An octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device

Abstract

This invention proposes an octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device, comprising a cleaning device body and an octopus tentacle-shaped moving mechanism. The octopus tentacle-shaped moving mechanism includes multiple robotic arms, multiple transmission beams, and a disc-shaped hollow motor. The disc-shaped hollow motor is fixed to the cleaning device body, and the multiple robotic arms are arranged at equal intervals around the disc-shaped hollow motor. The end of each robotic arm is connected to the rotor surface of the disc-shaped hollow motor through a transmission beam. The robotic arms are equipped with multiple joints, and a collision sensor is provided at the end of the robotic arm away from the transmission beam. When the robotic arms of this invention encounter obstacles, the movement direction and operating radius can be adjusted by bending the robotic arms, making it suitable for flexible operation in various narrow sea areas. At the same time, during the operation of the octopus tentacle-like robotic arms, the bent ends of the robotic arms can collect garbage within the turning radius of the device, thereby improving the garbage collection efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine environmental protection technology, and in particular to a device for cleaning the sea surface. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the increasing emphasis on marine protection by the nation, various automated marine debris cleaning devices have emerged. Domestically available devices include: 1. Wheeled debris-collecting robots, 2. Conveyor belt-type unmanned vessels for debris collection, and 3. Fixed floating garbage bins. However, existing robots are generally large in size and cannot be used in narrow, obstacle-filled fishing ports, mangrove forests, or other similar waters, and they generally cannot simultaneously remove harmful algae. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flexible and efficient marine surface cleaning device that can automatically remove marine debris in narrow, obstacle-filled, and debris-heavy marine areas.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes an octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device, comprising a cleaning device body and an octopus tentacle-like moving mechanism.

[0005] The octopus-tentacle-type moving mechanism includes multiple robotic arms, multiple transmission beams, and a disc-shaped hollow motor. The disc-shaped hollow motor is fixed to the main body of the cleaning device, and the multiple robotic arms are arranged at equal intervals around the disc-shaped hollow motor. The end of each robotic arm is connected to the rotor surface of the disc-shaped hollow motor through a transmission beam.

[0006] The robotic arm has multiple joints, each controlled by an independent servo motor, and a collision sensor is located at the end of the robotic arm away from the transmission beam.

[0007] Furthermore, the joints are arranged parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0008] Furthermore, the robotic arm is also equipped with an ultrasonic generator.

[0009] Furthermore, each robotic arm includes three joints;

[0010] The first joint is located in the middle of the entire robotic arm. The first joint divides the robotic arm into a fixed section and a movable section. The fixed section connects the transmission beam and the movable section.

[0011] The second and third joints are both located in the movable segment, dividing the movable segment into three movable arms.

[0012] Furthermore, the transmission beams are securely connected by stirrups.

[0013] Furthermore, the cleaning device itself includes a cabin, a propeller, and a collection tank;

[0014] The collection bucket is connected to the end of the engine room via a hydraulic telescopic pipe. The propeller is located at the end of the engine room and is positioned directly opposite the bottom of the collection bucket. The collection bucket is made of metal mesh.

[0015] Furthermore, the collection bucket is located at the center of the octopus-tentacle-like moving mechanism;

[0016] Driven by the hydraulic telescopic tube, the opening plane of the collection bucket can be made to protrude from or be lower than the plane of the robotic arm.

[0017] Furthermore, the cabin is a sealed conical hull, which integrates wave energy generation modules, buoyancy adjustment modules, power supply modules, and control modules.

[0018] The wave energy generation module is connected to the power supply module, which in turn is electrically connected to each power consumption module. The control module is connected to each joint drive motor, buoyancy adjustment module, disc hollow motor, hydraulic telescopic tube, collision sensor, ultrasonic generator, and remote terminal via signal.

[0019] Furthermore, the conical surface of the cabin faces downwards, and a circular platform is mounted on the upper end of the cabin via a cylindrical shaft. A disc-type hollow motor is located between the circular platform and the end of the cabin.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0021] 1. This invention adopts an octopus tentacle-type moving mechanism. The robotic arm, combined with a collision sensor, can effectively detect obstacles on the path. When encountering an obstacle, the bending control of the robotic arm can realize the movement direction change and the adjustment of the operating radius, making it suitable for flexible operation in various narrow sea areas. At the same time, during the operation of the octopus tentacle-like robotic arm, the bent end of the robotic arm can collect the garbage within the turning radius of the device, which is convenient for subsequent garbage collection and improves garbage collection efficiency.

[0022] 2. The sea surface cleaning device of the present invention imitates the shape of an octopus, has high stability when operating in the sea, and will not capsize or other such situations.

[0023] 3. This invention utilizes the vortex generated by the propeller to collect garbage into the collection bin, which is different from the traditional robotic arm picking method. It is lower in cost and has a better garbage collection effect.

[0024] 4. The sea surface cleaning device of the present invention utilizes wave energy to replenish energy, has a long operating time, strong practicality and low energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sea surface cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2This is a top view of the sea surface cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a side view of the sea surface cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the sea surface cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the engine room portion of the sea surface cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a functional diagram of the control module of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the obstacle avoidance principle of the sea surface cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be further described below.

[0033] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the present invention proposes an octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device, which consists of two parts: an octopus-tentacle-shaped moving structure 4 and the cleaning device body.

[0034] In the cleaning unit itself, to reduce operational resistance, the entire cabin 1 adopts a sealed conical shape, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the cabin contains, from top to bottom, a buoyancy adjustment module 10, a control module 8, a power supply module 7, and a wave energy generation module 9. In practical applications, the order of these modules can be changed while still meeting the operational requirements of the device.

[0035] In this embodiment, the buoyancy adjustment module 10 is a sealed gas chamber filled with a low-density, chemically inert gas, with a built-in gas compressor. The buoyancy of the entire device can be adjusted by regulating the gas pressure; the gas is nitrogen or helium. The power module 7 is a battery pack sealed inside the cabin 1, which powers the entire device. The wave energy generation module 9 adopts a common biplane flywheel design. When the device floats up and down, the inertial flywheel moves up and down relative to the spiral shaft, cutting magnetic field lines to generate electricity, which powers the power module 7, effectively improving the device's endurance. The control module 8 is connected to the 5G communication module and the positioning module. The control module 8 is connected to all modules by signal, and can receive remote control signals to control the movement path and other operations of the device.

[0036] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the octopus-tentacle-like moving structure 4 consists of eight robotic arms 14 and a disc-shaped hollow motor 12. In practical applications, the number of robotic arms 14 can be adjusted according to actual needs. The disc-shaped hollow motor 12 is fitted onto the cabin 1, specifically as shown... Figure 5 As shown, the conical surface of the cabin 1 is in a downward orientation. A circular platform 6 is mounted on the upper surface of the cabin 1 via a cylindrical shaft 5. A gap is left between the circular platform 6 and the upper surface of the cabin 1, and the disc-type hollow motor 12 is fitted into this gap for fixation. After the disc-type hollow motor 12 is fixed, eight robotic arms 14 are evenly spaced around the disc-type hollow motor 12. The end of each robotic arm 14 is connected to the rotor surface of the disc-type hollow motor 12 via a transmission beam 13. To further ensure the stability of the structure, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the eight transmission beams 13 are connected by stirrups to effectively prevent deformation. In addition, the acute angle between the transmission beams 13 and the nacelle 1 is 45°-60° to ensure the stability of the device's movement posture.

[0037] In this embodiment, the robotic arm 14 is a multi-segment design, with each segment connected by hinges, allowing for horizontal rotation, as detailed below. Figure 1 As shown, each robotic arm 14 includes three joints. The first joint 15 is located in the middle section of the robotic arm 14, dividing it into a fixed section and a movable section. The fixed section connects the transmission beam 13 to the beginning of the movable section. The second and third joints are both located in the movable section, dividing it into three movable arm segments. This multi-segment structure allows the robotic arm 14 to bend more flexibly and adapt to various environments. Each joint is controlled by an independent servo motor. A collision sensor 17 is installed on the movable arm at the beginning, and an ultrasonic generator 16 is installed on the robotic arm 14 in the middle section. The outer shell of the robotic arm 14 is made of corrosion-resistant soft plastic.

[0038] In this embodiment, the garbage is mainly collected by the propeller 2, which draws the garbage into the collection bin 3. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the collection bucket 3 is a metal mesh collection bucket located in the center of the octopus tentacle-shaped moving structure 4. The collection bucket 3 is connected to the circular platform 6 at the end of the cabin 1 via a hydraulic telescopic pipe 11. Under the action of the hydraulic telescopic pipe 11, the collection bucket 3 can operate with its opening horizontal plane either above or below the horizontal plane of the robotic arm 14. The propeller 2 is fixed to the surface of the circular platform 6, located directly below the collection bucket 3.

[0039] In this embodiment, as Figure 6As shown, the control module 8 is connected to the joint drive motor of the robotic arm 14, the buoyancy adjustment module 10, the disc hollow motor 12, the hydraulic telescopic tube 11, the collision sensor 17, the ultrasonic generator 16, and the remote terminal. This enables the control of the robotic arm 14, the buoyancy adjustment of the device, the vertical position adjustment of the collection bucket 3, the collision detection, the start and stop of the ultrasonic waves, and the remote signal reception with external devices.

[0040] To further facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, the working principle of this invention is as follows: the buoyancy adjustment module 10 automatically adjusts the buoyancy, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the upper edge of the collection bucket 3 is positioned above the water surface, with the robotic arm 14 just above the water. The control module 8 adjusts the bending of all robotic arms 14, as shown. Figure 2 As shown, from above, it resembles a hub. A disc-type hollow motor 12 drives the transmission beam 13 and the robotic arm 14 to rotate, causing the device to move on the water surface. Simultaneously, surface debris is gathered around the collection bin 3 by the robotic arm 14, and the debris collection process is initiated periodically. During debris collection, the hydraulic telescopic pipe 11 pulls down the collection bin 3, completely submerging it in the water. Then, the propeller 2 is activated, rotating rapidly to create a vortex in the water, drawing the debris into the collection bin 3. Figure 4 As shown, after a certain period of collection, the hydraulic telescopic tube 11 is reset, the upper edge of the collection bucket 3 returns to its original position, the propeller 2 is turned off, and one garbage collection cycle is completed. This cycle is repeated to collect marine debris.

[0041] like Figure 7 As shown, the device rotates clockwise and collects debris along its path as it moves across the water. When the robotic arm 14 touches an obstacle 18, the collision sensor 17 activates, and the control module rapidly extends and retracts the colliding robotic arm 14 to deflect the device away. It also controls the bending direction of all robotic arms 14, causing the device to rotate counter-clockwise and move away from the obstacle 18. During operation, the ultrasonic generator 16 on the robotic arm 14 continuously emits ultrasonic waves into the water to kill harmful algae. The control module can receive remote control signals to control the device's movement path, the activation and deactivation of the ultrasonic generator 16, and other functions.

[0042] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute any limitation on the present invention. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions and content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall be deemed to have remained within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device, characterized in that, Includes the cleaning device body and the octopus tentacle-like moving mechanism; The octopus-tentacle-like moving mechanism includes multiple robotic arms, multiple transmission beams, and a disc-shaped hollow motor. The disc-shaped hollow motor is fixed to the main body of the cleaning device. The multiple robotic arms are arranged at equal intervals around the disc-shaped hollow motor. The end of each robotic arm is connected to the rotor surface of the disc-shaped hollow motor through a transmission beam. The robotic arm is equipped with multiple joints, each of which is controlled by an independent servo motor. A collision sensor is provided at the end of the robotic arm away from the transmission beam. Each of the aforementioned robotic arms includes three joints; The first joint is located in the middle of the entire robotic arm. The first joint divides the robotic arm into a fixed section and a movable section. The fixed section connects the transmission beam and the movable section. The second and third joints are both located in the movable segment, dividing the movable segment into three movable arms; The cleaning device body includes a cabin, a propeller, and a collection tank; The collection bucket is connected to the end of the engine room via a hydraulic telescopic pipe. The propeller is located at the end of the engine room and is positioned directly opposite the bottom of the collection bucket. The collection bucket is a metal mesh collection bucket. The collection bucket is located at the center of the octopus tentacle-shaped moving mechanism; Driven by the hydraulic telescopic tube, the opening plane of the collection bucket protrudes or is lower than the plane of the robotic arm; All joints are arranged parallel to the horizontal plane.

2. The octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm is also equipped with an ultrasonic generator.

3. The octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission beams are securely connected by stirrups.

4. The octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cabin is a sealed conical hull, which integrates a wave energy generation module, a buoyancy adjustment module, a power supply module, and a control module. The wave energy generation module is connected to the power supply module, the power supply module is electrically connected to each power consumption module, and the control module is signal connected to each joint drive motor, buoyancy adjustment module, disc hollow motor, hydraulic telescopic tube, collision sensor, ultrasonic generator and remote terminal.

5. The octopus-inspired wave-energy sea surface cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conical surface of the cabin faces downwards, and a circular platform is mounted on the upper end of the cabin via a cylindrical shaft. The disc-type hollow motor is located between the circular platform and the end of the cabin.

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