Ship body underwater maintenance robot and ship body underwater maintenance method

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a ship body underwater maintenance robot and a ship body underwater maintenance method. The ship body underwater maintenance robot comprises a main body, a first towing winch, a first cable and a cleaning assembly. The first towing winch is connected with the first cable and used for adjusting the length of the first cable; the first cable is connected with the main body; the cleaning assembly comprises a cleaning brush, a non-contact cleaning device and damage monitoring equipment; the cleaning brush, the non-contact cleaning device and the damage monitoring equipment are installed on the main body, the cleaning brush is used for cleaning a target ship body, the non-contact cleaning device is used for cleaning the target ship body in a non-contact mode, and the damage monitoring equipment is used for monitoring conditions such as surface damage of the target ship body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of ship cleaning, and in particular to an underwater hull maintenance robot and an underwater hull maintenance method. Background Art

[0002] As ships sail and anchor at sea for many years, various marine organisms (algae, mussels, barnacles, etc.) will be attached to the underwater part of the hull. During the formation process, marine organisms will continuously corrode the paint, change the roughness of the hull, and increase fuel consumption during navigation. As ships often sail at sea or in rivers, it is difficult to clean the ships during navigation. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present application is to provide an underwater hull maintenance robot and an underwater hull maintenance method, which can realize the cleaning and monitoring of the hull of a ship in navigation.

[0004] In the first aspect, the present invention provides an underwater hull maintenance robot, comprising: a main body, a first towing winch, a first cable and a cleaning assembly; the first towing winch is connected to the first cable and is used to adjust the length of the first cable; the first cable is connected to the main body; the cleaning assembly comprises a cleaning brush and a non-contact cleaning device; the cleaning brush and the non-contact cleaning device are installed on the main body, the cleaning brush is used to clean the target hull, and the non-contact cleaning device is used to clean the target hull in a non-contact manner.

[0005] In the above implementation, the position of the main body of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be adjusted through the cable, so that the underwater hull maintenance robot can reach the predetermined longitudinal area of ​​the hull to clean and monitor the predetermined area of ​​the hull. Furthermore, a contact cleaning device cleaning brush and a non-contact cleaning device are provided, which can realize two cleaning methods of contact and non-contact. It can realize contact cleaning for some convenient parts, and non-contact cleaning for some parts that are not easy to contact or inconvenient to contact by the cleaning device. While achieving cleaning, it can also better ensure the safety of the underwater hull maintenance robot.

[0006] In an optional embodiment, the cleaning brush includes a first group of bristles, a second group of bristles, and a roller; the first group of bristles and the second group of bristles are distributed on both sides of the roller.

[0007] In the above implementation, the two groups of bristles can be used to clean the object, and the roller can also be configured to push the biological dirt on the surface of the object to remove the biological dirt.

[0008] In an optional embodiment, the first group of bristles and the second group of bristles form an included angle of a specified angle; wherein the specified angle is an angle greater than 0° and less than 180°.

[0009] In the above implementation, in addition to cleaning the surface of the object with the bristles, the two groups of bristles can be formed into an angle to facilitate brushing the surface of the object. The roller can also contact the surface of the object through squeezing to achieve more thorough cleaning.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the roller is made of a rigid material.

[0011] In the above implementation, by making the roller into a rigid material, the roller can be more easily used to push the biological dirt away from the surface of the object.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, a serration structure is provided on the roller; or, the surface of the roller is a rough surface.

[0013] In the above implementation, by providing a serrated structure on the roller, or providing it with a rough surface, the roller can be easily contacted with the biological dirt on the surface of the object, so that the biological dirt can be more easily separated from the surface of the object.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the non-contact cleaning device includes an ultrasonic device or a laser device. The ultrasonic device is used to clean the biological fouling on the target hull by ultrasonic waves; the laser device is used to treat the biological fouling on the target hull by laser.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, it also includes: an image acquisition device installed on the main body, used to acquire image data of the target hull; an image acquisition device, used to determine the degree of biological fouling adhesion on the target hull based on the image data, and control the cleaning intensity based on the degree of adhesion.

[0016] In the above implementation, cleaning can be performed based on the degree of biological fouling adhesion, thereby achieving precise cleaning.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, it further includes: a lighting device installed on the main body; and the underwater control device is used to control the lighting device to start or shut down.

[0018] In the above implementation, by configuring lighting equipment, it is possible to achieve lighting in some dark environments (such as under the sea), which can make the captured images clearer.

[0019] In an optional embodiment, it also includes: damage monitoring equipment for detecting damage on the surface of the target hull.

[0020] In the above implementation, the damage monitoring device can be used to detect flaws in the hull in addition to cleaning the hull.

[0021] In an optional embodiment, it also includes: a status monitoring sensor installed on the main body, used to detect the status data of the underwater hull maintenance robot; an underwater control device installed inside the main body, used to control the status monitoring sensor, and control the direction of the front rudder and the rear stabilizer fin according to the status data.

[0022] In an optional embodiment, it further includes: a rotating structure connected to the main body, and a connecting device installed on the rotating structure; the first cable is connected to the main body through the connecting device; and the rotating structure is used to drive the connecting device to rotate.

[0023] In the above implementation, by configuring the front rudder, rear anti-roll fin, front and rear hydrofoils and rotating structure, it is convenient to adjust the orientation of the hull underwater maintenance robot to achieve cleaning and monitoring of various positions, making the cleaning and monitoring of the hull underwater maintenance robot more comprehensive.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, it further includes: a splicing connector provided on the main body, wherein the splicing connector is used to connect two or more main bodies.

[0025] In the above implementation, the main bodies of two or more hull underwater maintenance robots can be spliced ​​together through splicing connectors, so that the hull underwater maintenance robots can better adapt to the cleaning and monitoring needs in more scenarios.

[0026] In an optional embodiment, the device further comprises a moving device disposed on the main body, wherein the moving device is used to control the movement of the main body.

[0027] In the above implementation, based on the function of the mobile device, the main body can be driven to move to a predetermined area for cleaning and monitoring, so that maintenance and monitoring can be more flexible.

[0028] In an optional embodiment, it also includes: a second towing winch and a second cable; the second towing winch is connected to the second cable for adjusting the length of the second cable; the second cable is connected to the main body; wherein the first cable and the second cable are connected at both ends of the main body.

[0029] In the above implementation, the main body can be controlled by two cables, so that the main body can be moved to some difficult-to-reach locations, such as the bottom of the ship, so that the cleaning and monitoring of the ship cleaning device can be more thorough.

[0030] In the second aspect, the present application provides a method for underwater hull maintenance, which is applied to the above-mentioned underwater hull maintenance robot. The method for underwater hull maintenance includes: adjusting the first towing winch through a surface control device to adjust the length of the first cable to lower the main body of the underwater hull maintenance robot to a target position; and cleaning the target hull through the cleaning brush and the non-contact cleaning device.

[0031] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: acquiring image data of the target hull by an image acquisition device; determining biofouling distribution data of the target hull based on the image data; and controlling the first towing winch to adjust the position of the main body by a water surface control device according to the biofouling distribution data.

[0032] In the above implementation, the position of the main body can be adaptively adjusted based on the real-time identified biofouling distribution data to achieve adaptive adjustment of the cleaning strategy, thereby achieving less cleaning in areas with less biofouling and intensive cleaning in areas with more biofouling. While achieving time-saving cleaning, the hull cleaning can also achieve better results. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of an underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning brush of an underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 4 Another schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning brush of the underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 6a A schematic diagram of the splicing structure of part of the structure of the underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 6b A schematic diagram of the structure of the cooperation between the underwater hull maintenance robot and the ship provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a process flow of an underwater hull maintenance method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 8 Another schematic flow chart of the underwater hull maintenance method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Icons: 110-main body; 121-first towing winch; 131-first cable; 122-second towing winch; 132-second cable; 141-cleaning brush; 1411-first set of bristles; 1412-second set of bristles; 1413-drum; 1414-base; 1415-sawtooth structure; 151-support seat; 152-cable connection interface; 161-front rudder; 162-rear anti-roll fin; 171-collection equipment; 172-lighting equipment; 181-hydrofoil; 182-rotating structure. 191-surface control equipment; 199-underwater control equipment; 192-display equipment; 210-hull; 220-propeller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0045] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, so once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings. At the same time, in the description of this application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish the description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0046] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or are the orientations or positional relationships in which the inventive product is usually placed when in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the present application.

[0047] In the description of this application, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "setting", "installation" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] As ships sail and anchor at sea for many years, various marine organisms, such as algae, mussels and barnacles, will attach to the underwater part of the hull. With this biofouling, the biofouling will continuously erode the paint and damage the surface coating of the hull during the formation process of the underwater part of the hull, thereby accelerating the corrosion of the hull surface and aggravating the marine biofouling. The biofouling on the hull will greatly increase the resistance, reduce the hydrodynamic performance of the ship and significantly increase fuel consumption. If not removed, the biofouling may form a thick layer of organic matter, causing the ecosystem to be fixed on the hull. Biofouling is the main source of spreading harmful species to new locations, which is fatal to the environment. Take bulk carriers and tankers traveling between Latin America and Europe as an example. If the marine organisms on the surface of the ship are not cleaned within a year, a bulk carrier will have about 2,500 pounds of biofouling to be cleaned, which will reduce its transportation speed by about 25%; a tanker will have 2,700 pounds of biofouling to be cleaned, and the sailing speed will drop by 3 nautical miles per hour. In order to maintain the normal speed of the ship, the ship owner will increase the expenditure on fuel and lubricating materials, resulting in additional losses of up to $500,000 per year. The data on the extra fuel consumption and expenses of different tankers not cleaning the hull in a year are as follows: a 50,000-ton diesel ship consumes 1,900 tons of fuel per year, and the additional cost is $1.292 million; a 50,000-ton steam ship consumes 2,500 tons of fuel per year, and the additional cost is $1.7 million; a 270,000-ton diesel ship consumes 3,200 tons of fuel per year, and the additional cost is $2.176 million. It can be seen from this that ships need to regularly clean the surface marine biological layer and carry out hull surface painting and other anti-corrosion measures. Based on the above analysis, it can be understood that it is necessary to clean the underwater part of the ship.

[0049] At present, the cleaning method for the outer surface of a ship is usually: high-pressure cleaning, which will increase the roughness of the paint. Based on this, the present application provides a hull underwater maintenance robot, which can realize the cleaning and monitoring of the underwater part of a sailing ship.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an underwater hull maintenance robot provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1As shown, the underwater hull maintenance robot includes: a main body 110, a first towing winch 121, a first cable 131 and a cleaning component.

[0051] The first towing winch 121 is connected to the first cable 131 and is used to adjust the length of the first cable 131 .

[0052] The first cable 131 and the second cable 132 are connected to the main body 110 , and the cleaning assembly is installed on the main body 110 .

[0053] The cleaning assembly may include a cleaning brush 141 and a non-contact cleaning device.

[0054] Both the cleaning brush 141 and the non-contact cleaning device may be mounted on the main body.

[0055] The cleaning brush 141 is used to clean the target hull, and the non-contact cleaning device is used to clean the target hull in a non-contact manner.

[0056] In one embodiment, the cleaning assembly may include a cleaning brush 141 .

[0057] The cleaning brush 141 can clean the surface of the ship to remove biological fouling on the bottom of the ship or the outer surface of the ship.

[0058] The brush surface of the cleaning brush 141 can be a rectangular brush surface, an elliptical brush surface, a circular brush surface, etc.

[0059] The cleaning brush 141 may also include a plurality of small brushes, and the brush surface of each small brush may be in a rectangular brush surface, an elliptical brush surface, a circular brush surface, etc. Optionally, each small brush may be connected to a first driver to drive the small brush to rotate. For example, the first driver may be a motor, and the motor may be connected to the small brush, and when the motor is started, the small brush may rotate.

[0060] In order to make the cleaning brush 141 better fit the surface of the ship, the brush surface of the cleaning brush 141 can be a concave arc surface. It is understandable that the arc of the brush surface of the cleaning brush 141 can be different for different types of ships. In one implementation, a dedicated cleaning brush 141 can be set for each type of ship, and when cleaning different ships, the appropriate cleaning brush 141 can be replaced to achieve cleaning.

[0061] Optionally, the main body 110 may be a cuboid main body 110, and the overall shape of the cleaning brush 141 may also be a rectangular shape that matches the cuboid main body 110. For example, the cleaning brush 141 may include a base 1414 connected to the cuboid main body 110, and the bristles of the cleaning brush 141 are inserted into the base 1414 of the cleaning brush 141.

[0062] Considering that the underwater hull maintenance robot provided in the embodiment of the present application is usually used underwater to clean ships at sea, and the water pressure and water resistance underwater are relatively large. In order to reduce the water resistance, the main body 110 can be designed as a rectangular main body 110. Exemplarily, the length of the rectangular main body 110 can be a specified multiple of the width. The specified multiple can be a positive integer greater than two. For example, the length of the rectangular main body 110 can be three times, four times, five times, six times, ten times, etc., of the width, so that the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot is slender. The slender main body 110 is subject to relatively less water resistance.

[0063] Considering that there may be some parts on the ship that are difficult to access, such as propellers and bilge keels, which are dangerous and difficult to approach. Based on this, the cleaning component can also include a non-contact cleaning device, which can clean the target hull in a non-contact manner. In this way, the cleaning of the ship can be more comprehensive.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a second towing winch 122 and a second cable 132. The second towing winch 122 is connected to the second cable 132 for adjusting the length of the second cable 132.

[0065] The first cable 131 and the second cable 132 are connected to the main body 110 , and the cleaning assembly is installed on the main body 110 .

[0066] Alternatively, if Figure 5 As shown, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a connection device, which may include a support seat 151 and a cable connection interface 152. The support seat 151 may be mounted on the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot, the cable connection interface 152 may be connected to the support seat 151, and the first cable 131 may be connected to the cable connection interface 152.

[0067] Exemplarily, the underwater hull maintenance robot can also be provided with two sets of connection devices. They are respectively a first support seat and a first cable connection interface, a second support seat and a second cable connection interface. The first support seat can be installed on the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot, the first cable connection interface can be connected to the first support seat, and the first cable 131 can be connected to the first cable connection interface. The second support seat can be installed on the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot, the second cable connection interface can be connected to the second support seat, and the second cable 132 can be connected to the second cable connection interface.

[0068] Optionally, the first support seat and the first cable connection interface may be disposed at the head of the main body 110 , and the second support seat and the second cable connection interface may be disposed at the tail of the main body 110 .

[0069] The main body 110 and the cleaning component of the hull underwater maintenance robot can be attached to the outer surface of the underwater part of the ship, and the first towing winch 121 and the second towing winch 122 can be located on the ship. By adjusting the first towing winch 121 and the second towing winch 122, the length of the first cable 131 and the second cable 132 can be adjusted, thereby achieving the adjustment of the position of the main body 110 and the cleaning component of the hull underwater maintenance robot.

[0070] Exemplarily, the first towing winch 121 and the second towing winch 122 can be located on both sides of the ship, the first cable 131 and the second cable 132 can bypass the hull, the main body 110 connected by the first cable 131 and the second cable 132 can be lowered into the underwater part of the ship, and the main body 110 and the cleaning component can contact the bottom of the ship or the outer surface of the ship.

[0071] When the target hull needs to be cleaned, the position of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the first cable 131 and the second cable 132. Through the configuration of the towing winch and the cable, it is possible to adjust the position of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot by adjusting the length of the first cable 131 and the second cable 132 without disassembling the support seat of the mooring cable, thereby reducing the risk of looseness during equipment disassembly and installation, and reducing maintenance and repair costs.

[0072] Optionally, the support base 151 can be connected to the main body 110 in a detachable manner. When the position of the main body 110 needs to be switched, the support base 151 can be disassembled to be installed on different surfaces of the main body 110. For example, when the main body 110 needs to be attached to the left side of the ship, the support base 151 can be installed on the first surface of the main body 110, and when the main body 110 needs to be attached to the right side of the ship, the support base 151 can be installed on the second surface of the main body 110. The first surface and the second surface can be opposite surfaces. Exemplarily, when the main body 110 needs to be attached to the left side of the ship, the first surface can be the surface facing upward; when the main body 110 needs to be attached to the right side of the ship, the second surface can be the surface facing upward.

[0073] Optionally, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a rotating structure 182 connected to the main body 110. The support seat 151 of the above-mentioned connecting device may be connected to the rotating structure 182 to adjust the relative direction of the support seat 151.

[0074] The rotating structure 182 can rotate along the main body 110 to drive the supporting base 151 to rotate.

[0075] Exemplarily, when the main body 110 needs to be attached to the left side of the ship, the rotating structure 182 drives the support seat 151 to rotate by rotating so that the support seat 151 is located on the first side of the main body 110. When the main body 110 needs to be attached to the right side of the ship, the rotating structure 182 drives the support seat 151 to rotate by rotating so that the support seat 151 is located on the second side of the main body 110.

[0076] Optionally, the number of the rotating structures 182 may be the same as the number of the connecting devices, and each set of connecting devices may be connected to one rotating structure 182. Figure 5 In the example shown, only one set of rotating structures 182 and connecting means are shown.

[0077] Alternatively, if Figure 3 As shown, the cleaning brush 141 includes a first group of bristles 1411, a second group of bristles 1412, and a roller 1413. The first group of bristles 1411 and the second group of bristles 1412 are distributed on both sides of the roller 1413.

[0078] Exemplarily, the cleaning brush 141 may further include a base 1414 . The first group of bristles 1411 and the second group of bristles 1412 are both inserted into the base 1414 . Figure 3 In the example shown, the first group of bristles 1411 and the second group of bristles 1412 are respectively inserted into two edges of the base 1414.

[0079] The roller 1413 is installed inside the base 1414. Exemplarily, an installation space may be reserved in the base 1414, and the roller 1413 is installed in the installation space. Exemplarily, the roller 1413 may be a hollow, solid, or shaft-out roller with bearings at both ends, and fixed bearing seats or other fixed structures are reserved at both ends of the installation space, and the shaft out of the roller 1413 is installed on the bearing seat or other fixed structure. The roller 1413 can rotate with the connecting rod as the rotation axis.

[0080] Optionally, the first group of bristles 1411 and the second group of bristles 1412 form an angle of a specified angle. The specified angle is an angle greater than 0° and less than 180°. For example, the first group of bristles 1411 and the second group of bristles 1412 form an angle of 30°, 60°, 120°, etc.

[0081] In order to facilitate pushing the biological fouling on the surface of the ship, the roller 1413 can be made of a rigid material. For example, the rigid material can be a polyurethane polymer material.

[0082] By setting the roller 1413 to a harder structure, the biological fouling on the ship can be cleaned, but the rigid material can be a polyurethane polymer material, and when cleaning the hull, it can also reduce damage to the ship and improve the safety of the ship.

[0083] For example, Figure 4 As shown, a sawtooth structure 1415 may be provided on the roller 1413. The sawteeth in the sawtooth structure 1415 may be evenly distributed on the roller 1413. The number of sawteeth in the sawtooth structure 1415 may be set according to the actual size of the roller 1413. For example, the larger the size of the roller 1413, the more sawteeth there may be; the smaller the size of the roller 1413, the fewer sawteeth there may be.

[0084] The serrated structure 1415 of the roller 1413 can increase the interaction with the surface of the ship, thereby better removing biological fouling on the surface of the ship.

[0085] Exemplarily, the surface of the roller 1413 may be a rough surface.

[0086] The roller 1413 is configured to have a rough surface, which can increase the friction with the surface of the ship, thereby more effectively removing biological fouling on the surface of the ship.

[0087] Optionally, the surface of the roller 1413 may also be provided with structures such as blades and burrs.

[0088] By designing the roller 1413 to have a non-smooth surface, the cleaning effect of the ship can be better.

[0089] Optionally, in order to increase the sliding flexibility of the roller 1413, the roller 1413 can also be formed by a plurality of rollers arranged in parallel.

[0090] Exemplarily, the widths of the rollers may not be completely the same, but the outer diameters of the rollers may be the same.

[0091] Since barnacles and other attached organisms on the surface of the ship have strong adhesion after a long time, it may be difficult to remove the biological fouling with strong adhesion if a single cleaning brush is used. Therefore, a structural combination of a brush and a roller 1413 is used to achieve cleaning, with cleaning brushes on both sides and a hard roller 1413 or a serrated scraper in the middle. The cleaning brush 141 can remove biological fouling on the surface of the ship by friction.

[0092] In this embodiment, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include an underwater control device 199 that is communicatively connected to the non-contact cleaning device, and the underwater control device 199 is used to control the non-contact cleaning device to start cleaning or shut down.

[0093] Exemplarily, the non-contact cleaning device may be connected to the underwater control device 199 via a wired connection.

[0094] Exemplarily, the non-contact cleaning device can be connected to the underwater control device 199 by wireless connection. The wireless connection can be a near-field wireless connection, such as Bluetooth, wifi, etc.

[0095] Optionally, the non-contact cleaning device may be an ultrasonic device.

[0096] When in use, the ultrasonic device can adjust the ultrasonic frequency to induce the biological fouling on the target hull to produce the same frequency resonance. The resonance produces harmonics. A standing wave effect is produced between the peaks of the harmonics of different frequencies, which suspends the tiny biological fouling. The biological fouling then deforms under the vibration. The large number of tiny bubbles produced by the high-speed resonance produce a cavitation effect when they burst.

[0097] For example, the ultrasonic device can clean propellers, bilge keels and other parts of some ships in a non-contact manner.

[0098] Exemplarily, the ultrasound device may include a plurality of transducers, and the transducers may be hybrid variable frequency transducers.

[0099] The number of transducers included in the ultrasonic device can be adaptively set based on the actual size of the underwater hull maintenance robot. For example, the larger the underwater hull maintenance robot is, the more transducers can be included; the smaller the underwater hull maintenance robot is, the fewer transducers can be included.

[0100] The number of transducers included in the ultrasonic device can be adaptively set based on the target hull to be cleaned by the underwater hull maintenance robot. For example, if the target hull is a larger ship, the number of transducers can be more; if the target hull is a smaller ship, the number of transducers can be less.

[0101] Optionally, the ultrasonic device may include multiple groups of transducers, each of which may include multiple transducers. Each group of transducers may be independently controlled to be started and shut down. Exemplarily, the start and shut down of each group of transducers may be achieved by an underwater control device 199.

[0102] The corresponding number of transducers can be activated based on the size of the target ship hull to be cleaned, or based on the degree of dirtiness of the biological fouling attached to the target ship hull.

[0103] The ultrasonic device can adjust the power and vibration frequency of the ultrasonic wave of the ultrasonic device according to the biological fouling on the surface of the target hull.

[0104] Considering that low-frequency ultrasound can better produce transient cavitation, and microbubbles are formed quickly, and microbubbles rupture to form transient cavitation, the cleaning effect is equivalent to better. Based on this, the ultrasound output by the ultrasonic device can be low-frequency ultrasound. For example, the low frequency can be 20KHz, 1MHz.

[0105] Optionally, the non-contact cleaning device may be a laser device.

[0106] When in use, the laser device functions autonomously via a blue diode direct emitter laser transmitter, combined with a robotic system for laser process control / observation.

[0107] By setting up a non-contact laser device, the separation of damaged organisms after laser irradiation under static and dynamic flow conditions is controlled so that the coating is not removed by laser radiation. This can prevent the release of biofouling on the ship into the environment or water. Therefore, the lethal destruction of fouling organisms on the ship can be reduced.

[0108] In this embodiment, in order to better clean the target ship body. Figure 5 As shown, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a collection device 171 installed on the main body 110 for collecting image data of the target hull.

[0109] In one implementation, before the underwater hull maintenance robot is launched into the water, the acquisition device 171 can be started to acquire underwater image data of the target hull, which can present the outer surface of the target hull.

[0110] Optionally, the acquisition device 171 can be a acquisition device 171 that is communicatively connected to the underwater control device 199 .

[0111] The underwater control device 199 can be used to control the start and stop of the acquisition device 171, determine the location of the biofouling on the target hull according to the image data, and control the non-contact cleaning device to start cleaning based on the location of the biofouling.

[0112] Optionally, the acquisition device 171 may be connected to the main body 110 via a pivot axis, and the acquisition device 171 may be rotated via the pivot axis to achieve image acquisition at more angles.

[0113] Optionally, the underwater control device 199 can also identify and locate the type and location of biological fouling attached to the target hull based on the collected image data. For example, the type of biological fouling can be thin biofilm, organic layer, larger plants, mussels, barnacles and other attachments. The underwater control device 199 and the surface control device 191 can also determine the cleaning strategy based on the type and location of the biological fouling.

[0114] Exemplarily, the cleaning strategy may include starting the number and type of non-contact cleaning devices, starting the number of transducer groups of ultrasonic devices, etc.

[0115] For example, the cleaning strategy may include superimposed cleaning of an ultrasonic device and a laser device, cleaning of a laser device alone, cleaning of an ultrasonic device alone, cleaning of a specified number of transducers of an ultrasonic device, and the like.

[0116] Optionally, the underwater control device 199 can also perform recognition based on the image data collected by the collection device 171 to inspect the surface of the target hull for damage.

[0117] For example, it is possible to determine whether the paint on the surface of the target hull is intact, determine whether the surface of the target hull is damaged, etc. through recognition of image data.

[0118] Optionally, when it is determined that there are defects on the surface of the target hull, a reminder can be implemented based on the specific defects. For example, a reminder message can be sent to a user account associated with the target hull.

[0119] In order to make the image collected by the collection device 171 clearer, Figure 5 As shown, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a lighting device 172 installed on the main body 110 .

[0120] The lighting device 172 can be manually activated before the underwater hull maintenance robot is launched into the water.

[0121] The lighting device 172 can be automatically turned on or off. For example, after the underwater hull maintenance robot is launched into the water, the photo device 172 can be automatically turned on.

[0122] Optionally, the lighting device 172 may be communicatively connected to the underwater control device 199 , and the underwater control device 199 may also be used to control the lighting device 172 to start or shut down.

[0123] When it is necessary to photograph the target ship, the underwater control device 199 can start the lighting device 172 and the acquisition device 171 to acquire the image of the target ship in a bright state.

[0124] Optionally, the lighting device 172 may be started first, and then the acquisition device 171 may be started to acquire the image of the target ship body. After the acquisition is completed, the acquisition device 171 may be turned off first, and then the lighting device 172 may be turned off.

[0125] By setting the lighting device 172, the underwater environment where the target ship is located can be supplemented with light, so that the image collected by the collection device 171 can be clear.

[0126] In this embodiment, in order to better maintain the ship, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a damage monitoring device for detecting damage on the surface of the target hull.

[0127] Exemplarily, the damage monitoring device may be used to detect the thickness of the surface paint of the ship; the damage monitoring device may also be used to detect the degree of damage to the hull structure, etc.

[0128] In this embodiment, in order to facilitate the adjustment of the posture of the underwater hull maintenance robot, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include: a front rudder 161, a rear anti-roll fin 162, and a state monitoring sensor.

[0129] The front rudder 161 and the rear stabilizer fin 162 may be disposed on the body 110 .

[0130] The status monitoring sensor may also be installed on the main body 110 to detect the operating status data of the underwater hull maintenance robot.

[0131] Optionally, the state monitoring sensor may include a depth sensor, a pressure sensor, a posture sensor, etc. The depth of the current position of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be detected by the depth sensor. The pressure of the current position of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be detected by the pressure sensor. The posture of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be detected by the posture sensor. The posture of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be a three-dimensional posture of the underwater hull maintenance robot.

[0132] The attitude sensor may be a three-dimensional motion attitude measurement system based on micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology. Optionally, the attitude sensor may include auxiliary motion sensors such as a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer (Inertial Measurement Unit, IMU), and a three-axis electronic compass, and the three-dimensional attitude data of the hull underwater maintenance robot may be determined through each auxiliary motion sensor.

[0133] The underwater control device 199 is used to control the directions of the front rudder 161 and the rear stabilizer fin 162 according to the status data.

[0134] Optionally, the front rudder 161 and the rear anti-roll fin 162 can be adjusted by the underwater control device 199 to achieve angle control of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot.

[0135] Optionally, the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be oriented substantially parallel to the water flow. The resistance and lateral force generated when the water flow passes through the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot realize the lateral movement of the robot.

[0136] In this embodiment, the target hull may also be provided with a detection device for detecting the direction of water flow, and the detection device may be used to detect the direction of water flow in the waters where the target hull is located. The underwater control device 199 may determine the adjustment direction based on the direction of water flow and the posture of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot, and control the front rudder 161 and the rear anti-roll fin 162 based on the adjustment direction to adjust the angle of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot, so that the adjusted angle of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot can be close to parallel with the direction of water flow.

[0137] The underwater hull maintenance robot provided in this embodiment may further include: a hydrofoil 181 connected to the main body 110 .

[0138] Optionally, two or more hydrofoils 181 may be installed on the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot, and the hydrofoils 181 are distributed at the head and tail of the main body 110 .

[0139] The position of the main body 110 of the hull underwater maintenance robot can be adjusted by the action of the hydrofoil 181 .

[0140] Optionally, the hydrofoils 181 disposed at the head and tail of the main body may be symmetrical hydrofoils 181. Optionally, the hydrofoils 181 disposed at the head and tail of the main body may be asymmetrical hydrofoils 181. Optionally, the hydrofoils 181 may be fixedly mounted on the main body.

[0141] Optionally, the hydrofoil 181 may be driven by a driving device.

[0142] In this embodiment, the underwater hull maintenance robot may further include a display device 192, and the display device 192 is used to display the posture of the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot, the image data collected by the collection device 171, and the like.

[0143] In this embodiment, the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot adopts a slender and straight structure design to increase the stability of the underwater hull maintenance robot; by connecting the main body 110 with the cable (the first cable 131 or the second cable 132), the length of the cable is controlled by the towing winch (the first towing winch 121 or the second towing winch 122) to realize the control of the movement of the main body in the longitudinal direction of the hull. In addition, secondly, through the speed difference between the front and rear hydrofoils 181 receiving the water flow surface, the force of the main body 110 acting on the hull and the adsorption of the main body 110 and the hull 210 after entering the water are adjusted to realize the autonomous attitude adjustment of the main body 110. Again, through the angle control of the front rudder 161 and the rear anti-roll fin 162, and combined with the data collection of the depth, pressure, attitude sensor and other data from the waterline to the bottom of the ship, the angle control of the front rudder 161 and the rear anti-roll fin 162 is realized in combination with these data, and finally the control of the movement of the main body in the lateral direction is realized. In this system, the adjustment of the position of the main body during cleaning does not require additional power components, but the position is controlled by water flow and cables, which can reduce the complexity and cost of the structure of the underwater maintenance robot of the hull in this application. In addition, since no additional power components are required, compared with the traditional cleaning robot that requires power drive, from the perspective of design concept, the underwater maintenance robot of the hull implemented in this application realizes zero pollution and zero emission of the equipment itself; from the perspective of operability, the underwater maintenance robot of the hull implemented in this application adopts a lightweight material design, which can realize single-person operation of deployment and recovery; from the perspective of energy supply, the underwater maintenance robot of the hull implemented in this application does not require a complex surface power system, such as electrical equipment such as rectification or voltage reduction; from the perspective of deployment and recovery, the underwater maintenance robot of the hull implemented in this application does not require a complex surface lifting and recovery device, reduces the space layout of the ship deck, and is easy to carry and move; from the perspective of economy, the underwater maintenance robot of the hull implemented in this application can be cleaned during navigation without affecting the operation time of the ship.

[0144] In order to facilitate the cleaning of ships of different sizes, the main body 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot can also be provided with a splicing connector; two or more main bodies 110 of the underwater hull maintenance robot can form a splicing structure through the splicing connector. Figure 6a In the example shown, only two hull underwater maintenance robot bodies 110 are spliced ​​to form a structure. Based on different actual needs, for example, if the hull needs to be cleaned more quickly, more hull underwater maintenance robot bodies 110 can be spliced.

[0145] Exemplarily, two splicing connectors may be provided on the main body 110, and the two splicing connectors may be distributed on both sides of the main body. Of course, the main body 110 may also be provided with more splicing connectors, and when the number of splicing connectors is an even number, the multiple splicing connectors may be evenly distributed on both sides of the main body.

[0146] Optionally, the splicing connector may be a snap-fit ​​structure, and the two snap-fit ​​structures cooperate with each other to achieve connection.

[0147] Optionally, the splicing connector can be a latch and a pin slot, and the latch is inserted into the pin slot to achieve connection. For example, a latch can be provided on the first side of the main body, and a pin slot can be provided on the second side of the main body. The first side of one main body can be spliced ​​with the second side of another main body through the connection between the latch and the pin slot.

[0148] like Figure 6b As shown, Figure 6b A schematic diagram showing the cooperation between the underwater hull maintenance robot and the target hull is shown. Figure 6b In the example shown, the water surface control device 191, the display device 192 and the first towing winch 121 may be arranged on the hull 210 of the target ship.

[0149] The laser device can output laser to clean the propeller 220 of the target ship.

[0150] In this embodiment, a moving device may also be provided on the main body of the underwater hull maintenance robot, and the movement of the main body of the underwater hull maintenance robot may be controlled by the moving device.

[0151] Exemplarily, the mobile device may include wheels disposed on the main body.

[0152] Optionally, the mobile device may include a second driver connected to the wheel, and the second driver may be controlled to operate by the underwater control device 199. When the motor operates, the wheel may be driven to rotate, and the mobile device drives the main body to move.

[0153] Exemplarily, the moving device may include a track disposed on the main body and a third driver for controlling the movement of the track, and the third driver may drive the track to move so as to drive the main body to move.

[0154] Exemplarily, the moving device may include a propeller disposed on the main body, and the propeller may drive the main body to move.

[0155] Optionally, the underwater control device 199 can drive the moving device to work according to a pre-designed path to drive the main body to move along the pre-designed path to achieve cleaning according to the pre-designed path.

[0156] The above-mentioned splicing connectors can be used to splice multiple main bodies, so that the coverage area of ​​the cleaning component can be wider, and the cleaning and monitoring efficiency of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be improved.

[0157] The embodiment of the present application also provides a method for underwater hull maintenance. The method for underwater hull maintenance can be applied to an underwater hull maintenance robot. The underwater hull maintenance robot can be Figures 1 to 6a The cleaning device shown and described in relation thereto.

[0158] The underwater hull maintenance method may include adjusting the length of the first cable by adjusting the first towing winch to lower the main body of the underwater hull maintenance robot to a target position; and cleaning the target hull by using a cleaning brush and a non-contact cleaning device.

[0159] Exemplarily, the target position may be a pre-set position. The depth of the target position may be different for different ships, for example, for a larger ship, the depth of the target position may be deeper, and for a smaller ship, the depth of the target position may be shallower.

[0160] In this embodiment, the first towing winch is adjusted by means of a water surface control device to adjust the length of the first cable.

[0161] Exemplarily, the target position may also be one of a plurality of pre-set positions. Each time the above process is performed, cleaning of different target positions is achieved.

[0162] The following combined process Figure 7 To describe the optional process of underwater hull maintenance methods:

[0163] Step 310: deploying the underwater hull maintenance robot to the target ship in navigation.

[0164] Step 320, adjusting the length of the cable by adjusting the towing winch, so as to lower the main body of the hull underwater maintenance robot to the target position.

[0165] Step 330, moving in the lateral direction of the hull by means of a moving device installed on the main body.

[0166] Step 340, cleaning the target ship hull by using a cleaning brush and a non-contact cleaning device.

[0167] In this embodiment, the above steps 310 to 340 may be performed according to a preset cleaning strategy.

[0168] Optionally, the cleaning strategy may include a definition of cleaning positions, a definition of a cleaning time for each cleaning position, a definition of a sequence for each cleaning position, and a cleaning method for each cleaning position.

[0169] The cleaning method may include contact cleaning with a cleaning brush, non-contact cleaning with a non-contact cleaning device, contact cleaning, and non-contact cleaning mixed cleaning.

[0170] When the target hull needs to be cleaned, the order of each cleaning position can be defined according to the above cleaning strategy, and the main body can be lowered to each position in turn through step 320. Cleaning is performed at each cleaning position based on the cleaning method and cleaning time of each cleaning position.

[0171] Optionally, the cleaning strategy may also set an end position, and when the cleaning is completed at the end position, it may indicate that the cleaning of the target hull is completed.

[0172] In order to improve the flexibility of ship cleaning, the underwater hull maintenance method may also include: collecting image data of the target hull through an acquisition device; based on the image data, determining the distribution status of biological fouling of the target hull, the area covered by the robot during maintenance, whether the hull maintenance and monitoring is successful, hull damage and other data.

[0173] For example, the biofouling distribution data includes the status of biofouling at each location, the type of biofouling, etc.

[0174] Types of biofouling can include thin biofilms, layers of organic matter, larger plants, and attachments such as mussels and barnacles.

[0175] For thin biofilms, contact cleaning with a cleaning brush can be used. For organic layers, non-contact cleaning such as laser devices can be used to kill marine organisms in biofouling to achieve the purpose of cleaning. For various types of biofouling, a combination of contact and non-contact cleaning can be used to clean.

[0176] For locations with thick biofouling, the cleaning can be adaptively continued for a longer period of time. The underwater hull maintenance method may also include: adjusting the position of the main body by controlling the first towing winch according to the biofouling distribution data.

[0177] Optionally, after the default cleaning process is completed for the ship, the above process can be used to further implement double cleaning, so that the ship can be cleaned more thoroughly.

[0178] Through the above method, the cleaning needs of different ships can be adapted, increasing the flexibility of the underwater hull maintenance robot provided in the present application.

[0179] Combine the following Figure 8 A flow chart of the underwater hull maintenance method is provided to describe the process of implementing underwater hull maintenance by using an underwater hull maintenance robot.

[0180] Step 410: deploy the underwater hull maintenance robot to the target ship in navigation.

[0181] Exemplarily, the towing winch of the underwater hull maintenance robot can be set on the ship of the target hull, and other parts of the underwater hull maintenance robot that can be used for cleaning and monitoring can go deep into the water.

[0182] Step 420, autonomously control the towing winch to adjust the length of the cable to adjust the movement of the underwater hull maintenance robot along the longitudinal position of the hull.

[0183] For example, the towing winch can be automatically controlled by the water surface control device 191 to adjust the length of the cable.

[0184] Optionally, when the underwater hull maintenance robot is provided with only one set of towing winches and cables, the entire underwater hull maintenance robot can be moved along the longitudinal position of the hull only by controlling this set of towing winches and cables.

[0185] Optionally, when the underwater hull maintenance robot is only provided with two sets of towing winches and cables, the two sets of towing winches and cables can be controlled to jointly realize the movement of the entire underwater hull maintenance robot along the longitudinal position of the hull.

[0186] For example, the depth of the part of the underwater hull maintenance robot that can go deep into the water can be preset, and the towing winch is adjusted based on the depth of the water to adjust the length of the cable. By adjusting the length of the cable, the depth of the part of the underwater hull maintenance robot that can go deep into the water can be controlled.

[0187] Step 430, autonomously control the front rudder and the rear anti-roll fin to achieve angle control of the underwater part of the hull underwater maintenance robot, so that the hull underwater maintenance robot can pass through the lateral direction of the target hull once or multiple times.

[0188] Step 440, determining whether the vehicle has reached the predetermined area.

[0189] For example, the required movement amplitude and movement path during the hull cleaning process can be preset. By adjusting the front rudder 161 and the rear anti-roll fin 162, the angle of the underwater part of the hull underwater maintenance robot is controlled, and the length of the cable is controlled to achieve the depth of the underwater part of the hull underwater maintenance robot, thereby achieving the adjustment of the movement path of the underwater part of the hull underwater maintenance robot.

[0190] If the predetermined area is not reached, steps 420 and 430 are repeated. If the predetermined area is reached, the cleaning process is terminated.

[0191] The predetermined area may be a pre-set position. For example, the predetermined area may be a position on the target ship.

[0192] Through the above process, there is no need for an additional drive for the underwater part of the hull underwater maintenance robot. Instead, the underwater part of the hull underwater maintenance robot can be moved by the front rudder and rear anti-roll fins, hydrodynamics, and the towing of cables, thereby achieving maintenance, monitoring and other processing of the hull.

[0193] The above description is only an optional embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application. It should be noted that similar numbers and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, so once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in the subsequent drawings.

[0194] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the present technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A hull underwater maintenance robot, characterized in that: include: A main body, a first towing winch, a first cable, and a cleaning assembly; The first towing winch is connected to the first cable and is used to adjust the length of the first cable; The first cable is connected to the main body; The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning brush and a non-contact cleaning device; the cleaning brush and the non-contact cleaning device are installed on the main body, the cleaning brush is used to clean the target hull, and the non-contact cleaning device is used to clean the target hull in a non-contact manner.

2. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning brush comprises a first set of bristles, a second set of bristles and a roller; The first group of bristles and the second group of bristles are distributed on both sides of the roller.

3. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first group of bristles and the second group of bristles form an included angle of a specified angle; wherein the specified angle is an angle greater than 0° and less than 180°.

4. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The roller is made of rigid material.

5. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The roller is provided with a sawtooth structure; or the surface of the roller is a rough surface.

6. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The non-contact cleaning device includes an ultrasonic device or a laser device; The ultrasonic device is used to clean the biofouling on the target hull by ultrasonic waves; The laser device is used for treating the biofouling on the target ship hull by laser.

7. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: An image acquisition device installed on the main body, used to acquire image data of the target hull; The image acquisition device is used to determine the degree of biological fouling adhesion on the target hull according to the image data, and control the cleaning intensity based on the degree of adhesion.

8. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The damage monitoring device is used to detect damage on the surface of the target ship.

9. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A front rudder and a rear anti-roll fin disposed on the main body; A status monitoring sensor installed on the main body, used to detect status data of the underwater hull maintenance robot; The underwater control device installed inside the main body is used to control the state monitoring sensor and control the directions of the front rudder and the rear stabilizer fin according to the state data.

10. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Also includes: a rotating structure connected to the main body, and a connecting device installed on the rotating structure; The first cable is connected to the main body via the connecting device; The rotating structure is used to drive the connecting device to rotate.

11. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Also includes: A splicing connector is arranged on the main body, and is used to connect two or more main bodies.

12. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: It also includes a moving device arranged on the main body, and the moving device is used to control the movement of the main body.

13. The underwater hull maintenance robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Also includes: a second towing winch, a second cable; The second towing winch is connected to the second cable and is used to adjust the length of the second cable; The second cable is connected to the main body; wherein the first cable and the second cable are connected to two ends of the main body.

14. A method for underwater hull maintenance, characterized in that: The underwater hull maintenance robot according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the underwater hull maintenance method comprises: Regulating the first towing winch by means of a surface control device to adjust the length of the first cable so as to lower the main body of the underwater hull maintenance robot to a target position; The target ship hull is cleaned by the cleaning brush and the non-contact cleaning device.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that Also includes: Collecting image data of the target hull through an image acquisition device; Based on the image data, determining biofouling distribution data of the target hull; The first towing winch is controlled by a water surface control device to adjust the position of the main body according to the biofouling distribution data.

Images