Emergency braking obstacle avoidance device for rail robot

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robot obstacle avoidance, in particular to a rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device which comprises a robot body, a walking mechanism is arranged at the top of the robot body, the walking mechanism is in close fit with a rail, and it is ensured that the robot body can walk along the preset rail; an alternating current motor is integrated in the robot body to serve as a power source, the walking mechanism is driven through the alternating current motor, a battery used for providing electric energy is further arranged in the robot body, a pulley is arranged on the outer side of the walking mechanism, and a chain is in transmission connection with the outer side of the pulley. The surrounding environment is scanned through the laser radar, once an obstacle is detected, rotation of the alternating current motor rotor is rapidly slowed down and stopped, the emergency braking effect is achieved, compared with power-off braking in the prior art, the problem that dragging cannot be achieved when a power source fails is effectively solved, and operation safety and maintainability of the robot are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of robot obstacle avoidance, in particular to an emergency braking obstacle avoidance device for a rail robot. Background Art

[0002] With the development of industrial automation and intelligence, rail inspection robots are increasingly used in railways, subways, mines and other fields. These robots can effectively improve inspection efficiency and reduce labor costs by automatically inspecting along preset tracks. However, in a complex and changing inspection environment, robots face many challenges, especially emergency braking and obstacle avoidance, which is directly related to the safety and efficiency of robot operation.

[0003] In the prior art, rail inspection robots mainly use mechanical braking or electromagnetic power-off braking to perform emergency braking to avoid obstacles. Mechanical braking usually relies on physical friction to achieve braking. Although the structure is simple, it wears quickly, has high maintenance costs, and has limited braking response speed. Electromagnetic power-off braking achieves braking through mechanical structures such as spring force when the motor is powered off. Although the braking is reliable, there is a defect that the robot cannot be towed once the power fails, which greatly limits the flexibility and maintainability of the robot in complex environments. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emergency braking obstacle avoidance device for a rail robot to solve the problems raised in the above background technology.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: A rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device, comprising: A robot body, wherein a walking mechanism is arranged on the top of the robot body, and the walking mechanism is closely matched with the track to ensure that the robot body can walk along the preset track. An AC motor is integrated inside the robot body as a power source, and the walking mechanism is driven by the AC motor. A battery for providing electrical energy is also arranged inside the robot body; A pulley is arranged on the outer side of the walking mechanism, a chain is connected to the outer side of the pulley, a driven wheel is arranged on the inner wall of one end of the chain, and the driven wheel is driven by an AC motor; The central controller is arranged inside the robot body. The central controller includes a control module, a data processing module, and a self-checking module. The central controller is responsible for receiving and processing sensor data and issuing control instructions. The laser radar is installed on both sides of the robot body. It scans the surrounding environment of the robot body in real time, detects potential obstacles, and sends the detection information to the central controller.

[0006] A braking circuit is also provided inside the robot body, and the braking circuit is powered by a battery. A DC current is injected into the stator winding of the AC motor through the braking circuit, so that a static magnetic field can be generated in the stator of the AC motor; The backup brake is arranged inside the robot body and is used for emergency braking of the walking mechanism.

[0007] Preferably, the backup brake includes a locking mechanism, which includes a brake ring, which is fixedly connected to the driven wheel through a connecting shaft, two brake plates are arranged on the outer side of the brake ring, a connecting ring is fixedly connected to one side of the brake plate, a brake block is arranged on the inner wall of the brake plate, and a brake groove which is adapted to the brake block is opened on the outer side of the brake ring.

[0008] Preferably, the backup brake includes a cylinder and a guide bin, the output end of the cylinder is fixedly connected to a transmission plate, the transmission plate is arranged in the inner cavity of the guide bin, a transmission seat is respectively arranged at both ends of the transmission plate, the contact surface between the transmission plate and the transmission seat is arranged as mutually compatible inclined surfaces, a connecting frame is arranged on one side of the transmission seat, and a connecting ring is arranged on the inner wall of the connecting frame.

[0009] Preferably, ultrasonic sensors are provided on both sides of the robot body, above the laser radar, and the ultrasonic sensors are used to measure the distance between the robot body and obstacles in the surrounding environment and provide distance data to the central controller.

[0010] Preferably, a rotation speed sensor is provided at the output end of the AC motor, and the rotation speed of the output end of the AC motor is detected by the rotation speed sensor, and the rotation speed data of the AC motor is sent to the self-test module of the central controller.

[0011] Preferably, corresponding ends of the two connecting rings are provided with mounting grooves, and the inner cavities of the mounting grooves are provided with springs.

[0012] Preferably, a current sensor is provided in the braking circuit for detecting in real time the magnitude of the DC current injected by the braking circuit into the stator winding of the AC motor.

[0013] Preferably, ultrasonic sensors are further provided on both sides of the robot body, and the ultrasonic sensors are electrically connected to the data processing module in the central controller. The infrared rangefinder, ultrasonic sensor and laser radar constitute the detection system of the robot body.

[0014] Preferably, the infrared rangefinder is equipped with an optical filter, the ultrasonic sensor has a multi-frequency transmission function, and is equipped with an automatic calibration module, which can regularly calibrate the measurement parameters.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. In the present invention, during the robot's inspection along the track, the laser radar scans the surrounding environment. Once an obstacle is detected, a DC current is injected into the stator winding of the AC motor through the braking circuit, so that the DC current generates a static magnetic field in the stator, which interacts with the permanent magnet in the motor rotor to generate a reaction torque, quickly slowing down and stopping the rotation of the rotor. Compared with the power-off braking in the prior art, the problem of being unable to drag when the power fails is effectively solved, ensuring the operation safety and maintainability of the robot; 2. In the present invention, the distance between the robot and the obstacle is measured by an infrared rangefinder, and the DC current injected into the stator winding is automatically adjusted according to the distance and approach speed between the robot and the obstacle. When braking an obstacle at a long distance, the current to the stator winding is gradually increased to generate a gradually increasing reaction force distance, thereby achieving progressive braking, thereby avoiding frequent and rapid braking of the robot and reducing the impact of emergency braking on various components of the robot; 3. In the present invention, the rotation speed of the AC motor is detected in real time by a rotation speed sensor. When the robot encounters an obstacle and performs emergency braking, if the rotor speed of the AC motor fails to decrease, or the speed decrease rate is slower than the preset speed, the cylinder is started by the central controller to enable the backup brake to mechanically brake the walking mechanism, thereby providing double protection for the emergency braking of the robot, improving the fault tolerance of the braking device, and further improving the safety of the robot operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a simplified flow chart of the emergency braking of the robot body in the present invention; Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 1 The overall structural diagram of the backup brake; Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 4 The overall structural diagram of the locking mechanism; In the figure: 1. robot body; 11. AC motor; 111. speed sensor; 12. battery; 13. central controller; 14. infrared rangefinder; 15. ultrasonic sensor; 16. laser radar; 2. walking mechanism; 21. pulley; 22. chain; 23. driven wheel; 3. spare brake; 31. cylinder; 32. guide bin; 33. transmission plate; 34. transmission seat; 35. connecting frame; 36. locking mechanism; 361. brake ring; 362. brake plate; 363. connecting ring; 364. mounting groove; 365. spring; 366. brake block; 367. brake groove; 368. connecting shaft. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0018] In order to better understand the above technical solution, the above technical solution will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0019] See also Figure 1-5 , the present invention provides a technical solution: A rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device, comprising: A robot body 1, a walking mechanism 2 is arranged on the top of the robot body 1, and the walking mechanism 2 is closely matched with the track to ensure that the robot body 1 can walk along the preset track. An AC motor 11 is integrated inside the robot body 1 as a power source, and the walking mechanism 2 is driven by the AC motor 11. A battery 12 for providing electrical energy is also arranged inside the robot body 1; A pulley 21 is disposed on the outer side of the walking mechanism 2, and a chain 22 is connected to the outer side of the pulley 21. A driven wheel 23 is disposed on the inner wall of one end of the chain 22, and the driven wheel 23 is driven by the AC motor 11; The central controller 13 is arranged inside the robot body 1. The central controller 13 includes a control module, a data processing module, and a self-checking module. The central controller 13 is responsible for receiving and processing sensor data and issuing control instructions; The laser radar 16 is arranged on both sides of the robot body 1. The laser radar 16 scans the surrounding environment of the robot body 1 in real time, detects potential obstacles, and sends the detection information to the central controller 13.

[0020] A braking circuit is also provided inside the robot body 1, and the braking circuit is powered by a battery 12. A DC current is injected into the stator winding of the AC motor 11 through the braking circuit, so that a static magnetic field can be generated in the stator of the AC motor 11; The backup brake 3 is arranged inside the robot body 1 and is used for emergency braking of the walking mechanism 2 .

[0021] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4-5 The standby brake 3 includes a locking mechanism 36, which includes a brake ring 361. The brake ring 361 is fixedly connected to the driven wheel 23 through a linkage shaft 368. Two brake plates 362 are arranged on the outer side of the brake ring 361. A connecting ring 363 is fixedly connected to one side of the brake plate 362. A brake block 366 is arranged on the inner wall of the brake plate 362. A brake groove 367 that matches the brake block 366 is opened on the outer side of the brake ring 361. In this embodiment, when the two brake plates 362 clamp the brake ring 361 at the same time, the brake groove 367 cooperates with the brake block 366 to perform emergency braking on the brake ring 361. Since the brake ring 361 is fixedly connected to the driven wheel 23 through the linkage shaft 368, when the brake ring 361 is emergency braked, the driven wheel 23 stops rotating, thereby stopping the walking mechanism 2 from walking, thereby completing the braking of the robot body 1.

[0022] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4-5 The standby brake 3 includes a cylinder 31 and a guide bin 32. The output end of the cylinder 31 is fixedly connected with a transmission plate 33. The transmission plate 33 is arranged in the inner cavity of the guide bin 32. A transmission seat 34 is respectively arranged at both ends of the transmission plate 33. The contact surfaces between the transmission plate 33 and the transmission seat 34 are arranged as mutually adapted inclined surfaces. A connecting frame 35 is arranged on one side of the transmission seat 34. A connecting ring 363 is arranged on the inner wall of the connecting frame 35. In this embodiment, power is given by the cylinder 31 to push the transmission plate 33 forward, so that the transmission plate 33 can drive the two transmission seats 34 to move closer to each other. By bringing the two transmission seats 34 closer together, the connecting ring 363 can drive the brake plate 362 to clamp the brake ring 361, so that the brake ring 361 stops rotating.

[0023] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1On both sides of the robot body 1, ultrasonic sensors 15 are arranged above the laser radar 16. The ultrasonic sensors 15 are used to measure the distance between the robot body 1 and obstacles in the surrounding environment, and provide distance data to the central controller 13. In this embodiment, the distance between the robot body 1 and the obstacle is detected in real time by the ultrasonic sensor 15, and the data is transmitted to the data processing module of the central controller 13. According to the change of time and distance, it is judged whether the robot body 1 needs emergency braking. When the braking time is sufficient, progressive braking is adopted to reduce the impact on the robot body 1. When the braking time is short, emergency braking is performed to prevent the robot body 1 from colliding with obstacles.

[0024] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 A speed sensor 111 is provided at the output end of the AC motor 11. The speed sensor 111 detects the speed of the output end of the AC motor 11, and sends the speed data of the AC motor 11 to the self-test module of the central controller 13. In this embodiment, when an obstacle is detected and the AC motor 11 is braked, if the speed of the rotor of the AC motor 11 does not drop significantly, the self-test module determines that the brake fails, and then starts the cylinder 31 through the control module, so that the backup brake 3 performs emergency braking on the walking mechanism 2, providing double insurance for the robot body 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 , the corresponding ends of the two connecting rings 363 are provided with mounting grooves 364, and the inner cavity of the mounting grooves 364 is provided with springs 365. In this embodiment, when the two connecting rings 363 are close to each other, that is, when the brake plate 362 clamps the brake ring 361, the spring 365 is squeezed and deformed. When the braking is over, the spring 365 loses pressure and rebounds, so that the two connecting rings 363 are separated from each other and return to their original positions, thereby driving the two connecting rings 363 to separate from each other, stopping the braking of the brake ring 361, allowing the walking mechanism 2 to walk normally, and avoiding the walking mechanism 2 from being locked, resulting in the robot body 1 being unable to be dragged.

[0026] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 In the braking circuit, a current sensor is provided for detecting in real time the magnitude of the DC current injected into the stator winding of the AC motor 11 by the braking circuit. In this embodiment, in the braking circuit, a PWM signal is used to control the switching state of the power transistor, thereby adjusting the DC current injected into the stator winding. When the braking torque needs to be increased, the duty cycle of the PWM signal is increased to make the power transistor conduction time longer, thereby increasing the current; conversely, reducing the duty cycle reduces the current, thereby achieving emergency braking and progressive braking of the AC motor 11.

[0027] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3Ultrasonic sensors 15 are further provided on both sides of the robot body 1. The ultrasonic sensors 15 are electrically connected to the data processing module in the central controller 13. The infrared rangefinder 14, the ultrasonic sensor 15, and the laser radar 16 constitute the detection system of the robot body 1. In this embodiment, by adding the ultrasonic sensor 15, the obstacle avoidance system of the robot body 1 can work normally in an environment with insufficient light or complete darkness, without being restricted by lighting conditions, thereby enhancing the robot's obstacle avoidance ability in complex and changeable environments.

[0028] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 The infrared rangefinder 14 is equipped with an optical filter, the ultrasonic sensor 15 has a multi-frequency transmission function, and is equipped with an automatic calibration module, which can regularly calibrate the measurement parameters. In this embodiment, the influence of ambient light intensity fluctuations, temperature gradient changes and electromagnetic interference on the measurement results is effectively avoided, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the measurement results, and can adapt to the application requirements under high-speed rotation and harsh working conditions.

[0029] Working principle of the present invention: Step 1: The laser radar 16 continuously monitors the path of the robot body 1 and the surrounding environment, and measures the distance to the surrounding objects by emitting a laser beam and receiving its reflected signal. The laser radar 16 detects whether there are obstacles on the path of the robot body 1 by emitting a laser beam and receiving its reflected signal, and transmits the detection data to the central controller 13. The data processing module of the central controller 13 analyzes it. When it is detected that there are obstacles on the path of the robot body 1, which affects the normal passage of the robot, it is determined that an obstacle is encountered, and the control module of the central controller 13 activates the control module. The motor circuit is started to prepare for the braking operation, and a DC current is injected into the stator winding of the AC motor 11 through the battery 12. The magnetic field generated by the DC current in the stator winding is static, and forms an interactive magnetic field force, namely, an electromagnetic force, with the permanent magnet inherent in the rotor of the AC motor 11. The electromagnetic force generates a reaction torque on the motor output shaft, and the direction is opposite to the normal rotation direction of the AC motor 11. As the speed gradually decreases, the reaction torque increases accordingly until the rotor stops rotating completely, so that 23 stops rotating, thereby stopping the running of the walking mechanism 2, and realizing the emergency braking of the robot body 1; Step 2: During the operation of the robot body 1, the infrared rangefinder 14 continuously monitors the distance between the robot body 1 and the obstacle in front, and transmits these data to the data processing module of the central controller 13 in real time. The data processing module performs algorithm analysis based on the distance change time to evaluate the approach speed of the obstacle. For obstacles approaching at a long distance or slowly, the battery 12 gradually increases the amount of DC current injected into the stator winding of the AC motor 11 through the braking circuit. As the DC current gradually increases, the static magnetic field strength generated in the stator also increases. This gradually increasing reaction torque causes the rotor speed to slow down steadily, achieving progressive braking, effectively reducing the impact and vibration during the braking process, and protecting the various components of the robot and the track structure. For obstacles approaching quickly at a close distance, the DC current is directly increased to the maximum value through the battery 12 and the control circuit, and DC current is injected into the stator winding of the AC motor 11 to generate the maximum reaction torque in a very short time. This powerful braking torque can quickly stop the rotation of the rotor, ensuring that the inspection robot can achieve emergency braking in the shortest time and effectively avoid collisions with obstacles; Step 3, when the AC motor 11 performs a braking operation, the self-test module in the central controller 13 immediately performs a test, detects the speed of the output end of the AC motor 11 through the speed sensor 111, and transmits the speed data of the rotor of the AC motor 11 to the data processing module of the central controller 13, and detects the speed change of the rotor of the AC motor 11 before and after the braking operation through the data processing module. After the braking operation is performed, if the speed change of the rotor of the AC motor 11 does not reach the set threshold, it is determined that the braking fails, and the cylinder 31 is started through the control module of the central controller 13, and the transmission plate 33 is pushed forward by the cylinder 31 to move it forward. Since the two ends of the transmission plate 33 and the transmission seat 34 are set as corresponding inclined surfaces, when the transmission plate 3 When the two transmission seats 34 move forward, the transmission seats 34 are pushed to move, so that the distance between the two transmission seats 34 gradually becomes smaller, and the two connecting frames 35 drive the two connecting rings 363 to move closer to each other, so that the two brake plates 362 move closer to each other, and the spring 365 is squeezed to produce deformation. When the brake plates 362 move closer to each other, the outer side of the brake ring 361 is clamped, and the rotation of the brake ring 361 is restricted through the cooperation between the brake block 366 and the brake groove 367, so that the brake ring 361 is braked. Since the brake ring 361 is fixedly connected to the driven wheel 23 through the linkage shaft 368, when the brake ring 361 is braked, the driven wheel 23 is braked urgently, so that the pulley 21 stops rotating, and the robot body 1 is stopped urgently on the track.

[0030] The above shows and describes the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions are only for explaining the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be subject to various changes and improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. These changes and improvements fall within the scope of the present invention to be protected. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device, characterized in that: include A robot body (1), wherein a walking mechanism (2) is arranged on the top of the robot body (1), wherein the walking mechanism (2) closely cooperates with a track to ensure that the robot body (1) can walk along a preset track, wherein an AC motor (11) is integrated inside the robot body (1) as a power source, and the walking mechanism (2) is driven by the AC motor (11), and a battery (12) for providing electric energy is also arranged inside the robot body (1); A pulley (21) is disposed on the outer side of the walking mechanism (2), a chain (22) is connected to the outer side of the pulley (21), a driven wheel (23) is disposed on the inner wall of one end of the chain (22), and the driven wheel (23) is driven by an AC motor (11); A central controller (13) is arranged inside the robot body (1), the central controller (13) comprising a control module, a data processing module, and a self-checking module, and the central controller (13) is responsible for receiving and processing sensor data and issuing control instructions; Laser radars (16) are arranged on both sides of the robot body (1), and the laser radars (16) are used to scan the surrounding environment of the robot body (1) in real time, detect potential obstacles, and send the detection information to the central controller (13); A braking circuit is also provided inside the robot body (1), and the braking circuit is powered by a battery (12). A direct current is injected into the stator winding of the AC motor (11) through the braking circuit, so that a static magnetic field is generated in the stator of the AC motor (11); A backup brake (3) is arranged inside the robot body (1) and is used to perform emergency braking on the walking mechanism (2).

2. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The backup brake (3) comprises a locking mechanism (36), the locking mechanism (36) comprising a brake ring (361), the brake ring (361) being fixedly connected to the driven wheel (23) via a linkage shaft (368), two brake plates (362) being arranged on the outer side of the brake ring (361), a connecting ring (363) being fixedly connected to one side of the brake plate (362), a brake block (366) being arranged on the inner wall of the brake plate (362), and a brake groove (367) being adapted to the brake block (366) being provided on the outer side of the brake ring (361).

3. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The backup brake (3) comprises a cylinder (31) and a guide bin (32); the output end of the cylinder (31) is fixedly connected to a transmission plate (33); the transmission plate (33) is arranged in the inner cavity of the guide bin (32); a transmission seat (34) is respectively arranged at both ends of the transmission plate (33); the contact surfaces between the transmission plate (33) and the transmission seat (34) are arranged as mutually matching inclined surfaces; a connecting frame (35) is arranged on one side of the transmission seat (34); and a connecting ring (363) is arranged on the inner wall of the connecting frame (35).

4. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: On both sides of the robot body (1), infrared rangefinders (14) are arranged above the laser radar (16); the infrared rangefinders (14) are used to measure the distance between the robot body (1) and obstacles in the surrounding environment, and provide distance data to the central controller (13).

5. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output end of the AC motor (11) is provided with a rotation speed sensor (111), which detects the rotation speed of the output end of the AC motor (11) and sends the rotation speed data of the AC motor (11) to the self-test module of the central controller (13).

6. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The corresponding ends of the two connecting rings (363) are each provided with a mounting groove (364), and the inner cavity of the mounting groove (364) is provided with a spring (365).

7. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The braking circuit is provided with a current sensor for real-time detection of the magnitude of the direct current injected by the braking circuit into the stator winding of the AC motor (11).

8. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 4, characterized in that: Ultrasonic sensors (15) are further provided on both sides of the robot body (1); the ultrasonic sensors (15) are electrically connected to a data processing module in a central controller (13); and the infrared rangefinder (14), the ultrasonic sensor (15) and the laser radar (16) constitute a detection system of the robot body (1).

9. The rail robot emergency braking obstacle avoidance device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The infrared rangefinder (14) is equipped with an optical filter, and the ultrasonic sensor (15) has a multi-frequency transmission function and is equipped with an automatic calibration module, which can regularly calibrate the measurement parameters.

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