Pipeline cleaning robot capable of changing diameter actively

Abstract

The invention discloses a pipeline cleaning robot with an active reducing function. The pipeline cleaning robot comprises a power brush assembly and a power ultrasonic assembly which are connected in series through a flexible connecting piece. The power brush assembly comprises a first body, a plurality of pairs of mechanical arm assemblies arranged in an umbrella-type crossed mode, a front-facing camera arranged at the front end of the first body and a rotary brush assembly arranged at the rear portion of the first body, driving wheels are arranged at the top ends of each pair of mechanical arm assemblies, and the mechanical arm assemblies are driven by a first variable-diameter driving mechanism to change the diameter. The rotary brush assembly is driven by a second variable-diameter driving mechanism to change the diameter. The power ultrasonic assembly comprises a second main body, umbrella type driving bins arranged in parallel and a rear camera device arranged at the rear end of the second main body, each driving bin is provided with a supporting wheel and an ultrasonic generator, and the driving bins are driven by a third reducing driving mechanism to change the diameter. The pipeline cleaning robot has the advantages that the problem that an existing pipeline cleaning robot is poor in trafficability is solved, and stable operation of the whole robot in pipelines with different pipe diameters is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of pipeline cleaning, and in particular to an actively diameter-changing pipeline cleaning robot. Background Art

[0002] Water supply pipelines are the lifeline of cities and are crucial to the normal production of cities and the daily lives of residents. At present, there are still long-serving pipelines underground in cities that are used for water supply. The inner walls of these pipelines may be covered with pipe scale and biofilm. These pipe scale and biofilm not only reduce the quality of tap water, but also hinder the transportation of water, increase the head loss along the way, cause insufficient water pressure and energy waste, and even cause pipeline leakage and burst.

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, China's publication number CN118681879A, entitled "A Multifunctional Pipeline Cleaning Robot with Variable Diameter", uses a three-stage design with flexible connections to greatly enhance the robot's ability to pass through bends. It can not only see the situation inside the pipeline clearly, but also use a variety of means to clean the pipeline. However, due to the three-stage design, although the flexible connection improves the passability of the bend, the overall length is large and it is difficult to adapt to small diameter or complex bend scenarios. Moreover, relying solely on the power image segment to provide traction power can easily cause insufficient traction and prevent the robot from moving forward normally. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a pipeline cleaning robot with active diameter change, which can effectively solve the problem of poor passability of existing pipeline cleaning robots.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: An actively variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot comprises a power brush assembly and a power ultrasonic assembly connected in series via a flexible connector; The power brush assembly comprises: a first body, a plurality of pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies, a front camera arranged at the front end of the first body, and a rotating brush assembly arranged at the rear end of the first body, a driving wheel is arranged at the top end of each pair of mechanical arm assemblies, the mechanical arm assembly is driven to change diameter by a first diameter-changing driving mechanism, and the rotating brush assembly is driven to change diameter by a second diameter-changing driving mechanism; The powered ultrasonic component comprises: a second body, umbrella-shaped parallel-arranged driving chambers and a rear camera device arranged at the rear end of the second body, each driving chamber is provided with a supporting wheel and an ultrasonic generator, and the driving chamber is driven to change diameter by a third variable diameter driving mechanism.

[0006] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipe cleaning robot, there are two groups of multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged robotic arm assemblies, each group of robotic arm assemblies includes multiple robotic arms, and the robotic arms in the two groups of robotic arm assemblies are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first main body. Each group of robotic arm assemblies is provided with a corresponding first variable diameter driving mechanism, and the first variable diameter driving mechanism drives all robotic arms in the group of robotic arm assemblies to move synchronously, and the driving wheels in the two groups of robotic arm assemblies are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the first main body.

[0007] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipe cleaning robot, the robotic arm includes a first support rod and a second support rod, the top end of one of the first support rod or the second support rod is provided with the active wheel, and the other is hinged to the support rod provided with the active wheel; the bottom end of the first support rod is hinged to the first main body, and the bottom end of the second support rod is driven by the first variable diameter driving mechanism to slide along the axial direction of the first main body.

[0008] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipe cleaning robot, the first variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first driver and a first driving ring slidably mounted on the first main body, the bottom ends of all second support rods in the same group of mechanical arm assemblies are hinged on the first driving ring, and the first driver drives the first driving ring to move axially along the first main body.

[0009] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot, the support rod without a driving wheel is an elastic support rod.

[0010] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot, when the two sets of mechanical arm assemblies are opened or retracted, the driving wheels on each set of mechanical arm assemblies move in opposite directions along the axial direction of the first main body.

[0011] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot, a group of mechanical arm components and the rotating brush component adjust the diameter synchronously.

[0012] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipe cleaning robot, the second variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first rotating ring, a second rotating ring and a second driver, the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring are both rotatably arranged on the first main body, and the second driver drives the first rotating ring or the second rotating ring to move axially; the rotating brush assembly includes a third bracket hinged on the first rotating ring and a fourth bracket hinged on the second rotating ring, one of the third bracket and the fourth bracket is provided with bristles at the top, and the other is hinged to the bracket provided with bristles.

[0013] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipe cleaning robot, two parallel arranged second brackets are provided between the driving chamber and the second main body, and the two ends of the second brackets are respectively hinged to the driving chamber and the second main body, and the third variable diameter driving mechanism includes a third driver and a first bracket, and the two ends of the first bracket are hinged to the second main body and one of the second brackets, and the third driver drives the first bracket to rotate relative to the second main body.

[0014] In the above-mentioned actively variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot, each of the driving compartments is provided with a power component that provides power for the supporting wheels.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: The problem of poor passability of existing pipeline cleaning robots is solved by connecting the power brush assembly and the power ultrasonic assembly in series through a flexible connector. The robot connects the power brush assembly and the power ultrasonic assembly in series through a flexible connector, and each part has an independent variable diameter function. The mechanical arm assembly of the power brush assembly is driven to change diameter by the first variable diameter driving mechanism, and the opening degree of the mechanical arm assembly can be adjusted according to the change of the pipeline diameter, so that the driving wheel can fit closely to the inner wall of the pipeline with different diameters, providing stable support for the robot to move in the pipeline. The rotating brush assembly is driven to change diameter by the second variable diameter driving mechanism, which can adjust the contact state between the bristles and the inner wall of the pipeline under different diameters to ensure the cleaning effect. The driving chamber of the power ultrasonic assembly is driven to change diameter by the third variable diameter driving mechanism, which can change the position and angle of the driving chamber, so that the support wheel can adapt to the change of pipeline diameter, and ensure the stable operation of the robot as a whole in pipelines of different diameters, breaking through the limitation of the applicable diameter range of traditional cleaning robots, improving the versatility of the equipment, and reducing the trouble of replacing equipment for pipelines of different diameters.

[0016] The rotating brush assembly of the power brush assembly, under the action of the second variable diameter driving mechanism, can contact the inner wall of the pipe with appropriate force and angle, and remove general dirt such as dust and debris on the inner wall of the pipe through rotating mechanical brushing. The ultrasonic generator of the power ultrasonic assembly can work stably in pipes of different diameters with the cooperation of the variable diameter of the driving chamber, and use the cavitation effect of ultrasound to remove stubborn stains, grease, etc. that are difficult to remove with a mechanical brush, and go deep into the tiny gaps and depressions on the inner wall of the pipe for cleaning. The combination of mechanical brushing and ultrasonic cleaning complements the cleaning methods. Compared with existing robots with a single cleaning method, it can more comprehensively and efficiently remove various types of dirt in the pipe and improve the cleaning quality. Moreover, the rotating brush assembly and the ultrasonic generator can be adjusted to the best position for pipes of different diameters to achieve the best cleaning effect.

[0017] The power brush assembly forms a dynamic support network through multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies. The cross structure provides multi-directional freedom when changing diameter, allowing the mechanical arm to dynamically adjust the angle when turning, significantly improving the passability of the curve. The power ultrasonic assembly provides stable radial support force through umbrella-shaped parallel arranged drive chambers. The parallel structure maintains the independent motion trajectory of each drive chamber when deployed, avoiding possible motion interference caused by the cross structure and ensuring uniform distribution of driving force. The cross structure flexibly adapts to curves, and the parallel structure provides stable driving force. The two complement each other to solve the problem of "single diameter change and poor turning ability" in the existing technology.

[0018] Further, there are two groups of multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies, each group of mechanical arm assemblies includes multiple mechanical arms, the mechanical arms in the two groups of mechanical arm assemblies are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first body, each group of mechanical arm assemblies is provided with a corresponding first variable diameter drive mechanism, the first variable diameter drive mechanism drives all mechanical arms in the group of mechanical arm assemblies to move synchronously, and the driving wheels in the two groups of mechanical arm assemblies are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the first body. The mechanical arms in the two groups of mechanical arm assemblies are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first body, and this layout makes the support points of the mechanical arms on the inner wall of the pipeline more evenly distributed. When the robot moves in the pipeline or performs cleaning operations, the driving wheels at the top of the mechanical arms contact the inner wall of the pipeline, and the mechanical arms arranged at intervals in the circumference can evenly distribute the weight of the robot and the force generated during work to the inner wall of the pipeline. This can not only reduce excessive pressure on the local area of ​​the inner wall of the pipeline and avoid damaging the pipeline, but also allow the driving wheel to maintain better contact with the inner wall of the pipeline, provide a more stable driving force, ensure the smooth operation of the robot in the pipeline, and improve the quality and efficiency of the cleaning operation. The driving wheels in the two sets of robot arm assemblies are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the first body. This design has a positive effect on the robot's movement stability and flexibility. When the robot moves forward or backward, the driving wheels arranged at intervals in the axial direction can form multiple stable support points, just like multiple fulcrums jointly supporting the robot, effectively reducing the risk of shaking and tilting of the robot during movement. When encountering bends or obstacles in the pipeline, the driving wheels at different positions in the axial direction can adjust the support force and movement direction according to the actual situation, so that the robot can change the movement trajectory more flexibly and pass through the complex pipeline environment smoothly. This is an advantage that is difficult to achieve with ordinary robot arm layouts.

[0019] Furthermore, the robotic arm includes a first support rod and a second support rod, the top end of one of the first support rod or the second support rod is provided with the driving wheel, and the other is hinged to the support rod provided with the driving wheel; the bottom end of the first support rod is hinged to the first body, and the bottom end of the second support rod is driven by the first variable diameter driving mechanism to slide along the axial direction of the first body. The hinged design of the first support rod and the second support rod, combined with the sliding setting of the bottom end of the second support rod, gives the robotic arm higher flexibility. When the robot encounters an uneven surface or obstacle in the pipeline, the robotic arm can swing to a certain extent through its own hinged structure to bypass the obstacle, avoid hard collision with the inner wall of the pipeline, and protect the robot and the pipeline. The sliding of the second support rod along the axial direction of the first body enables the robotic arm to quickly adjust its length according to the change of the pipeline diameter, adapt to pipelines of different diameters, and expand the scope of application of the robot.

[0020] Furthermore, the first variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first driver and a first driving ring slidably mounted on the first main body, the bottom ends of all second support rods in the same group of mechanical arm assemblies are hinged on the first driving ring, and the first driver drives the first driving ring to move axially along the first main body. This enables all mechanical arms in the same group to move synchronously, and when changing diameter, the extension or contraction amplitude of each mechanical arm is consistent. When the robot enters pipes of different diameters, the mechanical arm can adjust the outer diameter quickly and neatly, avoiding the problem of the robot's center of gravity shifting and difficulty in stable operation due to the asynchronous diameter change of the mechanical arm, thereby improving the robot's ability and efficiency to adapt to pipes of different diameters. When cleaning the pipeline, the stable diameter change of the mechanical arm can ensure that the rotating brush assembly always maintains a suitable contact pressure and angle with the inner wall of the pipeline, ensuring the consistency of the cleaning effect, while reducing damage to the inner wall of the pipeline, and improving the stability and reliability of the robot's operation in the pipeline.

[0021] Furthermore, the support rod without a driving wheel is an elastic support rod. When the robot moves in the pipeline or adjusts the outer diameter, the elastic support rod can be adaptively adjusted according to the actual shape of the inner wall of the pipeline. Even if there are slight unevenness on the inner wall of the pipeline, the elastic support rod can compensate for it through its own elastic deformation, ensuring that the rotating brush can always effectively contact and scrub the inner wall of the pipeline, reducing cleaning dead corners, and improving the comprehensiveness and thoroughness of cleaning. This not only protects the pipeline, but also allows the robotic arm to maintain stable support, ensuring that the robot can smoothly pass through complex areas, and expanding the types of pipelines and working conditions applicable to the robot.

[0022] Furthermore, when the two sets of mechanical arm assemblies are opened or retracted, the driving wheels on each set of mechanical arm assemblies move in opposite directions along the axial direction of the first body. The forces generated by this reverse movement counterbalance each other, preventing the robot from tilting or shaking due to the shift of the center of gravity. This allows the robot to maintain a stable posture in pipes of different diameters, ensuring the smooth progress of the cleaning operation, and improving the adaptability and reliability of the robot in complex pipe environments.

[0023] Furthermore, one of the robot arm components is synchronously adjusted with the rotating brush component. The robot arm component is responsible for adjusting the fit between the robot and the inner wall of the pipe. When it changes the diameter synchronously with the rotating brush component, the rotating brush can adjust the contact area and pressure between the bristles and the inner wall of the pipe in real time according to the change of the pipe diameter.

[0024] Further, the second variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first rotating ring, a second rotating ring and a second driver, the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring are both rotatably arranged on the first main body, and the second driver drives the first rotating ring or the second rotating ring to move axially; the rotating brush assembly includes a third bracket hinged on the first rotating ring and a fourth bracket hinged on the second rotating ring, one of the third bracket and the fourth bracket is provided with bristles at the top, and the other is hinged to the bracket provided with bristles. The second driver drives the first rotating ring or the second rotating ring to move axially, and the relative position of the third bracket and the fourth bracket can be accurately controlled. Since the third bracket and the fourth bracket are respectively hinged on the first and second rotating rings, and the two are hinged to each other, when the rotating ring moves axially, the angle and position between the brackets change, thereby accurately adjusting the extension range of the bristles, and realizing the flexible variable diameter of the rotating brush assembly. When cleaning pipes of different diameters, the outer diameter of the rotating brush assembly can be quickly adjusted to ensure that the bristles always maintain a suitable contact area and pressure with the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the cleaning effect. When cleaning pipes of different diameters, the outer diameter of the rotating brush assembly can be quickly adjusted according to actual needs to ensure that the bristles always maintain an appropriate contact area and pressure with the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0025] Furthermore, two second brackets arranged in parallel are provided between the driving chamber and the second body, and the two ends of the second brackets are respectively hinged to the driving chamber and the second body, and the third variable diameter driving mechanism includes a third driver and a first bracket, and the two ends of the first bracket are hinged to the second body and one of the second brackets, and the third driver drives the first bracket to rotate relative to the second body. The two second brackets arranged in parallel are respectively connected to the driving chamber and the second body, providing a stable support structure for the driving chamber. When the third driver drives the first bracket to rotate relative to the second body, force is transmitted through the hinge point between the first bracket and one of the second brackets, driving the driving chamber to change diameter smoothly. This structure enables the driving chamber to be subjected to uniform force during the diameter change process, avoids deformation or shaking of the driving chamber due to uneven force, ensures that the support wheel always maintains good contact with the inner wall of the pipeline, and provides a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the robot in the pipeline.

[0026] Furthermore, each of the drive compartments is provided with a power assembly that provides power for the support wheels. An independent power assembly provides power for the support wheels of each drive compartment, so that both the power brush assembly and the power ultrasonic assembly have active power, avoiding the problem of insufficient power when the robot completely relies on the traction of the head assembly, and also reducing the requirements for the tension of the flexible connector, so that the power distribution of the robot in the pipeline is more uniform. Even if a drive compartment encounters some minor faults or is subject to local interference, the power assemblies of other drive compartments can still maintain the basic mobility of the robot, avoiding the robot from getting stuck or stagnant in the pipeline, and ensuring the continuity and stability of the cleaning operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 This is a front view of an actively variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to the present invention; Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram of an active diameter-changing pipeline cleaning robot according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a three-dimensional diagram of the power brush assembly of the present invention; Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the powered ultrasonic component of the present invention.

[0028] The accompanying drawings are marked as follows: Power brush assembly 100, first body 110, robotic arm assembly 120, robotic arm 121, first support rod 1211, second support rod 1212, front camera 130, rotating brush assembly 140, third bracket 141, fourth bracket 142, bristles 143, driving wheel 150, first driving ring 161, first rotating ring 171, second rotating ring 172, fill light 180, powered ultrasonic assembly 200, second body 210, driving compartment 220, rear camera device 230, supporting wheel 240, ultrasonic generator 250, third variable diameter driving mechanism 260, first bracket 261, second bracket 270, flexible connector 300. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] An active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot comprises a power brush assembly 100 and a power ultrasonic assembly 200 connected in series via a flexible connector 300; The power brush assembly 100 comprises: a first body 110, a plurality of pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies 120, a front camera 130 disposed at the front end of the first body 110, and a rotating brush assembly 140 disposed at the rear of the first body 110, a driving wheel 150 is disposed at the top of each pair of mechanical arm assemblies 120, the mechanical arm assemblies 120 are driven to change diameter by a first diameter-changing driving mechanism, and the rotating brush assembly 140 is driven to change diameter by a second diameter-changing driving mechanism; The powered ultrasonic component 200 includes: a second main body 210, umbrella-shaped parallel arranged driving chambers 220 and a rear camera device 230 arranged at the rear end of the second main body 210, each driving chamber 220 is provided with a supporting wheel 240 and an ultrasonic generator 250, and the driving chamber 220 is driven to change diameter by a third variable diameter driving mechanism 260.

[0030] The power brush assembly 100 and the power ultrasonic assembly 200 connected in series by a flexible connector 300 solve the problem of poor passability of the existing pipeline cleaning robot. The robot is connected in series with the power brush assembly 100 and the power ultrasonic assembly 200 by a flexible connector 300, and each part has an independent variable diameter function. The mechanical arm assembly 120 of the power brush assembly 100 is driven to change diameter by a first variable diameter driving mechanism, and the opening degree of the mechanical arm assembly 120 can be adjusted according to the change of the pipeline diameter, so that the driving wheel 150 can fit closely to the inner wall of the pipeline with different diameters, providing stable support for the robot to move in the pipeline. The rotating brush assembly 140 is driven to change diameter by a second variable diameter driving mechanism, and can adjust the contact state between the bristles 143 and the inner wall of the pipeline under different diameters to ensure the cleaning effect. The driving chamber 220 of the powered ultrasonic component 200 is driven to change its diameter by the third variable-diameter driving mechanism 260, which can change the position and angle of the driving chamber 220, so that the supporting wheel 240 can adapt to the change of the pipe diameter, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the robot as a whole in pipes of different diameters, breaking through the limitation of the applicable pipe diameter range of traditional cleaning robots, improving the versatility of the equipment, and reducing the trouble of replacing equipment for pipes of different diameters.

[0031] The rotating brush assembly 140 of the power brush assembly 100, under the action of the second variable diameter driving mechanism, can contact the inner wall of the pipe with appropriate force and angle, and remove general dirt such as dust and debris on the inner wall of the pipe by rotating mechanical brushing. The ultrasonic generator 250 of the power ultrasonic assembly 200 can work stably in pipes of different diameters under the cooperation of the variable diameter driving chamber 220, and use the cavitation effect of ultrasound to remove stubborn stains, grease, etc. that are difficult to remove with a mechanical brush, and go deep into the tiny gaps and depressions on the inner wall of the pipe for cleaning. Mechanical brushing is combined with ultrasonic cleaning, and the cleaning methods are complementary. Compared with the existing robots with a single cleaning method, it can more comprehensively and efficiently remove various types of dirt in the pipe and improve the cleaning quality. Moreover, the rotating brush assembly 140 and the ultrasonic generator 250 can be adjusted to the best position for pipes of different diameters to achieve the best cleaning effect.

[0032] The power brush assembly 100 forms a dynamic support network through multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies 120. The cross structure provides multi-directional freedom when changing diameter, allowing the mechanical arm 121 to dynamically adjust the angle when turning, significantly improving the curve passability. The power ultrasonic assembly 200 provides stable radial support force through umbrella-shaped parallel arranged drive bins 220. The parallel structure maintains the independent motion trajectory of each drive bin 220 when deployed, avoiding possible motion interference caused by the cross structure and ensuring uniform distribution of driving force. The cross structure flexibly adapts to curves, and the parallel structure provides stable driving force. The two complement each other to solve the problem of "single diameter change and poor turning ability" in the prior art.

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to be used to explain the present invention, but should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0035] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0036] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] See also Figures 1 to 4 This is an embodiment of an active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot of the present invention, which includes a power brush assembly 100 and a power ultrasonic assembly 200 connected in series through a flexible connector 300. The flexible connector 300 not only serves as a mutual connection, but also can transmit power and control signals to ensure the stable operation of the robot in the pipeline. The flexible connector 300 between the power brush assembly 100 and the power ultrasonic assembly 200 is sealed with an aviation plug to ensure the stable transmission of power and communication signals, and has good waterproof properties.

[0038] The power brush assembly 100 includes: a first body 110, a plurality of pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies 120, a front camera 130 disposed at the front end of the first body 110, and a rotating brush assembly 140 disposed at the rear of the first body 110. The first body 110 is provided with a controller and other control devices, and in order to better arrange the mechanical arm assembly 120 and the rotating brush assembly 140, the first body 110 is in a hollow cylindrical shape as a whole. The plurality of pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies 120 refer to a plurality of pairs of mechanical arms 121, and the mechanical arms 121 are in an umbrella-shaped structure, like an expandable / contractable support structure of an umbrella frame, and the diameter change is achieved by an articulated connecting rod, and the cross refers to the dynamic support network formed by the cross-articulated connecting rods when the mechanical arms 121 are unfolded.

[0039] A front camera 130 is arranged at the front end of the first body 110, which can facilitate observation of the pipeline conditions in front of the robot's forward direction and facilitate timely adjustments. For example, based on the image sent back by the front camera 130, if it is judged that the inside of the pipeline is relatively clean, it is only necessary to use the rotating brush assembly 140 for cleaning without using the ultrasonic generator 250; or the front camera 130 can be used to detect the bend in the pipeline ahead or the change in the diameter of the pipe, and the opening degree of the robot arm 121 can be adjusted in time.

[0040] The rotating brush assembly 140 is arranged on the first body 110, thereby improving the integration of the first body 110 and providing the first body 110 with more functions than the previous pipeline cleaning robots. The rotating brush assembly 140 can be rotated to perform 360-degree cleaning along the circumference of the pipeline, and the rotating brush assembly 140 is driven to change diameter by the second diameter-changing driving mechanism, and the diameter of the rotating brush assembly 140 can be adjusted according to the inner diameter of the pipeline to be cleaned, thereby adapting to more pipelines with different inner diameters, and accurately controlling the contact force between the cleaning brush and the inner wall of the pipeline, thereby obtaining a more stable cleaning effect.

[0041] The powered ultrasonic assembly 200 includes: a second body 210, an umbrella-shaped driving chamber 220 arranged in parallel, and a rear camera device 230 arranged at the rear end of the second body 210. The second body 210 is the main supporting component of the powered ultrasonic assembly 200, and its overall structure is also a hollow cylindrical structure. The front end face of the second body 210 and the rear end face of the first body 110 are connected by a flexible connector 300. Preferably, the flexible connector 300 is connected to the center of the rear end face of the first body 110, and the flexible connector 300 is also connected to the center of the front end face of the second body 210, so that it is easy to control the center of gravity of the first body 110 and the second body 210, and keep the pressure of the powered brush assembly 100 and the powered ultrasonic assembly 200 on the pipe wall balanced. A rear camera device 230 is arranged at the rear end of the second body 210, which can not only check the cleanliness of the pipe after the robot cleans it, but also change to "front" when the robot exits the pipe, and can also check the road conditions ahead to ensure that the robot can exit smoothly.

[0042] A plurality of groups of umbrella-like parallel arrangement of driving chambers 220 are arranged on the second main body 210. The umbrella-like parallel arrangement means that the supporting mechanism between the driving chamber 220 and the second main body 210 maintains a parallel layout when unfolded. Unlike the cross arrangement, the parallel layout provides a larger support area and driving force, which is suitable for the stability requirements of the power ultrasonic segment. In this way, the power brush assembly 100 and the power ultrasonic assembly 200 have two different support methods suitable for diameter change. The multiple pairs of umbrella-like cross-arranged mechanical arms 121 of the power brush segment can flexibly adjust the extension direction and degree of the mechanical arms 121 when the diameter is changed under the drive of the first diameter-changing driving mechanism, so that the driving wheel 150 forms multiple support points on the inner wall of the pipe. Even when there are complex situations such as bends and unevenness in the pipe, the posture can be flexibly adjusted to maintain stable movement. The umbrella-shaped parallel-arranged driving chamber 220 of the power ultrasonic section changes its diameter under the action of the third variable-diameter driving mechanism 260. The supporting wheel 240 on the driving chamber 220 can evenly distribute the supporting force, and cooperate with the active wheel 150 of the power brush section to provide stable support and driving force for the movement of the robot in the pipeline, ensuring that the robot can move smoothly and flexibly in pipelines of different diameters, avoiding problems such as jamming and offset, and ensuring the continuity of the cleaning operation.

[0043] like Figure 2 , Figure 3As shown, for multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies 120, two groups are arranged in this embodiment, each group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 includes multiple mechanical arms 121, and the mechanical arms 121 in the two groups of mechanical arm assemblies 120 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first body 110. In this embodiment, each group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 includes three mechanical arms 121, and the three mechanical arms 121 are distributed at a circumferential angle of 120° along the circumference. The mechanical arms 121 of the two groups of mechanical arm assemblies 120 are arranged at intervals along the circumference, so that the circumferential angle between adjacent mechanical arms 121 is 60°. The driving wheel 150 forms multiple groups of symmetrical support points on the inner wall of the pipeline. This layout can evenly distribute the weight of the robot and the reaction force during the cleaning operation to the inner wall of the pipeline, reducing the damage to the pipeline caused by excessive local pressure. At the same time, the mechanical arms 121 distributed at intervals in the circumference can fit pipelines of different diameters more closely, and can maintain stable support even in special-shaped pipelines with high ellipticity, thereby expanding the scope of application of the robot. The driving wheels 150 in the two sets of mechanical arm assemblies 120 are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the first body 110 to form a support structure similar to "multi-legs". When the robot passes through a bend or an uneven pipe, the axially displaced driving wheels 150 can adjust the support force respectively, so that the robot can flexibly adapt to the change of pipe curvature and avoid the risk of jamming or overturning caused by single-point support. For example, when passing through a 90° elbow, the driving wheel 150 of the front mechanical arm 121 can preferentially contact the inside of the bend, while the driving wheel 150 of the rear mechanical arm 121 supports the outside to assist the robot in turning smoothly.

[0044] Each group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 is provided with a corresponding first variable diameter drive mechanism, and all the mechanical arms 121 in the group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 are driven to move synchronously by the first variable diameter drive mechanism. That is, in the present embodiment, one or two groups of first variable diameter drive mechanisms are provided on the first main body 110. Of course, in order to allow the power brush assembly 100 to adapt to more complex pipeline conditions, two groups of multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies 120 are respectively configured with independent first variable diameter drive mechanisms. When the robot enters pipes of different diameters, the same group of mechanical arms 121 can extend or contract synchronously to ensure that the supporting forces of each group are evenly distributed during the diameter change process. Compared with the traditional single group of mechanical arms 121 or asynchronous drive design, this synchronous control mechanism effectively avoids the problem of robot center of gravity offset or posture imbalance caused by the uncoordinated movement of the mechanical arms 121, and significantly improves the stability and reliability of the diameter change operation.

[0045] As for the structure of the mechanical arm 121, since it is to be arranged crosswise, the mechanical arm 121 includes a first support rod 1211 and a second support rod 1212. The top of one of the first support rod 1211 or the second support rod 1212 is provided with a driving wheel 150, and the other is hinged to the support rod provided with the driving wheel 150. For example, in this embodiment, the top of the second support rod 1212 is provided with a driving wheel 150, and there is a pair of driving wheels 150, and the top of the first support rod 1211 is hinged to the second support rod 1212. In order to simplify the overall structure, the driving motor of the driving wheel 150 can be used as the second support rod 1212, and a gearbox is set at the top of the driving motor, and a pair of driving wheels 150 are connected through the gearbox, so as to make full use of the space to set the driving system of the driving wheel 150. The driving wheel 150 is fixed to the top of one of the support rods, and the other support rod provides auxiliary support through hinge connection. This asymmetric structure enables the driving wheel 150 to always maintain vertical contact with the inner wall of the pipe during the diameter change process, ensuring the maximum efficiency of driving force transmission.

[0046] Further, when the driving wheel 150 is provided at the top of the second support rod 1212, the first support rod 1211 is an elastic support rod. The so-called elastic support rod means that when the driving wheel 150 is subjected to excessive squeezing force from the pipe wall, the elastic support rod can undergo a certain elastic deformation to offset part of the pressure, thereby avoiding excessive squeezing force between the driving wheel 150 and the pipe wall, thereby causing damage to the pipe wall or damage to the first variable diameter driving mechanism. The elastic support rod can be a rubber support rod with a certain elastic deformation, or a sliding rod with a spring, the spring is sleeved on the sliding rod, a slider is provided at one end of the sliding rod, the spring abuts against the slider, and the other end of the sliding rod and the slider are respectively hinged to the first support rod 1211 and the first variable diameter driving mechanism. When the driving wheel 150 rolls over uneven places such as bumps or welding seams on the pipe wall, the slider will slide relative to the sliding rod to squeeze the spring, and the vibration is absorbed by the spring, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of the pipeline cleaning robot and avoiding excessive impact on the pipeline and the first variable diameter driving mechanism.

[0047] The bottom end of one of the first support rod 1211 and the second support rod 1212 is hinged to the first main body 110, and the bottom end of the other is driven by a first diameter-changing driving mechanism to slide axially along the first main body 110, that is, it is sufficient to ensure that the bottom end of the first support rod 1211 or the bottom end of the second support rod 1212 is driven to slide by the first diameter-changing driving mechanism. The double-link structure in which the first support rod 1211 and the second support rod 1212 are hinged, combined with the axial sliding drive mode at the bottom end of the second support rod 1212, makes the diameter-changing process of the mechanical arm 121 both flexible and stable. When the first diameter-changing driving mechanism pushes the support rod to slide axially along the main body, the lever effect formed by the hinge point can quickly change the opening angle of the mechanical arm 121 to achieve precise adjustment of the outer diameter. Compared with the traditional multi-link linkage or screw transmission structure, this design reduces the number of kinematic pairs, reduces the risk of jamming, and effectively improves the diameter-changing response speed, which is suitable for complex working conditions with frequent diameter changes.

[0048] The first variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first driver and a first driving ring 161 slidably mounted on the first main body 110. The bottom ends of all first support rods 1211 or second support rods 1212 in the same group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 are hinged on the first driving ring 161, and the other support rod is hinged with the first main body 110. The first driver drives the first driving ring 161 to move axially along the first main body 110. In addition, a protrusion can be set on the surface of the first main body 110 or the circumferential size of the first main body 110 can be changed to form a limiting force to limit the sliding distance of the first driving ring 161. The first driving ring 161 can control the variable diameter of all mechanical arms 121 in the same group of mechanical arm assemblies 120. This design ensures that the mechanical arms 121 in the group are expanded or contracted with completely consistent amplitude and speed. The driving ring connects the discrete mechanical arm 121 support rods into a rigid whole to form a mechanical structure similar to an "umbrella rib", which effectively improves the uniformity of stress distribution of the mechanical arm 121, and its anti-deformation ability is greatly improved compared with the traditional connecting rod structure.

[0049] On the basis of the above embodiment, when the two groups of robotic arm assemblies 120 are opened or retracted, the driving wheels 150 on each group of robotic arm assemblies 120 move in opposite directions along the axial direction of the first body 110. When the two groups of robotic arms 121 change their diameters, the driving wheels 150 move in opposite axial directions, such as moving toward both ends of the first body 110 at the same time or moving toward the center of the first body 110 at the same time, thereby forming a torque balance system, reducing the impact of the center of gravity fluctuation of the first body 110 during the diameter change of the robotic arm assembly 120, ensuring that the robot maintains a stable posture during the diameter change process, and avoiding the risk of jamming or overturning due to imbalance of the center of gravity.

[0050] In order to reduce the design difficulty and the number of driving components, one group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 and the rotating brush assembly 140 are synchronously adjusted to change the diameter, that is, when the first driver drives the group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 to change the diameter, it also drives the brush assembly to change the diameter. Specifically, the component for adjusting the diameter change of the rotating brush assembly 140 can be linked with the first driver of one group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 along the axial direction of the first body 110. When the first driver drives the group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 to open, the rotating brush assembly 140 is also synchronously opened; when the first driver drives the group of mechanical arm assemblies 120 to close, the rotating brush assembly 140 is also synchronously closed. The synchronous diameter change enables the mechanical arm assembly 120 and the brush assembly to form a "support-brushing" collaborative working mode.

[0051] Regarding the structure of the rotating brush assembly 140, the rotating brush assembly 140 includes a plurality of third brackets 141 and fourth brackets 142, one of which is provided with bristles 143 at the top, and the other is hinged to the bracket provided with bristles 143, for example, the third bracket 141 is provided with bristles 143 at the top, and the top of the fourth bracket 142 is hinged to the middle of the third bracket 141. The second variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first rotating ring 171, a second rotating ring 172, and a second driver, the first rotating ring 171 and the second rotating ring 172 are both rotatably arranged on the first body 110, the second driver drives the first rotating ring 171 or the second rotating ring 172 to move along the axial direction of the first body 110, the third bracket 141 is hinged to the first rotating ring 171, and the fourth bracket 142 is hinged to the second rotating ring 172. If the rotating brush assembly 140 changes diameter synchronously with one of the robot arm assemblies 120, the second driver and the first driver are the same component. Of course, a driving motor needs to be provided in the first body 110 to drive the first rotating ring 171 or the second rotating ring 172 to rotate around the axis of the first body 110. Since the third bracket 141 and the fourth bracket 142 are respectively hinged on the first and second rotating rings 172, and the two are hinged to each other, when the rotating ring moves axially, the angle and position between the brackets change, thereby accurately adjusting the extension range of the bristles 143, and realizing flexible diameter change of the rotating brush assembly 140.

[0052] like Figure 2 , Figure 4As shown, on the basis of the above embodiment, for the umbrella-shaped parallel arrangement of the driving chamber 220 in the powered ultrasonic assembly 200, the supporting mechanism between the driving chamber 220 and the second body 210 is two parallel second brackets 270, and the two ends of the second bracket 270 are respectively hinged with the driving chamber 220 and the second body 210, forming a parallel four-bar diameter-changing mechanism. The third diameter-changing driving mechanism 260 includes a third driver and a first bracket 261, and the two ends of the first bracket 261 are hinged with the second body 210 and one of the second brackets 270. The third driver drives the first bracket 261 to rotate relative to the second body 210, thereby controlling the radial distance between the driving chamber 220 and the second body 210, and realizing the diameter change of the driving chamber 220. Similarly, all the first brackets 261 can be hinged on a component similar to the drive ring of the first diameter-changing drive mechanism, for example, all the first brackets 261 are hinged on the second drive ring, the second drive ring is sleeved on the second body 210 and can slide axially relative to the second body 210, and the third driver drives the second drive ring to move, thereby controlling the diameter change of the drive chamber 220. Of course, other structures can also be used to control the diameter change of the drive chamber 220, so that the drive chamber 220 can also be retracted and expanded like an umbrella frame to achieve diameter change, but the support mechanism structure of the drive chamber 220 and the second body 210 is different from the support structure of the robot arm assembly 120 and the first body 110. This structure allows the drive chamber 220 to be evenly stressed during the diameter change process, avoids deformation or shaking of the drive chamber 220 due to uneven stress, ensures that the support wheel 240 always maintains good contact with the inner wall of the pipeline, and provides a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the robot in the pipeline.

[0053] Each drive chamber 220 is provided with four support wheels 240, and a power assembly for providing power to the support wheels 240 is provided in the drive chamber 220. Each drive chamber 220 is independently equipped with a power assembly to form a distributed drive system. When the robot passes through an obstacle in the pipeline, each drive chamber 220 can dynamically adjust the output torque according to the real-time sensor data. The distributed drive system has N+1 redundancy. When a drive chamber 220 fails, the remaining drive chambers 220 can automatically take over the load. And because the power assembly is located in the drive chamber 220, the number and area of ​​openings of the drive chamber 220 can be reduced, ensuring that the drive chamber 220 has sufficient sealing to adapt to the humid environment in the pipeline. The ultrasonic generator 250 is generally installed on both sides of the middle of the second body 210 to prevent the ultrasonic generator 250 from exceeding the height of the support wheel 240 in the radial direction of the second body 210, that is, to prevent the ultrasonic generator 250 from directly touching the inner wall of the pipeline, protecting the ultrasonic generator 250 from being damaged by impact and allowing the ultrasonic generator 250 to be as close to the pipe wall as possible to achieve the best cleaning effect.

[0054] A rear camera device 230 is also provided at the rear of the second body 210. The rear camera device 230 is a three-degree-of-freedom variable-focus camera pan-tilt platform, which can specifically shoot the cleaning effect of each part of the pipe wall after cleaning, and then conduct a health assessment of the cleaned pipe. Both the front camera 130 and the rear camera device 230 can be equipped with a fill light 180 to clearly see the situation in the pipe in a dark environment and better formulate a corresponding cleaning plan.

[0055] The first flexible series structure of the power brush assembly 100 and the power ultrasonic assembly 200 is created to achieve the synergy of mechanical brushing and ultrasonic cavitation effect. The robot's full-section diameter-changing capability is achieved through three sets of independent diameter-changing mechanisms. The two sets of mechanical arms 121 drive wheels 150 move in the opposite axial direction and combine with synchronous diameter-changing to achieve smaller center of gravity fluctuations during the diameter-changing process, which greatly reduces posture deviations compared to traditional designs and ensures that the robot can operate stably in pipelines with sudden diameter changes. The power brush assembly 100 and the power ultrasonic assembly 200 of the present invention use different diameter-changing mechanisms. The power brush assembly 100 uses an umbrella-type cross-diameter-changing mechanism. This diameter-changing method is more flexible and has stronger turning ability. The power brush assembly 100 can assist the power ultrasonic assembly 200 to complete the turning process through a flexible cable after turning. The power ultrasonic assembly 200 uses an umbrella-type parallel diameter-changing mechanism. The driving chamber 220 of this diameter-changing mechanism is large and has stronger power, which can make up for the disadvantage of insufficient driving force in the first functional section.

[0056] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the technical features of the present invention are not limited thereto. Any changes or modifications made by any technician in the field of the present invention are included in the patent scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot, characterized in that: It includes a power brush assembly and a power ultrasonic assembly connected in series through a flexible connector; The power brush assembly comprises: a first body, a plurality of pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged mechanical arm assemblies, a front camera arranged at the front end of the first body, and a rotating brush assembly arranged at the rear end of the first body, a driving wheel is arranged at the top end of each pair of mechanical arm assemblies, the mechanical arm assembly is driven to change diameter by a first diameter-changing driving mechanism, and the rotating brush assembly is driven to change diameter by a second diameter-changing driving mechanism; The powered ultrasonic component comprises: a second body, umbrella-shaped parallel-arranged driving chambers and a rear camera device arranged at the rear end of the second body, each driving chamber is provided with a supporting wheel and an ultrasonic generator, and the driving chamber is driven to change diameter by a third variable diameter driving mechanism.

2. The active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two groups of multiple pairs of umbrella-shaped cross-arranged robotic arm assemblies, each group of robotic arm assemblies includes multiple robotic arms, the robotic arms in the two groups of robotic arm assemblies are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first main body, each group of robotic arm assemblies is provided with a corresponding first variable diameter drive mechanism, the first variable diameter drive mechanism drives all robotic arms in the group of robotic arm assemblies to move synchronously, and the driving wheels in the two groups of robotic arm assemblies are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the first main body.

3. The active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The robotic arm includes a first support rod and a second support rod, the top end of one of the first support rod or the second support rod is provided with the driving wheel, and the other is hinged to the support rod provided with the driving wheel; the bottom end of the first support rod is hinged to the first main body, and the bottom end of the second support rod is driven by the first diameter-changing driving mechanism to slide along the axial direction of the first main body.

4. The active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first variable diameter driving mechanism includes a first driver and a first driving ring slidably mounted on the first main body. The bottom ends of all second support rods in the same group of mechanical arm assemblies are hinged on the first driving ring. The first driver drives the first driving ring to move axially along the first main body.

5. The active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support rod without a driving wheel is an elastic support rod.

6. The active diameter-changing pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the two sets of mechanical arm components are opened or retracted, the driving wheels on each set of mechanical arm components move in opposite directions along the axial direction of the first main body.

7. The active diameter-changing pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: One set of mechanical arm components and the rotating brush component are synchronously adjusted to change the diameter.

8. The active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second variable diameter driving mechanism comprises a first rotating ring, a second rotating ring and a second driver, wherein the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring are both rotatably disposed on the first body, and the second driver drives the first rotating ring or the second rotating ring to move axially; The rotating brush assembly comprises a third bracket hinged on the first rotating ring and a fourth bracket hinged on the second rotating ring. The top of one of the third bracket and the fourth bracket is provided with bristles, and the other is hinged to the bracket provided with bristles.

9. The active variable diameter pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two parallel arranged second brackets are provided between the driving magazine and the second main body, and the two ends of the second brackets are respectively hinged to the driving magazine and the second main body. The third variable diameter driving mechanism includes a third driver and a first bracket, and the two ends of the first bracket are hinged to the second main body and one of the second brackets. The third driver drives the first bracket to rotate relative to the second main body.

10. The active diameter-changing pipeline cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the driving compartments is provided with a power assembly for providing power to the supporting wheels.

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