A dual-mode underwater helicopter with gliding and propulsion modes

Abstract

The present invention discloses a gliding and propulsion dual-mode underwater helicopter, comprising an upper shell and a lower shell; a mounting base arranged horizontally between the upper shell and the lower shell; a mounting frame vertically penetrating the middle of the mounting base, the top and bottom of the mounting frame are respectively provided with a driving mechanism, the output shafts of the driving mechanism are vertically penetrating the outside of the shell and connected with a fin; a buoyancy adjustment mechanism, embeddedly mounted on the mounting base and locked and fixed by a locking member; a propeller propulsion mechanism, comprising two symmetrically arranged horizontal propeller propellers and two symmetrically arranged vertical propeller propellers. The present invention has high maneuverability, good stability, low power consumption, long endurance and wide operating range. Combined with the effect of the fin, the stability of the entire underwater helicopter can be improved, the yaw moment generated by the underwater helicopter during the gliding process can be offset, and the underwater helicopter can glide in a fixed heading.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of underwater robots, and in particular to a gliding and propulsion dual-mode underwater helicopter. Background Art

[0002] A submersible is a vehicle that travels underwater, including manned submersibles and unmanned submersibles. Currently, the main research objects of unmanned submersibles include remotely operated unmanned vehicles (ROVs), autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (AUVs), underwater gliders, etc.

[0003] Underwater glider is a new type of unmanned submersible. It combines the low energy consumption and long flight time of marine animals with the aerodynamic principle of bird gliding to design an underwater navigation method based on unpowered gliding, achieving the purpose of low energy consumption, long endurance and simple structure. In recent years, underwater gliders have been widely used in the fields of ocean exploration, marine environmental investigation, detection and data collection as a new type of submersible driven by net buoyancy. They are favored for their low power consumption, low cost and wide operating range. However, current underwater gliders generally rely on buoyancy regulators to adjust their own net buoyancy, have slow response speed, poor maneuverability and autonomy, and cannot meet the requirements of fine observation of near-seabed areas.

[0004] An underwater helicopter (AUH) is a disc-shaped autonomous unmanned submersible that relies on propellers to move. It relies on pre-programmed programs to complete tasks and has the advantages of zero turning radius, vertical take-off and landing, fixed-point hovering, and anti-current stability. Compared with underwater gliders, it is easier to carry out detailed observations near the seabed. However, due to the limited energy it carries, the range of underwater helicopters cannot meet the requirements of large-scale observation operations, which seriously restricts the application and development of underwater helicopters in carrying out near-seabed observation tasks.

[0005] At present, although the two different unmanned submersibles mentioned above can conduct ocean exploration, marine environmental surveys, detection and data collection, their respective structural characteristics and power settings make it difficult to meet the operational requirements in near-seabed areas. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a gliding and propulsion dual-mode underwater helicopter, which has high maneuverability, good stability, low power consumption, long flight time and wide operating range.

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

[0008] A dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion, comprising an outer shell, a mounting base, a mounting frame, a buoyancy adjustment mechanism and a propeller propulsion mechanism; the outer shell comprises an upper shell and a lower shell symmetrically arranged with each other, the upper shell and the lower shell being assembled by fasteners to form a non-sealed disc-shaped outer shell; the mounting base is horizontally arranged between the upper shell and the lower shell, and a plurality of mounting openings are formed through the mounting base; the mounting frame is vertically penetrated in the middle of the mounting base, and a driving mechanism is respectively arranged at the top and the bottom of the mounting frame, and the output shafts of the driving mechanism are vertically penetrated to the outside of the outer shell and connected with fins, which are suitable for driving the fins to rotate circumferentially around the central axis of the outer shell; the buoyancy adjustment mechanism is embedded in the mounting opening and is locked and fixed by a locking member; the propeller propulsion mechanism comprises two symmetrically arranged horizontal propeller thrusters and two symmetrically arranged vertical propeller thrusters, and the two horizontal propeller thrusters and the two vertical propeller thrusters are respectively symmetrically arranged on the mounting base;

[0009] Among them, the buoyancy adjustment mechanism includes a buoyancy regulator and an oil bladder, the cabin of the buoyancy regulator is a cylindrical structure arranged on the left side of the central axis of the mounting substrate, the oil bladder is arranged in front of the central axis of the mounting substrate and biased to the right side of the central axis of the mounting substrate, and the buoyancy regulator is connected to the oil bladder through a fluid pipeline, which is suitable for outputting fluid to the oil bladder or returning fluid from the oil bladder to adjust the volume of the oil bladder.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the fin is vertically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the shell, the length of the fin is the same as the radius of the shell, the bottom end surface of the fin is arranged to fit the surface of the shell, the top end surface of the fin extends horizontally from the central axis of the shell to above the edge of the shell and bends downward to extend vertically to the edge of the shell, and the bending part of the fin is arranged in an arc shape.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the two horizontal propeller propellers and the two vertical propeller propellers are symmetrically distributed relative to the central axis of the mounting base plate, and the propellers of the two horizontal propeller propellers and the two vertical propeller propellers are respectively arranged on the same side.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the outer shell is made of buoyancy material, the mounting base is made of aluminum alloy, the edges of the upper shell and the lower shell are respectively evenly distributed with four grooves, a threaded through hole is opened at the bottom of the groove, and the upper shell and the lower shell are assembled into one by bolts.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, it also includes a control system, which is installed in a sealed cabin, the sealed cabin has a cylindrical structure and is symmetrically distributed with respect to the central axis of the mounting base plate with respect to the buoyancy regulator, the sealed cabin is fixed to the mounting port of the mounting base plate by bolts and clamps, and the control system is electrically connected to the buoyancy adjustment mechanism, the propeller propulsion mechanism and the driving mechanism.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, horizontal flow channels and vertical flow channels suitable for accommodating the horizontal propeller propeller and the vertical propeller propeller are respectively opened vertically and horizontally in the outer shell, and the horizontal flow channels and vertical flow channels are distributed around the outer shell at equal distances from the central axis of the outer shell.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, both sides of the upper shell and the lower shell are respectively provided with an arc-shaped first accommodating chamber horizontally therethrough, and the first accommodating chambers of the upper shell and the lower shell are combined to form the horizontal flow channel, and the other two sides of the upper shell and the lower shell are respectively provided with a cylindrical second accommodating chamber vertically therethrough, and the second accommodating chambers of the upper shell and the lower shell are combined to form the vertical flow channel.

[0016] The present invention also provides a method for controlling the navigation attitude of an underwater helicopter in a gliding and propulsion dual-mode, including a method for controlling a gliding diving attitude and a gliding floating attitude; the method for controlling the gliding diving attitude is as follows: a controller controls the buoyancy regulating mechanism to return oil, and during the oil return process, the overall buoyancy of the underwater helicopter is less than the gravity, so that the balance of the underwater helicopter will be broken and it will tilt downward and dive under the action of gravity, and will stop after diving to a certain depth or approaching a mission point; when it needs to continue moving forward after diving to a certain depth, the buoyancy regulator is controlled to transition from an oil return state to an oil discharge state, and after the buoyancy regulator state transition is completed, the underwater helicopter is driven to rotate 180° as a whole through the different steering directions between the two horizontal propeller thrusters, and after the rotation is completed, the two horizontal thrusters stop working, and the fins are rotated 180° through the driving mechanism, and the underwater helicopter will be in an oblique upward attitude; after diving close to the mission point, the two horizontal propeller thrusters or the two vertical The propeller thruster drives the underwater helicopter to move in the direction of the mission point; the control method of the gliding floating posture is: the controller controls the buoyancy regulating mechanism to discharge oil, and during the oil discharge process, the overall buoyancy of the underwater helicopter is greater than the gravity, so that the balance of the underwater helicopter will be broken and it will float up obliquely under the action of buoyancy, and will stop after floating to a certain depth or approaching the mission point; when it needs to continue to move forward after floating to a certain depth, the buoyancy regulator is controlled to transition from the oil discharge state to the oil return state, and after the buoyancy regulator state transition is completed, the underwater helicopter is driven to rotate 180° as a whole through the different steering directions between the two horizontal propeller thrusters, and after the rotation is completed, the two horizontal thrusters stop working, and the fins are rotated 180° through the driving mechanism, and the underwater helicopter will be in an oblique downward posture; after floating close to the mission point, the underwater helicopter can be driven to move in the direction of the mission point by two horizontal propeller thrusters or two vertical propeller thrusters.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0018] 1. The present invention, through the action of the buoyancy regulating mechanism and the propeller propulsion mechanism, can enable the underwater helicopter to complete the task at a fixed operation point, and then move to another operation point in a gliding mode in combination with the action of the buoyancy regulating mechanism, and then perform a fixed-point hovering operation. Therefore, in the process of moving forward, there is no need to use the propeller propulsion mechanism, which can save a certain amount of energy consumption and improve the endurance time. Further, the underwater helicopter can achieve large-scale observation work and improve the practical performance of the underwater helicopter. In the process of gliding, the stability of the entire underwater helicopter can be improved by combining the action of the fins. The fins can offset the yaw moment generated by the underwater helicopter during the gliding process, so that the underwater helicopter can glide in a fixed heading, and then perform reciprocating zigzag diving and floating movements in the longitudinal section. In this mode, the energy consumption per unit distance of the underwater helicopter is low, which can greatly improve the endurance performance of the underwater helicopter.

[0019] 2. The present invention does not need to use a pitch angle adjustment device to adjust the attitude of the underwater helicopter when floating or diving in the gliding mode. With the help of two horizontal propeller thrusters, the underwater helicopter can be rotated 180 degrees, so that the direction of the underwater helicopter changes from a downward diving attitude to an upward floating attitude, and from an upward floating attitude to an downward diving attitude. Then, the switching from diving to floating attitude can be achieved by draining and returning oil. The structure is relatively simple, fewer parts are required, a certain cost can be saved, and the control process is also relatively simple. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the underwater helicopter of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the underwater helicopter in the embodiment of the present invention when it is in a diving state in the gliding mode;

[0022] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the underwater helicopter in the embodiment of the present invention when it is in the floating state of the gliding mode;

[0023] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the underwater helicopter in the AUV mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the positions of the dorsal fin in three motion modes according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater helicopter in the gliding state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a force analysis diagram of an underwater helicopter in a diving state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Reference numerals:

[0028] 1. Shell; 11. Upper shell; 12. Lower shell; 2. Fin; 21. Servo; 3. Vertical flow channel; 31. Vertical propeller thruster; 4. Horizontal flow channel; 41. Horizontal propeller thruster; 42. First accommodating chamber; 5. Mounting base plate; 51. Mounting frame; 6. Buoyancy regulator; 61. Oil bladder; 7. Control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present application, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] Combine the following Figures 1 to 7 , describing an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] The present embodiment provides a gliding and propulsion dual-mode underwater helicopter, including a shell 1, a mounting base 5, a mounting frame 51, a buoyancy adjustment mechanism and a propeller propulsion mechanism; the shell 1 includes an upper shell 11 and a lower shell 12 symmetrically arranged, and the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are assembled by fasteners to form a non-sealed disc-shaped shell 1; the mounting base 5 is horizontally arranged between the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12, and a plurality of mounting openings are opened on the mounting base 5; the mounting frame 51 is vertically penetrated in the middle of the mounting base 5, and the mounting frame 51 A driving mechanism is provided at the top and bottom ends respectively, and the output shafts of the driving mechanisms are vertically penetrated to the outside of the shell 1 and are connected to the fins 2, suitable for driving the fins 2 to rotate circumferentially around the central axis of the shell; a buoyancy adjustment mechanism is embedded in the mounting port and fixed by a locking member; a propeller propulsion mechanism comprises two symmetrically arranged horizontal propeller propellers 41 and two symmetrically arranged vertical propeller propellers 31, and the two horizontal propeller propellers 41 and the two vertical propeller propellers 31 are symmetrically arranged on the mounting base plate 5 respectively.

[0032] In the above embodiment, both the upper and lower shells are streamlined, the overall shape of the shell 1 is disc-shaped, the material of the shell 1 is micro-bead buoyancy material or glass fiber, which ensures that the shell 1 itself is light and has a certain buoyancy in water. Four grooves are evenly arranged on the edges of the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12, and threaded through holes are opened in the grooves. The upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are locked and fixed into one by the action of the threaded through holes. The mounting substrate 5 is arranged between the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12, and its upper and lower parts are equidistant from the top end of the upper shell 11 and the bottom end of the lower shell 12. The mounting substrate 5 can be made of aluminum alloy plate, which is light in material and can be installed in a fixed manner. The mounting base plate 5 is provided with a plurality of mounting openings, the shape of which can be set according to the shape of the structure to be installed, and the arrangement can make the gravity on the mounting base plate 5 as a whole in a slightly tilted state, that is, the components installed on the mounting base plate 5 can make the body slightly tilted in the water, so that the entire body can float up or dive to one side, and the buoyancy adjustment mechanism is embedded in the mounting opening of the mounting base plate 5, and then locked in the mounting opening by bolts, and then clamped and fixed at the top by a clamp, and the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41 and the two vertical propeller thrusters 31 are respectively symmetrically arranged around the mounting base plate 5.

[0033] In the above embodiment, through the action of the buoyancy adjustment mechanism and the propeller propulsion mechanism, the underwater helicopter can be fixed at one operating point to complete the task, and then combined with the action of the buoyancy adjustment mechanism, it can move to another operating point in a gliding mode, and then continue to hover at a fixed point for operation. Therefore, in the process of moving forward, there is no need to use the propeller propulsion mechanism, which can save a certain amount of energy consumption and improve the endurance time. Further, the underwater helicopter can achieve large-scale observation work and improve the practical performance of the underwater helicopter. In the process of gliding, combined with the action of the fins, the stability of the entire underwater helicopter can be improved. The fins can offset the yaw moment generated by the underwater helicopter during the gliding process, so that the underwater helicopter can glide in a fixed heading, and then perform reciprocating zigzag diving and floating movements in the longitudinal section. In this mode, the energy consumption per unit distance of the underwater helicopter is low, which can greatly improve the endurance performance of the underwater helicopter.

[0034] In actual operation, the above-mentioned embodiment realizes multi-degree-of-freedom movement (forward and backward, up and down, yaw, pitch) through the propeller propulsion mechanism, ensuring that the underwater helicopter can perform high-maneuverability operations within a certain range. When moving over a large range, the buoyancy adjustment mechanism is used as a drive to adjust the net buoyancy of the underwater helicopter to achieve the overall floating and diving effects. Combined with the effect of the fins, the yaw moment generated by the underwater helicopter during the gliding process can be further offset, so that the underwater helicopter can glide in a fixed heading, and then perform reciprocating zigzag diving and floating movements in the longitudinal section, thereby reducing the energy consumption per unit distance of the underwater helicopter and greatly improving the endurance performance of the underwater helicopter.

[0035] In an optional embodiment, the fin 2 is vertically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the shell 1, the length of the fin 2 is the same as the radius of the shell 1, the bottom end surface of the fin 2 is arranged to fit the surface of the shell 1, and the top end surface of the fin 2 extends horizontally from the central axis of the shell 1 to above the edge of the shell 1 and bends downward to extend vertically to the edge of the shell 1, and the bending part of the fin 2 is arranged in an arc shape.

[0036] Specifically, the fin 2 is the dorsal fin of the shell, which is vertically arranged on the shell 1. The height and radius of the dorsal fin are similar to those of the shell. The front end of the dorsal fin can be connected to a driving mechanism, and the driving mechanism is a servo 21. The servo 21 is arranged on a mounting frame 51, and its projection in a horizontal position coincides with the center of the body. The driving shaft of the servo 21 is passed through the outside of the shell 1 and connected to the dorsal fin, so the dorsal fin can rotate 360 ​​degrees around the center of the body, and the dorsal fin can be rotated to its corresponding position according to different modes.

[0037] More specifically, when the underwater helicopter is in a diving state, the dorsal fin is at the rear end of the shell 1, and when the underwater helicopter dives to a certain position and needs to float up, the underwater helicopter as a whole is rotated 180 degrees through the action of two horizontal propeller thrusters 41, and the dorsal fin is rotated from the rear end to the front end of the shell. At this time, the dorsal fin is rotated from the front end to the rear end of the shell through the action of the driving mechanism, thereby ensuring that the dorsal fin is always located at the rear end of the shell regardless of whether the underwater helicopter is floating up or diving.

[0038] In an optional embodiment, the two horizontal propeller propellers 41 and the two vertical propeller propellers 31 are symmetrically distributed relative to the central axis of the mounting substrate 5, and the propellers of the two horizontal propeller propellers 41 and the two vertical propeller propellers 31 are respectively arranged on the same side.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the two horizontal propeller propellers 41 and the two vertical propeller propellers 31 are fixedly connected on the four sides of the mounting base 5 by bolts, and the two horizontal propeller propellers 41 and the two vertical propeller propellers 31 are arranged relatively to each other. The two horizontal propeller propellers 41 are responsible for the motion control of the horizontal plane of the underwater helicopter, and the two vertical propeller propellers 31 are responsible for the motion control of the vertical plane of the longitudinal section.

[0040] In an optional embodiment, the buoyancy regulating mechanism includes a buoyancy regulator 6 and an oil bladder 61, the cabin of the buoyancy regulator 6 is a cylindrical structure arranged on the left side of the central axis of the mounting base plate 5, the oil bladder 61 is arranged in front of the central axis of the mounting base plate 5 and biased to the right side of the central axis of the mounting base plate 5, the buoyancy regulator 6 is connected to the oil bladder 61 through a fluid pipeline, and is suitable for outputting fluid to the oil bladder 61 or returning fluid from the oil bladder 61 to adjust the volume of the oil bladder 61.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the buoyancy regulating mechanism is used to adjust the net buoyancy of the underwater helicopter, realize the buoyancy and diving of the underwater helicopter, and reduce the energy consumption of the underwater helicopter. The cabin of the buoyancy regulator 6 is a pressure-resistant cabin with a pressure resistance of 10Mpa. It can be made of 6064A aluminum alloy, titanium alloy TC4 or stainless steel 316. The cabin is fixed to the mounting base plate 5 by bolts and metal steel hoops. The buoyancy regulator 6 and the oil bag 61 are arranged separately on the mounting base plate 5. The oil bag 61 is biased toward the front end of the mounting base plate 5. When the buoyancy regulator 6 discharges oil to the outside, the oil bag 61 will become larger, so that the displacement becomes larger, thereby increasing the buoyancy, until the buoyancy of the underwater helicopter is greater than the gravity, and the underwater helicopter floats; when the buoyancy regulator 6 gradually reduces the external oil bag 61, the displacement becomes smaller, and the overall buoyancy of the underwater helicopter becomes smaller, until the buoyancy of the underwater helicopter is less than the gravity, and the underwater helicopter dives.

[0042] It should be noted that the present invention can switch between three working modes through the actions of the buoyancy adjustment mechanism, the propeller propulsion mechanism and the fins. The three working modes are gliding (AUG) mode surfacing, gliding (AUG) mode diving, and AUV mode. When surfacing or diving in the gliding mode, the buoyancy adjustment mechanism is used as the power driving source. When adjusting the state (switching from the floating state to the diving state or from the diving state to the floating state), the dorsal fin will adjust the angle. After moving in a wave-like long distance from one destination point to the vicinity of another destination point in the gliding mode, the horizontal propeller thruster will be used as the power driving source to carry out close-range observation activities, that is, the AUV mode is carried out.

[0043] In the switching of the above three working modes, the buoyancy adjustment mechanism corresponds to three working states: oil return (net buoyancy -1N) to achieve diving, oil discharge (net buoyancy +1N) to achieve floating, and intermediate state (net buoyancy is approximately equal to 0N) for fixed-point operation. These three states correspond to the three working modes of underwater helicopters: gliding floating, gliding diving, and AUV mode.

[0044] like Figure 5As shown, A is the gliding mode for surfacing, B is the gliding mode for diving, and C is the AUV mode. The dorsal fin also has three corresponding angles, corresponding to the three modes: in the gliding ascending mode, the dorsal fin is at 90°; in the gliding diving mode, the dorsal fin is at 270°; in the AUV mode, the dorsal fin is at 180°. Specifically, the four directions of the underwater helicopter shell are set to 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively, wherein the azimuth of 270° is the front end of the underwater helicopter when it is floating, and 90° is the rear end of the underwater helicopter when it is floating. When in the floating state, the dorsal fin is located at the rear end of the underwater helicopter, that is, at the azimuth of 90°. After floating to a certain height, the horizontal propeller thruster 41 will be used to push the body to rotate 180°, that is, the dorsal fin and the shell originally located at the azimuth of 90° will be rotated to the front end, and the shell part originally located at the azimuth of 270° will be rotated to the rear end, and then the dorsal fin will be rotated to the rear end by the steering gear 21, that is, rotated to the azimuth of 270°, and then the underwater helicopter will dive by adjusting the action of the buoyancy adjustment mechanism, thereby ensuring that the dorsal fin is always located on the rear side of the shell regardless of whether the underwater helicopter is in the floating or diving state. When surfacing or diving close to the destination, since the dorsal fin and the horizontal propeller thruster 41 are arranged in a perpendicular position to each other, and the underwater helicopter has only two horizontal propeller thrusters 41, the horizontal movement can only control the forward movement and steering of the underwater helicopter, that is, the underwater helicopter can only move forward along the direction of the horizontal flow channel in the AUV mode, and the steering function relies on the speed difference between the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41. In order to avoid overcoming greater resistance during travel, the dorsal fin needs to be rotated to a position parallel to the horizontal propeller thrusters 41, that is, the dorsal fin needs to be rotated to a position of 180°.

[0045] The overall working process of the gliding and propulsion dual-mode underwater helicopter of the present invention is as follows:

[0046] like Figure 6 As shown, Gc represents the center of gravity of the underwater helicopter, A represents the return of oil by the buoyancy regulator, and the underwater helicopter dives; B represents the horizontal propeller thruster driving the body to rotate 180°; C represents the servo driving the dorsal fin to rotate 180°; D represents the return of oil by the buoyancy regulator, and the underwater helicopter floats up.

[0047] The specific working mode of the diving state is as follows: Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown in the figure (where D is resistance, L is lift, M is hydrodynamic torque, mg0 is gravity, θ is longitudinal inclination angle, α is angle of attack, ξ is glide angle, and V is velocity vector in the longitudinal plane), the original state of the aircraft during underwater fixed-point detection is a slightly tilted state, that is, when the aircraft is put into the water for sailing, the relevant parameters have been set so that the aircraft is in a slightly tilted state when balanced in the water. When the entire aircraft is in a balanced state, the net buoyancy is 0, and the oil sac is in a half-oil state. After the fixed-point operation is completed, when the aircraft needs to move from this point to another task point, the control system adjusts the tilt direction of the aircraft toward another task point, and turns the dorsal fin to Move to the position of 270°, with the position of 90° being the front end of the fuselage, and the buoyancy regulator 6 is controlled to return oil. During the process of returning oil, the volume of the oil bag 61 will become smaller, and the displacement will decrease, so that the gravity mg0 in the middle part of the fuselage is greater than the buoyancy, and the overall net buoyancy is -1N, breaking the overall force balance of the fuselage. The fuselage will be dragged downward by gravity to slide at a certain gliding angle ξ. At this time, the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41 are in a stopped state. Since the original posture of the fuselage is set to a slightly tilted state, the fuselage will glide forward in an oblique downward posture under the drag of gravity, and the angle θ between it and the horizontal plane will be a negative value, completing the diving mode.

[0048] The intermediate transition mode from gliding diving to gliding floating mode: when the aircraft dives to a certain depth, FreeRTOS sends the command "buoyancy regulator drains oil", and the buoyancy regulator 6 begins to transition from the oil return state to the oil discharge state. After the state transition of the buoyancy regulator 6 is completed, the buoyancy regulator 6 sends a message to the main control "the buoyancy regulator has reached the oil discharge state". Then the FreeRTOS operating system sends the "heading angle rotates to 180°" command to the heading controller, and after the saturation controller and the thrust distribution matrix of the horizontal propeller propeller 41, it is driven by the horizontal propeller propeller 41 (the two horizontal propellers have different directions, one rotates forward and the other rotates reversely), and the aircraft body rotates to 180° as a whole (the relative angle between the dorsal fin and the aircraft body remains unchanged at this time), and the angle between the horizontal plane changes from a negative value to a positive value; then FreeRTOS sends the command "rotate 180°" to the servo, and the servo 21 rotates the dorsal fin 180° (the relative angle between the dorsal fin and the aircraft body is 90° at this time). After adjustment, it is the initial state of the floating state.

[0049] The working mode of the floating state is specifically as follows: after the body is rotated 180°, the angle of the fuselage will change, that is, the angle formed by the fuselage with the horizontal plane will change from a negative angle to a positive angle, and the downward slanting posture will be changed to an upward slanting state. The servo 21 is controlled to rotate the dorsal fin to a 90° position, and the buoyancy regulator 6 discharges oil. During the oil discharge process, the volume of the oil bag 61 will increase, and the displacement will increase, so that the overall buoyancy of the fuselage is greater than the gravity, and the overall net buoyancy is +1N, breaking the overall force balance of the fuselage. The fuselage will be dragged upward by the action of buoyancy. At this time, the horizontal propeller thruster 41 is in a stopped state. Since the initial posture of the fuselage is an upward slanting state, the fuselage will glide forward in an upward slanting posture under the action of buoyancy, and the angle between it and the horizontal plane will be a positive value, completing the floating mode.

[0050] The intermediate transition mode from gliding up to gliding diving mode: when the aircraft floats to a certain depth, FreeRTOS sends the command "buoyancy regulator returns oil", and the buoyancy regulator 6 begins to transition from the oil discharge state to the oil return state. After the buoyancy regulator state transition is completed, the buoyancy regulator sends a message to the main control "the buoyancy regulator has reached the oil return state". Then the FreeRTOS operating system sends the "heading angle rotates to 180°" command to the heading controller, and after the saturation controller and the thrust distribution matrix of the horizontal propeller thruster 41, it is driven by the horizontal propeller thruster 41 (the two horizontal thrusters have different directions, one rotates forward and the other rotates reversely), and the aircraft body rotates to 180° as a whole (the relative angle between the dorsal fin and the aircraft body remains unchanged at this time), and the angle between the horizontal plane changes from a negative value to a positive value; then FreeRTOS sends the command "rotate 180°" to the servo, and the servo rotates the dorsal fin 180° (the relative angle between the dorsal fin and the aircraft body is 270° at this time). After adjustment, it is the initial state of the diving state.

[0051] By continuously switching between the floating and diving modes, the aircraft moves from one destination point to another in a wave shape. When floating or diving close to the next destination point (it can be at the front or rear end of the destination point, and the movement trajectory can be set according to the set parameters. The distance between adjacent destinations is calculated to control the trajectory of the aircraft, such as how high to float or how deep to dive, until it moves close to the next destination point), the gliding mode of this section ends.

[0052] Gliding up / gliding down switch to AUV mode: FreeRTOS sends the command "buoyancy regulator returns to the intermediate state", the buoyancy regulator 6 begins to transition to the intermediate state, and after the state transition of the buoyancy regulator 6 is completed, the buoyancy regulator sends a message to the main control "buoyancy regulator has reached the intermediate state", at which time the overall net buoyancy is close to 0; FreeRTOS sends the command "rotate to 180°" to the servo (at this time the relative angle between the dorsal fin and the body is 270°), ensuring that the orientation of the dorsal fin is parallel to the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41 and is located at the underwater helicopter. The rear end of the aircraft in the navigation direction is turned to avoid resistance (because the horizontal movement of the aircraft can only be controlled by the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41 to move forward, backward and turn, that is, the aircraft can only move forward or backward or turn slightly along the direction of the horizontal flow channel 4 in the AUV mode, and the steering function depends on the speed difference between the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41. If the angle of the servo + dorsal fin is at 270° or 90°, the dorsal fin and the horizontal flow channel are perpendicular to each other, and a very large resistance is generated when traveling. Therefore, in the AUV mode, the dorsal fin needs to be turned to 180°).

[0053] The specific working mode of the AUV state is: when surfacing or diving close to the destination, the net buoyancy of the body is adjusted to 0, and then the two horizontal propeller thrusters 41 are used to push the body forward or backward close to the destination, or the vertical propeller thrusters 31 are used to make fine adjustments up and down, and the body is tested close to the destination. After the test, when it is necessary to reach the next destination, the switching of the gliding mode's surfacing and diving states is repeated.

[0054] It should be noted that the underwater helicopter of the present invention is not limited to diving first or floating first during the gliding process. The tilt angle has been set when launching the mission, that is, the body is slightly tilted to one side when in the water. The tilt angle has been set and controlled when launching, and diving or floating depends on the current depth of the underwater helicopter. If the target object is 1000m on the seabed and the depth of the underwater helicopter is 200m, the underwater helicopter will dive first and then float, otherwise it will float first and then dive. When diving first, the underwater helicopter is adjusted to the direction with the tilt angle facing downward, that is, the direction of the underwater helicopter toward the target object is adjusted to a posture with a negative angle to the horizontal plane (obliquely tilted downward); when floating first, the underwater helicopter is adjusted to the direction with the tilt angle facing upward, that is, the direction of the underwater helicopter toward the target object is adjusted to a posture with a positive angle to the horizontal plane (obliquely tilted upward).

[0055] In an optional embodiment, it also includes a control system 7, which is installed in a sealed cabin. The sealed cabin has a cylindrical structure and is symmetrically distributed with respect to the central axis of the buoyancy regulator 6 relative to the mounting base 5. The sealed cabin is fixed to the mounting port of the mounting base 5 by bolts and clamps, and the control system 7 is electrically connected to the buoyancy adjustment mechanism, the propeller propulsion mechanism and the driving mechanism.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the whole body is controlled by the control system 7 to float in the gliding mode, dive in the gliding mode, or in the AUV mode. The components of the control system 7 mainly include: main control board (the kernel adopts ARM cotex-M4), depth meter (communication protocol I2C), inertial measurement unit (measures three-axis attitude angles: roll angle, pitch angle, heading angle; communication protocol RS232), buoyancy regulator (with a position sensor inside, which can detect the current oil discharge or oil return state, communication protocol CAN), radio (the land control platform can send instructions and obtain the status information of the underwater helicopter, communication protocol RS232), servo (control waveform PWM). The software operating system adopts FreeRTOS.

[0057] In an optional embodiment, a horizontal flow channel 4 and a vertical flow channel 3 suitable for accommodating the horizontal propeller propeller 41 and the vertical propeller propeller 31 are respectively opened vertically and horizontally in the outer shell 1, and the horizontal flow channel 4 and the vertical flow channel 3 are distributed around the outer shell 1 at an equal distance from the central axis.

[0058] In the above embodiment, both sides of the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are respectively provided with an arc-shaped first accommodating chamber 42 horizontally penetrating therethrough, and the first accommodating chambers 42 of the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are assembled to form the horizontal flow channel 4, and the other two sides of the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are respectively provided with a cylindrical second accommodating chamber vertically penetrating therethrough, and the second accommodating chambers of the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 are assembled to form the vertical flow channel 3.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the horizontal flow channel 4 and the vertical flow channel 3 are opened in the outer shell, and each propeller thruster uses a separate flow channel to improve the propulsion efficiency of the thruster and ensure that the outer shell shape of the body is disc-shaped, so that the underwater helicopter retains the characteristics of high maneuverability, has full-circle turning movement with zero turning radius, and is relatively stable in flow resistance.

[0060] Although the present invention has been described using the above preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any person skilled in the art who makes various changes and modifications to the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A navigation attitude control method for a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion, characterized in that: Underwater helicopters include: The housing comprises an upper housing and a lower housing which are symmetrically arranged with each other, wherein the upper housing and the lower housing are assembled by fasteners to form a non-sealed disc-shaped housing; A mounting substrate, arranged horizontally between the upper shell and the lower shell, with a plurality of mounting openings extending through the mounting substrate; A mounting frame is vertically arranged in the middle of the mounting base plate, and a driving mechanism is respectively arranged at the top and bottom of the mounting frame, and the output shafts of the driving mechanism are vertically arranged to the outside of the housing and connected with fins, and are suitable for driving the fins to rotate circumferentially around the central axis of the housing; A buoyancy adjustment mechanism, embeddedly mounted on the mounting opening and locked and fixed by a locking member; A propeller propulsion mechanism, comprising two symmetrically arranged horizontal propeller propellers and two symmetrically arranged vertical propeller propellers, wherein the two horizontal propeller propellers and the two vertical propeller propellers are symmetrically arranged on the mounting base plate respectively; Wherein, the buoyancy regulating mechanism comprises a buoyancy regulator and an oil bag, the cabin of the buoyancy regulator is a cylindrical structure arranged on the left side of the central axis of the mounting base plate, the oil bag is arranged in front of the central axis of the mounting base plate and deviates to the right side of the central axis of the mounting base plate, the buoyancy regulator is connected to the oil bag through a fluid pipeline, and is suitable for outputting fluid to the oil bag or returning fluid from the oil bag to adjust the volume of the oil bag; The gliding diving posture control method of the underwater helicopter is as follows: a controller controls the oil return of the buoyancy regulator. During the oil return process, the overall buoyancy of the underwater helicopter is less than the gravity, and the underwater helicopter dives downwards tiltedly under the action of gravity, and stops after diving to a certain depth or approaching a mission point; when it needs to continue to move forward after diving to a certain depth, the buoyancy regulator is controlled to transition from the oil return state to the oil discharge state, and after the state transition of the buoyancy regulator is completed, the underwater helicopter is driven to rotate 180° as a whole through the different steering directions between the two horizontal propeller thrusters. After the rotation is completed, the two horizontal thrusters stop working, and the fins are rotated 180° through the driving mechanism, and the underwater helicopter will be in an oblique upward posture; after diving close to the mission point, the underwater helicopter can be driven to move in the direction of the mission point by the two horizontal propeller thrusters or the two vertical propeller thrusters; The method for controlling the gliding and floating posture of the underwater helicopter is as follows: a controller controls the buoyancy regulator to discharge oil. During the oil discharge process, the overall buoyancy of the underwater helicopter is greater than the gravity, and the underwater helicopter floats obliquely upward under the action of the buoyancy, and stops after floating to a certain height or approaching a mission point; when it needs to continue to move forward after floating to a certain height, the buoyancy regulator is controlled to transition from an oil discharge state to an oil return state, and after the state transition of the buoyancy regulator is completed, the underwater helicopter is driven to rotate 180° as a whole through the different directions of the two horizontal propeller thrusters. After the rotation is completed, the two horizontal propeller thrusters stop working, and the fins are rotated 180° through the driving mechanism, and the underwater helicopter will be in a downward oblique posture; after floating close to the mission point, the underwater helicopter can be driven to move toward the mission point by the two horizontal propeller thrusters or the two vertical propeller thrusters.

2. The method for controlling the navigation attitude of a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fin is vertically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the shell, the length of the fin is the same as the radius of the shell, the bottom end surface of the fin is arranged to fit the surface of the shell, the top end surface of the fin extends horizontally from the central axis of the shell to above the edge of the shell and bends downward to extend vertically to the edge of the shell, and the bending part of the fin is arranged in an arc shape.

3. The method for controlling the navigation attitude of a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two horizontal propeller propellers and the two vertical propeller propellers are symmetrically distributed relative to the central axis of the mounting base plate, and the propellers of the two horizontal propeller propellers and the two vertical propeller propellers are respectively arranged on the same side.

4. The method for controlling the navigation attitude of a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell is made of buoyancy material, the mounting base is made of aluminum alloy, the edges of the upper shell and the lower shell are respectively evenly distributed with four grooves, the bottom of the groove is provided with threaded through holes, and the upper shell and the lower shell are assembled into one by bolts.

5. The method for controlling the navigation attitude of a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a control system, which is installed in a sealed cabin. The sealed cabin has a cylindrical structure and is symmetrically distributed with respect to the central axis of the buoyancy regulator relative to the mounting base plate. The sealed cabin is fixed to the mounting port of the mounting base plate by bolts and clamps. The control system is electrically connected to the buoyancy adjustment mechanism, the propeller propulsion mechanism and the driving mechanism.

6. The method for controlling the navigation attitude of a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell is provided with horizontal and vertical flow channels respectively, which are suitable for accommodating the horizontal propeller propeller and the vertical propeller propeller. The horizontal flow channels and the vertical flow channels are distributed around the shell at equal distances from the central axis of the shell.

7. The method for controlling the navigation attitude of a dual-mode underwater helicopter of gliding and propulsion according to claim 6, characterized in that: Both sides of the upper shell and the lower shell are respectively provided with arc-shaped first accommodating chambers horizontally penetrating therethrough, and the first accommodating chambers of the upper shell and the lower shell are assembled to form the horizontal flow channel, and the other two sides of the upper shell and the lower shell are respectively provided with cylindrical second accommodating chambers vertically penetrating therethrough, and the second accommodating chambers of the upper shell and the lower shell are assembled to form the vertical flow channel.

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