wheel 320 and a plurality of second motion wheels 330. The second wheel 320 can be sleeved on the outside of the power battery 310 and can be fixedly connected to the power battery by welding or other means. Preferably, the second wheel 320 can be located in the middle of the power battery 310 to prevent uneven weight distribution from causing the snake tail assembly 300 to be unable to move. The second motion wheels 330 are sleeved on the second wheel 320, and the plurality of second motion wheels 330 are spaced apart circumferentially along the second wheel 320. When the snake head assembly 100 drives the robot to walk in the pipe, the plurality of second motion wheels 330 can abut against the inner wall of the pipe, thereby enabling the snake tail assembly 300 to slide along the inner wall of the pipe.

[0053] The snake tail assembly 300 also includes a connecting line 340, multiple second vacuum suction cups 350, and a tail connecting joint 360. The first end of the connecting line 340 is electrically connected to the power battery 310, and the second end of the connecting line 340 is used to connect the detection mechanism, drive mechanism, and walking mechanism, thereby transferring electrical energy from the power battery 310 to these mechanisms to ensure normal detection and movement of the robot. The second vacuum suction cups 350 are located on the side of the power battery 310 facing away from the snake body assembly 200. Multiple second vacuum suction cups 350 are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the snake tail assembly 300 and can adhere to the inner wall of the pipe for fixed position. The tail connecting joint 360 is used to connect the snake tail assembly 300 to the snake body assembly 200.

[0054] As described above, the multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot of this embodiment can be driven by the drive mechanism of the snake head component 100 to move axially and extend within the pipe, and by the walking mechanism of the snake body component 200 to move the robot meandering or undulating within the pipe, thereby providing the robot with a variety of different motion postures, multiple degrees of freedom, good flexibility and passability, and strong mobility, which can meet the needs of working in the harsh environment of the pipe.

[0055] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0056] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0057] It should be noted that in the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for convenience in describing different components and should not be construed as indicating or implying a sequential relationship, relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0058] The embodiments or implementation methods in this application are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0059] In the description of this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with an embodiment or example that are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this application, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0060] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot, characterized in that, The system includes a snake head assembly, a snake body assembly, and a snake tail assembly connected in sequence. The snake head assembly includes a detection mechanism and a drive mechanism. The detection mechanism is used to detect and transmit images inside the pipe, and the drive mechanism is used to drive the robot to extend and retract along the axial direction of the pipe. The snake body assembly includes a walking mechanism, which is used to drive the robot to meander or undulate inside the pipe. The snake tail assembly includes a power mechanism, which is connected to the detection mechanism, drive mechanism, and walking mechanism to provide energy to them. The driving mechanism includes an outer frame, an inner frame, a slider, a head connecting joint, a first drive motor, and a first drive component; The first end of the head connecting joint is used to connect to the snake body assembly, and the second end of the head connecting joint is connected to the exoskeleton; the exoskeleton surrounds the outer periphery of the slider, and the exoskeleton and the slider are connected through the inner skeleton; the first drive motor is disposed inside the slider, the output end of the first drive motor is connected to the first drive member, and the first drive member is fixedly connected to the second end of the head connecting joint. The first driving component includes a lead screw and a slider. The output end of the first driving motor is connected to the lead screw, the lead screw passes through the slider, and the slider is fixedly connected to the second end of the head connecting joint. The outer frame includes multiple supports and multiple first springs, with adjacent supports connected by the first springs; The driving mechanism further includes multiple biomimetic scales, a second drive motor, multiple drive cables, a cable winch, and multiple second springs; the multiple biomimetic scales are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the exoskeleton, and the biomimetic scales are connected to the support body via connectors, the first end of the connector is fixedly connected to the support body, and the second end of the connector is hinged to the biomimetic scale; multiple second springs are respectively sleeved on the multiple connectors; the second drive motor is located at one end of the slider, the output end of the second drive motor is connected to the cable winch, the multiple drive cables are all connected to the cable winch, the first end of the drive cable is wound around the cable winch, and the second end of the drive cable is connected to the connector.

2. The multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slider is arranged around the first drive motor, and an opening is formed on one side of the slider; the outer frame is connected to the slider through a plurality of inner frames, the plurality of inner frames are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the slider, the first end of the inner frame is fixedly connected to the outer frame, a plurality of sliding grooves are formed on the outer circumference of the slider, and the second end of the inner frame is slidably disposed in the sliding groove.

3. The multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection mechanism is located at one end of the snake head assembly away from the snake body assembly. The detection mechanism includes an infrared camera, a signal transmission device, and a lighting device. The end of the detection mechanism near the drive mechanism is also provided with a plurality of first vacuum suction cups, which are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the detection mechanism.

4. The multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking mechanism includes multiple first transmission joints, multiple second transmission joints, and multiple first support members. The multiple first transmission joints and multiple second transmission joints are arranged alternately in sequence. The first support members are sleeved on the first transmission joints and the second transmission joints. The first support members include a first wheel and multiple first motion wheels. The first motion wheels are sleeved on the first wheel and the multiple first motion wheels are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first wheel. The multiple first transmission joints are used to drive the robot to meander inside the pipe, and the multiple second transmission joints are used to drive the robot to peristalse inside the pipe.

5. The multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first transmission joint is perpendicular to the adjacent second transmission joint; the first transmission joint includes a first drive servo motor connected to the adjacent second transmission joint, and the second transmission joint includes a second drive servo motor connected to the adjacent first transmission joint.

6. The multi-joint biomimetic composite snake robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power mechanism includes a power battery, and a second support member is provided on the outside of the power battery. The second support member includes a second disc and a plurality of second moving wheels. The second moving wheels are sleeved on the second disc, and the plurality of second moving wheels are spaced apart along the circumference of the second disc. The snake tail assembly also includes a connecting line and a plurality of second vacuum suction cups; the first end of the connecting line is electrically connected to the power battery, and the second end of the connecting line is used to connect the detection mechanism, the drive mechanism and the walking mechanism; the second vacuum suction cups are disposed on the side of the power battery away from the snake body assembly, and the plurality of second vacuum suction cups are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the snake tail assembly.

Images