Revolving body underwater robot lifting mechanism

Abstract

In order to solve the problems that an existing AUV lifting mechanism is large in structural size and difficult to meet the spatial constraint of a miniaturized AUV, in addition, cabin doors need to be independently controlled, and the complexity of a system is increased, the rotary underwater robot lifting mechanism comprises an AUV rotary body, a split cabin door is arranged on the top of the rotary body, lifting equipment is arranged in the rotary body, and main driving force is provided through a motor; the four-guide-column system can limit the movement direction of the lifting equipment and counteract lateral water flow impact, lifting displacement is converted into the opening and closing angle of the cabin door through cooperation of the connecting rod and the sliding plate, and finally the purpose that the cabin door is completely opened while the lifting equipment stretches out by the enough height is achieved. Through the innovative mechanical linkage design, cooperative control over equipment lifting and cabin door opening and closing is achieved in a limited space, and the technical problems that a traditional lifting device is large in occupied space, and the fluid appearance integrity is damaged are effectively solved. The invention relates to the technical field of underwater robots.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of underwater robots, and in particular to a compact lifting mechanism for a rotating underwater robot. Background Art

[0002] Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are a type of underwater unmanned vehicles. In recent years, with the widespread application of autonomous underwater vehicles in the fields of ocean exploration and equipment deployment, the demand for the expansion of their functional modules has been increasing. Traditional AUV lifting mechanisms mostly use hydraulic drive or linear motor direct push-pull structure, which has problems such as large size, destruction of streamlined shape, and complex sealing design, resulting in a significant increase in navigation resistance and difficulty in meeting the space constraints of miniaturized AUVs. For example: CN 215826954U uses an underwater lifting device for AUV, which adopts an axial linear layout and drives the motor to drive the screw nut mechanism to achieve the lifting and lowering of the AUV surface attachment, resulting in an increase in the length of the AUV; In addition, in the existing technology, the equipment lifting mechanism and hatch opening and closing usually use independent control systems, which require additional power sources and sensors, further exacerbating the structural complexity and failure risk.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a lifting mechanism that is highly integrated, motion-controllable, and can maintain the fluid shape of the AUV, so as to achieve coordinated control of the lifting and lowering of the equipment and the linkage of the hatch in a limited space, so as to improve the functional expandability and navigation performance of the AUV. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the problem that the existing AUV lifting mechanism structure is bulky and difficult to meet the space constraints of miniaturized AUVs. In addition, the hatches need to be independently controlled, which increases the complexity of the system. Therefore, a rotary underwater robot lifting mechanism is proposed.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is: The present invention comprises an AUV rotating body, a top of which is provided with a split hatch, which is slidably connected to the AUV rotating body; and a lifting device is provided inside. The fixed ring assembly includes a fixed ring, a rack track, and guide pillars. The fixed ring is fixed to the diameter of the AUV rotating body through a flange. The fixed ring is integrated with a rack track 3 and symmetrically distributed guide pillars. The rack track is arranged along the inner circumference of the fixed ring, and guide pillars are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rack track. The lifting equipment and the guide pillars are connected by sliding. The lifting actuator is located at the bottom center of the rotating body and includes a transmission gear set and a motor. The transmission gear set is meshed with the rack track. The motor drives the transmission gear set to drive the lifting device to perform linear reciprocating motion along the guide column. The linkage door assembly includes a connecting rod and a sliding plate; the sliding plate is installed on the lifting device and rises and falls synchronously with the lifting device. One end of the connecting rod is hinged to the sliding plate, and the other end is connected to the inner side of the split door. The split door is opened and closed synchronously through the lifting and lowering displacement of the lifting device.

[0006] Furthermore, there are two fixing ring assemblies, which are respectively located on both sides of the lifting device.

[0007] Furthermore, the guide column is made of stainless steel, the axis of the guide column is perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating body, and the outer surface of the guide column is provided with a chrome-plated layer. Furthermore, a guide copper sleeve is provided at each of the four corners of the lifting device, and the guide copper sleeve is sleeved on the corresponding guide column, and the lifting device is slidably connected to the guide column through the guide copper sleeve.

[0008] Furthermore, the sliding plate is mounted on a guide copper sleeve, and the sliding plate rises and falls synchronously with the lifting device.

[0009] Furthermore, an L-shaped sliding groove is provided on the sliding plate, and one end of the connecting rod is slidingly connected to the L-shaped sliding groove.

[0010] Furthermore, stainless steel bearings are provided at the four corners of each split hatch, and the split hatch is slidably connected to the guide rail of the AUV rotating body through the stainless steel bearings, and the guide rail is an annular groove processed by polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. The fixed ring of the present invention adopts an annular integrated track structure, and the rack and guide pillars are arranged in the circumferential space of the rotating body, making full use of the circumferential space of the rotating body; and the design of the four-guide pillar and double-rack guide system ensures the stability of the lifting process; 2. The present invention develops a mechanical linkage door mechanism that directly drives the door through a connecting rod as the lifting platform moves, without the need for an additional power source, achieving automatic coordination between the lifting action and the door control. 3. The present invention uses a motor to provide the main driving force, driving the gear pair to rotate and extend linear motion on the rack track. The four-column system can limit the movement direction of the lifting device and offset the impact of lateral water flow. Through the cooperation of the connecting rod and the sliding plate, the lifting displacement is converted into the opening and closing angle of the hatch door, ultimately achieving the full opening of the hatch door while the lifting device is extended to a sufficient height. The entire operation cycle is ≤ 10 seconds. 4. This invention uses an innovative mechanical linkage design to achieve coordinated control of equipment lifting and hatch opening and closing within a limited space, effectively solving the technical problems of traditional lifting devices that occupy a large space and damage the integrity of the fluid shape; 5. The overall system of this invention is simple, reliable, and lightweight. Its modular design significantly improves overall space utilization. Fluid dynamics simulations have shown that the closed mechanism can reduce the AUV's drag coefficient by 23%, significantly improving navigation efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall external structure of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Left view of; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the present invention with the hatch closed and the lifting device reset; Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the present invention with the hatch open and the lifting device rising; Figure 5 It is a structural diagram of the rack track and transmission gear set of the present invention; Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a retaining ring assembly; Figure 7 It is a structural diagram of the sliding plate.

[0013] In the picture: 1-AUV rotating body; 2-fixing ring; 3-rack track; 4-hatch door; 5-lifting device; 6-guide column; 7-connecting rod; 8-transmission gear set; 9-motor; 10-drive and sliding plate; 11-guide copper sleeve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Combine Figures 1 to 7Describe this embodiment. The lifting mechanism of a rotating underwater robot described in this embodiment includes an AUV rotating body 1, two fixed ring assemblies, a split hatch 4, a lifting device 5, a lifting execution assembly and a linkage hatch assembly; the AUV rotating body 1 is provided with a split hatch 4 on the top, and the split hatch 4 is slidably connected to the AUV rotating body 1; a lifting device 5 is provided inside, and the two fixed ring assemblies are respectively located on both sides of the lifting device 5, each fixed ring assembly includes a fixed ring 2, a rack track 3 and a guide column 6, the fixed ring 2 is fixed to the diameter direction of the AUV rotating body 1 by a flange, and the rack track 3 and the symmetrically distributed guide columns 6 are integrated in the fixed ring 2, the rack track 3 is arranged along the inner circumference of the fixed ring 2, and the guide columns 6 are symmetrically provided on both sides of the rack track 3; the lifting device 5 is provided inside. The lowering device 5 is slidably connected to the guide column 6 through the guide copper sleeves 11 set at the four corners; the lifting device 5 is located at the upper part of the lifting execution assembly; the lifting execution assembly is located at the bottom center of the rotating body 1, including a transmission gear set 8 and a motor 9, the transmission gear set 8 is engaged with the rack track 3, and the transmission gear set 8 is driven by the motor 9 to drive the lifting device 5 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the guide column 6; the linkage door assembly includes a connecting rod 7 and a sliding plate 10; the sliding plate 10 is fixedly connected to the guide copper sleeve 11 of the lifting device 5, and rises and falls synchronously with the lifting device 5. One end of the connecting rod 7 is connected to the L-shaped slide groove of the sliding plate 10, and the other end is connected to the inner side of the split hatch 4. Through the lifting and lowering displacement of the lifting device 5, the split hatch 4 is opened to both sides with the central axis of the AUV rotating body 1 as the center of the circle.

[0015] like Figure 5 As shown, the motor 9 is a servo motor that precisely controls the lift height and can stop at any position. The motor 9 has self-protection features, such as overload and overcurrent protection. The transmission gear set 8 includes a driving gear and three driven gears. The two outer driven gears mesh with the rack track 3. The rack and gears are made of high-precision equipment, ensuring smooth rolling without any lag.

[0016] like Figure 6 As shown, the guide post 6 and guide copper sleeve 11 utilize self-lubricating equipment for smooth sliding. The clearance between the inner diameter of the guide copper sleeve 11 and the guide post is controlled to be 0.05-0.08mm, forming a sliding guide structure. The guide post 6 is made of stainless steel, with its axis perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating body 1. The outer surface of the guide post 6 is chrome-plated. The chrome plating improves wear resistance. The four guide posts are arranged circumferentially to form a rectangular guide frame, which provides greater stability. If a single guide post breaks, the remaining three guide posts can temporarily support the load without affecting the operation of the mechanism.

[0017] A guide copper sleeve 11 is provided at each of the four corners of the lifting device 5. Multiple guide copper sleeves 11 are respectively mounted on corresponding guide posts 6. Each guide post is mounted with two guide copper sleeves. The lifting device 5 is slidably connected to the guide post 6 through the guide copper sleeve 11.

[0018] Preferably, each of the four corners of the split hatch 4 is provided with stainless steel bearings, which are highly resistant to seawater corrosion; the split hatch 4 is slidably connected to the guide rail of the AUV rotating body 1 through the stainless steel bearings, and the guide rail is an annular groove processed by polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0019] In this embodiment, the motor 9 provides the main driving force, drives the gear pair to rotate, and extends a straight line motion on the rack track 3. The four-guide column system can limit the movement direction of the lifting device 5 and offset the impact of lateral water flow. Through the cooperation of the connecting rod 7 and the sliding plate 10, the lifting displacement is converted into the opening and closing angle of the hatch, and finally the lifting device 5 is extended to a sufficient height while the hatch is fully opened. The entire action cycle is ≤10 seconds.

[0020] The working process of the present invention is as follows: When the lifting device 5 needs to be raised, the drive motor 9, via the active gear, drives the transmission gear in linear motion along the rack track 3 mounted on the fixed ring 2. Constrained by the four guide posts 6, the lifting device 5 is smoothly raised along the predetermined trajectory. Simultaneously, the sliding plate 10 fixed to the lifting device 5 drives the connecting rod 7, causing the symmetrically arranged biparting doors 4 to unfold synchronously along the guide rails, forming the equipment exit passage.

[0021] After the operation is completed, the motor 9 reverses to drive the lifting device 5 to reset, and the linkage mechanism synchronously drives the hatch to close, restoring the complete streamlined shape of the AUV.

[0022] This invention utilizes a modular sealing design to integrate the motor 9 and transmission gear set 8 into the bottom cavity of the lifting device 5, improving underwater reliability by reducing dynamic sealing points. This solution creates motion redundancy through the rigid transmission of the rack and pinion system and the sliding guidance of the guide post 6 and guide copper sleeve 11, maintaining lifting accuracy even in complex water flow environments. Furthermore, the hatch linkage mechanism requires no additional power input, preserving the AUV's streamlined appearance.

[0023] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any form of limitation to the present invention. Although the present invention has been disclosed as a preferred embodiment as above, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any technician familiar with the present profession can make some changes or modifications to equivalent embodiments of equivalent changes using the technical content disclosed above without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention. However, any simple modification, equivalent replacement and improvement of the above embodiments made according to the technical essence of the present invention, within the spirit and principles of the present invention, without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention, shall still fall within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lifting mechanism for a rotating underwater robot, characterized in that: include: The AUV rotating body (1) is provided with a split hatch (4) on the top and a lifting device (5) inside. A fixed ring assembly comprises a fixed ring (2), a rack track (3) and a guide column (6); the fixed ring (2) is fixed in the diameter direction of the AUV rotating body (1) through a flange; the rack track (3) and symmetrically distributed guide columns (6) are integrated in the fixed ring (2); the rack track (3) is arranged along the inner circumference of the fixed ring (2); and the guide columns (6) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rack track (3); the lifting device (5) and the guide columns (6) are slidably connected; The lifting actuator is located at the bottom center of the rotating body (1) and includes a transmission gear set (8) and a motor (9). The transmission gear set (8) is engaged with the rack track (3). The transmission gear set (8) is driven by the motor (9) to drive the lifting device (5) to perform linear reciprocating motion along the guide column (6). The linkage hatch assembly comprises a connecting rod (7) and a sliding plate (10); the sliding plate (10) is installed on the lifting device (5) and rises and falls synchronously with the lifting device (5); one end of the connecting rod (7) is hinged to the sliding plate (10), and the other end is connected to the inner side of the split hatch (4); the split hatch (4) is opened and closed synchronously by the lifting and lowering displacement of the lifting device (5).

2. The lifting mechanism of a rotary underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two fixing ring assemblies, which are respectively located on both sides of the lifting device (5).

3. The lifting mechanism of a rotary underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide column (6) is made of stainless steel, the axis of the guide column (6) is perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating body (1), and the outer surface of the guide column (6) is provided with a chrome-plated layer.

4. The lifting mechanism of a rotary underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A guide copper sleeve (11) is provided at each of the four corners of the lifting device (5). The guide copper sleeve (11) is sleeved on a corresponding guide column (6). The lifting device (5) is slidably connected to the guide column (6) via the guide copper sleeve (11).

5. The lifting mechanism of a rotary underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding plate (10) is mounted on a guide copper sleeve (11), and the sliding plate (10) and the lifting device (5) rise and fall synchronously.

6. The lifting mechanism of a rotary underwater robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: An L-shaped sliding groove is provided on the sliding plate (10), and one end of the connecting rod (7) is slidably connected to the L-shaped sliding groove.

7. The lifting mechanism of a rotary underwater robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each split hatch (4) is provided with stainless steel bearings at its four corners, and the split hatch (4) is slidably connected to the guide rail of the AUV rotary body (1) through the stainless steel bearings, and the guide rail is an annular groove processed by polytetrafluoroethylene.

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