Traveling mechanism of unmanned vehicle transfer trolley

Abstract

An unmanned vehicle transfer trolley walking mechanism comprises a control system and a plurality of traveling systems arranged at the bottom end of a frame. The control system is integrated in a transfer trolley control system and is driven by power provided by a transfer trolley power source to control operation of the traveling system. The travelling crane system comprises a suspension, and a running structure and a steering structure which are connected to the suspension; the running structure and the steering structure achieve walking and steering of the walking mechanism correspondingly. By means of the walking mechanism, high efficiency, stability and safety of the unmanned aircraft in the transfer process are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle transportation, and in particular relates to a walking mechanism of an unmanned aerial vehicle transportation vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the development of ocean exploration technology and automation technology, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) as a new type of surface operation tool have been widely used in many fields such as marine environment monitoring, underwater topography mapping, search and rescue operations, etc. Unmanned vehicles can not only reduce the risk of manual operation, but also improve operation efficiency and can work in harsh environments for a long time.

[0003] In practical applications, unmanned aerial vehicles often need to be transported by mother ships and deployed to the target sea area. Unmanned aerial vehicles are generally stored in the cabin of the mother ship. When they are needed to go out to sea to perform tasks, they need to be transferred from the cabin to the deployment location (on the deck or in the dock). The traditional transfer method mostly relies on lifting equipment. Although this method can meet the basic transfer needs of unmanned aerial vehicles, it has many shortcomings in actual operation.

[0004] The operation of ordinary lifting equipment is usually cumbersome, and the position and height of the hook need to be precisely controlled. Especially when the space in the cabin is limited, the whole process takes a long time. In addition, due to the heavy weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, each transfer requires a long time to prepare and operate, which greatly reduces the transfer efficiency; during the lifting and lowering process of the lifting equipment, due to the shaking of the mother ship itself and the fluctuation of the sea surface, it is difficult to ensure the stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle during the entire transfer process, which may not only cause damage to the unmanned aerial vehicle, but also affect its subsequent mission execution capabilities. Due to the above-mentioned lack of stability, the unmanned aerial vehicle has a high risk of collision during the transfer process. Once a collision occurs, it may cause surface scratches at the least, and damage to internal components at the worst, seriously affecting the function of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a walking mechanism for an unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle, so as to solve the technical problem of the transfer vehicle transferring an unmanned aerial vehicle stably and quickly.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the specific technical solution of the walking mechanism of an unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A traveling mechanism of an unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle includes a control system and a plurality of driving systems arranged at the bottom end of a vehicle frame; the control system is integrated into a control system of the transfer vehicle, and is powered by a power source of the transfer vehicle to control the operation of the driving systems; the driving system includes a suspension, an operating structure connected to the suspension, and a steering structure; the operating structure and the steering structure respectively realize the traveling and steering of the traveling mechanism.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the steering structure includes a steering motor and a rotary reducer, the rotary reducer includes an inner ring fixedly connected to the frame, an outer ring sleeved on the outside of the inner ring and fixedly connected to the suspension, and a worm wheel and a worm screw in meshing connection; the inner ring and the outer ring are rotatably connected via a bearing, the worm wheel is connected to the outer ring, and the worm screw is connected to the steering motor; the steering motor drives the worm screw to rotate, the worm screw drives the worm wheel to rotate, and the worm screw drives the outer ring to rotate relative to the inner ring.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the operating structure includes a driving wheel and a driven wheel arranged on both sides of the suspension, the driving wheel is provided with a driving reducer, a parking brake and a travel motor, and the driven wheel is provided with a driven reducer and a service brake; the travel motor drives the driving wheel to rotate, driving the driven wheel to rotate synchronously.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the walking mechanism of the present invention is hydraulically driven and controlled, and the control system includes a hydraulic control system, in which hydraulic oil respectively enters the A / B oil ports of the steering motor and the walking motor to realize forward and reverse rotation of the steering motor and the walking motor.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the hydraulic control system includes a steering valve group for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the steering motor, a travel valve group for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the travel motor and the opening and closing of the parking brake, and a brake valve group for controlling the opening and closing of the service brake.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the hydraulic control system also includes a plurality of control valve groups respectively connected to the steering valve group, the traveling valve group and the brake valve group, and the hydraulic oil is guided to the respective A / B oil ports of the steering valve group, the traveling valve group and the brake valve group through the control valve groups.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, in the travel valve group, the hydraulic oil flows to the shuttle valve and the balance valve respectively, the hydraulic oil passing through the shuttle valve enters the parking brake, the parking brake is opened, and the hydraulic oil passing through the balance valve enters the A / B oil port of the travel motor, causing the travel motor to rotate forward / reverse.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, a proportional valve is provided in the control valve group, and the hydraulic oil is guided to the A / B oil ports of the steering valve group, the travel valve group and the brake valve group respectively after passing through the proportional valve.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the parking brake is a normally closed brake, and when hydraulic oil enters the parking brake, the parking brake is disengaged from the travel motor, and the travel motor enters a no-brake state.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the service brake is a normally open brake, hydraulic oil enters the service brake, and the service brake brakes the travel motor.

[0017] Beneficial effects:

[0018] By adopting an integrated control system and driving system, the present invention can realize the rapid transfer of the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cabin to the deployment location (such as the deck or dock), greatly improving the transfer efficiency. Compared with traditional lifting equipment, there is no need to repeatedly adjust the position and angle, reducing the operation time and manpower requirements.

[0019] The design of the suspension, running structure and steering structure effectively reduces the shaking of the unmanned aerial vehicle during the transfer process. In particular, the rotary reducer and worm gear transmission mechanism achieve smooth steering action, ensure the stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle during the transfer process, and reduce the risk of collision.

[0020] The steering structure adopts a rotary reducer, combined with the bearing connection of the inner and outer rings, to ensure the smoothness and durability of the steering action. At the same time, the driving wheel and driven wheel in the running structure are equipped with a driving reducer, parking brake and service brake, which further enhances the reliability of the system.

[0021] The control system of the present invention is simple and easy to use, and realizes the forward and reverse control of the steering motor and the travel motor through the hydraulic control system, which simplifies the operation process. At the same time, by setting control elements such as proportional valves, the operation is made more accurate and convenient.

[0022] By setting up a normally closed parking brake and a normally open service brake, the unmanned aerial vehicle is safely parked when not in operation, and reliable braking protection is provided during driving. In addition, the shuttle valve and balance valve in the hydraulic control system effectively protect the safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle during transportation.

[0023] The modular design makes it easy to disassemble and repair, reducing maintenance time and cost. At the same time, the use of hydraulic control system makes the whole system more compact, reduces the occupied space, and is conducive to flexible operation in a limited cabin.

[0024] To sum up, the unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle walking mechanism provided by the present invention integrates an advanced control system and an efficient driving system, which realizes the smooth and rapid transfer of the unmanned aerial vehicle in the cabin of the mother ship. It not only overcomes the problems of low efficiency and insufficient stability in the prior art, but also greatly improves the safety and reliability of the transfer process, and provides strong support for the application of unmanned aerial vehicles in marine operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a walking mechanism of an unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the driving system structure;

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic control system;

[0028] Explanation of the marks in the figure: 100, transfer vehicle; 110, frame; 200, control system; 210, steering valve group; 220, travel valve group; 221, shuttle valve; 222, balance valve; 230, brake valve group; 240, control valve group; 241, proportional valve; 242, pressure compensation valve; 300, driving system; 310, suspension; 320, operating structure; 321, driving wheel; 322, driving reducer; 323, parking brake; 324, travel motor; 325, driven wheel; 326, service brake; 327, driven reducer; 330, steering structure; 331, steering motor; 332, rotary reducer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to better understand the purpose, structure and function of the present invention, the following is a further detailed description of the walking mechanism of an unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Implementation example:

[0031] like Figure 1The walking mechanism of an unmanned aerial vehicle transporter shown in the figure includes a control system 200 integrated on the main control console of the transport vehicle 100, and a driving system 300 arranged at the four bases of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter 100. The power required by the walking mechanism is also provided by the power source of the transport vehicle. The driving system 300 is mainly composed of a suspension 310, an operating structure 320 and a steering structure 330. The walking mechanism has functions such as steering, self-propelled, driving brake, and parking. The steering function of the walking mechanism is realized by the steering structure 330, which is used to adjust the walking path of the transport vehicle 100 and realize the transfer of the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cabin to the deployment position. The driving system 300 adopts an independent suspension 310, is provided with a driving wheel 321, and a driven wheel 325. The driving wheel 321 is driven by a travel motor 324 to realize the self-propelled function and has a parking function; the driven wheel 325 is provided with a driving brake 326, which can realize the braking function during driving.

[0032] In this embodiment, the walking system 300 is driven and controlled by a hydraulic control system. The power source of the hydraulic control system is a hydraulic pump, which is driven by a motor. The hydraulic pump delivers hydraulic oil with a certain pressure and flow rate to each control valve. By manipulating the direction and opening size of the control valve, the movement direction and speed of the hydraulic actuator can be controlled, and finally the steering direction, steering speed, forward and backward, walking speed, service braking and parking functions of the walking mechanism are realized.

[0033] like Figure 2 The driving system 300 shown in the figure is provided with a steering structure 330 at the connection between the suspension 310 and the frame 110. The steering structure 330 is driven by a steering motor 331 to drive a rotary reducer 332, and the rotary reducer 332 is a worm gear structure. The inner ring of the rotary reducer 332 is connected to the transfer vehicle frame 110 by bolts, and the outer ring of the rotary reducer is connected to the suspension 310 of the driving system by bolts. The steering motor 331 converts the hydraulic energy input by the hydraulic system into mechanical energy output, drives the worm gear to rotate, and drives the turbine to rotate through the engagement of the worm gear, and finally drives the wheel to turn.

[0034] The operating structure 320 is provided with a driving wheel 321 and a driven wheel 325 on both sides of the independent suspension. The driving wheel 321 is provided with a driving reducer 322, a parking brake 323 and a travel motor 324 in sequence. When the hydraulic oil enters the travel motor 324 to drive the travel motor 324 to work, it enters the parking brake 323 through the control oil circuit to release the parking function and realize the self-propelled function of the travel mechanism. When the hydraulic oil stops entering the travel motor 324, the oil circuit controlling the parking brake 323 also stops entering the oil, and the parking brake returns to the normal state, that is, the parking state. The driven wheel 325 is only provided with a driven reducer 327 and a service brake 326. The service brake 326 is normally in a released state. When the hydraulic oil enters the service brake 326 by human operation, the brake pad inside the service brake 326 holds the rotating shaft tightly, which plays the role of service brake.

[0035] like Figure 3 The hydraulic control system shown includes a steering valve group 210 for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of a steering motor 331, a travel valve group 220 for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of a travel motor 324 and the opening and closing of a parking brake 323, a brake valve group 230 for controlling the opening and closing of a service brake 326, and three control valve groups 240 respectively connected to the steering valve group 210, the travel valve group 220, and the brake valve group 230. The hydraulic oil is discharged from the oil tank into the control valve group 240 by a hydraulic pump, and the hydraulic oil entering the control valve group 240 is guided to the A / B oil ports of the steering valve group 210, the travel valve group 220, and the brake valve group 230 respectively after passing through the pressure compensation valve 242 and the proportional valve 241 in sequence.

[0036] The hydraulic oil entering the steering valve group 210 enters the A port of the steering motor, drives the motor output shaft to rotate, and the motor output shaft is connected to the worm, driving the worm to rotate. The teeth on the worm and the teeth on the turbine are meshed and driven to drive the rotary reducer to rotate, and finally the wheel is turned to one side. Switching the hydraulic oil to enter the B port of the steering motor can realize the wheel turning to the other side. The rotary reducer 332 is a turbine-worm meshing structure. The helix angle of the worm is very small. Only the worm can drive the turbine to rotate, and the turbine cannot reversely drive the worm, which has good self-locking properties.

[0037] The hydraulic oil entering the travel valve 220 group enters the travel motor A / B oil port through the balance valve 222. At the same time, the hydraulic oil enters the parking brake 323 through the shuttle valve 221, opens the normally closed parking brake, and releases the parking. The output shaft of the travel motor rotates under the drive of the hydraulic oil, converts the hydraulic energy into mechanical energy and transmits it to the drive reducer 322. The drive reducer 322 converts the high-speed and low-torque mechanical energy into low-speed and high-torque mechanical energy and transmits it to the drive wheel 321 for rotation. The drive wheel 321 drives the travel wheel 325 to rotate through the independent suspension to realize the self-propelled function. Switching the hydraulic oil to enter the travel motor A / B oil port can realize the forward and backward rotation of the wheel.

[0038] The hydraulic oil entering the brake valve group 230 enters the service brake 326. During self-propelled driving, the hydraulic oil presses the brake pads and then holds the wheels tightly, thus playing the role of service braking.

[0039] In this embodiment, both the service brake 326 and the parking brake 323 are wet brakes, but the difference is that the parking brake 323 is normally closed and serves the purpose of parking, and the same hydraulic oil is used to release the parking brake 323 and drive the travel motor 324. The service brake 326 is normally open, and hydraulic oil will enter the brake for service braking only when the brake is manually operated.

[0040] The unmanned aerial vehicle is usually stored on the transfer vehicle and fixed in the cabin of the mother ship together with the operation vehicle. When transferring, the transfer vehicle can be directly started to smoothly and quickly move it to the designated location to prevent collision risks and increase the overall work efficiency of the vehicle. The walking mechanism is the key to the smooth and rapid transfer of the unmanned aerial vehicle by the transfer vehicle. The walking mechanism has been studied from the aspects of mechanical structure composition, hydraulic principle, design analysis, etc., which can meet the technical requirements of the unmanned aerial vehicle transfer vehicle.

[0041] It is to be understood that the present invention is described by some embodiments, and it is known to those skilled in the art that various changes or equivalent substitutions may be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, under the teachings of the present invention, these features and embodiments may be modified to adapt to specific circumstances and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A walking mechanism for an unmanned aerial vehicle transporter, characterized in that: It includes a control system and a number of driving systems arranged at the bottom of the frame; The control system is integrated into the transfer vehicle control system, and is driven by the transfer vehicle power source to control the operation of the driving system; The driving system comprises a suspension, a running structure connected to the suspension and a steering structure; the running structure and the steering structure respectively realize the walking and steering of the walking mechanism.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle transport vehicle travel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steering structure includes a steering motor and a rotary reducer, wherein the rotary reducer includes an inner ring fixedly connected to the frame, an outer ring sleeved outside the inner ring and fixedly connected to the suspension, and a worm wheel and a worm screw in meshing connection; The inner ring and the outer ring are rotatably connected via a bearing, the worm wheel is connected to the outer ring, and the worm is connected to the steering motor; the steering motor drives the worm to rotate, the worm drives the worm wheel to rotate, and the worm wheel drives the outer ring to rotate relative to the inner ring.

3. The walking mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The operating structure includes a driving wheel and a driven wheel arranged on both sides of the suspension, wherein the driving wheel is provided with a driving reducer, a parking brake and a travel motor, and the driven wheel is provided with a driven reducer and a service brake; The travel motor drives the driving wheel to rotate, and drives the driven wheel to rotate synchronously.

4. The walking mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter according to claim 3 is characterized in that: It is hydraulic drive control, and the control system includes a hydraulic control system. In the hydraulic control system, hydraulic oil enters the A / B oil ports of the steering motor and the travel motor respectively to realize forward and reverse rotation of the steering motor and the travel motor.

5. The walking mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The hydraulic control system includes a steering valve group for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the steering motor, a travel valve group for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the travel motor and the opening and closing of the parking brake, and a brake valve group for controlling the opening and closing of the service brake.

6. The walking mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter according to claim 5 is characterized in that: The hydraulic control system also includes a plurality of control valve groups respectively connected to the steering valve group, the travel valve group and the brake valve group, and the hydraulic oil is guided to the respective A / B oil ports of the steering valve group, the travel valve group and the brake valve group through the control valve groups.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle transport vehicle travel mechanism according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: In the travel valve group, the hydraulic oil flows to the shuttle valve and the balance valve respectively. The hydraulic oil passing through the shuttle valve enters the parking brake to open the parking brake. The hydraulic oil passing through the balance valve enters the A / B oil port of the travel motor to make the travel motor rotate forward / reverse.

8. The walking mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control valve group is provided with a proportional valve, and the hydraulic oil is guided to the A / B oil ports of the steering valve group, the travel valve group and the brake valve group respectively after passing through the proportional valve.

9. The walking mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle transporter according to claim 3, characterized in that: The parking brake is a normally closed brake. When hydraulic oil enters the parking brake, the parking brake is disengaged from the travel motor, and the travel motor enters a no-brake state.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle transport vehicle travel mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The service brake is a normally open brake, hydraulic oil enters the service brake, and the service brake brakes the travel motor.

Images