Wall-climbing robot for large-scale and efficient detection of building facades

Abstract

The application discloses a wall-climbing robot for large-range and high-efficiency detection of building facades. The wall-climbing robot comprises a body and a climbing module, a propeller propulsion module and a detection module installed on the body. The climbing module is adapted to make the wall-climbing robot climb or descend along a rope. The propeller propulsion module is adapted to make the wall-climbing robot adhere to a building facade. The detection module adopts a rotating holder to carry a camera, and the rotating holder is rotated to drive the camera to detect a large range of the building facade in the process of climbing or descending of the wall-climbing robot. The wall-climbing robot provided by the application is adapted to stably climb up and down the vertical facade of various wall surfaces, has a large detection range, and can detect a large range of cracks and damages of the building facade.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of building safety inspection, specifically relating to a wall-climbing robot for large-scale and efficient inspection of building facades. Background Technology

[0002] With urbanization and the increase in buildings, building safety hazards and accidents have become a major concern, with wall cracks and voids being the most common causes. Traditional manual inspection methods are unsafe, inefficient, and time-consuming. Using wall-climbing robots for facade inspection can avoid these problems, making inspections more efficient and intelligent, and providing support for building maintenance.

[0003] Currently, wall-climbing robots are widely used to detect defects and damage on vertical facades. On one hand, existing wall-climbing robots all use a negative pressure principle to adhere to the vertical surface. Different facade materials and smoothness levels can cause instability during climbing, leading to shaking or even falls. On the other hand, the single-pass detection range of existing wall-climbing robots is relatively small, limited by the detection range of the onboard sensors.

[0004] Specifically, most existing wall-climbing robots use adsorption methods to climb walls, such as negative pressure adsorption, magnetic adsorption, and biomimetic adsorption. However, facade climbing in engineering applications requires robustness and safety, which adsorption-based wall-climbing robots cannot guarantee. First, adsorption-based wall-climbing robots are greatly affected by the wall surface itself; their adsorption surface needs to be smooth, flat, and free of obstacles. When encountering uneven surfaces, the robot is prone to getting stuck, preventing it from climbing up or down, and even risking falling. In practical applications, the wall surface needs to be cleaned and sanded to ensure the adsorption effect, increasing the operational difficulty and cost. Second, adsorption-based wall-climbing robots consume a lot of power; once the battery is depleted, the robot may fall. Finally, to ensure engineering safety, most current solutions use safety ropes and tethered power supplies. However, this increases the robot's weight, requiring more adsorption force. The added weight of the power cord and safety rope may cause the adsorption force to be insufficient to support the robot, making it unsafe for use on high-rise buildings. In conclusion, using adsorption-based wall-climbing robots cannot guarantee robustness and safety in engineering applications.

[0005] Currently, drones are primarily used for large-scale inspections. However, drones cannot get close to buildings, resulting in lower inspection accuracy and difficulty in detecting small cracks. Therefore, wall-climbing robots that can approach buildings for inspection are becoming the trend in building facade damage detection. Existing wall-climbing robots simply fix the inspection sensors in front of or above the robot, and their detection range is largely determined by the sensors themselves.

[0006] In conclusion, how to further improve the detection efficiency by expanding the single detection range of wall-climbing robots is a problem worthy of further research. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wall-climbing robot for large-scale and efficient inspection of building facades. This wall-climbing robot can stably climb up and down on various vertical facades and has a large inspection range, enabling large-scale inspection of cracks and damage on building facades.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] A wall-climbing robot for large-scale, efficient inspection of building facades includes a body and a climbing module, a propeller propulsion module, and a detection module mounted on the body. The climbing module is adapted to enable the wall-climbing robot to climb or descend along a rope. The propeller propulsion module is adapted to propel the wall-climbing robot to adhere closely to the building facade. The detection module uses a rotating gimbal to mount a camera, and the camera is driven by the large-scale rotation of the rotating gimbal to perform large-scale damage detection on the building facade during the climbing or descending process of the wall-climbing robot.

[0010] Optionally, the climbing module includes a fixed frame disposed within the body and a motor, gear, safety rope, and two pulleys mounted on the fixed frame; the motor and the gear are driven together; the safety rope passes sequentially over one of the two pulleys, the gear, and the other of the two pulleys, with one end of the safety rope fixed to the top of the building and the other end tied to a weight; when the motor drives the gear to rotate, it drives the two pulleys to rotate, thereby causing the wall-climbing robot to climb or descend along the safety rope.

[0011] Optionally, the motor is a geared motor and is powered by electromagnetic power.

[0012] Optionally, the propeller propulsion module includes a propeller fixing rod and two propellers; the propeller fixing rod is installed on the top of the fuselage, and the two propellers are respectively installed on the left and right ends of the propeller fixing rod; when the two propellers rotate, they generate propulsion force to make the wall-climbing robot stick to the exterior of the building.

[0013] Optionally, the detection module is mounted on the top of the body and includes the rotating gimbal, a detection rod mounted on the rotating gimbal, and a camera mounted on the detection rod; the rotating gimbal is adapted to rotate over a wide range to drive the camera to rotate synchronously via the detection rod for large-scale damage detection.

[0014] Optionally, the rotating gimbal includes a gimbal turntable, a planar bearing, a servo disk, and a servo motor; the servo motor is mounted on the top of the fuselage, and a gear is provided on the top of the servo motor; the servo disk is mounted on the gear on the top of the servo motor, and a disc with an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the planar bearing is mounted above the servo disk; the planar bearing is mounted on the disc; the gimbal turntable is mounted on the planar bearing; the detection rod is mounted on the gimbal turntable; the servo motor is adapted to rotate over a wide range, so as to sequentially drive the servo disk, the planar bearing, the gimbal turntable, and the detection rod to rotate over a wide range.

[0015] Optionally, the servo motor has a maximum rotation angle of 270 degrees.

[0016] Optionally, the camera includes a binocular stereo vision camera suitable for crack detection; the binocular stereo vision camera is rotated 90 degrees to change the horizontal field of view to a vertical field of view, thereby covering a wider detection area as it rotates with the rotating gimbal.

[0017] Optionally, the camera includes an infrared thermal imaging camera; the infrared thermal imaging camera is adapted for water seepage detection.

[0018] Optionally, the wall-climbing robot further includes a striking module installed on the body; the striking module is installed at the bottom of the body for detecting hollow areas; the striking module includes a striking hammer and a power amplifier; each time the striking hammer strikes, the power amplifier plays a striking sound.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0020] For example, this wall-climbing robot can stably climb up and down various wall surfaces, including vertical facades with uneven surfaces, and has a large detection range, enabling it to perform large-scale detection of cracks and damage on building facades.

[0021] For example, given the insufficient stability and safety of existing adhesive-based crawling technologies, and considering the frequent need for safety ropes in high-altitude operations, this invention designs a climbing module that ascends and descends along a rope. This not only enables the wall-climbing robot to climb vertically, but also features a power-off locking function that self-locks in extreme situations such as power outages, ensuring operational safety and preventing the robot from falling due to power depletion.

[0022] For example, the wall-climbing robot also adopts a propeller-driven attachment design, which enables the wall-climbing robot to remain stably attached to the exterior wall surface during the climbing and inspection process.

[0023] For example, in order to improve the detection range of the wall-climbing robot, the present invention has designed a 270-degree rotating gimbal on the body and equipped with a detection rod with a binocular stereo vision camera at the end, so that the wall-climbing robot can control the rotating gimbal to scan while climbing, thereby greatly expanding the detection range.

[0024] For example, in order to overcome the instability caused by wind and vibration during the rotation of the gimbal, a square tube slot with the same size as the detection rod was designed and divided into front and rear parts to reduce weight. In addition, two fixing holes were opened in the square tube slot to ensure that the detection rod can be stably fixed on the gimbal. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wall-climbing robot in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the climbing module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the climbing module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a top view of the propeller propulsion module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a detection module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating gimbal in the detection module of this embodiment of the invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the rotating gimbal in the detection module of this embodiment of the invention.

[0032] Figure 8 This is another schematic diagram of the detection module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an infrared thermal imaging camera in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application scenario of the wall-climbing robot on the exterior facade of a building, as described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the increased field of view achieved by the detection module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the tapping module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit control system of the wall-climbing robot in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit control logic in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] 101. Switch; 102. Antenna; 103. Camera; 104. Wheel Set; 200. Climbing Module; 201. Motor; 202. Gear; 203. Pulley; 204. Coupling; 205. Top Plate; 206. Left Side Plate; 207. Right Side Plate; 208. Base Plate; 209. Safety Rope; 301. Propeller; 302. Propeller Mounting Rod; 400. Detection Module; 401. Gimbal Turntable; 402. Planar Bearing; 403. Steering Disc; 404. Servo Motor; 405. Detection Rod; 406. Binocular Stereo Vision Camera; 407. Camera Processing Board; 408. Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera Mount; 409. Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera; 410. Square Tube Slot; 411. Mounting Hole; 500. Impact Module; 501. Impact Hammer; 502. Power Amplifier; 601. RTK Positioning Module Antenna. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Unlike existing technologies, this invention provides a wall-climbing robot for large-scale, efficient inspection of building facades. This wall-climbing robot can ascend or descend along ropes, achieving facade climbing functionality and preventing falls. Simultaneously, the propulsion force generated by the rotating propeller keeps the robot close to the wall surface, effectively preventing swaying or rotation due to wind, ensuring higher safety and stability during operation. Furthermore, to expand the crack detection range and improve detection efficiency, a binocular stereo vision camera is employed. Considering both fixing the camera's angle and height and making it movable, a 270-degree binocular rotating inspection gimbal is designed for the wall-climbing robot. The binocular stereo vision camera is fixed to a long pole, which is then fixed to the rotating gimbal, allowing the camera to rotate 270° with the gimbal. The robot's rotation allows for the detection and analysis of cracks on building facades that extend beyond its rotation range. The reason for this is the angle between the long rod holding the camera and the gimbal, and the camera's field of view; these factors combined expand the crack detection range, thus improving detection efficiency. Furthermore, to reduce wobbling during operation, a square tube slot of the same size as the detection rod was designed. This slot is divided into front and rear sections to reduce weight, and each section has two fixing holes to ensure stable mounting of the detection rod on the gimbal. Additionally, a striking module was designed based on the striking method. By manually identifying sounds, a striking hammer is used to strike the building facade along the robot's path, collecting audio data.

[0042] To make the objectives, features, and beneficial effects of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described below are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0043] Furthermore, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, not the entire structure. Also, the same or similar reference numerals may be used in the drawings to refer to the same or similar components in different embodiments.

[0044] Reference Figures 1 to 12 This invention provides a wall-climbing robot for large-scale and efficient inspection of building facades.

[0045] Specifically, the wall-climbing robot includes a body and a climbing module 200, a propeller propulsion module, a detection module 400, and a striking module 500 installed on the body.

[0046] In some embodiments, the wall-climbing robot also includes a switch 101 installed on the side of the robot body, which is used to turn on the entire circuit system of the wall-climbing robot, so that each module, such as the climbing module 200, the propeller propulsion module, the detection module 400, and the tapping module 500, is powered on, thus making basic preparations for the detection operation.

[0047] In some embodiments, the wall-climbing robot also includes an antenna 102 mounted on the side of the robot body. One antenna is a 2.4G control antenna for wireless communication between the remote controller and the wall-climbing robot, allowing the wall-climbing robot to receive signals from the remote controller and convert control commands into SBUS protocol signals to control the movement and task execution of the wall-climbing robot; the other is a 5.8G video transmission antenna for wireless video transmission, responsible for converting the video signals captured by the wall-climbing robot's camera 103 into radio waves and transmitting them to the remote controller via the 5.8GHz wireless frequency band.

[0048] In some embodiments, the wall-climbing robot also includes a camera 103 installed at the front of the robot body, for capturing real-time footage of the robot's movement from its perspective. The captured video footage can be transmitted back to the remote controller via the antenna 102, so that the operator can monitor the movement of the wall-climbing robot in real time.

[0049] In some embodiments, the wall-climbing robot also includes an RTK positioning module antenna 601 mounted on the top of the robot body, which is used to obtain the real-time position of the wall-climbing robot with accuracy down to the centimeter level, and can quickly obtain the location of detected facade damage.

[0050] In some embodiments, the wall-climbing robot also includes a wheel assembly 104 mounted on the bottom of the body for walking.

[0051] In some embodiments, the climbing module 200 is adapted to enable the wall-climbing robot to ascend or descend along a rope. Specifically, the climbing module 200 includes a fixed frame disposed within the body and a motor 201, gear 202, pulley 203, and safety rope 209 mounted on the fixed frame.

[0052] In some embodiments, the fixing frame includes a top plate 205, a left side plate 206, a right side plate 207, and a bottom plate 208. Furthermore, the top plate 205, left side plate 206, bottom plate 208, and right side plate 207 are sequentially connected to form the fixing frame.

[0053] In some embodiments, the motor 201 is disposed within the fixed frame, and the gear 202 is disposed outside the fixed frame, with the motor 201 and gear 202 drivenly connected by a coupling 204. Specifically, the coupling 204 passes through the right side plate 207, with its two ends connected to the motor 201 and gear 202, respectively. In a specific implementation, the motor 201 drives the gear 202 to rotate via the coupling 204.

[0054] In some embodiments, two pulleys 203 are provided. Both pulleys 203 are mounted outside the fixed frame and located on the same side of the fixed frame as the gear 202. The two pulleys 203 are located on the same straight line, installed below the gear 202, and the edges of the pulleys 203 and the gear 202 are close together, which facilitates the passage of the safety rope 209 and generates a transmission effect. Specifically, the safety rope 209 passes around one pulley 203, the gear 202, and the other pulley 203 in sequence.

[0055] In some embodiments, a small hole is provided on the front and rear sides of the body for the two ends of the safety rope 209 to pass through respectively.

[0056] In practice, the top of the safety rope 209 is fixed to the roof of the building, and its tail is tied to weights or other heavy objects.

[0057] In practice, when the motor 201 drives the gear 202 to rotate, it drives the pulley 203 to rotate in the corresponding direction, thereby enabling the wall-climbing robot to climb up or down along the safety rope 209.

[0058] In some embodiments, the motor 201 can be a geared motor and powered by electromagnetic power. Thus, the climbing module 200 can be self-locked in extreme situations, such as during a power outage, by utilizing its power-off locking function, thereby ensuring operational safety and preventing the climbing robot from falling due to power depletion. That is, if power is lost during operation, the motor 201 will not rotate, and the climbing module 200 will lock, preventing the climbing robot from falling.

[0059] In some embodiments, the propeller propulsion module is adapted to propel the wall-climbing robot close to the wall, which on the one hand makes the operation of the wall-climbing robot more stable and avoids the robot from shaking or being blown by the wind during operation, and on the other hand ensures that the camera is always at the same angle to the wall, so that the size of the damage can be calculated even when using an ordinary camera.

[0060] In some embodiments, the propeller propulsion module includes two propellers 301 and a propeller fixing rod 302. The propeller fixing rod 302 is mounted on the outer top of the fuselage, and the two propellers 301 are respectively mounted on the left and right ends of the propeller fixing rod 302.

[0061] In practice, the propulsion force generated by the rotation of propeller 301 is used to keep the wall-climbing robot close to the wall, so as to effectively avoid the wall-climbing robot from swaying or rotating due to wind, thereby ensuring higher safety and stability during the operation of the wall-climbing robot.

[0062] In some embodiments, the detection module 400 is mounted on the top of the device and includes a rotating gimbal, a detection rod 405 mounted on the rotating gimbal, a binocular stereo vision camera 406, and a camera processing board 407.

[0063] In some embodiments, the rotating gimbal further includes a gimbal turntable 401, a planar bearing 402, a servo disc 403, and a servo motor 404. The servo motor 404 is located at the bottom and has a gear on its top. The servo disc 403 is aligned with and mounted on the gear on top of the servo motor 404. A disc slightly larger than the inner diameter of the planar bearing 402 is fixed above the servo disc 403 with screws. The planar bearing 402 is placed on the disc. The gimbal turntable 401 is mounted on the planar bearing 402, and a detection rod 405 is fixed to the gimbal turntable 401. This forms a rotary transmission device.

[0064] In practice, when the servo motor 404 rotates, it will sequentially drive the servo disc 403, the plane bearing 402, the gimbal turntable 401, and the detection rod 405 to rotate, thereby realizing the rotational large-range detection of the detection module.

[0065] In practical implementation, the detection module 400 can rotate 270 degrees. The rotation angle is determined by the maximum rotation angle of the servo motor 404, which is typically 180 degrees, 270 degrees, or 360 degrees. This embodiment of the invention chooses a 270-degree rotating servo motor to comprehensively consider the coordination between the climbing robot's vertical speed and the servo motor 404's rotation speed to achieve optimal detection coverage. A 180-degree servo motor is most commonly used, but during gimbal rotation detection, using a 180-degree servo motor results in insufficient detection coverage. A 360-degree servo motor causes overlap in detection range, leading to repeated detections and reduced efficiency. Furthermore, it requires more electrical energy to overcome inertia and maintain stable movement.

[0066] In practice, the detection rod 405 is fixed at a certain angle to the rotating platform. Furthermore, the rotating platform can be equipped with either a binocular stereo vision camera 406 or an infrared thermal imaging camera 409, depending on the type of damage to be detected. The binocular stereo vision camera 406 is used to detect cracks; it possesses three-dimensional perception capabilities and can simulate the stereoscopic vision mechanism of the human eye, directly outputting the point cloud of the damage, thus obtaining the three-dimensional dimensions of the damage without calibration. The infrared thermal imaging camera 409 is used for water seepage detection on building facades. The temperature of seepage and hollow areas on the building facade differs significantly from that of healthy areas. The infrared thermal imaging camera 409 can capture subtle differences in temperature distribution, revealing damp areas inside the wall, thereby detecting water seepage.

[0067] In some embodiments, a binocular stereo vision camera 406 can be mounted on top of the detection rod 405 via a camera processing board 407. Specifically, the camera processing board 407 can be mounted on top of the detection rod 405, while the binocular stereo vision camera 406 is mounted on the camera processing board 407.

[0068] In some embodiments, an infrared thermal imaging camera 409 can be mounted on top of a detection rod 405 using an infrared thermal imaging camera bracket 408. Specifically, the infrared thermal imaging camera bracket 408 can be mounted on top of the detection rod 405, while the infrared thermal imaging camera 409 is mounted on the infrared thermal imaging camera bracket 408.

[0069] To achieve stable installation and lightweight design of the detection rod 405, this embodiment of the invention also includes a square tube slot 410 that matches the size of the detection rod 405, ensuring seamless insertion of the detection rod 405. The square tube slot 410 is the top part of the gimbal turntable 401, and it also has two fixing holes 411, allowing screws to be used to fix the detection rod 405 to the square tube slot 410. This design improves the overall structural stability and optimizes the overall aesthetics.

[0070] Considering the impact of weight on the performance of the wall-climbing robot, the square tube slot 410 can be divided into front and rear parts. This split design not only reduces weight but also facilitates later maintenance and disassembly, improving the portability and operability of the equipment.

[0071] Furthermore, to obtain a wider field of view when the wall-climbing robot performs damage detection, this embodiment of the invention employs a special binocular stereo vision camera 406. (Refer to...) Figure 10 The binocular stereo vision camera 406 is designed to be mounted with a 90-degree rotation. Typically, cameras have a large horizontal field of view, such as 90 degrees, while their vertical field of view is smaller, usually 65 degrees. Taking a wall as the target object, the binocular stereo vision camera 406 is usually used horizontally, with the lens facing the wall, the longer side of the camera perpendicular to the ground, and all lenses positioned on the same horizontal line perpendicular to the ground, forming a horizontal field of view of 90 degrees. In this embodiment, the binocular stereo vision camera 406 is rotated 90 degrees, with the shorter side perpendicular to the ground. This also rotates the lens arrangement by 90 degrees, placing all lenses on the same vertical line perpendicular to the ground, thus transforming the original horizontal field of view into a vertical field of view. Through this mounting method, the horizontal field of view of the binocular stereo vision camera 406 can be applied to the vertical direction, providing a larger field of view in the vertical direction. This allows the binocular stereo vision camera 406 to cover a wider detection area when rotating with the pan-tilt unit.

[0072] Furthermore, due to the slight wobbling that may occur during rotation and vertical crawling, the binocular stereo vision camera 406 uses a global shutter camera. Compared to a rolling shutter camera, a global shutter camera can capture instantaneous images more effectively, avoiding image blur. Therefore, the issue of slight wobbling will not affect crack detection.

[0073] In addition, the wall-climbing robot is also designed with a propeller propulsion module, which helps the robot maintain a stable contact with the surface and effectively reduces shaking to avoid the risk of tipping over.

[0074] In addition, a large flat bearing 402 is installed in the center of the rotating gimbal, which can achieve low-damping and stable rotation.

[0075] In practical implementation, the rotation of the gimbal is controlled by a servo motor 404, which receives PWM signals to precisely adjust the rotation angle of the gimbal. There are two control modes: automatic scanning mode and manual scanning mode. Pressing the mode switch button on the remote control switches to automatic mode, and the gimbal automatically rotates left and right for scanning and detection. Pressing the mode switch button again switches to manual mode, and moving the dial on the remote control left and right controls the rotation of the gimbal in the corresponding direction. Manual mode allows for precise control of the gimbal's rotation position, enabling more targeted imaging of damage to building facades. Furthermore, this combination of two scanning modes with the RTK positioning module allows for real-time knowledge of the specific location of the binocular stereo vision camera 406 or the infrared thermal imaging camera 409, thus accurately locating the damage relative to the wall-climbing robot during the detection process.

[0076] In some embodiments, the striking module 500 is installed at the bottom of the fuselage for detecting hollow sounds, and includes a striking hammer 501 and a power amplifier 502. The striking hammer 501 is powered by the main control board, and the power amplifier 502 is fixed next to the striking hammer 501 and connected to the onboard computer. Each time the striking hammer 501 strikes, the power amplifier 502 plays a striking sound.

[0077] In some embodiments, the wall-climbing robot also includes a control module.

[0078] In some embodiments, the control module is connected to the motor 201 in the climbing module 200 to control the climbing robot's ascent and descent, and to adjust the ascent and descent rates.

[0079] In some embodiments, the control module is connected to the two propellers 301 in the propeller propulsion module respectively, and is used to control the rotational speed of the two propellers 301 respectively.

[0080] In some embodiments, the control module is connected to the servo motor 404 in the detection module 400 to control the rotation angle and rotation mode of the rotating gimbal.

[0081] In some embodiments, the control module is connected to the tapping module 500 and is used to control the tapping module 500 to perform facade hollowness detection. The tapping module 500 includes both automatic tapping and manual tapping modes.

[0082] In some embodiments, the control module is connected to the RTK positioning module antenna 601 to acquire positioning data accurate to the centimeter level, thereby obtaining the location of the currently detected facade damage.

[0083] In some embodiments, the control module is connected to a buzzer to control the buzzer to emit sound. The buzzer can be integrated into the main control board of the control module to remind the wall-climbing robot of its operating status. For example, when the remote control and the wall-climbing robot are not connected, the buzzer will emit a sound and stop emitting sound after the connection is successful, so as to indicate the connection status of the robot's remote control link.

[0084] In some embodiments, the control module is also connected to switch 101. One end of switch 101 is connected to the battery, and the other end is connected to the main control board of the control module. The main control board is equipped with a power supply interface to power all modules and payloads of the wall-climbing robot, including camera 103, climbing module 200, propeller 301, detection module 400, tapping module 500, onboard computer, etc. When switch 101 is turned on, the battery supplies power to the above modules through switch 101. Turning off switch 101 immediately cuts off the power.

[0085] This invention also includes a circuit control system for a wall-climbing robot. (Refer to...) Figure 13The main control chip uses the ATMEGA2560 chip, which has 4 UART interfaces, 15 PWM output interfaces, and 54 digital input / output pins, meeting the control requirements of the wall-climbing robot. One UART interface communicates with the onboard computer, synchronizing the robot's operating status to the computer. Another UART interface communicates with the receiver to receive signals from the remote control. Since the remote control signal uses the SBUS protocol, an SBUS-to-UART communication card is used for protocol conversion, enabling the main control board to receive data from each channel of the remote control via the serial port. One UART connects to the RTK to obtain precise centimeter-level positioning data, thus determining the current image capture position. Two PWM signals control the left and right propellers 301 via ESCs, adjusting the output PWM signal to control the propeller speed. One PWM signal controls the motor 201 of the climbing module 200, adjusting the output PWM signal to control the motor speed and thus regulate the climbing speed. One output pin is connected to a buzzer, which controls the buzzer to emit a sound to indicate the operating status of the wall-climbing robot.

[0086] This invention also includes a circuit control logic design for the wall-climbing robot, integrating the power supply, control, and communication of each mechanism of the robot into a single core control board. (See reference...) Figure 14 The main control board features a power supply interface to power the remote control receiver, voltmeter, propeller 301, gimbal, climbing module 200, striking module 500, and onboard computer. It also includes a control interface; connecting the main control board's corresponding interfaces to the propeller 301, climbing module 200, and gimbal via electronic wires allows control of propeller speed, climbing direction, and gimbal mode. Furthermore, it incorporates UART and IIC communication interfaces, enabling communication between the main control board's corresponding interfaces and the onboard computer, remote control receiver, and tilt sensor via electronic wires. The voltmeter displays the current voltage and charge of the power supply battery, facilitating timely battery replacement.

[0087] This invention also provides a building facade inspection system that includes the wall-climbing robot.

[0088] In practice, the building facade inspection system also includes a remote control that is wirelessly connected to the control module of the wall-climbing robot to control the operation of the wall-climbing robot.

[0089] In some embodiments, the remote controller is adapted to control the climbing robot's ascent and descent, and to adjust the rate of ascent and descent.

[0090] In some embodiments, the remote controller is adapted to control the rotational speed of the two propellers 301 respectively.

[0091] In some embodiments, the remote controller is adapted to control the rotation angle and rotation mode of the rotating gimbal.

[0092] In some embodiments, the remote control is adapted to control the tapping mode of the tapping module 500.

[0093] In some embodiments, the remote controller is adapted to acquire positioning data accurate to the centimeter level, thereby obtaining the location where the current image was captured.

[0094] This invention also provides an implementation method for the wall-climbing robot and the building facade inspection system.

[0095] Specifically, the implementation method includes:

[0096] S1, Installation of the wall-climbing robot;

[0097] Specifically, the safety rope 209 is passed through the small hole at the front of the wall-climbing robot, wrapped around the gear 202 and pulley 203 of the climbing module 200, then passed through the small hole at the rear of the wall-climbing robot, and then the tail end of the safety rope 209 is tied to a weight or other heavy object, and the top end of the safety rope 209 is fixed to the roof of the building.

[0098] S2, the wall-climbing robot is activated;

[0099] Specifically, when the remote control and the wall-climbing robot switch 101 are turned on, the battery starts to provide power, the control module inside the wall-climbing robot starts up and wirelessly connects with the remote control.

[0100] In practice, the wall-climbing robot receives instructions from the remote controller through the control module, and controls the operation of the climbing module 200, propeller propulsion module, detection module 400, and striking module 500 of the wall-climbing robot through the received instructions.

[0101] S3, the climbing or descending of the wall-climbing robot:

[0102] Specifically, the rotation direction of the motor 201 of the climbing module 200 can be controlled by a remote control, which in turn causes the motor 201 to drive the gear 202, pulley 203 and safety rope 209 to rotate in the corresponding direction through the coupling 204. Because the bottom of the safety rope 209 is tied with a weight, the safety rope 209 is kept taut, thereby realizing the ascent or descent of the wall-climbing robot.

[0103] In some embodiments, when gear 202 rotates counterclockwise, the wall-climbing robot ascends; correspondingly, when gear 202 rotates clockwise, the wall-climbing robot descends.

[0104] In practice, when the wall-climbing robot is climbing or descending, the rotation speed of the propeller 301 can be controlled according to factors such as wind force and the flatness of the building facade, thereby adjusting the degree of contact between the wall-climbing robot and the wall surface, and thus controlling the climbing stability of the wall-climbing robot.

[0105] S4, Hollow zone detection;

[0106] Specifically, the working state of the hammer 501 fixed to the bottom of the wall-climbing robot can be controlled by a remote control, including manual striking mode and automatic striking mode.

[0107] The mode switching lever can be set in advance in the control program; the manual tapping mode is implemented by moving the tapping lever on the remote control to the manual tapping mode, pressing the corresponding control button on the remote control once, and the tapping hammer 501 taps once; the automatic mode is implemented by moving the control lever to the automatic tapping mode, and the tapping hammer 501 taps automatically according to the time interval set in the program, for example, tapping once every 5 seconds.

[0108] S5, Crack and seepage detection;

[0109] Specifically, the device can be equipped with either a binocular stereo vision camera 406 or an infrared thermal imaging camera 409, and the working status of the detection module 400 can be controlled by a remote control, including manual scanning mode and automatic scanning mode.

[0110] The default position of the detection module 400 can be defined as the detection rod 405 being in the middle of the wall-climbing robot, that is, the projection of the detection rod 405 roughly coinciding with the taut safety rope 209. The maximum rotation angle of the detection module 400 is 135 degrees to the left and 135 degrees to the right from the default position, for a total of 270 degrees. Figure 11 As shown.

[0111] The mode switching button can be pre-programmed in the control program. Pressing it once switches to automatic mode, and pressing it again switches to manual mode. In automatic mode, the detection module 400 begins to rotate 270 degrees autonomously. In manual mode, turning the dial on the remote control left or right rotates the detection module in the corresponding direction. When switch 101 is turned off, the detection module 400 returns to its default position.

[0112] In practice, cracks are detected using a binocular stereo vision camera 406. This camera acquires wall images through two lenses, creating stereoscopic vision similar to human vision. It also provides depth information, allowing for the reconstruction of the three-dimensional structure of objects in the image, thus enabling more accurate identification and measurement of crack dimensions. As the detection module 400 rotates, the binocular stereo vision camera 406 can scan and acquire wall images from all directions, ensuring comprehensive and continuous crack detection.

[0113] In practice, water seepage is detected using an infrared thermal imaging camera 409, which captures the temperature distribution on the surface of an object. Water-seeping areas on the wall, due to their different temperature from the surrounding dry areas, will create a clear contrast in the thermal image, thus being identified. As the detection module 400 rotates, the infrared thermal imaging camera 409 continuously captures images of the wall; by analyzing the temperature anomalies in the thermal images, the water seepage area can be located.

[0114] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The feature examples provided in this disclosure are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, unless otherwise stated. In practice, one or more technical features of the dependent claims may be combined with the technical features of the independent claims as needed and where technically feasible, and the technical features from the respective independent claims may be combined in any suitable manner rather than solely by the specific combinations listed in the claims.

[0115] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A wall-climbing robot for large-scale, high-efficiency inspection of building facades, characterized in that, The system includes a fuselage and a climbing module (200), a propeller propulsion module, and a detection module (400) mounted on the fuselage. The climbing module (200) is adapted to enable the wall-climbing robot to climb or descend along a rope. The propeller propulsion module is adapted to propel the wall-climbing robot to adhere to the building facade. The detection module (400) uses a rotating gimbal to mount a camera, and the camera is driven by the large-scale rotation of the rotating gimbal to perform large-scale damage detection on the building facade during the climbing or descending process of the wall-climbing robot. The detection module (400) is installed on the top of the body and includes the rotating gimbal, the square tube slot (410), the detection rod (405) installed on the rotating gimbal, and the camera installed on the detection rod (405); the rotating gimbal is adapted to rotate over a wide range so as to drive the camera to rotate synchronously through the detection rod (405) to perform large-scale damage detection. The rotating gimbal includes a gimbal turntable (401), a planar bearing (402), a servo disc (403), and a servo motor (404); the servo motor (404) is mounted on the top of the fuselage, and a gear is provided on the top of the servo motor (404); the servo disc (403) is mounted on the gear on the top of the servo motor (404), and a disc with an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the planar bearing (402) is mounted above the servo disc (403); the planar bearing (402) is mounted on the disc; the gimbal turntable (401) is mounted on the planar bearing (402); the detection rod (405) is mounted on the gimbal turntable (401); the servo motor (404) is adapted to rotate over a wide range, so as to sequentially drive the servo disc (403), the planar bearing (402), the gimbal turntable (401), and the detection rod (405) to rotate over a wide range. The square tube slot (410) is sized to match the detection rod (405); the square tube slot (410) is divided into front and rear parts; The camera includes a binocular stereo camera (406) suitable for crack detection; the binocular stereo camera (406) is mounted at a 90-degree angle to change the horizontal field of view to a vertical field of view, thereby covering a wider detection area as it rotates with the rotating gimbal.

2. The wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The climbing module (200) includes a fixed frame disposed within the body and a motor (201), a gear (202), a safety rope (209), and two pulleys (203) mounted on the fixed frame; the motor (201) and the gear (202) are connected by a drive; the safety rope (209) passes sequentially around one of the two pulleys (203), the gear (202), and the other pulley (203), and one end of the safety rope (209) is fixed to the top of the building, and the other end is tied to a heavy object; when the motor (201) drives the gear (202) to rotate, it drives the two pulleys (203) to rotate, thereby causing the wall-climbing robot to climb or descend along the safety rope (209).

3. The wall-climbing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The motor (201) is a geared motor and is powered by electromagnetic power.

4. The wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The propeller propulsion module includes a propeller fixing rod (302) and two propellers (301); the propeller fixing rod (302) is installed on the top of the body, and the two propellers (301) are respectively installed on the left and right ends of the propeller fixing rod (302); when the two propellers (301) rotate, they generate propulsion force to make the wall-climbing robot stick to the exterior of the building.

5. The wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The servo (404) has a maximum rotation angle of 270 degrees.

6. The wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera includes an infrared thermal imaging camera (409); the infrared thermal imaging camera (409) is adapted to perform water seepage detection.

7. The wall-climbing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a striking module (500) installed on the body; the striking module (500) is installed on the bottom of the body for detecting hollowness; the striking module (500) includes a striking hammer (501) and a power amplifier (502); each time the striking hammer (501) strikes, the power amplifier (502) plays a striking sound.

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