Instrument tube inspection device and method

Abstract

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of nuclear power and specifically relates to an instrument tube inspection device and method. The device provided by the present disclosure realizes the movement of the whole device through a moving platform, adjusts the height, depth and pitch angle of the video inspection probe through a lifting mechanism and a telescopic mechanism. The present disclosure acquires environmental information and equipment position and posture information through multiple sensors, effectively prevents the device from colliding with the instrument tube, can automatically position the fixed inspection position of the instrument tube video of the robot according to one manual teaching, automatically performs inspection according to a preset program, reduces the radiation dose of the inspection personnel and improves the inspection efficiency, thereby realizing the automation and intelligentization of video inspection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of nuclear power, and in particular relates to an instrument tube inspection device and method. Background Art

[0002] Due to the unique design of heavy water reactor nuclear power units, over 500 instrument lines are routed from the reactor core to the sides of cores A and C. Limited installation space and the sheer number of lines necessitate a densely packed layout. Under the influence of high temperature, high pressure, and high-frequency vibration, some lines can wear and tear, leading to leaks. Regular inspections of sensitive points on the instrument lines are essential, and any worn areas are addressed accordingly.

[0003] Currently, instrument tube inspections at nuclear power plants both domestically and internationally are primarily performed manually using handheld video inspection probes. This is due to factors such as high dose rates, a lack of lighting systems, complex piping systems, and confined spaces within the inspection area, resulting in lengthy inspections and high doses to inspectors. Given these challenges, improving the efficiency of instrument tube inspections at nuclear power plants and reducing the doses to inspectors are pressing issues. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the problems existing in the related art, an instrument tube inspection device and method are provided.

[0005] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an instrument pipe inspection device, the device comprising: a controller, a mobile platform, a lifting mechanism, and a telescopic mechanism;

[0006] The lifting mechanism is arranged on a mobile platform. The lifting plate of the lifting mechanism can move in the vertical direction and can be tilted in multiple directions. The telescopic mechanism is installed on the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism. The video inspection probe is installed on the movable end of the telescopic mechanism via a pan / tilt platform. The controller can perform the following operations: control the lifting mechanism to carry the telescopic mechanism and the video inspection probe to move in the height distribution direction of the instrument pipe, control the tilting of the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism to adjust the angle of the telescopic mechanism and the video inspection probe; control the telescopic mechanism to carry the video inspection probe to move in the depth distribution direction of the instrument pipe, and control the pan / tilt platform to adjust the angle of the video inspection probe;

[0007] A rolling encoder is arranged in the mobile platform, and the controller obtains the data collected by the rolling encoder to determine the moving distance and direction of the mobile platform; the proximity switch and the lifting encoder are arranged in the lifting mechanism, and the controller obtains the data collected by the lifting encoder to determine the extension length of the movable end of the lifting mechanism. When the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism reaches the initial position, the proximity switch is triggered, and the controller initializes the position of the movable end of the lifting mechanism when the proximity switch is triggered; the counting sensor is arranged in the telescopic mechanism, and the controller obtains the data collected by the counting sensor to determine the extension length of the telescopic mechanism; the first inclination sensor is used to collect the inclination angle of the lifting plate, and the second inclination sensor is used to collect the yaw angle of the video inspection probe. The controller can obtain the angle data collected by the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor; the mobile platform is used to carry the instrument tube inspection device to move on the working plane.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the controller determines a control strategy based on the current position and posture of the instrument tube inspection device and the position and posture of the video inspection probe, and outputs control instructions to the mobile platform, lifting mechanism, and telescopic mechanism according to the determined control strategy, so that the device can inspect the target area of ​​the instrument tube.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the device also includes a pan-tilt camera, which is arranged on a mobile platform and is used to capture images of the video inspection probe and its surroundings. The controller obtains the images captured by the pan-tilt camera and identifies the moving speed, moving direction and positional relationship of the video inspection probe with surrounding objects. The controller determines whether the video inspection probe is at risk of colliding with surrounding objects based on the moving speed, moving direction and positional relationship of the video inspection probe with surrounding objects. When it is determined that there is a risk of collision between the video inspection probe and surrounding objects, the controller issues an alarm message and controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism and telescopic mechanism to stop moving.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the mobile platform further includes a track wheel assembly, a mounting base, a lower cover plate, and an upper cover plate, wherein a track wheel assembly is mounted on each side of the mounting base, the lower cover plate covers the lower portion of the mounting base, and the upper cover plate covers the upper portion of the mounting base;

[0011] The device also includes multiple environmental camera assemblies; each side of the upper cover is provided with a notch, and each environmental camera assembly is embedded in a notch, so that each environmental camera assembly can collect environmental image information around the device; the controller obtains and displays the images collected by each environmental camera assembly.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the telescopic mechanism includes a video server, a motor driver, a bearing support, a reel, a video inspection probe, a gear pair, a telescopic motor, a friction belt motor, and a chain link;

[0013] The motor driver is arranged on the lifting plate, the telescopic motor and the friction belt motor are fixedly connected to the bearing support, the reel is rotatably connected to the bearing support, and the bearing support is fixedly connected to the lifting plate; the video inspection probe is mounted on the movable end of the telescopic motor via the pan-tilt head, and the motor driver is arranged on the lifting plate for controlling the telescopic motor, the pan-tilt head, and the friction belt motor; the chain link is arranged on the outside of the cable of the video inspection probe to form a sheath for constraining the circumferential rotational freedom of the internal cable, and the reel is used to wind and store the chain link;

[0014] When the controller controls the motor driver to drive the telescopic motor to carry the video inspection probe to move, the output end of the telescopic motor drives the reel to rotate through the gear pair, so that the chain links are retracted and extended synchronously with the movement of the video inspection probe; the video server is connected to the video inspection probe through a data cable, obtains the image captured by the video inspection probe, and transmits it to the host computer; when the motor driver drives the telescopic motor, it also drives the friction belt motor to work, and the friction belt motor is installed at the front end of the chain link and contacts the chain link.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the lifting mechanism includes multiple lifting components and motors. The multiple lifting components are surrounded by a lifting plate. The slider of each lifting component is connected to the edge of the lifting plate through a hinge to form a rotating pair. Each motor is used to drive one or two lifting components. When the lifting plate is required to form a tilted posture, the controller determines the preset height of the slider of each lifting component according to the tilt angle and tilt direction corresponding to the required tilt posture, and controls each motor to drive the slider of the corresponding lifting component to slide to the corresponding preset height, so that the lifting plate forms the required tilted posture.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the track wheel assembly further includes: a driving wheel, a stepper motor, a motor connecting plate, a pulley mounting plate, a track, a tensioning plate, and an idler wheel; the driving wheel is mounted on the pulley mounting plate; the idler wheel is mounted on the pulley mounting plate and is used to adjust the contact area between the track and the ground; the track is mounted on the driving wheel and the idler wheel and is used to contact the ground and achieve overall movement through friction;

[0017] The stepper motor is installed on the pulley mounting plate through the motor connecting plate; the output end of the stepper motor is connected to the driving wheel, and the meshing action of the driving wheel teeth and the track shoe is used to convert the rotational motion into continuous linear motion of the track; the track serves as a flexible transmission chain and load-bearing platform. In the interaction with the ground supported by multiple driven wheels, the reaction force generated by the ground is used to generate traction to propel the vehicle body; the tensioning plate is installed on the pulley mounting plate to provide tension to the track.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the device also includes multiple distance sensors, which are fixed on the circumferential side walls of the mobile platform body. The controller determines the distance between the mobile platform and surrounding objects based on data collected from each distance sensor; when the controller determines that the distance between the mobile platform and any one or more surrounding objects is less than a preset threshold, it issues an alarm message and controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism and telescopic mechanism to stop moving.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an instrument pipe inspection method, which is implemented based on the above-mentioned instrument pipe inspection device and includes:

[0020] Step 100: After the device is placed in the initial area, the controller determines the initial position coordinates of the device;

[0021] In step 101, the device is manually controlled to move to various inspection positions. When the device is controlled to be at each inspection position, the controller determines the working plane position coordinates of the device at the inspection position based on the initial position coordinates through position data collected by multiple distance sensors and rolling encoders. The controller also determines the spatial position data of the video inspection probe at the inspection position through a first inclination sensor, a second inclination sensor, a lifting encoder, and a counting sensor, wherein the spatial position data includes the adjusted inclination angle of the lifting plate, the extended length of the lifting mechanism, the extended length of the telescopic mechanism, and the pan-tilt adjustment angle. The controller generates a teaching result based on the initial position coordinates, the working plane position coordinates of each inspection position, and the spatial position data of the video inspection probe, and generates an inspection route and inspection configuration data based on the teaching result. The inspection configuration data is used to instruct the controller to control the lifting mechanism and / or the telescopic mechanism to control the video inspection probe and the pan-tilt camera to reach a preset position, form a preset posture, and collect and acquire video data.

[0022] Step 102: When the controller performs the automatic positioning process, it loads the inspection route and inspection configuration data, moves to each preset inspection position according to the inspection route, and performs the inspection actions fixed in the configuration data. During the automatic positioning process, the controller obtains real-time video data from the PTZ camera and video inspection probe, and automatically analyzes it. If an abnormality occurs, it will return an alarm message and switch to the manual operation procedure.

[0023] Step 103 : If the instrument tube to be inspected changes, repeat steps 100 and 101 to update the teaching result.

[0024] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an instrument pipe inspection device, the device comprising:

[0025] processor;

[0026] a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;

[0027] The processor is configured to execute the above method.

[0028] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which computer program instructions are stored. When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the above method is implemented.

[0029] The beneficial effects of the present disclosure are as follows: the instrument pipe inspection device provided herein utilizes a mobile platform to achieve overall device movement, and the height, depth, and pitch angle of the video inspection probe can be arbitrarily adjusted via a lifting and telescoping mechanism, enabling the device to flexibly adapt to inspection sites with crisscrossing pipelines and confined spaces. The present disclosure utilizes multiple sensors to acquire environmental information and device position and posture information, effectively preventing collisions between the device and the instrument pipe. Furthermore, the present disclosure can generate a preset inspection strategy based on a single remote manual instruction, thereby enabling periodic automatic positioning and inspection of the instrument pipe in the same environment, reducing the radiation dose to inspectors, improving inspection efficiency, and achieving automated and intelligent video inspection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an instrument pipe inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism in an instrument pipe inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a track wheel assembly in an instrument pipe inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 4 It is a flow chart of an instrument tube inspection method shown in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] In the picture:

[0035] 100. Stainless steel instrument tube inspection device; 1. Mobile platform; 11. Track wheel assembly;

[0036] 111. Driving wheel; 112. Stepping motor; 113. Motor connecting plate; 114. Pulley mounting plate;

[0037] 115. Track; 116. Tensioning plate; 117. Idler; 12. Lower cover; 13. Mounting base plate;

[0038] 14. Upper cover; 15. Environmental camera assembly; 16. LEMO connector; 17. PTZ camera;

[0039] 2. Lifting mechanism; 21. Lifting assembly; 22. Lifting plate; 211. Sliding block; 212. Slide rail;

[0040] 213. First lifting motor; 214. Second lifting motor; 215. Speed ​​reducer;

[0041] 216. Hinge; 3. Telescopic mechanism; 31. Video server; 32. Motor driver;

[0042] 33. Bearing support; 34. Reel; 35. Video inspection probe; 36. Gear pair; 37. Telescopic motor;

[0043] 38. Friction belt motor; 39. Chain link. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used in this disclosure have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terms used in this disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this disclosure; the term "including" and any variations thereof in this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. Obviously, the embodiments described in this disclosure are only some of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making any creative work are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0046] References to "embodiments" in this disclosure mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0047] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an instrument tube inspection device shown in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the device 100 includes a controller, a mobile platform 1 , a lifting mechanism 2 and a telescopic mechanism 3 .

[0048] The lifting mechanism 2 is mounted on the mobile platform 1. The lifting plate 22 of the lifting mechanism 2 can move vertically and tilt in multiple directions. The telescopic mechanism 3 is mounted on the lifting plate 22 of the lifting mechanism 2. The video inspection probe 35 is mounted on the movable end of the telescopic mechanism 3 via a pan-tilt platform. The controller drives the lifting mechanism 2 to move the telescopic mechanism 3 and the video inspection probe 35 in the direction of the height distribution of the instrument tube. The controller drives the lifting plate 22 of the lifting mechanism 2 to rotate to adjust the angle of the telescopic mechanism 3 and the video inspection probe 35. The controller drives the telescopic mechanism 3 to move the video inspection probe 35 in the direction of the depth distribution of the instrument tube. The controller adjusts the angle of the video inspection probe 35 by rotating the pan-tilt platform. The device disclosed herein utilizes a rotatable lifting plate and pan-tilt platform to achieve multi-level adjustment of the video inspection probe's posture angle, greatly expanding the video inspection probe's shooting range. Multiple distance sensors are fixed to the circumferential side walls of the mobile platform body. The controller obtains data collected by each distance sensor to determine the relative position of the entire device and surrounding objects, thereby achieving device positioning and preventing collisions with surrounding objects.

[0049] A rolling encoder is installed in the mobile platform 1. The controller obtains data collected by the rolling encoder to determine the movement distance and direction of the mobile platform 1. A proximity switch and a lifting encoder are installed in the lifting mechanism 2. The controller obtains data collected by the lifting encoder to determine the position of the movable end of the lifting mechanism 2. When the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism 2 reaches the initial position, the proximity switch is triggered. When the proximity switch is triggered, the controller initializes the position of the movable end of the lifting mechanism 2. The controller obtains data collected by the counting sensor to determine the number or length of the links extended or retracted by the telescopic mechanism 3, thereby determining the distance of the video inspection probe 35. The first tilt sensor is used to collect the tilt angle of the lifting plate 22, and the second tilt sensor is used to collect the yaw angle of the video inspection probe 35. The controller can obtain the angle data collected by the first and second tilt sensors. The mobile platform 1 is used to carry the instrument pipe inspection device and move on a working plane, which can be, for example, the ground in the core instrument pipe area. In this way, the controller can obtain the position and posture of the device and the video inspection probe in real time through the combination of multiple encoders, counters, and sensors, significantly improving the control accuracy and flexibility of the device in the pipeline density area.

[0050] The controller can determine a control strategy based on the current position and posture of the instrument pipe inspection device and the position and posture of the video inspection probe, and output control instructions to the mobile platform, lifting mechanism, and telescopic mechanism according to the determined control strategy, so that the device can inspect the target area of ​​the instrument pipe.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the mobile platform 1 includes a track wheel assembly 11, a mounting base 13, a lower cover 12, an upper cover 14, an environmental camera assembly 15, a LEMO connector 16, and a pan / tilt camera 17. A track wheel assembly 11 is mounted on each side of the mounting base 13. The lower cover 12 covers the lower portion of the mounting base 13, and the upper cover 14 covers the upper portion of the mounting base 13.

[0052] The pan-tilt camera 17 is mounted on the upper cover 14 and is used to capture images of the video inspection probe 35 and its surroundings. The controller captures the images captured by the pan-tilt camera and identifies the video inspection probe's movement speed, direction, and positional relationship with surrounding objects. Based on the video inspection probe's movement speed, direction, and positional relationship, the controller determines whether the video inspection probe is at risk of colliding with surrounding objects. If this is determined, the controller controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism, and telescopic mechanism to stop, effectively preventing the video inspection probe from colliding with surrounding objects. For example, if the controller determines, based on the video inspection probe's position, speed, and direction, that the video inspection probe is at risk of colliding with an instrument pipeline within two seconds, it issues an alarm and controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism, and telescopic mechanism to stop. In this way, the controller can automatically monitor the device's collision risk, effectively avoiding operator delays and misjudgments, further increasing the device's safety during the inspection process. The pan-tilt camera can include both natural light cameras and infrared cameras to flexibly adapt to scenes of varying brightness.

[0053] In one possible implementation, the device further includes multiple distance sensors affixed to the circumferential sidewalls of the mobile platform. When a controller determines, based on data collected from each distance sensor, that the distance between the mobile platform and any one or more surrounding objects is less than a preset threshold, it issues an alarm and controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism, and telescopic mechanism to stop. In this way, the device disclosed herein can effectively prevent collisions with surrounding objects, such as instrument pipes, by monitoring the position of the mobile platform and the position of the video inspection probe.

[0054] In a possible implementation, the lifting mechanism comprises a plurality of lifting assemblies and motors, the plurality of lifting assemblies are arranged around the lifting plate, the slider of each lifting assembly is connected to the edge of the lifting plate through a hinge to form a rotating pair, each motor is configured to drive one or two lifting assemblies, when the lifting plate needs to form an inclined posture, the controller determines the preset height of the slider of each lifting assembly according to the inclination angle and the inclination direction corresponding to the required inclined posture, and controls each motor to drive the slider of the corresponding lifting assembly to slide to the corresponding preset height, the plurality of lifting assemblies form multi-point support and multi-point driving, which guarantees the stability of the lifting plate, and enables the lifting plate to form inclined postures with different inclination directions and different inclination angles, thereby more flexibly meeting different posture adjustment requirements.

[0055] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism in an instrument tube inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 The lifting mechanism 2 comprises three lifting assemblies 21, a lifting plate 22, a first lifting motor 213 and a second lifting motor 214. Each lifting assembly comprises a slider 211 and a sliding rail 212. Each sliding rail 212 is arranged vertically on the mounting bottom plate 13 and surrounds the lifting plate 22. Each slider 211 is connected to one sliding rail 212 in a sliding manner. Each slider 211 is further connected to the edge of the lifting plate 22 through a hinge 216 to form a rotating pair. The first lifting motor 213 is configured to drive one lifting assembly 21, and the second lifting motor 214 is configured to simultaneously drive the other two lifting assemblies. The first lifting motor 213 and the second lifting motor 214 are arranged in the space enclosed by the upper cover plate 14 and the mounting bottom plate 13. The first lifting motor 213 can be arranged at the lower end of one lifting assembly 21, and the second lifting motor 214 can be arranged between the other two lifting assemblies. In addition, the space enclosed by the upper cover plate and the mounting bottom plate can also be used to accommodate mounting components and cables such as LEMO connectors, pan-tilt cameras and rotary encoders, and the space enclosed by the lower cover plate and the mounting bottom plate is used to accommodate components such as step motors and cables of the track wheel assembly, thereby increasing the compactness of the overall device structure.

[0056] When the lifting plate 22 is required to form a tilted posture (for example, the controller receives a lifting plate tilt instruction sent by the operator, or the controller controls the lifting plate to tilt according to a preset operating procedure), the controller determines the preset height of the slider of each lifting component 21 according to the tilt angle and tilt direction corresponding to the required tilted posture. Then, the controller controls the first lifting motor 213 to drive the slider of the corresponding lifting component 21 to slide to the corresponding preset height, and controls the second lifting motor 214 to determine that the sliders of the corresponding two lifting components 21 slide to the corresponding preset heights at the same time. In this way, the lifting plate can form a preset tilted posture according to real-time needs. Multiple lifting components form a stable support for the lifting plate, and can flexibly change to a variety of tilted postures according to actual needs. It should be noted that the number of lifting components and the number of motors can be set according to actual needs, and this is not limited in this disclosure.

[0057] In a possible implementation, the second lifting motor 214 can also be connected to each lifting assembly 21 through a reducer 215, thereby adjusting the speed and torque output by the second lifting motor, which is conducive to precise control of the lifting plate.

[0058] In one possible implementation, the device further includes multiple environmental camera assemblies 15. Each sidewall of the upper cover 14 is provided with a notch, and each environmental camera assembly 15 is embedded within a notch, enabling each environmental camera assembly 15 to capture image information of the environment surrounding the device. A controller captures and displays the images captured by each environmental camera assembly, facilitating a remote operator's real-time understanding of the environment surrounding the entire device. It should be noted that the environmental camera assemblies can be selected to have a thickness less than that of the sidewalls of the upper cover. This way, each environmental camera assembly does not protrude from the sidewalls of the upper cover, thereby minimizing the space available for mounting components within the upper cover.

[0059] In one possible implementation, Figure 1 As shown, the telescopic mechanism 3 includes a video server 31, a motor driver 32, a bearing support 33, a reel 34, a video inspection probe 35, a gear pair 36, a telescopic motor 37, a friction belt motor 38, and a chain link 39. The motor driver 32 is mounted on the lifting plate 22. The telescopic motor 37 and the friction belt motor 38 are fixedly connected to the bearing support 33. The reel 34 is rotatably connected to the bearing support 33, which is fixedly connected to the lifting plate 22. The video inspection probe 35 is mounted on the movable end of the telescopic motor 37 via a pan / tilt platform. The motor driver 32 is mounted on the lifting plate 22 and controls the telescopic motor 37, the pan / tilt platform, and the friction belt motor 38. The chain link 39 is sheathed around the cable of the video inspection probe, constraining the circumferential rotational freedom of the internal cable and preventing cable entanglement. The reel 34 is used to wind and store the chain link 39, further preventing cable entanglement.

[0060] When the controller controls the motor driver 32 to drive the telescopic motor 37 and the video inspection probe 35, the output of the telescopic motor 37 rotates the reel 34 via the gear pair 36, causing the chain link 39 to retract and extend synchronously with the movement of the video inspection probe 35. This effectively prevents cable entanglement and other issues during the video inspection probe's movement, while also ensuring that the video inspection probe's movement is unimpeded by cable entanglement. The video server 31 connects to the video inspection probe 35 via a data cable (e.g., an HDMI cable), acquires images captured by the video inspection probe 35, and transmits them to a host computer. When the motor driver 32 drives the telescopic motor 37, it also drives the friction belt motor 38, which is mounted at the extended front end of the chain link 39 and in contact with it, ensuring smooth extension of the chain link 39 through friction. The controller can also control the pan / tilt system (PTZ) through the motor driver 32 to adjust the posture of the video inspection probe 35.

[0061] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a track wheel assembly in an instrument pipe inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, see Figure 1 and Figure 3 The track wheel assembly 11 also includes: a driving wheel 111, a stepper motor 112, a motor connecting plate 113, a pulley mounting plate 114, a track 115, a tensioning plate 116, and an idler wheel 117; the pulley mounting plate 114 is a base plate of the track wheel assembly, which is used to install other parts and is fixedly connected to the mounting base 13; the driving wheel 111 is mounted on the pulley mounting plate 114; the idler wheel 117 is mounted on the pulley mounting plate 114 and is used to adjust the contact area between the track 115 and the ground; the track 115 is mounted on the driving wheel and the idler wheel 117 and is used to contact the ground and achieve overall movement through friction.

[0062] The stepper motor 112 is mounted on the pulley mounting plate 114 via a motor connecting plate 113. The output of the stepper motor 112 is connected to the driving wheel 111. The meshing action between the teeth of the driving wheel 111 and the track 115 converts the rotational motion into continuous linear motion of the track. The track acts as a flexible transmission chain and load-bearing platform, supporting the vehicle load with multiple driven wheels. The track, in its interaction with the ground, generates traction to propel the vehicle using the reaction force generated by the ground. A tensioning plate 116 is mounted on the pulley mounting plate 114 to provide sufficient tension to the track 115 to prevent slipping during operation.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a flow chart of an instrument tube inspection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method is implemented based on the above-mentioned instrument tube inspection device. Figure 4 , the method includes the following steps.

[0064] Step 100, before the device performs the inspection task, the device is placed in an initial area, in order to ensure the accuracy of the position calculation of the device during the inspection process, the controller can read the initial position data through the plurality of distance sensors of the device, and the distance measurement data read is determined as the initial position coordinates of the device after processing. In addition, the controller can also directly obtain the preset coordinates of the initial area.

[0065] Step 101, the operator demonstrates the inspection of the device, the operator manually controls the device to move to each inspection position, and the controller determines the working plane position coordinates of the device at each inspection position based on the initial position coordinates and the position data collected by the plurality of distance sensors and the rolling encoder when the device is controlled to be at each inspection position; and determines the spatial position data of the video inspection probe at the inspection position through the first inclination sensor, the second inclination sensor, the lifting encoder and the counting sensor, wherein the spatial position data includes the adjustment inclination of the lifting plate, the extension length of the lifting mechanism, the extension length of the telescopic mechanism and the adjustment angle of the gimbal; the controller forms the demonstration result according to the initial position coordinates, the working plane position coordinates of each inspection position and the spatial position data of the video inspection probe, and generates the inspection route and the inspection configuration data according to the demonstration result, and the inspection configuration data is used to instruct the controller to control the lifting mechanism and / or the telescopic mechanism to control the video inspection probe and the gimbal camera to reach the preset position, form the preset posture and collect the video data.

[0066] Step 102, when the controller performs the automatic positioning process, the inspection route and the inspection configuration data are loaded, and the controller moves to the preset each inspection position according to the inspection route and performs the inspection action fixed by the inspection configuration data. The controller acquires video data from the gimbal camera and the video inspection probe in real time during the automatic positioning process, and performs automatic analysis, and returns alarm information and switches to the manual operation program if an abnormality occurs.

[0067] For example, during the execution of the inspection process, the controller analyzes whether the positional relationship between the inspection object and the inspection structure in the video data is abnormal (for example, if the distance between the instrument pipes to be inspected is less than a preset threshold, it is judged that there is an abnormality); the controller continues to perform the next step of inspection until the task is completed in the case where the positional relationship between the inspection object and the inspection structure is determined to be normal; the controller switches to the manual confirmation operation process in the case where the positional relationship between the inspection object and the inspection structure is determined to be abnormal, and the control process is ended after the manual operation is completed.

[0068] Step 103, in the case where the instrument pipe to be inspected changes, steps 100 and 101 are repeated to update the demonstration result. Thus, the inspection strategy can be adjusted according to the actual changes of the instrument pipe area, so that the device can flexibly adapt to different detection environments and implement targeted inspection.

[0069] The present disclosure may be a system, method and / or computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium carrying computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0070] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanical encoding device, such as a punch card or raised-in-groove structure on which instructions are stored, and any suitable combination thereof. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium is not to be construed as a transient signal per se, such as a radio wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., a light pulse through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal transmitted through an electrical wire.

[0071] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or downloaded to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network can include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer-readable program instructions to be stored in the computer-readable storage medium in each computing / processing device.

[0072] The computer program instructions for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, the state information of the computer-readable program instructions is used to personalize an electronic circuit, such as a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), so that the electronic circuit can execute the computer-readable program instructions, thereby implementing various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0073] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0074] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, thereby producing a machine, so that when these instructions are executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device, a device is generated that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, where these instructions cause the computer, programmable data processing device, and / or other device to operate in a specific manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0075] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to implement the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0076] The flow charts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part of a module, program segment or instruction, and a part of a module, program segment or instruction includes one or more executable instructions for realizing the prescribed logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a sequence different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the boxes in the block diagram and / or flow chart, can be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the prescribed function or action, or can be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0077] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the above descriptions are illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not intended to be limiting of the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or improvements to existing technologies, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An instrument tube inspection device, characterized in that: The device comprises: a controller, a mobile platform, a lifting mechanism and a telescopic mechanism; The lifting mechanism is arranged on a mobile platform. The lifting plate of the lifting mechanism can move in the vertical direction and can be tilted in multiple directions. The telescopic mechanism is installed on the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism. The video inspection probe is installed on the movable end of the telescopic mechanism via a pan / tilt platform. The controller can perform the following operations: control the lifting mechanism to carry the telescopic mechanism and the video inspection probe to move in the height distribution direction of the instrument pipe, control the tilting of the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism to adjust the angle of the telescopic mechanism and the video inspection probe; control the telescopic mechanism to carry the video inspection probe to move in the depth distribution direction of the instrument pipe, and control the pan / tilt platform to adjust the angle of the video inspection probe; A rolling encoder is arranged in the mobile platform, and the controller obtains the data collected by the rolling encoder to determine the moving distance and direction of the mobile platform; the proximity switch and the lifting encoder are arranged in the lifting mechanism, and the controller obtains the data collected by the lifting encoder to determine the extension length of the movable end of the lifting mechanism. When the lifting plate of the lifting mechanism reaches the initial position, the proximity switch is triggered, and the controller initializes the position of the movable end of the lifting mechanism when the proximity switch is triggered; the counting sensor is arranged in the telescopic mechanism, and the controller obtains the data collected by the counting sensor to determine the extension length of the telescopic mechanism; the first inclination sensor is used to collect the inclination angle of the lifting plate, and the second inclination sensor is used to collect the yaw angle of the video inspection probe. The controller can obtain the angle data collected by the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor; the mobile platform is used to carry the instrument tube inspection device to move on the working plane.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The controller determines a control strategy based on the current position and posture of the instrument tube inspection device and the position and posture of the video inspection probe, and outputs control instructions to the mobile platform, lifting mechanism, and telescopic mechanism according to the determined control strategy, so that the device can inspect the target area of ​​the instrument tube.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The device also includes a pan-tilt camera, which is arranged on a mobile platform and is used to capture images of the video inspection probe and its surroundings. The controller obtains the images captured by the pan-tilt camera and identifies the moving speed, moving direction and positional relationship of the video inspection probe with surrounding objects. The controller determines whether the video inspection probe is at risk of colliding with surrounding objects based on the moving speed, moving direction and positional relationship of the video inspection probe with surrounding objects. When it is determined that the video inspection probe is at risk of colliding with surrounding objects, the controller issues an alarm message and controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism and telescopic mechanism to stop moving.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The mobile platform also includes a track wheel assembly, a mounting base, a lower cover plate, and an upper cover plate. A track wheel assembly is installed on each side of the mounting base plate. The lower cover plate is covered on the lower part of the mounting base plate, and the upper cover plate is covered on the upper part of the mounting base plate. The device also includes multiple environmental camera assemblies; each side of the upper cover is provided with a notch, and each environmental camera assembly is embedded in a notch, so that each environmental camera assembly can collect environmental image information around the device; the controller obtains and displays the images collected by each environmental camera assembly.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The telescopic mechanism includes a video server, a motor driver, a bearing support, a reel, a video inspection probe, a gear pair, a telescopic motor, a friction belt motor and a chain link; The motor driver is arranged on the lifting plate, the telescopic motor and the friction belt motor are fixedly connected to the bearing support, the reel is rotatably connected to the bearing support, and the bearing support is fixedly connected to the lifting plate; the video inspection probe is mounted on the movable end of the telescopic motor via the pan-tilt head, and the motor driver is arranged on the lifting plate for controlling the telescopic motor, the pan-tilt head, and the friction belt motor; the chain link is arranged on the outside of the cable of the video inspection probe to form a sheath for constraining the circumferential rotational freedom of the internal cable, and the reel is used to wind and store the chain link; When the controller controls the motor driver to drive the telescopic motor to carry the video inspection probe to move, the output end of the telescopic motor drives the reel to rotate through the gear pair, so that the chain links are retracted and extended synchronously with the movement of the video inspection probe; the video server is connected to the video inspection probe through a data cable, obtains the image captured by the video inspection probe, and transmits it to the host computer; when the motor driver drives the telescopic motor, it also drives the friction belt motor to work, and the friction belt motor is installed at the front end of the chain link and contacts the chain link.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The lifting mechanism includes multiple lifting components and motors. The multiple lifting components are surrounded by the lifting plate. The slider of each lifting component is connected to the edge of the lifting plate through a hinge to form a rotating pair. Each motor is used to drive one or two lifting components. When the lifting plate is required to form a tilted posture, the controller determines the preset height of the slider of each lifting component according to the tilt angle and tilt direction corresponding to the required tilt posture, and controls each motor to drive the slider of the corresponding lifting component to slide to the corresponding preset height, so that the lifting plate forms the required tilted posture.

7. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that The track wheel assembly also includes: a driving wheel, a stepper motor, a motor connecting plate, a pulley mounting plate, a track, a tensioning plate, and an idler wheel; the driving wheel is mounted on the pulley mounting plate; the idler wheel is mounted on the pulley mounting plate and is used to adjust the contact area between the track and the ground; the track is mounted on the driving wheel and the idler wheel and is used to contact the ground and achieve overall movement through friction; The stepper motor is installed on the pulley mounting plate through the motor connecting plate; the output end of the stepper motor is connected to the driving wheel, and the meshing action of the driving wheel teeth and the track shoe is used to convert the rotational motion into continuous linear motion of the track; the track serves as a flexible transmission chain and load-bearing platform. In the interaction with the ground supported by multiple driven wheels, the reaction force generated by the ground is used to generate traction to propel the vehicle body; the tensioning plate is installed on the pulley mounting plate to provide tension to the track.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The device also includes multiple distance sensors, which are fixed on the circumferential side walls of the mobile platform body. The controller determines the distance between the mobile platform and surrounding objects based on the data collected from each distance sensor; when the controller determines that the distance between the mobile platform and any one or more surrounding objects is less than a preset threshold, it issues an alarm message and controls the mobile platform, lifting mechanism and telescopic mechanism to stop moving.

9. A method for inspecting an instrument tube, characterized in that: The method is implemented based on the instrument pipe inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the method includes: Step 100: After the device is placed in the initial area, the controller determines the initial position coordinates of the device; In step 101, the device is manually controlled to move to various inspection positions. When the device is controlled to be at each inspection position, the controller determines the working plane position coordinates of the device at the inspection position based on the initial position coordinates through position data collected by multiple distance sensors and rolling encoders. The controller also determines the spatial position data of the video inspection probe at the inspection position through a first inclination sensor, a second inclination sensor, a lifting encoder, and a counting sensor, wherein the spatial position data includes the adjusted inclination angle of the lifting plate, the extended length of the lifting mechanism, the extended length of the telescopic mechanism, and the pan-tilt adjustment angle. The controller generates a teaching result based on the initial position coordinates, the working plane position coordinates of each inspection position, and the spatial position data of the video inspection probe, and generates an inspection route and inspection configuration data based on the teaching result. The inspection configuration data is used to instruct the controller to control the lifting mechanism and / or the telescopic mechanism to control the video inspection probe and the pan-tilt camera to reach a preset position, form a preset posture, and collect and acquire video data. Step 102: When the controller performs the automatic positioning process, it loads the inspection route and inspection configuration data, moves to each preset inspection position according to the inspection route, and performs the inspection actions fixed in the configuration data. During the automatic positioning process, the controller obtains real-time video data from the PTZ camera and video inspection probe, and automatically analyzes it. If an abnormality occurs, it will return an alarm message and switch to the manual operation procedure. Step 103 : If the instrument tube to be inspected changes, repeat steps 100 and 101 to update the teaching result.

10. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the method according to claim 9 is implemented.

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