A conical fan duct outer wall crawling device and method

CN118494630BActive Publication Date: 2026-10-09WUHAN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202410626099.X
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-05-20
Publication Date
2026-10-09
Estimated Expiration
2044-05-20

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0004]但是,现有的技术对于锥形风机导管,目前的攀爬设备还是无法适应风机导管自下而上直径不断减小的变化,此外,目前的攀爬设备主要依靠摩擦力支撑设备自重,因此其承重能力有限

Benefits of technology

[0041] 1. The present invention provides a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device, which utilizes the support of a frame assembly to crawl upward along the outer wall of the tapered fan duct by clamping and lifting components, and retracts the clamping and lifting components while crawling, so that the device adapts to the continuous shrinkage of the pipe diameter, ensuring that the device is stably attached to the pipe wall during the crawling process, and performs omnidirectional continuous scanning of the pipe wall by scanning components during the crawling process, replacing manual high-altitude operations.

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Abstract

The application discloses a kind of conical fan duct outer wall crawling device and method, device includes: trolley frame component, including trolley plate, fixed in the front of the trolley plate roller frame and the roller installed on the roller frame;Scanning component, including being arranged in the middle part both sides of the trolley plate track support, detachable installation is scanned on the track support track and is arranged on the scanner of scanning track;Clamping climbing component, the clamping climbing component is used in pairs, respectively arranged in the upper and lower ends of the trolley frame component, including the side plate and lead screw arranged on the trolley plate, slider is arranged on the lead screw, the slider is connected with side plate by rocker;Locking assembly, including the pawl plate arranged on one side of clamping climbing component and the ratchet set housing arranged on the other side, the pawl plate is locked in the ratchet set housing.Make device adapt to the process of pipe diameter continuously shrink, ensure that device is stably attached on it in the process of climbing along pipe wall.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pipeline crawling technology, and more specifically, relates to a device and method for crawling the outer wall of a conical fan duct. Background Technology

[0002] Wind energy is a renewable energy source. With the continuous growth of global energy demand and the increasing prominence of environmental issues, wind power generation has gradually become a popular renewable energy source. With advancements in power generation technology and strong government support, the wind power market continues to expand. Wind power equipment is exposed to the outdoors for extended periods, enduring years of extreme temperatures and complex environmental conditions. Exposed structures are prone to damage, and after a certain number of years of use, the paint on the outer casing peels off and rusts. If not repaired in time, the corrosion will deepen, seriously affecting the subsequent service life of the wind turbine tower. Traditional maintenance methods require manual labor to carry the equipment and suspend it from a high altitude to repair and paint the wind turbine tower. This method is inefficient, has a very small effective painting area, requires multiple applications from multiple angles, and has a high risk factor.

[0003] Existing technologies mostly involve climbing methods such as adsorption, magnetic, legged, and track-based methods, and the climbing objects of the robots are mostly cylindrical structures. The robot moves within the pipe by controlling the external rotor motor inside the drive wheels via a controller assembly, while simultaneously using a universal joint to drag auxiliary wheels. To improve motion stability, the crawler utilizes the magnetic attraction between permanent magnets and the pipe wall. Two circumferentially arranged electromagnetic ultrasonic probes, through the excitation / receiving module in the controller assembly, enable automatic detection of pipe defects. It can adaptively traverse curves, and the detected pipe diameter can vary within a certain range, offering advantages such as high automation, strong adaptability, and high detection efficiency.

[0004] However, current climbing equipment is still unable to adapt to the decreasing diameter of tapered fan ducts from bottom to top. Furthermore, current climbing equipment relies primarily on friction to support its own weight, thus limiting its load-bearing capacity. Therefore, a climbing device and method for the outer wall of tapered fan ducts are needed to adapt to climbing operations on tapered fan ducts. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned deficiencies or improvement needs of existing technologies, this invention provides a device and method for crawling the outer wall of a conical fan duct. Utilizing the support of a frame assembly, the device crawls upwards along the outer wall of the conical fan duct by clamping and lifting components. Simultaneously, the clamping and lifting components retract, allowing the device to adapt to the continuously shrinking duct diameter. This ensures the device remains stably attached to the duct wall during crawling. Furthermore, a scanning component performs continuous, all-around scanning of the duct wall during the crawling process, replacing manual high-altitude work.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device is provided, comprising:

[0007] A frame assembly, the frame assembly including a carriage plate, a roller frame fixed to the front of the carriage plate, and rollers mounted on the roller frame;

[0008] The scanning assembly includes track supports disposed on both sides of the middle portion of the trolley plate, a scanning track detachably mounted on the track supports, and a scanner disposed on the scanning track;

[0009] The clamping and climbing components are provided on both sides of the trolley plate. The clamping and climbing components are used in pairs and are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the frame assembly. They include side plates and lead screws provided on the trolley plate, and sliders provided on the lead screws. The sliders are connected to the side plates by rocker arms.

[0010] A locking component is provided on the clamping and climbing assembly. The locking component includes a pawl plate on one side of the clamping and climbing assembly and a ratchet assembly housing on the other side. The pawl plate is locked in the ratchet assembly housing, so that the device can adapt to the continuous shrinkage of the pipe diameter and ensure that the device is stably attached to the pipe wall during the crawling process.

[0011] Furthermore, one end of the side plate is rotatably connected to both sides of the trolley plate, and the other end is bent backward, with multiple mounting holes provided on the bent head plate;

[0012] The lead screw is driven by a lead screw motor mounted on the trolley plate, with one end connected to the output shaft of the lead screw motor and the other end connected to the lead screw fixing plate via a bearing.

[0013] The lead screw fixing plate is fixed to the trolley plate;

[0014] The slider is provided with mounting seats on both sides, one end of the rocker arm is rotatably connected to the mounting seat, and the other end is rotatably connected to the side plate.

[0015] Furthermore, a coupling side plate is fixed on both sides of the back of the bent head plate of the side plate, and a motor is connected to the back of the coupling side plate;

[0016] The front of the bent head plate of the side plate is also fixed with a drive wheel cover plate, which is a box with five closed sides and mounting holes at both ends.

[0017] The drive wheel cover plate is equipped with a drive wheel, which is a long roller with convex ends and concave middle.

[0018] One end of the drive shaft of the drive wheel is connected to the output shaft of the motor via a coupling, and the other end is mounted on the end face of the drive wheel cover plate via a bearing.

[0019] Furthermore, the ratchet assembly housing is connected to one end of the drive wheel cover plate on one side, and has a hollow interior with a protrusion on one side, which has holes at both ends.

[0020] The other end of the ratchet plate is also provided with a ratchet, the ratchet is rotatably connected to the ratchet plate, the ratchet has an arc away from the ratchet plate, and a spring is installed at the connection point;

[0021] The ratchet plate and ratchet are inserted into the protrusion of the ratchet assembly housing.

[0022] Furthermore, gears are provided at both ends inside the ratchet assembly housing. One end of each gear is connected to the ratchet assembly housing via a bearing, and one end of the gear shaft of one of the gears is connected to a worm gear.

[0023] A locking motor is also fixed on the inner wall of the ratchet assembly housing. A worm gear is connected to the output shaft of the locking motor via a coupling, and the worm gear is connected to the worm wheel.

[0024] Furthermore, locking chains are fitted onto the two gears;

[0025] The locking chain has multiple chain teeth arranged at equal intervals along the chain edge to form a chain tooth array. One side of each chain tooth is an inclined surface, and the other side is a vertical surface.

[0026] One end of the pawl contacts the vertical surface of the locking chain teeth to prevent the pawl from retracting from the ratchet assembly housing.

[0027] Furthermore, when the locking motor is not started, the locking chain remains stationary, thus limiting the movement of the pawl;

[0028] When the locking motor is started, the locking chain rotates, providing space for the pawl to retract, and the pawl slowly retracts to the outside of the ratchet assembly housing.

[0029] Furthermore, there are multiple roller frames and rollers arranged longitudinally along the trolley plate;

[0030] The trolley plate is a strip plate, divided into upper and lower ends, with notches on both sides of the middle part. The upper and lower ends are symmetrically distributed and have multiple mounting holes.

[0031] Furthermore, the scanning track is composed of two semi-circular tracks joined together to form a circular track.

[0032] The outer ring of the annular track is installed in the groove of the horizontal plate structure at the rear end of the track support, and the inner ring is provided with an annular protrusion. The annular protrusion also has an annular groove as an annular slide rail.

[0033] The scanner is located within the annular slide rail of the scanning track and rotates along the annular slide rail.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for creeping along the outer wall of a conical fan duct is provided, comprising:

[0035] S100, start the locking motor to provide space for the pawl to retract, start the lead screw motor to reverse, drive the clamping and climbing assembly to release to both sides, so that the pawl can be removed from the ratchet assembly housing, and remove the half of the scanning track away from the carriage plate.

[0036] S200. Place the device on the bottom of the fan duct, install the removed half of the scanning track, align the pawl plate with the hole of the protruding part of the ratchet assembly housing, start the screw motor to rotate forward, so that the pawl plate drives the pawl to insert into the ratchet assembly housing.

[0037] S300, start the lead screw motor to continue rotating forward, so that the roller and drive wheel are in contact with the outer wall of the fan duct. Start the motor to rotate forward, driving the device to climb upward. At the same time, the lead screw motor continues to rotate forward and maintains the output torque.

[0038] S400. Start the scanner's scanning function and rotate it along the scanning track around the outer wall of the fan duct to perform a 360° scan of the outer wall of the fan duct until the scan is complete.

[0039] S500: Start the lead screw motor to reverse, slowly loosen the clamping and climbing assembly, start the motor to reverse, drive the device to climb downwards, and at the same time start the locking motor to reverse, so that the pawl slowly exits from the ratchet assembly housing, until the device climbs to the bottom of the fan duct and is removed.

[0040] In summary, compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solutions conceived by this invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0041] 1. The present invention provides a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device, which utilizes the support of a frame assembly to crawl upward along the outer wall of the tapered fan duct by clamping and lifting components, and retracts the clamping and lifting components while crawling, so that the device adapts to the continuous shrinkage of the pipe diameter, ensuring that the device is stably attached to the pipe wall during the crawling process, and performs omnidirectional continuous scanning of the pipe wall by scanning components during the crawling process, replacing manual high-altitude operations.

[0042] 2. The rollers of the present invention are in contact with the outer wall of the fan duct. When the crawling device crawls along the outer wall of the fan duct, the roller frame provides support for it, so that the fan duct is always in the middle of the device, ensuring that the device can crawl smoothly along the fan duct. The frame assembly provides an installation base for other components of the device, provides support for the device, and ensures the operation of the subsequent device.

[0043] 3. The clamping and climbing assembly of the present invention, when pulled by the rocker arm, causes the two side plates to retract in real time, gripping the fan duct, so as to avoid the situation where the drive wheel loses contact with the outer wall of the fan duct due to the shrinkage of the fan duct diameter during the climbing process, which would cause the device to be unable to climb smoothly or fall downward.

[0044] 4. The torque sensor on the output shaft of the lead screw motor of the present invention continuously detects the output torque during the crawling process of the device. Based on the detected data, the operating power is controlled to ensure that the drive wheel always maintains a clamping force on the fan duct during the device process, ensuring that the roller and the two drive wheels on both sides are always in contact with the fan duct wall, thus ensuring its smooth crawling.

[0045] 5. The locking component of the present invention further makes the device's crawling on the fan duct more stable. Even if the clamping and climbing component fails, it can still be properly attached to the fan duct and slowly crawl downwards, ensuring the stability of the device while ensuring its safety in use.

[0046] 6. When the scanning component of the present invention crawls along the fan duct, the scanner rotates continuously around the scanning track to perform a real-time 360° circumferential scan of the outer wall of the fan duct, thereby replacing manual high-altitude inspection, improving the efficiency of detecting damage to the outer surface of the fan duct, and ensuring the safety of the operators. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the frame assembly structure of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping and climbing assembly structure of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the clamping and lifting assembly and the locking assembly of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the locking assembly structure of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the locking assembly of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the scanning component structure of a tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for creeping along the outer wall of a conical fan duct according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same technical features, specifically: 1-frame assembly, 101-cart plate, 102-roller frame, 103-roller, 2-clamping and climbing assembly, 201-side plate, 202-motor, 203-coupling side plate, 204-drive wheel cover plate, 205-drive wheel, 206-lead screw motor, 207-lead screw, 208-lead screw fixing plate, 209-slider, 210-rocker arm, 3-locking assembly, 301-pawl plate, 302-pawl, 303-ratchet assembly housing, 304-gear, 305-worm gear, 306-worm, 307-locking motor, 308-locking chain, 4-scanning assembly, 401-track bracket, 402-scanning track, 403-scanner. Detailed Implementation

[0057] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a crawling device for the outer wall of a conical fan duct, comprising: a frame assembly 1, a clamping and lifting assembly 2 rotatably connected to both sides of the frame assembly 1, a locking assembly 3 disposed on the clamping and lifting assembly 2, and a scanning assembly 4 installed in the middle of the frame assembly 1. Supported by the frame assembly 1, the device crawls upwards along the outer wall of the conical fan duct via the clamping and lifting assembly 2, and retracts as it crawls, adapting to the continuous shrinking of the duct diameter. This ensures the device remains stably attached to the duct wall during crawling, and the scanning assembly 4 performs continuous omnidirectional scanning of the duct wall during the crawling process, replacing manual high-altitude work.

[0060] like Figure 3As shown, the frame assembly 1 includes a trolley plate 101, a roller frame 102 fixed to the front of the trolley plate 101, and rollers 103 mounted on the roller frame 102. The trolley plate 101 is a strip-shaped plate divided into upper and lower ends, with notches on both sides of the middle section. The upper and lower ends are symmetrically distributed and have multiple mounting holes. Multiple roller frames 102 are arranged longitudinally, and the rollers 103 are mounted on these roller frames and rotate around them. In use, the rollers 103 are in contact with the outer wall of the fan duct. When the crawling device crawls along the outer wall of the fan duct, the roller frame 102 provides support, ensuring that the fan duct remains in the center of the device and allowing the device to crawl smoothly along the fan duct. Furthermore, the frame assembly 1 provides a mounting base for other components of the device, providing support and ensuring the operation of the subsequent components.

[0061] like Figure 4As shown, the clamping and climbing components 2 are used in pairs, respectively located at the upper and lower ends of the frame assembly 1, and are symmetrically distributed. They include side plates 201 movably connected to both sides of the trolley plate 101, a lead screw motor 206 located on the back of the trolley plate 101, and a lead screw fixing plate 208 located on the front of the trolley plate 101. One end of the side plate 201 has a pin hole, which is rotatably connected to both sides of the trolley plate 101 using a connecting pin. The other end is bent backward, with multiple mounting holes on the bent head plate, and a hollowed-out middle section. Reinforcing plates are also provided on both sides of the bent section. The output shaft of the lead screw motor 206 passes through the back of the trolley plate 101 to its front. The lead screw fixing plate 208 is a U-shaped plate, fixed to the trolley plate 101 at the top, and has mounting holes at the bottom, which are coaxial with the output shaft of the lead screw motor 206. A lead screw 207 is provided between the output shaft of the lead screw motor 206 and the mounting hole of the lead screw fixing plate 208. The lead screw 207 has an external thread, one end of which is connected to the output shaft of the lead screw motor 206 via a coupling, and the other end is connected to the mounting hole of the lead screw fixing plate 208 via a bearing. A slider 209 is fitted onto the lead screw 207. The slider 209 has an internal thread with a central hole that mates with the lead screw 207, and mounting seats are provided on both sides. The slider 209 is connected to the side plates 201 on both sides via a rocker arm 210. The two ends of the rocker arm 210 are connected to the mounting seats of the side plates 201 and the slider 209 respectively using connecting pins. Coupling side plates 203 are fixed on both sides of the back of the bent head plate of the side plate 201. A motor 202 is connected to the back of the coupling side plate 203, and the output shaft of the motor 202 passes through the back of the bent head plate of the side plate 201 to its front. A drive wheel cover plate 204 is fixed to the front of the bent head plate of the side plate 201. This drive wheel cover plate 204 is a five-sided enclosed box with mounting holes at both ends. Inside the drive wheel cover plate 204 is a drive wheel 205, a long roller with convex ends and a concave middle, i.e., the drive wheel 205 has an arc shape. It is connected to both ends of the drive wheel cover plate 204 via a drive shaft. One end of the drive shaft is connected to the output shaft of the motor 202 via a coupling, and the other end is mounted on the end face of the drive wheel cover plate 204 via a bearing. A torque sensor is also installed on the output shaft of the slider screw motor 206 to detect the torque output by the screw motor 206.

[0062] Preferably, when the device crawls along the fan duct, the drive wheel 205 is in contact with the outer wall of the fan duct, and the motor 202 rotates, driving the drive wheel 205 to roll on the fan duct, thereby providing driving force for the device to crawl along the fan duct.

[0063] Preferably, when the drive wheel 205 rolls on the fan duct, the lead screw motor 206 rotates, driving the lead screw 207 to rotate. This causes the slider 209 to move on the lead screw 207 towards the lead screw motor 206. Under the pull of the rocker arm 210, the side plates 201 on both sides cause the drive wheels 205 on both sides to retract in real time, gripping the fan duct tightly. This is to prevent the drive wheel 205 from losing contact with the outer wall of the fan duct due to the shrinking diameter of the fan duct during the crawling process, which could lead to the device being unable to crawl smoothly or falling downwards.

[0064] Preferably, the torque sensor on the output shaft of the lead screw motor 206 continuously detects the output torque during the crawling process of the device. Based on the detected data, the operating power is controlled to ensure that the drive wheel 205 always maintains a clamping force on the fan duct during the process, ensuring that the roller 103 and the two drive wheels 205 are always in contact with the fan duct wall, thus ensuring smooth crawling.

[0065] like Figure 5-7 The locking assembly 3 is installed on both ends of the clamping and lifting assemblies 2 or only on one end of the clamping and lifting assemblies 2, and includes a pawl plate 301 connected to one end of the drive wheel cover plate 204 and a ratchet assembly housing 303. The ratchet assembly housing 303 is connected to one end of the drive wheel cover plate 204, has a hollow interior, and a protrusion on one side with holes at both ends. A transition plate is also provided between the ratchet assembly housing 303 and the drive wheel cover plate 204, and the two ends of the transition plate are connected to the drive wheel cover plate 204 and the ratchet assembly housing 303 respectively by connecting pins. The pawl plate 301 is connected to one end of the other drive wheel cover plate 204, and the pawl plate 301 is also connected to the drive wheel cover plate 204 by connecting pins, and is inserted into the protrusion of the ratchet assembly housing 303. The other end of the ratchet plate 301 is connected to a ratchet 302 by a connecting pin. The ratchet 302 has an arc away from the ratchet plate 301, and a spring is installed at the connection point. Gears 304 are provided at both ends inside the ratchet assembly housing 303. One end of each gear 304 is connected to the ratchet assembly housing 303 via a bearing. One end of the gear shaft of one of the gears 304 is connected to a worm gear 305. A locking motor 307 is also fixed to the inner wall of the ratchet assembly housing 303. A worm gear 306 is connected to the output shaft of the locking motor 307 via a coupling. The worm gear 306 is engaged with the worm gear 305. Locking chains 308 are fitted onto the two gears 304. Multiple chain teeth are equidistantly arranged along the chain edge of the locking chain 308 to form a chain tooth array. One side of each chain tooth is an inclined surface, and the other side is a vertical surface. One end of the pawl 302 is in contact with the vertical surface of the teeth of the locking chain 308.

[0066] Preferably, when the drive wheels 205 on both sides grip the fan duct, the pawl plate 301 drives the pawl 302 to be further inserted into the ratchet assembly housing 303. The pawl 302 slides across the inclined surface of the locking chain 308 teeth and reaches the vertical surface of the teeth. Under the action of the teeth, the pawl plate 301 and pawl 302 are prevented from retracting, thus achieving locking. This prevents the two drive wheels 205 from loosening the fan duct due to force.

[0067] Preferably, when the device crawls downwards, the locking motor 307 rotates, driving the locking chain 308 to rotate, giving the pawl plate 301 and pawl 302 space to retract. With the cooperation of the lead screw motor 206, the pawl plate 301 and pawl 302 slowly retract from the ratchet assembly housing 303, causing the drive wheel 205 to loosen its grip on the fan duct. This further makes the device's crawling on the fan duct more stable, ensuring its normal attachment to the fan duct even in the event of a malfunction of the clamping and climbing assembly 2, and enabling slow downward crawling, thus ensuring both device stability and safety during use.

[0068] like Figure 8 As shown, the scanning component 4 includes a track bracket 401 mounted on the carriage plate 101. The track brackets 401 are used in pairs and are located on both sides of the carriage plate 101. The front end is trident-shaped and detachably mounted at the central notch of the carriage plate 101. The rear end is a horizontal plate structure with a groove on its inner side. A scanning track 402 is mounted on the track bracket 401. The scanning track 402 is formed by splicing two semi-circular tracks to form a circular track. The outer ring of the circular track is installed in the groove of the horizontal plate structure at the rear end of the track bracket 401. The inner ring has an inwardly arranged annular protrusion, and the annular protrusion also has an annular groove as an annular slide rail. The scanner 403 is located in the annular slide rail of the scanning track 402 and rotates along the annular slide rail.

[0069] Preferably, when the device crawls along the fan duct, the scanner 403 rotates continuously around the scanning track 402 to perform a real-time 360° circumferential scan of the outer wall of the fan duct, thereby replacing manual high-altitude inspection, improving the efficiency of detecting damage to the outer surface of the fan duct, and ensuring the safety of the operators.

[0070] Example 2

[0071] The other devices in this embodiment are the same as those in embodiment 1, except that:

[0072] The trolley plate 101 is a strip-shaped plate divided into upper and lower ends, with notches on both sides of the middle section. The upper and lower ends are symmetrically distributed and have multiple mounting holes. The middle section is broken and connected by a hinge, and the upper and lower ends of the trolley plate 101 can be bent around the hinge.

[0073] The locking assembly 3 is installed on both ends of the clamping and climbing assembly 2.

[0074] Preferably, this embodiment is not only applicable to tapered fan ducts with continuously decreasing diameters, but also to pipes with irregularly changing diameters that creep along the outer wall.

[0075] Example 3

[0076] like Figure 9 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a method for creeping along the outer wall of a conical fan duct, comprising the following steps:

[0077] S100, start the locking motor 307 to provide space for the pawl 302 to retract, start the lead screw motor 206 to reverse, drive the clamping and climbing assembly 2 to release to both sides, so that the pawl 302 exits from the ratchet assembly housing 303, and remove the half of the scanning track 402 away from the carriage plate 101.

[0078] S200. Place the device on the bottom of the fan duct, install the removed half of the scanning track 402, align the pawl plate 301 with the hole of the protrusion of the ratchet assembly housing 303, start the screw motor 206 to rotate forward, so that the pawl plate 301 drives the pawl 302 to insert into the ratchet assembly housing 303.

[0079] S300, Start the lead screw motor 206 to continue rotating forward, so that the roller 103 and the drive wheel 205 are in contact with the outer wall of the fan duct. Start the motor 202 to rotate forward, driving the device to climb upward. At the same time, the lead screw motor 206 continues to rotate forward and maintains the output torque.

[0080] S400, Start the scanning function of scanner 403 and rotate it along the scanning track 402 around the outer wall of the fan duct to perform a 360° scan of the outer wall of the fan duct until the scan is completed;

[0081] S500, start the lead screw motor 206 to reverse, slowly loosen the clamping climbing assembly 2, start the motor 202 to reverse, drive the device to climb downwards, at the same time start the locking motor 307 to reverse, so that the pawl 302 slowly exits from the ratchet assembly housing 303, until the device climbs to the bottom of the fan duct, and remove it.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely 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 scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A crawling device for the outer wall of a conical fan duct, characterized in that, include: The frame assembly (1) includes a trolley plate (101), a roller frame (102) fixed to the front of the trolley plate (101), and rollers (103) mounted on the roller frame (102). The scanning component (4) includes a track bracket (401) disposed on both sides of the middle part of the trolley plate (101), a scanning track (402) detachably mounted on the track bracket (401), and a scanner (403) disposed on the scanning track (402). The clamping and climbing components (2) are provided on both sides of the trolley plate (101). The clamping and climbing components (2) are used in pairs and are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the frame assembly (1). They include a side plate (201) and a lead screw (207) provided on the trolley plate (101) and a slider (209) provided on the lead screw (207). The slider (209) is connected to the side plate (201) by a rocker arm (210). A locking assembly (3) is provided on the clamping and climbing assembly (2). The locking assembly (3) includes a pawl plate (301) on one side of the clamping and climbing assembly (2) and a ratchet assembly housing (303) on the other side. The pawl plate (301) is locked in the ratchet assembly housing (303) so that the device can adapt to the continuous shrinkage of the pipe diameter and ensure that the device is stably attached to the pipe wall during the crawling process. The ratchet assembly housing (303) is connected to one end of a drive wheel cover plate (204) on one side. It is hollow inside and has a protrusion on one side with holes at both ends. The other end of the pawl plate (301) is also provided with a pawl (302), the pawl (302) is rotatably connected to the pawl plate (301), the pawl (302) has an arc away from the pawl plate (301), and a spring is installed at the connection point; The pawl plate (301) and pawl (302) are inserted into the protrusion of the ratchet assembly housing (303); The ratchet assembly housing (303) has gears (304) at both ends inside. One end of the gear (304) is connected to the ratchet assembly housing (303) through a bearing. One end of the gear shaft of one of the gears (304) is connected to a worm gear (305). A locking motor (307) is also fixed on the inner wall of the ratchet assembly housing (303). A worm (306) is connected to the output shaft of the locking motor (307) by a coupling. The worm (306) is connected to the worm wheel (305). Locking chains (308) are fitted onto the two gears (304); The locking chain (308) has multiple chain teeth arranged at equal intervals along the chain edge to form a chain tooth array. One side of each chain tooth is an inclined surface and the other side is a vertical surface. One end of the pawl (302) contacts the vertical surface of the teeth of the locking chain (308) to prevent the pawl (302) from retracting from the ratchet assembly housing (303). When the locking motor (307) is not started, the locking chain (308) is fixed and forms a limit on the pawl (302); When the locking motor (307) is started, the locking chain (308) rotates, providing space for the pawl (302) to retract, and the pawl (302) slowly retracts to the outside of the ratchet assembly housing (303).

2. The tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the side plate (201) is rotatably connected to both sides of the trolley plate (101), and the other end is bent backward. The bent head plate is provided with multiple mounting holes. The lead screw (207) is driven by a lead screw motor (206) mounted on the trolley plate (101), with one end connected to the output shaft of the lead screw motor (206) and the other end connected to the lead screw fixing plate (208) via a bearing; The lead screw fixing plate (208) is fixed on the trolley plate (101); The slider (209) is provided with mounting seats on both sides. One end of the rocker arm (210) is rotatably connected to the mounting seat, and the other end is rotatably connected to the side plate (201).

3. The tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side plate (201) has a head plate bent and the back sides of the head plate fixed with a coupling side plate (203). The back of the coupling side plate (203) is connected to a motor (202). The front of the bent head plate of the side plate (201) is also fixed with a drive wheel cover plate (204), which is a box with five closed sides and mounting holes at both ends; The drive wheel cover plate (204) is provided with a drive wheel (205) inside. The drive wheel (205) is a long roller with convex ends and concave middle. One end of the drive shaft of the drive wheel (205) is connected to the output shaft of the motor (202) via a coupling, and the other end is mounted on the end face of the drive wheel cover plate (204) via a bearing.

4. A tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, There are multiple roller frames (102) and rollers (103), which are arranged longitudinally along the trolley plate (101); The trolley plate (101) is a strip plate, divided into upper and lower ends, with notches on both sides of the middle part, and the upper and lower ends are symmetrically distributed and have multiple mounting holes.

5. A tapered fan duct outer wall crawling device according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The scanning track (402) is formed by splicing two semi-circular tracks together, and after splicing, it becomes a circular track; The outer ring of the annular track is installed in the groove of the rear horizontal plate structure of the track support (401), and the inner ring is provided with an annular protrusion. The annular protrusion is also provided with an annular groove as an annular slide rail. The scanner (403) is located in the annular slide rail of the scanning track (402) and rotates along the annular slide rail.

6. A method for creeping along the outer wall of a conical fan duct, implemented using the device described in claim 3, characterized in that, include: S100, start the locking motor (307) to provide space for the pawl (302) to retract, start the lead screw motor (206) to reverse, drive the clamping climbing assembly (2) to release to both sides, so that the pawl (302) exits from the ratchet assembly housing (303), and remove the half of the scanning track (402) away from the carriage plate (101); S200. Place the device on the bottom of the fan duct, install the removed half of the scanning track (402), align the pawl plate (301) with the hole of the protrusion of the ratchet assembly housing (303), start the screw motor (206) to rotate forward, so that the pawl plate (301) drives the pawl (302) to insert into the ratchet assembly housing (303); S300, Start the lead screw motor (206) to continue rotating forward, so that the roller (103) and drive wheel (205) are both in contact with the outer wall of the fan duct. Start the motor (202) to rotate forward, driving the device to climb upward. At the same time, the lead screw motor (206) continues to rotate forward and maintains the output torque. S400, Start the scanning function of the scanner (403) and rotate it around the outer wall of the fan duct along the scanning track (402) to perform a 360° scan on the outer wall of the fan duct until the scan is completed; S500, start the lead screw motor (206) to reverse, slowly loosen the clamping climbing assembly (2), start the motor (202) to reverse, drive the device to crawl downwards, and at the same time start the locking motor (307) to reverse, so that the pawl (302) slowly exits from the ratchet assembly housing (303) until the device crawls to the bottom of the fan duct and is removed.

Citation Information

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