A metamorphic robot for drainage pipe inspection

Abstract

The present invention discloses a drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot, comprising: a main body, including a flush left main board and a right main board, with space left between the front and rear of the two for placing an opening and closing arm connecting the left and right main boards; a variable diameter drive mechanism, located on the left main board and having its drive end connected to the right main board; two crawler running mechanisms, the bottoms of the two respectively rotatingly located within the two spaces and the tops outside the two spaces; two connecting rod mechanisms, corresponding one to one with the two crawler running mechanisms, the first end of the connecting rod mechanism connecting the top of the crawler running mechanism, the second end being hinged to the opening and closing arm adjacent thereto; a detection mechanism, located on the main body; two main board drive mechanisms, respectively used to drive the left and right main boards to move forward and backward. The present invention can change the external dimensions through metamorphic motion, adapt to the detection of drainage pipes of different diameters, and can complete obstacle crossing by changing the angle of the crawler running mechanism, adapting to complex and changeable scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of pipeline detection robots, and more particularly to a drainage pipeline detection metamorphic robot. Background Art

[0002] Patent CN202122437825.8 discloses a six-legged intelligent drainage pipe robot that eliminates the need for manual entry for pipe inspection and maintenance, saving time and effort. It also avoids the harmful effects of odors in the pipes, and the overall design enhances the convenience of pipe endoscopy. However, the robot is not adaptable to inspecting drainage pipes of varying diameters, has weak obstacle-crossing capabilities, and is unable to adapt to complex and changing scenarios. Its detection methods are relatively limited, making it unable to detect multiple defects and collect relevant data within the pipes.

[0003] Patent CN202121472286.5 discloses a pipeline robot capable of moving within water-filled drainage pipes. It can adjust its course based on the actual situation when encountering complex pipe structures such as turns, and can navigate pipes at any angle. However, this robot is not adaptable to inspecting drainage pipes of varying diameters, has weak obstacle-crossing capabilities, and is unable to adapt to complex and changing scenarios. Its detection methods are relatively limited, making it unable to detect multiple defects and collect relevant data within the pipe.

[0004] In summary, existing drainage pipe inspection robots have the following shortcomings: first, they have a fixed size and cannot adapt to the inspection of drainage pipes with different diameters; second, they have poor flexibility, relatively weak climbing and obstacle-crossing capabilities, and are difficult to adapt to complex environments; third, their inspection methods are single and cannot complete multiple defect detection and relevant data collection in the pipeline.

[0005] In summary, how to solve any of the above-mentioned shortcomings of existing drainage pipe inspection robots is an urgent problem to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot, which can change its external dimensions through metamorphic movement to adapt to the inspection of drainage pipes with different diameters, and can complete obstacle crossing by changing the angle of the crawler walking mechanism to adapt to complex and changeable scenes.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] A drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot, comprising:

[0009] The main body includes a left main plate and a right main plate that are flush with each other, with a space left between the front and rear portions thereof for accommodating an opening and closing arm connecting the left main plate and the right main plate. The opening and closing arm opens and closes in response to the movement of the left main plate and the right main plate away from and towards each other;

[0010] a variable diameter drive mechanism, provided on the left main plate and having a drive end connected to the right main plate, for driving the left main plate and the right main plate to move in opposite directions or towards each other in the left and right directions;

[0011] Two crawler walking mechanisms, the bottoms of the two crawler walking mechanisms are respectively rotatably arranged in the two spaces, and the tops are both outside the two spaces;

[0012] Two connecting rod mechanisms, corresponding one to one with the two crawler walking mechanisms, wherein the first end of the connecting rod mechanism is connected to the top of the crawler walking mechanism, and the second end is hinged to the opening and closing arm adjacent thereto;

[0013] A detection mechanism, provided on the main mechanism, for performing various defect detection on the drainage pipe;

[0014] The two mainboard driving mechanisms are used to drive the left mainboard and the right mainboard to move forward and backward respectively.

[0015] Preferably, the variable diameter drive mechanism includes a variable diameter driver and a transmission assembly. The variable diameter driver is provided on the left main board via a first support. The output shaft of the variable diameter driver is connected to the right main board via the transmission assembly.

[0016] Preferably, the transmission assembly includes a gear and a rack, the left main board is provided with a slide extending along the left and right directions, the rack is slidably arranged on the slide, and the end of the rack is provided on the right main board through a second support, the output shaft of the variable diameter drive is arranged along the front and rear directions and is sleeved on the gear, and the gear is engaged with the rack.

[0017] Preferably, the opening and closing arm is C-shaped, the opening of the front opening and closing arm faces forward, and the opening of the rear opening and closing arm faces rearward.

[0018] Preferably, the opening and closing arm includes a left curved arm and a right curved arm, one end of the left curved arm is hinged to the left main board, one end of the right curved arm is hinged to the right main board, and the other ends of the left curved arm and the right curved arm are coaxially hinged.

[0019] Preferably, the other ends of the left curved arm and the right curved arm are coaxially hinged to the bottom end of a vertical fixed support, and the top end of the fixed support is hinged to the second end of the connecting rod mechanism.

[0020] Preferably, the connecting rod mechanism includes an integrally formed cross bar, a U-shaped rod and two longitudinal rods located on both sides of its opening. The cross bar is hinged to the top end of the fixed support, and the two longitudinal rods are respectively connected to the two sides of the crawler walking mechanism through the two upper flanges.

[0021] Preferably, track fixing plates are provided on both sides of the front ends of the left main plate and the right main plate, and the two track fixing plates are arranged opposite to each other in the left-right direction;

[0022] Lower flanges are provided on both sides of the bottom of the crawler walking mechanism. The two lower flanges are respectively hinged to the two crawler fixing plates through an integral connecting arm, and the two connecting arms are arranged opposite to each other in the left and right directions.

[0023] Preferably, the detection mechanism includes:

[0024] A high-definition camera is provided at the upper end of the front portion of the main body, and is used to photograph the internal environment of the drainage pipe;

[0025] A flow rate and velocity sensor is provided at the lower end of the main body mechanism and is used to measure flow rate and velocity parameters of the water environment inside the drainage pipe;

[0026] A sonar, provided at the upper end of the main body, for detecting and locating the internal environment of the drainage pipe;

[0027] The ultrasonic probe is arranged at the lower end of the main body and is used to detect cracks and corrosion defects on the inner surface of the drainage pipe.

[0028] Preferably, the mainboard driving mechanism is a spiral driving mechanism.

[0029] The drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot provided by the present invention can start the variable diameter driving mechanism when facing drainage pipes with different diameters during drainage pipe inspection operations, so that its driving end drives the right main board to move back toward the left main board along the left and right directions. During this process, the front opening and closing arms and the rear opening and closing arms both open to support the left and right main boards to move back to back, so that the main body mechanism can be widened; conversely, the right main board is driven to move toward the left main board along the left and right directions, so that the main body mechanism can be narrowed. Therefore, the robot can change its external dimensions through metamorphic motion to adapt to the inspection of drainage pipes with different diameters.

[0030] If a larger obstacle is encountered that cannot be avoided, the variable diameter drive mechanism can be activated to drive the left and right main boards to move toward each other in the left and right directions. During this process, the front opening and closing arm closes, which can pull the second end of the front connecting mechanism backward. The total length of the connecting mechanism remains unchanged. The first end of the connecting mechanism will pull the top of the front crawler walking mechanism upward. The crawler walking mechanism rotates to complete the obstacle climbing, drive the two main board drive mechanisms to fit the obstacle, and thus drive the robot to complete the obstacle crossing. It should be noted that during the obstacle crossing process, the rear crawler walking mechanism can provide stable support, and after completing the obstacle crossing, the rear crawler walking mechanism fits the obstacle, ensuring the smoothness of the obstacle crossing process.

[0031] If silt or debris deposits to form gullies, the variable diameter drive mechanism can be activated to drive the left and right main boards to move backwards and forwards in the left and right directions. During this process, the front opening and closing arms and the rear opening and closing arms both open, and the front connecting mechanism pushes the front crawler walking mechanism downward, and the rear connecting mechanism also pushes the front crawler walking mechanism downward until the front and rear crawler walking mechanisms are adjusted to a horizontal level. When the front and rear crawler walking mechanisms respectively contact the two edges of the gully, the two can cross the gully by rotating.

[0032] In summary, the drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects: first, it can change the external dimensions through metamorphic movement to better adapt to the inspection of drainage pipes with different diameters, so that the inspection mechanism carried by the robot can be at a higher position to complete various defect detections and relevant data collection in the pipeline; second, it can cross obstacles or gullies by lifting or lowering movements through the crawler walking mechanism to better adapt to complex and changeable scenes; third, the metamorphic movement and the crawler walking mechanism lifting or lowering movements are driven by the same power source, saving energy consumption and cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot provided by the present invention after removing the right and left outer shells;

[0036] Figure 3This is an assembly diagram of the main mechanism, variable diameter drive mechanism, crawler traveling mechanism and connecting rod mechanism provided by the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the C-shaped opening and closing arm provided by the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the detection mechanism provided by the present invention.

[0039] Reference numerals:

[0040] 1-Main mechanism; 11-Left main plate; 12-Right main plate; 13-Opening and closing arm; 14-Fixed support; 15-First cylindrical pin; 16-Second cylindrical pin; 17-Rotating secondary pin; 18-Rotating secondary nut; 19-Track fixing plate; 110-Rotating secondary cylindrical pin; 131-Left crank arm; 132-Right crank arm;

[0041] 2- variable diameter drive mechanism; 21- variable diameter driver; 22- first support; 23- gear; 24- rack; 25- slide plate; 26- second support;

[0042] 3- crawler walking mechanism; 31- upper flange; 32- lower flange; 33- connecting arm;

[0043] 4-link mechanism; 41-crossbar; 42-shaped rod; 43-longitudinal rod;

[0044] 5-Detection mechanism; 51-High-definition camera; 52-Camera base; 53-Flow rate sensor; 54-Sonar; 55-Ultrasonic probe;

[0045] 6- Mainboard drive mechanism;

[0046] 7-right housing;

[0047] 8-Left housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] The core of the present invention is to provide a drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot, which can change its external dimensions through metamorphic movement to adapt to the inspection of drainage pipes with different diameters, and can complete obstacle crossing by changing the angle of the crawler walking mechanism to adapt to complex and changeable scenes.

[0050] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the directions or positional relationships indicated by "upper," "lower," "front," and "back" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate the description of this application and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed, or operate in a specific direction. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, "first," "second," and "third" are used solely to describe effects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0051] The present invention provides a drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot, which includes a main body mechanism 1, a variable diameter driving mechanism 2, two crawler walking mechanisms 3, two connecting rod mechanisms 4, a detection mechanism 5 and two mainboard driving mechanisms 6.

[0052] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 The main body mechanism 1 includes a flush left main board 11 and a right main board 12, with space left between the front and rear of the two for placing an opening and closing arm 13 connecting the left main board 11 and the right main board 12. The opening and closing arm 13 performs opening and closing actions based on the back-to-back and opposite movements of the left main board 11 and the right main board 12.

[0053] Specifically, the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 are arranged in a horizontally opposite relationship, and are flush with each other to stably support the various detection components of the detection mechanism 5. When the main body mechanism 1 is in its initial state, the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 are assembled into one body. A front space is left between the front portions of the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 for the placement of the front opening and closing arm 13, and a rear space is left between the rear portions of the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 for the placement of the rear opening and closing arm 13. As a result, the front and rear portions of the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 are both connected by the opening and closing arm 13.

[0054] The first end of the opening and closing arm 13 is hinged to the left main board 11, and the second end is hinged to the right main board 12. Thus, the opening and closing arm 13 moves toward each other as the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 move to close, and moves away from each other as the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 move to open.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 3 The variable diameter driving mechanism 2 is provided on the left main plate 11 and its driving end is connected to the right main plate 12, and is used to drive the left main plate 11 and the right main plate 12 to move in opposite directions or towards each other.

[0056] Specifically, the variable diameter drive mechanism 2 serves as the power source for the variable cell movement of the robot. The variable diameter drive mechanism 2 is installed on the left main board 11. The driving end of the variable diameter drive mechanism 2 is connected to the right main board 12, which can drive the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to move back to back or towards each other in the left and right directions, thereby widening or narrowing the main body mechanism 1, and thus better adapting to the detection of drainage pipes with different diameters.

[0057] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 The two crawler walking mechanisms 3 have their bottoms respectively rotated in the two spaces and their tops outside the two spaces.

[0058] Specifically, the two crawler walking mechanisms 3 are divided into a front crawler walking mechanism 3 and a rear crawler walking mechanism 3 according to the direction of travel of the robot. The bottom of the front crawler walking mechanism 3 is located in the front space and is rotatably connected to the main body mechanism 1, and the top of the front crawler walking mechanism 3 extends out of the front space, so that the front crawler walking mechanism 3 has a certain length in the front-to-back direction to meet the basic conditions for crossing obstacles and gullies; the bottom of the rear crawler walking mechanism 3 is located in the rear space and is rotatably connected to the main body mechanism 1, and the top of the rear crawler walking mechanism 3 extends out of the rear space, so that the rear crawler walking mechanism 3 has a certain length in the front-to-back direction to meet the basic conditions for crossing obstacles and gullies. It should be noted that the crawler walking mechanism 3 has a built-in power source that can drive the crawler to travel stably on different terrains. It should be noted that the specific structure of the crawler walking mechanism 3 can refer to the existing technology. It is not the focus of protection of the present invention and will not be described in detail herein.

[0059] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 The two connecting rod mechanisms 4 correspond one to one with the two crawler walking mechanisms 3. The first end of the connecting rod mechanism 4 is connected to the top of the crawler walking mechanism 3, and the second end is hinged to the opening and closing arm 13 adjacent to it.

[0060] Specifically, the two linkages 4 are divided into a front linkage 4 and a rear linkage 4 according to the robot's travel direction, and the two linkages correspond one-to-one with the front and rear crawler tracks 3. The connecting mechanism is a fixed-length part, with the first end connected to the top of the crawler track 3 and the second end articulated to the opening and closing arm 13.

[0061] In this embodiment, the opening and closing arms 13 are C-shaped, with the front opening and closing arms 13 opening forward and the rear opening and closing arms 13 opening rearward. Therefore, when the front opening and closing arms 13 close, they pull the second end of the front connecting mechanism backward. Since the connecting mechanism has a fixed size, the first end of the front connecting mechanism pulls the top of the front crawler mechanism 3 upward, thereby lifting the front crawler mechanism 3. Conversely, when the front opening and closing arms 13 open, they push the second end of the front connecting mechanism forward, thereby lowering the front crawler mechanism 3. The movement principle of the rear crawler mechanism 3 is the same as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 5The detection mechanism 5 is provided on the main mechanism 1 and is used to detect various defects in the drainage pipe. It should be noted that the detection mechanism 5 has a variety of detection components, which can be adjusted and installed on the main mechanism 1 according to actual needs by the user so that the detection components move with the main mechanism 1.

[0063] The two mainboard driving mechanisms 6 are used to drive the left mainboard 11 and the right mainboard 12 to move forward and backward respectively, so that the robot can float in a watery environment in the drainage pipe and walk on land in a silt deposition environment.

[0064] The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot in the above embodiment can start the variable diameter driving mechanism 2 when facing drainage pipes with different diameters, and drive the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to move backwards in the left and right directions. During this process, the front opening and closing arms 13 and the rear opening and closing arms 13 both open to support the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to move backwards, so that the main body mechanism 1 can be widened; conversely, the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 are driven to move toward each other in the left and right directions, so that the main body mechanism 1 can be narrowed, so that the robot can change its external dimensions through metamorphic movement to adapt to the detection of drainage pipes with different diameters.

[0065] If a larger obstacle is encountered that cannot be avoided, the variable diameter drive mechanism 2 can be activated to drive the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to move toward each other in the left and right directions. During this process, the front opening and closing arm 13 closes, and the front connecting rod mechanism 4 lifts the front crawler walking mechanism 3 to complete the obstacle climbing, driving the two main board drive mechanisms 6 to conform to the obstacle, thereby driving the robot to complete the obstacle crossing. It should be noted that during the obstacle crossing process, the rear crawler walking mechanism 3 can provide stable support, and after completing the obstacle crossing, the rear crawler walking mechanism 3 conforms to the obstacle, ensuring the smoothness of the obstacle crossing process.

[0066] If silt or debris deposits to form a gully, the variable diameter drive mechanism 2 can be started to drive the left main plate 11 and the right main plate 12 to move backwards in the left and right directions. During this process, the front opening and closing arms 13 and the rear opening and closing arms 13 both open, and the front and rear connecting rod structures respectively move towards the front and rear crawler walking mechanisms 3 until the front and rear crawler walking mechanisms 3 are adjusted to be horizontal. When the front and rear crawler walking mechanisms 3 respectively contact the two edges of the gully, the two can cross the gully by rotating.

[0067] From the above description, it can be seen that the drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects: First, it can change the external dimensions through metamorphic movement to better adapt to the inspection of drainage pipes with different diameters, so that the inspection mechanism 5 carried by the robot can be in a higher position to complete various defect detections and relevant data collection in the pipeline; second, it can cross obstacles or gullies by lifting or lowering the crawler walking mechanism 3 to better adapt to complex and changeable scenes; third, the metamorphic movement and the lifting or lowering movement of the crawler walking mechanism 3 are driven by the same power source, saving energy consumption and cost.

[0068] On the basis of the above embodiments, the present invention also includes a control system, the electrical signals of which are connected to the variable diameter drive mechanism 2, the crawler walking mechanism 3, the detection mechanism 5 and the mainboard drive mechanism 6 to control the robot's walking, cell movement, crossing obstacles or gullies and other actions, as well as receiving, analyzing and processing the detection signal of the detection mechanism 5, thereby realizing the robot to perform automated detection operations.

[0069] Based on the above examples, please refer to Figure 3 The variable diameter drive mechanism 2 includes a variable diameter driver 21 and a transmission assembly. The variable diameter driver 21 is arranged on the left main board 11 through a first support 22. The output shaft of the variable diameter driver 21 is connected to the right main board 12 through the transmission assembly.

[0070] It can be understood that the output shaft of the variable diameter driver 21 is a straight shaft and is at a certain height away from the left main board 11. The transmission assembly is connected between the output shaft of the variable diameter driver 21 and the right main board 12. It not only plays the role of power transmission, but also compensates for the height difference between the output shaft and the right main board 12, which is beneficial for the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to keep them flush, and avoid the main body 1 from tilting and affecting the smooth operation of the robot.

[0071] The variable diameter driver 21 can adopt a planetary reduction servo motor with high precision, high efficiency, good stability and small size. Of course, the variable diameter driver 21 can also adopt other electrified drivers.

[0072] Considering the specific implementation of the transmission assembly, based on the above embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The transmission assembly includes a gear 23 and a rack 24. The left main board 11 is provided with a slide 25 extending along the left and right directions. The rack 24 is slidably arranged on the slide 25, and the end of the rack 24 is provided on the right main board 12 through a second support 26. The output shaft of the variable diameter driver 21 is arranged along the front and rear directions and is sleeved with the gear 23. The gear 23 is engaged with the rack 24.

[0073] Thus, the output shaft of the variable diameter driver 21 can drive the gear 23 to rotate, and the gear 23 drives the rack 24 to slide in the left and right directions on the slide 25. Since the end of the rack 24 is set on the right main board 12 through the second support 26, and the slide 25 is set on the left main board 11, the rack 24 can push the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to move in opposite directions or towards each other. With the transmission assembly of the above structure, on the one hand, the gear 23 and the rack 24 mesh and transmit the transmission smoothly, which can improve the reliability of the robot's cellular motion; on the other hand, the rack 24 slides along the slide 25 arranged in the left and right directions, which can prevent the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 from offsetting during the movement towards or away from each other, thereby further improving the reliability of the robot's cellular motion.

[0074] Preferably, please refer to Figure 2 The second support 26 is an inverted U-shaped structure. The bottom end of the second support 26 is bolted to the right main board 12 and is arranged opposite to the slide plate 25 in the left and right directions. The end of the rack 24 is inserted into the second support 26 and is bolted to the top of the second support 26, so that the rack 24 is horizontally extended along the left and right directions, which is more conducive to the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 moving toward or away from each other and keeping them flush, thereby effectively avoiding displacement during the robot's cell movement.

[0075] Considering the specific structure of the opening and closing arm 13, based on the above embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The opening and closing arm 13 includes a left curved arm 131 and a right curved arm 132. One end of the left curved arm 131 is hinged to the left main board 11, one end of the right curved arm 132 is hinged to the right main board 12, and the other ends of the left curved arm 131 and the right curved arm 132 are coaxially hinged.

[0076] Specifically, the front and rear opening and closing arms 13 have the same structure and mounting method. The following description uses the front opening and closing arm 13 as an example. A first mounting hole is provided on the front of the left main plate 11, and a second mounting hole is provided on the front of the right main plate 12. A first cylindrical pin 15 extends through one end of a left curved arm 131 and is inserted into the first mounting hole. One end of the left curved arm 131 forms a revolute joint (i.e., hinged) with the front of the left main plate 11. A second cylindrical pin 16 extends through one end of a right curved arm 132 and is inserted into the second mounting hole. One end of the right curved arm 132 forms a revolute joint with the front of the right main plate 12. The other ends of the left and right curved arms 131 and 132 form a revolute joint via a third cylindrical pin. Therefore, the opening and closing arm 13 consists of two hinged curved arms, which not only allows for a wider opening and closing angle to accommodate a wider range of pipe diameters, but also enhances the structural stability of the main structure.

[0077] For further information, please refer to Figure 3, the opening and closing arm 13 is C-shaped. The opening of the front part of the opening and closing arm 13 faces forward, and the opening of the rear part of the opening and closing arm 13 faces backward. That is to say, for the front part of the opening and closing arm 13, both the left curved arm 131 and the right curved arm 132 are bent backward, so that the opening and closing arm 13 formed by the two faces forward; for the rear part of the opening and closing arm 13, both the left curved arm 131 and the right curved arm 132 are bent forward, so that the opening and closing arm 13 formed by the two faces backward.

[0078] In this way, during the operation of the robot in the drainage pipe, if it encounters a large obstacle, the diameter-changing driver 21 drives the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 to move relative to each other, narrowing the main body mechanism 1. At this time, the front and rear opening and closing arms 13 perform a closing action. Since the opening of the front part of the opening and closing arm 13 faces forward, the front part of the opening and closing arm 13 moves backward relative to the front crawler traveling mechanism 3 in the front-rear direction, and thus the front crawler traveling mechanism 3 can be pulled up by the connecting mechanism, so as to achieve crossing the obstacle. Therefore, with the opening and closing arm 13 of the above structure, when the robot performs the obstacle-crossing action, the main body mechanism 1 becomes narrower, so as to avoid the situation that the main body mechanism 1 does not match the diameter of the drainage pipe due to widening while achieving crossing the obstacle.

[0079] Considering the specific connection method between the opening and closing arm 13 and the connecting mechanism, on the basis of the above embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 , the other ends of the left curved arm 131 and the right curved arm 132 are coaxially hinged to the bottom end of the vertical fixed support 14, and the top end of the fixed support 14 is hinged to the second end of the link mechanism 4.

[0080] Specifically, the rotating pair pin 17 sequentially passes through the other end of the left curved arm 131, the other end of the right curved arm 132 and the bottom end of the fixed support 14 and is fastened by the rotating pair nut 18. In this way, the fixed support 14 can move back and forth with the opening and closing arm 13. The second end of the connecting mechanism is connected to the top end of the fixed support 14 through the rotating pair cylindrical pin 110, and the fixed support 14 is vertically arranged. Taking the front part of the opening and closing arm 13 as an example, when the opening and closing arm 13 performs a closing action, the opening and closing arm 13 can drive the fixed support 14 to move backward, and the fixed support 14 can pull up the front crawler traveling mechanism 3 more conveniently and smoothly.

[0081] Considering the specific structure of the connecting mechanism, on the basis of the above embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 , the link mechanism 4 includes a cross bar 41, a U-shaped rod 42 integrally formed, and two longitudinal rods 43 respectively located on both sides of its opening. The cross bar 41 is hinged to the top end of the fixed support 14, and the two longitudinal rods 43 are respectively connected to the two side parts of the crawler traveling mechanism 3 through two upper flange plates 31.

[0082] It is understood that the connecting mechanism is integrally formed and has a strong load-bearing capacity, and can smoothly drive the crawler traveling mechanism 3 to be raised or lowered. In addition, the two opposite sides of the U-shaped rod 42 are respectively located on the two sides of the crawler traveling mechanism 3 and are both connected to the side plates of the crawler traveling mechanism 3 through flanges, which can greatly improve the firmness of the connection between the connecting mechanism and the crawler traveling mechanism 3, thereby effectively ensuring the smooth and reliable lifting or lowering of the crawler traveling mechanism 3.

[0083] Considering the specific rotation connection mode between the crawler walking mechanism 3 and the main mechanism 1, based on the above embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 Track fixing plates 19 are provided on both sides of the front ends of the left main board 11 and the right main board 12, and the two track fixing plates 19 are arranged opposite to each other in the left and right directions; lower flanges 32 are provided on both sides of the bottom of the crawler walking mechanism 3, and the two lower flanges 32 are hinged to the two track fixing plates 19 through integrated connecting arms 33, and the two connecting arms 33 are arranged opposite to each other in the left and right directions.

[0084] Specifically, both sides of the bottom of the crawler walking mechanism 3 are connected to lower flanges 32 by multiple screws, which are divided into left lower flanges 32 and right lower flanges 32. The end surfaces of both flanges away from the crawler walking mechanism 3 are integrally provided with connecting arms 33, which are divided into left connecting arms 33 and right connecting arms 33. The two connecting arms are respectively hinged to the left track fixing plate 19 and the right track fixing plate 19. The hinge connection method can adopt hinge connection, bearing connection, ball sleeve connection, etc. to achieve the rotation of the crawler walking mechanism 3 relative to the main mechanism 1, and at the same time achieve the fixed installation of the crawler walking mechanism 3 on the main structure. In addition, the left track fixing plate 19, the left connecting arm 33, the right connecting arm 33 and the right track fixing plate 19 are arranged in sequence in the left-right direction, so that the crawler walking mechanism 3 can be arranged in the front-to-back direction (i.e., the direction of robot travel), thereby preventing lateral deviation of the crawler walking mechanism 3 during travel.

[0085] Preferably, the fixed support 14, the connecting rod mechanism 4 and the crawler traveling mechanism 3 are coaxially arranged in the front-to-back direction, which can avoid the situation where the connecting rod structure twists when pulling or pushing down the crawler traveling mechanism 3 and causes structural damage.

[0086] Regarding the specific implementation of the detection mechanism 5, based on any of the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The detection mechanism 5 includes a high-definition camera 51, a flow rate sensor 53, a sonar 54 and an ultrasonic probe 55.

[0087] The high-definition camera 51 is arranged at the upper end of the front part of the main body 1 and is used to take pictures of the internal environment of the drainage pipe.

[0088] Specifically, the high-definition camera 51 is horizontally arranged at the upper end of the front part of the main body 1 through the camera base 52. The high-definition camera 51 is a high-definition infrared camera to adapt to the internal environment of the drainage pipe with low light source, and to shoot the internal environment of the drainage pipe and transmit the image and video content to the control system.

[0089] The flow rate and velocity sensor 53 is provided at the lower end of the main body mechanism 1 and is used to measure the flow rate and velocity parameters of the water environment inside the drainage pipe.

[0090] Specifically, the flow rate sensor 53 is located at the lower end of the main body 1 and is suitable for measuring the flow rate and velocity parameters of the water environment inside the drainage pipe, whether it is rich or poor, and transmitting the measurement results to the control system. This enables accurate monitoring of the flow rate and velocity inside the pipe, and timely detection of problems such as pipe leaks, which is beneficial to the protection and utilization of water resources.

[0091] The sonar 54 is provided at the upper end of the main body 1 and is used to detect and locate the internal environment of the drainage pipe.

[0092] Specifically, sonar detects the surrounding environment by emitting sound waves and receiving the reflected signals. It can provide detailed information about the robot's surroundings, help the robot better understand its environment, and help the robot avoid collisions underwater or in complex ground environments. Sonar can achieve detection and positioning at longer distances.

[0093] The ultrasonic probe 55 is located at the lower end of the main body 1 and is used to detect defects such as cracks and corrosion on the internal surface of the drainage pipe. It should be noted that the ultrasonic probe 55 transmits ultrasonic waves from its bottom surface to perform detection tasks. Therefore, it needs to be installed at the lower end of the main body 1 to detect defects below the drainage pipe. Defects above the drainage pipe can be detected using sonar.

[0094] Considering the specific implementation of the mainboard drive mechanism 6, based on any of the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 , the mainboard driving mechanism 6 is a spiral driving mechanism.

[0095] Specifically, the spiral drive mechanism primarily consists of a spiral drum and its built-in propeller. The spiral drum is fixed to the underside of the left or right main board 11, 12 of the main body 1 via multiple screws. The propeller drives the spiral drum to rotate, and this rotational motion drives the main body 1 to move linearly. Therefore, the unique structure and characteristics of the spiral drive mechanism enable the robot to walk on land in muddy environments and float underwater in water-rich environments. Furthermore, the spiral drive mechanism itself has a strong ability to cross obstacles, capable of handling most obstacles in pipelines.

[0096] It should be noted that by controlling the start and stop and the rotation speed of the two screw propellers, the speed control of the robot is completed, the differential speed of the left and right spiral drums is achieved, and the turning of the robot is completed.

[0097] Based on any of the above examples, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The present invention also includes a left shell 8 and a right shell 7, which are respectively covered on the left main board 11 and the right main board 12 and have open ends on both sides opposite to each other in the left and right directions. The two open ends are spliced ​​together to form a closed space inside the left shell 8 and the right shell 7. The variable diameter drive mechanism 2 can be placed as a whole in the closed space to protect the variable diameter drive mechanism 2 from interference from external impurities, thereby ensuring the reliable and normal operation of the variable diameter drive mechanism 2, thereby improving the reliability of the robot's cell movement, obstacle crossing and gully movement.

[0098] It should be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as first and second are merely used to distinguish one entity from other entities, but do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0099] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0100] The above is a detailed introduction to the drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot provided by the present invention. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method of the present invention and its core idea. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principles of the present invention, the present invention can also be improved and modified in several ways, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot, characterized in that: include: The main body mechanism (1) comprises a flush left main board (11) and a right main board (12), with a space left between the front and rear parts of the two main boards for accommodating an opening and closing arm (13) connecting the left main board (11) and the right main board (12), wherein the opening and closing arm (13) performs opening and closing actions corresponding to the movement of the left main board (11) and the right main board (12) in opposite directions and in opposite directions; a variable diameter driving mechanism (2), provided on the left main plate (11) and having a driving end connected to the right main plate (12), for driving the left main plate (11) and the right main plate (12) to move in opposite directions or towards each other in the left and right directions; Two crawler walking mechanisms (3), the bottoms of the two mechanisms being rotatably disposed in the two spaces and the tops being outside the two spaces; Two connecting rod mechanisms (4) corresponding one to one with the two crawler walking mechanisms (3), wherein the first end of the connecting rod mechanism (4) is connected to the top of the crawler walking mechanism (3), and the second end is hinged to the opening and closing arm (13) adjacent thereto; A detection mechanism (5) is provided on the main mechanism (1) and is used to perform various defect detection on the drainage pipe; The two mainboard driving mechanisms (6) are used to drive the left mainboard (11) and the right mainboard (12) to move forward and backward, respectively.

2. The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The variable diameter drive mechanism (2) comprises a variable diameter driver (21) and a transmission assembly. The variable diameter driver (21) is arranged on the left main plate (11) via a first support (22). The output shaft of the variable diameter driver (21) is connected to the right main plate (12) via the transmission assembly.

3. The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission assembly includes a gear (23) and a rack (24); the left main board (11) is provided with a slide plate (25) extending in the left-right direction; the rack (24) is slidably arranged on the slide plate (25); and the end of the rack (24) is arranged on the right main board (12) through a second support (26); the output shaft of the variable diameter driver (21) is arranged in the front-back direction and is sleeved on the gear (23); the gear (23) is meshed with the rack (24).

4. The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening and closing arm (13) is C-shaped, the opening of the front opening and closing arm (13) faces forward, and the opening of the rear opening and closing arm (13) faces backward.

5. The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening and closing arm (13) comprises a left curved arm (131) and a right curved arm (132), one end of the left curved arm (131) is hinged to the left main board (11), one end of the right curved arm (132) is hinged to the right main board (12), and the other ends of the left curved arm (131) and the right curved arm (132) are coaxially hinged.

6. The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The other ends of the left curved arm (131) and the right curved arm (132) are coaxially hinged to the bottom end of a vertical fixed support (14), and the top end of the fixed support (14) is hinged to the second end of the connecting rod mechanism (4).

7. The drainage pipe detection metamorphic robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The link mechanism (4) includes a cross bar (41), a U-shaped rod (42) integrally formed, and two longitudinal rods (43) respectively located on both sides of its opening. The cross bar (41) is hinged to the top end of the fixed support (14), and the two longitudinal rods (43) are respectively connected to both side parts of the crawler travel mechanism (3) through two upper flange plates (31).

8. The drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: On both sides of the front ends of the left main board (11) and the right main board (12) facing each other, crawler fixing plates (19) are provided, and the two crawler fixing plates (19) are arranged opposite to each other in the left-right direction; On both sides of the bottom of the crawler travel mechanism (3), lower flange plates (32) are provided. The two lower flange plates (32) are respectively and correspondingly hinged to the two crawler fixing plates (19) through integral connecting arms (33), and the two connecting arms (33) are arranged opposite to each other in the left-right direction.

9. The drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The detection mechanism (5) includes: A high-definition camera (51), provided at the upper end of the front part of the main body mechanism (1), for photographing the internal environment of the drainage pipe; A flow velocity sensor (53), provided at the lower end of the main body mechanism (1), for measuring the flow velocity parameters of the internal water environment of the drainage pipe; A sonar (54), provided at the upper end of the main body mechanism (1), for detecting and positioning the internal environment of the drainage pipe; An ultrasonic probe (55), provided at the lower end of the main body mechanism (1), for detecting crack and corrosion defects on the internal surface of the drainage pipe.

10. The drainage pipe inspection metamorphic robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The main board driving mechanism (6) is a spiral driving mechanism.

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