Tower drum cleaning robot and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a tower drum cleaning robot and a control method thereof, the tower drum cleaning robot comprises a cleaning brush, a plurality of adjusting devices, a data acquisition device and a control part, the cleaning brush comprises a center rod and a plurality of mounting plates, and the adjusting devices are in one-to-one correspondence with the mounting plates; the data acquisition device is used for acquiring pose information of the tower drum cleaning robot, and the control part is electrically connected with the adjusting device and the data acquisition device. According to the tower drum cleaning robot, the control part can control the adjusting device to act according to the pose information of the tower drum cleaning robot so as to adjust the distance between the mounting plate of the cleaning brush and the center rod, and therefore the friction force between bristles on the mounting plate and the side wall of the tower drum is adjusted; it is guaranteed that the tower drum cleaning robot has proper friction force when located at all positions of the wind power tower drum, and the side wall of the tower drum can be prevented from being scratched by bristles under the condition that the cleaning effect is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of wind power tower cleaning, and in particular to a tower cleaning robot and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] During use, a wind turbine tower may be corroded, resulting in a reduction in wall thickness. In the related art, a wall-climbing robot is usually used to clean the side walls of the wind turbine tower.

[0003] However, since the surface of a wind turbine tower is not flat and the shapes of different positions of the tower may be different, existing wall-climbing robots cannot adapt to the complex tower wall, resulting in poor cleaning effects. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to overcome the problems existing in the related art, the present application provides a tower cleaning robot and a control method thereof.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present application, a tower cleaning robot is provided, comprising:

[0006] A cleaning brush, comprising a central rod and a plurality of mounting plates, wherein the plurality of mounting plates are arranged along the circumferential direction of the central rod, and bristles are arranged on the radial outer sides of the mounting plates;

[0007] A plurality of adjusting devices, wherein the plurality of adjusting devices are connected to the plurality of mounting plates in a one-to-one correspondence, the adjusting devices comprising a main body and an output end, the main body being connected to the central rod, and the output end being connected to the mounting plate;

[0008] A data acquisition device, used to obtain the position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot;

[0009] A control unit is electrically connected to the adjustment device and the data acquisition device, and is used to receive the posture information collected by the data acquisition device, and control the adjustment device to adjust the distance between the mounting plate and the center rod in the radial direction of the center rod according to the posture information.

[0010] In some embodiments, the data acquisition device includes a posture sensor and / or a distance encoder and / or a laser radar.

[0011] In some embodiments, the main body of the adjusting device and the mounting plate correspondingly connected to the adjusting device are disposed on both sides of the central rod;

[0012] Wherein, the output end of the regulating device passes through the central rod and is connected to the mounting plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, the tower cleaning robot further comprises a power wheel set, each of the power wheel sets comprising at least two power wheels and a connecting shaft connecting the at least two power wheels;

[0014] The connecting shaft is coaxially arranged with the central rod, and the connecting shaft passes through the central rod and is rotatably connected with the central rod.

[0015] In some embodiments, the tower cleaning robot includes a plurality of brackets, each of which is provided with the power wheel set;

[0016] Any adjacent brackets are rotationally connected around a first preset rotation axis, and the first preset rotation axis is parallel to the rolling axis of the tower cleaning robot.

[0017] In some embodiments, in the extension direction of the central rod, the cleaning brush on each of the brackets includes a first cleaning member and at least one second cleaning member separated from each other, and the power wheel is arranged between the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member;

[0018] The power wheel is disposed on a side of the first cleaning member away from the second cleaning member, and at least two of the second cleaning members on two adjacent brackets are located between the two first cleaning members.

[0019] In some embodiments, in the axial direction of the central rod, a size of the first cleaning member is greater than a size of the second cleaning member.

[0020] In some embodiments, the tower cleaning robot further comprises a balancing wheel, and in the extension direction of the rolling axis, the balancing wheel is arranged in front of and / or behind the plurality of the brackets;

[0021] The balance wheel can rotate around a second preset rotation axis, and the second preset rotation axis is parallel to the yaw axis of the tower cleaning robot.

[0022] In some embodiments, the balance wheel is rotatably connected to the bracket via a first preset rotating shaft.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for a tower cleaning robot is provided, comprising:

[0024] Controlling the tower cleaning robot to move along a preset path, and controlling a data acquisition device to obtain position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot;

[0025] According to the position information, the control and adjustment device adjusts the distance between the mounting plate of the cleaning brush and the center rod in the radial direction of the center rod.

[0026] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application may include the following beneficial effects: the control unit can control the adjustment device to operate according to the posture information of the tower cleaning robot, so as to adjust the distance between the mounting plate and the center rod of the cleaning brush, thereby adjusting the friction between the bristles on the mounting plate and the side wall of the tower, ensuring that the tower cleaning robot has appropriate friction when it is at various positions of the wind turbine tower, and preventing the bristles from scratching the side wall of the tower while ensuring the cleaning effect.

[0027] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a tower cleaning robot according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Figure 2 It is a block diagram of a tower cleaning robot according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0031] Figure 3 It is a partial schematic diagram of a tower cleaning robot according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning brush according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0033] Figure 5 is an exploded view of a cleaning brush and an adjustment device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0034] Figure 6 is an axial view of a cleaning brush and an adjustment device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0035] Figure 7 It is a partial schematic diagram of a tower cleaning robot according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0036] Figure 8 is an exploded view of a tower cleaning robot according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0037] Fig. 9 The present invention is a flowchart of a control method of a tower cleaning robot according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] Reference numerals:

[0039] 10. Cleaning brush; 10a. First cleaning member; 10b. Second cleaning member; 11. Center rod; 111. Preset through hole; 112. Rolling bearing; 113. Through hole; 12. Mounting plate; 13. Brush hair; 14. Stop member; 15. First driving motor;

[0040] 20. Adjustment device; 21. Main body; 22. Output end;

[0041] 30. Data acquisition device;

[0042] 40. Control department;

[0043] 50. Power wheel set; 51. Power wheel; 52. Connecting shaft; 53. Second driving motor;

[0044] 60. frame; 61. first preset rotating shaft; 62. second preset rotating shaft;

[0045] 70. Balance wheel;

[0046] 80. Obstacle avoidance component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0048] In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides a tower cleaning robot and a control method thereof, wherein the tower cleaning robot includes a cleaning brush, a plurality of adjustment devices, a data acquisition device and a control unit, wherein the cleaning brush includes a center rod and a plurality of mounting plates, wherein the plurality of adjustment devices correspond one to one with the plurality of mounting plates, and the data acquisition device is used to collect the posture information of the tower cleaning robot, and the control unit is electrically connected to the adjustment device and the data acquisition device, and the control unit can control the adjustment device to adjust the spacing between the mounting plate and the center rod in the radial direction of the center rod according to the posture information. In the present application, the control unit can control the adjustment device to act according to the posture information of the tower cleaning robot to adjust the spacing between the mounting plate and the center rod of the cleaning brush, thereby adjusting the friction between the bristles on the mounting plate and the side wall of the tower, thereby ensuring that the tower cleaning robot has an appropriate friction when it is at various positions of the wind power tower, and can also prevent the bristles from scratching the side wall of the tower while ensuring the cleaning effect.

[0049] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a tower cleaning robot, which can climb on the side wall of a wind turbine tower to clean impurities attached to the side wall of the tower.

[0050] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the tower cleaning robot includes a cleaning brush 10, which is connected to a first drive motor 15. The first drive motor 15 outputs a torque to drive the cleaning brush 10 to rotate, thereby scraping off impurities on the tower side wall by friction. Figure 3 To Figure Figure 6 The cleaning brush 10 includes a central rod 11 and a plurality of mounting plates 12, the plurality of mounting plates 12 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the central rod 11, and bristles 13 are arranged on the radial outer side of at least one mounting plate 12 in the radial direction of the central rod 11. It should be noted that the plurality of mounting plates 12 may be provided with the same bristles 13, or with bristles 13 of different lengths and materials, which will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0051] like Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the tower cleaning robot includes a plurality of adjusting devices 20, one side of the adjusting devices 20 is mounted on the center pole 11, and the other side of the plurality of adjusting devices 20 is connected to a plurality of mounting plates 12 in a one-to-one correspondence. The adjusting devices 20 have functions such as telescoping and rotating, and can adjust the spacing between the center pole 11 and the mounting plate 12, thereby adjusting the distance between the bristles 13 of the mounting plate 12 and the center pole 11 (that is, adjusting the radius / diameter size of the cleaning brush 10), and further adjusting the distance between the bristles 13 and the tower side wall, thereby ensuring that the bristles 13 and the tower side wall have appropriate friction strength, thereby ensuring the cleaning effect and avoiding scratching the tower side wall due to excessive cleaning force.

[0052] In one example, see Figure 5 and Figure 6 The adjusting device 20 has a telescopic function. For example, the adjusting device 20 can be an electric push rod or a cylinder. The telescopic direction of the adjusting device 20 can be parallel to the radial direction of the center rod 11 or have a certain angle. The mounting plate 12 can be driven close to or away from the center rod 11 by telescoping.

[0053] In another example (not shown in the drawings), the adjusting device has a rotation function. The adjusting device can be, for example, a servo. The adjusting device is rotationally connected to the center rod through a preset shaft. The axial direction of the preset shaft is parallel to the axial direction of the center rod. When the mounting plate, the preset shaft and the center rod are collinear, the mounting plate and the center rod have a maximum spacing. When the adjusting device rotates a certain angle around the preset shaft, the spacing between the mounting plate and the center rod becomes smaller, thereby achieving the adjustment of the spacing between the mounting plate and the center rod.

[0054] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the tower cleaning robot also includes a data acquisition device 30 and a control unit 40. The data acquisition device 30 is used to obtain the posture information of the tower cleaning robot. The control unit 40 can obtain the posture information collected by the data acquisition device 30, and control the adjustment device 20 to act according to the posture information, thereby adjusting the distance between the mounting plate 12 and the center rod 11 in the radial direction to ensure that the bristles 13 on the mounting plate 12 are always in contact with the side wall of the tower, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0055] It should be noted that the diameter of the wind turbine tower will decrease with the height, and the change in diameter will cause the curvature of different positions of the wind turbine tower to be different. When the size of the cleaning brush 10 remains unchanged, when the tower cleaning robot cleans different positions of the tower side wall, the change in the curvature of the tower side wall will cause the contact area between the cleaning brush 10 and the tower side wall to be different, affecting the cleaning effect. Therefore, in this embodiment, a data acquisition device 30 is provided to obtain the position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot, and the control unit 40 determines the position and posture of the tower cleaning robot according to the position and posture information, and determines the radius of the cleaning brush 10 required for cleaning according to the position and posture of the tower cleaning robot, and then controls the adjustment device 20 to adjust the radius of the cleaning brush 10 to ensure the cleaning effect.

[0056] In the embodiment of the present application, the control unit 40 can control the adjustment device 20 to operate according to the posture information of the tower cleaning robot, so as to adjust the distance between the mounting plate 12 of the cleaning brush 10 and the center rod 11, thereby adjusting the friction between the bristles 13 on the mounting plate 12 and the side wall of the tower, ensuring that the tower cleaning robot has appropriate friction when it is at various positions of the wind turbine tower, and preventing the bristles 13 from scratching the side wall of the tower while ensuring the cleaning effect.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a tower cleaning robot, which includes a cleaning brush 10, a plurality of adjustment devices 20, a data acquisition device 30 and a control unit 40. The cleaning brush 10 includes a center pole 11 and a plurality of mounting plates 12. The plurality of adjustment devices 20 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of mounting plates 12. The data acquisition device 30 is used to collect posture information of the tower cleaning robot. The control unit 40 is electrically connected to the adjustment device 20 and the data acquisition device 30. The control unit 40 can control the adjustment device 20 to adjust the distance between the mounting plate 12 and the center pole 11 in the radial direction of the center pole 11 according to the posture information.

[0058] In this embodiment, Figure 2As shown, the data acquisition device 30 includes a posture sensor, such as a gyroscope. In one example, the posture sensor can monitor and collect the posture data of the tower cleaning robot in space (such as pitch angle, heading angle, etc.), and by combining the spatial posture data and the structural information of the wind turbine tower, the height of the tower cleaning robot can be determined, as well as the direction of travel of the tower cleaning robot. In another example, the posture sensor can monitor and collect the internal structure posture data of the tower cleaning robot. The tower cleaning robot will have different internal postures when moving along the height direction and circumferential direction of the wind turbine tower. Therefore, by combining the internal structure posture data and the structural information of the wind turbine tower, the heading of the tower cleaning robot can be determined.

[0059] The data acquisition device 30 includes a distance encoder, such as an odometer. The distance encoder can be provided with the position of the power wheel to detect the rotation angle and number of revolutions of the power wheel 51, thereby calculating the movement distance. The distance encoder can also determine the current heading angle of the tower cleaning robot according to the rotation angles of the power wheels 51 on the left and right sides of the tower cleaning robot.

[0060] In some optional embodiments, a roller is provided on each of the left and right sides of the tower cleaning robot, and the roller is a driven wheel. The data acquisition device 30 can collect and obtain the rotation angle of the roller, and then calculate the rolling distance of the roller according to the radius of the roller. According to the rolling distance of the two rollers, the current height of the tower cleaning robot can be calculated, and the heading of the tower cleaning robot can also be determined according to the difference in the rolling distance of the two rollers to determine the spatial posture of the tower cleaning robot. Exemplarily, the roller is connected to the bracket 60 (described in detail later) of the tower cleaning robot through an elastic member. The elastic member can provide a force to the roller away from the bracket 60 to ensure that the roller is always in contact with the side wall of the tower. Since the roller is a driven wheel, the roller will only rotate synchronously when the tower cleaning robot is moving, avoiding the detection error caused by the slipping and idling of the power wheel 51 when the distance encoder is set on the power wheel 51, which is conducive to improving the reliability of posture detection.

[0061] The data acquisition device 30 includes a laser radar, which can scan and model the tower sidewall, and determine the position of the tower cleaning robot in three-dimensional space according to the coordinates of the tower cleaning robot.

[0062] It is understandable that in the tower cleaning robot provided in the embodiment of the present application, the data acquisition device 30 can be only any one of the attitude sensor, the distance encoder and the laser radar, or a combination of any two, or a combination of three. As the types of data acquisition devices 30 provided gradually increase, the control unit 40 can determine the posture of the tower cleaning robot by integrating a variety of data, which is conducive to improving the accuracy of posture monitoring, thereby ensuring that the control unit 40 controls the adjustment device 20 to make correct adjustments.

[0063] Among them, Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the adjusting device 20 is a power device such as an electric push rod, a cylinder, etc. that can output linear motion. The main body 21 of each adjusting device 20 and the mounting plate 12 corresponding to the adjusting device 20 are arranged on both sides of the center rod 11, and the output end 22 of each adjusting device 20 passes through the preset through hole 111 in the center rod 11 and is connected to the mounting plate 12.

[0064] It should be noted that the cleaning brush 10 needs to rotate at high speed during the movement, and the bristles 13 on each mounting plate 12 will generate friction with the side wall of the tower. As can be seen from the above, the mounting plate 12 will be subjected to a force in the circumferential direction of the center rod 11, and in the tower cleaning robot provided in the embodiment of the present application, the hole of the center rod 11 through which the output end 22 is penetrated will provide a fixing effect for the output end 22, thereby preventing the friction force on the mounting plate 12 from being directly transmitted to the main body 21 and causing damage to the adjustment device 20, which is beneficial to improving the assembly reliability of the adjustment device 20 and extending its service life. In addition, by arranging the main body 21 and the mounting plate 12 on both sides of the center rod 11, since the space between the mounting plate 12 and the center rod 11 will not be occupied by the main body 21, the adjustable range of the mounting plate 12 can be increased, for example, the mounting plate 12 can be adjusted to fit the center rod 11, expanding the applicable scenarios.

[0065] In some optional embodiments, see Figures 4 to 6 A plurality of limit members 14 are provided in the circumferential direction of the center rod 11 of the cleaning brush 10, and the plurality of limit members 14 correspond one by one to the main bodies 21 of the plurality of adjusting devices 20. The limit members 14 can be detachably connected with the center rod 11 by fasteners (bolts), and a groove capable of accommodating the main body 21 is provided on the side of the limit member 14 facing the center rod 11. In the assembled state, the main body 21 is located between the limit member 14 and the center rod 11 and in the groove, so that the main body 21 of the adjusting device 20 forms a reliable connection with the cleaning brush 10.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, this embodiment provides a tower cleaning robot, which includes a cleaning brush 10, a plurality of adjustment devices 20, a data acquisition device 30 and a control unit 40. The cleaning brush 10 includes a center pole 11 and a plurality of mounting plates 12. The plurality of adjustment devices 20 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of mounting plates 12. The data acquisition device 30 is used to collect posture information of the tower cleaning robot. The control unit 40 is electrically connected to the adjustment device 20 and the data acquisition device 30. The control unit 40 can control the adjustment device 20 to adjust the distance between the mounting plate 12 and the center pole 11 in the radial direction of the center pole 11 according to the posture information.

[0067] The tower cleaning robot provided in this embodiment may include any structure of the tower cleaning robots provided in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0068] In this embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown, the tower cleaning robot also includes a power wheel set 50, which includes at least two power wheels 51 and a connecting shaft 52 connecting the at least two power wheels 51, the connecting shaft 52 is coaxially arranged with the central rod 11 of the cleaning brush 10, and the connecting shaft 52 passes through the central rod 11 and is rotatably connected to the central rod 11. The power wheel 51 can be a magnetic wheel, and the second drive motor 53 drives the power wheel 51 to rotate through the connecting shaft 52, and a magnetic attraction is generated between the magnetic wheel and the side wall of the tower, so that the tower cleaning robot is adsorbed and fixed on the side wall of the tower, and can also drive the tower cleaning robot to move. In one example, the power wheel 51 includes a wheel body and a plurality of magnets arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the wheel body. The arc length of the wheel body is about 25 mm. A single power wheel 51 can provide at least 800 N of magnetic attraction, and the four power wheels 51 provide at least 3200 N of magnetic attraction in total, with an equivalent pressure of 0.4 MPa and a tower paint surface pressure of 0.97 MPa, which can ensure that a tower cleaning robot weighing about 60 kg can be reliably adsorbed and fixed on the side wall of the tower. The second drive motor 53 can be, for example, a 600W brushless DC motor.

[0069] See also Figure 5 Combined with Figure 7 The central rod 11 of the cleaning brush 10 is cylindrical, for example, the central rod 11 has a through hole that penetrates the central rod 11 along the axial direction, the diameter of the through hole is larger than the diameter of the connecting shaft 52, a rolling bearing 112 is arranged in the through hole, the outer ring of the rolling bearing 112 is connected to the inside of the through hole, and the inner ring of the rolling bearing 112 is connected to the connecting shaft 52. When the second driving motor 53 drives the power wheel 51 to rotate through the connecting shaft 52, it will not affect the cleaning brush 10. Accordingly, when the cleaning brush 10 rotates at a high speed for cleaning, it will not affect the power wheel 51.

[0070] In this embodiment, by arranging the power wheel 51 and the connecting shaft 52 for connecting the power wheel 51 to be coaxial with the cleaning brush 10, the overall volume of the tower cleaning robot can be reduced to reduce the overall weight, which is conducive to improving the adsorption reliability and avoiding falling during the working process. In addition, the coaxial arrangement can also reduce the difficulty of turning the tower cleaning robot.

[0071] Among them, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the tower cleaning robot includes a plurality of brackets 60, each bracket 60 is provided with a power wheel set 50, and any adjacent brackets 60 form a rotation connection around a first preset rotating shaft 61, and the first preset rotating shaft 61 is parallel to the rolling axis of the tower cleaning robot.

[0072] For example, see Figure 8 , Figure 8 The exemplary embodiment shows that two brackets 60 are provided, and it can be determined that the first preset rotating shaft 61 is aligned with the traveling direction of the tower cleaning robot ( Figure 1 The two brackets 60 are parallel to the y direction (as shown in FIG), and rotate around the first preset rotation axis 61 to form a V shape to adapt to the curved surface of the wind power tower.

[0073] Among them, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in the extension direction of the central rod 11, the cleaning brush 10 on each bracket 60 includes a first cleaning member 10a and at least one second cleaning member 10b that are separated from each other, a power wheel 51 is arranged between the first cleaning member 10a and the second cleaning member 10b, and at least two second cleaning members 10b on two adjacent brackets 60 are located between the two first cleaning members 10a. It should be noted that, in the axial direction of the center rod 11, the length of the first cleaning member 10a is greater than that of the second cleaning member 10b. The first cleaning member 10a serves as the main cleaning member, and the second cleaning member 10b serves as an auxiliary cleaning member for supplementary cleaning of the tower side wall between two adjacent brackets 60. In this embodiment, by configuring the cleaning brush 10 to be a first cleaning member 10a and a second cleaning member 10b that are separated from each other, the cleaning brush 10 is supported by power wheels 51 located at both ends of the first cleaning member 10a, one end of the second cleaning member 10b is not provided with a power wheel 51, and the side of the second cleaning member 10b where the power wheel 51 is not provided is located between two adjacent brackets 60, so that the second cleaning member 10b can clean the area between two adjacent brackets 60, which is beneficial to reduce the number of times the tower cleaning robot needs to be adjusted along the circumferential direction of the wind turbine tower, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0074] Each cleaning brush 10 includes a first cleaning member 10a and at least one second cleaning member 10b, and the number of the second cleaning member 10b can be one or two.

[0075] In one example, see Figure 3 , showing that the cleaning brush 10 includes a first cleaning part 10a and a second cleaning part 10b, and the tower cleaning robot includes two brackets 60, and both sides of the first cleaning parts 10a of the two cleaning brushes 10 on the two brackets 60 are provided with power wheels 51, and only one side of the second cleaning parts 10b of the two cleaning brushes 10 is provided with a power wheel 51.

[0076] In another example (not shown in the drawings), the cleaning brush includes a first cleaning member and two second cleaning members, the two second cleaning members are arranged at both ends of the first cleaning member along the axial direction of the central rod, and the tower cleaning robot includes more than two brackets.

[0077] Among them, Figure 3 As shown, the tower cleaning robot also includes a balance wheel 70, which is a magnetic wheel. In the roll axis direction of the tower cleaning robot, the balance wheel 70 is arranged in front of or behind a plurality of brackets 60. The balance wheel 70 can rotate around a second preset rotating shaft 62, and the axial direction of the second preset rotating shaft 62 is parallel to the yaw axis of the tower cleaning robot.

[0078] See also Figure 8 The balancing wheel 70 is rotatably connected to the bracket 60 via the first preset rotating shaft 61. By arranging the balancing wheel 70 to be able to rotate with the bracket 60 around the first preset rotating shaft 61, when the tower cleaning robot turns, the balancing wheel 70 can rotate relative to the bracket 60 around the first preset rotating shaft 61, so that the power wheel 51 and the balancing wheel 70 are twisted in the circumferential direction of the first preset rotating shaft 61, ensuring that the power wheel 51 and the balancing wheel 70 are both in contact with the tower side wall, thereby improving the adsorption reliability of the tower cleaning robot and the tower side wall.

[0079] In some embodiments, the tower cleaning robot further includes an obstacle avoidance component 80, which may include an obstacle avoidance sensor and a camera, which are electrically connected to the control unit 40. The obstacle avoidance sensor, for example, can emit infrared rays, which will be reflected when encountering an obstacle and received by the obstacle avoidance sensor, and the camera can judge the obstacle by image recognition. In this embodiment, the control unit 40 can adjust the preset path of the tower cleaning robot according to the information collected by the obstacle avoidance sensor and the camera, so as to avoid obstacles on the side wall of the tower.

[0080] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, Fig. 9 As shown, the embodiment of the present application also provides a control method for a tower cleaning robot, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0081] Step S110, controlling the tower cleaning robot to move along a preset path, and controlling the data acquisition device to obtain the position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot.

[0082] In this step, a three-dimensional model of the wind turbine tower can be constructed, and a preset path can be determined in the three-dimensional model. The tower cleaning robot can clean along the preset path to clean a designated area or the entire surface of the wind turbine tower.

[0083] Exemplarily, cleaning instructions related to the travel path may be pre-stored in the control unit. The control unit sends a control signal to the second drive motor of the tower cleaning robot according to the pre-stored cleaning instructions. The second drive motor outputs torque to drive the power wheel to rotate, thereby enabling the tower cleaning robot to travel along a preset path.

[0084] The data acquisition device can collect the position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot. The data acquisition device, for example, a posture sensor, can obtain the spatial posture of the tower cleaning robot in three-dimensional space and the internal structure posture of the tower cleaning robot through the posture sensor. The data acquisition device can also be a distance encoder, which can determine the height and heading of the tower cleaning robot. The data acquisition device can also be a laser radar, which can scan the surface of the wind turbine tower. The scanning image of the laser radar is combined with the three-dimensional modeling of the wind turbine tower to determine the current position of the tower cleaning robot. In this embodiment, multiple data acquisition devices can be set at the same time. By comprehensively analyzing the multiple data collected, it is beneficial to improve the accuracy and reliability of the tower cleaning robot's posture detection, and facilitate accurate adjustment of the cleaning brush in the subsequent process.

[0085] Step S120: According to the posture information, controlling the adjustment device to adjust the distance between the mounting plate of the cleaning brush and the center rod in the radial direction of the center rod.

[0086] In this step, the control unit can determine the position, spatial posture and internal structure posture of the tower cleaning robot based on the posture information. Then, the control unit can combine the posture information and three-dimensional modeling to determine the distance between the mounting plate and the tower side wall, and then control the adjustment device to adjust the distance between the mounting plate and the center rod to adjust the cleaning force of the bristles on the mounting plate on the tower side wall.

[0087] It is understandable that as the wind turbine tower gradually rises, the diameter of the wind turbine tower gradually decreases and the curvature gradually increases. For example, when the tower cleaning robot is at the bottom of the wind turbine tower, the diameter of the wind turbine tower becomes larger and the curvature is smaller. The adjustment device adjusts the mounting plate of the cleaning brush and the center rod to have a small spacing, thereby reducing the friction between the bristles and the side wall of the tower. When the tower cleaning robot is at a higher position of the wind turbine tower, the diameter of the wind turbine tower becomes smaller and the curvature becomes larger. The adjustment device adjusts the mounting plate of the cleaning brush and the center rod to have a large spacing, thereby increasing the friction between the bristles and the side wall of the tower.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present application after considering the description and practicing the contents disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present application, which follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in the present application. The description and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present application are indicated by the following claims.

[0089] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the precise structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tower cleaning robot, characterized in that: include: A cleaning brush, comprising a central rod and a plurality of mounting plates, wherein the plurality of mounting plates are arranged along the circumferential direction of the central rod, and bristles are arranged on the radial outer sides of the mounting plates; A plurality of adjusting devices, wherein the plurality of adjusting devices are connected to the plurality of mounting plates in a one-to-one correspondence, the adjusting devices comprising a main body and an output end, the main body being connected to the central rod, and the output end being connected to the mounting plate; A data acquisition device, used to obtain the position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot; A control unit is electrically connected to the adjustment device and the data acquisition device, and is used to receive the posture information collected by the data acquisition device, and control the adjustment device to adjust the distance between the mounting plate and the center rod in the radial direction of the center rod according to the posture information.

2. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The data acquisition device includes a posture sensor and / or a distance encoder and / or a laser radar.

3. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body of the adjusting device and the mounting plate correspondingly connected to the adjusting device are respectively arranged on both sides of the central rod; Wherein, the output end of the regulating device passes through the central rod and is connected to the mounting plate.

4. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tower cleaning robot further comprises a power wheel set, each of the power wheel sets comprising at least two power wheels and a connecting shaft connecting the at least two power wheels; The connecting shaft is coaxially arranged with the central rod, and the connecting shaft passes through the central rod and is rotatably connected with the central rod.

5. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The tower cleaning robot comprises a plurality of brackets, each of which is provided with the power wheel set; Any adjacent brackets are rotationally connected around a first preset rotation axis, and the first preset rotation axis is parallel to the rolling axis of the tower cleaning robot.

6. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: In the extension direction of the central rod, the cleaning brush on each of the brackets includes a first cleaning member and at least one second cleaning member separated from each other, and the power wheel is arranged between the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member; The power wheel is disposed on a side of the first cleaning member away from the second cleaning member, and at least two of the second cleaning members on two adjacent brackets are located between the two first cleaning members.

7. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the axial direction of the central rod, the size of the first cleaning member is greater than that of the second cleaning member.

8. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The tower cleaning robot further comprises a balancing wheel, which is arranged in front of and / or behind the plurality of brackets in the extension direction of the rolling axis; The balance wheel can rotate around a second preset rotation axis, and the second preset rotation axis is parallel to the yaw axis of the tower cleaning robot.

9. The tower cleaning robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The balance wheel is rotatably connected to the bracket via a first preset rotating shaft.

10. A control method for a tower cleaning robot, characterized in that: include: Controlling the tower cleaning robot to move along a preset path, and controlling a data acquisition device to obtain position and posture information of the tower cleaning robot; According to the position information, the control and adjustment device adjusts the distance between the mounting plate of the cleaning brush and the center rod in the radial direction of the center rod.

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