Wheel type electrically-controlled robot with variable structure adapting to pipe diameter

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel type electrically-controlled variable structure pipe diameter adapting robot which comprises a top damping structure and an electrically-controlled variable wheel leg structure based on a joint steering engine at the bottom, and the top damping structure is arranged above the electrically-controlled variable wheel leg structure based on the joint steering engine at the bottom. According to the scheme, the variable mechanical structure design and the intelligent control technology are combined, the functions of self-positioning, obstacle avoidance and pipe diameter self-adaption of the robot in the complex pipeline environment are achieved, the adaptability and operation efficiency of the robot in narrow and variable pipelines are improved, and an efficient, reliable and cost-optimized solution is provided for pipeline detection and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention designs a wheeled electronically controlled variable structure pipe diameter adaptable robot, belonging to the technical field of inspection robot control. Background Technique

[0002] As an important part of modern industry and urban infrastructure, the safe operation of pipelines is directly related to energy transmission, water supply and drainage systems, and industrial production efficiency. However, due to the narrow internal space and complex and changeable environment of pipelines, such as pipe diameter changes, bends, obstacles, etc., traditional detection and maintenance methods face huge challenges. Most existing pipeline inspection robots adopt a fixed structure design, which is difficult to adapt to complex pipeline environments, and has problems such as poor adaptability, insufficient obstacle crossing ability, and low positioning accuracy, seriously restricting their application scope and effect. Therefore, in view of these problems, it is urgent to improve from aspects such as mechanical structure, sensing technology, and intelligent control to improve the adaptability and detection ability of robots in complex pipeline environments.

[0003] Existing pipeline inspection robots have great limitations in terms of adaptability. Due to the fixed structure, they cannot adaptively adjust to different pipe diameters. In the case of large pipe diameter changes, it may cause the robot to be unable to pass or detect key parts. In addition, some robots have poor stability when facing different pipeline environments, such as vertical pipelines, inclined pipelines, or narrow bends, and are prone to tipping over or being blocked in movement. In terms of obstacle crossing ability, traditional wheeled or tracked robots often get stuck or slip when encountering obstacles such as welds, pipe wall deposits, and foreign objects, affecting the inspection efficiency. In special structures such as complex pipeline intersections and T-shaped interfaces, existing robots are difficult to turn flexibly or adapt to the environment, resulting in many detection blind spots.

[0004] In terms of positioning accuracy, due to limited signal propagation inside the pipeline, traditional positioning methods such as GPS cannot work effectively. Existing robots mostly rely on inertial navigation or a single sensor for positioning, resulting in low accuracy and easy to generate cumulative errors. In addition, existing navigation methods are mostly based on preset paths and lack real-time adaptability, making it difficult to cope with the complex changes in the internal environment of the pipeline. In terms of detection ability, some pipeline inspection robots only rely on a single type of sensor, such as a camera or ultrasonic wave. In some special environments, such as underwater pipelines and strongly corrosive environments, the detection accuracy and reliability are low. In addition, most existing robots adopt a one-way driving method and cannot perform retrospective detection. If there is a missed detection, they need to re-enter the pipeline, increasing the operation cost.

[0005] To address the above problems, it is necessary to optimize the structure of the pipeline inspection robot to improve its adaptability. Adopt a variable structure design so that the robot can adaptively adjust according to the change of the pipeline diameter. For example, use retractable wheel legs or elastic support structures to improve the adaptability of the robot in pipelines with different diameters. Add rotating and folding mechanisms with multiple degrees of freedom so that the robot can turn flexibly in complex pipeline intersections or bends, reducing the risk of jamming. Combine mechanical optimization and bionic design to improve the stability of the robot in vertical or inclined pipelines and avoid tipping problems caused by the center of gravity shifting.

[0006] In terms of obstacle crossing ability, it is necessary to adopt a multi-mode moving mechanism, such as a wheel-track combination system, so that the robot can move forward using wheels in a flat pipeline and switch to the track mode when encountering obstacles to improve the obstacle crossing ability. Combine a robotic arm or an active obstacle avoidance device so that the robot can bypass or clear large obstacles when encountering them, improving the passing rate. Use wheels or tracks made of special materials to adapt to different pipeline environments, improve adhesion, and reduce slipping. In terms of positioning accuracy, adopt multi-sensor fusion technology, such as the combined use of ultrasonic ranging, lidar, and inertial navigation, to improve the real-time positioning ability of the robot in the pipeline. Combine wireless positioning technology, such as Bluetooth beacons or UWB ultra-wideband technology, to achieve high-precision indoor positioning and reduce cumulative errors.

[0007] In terms of detection ability, adopt multi-modal sensors, such as infrared cameras, ultrasonic waves, lidar, and eddy current detection, to comprehensively detect different types of pipeline defects and improve the detection accuracy. Combine AI image processing technology to intelligently identify problems such as cracks, corrosion, and leaks inside the pipeline, and optimize the detection model through deep learning to improve the recognition accuracy. Increase the two-way inspection ability so that the robot can move forward and backward in the pipeline to avoid missed inspections and improve the inspection efficiency.

[0008] Aiming at the deficiencies of existing pipeline inspection robots in adaptability, obstacle crossing ability, positioning accuracy, and detection ability, this project proposes a wheeled variable structure pipeline inspection robot with autonomous positioning, obstacle avoidance, and adaptive pipe diameter functions based on mechanical structure innovation and intelligent control technology. Through variable mechanical structure design, multi-sensor fusion, and intelligent algorithm optimization, the efficient movement and precise control of the robot in a complex pipeline environment are realized. This robot can not only improve the inspection efficiency but also reduce the operation and maintenance costs, providing an efficient, reliable, and cost-optimized solution for pipeline detection and maintenance, and having important academic value and engineering application prospects. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention proposes a wheeled electronically controlled variable structure pipeline inspection robot. By combining variable mechanical structure design with intelligent control technology, the robot realizes autonomous positioning, obstacle avoidance, and adaptive pipe diameter functions in complex pipeline environments, improves its adaptability and operation efficiency in narrow and variable pipelines, and provides an efficient, reliable, and cost-optimized solution for pipeline detection and maintenance.

[0010] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A wheeled electronically controlled variable structure pipeline inspection robot is mainly divided into two parts: a top shock absorption structure and a bottom electronically controlled variable wheel leg structure based on joint servos. The top shock absorption structure is arranged above the bottom electronically controlled variable wheel leg structure based on joint servos.

[0011] As an improvement of the present invention, the top shock absorption structure consists of a flat plate, connecting rods, brackets, brackets, connecting rods, shock absorbers, and universal wheels. The brackets are used to connect the two universal wheels to make their movements consistent; one end of the connecting rod is connected to the shock absorber and can swing therewith. The bracket is used to fix the position of the connecting rod. The other end of the shock absorber is connected to the universal wheel through the connecting rod. When the universal wheel is subjected to external pressure, the connecting rod swings with the movement of the universal wheel, driving the shock absorber to move telescopically. While the connecting rod swings with the shock absorber, it also limits the movement range thereof. When the inner diameter of the pipeline changes during the movement of the robot, the shock absorption structure can keep the universal wheel tightly pressed against the pipe wall to ensure the stability of the vehicle body; at the same time, when the upper space becomes narrower, the shock absorption structure can protect important devices such as the main control board and sensors installed on the flat plate from directly hitting the pipe wall and being damaged.

[0012] As an improvement of the present invention, the bottom electronically controlled variable wheel leg structure based on joint servos is composed of joint servos, servo brackets, connecting parts, motors, and wheels. When the robot drives from a flat ground into a pipeline, the driving surface changes from a plane to a curved surface, and the wheel legs need to change angles to be in the envelope circle. The joint servo works, driving the servo bracket to rotate. The connecting part transmits the torque to the motor and the wheel, realizing the change of the wheel leg angle. The motor is connected to the wheel. When the motor receives an instruction and starts to work, it drives the wheel to rotate, thereby realizing the basic movement function of the robot.

[0013] An ultrasonic ranging module is installed in front of the vehicle body. By emitting and receiving the returned ultrasonic waves, the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle can be accurately measured, generating real-time spatial information of the environment. When the distance is less than the threshold, the motor stops working and the vehicle no longer moves forward, thereby realizing the obstacle avoidance function.

[0014] The control parts of the servo and the motor mainly consist of the main control board (Basra) and the expansion board (Bigfish 2.1). The motor and the joint servo are driven by the main control board and the expansion board respectively. The main control board and the expansion board work together to control the motor to realize the forward, backward and steering functions of the trolley. At the same time, the main control board and the expansion board drive the joint servo to adjust the rotation angle of the wheel-leg part of the trolley in the vertical plane, so as to optimize the adaptability and motion performance of the trolley in the pipeline environment. The WiFi control module consists of the main control board (Basra), the expansion board (Bigfish 2.1), a WiFi wireless router, a 2510 communication adapter board and a USB camera. The trolley accesses the local area network or the Internet through the WiFi module. Users can send instructions through devices such as mobile phone APPs under the same network to control the movement of the trolley, including forward, stop, backward, left turn in place and right turn in place. Among them, forward and backward are realized by changing the rotation direction of the motor, and steering is completed by adjusting the speed difference between the left and right motors. At the same time, the USB camera captures the video stream in real time and transmits it to the user device based on the HTTP protocol, supporting real-time monitoring, photographing and inspection functions, and realizing the function integration of remote control and image feedback.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0016] 1. The adaptive base and the upper part structure of the spring connecting rod can automatically adapt to pipelines with different diameters, broaden the applicable range, reduce the customization cost, improve the operation ability in complex pipelines.

[0017] 2. The wheels have freedom in the vertical direction and are equipped with an ultrasonic ranging module, which can cross obstacles lower than the chassis and accurately detect obstacles higher than the chassis. Combined with the differential rotation steering structure, it can realize flexible obstacle avoidance, ensure the smooth progress of inspection, and reduce the risk of collision damage. 3. The structure of double wheels at the top, new support connecting rods and shock absorbers can disperse the force, buffer the impact, compensate for component errors, maintain a stable posture, ensure the stable operation of the robot, extend the service life and improve the inspection quality.

[0018] 4. The wheeled structure combines ultrasonic ranging and RSSI wireless positioning technologies, providing a stable basis for accurate positioning and navigation, reducing positioning errors, realizing autonomous navigation and precise inspection, and providing reliable data for pipeline maintenance. Description of the Drawings

[0019] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall mechanical structure of the project

[0020] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the unchanged variable structure

[0021] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the variable structure after deformation

[0022] Figure 4Schematic diagram of the trolley moving on flat ground when the steering gear is not deployed,

[0023] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the trolley moving along the pipeline after the steering gear is deployed.

[0024] List of attached drawing markings: 1. Base plate, 2. Component connecting the wheels, 3. Inclined base, 4. Support base, 5. Component connecting the shock absorber, 6. Shock absorber, 7. Universal wheel, 8. Joint steering gear, 9. Movable part of the joint steering gear, 10. Straight rod, 11. DC motor, 12. Wheel. Specific implementation mode

[0025] Embodiment: A wheeled electronically controlled variable structure pipeline inspection robot is mainly divided into two parts: a top shock absorption structure and a bottom electronically controlled variable wheel leg structure based on a joint steering gear. The top shock absorption structure is arranged above the bottom electronically controlled variable wheel leg structure based on a joint steering gear.

[0026] See Figures 1 - 3 , in which, the top shock absorption structure consists of a flat plate 1, a connecting rod 2, a bracket 3, a bracket 4, a connecting rod 5, a shock absorber 6, and a universal wheel 7. The bracket 3 is used to connect two universal wheels to make their movements consistent; one end of the connecting rod 5 is connected to the shock absorber 6 and can swing therewith, the bracket 4 is used to fix the position of the connecting rod 5, and the other end of the shock absorber 6 is connected to the universal wheel 7 through the connecting rod 2. When the universal wheel 7 is subjected to an external pressure, the connecting rod 2 swings with the movement of the universal wheel 7, driving the shock absorber 6 to move telescopically. The connecting rod 5 restricts its movement range while swinging with the shock absorber 6. When the inner diameter of the pipeline changes during the movement of the robot, the shock absorption structure can keep the universal wheel pressing tightly against the pipe wall all the time, ensuring the stability of the vehicle body; at the same time, when the upper space becomes narrow, the shock absorption structure can protect important devices such as the main control board and sensors installed on the flat plate 1 from being directly damaged by hitting the pipe wall.

[0027] The bottom electronically controlled variable wheel leg structure based on a joint steering gear consists of a joint steering gear 8, a steering gear bracket 9, a connecting part 10, a motor 11, and a wheel 12. When the robot drives from flat ground into the pipeline, the driving surface changes from a plane to a curved surface, and the wheel legs need to change the angle to be in the envelope circle. The joint steering gear 8 works, driving the steering gear bracket 9 to rotate, and the connecting part 10 transmits the torque to the motor 11 and the wheel 12, realizing the change of the wheel leg angle. The motor 11 is connected to the wheel 12. When the motor 11 receives an instruction to start working, it drives the wheel 12 to rotate, thereby realizing the basic movement function of the robot.

[0028] An ultrasonic ranging module is installed in front of the vehicle body. By emitting and receiving the returned ultrasonic wave, the distance between the trolley and the obstacle can be accurately measured, generating real-time space information of the environment. When the distance is less than the threshold value, the motor 11 stops working and the trolley no longer moves forward, thus realizing the obstacle avoidance function.

[0029] The control parts of the servo and the motor are mainly composed of the main control board (Basra) and the expansion board (Bigfish 2.1). The motor and the joint servo are driven by the main control board and the expansion board respectively. The main control board and the expansion board work together to control the motor to realize the forward, backward and steering functions of the trolley. At the same time, the main control board and the expansion board drive the joint servo to adjust the rotation angle of the wheel-leg part of the trolley in the vertical plane, so as to optimize the adaptability and motion performance of the trolley in the pipeline environment. The WiFi control module consists of the main control board (Basra), the expansion board (Bigfish 2.1), a WiFi wireless router, a 2510 communication adapter board and a USB camera. The trolley accesses the local area network or the Internet through the WiFi module. Users can send instructions through devices such as mobile phone APPs under the same network to control the movement of the trolley, including forward, stop, backward, left turn in place and right turn in place. Among them, forward and backward are realized by changing the rotation direction of the motor, and steering is completed by adjusting the speed difference between the left and right motors. At the same time, the USB camera captures the video stream in real time and transmits it to the user device based on the HTTP protocol, supporting real-time monitoring, photographing and inspection functions, and realizing the function integration of remote control and image feedback.

[0030] Figure 1 is the overall mechanical structure of this project, Figure 2 、 Figure 3 is the structural schematic diagram of the variable structure part.

[0031] Figure 2 is the schematic diagram of the undeformed variable structure in the embodiment of the present invention. When the device is in an unloaded state, the top structure remains unchanged, and the shock absorber 6 and the connecting rod are in their initial positions.

[0032] Figure 4 Before the joint servo unfolds, the trolley can travel on flat ground

[0033] Figure 5 After the joint servo unfolds at a certain angle, the trolley travels in the pipeline, and the annular structure helps to fit the pipe wall.

[0034] In terms of the software design of the functional module, the WiFi control module uses the ESP32 module to realize communication with the control end (such as a mobile phone or a computer). The communication protocol is based on TCP / IP, and remote control is realized through a custom instruction set. The control end sends motion instructions, adjusts the joint servo angle and starts the obstacle avoidance mode through a simple mobile phone APP interface.

[0035] The speed and direction of the DC motor 11 are controlled through PWM signals, and then the movement is driven. Among them, forward and backward are realized by controlling the positive and negative rotation of the motor; turning is realized by adjusting the speed difference between the left and right motors. For example, when turning left, the left motor decelerates or stops, and the right motor runs normally.

[0036] By installing an ultrasonic ranging module in front of the robot, the distance to the obstacle in front can be detected in real time. When the detected distance to the obstacle is less than the set threshold, obstacle avoidance actions are triggered, such as automatically stopping, backing up, or turning.

[0037] The joint servo control module initializes the angle of servo 8 at system startup and dynamically adjusts the servo angle by receiving instructions through WiFi, driving the rotation of the servo bracket 9, and the connecting part 10 transmits torque to the motor 11 and the wheel 12 to achieve the change of the wheel-leg angle.

[0038] Before the joint servo is deployed, the trolley can travel on flat ground. After the joint servo is deployed at a certain angle, the trolley travels in the pipeline, and the annular structure helps to fit the pipe wall.

[0039] During movement, a USB camera is used to capture the real-time image in front of the trolley during travel. The image is transmitted back to the terminal through WiFi. Image processing and recognition are performed through the OpenCV library. Through techniques such as color recognition and contour detection, the target object (such as defects and foreign objects in the pipeline) is recognized, a rectangular box is drawn for the recognized object, and information such as the center coordinates of the object is displayed on the image.

[0040] It should be noted that the above embodiments are not used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Equivalent transformations or substitutions made on the basis of the above technical solutions all fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wheeled electronically controlled variable structure adaptable pipe diameter robot, characterized in that, The robot consists of two parts: a top shock-absorbing structure and a bottom electronically controlled variable wheel-leg structure based on joint servos. The top shock-absorbing structure is arranged above the bottom electronically controlled variable wheel-leg structure based on joint servos.

2. The wheeled electronically controlled variable structure adaptable pipe diameter robot according to claim 1, wherein The top shock-absorbing structure includes a flat plate, connecting rods, brackets, brackets, connecting rods, shock absorbers, and universal wheels. The brackets are used to connect two universal wheels to make their movements consistent. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the shock absorber and can swing therewith. The bracket is used to fix the position of the connecting rod. The other end of the shock absorber is connected to the universal wheel through the connecting rod. When the universal wheel is subjected to external pressure, the connecting rod swings with the movement of the universal wheel, driving the shock absorber to move telescopically. While swinging with the shock absorber, the connecting rod also limits its movement range.

3. The wheeled electric-control variable structure adaptable pipe diameter robot according to claim 1, characterized in that The bottom electronically controlled variable wheel-leg structure based on joint servos includes joint servos, servo brackets, connecting parts, motors, and wheels. When the joint servos work, they drive the servo brackets to rotate. The connecting parts transmit torque to the motors and wheels to achieve the change of the wheel-leg angle. The motors are connected to the wheels. When the motors receive commands and start working, they drive the wheels to rotate, thereby realizing the basic movement function of the robot.

4. The wheeled electronically controlled variable structure adaptable pipe diameter robot according to claim 1, wherein, An ultrasonic ranging module is installed in front of the vehicle body. By emitting and receiving the returned ultrasonic waves, the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle can be accurately measured, generating real-time spatial information of the environment. When the distance is less than the threshold, the motor stops working and the vehicle no longer moves forward, thus realizing the obstacle avoidance function.

5. The wheeled electronically controlled variable structure adaptable pipe diameter robot according to claim 1, wherein, The control parts of the servos and motors are mainly composed of a main control board (Barsa) and an expansion board (Bigfish 2.1). The motors and joint servos are respectively driven through the main control board and the expansion board. The main control board and the expansion board work together to control the motors to realize the forward, backward, and turning functions of the vehicle. At the same time, the main control board and the expansion board drive the joint servos to adjust the rotation angle of the wheel-leg part of the vehicle in the vertical plane to optimize the adaptability and movement performance of the vehicle in the pipeline environment. The WiFi control module consists of a main control board (Basra), an expansion board (Bigfish 2.1), a WiFi wireless router, a 2510 communication adapter board, and a USB camera. The vehicle accesses the local area network or the Internet through the WiFi control module. Users can send commands through devices such as mobile phone APPs under the same network to control the movement of the vehicle, including forward, stop, backward, left turn in place, and right turn in place. Among them, forward and backward are achieved by changing the rotation direction of the motors, and turning is completed by adjusting the speed difference between the left and right motors. At the same time, the USB camera captures the video stream in real time and transmits it to the user device based on the HTTP protocol, supporting functions such as real-time monitoring, photographing, and inspection, realizing the function integration of remote control and image feedback.

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