Negative pressure adsorption type small-diameter pipeline detection robot and use method

Abstract

The invention provides a negative pressure adsorption type small pipe diameter pipeline detection robot and a use method, the negative pressure adsorption type small pipe diameter pipeline detection robot comprises a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a driving rear wheel, an auxiliary front wheel, a detection mechanism and a main controller, the driving rear wheel and the auxiliary front wheel are respectively arranged on the front side and the rear side of the negative pressure adsorption mechanism, and the detection mechanism and the main controller are arranged on the negative pressure adsorption mechanism. The main controller controls starting and stopping of the detection mechanism, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism and the driving rear wheels. The robot is small in size, light in weight and capable of meeting the detection requirement of a small-diameter pipeline, the labor cost and time consumption are reduced, the detection efficiency is improved, and flexible movement and accurate steering in the pipeline are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of pipeline detection, and in particular relates to a negative pressure adsorption type small-diameter pipeline detection robot and a use method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In industrial production and daily life, the use of pipelines is an important and common method of transportation. During the long-term operation of pipelines, many problems such as wear, deformation, corrosion and pollution will occur inside the pipelines. In addition, since the design of pipeline systems is generally complex and the internal space is limited, the cost of manual inspection is high and the efficiency is low. Therefore, robots can be used to replace manual inspection.

[0003] Generally, pipeline robots use the following adsorption methods: magnetic adsorption, which uses permanent magnets to adsorb or uses an electronic control system to control the internal magnetic circuit to achieve adsorption and release; negative pressure adsorption, which generally uses the fluid pressure difference generated by a fan or pump to achieve object adsorption; bionic adsorption, which imitates the special structure and adsorption method of the surface of biological organisms in nature to achieve the attachment and movement of artificial systems on various surfaces.

[0004] The current method of achieving negative pressure adsorption is to use the negative pressure generated by a vacuum pump to adsorb objects, and it is generally equipped with a vacuum suction cup to further enhance the adsorption force. However, in order to generate sufficient adsorption force, negative pressure adsorption robots will use a larger pump to generate sufficient negative pressure. Considering the weight of the pump and the weight and specifications of other modules of the robot, negative pressure robots are generally medium to large in size. In addition, existing negative pressure adsorption robots generally work on flat surfaces rather than curved surfaces, because curved surfaces are more likely to cause damage to the negative pressure environment, making it impossible for the robot to be stably adsorbed on the wall, especially when moving from a flat area to an area with a large inclination angle, the stability of the negative pressure environment will drop sharply.

[0005] However, due to the extremely limited working space of small-diameter pipelines (diameter ≤ 80mm), the current pipeline robot structure cannot be applied to such limited space. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a pipeline robot suitable for small-diameter pipelines. Summary of the invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot and a method of use in response to the above-mentioned problems, so as to ensure that the robot size is sufficient to adapt to small-diameter pipelines and can be sufficiently adsorbed on the pipeline wall.

[0007] The embodiment of the present application is implemented as follows: An embodiment of the present application provides a negative pressure adsorption type small-diameter pipeline inspection robot, which is characterized in that it includes a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a driving rear wheel, an auxiliary front wheel, a detection mechanism and a main controller. The driving rear wheel and the auxiliary front wheel are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the negative pressure adsorption mechanism, and the detection mechanism and the main controller are arranged on the negative pressure adsorption mechanism. The main controller controls the start and stop of the detection mechanism, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism and the driving rear wheel respectively.

[0008] In some optional embodiments, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism includes a negative pressure adsorption chamber, a vacuum pump and a friction gasket. The friction gasket is installed at the bottom of the negative pressure adsorption chamber and contacts the tube wall. The vacuum pump is installed in the negative pressure adsorption chamber and is respectively connected to the suction hole and exhaust hole opened on the negative pressure adsorption chamber through a vacuum pipe.

[0009] In some optional embodiments, the driven rear wheel includes a rear wheel body, a rear wheel bracket and a driving motor, the rear wheel body is mounted on the rear wheel bracket, the rear wheel bracket is connected to the negative pressure adsorption chamber, and the driving motor is mounted on the rear wheel bracket and connected to the rear wheel body to drive the rear wheel body to rotate.

[0010] In some optional embodiments, the auxiliary front wheel includes a front wheel body, a front wheel bracket and a ball joint support, the front wheel body is hinged to the front wheel bracket, and the ball joint support is installed on the front side of the negative pressure adsorption bin and connected to the front wheel bracket.

[0011] In some optional embodiments, the detection mechanism includes a camera, an infrared generating device and a lighting device, which are electrically connected to the main controller respectively.

[0012] In some optional embodiments, the rear wheel bracket is connected to the negative pressure adsorption chamber via a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is connected to a rotating motor, the driving shaft drives the rear wheel bracket to rotate, and the rotating motor is electrically connected to the main controller.

[0013] In some optional embodiments, there are two rear wheel bodies, which are symmetrically arranged on the rear wheel bracket.

[0014] In some optional embodiments, the detection mechanism further includes a buzzer, and the buzzer is electrically connected to the main controller.

[0015] In some optional embodiments, flexible protective ribs are provided around the bottom of the negative pressure adsorption chamber.

[0016] A method for using a negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot, characterized by comprising the following contents: After the robot is started, the driving motor of the rear wheel starts to provide power to the robot. After entering the pipeline, the vacuum pump starts to work, the friction pad contacts the pipeline, and the friction between the rear wheel body and the inner wall of the pipeline overcomes the friction of the friction pad and moves along the pipeline. The camera captures the image inside the pipeline and transmits the image signal back. The main controller judges the structure of the pipeline ahead by combining the image information captured by the camera with the information of the infrared generating device. If the path needs to turn, the main controller controls the rotation of the rear wheel bracket and relies on the friction of the rear wheel body to achieve steering. If the internal environment of the pipeline is not enough to support the camera to capture image information with good enough effect, the lighting device will start at this time to improve the environment in the pipeline for the camera to take pictures. When encountering an obstacle, the buzzer will sound an alarm, and the detection task will continue to be performed after the obstacle is cleared. When encountering a pipeline path that needs to move vertically upward, the auxiliary front wheel will rely on the ball hinge to adapt to the angle change in the transition stage. When entering the flat pipeline again, due to the effect of gravity, the auxiliary front wheel will continue to return to the previous position in the flat pipeline to ensure the stability of the robot's movement. During this period, the angle of the rear wheel bracket will be adjusted continuously to ensure that the robot can move and turn smoothly in the aisle.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: the present application provides a negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot and a method of use. The robot is small in size and light in weight, can adapt to the inspection needs of small-diameter pipelines, reduces labor costs and time consumption, improves inspection efficiency, and achieves effective energy savings; by using lightweight materials and micro-components, the robot can easily enter narrow or complex pipeline environments, and at the same time, by driving the steering and adjustment of the rear wheels, flexible movement and precise steering in the pipeline are achieved, enhancing the robot's adaptability and flexibility in small-diameter pipelines; the robot has an integrated detection mechanism, which can perform effective detection and alarm in the dark and complex environment inside small-diameter pipelines, thereby improving the accuracy and comprehensiveness of detection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] 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.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, 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 part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present application described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0021] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the present application for which protection is sought, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0022] It should be understood that the size of the serial numbers of the steps in the embodiments does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0023] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0024] In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "overhanging" and the like do not mean that the components are required to be absolutely horizontal or overhanging, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0025] The terms "lateral", "longitudinal", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and 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 operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" 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 it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0027] The features and performance of the present application are further described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0028] Example 1 like Figure 1 As shown, the present embodiment discloses a negative pressure adsorption type small-diameter pipeline inspection robot, including a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a driving rear wheel, an auxiliary front wheel, a detection mechanism and a main controller, wherein the driving rear wheel and the auxiliary front wheel are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the negative pressure adsorption mechanism, the detection mechanism and the main controller are arranged on the negative pressure adsorption mechanism, and the main controller controls the start and stop of the detection mechanism, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism and the driving rear wheel respectively.

[0029] The negative pressure adsorption mechanism includes a negative pressure adsorption chamber 1, a vacuum pump 2 and a friction pad. The friction pad is installed at the bottom of the negative pressure adsorption chamber and contacts the pipe wall. The vacuum pump is installed in the negative pressure adsorption chamber and is connected to the suction hole and exhaust hole opened on the negative pressure adsorption chamber through a vacuum pipe. The vacuum pump is used to inhale external air to provide a negative pressure environment and provide sufficient suction.

[0030] The driving rear wheel includes a rear wheel body 3, a rear wheel bracket 4 and a driving motor. The rear wheel body is mounted on the rear wheel bracket, and the rear wheel bracket is connected to the negative pressure adsorption chamber. The driving motor is mounted on the rear wheel bracket and connected to the rear wheel body to drive the rear wheel body to rotate.

[0031] The rear wheel bracket is connected to the negative pressure adsorption chamber through a rotating shaft, which is connected to a rotating motor. The driving shaft drives the rear wheel bracket to rotate, and the rotating motor is electrically connected to the main controller. When turning, the rear wheel bracket is driven to rotate by the rotating motor, so that the rear wheel body is offset to achieve turning. When the rear wheel body rotates 180°, the maximum offset is achieved.

[0032] There are two rear wheel bodies, which are symmetrically installed on the rear wheel bracket. The symmetrical arrangement improves the structural stability of the rear wheel mechanism. At the same time, it increases the contact area between the rear wheel body and the inner wall of the pipe, further ensuring the structural stability. The arrangement of the left and right wheel bodies makes it more flexible when turning.

[0033] The auxiliary front wheel comprises a front wheel body 5, a front wheel bracket 6 and a ball joint support 7. The front wheel body is hinged to the front wheel bracket. The ball joint support is arranged at the front side of the negative pressure adsorption bin and connected to the front wheel bracket.

[0034] When entering the transition phase between the vertical pipe and the flat pipe, the ball joint structure will adapt to the angle change in the transition phase and guide the robot to transition from a flat angle to a vertical angle. The front wheel body is a driven auxiliary wheel that can maintain the overall stability of the robot.

[0035] The detection mechanism includes a camera 8, an infrared generator 9 and an illumination device 10, which are electrically connected to the main controller. After entering the pipeline, the camera captures the image inside the pipeline and transmits back the image signal. The robot can judge the pipeline structure in front by combining the image information captured by the camera with the information of the infrared generator. If the internal environment of the pipeline is not sufficient to support the camera to capture image information with good enough effect, the illumination device will start to assist the camera in shooting.

[0036] The detection mechanism also includes a buzzer 11, which is electrically connected to the main controller. When an obstacle is encountered, the buzzer will sound an alarm, and the detection task will continue to be performed after the obstacle is cleared.

[0037] Example 2 In this embodiment, flexible protective ribs 12 are provided around the bottom of the negative pressure adsorption chamber. During the robot's movement, the negative pressure environment can be strengthened to ensure that the suction force can always make the robot adsorb on the pipe wall, and the flexible protective ribs protect the bottom structure of the robot at the same time. The robot's adaptability to the pipe environment is enhanced, the internal components are protected, and the safety and reliability of the detection process are improved.

[0038] The method of using the above robot for pipeline inspection includes the following contents: After the robot is started, the driving motor of the rear wheel starts to provide power to the robot. After entering the pipeline, the vacuum pump starts to work, the friction pad contacts the pipeline, and the friction between the rear wheel body and the inner wall of the pipeline overcomes the friction of the friction pad and moves along the pipeline. The camera captures the image inside the pipeline and transmits the image signal back. The main controller judges the structure of the pipeline ahead by combining the image information captured by the camera with the information of the infrared generating device. If the path needs to turn, the main controller controls the rotation of the rear wheel bracket and relies on the friction of the rear wheel body to achieve steering. If the internal environment of the pipeline is not enough to support the camera to capture image information with good enough effect, the lighting device will start at this time to improve the environment in the pipeline for the camera to take pictures. When encountering an obstacle, the buzzer will sound an alarm, and the detection task will continue to be performed after the obstacle is cleared. When encountering a pipeline path that needs to move vertically upward, the auxiliary front wheel will rely on the ball hinge to adapt to the angle change in the transition stage. When entering the flat pipeline again, due to the effect of gravity, the auxiliary front wheel will continue to return to the previous position in the flat pipeline to ensure the stability of the robot's movement. During this period, the angle of the rear wheel bracket will be adjusted continuously to ensure that the robot can move and turn smoothly in the aisle.

Claims

1. A negative pressure adsorption small diameter pipeline inspection robot, characterized in that: It includes a negative pressure adsorption mechanism, a driving rear wheel, an auxiliary front wheel, a detection mechanism and a main controller. The driving rear wheel and the auxiliary front wheel are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the negative pressure adsorption mechanism, the detection mechanism and the main controller are arranged on the negative pressure adsorption mechanism, and the main controller controls the start and stop of the detection mechanism, the negative pressure adsorption mechanism and the driving rear wheel respectively.

2. The negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The negative pressure adsorption mechanism includes a negative pressure adsorption bin, a vacuum pump and a friction pad. The friction pad is arranged at the bottom of the negative pressure adsorption bin and contacts the tube wall. The vacuum pump is arranged in the negative pressure adsorption bin and is respectively connected to the suction hole and the exhaust hole opened on the negative pressure adsorption bin through a vacuum pipe.

3. The negative pressure adsorption small diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driven rear wheel includes a rear wheel body, a rear wheel bracket and a driving motor. The rear wheel body is mounted on the rear wheel bracket, and the rear wheel bracket is connected to the negative pressure adsorption chamber. The driving motor is mounted on the rear wheel bracket and connected to the rear wheel body to drive the rear wheel body to rotate.

4. The negative pressure adsorption small diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The auxiliary front wheel comprises a front wheel body, a front wheel bracket and a ball joint support. The front wheel body is hinged to the front wheel bracket. The ball joint support is arranged on the front side of the negative pressure adsorption bin and connected to the front wheel bracket.

5. The negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The detection mechanism comprises a camera, an infrared generating device and an illuminating device, which are electrically connected to the main controller respectively.

6. A negative pressure adsorption small diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that: The rear wheel bracket is connected to the negative pressure adsorption chamber through a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is connected to a rotating motor, the driving shaft drives the rear wheel bracket to rotate, and the rotating motor is electrically connected to the main controller.

7. The negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: There are two rear wheel bodies, which are symmetrically arranged on the rear wheel bracket.

8. The negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The detection mechanism also includes a buzzer, and the buzzer is electrically connected to the main controller.

9. A negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 6 or 8, characterized in that: Flexible protective ribs are arranged around the bottom of the negative pressure adsorption bin.

10. A method for using the negative pressure adsorption small-diameter pipeline inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: It includes the following: After the robot is started, the driving motor of the rear wheel starts to provide power to the robot. After entering the pipeline, the vacuum pump starts to work, the friction pad contacts the pipeline, and the friction between the rear wheel body and the inner wall of the pipeline overcomes the friction of the friction pad and moves along the pipeline. The camera captures the image inside the pipeline and transmits the image signal back. The main controller judges the structure of the pipeline ahead by combining the image information captured by the camera with the information of the infrared generating device. If the path needs to turn, the main controller controls the rotation of the rear wheel bracket and relies on the friction of the rear wheel body to achieve steering. If the internal environment of the pipeline is not enough to support the camera to capture image information with good enough effect, the lighting device will start at this time to improve the environment in the pipeline for the camera to take pictures. When encountering an obstacle, the buzzer will sound an alarm, and the detection task will continue to be performed after the obstacle is cleared. When encountering a pipeline path that needs to move vertically upward, the auxiliary front wheel will rely on the ball hinge to adapt to the angle change in the transition stage. When entering the flat pipeline again, due to the effect of gravity, the auxiliary front wheel will continue to return to the previous position in the flat pipeline to ensure the stability of the robot's movement. During this period, the angle of the rear wheel bracket will be adjusted continuously to ensure that the robot can move and turn smoothly in the aisle.

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