In-pipe walking mechanism

Abstract

The invention discloses a walking mechanism in a pipe. The walking mechanism comprises a supporting frame; the three sets of crawler walking modules surround the supporting frame at equal intervals, each crawler walking module comprises a supporting plate and a flexible crawler, a driving wheel, a driven wheel and an adjusting wheel are sequentially arranged on the supporting plate, and the flexible crawler is in transmission connection with the driving wheel, the driven wheel and the adjusting wheel; the connecting module is used for connecting the supporting frame and the crawler walking module; through crawler-type design, bevel gear efficient transmission and a self-adaptive tensioning mechanism, the problems that a traditional roller type walking mechanism is insufficient in friction force, poor in centering and poor in adaptability are solved, and the robot is particularly suitable for high-precision laser cleaning, detection and other scenes; the modular structure and the dual-mode tensioning scheme give consideration to the requirements of field rapid deployment and automatic operation, and can be expanded to be applied to complex industrial environments such as petroleum pipelines and nuclear power facilities.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of in-pipeline operating equipment, and in particular to an in-pipeline walking mechanism. Background Art

[0002] In pipeline inner wall operations (such as gun barrel laser cleaning), the walking mechanism needs to have stable movement, adaptive pipe diameter changes and high centering capabilities. Traditional solutions mostly use roller-type walking mechanisms, which have the following problems: small contact area: the contact area between the roller and the pipe wall is limited, the friction is insufficient, and it is easy to slip, resulting in poor movement accuracy; poor centering effect: the roller has few support points, and the mechanism is easy to offset, affecting the uniform distribution of the laser focus on the inner wall, resulting in poor cleaning effect; complex structure: multiple groups of rollers need to be driven independently or linked, which increases the control difficulty and failure rate. Summary of the invention

[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide an in-pipe walking mechanism, aiming to solve the existing technical problems.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an in-pipe walking mechanism, comprising:

[0005] Support frame;

[0006] The crawler walking module is provided with three groups and is equidistantly surrounded by the support frame, including a support plate and a flexible crawler, a driving wheel, a driven wheel and an adjusting wheel are arranged in sequence on the support plate, and the flexible crawler is drivingly connected with the driving wheel, the driven wheel and the adjusting wheel;

[0007] The connecting module is used to connect the supporting frame and the crawler walking module.

[0008] Furthermore, the connection module includes a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod and a third connecting rod which are spaced apart from each other. One end of the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the third connecting rod is axially connected to the support frame, and the other end is axially connected to a lining plate fixed on the support plate.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a linkage rod, one end of which is movably connected to the first link or the second link or the third link, and the other end is axially connected to a slip ring, and the slip ring is slidably sleeved on the support frame. The slip ring slides on the support frame and pushes the first link, the second link and the third link to rotate, thereby realizing the adjustment of the diameter of the flexible crawler track.

[0010] Furthermore, the adjusting wheel is installed on the tensioning slider, the tensioning slider is slidably connected to the support frame, and a wedge block is provided at the end of the tensioning slider, and a push block abutting against the wedge block is provided on the support frame, and the push block is movably connected to the support frame, and the tensioning slider moves on the support frame to realize the tensioning adjustment of the flexible crawler.

[0011] Furthermore, a slide groove is provided on the third connecting rod, a movable block is provided in the slide groove, one end of the linkage rod is axially connected to the movable block, and a push rod connected to the movable block is provided in the slide groove.

[0012] Furthermore, a rotating arm is provided on the side wall of the support plate, the end of the rotating arm is connected to an abutment block, and the surface of the abutment block has a rubber pad, wherein the rotating arm can rotate around the support plate to make the abutment block contact with the inner wall of the tube to provide auxiliary propulsion force.

[0013] Furthermore, the rotating arm includes a first arm and a second arm connected to the support plate, the first arm and the second arm are connected via a cylinder rod, and a piston rod of the cylinder rod is connected to the first arm.

[0014] Furthermore, the push block is automatically controlled to move by a linear motor or manually controlled to move by loosening a fastening bolt.

[0015] Furthermore, a bevel gear set is sleeved on the axle of the driving wheel, and the bevel gear set is driven by a DC motor.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are embodied in:

[0017] The present invention solves the pain points of insufficient friction, poor centering and weak adaptability of traditional roller-type walking mechanisms through crawler design, efficient transmission of bevel gears and adaptive tensioning mechanism. It is particularly suitable for scenarios such as high-precision laser cleaning and detection. Its modular structure and dual-mode tensioning solution take into account both rapid field deployment and automated operation needs, and can be expanded to complex industrial environments such as oil pipelines and nuclear power facilities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the crawler walking module of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure after removing the flexible track;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of the linkage rod structure of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the rotating arm and the support plate of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the rotating arm structure of the present invention.

[0024] Description of reference numerals:

[0025] 100, support frame; 200, crawler walking module; 201, support plate; 202, flexible crawler; 203, driving wheel; 2031, bevel gear set; 2032, DC motor; 204, driven wheel; 205, adjusting wheel; 206, lining plate; 207, tensioning slider; 208, wedge block; 209, push block; 210, rotating arm; 2101, first arm; 2102, second arm; 2103, cylinder rod; 211, abutment block; 300, connecting module; 301, first connecting rod; 302, second connecting rod; 303, third connecting rod; 3031, slide groove; 3032, movable block; 3033, push rod; 304, linkage rod; 305, slip ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments in this application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] See also Figure 1-3 , the present invention provides an in-pipe walking mechanism, comprising: a support frame 100;

[0028] The crawler walking module 200 is provided with three groups and is equidistantly surrounded by the support frame 100, including a support plate 201 and a flexible crawler 202, on which a driving wheel 203, a driven wheel 204 and an adjusting wheel 205 are arranged in sequence, and the flexible crawler 202 is drivingly connected with the driving wheel 203, the driven wheel 204 and the adjusting wheel 205;

[0029] The connection module 300 is used to connect the support frame 100 and the crawler walking module 200 .

[0030] In this embodiment, the crawler walking module 200 is arranged around the support frame 100 at an interval of 120°, and a symmetrical layout is used to achieve automatic centering to form a mechanical balance, with a centering error of ≤0.5mm, ensuring the stability of other equipment carried on it; the contact area between the flexible crawler 202 and the pipe wall is increased, and the measured traction force is increased by 60% compared with the roller type; the modular design supports the rapid replacement of crawlers or motors to reduce downtime;

[0031] The present invention solves the pain points of insufficient friction, poor centering and weak adaptability of traditional roller-type walking mechanisms through crawler design, efficient transmission of bevel gears and adaptive tensioning mechanism. It is particularly suitable for scenarios such as high-precision laser cleaning and detection. Its modular structure and dual-mode tensioning solution take into account both rapid field deployment and automated operation needs, and can be expanded to complex industrial environments such as oil pipelines and nuclear power facilities.

[0032] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 The connection module 300 includes a first connecting rod 301, a second connecting rod 302 and a third connecting rod 303 which are spaced apart from each other. One end of the first connecting rod 301, the second connecting rod 302 and the third connecting rod 303 is axially connected to the support frame 100, and the other end is axially connected to the lining plate 206 fixed on the support plate 201.

[0033] This embodiment is configured such that, through the configuration of the first connecting rod 301, the second connecting rod 302 and the third connecting rod 303, the flexible track 202 can be stably supported, thereby ensuring the stability of the movement of the walking mechanism and being compatible with the remaining subsequent expansion functions, such as adapting to different pipe diameters and adjusting the tension of the flexible track 202.

[0034] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 , and also includes a linkage rod 304, one end of the linkage rod 304 is movably connected to the first link 301 or the second link 302 or the third link 303, and the other end is axially connected to the slip ring 305, and the slip ring 305 is slidably sleeved on the support frame 100. The slip ring 305 slides on the support frame 100 and pushes the first link 301, the second link 302 and the third link 303 to rotate, thereby realizing the adjustment of the diameter of the flexible crawler 202.

[0035] Specifically, the slip ring 305 may be a knob-type self-tightening slip ring.

[0036] Specifically, the linkage rod 304 can be connected to one of the first link 301, the second link 302 and the third link 303. The movement of the slip ring 305 can push one of the links to rotate through the linkage rod 304, thereby realizing the rotation of the other two links, so that the distance between the flexible track 202 and the support frame 100 is adjusted.

[0037] This embodiment is configured such that by adjusting the position of the slip ring 305 on the support frame 100, one of the first link 301, the second link 302, or the third link 303 is rotated, and the spacing between the flexible crawler 202 and the support frame 100 is adjusted, so that the walking mechanism can adapt to different pipe diameters for operation.

[0038] In one embodiment, see Figure 3The adjusting wheel 205 is installed on the tensioning slider 207, the tensioning slider 207 is slidably connected to the support frame 100, and a wedge block 208 is provided at the end of the tensioning slider 207. A push block 209 abutting against the wedge block 208 is provided on the support frame 100. The push block 209 is movably connected to the support frame 100, and the tensioning slider 207 moves on the support frame 100 to realize the tensioning adjustment of the flexible crawler 202.

[0039] This embodiment is configured such that by controlling the movement of the push block 209, the wedge block 208 pushes the tensioning slider 207 to move, thereby adjusting the tension of the flexible track 202, and further adjusting the fit between the flexible track 202 and the pipe wall.

[0040] In one embodiment, see Figure 4 The third connecting rod 303 is provided with a slide slot 3031, a movable block 3032 is arranged in the slide slot 3031, one end of the linkage rod 304 is axially connected to the movable block 3032, and a push rod 3033 connected to the movable block 3032 is arranged in the slide slot 3031. Specifically, the push rod 3033 can be a cylinder rod.

[0041] This embodiment is configured such that when the traveling mechanism encounters an obstacle while traveling in the pipe, the corresponding flexible crawler 202 needs to be adjusted to the spacing between the support frames 100 in order to travel normally. As the traveling mechanism continues to travel, when the corresponding flexible crawler 202 contacts the obstacle, the first connecting rod 301, the second connecting rod 302 and the third connecting rod 303 rotate accordingly. During the process, the linkage rod 304 is controlled by the push rod 3033 to move on the first connecting rod 301, the second connecting rod 302 or the third connecting rod 303, ensuring that the adjustment of the flexible crawler 202 will not affect the contact between the other two sets of flexible crawlers 202 and the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the adaptability of the traveling mechanism in the pipe and ensuring efficient completion of the operation.

[0042] In one embodiment, see Figure 5 A rotating arm 210 is provided on the side wall of the support plate 201, and an abutment block 211 is connected to the end of the rotating arm 210. A rubber pad is provided on the surface of the abutment block 211, wherein the rotating arm 210 can rotate around the support plate 201 to make the abutment block 211 contact with the inner wall of the tube to provide auxiliary propulsion force.

[0043] Preferably, the rotating arms 210 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the supporting plate 201 .

[0044] Specifically, the rotating arm 210 can be rotated by a motor.

[0045] This embodiment is configured such that when encountering a contact surface that the flexible crawler 202 is difficult to handle, resulting in poor travel efficiency, the rotating arm 210 is driven to rotate, driving the abutment block 211 to contact the inner wall of the tube, providing additional friction for the walking mechanism, increasing the stability of the walking mechanism, and reducing the probability of slipping.

[0046] In one embodiment, see Figure 6 The rotating arm 210 includes a first arm 2101 and a second arm 2102 connected to the support plate 201 . The first arm 2101 and the second arm 2102 are connected via a cylinder rod 2103 , and a piston rod of the cylinder rod 2103 is connected to the first arm 2101 .

[0047] This embodiment is configured such that when the rotating arm 210 drives the abutment block 211 to contact the inner wall of the tube, the cylinder rod 2103 is driven to act, providing a force to the first arm 2101, and the force is transmitted to the support plate 201, thereby providing a propulsion force in the travel direction for the walking mechanism, thereby improving the travel power of the walking mechanism, enabling it to cope with a more complex environment inside the tube, and ensuring the travel efficiency and stability.

[0048] In one embodiment, the push block 209 is automatically controlled to move by a linear motor or manually controlled to move by loosening a fastening bolt.

[0049] Specifically, the push block 209 can be controlled automatically or manually. If it is automatically controlled, the movement is controlled by a linear motor set on the support plate 201 to adjust the tension of the flexible track 202; if it is manually controlled, bolt holes are evenly opened on the support plate 201, and the push block 209 is fixed by tightening bolts. When the tension needs to be adjusted, the tightening bolts are adjusted to the corresponding bolt holes.

[0050] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 A bevel gear set 2031 is sleeved on the axle of the driving wheel 203 , and the bevel gear set 2031 is driven by a DC motor 2032 .

[0051] This embodiment is configured such that the output shaft of the DC motor 2032 achieves efficient power transmission through the bevel gear set 2031 (transmission ratio), with a compact structure and stable torque.

[0052] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc., then the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture as shown in the accompanying drawings. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0053] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, the meaning of "and / or" appearing in the full text includes three parallel schemes. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or schemes that A and B meet at the same time. In addition, "multiple" refers to more than two. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist.

[0054] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A walking mechanism in a pipe, characterized in that ,include: Support frame (100); The crawler walking module (200) is provided with three groups and is equidistantly surrounded by the support frame (100), comprising a support plate (201) and a flexible crawler (202), wherein a driving wheel (203), a driven wheel (204) and an adjusting wheel (205) are sequentially arranged on the support plate (201), and the flexible crawler (202) is drivingly connected to the driving wheel (203), the driven wheel (204) and the adjusting wheel (205); The connection module (300) is used to connect the support frame (100) and the crawler walking module (200).

2. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection module (300) comprises a first connecting rod (301), a second connecting rod (302) and a third connecting rod (303) which are spaced apart from each other, wherein one end of the first connecting rod (301), the second connecting rod (302) and the third connecting rod (303) are axially connected to the support frame (100), and the other end thereof are axially connected to a lining plate (206) fixed on the support plate (201).

3. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a linkage rod (304), one end of which is movably connected to the first link (301) or the second link (302) or the third link (303), and the other end of which is axially connected to a slip ring (305). The slip ring (305) is slidably sleeved on the support frame (100). The slip ring (305) slides on the support frame (100) and pushes the first link (301), the second link (302) and the third link (303) to rotate, thereby realizing the adjustment of the diameter of the flexible crawler (202).

4. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjusting wheel (205) is installed on a tensioning slider (207), the tensioning slider (207) is slidably connected to the support frame (100), and a wedge block (208) is provided at the end of the tensioning slider (207), and a push block (209) abutting against the wedge block (208) is provided on the support frame (100), and the push block (209) is movably connected to the support frame (100), and the tensioning slider (207) moves on the support frame (100) to realize the tensioning adjustment of the flexible crawler (202).

5. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The third connecting rod (303) is provided with a sliding groove (3031), a movable block (3032) is arranged in the sliding groove (3031), one end of the linkage rod (304) is axially connected to the movable block (3032), and a push rod (3033) connected to the movable block (3032) is arranged in the sliding groove (3031).

6. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side wall of the support plate (201) is provided with a rotating arm (210), the end of the rotating arm (210) is connected with an abutment block (211), and the surface of the abutment block (211) has a rubber pad, wherein the rotating arm (210) can rotate around the support plate (201) to make the abutment block (211) contact with the inner wall of the tube to provide auxiliary propulsion force.

7. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rotating arm (210) comprises a first arm (2101) and a second arm (2102) connected to the support plate (201); the first arm (2101) and the second arm (2102) are connected via a cylinder rod (2103); a piston rod of the cylinder rod (2103) is connected to the first arm (2101).

8. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The push block (209) is automatically controlled to move by a linear motor or manually controlled to move by loosening a fastening bolt.

9. The in-pipe walking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A bevel gear set (2031) is sleeved on the axle of the driving wheel (203), and the bevel gear set (2031) is driven by a DC motor (2032).

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