Modularized variable-structure robot with flexible active rotational joints

Abstract

The invention provides a modular variable-structure robot with flexible active rotational joints, and relates to the technical field of robots. The modular variable-structure robot comprises robot single bodies and walking mechanisms, the multiple robot single bodies and the multiple walking mechanisms are sequentially and alternately connected in series and combined to form the modular variable-structure robot, the walking mechanisms are arranged at the two ends of the modular variable-structure robot, and the walking mechanisms can achieve movement of the robot in a pipeline with the space three-dimensional shape changing. The specific use number of the robot single bodies can be selected according to task requirements, flexible reconstruction is carried out under auxiliary cooperation of the walking mechanism, the energy utilization rate and the pipeline traffic capacity are improved, and cost is effectively reduced. The first ends of the robot single bodies can flexibly rotate the joints to drive the walking mechanisms connected with the joints to rotate relatively so as to actively adjust the joint included angle between every two adjacent robot single bodies, and therefore the robot adapts to changes of the pipe diameter and the environment in the walking process and is applied to detection and dredging operation of various pipelines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of robots, and in particular to a modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotating joints. Background Art

[0002] Pipelines exist in most of the infrastructure around us, including refineries, chemical plants, power plants, natural gas transportation, and more. The total length of a natural gas group's gas supply pipeline network exceeds 110,000 kilometers, of which 28,000 kilometers are steel pipes. It is extremely important to inspect these pipelines because failures may cause catastrophic accidents and even endanger the lives of operators. With the advancement of robotics technology, autonomous pipeline robots have become an effective solution to these challenges, capable of detecting complex pipeline environments, performing inspections, and performing maintenance operations with minimal human intervention.

[0003] In the exploration of the technological frontier, pipeline inspection robots face a series of technical challenges that need to be overcome, mainly including energy supply bottlenecks, flexible movement problems in pipes, and adaptability problems in complex pipes. In terms of energy supply, the current technical paths are divided into two camps: wired dragging and wireless. Although the wired method is stable, as the robot goes deeper into the pipeline, the friction between the cable and the pipe wall increases significantly, limiting the scope of operation. The wireless method is limited by battery technology, the battery capacity is limited, and the working time is slightly insufficient. More importantly, how to pass through complex three-dimensional space pipelines, such as vertical pipelines, T-shaped pipelines, horizontal or vertical bends, is also a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. When designing pipeline inspection robots, it is necessary not only to consider factors such as interference and friction between the robot and the pipe wall, but also to avoid interference with the robot's movement caused by possible sedimentation and damage in the pipeline. In order to meet different application requirements, pipeline inspection robots of various configurations or configurations have been developed, including snake-shaped, crawler, wheeled, wall-pressed and other robot basic structures. Each structure has its own unique application scenarios and limitations, and there are still many problems in dealing with complex and changing pipeline environments. Therefore, how to integrate the advantages of various structures and design a pipeline robot with high motion performance has become the primary goal of the current industry. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art. The preferred technical solutions among the many technical solutions provided by the present invention can produce many technical effects as described below.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] A modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotating joints comprises a robot unit and a walking mechanism. A plurality of robot units and a plurality of the walking mechanisms are alternately connected in series to form the modular variable structure robot. Both ends of the modular variable structure robot are the walking mechanisms. The first end of the robot unit can flexibly rotate the joint to drive the walking mechanism connected thereto to rotate relative to actively adjust the joint angle between two adjacent robot units.

[0007] Preferably, the robot unit includes a first base, a static idler wheel, a synchronous wheel drive module, a flexible force sensor and an auxiliary connection unit, the static idler wheel is movably connected to the first base and forms the first end of the robot unit, the static idler wheel is connected to the walking mechanism, the synchronous wheel drive module is connected to the first base and is transmission-connected to the static idler wheel to drive the static idler wheel to rotate, the flexible force sensor is connected to the synchronous wheel drive module, one end of the auxiliary connection unit is connected to the first base and forms the second end of the robot unit, and the other end of the auxiliary connection unit can be connected to another walking mechanism.

[0008] Preferably, the auxiliary connection unit includes a plurality of connection rods, and two ends of the connection rods are detachably connected to the robot unit and the walking mechanism respectively.

[0009] Preferably, the synchronous wheel drive module includes a driving servo, a driving wheel, an F-type structure, a first tensioning idler wheel, a second tensioning idler wheel and a synchronous belt, the driving servo is connected to the inside of the first base and is drivingly connected to the driving wheel, two F-type structures are symmetrically connected to the first base, each of the F-type structures is connected to a first tensioning idler wheel and a flexible force sensor, two second tensioning idler wheels are connected to the first base and are located between the first tensioning idler wheel and the static idler wheel, the driving servo, the driving wheel, the first tensioning idler wheel, the second tensioning idler wheel and the static idler wheel are located on the same plane and are jointly connected to the synchronous belt to form a transmission connection.

[0010] Preferably, the robot unit further includes a tensioning force adjusting module, the tensioning force adjusting module is connected to the synchronous wheel driving module, and the tensioning force adjusting module can adjust the tensioning force of the synchronous belt.

[0011] Preferably, the tensioning force adjustment module comprises an adjusting bolt, each of the first tensioning idler wheels is connected to the F-shaped structure via one of the adjusting bolts, and each of the second tensioning idler wheels is connected to the first base via one of the adjusting bolts.

[0012] Preferably, the walking mechanism includes a second base, a connecting disc and a dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module, the connecting disc and the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module are connected to one end of the second base, the connecting disc is connected to the static idler wheel on the robot unit so that the walking mechanism can move synchronously with the static idler wheel, and one end of the second base away from the connecting disc and the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module is connected to the second end of another robot unit.

[0013] Preferably, the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module includes a Mecanum wheel and a turbine screw reduction motor, the two Mecanum wheels are symmetrically arranged, each of the Mecanum wheels is transmission-connected to one of the turbine screw reduction motors through a coupling, and the two turbine screw reduction motors are symmetrically connected to the second base.

[0014] Preferably, the connecting disc is connected to the static idler wheel through a connecting unit, and the connecting unit includes a first connecting bolt, a first bearing, a second bearing, a third bearing and a second connecting bolt, the first connecting bolt is connected to the first base, the first bearing, the second bearing and the third bearing all have a rib on one side and are connected to the first connecting bolt in sequence, the side of the first bearing away from the rib and the side of the second bearing away from the rib are close to each other, the static idler wheel is located between the rib of the first bearing and the rib of the second bearing, one side of the connecting disc is close to the rib of the second bearing and the other side is close to the rib of the third bearing, the side of the third bearing away from the rib extends into the interior of the connecting disc, and the static idler wheel is connected to the connecting disc along the circumferential direction through a plurality of the second connecting bolts.

[0015] Preferably, the idler wheel is provided with a plurality of empty slots along the circumferential direction.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: a plurality of robot units and a plurality of walking mechanisms are alternately connected in series to form a modular variable structure robot, both ends of the modular variable structure robot are walking mechanisms, a plurality of robot units can be selected for specific use according to task requirements and can be flexibly reconstructed with the assistance of the walking mechanisms, and the walking mechanisms, as the main motion elements, can realize the movement of the modular variable structure robot in a pipeline with a three-dimensional shape change in space;

[0017] Increasing the number of robot units can improve the stability and fault tolerance of the robot. The modular structural design allows users to determine the number of modules according to actual needs, thereby improving energy utilization and pipeline capacity. In addition, the replacement and maintenance of the robot is also based on the unit, which effectively reduces costs.

[0018] The first end of the robot unit can flexibly rotate the joint to drive the walking mechanism connected to it to rotate relative to each other so as to actively adjust the joint angle between two adjacent robot units. With this arrangement, the modular variable structure robot can freely control the joint angle between two adjacent robot units, thereby adapting to changes in pipe diameter and environment during walking, and is applied to inspection and dredging operations of various pipelines. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0020] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 It is a front view structural diagram of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 A detailed structural diagram of a robot unit of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 It is a detailed structural diagram of the synchronous wheel driving module of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 It is a detailed structural diagram of the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of the connection between the static idler wheel and the connecting disc of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 It is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the connection between the static idler wheel and the connecting disc of the present invention;

[0027] In the figure, 1, robot unit; 11, first base; 12, static idler wheel; 121, empty slot; 13, synchronous wheel drive module; 131, driving servo; 132, driving wheel; 133, F-type structure; 134, first tension idler wheel; 135, second tension idler wheel; 14, flexible force sensor; 15, auxiliary connection unit; 16, tension force adjustment module;

[0028] 2. Walking mechanism; 21. Second base; 22. Connecting disc; 23. Double-degree-of-freedom motor drive module; 231. Mecanum wheel; 232. Turbine screw reduction motor;

[0029] 3. Connecting unit; 31. First connecting bolt; 32. First bearing; 33. Second bearing; 34. Third bearing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] To make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other implementation methods obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "lateral", "length", "width", "height", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "side" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the attached Figure 1 The orientation or positional relationship shown is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] Reference Figures 1 to 7 The present invention provides a modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints, including a robot monomer 1 and a walking mechanism 2. A plurality of robot monomers 1 and a plurality of walking mechanisms 2 are alternately connected in series to form a modular variable structure robot. Both ends of the modular variable structure robot are walking mechanisms 2. The specific number of robot monomers 1 can be selected according to task requirements and can be flexibly reconstructed with the assistance of the walking mechanism 2. The walking mechanism 2, as the main motion element, can realize the movement of the modular variable structure robot in a pipe with a three-dimensional shape change in space.

[0034] In the drawings of this embodiment, it is preferred to show a serial connection state when the number of robot monomers 1 is two and the number of walking mechanisms 2 is three. From the overall structure point of view, the combination structure of two robot monomers 1 and three walking mechanisms 2 also constitutes the minimum structural unit of the modular variable structure robot provided by the present application;

[0035] Each robot unit 1 is equivalent to a cell, has a certain degree of autonomy, and can independently receive and process data. The increase in the number of robot units 1 can improve the stability and fault tolerance of the robot. The modular structural design allows users to determine the number of modules according to actual needs, improve energy utilization and pipeline capacity. In addition, the replacement and maintenance of the robot is also based on the unit, which effectively reduces the cost.

[0036] The first end of the robot unit 1 can flexibly rotate the joint to drive the walking mechanism 2 connected to it to rotate relative to each other so as to actively adjust the joint angle between two adjacent robot units 1. With such a configuration, the modular variable structure robot can freely control the joint angle between two adjacent robot units 1, thereby adapting to changes in pipe diameter and environment during walking, and is applied to inspection and dredging operations of various pipelines. For example, the friction between the robot wheels and the pipe wall can be increased by coordinating the angles, thereby adapting to the pipe wall with a smaller friction factor.

[0037] As an optional implementation, the robot unit 1 includes a first base 11, a static idler wheel 12, a synchronous wheel drive module 13, a flexible force sensor 14 and an auxiliary connection unit 15, the static idler wheel 12 is movably connected to the first base 11 and forms a first end of the robot unit 1, the static idler wheel 12 is connected to the walking mechanism 2, the synchronous wheel drive module 13 is connected to the first base 11 and is transmission-connected to the static idler wheel 12 to drive the static idler wheel 12 to rotate, the flexible force sensor 14 is connected to the synchronous wheel drive module 13, one end of the auxiliary connection unit 15 is connected to the first base 11 and forms a second end of the robot unit 1, and the other end of the auxiliary connection unit 15 can be connected to another walking mechanism 2.

[0038] As an optional implementation, the synchronous wheel driving module 13 includes a driving servo 131, a driving wheel 132, an F-shaped structure 133, a first tensioning idler wheel 134, a second tensioning idler wheel 135 and a synchronous belt;

[0039] The driving servo 131 is connected to the inside of the first base 11 and is drivingly connected to the driving wheel 132. The driving wheel 132 is preferably a gear with 36 teeth and a pitch of 2. The inner hole of the gear can be matched with the rotating shaft of the driving servo 131 after being processed. Therefore, the driving servo 131 can drive the driving wheel 132 to rotate. In this embodiment, the driving servo 131 can be an angular displacement servo motor.

[0040] Two F-shaped structures 133 are symmetrically connected to the first base 11, preferably connected by bolts, and each F-shaped structure 133 is connected to a first tensioning idler wheel 134 and a flexible force sensor 14, wherein the first tensioning idler wheel 134 is arranged above the F-shaped structure 133, and the flexible force sensor 14 is arranged at the lower part of the F-shaped structure 133, located below the first tensioning idler wheel 134, and preferably fixed at the corresponding position by bolts, so as to ensure the accuracy of the force sensor during measurement;

[0041] In this embodiment, the two flexible force sensors 14 are symmetrically placed side by side, and are respectively abutted against the corresponding structures of the first base 11 on both sides thereof, thereby providing outward supporting force to the structures on both sides, ensuring the stability of the structures on both sides, and obtaining the optimal force detection effect. In addition, the middle part of each flexible force sensor 14 preferably adopts a two-hole hollow structure design, and the hollow space can ensure the normal operation and transmission of the synchronous belt.

[0042] Two second tensioning idler wheels 135 are connected to the first base 11 and are located between the first tensioning idler wheel 134 and the static idler wheel 12;

[0043] The driving servo 131, the driving wheel 132, the first tensioning idler wheel 134, the second tensioning idler wheel 135 and the static idler wheel 12 are located on the same plane and are jointly connected with the synchronous belt. The synchronous belt is preferably of 2gt specification. Through the close fit between the synchronous belt and each wheel body, the displacement caused by the axial and radial impact of the rotation is effectively reduced, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the transmission system.

[0044] The driving servo 131 can drive the driving wheel 132 to rotate by rotating its own rotating shaft, and then drive the entire synchronous belt to rotate through the friction between the driving wheel 132 and the synchronous belt, so that the two first tensioning idler wheels 134, the two second tensioning idler wheels 135 and the static idler wheel 12 inside the entire robot unit 1 follow the synchronous belt to complete the corresponding operation. The rotation of the static idler wheel 12 can drive the walking mechanism 2 to rotate, thereby realizing the angle adjustment between adjacent robot units 1 and the change of the overall shape of the robot.

[0045] The combination of the driving wheel 132, the first tensioning idler wheel 134, the second tensioning idler wheel 135 and the static idler wheel 12 can sense and adjust the robot's adhesion to the inner wall of the pipe. Through the current loop force feedback of the bus servo and the force feedback of the flexible force sensor 14, the robot can sense the adhesion status between it and the inner wall of the pipe in real time, and make corresponding posture adjustments and motion control. This intelligent perception system provides key support for the stable operation of the robot in complex environments. More specifically, it can directly calculate the positive pressure between the robot and the pipe wall, so as to determine whether the robot has reached the desired posture, thereby enhancing the robot's control over its own state when working.

[0046] As an optional implementation, the robot unit 1 further includes a tension adjustment module 16, which is connected to the synchronous wheel driving module 13, and the two can be combined together. The tension adjustment module 16 can adjust the tension of the synchronous belt;

[0047] In this embodiment, the tension adjustment module 16 preferably includes an adjustment bolt, each first tension idler wheel 134 is connected to the F-shaped structure 133 through an adjustment bolt, and each second tension idler wheel 135 is connected to the first base 11 through an adjustment bolt. During the actual adjustment operation, the tension of the synchronous belt can be adjusted by rotating the adjustment bolt, and the rotational movement of the thread is used to actively adjust the size of the tension, thereby controlling the tension of the synchronous belt, improving the stability of the robot's working posture in the tube, and reducing the energy consumption generated by this work;

[0048] In addition, the use of the adjustment bolts can further enhance the stability of the synchronous wheel drive module 13, so that each synchronous wheel can rotate more smoothly, reducing the transmission loss caused by friction, thereby improving the energy efficiency and performance of the robot.

[0049] As an optional implementation, the auxiliary connection unit 15 includes a plurality of connection rods, both ends of which are detachably connected to the robot unit 1 and the walking mechanism 2 respectively;

[0050] The connection method between the connecting rod and the robot unit 1 and the walking mechanism 2 is not specifically limited and can be flexibly selected, as long as the mechanical properties of the connection are ensured;

[0051] In this embodiment, the connecting rod is preferably a carbon fiber rod, which has high-quality structural strength and can effectively reduce the overall weight of the modular variable structure robot. The attached figure preferably shows a state when the number of connecting rods is three;

[0052] It is worth noting that the length of the connecting rod can be flexibly adjusted according to actual task requirements. Connecting rods of different lengths can be replaced for different pipe diameters, thereby adjusting the projection distance of two adjacent walking mechanisms 2 along the pipe diameter direction from a macro perspective to achieve adaptation to pipes with an inner diameter greater than 200 mm.

[0053] As an optional embodiment, the walking mechanism 2 includes a second base 21, a connecting disc 22 and a dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module 23, wherein the connecting disc 22 and the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module 23 are connected to one end of the second base 21, and the connecting disc 22 and the second base 21 are preferably fixedly connected, so that the connecting disc 22 can move synchronously with the second base 21;

[0054] The connecting disc 22 is connected to the static idler wheel 12 on the robot unit 1 so that the walking mechanism 2 can move synchronously with the static idler wheel 12, and one end of the second base 21 away from the connecting disc 22 and the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module 23 is connected to the second end of another robot unit 1.

[0055] As an optional implementation, the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module 23 includes a Mecanum wheel 231 and a turbine screw reduction motor 232, the two Mecanum wheels 231 are symmetrically arranged, each Mecanum wheel 231 is transmission-connected to a turbine screw reduction motor 232 through a coupling, and the two turbine screw reduction motors 232 are symmetrically connected to the second base 21;

[0056] The two worm screw reduction motors 232 can respectively drive the two Mecanum wheels 231 to rotate forward, reverse and differentially. When the two Mecanum wheels 231 rotate forward at the same time, the robot can move forward. When the two Mecanum wheels 231 rotate reversely at the same time, the robot can move backward. By controlling the differential rotation of the two Mecanum wheels 231, the robot can move forward along the axis of the pipeline and rotate around the axis of the pipeline, thereby enhancing the ability to pass through obstacles. Therefore, it can be ensured that the robot as a whole can move forward along the axis of the pipeline, retreat along the axis of the pipeline, and rotate around the axis of the pipeline, making the robot more flexible in the pipeline and ensuring the completion of various tasks.

[0057] The dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module 23 can decouple the motion phase rotating around the center of the pipeline, so that the robot grouping has the ability to pass through different bending directions while ensuring a small volume.

[0058] As an optional embodiment, the connecting disc 22 and the static idler wheel 12 are preferably connected via a connecting unit 3, and the connecting unit 3 includes a first connecting bolt 31, a first bearing 32, a second bearing 33, a third bearing 34 and a second connecting bolt;

[0059] The first connecting bolt 31 is connected to the first base 11, and the first bearing 32, the second bearing 33, and the third bearing 34 all have a rib on one side and are connected to the first connecting bolt 31 in sequence;

[0060] The side of the first bearing 32 away from the rib and the side of the second bearing 33 away from the rib are close to each other, and the idler wheel 12 is located between the rib of the first bearing 32 and the rib of the second bearing 33;

[0061] One side of the connecting disc 22 is close to the rib of the second bearing 33 and the other side is close to the rib of the third bearing 34. The side of the third bearing 34 away from the rib extends into the interior of the connecting disc 22.

[0062] The idler wheel 12 and the connecting disc 22 are connected to each other along the circumferential direction by a plurality of second connecting bolts to form an integral body. Such a configuration can ensure that there is sufficient connection strength between the idler wheel 12 and the connecting disc 22. When the synchronous belt drives the idler wheel 12 to rotate, since the idler wheel 12 and the connecting disc 22 are formed into one body, the connecting disc 22 will also rotate accordingly to meet the angle change requirement. At the same time, the idler wheel 12 and the connecting disc 22 can rotate relative to each other with the assistance of the first bearing 32, the second bearing 33 and the third bearing 34. The bearings can reduce the friction during rotation and improve the smoothness during rotation.

[0063] As an optional implementation, the idler wheel 12 is provided with a plurality of empty slots 121 along the circumferential direction. Such an arrangement can, on the one hand, reduce the consumption of manufacturing materials, and on the other hand, reduce the overall weight of the modular variable structure robot, thereby enabling the robot to move more flexibly. The attached drawings of this embodiment preferably show the state where the number of empty slots 121 is three.

[0064] As an optional implementation, the modular variable structure robot further includes a control system, where the control system preferably consists of a bus steering gear control module and a motor control module;

[0065] The bus servo control module is used to control the synchronous wheel drive module. By acquiring the force feedback data of the flexible force sensor 14, the bus servo control module can sense the attachment state between the flexible force sensor 14 and the inner wall of the pipeline. The bus servo control module can adjust its rotation angle and output torque in real time, and change the joint angle between two adjacent robot monomers 1 through the synchronous wheel drive module to achieve adaptation to the pipeline environment.

[0066] The motor control module preferably uses an H-bridge rectifier module as a key component of the motor drive to achieve fine-grained control of the turbine screw reduction motor 232, including controlling the forward rotation, reverse rotation and speed adjustment of the Mecanum wheel 231, so that the robot has the ability to move along the pipeline axis and rotate around the pipeline axis, thereby enhancing the robot's ability to cope with various complex environments;

[0067] The motor control module is combined with the MCU main control to realize advanced motion control algorithms such as speed closed-loop control and position feedback control, thereby improving the robot's motion accuracy and stability. It can also be controlled using a general IO port, has strong scalability, and can be connected to external sensors or actuators to achieve a variety of functions.

[0068] As an optional implementation, adjacent robot units 1 are preferably fixed together via a mechanical-electrical joint interface to provide mechanical and electrical connections, thereby enhancing the applicability of the robot units 1 in different tasks.

[0069] As an optional implementation, the modular variable structure robot preferably uses a single-chip MCU, that is, all robot monomers 1 share a single MCU. When a robot monomer 1 needs to be added, it is only necessary to directly connect the data line of the robot monomer 1 to the data bus of the robot.

[0070] The bus servo control module can be preferably mounted on a bus through a serial bus, and communicate with the first group of RX and TX interfaces of the MCU through the serial interface. Therefore, increasing the grouping will not crowd out the IO resources of the MCU, which is convenient for the modular variable structure robot to flexibly replace modules and increase or decrease groups for different tasks;

[0071] In addition, it can output a larger torque to ensure that the joint angle between the robot units 1 can always be maintained in a state where the robot hub presses against the pipe wall, thereby enabling the robot to move without sliding in a pipe with a large inclination angle.

[0072] The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints, It is characterized in that The invention comprises a robot unit (1) and a walking mechanism (2); a plurality of robot units (1) and a plurality of the walking mechanisms (2) are sequentially and alternately connected in series to form the modular variable structure robot; both ends of the modular variable structure robot are the walking mechanisms (2); the first end of the robot unit (1) can flexibly rotate a joint to drive the walking mechanism (2) connected thereto to rotate relative to each other so as to actively adjust the joint angle between two adjacent robot units (1).

2. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The robot unit (1) comprises a first base (11), a static idler wheel (12), a synchronous wheel drive module (13), a flexible force sensor (14) and an auxiliary connection unit (15); the static idler wheel (12) is movably connected to the first base (11) and forms a first end of the robot unit (1); the static idler wheel (12) is connected to the walking mechanism (2); the synchronous wheel drive module (13) is connected to the first base (11) and is transmission-connected to the static idler wheel (12) to drive the static idler wheel (12) to rotate; the flexible force sensor (14) is connected to the synchronous wheel drive module (13); one end of the auxiliary connection unit (15) is connected to the first base (11) and forms a second end of the robot unit (1); the other end of the auxiliary connection unit (15) can be connected to another walking mechanism (2).

3. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The auxiliary connection unit (15) comprises a plurality of connection rods, and the two ends of the connection rods are respectively detachably connected to the robot unit (1) and the walking mechanism (2).

4. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The synchronous wheel driving module (13) comprises a driving servo (131), a driving wheel (132), an F-type structure (133), a first tensioning idler wheel (134), a second tensioning idler wheel (135) and a synchronous belt. The driving servo (131) is connected inside the first base (11) and is drivingly connected to the driving wheel (132). Two F-type structures (133) are symmetrically connected to the first base (11). Each of the F-type structures (133) is connected to a first tensioning idler wheel (134) and a flexible force sensor (14). Two second tensioning idler wheels (135) are connected to the first base (11) and are located between the first tensioning idler wheel (134) and the static idler wheel (12). The driving servo (131), the driving wheel (132), the first tensioning idler wheel (134), the second tensioning idler wheel (135) and the static idler wheel (12) are located on the same plane and are jointly drivingly connected to the synchronous belt.

5. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The robot unit (1) further comprises a tensioning force adjustment module (16), wherein the tensioning force adjustment module (16) is connected to the synchronous wheel driving module (13), and the tensioning force adjustment module (16) is capable of adjusting the tensioning force of the synchronous belt.

6. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The tensioning force adjustment module (16) comprises an adjustment bolt, each of the first tensioning idler wheels (134) is connected to the F-shaped structure (133) via one of the adjustment bolts, and each of the second tensioning idler wheels (135) is connected to the first base (11) via one of the adjustment bolts.

7. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The walking mechanism (2) comprises a second base (21), a connecting disc (22) and a dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module (23); the connecting disc (22) and the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module (23) are connected to one end of the second base (21); the connecting disc (22) is connected to the static idler wheel (12) on the robot unit (1) so that the walking mechanism (2) can move synchronously with the static idler wheel (12); and one end of the second base (21) away from the connecting disc (22) and the dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module (23) is connected to the second end of another robot unit (1).

8. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The dual-degree-of-freedom motor drive module (23) comprises a Mecanum wheel (231) and a turbine screw reduction motor (232), wherein the two Mecanum wheels (231) are symmetrically arranged, each Mecanum wheel (231) is drivingly connected to one of the turbine screw reduction motors (232) via a coupling, and the two turbine screw reduction motors (232) are symmetrically connected to the second base (21).

9. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The connecting disc (22) is connected to the static idler wheel (12) via a connecting unit (3), wherein the connecting unit (3) comprises a first connecting bolt (31), a first bearing (32), a second bearing (33), a third bearing (34) and a second connecting bolt, wherein the first connecting bolt (31) is connected to the first base (11), the first bearing (32), the second bearing (33) and the third bearing (34) all have a rib on one side and are connected to the first connecting bolt (31) in sequence, and the first bearing (32) has a side away from the rib on the other side. The side of the second bearing (33) away from the rib is close to each other, the idler wheel (12) is located between the rib of the first bearing (32) and the rib of the second bearing (33), one side of the connecting disc (22) is close to the rib of the second bearing (33) and the other side is close to the rib of the third bearing (34), the side of the third bearing (34) away from the rib extends into the interior of the connecting disc (22), and the idler wheel (12) and the connecting disc (22) are connected along the circumferential direction by a plurality of the second connecting bolts.

10. The modular variable structure robot with flexible active rotation joints according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The static idler wheel (12) is provided with a plurality of empty slots (121) along the circumferential direction.

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