Self-balancing system of aerial operation robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a self-balancing system of an aerial operation robot, which is additionally provided with an executing mechanism module and an automatic balancing device on a foot stool of the aerial operation robot, and is characterized in that a control module is used for controlling the automatic balancing device according to attitude information of the aerial operation robot acquired by an attitude detection module and state information of the automatic balancing device fed back by the executing mechanism module; the control module is used for calculating the control quantity needing to be adjusted and sending a posture adjusting instruction to the executing mechanism module, and the executing mechanism module is used for converting the posture adjusting instruction into control signals for driving the two automatic balancing devices and feeding back state information of the two automatic balancing devices to the control module; the automatic balancing devices are used for providing power for the aerial operation robot to recover the balance posture according to respective control signals, and are used for resisting center-of-gravity shift caused by crosswind or movement on the overhead line, and the situation that the center-of-gravity shift disturbs operation of the aerial operation robot on the overhead line is avoided. And the walking stability and safety of the aerial operation robot on the overhead line are obviously improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aerial working robots, and in particular to a self-balancing system for aerial working robots. Background Art

[0002] Aerial work robots can travel along overhead lines and perform maintenance work. The principle behind their self-stabilizing travel on overhead lines is that the center of gravity of the entire machine is lower than the overhead lines and is kept as far away from them as possible. This low center of gravity design effectively reduces the risk of the aerial work robot tipping over while walking or working, especially in strong winds or on uneven lines. In some cases, to ensure the safety of the aerial work robot's operations, a clamping wheel or clamping structure is designed to firmly grip the overhead lines and prevent them from falling. Furthermore, the clamping wheel design can also increase the friction of the running wheels, helping to increase the climbing angle.

[0003] A passive self-stabilization solution achieves self-stabilization on overhead lines by lowering the center of gravity. During operations, the movement of the aerial robot causes the center of gravity to shift, causing it to tilt to one side at a certain angle. Crosswinds can also cause the robot to tilt to one side at a certain angle. This rotation along the overhead line can complicate precision maintenance operations. Therefore, rapidly adjusting the robot's posture during high winds to ensure it maintains a stable, horizontal position is a key challenge in the practical application of aerial robots for overhead lines. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A technical problem to be solved by the present application is to overcome the defects of the above-mentioned related technologies and provide an aerial work robot self-balancing system that can quickly respond to and correct the posture deviation of the aerial work robot in the air, so that the aerial work robot always maintains a horizontal and self-stable state on the overhead line, providing a stable environment for the aerial work robot to perform precise operations on the overhead line.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: a self-balancing system for an aerial work robot, wherein a control module, a flight module, and a posture detection module are installed on the body of the robot, wherein the control module is electrically connected to the flight module and the posture detection module respectively, and further comprises an actuator module and two automatic balancing devices arranged on a tripod, wherein the actuator module is electrically connected to the control module, and the actuator module is electrically connected to the two automatic balancing devices respectively; The control module is used to calculate the control amount that needs to be adjusted based on the posture information of the aerial working robot collected by the posture detection module and the status information of the automatic balancing device fed back by the actuator module, and send a posture adjustment instruction to the actuator module; The actuator module is used to convert the posture adjustment instruction into a control signal for driving the two automatic balancing devices, and to feed back the status information of the two automatic balancing devices to the control module; The automatic balancing device is used to provide power to the aerial working robot to restore its balanced posture according to respective control signals.

[0006] Compared with the related art, the present invention has the following advantages: an actuator module and an automatic balancing device fixedly installed on the legs of the aerial work robot are added; the control module is used to calculate the control amount that needs to be adjusted based on the posture information of the aerial work robot collected by the posture detection module and the status information of the automatic balancing device fed back by the actuator module, and send a posture adjustment instruction to the actuator module; the actuator module is used to convert the posture adjustment instruction into a control signal that drives the two automatic balancing devices, and is used to feed back the status information of the two automatic balancing devices to the control module; the automatic balancing devices are used to provide the aerial work robot with power to restore the balanced posture according to their respective control signals, so as to resist the center of gravity caused by crosswind or movement on the overhead line Offset, avoid the center of gravity offset interfering with the operation of the aerial work robot on the overhead line, significantly improve the stability and safety of the aerial work robot walking on the overhead line, so that the aerial work robot can adapt to more diverse environments and climatic conditions, expand the application range and time window of the aerial work robot, and make it more suitable for performing complex outdoor high-altitude line inspection tasks; the automatic balancing device helps to accurately control the posture of the aerial work robot, improve the accuracy and reliability of the aerial work robot when performing fine operations; the automatic balancing device can also make the aerial work robot more flexible to perform various tasks. If an obstacle deviates from the vertical plane is encountered, the aerial work robot body can be deflected at a certain angle to overcome the obstacle to operate, thereby improving the flexibility of task execution.

[0007] A crossbar is connected between the bottoms of the diagonal support rods on the same side of the tripod. An upper protrusion is provided in the middle of the crossbar. The distance between the upper protrusion and the bottom of the crossbar is greater than the height of the automatic balancing device. The top of the automatic balancing device is fixed to the middle of the upper protrusion. The automatic balancing devices are symmetrically or reversely arranged to prevent the installation of the automatic balancing device from interfering with the landing of the aerial working robot.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the automatic balancing device includes a connecting seat for fixing to the tripod cross bar, a motor and a flying disc, the motor is fixedly mounted on the connecting seat, the flying disc is fixed on the motor shaft, and the flying disc is used to rotate under the drive of the motor to provide power for balancing the aerial working robot.

[0009] Preferably, the connecting base comprises a detachably connected base and a clip. The base and clip combine to form a through-hole for mounting the tripod crossbar. The axis of the through-hole is parallel to the axis of the motor shaft, which is also parallel to the overhead wire of the aerial work robot's frame; the flying disc is perpendicular to the overhead wire. The separate structure of the clip and base facilitates the secure attachment of the automatic balancing device to the aerial work robot's tripod crossbar. The vertical placement of the flying disc facilitates the control module's calculation of the torque generated by the high-speed rotation of the flying disc, reducing the difficulty of the aerial work robot's self-balancing control.

[0010] As an improvement, the base includes an integrated motor mounting frame and a crossbar connection. The motor mounting frame is hollowed out and features a motor mounting panel on one side. The motor is fixedly connected to the mounting panel, which has a bearing hole and a notch adjacent to the bearing hole for the power supply shaft. The hollowing of the motor mounting frame reduces the weight of the base and reduces wind resistance. The notch adjacent to the bearing hole in the mounting panel, through which the power supply shaft passes, facilitates motor installation and securement. The bearing hole defines the shaft's rotational axis, enhancing the disc's operational stability.

[0011] Preferably, the crossbar connecting portion is provided with a first arcuate groove, the clip is provided with a second arcuate groove, and the clip is fixed to the crossbar connecting portion so that the second arcuate groove and the first arcuate groove coincide to form the through hole; first threaded holes communicating with the first arcuate groove are provided at both ends of the crossbar connecting portion, and / or second threaded holes communicating with the second arcuate groove are provided at both ends of the clip, to facilitate the position limiting of the connecting seat and the crossbar, and to prevent the automatic balancing device from axially moving and rotating along the crossbar.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the automatic balancing device includes a connecting seat for fixing to the tripod cross bar, a motor and a ducted fan, the ducted fan is fixedly mounted on the connecting seat, the motor is fixed to the ducted fan and drives its propeller to rotate, and the ducted fan is used to generate power for balancing the aerial working robot in the air pushed by the rotation of the propeller.

[0013] Preferably, the seat body of the connecting seat includes an integrated ducted fan mounting frame and a crossbar connecting part, and the ducted fan mounting frame is hollowed out; ear plates are provided on both sides of the ducted body of the ducted fan, and the ear plates are fixed to the outer ends of the ducted fan mounting frame, and a part of the ducted body is accommodated in the ducted fan mounting frame.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, an automatic balancing device is fixed on each of the oblique support rods on the same side of the tripod, and the two automatic balancing devices are symmetrically arranged on the vertical plane where the overhead line of the aerial work robot's riding frame is located. The automatic balancing device includes a connecting seat, a motor and a flying disc, the motor is fixedly mounted on the connecting seat, the flying disc is fixed on the motor shaft, the flying disc is perpendicular to the overhead line, and the flying disc is used to rotate under the drive of the motor to provide power to balance the aerial work robot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is an architectural diagram of a self-balancing system for an aerial working robot according to the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 A perspective view of a self-balancing aerial working robot according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a first type of automatic balancing device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 It is a side view of the first automatic balancing device of embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 It is an exploded view of the first automatic balancing device of Example 1 of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 It is a bottom perspective view of the first type of automatic balancing device connecting base according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 7 It is a top perspective view of the first type of automatic balancing device connecting seat according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 8 It is a perspective view of a second automatic balancing device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 9 It is an exploded view of the second automatic balancing device of Example 1 of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 10 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a self-balancing aerial working robot according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 11 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the third automatic balancing device of Example 2 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] First, those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely used to explain the technical principles of the embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present application. Those skilled in the art may adjust them as needed to suit specific application scenarios.

[0027] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] The present invention is a self-balancing system for an aerial work robot, and its design architecture is shown in the figure below. Figure 1 As shown, it consists of a perception layer, a decision layer, and an execution layer, specifically including a control module, a posture detection module, and an actuator module installed on its body; The attitude detection module is used to collect the attitude information of the aerial working robot in real time, including angular velocity, acceleration and offset angle sensed by sensors such as high-precision three-axis gyroscopes and accelerometers. The attitude detection module is electrically connected to the control module; The control module is used to calculate the control amount that needs to be adjusted based on the posture information of the aerial working robot collected by the posture detection module and the status information of the automatic balancing device fed back by the actuator module, and send a posture adjustment instruction to the actuator module; The actuator module is electrically connected to the control module and the two automatic balancing devices provided on the tripod respectively; the actuator module is used to convert the posture adjustment instruction into a control signal for driving the two automatic balancing devices, and is used to feed back the status information of the two automatic balancing devices to the control module; The automatic balancing device is used to provide power to the aerial working robot to restore its balanced posture according to the respective control signals; The body is also equipped with a flight module, a camera module, and an operation module; the control module is electrically connected to the flight module to control the flight of the aerial operation robot; the control module is electrically connected to the camera module to obtain image information to determine the operation target; the control module is electrically connected to the operation module to control the operation module to perform inspection, maintenance and other operations on the operation target.

[0029] Example 1 The self-balancing aerial working robot 100 of this embodiment is as follows Figure 2As shown, it includes a power module, a control module, a flight module, a posture detection module, a camera module, an operation module and a tripod. The flight module, the posture detection module, the camera module and the operation module are electrically connected to the control module respectively. The tripod is provided with a symmetrical cross bar, which is parallel to the overhead line of the aerial work robot 100 riding frame. The cross bar is connected between the bottom ends of the oblique support rods on the same side of the tripod. An upper convex part is provided in the middle of the cross bar. The distance between the upper convex part and its bottom is greater than the height of the automatic balancing device 1. The top of the automatic balancing device 1 is installed in the middle of the upper convex part. The two automatic balancing devices 1 are set in opposite directions. The automatic balancing devices 1 are electrically connected to the control module through the actuator module respectively. While avoiding the automatic balancing device 1 touching the ground when landing, the requirement of moving the center of gravity of the aerial work robot 100 downward is taken into account.

[0030] The first automatic balancing device 1 of embodiment 1 is as follows Figures 3 to 7 As shown, the inverted structure includes a connecting base 11 for fixing to the aerial work robot's tripod, a motor 12, and a flying disc 13. The motor 12 is preferably a brushless motor with high speed and fast response. The motor 12 is fixedly mounted on the connecting base 11, and the flying disc 13 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 12. The flying disc 13 is driven by the motor 12 to rotate to provide power to balance the aerial work robot. The flying disc 13 is perpendicular to the overhead wire, and the axis of the flying disc 13 is parallel to the overhead wire on which the aerial work robot 100 rides. The flying disc 13 is detachably connected to the rotating shaft 121 of the motor 12. A locknut 14 is connected to the top of the rotating shaft 121 of the motor 12 to secure the flying disc 13.

[0031] The posture detection module is used to continuously monitor the posture changes of the aerial work robot and transmit the posture data detected by high-precision sensors such as the three-axis gyroscope and accelerometer to the control module. The control module calculates the size and direction of the torque that needs to be adjusted based on the posture data and sends a control instruction to the actuator module. The automatic balancing device 1 converts the control instruction into a control signal, and the motor 12 adjusts the speed and rotation direction of the flying disc 13 to adjust the posture of the aerial work robot on the overhead line back to balance.

[0032] Preferably, the connecting base 11 includes a base 111, a clip 112, and a fixing bolt 114. The clip 112 is located on the base 111. Four second lugs 1122 on either side of the clip 112 engage with four first lugs 1114 on either side of the base 111 via fixing bolts 114, forming a through hole 113 for mounting a tripod crossbar between the base 111 and the clip 112. The base 111 and / or the clip 112 are fixedly connected to the tripod crossbar. The axis of the through hole 113 is parallel to the axis of the motor 12 shaft 121 and the overhead wire of the aerial work robot 100 frame. The flying disc 13 is disposed vertically.

[0033] Preferably, the seat body 111 includes an integrated motor mounting frame 1111 and a cross bar connecting part 1112. The motor mounting frame 1111 is hollowed out and a fixing panel 1115 for the motor 12 is provided on one side. The motor 12 is fixedly connected to the fixing panel 1115. A bearing hole 1116 is provided on the fixing panel 1115. Three screw holes 1117 are evenly distributed on the outer circumference of the bearing hole 1116. Three corresponding bolt holes are provided on the motor 12. The motor 12 is connected and fixed to the fixing panel 1115 by bolts 15. A notch 1118 is provided next to the bearing hole 1116 for the power supply motor 12 rotating shaft 121 to pass through when assembled.

[0034] Preferably, a first arcuate groove 1113 is provided on the crossbar connecting portion 1112, and a second arcuate groove 1121 is provided on the clip 112. The clip 112 is fixed to the crossbar connecting portion 1112 so that the second arcuate groove 1121 and the first arcuate groove 1113 are combined to form the through hole 113.

[0035] Preferably, the two ends of the cross bar connecting part 1112 are provided with a first threaded hole 1119 connected to the first arc-shaped groove 1113, and the connecting seat 11 can be limited to the cross bar of the aerial working robot 100 by driving a screw into the first threaded hole 1119; and / or the two ends of the clip 112 are provided with a second threaded hole 1123 connected to the second arc-shaped groove 1121, and the connecting seat 11 can be limited to the cross bar of the aerial working robot 100 by driving a screw into the second threaded hole 1123.

[0036] In addition, the crossbar connecting portion 1112 and the clip 112 also adopt a hollow design to reduce weight.

[0037] Available as Figure 8 and 9As an alternative, the second type of automatic balancing device 1 shown here is symmetrically arranged and specifically includes a connecting base 11 for fixing to the tripod of the aerial working robot 100, a motor 12, and a ducted fan 16. The ducted fan 16 is fixedly mounted on the connecting base 11. The motor 12 is bolted to the rear connecting bracket of the ducted body 161 of the ducted fan 16. The rotating shaft of the motor 12 is fixed to and drives the propeller 162 to rotate. The ducted fan 16 is used to generate power in the air when the propeller 162 rotates to push the air, which helps balance the aerial working robot 100. The motor 12 is a brushless motor with high efficiency, high speed, and long life. The blades of the propeller 162 draw air into the duct body 161 during rotation, and discharge the airflow after acceleration, thereby generating thrust; the duct body 161 can constrain the airflow, causing the airflow to flow along the axial direction, reducing the disordered diffusion of the airflow, thereby improving aerodynamic efficiency, and the duct body 161 can provide physical protection for the blades of the propeller 162 to prevent the blades from colliding with external objects, thereby improving the safety of the system, and can also effectively suppress the formation of tip vortices of the propeller 162, reducing the airflow impact noise, and making the ducted fan 16 lower in noise during operation.

[0038] Similarly, the connecting base 11 includes a base 111 and a clip 112. The base 111 and the clip 112 combine to form a through hole 113 for mounting the tripod crossbar. The lugs on both sides of the base 111 and the lugs on both sides of the clip 112 are fixedly connected to the tripod crossbar via bolts. A circumferential limiting structure is provided between the base 111 and / or the clip 112 and the tripod crossbar. The axis of the through hole 113 is parallel to the overhead wire of the aerial working robot 100. However, the axis of the through hole 113 is perpendicular to the axis of the motor 12 shaft. The axis of the motor 12 shaft can be set horizontally or obliquely at a certain angle to the vertical.

[0039] Preferably, the base body 111 includes an integrated ducted fan mounting frame and a crossbar connecting part, and the ducted fan mounting frame is hollowed out; ear plates 1611 are provided on both sides of the ducted body 161 of the ducted fan 16, and the ear plates 1611 are fixed to the outer end of the ducted fan mounting frame, and a part of the ducted body 161 is accommodated in the ducted fan mounting frame.

[0040] Example 2 The self-balancing aerial working robot 100 of this embodiment is as follows Figure 10As shown, it also includes a power module, a control module, a flight module, a posture detection module, a camera module, an operation module and a tripod. The flight module, the posture detection module, the camera module and the operation module are electrically connected to the control module respectively. A symmetrical automatic balancing device 1 is provided on the oblique support rod on the same side of the tripod. The automatic balancing device 1 is electrically connected to the control module respectively. When the aerial working robot 100 is in a balanced state, the automatic balancing device 1 is symmetrical with the vertical plane where the overhead line of the aerial working robot 100 is located.

[0041] The third automatic balancing device 1 of embodiment 2 is as follows Figure 10 and 11 As shown, the automatic balancing device 1 also includes a connecting seat 11, a motor 12, a flying disc 13 and a lock nut 14. The plane where the flying disc 13 is located is perpendicular to the overhead wire of the aerial working robot 100 riding frame.

[0042] In this embodiment, the connecting base 11 includes a base 111, a clip 112, and a fixing bolt 114. The base 111 and the clip 112 form a through hole for mounting the tripod's diagonal support rod. The base 111 and / or the clip 112 are fixedly connected to the tripod's diagonal support rod via screws. The motor mounting frame of the base 111 has an opening, which is covered with a mounting plate 115. The mounting plate 115 has a bearing hole in the middle. The motor 12 shaft passes through the bearing hole and is fixed to the mounting plate 115 via bolts. The mounting plate 115 is fixed to the motor mounting frame at both ends via four bolts. A portion of the end of the motor 12 shaft 121 is turned to fit within a D-shaped assembly hole 131 in the middle of the flying disc 13 to form a circumferential limit. A locknut 14 is threadedly connected to the end of the motor 12 shaft 121 to axially limit the flying disc 13.

[0043] In addition, it should be noted that the connector 11 can also be modified in other ways, such as being divided into left and right halves. Therefore, the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or replacements that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A self-balancing system for an aerial work robot, wherein a control module, a flight module, and a posture detection module are installed on the robot body, wherein the control module is electrically connected to the flight module and the posture detection module respectively, and wherein: It also includes an actuator module and two automatic balancing devices arranged on the tripod, wherein the actuator module is electrically connected to the control module, and the actuator module is electrically connected to the two automatic balancing devices respectively; The control module is used to calculate the control amount that needs to be adjusted based on the posture information of the aerial working robot collected by the posture detection module and the status information of the automatic balancing device fed back by the actuator module, and send a posture adjustment instruction to the actuator module; The actuator module is used to convert the posture adjustment instruction into a control signal for driving the two automatic balancing devices, and to feed back the status information of the two automatic balancing devices to the control module; The automatic balancing device is used to provide power to the aerial working robot to restore its balanced posture according to respective control signals.

2. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A cross bar is connected between the bottoms of the oblique support rods on the same side of the tripod, and an upper convex portion is provided in the middle of the cross bar. The distance between the upper convex portion and the bottom of the cross bar is greater than the height of the automatic balancing device. The top of the automatic balancing device is fixed to the middle of the upper convex portion, and the automatic balancing device is symmetrically arranged or reversely arranged.

3. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The automatic balancing device includes a connecting seat for fixing to the tripod cross bar, a motor and a flying disc. The motor is fixedly mounted on the connecting seat, the flying disc is fixed on the motor shaft, and the flying disc is used to rotate under the drive of the motor to provide power for balancing the aerial working robot.

4. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting seat includes a detachably connected seat body and a clip, the seat body and the clip are combined to form a through hole for installing the tripod cross bar, the axis of the through hole is parallel to the axis of the motor shaft, and the axis of the through hole is parallel to the overhead line of the aerial work robot's riding frame; the flying disc is perpendicular to the overhead line.

5. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The seat body includes an integrated motor mounting frame and a crossbar connecting part. The motor mounting frame is hollowed out and a motor fixing panel is provided on one side. The motor is fixedly connected to the fixing panel. A bearing hole is provided on the fixing panel, and a notch is provided next to the bearing hole for the power supply motor shaft to pass through.

6. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: A first arc-shaped groove is provided on the cross bar connecting part, and a second arc-shaped groove is provided on the clip. The clip is fixed to the cross bar connecting part so that the second arc-shaped groove and the first arc-shaped groove are combined to form the through hole; first threaded holes communicating with the first arc-shaped groove are provided at both ends of the cross bar connecting part, and / or second threaded holes communicating with the second arc-shaped groove are provided at both ends of the clip.

7. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that: The flying disc is detachably connected to the rotating shaft of the motor, and a locking nut for fastening the flying disc is connected to the top end of the rotating shaft of the motor.

8. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The automatic balancing device includes a connecting base for fixing to the tripod cross bar, a motor and a ducted fan. The ducted fan is fixedly installed on the connecting base. The motor is fixed to the ducted fan and drives its propeller to rotate. The ducted fan is used to generate power to balance the aerial working robot in the air pushed by the propeller rotation.

9. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The seat body of the connecting seat includes an integrated ducted fan mounting frame and a crossbar connecting part, and the ducted fan mounting frame is hollowed out; ear plates are provided on both sides of the ducted body of the ducted fan, and the ear plates are fixed to the outer ends of the ducted fan mounting frame, and a part of the ducted body is accommodated in the ducted fan mounting frame.

10. The self-balancing system for an aerial work robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: An automatic balancing device is fixed on each of the oblique support rods on the same side of the tripod. The two automatic balancing devices are symmetrically arranged on the vertical plane where the overhead line of the aerial work robot's riding frame is located. The automatic balancing device includes a connecting seat, a motor and a flying disc. The motor is fixedly mounted on the connecting seat, and the flying disc is fixed on the motor shaft. The flying disc is perpendicular to the overhead line and is used to rotate under the drive of the motor to provide power to balance the aerial work robot.

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